Review: Cross Game 1

Cross Game 1 by Mitsuru Adachi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Sadly anticlimatical, but moving.

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Review: Os invernos da ilha

Os invernos da ilha by Rodrigo Duarte Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Romance de aventuras ligeiramente absurdo e apelativo, mas muito interessante, principalmente no final: a primeira parte, que toma talvez mais da metade do livro (não me levantarei, nem irei até o quarto procurá-lo para conferir…), é bem desigual, tomada em parte pelo diário de um corsário neerlandês do século XIV rendida de maneira bem estranha, como se fosse um diário de um jovem semiletrado brasileiro, cheio de lugares-comuns e anacronismos. Aliás, além de erros óbvios como zeros burocráticos à esquerda (‘09 de novembro’, faça-me o favor!), há lugares-comuns absolutamente desnecessários tanto de enredo — como o herói seduzido por uma antiheroína, ou os milagres de hagiografia, ou a ameaça de morte vinda do nada no meio do caminho, ou a catástrofe inverossivelmente coincidindo com o triunfo como num cinemão roliúdiano — como de linguagem — ‘coisa e tal’, ‘impactar’ no sentido de ‘afetar’.

No final, a história acaba superando todos esses defeitos e tendo um desfecho interessante, embora insatisfatório — afinal, o herói fica ou não com a heroína, ou a antiheroína? — e blasé, já que não precisa da fortuna que lhe cai à mão; o herói também é insatisfatório, um convertido meia-boca sem nenhuma capacidade de resistir às tentações mais óbvias mesmo quando as alternativas mais corretas, e interessantes, estão tão perto à sua mão; talvez isso se explique pelo cristopaganismo ao qual se converteu, feito de pouco mais que milagres hagiográficos e penitências sem sentido, praticamente sem noção mais profunda de pecado, graça e salvação.

Merecia uma segunda edição, com um trabalho de reescrita editorial muito mais rigoroso.

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Review: Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus

Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus by Jonathan Leeman
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Good but pretty commonplace treatment of evangelical local church membership. Sounded more like propaganda for ðe unchurched, lackiŋ ðe rigour I came to expect from Reformed Baptiſts. Lots of unwarranted aßumptions, ſomewhat balanciŋ ðe modern cultural unhingiŋ tendencies but meritiŋ a better, more Biblical alternative treatment.

Perhaps it did not help ðat I could not relate to the pop language level employed.

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Review: "One Holy Local Church"?: The Ghettoization of Protestantism

"One Holy Local Church"?: The Ghettoization of Protestantism by Bojidar Marinov
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I would like to give it only a star, because it is so malicious, slanderous, vicious even.

But I have to give a star plus because it raises some important questions, amid all the character assassination, non sequiturs, ad hominens, undue generalisations &c.

And another one because it gives some interesting partial answers, partially based on the Bible, to some of the important questions it raises.

I hope someone with a better character takes up the theme.

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Review: Chiruhi

Chiruhi by Haruka Kawachi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Painful beauty.

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Review: Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories

Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Stories by Truman Capote
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of ðe rare caſes where ðe original book does not live up to ðe magic of ðe derived movie.

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Review: A Gentle Introduction to Unqualified Reservations

A Gentle Introduction to Unqualified Reservations by Mencius Moldbug
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very intereſtiŋ, provocative & adverſarial take on modern (since the XVIII Century) ſtory, with focus on the US and its paþ to democratic world hegemony — but from ðe right.

Loſes a ſtar for its irreal propoſitions, but ðat is probably a function of ðe oðerwiſe brilliant writer beiŋ a ſeculariſt, & ðus mißiŋ reality boþ on total human depravation & on God’s power & acts in hiſtory.

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Review: 1–2 Peter

1–2 Peter by R.C. Sproul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It pains me to give ðis one ſtar leß than I firſt þought I would. It is ſolid, good & very uſeful. It only loſes a ſtar becauſe ſome of ðe more intereſtiŋ pieces are unſubſtantiated & underdeveloped; Sproul cites a juice hiſtorical or þeological tidbit, wiþout giviŋ us neiðer where it came from, nor where we can learn more, wiþout proviŋ or applyiŋ what indeed ſeems true.

Yet, entirely worþwhile.

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Review: Traces of the Trinity: Signs of God in Creation and Human Experience

Traces of the Trinity: Signs of God in Creation and Human Experience by Peter J. Leithart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A very intriguiŋ, challengiŋ text. Could not avoid þinkiŋ it ſeemed to ſide wiþ Grudem & Pipe againſt Trueman & Jones, but I could be wroŋ; anyway, its point is ſo much bigger & loftier ðan T&J’s miſreprentative vendetta!

Eßentially, it argues for the Univerſe declariŋ not only God’s glory, but more ſpecifically the Trinity’s mutual indwelliŋ glory.

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