Hooked on Phonics Worked For Me

If you have read this blog before than you are pretty certain to know I don’t like to read. The crazy thing about the profession I wish to work in is it involves a lot of reading, but that is not what this is about. Amazingly I read a book, like from beginning to end. It was an awesome book written by an amazing author David Gemmell, and his book is LEGEND.

I was amazed at how much I could relate to the characters. I felt like in some way Gemmell was basing some of the characters on me, which he obviously wasn’t but I guess that is how I go so into the book.

The main character Rek, does not like war and the idolization of war, yet when he is called upon to fight he is willing to go and pay the ultimate sacrifice. I also don’t like war, in fact I think war is pretty darn dumb and there is always another option, however when our leaders lead us on to that path of war, we need to do what has to be done.

Rek also battled his fears constantly. He worried about how his fears made him hesitate yet he was brave. He took his fears harnessed them and hedged forward. I have a lot of fears, fear of the water, fear of heights, all different kind of fears. My fear of the water was enhanced when I became an open water diver. I almost drowned, but instead of giving up I pressed forward and finished and now I am a scuba instructor. I have a terrible fear of heights but I hurled myself out of a plane at over 10000 feet.

Finally Rek is a berserker. For those who have seen me fight and trained with me, they know I have a little berserker in me. When we train I have to really concentrate to dial down the intensity. I have this bad habit of just seeing red and losing control. When we are supposed to be shadowboxing, I really need to reign in the berserker and shadowbox and not throw full punches or let kicks fly with wreckless abandon. This berserker mentality has led to some training injuries particularly to my hands and brain (as I enjoy getting hit in the head and getting knocked out).

There are other amazing characters in this book that I can also relate to and Gemmell does an amazing job of drawing a picture for the reader so that they are fully immersed in the story. It is a great read and I highly recommend it to all out there to read.