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Dec. 5th, 2011 07:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raincitygirlCutting for discussion of A Game of Thrones, various books, a possible new computer, and my very real new smartphone:
I borrowed “A Game of Thrones” from my brother and am attempting to read it, but I’m not sure I’ll make it all the way through. I know a lot of people in my circle are fans of the books, but so far GoT is leaving me cold. Most of the characters are pretty unpleasant, and the pleasant ones (mostly children) are powerless and obviously fated to die horribly. I suspect it's just a matter of time before Daenerys's creepy big brother kills her.
I liked Catelyn, who was pleasant and powerful, right up until she insisted on kicking her stepson out. Lady, I get that you’re pissed off your husband cheated on you. But be mad at him, not at a motherless kid who’s losing the only home he’s ever known. As for the other not-obviously-evil adults, Eddard Stark seems nice but totally ineffectual, while Khal Drogo seems semi-nice, aside from the whole pedophile thing (though, to be fair to him, Daenerys's extreme youth is presented as a possible impediment to a successful marriage, rather than a draw) So really, I'm striking out on adult characters I can empathize with.
Given how tepidly I’m responding to the book so far, I’m wondering if the TV series is better. It has Lena Headey and Jason Momoa in it. How bad can it be? And does the book get better? Should I keep reading?
I’m actually stuck partway through several books and several movies at the moment, which says it all re: my attention span lately. I’m avoiding reading the last quarter of “I Shall Wear Midnight”, not because it’s not good (it’s excellent), but because I know there are no more Tiffany Aching books after this one. Obviously Pratchett may write another one at some point, but how much longer is he going to be able to stay one step ahead of his Alzheimer’s? As mentioned, I’m stuck a few chapters into GoT, and I’m reading Ben Aaronovitch’s “Rivers of London” (North American title "Midnight Riot"), which is the only one I have any inclination to finish right now. I’ve put “Moon Over Soho” on my Christmas wish list based on how awesome the first book is.
The wish list is not fannish, it’s a family thing. We each send out a list of items we’d like to get, and other family members pick out items from it to buy. That way there’s still an element of surprise, but nobody ends up with something they don’t want. I ruined the surprise for my sister, though,w hen I had to call her from the Clinique counter to ask her exactly which eye cream she’d asked for. I thought I’d remembered the name, but then I was faced with about 17 different creams. By the way, cosmetics and skin care is clearly the field to be in. $56 for a little pot of cream! Clinique must be coining money.
I am also stuck partway through “Captain America” and “Inception”. Both of which are perfectly good movies, but my mind wanders anyway. You can imagine just how much fun I’m having at work. I am partly preoccupied by headaches with buying a new computer. The old one is just under 5 years old, and really getting past it. But new ones are expensive. Plus, I’ve already promised the old one to my dad, so now I’m under the gun in terms of getting a new one. Plus, he seems to think the offer of the computer signals me wanting a rapprochement in our relationship, so I had to be polite but very firm in turning down seeing him at Xmas. The computer is because he doesn’t have one, not because I want to ruin my Xmas Day by seeing him on it.
On the bright side, I am so in love with Aeryn Sun (my smartphone). I have rapidly turned into one of THOSE people, the ones who walk along the street, typing out emails or texts on their phone keyboard with two thumbs and ignoring everything else. Plus, I am now one of those people who’s endlessly looking for a wi-fi hotspot whenever I’m away from home. It is a sudden metamorphosis, and I’m a little embarrassed now at having criticized such people in the past. I didn’t realize just how fabulous it is to have a smartphone. I also have about 700 pictures of Young Miss Weaver on my camera roll now. Aeryn takes such good pictures by cameraphone standards, and Young Miss Weaver is so photogenic.
What else? Gakked frommeret, we have military dogs with combat stress. I seem to be posting a lot about dogs lately.
Skygiants reviews Sir Pterry's first Night Watch novel, Guards, Guards.
Legionseagle talks about writing fanfic set in the past, and the perils of confusing invention of a technology with adoption of said technology.
Gakked from Karnythia, we have the rather depressing Racial coding in the new Muppet movie. I had plans to see that and wallow in childhood nostalgia, but now I think I'll give it a miss.
Finally, Giandujakiss blogs about a judge striking down a deal between the US Securities & Exchange Commission and Citigroup re: Citigroup allegedly defrauding investors, and let's just say that Justice Rakoff brings the snark, bigtime.
I borrowed “A Game of Thrones” from my brother and am attempting to read it, but I’m not sure I’ll make it all the way through. I know a lot of people in my circle are fans of the books, but so far GoT is leaving me cold. Most of the characters are pretty unpleasant, and the pleasant ones (mostly children) are powerless and obviously fated to die horribly. I suspect it's just a matter of time before Daenerys's creepy big brother kills her.
I liked Catelyn, who was pleasant and powerful, right up until she insisted on kicking her stepson out. Lady, I get that you’re pissed off your husband cheated on you. But be mad at him, not at a motherless kid who’s losing the only home he’s ever known. As for the other not-obviously-evil adults, Eddard Stark seems nice but totally ineffectual, while Khal Drogo seems semi-nice, aside from the whole pedophile thing (though, to be fair to him, Daenerys's extreme youth is presented as a possible impediment to a successful marriage, rather than a draw) So really, I'm striking out on adult characters I can empathize with.
Given how tepidly I’m responding to the book so far, I’m wondering if the TV series is better. It has Lena Headey and Jason Momoa in it. How bad can it be? And does the book get better? Should I keep reading?
I’m actually stuck partway through several books and several movies at the moment, which says it all re: my attention span lately. I’m avoiding reading the last quarter of “I Shall Wear Midnight”, not because it’s not good (it’s excellent), but because I know there are no more Tiffany Aching books after this one. Obviously Pratchett may write another one at some point, but how much longer is he going to be able to stay one step ahead of his Alzheimer’s? As mentioned, I’m stuck a few chapters into GoT, and I’m reading Ben Aaronovitch’s “Rivers of London” (North American title "Midnight Riot"), which is the only one I have any inclination to finish right now. I’ve put “Moon Over Soho” on my Christmas wish list based on how awesome the first book is.
The wish list is not fannish, it’s a family thing. We each send out a list of items we’d like to get, and other family members pick out items from it to buy. That way there’s still an element of surprise, but nobody ends up with something they don’t want. I ruined the surprise for my sister, though,w hen I had to call her from the Clinique counter to ask her exactly which eye cream she’d asked for. I thought I’d remembered the name, but then I was faced with about 17 different creams. By the way, cosmetics and skin care is clearly the field to be in. $56 for a little pot of cream! Clinique must be coining money.
I am also stuck partway through “Captain America” and “Inception”. Both of which are perfectly good movies, but my mind wanders anyway. You can imagine just how much fun I’m having at work. I am partly preoccupied by headaches with buying a new computer. The old one is just under 5 years old, and really getting past it. But new ones are expensive. Plus, I’ve already promised the old one to my dad, so now I’m under the gun in terms of getting a new one. Plus, he seems to think the offer of the computer signals me wanting a rapprochement in our relationship, so I had to be polite but very firm in turning down seeing him at Xmas. The computer is because he doesn’t have one, not because I want to ruin my Xmas Day by seeing him on it.
On the bright side, I am so in love with Aeryn Sun (my smartphone). I have rapidly turned into one of THOSE people, the ones who walk along the street, typing out emails or texts on their phone keyboard with two thumbs and ignoring everything else. Plus, I am now one of those people who’s endlessly looking for a wi-fi hotspot whenever I’m away from home. It is a sudden metamorphosis, and I’m a little embarrassed now at having criticized such people in the past. I didn’t realize just how fabulous it is to have a smartphone. I also have about 700 pictures of Young Miss Weaver on my camera roll now. Aeryn takes such good pictures by cameraphone standards, and Young Miss Weaver is so photogenic.
What else? Gakked from
meret, we have military dogs with combat stress. I seem to be posting a lot about dogs lately.Skygiants reviews Sir Pterry's first Night Watch novel, Guards, Guards.
Legionseagle talks about writing fanfic set in the past, and the perils of confusing invention of a technology with adoption of said technology.
Gakked from Karnythia, we have the rather depressing Racial coding in the new Muppet movie. I had plans to see that and wallow in childhood nostalgia, but now I think I'll give it a miss.
Finally, Giandujakiss blogs about a judge striking down a deal between the US Securities & Exchange Commission and Citigroup re: Citigroup allegedly defrauding investors, and let's just say that Justice Rakoff brings the snark, bigtime.
