Discussion: Literature & Translation

This post is going to be a little different than my usual stuff so bear with me, please. I don't usually do any discussion posts because I think I'm not very good at them but for once I'm gonna give it a shot.

I'm going to discuss one of my favorite books Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer (because duh what else would I pick?) and talk a bit about my feelings towards translated books.

For those of you who don't know, I live in Belgium. My mother tongue is Dutch/Flemish so I haven't always read books in English. I actually started reading the Artemis Fowl series in Dutch. I think I read the first six books in Dutch before I switched to English reading in 2008.

Although I prefer English books myself I think that translated books are very important to the world. It gives readers from all around the world the chance to read the same book, even though it isn't the the same language.
Looking back on all the translated books I've read and what I've heard from friends there are quite a number of things that I feel should stay in said book.

There are a number of aspects, though, that should remain in a translated book. I've come across a number of things in Artemis Fowl (as well as other books I've read) that changed from the English version to the Dutch one.

The biggest aspect in translations that should never ever change for me is

Name Changes

First and last names, objects, places, etc...
I can't say enough how important names are. I don't like name changes in translated books at all. It's confusing and most of the time the name changes don't even make sense. 

Even original objects get a totally different names
The same goes for places and lots more.

I've had it happen to me when I was discussing a book (before I had read it in English) with someone who's read the English version and it caused for quite some confusion between us because of the language barrier. 

So I definitely think names, especially the names of characters, should remain the same in every book even though some names might not quite belong to the country you live in. 

In the case of Artmemis Fowl, I think, that it was translated very well. It's been many years since I read the Dutch version, but from what I remember the names were pretty much the same. Of course if I'm wrong, feel free to correct me. 

But anyway, as far as translations go my Artemis Fowl was really great. I read it when I was fourteen, and the translater really captured the same magic I felt when I read it for the first time in English a few years back.

Translated books are a great way to share literature with the world and not only the English speaking countries. 

I mean, I can't even imagine a world where certain books wouldn't get translated in almost every country or language.

It connects readers to each other and let's us share the same love for the written word.

That's where Smartling, a company that translates website content into many languages, comes in. Feel free to check it out.

So I want to know what you guys think about translation in literature. Don't hesistate to leave a comment!

Review: What Doesn't Destroy Us by M.N. Forgy

Title: What Doesn't Destroy Us
Author: M.N. Forgy
Series: The Devil's Dust #1
Publication: June 26th 2014
Genre: New Adult ~ Contemporary ~ Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 2/5

 

When Dani's sheltered life is turned upside down by her mother's secrets, she finds protection with her estranged outlaw father. Against all warnings, she falls for bad boy biker, Shadow. He is beast and beauty sealed in a leather cut with a gun holster. Can Dani learn to live within the Club rules? Is she more like her father than she could imagine?

Shadow has grown up among drug addicts, whores and murderers. The only family he's ever trusted has been the Devil's Dust motorcycle club. He will do anything for a brother; even kill. In fact, killing is so easy, he's made a career of it. His one regret is not being able to kill his own worthless mother. When Dani shows up with her provocative temper and innocent charm, Shadow begins to question his violent lifestyle. But can he trust her with his demons?

Sex.
Blood.
Betrayal.
Will Dani and Shadow let family ties destroy them?

What Doesn't Destroy Us was an okay read. The twist at the ending was pretty good actually but everything else - the characters, writing, overall story - was mediocre for me.

Dani and Shadow... I really couldn't see the appeal with these two characters. Shadow wasn't a bad character. He does do some questionable things... but then again he's a big bad biker. Dani was one the most annoying characters I have ever read about. I just couldn't see why the two liked each other. 

There were some characters, though, that made the story a little bearable. I really liked Bull (Dani's father and MC president) and Bobby (Shadow's best friend). Bobby was just a riot to read about sometimes. I kept feeling like I'd rather read his story. 

And like I said before the ending was pretty good and it really is. It was an unexpected twist for sure. I didn't think I was able to hate Dani's mother even more than I did through the book but the ending made it even worse. Dani's mother is horrible, Shadow's mother is crazy too. What is up with mothers in this book anyway?

Overall, What Doesn't Destroy Us by M.N. Forgy was so-so for me. Some things in it like some characters, the fact that it was a pretty quick read and the ending weren't nearly as bad as the rest of the book but it was still just a bit dull. 

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

M.N. Forgy was raised in Missouri where she still lives with her family. She's a soccer mom by day and a saucy writer by night. M.N. Forgy started writing at a young age but never took it seriously until years later, as a stay-at-home mom, she opened her laptop and started writing again. As a role model for her children, she felt she couldn't live with the "what if" anymore and finally took a chance on her character's story. So, with her glass of wine in hand and a stray Barbie sharing her seat, she continues to create and please her fans.

Co-Review: Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost

After buddy reading many books, Christina of Booksane and I decided to do something different and do a co-review. 

This is based on Novel Ink's co-discussion posts.

Title: Bound by Flames
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Series: Night Prince #3
Publication: January 27th 2015 by Avon
Genre: Adult ~ Paranormal Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Kobo
Rating: 5/5

 

Play with fire, pay the price.

Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both…

Was there anything that stood out with the storyline to you?

Christina: I thought it was so good! After the previous book I was really scared about it being another not so great book, but seemed like it was just a fluke and this book really measured up with the others. Storyline was so great, not one dull moment! Loved how the story evolved and the turns it took.
Have to add this because I saw it as the first good sign to me, previous book I used the joker’s image with “Why so serious?” and early on in the book, Vlad kills one dressed as the joker all while with a smile on his face. I liked that, almost as if he was getting rid of that Vlad from the previous book and getting back to his old self.

Stephanie: Well, it was a whole lot better than the previous book, Twice Tempted. I don't know what it was about that book but I really was disappointed with it and especially with Vlad. He was so lame. But this book? It was fantastic and the Vlad I know and love is back, baby!

What are your thoughts on Leila and Vlad in the book?

Christina: First off, phew! Vlad in the previous book really pissed me off. He was so grumpy and not at all fun, but luckily in this one he came back- Vlad smiling when he’s killing someone who annoys him then everything is right. Leila continues to surprise me, the things she had to go through, don’t know how she did it.
Thought that their relationship really evolved in this, Vlad realized that he can’t shield her from everything, even though he’ll try, but he also came to terms with having her with him because she
can actually help fight his enemies. Also helped make Vlad “good” again and not the grumpy Dracula from before.

Stephanie: LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM! I must admit I was never a big fan of Leila. I liked her but in the two other books I never really liked her much as a main character but this book was so good that I can say that I actually do love her. Everything she goes through - WOW! And Vlad, he was just fantastic. In this book he was (unlike the previous one) the Vlad I know and love from the Night Huntress books. And together they're just one badass power couple!

What was the best moment of a secondary character?

Christina: Hard one. Marie was there and she’s always so fun and evil and this was no exception. Cat and Bones were there, shortly but they were there, just have to mention that and loved that the usual “hate” from Bones towards Vlad was there, “Why the bloody hell did you bring him here?”. However Maximus… Honestly at times, just like Vlad and Leila, I wasn’t really sure what side he was on or what he was gonna do. A lot because of the end and the moment him and Vlad has which were so cute and just wanted to tell them to kiss and get it over with. Besides that then this: “Twelve guys, no women, and they’re not allowed to leave?” Maximus’s snort was scornful. “Someone’s got lube.”

Stephanie: Marie a.k.a. Majestic, the vodoo queen of New Orleans. I knew right away when Vlad and Leila were in New Orleans that they were going to visit Marie. I've always loved her character in the Night Huntress series and I loved the little showdown between her and Vlad. It was awesome!

What's your favorite quote of the book?

Christina: “Now that we’ve compared the equivalent of our supernatural dicks, why don’t you answer my question?” Vlad said, tone as cold as the fire had been hot.

Stephanie: I'm gonna cheat and pick two quotes. One from Leila and one from Vlad

Leila - “Compromise Lesson One: Pull a dick move, and your dick gets denied. Every woman knew that, and now, so did the vampire sitting next to me.” 

Vlad - “You aren’t just my weakness, Leila.” Vlad drew me next to him, one hand sliding along my jaw while the other caressed my back. “You are my destruction, because if I were to lose you, it would finish me.”

What were your thoughts on the ending? 

Christina: Just for the fun of it, I’ll have it like there’s two ends, because there’s the end to what’s going on in the book and what they’re working towards and then there’s the end end which is just a few pages of calm after everything.
The end brought us a surprise that basically has you thinking, well guess it isn’t over yet then, actually surprised me how it all turned out and now just eagerly waiting for the next book.
The end end is epic! Funniest thing ever and a huuuge surprise.

Stephanie: My thoughts were literally like, LOL! People who have read the book will know why. 

What are your overall thoughts?

Christina: Overall I loved the book. Vlad was back, Leila continues to be awesome, storyline amazing and as always Frost’s writing is the best. I were hoping for it to be good of course, yet scared it was gonna continue like the last and end up maybe being worse maybe, but happy to say that it wasn’t and that was really a big relief. So after finishing all I could think was phew and awesome.

Stephanie: What more can I say than I loved Bound by Flames. Jeaniene Frost really did a good job with this one. Especially since I didn't have much high expectations considering I didn't like the previous book. But everything from the characters to the writing to the plot to the steamy scenes were fantastic. Bring on the next book I say!

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Jeaniene Frost is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the Night Huntress series, the Night Prince series, and the upcoming Broken Destiny series. To date, foreign rights for her novels have sold to twenty different countries. Jeaniene splits her time between North Carolina and Florida with her husband Matthew, who long ago accepted that she rarely cooks and always sleeps in on the weekends. Aside from writing, Jeaniene enjoys reading, poetry, watching movies, exploring old cemeteries, spelunking and traveling – by car. Airplanes, children, and cook books frighten her. Jeaniene is represented by Nancy Yost at Nancy Yost Literary Agency.

Guest Post by Megan Tayte

Guest Post

by Megan Tayte

        That moment when the muse surprises you

When I sat down to write my YA paranormal romance novel Death Wish, I had solid expectations for what would flow out onto the page. All the fiction I’d written for myself to that point was light-hearted and fun, with a dry tone and a fair amount of what my husband has dubbed ‘buffoonery’ (think Bridget Jones-style disasters). Imagine my surprise, then, when I read back the first chapter of Death Wish and discovered I’d written something very different indeed. Something darker, something intense.

My first reaction was concern. As a professional ghostwriter, it’s my day job to write for other people, as other people. Had I unwittingly adopted someone else’s voice? I looked closely at the chapter. Nope; it was all me. This was writing that dug beneath a jokey exterior down to the core of me, and laid bare real emotion: fear, grief, longing.

What followed was a period of pondering. Happily (!) I had horrendous morning sickness at the time which created a lot of time for lying on the sofa groaning/thinking. Should I continue in this new, surprising vein? Or should I delete this first chapter and get stuck into another book idea – a more frivolous, fun one?

When it came down to it, I was too intrigued to quit. Many months later, I’d written close to 350,000 words in this voice, to the point that it was no longer strange and new, but the absolute ‘me’ on paper. I couldn’t help but let a little of the lighter voice be heard sometimes – light relief is essential for both reader and writer – but overall I characterise The Ceruleans series as intense fiction, paranormal romance with soul.

It’s not easy to write so emotionally. The second book in the series, Forget Me Not, was especially hard on me at times, because while writing about loss and grief is cathartic, it’s also painful. Ernest Hemingway put it beautifully: ‘There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.’ I bled a lot in the writing of these books!

Why put myself through it? Because I believe the best writing comes from very deep inside. My hope is that readers will respect my honesty in my writing, my willingness to be vulnerable and explore emotions that are all too easy to bury. Meanwhile, I’ll get on with writing the next book, armed with a very tall stack of Kleenex…

About the Book

IN SEARCH OF THE MEANING OF DEATH, SHE’LL FIND THE MEANING OF LIFE. Seventeen-year-old Scarlett Blake is haunted by death. Her estranged sister has made the ultimate dramatic exit. Running away from school, joining a surfing fraternity, partying hard: that sounds like Sienna. But suicide? It makes no sense. Following in her sister’s footsteps, Scarlett comes to the isolated cove of Twycombe, Devon, with grand plans to uncover the truth. Alone. But she hasn’t reckoned on meeting two boys who are determined to help her. Luke: the blue-eyed surfer who’ll see the real Scarlett, who’ll challenge her, who’ll save her. And Jude: the elusive drifter with a knack for turning up whenever Scarlett’s in need. As Scarlett’s quest for the truth unravels, so too does her grip on reality as she’s always known it. Because there’s something strange going on in this little cove. A dead magpie circles the skies. A dead deer watches from the undergrowth. Hands glow with light. Warmth. Power. What transpires is a summer of discovery. Of what it means to conquer fear. To fall in love. To choose life. To choose death. To believe the impossible.

Amazon US | Amazon UK
Only .99!

About the Author:

Once upon a time a little girl told her grandmother that when she grew up she wanted to be a writer. Or a lollipop lady. Or a fairy princess fireman. 'Write, Megan,' her grandmother advised. So that's what she did.

Thirty-odd years later, Megan writes the kinds of books she loves to read: young-adult paranormal romance fiction. Young adult, because it's the time of life that most embodies freedom and discovery and first love. Paranormal, because she's always believed that there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. And romance, because she's a misty-eyed dreamer who lives for those 'life is so breathtakingly beautiful' moments.

Megan grew up in the Royal County, a hop, skip and a (very long) jump from Windsor Castle, but these days she makes her home in Robin Hood's county, Nottingham. She lives with her husband, a proud Scot who occasionally kicks back in a kilt; her son, a budding artist with the soul of a paleontologist; and her baby daughter, a keen pan-and-spoon drummer who sings in her sleep. When she's not writing, you'll find her walking someplace green, reading by the fire, or creating carnage in the kitchen as she pursues her impossible dream: of baking something edible.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

Review: Inevitable by Inger Iversen

Title: Inevitable: Love and War
Author: Inger Iversen
Publication: February 28th 2015
Genre: Adult ~ Contemporary Romance
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 4/5

 

Ex-Marine and former combat trainer, Trent Reed has been shot at, he’s been in a coma and placed in war zones behind enemy lines most of his Marine career, but when his best friend calls for a favor, he is faced with one of the hardest decisions of his life—to be the Best Man. His turbulent past with races other than his own have him at odds with his best friend and the man’s new African American fiancée, and not helping matters is Trent’s crazy girlfriend who is on him about getting married too. When Trent accepts the job as Best Man against his better judgment, it’s done with a heavy heart and the understanding that his friend is soon to be out of his life—for good.

Teal Lofton is finally warming up to her best friend’s fiancé and ex convict when she learns that they are expecting just a few short months before their wedding. If that’s not enough, as Maid of Honor, Teal had to put up with budget issues, a sobbing and hormonal bride, juggling her Katie’s secret pregnancy and not to mention, Trent, Logan’s jerk of a best friend and Best Man who she is strangely, yet wildly attracted to. When the shit hits the fan during the bachelor party and Trent disappears with the wedding rings, Teal flips her lid and chases him off into the night to fix yet again, another problem, but a tragic accident sets Trent and Teal on an inevitable course of self discovery and passion like they’ve never experienced before.

Inevitable was such a good read! I pretty much think that all of Inger Iversen's books are great but I liked this one even a little bit more than Incarcerated. It had Teal and Trent as main characters. I loved them in Incarcerated + Katie and Logan make a few appearances in this book. I was really happy to find out how things were going for them.

Teal was is of my favorite characters. I love everything about her from her beautiful name (I seriously love the name!) to her awesome personality and the way she made sure her best friend's wedding would go perfectly. Although it didn't go exactly as planned.

And then we have Trent. I definitely didn't approve the way he faked being a racist but he really went through a lot and he came a long way. The story is divided in three parts. The first part is about Trent's past. After reading about him in Incarcerated I really wanted to know where he came from and what happened to him to make him be like he was. And knowing his story and past made me feel like I actually got to know him better, which was definitely necessary. 
I really liked Trent's  and the way he fell for Teal. They had chemistry right off the bat and I loved the way they bickered. 

And the romance? Let me tell you, it really was panty dropping hot. There were definitely some real sexy scenes between Teal and Trent that made me go like, daaaamn! 

But my favorite part of the book was the writing.Some scenes were so beautiful to me. It got to the point where I didn't even want to get up to make dinner, I was that caught up in it. 

Incredibly sexy with awesome characters and well-written , Inevitable: Love and War was an amazing read! I could barely stop reading and I loved getting to know Teal and Trent more, while also get a glimpse into the life of Katie and Logan. It's honestly one of my favorite books of 2015 so far. I can't wait to read more about all these characters.

Quotes:

The first time Teal had let him touch her had sent him into a downward spiral and he was still freefalling, wondering about his landing. Would it be on his feet or his face?

"I know it's been awhile for you. Trust me when I say I am going to give it to you, but I want you to let me know if I do something you don't want, or don't like. If I do anything that hurts, just tell me to stop."
"Goddamn... what are you planning to do, fuck me or operate on me?" she asked.

If I wasn't attracted to you, I wouldn't fuck you. This isn't something I'm doing out of pity. I'm horny, you're horny, and I want to taste every damned inch of you before plopping your little ass on my dick and watching you ride me. This isn't happening for any reason other than the fact I want you exactly how you are."

About the Author:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Inger Iversen was born in 1982 to Anne and Kaii Iversen. She lives in Virginia Beach with her overweight lap cat, Max and her tree hugging boyfriend Joshua. She spends 90 percent of her time in Barnes and Noble and the other ten pretending not to want to be in Barnes and Noble.