Month: March 2026

A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens, published in 1859, is a masterwork of storytelling, an intense historical novel set during the onset of the French Revolution that sheds light on the dangers of unbridled revolt. The story begins with an introduction to a vast array of characters including Mr. Lorry, Doctor Manette, his daughter, Lucie, Charles Darnay, Sydney Carton, Mr. Cruncher, Mr. and Mrs. Defarge, etc., which sets the stage for the relentlessly paced second half of the novel.

The two cities in the title, if you’re wondering, refer to London and Paris–two locations in which the main characters: Doctor Manette, his daughter, Lucie, Charles Darney, Mr. Lorry, etc., travel to and from during the French Revolution. The story begins with Mr. Lorry, in his coach, receiving a message which reads “Recalled to Life.” At first, you might be perplexed by it (as I was), but as the story takes shape, you learn that Mr. Lorry works for a bank called Tellson, and he is the ward of Lucie, whose mother had passed away, and whose father was recently discovered in Paris after it was assumed he had perished.

Mr. Lorry and Lucie go to Paris, and sneak Doctor Manette out of the top floor of the wine-shop that belongs to Defarge. Because Doctor Manette had been imprisoned for ten years in Bastille, something there (or prior) had traumatized him to the effect where he isn’t fully cognizant of what’s going on. Later, after his rescue, we meet Sydney Carton, a lawyer with misgivings about his own life, who defends a man named Charles Darney, a frenchman accused of being a spy against England.

Therein sets in motion the story (at least the first half) where Lucie falls in love with Charles Darnay, they marry, and Mr. Lorry and Ms. Pross help mend Doctor Manette’s past trauma (in which he copes by shoemaking), whereas in France, the Defarges carefully and secretly plot their revolt against the aristocracy with the peoples of Saint Antione, who have been crushed under the aristocracy’s oppression (shown in one particular scene, where a nobleman named Marquis St. Evremonde runs over a victim with his carriage and throws a gold coin out as if that were consolation).

In the second half of the story, years have past, and the French Revolution has taken off with the guillotine (“La Guillotine” in the novel), which is used mercilessly against anyone who opposes the Republic. Since Charles Darnay, who is now a French teacher in England, is the nephew of Marquis St. Evremonde (aforementioned), and the château which he inherited is now burned down, with its custodian, the servant, Gabelle, taken into prison (La Force), Gabelle writes to him, beseeching that he come to France and clear his name.

But with Charles Darnay now living a quiet life with his wife, Lucie, and their young child (also named Lucie), he is reluctant to return to France (especially to the prison where Gabelle is kept), but feeling an obligation to save an innocent man’s life, he surreptitiously departs. After stealthily riding to the place where Gabelle is kept, he is found out, and is arrested on the spot, since he has ties to the aristocracy (due to his uncle, who is now deceased).

This sets in motion what can be called a rescue mission to free Charles Darnay from prison before he becomes the next victim of the guillotine under the leadership of the Defarges. Doctor Manette, his daughter, Ms. Pross (their housekeeper), Mr. Lorry, etc. all arrive in France, hiding from the vengeful mob as countless people are arrested, charged, and tried for execution under the guillotine.

The second half of the novel is so riveting and grim that is a far cry from the warmth and charm of A Christmas Carol, also by the same author. Without revealing any spoilers, this book is a masterpiece, whose story bridges all the characters together in nuanced ways, touching on numerous themes about friendship, revenge, oppression, sacrifice, etc., so much so, that it well deserves the label masterpiece. It is a cautionary tale of the extremes of revolutionary fervor and how far it can be carried out, sweeping up innocent people in its midst. It’s a story whose messages resonate deeply throughout, with characters that portray virtues as well as flaws, that by the end, the last lines will echo in your mind like sage advice to live by and remember.

The Power and the Glory, by Graham Greene, published in 1940, is a thought-provoking tale about the last priest in Southern Mexico, hiding from the authorities, trying to make it to his hometown: Vera Cruz. The story takes place in Mexico during the 1930s, where the authorities are severing the southern region of its catholic roots. Priests are arrested and executed, Mass is banned, and so are the sacraments, including baptism, confession, communion, etc.

The story follows a priest with a disreputable past, going from town to town as he heads north. But wherever he goes, the villagers plead for him to stay and perform the sacraments, such as confession or baptism. Despite the risks that this poses on them (as well as on himself), he does so, then moves on. With a merciless lieutenant pursuing him, his soldiers have started taking hostages from the villages, while also pursuing an American who has committed crimes elsewhere.

As the story unfolds, we see it from various points of views, including the perspective of the Fellows family (who are from England), a mother reading to her children about a saint, a dentist (also from England), the lieutenant who is hunting the priest, and the priest himself, as he rides a mule across the forest regions of Mexico.

As we discover more about the priest’s past, we see the inner struggle he faces (wondering if he is even a worthy ambassador of the faith), but despite wanting to flee north, he feels obligated to perform the sacraments. In some cases, he does so begrudgingly, as in one scene where he listens to confession, but not just from one person, but the whole village. There is also a man who follows him, sent by the authorities, since there is a reward for turning the priest over to the lieutenant.

With lots of close calls and moments where danger is always lurking, the suspense never lets up. Everything boils down to the last act where the priest must decide–being so close to freedom–whether to do what his conscience tells him to or to head north.

The prose of the book is stunningly stark yet poetic. The imagery is vivid, and there is an uneasy tension throughout that held my attention from start to finish. Even though the story can be grim at times, it is ultimately about hope and salvation in the end.

A Wizard of Earthsea, by Ursula K. Le Guin, published in 1968, is a captivating story that explores the hero’s journey of a wizard as he develops great magical powers, while at the same time, confronting the very thing that haunts him. The story follows Ged (also called Sparrowhawk), who in the beginning of the story, saves the Village of Ront from Kargish invaders by casting a spell of mist (which he had learned from the village sorceress). The spell confuses the invaders, causing great confusion amongst them in battle, leading many to go astray and fall back. After the invaders flee, Ged becomes a hero for saving the village.

From there, Ged becomes the apprentice of a mage named Ogion, who once calmed an earthquake from destroying a city, and is respected by the people. But because of how slow Ged’s training is under his mentorship, Ged wishes to go to the Isle of Roke to learn magic at a school for wizards.

From there, he befriends Vetch, and walks around with an otak (a mouse-like creature) that rides on his shoulder. But things don’t go well for him when Jasper, a fellow student, taunts and jeers him to see who can outdo the other in sorcery. At the Isle of Roke, the students learn how to cast spells of illusion (such is making water spring from the earth), control the weather (i.e. wind), and learn the true name of things to command them at will. But one day, Ged and Jasper’s rivalry take a turn for the worse when Ged summons an entity from the Shadow realm: an evil spirit which he cannot command, and thus, it will haunt him for the rest of this tale.

As a result, Ged falls ill, and is bedridden for months while his classmates continue their studies and advance to graduate with their staffs (later to become sorceries of islands to protect people). Ged is stricken with guilt, however, since the archmage (the head of the school), Nemmerle, perished after driving the evil spirit away. Before he passed away, he cast a spell to protect the isle, although the evil spirit is still out there.

After leaving the school, Ged goes on different quests where he faces off against dragons, the Shadow (aforementioned), and an entity inside a tower that can answer any question, all while haunted by the spirit he had released.

A Wizard of Earthsea is a well-crafted story that is remarkably profound in the way it studies the inner conflict of its protagonist. It contains a rich world full of archipelago islands with their own histories, and fascinating villages and sailors that Ged meets along the way who teach him the ropes of the sea. It’s a great story that reveals how it is not just wizardry and magic that makes an individual great, but the choices they make.

Perelandra, by C.S. Lewis, published in 1943, is the sequel to Out of the Silent Planet (1938), with its protagonist, Ransom, crossing space again, but this time, to the planet Perelandra (i.e. Venus). When the professor/philologist arrives there, he knows not what life inhabits the planet, nor what his mission is, having been sent at the request of an Eldila (Eldil are celestial beings who are the guardians of planets).

Ransom finds himself on a planet that is mostly covered in water, and when he makes it ashore on an island, he meets a woman, named the Green Lady, who lives on a floating island. He discovers that she can command the creatures, including a dragon, as well as the birds, and that she has been waiting for the King to return.

That’s how the story begins, but things take a drastic turn when a space-ship arrives on the planet, with Weston, a professor and scientist, holding Ransom against his will (once again!). I won’t reveal any spoilers in this review, but will say that it becomes a battle of wits between Ransom and Weston as they debate to see who will decide the fate of this planet, since it all rests on a placed called the “Fixed Land.”

C.S. Lewis paints a world with colorful imagery and fantastic dialogue that holds your attention throughout the novel. I found myself engrossed in the debates between Ransom and Weston with the tension never letting up, as it felt like Ransom might lose unless he figures out a way to get the upper hand in the debate. But the story is not just about winning a debate (which centers on the will of Maleldil–the creator of the planets), as there is something grave at stake, in which all of life on Perelandra lies in the hands of Ransom, and if he could save it from catastrophe.

Out of the Silent Planet, written by C.S. Lewis, published in 1938, is a thrilling and exciting adventure that takes the reader to another world full of life and wonder. The planet that the protagonist, Ransom, discovers, is one with a rich history involving three hierarchal creatures which are symbiotic, each having a unique role on the planet, with their own mythology and culture.

The story begins with Ransom walking along a road to find a place to stay for the night when, through a series of events, he happens upon a house where he meets an old acquaintance, Dr. Devine. From there, the two men at the house, Dr. Devine and Weston, take him against his will across space to a planet called Malacandra. There, Ransom escapes after they encounter some strange creatures near a lake, and soon, Ransom meets a creature called a hrossa.

Since Ransom is a philologist, he can pick up on the language of the hrossa, which are a mix between seals and otters, and learns of their culture, language, and the different types of creatures on the planet. He soon learns that each planet has a type of guardian called a Oyarsa, and that something happened on earth before it was formed that caused it to be disconnected from the other worlds.

I won’t reveal any spoilers in this review, but will say it is a fun and fascinating journey with unique creatures and habitats, with a unique perspective on space travel and life on other planets.