WEEK 5 - COLD MAGIC by Kate Elliott || United States Olympic Committee

Ack! Time to play catch-up!

The last few weeks of the term have been kicking my butt. I've been out of sorts the last few months or so, but this week the lethargy has hit me hard. But now it is time to start catching up, finish up my classes, and come back with a vengeance!

First off, making up for the first week of February, is the book Cold Magic by Kate Elliot.

The cover promises steampunk, and the book didn't disappoint. 

The story is set in an intriguing setting of alternate history and high fantasy. The author took great care in shaping this world, and it shines through the writing. In fact, the power struggles of wizards, trolls and royalty in this familiar-yet-not Europe tends to outshine the main story in many places.

The tale follows Cat, a girl of mysterious ancestry and quiet power. She is tossed into a storm of family agreements and wheeling-and-dealing thanks to her aunt and uncle, and is suddenly forced to wed a Cold Mage named Andevai, who is a low-born but surprisingly powerful refridgerwizard (my word) who is torn between his poor peasant family and his haughty magic-wielding landlords. 

Luckily, the characters are never consumed by much romantic sighing or longing looks. Cat is chiefly concerned with escaping back to Adurnam (or as we know it, Southampton, England) and runs into many colorful characters along the way, including magical gods, escaped political leaders, sabertoothed cats, and feather-covered, raptor-like revolutionaries. Oh, and of course, there is a dirigible involved too, because that seems to be the requirement in any steampunk book.

I was obsessed with finishing this book over the course of a few days, and it was chiefly for the world-building. A few of my favorite bits: the greater influence of Middle Eastern, Eastern European, and African elements, and the historical team-up of Celtic druids and West African magic men. NEAT, tell me more! It turns out that the author is a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which explains a lot. The SCA is a huge organization based on medieval-inspired world building, and would be a great creative exercise for anyone, not just writers! (I want to join someday too!) Cold Magic is part of the "Spiritwalker Trilogy", so I might pick up the next few books in the future. Not bad.

This week's charity tries to be in the spirit of international cooperation that is so lacking in the world of Cold Magic. In honor of the start of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, my money is going to the United States Olympic Committee. 

The Olympics have always been something that has fascinated me. The original Ancient Greek games were held for over a thousand years in Olympia, Greece, and were recently revived in 1894 for modern nations to enjoy. Despite stoppages during both World Wars and difficulties during the Cold War, the Olympics have persisted today, providing an outlet for nearly every country to showcase their talents in athleticism and artistry.

I was one of the few supporters for this. I want to believe!

At the risk of getting too idealistic, I have a great belief in the power of sport. Games have been at the heart of our culture for millennia, provide an outlet for expression and patriotism, and have unique abilities to engage and inspire others. And somehow, despite challenges of corruption, doping, cheating, terrorism, and coercion that have become a part of the modern Olympic Games, I still believe that they are a net good for the world. Maybe it's irrational to have this much respect for something that is largely used as a political tool nowadays, but I still can't help myself. The potential is there. 

Anyway, the USOC helps athletes prepare at special training centers and pay for their costs to get to the Olympics and Paralympics. 10 bucks to them! You can donate here if you want! 

2014 TOTALS:

Pages Read: 1,906

Dollars donated: 45.00