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Post by Treecat on May 10, 2008 13:30:55 GMT -5
Okay, it's Roma's one book, and it's all about The Man Who is Searching for the One He Loves. It's been applauded, it's been panned. The first edition, a private printing in limited numbers (can we say it.. via a vanity press) is sought out by collectors. The second edition was included in a special box set edition with a copy of Amantine and three art/photo cards of Enya (for those people who don't have enough photos of Enya...). Easy though the second edition is to get, if you're willing to spend $35-$40 for it, and desire another copy of Amarantine to add to your Large Amarantine Collectors Collection, some people don't care for this version. It's landscape format makes it harder to hold to read, and some of the best poems from the first edition aren't included in the second. The second edition, however, does include some impressive artwork and photography.
Do you have it? If you have it, which version, and do you like it? Are you intrigued by the story of The Man Who Searches for the One He Loves, or do you wish Roma had just shelved the Loxian mythology and given us an entire book of poetry instead?
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Post by Moe on May 10, 2008 14:39:19 GMT -5
I have both, TC, and posted reviews of both at that other forum, if I feel energetic I may re-post them here, or, maybe not.... Personally, I liked the tale, and the concept of Loxian doesn't offend me as much as some others have been offended - I guess I've read so much science fiction that these things don't bother me. But I must say, I found the poems were the best part of each book, and indeed I would love to see Roma publish a book of her poetry.
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Post by Treecat on May 12, 2008 8:35:27 GMT -5
Thanks for your reply, Kerry. To actually read, instead of enjoy as a collectible, I prefer the first edition. It's easier to hold, the best poems are in it. I'm glad to have the second edition, too. The velvet box set is luscious, with a ribbon to pull the book from the box. I like the artwork and the photography. There are a couple of interesting names attached to some of the photographs, for those who have interest in going through the Enya discography with a microscope and then researching them. It's too bad that all of the poetry from the first edition wasn't included in the second edition. As for the narrative, I like the very brisk, energetic, even hectic, writing style that Roma employs--the imagery of people rushing back and forth. "Everybody is somewhere.." etc. The chapter ending where the Man finds the book and opens it -- the book written by his love. The poignancy of that moment is enhanced when you turn the page and read "Amarantine" and there you are, in the Poems for Nicky. OTOH, When I read the book, I keep wanting to pick up my Hero 330 (a Chinese Parker 51 knockoff with a superfine nib), load it with Waterman red ink and edit the thing. Roma would have benefited from a good, *impartial* editor at her side. IIRC, one of her daughters assisted with editing, but editing your mom's book is not an arm's length relationship. I understand that the story is one of emotion and feelings rather than actual plot, but the book could use some paring away and straightening out. Sentences that go on for half a page really aren't necessary and Roma doesn't have the skill to carry them off. Roma is Roma, not James Joyce. I feel very fortunate that I got the first edition. I placed an order with Amazon.UK in early 2006, not knowing whether I would receive it or not. It arrived in early April and I spent a pleasant afternoon on the deck reading it. There were understandable complaints about not being able to get the book, but I don't think many people realized that the first edition was a self-printed project. The printer is a high-end personal press in England. I imagine that they have a minimum number of copies that have to be ordered for a press run, and Roma was loathe to order more than she thought would sell. The market for WSTHH is very small, very select. I wonder if the first edition can still be ordered, or did it end when the box set was issued?
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Post by skyscape on May 12, 2008 8:55:10 GMT -5
"Tolkien, an enthusiastic philologist, wanted to create as beautiful a language as possible. This urge, in fact, was the motivation for his creation of Middle-earth. While the language developed, he needed speakers, history for the speakers and all real dynamics, like war and migration, to be able to make the artificial language complete, and of these thoughts Middle-earth was initiated"
Sound familiar? Hence my disapproval. Nice poems though.
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Post by Treecat on May 12, 2008 9:10:23 GMT -5
"Tolkien, an enthusiastic philologist, wanted to create as beautiful a language as possible. This urge, in fact, was the motivation for his creation of Middle-earth. While the language developed, he needed speakers, history for the speakers and all real dynamics, like war and migration, to be able to make the artificial language complete, and of these thoughts Middle-earth was initiated" Sound familiar? Hence my disapproval. Nice poems though. But the world of literature would be much poorer without Tolkien's work, so wasn't it a good thing that he carried his love of language so far as to create the works of Middle Earth? Now, the world of literature hasn't gained a lot from Loxian and WSTHH. Tolkien developed his language and world over a period of decades; Roma jotted up Loxian and the mythology in a couple or three years. It can't compare to what Tolkien did. But I give her an A for effort in developing it. She's smart, she's well-read. She's probably the pure brains of the outfit. I hope the Loxian phase is over. Unless she intends to devote the same effort to it that Tolkien devoted to Middle Earth, I don't see where it can go, and I can see it draining future albums. I think the next album needs Gaelic and it needs to build on the spare (for Enya) production introduced in Amarantine.
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Post by riene on May 12, 2008 9:31:21 GMT -5
I was fortunate enough to be able to see the original book for a few minutes and to read some of the poems. I'd like to have a copy of it, but either it is "back ordered" forever, unavailable, or out of my price range on eBay.
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Post by Treecat on May 12, 2008 9:44:10 GMT -5
I was fortunate enough to be able to see the original book for a few minutes and to read some of the poems. I'd like to have a copy of it, but either it is "back ordered" forever, unavailable, or out of my price range on eBay. I don't know what the status of the first edition is now that the box set has been released. My strategy was to order it from Amazon.UK and wait. I knew Amazon wouldn't bill my credit card until the book was available and shipped, I didn't risk anything by just placing an order. I was pleasantly surprised in February 06 to get an email saying it would 'ship soon'. I had it by early March. I believe I said April in the post above, but it was in March--it was one of those March days we have here which are warm and almost Spring-like, so I thought of April. If it's still on AmazonUK, I think that's still a valid strategy.
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Post by skyscape on May 12, 2008 14:13:35 GMT -5
I just think I'll never understand the story. Although it's placed in the future it borrows so much from classical history and mythology that I get confused about what kind of people I'm imagining. And the story is a bit befuddled. But I admire Roma's poetry.
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Post by Treecat on May 20, 2008 7:27:48 GMT -5
Roma's poetry is the best part of the book, but I like her energetic writing style in the narrative part. I like her very colorful imagery in the book, and it tickles me to read it and find veiled references to the Amarantine songs and also to songs from other albums.
I still wish her editor hadn't been her daughter, because a more demanding editorial eye would have improved the narrative, IMO.
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eclipse
Member
Forever learning.
Posts: 196
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Post by eclipse on Jun 8, 2008 21:04:26 GMT -5
I have both editions, I was fortunate enough to get a first edition, but it took me three months of ordering and reordering from a few places. I really like the first edition because of some of the poems in there and the dust jacket. I still haven't read the entire book, but I have read the poetry and some of them brought tears to my eyes.
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Post by Riene on Feb 3, 2019 11:05:09 GMT -5
I was fortunate enough to be able to see the original book for a few minutes and to read some of the poems. I'd like to have a copy of it, but either it is "back ordered" forever, unavailable, or out of my price range on eBay. I don't know what the status of the first edition is now that the box set has been released. My strategy was to order it from Amazon.UK and wait. I knew Amazon wouldn't bill my credit card until the book was available and shipped, I didn't risk anything by just placing an order. I was pleasantly surprised in February 06 to get an email saying it would 'ship soon'. I had it by early March. I believe I said April in the post above, but it was in March--it was one of those March days we have here which are warm and almost Spring-like, so I thought of April. If it's still on AmazonUK, I think that's still a valid strategy. I did finally obtain a copy of it, as a generous fellow fan sent me one!
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Suvi
Member
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Post by Suvi on Feb 3, 2019 11:10:10 GMT -5
I have the second edition, and I have to say that I still struggle to get my head around what Roma has written there. No wonder I was completely lost with the second Loxian games and the lost cities!
Suvi
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Post by Moe on Feb 12, 2019 19:21:31 GMT -5
For anyone interested in getting a copy of the book, I have one available and have posted about a contest for it in Our Space.
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dom
Member
Posts: 80
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Post by dom on Feb 26, 2019 3:49:50 GMT -5
Roma's poetry is the best part of the book, but I like her energetic writing style in the narrative part. I like her very colorful imagery in the book, and it tickles me to read it and find veiled references to the Amarantine songs and also to songs from other albums. I still wish her editor hadn't been her daughter, because a more demanding editorial eye would have improved the narrative, IMO. Well if her daughter had been demanding, hatchets will fly!!! On another note, I'd rather let Roma release a book purely consisting of her poetry from different phases of her life. Nicky had already teased that she'd end up with unreleased poetry at the rate she goes.
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Post by Sarah Cat on Mar 2, 2019 18:53:26 GMT -5
I feel really lucky to have gotten a copy of this version though I have the red box too. I don't mind the editing. I just love the story though I actually don't remember if I finished. Might have to crack it open.
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