Daily Archives: June 23, 2008

Fantasy: Raven’s Shadow and Raven’s Strike, by Patricia Briggs

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Yes, I’m on a bit of a Patricia Briggs kick (first the Mercy Thompson books, then the dragon books I read last month (known together as “the Hurog books”); these are known as “the Raven duology.”

Reminiscent of Robert Jordan with the magic and the travelers and the sense of class/caste between magic(al) and not… As with the Hurog books, the characters in these books are so real and so easy to engage with, and the story becomes even more believable as it evolves.

The first book establishes the relationship that the second book gives you the payoff for. The enlargement of the magic world in book two is done just so, so well. Jess is my favorite (not just Jess, but the Guardian as well) but all the “orders” have their attractions.

If you like fantasy, you should be reading these. (And if you like “good literature” but haven’t been reading fantasy because you didn’t know which ones to read, this is a good place for you to start.)

Fiction: The Farther Shore, by Matthew Eck

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I’ll go back to my initial reaction: Welcome to the new generation of war novelists. Tactile and gritty and completely engrossing.

A bombed-out Middle Eastern city. An isolated military unit. Sand and desert winds and sweat and dehydration and confusion. The byplay between fear and confidence.

While it is what every good war novel is…it is also something of its own. Highly recommended.

Big Screen: The Fall

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Visually stunning.

Similar to Pan’s Labyrinth, the audience watches the fairytale playout of a child’s imagination. Lee Pace is quite good here, very John Cusack-feelin’. Gorgeous, rich, saturated landscapes in beautiful locations (with every new scene, I thought: “WOW, where was THIS filmed???”). A sweetly charming (and ongoing) visual Indian vs. Indian joke.

Enjoyable enough plot; truly beautifully filmed.

Just one of those days.

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9:45a.m. – Rockin to Sounds of the 80s on the way to the bus. Harden my Heart, oh yeah baby.

10:15a.m. – Dear REO Speedwagon, no one will ever take your place in my heart.

12:00p.m. – Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you.

12:16p.m. – And don’t you know I would move heaven and earth to be together forever with you.

1:06p.m. – You’re out of touch, I’m out of time. But I’m out of my head when you’re not around.

1:15p.m. – You’re not shy, you get around.

1:28p.m. – And you want her, and she wants you. No one, no one, no one ever is to blame.

1:37p.m. – How do you think I’m gonna get along without you when you’re gone?

1:47p.m. – Listening to Celebration and all I can think about is Ross playing it on the bagpipes.

Now “free period” is over and all I’m listening to is people whining and bitching on the phone when I tell them no. In which case, I tell them: no, again. Louder.