| There was an interview with Ursula Le Guin on National Radio this morning, conducted by Kim Hill, who is pretty much New Zealand's top radio journalist, the one whose name everybody knows. I put on the radio at work to hear what I could. The reason for the interview was the release of Lavinia here – I read it last year, when Mum gave me an imported copy for Christmas. I'd actually been thinking of giving it to her too, so we both read it.
I was a bit baffled when Kim Hill introduced the novel: she said it was historical fiction. Which isn't how I would describe it – it might contain a lot of historical detail (and postulation), but it's quite fundamentally 'speculative fiction'. It worse got later on, as it became clear either one of two things had happened – either Kim Hill simply hadn't finished the book, or she had only done so on a superficial level, and had badly misunderstood it. Not just interpreted it differently, but hadn't seen what was blatantly in the text.
Which seems to me a waste of a damn fine book. I actually got embarrassed on Kim Hill's behalf, listening. And on the radio station's. And the whole damn nation's. (I'm very melodramatic about this sort of thing.) But for god's sake, if you're going to interview one of the most well-respected and brilliant writers in the world on her new book you should at least read it properly! | comments: Leave a comment   |
| Sarwat Chadda's The Devil's Kiss is the story of Bilqis SanGreal, a teenage girl who is one of the last members of the Knight's Templar. Some of the others find her presence controversial – not only is she female, but she was raised Muslim (her mother is Pakistani, her father white). But Billi is well capable of holding her own, taking her age into consideration. She has been trained as a fighter, with every weapon imaginable, under pressure from her father, who is Grandmaster of the Order. Arthur is not a good father – harsh, unloving, and without so much as a kind or complimentary word for his daughter.
So it is not surprising that Billi comes to question her role within the Order. But the forces of evil don't care for Billi's teenage angst. The leader of the Gregori has a scheme to cause the death of every firstborn child in London. Even Billi's hatred of her father and the Order will not let her stand aside in this fight.
I read a review The Devil's Kiss today which seemed to put it in with all the vampire novels that are coming out for girls at the moment (and variants such as the werewolves and even zombies – yes, zombies as romantic interests!) It doesn't belong to this particular genre of supernatural book at all. The Devil's Kiss bears more resemblance to Anthony Horowitz's Power of Five series – except without failing on the female protagonist – or to Skulduggery Pleasant, where the girl actually does kick ass. It's an action-adventure, with the addition of Judeo-Christio-Islamic mythology (and definitely all three). Which means it's right up my alley.
There is some romance, yes, but not with a jerk. ( Spoilers! ) And while Billi is a sword-fighter, Kay has the female-coded psychic abilities. It's nice to have a story that can give the female character some romance without letting that overwhelm her character.
The prose itself wasn't anything special, and I think I skimmed a lot of the descriptive parts, but I was gripped by the story, engaged by the world and the characters. There's a sequel coming out, which I'm keen for, but it's also a fully self-contained story (another nice change!) Particularly recommended for teenage girls who like action-adventure and are sick of having their gender relegated to secondary roles! | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Mum got a whole bunch of movies out cheap from the video store this weekend, because our favourite TV shows have finished for the season and we have to fill our nights somehow. Mostly they are sci-fi movies, apart from one political thriller set in Russia for my sister.
Last night we watched The Man from Earth, which is probably the only sci-fi movie that takes place almost entirely in one room. It was adapted from a play, and as such consists mostly of the conversation between the characters. Their friend and collegue John Oldman is leaving town, and everyone's come over to throw him a surprise party. While they're there, he throws out an idea - what if you had a man, born 14,000 years ago, who simply stopped aging, and never died. What would he be like?
There's a biologist, an anthropologist, a psychiatrist, and so on, and they have fun playing with this idea until they realise he's being serious. Then they start to freak out. Either their friend is insane, or playing a cruel joke on them, or this incredible thing is actually true.
Also he was Jesus. And had studied under the Buddha. This movie is so sincere!
The characters aren't much, and their dialogue sometimes seems awkward, but the whole point is to play with the idea and its ramifications. It's science fiction, but there's no action, no explosions, no AIs or space ships or whatever genre tropes you're most fond of. Instead there's just a whole lot of dialogue. But that's okay! It's not boring! Even if it is kind of twee in parts, I am impressed because it held my attention.
I am reading people arguing about it on IMDB now and it is kind of hilarious. I am really not so invested as to argue that it was OMG the-best-thing-ever or OMG what-a-piece-of-shit. Uh - not that that's not what it's always like on IMDB.
Tonight we watched Cloverfield, which was also an entertaining way to spend an evening. Although I kept getting distracted by the hard cuts, which according to the conceit of the film, shouldn't have been there.
They think we won't notice, but I have been playing with vids!
I would talk about that properly but I got distracted by IMDB and now I have to go to bed. My computer is about to kick me off.
Next up: 2001: A Space Odyssey! I have never seen it. Mum is hoping maybe this time she will know what is up with the apes. Apes? I thought it was all about homocidal AIs...
Obviously I have much crazy to look forward to.
ETA: Mum has corrected me; it wasn't the apes she didn't get, it was the stuff at the end. The really weird stuff. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| When I watched Charlie Bartlett next week, I kept comparing it to other teen movies in my head, trying to figure out what it reminded me of. I decided it was Pump Up the Volume. In both, the protagonist is privy to the secrets of others, and helps instigate the rebellion of the student body. But Charlie Bartlett is a coming of age story - it ends with Charlie being interviewed for an internship after graduation, his chequered past inspiring him, not stopping him. In Pump Up the Volume, the last we see of Mark is his arrest, and the film ends with the voices of those who he has inspired, who have started up their own pirate radio stations and are continuing to speak out.
Pump Up the Volume, I decided, is the more satisfying movie.
The fascism of the school system, and the student's rebellion against the above, is the main story in Pump Up the Volume, where in Charlie Bartlett it is simply a subplot to the stories of Charlie and his girlfriend's dad, Principal Nathan Gardner. As a result it seems kind of extranuous - the students riot, but we don't know whether or not anything comes of this. The principal gets fired, but unlike in Pump Up the Volume, he's clearly not the bad guy (he actually seemed like a pretty good principal to me). It's better for his sake, but it doesn't make anything better for the students.
But that's okay, because they're all too busy directing their energy into the school play to kick it against the pricks.
Charlie Barlett is also comparitively a fantasy - I find it hard to believe in the school's adoration of Charlie, their opening up to him as school 'psychiatrist'. The fascination with the character of Hard Harry, and the anonymity of the late night radio program seem far more likely to me. Plus, you know, Mark isn't dealing drugs and getting away with it.
In fact, Charlie gets away with a lot more. He gets arrested, but it doesn't impede his life in anyway, as opposed to the finality of Mark's arrest, where it actually seems like he pays for breaking the law. Charlie doesn't. Unlike with Charlie, the suicidal kid who confides in Hard Harry actually succeeds in killing himself; Mark never gets to make that right.
Also, Mark and Nora hooking up is way hotter than Charlie and Susan. Just saying.
I would like to write an epic proper comparision of the two movies (I even started taking notes) but I think I might scare myself if I did. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I am seriously addicted to IAMX. Ever since I watched ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) 0mindthegap0's (awesome) vid The Negative Sex... it took me a while to remember why I knew the name IAMX. Back when we were sixth formers, everybody loved The Sneaker Pimps. Specifically Half Life, the second album. The first album had the girl singing, and we prefered Chris Corner, and the third album was just not as good, and I was the only one that still loved it.
In seventh form, Chris Corner put out his first stuff as IAMX. Only, here in New Zealand, it was only available as an import. I think it cost about $40? No way were us little high schoolers going to pay that. I will not even pay NZ full price for a CD.
So I never bought any of IAMX's stuff. Until I figured out just who exactly 'The Negative Sex' was by. After which, NZ music stores failing me, I went onto the internet and ordered all three IAMX albums (and got the single for President free, I love ordering things over the net). Price of CDs in NZ is such that even paying shipping and our crappy exchange rate, the CDs worked out cheaper than new ones here...
I just remembered something. Half Life was the first CD I ever ordered over the internet. It was off a NZ site, and it arrived the next day. It must have been a Wednesday, because I didn't have to go anywhere straight away. So I took it upstairs and sat curled between my speakers and I put it on and I stayed there. It really is a beautiful album.
I am not disappointed in IAMX. I have had the CDs on pretty much non-stop since they arrived - a month ago? More? I listen to other things but it is only for the sake of listening to other things. The Alternative was the one I loved first, probably because it was the one I had heard songs off before. Then the newest album, Kingdom of Welcome Addiction, which wasn't officially released until after I placed my order but they sent straight away anyway. It is EPIC.
The first look the longest to grow on me, the one I never bought in the first place. But grow on me it did, and now I just tell the computer to play them all damn through. I'm a bit scared I'm going to play the life out of them.
...this whole rant was spurred because we watched episodes 2.18-2.19 of Sarah Connor Chronicles, and they broke my heart. Then I thought about how they broke my heart, then I thought of the IAMX song 'Spit it Out' (uh, because one of the lines is 'and it breaks my heart') and I had to go put on the album. Again. I ♥ you Chris Corner, you still make my life. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I'm working on a report for my volcanology class, at the moment. I flaked on starting the writing any earlier than a week before it was due. Which probably wasn't smart for a 7,500 word report. I feel myself flashing back to the years I did NaNoWriMo: come on, another 100 words, 100 words isn't that long, is it? And then another 100. If I do 1250 a night, I'll be okay.
I am well put off science at this point. I can't wait till I am back just doing plain old undergrad courses. All I want to do at the moment is read smutty Star Trek fic, dammit!
Actually, Hekla is a pretty interesting volcano. Also I love reading all the Icelandic names (maybe not the part where I have to keep going into 'special characters' to write them). I should just be grateful I got my last seminar over and done with and it's only writing I have to do now.
Right, off to do another 100 words... | | comments: Leave a comment |
| ( Spoilers wear dresses )
I embarrassed tonight myself by being able to name Jackson Rathbone (although I hadn't realised he was the funny looking one on Twilight till Mum looked him up on IMDB), and being able to name Matthew Gray Gubler and knowing he used to be a model. After already having said that he looked extra-pretty in this episode.
Then we went and looked at his website and it has got even more awesome since I last visited. Man, I just want him to be my best friend. You should all visit and then go onto 'web page' and scroll down and listen to him read 'Annabel Lee'. Or maybe it is only me who could listen to him forever. I'll be off swooning. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| And lo, there was again internet in the house! The new wireless modem/router is considerably more efficient than the old ADSL modem + wireless router system (the wireless part of the latter having broken). It is also not in my bedroom making high pitched noises. Yay! Although there was almost calamity when everyone hurridly catching up on their facebook quizzes meant no-one went to get the ice cream. Luckily I am a self-sacrificing human being.
Things I have been doing instead of playing on the interwebs:
- Cross-stitch. I just need some robot sprites so I can complete my 'robot apocolypse' bookmark and get on to stitching something even geekier.
- Making icons *points*
- Working on my religious studies YEAH OK GETTING BACK TO THAT NOW.
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| So, Star Trek was awesome. I'm so glad I went and saw it on the big screen.
There was a point, about two thirds of the way through, when I thought the pacing of the movie was off. Then I remembered I was watching a movie. I watch so much science fiction, but I watch TV shows. Movies are so short, and there's not the breadth of character development I'm used to. That doesn't mean they can't be lots of fun though!
( Read more... )
I'm actually tempted to go see it again. I haven't seen a movie multiple times at the theatre since Lord of the Rings! It was just that much fun. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| | Tags: | a: chess shira, a: kirkland ewan, a: lauer jean anne, a: martinon jean-paul, a: milsky daniel, a: rolufs heather, a: steiff josef, a: tamplin tristan, books: battlestar galactica and philosop, robots, tv: bsg | | Subject: | Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy | | Time: | 09:01 pm |
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| I've just finished Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy – the Open Court one, not the Blackwell one, edited by Josef Steiff and Tristan D. Tamplin. I'm such a geek. The book is a collection of essays, some of which, naturally, are cooler than others, though I enjoyed them for the most part.
( Post got long ) | | comments: Leave a comment |
| ( Sarah Connor Chronicles 2.13 - Earthlings Welcome Here )
( Battlestar Galactica 2.1-2.2 )
Also character development and plot movement in both, but at the moment I am only thinking about the robots! I also blame this vid by ![[info]](http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png) charmax, Unnatural Selection, which is filled with thinky thoughts on the robots in BSG and SCC both.
I have changed my mind about what I want to write my next Buddhism essay on; now I would like to write 'Do robots have Buddha-nature?' I have already found a book I can read, The Buddha in the Robot. It would probably be too much fun to right though, I ought to pick something that normal people will think is serious business. Not everyone is as concerned about how to prevent the robot apocolypse as I am. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Quantum of Solace starts with a car chase. You don't know why there's a car chase; you can barely tell who's chasing whom. Apparently it involves a “grey Aston Martin” and a “black Alfa Romeo”, but they both look black to me. It's badly cut and hard to follow.
Things don't really get any better after that. The movie's a collection of poorly edited action scenes, strung together with the flimsiest of plots. It's not unentertaining, but the quality-wise... yeah, it's pretty awful. At least it's short!
I can't fault the actors, who were let down by the lack of a coherent story. Judi Dench as M is awesome. I also liked Camille – I had to look at the DVD case to find her name, admittedly, because I don't know if she and Bond ever actually introduced themselves! I liked that she had her own motivations and got her own revenge.
The women in the movie as a whole rocked. Even Ms Fields, despite her unfortunate demise, had great character. It does seem that sleeping with Bond is a sure way to get yourself killed...
The villains, alas, were dull. I could get behind the revenge stories (to the extent that I could parse them) but the bad guys weren't scary. It's not like 'wants to take control of country's water supply' hasn't made for a good villain before!
Overall, it was disappointing. Clarity is a good thing, guys! You want people to know what's going on. And you want them to give a damn. You don't want one viewer to turn to another the next day and say, "I still can't believe how dreadful that was." That's never a good sign. | | comments: 2 comments or Leave a comment |
| I now own more volumes of Hikaru no Go than any other manga. And this latest volume is gutting. There is, of course, no way to discuss this without getting into major spoiler territory...
( Read more... ) | | comments: Leave a comment |
| Every so often, I will press some random key combination on my laptop, and my letters will suddenly go all fixed space and I won't be able to ctrl- anything.
I have just figured out that what this is is my keyboard input switches to Chinese when I press ctrl-spacebar. Only you need to do something else do-dady to get the characters.
...that is really so not convenient, particularly as on this little keyboard it's easy to press the wrong keys. Or, couldn't it least be Japanese? There are contexts where I want to be able to use Japanese!
Well, at least now I know what it is and how to fix it! Just not how to use it. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I'm two chapters into Sing the Four Quarters, the first book on Tanya Huff's Quarters quartet... well, no wonder they just say 'Quarters Novels' on the cover.
Our heroine is pregnant. (It's not a spoiler if it's on the back of the book!) She's also bisexual. Gay 'joinings' are permitted in the Quarters world, so this is utterly no big deal. Also there's no stigma against abortion.
Tanya Huff, you are awesome. Why have I not read these books before? (Okay, it's because the library hardly ever had them in, and I think when I tried to read Fifth Quarter I just didn't get into it. Anyway...)
There's a line in Princess Maker 2, where your daughter is writing you a letter in the game sum-up: "It's thanks to your care that I've grown up so healthy." That's the phrase I think of when I think of reading Tanya Huff and Tamora Pierce as a teenager, in terms of attitudes towards gender and sexuality. I have an untyped essay on the varied portrayals of sex in Pierce's books. I think of these books that I love, and I'm grateful for their example that allowed me to 'grow up so healthy'.
For example, possibly the only time I was uncomfortable in Mass Effect - there's a species called the Krogan who were subjected to what is called the 'genophage', which basically rendered most of them sterile. In one scene, you have to talk the Krogan member of your team into agreeing to let you destroy a cure for the genophage (it makes tactical sense in the game). I found this really difficult because I have a fundamental belief that one should not interfere in the reproductive capabilities of another people.
But - what? How did I even develop such a belief? I wasn't thinking about it in terms of eugenics, say, but in terms of other sentient species. As in aliens, as in fantasy races. That, before it ever occurred to me as a girl that you could apply the same idea to a human race; to so much as a single person. I developed the disgust in a fantasy context, before I ever realised that the issue was relevant to our world.
For which I can thank Tanya Huff. In Wizard of the Grove, one of the things Crystal (the titular hero) sets to right is what the first wizards did - created a race of werewolves, but ensured that they would never be able to easily reproduce. And that's the book that ingrained in me how very important reproductive rights are.
Who says that fantasy never teaches you anything? I'm just glad I read the books I did, that I had such healthy models to replace the distorting ones.
I read an interview with a male fantasy novelist once, talking about his few female characters - because that's how the world was, you know, to have women had babies, and so didn't have the power that he was interested in telling their stories, in that fantasy world.
Well, gee, isn't that what fantasy's for? If you've thought enough about it to defend your choice, couldn't you have thought a little harder and come up with a way to have a more equal world?
No wonder I didn't bother to remember his name; he's obviously not writing the types of books I want to read.
Tanya Huff is.
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| I'm playing Oblivion at the moment. I'm enjoying it - except the bit about being poor (I want to get to the part where I can buy a house!) and also the bit where I kept dying. Also, the more I play it, the more I realise how well-designed a game Mass Effect is.
I don't know for sure that it was deliberate, of course. But why else the long elevator scenes, the decontamination period before you got on your ship? Maybe some people find it annoying, but I thought it was brilliant. Mass Effect has built-in wristbreaks!
Oblivion, on the other hand, does not. If I want to make sure my hands do not die, I have to keep track of time myself. With Mass Effect I didn't worry about it; there were enough cut scenes and things where I could flop and not have to distract myself from the game.
Right. Off to save the city and earn myself some moolah... just hopefully not for too long all at once. | | comments: Leave a comment |
| I just read a chapter in Lopez's Elaborations on Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sutra called 'The Heart Sutra as Tantra'. Except it doesn't talk about that it at all; it just talks about the apparent difficulty of defining 'tantra'. For more than 20 pages.
I kept expecting there to be some pay-off, but there wasn't.
...I may have to flag this essay topic. Instead I'll write an essay on Buddhist themes in Neon Genesis Evangelion. I bought the 11th volume of the manga last week, and it occured to me whilst doing my Buddhism readings that it could be really interesting to explore. After all, who better than Shinji to illustrate life is suffering? The cause of suffering is attachment - well, Shinji thinks pretty much that in this volume.
Most interesting is that Shinji rejects the Intrumentality Project, rejects the Buddhist goals in favour of selfhood and human attachment. That's not really a spoiler because it's so much a matter of interpretation - what I came away from the show with. Which I admittedly watched six or seven years ago.
I am actually really tempted to email my lecturer and ask him if this is an acceptable essay topic. I would totally be into it... | | comments: Leave a comment |
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