Review: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

5 stars for The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

I bought this book so many years ago that I cannot remember when that was. Judging from the book cover stating 10th Anniversary Edition (March 2013), I would think I bought this book after Year 2014 or thereabout. I seldom peel off the price tag of books I bought and the one on this book is still intact on the back of the book cover all these years. With the help of AI, I managed to trace the exact month and year that I bought The Kite Runner. June 2017. Wow... almost ten years ago. Gosh.. I actually waited that many years to read this book after purchasing it.

The thing is - and I believe, most if not all, booklovers can resonate with me - after I own a copy of this book, I don't see the rush in reading it. Days turned into months. And months years. There were more than a couple of times I picked up this book with the intention of reading it, but somehow or other, the mood is not right and I ended up putting the book back where it belongs. On my bookshelf. Until now.

This is a thick-set paperback, but I never felt in any way that the story is long or even boring. The plot flows smoothly from the beginning to the end, with foreboding every now and then that keeps me on my toes.

The Afghanistan that I know today, based on what I have read since 911 twin towers attacks, is definitely not what I expected in the novel. It goes to show how much the country has changed since the 1960s as detailed in this book.

The Kite Runner is a novel but the book sure reads like a memoir. I am impressed by the way the author pens the story that feels so much more like reading a memoir (his memoir) than fiction. With real historical events in Afghanistan - the July 1973 bloodless coup where King Zahir Shah was overthrown by his cousin Daoud Khan that ended the King's forty-year peaceful reign, the 1979 Soviet invasion where thousands of Afghans fleed their homes to settle in neighboring Pakistan and Iran, the Afghan Civil War following the withdrawal of Soviet Troops in 1989 where rival factions fought for control of Kabul leading to widespread destruction and civilian suffering, and the rise of the Taliban that took power in 1996, imposing strict Islamic laws, oppressing women and infamously banning cultural practices such as kite fighting - weaved among a cast of fictional characters, the author explores what it means to be human.

The author drew from his own life when writing the book. Like the protagonist Amir, the author grew up in Kabul in a priviledged household, and his family sought political asylum in the United States during the Soviet occupation. However, the various characters, personal betrayals and story development involving Amir, Hassan, Baba, Ali and Sohrab are entirely fictitious.

As with most long novels, this book has its share of themes, the invisible current that runs beneath the surface of the story, pulling characters and readers alike towards a deeper truth. It tells not only the story of Amir, a young Afghan boy from Wazir Akbar Khan, Kabul, in Afghanistan, it is also a novel on friendship, kinship, social classes, guilt, lies, betrayals, secrets, regrets, forgiveness, redemption, hope, connection, acceptance and healing.

All in all, an unusual and remarkable debut novel.

Review: A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter

5 stars for A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter.

My interest in the Northern Arctic and Polar Night is highly piqued after re-reading Dark Matter by Michelle Paver. The author shared titles of books she referred to in writing Dark Matter; this was how I am introduced to "A Woman in the Polar Night". Keen to find out more, I bought the book. I am a sucker for books mentioned in the books I read. In fact, I am keen to get hold of some other books quoted until I realise that it is next to impossible. Not for lack of trying, some of these book are simply not available for sale. I shall touch more on these later on under (*).

I am surprised that A Woman in the Polar Night is the only book ever written by Christiane Ritter, an Austrian, the first European woman (from central Europe) to spend winter so far north. What is even more surprisingly is that she was born in 1897 and died in 2000 at the of 103. Our lifetimes actually overlapped! This book was a bestseller throughout Europe and has never been out of print in its original language, German.

In her book, the author shares why she joins her husband for a year on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, and how acutely aware she is of the perils of living in a tiny ramshackle hut on the shores of a lonely fjord, two hundred and fifty miles away from the nearest human settlement (their nearest neighbour being sixty miles away in another hut). Initially horrified of the freezing cold and bleak landscape filled with nothing but stones and rocks and ghastly anxious about the lack of vitamins (which in all likelihood will lead to scurvy and death), she eventually settles into the rhythm of life and begins to cherish the beauty and simplicity of the far north.

In the memoir, the Austrian Ritter talks about her encounters with seals, polar foxes and polar bears among others such as the eider ducks, gulls and other wildlife. She shares the indescribable enchantment of the Arctic night and the bewildering magic light of the Aurora. She recounts her experience with pack ice, iceberg and ice floes and why the need to gather everything such as driftwood, planks, raw rubber, and even clothes washed up by storms on the foreshore - everything is valuable and might be useful.

This classic memoir tells of the author's emotional transformation and inspiring journey to freedom, happiness and fulfilment in the adventure of a lifetime.

P/S:
While a bear post was often mentioned in author Michelle Paver's Dark Matter, it is only from reading this memoir that I truly grasp the purpose of the bear post - a tall wooden post bleached snow- white - that was set about two yards from their Grey Hook hut's window.

A "bear post" in the historical and literary context of Spitsbergen (Svalbard) is a wooden post or stake traditionally set up outside remote trapper cabins to lure, position, or spot polar bears so they could be shot for food, skin, or self-defense.

A quick search in Google confirms the historical Use of Trapper Bear Posts as follows:

(1) Luring Predators: Early Arctic trappers and hunters used these bleached driftwood or timber posts to hang bait or blubber, enticing curious or hungry polar bears close enough to the cabin to be targeted by firearms.

(2) Gunsight Alignment: The post acted as a fixed reference point or killing marker in the snow, making it easier to aim accurately during the blinding whiteouts or pitch-black months of the polar night.

(3) Literary Symbolism: In Arctic fiction and memoirs—such as Michelle Paver's ghost story Dark Matter (set in Spitsbergen) or Christiane Ritter’s A Woman in the Polar Night—the weathered bear post also serves as a haunting, atmospheric relic of human survival and the grim predator-prey dynamic on the ice.

(*)
Under the Pole Star is a 1937 book detailing the Oxford University Arctic Expedition, 1935-6, written by expedition leader A.R. Glen and assisted by N.A.C. Croft. Sadly, this book is an out-of-print, antiquarian title from 1937. Copies are exclusively available through specialized rare book dealers and collectible marketplaces only.

The Diaries of Thorleif Bjertnes is a historical non-fiction record documenting the brutal realities of an overwintering trapping expedition in the high Arctic. His diaries were preserved in the archives of the Svalbard Museum. In Year 2000, his daughter compiled and published them under the title The Diaries of Thorleif Bjertnes: Nordaustlandet 1933-1934. Unlike romanticized versions of Arctic exploration Bjertnes' journals provide a raw look at the intense psychological and environmental strains of polar survival. The diaries explicitly describe the harsh trapping life, interpersonal hostility, and the "Arctic Dread". Sadly, finding a commercial copy of this physical book is incredibly difficult as it was never mass-produced for the public.

I found out that the material colloquially referred to by author Michelle Paver and historians as "The Diaries of Thorleif Bjertnes: Nordaustlandet 1933-1934" is actually an archival record rather than a widely distributed retail book. The original handwritten journals, logs and photos belong to the family estate and are officially held in the physial vaults of the Svalbard Museum Archive (Catalog Reference: A-1005 - Thorleif Bjertnes) in Longyearbyen, Norway. While a limited, privately bound translation/transcript was compiled by his daughter, Lee Carmody, to donate alongside the museum's permanent collection, it did not receive a standard ISBN print run for commercial online storefronts like Amazon or AbeBooks.

Review: Before I Knew I Loved You (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #6) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

5 stars for Before I Knew I Loved You (Before the Coffee Gets Cold book 6) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.

Times flies. Before I knew it, book 6 of Before the Coffee Gets Cold series is out. Other than Kate Daniels series, this is the only other series I follow closely enough to have an entire set that grace my bookshelf. I remember after reading book 5 Before We Forget Kindness, I wasn't sure if I will still continue with this series. In the end, when I saw the book newly available for sale in Tsutaya Bookstore, I cannot help myself but add it to my purchase cart.

Once again, the author presents readers with four stories in his book - four heartwarming miracles that occurred in the mysterious cafe where a person can sit on a particular chair and time travel to the past or future of their choosing.

Even though I am all too familiar with cafe Funiculi Funicula and its strange rules for time-travelling, there is still much pleasure to be had from reading the comings and goings that surround this mysterious Tokyo cafe that nestles in the basement alleyway in Jimbocho. Reading this novel makes me feel as if I am revisiting a dear old friend in an endearing cafe that both of us know so very well. It certainly is comforting and nostalgic at the same time.

Among all six books to date, this is the only one that makes me cry in almost all four stories. It is no wonder the book is titled as such and so aptly chosen.

If you could return to the past, who would you want to meet?

Review: Dark Matter by Michelle Paver |《Reread》

5 stars for Dark Matter by Michelle Paver |《Reread》.

The best moment to be in, is in-between books. Because the possibilities are endless. In truth, Dark Matter is not my choice read initially. Having read I'm Not Lazy, I'm on Energy Saving Mode by Dancing Snail, I was thinking of reading another non-fiction; yet while I was reading it, I kept thinking that perhaps I should be reading a horror instead, and my mind kept bringing me back to Michael Paver's Dark Matter. In the end, I decided to go with my heart instead. So, Dark Matter it is.

This is a story about a group of young gentlemen planning to overwinter in the wilderness, to study the High Arctic biology, geology and ice dynamics over the year. It is about the Arctic, the Midnight Sun, the Polar Night, the polar bears, seals and icebergs. But not quite.. it is also about fear; fear of the unknown, fear of what we cannot see or detect and the disquiet. The feeling of desolation, squalor and the group slowly fracturing under pressure is what makes it stay with you. It is not just horror. It is loneliness weaponized. Desperation. Oppression. You name it, we have it, in this book.

I always lament that once a book is read, we can never unread the book. Surprisingly, with Dark Matter, it feels different. Even though I remember this novel and its story developments, I am still able to enjoy the story on my second read. I think bulk of the reason is that during my first read, I am so anxious to find out what is going to happen next that I tend to read fast and overlook details. First read = sprinting through the fear - "What's in the hut? What's that sound? Is Jack going to be ok?!" With this second read, since I already know what is going to happen next, I can take my time to read and absorb all the finer details of the story. Second read = I already know the dread is coming, so I can actually sit in it. It certainly makes a big difference to the reading process and happiness quotient.

This is a book that gives so much more when read a second time. The Arctic descriptions, the silence, the way author Michelle Paver builds that slow creep of isolation and "something is wrong but I can't see it" - it all lands differently when I'm not racing to the next page. Since this is a reread for me, the details that hit me differently this time are the quiet moments, the journal entries and the feeling that the cold is getting into the words themselves.

I can still enjoy the story even knowing what happens. That’s the mark of a book with real atmosphere and detail, not just jump scares. I catch the foreshadowing, the little details in Jack’s narration, and the way the weather mirrors the mood.

All in all, a great story to be read and enjoyed again and again.

Review: Strange Buildings (Strange #3) by Uketsu

5 stars for Strange Buildings (Strange book 3) by Uketsu.

This book reads like an extension of book 2 Strange Houses. There are eleven short stories on strange buildings. At first glance, the stories seems totally unrelated, but on careful reading, they begin to intertwine, telling one incredible tale.

This is basically one big story which the author ingeniously breaks up into eleven individual files or cases, to give the impression that they are not related. And then one by one as if solving a big jigsaw puzzle, these fragmented pieces are placed in their rightful position to form a big picture in the grand scheme of things.

I enjoy reading this third book in the Strange series as much as the first two. Because each story is short, it is easy to read and pause for a break before I continue with the next one. I have some fun trying to spot the connections as I read along. Well, I would say it is not easy!

Uketsu is a writer of great originality. I am impressed by the refreshing storyline and the writing style, especially how the author wraps up the story and ties up loose ends. The last chapter is akin to watching a movie that is left with less than ten minutes or so run time. You thought the perpetrator is finally apprehended. And then five minutes before the credits start rolling, the last piece of puzzle reveals its hiding place. And finally, the jigsaw is whole.

Review: Strange Pictures (Strange #1) by Uketsu

5 stars for Strange Pictures (Strange book 1) by Uketsu.

It has been a long while since I last read a mystery novel that I'd forgotten the thrill and fun of immersing myself in solving one.

This is the first time I am reading a book filled with so many pictures — or illustrations. I do wonder if these pictures are drawn by the author himself. If yes, that means the author is not just brilliant with weaving stories but gifted at drawing as well.

Each chapter starts with a “normal” picture, then author Uketsu zooms in on one tiny detail that turns everything sinister. It is a good thing that I bought the dead tree version of a book because I find myself constantly flipping back and forth to look at those pictures again and again.

Strange Pictures is a creepy, fast-paced book, and the reveals hit like a jump scare. You will never look at family photos or convenience store pictures the same way again.

Review: Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels #10) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Triumphs (Kate Daniels book 10) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

My memory fails me, for real this time. I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad. The fact is, this book reads absolutely new to me. I remember reading it in that same year it was first published but the thing is, I simply cannot recall anything at all, not even a vague impression. No inkling. Nothing. Zilch. The flip side is, reading this book as a first feels really wonderful.

Kate Daniels' world is never short of action and surprises. In this last instalment of the series, she is tasked to solve the mystery of two hundred missing people. In the midst of Kate's investigations, ancient creatures start popping out of her aunt Erra's nightmares and attack them. And as if these aren't trouble enough, Kate finds out that her father is secretly mobilising his army. To make matters worse, there is a Fae assassin running around in Atlanta city hoping to kill Kate, Curran and their son Conlan.

Magic Triumphs is as good a title as its delivery of the closing arc of a grand finale. There are troops, mages, witches, the Pack, the Undead, the military, the Druids, the Order, the pagans, the Red Guard and even the Iron Dogs. Yes, all the different factions in Atlanta make their appearance and contribute in their own way to a colourful firework that signals a closure to Kate Daniels.

Review: Magic Binds (Kate Daniels #9) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Binds (Kate Daniels book 9) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Author Ilona Andrews did it again. This book 9 is not just a story with a straightforward, straight-out plot, but one with branches that reach out far and wide to form even more branches - subplots that run alongside the main plot, adding depth, character development and thematic richness to the story. To be able to do this, the authors have to know their magic inside out to be able enchant the branches to inter-relate. And that is an impressive feat. For the reader, it is a much simpler job. I just have to keep reading to piece everything together into a grand picture.

Magic Binds can be summarized simply into two words. "Power corrupts". Because of this, I feel that the book title is aptly chosen. It is also revealed in this book that Kate is well versed in the language of power. These are words spoken and shown in italics. This thing about the language of power.. I list it here in my review post more for my own reference, in case I decide to read this series again in the future.

Finishing Magic Binds means I have just survived the wedding + Roland mess + the whole "Atlanta will burn" prophecy. My heart needs a minute, no scratch that, a break, before Magic Triumphs drops the final boss.

Next up, book 9.5 Iron and Magic.

Review: Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels book 8) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Okay.. I have a confession to make. I do not remember this story.. much.

Yes, I read this book before, in the exact same year it was published and made available. And yes, I do have an impression, vague as it is, that Magic Shifts was about a missing Shapeshifter and there was a family dinner of sorts with R. But other than that, zilch. Zero. Nothing.

No, I do not recall the creatures, the fighting, the reanimative metamorphosis, MR for short, the Arabian mythology, the giant incident near the Casino that was in effect an incident with a giant in it, and definitely not the big crisis that Kate undergone. I doubt I even dropped tears when I read about this critical turning point then, but I did this time. It is heart-rending what with Kate's emotionally charged insistence to go home. I cried.

Memories aside, after the large-scope story in book 7 Magic Breaks, I am glad for the change to focus on a small scale story in this book. Here, readers finally get to see Curran with Kate more often. After going through so much together, Kate and Curran deserve to have more screen time side by side. I cannot be more happy that there is finally no deliberate plot to lure the ex Beast Lord away from action for the better part of the story.

In Magic Shifts, Curran is mostly at Kate's side. Where Kate goes, Curran follows. How nice! But the cherry on the sundae is not just the two of them appearing shoulder to shoulder, it is their quick-wit banter and the sharp edge of humor that flutters my heart so.

Next up book nine Magic Binds.

Review: Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels #7) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Breaks (Kate Daniels book 7) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Among all the Kate Daniels books to date, this book 7 is second to book 4 Magic Bleeds in terms of thickness. And it is second to Magic Strikes in terms of my preference where book cover is concerned. The models on both covers do great justice to portray Kate. But if I really have to choose one, I'll go for the cover in Strikes because that one came first. And first impression makes the deepest lasting imprint.

This book 7 is basically a story that bangs on a race against time. The person who imposes this timeframe is none other than Roland's Warlord, Huge d'Ambray, the preceptor of the Order of the Iron Dogs. Since book 6 Magic Rises, I actually quite like d'Ambray even though he is one of the so-called bad guys.

Hugh + Kate banter is elite chaos energy. When they actually get to go toe-toe, it’s chef’s kiss. Magic Breaks gives us glimpses but not the full showdown we want. Autho Ilona Andrews knows exactly how to tease us with them though. The tension between those two is unreal even when they’re not fighting.

The way I see it, there is much potential to be had with this character. His medmage capabilities is astounding and he is relentless in his pursuit of Kate. He could have been a major challenge to the Beast Lord where matters of the heart involving Kate is concerned. There could have been more scenes for adrenaline heart-stopping moments where Huge and Kate face off, especially just the two of them alone, but no - and sadly no - the authors obviously have other plans for Huge. Towards the end of the book, I kind of feel sorry for d'Ambray because I just have the feeling that he will no longer be a major presence in the subsequent instalments. And I like him so.

As with the earlier books, there is much plotting, fighting and bloodshed in this book; the chief difference in Magic Breaks is that all these here culminates in a big showdown. It is impressive how the authors have everything in control. Well played indeed!

I think I may have mentioned this previously but I want to say it again. Everything makes so much sense now what with the back-to-back reading. I did not realise how big a difference each gap year makes until now. Reading the books in succession makes for a smooth glide from scene to scene and book to book, and gives so much more clarity, depth and insight to the entire Kate Daniels series.

Next up book eight Magic Shifts.

Review: Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Rises (Kate Daniels book 6) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Magic Rises is another of my favorites. It rank right up there after book 3 Magic Strikes.

This book small on the outside but big on the inside, is a book worth all my time to read and reread. This novel certainly packs a lot of punch. The key word here is panacea. I would say, this book gives a good, well-deserved break to all the rest of happenings in Atlanta. It is a refreshing and welcoming change from the usual. In fact, this book is so well crafted that the story can be read as a standalone. But of couse, I will still recommend starting the series from book 1.

There are so many things to like in this book, the good and even the bad - the doubts that slowly surface and rear its ugly head, and the anger that gradually simmer before boiling over - are all part and parcel of the grand scheme of things. I will say, even the badass Hugh d’Ambray comes across as a highly attractive bloke.

Hugh + Kate banter is elite chaos energy. When they actually get to go toe-toe, it’s chef’s kiss. Author Ilona Andrews knows exactly how to tease us readers with them. The tension between Hugh and Kate is unreal even when they are not fighting. Their back-and-forth is just perfect - the timing, the insults, the barely-contained murder vibes... they are delicious.

My favorite moment in this book is the "Uncle" scene. That “Uncle” moment is EXACTLY chef’s kiss. The way Kate pushes him to it, the way Hugh hates every second of saying it, and the reader in me can feel Curran grinning in the background even though he is not there. Pure perfection. That’s peak Hugh + Kate energy right there. Him being forced to submit, her enjoying it way too much. Authors Ilona Andrews certainly know what they are doing.

For an Urban Fantasy novel, Magic Rises sure checked all the right boxes and then some.

Action checked.
Magic checked.
Horror checked.
Mystery checked.
Suspense checked.
Paranormal checked.
Fantasy checked.
Humour checked.
Desire checked.
Romance checked.
Revelation checked.

Next up book seven Magic Rises.

Review: Magic Slays (Kate Daniels #5) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Slays (Kate Daniels book 5) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

It has been a long time; I need to get this off my mind. Of all the book covers since the series started, this one portrays Kate in the most unflattering, undignified manner. I always wonder why this picture was chosen to grace the book cover of Magic Slays. Perhaps this is the best among the rest, but even so, I feel that Kate deserves something better. The title is sleek and well chosen yet the cover is anything but. The good thing is, other than this minor slip-up of the outside, the inside is all well and good.

Once again, the authors deliver an amazing story. I thought the last book 4 was spectacular, yet the authors manage to outdo themselves again. In this book, the magic elite of Atlanta put aside old rivalries to form a common alliance. Mages, witches, druids, volhvs, shamans, the People, the Pack, and the mercenary Guild, all come together to fight a cause worthy of fighting.

As usual, when it comes to Kate and the beast lord, there are always those bear-your-heart-out scenes that makes me so emotional that tears roll down my cheeks as I read. And mind you, those are not fanciful conversations, just simple, practical, heart-to-heart talking, yet they make the world go round in Kate's world.

Next up book six Magic Rises. Another of my favourites.

Review: Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels book 4) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Reading book 4 Magic Bleeds again feels like revisiting a dear old friend. I say it again. This series just keeps getting better with each new book. In this new instalment, shapeshifters who never fall sick (due to the Lyc-V virus) caught deadly plagues, the People (the Masters of the Dead who navigate the vampires) unexpectedly asked the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid for assistance, and undead creatures make an appearance and used elemental magic.

It feels great to be reading a completed series. No waiting. No longing. No hangover. Having to wait like one year for the next book to be written and published is such a killjoy. I remember vividly as if it was yesterday when I specially patronized a certain library branch to borrow the first two books because they were available only in that particular library. I was lucky then that I didn't have to wait long for book 3 Magic Strikes to be out. And then, the pain came. It came right after I finished reading book 3, and it repeated itself every year after. Those were terrible times.

Also, it feels wonderful to be holding and reading Kate Daniels in the dead tree version. I bought the books some years ago and I specially went for the original covers it came in (first edition covers which I read in previously). So, even though I am rereading the series now, the books I hold in my hands are proudly mine and in mint condition. So happy!

While book 3 Magic Strikes, my all-time favourite, is a book that reaffirms that this series is worth all my time reading and following, book 4 Magic Bleeds is a book that cumulates all that have been said and done in the previous three books and then... reveals and reduces it to three mere words "all or nothing".

If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy, this is s series not to be missed.

Next up book five Magic Slays.

Review: Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels book 3) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Magic Strikes. My all-time favourite. It feels so good to re-live this story again. Not only that, everything becomes so much clearer. Names and characters that I have glazed over the first time round get my full attention now.

Most books take one year to be written, edited and published. The same goes books in a series. In this sense, the authors did a great job to provide an excellent summary of Kate's world within the first couple of pages in Chapter one. Memory refresh is important because most readers would have lost touch during the year and need some prompting to be reminded of the base story again.

The husband and wife tag-team authors did it really well. They reminded readers about technology and magic, how they typically switch at least once every couple of days, usually more often than that. And then, about the three enforcement agencies that regulated life - the Military Supernatural Defense Unit (MSDU), the Paranormal Activity Division (PAD) and the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid (Kate's illustrious employer). This is followed by the power brokers of Atlanta - the People (the Masters of the Dead who navigate the vampires) and the Pack (the Shapeshifters). Finally, a reminder about the various characters the series cannot do without - Jim, Kate's partner from her days when she worked for the Mercenary Guild, who is also alpha of the cat clan and the Pack's chief of security; Saiman, a shapeshifter of sorts who has an encyclopedic knowledge of magic, a magic expert in short; and Derek, Kate's one-time teenage werewolf sidekick.

It is very easy to like Kate. She is a great kick-ass heroine. She packs a mean punch, fights well and is powerful in her own ways. She is a tough girl with a heart. The heart part did it for me. The author shows readers that no matter how tough Kate is or aspires to be, deep down, she is just a girl, a human girl who is not without fear, just that she masks them well.

By revealing Kate's inner conversations and thought processes, the authors bring Kate closer to readers and show us how she covers up her fears and weakneses through anger and blabbing. To quote "The man made an odd hooting sound that raised the tiny hairs on the back of my neck.." Another quote "This one was old. No sign of it ever walking upright remained. It waited on all fours, like a dog that has somehow sprouted humanoid limbs tipped with stiletto claws. The lasting lingering echoes of its humanity had faded long ago. It had become a thing, so revolting alien and frightening it sent shivers down my spine." As to Kate's witty blabbing to cover up her discomfort especially in the presense of the Beast Lord, it will not do to quote them here. Readers have to read them by themselves in the context of Kate Daniels vs Your Majesty, otherwise, I will be doing injustice to Kate.

This book revolves around Hindu mythology. I wonder if the authors are already well-versed in the different mythologies prior to writing Kate Daniels series. If not, I cannot imagine the amount of research they need to do to spin such a beautiful story.

Next up book four Magic Bleeds.

Review: Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》

5 stars for Magic Bites (Kate Daniels book 1) by Ilona Andrews |《Reread》.

Recently, I re-watched a Chinese drama series titled "Go Ahead" |《以家人之名》. It features three families with no blood ties but the children, two boys and one girl, grow up together under the care and guidance of two dads. Fast forward some years; the three children have grown up. One of the boys falls in love with the girl. The reason he gave for wanting to be with her and to form their own family unit subsequently, is that he is exhausted from the family dramatic happenings and has run out of capacity on wanting to know other girls. He is just happy to live with what he is familiar with and be with this girl whom he has been calling sister since young.

This drama series brought to mind, my own reading situation. I think I have run out of capacity, at least for now, on the desire to explore new books. Lately it is getting worse. It is taking me forever to finish reading a new book. But then... give me an Urban Fantasy series that I have read before and loved, specifcially the Kate Daniels series, I will find every chance I have to read the book.

This also brought to my mind "The Price Is Right", a long-running American television show game where contestants guess the prices of products to win cash and prizes, currently hosted by Drew Carey. For me, it is the equivalent of "The Book is Right". Yes, having the right book makes such a big difference in whipping up my reading appetitie.

It is a mysterious thing that perhaps only avid readers can understand and relate. Revisiting an old series does not bore me, no matter how many times I have read it already. This is probably my third or fourth time reading Magic Bites. Yet, it still blows me away. I find it deeply enjoyable as I refresh my memory to live through the story once more through Kate's eyes. It is also a great pleasure to (re)discover the finer details which I may have overlooked in my earlier readings.

As a debut novel, this book is extraordinarily well written. The fact that I have already completed the entire series astounds me even more on the brillancy of the author in building Kate's world and crafting the story for book one.

Authors who differentiate themselves from the mediocre ones are those who plan way ahead and have an ace up their sleeves. In author Ilona Andrews' case, it is definitely many more aces. To date, I have yet to find another author who can match author Ilona in weaving an equally spectacular Urban Fantasy series. Indeed, Kate Daniels is one of a kind.

Next up is book two Magic Burns.

Review: Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton

5 stars for Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton.

I remember very well the day I finished reading this book. 9th January 2026. I told myself I will get down to writing my review that weekend. Days passed. Weeks passed. Months passed. The more I procastinate, the more I don't feel like sitting down to write. I justify myself with reasons for the delay. This and that. Excuses really. Ultimately, it boils down to priority. I make time for a newfound hobby, yet I did not set aside time for my all-time favourite pastime. But still, better late than never. So, here goes.

Wabi Sabi is a book that inspires us to find our own gentle rhythm to simplify, deepen our connection with nature, concentrate on what really matters to us, and discover happiness right where we are. It guides us to sense the essence of wabi sabi for ourselves and welcome it into our lives as inspiration for a new way of beholding the world.

In chapter three "Living with Nature", the author shares lessons from the Yamabushi. I am quietly pleased with it as I can totally relate to it having joined a mountain retreat in Yamagata Prefecture in May 2023. The guided Yamabushi Hike to Mount Haguro is a deeply empowering experience, one that heals me and one that I will never forget.

The book also shares useful tips for decluttering, soulful shopping, shinrin-yoku (森林浴 forest bathing) and the beauty of ageing. To quote "We have a tendency to look at the ageing process as something to be avoided, feared even. But everything about wabi sabi tells us that it is to be embraced - that we bloom and ripen with time; that our character develops and our wisdom deepens as we age; that we have more to offer the world with every experience we go through."

At the end of this book, my main takeaway is summed up in three words: imperfect, impermanent, incomplete.

Accepting that everything is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete guides us to living a simpler and more meaningful life. Wabi sabi is a state of the heart - experiencing the world not with the logical mind but with the feeling heart, and with all our sense. When we are able to let go of perfection and accept ourselves just as we are, we can be content with less, find beauty in everyday life simply by slowing down, reconnecting with nature and looking for things to appreciate.

This is a great book to start the year with. There are so many things to like that I found myself jotting down chunks and chunks of quotes. I know they will come in handy some day when I have need to refresh my memory and remind myself to "Wabi Sabi".

Review: Tales from the Cafe (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #2) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi |《Reread》

5 stars for Tales from the Cafe (Before the Coffee Gets Cold book 2) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi |《Reread》.

After reading this book a second time, I decide to change my rating for this book from previous 4-star rating to a 5.

I have no idea why I didn't feel it the last time I read this book, but perhaps the level and depth I felt then was different. Reading this book again now, I am very much touched by the second and third story; they are sad yet heartwarming at the same time. Also, I feel that the last story is brilliantly crafted. Through a newly introduced character, detective Kiyoshi, the author manages to do an excellent summary of the people who have travelled back in time. To quote "...over the last thirty years, forty-one people have sat in that chair and travelled back in time. They each had their own reasons for doing so, to meet a lover, a husband, a daughter and so forth, but of those forty-one people, four returned to the past to meet someone who had died. There were two last year, one seven years ago, and then there was your mother twenty-two years ago... four people." Through detective Kiyoshi, readers are reminded once again of the stories of key characters who have returned to the past even after knowing that it is not possible to change the present no matter how hard they try while in the past.

Whether a person chooses to go back in time to visit a family member or a good friend, or visit someone in the future in this cafe, time-travelling to right a wrong does not mean having to change the present, which in any case, the rule does not allow the present to be changed, but even so, without changing the present, it does make a difference to see that someone again. There is always something to learn from the people who have gone back. Regardless of their reasons for returning to the past, there is one thing common among these people - they found inner peace upon their return from the time travel.

Once again, after reading this book, all I want to do is to find one such time-travelling cafe and be a regular there. Why is it that this kind of cafe only exist in books and not in real life?

What will you do if you are given the chance to return to the past?
Who will you want to meet?

Review: Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold #1) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi |《Reread》

5 stars for Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold book 1) by Toshikazu Kawaguchi |《Reread》.

I have read the first three novels in this series before I decide to recommend it to a Japanese boss-turned-friend. That was easily two years ago, or perhaps more as we sometimes lose track of time. I remember I envied him at that time for being able to read the original Japanese books when I can only read the English translated version where inevitably meanings get lost through translation. It turned out that this Japanese friend enjoys the story so much that he finished reading all five books (published and available) in succession.

In an unexpected twist of events, the one who recommends the books becomes the one who is being recommended. He strongly recommends that I continue to read the books and shares with me that the latest book 5 Before We Forget Kindness published in 2024 is his favourite. Well, where favourites are concerned, his and mine are polar opposites. My favourite was and still is book 1 Before the Coffee Gets Cold. Back then, I felt that book two and three did not live up to my expectations and the stories turned confusing after a while what with the time travelling - back to the past and forward to the future. That was the reason I did not follow up with book 4 in the series. That was Year 2022 then. Should I decide to continue, I will have to read from book 1 again. I simply cannot imagine myself picking up book 4 and start reading when so much of the story and characters have been lost on me.

Re-reading a book feels like visiting an old friend or a familiar old location. I sure am glad to revisit cafe Funiculi Funicula, the time-travelling cafe located in Tokyo with a unique name. I stand by the 5-star rating I gave to this book back in 2022. After I finish reading this book, I felt exactly the same as how I felt three years ago, that is, all I want to do is to visit one such cafe and be a regular there. If only such a cafe is in existence...

What will you do if you are given the chance to return to the past?
Who will you want to meet?

Review: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles

5 stars for Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.

I have been eyeing this book for quite some time, but I only take action to buy it during a trip to Tokyo that was decided on a whim last November. The fact that "ikigai" is a Japanese concept makes buying this hardcover book in Japan even more memorable and meaningful to me.

I have no doubt that my choice to make this book my first read of the Year will turn out to be a life-changing decision. Even as I finish reading this book, I decide there and then, that this will be my go-to book should I - ever or again - lose sight of my purpose and meaning for living. Yes, this book is that inspirational!

Though the meaning of "ikigai" is explained by the authors in the book, I am still curious as to how a Japanese, any Japanese in fact, will exlain it, so I ask a close Japanese friend of mine what "ikigai" means. Below is what he says to me.

"Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means ‘a reason for being.’ It is about finding what makes your life meaningful and worth living."

There I have it - short and sweet.

This is a book about people searching for meaning in what they do and how they live. It shares with readers the tools to finding the purpose, meaning and satisfaction of living that will lead to a joyful journey through life. It provides insights from Japanese philosophy on the lasting health of body, mind and spirit. In a nutshell, this book is about discovering our ikigai.

Besides ikigai, this book also introduces two other Japanese concepts: ichi-go ichi-e and wabi-sabi. Again, I consulted the same Japanese friend and below is what was explained to me.

"Ichi-go ichi-e" means once-in-a-lifetime encounter.

"Wabi-sabi" means beauty in simplicity and imperfection.

He explains further by saying, “Wabi-sabi” is a Japanese aesthetic concept that values the beauty found in simplicity and imperfection. For example, it appreciates the quiet elegance of an aged teacup or the tranquility of nature, focusing on understated beauty rather than extravagance or perfection.

Each of us has our own ikigai. Though it is different for all of us, we are all searching for meaning. When we spend our days feeling connected to what is meaningful to us, we live more fully; when we don't feel the connection, we live with despair.

We can find our ikigai by doing things we enjoy, and get away from or change those we dislike. We can let our curiosity lead the way, and keep busy by doing things that fill us with meaning and happiness. It doesn’t need to be a big thing; we might find meaning in helping our friends or in pursuing a hobby such as learning a musical instrument or a new language.

There is no perfect strategy to connecting with our ikigai. We just need to remember to have something that keeps us busy doing what we love while being surrounded by the people who care for us. To put it simply, I think it is the little things in life that add up to make a big difference in living.

This book concludes by sharing with readers "The ten rules of ikigai" that the authors learn from the long-living residents of Okinawa, Ogimi. Personally, I find these ten rules filled with much wisdom. At first glance, the rules may seem simple and easy enough to follow, yet it will take much determination for one to follow it through day by day. Ultimately, it all depends on how much value we place on what is important to us and making efforts to uphold the ten rules to make it our way of living.

What is your ikigai? Do you know it (or them)? If you have yet to find out what your ikigai is, as Viktor E. Frankl, author of "Man's Search for Meaning" says, your mission is to discover it.

Whoever reads this review post, I hope you will find your ikigai if you have yet to discover it. I wish you a long, happy, and purposeful life. 🙏

Review: Kaleidoscope of Death (Break the Cocoon #2) by Xi Zi Xu |《死亡万花筒》破茧【下】西子绪著

5 stars for Kaleidoscope of Death (Break the Cocoon book 2) by Xi Zi Xu |《死亡万花筒》破茧【下】西子绪著.

This is going to be a long review. No, scratch that. This is a long review. It is not often that I am willing to spend more time writing the book review than reading the book. I finished reading this book in four days' time but I used seven days and then some to organize my thoughts and feelings in this post. Besides the main write-up, listing down the finer details in both the book and the drama takes up a lot of time and energy. But I do that most willingly as I am a die-hard fan of the drama "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》as well as the book "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》.

The Kaleidoscope of Death series is an extraordinary story. It check all the boxes I look for in a mystery-horror novel. It captivates me with eerie atmospheres and chilling narratives, yet it is not spooky all the time. There is a good balance of the fear and entertaining factor what with light-hearted scenes being woven into the scary ones. It is also thought-provoking and emotionally rending as the basis of the story goes against the very fabric of our being - our usual association of time and space no longer applies.

It is difficult not to fall in love with the two lead characters, Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu, that the author has created, especially when they are capable, highly intelligent, and not to mention, tall, strong and strikingly beautiful. The author does a brilliant job blowing life into these two characters such that they leap out of the pages to entice me in joining them in their exciting adventures both inside the Doors and outside. It is a great pleasure to join these two amazing characters in their world, be it the real world or the virtual one behind the Door. Their presence leave such a deep imprint in my reading journey that I doubt I will ever forget them.

Behind every good story, there is almost always a story twist - unexpected, mind-blowing and one that is slowly revealed in good time. When the twist rears its head, it leaves the reader breathless and staring into space. Seriously, when the twist in the story is so overwhelming, readers need time to recover from it. A long time. That is what "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》does to me.

When I watch the drama "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》, I revel in the unexpected twist, but I also take time to get over it. I thought that since I have already watched the drama, I should be well prepared for the original story in the book. How wrong am I... When I reach the end of the story and read the first portion of the "Extra" |《番外》that comes right after, I realize nothing can prepare me for the twist in the story. I find myself in a daze. I read and re-read the ending and "Extra", again and again. I cannot help but keep thinking about the story and what it signifies. Even as I write this review, I am still reeling from the revelation.

After reading all the books in this series, some of the scenes in the drama that originally do not make sense to me now do. But soon enough, I realize the same issue is still there, it has simply shifted from the drama to the story in the books. When I read the books, there will always be some scenes or conversations that do not connect. I am glad that I have managed to figure it out by reading the online novel. This story originates as an online novel after all. And the online version is the original, unedited version (online novels have more leeway in certain aspects). I find it quite sad and a pity that the books I spent my hard-earned money on are not the uncut version. Sadly, that is pretty much the way it is - online Chinese novels have to be edited to meet certain criteria before they can be sent for publication.

This book 4 continues from where Door 12《发鬼》left off in book 3. Both Door 12《发鬼》and Door 14《无解》in this book are shown in the drama, but for obvious reason, the drama production team changes the name for both Doors. To be honest, I did not expect the drama to follow the original story in the book very closely. But amazingly, it did! For the last Door 14, even though I have already watched the drama and have an inkling of what is going to happen, I still get goosebumps when I read the book and watch the scenes unfold in my mind's eye. That goes to show how well written the story is.

I guess every reader has his or her little reading quirks. Needless to say, I have my own too. And one of them is that I will always look out for the book title inside the story itself. I have never failed in my endeavor so far, which is why after reading book 1, 2 and 3, I start to worry. Where is "Kaleidoscope" |《万花筒》? When is it ever going to be mentioned in the book? Or have I missed it? Well, just when I thought it is a hopeless cause, the word "Kaleidoscope" |《万花筒》appear. Finally. I find what I want and I'm happy.

As far back as I can remember, I have always preferred to read the book first before I catch the movie or chase the drama. My reason has always been simple - I enjoy having the story played out in my mind's eye. Mostly, I do not want my imagination to be in any way affected by the actions and faces of the actors in the movie or drama. But now, I start to think differently. Perhaps it is not that bad after all. In this case, I watch the drama "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》first, way before I even know that it originates from an online novel that was subsequently published into a series of four books. Now that I have the books, when I read them, the drama scenes automatically flash before my eyes. Also, the characters in the book now come equipped with the faces of the actors in the drama, and it is especially prominent for the two main leads. Surprisingly, I find myself liking and enjoying this drama-first-book-second association. Another bonus for watching the drama first is that the OST will somehow find the appropriate time to float to the forefront of my mind when I read. It is a joy to read a book and feel at the same time that I am watching my little personal drama - up in my head where no one else can see! - with OST accompaniment.

There is always this dilemma when I am hooked to a fascinating story. I want to finish the book but I don't want to finish the book. As I read, I will remind myself intermittently to go slow to prolong my reading experience. Because once a book is read, there is no turning back. I can never un-read the story. But this is always easier said than done. Most times, I end up staying up late to keep the pages turning. That is the reason why I took seven days to finish the first book, six days to finish the second, five days to complete my third and only a mere four days to wrap my last book. I want to finish the book but I don't want to finish the book. The former wins! With that, I uncover the ending faster than intended.

As to the story ending, I like the ending in both the drama and the book, BUT, I will say, I like the ending in the book more. I will touch on this again later on with detailed explanations (with spoiler alert).

Again, for my own reference, I am putting down the name of the Doors here as listed in the book (the former) as opposed to what the drama has it termed (the latter). After matching, I find that the Doors in the drama are largely given the same names as that in the book. There are subtle differences but mostly negligible. But still, I want to stress that though name of the Door could be the same, the Door content and its sequence as shown in the drama do not always follow that of the book. Careful observers will notice that there is no drama Door 4. That is because it is not shown.

Also, as what the author has pointed out, I want to highlight that the Door number is based on the number of Doors entered by the main character Lin Qiushi, not the level he entered. As this is the last book in the series, I shall list down all the Doors. A note to self - this book 4 is the story of Door 12, 13 and 14.

Book vs Drama

Door 1《独自莫凭拦》vs Door 1《雪村》
Door 2《菲尔夏鸟》vs Door 2《菲尔夏鸟》
Door 3《阿姐鼓》vs Door 3《阿姐鼓》
Door 4《雨中女郎》vs Door 7《雨中女郎》
Door 5《佐子》vs Door 5《佐子》
Door 6《乌鸦稻草人》vs Door NA
Door 7《威福利山疗养院》vs Door 6《威福利山疗养院》
Door 8《铜镜》vs Door NA
Door 9《哭儿郎》vs Door 8《夜哭郎》
Door 10《晴天娃娃》vs Door 9《扫晴娘》
Door 11《雕像》vs Door NA
Door 12《发鬼》vs Door 10《箱妖》
Door 13《米诺陶诺斯》vs Door NA
Door 14《无解》vs Door 11《百鬼夜行》

Next up, I am listing down the characters - both the real name and pseudonym - who enter the Door with Lin Qiushi. Also included are the characters of significance whom he meets inside the Door in this book series. Along with this list are clues for the Door (if any), the conditions that trigger death, location of keys and location of Doors. Again, the Door number is the number of Doors Lin Qiushi enters into, not the level. As a reference, he enters a total of 14 Doors. For practical reason, this portion will all be detailed in Chinese.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

If you have yet to read the online novel or books, or watch the drama, you might want to stop scrolling downwards.

The twelve Doors "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》are as follows:

第一扇门：雪村
线索：一人不入庙，二人不观井，三人不抱树，独自莫凭栏
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛
入门人化名：林秋石，阮白洁
钥匙所在：棺材内
门所在：井里
有趣点：男主林秋石和阮南烛相遇。林秋石还没起化名。

第二扇门：菲尔夏鸟
线索：菲尔夏鸟
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，谭枣枣
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，许晓橙
死亡条件：沾血、说不出三胞胎名字
钥匙所在：三胞胎母亲的身体里
门所在：在楼顶裹尸袋下
有趣点：林秋石的第二扇门

第三扇门：阿姐鼓
线索：阿姐鼓
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，程千里，黎东源
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，牧屿，蒙钰
钥匙所在：塔里拿的鼓敲破后得到
门所在：姐姐划破鼓面 就出现门
有趣点：蹭程千里的第五扇门，所以林秋石直接从第二扇门跳到了第五扇们的难度。

第四扇门：雨中女郎
线索：雨中女郎
特殊线索：你站在桥上看风景，看风景的人在楼上看你。明月装饰了你的窗子，你装饰了别人的梦。
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，谭枣枣
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，许晓橙
死亡条件：进入逆转的世界、被画框框在里面、对雨中女郎画动手
钥匙所在：烧掉晚宴图得到（女主人画室内）
门所在：二楼右边的楼梯
有趣点：阮南烛接活儿的门，蹭谭枣枣的第三扇门。
因为门比五级低，不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第五扇门：佐子
线索：佐子
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，黎东源，庄如皎
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，蒙钰，夏如蓓
死亡条件：念出：“我的腿没有了，你的给我好吗？”
钥匙所在：帮助佐子杀死最后两名高二三班同学，班级全员合影照自燃后掉落
门所在：旧校舍高二三班门
有趣点：阮南烛和白鹿首领黎东源合作，蹭白鹿成员庄如皎的第四扇门。
因为门比五级低，不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第六扇门：乌鸦稻草人 (网络小说为 瘦长鬼影)
线索：乌鸦稻草人 (网络小说为 瘦长鬼影)
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛
入门人化名：余秋秋，陆盟
死亡条件：迷失在制造的幻觉中、戴上黑色的礼帽
钥匙所在：戴帽子的乌鸦稻草人身体里 (网络小说里 戴帽子的瘦长鬼影身体里）
门所在：广场告示牌下面
有趣点：林秋石自己的门，也就是他的第六扇门。

第七扇门：威福利山疗养院
线索：威福利山疗养院
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，网站上的人
入门人化名：林秋秋，阮白洁，封永乐
死亡条件：502 门牌号
钥匙所在：护士与医生的合照后面
门所在：楼梯后面的隧道
有趣点：阮南烛再次进第六扇门 (之前已拿到了第七扇门的线索，但觉得线索不适进人)
这也是阮南烛接网上活儿的门，林秋石第一次和网站上的人一起进门。
林秋石再次进第六扇门，所以不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第八扇门：铜镜
线索：以铜为镜，可以正衣冠；以史为镜，可以知兴替；以人为镜，可以明得失。
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，程一谢，卓飞泉，卓鸣玉
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，一谢，罗千山，罗千水
死亡条件：打破镜子
钥匙所在：烧焦的房子里 三口全家福下面
门所在：安全通道
有趣点：蹭程一榭的第九扇门，所以林秋石直接从第六扇门跳到了第九扇们的难度。

第九扇门：哭儿郎
线索：天惶惶，地惶惶，我家有个哭儿郎，过往的恩客念三遍，一觉睡到大天光。
入门人真名：林秋石，叶鸟
入门人化名：余林林，顾龙鸣
死亡条件：房间里没有了人油灯、醒着时被女主人看到
钥匙所在：女主人身体里
门所在：女主人卧室柜子里
有趣点：林秋石接网上活儿的门，蹭顾龙鸣的第四扇门。
林秋石在没有阮南烛的陪伴下第一次独自带顾客进门。
因为门比九级低，不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第十扇门：晴天娃娃
线索：无
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌
死亡条件：被雨淋
钥匙所在：神寺里的僧人被安下头后 其法杖化为钥匙
门所在：僧人雕像的地方
有趣点：林秋石的好友和他好友的女朋友被人害死了。
为了报仇 林秋石和阮南烛假扮新人，蹭崔学义的第三扇门。
因为门比九级低，不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第十一扇门：雕像
线索：以牙还牙 以眼还眼
入门人真名：林秋石，叶鸟
入门人化名：余林林，顾龙鸣
死亡条件：木头人被毁坏或其他
钥匙所在：女雕像
门所在：图书馆的某个偏僻角落里
有趣点：林秋石接网上活儿的门，蹭顾龙鸣的第五扇门。
林秋石在没有阮南烛的陪伴下第二次带顾客进门。
因为门比九级低，不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第十二扇门：发鬼 (网络小说为 箱女）
线索：发鬼 (网络小说为 箱女)
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，梁米叶
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，梁米叶
死亡条件：开盒 开出发鬼或伥鬼 (网络小说里 开箱 开出箱人或箱女）
钥匙所在：落地钟柜门开出 （网络小说里 保险箱开出）
门所在：厨房里的盒子 (网络小说里 厨房里的箱子）
有趣点：阮南烛再次进第十扇门 (之前已拿到了第十一扇门的线索，但觉得线索不对劲)
林秋石的第十扇门，也是白熊成员梁米叶的第十扇门。

第十三扇门：米诺陶诺斯
线索：米诺陶诺斯
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛，叶鸟
入门人化名：余林林，祝萌，顾龙鸣
死亡条件：沾上鱼腥味
钥匙所在：杀死鱼人得到
门所在：厨房里
有趣点：接网上活儿的门, 蹭顾龙鸣的第六扇门。
阮南烛要在门内见叶鸟以确定叶鸟过门的资质，才决定是否让叶鸟加入阮南烛的组织黑曜石。
因为门比九级低，不计入林秋石的门的计数。

第十四扇门：无解
线索：无解
特殊线索：生死
入门人真名：林秋石，阮南烛
钥匙所在：时钟
门所在：第十二扇门，选择题：虚幻之生 真实之死
有趣点：本文的最后一扇门，也是林秋石和阮南烛的第十一扇门。
在真实世界里 实际是林秋石的第十二扇门 - 第十二扇门是门中门。

From here onwards, I will mention details in the story as well as in the drama. If you have yet to read the online novel or the books, or watch the drama, you might want to skip the entire section below. For me, I am putting down these details (and revelations) more for my own reference - now and future. To understand "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》fully, one has to read all four books from the beginning to the end as well as the "Extra" |《番外》that the author provides right after the main story has ended.

*** Spoiler Alert ***

The Book: Ending of "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》

Ruan Nanzhu is the Door keeper of the twelfth Door. He came out of the Door to be with Lin Qiushi. As a result, the twelfth Door is permanently closed to all the people who enter Doors.

The entire novel is about Lin Qiushi's twelfth Door. Though the story begins with the world inside Door 1 "Snow Village" |《雪村》, it is actually not Lin Qiushi's first Door but his twelfth. And Ruan Nanzhu is Lin Qiushi's twelfth Door. All the Doors that Lin Qiushi enters as well as all the people he meets are carried out in this twelfth Door. It is based on Lin Qiushi's real world and has been partially modified by the twelfth Door keeper, Ruan Nanzhu.

Ruan Nanzhu's existence is an extra memory of everyone's. Before he comes out of the twelfth Door, there is no Ruan Nanzhu in the world, meaning, no Ruan Nanzhu in the real world that Lin Qiushi is in. In the twelfth Door, Ruan Nanzhu gives Lin Qiushi the option to choose - there are two keys (instead of one) to exit this Door - the key to illusory life or the key to real death. No matter what kind of world Lin Qiushi wants, Ruan Nanzhu can give it to him, so the choice is in Lin Qiushi's hands.

Before entering his twelfth Door, Lin Qiushi enters and experiences all the Doors alone by himself in the real world. After various trials, he joins a group that specializes in Door entering, called "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》. Then he enters the twelfth Door. Unexpectedly, the twelfth Door is Ruan Nanzhu. In the end, the two of them are together, and there is no longer a twelfth Door. It is closed to all the people.

The Book: Summary of "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》

The book is about dying people or people who are going to die having the opportunity to enter a different time and space where there are twelve iron Doors. Every time you open a Door, you will be greeted with a supernatural story. The world inside the Door is full of death and traps. It is said that if you pass through all the twelve Doors, you will be granted a new life. But if you die inside the Door, you will also die when you exit the Door and return to the reality of the world.

At first, Lin Qiushi's pet cat refuses to go near him, let alone be hugged. Gradually, Lin Qiushi finds that everything around him begins to be filled with disharmony.

Later one day, when he opens the Door of his home, he finds that the familiar corridor has turned into a long corridor where there are twelve exact looking iron Doors. The story begins here.

The Book: The Three Worlds in "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》

There are three planes of existence in the book.

The first is the world outside the Door. This is the real world where Lin Qiushi lives in, and where he is the boss of the organisation "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》.

The second is the world inside the Door. This is the world where people who are dying or going to die enter to have a chance to be granted a new life. If you die inside the Door, you will also die when you exit the Door and return to the real world. If you survive all the twelve Doors, you will be granted a new lease of life.

The third is the world inside the Door that resides within the twelfth Door. This is the world that the twelfth Door keeper, Ruan Nanzhu, specially creates for Lin Qiushi, a world where Lin Qiushi enters all the Doors as if for the first time (his memory has been erased), together with Ruan Nanzhu. This world is a replica of the real world that Lin Qiushi lives in, which is why he thought he is just passing through the eleventh Door, and the choice of life and death is the twelfth Door. Most importantly, he thought Ruan Nanzhu is a person in the real world. This is perhaps best summarised in Chinese below.

这是个三层世界的故事。

第一是门外的世界，这就是林秋石活在的真实世界。

第二是门内的世界，这就是垂死的人进入门后的门内世界。只要成功的通过了十二扇门，就能获得新生。但只要是死在了门内，一旦回到了真实世界，也即将面临死亡。

第三是门中门的世界，这就是林秋石的第十二扇门的门内世界，也是阮南烛特地为他独创的虚幻世界，一个复制了林秋石真实世界的门内世界。记忆被抹去的林秋石 以为自己是在阮南烛的陪伴下全新的第一次过门，并且进的是第十一扇门，而第十二扇门则是生与死的选择。最重要的是，他以为阮南烛是真实世界中的人。

The Book: All about "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》

(1) The entire novel from the beginning in Door 1 "Snow Village" |《雪村》right up to when Lin Qiushi comes out of Door 11, is the story of Lin Qiushi's twelfth Door. He finds two keys in the clock - one key for illusory life and one key for real death. Illusory life means staying inside the Door forever and living inside the Door with friends who are already dead in the real world (a second chance to live with friends who have passed on); real death means returning to the real world, but without his significant other, Ruan Nanzhu.

(2) At that time, Lin Qiushi thought that Ruan Nanzhu is a person from the real world. He thought he is simply passing through the eleventh Door, and the choice of life and death is the twelfth Door, so he decisively chooses real death and went out of the twelfth Door; his instinct telling him that Ruan Nanzhu will do the same. In truth, Ruan Nanzhu is a non-existent person in the real world which is why  none of the members in the organization called "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》knows him. After Lin Qiushi exits from the twelve Door, he is the only person who has memories of Ruan Nanzhu. He finds it unbelievable that no one knows or remembers Ruan Nanzhu.

(3) A year later (actually, it is only a few days inside the Door), Ruan Nanzhu comes out of the twelfth Door. His exit as a Door keeper has an impact on the real world - something changes. The Obsidian members who do not remember him now do. The only difference is that they remember him as a mere presence, someone they know but no deep relationship with. And that explains why Bai Ming, who is supposedly Ruan Nanzhu's best friend, seems to be closer to Lin Qiushi instead.

(4) Ruan Nanzhu is the Door keeper of the twelfth Door. In the book, the role played by Ruan Nanzhu - boss of organization "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》- is actually that of the Lin Qiushi's in the real world. Lin Qiushi enters the Door because of lung cancer caused by heavy smoking.

(5) As an excellent Door-enterer, Lin Qiushi attracts the attention of the ultimate twelfth Door keeper, Ruan Nanzhu, who decides to construct an illusory world by tampering with Lin Qiushi's memory and letting him take Lin Qiushi through all the Doors again. This is the heart calamity of Lin Qiushi's twelfth Door. Everyone's twelfth Door is different - which is why the clue to the eleventh Door is "no solution" - and not everyone is as "favored" by the Door keeper as Lin Qiushi.

(6) Because Ruan Nanzhu has erased all traces of his own memories as the twelfth Door keeper, he forgets that he is actually a Door keeper. He goes through all the Doors with Lin Qiushi and experiences everything with him. Lin Qiushi, whose memory has been erased by Ruan Nanzhu in the twelfth Door becomes a new person. That is why his pet cat, Li Zi will not let him hug him. The entire novel starts from here. Before Door 11 "The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" |《百鬼夜行》, Ruan Nanzhu does not know that he is a Door keeper. It is until the ghost, Zuo Zi takes him to the apartment where Lin Qiushi used to live and Ruan Nanzhu watches the scenes played out on the TV that he realizes he is not a human.

The Drama: Summary of "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》

The drama is about a virtual reality game with twelve Doors (imagine a game with twelve levels). Players enter the Doors to find themselves in strange encounters. Once the player starts playing the game, that is, enters the first door, there is no turning back, he or she will have to continue with entering the Doors (imagine passing the game level) until the last one, the twelfth Door.

Each Door is filled with traps and mysterious creatures, some scary, some terrifying, but mostly deadly. To exit each Door, the players have to search for a key and a Door. Using the key to open the Door, they can then leave the Door of that level they have entered into until the next Door beckons.

Somehow, the game got hacked and the players after entering the Door, find themselves faced with progressively more violence, gore and death. To purify the game, the game founder creates an AI to do patching. This AI has to enter the Doors like any other player as patching can only be performed inside the last Door, the twelfth Door. Hence, the creation of Ruan Lanzhu. He is the AI, the NPC.

The Drama: The Three Worlds in "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》

In the drama, there are also three planes of existence.

The first is the real world outside the Spirit Realm. This is the world where Ling Jiushi lives in. But this is where the similarity ends. In the drama, this real world is also the world where Ling Jiushi's University good friend, Gao Dawei, creates the game "Spirit Realm" | 灵境, a virtual game with twelve Doors. In the book, Gao Dawei does not exist. There is no such character.

The second is the virtual world inside the Spirit Realm. This is the "Spirit Realm" virtual world | 灵境 created by the aforementioned Gao Dawei. Within this "Spirit Realm" virtual world, Gao Dawei creates twelve Doors (to be further explained in the third plane of existence). All the people who play the game will enter into this world, and all of them think that this is the real world when in fact, this is the virtual reality world of the Spirit Realm. To put it simply, this world is the game hall of the Spirit Realm. All the people who play the game, the moment they start playing, never leave the game hall. These players can only get out of this "Spirit Realm" virtual world and go back into the real world when they have completed the twelfth Door (imagine passing game level 12) residing within this virtual world. All the players think this is the real world because this game hall is an exact replica of the real world where they come from.

The third is the virtual world inside the Door that resides within the Spirit Realm. There are basically twelve Doors inside the "Spirit Realm" virtual world. Behind each Door lies a different scene and challenge. Due to the hack, there are now different variations of the same Door level, each one a life-and-death test with increasing violence and gore. Each time a player succeeds in playing the game, that is passing the Door, they will exit from the world inside the Door and go back into the "Spirit Realm" virtual world. When a player dies inside the game, meaning inside the Door, that player will also die when he or she exit this Door and return to the "Spirit Realm" virtual world. Death in the world inside the Door have an effect on the virtual world inside the Spirit Realm because they both belong to the Spirit Realm game. They co-exist and complement each other. Again, this is perhaps best summarised in Chinese below.

剧中也是个三层世界的故事。

第一是门外的世界，这就是凌久时活在的真实世界。这也是凌久时昔日的大学同窗 高大威所在的同一个真实世界。灵境游戏的缔造者正是高大威。书中并没有高大威这个人物，他根本不存在。

第二是灵境的世界，这就是高大威创造出来的虚幻世界，是个灵境游戏，游戏里有十二扇门。所有灵境游戏的玩家都会进入这个世界。他们全都认为这是真实世界，而实际上，这是灵界的虚拟世界。简单来说，这个世界就是灵界的游戏大厅。所有玩家，从他们进入第一扇门的开始，就离不开这个游戏大厅。只有成功的过了最后一扇门 也就是第十二扇门后 这些玩才能从这个灵境世界回到真实世界。所有玩家都以为灵境是真实世界 因为这个游戏大厅跟他们所认识的真实世界是一模一样的。

第三是门中门的世界，这就是处在灵境世界里的门内世界。“灵境”虚拟世界内基本上有十二扇门。每一扇门里都有不同的场景和挑战。由于黑客攻击，同一扇门的级别出现了不同的版本。每个版本除了是生死攸关的考验，也是充满了逐渐增加的暴力和血腥。每当玩家成功的过了门，他们就会从门内世界退出，回到“灵境”虚拟世界。但只要玩家死在门内，回到“灵界”虚拟世界后的玩家 也会面临死亡。在门内死了，在门外也一样会死，因为门内世界和虚拟世界都处于灵境，是属于灵界游戏的。

The Drama: All about "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》

(1) Ruan Lanzhu is an NPC. He knows he is an AI all along right from the start in the drama. Since he is an NPC, why does Ruan Lanzhu appear in the real world? Truth is, Ruan Lanzhu has never appeared in the real world. He has always existed in the virtual reality world inside the Spirit Realm. He is not an NPC in the world inside the Door, but an NPC in the Spirit Realm. Imagine the NPC big boss of the "Spirit Realm" virtual world. He is it! That is the reason why after Ling Jiushi comes out from the Spirit realm virtual world and returns to the real world, he finds strangers living in the headquarters of organization "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》, because there is no Ruan Lanzhu in the real world.

(2) Ruan Lanzhu is a hidden NPC, created by Gao Dawei for Ling Jiushi. He is also a patch. After the operation rights of "Spirit Realm" | 灵境 are seized by capital, creator Gao Dawei wanted to purify the game. However, he has no way to change the game by editing, so he changes it by adding instead. He creates and uploads an NPC with a hidden task according to Ling Jiushi's preferences. This NPC pretends to be a player and creates the organization "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》before Ling Jiushi enters the game. As an NPC, he has no emotions and he waits patiently alone inside the Door for Ling Jiushi to start his destiny - purifying the game. He is set as a high level expert who has passed the tenth Door. His information cannot be found in the virtual reality world.

(3) In the first episode of the drama, Ling Jiushi receives the game delivered by express delivery and goes to an Internet cafe. After coming out of the Internet cafe, he sees a Door on the road. This Door is very similar to the eleventh Door in the "Spirit Realm" | 灵境 game. Then Ling Jiushi is hit by a car. Right after, several scenes flashed by quickly - the Door and also the circular stone steps waiting to enter the Door. Right after, the picture darkens, and Ling Jiushi returns to his apartment. This does not seem logical. How can he go back to his home without any problem after being badly hit by a car? This seems to indicate that Ling Jiushi enters the game on the road and he arrives at the "Spirit Realm" virtual world from that moment onwards.

(4) In episode 72 when Ruan Lanzhu explains the truth to Ling Jiushi, the scene shifts to show Door 1 "Snow Village" |《雪村》with Ruan Lanzhu standing on the mountain and looking down. A blue-clothed Ling Jiushi is seen running and trying to avoid a wolf's attack, and then, another red-clothed Ling Jiushi walks up. The two Ling Jiushi eventually merged into one person which suggests that the red one represents Ling Jiushi's person and consciousness entering from the real world, while the blue one is simply an NPC. That is why after Ruan Lanzhu's hint helps saved Ling Jiushi from the wolf, Ruan Lanzhu says "It is still better to command a living person", because he has commanded NPC Ling Jiushi many times already.

(5) In episode 72, in the University dormitory world inside the Door, Ruan Lanzhu picks up Ling Jiushi's profile data but does not flip to look inside. With Ruan Lanzhu's careful character, it is unlike him not to scrutinize Ling Jiushi's personal data. This indicates that he has seen it countless times and has waited for an unknown amount of time for Ling Jiushi to appear. Every time Ruan Lanzhu arrives at a Door, he will wait there because that will be the birth point of Ling Jiushi's game. Finally one day, Ling Jiushi appears and Ruan Lanzhu follows him into the Door. In their first encounter in the "Snow Village" |《雪村》, after Ruan Lanzhu saves Ling Jiu from the wolf, he said to him "I hope the person I have saved is worth saving." This sentence actually signifies his attitude towards the purifying fate: "I hope the person I have waited for so long is worth waiting for, and I hope that the person I meet in the end is worth it."

Book vs Drama: "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》vs "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》

Now that I have finished with putting down details and revelations of the book "Kaleidoscope of Death" |《死亡万花筒》and the drama "The Spirealm" |《致命游戏》, I want to highlight the main difference between the two. It all stems from the three planes of existence.

In the book, right from the beginning of the story, the author cleverly hides the third plane of existence, that is, the world of the Door inside the twelfth Door. The reader, any reader in fact, will assume and rightly so, that there are only two planes of existence - the real world outside the Door and the illusory world inside the Door. And the best part is, the author continues to conceal the truth right up to the last chapter where it is only implied, that perhaps something is not right with Lin Qiushi's memory. It is so well disguised that, as a reader, I also echo the same sentiments as Lin Qiushi and thought that Ruan Nanzhu is a real person from the real world, and somehow for reasons unknown, the people in the real world have forgotten about Ruan Nanzhu's existence.

The truth - the third plance of existence - is only revealed after the end of the main story under the "Extra" |《番外》. To say that the truth is mind-provoking is an understatement. Because the story, the world-building of the Doors, the characters and everything else that we have come to know so very well from the beginning to the end, are not what they are. My world as the reader of Doors crumbles along with the disclosure that the entire novel is about Lin Qiushi's twelfth Door. The revelation leaves me totally flabbergasted.

In contrast...

In the drama, right from the beginning in episode 1 "Snow Village" |《雪村》, the drama scriptwriters team smartly hides the the second plane of existence, that is, the virtual world inside the Spirit Realm. The viewer, any viewer in fact, will assume and rightly so, that there are only two planes of existence - the real world outside the Door and the virtual world inside the Door. The drama scriptwriters team takes their cue from the author - in a similar but yet different way - and continues to conceal the truth right up to episode 72 (out of 78) where an agitated Ling Qiushi confronts Ruan Lanzhu about his suspicions, and the latter then explains the truth.

Throughout the drama, viewers have been slowly led to believe that Ling Qiushi will be the one to perform the purification process for the game and Ruan Lanzhu is there to assist him in passing all the Doors. The plot is so well disguised that viewers will never have imagined that Ruan Lanzhu is an NPC, that he is not a real person, but an AI. He is a patch created with a sole purpose to purify the game. And the best part is, even after Ruan Lanzhu confirms Lin Jiushi's suspicions that he is an NPC in episode 72 (out of 78), the truth is not fully revealed. The drama continues to conceal the second plane of existence until the last Door 11 "The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" |《百鬼夜行》where viewers start to realise that there is more than meets the eye when Ling Jiushi cannot find Ruan Lanzhu in the headquarters of organization "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》during the daytime. But even so, viewers can only hypothesize about this anomaly since the two characters are inside a Door where all sorts of strange things are known to happen.

The full truth - the second plance of existence - is only revealed in the last two episodes after Ruan Lanzhu bids his farewell to Ling Jiushi and successfully completed his task to purify the game. To say that the truth is mind-boggling is an understatement. Because the drama, the world-building of the Doors, the characters and everything else that we have come to know so very well from the beginning to the end, are not what they are. And on top of these, the drama viewer in me, is still trying to recover from the fact that Ruan Lanzhu is an NPC.

My world as the viewer of Doors crumbles along with the realization that the entire drama takes place in the virtual world "Spirit Realm" | 灵境. All the Doors that Ling Jiushi and Ruan Lanzhu enter into reside within this Spirit Realm, not the real world. After Ling Jiushi finally comes out from the Spirit realm and returns to the real world, he find strangers living in the headquarters of organization "Obsidian" |《黑曜石》. There is no Ruan Lanzhu because he is not from the real world. The revelation takes my breath away and renders me speechless.

And finally, I will explain the reason why I prefer the ending in the book to that of the drama.

In the drama, Lin Qiushi successfully creates the "Spirit Realm" | 灵境 after fifty years, duplicating everything, everyone, and most importantly the Ruan Lanzhu, that he knows from his Door entering experiences. He uploads himself - basically his existence, his memories and all - to the "Spirit Realm" | 灵境. He reunites with Ruan Lanzhu. The pair is finally together forever. This is a happy ending. BUT, there are two things of significance to note. First, Ling Jiushi spends fifty years alone by himself in the real world before he reunites with Ruan Lanzhu. Fifty years! This is self-explanatory, I don't think I need to elaborate any further. Second, the reunion is not without cost. In truth, this reunion with Ruan Lanzhu signifies Ling Jiushi's death.

In contrast...

In the book, Ruan Nanzhu gives Lin Qiushi the choice to choose, whether to stay inside the illusory world within the twelfth Door or return to the real world. Lin Qiushi chooses the latter and spends one year alone by himself in the real world. Ruan Nanzhu relinquishes his role as the twelfth Door keeper and comes out of the Door to join Lin Qiushi in the real world. The pair is finally together. This is a happy ending too, but especially so, when we consider and compare the two things of significance. First, Ling Jiushi spends only one year by himself in the real world before Ruan Nanzhu reunites with him. Second, and most importantly, Ling Jiushi does not have to give up his life. No one has to die.

Publisher: 江苏凤凰文艺出版社
Publication date: 2021年09月

*** Favourite Quote 1 ***

《光》第5卷 米诺陶诺斯 第7章 第437页

“你能听到别人听不到的声音对吧？”阮南烛说，“这是门送给你的礼物。”

林秋石继续听着。

“我也能看到别人看不到的东西。” 阮南烛道，“每个人身上都有光。”

*** Favourite Quote 2 ***

《醒不来的噩梦》第5卷 米诺陶诺斯 第7章 第446页

但这不是梦，或者就算是梦，也是醒不来的噩梦。

*** Favourite Quote 3 ***

《字面上的意思》第5卷 米诺陶诺斯 第8章 第459页

阮南烛道：“我曾经和一个过了第十一扇门的人聊过。”

白铭看着阮南烛。

“他没什么想说的，但反复重申了一件事。” 阮南烛道，“不要对其他人怀有歹意。”

白铭：“……什么意思？” 他一时间没办法理解阮南烛口中的话。

阮南烛道：“字面上的意思。”

========

《字面上的意思》第5卷 米诺陶诺斯 第8章 第460页

“对了，你的第十一扇门是后年对吧？”白铭说，“线索是什么能说吗？”

“可以。”阮南烛无所谓，“无解。”

“啊？” 白铭一时间没反应过来阮南烛说的话，“无解？”

“字面上的意思。” 阮南烛道，“我进去了两次，线索都是无解。”

*** Favourite Quote 4 ***

《在乎一个人，好似有了软肋，也有了铠甲》第6卷 无解 第7章 第534页

这是林秋石进第十一扇门以来，睡过的最沉稳的觉，他知道阮南烛就陪在他的身边，只要天暗下来，他们便能见到彼此。

而无论是东西抑或是死亡，都无法将两人分开，他也不再恐惧，内心巨大的空洞，被另一个平和的灵魂填满。

原本可怖的夜晚，因为阮南烛的存在，反而让人期待了起来。

林秋石终于明白了那句话，在乎一个人，好似有了软肋，也有了铠甲。

他们终于成为了彼此最坚实的倚靠。

*** Favourite Quote 5 ***

《没有你的世界，都是假的》第6卷 无解 第9章 第548页

“你喜欢白天吗？” 林秋石问他。

“不喜欢。” 阮南烛说，“白天里有很多好的东西……但是……那里没有你。”

林秋石一点点抚摸着阮南烛的头发，手指从他的发丝穿过，看向阮南烛的眼神慈爱得像是在看自己的小孩：“你本来拥有更好的人生。” 阮南烛和他不同，他有父母，有兄弟，如果没有门，他显然会过得更幸福，不用经历死亡的威胁，也不用失去那么多心爱的朋友。

“可是那里没有你啊。” 阮南烛绝望地道，“林秋石你到底懂不懂，没有你的世界，都是假的！”

林秋石看着阮南烛，他想要控制住自己的情绪，继续安抚他，却发现自己做不到了。
时间已经过了一个小时，他们甚至无法确定明天还能不能见到对方。

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《没有你的世界，都是假的》第6卷 无解 第10章 第559页

林秋石想说很多话，但不知道为啥，都讲不出来。

林秋石感到自己的身体发软，他喃喃道：“我以为你再也不会回来了。”

阮南烛看着他。

“我以为你选择了虚幻的世界。” 林秋石说，“我以为我只能一个人。”

“我说过了。” 阮南烛道，“没有你的世界，都是假的。”

~ Kaleidoscope of Death (Break the Cocoon book 2) |《死亡万花筒》破茧【下】
Xi Zi Xu | 西子绪

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起初的异样，是家里的猫不让抱了。 林秋石发现周围的一切都开始变得充满了不协调感。 然后某一天，当他推开家中的门，却发现熟悉的楼道变成了长长的走廊。 走廊的两头，是十二扇一模一样的铁门。 故事由此开始。

*Blurb from Goodreads*

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