Saturday, May 06, 2006

Susan Howatch's Starbridge series

I have just discovered Susan Howatch's Starbridge series after reading about it on the new addition of the Methadone List from Diana Gabaldon, my favourite writer (which is a list of books that are supposed helped our addiction while while waiting for the next dose =)

Diana introduce the books like this, "Susan Howatch's "Church of England" series is excellent; more "literature" than mystery or adventure, but having a certain amount of both; these are books that are strongly focused on Really Interesting characters and personal conflicts, and that deal straightforwardly with spiritual experience (and, in passing, with the interesting evolutions of the Anglican church's history). If you normally read mystery or romance, you may initially find these a little slow, but if you're interested in what makes people tick, particularly in the spiritual dimension, you'll find these deeply engrossing."

I think I would be interested in this, but I had no idea that I would be hooked after reading the first page of "Glittering Images". I haven't finished all the books in the series yet, however, their spiritual quest, the way God intervene in their lives written with exceptional character development, excellent dialogue, some interesting theological debates resulted in a series of great novels.

Most surprising, I don't even like the characters that much (except Jon Darrow), coz they're much too weak (much too human), especially when every book is about crisis, so it's the weakest moment of the weak. Yet, like what Darrow said, "You think, don't you, that I'm seeing you at your weakest, but in fact I'm now seeing just how strong you really are." Which remind me of my favourite scripture from 2 Corinthians (KJV), "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

In the series, I read about Karl Barth and also charismatic powers of healing, things so different yet important. And most of all, I enjoyed reading about the conflicts inside these all too human characters.

Monday, May 01, 2006

Spain Trip 2005

Spain


Here're the same photos on Flickr, click here.
(I'm trying to experiment with different sites, the order is finally wrong, and I've got captions over here though.)