okayYesterday and today I read the first book of Warriors: Power of Three, "The Sight". One sentence and I was just lost again in the world of my favourite cats.
I only laid it aside once to sleep because my eyes have been watering and continued today after I got up. That means I've already finished the first book about the grumpy and megalomaniac little Jaypaw. And two of the other five books are already waiting in my bookshelf =) The really bad thing is that I'm now not sick any more and have no more excuse to delay my work. Although it is also a very good thing that I'm not sick any more because it was really making me depressed.
( Spoiler ahead! )
Somehow I never grow tired to read about the same old problems again and again: Sickness and starving in leafbare, attacking dogs or badgers, ShadowClan invading, kits being born wanting desperately to become warriors NOW, prophecies that nobody can interpret, ...
It's just good to be back =)
- Location:home
- Music:none
Alles Gute wünsch ich dir!
^___^
Aufgrund meiner fehlenden Zeit leider nur ein kleines Bildchen ;__;. Aber immerhin ist es Acchan.
*umarm*
Hab eine schöne Zeit!
- Mood:
thirsty
- Location:Solingen
- Mood:
calm
I'm testing http://posterous.com out, as a way of posting to Blogger from my phone, using email. So this is a test posting...
I'm attaching the "mass market" paperback cover for Fragile Things, which will be released in the US in February. It shows someone who looks like me with jam, or dreams, or ideas, squidging out of a book and all over him.
I finished a short story - technically, I suppose, a novelette, as it's 10,000 words - that I've been working on for much of the year. For most of that time, even through to the end of the first draft, a couple of weeks ago, I was convinced it was never going to work, would be a stunted, crippled little thing that was doomed to disappoint me. I knew it was missing something. What that something was occurred to me last week, exhausted after a yoga session in Boston, as my mind blanked, and later I wrote two short paragraphs in my notebook. Those paragraphs percolated and began to breathe, and I put them in and the story shifted, subtly, around them. The second draft took wing, and I found I was clear enough in my mind about what the story was that taking out things that weren't part of the story and putting in things that were was now easy, and the more I did it the better the story got, and now I'm happier with it than I've been with anything I've written for well over a year. It's called "The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains..." and it is not exactly a happy story.
Right...
Dear Neil,
Patrick Rothfuss is making the world a better place in a very tangible way with his charity run Worldbuilders 2009. (http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/blog/2009/1
a fan of Wonderful People,
Gaetan Verhegge
Consider it plugged enthusiastically. I sent Patrick a signed copy of the incredibly beautiful STARDUST Advanced Reader's Copy when he did this last year, and it got to him a little late, so he has that along with many other amazing and beautiful books to give to people who donate. Check it out.
Hi Neil,
Consider it spread.
Hmm. Okay. I'll email this in, now. Not sure how I can do the blogger labels, though. Let's see if it works.
Posted via email from Neil's posterous
Today’s Heifer International fundraising painting-for-sale: a Connected Otter!
It’s not a MacBook. It’s a ShellBook! (that’s why it works underwater.) This otter understands that in today’s wired world, being down on the river bottom eating a fish is no excuse for being out of touch.
{wp version}Like many people, I consider the Twilight-books rather silly, but still had some fun listening to their audiobooks. I actually looked forward to the movies, because I was sure that they had to be somewhat better. After all, the cheesy and often quite repetitive descriptions had to be put into suitable pictures instead. And indeed, I liked most of the first movie, Twilight.
However, the second movie, New Moon, has only very few likable moments, I think. For example, it showed quite well how Bella suffered when Edward had left her. And this italian town at the end looked exactly like I had imagined it. Hm, that's about all ... so let's continue right away with all those bits and pieces that I found rather horrible :)
- I didn't like the movie-version of Jacob in the first movie very much, and I certainly don't like him in the second one ... alright, so the actor has built up some nice muscles, but he still looks far too young and soft in the face and just not at all like the impressive young man who was described in the book
- the wolves look too cute, in a horse-sized computer-generated plushy way ... I'm not sure how they created them, but don't think their moves are very wolfish ... and although I think they actually have been described as being so big, it looks ridiculous
- we know Bella does risky things because this allows her to "see" Edward, who is always warning her then ... but if such an idea has to be visualized in a movie, it certainly should not be done like they did in New Moon ... it looks just almost as funny as the wolves
- this part is supposed to make Jacob very likable, so much that you don't really want Edward to return at the end ... the movie doesn't do that ... I actually was rather glad that Edward returned, although I am no big fan of him or his movie-self
I'm sure there are more scenes and details that are worth mentioning, but those just stuck with me.
And, since I'm often alone with my opinion in such cases ... don't let yourself stop by me to watch the movie. The chances are good that you will like what I didn't, and dislike the few things that I consider ok. :)
After watching this movie, I took a closer look at some other stories ... books and movies that are really good, even in most of their versions and even when they don't look like much.
There is for example Pride & Prejudice. As with many stories I didn't pay this one much attention before it was made into a (new) movie. By now I've read the book (yes, I didn't just listen to the audiobook), watched most of the movie- and tv-versions and own a comic-book of it. Furthermore it got me interested in the other books of Jane Austen and other stories like this, I own a Jane Austen tarot-deck and had a lot of fun with the "Lost in Austen" book. I could not really say what is so good about P&P, but I think the characters and their relationships between each other are a main advantage. There are some nice twists and turns in the story and the characters change during the story, too.
And then there are stories of which I don't expect much. Perhaps I already know others from the same author who weren't good. It's nice when they surprise me in being interesting, amusing or even exciting.
One of those is "The Moth", after a book by Catherine Cookson. It might be an exception among her stories, because two other movies based on her books weren't so good. And this one is surely no P&P, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.
Well, perhaps my expectations just were lower than usual and so I was much more positive surprised.
- Location:on my couch
- Mood:
thoughtful - Music:something about Stonehenge on tv
I decided this was more of a psychological allegory for grief and despair rather than an actual realistic post-apocalyptic movie pretty early on. When the characters stuck around to see how horrifying the cannibals really were — that is, to show the audience how horrifying they were — rather than fleeing like smart survivalists for the third time maybe did it for me. (It’s tough seeing movies like this with a bunch of gamers.) Other than head-scratching details like that, the movie is artistically intriguing. Nary a drop of color in the whole thing, the ominous creaking and groaning of a dying world constantly in the background, and so on. My favorite moments were when the man and boy actually encounter other people they can talk to, and the halting conversations that take place when there’s no longer a civilization. I think ultimately, though, it tried way too hard in its relentlessness. (A big question in the movie seems to be, How long do you keep struggling before you finally just off yourself?) I kept thinking, not only do I get this, I’ve seen it before.
I saw this mainly as an academic exercise because I’m so very fond of post-apocalyptic movies as a genre. This one seemed so strange, a throwback to the absolute apex of post-apocalyptic movies (and especially the post-apocalyptic road trip movie, my favorite incarnation of the genre): the early 1980’s, which gave us Mad Max and The Day After. This even seemed especially 1980’s in its flavor — I don’t know of anything except nuclear holocaust that could destroy a landscape as utterly as this one had been destroyed. Cormac McCarthy’s novel only came out a few years ago. Is this a throwback? A last gasp of now-middle aged subconscious fears?
The genre isn’t new by any stretch — we’ve had post-apocalyptic movies since at least 1936, with Things to Come, based on the H.G. Wells novel. (Which gets bonus points for positing World War II as the civilization-destroying war, when it was only a brushfire on the horizon at that point.) I’m afraid The Road suffers a bit from the same problem a lot of literary works that use science fiction tropes have: treating as new and shocking things that someone steeped in the genre (like me) find far too familiar. I’m supposed to be shocked, and I’m not. I kept thinking about the scene in a British post-apocalyptic movie I saw as a kid that I’ve never been able to track down, where the main characters dig into a rotten dog carcass lying the street because there’s nothing else to eat (This movie ends with a woman drawing back in horror from the mutated, stillborn baby she’s just given birth to. I’ll never forget that scene.). I confess I haven’t read the book The Road yet, but I can’t imagine it holding a candle to A Canticle for Leibowitz.
irritatedWell, I know there are some Misty Lackey Fans around here. Can you tell me, please, how did you like the Mage Wars Trilogy???
It took me a long while until I finally read them, I was probably discouraged by reading the Owl-Trilogy first, which I didn't like at all.
And now, after I struggled to finally finish "The Silver Gryphon", I am rather sure that maybe I had good reason NOT to read it in the first place!
You can't even guess how much that last book exasperated me. I was skipping whole pages because they were always whining about the same things and always thinking stupid thoughts they thought a thousand times before. And I absolutely HATE books that try to teach you something in such a blunt way that it makes you cringe.
But to start with the first book, "The Black Gryphon". I thought it was kind of nice. There wasn't actually happening anything, but I kind of liked the love stories between Amberdrake and Winterhart and Skandranon and Zhaneel, although all their problems have been solved a bit too easily in my opinion. But it was okay. I could certainly live with that.
Now, the second book, "The White Gryphon" was rather exasperating, too. It took elements from other books Misty's written before and just adjusted them to the "White Gryphon"-society. Problems were solved too easily, once again, but it was not as bad as it could possibly get.
The very, very worst I've ever read by Misty is "The Silver Gryphon". NOTHING, absolutely nothing is happening. I am not a person who has to have action in a book all the time, I like inner monologues. BUT I HATE INNER MONOLOGUES THAT TRY TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING ALL THE TIME, ALWAYS ANALYSE EVERYBODY'S FEELINGS AND ARE REPEATED ON EVERY SECOND PAGE!!!! Now that was a tedious book. Really, really tedious.
I really have to think hard if I'm going to read the last Valdemar book I haven't already read, which is "Brightly Burning".
Has anybody already read the new series of the "Collegium Chronicles"?? I just found out that obviously Misty has started another Valdemar series. Which I would normally find very exciting, but after I've read these books now, my excitement is very much subdued.
For those who are not familiar with the works of Mercedes Lackey: I am still a big fan! I can recommend a lot of books written by her! But I'm also a critical fan and I really can't say that everything she wrote is wonderful and worth reading. Although I really can't be sure if I would like everything she wrote now as I did when I first read it because it's quite a while ago^^
- Location:home
- Music:ASP - Besessen
The Last Play / Heat on Beat!Moon Troupe 2009 Tokyo
Nov. 27th, 2009
Star: Sena Jun
[ TakaWiki ] [ Sanspo Sumire Style Stage Graph ]
Summary:
( spoilers behind most of the cuts )
What I Thought:
Just want to get my first impressions down before I see it again, so this'll be quick.
This is Tsukigumi. The suit troupe. The gangster troupe. The western musical troupe. The troupe of ridiculously hot tangos. The troupe that I fell in love with. All of the things that I love about Daichi Mao's troupe, and Tsurugi Miyuki's troupe, and Amami Yuuki's troupe, and Kuze Seika's troupe, and Tsubasa Makoto's troupe, and Shibuki Jun's troupe, and Sena Jun's troupe. The people might be completely different, but something intrinsically Tsukigumi is always there. That's why--although of course I'm sad about the retirements!--I'm not devastated. It will still be Tsukigumi♥
( Read more... )
On the Revue:
I've added in the little blurbs for all of the revue acts on the TakaWiki.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
- Location:Solingen
- Mood:
creative
Magic Bites (2007)Written by: Ilona Andrews
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 260 (Mass Market Paperback)
The premise: plucked from the authors' website: Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic . . .
One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds.
In this world lives Kate Daniels. Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy . . .
My Rating
Give It Away: close to worth the cash, but I've been told the second book is better, so maybe I was predisposed to read with caution. And don't worry, I'm reading the second book whenever I get my hands on it. Despite some of the odd plot problems and some confusion on my part regarding the world-building (and a heroine who needs lessons from Miss Manners), I was entertained by the story, which moved at such a fast pace that I pretty much finished the book in 24 hours. One note of warning to potential readers is that this urban fantasy is more dark fantasy than not, and if you're more in the paranormal romance camp, you'll probably want to stay away from this one, because it is NOT paranormal romance, and has more horror than you may care for. It didn't bother me, but after reading some reviews on Amazon, I learned it bothered others. The world-building is pretty solid and original, and I hope later books get into it more. There's a lot of promise here, so I'll be happy to read the second.
Review style: As far as plot goes, it's a rather simple story and for that matter, a short book. Spoilers are inevitable for this one, so if those bother you, then there's no need to click the link to my LJ below. But if you've already read it and/or spoilers don't bother you, then swing on by! As always, comments and discussion are most welcome. :)
REVIEW: Ilona Andrews's MAGIC BITES
Happy Reading! :)
( What was this all about then? )
$10 POTTED TENTACLE LIST:
1. valleyofthemuse
2. TheBrokenSwan
3. TheBrokenSwan
4. zootsuitriot
5. jasoned
$12 HEART-SHAPED POTTED TENTACLE LIST:
1. iamo
2. angii
3. ealasaid365
4. ealasaid365
5. paintbrushturtle
Thank you!
LiveJournal: The First Decade
Just in time for holiday shopping, we're thrilled to announce the release of our ten-year anniversary anthology. Published by Blurb.com, the book showcases a decade of extraordinary talent drawn from LiveJournal users around the world. This must-read compilation features stories, memes, photos, comics, editorials, graphic content, and more, including:
-
Excerpts from Oh No They Didn't (a/k/a
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
ohnotheydidnt), the largest community on LiveJournal, covering celebrity gossip, entertainment news, and pop culture - A look at post-Katrina New Orleans from the journal of Poppy Z. Brite
- Gripping narratives, including a poignant reverie on a blind date
- Photography that spans the globe, ranging from old-fashioned Polaroids to underwater photography
- Mouthwatering dishes from food_porn
What began as a late-night inspiration back in Brad Fitzpatrick's college dorm in 1999 has grown to encompass nearly 25 million users worldwide, with journals and communities covering every conceivable hobby, passion, and topic. To get your copy, please visit the Blurb Bookstore. For updates and entries from book contributors, please join lj_turns10.
Tweaks and enhancements
- You can now ban a user from all of your communities and journals at once. To access this feature, hover over the person's userpic and choose Ban user everywhere from the drop-down menu.
- Follow LiveJournal on Twitter!
Give a little to help a lot!
In honor of National AIDS Awareness month, we've added a new charitable vgift. For each red ribbon you purchase for $2.99, we'll donate 100 percent of gross proceeds to IAVI.org (the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative) to support the development and global distribution of an affordable HIV vaccine (we'll cover credit card fees). You can read more about IAVI at lj_cares. While we're on the subject, we raised $740 from our November fundraiser for Love Without Boundaries, which supports emergency healthcare and adoption of Chinese orphans. We thank you for helping us help others.
Photos of the week
We're back with more incredible pictures from our super-talented LiveJournal photographers. Congratulations to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
ilya_gorokhov, who is the winner of our very first lj_photophile poll.
Curtains
Thanks, again, for joining us. Stay safe and snug out there!
This one is directed to all the German/European university students who highly dislike the bologna process. Or the German education system in general (I mean... three-branched school system? Elementary school of 4 years? Wtf...)
It also is directed to all the people who know the tale of Krabat(not only the novel by Ottfried Preussler and the movie basing on it - also the actual Sorbian tale). And the song cycle "Zaubererbruder" (brother wizard) by ASP.
I know, Alexander Spreng never intended this song to be interpreted in this way.
But...
...
Whenever I hear it I hear the German system of Education. And the people who try(successfully) to keep it the way it is.
(if there are questions to the actual tale or for tranlation of the lyrics - just ask. :3 )
An exciting sequel to the last strip! Who knew coffe had so many emotional facets?
***********************************
New Kawaii Not Button Set: The MYSTERY PACK!
Can't decide from which of the many, many Kawaii Not buttons to chose? Let the Kawaii Not Fairy chose for you! Experience the excitement! The suspense! The pure adrenaline rush of letting fate decide your button-y fate!
Choose your Mystery Pack type from the these flavors: Food, Love, Spooky, Holiday -- or jump in with both feet and go with the Totally Random Mystery Pack.
***********************************
New Icons!
New buttons AND new icons! How can one post hold so much excitement?!
You can find all these icons (and many, many more!) right here!
Behold! Another day, another fundraising critter for Heifer International. These things keep selling immediately! (If you want a good leap on one then I recommended hanging around my Twitter account between 11 and 3 Pacific.)
I love this one so much, guys. Witness ye the Leggy Llama.
Also already sold! I think I’ll start noodging the price up a little bit, since folks seem to be very enthusiastic about both the paintings and the beneficiary.
After I raise $500 I will produce prints so that those of you without much spending money can contribute, too!
{wp version}Once I know the bookmarks arrived save I'll post the scans here. :)
And I REALLY hope the German Mail service wont screw up again. The one present was a little bit more expensive. And the person who shall get it devers it way too much.
Jana
Page Summary
- shaevairc : My Cats are back =) [+4]
- tacaret : Happy Birthday, amirita! [+3]
- arielen : Countdown to Christmas - Day 20 (Dec 5th) [+1]
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif)
officialgaiman : In Which I Test Posterous [+7] - quirkybird : Animals for Animals: Connected Otter [+6]
- treelight : Twilight/New Moon and good stories [+4]
- carriev : The Road [+0]
- shaevairc : The Mage Wars [+4]
- ekusudei : Last Play / Heat on Beat! [+7]
- arielen : Countdown to Christmas - Day 21 (Dec 4th) [+2]
- headtripcomics : I like the show Glee a little too much. HAAATE ME ME HATER! [+21]
- urbanfantasyfan :: calico_reaction : Andrews, Ilona: Magic Bites [+0]
- erikamoen : Potted Tentacle Sign Up List [+25]
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news :: theljstaff : LiveJournal Major Notes: LiveJournal: The First Decade, AIDS vgift fundraiser, LJ_Photophile poll! [+170] - siberianchan : Me again. This time serious [+0]
- kawaii_not : kawaii not #305 [+3]
- siberianchan : New Ava [+0]
- quirkybird : Animals for Animals: Leggy Llama [+14]
- siberianchan : Christmas mail [+0]
- urbanfantasyfan :: janastocks : Book Review - Child of Fire [+0]