A lyrical drama which is a personal mythology portrayed as a battle within the authors subconscious as he struggles to find meaning in the face of mortality. The illustrated fantasy conjures a world in which archetypal characters from Greek mythology battle for dominance as Endymion, the main character attempts to wake himself from an endless sleep. Part-epic battle, part-psychotherapeutic journey, Endymion is set at John Keats’ gravesite in Rome. It is written in heroic couplets as one continuous dream, where Jupiter, Diana, Zephyrus, Hermes and Endymion wrestle with reason, fear, hope and divine inspiration.
Disclaimer: Not everyone's cup of tea, but definitely my cup of coffee ☕
I did enjoy the dar lyrical tale the book offers in a novel manner. The language used is quite high standard so would recommend it to readers who prefer a difficulty level of 3+ out of 5. Also, the detailed illustrations throughout the book adds an engrossing effect on the reader and you will often find yourself still stuck on a page studing the details of the drawings even when you have finished reading a page.
Haven't come across such work in quite some time now 😸
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don't feel qualified to write a review for this. Although I enjoyed reading and the illustrations were great, I didn't fully understand this work. Overall an interesting read and worth checking out if you're into more classical poetry.
I received an advanced copy for free and I'm leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.
What an utterly gorgeous work of art this book is!
I received a copy of the linen-bound & gold-stamped limited edition, and I truly recommend checking with Mr. Ward's website to see if there are any left as it is just beautiful, and so nice in the hand. The paper is thick and rough edged (though soft to the touch) which I just love. If there isn't any left, you needn't worry at all as the book is also available on Amazon in both paperback and hardback.
I recommend this beautiful book especially to fans of Keats and Shelley, of Jung, and to those that love the Ancient Greek and Roman myths. It is a lyrical play that is timeless and universal to our human existence.
If you are uncertain about the book as your knowledge of the ancient myths is poor, never fear! There are reference notes at the back that can help bring a deeper understanding. It's a book that needs to be read many times and savoured. Enjoy!
''Endymion or The State of Entropy'' is a lyrical drama that re-shape your thoughts and your perception. Your fears and dreams. And, also, re-shape your trueself. It is the perfect example for a marvelous theatrical play, especially how Endymion is portraited. Complex, doubtful in some ways and questioning how this world works. Its fundamentals. The plot itself is easy to follow but also dense due to Endymion, in his slumber, way of ''react''. Also, while reading you can imagine all the characters in a single, huge stage while a dim melody plays in the background. The same melody that follows every character dialogue.
I'll quote one verse that struck my attention:
''As if Mind were sky, Body the ground, I am vanquished in Shadow, Decay hangs motionless in Ruins, Ramparts cower beneath the strain, All cohesion gone. What shades this dim Dream? How do I differentiate from What is and what merely seems?''
If you try to find an answer, it will not be easy for you. I tried, and believe me that is not simple.
I thoroughly enjoyed this incredible collection of poetry.
I may not know much of greek mythology, but filled to the brim with such beautiful imagery as it was, I was enraptured. Filled with lush and moody poetry, exploring the self and lamenting the entropy that all living things in the universe are trapped in, it was hard to put down. I wish it was longer!
The theme of waking the self was well done, and the illustrations were beautiful, as well. I appreciated reading the authors notes and sources at the end! Well crafted.
[I recieved a copy of this off of booksirens in return for a review!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don't feel competent to review this book, although I should be, but I need to say something. I need to express my love for it! I won't dare analyze it, but it is beautiful in every way. Definitely worth the read. Also, the illustrations by Rebbeca Yanovskaya are just magical, like nothing I've seen so far.
Beautifully lyrical with illustrations to match, this short drama will delight your senses. Accompanied with detailed notes and references, this book provides rich historical context as well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and would highly recommend it.
I received a free advanced review copy of this book from booksirens.com.
This is ‘a lyrical drama inscribed to the memory of John Keats and Percy Shelley.’ PS wrote ‘Adonais’ in memory of JK, who had written his poem ‘Endymion’ in memory of Thomas Chatterton; the title from Greek mythology.
I would suggest familiarizing oneself with the background prior to tackling this easy-to-read play. There are some incredible illustrations as well as a section containing Archaic Symbols, Literary References, Editorial Commentaries, and Coincidences.
Omg what can i say about this book of poetry , it was amazing , if you love mythology then you will love this book , if you love poetry , you will love this book .. exciting and descriptive in its words , i found that the lyrical verse with illustrations to match just added so much to the overall book and feeling . The illustrations were so well done they were like paintings to my soul ,went great with the overall theme of the book and gave aweasome affect too , it really adds life to the book and the poems , ok this is a Greek mythology a kind of battle for dominance as this Enyymion the main character attempts to wake himself from an endless sleep that was over many years ,.. the poems really sing to me , as i read about greek dominance and all the gods and goddesses through out mythology in greek mytholoy . definetely a re read for sure . very inspiring indeed .
Endymion or The State of Entropy is a lyrical drama based within Greek mythology whilst also focusing on the author’s struggle for self-actualisation by integrating the conscious with the unconscious.
This collections of poems in a play script format was very interesting to read and clearly a lot of work went into the research and depth of the piece. I felt it was very well written and the battle between each character and Endymion’s struggle to awaken was interesting. This was very different to what I’d usually read and I feel I would have had a greater appreciation if I had a better understanding of Greek mythology.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and BookSirens for allowing me to review this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Endymion, or The State of Entropy is majestic narrative poem inspired by Greek mythology. This poem has wonderful imagery and amazing allegory to make a immersive reading experience. The illustrations throughout that accompanied the text were gorgeous. This is my first read from Kurt R. Ward but after reading Endymion, I’ll be rereading it until Ward’s next release because I simply cannot get enough!
Impressive epic creation. with great depth of context. But fair being fair it is intense and filled (perhaps over filled to some) with poetic and mythological information. I thought it worked - almost spectacularly.