The Pillars of Creation by Terry Goodkind Author: Terry Goodkind By Kenny Tan • Urbanwire

The seventh fantasy in the Sword of Truth series, The Pillars of Creation leads readers back to the chaotic New World, where troops of the Old World Order have taken root. Still bent on reuniting the two lands, Jagang the Just - ruthless ruler of the Order - conceives an intricate plan to bring about what he believes would be the final downfall of the New World.

Set in a time when the New World is slowly but surely losing its futile resistance in fending off the Order's onslaught, an unknown peasant pair, Jennsen and Oba, take centrestage as they battle to stay alive in this dark period of malevolence. Both struggle during the course of the book in search of their true identities, to feed their burning desire to break free from societal oppression and their own innate fears. And their nightmares mount, for with each passing day the Order drives deeper into the depths of their homeland.

Once more, standing in the way of the Order's conquest is Richard Rahl, champion of the New World - Seeker and stoic war wizard. Only he and his Confessor wife, Kahlan, with the help of their friends can thwart Jagang's malicious ambitions and save their land from impending peril.

Author Terry Goodkind is brilliant as always, inventing more mind-boggling, teasing plots that reel in readers: hook, line and sinker. The masterful way he crafts each and every detail; how he compounds his smorgasbord of ingenious ideas into the final article is without doubt, mesmerising. In a genre such as fantasy, it is always going to be easy to run away with perplexing ideas and baffle readers. With Goodkind however, the intertwining story lines are well packaged with nary a loose end.

Fervent fans of The Sword of Truth series will be sorely disappointed though. In spite of Goodkind's brilliance, he has failed to deliver what most followers would want - Richard Rahl. Perhaps he was experimenting with new characters, new plots, but the end result was found wanting. For most parts of the book, Richard Rahl was never actually brought into the picture. He only makes his much anticipated appearance in the final quarter of the book, which in the minds of most fans, would be three-quarts too little.

Whatever the case, Goodkind has delivered the goods once more. In spite of Richard's prolonged absence, The Pillars of Creation is still a refreshing joy to read. Fans will be hard-done not to follow up on this latest addition.

Available at MPH

Life's Bus-Stop Text by:Yap Wy-En Photographs by: Louis Kwok By Theresa Wu • Urbanwire

Life's Bus-Stop is a showcase of the works of two tertiary students whose poems and photographs don't betray their age.

The poems of Yap Wy-En, 19 - an undergraduate with the New York University, majoring in Economics and Political Science - coupled seamlessly with photographs taken by Louis Kwok, 20 - a final-year Mass Communication student at the School of Film & Media Studies in Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Wy-En's poems in his second book bring readers on a 'journey' of exploration into many issues. These include concerns such as racial discrimination, feminism, and Man being subject to conventions, to name a few. Many of us refuse to confront these same issues possibly because of society's invisible constraints and the lack of personal courage to be truly different.

But this book empowers you to overcome your apathy, encouraging self-discovery and reflection with its own. As with all good poetry, the multi-layered poems in Life's Bus-Stop can be relished often and still retain their beauty and mystique.

Yet, it is not art that is inaccessible. Consider a stanza from Central: Verses of Man, Network which echoes the desire of youth, in particular, to be free:

One thing remains abstruse -
A perplexing uncertainty:
Can we as fettered components
Break free to soar with unbridled joy,
Allow our dreams to take flight…
Yet not disrupt the fragility of human society?

Even on its own, Louis's pictures show a depth beyond his amateur status. Skilled at black and white photography, his pictures capture emotions and meaning in ways that colour photographs don't. One such example in the book - a smiley little Indian boy hiding behind a leather seat. The picture captured the glow in his eyes and conveys warmth and happiness to the viewer. This picture accompanies Wy-En's poem, The Happiness Concept. Like harmonized music, both poetry and photographs work in unison to create an entirety - a clearer, more beautiful picture than what is permissible should they merely function alone.

Like Wy-En's first book When Heaven Meets Earth published in 1999, proceeds of Life's Bus-Stop will be donated to Hwa Chong Junior College's Development Fund. A new beneficiary is NP's School of Film & Media Studies' Book Writing and Publishing elective. Out of the proceeds going to NP, over $800 will be donated to Club Rainbow (Singapore) , an independent, non-profit organisation that provides support for families with children suffering from major, chronic and life-threatening illnesses.

If not to support the causes of this non-profit book, buy one to support fellow students as they pursue their dreams without fear of failure, proving that conventional wisdom can indeed be wrong, ie. local students can write and Singaporean youth are not all just 'textbook learners'.

Life's Bus-Stop is available in Kinokuniya, Singapore and all MPH Singapore bookstores at $12.52.