L'Emergence de l'Aneantisseur

The Rise of the Destroyer, from A.R. Ross and M.D. Bushnell is now available in French, as of today Friday 13th of September 2013.

The A.R and Mike liked the Friday the 13th date, and it seems so fitting to publish on such a famous/infamous day.

I am honored to be the translator from English to French and am very grateful to both A.R and Mike for they trust and vote of confidence.

Find it on Amazon.com in paper back edition as well as in the Electronic "Kindle" format  just click on the link below or type in the French Title on Amazon.com:

Émergence de l'Aneantisseur

Pass it around to your French reader contacts.

El Enigma Nazi - Comentarios

El Enigma Nazi

El secreto esoterico del III Reich

Cuando uno piensa a Hitler, a su regimen, uno no se imagina lo increible que es la historia de la subida del Nazismo, ni se imagina que este movimiento encuentra su fuente tan atraz en la historia, tanto en Alemania [antes mismo de la primera guerra mundiale], pero tambien al traves de la historia del hombre, tras culturas tan agenas que las del extreme-oriente.

Yo no me imaginava que el desequilibrio mental de Hitler fue notado tan temprano, des de su adolescencia. Pero un hombre solo no puede llevar asi a las mulchidumbre de forma tan facil, como si la gente havia suspendido sus faculdades de razonamiento. No, aunque que todo acaba con Hitler, todo no empezo con el. Su obsecion con el occultismo, con todo lo que es esoterico, todas las supersticiones y mitos de los pueblos antiguos y particularmente los pueblos germanicos de la antiquidad e de la epoca medievale, todo eso empezo con otra gente, con las mismas afinidades, com el mismo fervor y el mismo fanatismo. Un gruposculo de hombres, algunos aristocratas Alemanes, inspirados por un eclesiastico reformado, omnibulado por las artes occultas y los ritos secretos esotericos de todas las religiones, inclusive los ritos cabalisticos de la religion judia. Ellos buscaron a ampliar sus conoscimientos de todo lo que es oculto y mistico en partes del mundo como las Indias, Africa, el medio oriente, por donde se podia encontrar leyendas que tratava de poder sobrenatural. Ni una piedra queso sin tornar. En esto grupo de fanatico, llego un Joven Hitler, ya fragil de mente pero fuerte de caracter convencido en su cabeza enferma que tenia una mision en su vida, la de salvar y levantar de nuevo a la pureza del pueblo Germanico. Aggregen a esta locura, el facto que los dirigente deste grupito veian a Hitler la llegada en la Tierra del Ante-Cristo, la mescla so podia ser explosiva.

Esta pasion febrile que une a todos los Nazis de la epoca iniciale del movimiento fue canalizada de forma muy habile y esta fuerza fue utilizada para proceder al avance technologico lo mas grande et lo mas impresionanted de toda la historia de la humanidad. Avances que hoy, 70 anos despues estamos solamente empezando a alcanzar. De donde sacaron toda esta sabiduria? Como lograron llegar tan adelante de todo lo que se habia descubierto a esta epoca?

Al leer este libro, uno tiene que pincharse para realizar que no esta sonando y leyendo un libro analytico de la historia del III Reich, porque se parece tanto a un libro de "Indiana Jones" cuyo fue adaptado al cine con Harrisson Ford. Increible, se lo recommiendo a todos los que leen Espanol.

Espero que lo disfruten tanto como lo distrute yo.

IMAGER'S BATALLION a Book Review

IMAGER'S BATALLION

by L.E. MODESITT Jr.

Explosive finish, yet still managed to end on a cliffhanger...  

 

This volume has a certain finality to it. Quaeryt continues to be forced to take measures he'd rather not, but his dreams for a better future for Scholars and Imagers depend upon his pushing of the envelope. Doing nothing or too little also puts in danger not only his life but also that of his beloved wife and his unborn daughter. Not helping his King and Brother in law also puts that future in peril, although he is still wary of Lord Bhayar and his ultimate goals, however, he knows that of all the Lords, in the world, Bhayar is by far the most understanding and complascent of his and his brethren's plight.  His best chances lie with tying his lot with that of his Liege, a symbiotic relationship on so many levels, an alliance rooted in a deep understanding that the world is not ready for what each wishes it to be. 

The biggest Ennemy is finally vanquished, but at an exhorbitant cost. All seems so final, so decisive, but as the fog of war dissipates, and the wounded count the losses in property, lives and moral values, the horizon start to paint new obstacles and ennemies approaching. A large step has been taken towards peace and civilization, but it is nonetheless, just a step in the long, neverending journey towards a kinder world and harmony between the nations of Lydar. 

"Antiagon Fire" is the next volume on the Imager Portfolio series. I've already pre-ordered it. It will come to Market in May 2013. I can't wait to see how L.E. Modesitt Jr. tops this one. I was convinced it was the final volume of this series, yet I am pleasantly surprised that he has more in store for us.

A Memory of Light

A MEMORY OF LIGHT

 

THE CONCLUSION OF THE WHEEL OF TIME SERIES

BY ROBERT JORDAN & BRANDON SANDERSON

An amazing finish to a 14 book series, each volume averaging 800 pages. What a wonderful story, one single plot, told in detail over 10,000 pages in a span of close to 20 years. Robert Jordan is a genius surpassing J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S Lewis. Each humongous volume ended in a cliffhanger. An edge of your seat tale from the very first page of the very first book to the very last one with a formidable conclusion that keeps you guessing until the very last page. Simply incredible!!!!

Robert Jordan had the foresight to not only leave his work as complete as possible, but he also, knowing his own days were counted, had the genius to recognize in Sanderson, the brilliant author that he is and ensured that the very detailed outline he left for the last 3 volumes would be written and published in a way that would keep the quality and the depth of his writing.

Mr. Jordan you are missed, I will now start reading other books from Brandon Sanderson since he did such a great job finish you masterpiece.

If don't know Robert Jordan and his series of the Wheel of Time, I suggest you pick up the first volume, and I warn you, you will embark on a 10,000 pages adventure that will leave you breathless until you put down the very last book.

Killing Lincoln - The shocking assassination that changed America forever

I've read several reviews on this book. Most of the negative reviews seemed to be politically motivated and aimed at the main author Bill O'Reilly rather than at the actual content of the book. One of the negative criticism actually motivated me to purchase and read the book. It claimed that the book lacked in historical dryness (my word), it lamented that it was not readacted as a documentary but as a Novel. it went into detail asking how Bill O'Reilly and his co-author Martin Dugard, knew that a slight breeze brushed Wilkes Booths Face right before he pulled the trigger and how they knew about his state of mind and emotions at that moment. What historical fact did they base such detailed description of what took place... Note from me, I just put the book down an hour ago and do not recall such details as the breeze gently brushing Wilkes cheek. That reader had an amazing memory for inocuous and useless details in the story but somehow seemed to forget about the great work it took to piece together all the reports and testimonies and accounts available through public and private records. It took a great deal of time, hard work and talent to take all those bits and pieces of factual info and weave it into a story interesting enough to be read with pleasure by anyone, remain fluid in its narration while remaining historically true and keep a solid construct allowing for the detailed hour by hour accounting of the events.

I had to laugh for a while. That critic made the highest compliment to the authors inadvertently. There has been countless books written about the civil war and the events that lead to and succeeded the Killing of President Lincoln. Most are dreary laundry lists of dated events, and emotionnally sanitized accounts of what transpired by listing testimonials and inserting here and there excerpts from Memoirs and biographies of the illustrious people present at that time. Needless to say that, unless you are writing a paper for college on that subject, those are boring reads to anyone even someone as passionate about history as I am. So that particular critic, was exactly what I needed to know about the book to convince me that it must be an interesting read. I went on to purchase it that very same day and it has been a great read.

The romantic licence that O'Reilly and Dugard took is no less necessary to keep the reader, not only interested but to really give him the sensation that he is taking a glimpse back in time and personnally witnessing the historical events in person. It is very much like the sensation one has when watching a great movie, particularly one based on true historical events. Such a movie was recently made on this very subject of Lincoln's life, played by the acclaimed actor Daniel Day Lewis. I am now interested in watching that movie and compare my notes on it from those I took in my mind from the book of O'Reilly/Dugart.

It truly is a great and passionate read, I only put it down reluctantly, each chapter frames a very specific point in history and in the steps that lead to the assassination. The historical purity is preserved as much as possible, when rumors are used it is clearly stated that it is rumors only and specifies that not proof has been advanced to subtantiate those rumors. If you are a reader like me, you read everything in the book from the notes to readers and prologue, to the epilogue and other notes. All are very pertinent to the histroy buff, as it gives us more details about what happened to some of the characters in the story in the days and years following the dreadful events.

Great strory telling, I am recommending it to my 13 year-old son who will soon be studying the US civil war in his social studies classes. It is an easy read even for teenagers. I urge everyone to read this book for what it is: the greatest tale of historical events that puts a real presctive on Lincoln's assassination.

La Democratie Francaise, Valerie Giscard D'Estaing

La Démocratie Française

de Valéry Giscard D’Estaing

J'ai été très surpris. J’étais gosse quand V.G.D.'E. a été élu et j'avais exactement 11 ans au moment ou il écrivit ce livre. Un portrait de la Société Française de l’époque très clair. Une analyse approfondie de l’état de la Nation a cette époque la et des propos et une vision pour l'avenir du pays très perspicace.

Tout au long de mon adolescence mon opinion de V.G.D.'E. a été teintée par les masses média et le portrait très peu flatteur qui se faisait de lui par la presse et le gouvernement de gauche. C'est donc avec surprise que je découvre, l'Homme qu'il était par ses écrits. Il décrit adroitement sans pompe ni arrogance la France qu'il aime, le peuple qu'il admire et respecte. Il fait preuve d'un patriotisme profond, mais sans zèle ni ferveur fanatique. Un amour, profond, respectueux et véritable pour la France et les Français, et toute la diversité culture, ethnique et intellectuelle qu'ils représentent.

Je n'ai pas vu le Snob auto-promu aristocrate imbu de lui-même, aimant s’écouter discourir comme la presse de l’époque et l'appareil politique de gauche aimait le peindre en portrait. Beaucoup de ce qu'il dit, sont toujours valable aujourd'hui. Ses avertissements quant au possible devenir de la France si tel ou tel chemin est suivi et telle ou telle précaution n'est pas prise, est étrangement prophétique car nous en voyant exactement la preuve de nos jours. Certaines opinions avancées, par contre ont été déboutées par l'histoire, mais ces derniers sont moins nombreuses que celle qui ont été prouvées de la même façon.

je le recommande fortement a tous. Lecture facile et fluide, un livre court, clair et concis.

Bonne lecture vous allez découvrir V.G.D.'E. que vous croyiez le connaitre ou pas, ce livre vous sera très révélateur a son sujet. Personnellement je l’apprécie maintenant et le respecte. Je vais de ce pas rechercher d'autres ouvrages qu'il a écrit pour continuer de faire sa connaissance.

Mandrin Le Voleur d'Impots, par Yves Jacob

Mandrin

Le voleur d'impots

Par Yves Jacob

Editions Tallandier

Cette biographie d'un personnage historique de la region Rhone-Alpes, ramene sur terre l'image d'un homme a qui le conte populaire du XVIIIe siecle avait donne des proportions mythiques et un charactere legendaire de bienveillance envers le petit peuple, tel Robin des Bois.

Une breve presentation de la famille dans laquelle Mandrin est ne et surtout l'atmosphere economique et politique en France a une epoque a peine  a quelques decennie precedant la Revolution Francaise. Ceci nous aide a comprendre quel genre de personne fut reellement Mandrin. On le suit de l'enfance a l'adolescence. Fils aine d'un maquignon de St Etienne de St Geoirs en Isere, il est force tres tot de devenir chef de famille a 17 ans, a la mort prematuree de son Pere.

Dote de l'enseigement du negoce et du marchandage de maquignon qu'il tient de son Pere, il est soutenu par une Mere ambitieuse, mais denuee d'intelligence vive, vicieuse et superstitieuse et surtout sans genes ni scrupules. C'est le depart que la vie donna a Louis Mandrin. En fin d'adolescence et jeune adulte, il agit plus a l'image de sa mere, sans trop d'honneur et de facon tres egocentrique et se lance dans des actions commerciales, peu reflechie et moins preparees.

Les echecs qui se suivent et se multiplient tres top dans sa carriere de maquigon et commercant, ajoutent a l'amertume naissant qui forgera le cote nocif du charactere de Mandrin. Les agissements des Fermiers Generaux de l'epoque et de leurs hommes d'armes, les "Gapians", contribuent fortement a sa descente aux enfers du commerce. A peine lance dans sa carriere, le voila ruine, non tant par sa faute que par celle du sort. Une campagne militaire, la Guerre d'Italie, avortee prematurement, detruit ses reves de richesses et de gloire commerciales avant meme qu'il ne puisse vraiment se developpe comme maquigon. Les Fermiers Generaux qui devaient l'indemnise au nom du Roi de France qui lui avait passe commande, lui nierent son droit, le laissant ruine et sans recours, puisque sous l'ancien regimes, les fermiers Generaux, ces collecteurs d'impots, agissent selon leur gre et disposent de leur propre armee, s'enrichissant sur le dos du peuple et volant meme le Roi, et ce impunement.

La haine envers les Fermiers Generaux est partagee par tout le peuple et particulierement dans les provinces frontalieres avec la Suisse, la Savoie et l'Italie. Mandrin est alors un homme vigoureux  de plus de 25 ans, si il est aussi denue de scrupules que sa Mere, il a herite, par contre de la vivacite d'esprit et de l'intelligence de son Pere. Il profite des sentiments du peuple envers les Gapians et les fermiers Generaux pour se lancer dans une campagne vindicative contre ces ruffiants qui accablent le peuple. Il se lance dans la contrebande de produits achetes en Suisse et en Savoie pour en inonder ce qui est aujourd'hui la region Rhone-Alpes. Ne pillant et ne maltraitant que les Fermiers Generaux et les Gapians, payant son passage et ce dont il a besoin aux particuliers, les enrichissants egalement en leur vendant pour moins de la moitie des prix en vigueur sa contrebande, il devient rapidement un heros populaire. 

Il pille les caisses des collecteurs d'impots. Maltraite et parfois tue les Gapians qui terrorisent le peuple impunement, organise une veritable armee de contrebandiers qui sevit avec une precision militaire, dans toute la partie Sud Est du Royaume de France, et arrose genereusement ceux qui se range de son cote, lui fournisse ce dont il a besoin ou espionne pour lui. 

Un genie militaire, il dejoue tous les pieges tendus pare les Dragons du Roi de France, tant et si bien, qu'une veritable armee est lancee contre lui en vain. Il ne doit sa capture qu'a la tactique sournoise du Colonel de La Morliere et de ses troupes, qui s'introduisirent illegallement en Savoie en pleine nuit pour surprendre Mandrin dans sa chambre alors qu'il se croyait en securite en pays etranger. 

Ses exploits sont reellement digne d'Hollywood du 21e siecle. Son amour propre et sa "folie des Grandeurs" furent pour beaucoup au fait que Mandrin s'efforca d'etre digne de l'image que le peuple se faisait de lui. Il mourut en heros, tragiquement mais heroiquement, fier jusqu'a la derniere minute. 

Un livre historique, tres precis, appuye de faits et de recherches methodiques, par un historien qui se soucie plus de la veracite du recit ainsi que l'authenticite des faits rapportes. Les ressources bibliographiques y sont minutieusement citees afin de rendre l'essentiel du recit verifiable. Le talent de conteur d'Yves Jacob font que le livre est aimable, voir passionnant a lire, digne du Roman plutot que du recit historique.

Un apercu sur la vie en Bugey, Savoie, Dauphine et Auvergne a peine quelques annees avant la Revolution Francaise. Je le recommande vivement, particulierement a ceux qui connaissent la region Rhone-Alpes, vous y reconnaitrez tous les lieux qui y sont cites au cours des aventures de Mandrin, Le Robin des Bois Rhone-Alpin.

Don Festge: Writer, Teacher, Youth Mentor, Role Model, Dreamer...

Don Festge

Don has been writing professionally since 1998. He began writing his first novel “Stopped By Time” while teaching at Poinciana Park Elementary School. In October of 2002 the first book in his teen/young adult series Night Of The Witches was released. “Night Of The Witches: The Beginnings” was followed by the release of “Night Of The Witches: The Bocor” on March 21, 2003. The third book in the series “Night Of The Witches: The Escape” is set for publication.

Don has also written several screenplays including “The Condiments” and “Extreme Lizards” (both Animation) as well as the super natural thriller “Blinded By Sight”. Following that script, “Night Of The Witches: The Beginnings”, based on the first book in the series, was finished. It was followed by the Middle Ages comedy “Knights in White Satin.” 

Don has also written the family adventure script “The Pass.” Following “The Pass”, He finished the “Prom King” set in the frenzied world of today’s high school scene. Don’s latest script “ExtraOrdinary” finds ordinary ten year old Joe Smith, after an accident, left with the power to do extraordinary things!

In November 2005, Don’s first short “Stolen” was shot and in March 2006 Don’s second short Horror script "Wiccan" was shot and premiered at the Tower Theater in Miami on April 28, 2006. In July of 2008, filming wrapped on Don’s latest horror script, “Hunters of the Sun.” 

He’s currently working on one comedy, two horror and one action adventure scripts. Additionally, Don has begun to write the Tween Series “The Adventures of Huntington Twixx” based on the film “The Pass.”

Jacqueline Wales, Author of "When the Crow Sings"

Jacqueline Wales, Novelist and Founder of Fearless Fifties

Jacqueline Wales  is the founder of Fearless Fifties, a motivational coach and consultancy company. She has four children and lives in New York City with her husband and dog, an adorable Coton de Tulear.

When The Crow Sings, a novel, is based on the real life story of a family caught up in shame, abuse and denial... a powerful story that explores the history of mothers who abandoned their children, until one person had the courage to break the chains.

IBR's interview of Stopped by Time Author: Don Festge.

Stopped by Time: Interview of Don Festge, Author.

IBR:  Did you always want to be a writer?

D.F: I've always loved story telling, ever since I was young. What held me back from writing was that I was a horrible speller. "Thank you word processing!" LOL. That however, shouldn't have been an excuse. If you love doing something, do it.

IBR: What was the very first Book, play, script, scenario that you ever wrote?

D.F: When I was in school, I would write stories around the "White Space" of my text books. I like to write engaging stories. Stopped by Time was my First book. The Condiments was my first script. It is a story about an ordinary plastic bottle of ketchup who falls in love with a beautiful glass jar honey mustard princess.

IBR: You are still teaching High School, how do your students respond to your writing? Is it difficult to get them to read their teachers book without having it look like it is a school assignment or homework?

D.F: I believe if you're going to write a book, you're doing to be shared. I give everyone one of my students a free copy of my books so they have something to read in their classes if they have free time. I've had students read my books and tell me they hated reading but my book was the first book they've ever read and that they loved it.

IBR: Is Stopped by Time your first Novel of the Sci-FI / Supernatural/Fantastik Genre?

D.F: Yes. I love that genre.

IBR: What inspired you, when you were writing out the plot of the story?

D.F: I have so many ideas running around in my head. When I finished writing the first draft, I realized that I had actually begun the story in the middle and went back and wrote the beginning. I really didn't have an outline for Stopped By Time. It just sort of came to me. My following series Night of the Witches was all planned out.

IBR: How did you choose the name of your characters, their personae, their physical description…etc?

D.F: I always try to incorporate my students into everything I do. So, when I began writing Stopped By Time, I told them if they did better in their other classes and stayed out of trouble, I would use their names as characters. I usually use one person's first name with another person's last name.  Some times I'll use famil and friend's names as well.  I would say 95% of the names I've used in my five books and nine screen plays have come from students. They get really excited when they see their names.

As for personae, sometimes I'll relate the character to someone I've know in my life. Other times I'll just be in a "mood" and I'll turn on some music when I write and that character just comes to life. I love to listen to music when I write. Especially if there is tension building or a lot of drama getting ready to happen. I get so excited and it doesn't matter if it's three AM, it's as if it's in the middle of the day and I have hours and hours to write.

IBR: Back to Stopped byTime, what has been the response from your readers when you first published it? How was it received ?

D.F: Everyone who has read it has really loved it. It truly is an emotional roller coster.

IBR: One of my favorite Fantastic genre author is Edgar Allan Poe. There is a little of the Mysticism in Stopped by time that is reminiscent to Poe's Fantastic Novellas.  Are you a fan of that author, did he inspire you in any way?

D.F: I do like Poe. I am a big believer in the balance of things and where there is darkness, there must be light, good, evil and sadness, happiness. I think however,  I was inspired more by some writing when I was in elementary school based on the supernatural. I have always been drawn to the topics of ESP and telekinesis.

IBR:  Is Stopped by Time still available through Amazon.com or Barnes & Nobles? If not, will there be another edition of Stopped by time in the near future?

D.F: Yes, it is available on both those sites, as well as , many other Internet sites. It did sell in stores when it was first release but that was back in 1998. There were only 1000 original first print copies made, so if you can get your hands on one, that should be pretty special.

IBR: As you know I have a lot of French readers of my blog and a few Spanish readers as well. In that regard, do you have any plans to translate it in French and/or Spanish?

D.F: I would love to.

IBR: What is the next step for Stopped by Time? What are you plans for it?

D.F: I have written a treatment for Stopped By Time and would like to turn it into a one hour television drama.

IBR: What is your advice for any young and not so young aspiring author out there?

D.F: Write when ever you can. If you can write just a little every day, that would be awesome. But more importantly, share your writing. Let people read what you have created. That is the reason we write.

Thank you very much Don for this insight into your writer's mind.  With your permission, I'd like to repeat this for your other works. I am planning to read the "Night of the Witches" series next and interview you again on those so my readers can interact and ask you their own questions about each of your works.

For those of you who have not yet read my review of Don's Book: "Stopped By Time" click on the link or go back to the main page of the blog to read my review of this great book and don't hesitate to leave your comments directly on the Review posting. 

If you have any questions or comments for Don about "Stopped by Time" don't hesitate to ask it directly here. Whenever Don's busy schedule allows him some respite, he promised me, he'll come from time to time to respond personally. 

Thank you again Don for your time and consideration, it is truly appreciated.

Stopped By Time Book review

Stopped by Time

by Don Festge

A strapping but burned out Firefighter from Fort Lauderdale is on his way to meet a childhood friend in Pennsylvannia and decides to take the scenic route on a Greyhound Bus. A runaway 12 year old fragile looking, beautiful girl with fierce green eyes, asian features, naturally blond magnificent hair and fiery attitude takes the same bus from her hometwown of Fayettville on her way to... wherever the bus will take her, Philadelphia or New York, it doesn't matter as long as it is far away from her cruel father. Add to the mix an Irish-Cherokee Indian Reservation Sheriff, over 6' tall and 250 Lbs of Muscle, with a gentle soul, kind eyes and Fiery Red Celtic Hair to match his Native American Red Skin. He responded to a call from the Station about the bus not reaching its next stop on the Tennessee side of the mountain, so he went to investigate.

Three strange people, who couldn't be further from each other on all levels, bond in the strangest of circumstances. The first two get trapped in a Appalachian Mountain Tunnel after a Bus accident, the third is the "Rescue" who gets the call and goes to investigate only to get trapped in the mystical tunnel as well. They realize that chance had nothing to do with their encounter and fate required for them to face the challenges they each meet within that tunnel. This book will keep you on the very edge of your seat from the very first pages and keep you guessing all the way to the last page. It will make you smile with wonder, cry with sorrow for the characters and laugh with relief at the end. But most importantly, this book will inspire you. The life's lesson it teaches should be remembered by all. Life is too precious to let Regret hold you back. 

I have been putting off reading this book for the past couple of years, because I had already made prior commitment to other reading materials about which I write regularly either professionally or for just for pleasure. I like to keep things in order and really just picked up Stopped By Time on Friday evening. I had planned to read as much as time allowed over the weekend and read it for an hour each day at least hoping to finish it by next weekend. I was enthralled by the plot from the very first chapter. I could not put it down. I was so captivating by the drama of each of the three main characters, that I read the entire weekend, putting it down only when I absolutely had to. I finished it late last night (Sunday). 

I am usually pretty good at guessing what comes next when I watch a movie or read a book. I've read so much in my 47 years that I can honestly say that I pick up very easily on the various hints , the authors drop either consciously  or  not, and deduce very often what the next scene will be or the general plot of the entire script. So I was taken aback at each turn of event. I guess wrong every single time. The plot was so unpredictable and yet so fluid that I was pleasantly surprised.

My highest recommendations for this book. Some mildly crude language would make me want to keep it from anyone below 12 years old, but beyond that age, it is a book everyone, from teenagers to Goldenagers should read. Lots of drama, but a great inspiration and heartwarming conclusion.

NOTA BENE:
 International Book Review as interviewed Stopped by Time author, Don Festge. Read it HERE. Ask Don your own questions on that post. Don will respond as his very busy Schedule permits.

Revue de "L'Art Francais de la Guerre", de Alexis Jenni

      

 L'Art Français de laGuerre

 

de Alexis Jenni 

 

 Il s'agit, a premiere lecture, de 2 livres écrits simultanément. L'un est une série de "Commentaires" qui sont en réalité ce qui semblerait être une autobiographie du Narrateur, (personnellement, cette partie du livre ou ce "Sous-livre" est plus fade et barbante a lire, mais reste malgré tout pertinente et expliquerai peut être le manque d’enthousiasme de certains pour cet ouvrage). L'autre partie est une série de chapitres "Roman", dépeignant la vie, (fictive ou pas), d'un personnage nommé Victorien Salagnon (nom bien Bugiste) mais décrit comme Lyonnais. C'est un roman historique vraiment passionnant, assez bien écrit, et qui vous plaira certainement. Il couvre les événements de 1943 a 1962, (la vie en France sous l'occupation, comme l’a vécut un adolescent effervescent et socialement mal a l'aise), son entrée dans le "maquis", sa transformation en Guerrier par excellence et sa vie en tant que tel au travers des Guerres Françaises, de l'Indochine a la Guerre d'Algerie et  jusqu'a son "Abandon" par le gouvernement. Il est désormais condamne a vivre en tant que civil (militaire retraité), inadapté à la vie civile ou a la vie en société tout bonnement. Un homme qui a gardé toute sa lucidité, sa vivacité et l'amertume de la désillusion d'une vie gaspillée a ses propres yeux... Une force de la nature, toujours aussi cryptique et impressionnant dans son âge mure qu'il l'était en tant qu'adolescent, puis en tant que Guerrier, car il était et reste toujours, plus qu'un simple soldat, c'est un Homme de Guerre, meme si il ne l'est vraiment que par la force des choses et malgre lui. Ne' a une epoque ou la Guerre etait la seule issue de secours pour echapper a une vie, aux valeurs morales floues, une vie monotone, fade ou tout l'ecoeure. La guerre. comme ses peintures a l'encre de chine, est faite de tons tres nuances, de lignes tres definies, meme si parfois, l'encre bave sur le papier absorbant, comme en guerre, le bien n'est pas toujours bien demarque du mal, mais au moins on avance, on ne regarde pas en arriere. Ce qui est fait appartient au passe, c'est la fuite a l'avant pour tenter d'echapper aux demandes de justifications morales.

La partie relatant la vie du Personnage Victorien Salagnon vous passionnera, le reste.... je ne saurais vous dire. Les chapitres « Commentaires » decrivent la vie très courante d'un genre de personne que je n'ai jamais apprécié par principe. Le genre de personne que je ne fréquente jamais de bon gré, ni ne cherche à fréquenter. Le petit Baba-cool gauchiste, petit bourgeois envieux des grands, méprisants des petits, imbu de sa pseudo-intelligence, qui passe sa vie a végéter au crochet de ses parents tant qu'il peut, puis au crochet de la Société, à fumer ses pétards, partisan du moindre effort, passant son temps a se moquer des "besogneux", et critiquer, a grand coups de slogans préfabriqués, les "nantis" avec une haine et jalousie viscérale, dont il a hérite de la génération précédente (parents et profs qui l'ont formé). C'est un adulte qui a du mal a sortir de l’adolescence,  un Arthur Rimbaud du 20^e siècle, sans le courage, la verve, l’audace et surtout le talent du verbe de ce dernier, mais atteint du même malaise, le "Rebel Dépressif" sans cause ni but.

Ce malaise est malgré tout le lien qui rattache les 2 personnages transcendant les époques et leur monde respectif, car chacun des deux vit dans le sien, dans sa tete. L’un plongé dans le choc de la réalité de la guerre, la seule qu’il connaisse tant le reste du monde et de la vie lui semble superficiel au mieux, factice au pire. L’autre errant sans convictions entre 2 étapes de sa vie, ne sachant vraiment ni pourquoi il est la, ni si cela vaut la peine de mettre un pied devant l’autre, flottant dans le brouillard du manque d'objectis et de raison d'etre. Leur rencontre et ce malaise qu’ils ont en commun permet a l’un de réorganiser sa vie par le récit de ce qu’il a vécut et ainsi en tirer une perspective qui lui apporte finalement un point de focus et de « paix », un sens final d’accomplissement. Cette rencontre donne aussi à l’autre, un aperçu d’un monde qu’il jugeait auparavant sans vraiment le comprendre. Un monde dur, solide brutal et tout aussi incompréhensible que le sien. Mais un monde sur lequel il peut s’appuyer pour bondir pour un nouveau départ. Mettant sur papier le récit de la vie troublante mais passionnante d’un autre, dont le personnage est diamétralement opposé au sien, mais qu’il comprend parfaitement, aussi étrange et illogique que cela puisse lui paraitre. Une bouée de sauvetage, un objectif enfin, celui de mettre sur papier l’essence même du vécu d’un personnage aux proportions épiques.

Je vous recommande donc de lire « l'Art Français de la Guerre ». Vous apprécierez le contexte historique, une histoire bien contée, qui ouvre une fenêtre sur l'intimité de la vie des familles sous l'occupation à Lyon et dans nos campagnes.

L'alternance des chapitres entre les "Commentaires" (Vie du narrateur de nos jours) et les Chapitres du Roman (vie de Victorien Salagnon de 1943 à nos Jours) est assez pénible. On est tenté de lire les chapitres 'Romans" d'abord, et omettre complètement les chapitres "commentaires" [que je trouve personnellement rasoir]. Mais tous ne le sont pas, certains chapitres sont directement liés au "Roman" tels que les chapitres ou le Narrateur et le Victorien Salagnon d'aujourd'hui échangent directement leur avis sur la vie et surtout sur la Guerre. Ces chapitres là sont passionnants, les autres, a mon humble avis ne sont que du remplissage, ou tout y est méticuleusement placé pour rentrer soigneusement dans la "Boite" étiquetée "Prix Goncourt": Un peu de sexualité crue, un peu de grossièreté pour faire "dans le coup", un peu de mots à rallonge et de phrases compliquées, même si elles sont souvent maladroites, pour faire "Intello", et toute la liste "académique" des typiques montages de métaphores, personnifications, simili, quelques citations de personnage célèbres de l'Intelligencia Internationale tel que Sun Tsu (L'art de la Guerre), Freud, et d'autres, facilement reconnaissables, le tout tres "politiquement correct", tres au gout du jour, bien joue'! Tout pour rentrer parfaitement dans le profile et marquer des points. Si tel était le but de Jenni, il a bien travaillé. En bon élève il s'est bien renseigné sur le Barème de correction du Prof et s'est assuré que tout les points nécessaires y étaient au risque d'en perdre tout âme et substance du récit, mais bon... l'âme et la substance, il les a mis en bouchées doubles dans les chapitres "Romans". Rien que pour ca, ca vaut le coup.

Je ne connais pas du tout Alexis Jenni, bien que nous ayons fréquenté le Lycée de Belley a la même époque, il était en terminale quand je suis entre en 2nde, mais on ne fréquentait pas du tout les mêmes cercles, bien que je connaissais très bien certaines de ses camarades de classe, je ne savais même pas qu'il existait. Pourtant son père était mon Prof d'Allemand en 2de. J'aimerais, par contre, le rencontrer un jour et parler de son bouquin. Le personnage de Salagnon est vraiment passionnant, j'aurais des milliers de questions sur ce qui l'a inspiré pour le choix du titre, des noms de personnage des lieux...etc. Il semble y avoir là, beaucoup plus que ce qui est écrit. Je pense que Jenni, pourrait murir en tant qu'auteur et si il reste dans le roman historique, il pourrait être un fabuleux conteur. Le talent est définitivement présent, un peu brut et reste à dégrossir, à peaufiner, mais j'aimerais le voir écrire beaucoup d'autres bouquins à condition qu'il garde la passion dont il a fait preuve dans les chapitres "romans" de son livre.