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Saturday, January 26th, 2008
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11:33 pm - 4 more Death Note drabbles
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| Friday, January 25th, 2008
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5:37 pm - How to make rice bubble cake and have everyone love you.
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Because otherwise I will forget it again and I am very bad at finding things in Edmonds, here is my mother's rice bubble cake recipe:
( Rice bubbly goodness! )
If I even try to use a different recipe, such as one using white sugar, then I burn it and it is bitter and horrible. Although people may still eat it, such is the power of rice bubble cake.
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5:21 pm - Brandon Mull's Fablehaven. Not as good as Gerald Durrell's The Talking Parcel.
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The rep who brought in the reader for Fablehaven was really excited about it. And, you know, I'm up for reading about sanctuaries for magical animals. Pity then, I started reading about thought - and I'm supposed to care why? It has pretty good reviews on Goodreads, but I'm starting to wonder if I'm getting old. Which is silly because I read plenty of kids' fantasy. Such a plentitude that I'm probably getting pickier.
The main character, Kendra, was very bland. Her characterisation was, basically, that she didn't like breaking rules (although she didn't seem to mind sneaking), in contrast to her younger brother, who was such a rule breaker that he just seemed incredibly stupid. Also, Kendra annoyed me pretty much from the start because she proved to be squeamish around frogs and such - all those things girls are supposed to find icky but I never have.
It did get more exciting, but if I hadn't felt like I should make an effort to finish it, I wouldn't have. And I wouldn't have missed out on much, particularly with the deux ex machina-y ending. Overall, the book was a disappointment.
Why do reps keep raving about kids' fantasy that I don't like? Well, they don't all - I wonder if maybe it's the ones who don't read a lot of fantasy. Julie, the Scholastic rep does though, and I can generally rely on her recommendations. In fact, she's to blame for my Tamora Pierce addiction (my mum's a school librarian, the reps go round the libraries, Julie raves to my mother, I get bought all four Immortals books at once). Maybe I just need to get pickier about whose recs I trust...
So, sorry Fablehaven, but my favourite book about a sanctuary for magical creatures is still Gerald Durrell's The Talking Parcel, which actually has a sense of wonder, and all sorts of useful information like how cockatrices don't like the herb rue. Or weasels. And it has a parrot whose job is to ensure all the poor unused words of the world don't drop out of existance. Unfortunately it's out of print, or I would be forcing it on poor innocent children right now.
And by right now, I mean when I'm at work.
Admittedly, I haven't read it since I was maybe 11? And now I'm too scared to reread it (for what would probably be the ninth time). Also, my poor copy, it is falling apart. It is a much loved book, it is.
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| Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008
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11:37 pm - 50 Drabbles Challenge: Prompts 26 & 30
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Title: The Frustration of Near
Fandom: Death Note
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Mello, Matt
Words: 100
A/N: Written for the ![[info]](http://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif) 50drabbles challenge, table 2, prompt 26 - 'gun'
( Read more... )
Title: None of That PVC Crap for Him
Fandom: Death Note
Rating: PG
Characters: Mello
Words: 100
A/N: Written for the 50drabbles challenge, table 2, prompt 30 - 'leather'
( Read more... )
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4:53 pm - 50 Drabbles Challenge
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| Monday, January 21st, 2008
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9:57 pm - A fluffy Death Note fic
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I wrote this while I was on holiday up north, and the weather was really hot. I was obviously having gelato cravings.
Title: With the Sun Still Shining
Fandom: Death Note
Rating: PG
Characters: Matt, Mello & Hal
Words: 419
( Read more... )
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8:27 pm - Eva Fairdeath, by Tanith Lee
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Today I counted and I have 21 Tanith Lee books. I only (just) have more Tamora Pierce - but I have all of her books, and only a fraction of Tanith Lee's - none of her vampire books, for example. I have been reading her since I was in primary school and got out Black Unicorn from the library. Because I was very into unicorns. But I went on from there, mostly buying her books secondhand.
What I wanted to talk about was Eva Fairdeath, which I picked up from Ace Books in Levin (oh, the wonders of secondhand books that are actually cheap!). Eva Fairdeath was a weird reading experience, because the main character was crazy. Actually crazy. I would sit there wondering what the hell was wrong with her, although it's not like the introduction didn't warn me. But you're usually not in that person's head - it's kind of amazing.
Eva's raised in a future where woman is object, and Eva herself is treated particularly bad, being albino. She's grown up nasty as hell and with nothing to enjoy, so when she encounters the man she names Steel, who 'sells death', she inflicts her presence on him and runs away with him. Steel is also crazy, and watching them interact is quite fascinating.
The other member of their threesome is Sail. If Eva is scared of Steel leaving her, Sail she's scared is going 'round with other women. Maybe, but he's mad about her. Sail seems like the sanest of the three, being the charming rogue type, rather than the cold-blooded killer, or hysterical woman. But the sense is that only together do they make a whole. Yay for functioning threesomes! You know, sort of. You certainly wouldn't want to cross them.
It's a very disconcerting read, but a worthwhile one.
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| Wednesday, January 9th, 2008
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10:28 pm - My comic obsessions of '07
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I was going to do books too, but my poor sense of time meant half the things I thought of were actually from 2006. So I had a sulk, and decided just to talk about comics instead. 2007 was the year I spent lots and lots of money on manga - at Borders, over the internet - when I discovered that despite a 2700 yen base shipping fee, if I ordered enough at once, it was cheaper to import translated manga through amazon.co.jp than to buy it in any shop in NZ. So I got huge amounts of Obata Takeshi's work all at once. That was nice.
( Favourite comics to come out of 2007! )
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| Thursday, January 3rd, 2008
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10:05 pm - Criminal Minds ep 2.14
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Blasted double episodes! They get you all scared-up and then they're like, ha ha, not till next week! Torment! Our timeshare had better be getting channel 1, or I swear, I will just like, explode.
Although I did miss the first scene. People don't realise that just because you're sitting there, doesn't mean you realise the shows started! I was reading about vampires! So Mum had to briefly sum up the murder, and in doing so also gave the whole thing that made this unsub so weird. Because she's onto it. (The problem too, when they're hiding key things about someone by not showing them, is that it's obvious. But what do you do, if you don't want the audience to be in on it from the start?)
I think it started actually being scary when Garcia finds out the murder videos are being posted on the net. Not that I need be concerned about people spying on me from my computer - I don't have a webcam, and I certainly never call any kind of tech support. I like how Garcia calls non-techy people 'mortals', and so casually! Actually, Hex in the Chris Ryan books does the same thing... I'm clearly not cool enough.
But! Women being eaten by dogs is scary. Cornfields are scary (even if they're actually fields of sunflowers?). People splitting up when they're alone and out of cellphone range - scary. Perhaps just rural areas in general are scary? This is probably the spookiest episode in a while. Yes, even before Reid is in imminent danger. Although that probably helps.
I fear I'm just going to go off into fangirlish squee now. I'm sure seeing the promos all week will put me in a suitable state of fear for watching the show in. And, you know, I'll be on holiday again, so if I post it will be after a period in which I can reflect, ensuring that I will actually be coherent. Because I'm all over the place here.
Show, I love you!
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8:59 am - On my completion of Melting Stones
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So, I discovered on my trip down south that audio books are really quite useful when you're sitting in the car for hours. Actually reading makes me feel sick, and as there are only so many times you can play Savage Garden... I don't think I"d really listen to audio books for anything else though. Because there's nothing like being able to flip through pages, or being able to reread a sentence because you're don't want to believe you heard her say quartz is the first mineral you get from a magma*.
Still, it saved me a great deal of boredom. And now I can gloat to people that I've read the new Tamora Pierce and they haven't. (Oh, for someone to gloat to.) It's a good story even if you're not a rock geek, I promise!
The only thing is that I feel the moralism got heavy-handed, especially at the end. I think it stands out more, actually being said. Although, I suppose if she wanted to get across ( something kind of spoilery. ) 'Cause if mountains can learn, so can Evumeimei.
I did like the comments on Rosethorn's actually having to make an effort to be nice, to act right - and doing so. Rosethorn being awesome. I also enjoyed Dedicate Fusspot (I would call him by his actual name, but, you know, I don't know how to spell it!), and how he and Evvy came to stop grouching at each other. I do like Tammy's grouchy characters.
Mostly I just enjoyed the book ridiculously much, and I think I will be rereading it as soon as it's in print!
*It's the last
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6:46 am - my brain gets a bit overexcited sometimes
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I had my third Criminal Minds dream last night. Go me! Apparently, my brain is concerned about characterisation even when it's asleep, because I kept redoing Reid's dialogue. Oh, brain. I was a bit confused now, because the contents of the dream didn't match the trailer of this week's episode. (Except that they were both Reid-centric. You know.)
I'm almost sorry. I would've liked to have known who Hotch meant when he said he'd slept with a team member!
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| Wednesday, January 2nd, 2008
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11:32 pm - reading for december
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| Thursday, December 20th, 2007
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7:50 pm - Criminal Minds - Ep. 2.05, 2.06
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This is my belated thoughts on a couple of season 2's earlier episodes (2.13 plays tonight). I wrote these notes at work, on a scrap of paper it took me a while to find again. That's what happens when you leave your notebook by the computer...
( Episode 2.05 - Aftermath )
( Episode 2.06 - The Boogeyman )
We've had new brunette girl for three episodes now; I'm not sure what to make of her. (I also can't remember her name yet.) She's not as badass as Elle, though I don't think I should hold that against her. We just don't know her well enough yet, but I don't doubt there's something there.
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| Tuesday, December 18th, 2007
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10:44 pm - I am an even bigger geek when it comes to magmas
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Nice work Evvy, going down into the magma chamber and meeting your friends who want to blow the whole thing open. I am a little concerned that it didn't occur to her sooner but I guess her studies have been more focused on actually using crystals and things? And Luvo said they've never actually been by a volcano.
Whereas, I live on a subduction zone, and igneous petrology is my most favouritest. Lake Taupo, which I visit every summer, is the caldera left by a massive eruption that occured a few thousand years ago, and it was learning that that made me want to be a volcanologist in the first place. Poor Evvy, you are so deprived.
The magma spirits really made me very happy. In, you know, the 'ha ha, they're forcing you to help them try and escape and erupt all over you!' kind of way. Yeah. I would be interested to know what kind of magma it is? I suppose we will find out when the whole thing blows!
I really need to make myself a rock icon.
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| Monday, December 10th, 2007
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10:32 pm - I am a total geek
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I'm listening to Melting Stones, which is Tamora Pierce's latest book, released as an audiobook a year before the print edition. It is very exciting for me! It's odd listening to a story, but I had been looking forward to this, because Evvy is the main character. She was the reason I loved Street Magic so, because she is a stone mage. That book is so bashed up...
Rosethorn can't understand why Evvy is getting so excited, being on a volcanic island. POOR EVVY IS FROM CONTINENTAL BASIN. Of course she is over-excited. I wonder how people who aren't rock geeks react to Evvy's waxing lyrical? I suppose they don't go wondering about whether or not you can use magic similarly to looking at a mineral's optical properties... and how magical knowledge might relate to scientific knowledge... but mostly, oh Evumeimei, I want to take you on field trips with me.
I will stop now. But Tamora Pierce, you rock my world.
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| Sunday, December 2nd, 2007
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6:16 pm - Reading for November, with many short stories
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| Monday, November 19th, 2007
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9:29 pm - Black Juice - Margo Lanagan
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I was surprised, when entering Black Juice on Goodreads, at the average rating of 3.61 stars (now 3.66). Obviously, it quite enchanted me, and the idea of anyone thinking that the stories in it weren't brilliant... (I had heard so, in Magpies, years ago. I only just bothered to find out myself.)
Yes, they're disorientating. But for me, that's part of the pleasure: to be thrust into a new world, without the length to find out exactly what makes it tick, but to see it rather through the eyes of those who live it. And the worlds can be scary possibilities, they can be sad, but mostly it is just that for the course of the story, you believe in them. And the characters, amongst their different traditions and terrors, are true. That's my kind of short story.
Other people can have the banality of the real world for their stories, where nothing is revealed except that fact. I'll have my fantasies, my genre fiction, and I'll feel that I got the better end of the deal.
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| Saturday, November 17th, 2007
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9:15 pm - the kids save the world again
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Friday was action book day. It started with the graphic novel adaption of Anthony Horowitz's Point Blank. I'm actually quite impressed with the adaptions - they're well-paced, and not overly reliant on narration. Also it's fun to see all Horowitz's ugly characters, so lovingly described in so many of his books.
Also heard he's expecting to write another three Alex Rider books (poor Alex!) and that there aren't going to be any more movies :( I would have like Mr Horowitz to get ridiculously rich off movie adaptions. It would have been fitting.
Then I read the third Cherub book, Maximum Security, which I actually really enjoyed. They're very engaging. The series is based around the idea that no-one expects the child to be a spy! and so logically the British government takes orphaned children and trains them up. In Maximum Security, James is infiltrated into a youth offenders prison - and then has to break out with one of the criminals! It is so exciting, you have no idea. I was reading it whilst folding brochures, so that my boss took pity on me and told me to take it home.
It actually gave me an idea for a character, so I had fun daydreaming last night.
Lastly I asked for my family's opinion of which reader I should start, and the answer was Chris Ryan's Outbreak - which is the lastest in his Code Red series, though works perfectly well as a standalone. Evil miners in the Congo unleash highly contagious disease but don't care - they want their coltan! It's up to Ben to get word out and save the day - and with his father sick and dying, his only allies are the shunned girl Halima and their guide in the region. They must survive overnight in the jungle! Cross crocodile-infested waters! Learn to drive and block the road so that a new lot of workers from the next village can't be brought in!
The writing's not the greatest, but the narrative is solid and the story has heart. Also I appreciated the female co-protagonist. Cherub too, though mostly told from a boy's perspective, doesn't let the female side down - James's little sister features a lot - she's undergoing the same training, after all, and we see her adventures too - and his girlfriend Kerry isn't afraid to let him know when he's being an ass.
In fact, Alex Rider, you are the one letting the team down. The movie adaption of Stormbreaker actually took a female character who doesn't appear till later in the series, and gave her a part in the action of the story. But I forgive you, Mr Horowitz, because after all, you did drown a man in quarters.
In other news, me and petrology are like BFFs. It is good. Saskia made me a gold star. Then she made me wear it all day. But I am happy, because I like my rocks and I am glad they like me too.
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| Monday, November 12th, 2007
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9:54 pm - Recent kids' fantasy
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| Friday, November 2nd, 2007
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2:57 pm - Reading for October 2007
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October seemed like an extremely long month. Probably because I've spent it waiting for this exam I've got on Tuesday. You can definitely have too long to study.
( Reading for October )
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