Westeros

I woke up this morning with the name Westeros in my head. That shouldn't scare me so much except that the place doesn't exist, outside of five books and an HBO series. George R. R. Martin has held me captive for almost four months. I've read all five of the Song of Ice and Fire books back to back to back to back to back. I've watched almost no TV except for the first and half of the second season of the HBO series. Names like Arya and Tyrion come to mind faster than over half of my coworkers. To say that I've been a bit addicted is like saying that Houdini was a bit of a magician.

Last night I read the last word that has been written so far. I have five episodes left to watch before I'm forced to wait like the rest of the world for my Westeros fix. I'm sure Jeff will be happy to hear that I'm done for a while. This is all he's been hearing about for month. I talk about the Starks at dinner as if I'm sharing gossip about our friends. I'm trying to get him to watch the HBO series so I can discuss it with him (so far he's resisted). I have friends that I discuss the books with and I've been peppering them with questions and speculations for a while. It's really been a journey.

As I closed the book last night I had mixed emotions. I have no more Westeros to read (at least until the next book comes out). I'll miss these characters. I'll admit I was sad to see the series go. And at the same time I breathed a sigh of relief. I have books waiting to be read. I have stacks of stories that call to me. I even have library books that will need to be returned...soon. And for the last four months I've read almost nothing but Martin's words. I think I'm ready to take a break. I stopped reading series for a while. Now I remember the reason. Deep character development is wonderful, but I'm ready for a bit more variety. Now to tackle the stacks.

The World is Quiet Here

{Spoilers in this post. If you have any interest in reading A Series of Unfortunate Events, this is not for you}

The first time I read A Bad Beginning, the first book in the series A Series of Unfortunate Events, I hated it. I didn't understand the author's brand of humor and his constant definitions drove me crazy. I chocked it up to "not my taste" and put it away. Then I picked it up again this past year and loved it. I read every one of the 13 books. I couldn't stop talking about them. I loved the humor. I loved the characters. I loved the definitions. But most of all I loved the VFD.

The concept of a secret society that for lack of a better word fights crime appeals to me. Even better a secret society that uses knowledge to do it, whatever form that knowledge takes. The title of this post is the VFD's motto. It hung above their library, a safe place in a chaotic world. They are a society that values learning, that values creativity, that values curiosity. The idea is inspiring to me. For me the tales of the Baudelaire orphans were more about learning how much power they had through their curiosity and knowledge.

Klaus, the reader and scholar, is who I identified with, but each of the characters has their own strengths. Klaus's ability remember the things he reads, his unrelenting curiosity, his copious note-taking, are all things I admire. He's the bookworm of the three and I saw myself in his role. I'm not an inventor like Violet or a cook/biter like Sunny. But I can read and remember with the best of them. As Klaus stood in that burned library and read the words above the door, I had chills go through me. Partly they were about the burned library (horrific) but partly they were because I'd found a motto I could agree with.

The world is quiet here, is what I think every time I walk into my own personal library. Here I can learn and study and be at peace, away from the stress of the world. I want to paint it above my door. I want to tattoo it on my skin. Curiosity and knowledge are two things I value very highly. How wonderful to find the same value in a children's book series.

Games of Thrones

Since I've gotten home from St. Louis, I've done nothing in the evenings except read. I come home, say hi to Jeff, and plop myself down on the couch to read. At 11 or so I'll move upstairs and then read until I either fall asleep or read until I think I'm going to have problems waking up the next day. To say that I've been a little focused is a bit of an understatement.

I've been told by at least half a dozen people that I need to read at least the first book of the Song of Ice and Fire series, A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin. Jeff had received the book as a gift last Christmas and it's been sitting in my stack. So last week I picked it up. And I was immediately sucked in. The characters are all so unique. Throughout the book I would fall in love with different characters. Eddard, Tyrion, Arya, Catelyn, and Jon Snow all have been favorite characters at one point or another. They are each so well described and their individual stories so fascinating. The book follows the Starks of Winterfell, the lord, his lady, and their five children, as they set out into a very well described fantasy world. Each has their own role to play in just this book and I know that those roles will be every futher expanded as I read the rest of the series.

Martin tells a story that's both raw and truthful, which is a tough thing to say for a fantasy series. The word he creates falls its own set of rules beautifully. Magic exists in small doses but it has it's place. Dragons and other creatures have or do live in the world. But each part of the book rings true. Martin creates a history for the world, a mythology for the world, religions, and enough ruling classes that sometimes they are a tad tough to keep straight. He does provide an overview of the houses in the back, but you're so focused on the Starks that I didn't find I had to consult it often. The book has political intrigue (a lot of political intrigue), a fascinating family story, myth and legend, war, and a bit of sex. It's everything I enjoy in a good book and I can't wait to continue on and find out what happens next.

Yep, I'm a series reader again. I broke my rule with the His Dark Materials trilogy, and shattered it with the A Series of Unfortunate Events series. I already the next book of the Song of Ice and Fire series and after a small break I'll dive back into that one. But it won't be tonight. I should probably catch up on the housework I've been ignoring since I started the first.

Blast From the Past

I'm fascinated by how memories work. While standing in the shower this morning I had a sudden burst of memory about a guide to a book series that I never read. Well I read the guide, just not the series. I'm sure my mother thought they were too adult for me or something. It was a series of books following a royal family in a fantasy world. I remember spending hours with the guide, looking at the characters and reading up about them. Considering I had never read their stories I wonder why this particular book and the characters fascinated me so much. But it had, and I knew that I had to find the book again.

I spent my shower trying to figure out anything about the guide that I could remember. I didn't remember which series it referenced or what the title of the guide was. I could only remember that the authors last name started with Z. Promising beginning huh? I ran through the list of Z last names I know. My first thought was Zindel but I knew that wasn't right. Then Zelinsky came to mind. But it certainly wasn't Paul Zelinsky, one of my favorite children's book illustrators. Then the name Roger popped into my head. And I instantly knew it was right. I knew that was the first name of the author. Zelazny quickly followed. Seriously, how do I know these things without conciously knowing them?

A brief internet search found me not only the series, but the guide. Roger Zelazy is best known for his Chronicles of Amber series. He mixes mythical characters into his fantasy novels to create a superhuman royal family whose exploits the books follow. The Wikipedia page tells me that there were 10 original Amber stories. Again I haven't read a single one, although I have The Guns of Avalon on my shelf to be read for some odd reason. The guide I was thinking of was The Visual Guide to the Castle Amber. At least I think. I can't for the life of me remember the title. But I know the cover above, and I would know the pages in an instant. Each character had an illustration and a biography. I remember reading about the brothers and sisters and seeing the images. It's a book that I pored over. And now I have to find it. I must own this guide. Even if I never read any of the books that inspired it, I know I have to own the guide, something I read and loved 25 years ago. I just have no idea why it popped into my head this morning. Memories are funny things.

I Want a Daemon

I broke my series streak when I picked up a bound three book edition of the His Dark Materials trilogy. Philip Pullman has been a polarizing figure for years, with a fever pitch after the movie The Golden Compass came out. The books have been condemned and banned all over the world for being anti-religion. I knew of the controversy before but knew little about the books. So when I found this edition, for a decent price, I picked it up to see what all the fuss was about. I figured I'd just read the first book, as is my usual trend.

But after sitting down and getting twenty pages into the first book, I was intrigued. The concept of other worlds and dust and the church seemed so out there. So odd. I was hooked. I looked up at Jeff and made the understatement of the week. "I'll be in this book for a while". What I meant is that he wasn't to bother me. What I didn't realize is that I was going to read all three books in a little over 48 hours. I read while I ate. I read while I got dressed. I read late into the night. I simply couldn't put the books down. I won't even try to go through the plot here. I could be here for days trying to describe and explain everything that happens in these books. These are plot and character rich books.

And although I loved the characters, the concepts, and the settings, it was the idea of the daemons that drove me to finish. In Lyra's world (the main character) a daemon is a being that is tied to you from the very earliest days of your life until the very end of your life. It is a creature that is constantly with you. It can hear your thoughts and you can hear its. It cannot be separated from you without pain. It's a companion in the closest possible sense. And the bonds between the people and their daemons are emotional at their finest level. The thought of separation between a human and their daemon (something brought up frequently in the book) was enough to make me cry. I broke down on numerous occasions not because a character had died but because of their daemon's reaction to the eminent death. It was heart-wrenching and reduced me to tears.

I loved the books for a number of reasons but the biggest one was to see what would happen to Lyra and her daemon. To share in the bond between them. I found the book mystical and spiritual in a way that made me question all the hype about it. This was not an anti-religious book but an anti-established church book. It was about not giving the church too much power and to see the rest of the spiritualness around you. But for me this was a story about companionship. It made my heart ache to know that I'd never have a daemon. To know those kind of bonds. It hurt me as much as it hurt Lyra to be separated from her daemon. It was a set of books that made me feel more than anything.

Lost in TV Land

I would be writing more blog posts if I could pull myself away from the Psych marathon that has been running in our house since Sunday. I know I've mentioned that I love this show but since we picked up Netflix and I have access to the first four seasons, it's all I've been watching. And really all I've been doing.

Jeff and I got hooked on Psych while watching reruns that ran after Burn Notice. I wasn't really sure I wanted a new series but this one was just so well written and so much fun that we stayed. It was the fourth season so we knew we had missed a ton of episodes. When we got Netflix, the first and second seasons were one of the first things we added to our queue. We would watch them an episode at a time for a while. Until this past week that is. Suddenly I can't stop. We've been watching at least three to four episodes every night.

I love a good well written TV show and Psych is definitely well written. The dialogue is quick and witty. There is so much variety in the types of episodes that it's impossible to get bored. One episode that we watched recently was a classic horror film, last night it was a monster movie, and right after that was a Bollywood movie. The show is constantly playing with genres, camera angles, and mood. One day it's Keystone Cops and the next Law and Order.

But the thing I love most about the show is the characters. Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dule Hill) are constantly playing off each other and the effect is hilarious. The situations that Shawn gets them into are both embarrassing and side-splitting. Gus plays the straight man to Shawn's wackiness but Gus is such a great physical actor that his face often says more than his mouth. Shawn's Dad Henry is played by Corbin Bensen with tons of sarcasm but some good heart. He's the tough cop who can still find time to take care of Shawn.

And of course there are the cops. Juliet O'Hara is played by Maggie Lawson as the cop looking to make her way up the police ladder while still helping Shawn. She's sweet but still tough enough to handle the police work. On the tough side there's Carlton Lassiter who's played by Timothy Omundson. Lassie (as the boys call him) is the ultimate aggressive cop. He's only happy when he's bringing down bad guys and firing his gun. He's the perfect straight man for Shawn and Gus but he's such a great over the top character that his lines end up being hilarious. I have to admit that I've developed a bit of a crush on Lassiter. Not sure why. He's just such an interesting character.

It's a great series. And I'm horribly addicted. Jeff and I should be through the series this weekend and I have to admit that I'm thinking of leaving them in the queue. I know I'll be going back to my favorite episodes over and over.

TV Series

Netflix is a mixed blessing. I find myself wasting tons of time watching old television shows, movies I never got around to watching, and new series. This week I've picked up two new series to watch and boy are they the opposite ends of the spectrum.

I'm a huge fan of Wallace and Gromit so I've been looking to find other Aardman Films to watch on Netflix. That lead me to a little animated series called Shaun the Sheep. The series is based around Shaun, a sheep character from Wallace and Gromit's "A Close Shave". After the film, the character was quite literally put out to pasture. He lives in an English countryside home surrounded by many other sheep, a nonchalant sheepdog, and a blind and almost incompetent farmer. The sheepdog practically runs the place (with the help of Shaun) and the barnyard gets into plenty of trouble. From alien encounters to sheep ordering (and picking up) take out pizza, each 7 to 8 minute episode is jam packed with laughs and silliness. There is no real dialogue and the characters speak only in mumbles and grunts. But we don't need words to follow along. Sometimes the slapstick says more than witty dialogue ever could. Silly and cute.

The other series I've become fascinated with is the exact opposite of silly and cute. Jeff started watching season one of Dexter and has slowly drawn me in to the creepy series about a serial killer who works for the Miami Police Department. This series is filled with witty dialogue, a great narration, and enough creepiness to keep me on the edge of my seat. Dexter, played brilliantly by Michael C. Hall, is a serial killer who focuses his powers for "good", killing people who literally get away with murder. He kills people who have been brought to trial but get off on some type of technicality. But even with his "altruistic" streak, he's being hunted. By his own coworkers. His coworkers don't know he's a killer, they just know that he's really good at figuring out blood splatter marks. Dexter keeps up a narration through the whole series so we get a chance to hear what he says and what he's actually thinking. That provides a lot of the humor which is dark and dry, my favorite. It's a creepy show and it's not for the squeamish. But if you can stomach the blood, the writing makes it well worth it.

Like I said, these are about as polar opposite as you can get. So when I'm not watching people get sliced and diced by one of the most oddly sympathetic serial killers you'll ever meet, I'm watching a fluffy sheep save the day with the help of his sheep buddies and one poor sheepdog. I might need therapy after these two series.

Merry Christmas All!

I know it's a day late but I'm finally getting around to wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. Heck, I'm finally getting around to actually posting something. It's been two and a half weeks since I said I was taking a break. I didn't expect it to go this long. But I forget how much I stress over the Christmas season. With Christmas cards and shopping and visiting and baking, I simply ran out of time...and/or brainpower. Yesterday was honestly the first day I've thought about posting. It was the first day where I felt like I had enough time.

Of course I have had time. It doesn't take long to post. I used to write up most of my posts during my lunch hour at work. So I know how quickly I can write something up. What stopped me this time was my new favorite distraction...Netflix. Jeff and I decided that our Christmas gift would be a subscription to Netflix. We signed up for it the day we got home from St. Louis (last Sunday). And since then I've spent most of my evenings in front of the TV. It's dangerous, I tell you.

A friend of ours got us started on a British comedy called Coupling so we've been working our way quickly through the episodes. Great writing, fun characters, and open and honest dialogue about relationships and sex. It's a wonderful series. I've also been watching the original Psych episodes that I'd missed. Jeff found the old Cartoon Network series Danny Phantom and we've been plowing our way through the seasons. It's incredibly addictive to be able to turn on the TV and see whatever programming we want. I've watched five movies this week, which is about five times more than I see in a typical week. And that doesn't even count the TV series viewing.

I'm going to work on finding a balance between the TV and...well the rest of my life. I have books that are waiting to be read, knitting projects that clearly aren't going to be done for Christmas, and stories that I should be writing. Plus keeping up with any of my blogs. So I think I'm going to start setting a limit on my TV, like parents do with kids. An hour a day should be enough. And with Netflix, that hour can go a long way.

Into Boneville

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I read Out of Boneville, the first book in the Bone series by Jeff Smith. I had picked up the book on a whim and had been fascinated by the first chapter in this graphic novel series. Shortly afterwards I picked up the second book The Great Cow Race and was brought deeper into the story. So after picking up books Three and Four on Tuesday at the library (and polishing them off in short order), I knew I had to go back last night and borrow the rest of the series. Once we got home I promptly sat down and read the last five books (5-9). I was up well past midnight, but it was worth it.

As I mentioned before, the Bone series follows the adventures of the Bone cousins after they are kicked out of Boneville and find themselves in a strange valley. The cousins, Fone, Phoney, and Smiley are as different as night and day. Fone is the main character of the story and is of the noble hero mindset. He's extremely loyal, intelligent, and caring. He's the heart and soul of the books. Phoney is the con artist. He's the reason they got kicked out of Boneville. His constant get-rich-quick schemes often lead the boys into more trouble or fuel the fire of whatever drama is going on. Smiley is the simpleton who seems to go along with either cousin. The cousins end up befriending Thorn and her tough-as-nails Grandma who end up being far more than we expect. They also encounter a friendly flea who helps them out, a tough and loyal villager who's sweet on Grandma, a red dragon who always seems to aid them at the right time, and a slew of other unique characters.

The story follows the group of heroes as they fight against the Rat Creatures who terrorize them, a gigantic mountain lion who can't decide his allegiance, and The Lord of the Locusts, an ancient evil that will destroy the valley and everyone in it. During the series we encounter ancient religions, a crazy hooded figure who'll stop at nothing to kill Thorn and kidnap Phoney, and enough magic and mischief to keep us entertained. Add onto that the constant schemes and dilemmas that the Bone cousins create or deal with and you have a pretty action packed series.


The series is located in the children's book sections of many bookstores. It was in the young adult graphic novels section of the library but I've also seen it in the adult graphic novel section of bookstores. One bookstore had it located in all three places. The series can be read by children but I actually think that adults might get more out of it. There is a lot going on in this series. In many ways it reminded me of the Lord of the Rings series. No matter what, it's a series I recommend. Quick reads, unique and interesting characters, lots of action, and some great humor and emotion. I was completely enthralled.

Alice

I'm a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland. I've read the books (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass) multiple times, which is saying a lot. I've watched and own most film adaptations of the story. I've bought video games just because they are based on the character. I've even purchased figurines from the Disney film and Robert Sabuda's amazing pop-up book of the story. I love the story, the characters, and the setting. In short I love everything about those books.

That said I should have hated the new Alice miniseries done by the SyFy (or as I prefer SciFi) Channel. I should have been upset by the fact that the series never really touched on the original story. I should have hated that the characters are so loosely based on the book's characters that the only thing they have in common is the names. The Hatter is not mad, the White Knight doesn't move backwards, and The White Rabbit isn't really a rabbit at all. I should have hated it. But I didn't. Apparently I'm easily seduced.


Similar to SyFy's (back when it was SciFi) Tin Man, while I bristled at the license taken with the characters and story, I found the tone to be spot on. The premise of this story is that Wonderland is run by the Queen and King of Hearts (so far so good). They maintain peace in the kingdom by providing their subjects with liquefied emotions (ummm what?) particularly good emotions. In order to get the emotions, the organization called White Rabbit sneaks through a looking glass into the modern world and steals people, who they call oysters. The oysters are then kept happy while the emotions are drained from them. Alice, following her boyfriend Jack, stumbles into Wonderland in possession of a ring of power. The Queen will stop at nothing to get the ring back. Alice, with the help of Hatter (a street wise hustler character) and the White Knight (who's crazier than "a box of frogs"), set out to save Jack and bring down the Queen's reign. That's the story in a nutshell but there was far more going on.

As expected the setting was incredible. Wonderland's city is an odd mirror of the real world except that most of the action takes place in the buildings or on narrow ledges. The Queen's palace (Hearts Casino) is an elaborate house of cards. The settings themselves are beautiful and over the top. Which is what drew me in. SyFy, both literally and figuratively, gave Wonderland an edge. And not just the edge where the action takes place. It is a beautiful place but also incredibly deadly. The grit of the city and its maze-like buildings made sense to me. The fact that Alice would be guided through this chaotic urban world by a street hustler makes even more sense that way. And I liked the comparison of the urban grit with the polished atmosphere of the casino. The setting really made this for me.

The character of Alice is also a bit different from what you are used to. In this adventure Alice is the major butt kicker. She's a blackbelt in Karate and can easily defend herself physically. What she can't seem to do is defend herself emotionally. She is easily misled and is constantly trusting the wrong person. Her character is afraid of heights (which is never explained) leading to some annoying hysterical scenes. Hatter on the other hand is a much more enjoyable character to watch. He alternates between menacing, cocky, charming, pitiable, and sweet. I was seduced by his understated charm, his puppy-dog loyalty, and his hat tricks. He's a manipulative character but with a solid core. Kathy Bates is a fabulous Queen with just the right amount of anger and self-righteousness. She's vain and over-the-top in just the right way. And to balance all the grit and menace of the others is The White Knight, who is seriously crazy. His constant singing, his useless showmanship, and his wild facial expressions made him seem more like the book's character than anyone else.


The one issue that I had with the series was that the plot tried to do a little too much. It tried to work in characters that shouldn't be there. It tried to add family drama in the form of Alice's father who was dragged into the world decades ago and brainwashed. Most of the scenes with Doctors Dee and Dum were too bizarre, even for Wonderland. Where Tin Man followed one story much more successfully, this miniseries is like a juggler keeping way too many balls in the air.

I'm sure most people will disagree with me on most of this review. Those who really enjoyed it will say that most of those extraneous parts are needed. And those who hate it will say that it was too far from the story to even be considered an Alice in Wonderland adaption. I myself will simply say that I'm infinitely seducible. I went in with a vague curiosity based on images and ended up enjoying it. I won't be rushing out to own this Alice, but I won't turn it down if I find it at a reasonable price. A dark story with some bizarre twists and turns that made for an entertaining, if not over the top, Alice. And a very different take on the story.

Kushiel's Dart

I will start by saying that I almost never re-read books and I don’t read series. There are only two books in my entire library that I have ever re-read, Pride and Prejudice and Siddhartha. My reasoning is that there are way too many new books that I want to read and I have a good memory for things I’ve read before. As for series, I will read the first book of a series but almost never continue on to the next book. Series are a huge time commitment and I tend to have plenty of other books waiting to be read. So when I tell you that I finished Kushiel’s Dart and immediately wanted to re-read the book you’ll understand how significant that is. I’m also debating heavily whether or not I want to continue with the series. I don’t remember the last time I was this seduced by a book.



Seduced is an apt word for this story. Kushiel’s Dart, by Jacqueline Carey, is filled with intrigue, adventure, and romance with some steamy sex scenes. The story follows Phedre, a courtesan/spy who starts the book working for a nobleman to gain political information. Phedre is unique in that she experiences pain as pleasure (a masochistic prostitute), denoted by a mark in one of her eyes called Kushiel’s Dart. She uses her unique seductive skills to learn information which she then passes on to her benefactor. But Phedre and her benefactor are betrayed. He is killed and she is sold (along with her bodyguard Joscelin) to a tribe of barbarians as slaves. While there, she uncovers a plot to overthrow the Queen of Terre D’Ange (her home) and Phedre and Joscelin escape to warn her. The Queen decides that an alliance between Terre D’Ange (France) and Alba (England) would save the country from the invaders, and sends Phedre and Joscelin to Alba to return with the king and his army. On the way they must persuade Dalriada (Scotland) to lend its aid, gain safe passage from the Master of the Straits, and get back to Terre D’Ange before the invaders. I’m leaving out half the book practically with this plot summary but so much happens in this thick book that it would be impossible to list it all.

I want to talk for a moment about the setting before anything else because it affects so much of the rest of the book. The story is set in Terre D’Ange which is an alternative Renaissance France. A religion of sorts dominates the lives of the people, denoting where their position in society will be. Phedre is sold to a benefactor at a young age because her parents cannot take care of her. She is trained as a Servant of Naamah (a goddess of sex) but also follows Kushiel (a god of pain and destruction). Each of the characters has their role in society because of the god they are most aligned with. Joscelin is a Cassiline Brother, a priest who is trained from birth to protect. He is skilled in weapons and lives the ascetic life of a priest. So there is considerable friction between him and Phedre because of their different roles in society. Terre D’Ange is the wealthiest country and also the most beautiful in the invented world. Because of their wealth, they are often focused on politics, fashion, and pleasure.

There are so many characters in the book that at times they are tough to keep track of. Carey provides a detailed character list which helped greatly and the main characters are easy to keep straight. Phedre and Joscelin are the focus of the book and I really felt like I got to know the characters over the course of the book. So much happened and the characters grew so much that when I finished the book I wanted to go back to the beginning to watch the progression again. I wanted to see them again with the knowledge of what they would become. The book jacket gives you very little idea of the plot and when the benefactor was killed I was shocked since it was so early in the book. In fact I was surprised by almost every twist and turn. I had no idea what to expect and each adventure seemed to just breed more adventures. It was hard to put the book down since it seemed that there was a climax every couple of chapters. Speaking of climaxes there is plenty of interesting sex in the book since Phedre works as something of a prostitute for the wealthy. If you are turned off by submissive behavior or pain in sex this may not be the book for you but I found the scenes steamy but understated. This is not a Story of O, and everything is done very tastefully. And the sex is often overshadowed by the political intrigue which fills almost every page of the book.

There is an incredible diversity of characters and places in the book which makes for a very fleshed out setting. Carey creates a complex world, and fills it with interesting characters. It has been years since I loved a character but I loved the character of Joscelin so much that I had to skip to the end to see if he survived. I didn’t want to be surprised by his death. Both he and Phedre are the main focus of the book and Carey breathes life into both of them, creating complex and interesting characters. The relationship between them evolves beautifully after all that they have been through and we see that progression. The dialogue in the book is wonderful, filled with things unsaid and undercurrents. The setting is interesting and beautiful, and the characters are well written. The book was exciting enough to make me ache to know what happens, long enough to make me feel that I knew the characters, and steamy enough to leave me wanting more. A great read and an incredible story. Perhaps I will have to pick up the second.

Since I Found Serenity

I'm not a huge fan of TV shows, although I do have certain ones that I watch, if they are on and I happen to have the TV on. I don't normally seek out shows and I so far have not found a reality show that I can even stand watching. If the television is on in our house it is normally tuned to either Discover, History, Comedy Central, or ESPN. (sports I've found are great background noise for writing).

With that said there is one show that I never seem to get tired of watching. Now I'm not a fanatical Browncoat like many people out there. (SciFi fans out there will get that reference instantly) But I have to admit that Joss Whedon's Firefly was one of the best written shows out there. Jeff and I sat down last night and watched the pilot again. (we have the DVDs) It had been a bit since I'd seen it but I'm reminded of how good that show was. For those of you who don't know, Firefly was a short lived series by Joss Whedon that combined elements of a Western with Outer Space. And it was amazingly good. It was funny, it was touching, it was exciting, and oh yeah, it was canceled half way through it's first season. Fox's reason seems to be that it was too expensive. And I have to admit that the sets were huge. They had to build an entire spaceship, plus all the land based settings.

The show focuses on the crew of Serenity, a Firefly class spaceship, that works at whatever odd jobs are available for a ship living on the fringes of society. Some of the jobs are legal, most aren't. These are thieves and scavengers and rebels. The land based worlds are a mix of huge Alliance (the ruling power) cities and frontier planets barely starting out. The premise may seem hokey to those who have never seen it but Whedon pulls it off by creating incredibly likable characters. And making it funny.

Mal, the captain of the ship, is loyal to his crew, sarcastic in the extreme, and a bit of a prankster. He'll shoot you if you betray him or his crew, but he'll do anything to keep his ship flying. Wash, his pilot, is a goofball. He plays with toys, invents mantras, and is constantly telling jokes, when not performing dangerous manuvers to get them out of scrapes. Wash is married to Zoe, the ships second in command. She served with Mal in the wars and is fiercely loyal to him. Kaylee is the ships engineer who is constantly upbeat, and nice to absolutely everyone. Jayne is the muscle on the ship. Always ready to shoot someone and constantly at odds with Mal about why he can't. To round out the group, there is Simon a doctor trying to protect his sister River, a crazy but brilliant girl the Alliance is chasing. Book, a preacher and often the only voice of reason, and Inara a courtesan (read high class prostitute) who travels with the groups to add respectability.

It may seem convoluted but the show is just spot on. The banter between crew members is fast and funny. There seemed to be actual chemistry between the crew. The jokes are hilarious, the plots are action-packed, and everyone on the ship is likable. You can catch the show on the SciFi channel (or SyFy as it is being called now) but your best bet is to rent the DVDs and start with the pilot. I guarantee you'll be hooked. One of the most well-written shows every made.

Trilogies and other crap

So I broke down this evening and watched the last of the Pirates movies. You thought I would have learned my lesson after the second but apparently not. I just had to finish the series. And it was actually worse then I thought possible. The jokes were forced and contrived, the plot was beyond stupid, and the movie just kept going on. I caught myself looking at the clock a couple of times to see how much longer it would last. I knew I was in trouble the first time I saw Jack surrounded by forty of himself. And it just went downhill from there. 

But maybe I should start by saying that I hate trilogies. Always have. Now I get that movie studios make a ton of money on series like these. The first film is almost amazing, fresh, funny, startling. It is because of its originality that we love it. The first time I watched The Matrix I was so in awe of the plot that I forgot that Keanu Reeves was in it. My whole impression of things was turned on its head. When I saw the first Pirates I was shocked at how funny it was. And how original and interesting the character were. Then they turned both of those series into crap. 

I once read a fantastic article about Walt Disney. His studio had just put on one of the first Silly Symphony cartoons, The Three Little Pigs. People were writing to him and asking him on the street when he would be making the next pig cartoon. They wanted a sequel. Disney supposedly answered the same time every time he was asked. He would ask, why do you want more pigs? I've already give you pigs. Now I want to do something new.

I wish some of these movie studios thought the same way. I won't even discuss the horribleness that is the new Star Wars. Now I love movies. I love a new idea to watch. I have a number of favorite films and many of them are new concepts or fresh approaches. They are often uncharted territories. I still claim that the best things coming out of Disney lately is Pixar. The Disney Company has been on a sequel kick lately. I can watch Peter Pan 2, Cinderella 2, The Lion King 3, or any other classics that have been remade as silly sequels with stale dialogue. Or I can find a new character, new plot, and fresh jokes through Pixar. 

So again I have finished a series of movies and been profoundly disappointed in the result. They have taken a brilliant movie and cheapened it for money and some quick laughs. Another title I won't be rushing out to buy. I say the same for books as well as movies. Avoid series. Remember that pigs and pirates are only funny the first time through. Give me something new.