Sunday 22 February 2015

Shalee lhaih 2015: shiaghtin 08

Go here for English version. Note, this is rewritten from scratch, not a direct translation.

16oo-22h Toshiaght Arree

Jerrey hoghtoo shiaghtin ny Shalee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Morlock Night (KW Jeter)

Shoh eiyrtyssagh lane yindys as schlei da skeeal ard-ghooagh HG Wells, The Time Machine. Cre haghyragh dy yioghe ny Morlockyn canniblagh fo-hallooin greim er y jeshaght hraa shen, as çheet dys Lunnin Victorianagh? Ta Jeter er screeu skeeal anaasoil as cleaynagh dy liooar. By haittin lhiam fakin nagh vel eh cur monney traa da cloie mygeayrt marish troailt traa; t'eh shaghney roudaght Hom Holt 'sy chooish shen. By vie lhiam yn ard-charracteyr Hocker - ta cree braew as daanys dy liooar echey, as shen caghlaa mie ny yei feniagh aggleydagh as groamagh ny skeealyn elley ta mee er lhiah liorish Jeter. Ghow mee ram soylley jeh, as ga dy hoig mee y cassey veagh 'sy skeeal beggan leah, cha ren shen boirey orrym - she cassey mie t'ayn. As ta jerrey noa as neuyerkit aym nagh vel mee son molley eh dhyt.

Recipes for the Dead: Dark Delights with Cranberries (Vera Greentea and Ein Lee)

Ayrn aalin jeh noaskeeal caslyssagh. Shegin dou goaill rish, va mee jerkal dy beagh eh ny s'liurey. Er lhiam dy nee Lioar 1 v'ayn, agh she "Earroo" 1 - cadbil, gow rish - as hug shen yindys orrym. Agh ghow mee taitnys jeh ny yei shen. Cha nel y cabdil shoh soilshaghey magh monney: cha nel rieughid seihll y skeeal ry-hoiggal foast, chamoo ta fys ain er yn ard-charracteyr ny eer cre'n genre t'ayn. S'baghtal dooin dy vel reddyn neughooghyssagh agh, agh vel fys ec cagh er shen? Nee skeeal eddrym-sy-chree t'ayn, ny fer strimmey-chooishagh? Ta'n coontey-ergooyl gra "steampunk" agh cha nel shin fakin agh Shenn Thie Groamey Americaanagh (lane chlassicagh) as cummal-rea cadjin. S'treisht lhiam dy nee Greentea soilshaghey ny smoo dy leah.

Chammah's shen, my ta ard-charracteyr goaill toshiaght 'sy skeeal gaccan er currymyn sheshoil as eisht geid jeh naboon kenjal, ta obbyr ry-yannoo ecksh my by vie lhiat dy mie lhiam ee. Foddee oo jannoo y lheid - s'mie lhiam ard-charracteyryn ta nyn roosteyryn, aght ennagh - agh my she peiagh cadjin t'ayn, s'doillee cur ry-cheilley "peiagh so-choennaghtyn" as "geid dy baghtal jeh shenn ven". Er y laue elley, by vie lhiam y naboon buitçhagh (dy baghtal) as y dooinney poosht braew sassey eck, ga nagh row mee shickyr my she fer beggan quaagh t'ayn, ny jus focklaght neuschlei ennagh. Wahll, ta mee sullyraignagh. As she ellyn aalin t'ayn.

Recipes for the Dead: Apricot Asylum (Vera Greentea and Allison Strom)

Eh... s'doillee eh briwnys er cabdil lomarcan y yannoo, fys ayd. Cha nel shin feddyn magh monney 'sy chabdil shoh. Ta Veronica coagyrey brishtagyn pishagagh (gyn yss) as goll dys giense, as... shen eh. Ta cummey braew er y chabdil as she jallooghyn mie t'ayn - agh shegin dou gra bare lhiam ellyn hickyr cabdil #1 na'n aght s'boggey kayagh shoh. Ta shin feddyn magh kuse beg jeh'n roie-skeeal neughooghyssagh, as by vie lhiam shen. Oh, as ta blass quaagh ennagh tra ta oijys meenagh y skeeal dhyt...

Recipes for the Dead: Steam Minted Meringue (Vera Greentea and Allison Strom)

Ta mee fud-y-cheilley hoshiaght. Scuirr cabdil 2 rish fer joarree neughooghyssagh brishtey stiagh 'sy yiense, as nish... ta'n ard-charracteyr shooyl dy kiune 'sy 'traid moghrey fliugh ennagh. Dy firrinagh, cha nel eie erbee aym er cre'n kiangley t'ayn. Fy-yerrey, ta mee goaill rish nagh vel kiangley ayn - t'ad er caghlaa dys traa elley 'sy skeeal gyn gra shen, er lhiam (ren yn ughtar hene shickyraghey shen dou ny s'anmey!). Cha nel eh molley yn cabdil shoh, agh hug eh builley dou.

Share lhiam yn ellyn na'n lioar roee. Ta Strom er gaghlaa yn aght eck, linnaghyn ny stroshey as daaghyn ny s'çhenney. Er lhiam dy vel shen ny s'cooie da lheid y skeeal. T'eh gra dy nee steampunk t'ayn (ny smoo far-Victorianagh na steampunk, er lhiam) as ta shen yeearree ellyn yl-chast as lane dy vynphoyntyn. Ta coireeaghey coagyrey aalin ass towse ayn, un cherrin flaaoil lane dy vioys niartal - verrym eh er y woalley aym gyn leaystey erbee. Ta jallooyn yindyssagh neughooghyssagh elley ayn ny s'anmey, tra ta'n Bankeyr çheet rish.

Ta'n ayrn shoh rooishtey reddyn neughooghyssagh da'n toilshey dy jeean, as cur er Veronica shassoo eddin ry eddin rish reddyn quaagh (dy lettyragh). By vie lhiam shen, as s'treisht lhiam dy bee ny smoo RFTD ayn dy leah. Atreih, s'baghtal dy vel eh goll er cur magh beggan er veggan (kyndagh rish yn ellyn aalin mea, er lhiam) as er lhiam dy nee shen boirey orrym... Shen anraah noaskeealyn caslyssagh: t'eh ceau ram traa rish croo ayrn beg jeh skeeal, agh foddee lhaihder lhaih y lane obbyr shen rish minnid ny ghaa. S'doillee da'n ughtar cur magh dy skeeal tappee dy liooar da'n lhaihder.

Tales from the Mechanical Bard (ymmodee)

Çhaglym anaasoil dy skeealyn beggey quaaghey ayns seihll Numenera. V'ad ooilley feeu, agh ta kuse ny smoo anaasoil na kuse elley. She The Garden y skeeal s'quaaghey baghtal, as lane doo er lhiam. Ta blass skeeal ferrish er Elza D, as er lhiam dy noddagh oo cur eh mastey skeealyn ny Braaraghyn Grimm gyn agh caghlaa eaghtyragh. Er y laue elley, ta The Angel Stone gollrish y 'fluff' (clooie) ta screeudeyryn gamman cur stiagh mastey ny reillaghyn - ta blass mie echey, agh cha nel monney skeeal 'sy chooish.

She Liora's Call ynrican ta gollrish red ennagh haghyragh ayns gamman Numenera erbee, er lhiam. Ta blass 70yn-80yn ec Hilfolk er lhiam - lessoonyn moralagh as caghlaa reayrtyssyn. Voir eh orrym nagh ren yn ard-charracteyr eer smooinaghtyn dy yannoo ymmyd jeh'n phooar ooilley-niartal echey dy hauail e charrey jeh braggartagh raghtal nagh by vie leshyn er chor erbee, ga dy vel traa dy liooar echey dy smooinaghtyn er - er lhiam nagh row shen rere dooghys deiney. Cha nel eh ersyn sauail eh, agh lhisagh yn eie çheet er, er lhiam! Resonance... cha s'aym, dy jarroo. She skeeal mie dy liooar t'ayn, as eie ny ghaa anaasoil aynsyn. Foddee nagh row niart dy liooar aynsyn? As shegin dou gra, ta mee er lhaih Tom Holt dy liooar nagh vel monney cree aym foast son skeealyn bentyn rish sou-cheeayll troailtys traa.

ドラえもん y.l. 2 (藤子・F・不二雄)

Contoyrtyssyn ommidjagh elley lesh gliggyryn quaagh, as ta drogh yerrey ayn dy cadjin. S'doillee dou toiggal ad ny keayrtyn, agh she cooid eddrym aitt t'ayn.

らんま1/2 y.l. 23 (高橋 留美子)

Taitnys noa marish Ranma, Akane as ny "caarjyn" oc. Er lhiam dy nee toshiaght woal v'ayn - cha nel monney anaase aym er Taro. T'eh neughortagh, myr shen cha nel monney aitt ayns ny streppaghyn, as t'eh dy kinjagh kianglt rish Hokkosai ta dree dy liooar myrgeddin (jus geid fo-eaddagh). Agh va cooid elley y lioar fondagh dy liooar. Va yn skeeal neuchrogheydagh ayn as Ramna jannoo foayr kenjal as neuhondagh - s'mie lhiam fakin yn ard-charracteyr myr fer mie nish as reesht!

らんま1/2 y.l. 24 (高橋 留美子)

As ny smoo. Va skeeal liauyr 'sy lioar shoh, as v'eh cleaynagh dy liooar dy row eh orrym goaill toshiaght er y nah lioar myrgeddin as feddyn magh cre'n jerrey veagh ayn! Ta 高橋 留美子 garral skeeal lane ommidjagh bentyn rish sleih jeh fuillaght veiyn, as wheesh daaney v'eh orrym cur yindys er ny share na craidey mysh.

The Hill of Dreams (Arthur Machen)

Lioar whaagh as druightagh. Cha nel mee lhaih noaskeealyn lettyragh jeh yioin, agh cha row fys aym dy nee y lheid v'ayn! As dy jarroo, ghow mee taitnys jee. Va mee jerkal rish skeeal quaagh neughooghyssagh - skeeal ferrish noa, foddee? - as cha doig mee dy leah dy nee skeeal mychione aigney fer v'ayn. Ta Machen smooinaghtyn er as soilshaghey magh aigney as bea fer ta currit da ashlishyn, smooinaghtyn as screeu. T'eh lane dy choontaghyn mea as cramp, jeh reayrtyssyn as staydyn aigney, as ta kiangley lajer eddyr y jees. T'eh scrutaghey anreiltyssyn aigney dy lhome, agh ayns aght so-chredjal, as gha dy vel groamid ayn, cha nel eh jannoo groamey y lioar hene. Er lhiam dy row aght smooinnee y dooinney so-hoiggal as so-chredjal rere ny taghyrtyn as cummaghtyn ta Machen soilshaghey magh. Atreih, ny keayrtyn ta sheer-chrampys liauyr y aght screeuee geddyn laue yn eaghtyr orrym, as aachooinaghtyn y cabdil s'jerree erskyn ooilley. Shen foill. Agh b'eeu ee, gyn ourys.

Fockle s'jerree

Lhaih mee 9 lioaryn (owatta!), va 139 aym yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie, myr shen ta 130 faagit dou nish.


English version

16th-22nd February

The end of week eight of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

Morlock Night (KW Jeter)

This is an imaginative and skillful follow-on to HG Wells' classic The Time Machine. Jeter doesn't bother with trying to write an actual sequel, although the back notes suggest that several people have made that particular attempt. Instead, he grabs a couple of core elements and runs with them. To whit: what would happen if the cannibalistic, subterranean Morlocks of that story got their claws on the time machine and travelled back to Victorian London? Jeter thankfully avoids playing around too much with time travel weirdness, shunning the worse excesses of Tom Holt and his ilk. I liked the protagonist, Hocker, a brave and right-thinking hero, who made a nice change from the bitter, prudish, self-centred protagonist of the previous Jeter books I've read (I should add, said protagonist was written that way on purpose, and the text does not approve of him). I really enjoyed this story, and although I saw the twist coming a little bit early, it didn't bother me - it's a good twist. The ending was also unexpected and creative, and I won't spoil that.

Recipes for the Dead: Dark Delights with Cranberries (Vera Greentea and Ein Lee)

A short, beautifully-illustrated slice of graphic novel. I was expecting it to be longer, to be honest - I thought this was Book 1, not Chapter 1, and am a bit taken aback. That being said, it was pretty cheap, so hey.

By the end of the first chapter, plot is underway, but I have little idea of the setting. Does everyone know about magic, or is it something be discovered along the way? And how serious will this story be? The description says "steampunk" but so far we've only seen a very classic Creepy American House and part of an apartment block, not a gear in sight. I don't mind a bit of uncertainty, but hope Greentea will take some time next chapter to clarify things.

Also, if a protagonist's first appearance has them griping about minor social obligations and then stealing from a stranger, she's got some uphill climbing to do if I'm supposed to like her. It's perfectly possible - I'm a big fan of actual thief protagonists, for some reason - but if she's supposed to be a normal likeable type, that's hard to reconcile.

So far, we haven't seen enough of anyone for me to have opinions about the characters or plot. I did like the witchy neighbour with her handsome younger husband, although I can't tell whether he's supposed to be mildly odd, or there's simply a bit of slightly clunky dialogue. I remain positive for now. And the art is lovely.

Recipes for the Dead: Apricot Asylum (Vera Greentea and Allison Strom)

It's really hard to know how to rate and review single chapters. Very little else is revealed this time. Veronica bakes some cookies which are, clearly, magical, and goes to a party, where the chapter ends. It's stylish and nicely-illustrated, although I personally preferred the crisper artwork of Dark Delights With Cranberries to this softer style, glowing style. What we do learn is a tiny bit of what is going on on the supernatural side, and I do appreciate that. On the downside, there's just something a bit... odd?... about getting exposition from a recipe.

Recipes for the Dead: Steam Minted Meringue (Vera Greentea and Allison Strom)

I'm confused by the opening, because we left off in the middle of a dramatic supernatural stranger bursting into a party, and now our protagonist is calmly walking down a street in the rain one morning. I genuinely have no idea how issues #2 and #3 are supposed to connect. It seems there is some flashback-forwarding going on. It doesn't detract from *this* chapter, but it's still very jarring. I wanted to know what happened. I wonder if the separate issue format makes these kinds of transitions less clear.

I like the artwork better than last time. It seems like Strom has switched her style around a bit, and I find this more detailed take is better suited to the frills and flourishes this story asks for (it wants to be steampunk? or I'd say, semi-Victoriana? that needs detail). There's a really beautiful cooking montage in a single flowing panel that just bursts with life - I would cheerfully put that on my wall. There's other fantastic, supernatural scenes later on with the Banker.

This story cracks the lid off the supernatural, with V forced to confront the weirdness that's going on in fairly dramatic fashion. I liked that very much, and hope more RFTD will be along soon. Unfortunately, they seem to come out at a fairly slow pace (probably not least because of the lush artwork) and I suspect that following this series may be frustrating. The problem with graphic novels is that it takes ages to publish a fairly short quantity of story which can be read in minutes - it's hard for authors to keep up a pace that satisfies the reader.

Tales from the Mechanical Bard (various)

An interesting collection of short, weird tales set in the Numenera world. All were interesting, some more striking than others. The Garden was probably the most strikingly weird, and very dark. Elza D has a fairytale quality - with just a cosmetic tweak or two it could be in the Brothers Grimm. The Angel Stone feels rather more like a bit of in-game fluff than a story, as there's not much structure to it.

Of all the stories here, Liora's Call is the only one at all like the Numenera game. Hilfolk has a sort of 70s-80s vibe with a touch of moral lessons and changing perspectives, although it grated on me severely that the protagonist didn't even think of using his unlimited power to save his friend from a brutish bully he already dislikes despite having plenty of time to do so - seemed unrealistic. Resonance, eh... I don't really know what to say. It's a reasonable story, with some interesting ideas. Maybe I just felt like there wasn't quite enough umph to it? I'm also a bit tired of stories that play with time paradoxes - I've read enough Tom Holt for that stuff to last a lifetime.

ドラえもん vol. 2 (藤子・F・不二雄)

More wacky (I feel comfortable using that word here, because the book's dated as well as the word) adventures with bizarre gadgets, usually ending in disaster. Sometimes a little hard to follow, but fun light-hearted stuff.

らんま1/2 y.l. 23 (高橋 留美子)

More silly fun with Ranma, Akane and the gang. Starts weakly with another appearance from Taro (the underwear-stealing stuff and his invulnerability are a bit dull to me) but the rest was pretty solid. A nice one-shot piece too, with Ranma genuinely doing something nice and unselfish, which is rare enough to be refreshing.

らんま1/2 y.l. 24 (高橋 留美子)

More of the above, basically. This also features a longish arc that was compelling enough I just had to start the next volume to get the resolution. 高橋 留美子 pulls some truly ridiculous plot with part-animal people, so brazen I have to admire rather than scorn it.

The Hill of Dreams (Arthur Machen)

A weird and compelling book, and one of a very few literary novels I actually enjoyed. I initially expected this to be a supernatural weird tale, perhaps a novel fairy tale, and it took a long while to realise otherwise. Machen explores the life of an introverted dreamer and writer. It's full of rich description, both of landscapes and of states of mind, and these are thematically linked. Mental peculiarities are depicted in unflinching but convincing detail, but despite some grimness, they don't make this a miserable read. On the downside, the sheer amount of purple prose is sometimes overwhelming, especially the long reminiscences of the final chapter.

Afterword

I read 9 books (woo!) , I had 139 last week, so 130 are left over.

Thursday 19 February 2015

Yn Scaa Harrish Innsmouth: Captan Obed

An old man with beard by Rembrandt van Rijn

“Shid raad ghow eh toshiack—yn ynnyd ooilley ard-olkys shid rish yn ushtey dowin. She giat niurin t’awn—lhargagh eaynagh ta raoie sheese derrey nagh nod rimlagh sunteil erbee feddyn grunt. By Henn Chaptan Obed ren eh—eshyn dynsee ny smoo na lhisagh eh mastey Ellanyn ny Mooir Yiass.

“She drogh-stayd v’awn ny laghyn shid. Dellal leodaghey, mwyljyn falleil—as ny fir noa myrgeddin. Hooar cooid hare ny deiney baase myr roosteyryn marrey rish Caggey 1812, ny baiht marish brig Elizy, ny snaw-brig Ranger—baatyn Ghilman, fys ayd. Va tree baatyn ec Obed Marsh—brigantine Columba, brig Hetty, as barc Sumatra Queen. Eshyn ynrican va fowst dellal awns ny h-Injyn Shiar as y Cheayn Sheealtagh, ga dy ren Esdras Martin ventreil awns hock-as-feed lesh y Malay Pride.

“Cha row rieau lheid Chaptan Obed awn—shenn laue y Jouyll v’awn! Heh, heh. S’cooin lhiam foast eshyn loayrt er buill yoarree, as gra dy row y sleih ommidjagh son cummal seose y çhaglym Creestee, as surranse errey dy meein imlagh. Er lesh, bare daue shirrey jeeghyn share, gollrish pobble ny h-Injyn—jeeghyn verragh eeastagh mie daue er son oural, as freggyrtyn loaghtagh da padjeryn.

Monday 16 February 2015

Shalee lhaih 2015: shiaghtin 07

Go here for English version. Note, this is rewritten from scratch, not a direct translation.

9oo-15oo Jerrey Geuree

Jerrey shiaghtoo shiaghtin ny Shalee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

Mairelon the Magician (Patricia Wrede)

Shoh skeeal fansee annymoil as lane vree, mychione speeikearys as kialg. Lhaih mee eh er y fa dy vel straih Wrede Sorcery and Cecilia lane aitt, as t'ad feer chasley rish y cheilley. She skeeal strimmey-chooishagh t'ayn nish, cha nel yn eddrymid cheddin er. Cha nee karracteyryn lane noa t'ayn, agh t'ad screeuit dy mie, as by haittin lhiam troailt maroo. Ta rouyr myn-charracteyryn ayn, foddee - by ghoillee dou nish as reesht toiggal quoi v'ayn as cre'n dean v'echey - agh s'baghtal eh dy by vie lesh Wrede adsyn myrgeddin. T'ee er chur blass anaasoil ny ghaa er cagh, bunnys. Dy jarroo, er lhiam dy nee yn ard-ancharrey hene ta lhome, aght ennagh. She caillin vraew ee yn ard-charracteyr Kim; cha nel ee neuspeeideilagh, chamoo ooilley-varriaghtagh erskyn credjue. By hreih lhiam ny hooar magh shin myekione 'sy jerrey, beggan.

She skeeal anaasoil as taitnyssagh t'ayn son y chooid smoo. Ta kest ny ghaa ayn hoig mee meeiley ny ghaa ersooyl, as cha dod mee credjal er chor erbee nagh hoig ny karracteyryn cre'n firrinys v'ayn, as voir shen orrym. T'eh cochruinnaghey myr jerrey lane aitt, rere aght cadjin Sorcery and Cecilia. By haittin lhiam nagh ren Wrede croghey er baggyrt keintyssagh leodee er Kim son blass dy ghaue, ga dy nee seihll groamey t'ayn. Chammah's shen, cha ren ee siyraghey cooish ghraih eddyr ny h-ard-charracteyryn. Ta kiangley obbree taitnyssagh gaase eddyr oc, as cha nel y teks hene loayrt noi shen, ga dy vel sannish ny ghaa jeh myn-charracteyr ny ghaa. Hig y chooish ghraih ny s'anmey 'sy 'traih, s'cosoylagh, agh ta mee soiaghey mooar jeh'n eab as y smaght er hene.

Aqua y.l. 2 (こずえ 天野)

Lhaih mee y lhieggan Baarle ayns 2013. Myr screeu mee ec y traa shen: "She skeeal elley meein t'ayn, gyn monney taghyrt agh taitnyssagh dy liooar ny yei shen."

Ta furigana feer veg ayn, as shen doilleeid son y lught-ynsee Shapaanish. Chammah's shen, er fa ennagh t'ad jannoo ymmyd jeh ram focklyn noa (termeeaght whaagh bentyn rish y teihll) ta screeuit ayns kanji, agh focklit magh 'sy Vaarle! Er lhiam dy nee eie quaagh t'ayn, as cha ren eh aashagh toiggal y skeeal er chor erbee...

Ta cabdil loggyr ayns shoh nagh row 'sy lhieggan Baarle! V'eh ennaghtagh quaagh, er lhiam. Ta shin feddyn magh beggan mychione Aika, as by vie lhiam shen. Ta'n chaillin ry-akin dy mennick 'sy skeeal, agh she freggyrt meehurransagh da Akari t'ayn son y chooid smoo. S'mie lhiam fakin dy vel caa eck nish as reesht dy ve ny h-ard-charracteyr.

Aria y.l. 4 (こずえ 天野)

Contoyrtyssyn laaoil meein elley skimmee Aqua (heose). As lane whaagh, ny keayrtyn! Ta'n straih shoh ennaghtagh ny keayrtyn, as ta mee goaill ram soylley jeh ga dy nee skeeal neuchramp t'ayn. Cha nee Lettyraght t'ayn, agh she Skeealaght t'ayn kiart dy liooar.

Fockle s'jerree

Lhaih mee 3 lioaryn, va 142 aym yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie, myr shen ta 139 faagit dou nish.


English version

9th-15th February

The end of week seven of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

Mairelon the Magician (Patricia Wrede)

A fun, lively fantasy tale of skullduggery and snooping. I read this after enjoying Wrede's Sorcery and Cecilia series, and it's much of the same. However, this is more serious and less frothy. The main characters aren't especially original, but were well-articulated and comfortable to be around. There are perhaps too many minor characters, and at times it's hard to keep track of them and their goals, but Wrede gives most of them a bit of love too. The protagonist, Kim, is neither hapless nor implausibly competent, though I was a little sorry about a minor revelation at the end.

For the most part, the plot is both interesting and a bit amusing. A couple of twists were so heavily telegraphed that it was simply implausible for the characters not to spot them, which is a bit annoying. It comes together in an enjoyably farcical conclusion, of a sort familiar to anyone who read Sorcery and Cecilia. I appreciated Wrede avoiding cheap reliance on sexual threat to imperil Kim, despite the setting. She was also restrained enough not to force a romance between the main characters; they establish a pleasing professional relationship, and only a couple of minor characters hint otherwise. It's probably coming later in the series, but I do appreciate the gesture.

Aqua y.l. 2 (こずえ 天野)

I read the English version some time ago. As I wrote for the English version: "It's another slow-paced and gentle story without much going on, but relaxing to read."

For Japanese learners, it's sometimes a bit hard to deciper the tiny furigana, and the decision to provide kanji words with English-based katakana readings feels rather bizarre. It certainly makes reading more of a challenge...

This contains a bonus chapter that wasn't in the English translation. I found it oddly moving, and enjoyed the insight into Aika. She gets plenty of screen time during the series, but often as an impatient foil to Akari. It's nice that she gets to be the protagonist for once.

Aria v. 4 (こずえ 天野)

More adventures of the crew from Aqua (see above). Simple, gentle, and occasionally strange. This series can be quite moving, and I enjoy it a lot despite the simple stories. It's probably not Literature, but it's certainly good stuff.

Afterword

I read 3 books, I had 142 last week, so 139 are left over.

Thursday 12 February 2015

Oie y Dell Mooar

For English, click here.

Wahll, ta Oie y Dell Mooar er jeet reesht!

As mish kiart er jeet erash veih'n Çhapaan, v'ad jerkal rhym jannoo bee marrey er lheh, myr shen chroo mee makizushi. As allerjee yeeastyn er my voir, cha nodmayd gee yeeastyn erbee chamoo bee marrey, son y chooid smoo! Cha row caa aym dy gheddyn bara lawr, atreih. Agh dee ad y makizushi dy jeean!

Eisht ren shin ooilley brishtagyn Deill Wooarey 'syn oie. Ard-vlasstal!

As shoh yn aght-aarlee:

  • 10 unns / 280g flooyr marroo
  • 4 unns / 100g shugyr dhone
  • 4 unns / 100g far-eeym
  • 2 spein buird syrup airhey
  • 1/2 spein tey tharrey almond
  • 4 spein tey poodyr cannial

Jus mysh 10 minnidyn er keim 4.


Giant Starfish Night

Giant Starfish Night already? I was so busy applying for josb... I didn't get the chance to find laver bread, but having just returned from Japan, there was an expectation of something Japanese and sea-themed. This, despite the fact that mam is allergic to fish, shellfish and all kinds of seafood! What to do? Oh, right - makizushi.

In the evening, we made Giant Starfish biscuits together.

Here's the recipe:

  • 10oz / 280g plain flour
  • 4 oz / 100g brown sugar
  • 4 oz / 100g marg
  • 2 tablespoons golden syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond essence
  • 4 teaspoons cinnamon powder

They just need about 10 minutes on gas mark 4.

Sunday 8 February 2015

Shalee lhaih 2015: shiaghtin 06

Go here for English version. Note, this is rewritten from scratch, not a direct translation.

2h-8oo Toshiaght Arree

Jerrey sheyoo shiaghtin ny Shalee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

ひだまりスケッチ ym-lioar 3 (蒼樹 うめ)

Contoyrtyssyn haithyssagh as eddrym elley skimmee Hidamari. S'mooar lhiam ny taghyrtyn kiune as neuchramp ta jannoo magh bea ny caillinyn shoh. Ta skeealyn elley jeant jeh ard-haghyrtyn son y chooid smoo, as s'taittin lhiam goaill aash lesh cooishyn sloo nish as reesht. Ny yei shen, ta ny doilleeidyn as boiraghyn cadjin shoh ard-scanshoil da ny karracteyryn - nagh vel nyn noilleeidyn hene foawragh dooinyn? - as ta Aoki soilshaghey magh yn ennaghtyn shen dy mie, caghlaa dy schlei eddyr aittys as trome-chooishaght. She skeealyn eunyssagh as lane vree t'ayn, as t'ad cur orrym aachooinaghtyn my laaghyn hene 'sy scoill, ga nagh row mish 'syn Çhapaan.

ひだまりスケッチ ym-lioar 4 (蒼樹 うめ)

Cha row eh foym lhiam yn ym-lioar shoh foast, agh v'eh ry-laue. Ny smoo contoyrtyssyn kiune marish caillinyn ny scoill ellyn. Ta daa chaillin noa ayn 'sy chied vrastyl. Er lhiam dy vel Nazuna gyn monney bree - dy jarroo, t'ee jeant myr caillin neuchummeydagh ta croghey er cooney sleih elley, agh hooar mee dy row ee faase 'sy skeeal hene noadyr. Agh er y laue elley, ta Nori fondagh as anaasoil dy liooar, as ta ny caillinyn elley lane aitt foast.

Kafka on the shore (Murakami Haruki)

Hooar mee yn lioar shoh myr gioot laa ruggyree, agh shegin dou goaill rish nagh lhiahym ee. Hoshiaght, cheayll mee dy nee groamey t'ayn, as hug shen jeem lhaih eh. Nish, ta mee er lhaih kuse dy varelyn as er lhiam nagh by vie lhiam eh. Er lhieu, she skeeal lane chast as neuvaghtal t'ayn, as cha nel y jerrey feaysley magh monney - dooyrt fer ny ghaa nagh vel y jerrey feer vie noadyr. Hooar mee myrgeddin dy vel eh loayrt er torçhaghey beiyn dy baghtal (ersooyl lesh) as t'eh ceau ram tra liorish sleih loayrt myr paab er kiaull as lettyraght ard-inçhynagh, as reddyn jiooldagh elley. Erskyn shen, screeu baghteyr dy hug Murakami sannish da sleih y lioar y lhaih tree ny kiare keayrtyn er son dy hoiggal eh. Screeu y baghteyr shen goaill yindys my ta Murakami hene toiggal eh. Shoh, wahll... ny jean. Cha nel kied eh dy yerkal rhym lhaih dty lioar reesht as reeshtagh as doghys orrym dy hoiggym eh fy-yerrey. Ny share cur eh gys Oxfam.

Fockle s'jerree

Lhaih (ny scryss) mee 3 lioaryn, va 145 yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie, myr shen ta 142 faagit dou nish.

As beggan staddyssaght: mastey ny lioaryn ta faagit aym, ta 46 'syn Çhapaanish, 10 'sy Vretnish, 6 'syn Çheenish as 3 'sy Ghaelg. Ta 29 nyn mangaghyn as 54 nyn lioaryn-l.


English version

2nd-8th of February

The end of week six of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

ひだまりスケッチ vol. 3 (蒼樹 うめ)

A fun, lighthearted book with more adventures of the Hidamari crew. I love the gentleness and simplicity of the everyday situations they deal with, which forms a pleasing contrast with the dramatic fare of most books. But these ordinary trials and concerns are overwhelmingly important to the characters, and Aoki evokes this well. They are charming and lively stories, and remind me of being at school, even though I wasn't in Japan.

ひだまりスケッチ volume 4 (蒼樹 うめ)

I wasn't intending to read another volume of this yet, but it was conveniently nearby. More gentle, fun adventures of the art school girls, now joined by two new first-years. I found Nazuna a bit of a limp character - obviously she's meant to be helpless and ineffectual, but she also didn't feel very strong narratively. But Nori has some definite presence, and the others are fun as ever.

Kafka on the shore (Murakami Haruki)

I was given this as a birthday present from a friend who loves it, but I have to concede that I'm just never going to read it. I was put off initially by hearing that it's fairly depressing. Having read through quite a few non-spoiler reviews now, it just doesn't sound like my cup of tea. It seems to be complicated and vague, and has an ending that doesn't resolve things, both of which tend to irritate me. Apparently it also contains horrible sections about torturing animals (nope) and lots of people verbosing about highbrow music, highbrow literature and other things that make me nauseous. Finally, one reviewer notes that Murakami suggests reading it three or four times to understand it, with the footnote that the reviewer wonders whether Murakami understands it himself. This, just... no. You don't get to tell me to read your book multiple times for it to make sense. You get sent to Oxfam instead.

Afterword

I read/chucked 3 books, I had 145 last week, so 142 are left over.

And a bit of statistics: of the remaining books, 46 are Japanese, 10 Welsh, 6 Chinese and 3 Manx. 29 are manga and 54 are ebooks.

Sunday 1 February 2015

Shalee lhaih 2015: shiaghtin 05

Go here for English version. Note, this is rewritten from scratch, not a direct translation.

26oo Jerrey Geuree - 1d Toshiaght Arree

Jerrey queiggoo shiaghtin ny Shalee Lhaih. Shoh ny lhiah mee yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie:

田中くんはいつもけだるげ ym-lioar 1 (ウダ ノゾミ)

Shoh manga aitt as kiune mychione daa yilley. Ta fer jeu lane gyn vree car y traa, as ta'n carrey echey cooney lesh cooilleeney bea. Shoh bun mie, son rere y fys aym, s'goan ta skeeal ayn mychione guillyn nagh vel bentyn rish caggey, contoyrtyssyn as y lheid. Gollrish, ah, Hidamari Sketch, ta'n skeeal shoh mychione reddyn so-chredjal laaoil. By vie lhiam ny karracteyryn Tanaka (gyn vree, creeney, stoagh, beggan dorraghey) as Oota (abyl, lane dy vree, kenjal, meein), as yn eddyr-obbraghey v'eddyr oc. Ta'n ellyn feer lhome, agh er lhiam dy row yn aght shen lane chooie da'n skeeal neuchramp.

Ties of Power (Julie Czernada)

Lhaih mee y lioar roish 'sy 'traih blein ny ghaa erash, as er lhiam dy nee seihll anaasoil noaskeealaght heanse v'ayn. Ta'n skeeal shoh soilshaghey magh ny smoo mychione y teihll, as ghow mee soylley jeh shen, chammah's jeh'n skeeal hene. Er y laue elley, shegin dou gra dy daink mee dy ve beggan skee rish lhaih ee. Wahll, she obbyr vooar v'ayn lhaih y lane lioar er turrys traen, agh cha row fys aym ec y traa shen dy beagh 500 duillag ayn! Shen neuvondeish e-lioaryn... Ta'n skeeal sheer-chaghlaa eddyr daa charracteyr, ayns aght nagh vel lane jesh er lhiam, as myr shen ta blass corragh er. Chammah's shen, ta ny taghyrtyn aayannooagh dy liooar; car y skeeal, t'ad goll er shelgey, goll er glackey, cosney roish reesht, as myr shen magh. Shen y red cheddin as y chied lioar! Oh, as sleih goaill neeal. Er lhiam dy vel ny cretooryn joarree ny smoo anaasoil na'n stoo mychione pooaryn aigney, agh s'baghtal eh dy vel anaase mooar ecksh er soilshaghey magh ny pooaryn. Ta mee jerkal rish ny nah lioaryn cur ny smoo geill da'n Chloan (pobble as pooaryn aigney oc) as obbraghyn ny pooaryn shen. Atreih; ta "sleih as pooaryn aigney oc" yn red sloo anoayshagh t'ee er ny chroo ayns shoh. Er lhiam nagh lhiahym y nah lioar bentyn rish ny karracteyryn shoh, agh nee'm jeeaghyn er ny skeealyn elley ta screeuit eck 'sy teihll shoh.

Fall (Lady Beela)

Cha nel mee son screeu barelyn deyree, agh cha nel y lioar shoh feeu lhaih er chor erbee, gyn çheet er eeck er ny son. She lioar veg t'ayn, agh cha neeu eh daa vinnid y cheau er lhaih ee. She Baarle lane vrisht t'ayn; marranyssyn grammeydagh ayns dagh raa, bunnys, derrey nagh vel blass so-chredjal er, as dy cadjin cha nel eie yn ughtar baghtal. Cha nel mee son streppey dy hoiggal ny ta foyd, as kiartaghey ny ta screeuit ayd rish lhaih eh, jus son dy lhaih skeeal. Shen ny smessey foast er y fa dy nee skeeal faase as eddrym t'ayn. She un vacsoyley mooar t'ayn, agh cha dod mee jannoo briwnys baghtal er cre'n macsoyley hene t'ayn - red ennagh mychione aigney, ny arrys foddee? As eisht un duillag lane neueiyrtyssagh mychione graih. Ah, ta'n lane skeeal mychione tuittym ayns graih, foddee, as t'eh dorraghey derrey vees y peiagh elley coardail rhyt? S'cosoylagh. Er y laue elley, she caslyssyn mie peintit t'ayn, as dy beagh skeeal fondagh maroo, by vie lhiam eh, foddee.

Fockle s'jerree

Lhaih mee 3 lioaryn, va 148 aym yn çhiaghtin shoh chaie, myr shen ta 145 faagit dou nish.


English version

The end of week one of the Reading Project. Here's what I've read this week:

田中くんはいつもけだるげ volume 1 (ウダ ノゾミ)

A fun, low-key manga about two lads at school. One is always lethargic and unmotivated, while the other helps him get through life. It's a good premise, since in my experience, it seems rare to find a story about boys that doesn't focus on adventure (or, in the case of manga, fighting). This is like, oh, Hidamari Sketch, a believable story about everyday things. Perfect for a language learner! I liked the main characters Tanaka (lethargic, oddly wise, stoic, somewhat bleak) and Oota (competent, energetic, kind, a bit sugary), and their interactions. The art is quite spartan, but I felt its simple style was appropriate to this uncomplicated style of story.

Ties of Power (Julie Czernada)

I read the first volume of this set a year or so ago, and I found the sci-fi setting pretty interesting. This story reveals more about the world, which I enjoyed as well as the story itself. That being said, I have to say that I found it a little wearing to read. In fairness, reading it in one block on a train was a bit ask, but I didn't realise it would clock in at over 500 pages! The story switches constantly (every few pages) between the two viewpoint characters, which I found a little inelegant, making it feel a bit unstable. This also prompted me to realise that it's a bit repetitive: most of the story involves Sira (mostly) being attacked, pursued, imprisoned or escaping, as well as people constantly passing out. Actually, rather similar to the first book, as I remember it. Czernada is obviously quite invested in unveiling her psychic powers and their metaphysics, which is a bit of a shame as I find the rest of the setting much more interesting. I suspect future books will only increase the centrality of this element, and the psychic Clan, who feel like one of the least original and intriguing things in the story. On the whole, I'm only broadly positive about this book, and probably won't read the next about these characters. However, I might look out the others in the same setting.

Fall (Lady Beela)

I very rarely want to be this critical, but seriously: don't bother reading this book, and certainly don't bother paying for it. It will only take a couple of minutes to flick through, but it isn't worth the effort. The English is not very good. There are grammatical errors, and much of it simply sounds wrong. This doesn't really help with immersion, and in some cases makes it hard to tell quite what the author intends. I don't want to expend effort guessing what an author might want to say, mentally correcting and filling in, just in order to read a story. This is particularly true when the actual content is as flimsy as this. It's not even clear what the central metaphor is meant to be - something vaguely about changes in your life, maybe regrets, with a one-panel non-sequitur ending about love. Or, perhaps the whole thing is about the bleakness and obsession of falling in love unless the other one returns your affection? I can't be bothered trying to decide. On the plus side, the pictures are competent hand-painted pieces. If they were attached to an actual story, I'd probably like it.

Afterword

I read 3 books, I had 148 last week, so 145 are left over.