Brazilian Thursday - Hugo, the Vampire - Gabriel Burani

And let's go to another edition of Brazilian Thursday. This time with an author that's actually a dear friend of mine and we're working on some translation projects together - I'll keep you posted ;)

HUGO, the vampire: Lights at the Dark Age - Gabriel Arruda Burani

If you got here because you read Twilight and started liking vampires, stop. This is not a charming story, with lovely vampires, love stories and people thinking of their lives, good and evil.

Hugo is a young prince living during the Middle Age, he's part of a vampire family and he goes on a quest to search for 5 mystical jewels.

The book is very short, only 126 pages, and still tells a lot of story, no long descriptions or long time passages with no actions - when nothing happens during some time, the author only says "x months or years have gone by", no stolling.

It's a very dinamic book, well written, but very far away from all the "hyped" vampire books.

Actually Hugo, the vampire - Lights at the Dark Ages is the first of a series, so don't expect to hear about the end of every character by the end of the book - many characters are only introduced and barely spoken about, hinting that they'll show up on the future books.

We're introduced to a medieval world, far from the Catholic Church that, despite being a risk to the vampires and influence their decisions, does nothing to help the people, that's left at the mercy of their mean and vengeful rulers. Hugo is a prince who cares for his people, who wishes their respect and not fear, which separates him from his father, Hegon - cruel, cold and violent - and brings him closer to his mother Eglantine, who is also a vampire, but highly instructed and respected by her people.

The book is built around Hugo's search for the jewels while, at the same time, seeking for the approval by his father and his people - two things aparently impossible to happen at the same time. We have a nice mix of battles, moral debates, friendship, love, faith and fidelity.

Don't get fooled by the length of the book (like I did before reading the first page) thinking it would be an easy and quick read - the book is very in-depth, the story is well written and there is no way to use the "skip description paragraphs" trick because there are few of those and they are short and direct!

It's worth reading, it's a brazilian author writing a book from a gender seen not often around here, that are medieval, historical vampires. And I wait, ansious, the sequel!

You can also follow @gaburani on Twitter, he's a very nice guy and he also sells his books signed, although you'd have to read in portuguese heh.

In My Mailbox

Ok, not really. You see, I got these books the past 2 weeks, but I figured I could come and show them all at once, right? Right. :)

 Eras - Stephen Play
A journey through human kind's history, mix with religion, philosophy and sci fi. Couldn't find an oficial summary in English, so that's what I say it's about (based on brazilian summary). It seems to be a brazilian author, even though his name sounds american... Is on the TBR pile.

Genesys Secret - Tom Knox
Summary from Goodreads: In this epic thriller, a secret with shocking consequences is buried deep in the Middle Eastern desert
A debut thriller of spectacular sweep and brilliant turns, The Genesis Secret is sure to keep fans of Douglas Preston, Kate Mosse, and Raymond Khoury reading through the night.
So, a Dan Brown-like Thriller. Lovely differently from my latest reads :D

Receive me Falling - Erika Robuck

I already read this one and it's a LOVELY book, historical fiction of a slave-driven sugar cane plantation. I loved it and read it pretty fast, which is always a good sign hehe

It was signed and the writer is a cutie, she was very nice and answered my emails and all...

Review coming soon :)

Crescendo - Becca Fitzpatrick

I basically ATE that book. From the moment it got here until I was done, I couldn't stop (it was hard to work a whole day without reading it aside from lunch hour).
You know this one, right? Hush, hush's waited sequel, I got an ARC on a giveaway at Kid Lit Frenzy and it got here in 20 days, record time, before  it was released!
Patch is hot, but a jerk. What can I say... But Nora is less stupid on this one - review coming soon too.

And 2 more arrived today and another arriving still this week, but I will show those next week ;)

Brazilian Thursday - Esmera by A. P. Ribeiro

Hihi!
I'm really excited that my Crescendo ARC just got here yesterday and I am already past half of the book, so I will just leave you with a brazilian book review.

ESMERA - A.P. RIBEIRO

It's been a while since I read a fantasy book so passionate, but with no romance. Because romance's been becoming kind of cliche, everyone has a perfect love, a doubtless love, a hurtful passion, it kind of gets in my nerves.

Esmera is about a person's love to their friends and family, both blood family as love family. It's passionate and I almost set out screaming "For Esmera!"

And also... I need a sequel. I cry, ask and beg! We can't leave the story to end like that, that's no ending!

Ok, to the book! Esmera is a book by A. P. Ribeiro, a brazilian author, and it's about an orphan, Annie (Anika) who finds out she's the princess descendant of a kingdom at a parallel universe, ruled by her uncle, an extremelly violent and tyran emperor.

As we go through the pages, we're introduced to this world and the friends Anika makes in that world - and to her enemies  too. The world is fascinating and has the potential to be a Middle-Earth (Tolkien), but it needs, well, many more pages!

The book is short, only 168 pages (by the way, if you're like me and likes to read the final page before starting the book, trust me, DON'T!!), but it's captivating and heartwarming, you laugh and cry every turn of the situation and the author can juggle the point of view os several characters, changing often, so we can understand the whole story and it's consequences.

The characters shift, change and evolve during the book, some emotions blossom, as I said before, there is no specific romantic love, but you can feel the emotion between some of the characters and you know there is some sort of romance there (get it why I need a sequel?)

After all that, do I still have to say I adored it? I loved it! But, I'll say it again - it could be longer. Could be much longer, actually, when I put my hands on a sequel, that's when I'll be calmer. I need more! More Anika, more Erick, more Dante, more Iriard, more Katerine and, above all, more Pietro. Even more Abigor and Ariana - Abigor for something obvious (no spoilers!) and Ariana because, well, because she has an interesting personality and very little was talked about that in the book.

Summing up, it's a wonderful book, by a brazilian author with much pottential to, at least, one sequel. Read it, it's worth it!

Wishlist Monday {3}

Hello friends, let's go for another series of "books I want to buy"?

The Shadow Keepers Series - J. K. Beck


Aparently a trilogy - couldn't find any information to having more there - but really, can we get enough of paranormal creatures? I can't. Vampires, hot, steamy and, geez, THAT cover *drools*... Where was I again? Oh yeah. I want them. All of them. 
**EDIT: According to the cool author who took time to visit this humble blog, there are 3 books as of now (sept/oct/nov launches), with another 3 scheduled. Now come to momma little bokies!**


Summary for When Blood Calls, by Goodreads:

Sara Constantine is one of the country’s most tenacious prosecuting attorneys—and she’s just secured a well-earned promotion. At first she’s thrilled. Then she finds out her new job involves prosecuting vampires and werewolves. And nothing prepares Sara for the shock she receives when she meets the first defendant she’ll be trying to put away: Lucius Dragos, the sexy stranger with whom she recently shared an explosive night of ecstasy. 

When Lucius Dragos kisses the beautiful woman sitting next to him at the bar, he’s only hoping to blend into the crowd and avoid the perceptive gaze of the man he’s following…and planning to kill. But what starts as a simple kiss to secure his cover ignites into a fierce hunger that leads to an all-consuming passion. Charged with murder, Luke knows Sara will do whatever it takes to see him locked away—unless he can convince her that he’s not the monster she thinks he is. And that might mean making the greatest sacrifice a vampire can make.

Cate of the Lost Colony by Lisa M. Klein


After reading Receive me Falling, this period and this story sort of filled an empty spot to me, in hopes this book ends differently and not as sad as Receive me Falling.


Summary from GoodReads:

The greatest unsolved mystery of American history--what happened to all the colonists who landed on Roanoke Island in 1587? This novel traces the fortunes and misfortunes of one Cate Archer, banished to Virginia by a jealous Queen Elizabeth because of her dalliance with Sir Walter Ralegh. What will be her fate in this dangerous New World?

Wicked Lovely Series by Melissa Marr

First time I read about Wicked Lovely Series, I just fell in love with it. It was a lovely Paranormal Romance, but with faeries. And evil ones! And I had just dreamt about it, which was kind of weird and definitly a sign ;)


Summary for Wicked Lovely, from Goodreads:


Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries. 

Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty-especially if they learn of her Sight-and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens. 

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries. 

Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer. 

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention. 

But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. His is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost-regardless of her plans or desires. 

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; everything. 

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale. 

And you, people, any recommendations?

Book Blog Hop (3)

We have a Hop this week! Hosted at Crazy for books.

In honor of Book Blogger Appreciation Week, let's take time this week to honor our favorite book bloggers and why we love them!

Now that is a tricky one! I love MANY MANY blogs. But I have to say Sobre Livros (my fellow brazilians ;) ), All About {n} and Larissa's Bookish Life are 3 of my favorites (see the buttons by the sidebar?).
I do follow way over 100 on Google Reader and I love them all, on a daily basis *giggle* so I won't nominate many, but some Twitter people I follow are also great and I love their blogs, I just happen to get their tweets and access it.

It's a complicated love vs. lazyness relationship here.

Parajunkee View

Melina's Reading Vacation

Book Lover's Inc.

And that's only the ones I COULD remember!

Welcome from the Hop, I'll be hopping tomorrow and sunday :)

Grab a chair, take a book, watch for the bookworms ;)

Brazilian Thursday - André Vianco

Hey people! Sorry for not writing this week, it seems like I barely had time to eat, let alone blog...
But I couldn't let Brazilian Thursday down! So instead of reading my book (which, by the way, I'm dying to finish and tell you all about it) I'm using my lunch hour to blog :)

I'm here today to talk about André Vianco. He was basically the first brazilian author to be a major hit on brazilian bookstores (not counting on Paulo Coelho, who is considered self help and philosophy, mostly) and, more than anything, with a lovely vampire story. Lovely in a scary-vampire-killing-people sort of way, of course.

It was back in 2002, way before the whole sparkly vampires wave (nothing against them, I actually kind of like the romantic vampire thing, but I really wouldn't want some authors mentioned as "part of the vampire hype"), he released a book called "The Seven" (Os Sete), about seven Portuguese vampires (from Portugal, you know) who were trapped and sealed into wooden caskets and sent to Brazil. Sending trash to Brazil since the 1800's eh? (or 1700's, 1600's, can't remember).

Anyways, they wake up here and we proceed to a nice vampire horror-ish story.

André is a great writer and his books are now widely known in Brazil, he's been on top selling lists and all, he's got over 10 books published in under 10 years... I'm sure he had some of them written before that, but it's quite amazing.

Not all of his books are about vampires, though, he has one "The Lord of the Rain" that is about angels and demons, "Seeds on Ice" that's about some sort of cloning-ish thriller and recently started with some mistery books.

I only read "The Seven", "Seventh" (book #2 on that series) and "The Lord of the Rain", but I am looking foward to reading others, aren't you excited? :)
Probably not, my writing isn't all that inspiring today. But I promise I'll go back to talking about André Vianco sometime soon ;)

Also, he's a lovely guy and would probably respond if you sent him a hi on Twitter @andrevianco . Either that or send a vampire legion after you. You never know.

International Giveaways (2)

I'm glad I couldn't post this on wednesday, because this way I can replace the Blog Hop I won't be able to do with...BlogFest!

What a wonderful timing - tomorrow (september 11th) is my birthday, so I will be able to let you all know of these wonderful BlogFest Giveaways!

I recommend you to use the Tracking Site, but either way I set a list of international giveaways (ones I'm participating, actually) for you my friends!

What is this Tracking Site?

This is a site designed by me and developed by my live-in IT guru at http://www.ajourneyofbooks.com/blogfest.  You simply need to register with a valid email (more about why it needs to be valid in a moment) and then start tracking your progress.  You can click through to blogs from this site and once you've visited a site, you can come back and check off that you've visited the blog.  Want to compete with your friends?  When you register, click the option to make your list public and everyone will get to see how many blogs your display name has visited. 

ALL of those giveaways end on SEPTEMBER 12TH.

- US$ 15,00 credit on Book Depository at Book Junkies

- This Lullaby,The Truth About Forever,Just Listen by Sarah Dressen at A Bibliophile's Paradise

- A hardcover copy of Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins and several other goodies at A Blog About Nothing
- US$ 15,00 credit on Book Depository - A Little Bookish
- One Book Depository book + one signed Richelle Mead book at A Journey of Books
- One book (and another one for every +150 followers) at A Moment with Mystee
- US$ 30 to 40 credit on Book Depository at A Thousand Books With Quotes
- £15,00 credit for the Book Depository at About Happy Books
- 1 out fo 5 books at Among the Muses (warning! 18+ only)
- Spy Glass by Maria V. Snyder and Angel Star by Jennifer Murgia, plus a Summer Court Bracelet and several bookmarks at An Avid Reader's Musings
- A "By Me" box (18+ only please!!) at Authors by Authors
- 3 out of several books to choose at Baba's Farm Life
- 2 BOXES of books at Bitten by Paranormal Romances
- A pack of goodies at Book Bookie
- US$ 20,00 credit on Book Depository at Book Lover Carol
- 3 choices of "packs" at Book of Secrets
- The Hunger Games Trilogy(YA) or any book in Millennium Trilogy(Adult) at Bookish Delights

**STILL UPDATING**

Brazilian Thursday - Paulo Coelho

You've probably heard about him - Paulo Coelho - but did you know he's brazilian?
Also, did you know he's deeply frowned upon in Brazil, even though he's a world record author (ALIVE author translated into the most languages)?

There's this thing that happened to me in 8th grade, we had a assignment to read a book in like 3 months, of course, even by then I was always reading something, so 3 days before deadline I told my teacher that I had just finished Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist" and that I was using that for our assignment. She said I couldn't, since that wasn't literature and then handed to me a 50 pages book, with super large print and pictures. People. 8th grade. Pictures on every 3 pages or so. And it was about a girl that's on drugs and how that affects her and her family. It took me 30 minutes to read, cause I was bored like hell.

Now you tell me, how can THAT be "literature" and not "The Alchemist" that may not be the best book ever written, but's a full 200 pages of text, with a lovely story with a beggining, middle and finish, not some girl getting into rehab (which was, btw, the end of that book).

So yeah, I figured I'd talk to you about him because even though he's all over, some people don't take him into consideration, think it's "Self Help" which it really isn't. Most of his work is fiction, although even one of the non-fiction I read (Diary of a Mage) was a pretty fictional work and I think it could be nicely read by fiction lovers all around.

The  Alchemist is a lovely book, with a lovely message and a good story about chasing your dreams, about following your heart and, well, I thought it was beautiful.

So that was my message for today, don't let yourselves be a victim of literary prejudice! Paulo Coelho is a brazilian author and is semi-self help, but not really, and he's good. Read it before judging! If by then you don't like it, I'll respect it. Who knows, you might just find a great story :)

The One Lovely Blog Award

Well, first off I wanted to the "The Know it All" for giving me this award :)
I was reluctant in paying it foward as it IS kind of a chain thing, but it is a very positive (and rather cute) one so, fine, I'll send it foward ;)

Rules:

1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog with the name of the person who has granted the award and his or her blog link.

2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers that you havenewly discovered.

3. Contact those blog owners and let them know they've been chosen.

So, this award gets passed on to the following great blogs I've recently discovered:

1. http://emeraldfiresbookmark.blogspot.com/
2. http://snowdropdreams.blogspot.com/
3. http://dragonflowersandbooks.blogspot.com/
4. http://simplyabookworm.wordpress.com/
5. http://booktasticbookworm.blogspot.com
6. http://afairysplayground.blogspot.com/
7. http://www.reviewmyfantasy.blogspot.com/
8. http://readingwhilefemale.blogspot.com/
9. http://hannahmariska.blogspot.com/
10. http://booknoise411.blogspot.com/
11. http://readingthebestofthebest.blogspot.com/
12. http://www.eclectic-eccentric.com/
13. http://readingisdreamy.blogspot.com/
14. http://read-a-holic-blog.blogspot.com/
15. http://bookwormboulevard.blogspot.com/

I've tried to choose blogs that are also newly created or with a small follower count but good content - I think we deserve some loving too  ;)

Wishlist Monday {2}

And here I am, telling you more things I want to read!

Percy Jackson Series - Rick Riordan

Well, I admit it, I didn't even START it yet. I recently watched the movie and I kept thinking "It's probably better as a book". I didn't start the series yet because the last one was just recently released here, not sure out there, and I was waiting for that one - and for a little major discount after the major buzz wears off- to buy the whole set.
So this is totally one of my "buys" for around december or so :)


Summary by GoodReads

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse: Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. Percy's mom decides it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from. She sends Percy to Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends, one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena, Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.

2001 - a Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke (and the rest of the series aswell!) 

A classic! I watched the movie and figured... Well, someone was way too high when doing that... I heard the book actually had a plot, unlike the movie and that 2010 and the following ones were even better, so as an Asimov fan, I figured that was a must for me!

Summary from GoodReads
 
When an enigmatic monolith is found buried on the moon, scientists are amazed to discover that it's at least 3 million years old. Even more amazing, after it's unearthed the artifact releases a powerful signal aimed at Saturn. What sort of alarm has been triggered? To find out, a manned spacecraft, the Discovery, is sent to investigate. Its crew is highly trained--the best--and they are assisted by a self-aware computer, the ultra-capable HAL 9000. But HAL's programming has been patterned after the human mind a little too well. He is capable of guilt, neurosis, even murder, and he controls every single one of Discovery's components. The crew must overthrow this digital psychotic if they hope to make their rendezvous with the entities that are responsible not just for the monolith, but maybe even for human civilization. Clarke wrote this novel while Stanley Kubrick created the film, the two collaborating on both projects. The novel is much more detailed and intimate, and definitely easier to comprehend. Even though history has disproved its "predictions," it's still loaded with exciting and awe-inspiring science fiction. --Brooks Peck
 
The Mortal Instruments - Cassanda Clare

 And, of course, something a bit more popular and "hype", The Mortal Instruments. Even though I think Clockwork Angel sounds much more fun - the whole historical thing gets to me - The Mortal Instruments also sounds like a wonderful series and I want it! 

Summary from GoodReads

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know....

Exotic and gritty, exhilarating and utterly gripping, Cassandra Clare's ferociously entertaining fantasy takes readers on a wild ride that they will never want to end. 

Book Blogger Hop (3)

Set up by Jennifer @ Crazy for Books, the Book Blogger Hop is a lovely way to meet new bloggers! Welcome to my blog, love to have you here!

This week's question is "Do you judge a book by it's cover?"

Well sort of. I do love pretty covers and that might be something to decide on, but if a friend recommended the book or if I read about the plot before, even with a bad cover I won't change the decision I had before... But if I'm going to pick it up at the local bookstore, cover is definitly something to make me choose one or another to check the summary.

International Giveaways

So, hi, hello, how are you? :)
I noticed that most giveaways and contests are, well, USA and Can only, so, for my fellow "non north american" friends, I decided to make periodic posts with several international giveaways, how cool am I?
I listed some that I saw, please, don't hesitate to comment with another and I'll add it! :D

Copy of If I Stay, until September 15th - At Lisa Galek's.
2 copies of Nevermore by Kelly Creagh, until September 20th - At La Femme Readers
1000 followers giveaway, choose from a list of prizes, until September 30th - At Reading with Tequila
500 followers giveaway - Several choices to pick, until September 13th - At Ex Libris
The de Lady Inheritance by Elizabeth Ashworth, until September 15th - At Passages to the Past
The Black Dagger Brotherhood, J.R.Ward, until September 26th - At All About {n}
Larissa's bday/1000 followers Giveaway, until October 11th - At Larissa's Life
Ebook Copy of Foresight by Sherry D. Ficklin, until September 18th - At Book Lover's Inc.
Copy of Romeo and Juliet and Vampires by Claudia Gabel, until September 18th - At Reading Teen
Vampire Academy series, by Richelle Mead, until October 3rd - At All About {n}

2 books by H.P. Mallory, until September 10th - At Reading on the Dark Side
Signed copy of Death Most Definite by Trent Jameson, until September 6th - At Reading on the Dark Side

**SPECIAL UPDATE**

Lovely author Lindsey Leavitt of Princess for Hire is hosting a Brazilian Only Giveaway! *cheers* At her blog.

Review: Caim - Jose Saramago

Caim by José Saramago

Wow. Really, wow.

After reading "The Gospel according to Jesus Christ", I hoped to be shocked with the changes on the original story, I expected small parts incredibly against "the system", etc. But I didn't. What got me the most was the book's style.

But Caim, oh Caim! Yes him! With Caim, despite being a short book, in so little time I was in love, angry, shocked, happy and sad!

For the first time since I started blogging, I started tweeting quotes! That's a book worthy of Saramago's reputation - a teaser. And perhaps that's the impact he was after, having felt that he didn't have much time to live, he wanted to shock people, more than ever, as this was his last book.

The book proposes to do something simple, show Caim's life as he travels through several passages of the Bible's Old Testament. Besides a brief story of Adam and Eve, Caim and Abel, some other parts are told, like Abraham's, who was supposed to sacrifice his only son, Sodom and Gomorrah, Babel and The Flood.

I'll go ahead and say that, unlike "The Gospel  according to Jesus Christ", here Saramago won't follow the exact line of the happenings and some parts may be surprising, including the end.

It seems to me that, as my co-workers say, Saramago had "so much hate in his little heart".

He spends the whole book trying to prove, situation after situation, that God is, actually, evil, stingy , selfish and that the people who love him are only wasting their time, because he doesn't love them back. Again, a warning - SARAMAGO said that. Not me. Not you.


This time, I don't think it's enough to have an open mind, if you are really a religious person (not those who "are religious" but don't practice, don't think about it and don't REALLY care), it will be very hard to accept what he has to say and not get irritated at the book and the author.
 
Cursings, swearings, annoyances, fast and sharp dialogues, from Caim with God, provoking and sexual acts, war and executioners - I do not advise this book to under age people. Not because such actsare too well described, too visual, but because José Saramago knows what to say to make that act look much more abominable or much more pleasant and easy than a teenager should think they are.

But if you're a grown-up, reader, open minded, who won't mind reading a book that will tell you that God is evil, go for it! Dive in, travel through Old Testament in a way only Saramago can tell. You will have to believe me when I say that hardly a book can shock me - usually those current themes books to "shock and raise awareness" bore me - but this one got my attention in a way that I "ate it" in 3 days, a quick rate, considering I too a month to read "The Gospel according to Jesus Christ", that's 300 and some pages long against 170 of this one.

I'll leave it to you, two quotes about Abraham that really got my attention and are, actually, on the same page (my own translation - and the cursings are there. I swear.):

The logical, the natural, the only human would have been for abraham to tell the lord to go screw himself (...)

(...) Meaning, not only was abraham as son of a bitch as the lord, but he was a refined liar, ready to cheat anyone (...)