book review - The Valkyries (Paulo Coelho)

[cybermule]

Another semi-random grab off the library shelf - I recognised the author's name and that I've been meaning to read some of his stuff for a while. Then I read the back and it was basically a trip out into the Mojave Desert to find a female Hells Angels chapter, so I was pretty much hooked. I've been to the Mojave Desert, it is awesome, and one day I will go back.

Nagdammit - keep trying to upload a picture of the Mojave but LJ is having a fail session. Never mind - my camera was crap back then.

Anyway, yeah. The book was interesting and engaging, even though I didn't particularly like the direction it steered towards at the end. Sort of reminiscent of Carlos Castaneda, in that it made me think, but dominated more by the story than by the spirituality, which isn't a bad thing ;) You got a great feeling for the space and alien-ness of the desert, which is what always utterly fascinates me about them. If you grow up in green and pleasant valleys, large open expanses of inhospitable rock are either your worst nightmare or pretty damn entrancing. It's also what gives me a grudging admiration for the US at times - they are descended from the sort of people who would look at a vast featureless expanse of inhospitable rock, and think, "hmm, what's on the other side".

I'm gonna track down more Paulo Coelho.

Comments

[quercus.livejournal.com]

Coelho? I've got some of that somewhere. Bought it when I used to have time to read things. Grabbed a couple of those "New Scientists to read when you're dead" by that chap you mentioned the other day too.

I've got a book proposal that I really ought to read, as my editor said "It'll only take half an hour". When I next have half an hour spare, I'll maybe try that.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Maybe after the festival for you. And in. About 15 years for me.

[mallt.livejournal.com]

What's the book's title?

[sagefemme11.livejournal.com]

Yeah, up the title, Yo!

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

Done :)

[weemadharold.livejournal.com]

I think I'd love the desert. Every time I watch a show set in New Mexico or Arizona or similar I get slightly wistful. In a weird sort of way, I think it would be similar to being by the sea. Sitting on a clifftop looking out over a vast expanse of wet nothingness/sitting on a rock looking out over a vast expanse of dry nothingness. I bet the stars look amazing from the desert, too.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

They are :) Think there's something about growing up in the green lush bits of England that makes big expanses of rock seem exciting.

[lectrix-lecti.livejournal.com]

I've only read The Alchymist, which I absolutely HATED. It's really bloody Christian-preachy and I hate being preached at. It's made me state often and loudly that Coelho is the only writer whose books deserve to be burned. But now you've gone and made me almost consider reading this one.

[cybermule.livejournal.com]

It does get disappointingly Christian-centric towards the end. I wish it hadn't done that. Still worth a read though, IMO. Might skip The Alchymist.