Having marathoned through both seasons of "Life", a show I love to bits, I wanted to dig up some other Damian Lewis stuff. He's one of my favourite leading men, after all. Well, the obvious thing to do was to watch "Band of Brothers", which I did. That is one incredible show. If you have any interest in WWII and can bear seeing a lot of gore and exquisitely acted human suffering, I recommend the show. One of the most impressive mini-series ever, it's dramatic and oddly beautiful. The ensemble is breathtaking, the story is paced well and each of the characters seems to have an equally compelling voice.
After finishing Band of Brothers, I dug up some of Lewis' older work. A dark and quirky comedy called "The Baker" was the first one I watched. It was nice to see him in a lighter role and the film itself worked for me. I cackled with evil glee through most of it. Warmly recommended to those who do not take films too seriously and like their romantic comedies a little warped.
I followed this up with "The Situation" which was a small, but surprisingly engaging film about the American presence in Iraq. Lewis' role was a bit smaller, but the film worked. It showed the locals as human beings for a change and the film was much better for it. The Iraqi photographer played by Mido Hamada was a good character and a rare one, I think, in a Western-made film. Connie Nielsen, not one of my favourite actresses, did her part well enough, but I felt she lost out to the strong male performances. An interesting, but naturally rather depressing flick on a subject that was current in 2006 when the film was released and is still as current, sadly.
"The Escapist" is a prison movie from 2008 and Lewis' role was small, but very memorable. Brian Cox was the lead and he did a good job with the relatively mediocre script. I don't think I've liked Joseph Fiennes in anything since Shakespeare in Love and Elizabeth and I didn't believe him as the tough guy in this one, either. I think he was miscast. Dominic Cooper, whom I still see only as the guy singing ABBA in swimming trunks, was okay. Not stellar, but decent enough. The plot bothered me. The script tried to be clever and didn't quite pull it off, in my humble opinion. Worth a watch. If there's nothing better on. Definitely no re-watch value, though and if you want to see a good prison movie (about escaping, too) just see "The Shawshank Redemption" and forget about this one.
Monday 29 November 2010
Sunday 14 November 2010
On the Joys of Rereading
One of the most common questions people ask me when they see my crammed bookshelves is: "Have you read all of these?" Well, I haven't, there are books that sit firmly on the TBR list and some that I've received as gifts that just don't interest me, but I'm too polite to regift them. The second most common question is: "What do you do after you've read a book?" I usually draw a blank for a while. I don't understand, what do they mean, what do I do? Well, I put it in my shelf, of course! I boggles my mind that some people don't realize that I might want to reread a book. These individuals tend to also gape at my DVD collection and ask why I would want to see the same film twice, let alone more times. I don't bother with explanations anymore. I just say: "The fact that you needed to ask me that question tells me that you won't understand why, so I won't waste my breath trying to explain it to you." I don't say that to be rude, I say it because it's true. You either are the type to read books and see movies more than once, or you're not. That's how I've experienced it, anyway. My friends and family are either fellow hoarders or own very few books or films. There seems to be no real middle ground.
Some films and books simply improve with several viewings or readings. Some are sort of comforting in their familiarity. I have films and series on DVD that aren't incredibly great, they didn't knock me off my seat or anything, but they were fun to watch, easy to watch and very often there was something that simply struck the right chord at the right time. Those become everyday favourites. You might put the film in the player, switch the movie on and putter around the flat while paying attention only every now and then, but you know what happens in the story at any given time, so it's okay. A book you know almost word for word can still entertain. Like an old friend who doesn't tell you new jokes, but you like the old ones anyhow.
It sometimes happens that I might suddenly feel like rereading a certain book in a series. I do so and then end up rereading the whole series. I love having that choice. I love revisiting characters and stories. I love that whenever I feel like reading, I can go from shelf to shelf and really take my pick from among so many. That is why I don't usually sell on the books I'm more or less forced to buy because of my situation as a English reader in a non-English-speaking country. If I drown in books and movies one of these days (as I have been told by numerous people I will), I say it's a fine way to go.
Some films and books simply improve with several viewings or readings. Some are sort of comforting in their familiarity. I have films and series on DVD that aren't incredibly great, they didn't knock me off my seat or anything, but they were fun to watch, easy to watch and very often there was something that simply struck the right chord at the right time. Those become everyday favourites. You might put the film in the player, switch the movie on and putter around the flat while paying attention only every now and then, but you know what happens in the story at any given time, so it's okay. A book you know almost word for word can still entertain. Like an old friend who doesn't tell you new jokes, but you like the old ones anyhow.
It sometimes happens that I might suddenly feel like rereading a certain book in a series. I do so and then end up rereading the whole series. I love having that choice. I love revisiting characters and stories. I love that whenever I feel like reading, I can go from shelf to shelf and really take my pick from among so many. That is why I don't usually sell on the books I'm more or less forced to buy because of my situation as a English reader in a non-English-speaking country. If I drown in books and movies one of these days (as I have been told by numerous people I will), I say it's a fine way to go.
Recent Reads
Right, school and other inconveniences have kept me from my blogging again, but here are some of the books I've worked on lately.
Jim Butcher: Storm Front and Fool Moon, books one and two of the Dresden Files
Now, I must admit to being something of a sexist reader. I prefer books written by women, hard to say why, I just do. Something about the tone, I suppose. I'd heard good things about Butcher's work, so I decided to give the Dresden series a whirl. Storm Front seemed to start a bit slowly and I needed to really work to keep reading, but then suddenly I couldn't put it down. The same happened with Fool Moon. Slow build, that's the word. Mr. Butcher does it well. Harry Dresden is an old-fashioned, flawed hero and really quite a great guy. The mystery part of the plots was well-written and the action was nonstop once you got to it. Another admirable thing about Butcher's writing is that he's not afraid to have bad things happen to good people or to back his hero into corners. It makes for good suspense writing and great action scenes. Not my favourite series in the urban fantasy genre, but a solid good read. Will probably look further into the series in the future.
M.C. Beaton: Snobbery With Violence
The murder mystery/comedy of manners featuring Lady Rose Summers and Harry Cathcart was a subtle, but very amusing and interesting read. Set in Edwardian time, the intricacies of the social world and a juicy murder mix in a manner most entertaining. I'd read a few mysteries from Ms. Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series before and found them nice enough. This series is probably more my cup of tea. I already have the second book in the series ordered from my favourite bookshop.
J.R. Ward: Crave and An Unforgettable Lady
Crave is the second book in the Fallen Angels series and I'm still sitting on the fence about the series. I like the leading man Jim Heron and his sidekicks, I'm not sure about the others. Still a good read, to be sure. I'd just go with the Black Dagger Brotherhood books if I had to recommend something by Ward.
An Unforgettable Lady is an old book which found its way to reprint when the BDB made a splash. It's a contemporary romantic suspense novel, and a good one, really, but like the Fallen Angels, it plays second fiddle to the BDB. Still, if urban fantasy isn't your bag, you can get a look at Ward's cool style of writing from this one. Her distinctive voice isn't quite at its current level yet in this earlier novel, but it's getting there.
Jim Butcher: Storm Front and Fool Moon, books one and two of the Dresden Files
Now, I must admit to being something of a sexist reader. I prefer books written by women, hard to say why, I just do. Something about the tone, I suppose. I'd heard good things about Butcher's work, so I decided to give the Dresden series a whirl. Storm Front seemed to start a bit slowly and I needed to really work to keep reading, but then suddenly I couldn't put it down. The same happened with Fool Moon. Slow build, that's the word. Mr. Butcher does it well. Harry Dresden is an old-fashioned, flawed hero and really quite a great guy. The mystery part of the plots was well-written and the action was nonstop once you got to it. Another admirable thing about Butcher's writing is that he's not afraid to have bad things happen to good people or to back his hero into corners. It makes for good suspense writing and great action scenes. Not my favourite series in the urban fantasy genre, but a solid good read. Will probably look further into the series in the future.
M.C. Beaton: Snobbery With Violence
The murder mystery/comedy of manners featuring Lady Rose Summers and Harry Cathcart was a subtle, but very amusing and interesting read. Set in Edwardian time, the intricacies of the social world and a juicy murder mix in a manner most entertaining. I'd read a few mysteries from Ms. Beaton's Hamish MacBeth series before and found them nice enough. This series is probably more my cup of tea. I already have the second book in the series ordered from my favourite bookshop.
J.R. Ward: Crave and An Unforgettable Lady
Crave is the second book in the Fallen Angels series and I'm still sitting on the fence about the series. I like the leading man Jim Heron and his sidekicks, I'm not sure about the others. Still a good read, to be sure. I'd just go with the Black Dagger Brotherhood books if I had to recommend something by Ward.
An Unforgettable Lady is an old book which found its way to reprint when the BDB made a splash. It's a contemporary romantic suspense novel, and a good one, really, but like the Fallen Angels, it plays second fiddle to the BDB. Still, if urban fantasy isn't your bag, you can get a look at Ward's cool style of writing from this one. Her distinctive voice isn't quite at its current level yet in this earlier novel, but it's getting there.
Monday 11 October 2010
I'm Alive and Reading
Yes, hypothetical followers, I'm still alive and reading, it's just been a terribly busy September and I only now recalled my poor blog.
I've been reading voraciously as usual, but I can't possibly include all of the books here, so I'll just mention the cream of the crop.
Most of the books I've read are just installments in the aforementioned series, but it's worth mentioning some of them again just because the writers are so brilliant.
First, Ilona Andrews. From only having read On the Edge since I last blogged, I've become a huge fan. I just finished Bayou Moon (which I loved) and have also read all four Kate Daniels books as soon as I've got my little, greedy paws on them. Kate is great (I bet she'd kick Anita Blake's butt any day of the week). Curran is yummy. The magic and the action never stop (well, except when tech hits) and these books are simply fantastic reads. Hard to put down, very addictive. I finished Magic Strikes in the middle of the night and I just had to get out of bed, boot up my computer and order Magic Bleeds. That's how good they are. Shoo. Go buy. Now!
Gail Carriger's loony Victorian parasol-armed adventures take her heroine Alexia Tarabotti (Maccon) on a highly original and truly ingenious tour of Europe. I love the language in these books, as well as the sense of comic timing. It's like reading Jane Austen when she'd been to her father's brandy decanter a bit too many times. A deep bow of respect to Ms. Carriger. Also for her incredible website everyone interested in Victoriana should check out! http://www.gailcarriger.com/
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle (that is Jayne Ann Krentz in her futuristic element) was exactly what I've come to expect from the great author. A book that is quite simply good reading. I've been a fan of her paranormals since I first managed to locate Orchid from her "flower trilogy" and the current ghost hunter world is a strong creation. I wouldn't start with this one if her paranormals are new to you, though. I'd go back to After Dark and After Glow, the duology that first introduced the ghost hunters and the new world of Harmony. MC is technically a part of the Dreamlight Trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel perfectly well, as do most of the Arcane Society books. Oh, and dust bunnies rule.
I also read the latest installment in Lynsay Sands' Argeneau series. Now, I'll be frank and admit that my interest was waning a bit after the Rogue Hunter three. I don't know why, they weren't bad and I reread them before Born to Bite (this latest book) came out. But I was happy to find that Born to Bite was very good. It answered a lot of questions, was well-paced and had a lot of what I like best about Sands' writing in it. The humour, the intrigue and the romance. I'm looking forward to the next Argeneau book again :)
Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising was a very refreshing book so I was looking forward to Book Two, Tracking the Tempest. I wasn't disappointed. An addictive, quick read, in Jane True's honest voice... I lapped it up. More please! I get the cover art a little better since reading the second book, by the way. I still say it's not necessarily the best way to sell the book, but I get it.
I picked up Lori Foster's Back in Black, which was a sort of an impulse buy. I've liked (not loved) Foster's work previously so it was a bit of a gamble. As I've mentioned before, I pretty much have to buy what I want to read, which means that I've got books in my shelves that I kind of wish weren't there. Back in Black turned out to be a keeper, though. Something about the leading characters worked for me. An interesting addition to the Fighter series and good contemporary romance with suspense elements.
Phew. Now I'm taking a breather...
I've been reading voraciously as usual, but I can't possibly include all of the books here, so I'll just mention the cream of the crop.
Most of the books I've read are just installments in the aforementioned series, but it's worth mentioning some of them again just because the writers are so brilliant.
First, Ilona Andrews. From only having read On the Edge since I last blogged, I've become a huge fan. I just finished Bayou Moon (which I loved) and have also read all four Kate Daniels books as soon as I've got my little, greedy paws on them. Kate is great (I bet she'd kick Anita Blake's butt any day of the week). Curran is yummy. The magic and the action never stop (well, except when tech hits) and these books are simply fantastic reads. Hard to put down, very addictive. I finished Magic Strikes in the middle of the night and I just had to get out of bed, boot up my computer and order Magic Bleeds. That's how good they are. Shoo. Go buy. Now!
Gail Carriger's loony Victorian parasol-armed adventures take her heroine Alexia Tarabotti (Maccon) on a highly original and truly ingenious tour of Europe. I love the language in these books, as well as the sense of comic timing. It's like reading Jane Austen when she'd been to her father's brandy decanter a bit too many times. A deep bow of respect to Ms. Carriger. Also for her incredible website everyone interested in Victoriana should check out! http://www.gailcarriger.com/
Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle (that is Jayne Ann Krentz in her futuristic element) was exactly what I've come to expect from the great author. A book that is quite simply good reading. I've been a fan of her paranormals since I first managed to locate Orchid from her "flower trilogy" and the current ghost hunter world is a strong creation. I wouldn't start with this one if her paranormals are new to you, though. I'd go back to After Dark and After Glow, the duology that first introduced the ghost hunters and the new world of Harmony. MC is technically a part of the Dreamlight Trilogy, but it works as a stand-alone novel perfectly well, as do most of the Arcane Society books. Oh, and dust bunnies rule.
I also read the latest installment in Lynsay Sands' Argeneau series. Now, I'll be frank and admit that my interest was waning a bit after the Rogue Hunter three. I don't know why, they weren't bad and I reread them before Born to Bite (this latest book) came out. But I was happy to find that Born to Bite was very good. It answered a lot of questions, was well-paced and had a lot of what I like best about Sands' writing in it. The humour, the intrigue and the romance. I'm looking forward to the next Argeneau book again :)
Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising was a very refreshing book so I was looking forward to Book Two, Tracking the Tempest. I wasn't disappointed. An addictive, quick read, in Jane True's honest voice... I lapped it up. More please! I get the cover art a little better since reading the second book, by the way. I still say it's not necessarily the best way to sell the book, but I get it.
I picked up Lori Foster's Back in Black, which was a sort of an impulse buy. I've liked (not loved) Foster's work previously so it was a bit of a gamble. As I've mentioned before, I pretty much have to buy what I want to read, which means that I've got books in my shelves that I kind of wish weren't there. Back in Black turned out to be a keeper, though. Something about the leading characters worked for me. An interesting addition to the Fighter series and good contemporary romance with suspense elements.
Phew. Now I'm taking a breather...
Friday 27 August 2010
Autumn Reads
Okay, I read most of these over the summer, but I was too tired/lazy/busy to blog about them. But on with the books.
First of all, I'd like to rave about Faith Hunter's Rogue Mage trilogy, which I finished over the summer. Very cool. Rather dark, but incredibly detailed, imaginative and meticulously researched. Kudos. Too bad the series seems to end there. I would have loved to read more about Thorn's antics and what happens next in the post-ap world...
Another writer who gets more praise from me is Kresley Cole. I devoured Demon from the Dark in a single day. Wow... The men she writes are so hot they pretty much singe your fingers from the page. Another good one for the Immortals After Dark series. I wouldn't recommend starting the series from this (the latest) installment. Hunger Like No Other starts the series and is one damn fine book. I'd suggest starting with that one.
I'm officially hooked on both Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs. I can pretty much recommend anything by them if you like urban fantasy. Yup, I'm still on that trip.
First of all, I'd like to rave about Faith Hunter's Rogue Mage trilogy, which I finished over the summer. Very cool. Rather dark, but incredibly detailed, imaginative and meticulously researched. Kudos. Too bad the series seems to end there. I would have loved to read more about Thorn's antics and what happens next in the post-ap world...
Another writer who gets more praise from me is Kresley Cole. I devoured Demon from the Dark in a single day. Wow... The men she writes are so hot they pretty much singe your fingers from the page. Another good one for the Immortals After Dark series. I wouldn't recommend starting the series from this (the latest) installment. Hunger Like No Other starts the series and is one damn fine book. I'd suggest starting with that one.
I'm officially hooked on both Ilona Andrews and Patricia Briggs. I can pretty much recommend anything by them if you like urban fantasy. Yup, I'm still on that trip.
Thursday 3 June 2010
Series and Trilogies and Such
As a hardcore reader, I follow several series by different writers. I thought I'd list some just to make a list (there is something nice about making a list, isn't there? I wonder why that is...).
It's kind of difficult to list things by genre, because fantasy/science fiction/mystery/romance and so on and so forth mix so freely in the hands of many writers, so here are just the series I try to follow and some that have already been finished that I've enjoyed.
Kresley Cole: Immortals After Dark (romance, (urban) fantasy)
-a great variety characters and supernatural beings, refreshing and often very sexy
J.R. Ward: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Fallen Angels (slightly darker romance/fantasy)
-dramatic and well-written, sometimes pretty harsh and the language can be rough, but I think it all works beautifully
Jayne Ann Krentz: The Arcane Society (paranormal romantic suspense, varying from Victorian times to the future), Harmony (futuristic romantic suspense)
-an ongoing series which dips into all the three times Krentz places her stories in, always a solid, good read
Carrie Vaughn: Kitty (how could I resist a werewolf called Kitty? :D urban fantasy)
-quirky, very suspenseful, a leading character I adore
Gail Carriger: Parasol Protectorate (Victorian, steampunk, mystery, bit of romance there, too, and lots of humour)
-weird, absurd and just brilliant
Lynsay Sands: Argeneau/Rogue Hunter (romantic, funny, with a fresh take on vampires)
-lighter than many other vampire series though not without excitement, unapologetically romantic and often absurd and hilarious
Charlaine Harris: Sookie Stackhouse, Harper Connelly, both urban fantasy/mystery, with some romance thrown in (and finished series Lily Bard and Aurora Teagarden, both more traditional mysteries with great leading ladies)
-they're all great, what can I say...
Laurell K. Hamilton: Merry Gentry (sexy urban fantasy) and well, I still read Anita Blake every now and then...
-the Merry Gentry series is about the Sidhe, it's highly imaginative and very sexy, and Anita, slew of lovers aside, can still kick butt and some of the more mystery-oriented books in the series are very good
Jeaniene Frost: Night Huntress (aka Cat and Bones, romantic urban fantasy)
-there's just something addictive about this series and the leading couple is a fun one, to be sure
Mary Balogh: the Slightly series, the Simply quartet and the ongoing series about the Huxtables (Regency romance)
-one of the few Regency writers I just can't stop reading, the characters are simply stellar and the period detail is excellent
Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum (humorous mysteries)
-Stephanie Plum is one of those heroines who make me feel like a success; absurd mysteries with hilarious characters, family-drama and PB&J thrown in
Maria V. Snyder: Study trilogy, ongoing Glass series (fantasy)
-a wonderfully created world (the same in both series), engaging characters, plenty of twists and turns and back-stabbing, love it :)
Faith Hunter: Rogue Mage and Jane Yellowrock
-kick-ass heroines, interesting plots, the first series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and the second is a contemporary urban fantasy
And these are just off the top of my head. I'm constantly running out of bookshelves. I guess it's my bad luck that I prefer to read in English which means that the local library can only help me so far (my country is bilingual and let me tell you, English isn't one of the two). If I want to read something, odds are that I have to buy it. Hence the hoarding. Not that I'd let anyone have most of my books. I like being my own library :D
It's kind of difficult to list things by genre, because fantasy/science fiction/mystery/romance and so on and so forth mix so freely in the hands of many writers, so here are just the series I try to follow and some that have already been finished that I've enjoyed.
Kresley Cole: Immortals After Dark (romance, (urban) fantasy)
-a great variety characters and supernatural beings, refreshing and often very sexy
J.R. Ward: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Fallen Angels (slightly darker romance/fantasy)
-dramatic and well-written, sometimes pretty harsh and the language can be rough, but I think it all works beautifully
Jayne Ann Krentz: The Arcane Society (paranormal romantic suspense, varying from Victorian times to the future), Harmony (futuristic romantic suspense)
-an ongoing series which dips into all the three times Krentz places her stories in, always a solid, good read
Carrie Vaughn: Kitty (how could I resist a werewolf called Kitty? :D urban fantasy)
-quirky, very suspenseful, a leading character I adore
Gail Carriger: Parasol Protectorate (Victorian, steampunk, mystery, bit of romance there, too, and lots of humour)
-weird, absurd and just brilliant
Lynsay Sands: Argeneau/Rogue Hunter (romantic, funny, with a fresh take on vampires)
-lighter than many other vampire series though not without excitement, unapologetically romantic and often absurd and hilarious
Charlaine Harris: Sookie Stackhouse, Harper Connelly, both urban fantasy/mystery, with some romance thrown in (and finished series Lily Bard and Aurora Teagarden, both more traditional mysteries with great leading ladies)
-they're all great, what can I say...
Laurell K. Hamilton: Merry Gentry (sexy urban fantasy) and well, I still read Anita Blake every now and then...
-the Merry Gentry series is about the Sidhe, it's highly imaginative and very sexy, and Anita, slew of lovers aside, can still kick butt and some of the more mystery-oriented books in the series are very good
Jeaniene Frost: Night Huntress (aka Cat and Bones, romantic urban fantasy)
-there's just something addictive about this series and the leading couple is a fun one, to be sure
Mary Balogh: the Slightly series, the Simply quartet and the ongoing series about the Huxtables (Regency romance)
-one of the few Regency writers I just can't stop reading, the characters are simply stellar and the period detail is excellent
Janet Evanovich: Stephanie Plum (humorous mysteries)
-Stephanie Plum is one of those heroines who make me feel like a success; absurd mysteries with hilarious characters, family-drama and PB&J thrown in
Maria V. Snyder: Study trilogy, ongoing Glass series (fantasy)
-a wonderfully created world (the same in both series), engaging characters, plenty of twists and turns and back-stabbing, love it :)
Faith Hunter: Rogue Mage and Jane Yellowrock
-kick-ass heroines, interesting plots, the first series takes place in a post-apocalyptic world and the second is a contemporary urban fantasy
And these are just off the top of my head. I'm constantly running out of bookshelves. I guess it's my bad luck that I prefer to read in English which means that the local library can only help me so far (my country is bilingual and let me tell you, English isn't one of the two). If I want to read something, odds are that I have to buy it. Hence the hoarding. Not that I'd let anyone have most of my books. I like being my own library :D
A Spot of Urban Fantasy (Surprised? Not.)
Being at loose ends at this awkward stage between studying and a hypothetical summer job, I've made it my mission to start reading through my towering TBR pile.
I hadn't read Ilona Andrews before, but for a long time I'd heard nice things about her work. Since I felt a hankering for urban fantasy, I picked up On the Edge and started reading. Excellent fun, nice world-building, a good bit of romance, a few great beasties. A thoroughly enjoyable read and a quick one for me since I just breezed through it in one day. Then I wished I hadn't because it ended. It was one of those books :) On to Andrews' other series now, I think...
Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising was another recommendation. I simply have to bring this up: I was kind of confused by the cover artwork. I don't usually much pay attention to covers since some of my all-time favourites have terrible or tacky covers. Romance and Fantasy as genres are kind of known for the occasional lousy covers, after all. It's not bad, it's actually very pretty in that manga-inspired way, I just think it doesn't fit with the tone of the book. The cover led me to expect something more 'young adult' than the novel was; it was a mature book in my humble opinion. I did like the book very much, the leading character Jane True has to have one of the most distinctive voices I've read and her inner dialogue is incredibly well-written and often laugh-out-loud funny. This story also gets a few bonus points because the leading character isn't a vampire or a werewolf. Thumbs up for the variety :) Loved the story and will read the next installment. Still, I just don't get the cover... But that's details. It's a fun book and absolutely worth checking out.
I hadn't read Ilona Andrews before, but for a long time I'd heard nice things about her work. Since I felt a hankering for urban fantasy, I picked up On the Edge and started reading. Excellent fun, nice world-building, a good bit of romance, a few great beasties. A thoroughly enjoyable read and a quick one for me since I just breezed through it in one day. Then I wished I hadn't because it ended. It was one of those books :) On to Andrews' other series now, I think...
Nicole Peeler's Tempest Rising was another recommendation. I simply have to bring this up: I was kind of confused by the cover artwork. I don't usually much pay attention to covers since some of my all-time favourites have terrible or tacky covers. Romance and Fantasy as genres are kind of known for the occasional lousy covers, after all. It's not bad, it's actually very pretty in that manga-inspired way, I just think it doesn't fit with the tone of the book. The cover led me to expect something more 'young adult' than the novel was; it was a mature book in my humble opinion. I did like the book very much, the leading character Jane True has to have one of the most distinctive voices I've read and her inner dialogue is incredibly well-written and often laugh-out-loud funny. This story also gets a few bonus points because the leading character isn't a vampire or a werewolf. Thumbs up for the variety :) Loved the story and will read the next installment. Still, I just don't get the cover... But that's details. It's a fun book and absolutely worth checking out.
Monday 24 May 2010
The Manly Men of Adventure
I've seen some very entertaining films recently. Mostly featuring men being all heroic and manly. Well, what woman wouldn't enjoy that, I ask you?
Ridley Scott's version of Robin Hood with Russell Crowe as the hero sounded great, but I did worry a bit. I didn't like A Good Year and it has been a few years since The Gladiator. I made the mistake of reading a few critiques beforehand and felt mighty nervous as I walked into the theatre. I really needn't have. The film worked. It wasn't Scott's best, nor Crowe's, but it worked. I didn't get bored, Crowe still made a superb hero and Cate Blanchett, one of my favourite actresses, was no whiny damsel in distress. My chief concern had been that Crowe would be wrong for the role. He makes a great hero for a historical flick as proven in The Gladiator, but I kept thinking that he was more the type to punch a guy in the face or slice them to bits with a sword rather than shoot arrows at them. I couldn't shake that purely physical vibe of him and Robin Hood has been a more agile, boyish kind of character in the past. Well, for one, seemed to me that Crowe had slimmed down quite a bit. He moved well and was every bit the soldier he needed to portray. The bow didn't look out of place in his hands. Should've trusted the guy, he is a good actor. I also enjoyed the supporting cast, Blanchett, Robin's sidekicks and the old Loxley, in particular. Prince John looked suitably like a weasel.
All in all, Scott's version of Robin Hood could in some ways be compared to Batman Begins by Christopher Nolan. It takes a new view on a subject that has already been done several times. Batman Begins was a phenomenal take on the superhero genre. Scott's Robin Hood isn't quite that great, but it is different from other Robin Hoods and thus to me, it was was refreshing and certainly entertaining enough for the admission fee.
The other swords and soldiers flick I saw last night. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I was vaguely familiar with the game franchise, but the trailers of the film itself had seemed rather silly. My friend and I went in to watch Jake Gyllenhaal do what Orlando Bloom did in the Pirates of the Caribbean except maybe act a bit better. In that regard, we got what we expected. There was the usual Disney-package of relatively bloodless violence, cheekily delivered one-liners and a comic relief character so outlandish that you wanted to bury your head into the sand. There were some parkourish runs through the city and dropping on people from above that reminded me of the game, but I'm not big enough a gamer to spot much else from the game. Bearded and long-haired, Gyllenhaal managed to look a little more tough-guy than usually, but he does have that Nice Guy label all but tattooed on his forehead. He did alright as Prince Dastan, not as if the role offered much to work on. Gemma Arterton's role could have been played by anyone in a skirt, but I don't think that was her fault. I haven't seen her in anything that required real acting chops yet, so I'm reserving judgement. She was pretty and looked good in white. The prince's family put in a nice performance, too. I liked the way the three brothers played together.
To put it in a nutshell, Prince of Persia is nothing new. It's a mix of the Pirates of the Caribbean and the first two Mummy movies. Fun, not-too serious, some cool special effects, a bit of very innocent romance thrown in and that's it. A nice summer blockbuster for the Disney-Bruckheimer coffers, too, I imagine...
Ridley Scott's version of Robin Hood with Russell Crowe as the hero sounded great, but I did worry a bit. I didn't like A Good Year and it has been a few years since The Gladiator. I made the mistake of reading a few critiques beforehand and felt mighty nervous as I walked into the theatre. I really needn't have. The film worked. It wasn't Scott's best, nor Crowe's, but it worked. I didn't get bored, Crowe still made a superb hero and Cate Blanchett, one of my favourite actresses, was no whiny damsel in distress. My chief concern had been that Crowe would be wrong for the role. He makes a great hero for a historical flick as proven in The Gladiator, but I kept thinking that he was more the type to punch a guy in the face or slice them to bits with a sword rather than shoot arrows at them. I couldn't shake that purely physical vibe of him and Robin Hood has been a more agile, boyish kind of character in the past. Well, for one, seemed to me that Crowe had slimmed down quite a bit. He moved well and was every bit the soldier he needed to portray. The bow didn't look out of place in his hands. Should've trusted the guy, he is a good actor. I also enjoyed the supporting cast, Blanchett, Robin's sidekicks and the old Loxley, in particular. Prince John looked suitably like a weasel.
All in all, Scott's version of Robin Hood could in some ways be compared to Batman Begins by Christopher Nolan. It takes a new view on a subject that has already been done several times. Batman Begins was a phenomenal take on the superhero genre. Scott's Robin Hood isn't quite that great, but it is different from other Robin Hoods and thus to me, it was was refreshing and certainly entertaining enough for the admission fee.
The other swords and soldiers flick I saw last night. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. I was vaguely familiar with the game franchise, but the trailers of the film itself had seemed rather silly. My friend and I went in to watch Jake Gyllenhaal do what Orlando Bloom did in the Pirates of the Caribbean except maybe act a bit better. In that regard, we got what we expected. There was the usual Disney-package of relatively bloodless violence, cheekily delivered one-liners and a comic relief character so outlandish that you wanted to bury your head into the sand. There were some parkourish runs through the city and dropping on people from above that reminded me of the game, but I'm not big enough a gamer to spot much else from the game. Bearded and long-haired, Gyllenhaal managed to look a little more tough-guy than usually, but he does have that Nice Guy label all but tattooed on his forehead. He did alright as Prince Dastan, not as if the role offered much to work on. Gemma Arterton's role could have been played by anyone in a skirt, but I don't think that was her fault. I haven't seen her in anything that required real acting chops yet, so I'm reserving judgement. She was pretty and looked good in white. The prince's family put in a nice performance, too. I liked the way the three brothers played together.
To put it in a nutshell, Prince of Persia is nothing new. It's a mix of the Pirates of the Caribbean and the first two Mummy movies. Fun, not-too serious, some cool special effects, a bit of very innocent romance thrown in and that's it. A nice summer blockbuster for the Disney-Bruckheimer coffers, too, I imagine...
Two New Discoveries and One Great Lover ;)
Since getting some pesky studying-related nuisances (exams, thesis etc.) out of the way, I've been doing some serious reading and movie-watching. Books first.
Having heard recommendations here and there all winter and spring, I'd amassed a large TBR pile (To Be Read, for those of you unfamiliar with the term) so I dug in with a vengeance.
Sarah Addison Allen was a writer whom I had been recommended, particularly because of my love of fantasy and the paranormal. Her novel Garden Spells was available at my local bookshop and since I love gardening, it seemed like a good one to grab. I knew immediately that this was a story that mixed the everyday things and the fantastical side of the story very naturally and matter-of-factly and so it did. I read it in one sitting. It was quite simply well-written and engaging. It had a gentle touch even though there was a definite suspense element. A lovely read. Not quite my usual fare, but perhaps that was why I found it so wonderful.
Another new acquaintance to me was Nancy Martin. I picked the first in her Blackbird Sisters mysteries, How to Murder a Millionaire and couldn't put it down. I chortled my way through the snappy dialogue, eccentric characters and things just going more and more wrong and I just had a great time. Will definitely check out the rest of the series.
One of the most awaited new releases this spring, for me, was the next installment in J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Lover Mine, John Matthew's story, promised to be thrilling and Ward didn't disappoint. I got hooked on the BDB from the first (Dark Lover is the first of the series and an excellent book) and I felt that Lover Mine was a return to absolute top form. The series has been tight since beginning, books one through five are solid reads. I wasn't a huge fan of Lover Enshrined for some reason (book six in the series), but warmed up to Lover Avenged (book seven) again. As much as I loved John Matthew, it was Xhex, the heroine of Lover Mine, who really sealed the deal. Maybe because I found her easy to relate to. Amazing series in the dark end of the romance/fantasy genre. There is violence, some of it hitting against innocent targets, making these books tough reads sometimes and the enemies of the brotherhood, the Lessening Society, are scary as hell. Also, I feel I have to mention that the sex parts may be a bit rough for some romance fans, but I adore this series. A very original take on vampires and an incredible feat world and culture building. Kudos.
Having heard recommendations here and there all winter and spring, I'd amassed a large TBR pile (To Be Read, for those of you unfamiliar with the term) so I dug in with a vengeance.
Sarah Addison Allen was a writer whom I had been recommended, particularly because of my love of fantasy and the paranormal. Her novel Garden Spells was available at my local bookshop and since I love gardening, it seemed like a good one to grab. I knew immediately that this was a story that mixed the everyday things and the fantastical side of the story very naturally and matter-of-factly and so it did. I read it in one sitting. It was quite simply well-written and engaging. It had a gentle touch even though there was a definite suspense element. A lovely read. Not quite my usual fare, but perhaps that was why I found it so wonderful.
Another new acquaintance to me was Nancy Martin. I picked the first in her Blackbird Sisters mysteries, How to Murder a Millionaire and couldn't put it down. I chortled my way through the snappy dialogue, eccentric characters and things just going more and more wrong and I just had a great time. Will definitely check out the rest of the series.
One of the most awaited new releases this spring, for me, was the next installment in J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. Lover Mine, John Matthew's story, promised to be thrilling and Ward didn't disappoint. I got hooked on the BDB from the first (Dark Lover is the first of the series and an excellent book) and I felt that Lover Mine was a return to absolute top form. The series has been tight since beginning, books one through five are solid reads. I wasn't a huge fan of Lover Enshrined for some reason (book six in the series), but warmed up to Lover Avenged (book seven) again. As much as I loved John Matthew, it was Xhex, the heroine of Lover Mine, who really sealed the deal. Maybe because I found her easy to relate to. Amazing series in the dark end of the romance/fantasy genre. There is violence, some of it hitting against innocent targets, making these books tough reads sometimes and the enemies of the brotherhood, the Lessening Society, are scary as hell. Also, I feel I have to mention that the sex parts may be a bit rough for some romance fans, but I adore this series. A very original take on vampires and an incredible feat world and culture building. Kudos.
Monday 3 May 2010
Feel-Good Films
Okay, since I've been feeling anything but good lately (academic crap is smothering me, check my other blog for more information), I decided to take in a few films that might actually just entertain me and preferably not challenge my poor, overworked brain.
The first of these was The Leap Year with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. In a nutshell, the plot is about an uptight American girl who decides to fly to Ireland and make use of an Irish tradition that lets women propose to men on the 29th of February; her boyfriend who hasn't had the brain to ask her yet is in Dublin on business. Because of various disasters she needs someone to drive her to Dublin from Dingle and this someone is a rough-around-the-edges Irishman whom she takes an immediate dislike to. An entertaining roadtrip ensues.
The lovely thing about this film was that it did exactly what it said on the tin. It was sweet, well-acted and the sceneray was great. It wasn't unpredictable, original or even believable in any way, but it was still somehow so charming that I'm contemplating getting the DVD when it comes out. When your brain hurts, you need a movie like this. It bore a striking resemblance to another old rom-com favourite of mine, French Kiss with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline as the duelling couple, and while it wasn't quite as good as FK, it did exactly what it was supposed to do and the leading couple had great chemistry, too. Although, I imagine Irish people are tearing their hair out because of the dated stereotypes in the film...
The second film on my list was The Jane Austen Book Club from 2007. I'd borrowed the DVD from a friend ages ago and only got around to watching it yesterday. I was feeling a bit uneasy about this film since I had tried to read to book and got bogged down in the middle, but I popped it in the player and I wasn't sorry. The film follows six people, five women and one man who is very used to being surrounded by women, one for each of Austen's books. They have different personalities, they are of different ages and they are all in different stages in their lives, but they all see life imitating art in one way or another.
Being a fan of Austen certainly helped, but it wasn't strictly necessary. The cast was good and while Emily Blunt and Kathy Baker are great in virtually everything they do, I was surprised to like even Maria Bello and Amy Brenneman whom I normally don't like much. The ensemble was wonderful. This one had more substance to it than The Leap Year, but it wasn't too heavy. I'm rather thinking I should watch this with my mum on Mother's Day. It's that kind of film.
The third film was Secondhand Lions from 2003. I saw this on TV some years ago and thought it was a lovely family film and not a boring one, for once. I found the DVD in a bargain basket and immediately grabbed it. The story is about a geeky boy named Walter (half-grown Haley Joel Osment) who gets sent to live with his rather eccentric great-uncles (Robert Duvall and Michael Caine). He gets to know the cranky old men and hears wild stories about their youth, some of them so outlandish he doesn't know whether to believe them or not.
The acting is great all around. The trio of men play beautifully together, which is what really makes the whole film, and Kyra Sedgwick has an interesting little part as Walter's flighty mother. For some reason this film struck a chord with me and it always puts me on a good mood.
So, that's what got me feeling better :)
The first of these was The Leap Year with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. In a nutshell, the plot is about an uptight American girl who decides to fly to Ireland and make use of an Irish tradition that lets women propose to men on the 29th of February; her boyfriend who hasn't had the brain to ask her yet is in Dublin on business. Because of various disasters she needs someone to drive her to Dublin from Dingle and this someone is a rough-around-the-edges Irishman whom she takes an immediate dislike to. An entertaining roadtrip ensues.
The lovely thing about this film was that it did exactly what it said on the tin. It was sweet, well-acted and the sceneray was great. It wasn't unpredictable, original or even believable in any way, but it was still somehow so charming that I'm contemplating getting the DVD when it comes out. When your brain hurts, you need a movie like this. It bore a striking resemblance to another old rom-com favourite of mine, French Kiss with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline as the duelling couple, and while it wasn't quite as good as FK, it did exactly what it was supposed to do and the leading couple had great chemistry, too. Although, I imagine Irish people are tearing their hair out because of the dated stereotypes in the film...
The second film on my list was The Jane Austen Book Club from 2007. I'd borrowed the DVD from a friend ages ago and only got around to watching it yesterday. I was feeling a bit uneasy about this film since I had tried to read to book and got bogged down in the middle, but I popped it in the player and I wasn't sorry. The film follows six people, five women and one man who is very used to being surrounded by women, one for each of Austen's books. They have different personalities, they are of different ages and they are all in different stages in their lives, but they all see life imitating art in one way or another.
Being a fan of Austen certainly helped, but it wasn't strictly necessary. The cast was good and while Emily Blunt and Kathy Baker are great in virtually everything they do, I was surprised to like even Maria Bello and Amy Brenneman whom I normally don't like much. The ensemble was wonderful. This one had more substance to it than The Leap Year, but it wasn't too heavy. I'm rather thinking I should watch this with my mum on Mother's Day. It's that kind of film.
The third film was Secondhand Lions from 2003. I saw this on TV some years ago and thought it was a lovely family film and not a boring one, for once. I found the DVD in a bargain basket and immediately grabbed it. The story is about a geeky boy named Walter (half-grown Haley Joel Osment) who gets sent to live with his rather eccentric great-uncles (Robert Duvall and Michael Caine). He gets to know the cranky old men and hears wild stories about their youth, some of them so outlandish he doesn't know whether to believe them or not.
The acting is great all around. The trio of men play beautifully together, which is what really makes the whole film, and Kyra Sedgwick has an interesting little part as Walter's flighty mother. For some reason this film struck a chord with me and it always puts me on a good mood.
So, that's what got me feeling better :)
Tuesday 27 April 2010
Sookie's Back: Dead and Gone
Let's get this out of the way, I'm a big fan of Charlaine Harris. I love her earlier work on the Aurora Teagarden and particularly the Lily Bard and the Harper Connelly series. I have enjoyed her Southern Vampire series as well, and even though the current vamp trend is starting to wear kind of thin (Twilight-hysteria, anyone?) there are many new vampire/UF series that I have found because of it, so it's not all bad.
Now, Harris is an excellent writer and the latest Sookie Stackhouse (for me since where I live I'd better wait for the paperback prints) is a solid, entertaining book. I read it in one sitting which is not unusual with Harris' books and Sookie's adventures continue to be interesting. Some of the novelty and charm of the earlier books has faded, but that happens when a series gets to be as long as this. I hope Harris (and her publishers, really) knows when to draw a series to a close, she certainly has done it right with Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard. I personally feel it's better to quit while you're ahead and leave the readers sighing for maybe just one more book than write too many and leave that bad taste in their mouths. Sort of like a TV-series that is forcibly stretched too far and becomes boring or silly because it should have ended years ago (you know which ones I mean...).
This installment was still okay, though, absolutely worth reading. Not the best one in the series by a long shot, but okay :) Do read Charlaine Harris, if you haven't tried her books yet, she does tell a very good story. For those against the current vampire/UF trend, try Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard for wonderful, more traditional mystery-writing.
Now, Harris is an excellent writer and the latest Sookie Stackhouse (for me since where I live I'd better wait for the paperback prints) is a solid, entertaining book. I read it in one sitting which is not unusual with Harris' books and Sookie's adventures continue to be interesting. Some of the novelty and charm of the earlier books has faded, but that happens when a series gets to be as long as this. I hope Harris (and her publishers, really) knows when to draw a series to a close, she certainly has done it right with Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard. I personally feel it's better to quit while you're ahead and leave the readers sighing for maybe just one more book than write too many and leave that bad taste in their mouths. Sort of like a TV-series that is forcibly stretched too far and becomes boring or silly because it should have ended years ago (you know which ones I mean...).
This installment was still okay, though, absolutely worth reading. Not the best one in the series by a long shot, but okay :) Do read Charlaine Harris, if you haven't tried her books yet, she does tell a very good story. For those against the current vampire/UF trend, try Aurora Teagarden and Lily Bard for wonderful, more traditional mystery-writing.
Kits!
One of my more recent discoveries is Faith Hunter. Her second Jane Yellowrock novel Blood Cross came out not too long ago, but I only managed to get my hands on it a week ago. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Skinwalker, very much, so I had rather high expectations. Hunter delivered. The shape-shifting Jane is one of the coolest heroines I've ever read and her constant dialogue with her inner Beast is wonderfully written and often surprisingly endearing. The action is nonstop and the spiritual elements are engaging, as is the exploration of Jane's Cherokee heritage. I particularly like the detail of Hunter's descriptions on various rituals, environments and sensory perceptions, both through Jane's and Beast's eyes. One of the sweetest things in the book(s) is the way the ferocious Beast relates to children. To the Big Cat, children are kits and they need to be protected.
An interesting take on the usual horror/fantasy characters (vampires and shape-shifters) and an excellent urban fantasy novel. Warmly recommended to anyone who enjoys slightly darker urban fantasy with a good helping of mystery thrown in. Vampires are featured, but since Jane is a vampire-hunter by trade and good at her job, Twilight this is not.
An interesting take on the usual horror/fantasy characters (vampires and shape-shifters) and an excellent urban fantasy novel. Warmly recommended to anyone who enjoys slightly darker urban fantasy with a good helping of mystery thrown in. Vampires are featured, but since Jane is a vampire-hunter by trade and good at her job, Twilight this is not.
To Live is to Read and Watch Films
I've always been the classic complusive reader. I read a lot, all the time. I honestly have at least four books going at any given time. That's the minimum. Some of them are re-reads, of course, things that I love to return to. I'm more or less omnivorous when it comes to genre and while I buy a lot of books, I also use the services of the local libraries and borrow books from friends. I also write a lot, mostly for my own amusement. On this blog I'll be discussing the books I've read, the writers I enjoy and whatever is going on with me reading-wise.
Films are another thing for me. When I'm not reading or writing in my spare-time, I'm probably at the cinema or watching a DVD at home. I've got more than my share of DVDs and I go to the cinema often, but I rarely rent movies these days; there are plenty of other film-buffs among my friends and in my family, so we really just swap stuff and save our money a bit. As with books, I have some films that I return to again and again.
So, welcome to a completely personal and utterly biased blog on books and films :)
Films are another thing for me. When I'm not reading or writing in my spare-time, I'm probably at the cinema or watching a DVD at home. I've got more than my share of DVDs and I go to the cinema often, but I rarely rent movies these days; there are plenty of other film-buffs among my friends and in my family, so we really just swap stuff and save our money a bit. As with books, I have some films that I return to again and again.
So, welcome to a completely personal and utterly biased blog on books and films :)
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