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Thursday, July 06, 2006
Half-Blood, Angels and Demons and Birthday Present
By Reynan Sularan
IT IS brain twisting to hurriedly finish two of the best novels in the world -- J. K. Rowling's sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince and Dan Brown's Angel and Demons. I had to finish these in just one week because there were more bookworms lining up to grab these copies.
I was able to read Angels and Demons' 125 pages two years ago, even before Da Vinci Code became a movie and before it disappeared from my custody. The next thing I know, my brother traded it for five DVD movies (Matrix Trilogy and Cruel Intentions 1 and 2, among them) to his classmate. His excuse was, "For my movie review homework and he (his classmate) can finish that reading in two days".
Angels and Demons is the prequel to the Da Vinci Code and protagonist Robert Langdon's first adventure in London. I don't know if it is right to say this, but I'd rather see Angels and Demons on the big screen. If not for its controversial issues, the Da Vinci Code movie couldn't have topped the box office.
But, everybody would agree with me if I say that Dan Brown is truly a genius. I don't know what's on his mind right now as he had refused interviews and public appearances. However, there are few things I found out about him and created a theory from this. One of his favorite writers is Robert Ludlum. He has a friend who is an expert in symbols and ambigrams in the name of John Langdon. He is the mind behind the ambigram of Angels and Demons. That is why the expert in symbols, Robert Langdon, was born -- from Ludlum and John.
Moreover, Sir Leigh Teabings, another character who turned out to be interested with the papyrus in the Da Vinci Code book, is an anagram of the names of Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, two of the three authors of the book Holy Blood, Holy Grail in which some of Brown's allegations were believed to be first published in this book.
It never happened in real life, thus, fiction will always be fiction.
Let's jump to another fiction -- Harry Potter. I know that compared to other fanatics, I read the Half-Blood Prince a little late, but at least I am not the last person to read this well-written story.
Who is the Half-blood Prince? The first suspect is Harry Potter. Rowling, for sure, would not let you make that easy guess because there would be twist in the novel. It would only make a difference on how it is done. Other suspects are Ron Weasly, Neville Longbottom and Harry's rival, Draco Malfoy. But as you go to the next chapters, you'll might change your mind about your guess.
As the story unfolds, you'll feel like the book absorb your head first (this is true in all the Harry Potter series) and seconds later, as you open your eyes again, you are in Hogwarts with your robes and wands, that same feeling you get when Harry was absorbed by Tom Riddle's book.
* * * * *
I was very happy to receive a gift from someone on my birthday. Let's just call him Tito Ambrosio. Tito was able to read my article "Wake Me Up When Summer Ends" through Sun.Star Iloilo Online. We emailed each other and I found out that we're from the same area -- 5th District of Iloilo. He's from Igbaras and I'm from Guimbal. His father is from Igbaras and he has a brother residing there now. He married an Igbarasnon and they're now living in Canada.
Tito told me that he could relate to my article as he got some laughs and flashes of his childhood play while reading it. Then, we are bound by our love for writing and laughing.
Tito had written a book Datu Puti and he relayed to me what this is about.
Honestly, it was the first time that I got such gift for my birthday. This surprised me. So, I decided to complete my celebration with a party, plus the beer. My birthday this year was so far the best I had. This is too cheesy to hear, but I just had to express this, so I wrote this instead.
Ever wondered why Dan Brown wrote Da Vinci Code and who is the Half-blood Prince? Read it.
(July 6, 2006 issue)
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