November 15, 2011 – Tuesday 7pm – Okuba
"Thanks honey." I said to Kilat as she served me a cup of tea while I sat on the massage chair Tayaw bought for us. I watched Kilat's hips sway as she went back to sit next to Payew on the living room couch. I then noticed Payew is reading today's issue of the Nabla Observer with interest.
The house receives an issue of the newspaper every morning in our mailbox but this is the first time I saw Payew reading it this intently. It's more unusual because aside from textbooks and his notebook; he does all his reading on his laptop.
"Son. Something interesting in the paper?" I asked Payew. He didn't seem to have heard me so my wife nudged him. "Huh? Did something happen?" Payew asked confusedly as he looked up. "I said, are the cartoons in the newspaper fun today? You don't usually spend a lot of time reading the newspaper like you're doing now." I said.
"Dad, I stopped reading the cartoons for a while now. Have you seen this?" Payew asked as he stood up and handed me the newspaper that is flipped to the Featured Section.
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T.L.D Grimmauld's 'The Halfling', a modern masterpiece?
Ophelia Cadali
To call this the standard in which all fantasy and fiction novels should be judged, is an outright insult; this is simply one of the best books that I have ever read, or will ever read. The Halfling to me is the lone book in its own genre. T.L.D Grimmauld, our proud Nabla native, frankly, started a genre that would eventually capture the hearts of thousands of people, even millions just like his previous book of fairy tales. This will change the literary world, forever. Unlike the author's earlier work, T.L.D Grimmauld not only wrote a novel, but created a world.
Middle Earth, where The Halfling is set, is without a doubt the best fictional world I have ever had the pleasure of picturing. It is richly written, and a product of great creativity and originality. I would not be surprised for future authors to base their work on Middle Earth alone.
T.L.D. Grimmauld's commentary to the modern society is very amusing and almost unnoticeable due to the narrative, but a perceptive reader will notice the fanciful contrasts and metaphors he has drawn between his world and the real world. The profundity of Grimmauld's imagination, to me, is immeasurable. The world he created alone makes me anticipate whatever ideas he has for his future works.
Falbo, just like me, is blown away by the beautiful landscape of Middle Earth. We must realize that he too is seeing and feeling the hypnotic beauty of the valley of Riverdell and the majesty of the size of Mount Erabor for the first time. Falbo's reaction as written by Grimmauld, reflects a reader who is also amazed by a world that is as magically beautiful as it is corrupt and ugly; a world in which both the good and the evil reside yet understandable at the same time as the people in it are capable of both benevolence and maleficence.
The people are diverse and contrasting; the differences between the elves and the dwarves for example, are best captured in their music. Elven music is full of brightness and is quite cheerful while the music of the dwarves is deep, strong and full of resolve to match their tenacious and strong-headed nature.
Grimmauld's imaginative world aside, this story narrates the adventure of Falbo Fabbins. The adventure begins as Falbo invites Grandalf for tea the day after their brief encounter. The Wizard then recruits Falbo as the fourteenth member of his gang to be his burglar. Falbo did not really understand what he was getting himself in to when he agreed to join Grandalf and his band's mission.
The next evening, thirteen dwarves, headed by Hafthor Ironshield, arrive to Falbo's home along with their quest to reclaim their riches and slay a dragon: Schmaug. Schmaug has also stolen their home, a complicated cave system under a mountain, Erabor, and the dwarves want their home back. Bilbo, at first hesitant at the group's journey, quickly had his reluctance overcome by a strong, hidden desire for adventure.
The story becomes more cynical as they came closer to the mountain. The group is attacked by spiders and abducted by the wood elves who want a share of the dwarfish treasure. The dwarves also began to rely on their burglar who they rightfully believed at first would become a liability. Bilbo was destined to come along as he proved himself worthy gradually throughout their journey.
The game of riddles and the finding of the ring is one of the more memorable parts of the book and is Falbo's gateway into heroism. I think the power he receives from the ring helps him to discover that not only does he have courage and fortitude, but he has lots of it. Grandalf, if anything, is an excellent judge of character.
At first, I thought that the ending of this book is undeniably rushed. Falbo was unconscious for most of it, and we receive a post battle update, some recalled by other characters. There are off the page deaths and victories. As I remunerated however, I realized that it is a part of T.L.D Grimmauld's message ; it is not about the tragic death of a dwarf who went almost rogue, but redeemed himself; it is not about a lowly whaler who slayed a dragon and became a renowned hero. No. It is a story in which a Halfling who thought himself had no courage and no bravery, found it when pushed into responsibility. It is a story about a Halfling who was too scared to leave his house without a handkerchief, eventually evolving into a Halfling who was able to outwit dragon.
It is the story of Falbo Fabbins, The Halfling.
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I could not help but feel proud. Aside from reading the newspaper and some flyers, I basically don't read anything else; therefore I do not have the experience of appreciating Tayaw's books. Reading this article made me realize how good a writer my son is.
Ophelia Cadali, a familiar name to me, has reviewed Tayaw's books many times before in the newspaper. I have inkling that she's a big fan of my son.
I have also read The Halfling when his agent sent the family early copies of it. I read the English version and I had to take time before I got used to the writing. In the end, I still found very good. However, the last time Tayaw called us from New York, I was embarrassed that all I can say about the book to Tayaw is that "It was great." Thankfully, Tayaw saw my sincerity.
I know the feeling of receiving an empty compliment and how annoying it is. After one worked hard on something and all they receive as a feedback is "You've done great" without knowing why they thought so, is honestly useless and I'd rather not receive those types of compliment at all.
At first, I did not feel good when Tayaw said he was quitting school, even though he said it was only temporarily, to focus on his writing career. Even after he became a millionaire, and even after he assured us that he can take care of us, I still had hesitations.
I was never book smart, so I did not go to college or university. A choice I will forever be proud that I made. Even before Tayaw brought blessings to the family, I was doing much better than most of my high school buddies. I got myself a good car, I was well on my way of paying off the house, and I was sure that I and my wife would be able to send all our kids to college.
Even though I never went to university, I always wished I went. Maybe because of the feeling of inferiority to those white collars or the experience of being looked down on in a high school reunion because I did not graduate from college, I really wanted my sons to graduate university. My kids graduating university would also symbolically achieve my dream for me.
That dream was fueled even more when I realized that my kids are academically inclined, well, except for Agew the youngest, but I know that he's talented with his hands which he definitely got from me. Anyway, I dreamt that one day Tayaw, Payew, or Agew, will be wearing their graduation toga and my wife and I would hold their diploma for them, and we take a picture together.
Looking at this article, however, I'm glad that Tayaw is doing what he's doing. Thankfully I'm not the stubborn and forceful type of a father that I did not force Tayaw to stay in university. If I had, I would have prevented Tayaw from writing what Ophelia dubbed as a "Modern Masterpiece".
So what if my friends tease me that my kid quit college after I bragged to them that my kid got in a university? So what if Tayaw would never go back to school? Would they have anything to say once they find out that in exchange for his education, my son was able to become a world reknowned author?
"Hey mom! Dad's smiling weird" Agew said as he stepped out of his bedroom. I don't know what my face looked like before I wore my poker face, but I may have been smiling weirdly, just like what my youngest said.
"I read it too." Kilat said to me with a knowing. My wife really knows me well. Without saying it to each other, we are both proud of Tayaw.