As dense as Mirkwood in some places, but shafts of sunlight do break through.
The creator of languages for Game of Thrones and alien languages for sci-fi shows reveals the deeply intricate secrets behind his “conlanging” (constructed language-making).
Peterson, who holds a master’s degree in linguistics and has published Living Language Dothraki, a book about a Game of Thrones language, tries to appeal to several audiences—from general readers (who will need a machete for some of the thick textual foliage) to Throne devotees (who will love learning more about the show but may suffer from glazed-eye syndrome at some of the linguistic theory he explains) to other conlangers (who will leap upon his charts and terms, rapidly consuming them). This is no Dick-and-Jane text. The more readers know about grammar, usage, orthography, linguistics, foreign languages, fonts, and phonology (and so much more), the better for them. Peterson deals with several large subjects—sounds, words, evolution of language, writing—explaining the complexities of each and providing examples from his own work. The author inserts humor where he can, suggesting in one place a list of possible conlang words for very specific uses—e.g., the word nipak to mean “the piece you need to finish a puzzle that you are actively putting together.” For the most part, this is a nuts-and-bolts text about how a language works, about the differences among languages, and about the vast array of things conlangers must know before they embark upon a voyage of creation. It’s not—as the author makes abundantly clear—a simple matter of making a list of weird words and calling it a language. Peterson ends with some mildly hopeful words for aspiring conlangers, recognizing that the gigs he’s managed to obtain are not all that prevalent. He suggests that writers of fantasy and sci-fi novels employ conlangers to help them with their work.
As dense as Mirkwood in some places, but shafts of sunlight do break through.Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-14-312646-1
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Penguin
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2015
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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