Saturday 5 December 2015
Game of Thrones Series 6 Teaser
Argh! This GoT Series 6 teaser trailer is such a tease - it doesn't really tell us anything. But it's like argh! The potential implications! Enjoy :)
Friday 4 December 2015
Review Time! (Oh Yeah!) - Straight James/Gay James by James Franco
 |
| Picture provided as part of the Press Kit by Hansen Publishing Group on NetGalley |
Author:
James Franco.
Genre:
Poetry.
A
few starting notes:
I
received a free digital review copy of this book via NetGalley.
NetGalley provides review copies from publishers in exchange for fair
and honest reviews.
This is a chapbook of poetry by James Franco. Yes, before you ask the inevitable question. That James Franco.
I really love poetry - but tend to read more of the nineteenth century stuff etc. because a lot of modern poetry is either overly-simplistic rhymes for kids, or overly-pretentious stuff for adults. I'm happy to say that this is neither.
(And don't worry about 'not getting' poetry - you don't have to. Good poetry gets you.)
Premise:
A variety of poems by James Franco, largely dealing with questions of identity, life as an actor, and sexuality.
It also includes the interview Franco conducted with himself for a magazine, in which he splits himself into Straight James and Gay James (hence the title.)
Best
bits:
James Franco can write poetry. I know, who knew? And it's good.
He weaves the lines with an understanding of how they meld and twist together - without ever losing the frank honesty that shines through. He has the confidence to play with the form - blurring the line between poem and prose - without lurching into the territory of a pretentious artiste.
Regular readers of this blog will know that I have a thing for sparse prose, done well. I can tell you that the same applies to verse. And this is some beautiful sparse verse.
In short: Franco. Has. It. I have no idea what 'it' is - I'm not going to ramble about themes and forms and metaphors - that's for some poetry professor somewhere to get in a faff over. I just know it's beautiful - and something special.
Not
so great bits:
This isn't for the easily offended - there's sex, swearing, and a bunch of mature themes.
Honestly though, I don't know whether I liked 'Goat Boy.' It kind of creeped me out. Although, given the sex and dead goats, I think that's understandable. It's probably not as bad as it sounds - I just personally didn't like it.
Verdict:
I loved this. I devoured it in less than a day. As I mentioned before, this has it. Well worth the read.
Friday Fics Fix - There Is Omegaverse (And I'm Taking You All Down With Me)
The Omegaverse. Also known as Omega Verse, Omega-verse, Alpha/Beta/Omega, A/B/O dynamics, and so very many other variants.
This is a fairly common alternate universe (AU) in fanfiction. Not quite as common as the Hogwarts AU, but still quite a common trope, regardless of the fandom. Doubtless, I've mentioned it before - but I'll give you a refresh.
Omegaverse dynamics work a bit like a wolf pack (or, that's the theory anyway.) Alphas are in charge. Betas faff about in middle-class status.
Omegas are typically the weakest, the rarest, the most beautiful, and the most fertile - regardless of gender. Whether women can be Alpha depends on the author's preferences.
MPreg (male pregnancy) is common in this AU, and breeding is determined by animalistic 'heats' - which, as can be imagined, cause a heap load of problems.
The other thing about this type of fanfiction is that there is always sex at some point (which is the case for a lot of fanfiction really) - it can get pretty weird.
Some people have thought how this works through to aworrying dedicated degree - there are biology charts available. I am not providing links to them - there is a limit, even for me.
I am also not explaining knotting. Because I don't know where I'd start. Let's just say there is... bonding... and... glands.
Every fanfiction author has their own rules and variations to the Omegaverse theme - for example, whether there are suppressants which can stop a heat, the rights of Omegas, whether families literally live in 'packs,' etc. It can actually lead to some pretty interesting stories.
This week's fic makes use of Omegaverse (otherwise I wouldn't have just spent a good chunk of my time explaining it to you,) in this version of the AU, there are 'Hunters' - who can recognise an Omega before their first heat (which is when, usually, orientation is revealed.)
Lost Brother by thunder_from_asgard
- is a Thorki Omegaverse fic. I explained Thorki here - basically, Thor and Loki are together romantically. This is fanfiction - just go with it.
I should mention at this point that I recommend this as 18+ Only - I know you might ignore me, but I owe it to myself to try and warn you. There's sexual slavery, and a bunch of trauma and sexual assault in this story, so please reader, beware.
Now that that's all said - I can tell you that this is a relatively long fic, at 11 chapters, and is, actually, very good.
Again, when it comes to fanfiction my perception has become a bit warped by the amount of the stuff I've actually read. For example, I'm no longer surprised by MPreg, or Omegaverse in general. My view of 'normal' is becoming increasingly blurred.
But I do think this fic is worth the read - it's interesting, really considers the emotional fallout of events, and is quite well-written.
There are spelling and grammar issues - but the author is not a native English speaker, and if I wrote this well in a second language, I'd be pretty damned proud of myself.
So, there you have it; Omegaverse. Just another randomly compelling facet of the bizarre world of fanfiction.
This is a fairly common alternate universe (AU) in fanfiction. Not quite as common as the Hogwarts AU, but still quite a common trope, regardless of the fandom. Doubtless, I've mentioned it before - but I'll give you a refresh.Omegaverse dynamics work a bit like a wolf pack (or, that's the theory anyway.) Alphas are in charge. Betas faff about in middle-class status.
Omegas are typically the weakest, the rarest, the most beautiful, and the most fertile - regardless of gender. Whether women can be Alpha depends on the author's preferences.
MPreg (male pregnancy) is common in this AU, and breeding is determined by animalistic 'heats' - which, as can be imagined, cause a heap load of problems.
The other thing about this type of fanfiction is that there is always sex at some point (which is the case for a lot of fanfiction really) - it can get pretty weird.
Some people have thought how this works through to a
I am also not explaining knotting. Because I don't know where I'd start. Let's just say there is... bonding... and... glands.
Every fanfiction author has their own rules and variations to the Omegaverse theme - for example, whether there are suppressants which can stop a heat, the rights of Omegas, whether families literally live in 'packs,' etc. It can actually lead to some pretty interesting stories.
This week's fic makes use of Omegaverse (otherwise I wouldn't have just spent a good chunk of my time explaining it to you,) in this version of the AU, there are 'Hunters' - who can recognise an Omega before their first heat (which is when, usually, orientation is revealed.)
Lost Brother by thunder_from_asgard
- is a Thorki Omegaverse fic. I explained Thorki here - basically, Thor and Loki are together romantically. This is fanfiction - just go with it.
I should mention at this point that I recommend this as 18+ Only - I know you might ignore me, but I owe it to myself to try and warn you. There's sexual slavery, and a bunch of trauma and sexual assault in this story, so please reader, beware.
Now that that's all said - I can tell you that this is a relatively long fic, at 11 chapters, and is, actually, very good.
Again, when it comes to fanfiction my perception has become a bit warped by the amount of the stuff I've actually read. For example, I'm no longer surprised by MPreg, or Omegaverse in general. My view of 'normal' is becoming increasingly blurred.
But I do think this fic is worth the read - it's interesting, really considers the emotional fallout of events, and is quite well-written.
There are spelling and grammar issues - but the author is not a native English speaker, and if I wrote this well in a second language, I'd be pretty damned proud of myself.
So, there you have it; Omegaverse. Just another randomly compelling facet of the bizarre world of fanfiction.
Thursday 3 December 2015
Charity Reading Challenge 2016
Host: Becky's Book Reviews
Duration: January 2016-December 2016
The Challenge: 'Read for a good cause! Buy books at a charity shop, or, even a friends of the library book sale, or, donate a certain percentage of money for each book you read for the challenge. You can choose your own goal of how many books to read, what charity you'll be donating money towards, how much money, etc.'
The full rules can be found on Becky's Book Reviews here.
I'm aiming to read at least 20 books for this challenge - seems doable!
The books I read will be from various charity shops, and I'm planning on giving challenge updates which include the name of the charity, the amount I spent on the book, and a bit of info on the charity (because charities can do with all the publicity they can get!)
I love helping charities - it's kind of my thing. And I figured, as I buy a lot of books from charity shops anyway, I could also help to raise some awareness of the fantastic work done by charities while I'm at it. (And it seemed fun!)
Comics Wrap Up - Some Legends Are Told
Legends of Tomorrow Trailer
This new and upcoming TV series from the DC pantheon, featuring characters from both The Flash (US link) and Arrow (US link,) could be pretty damn awesome. Or, seeing as how the entire thing is based around time travel, it could get uber-complicated, uber-quickly, and then go to hell in a hand-basket.
I'm personally hoping it'll live up to its promise - not least because Hawkman and Hawkgirl costumes that don't look really stupid are hard to come by.
Single Issues
Cla$$war #4 is from the indie publisher Com.x, the series ran in the early 00's, and is pretty damned awesome. True, in no way is this for kids, or the faint of heart - and it really goes for the gullet in terms of social problems and the negative effects of commercialisation.
I actually really love this series, and have a habit of checking for the issues I don't have whenever I come across a second-hand comics stall.
She-Hulk #1 (US link) (of Charles Soule's 2014+ run,) is She-Hulk as it should be done. Jennifer Walters is amazing - and should be allowed to be. This then, is She-Hulk as the feminist icon (yes, goddamnit I said it!) that she really is - a kick-ass lawyer, and a lovely lady, who can also beat up robots every now and again when the need arises.
She takes on stuffy male lawyers, and Tony Stark himself, in this incredible and beautifully illustrated issue. It's also nice to see Jen standing on her own merits, instead of being hyper-sexualised for no reason; the lady is strong, she doesn't need to be a stereotype.
This new and upcoming TV series from the DC pantheon, featuring characters from both The Flash (US link) and Arrow (US link,) could be pretty damn awesome. Or, seeing as how the entire thing is based around time travel, it could get uber-complicated, uber-quickly, and then go to hell in a hand-basket.
I'm personally hoping it'll live up to its promise - not least because Hawkman and Hawkgirl costumes that don't look really stupid are hard to come by.
Single Issues
Cla$$war #4 is from the indie publisher Com.x, the series ran in the early 00's, and is pretty damned awesome. True, in no way is this for kids, or the faint of heart - and it really goes for the gullet in terms of social problems and the negative effects of commercialisation. I actually really love this series, and have a habit of checking for the issues I don't have whenever I come across a second-hand comics stall.
She-Hulk #1 (US link) (of Charles Soule's 2014+ run,) is She-Hulk as it should be done. Jennifer Walters is amazing - and should be allowed to be. This then, is She-Hulk as the feminist icon (yes, goddamnit I said it!) that she really is - a kick-ass lawyer, and a lovely lady, who can also beat up robots every now and again when the need arises.
She takes on stuffy male lawyers, and Tony Stark himself, in this incredible and beautifully illustrated issue. It's also nice to see Jen standing on her own merits, instead of being hyper-sexualised for no reason; the lady is strong, she doesn't need to be a stereotype.
Wednesday 2 December 2015
Review Time! (Woo!) - Vampire Mountain by Darren Shan
Title:
Vampire Mountain. (US Link.)
Author:
Darren Shan.
Genre:
Kids, Paranormal, Vampire.
Series: The Saga of Darren Shan (aka Cirque Du Freak) (#4) - The Vampire Rites Trilogy (#1) (USA.)
A
few starting notes:
This is #4 in The Saga of Darren Shan (US link) series - so my golden rule of sequel-reviewing applies: spoilers for previous books will be confined to the level of information found in this book's blurb.
The series is split into a number of trilogies. This is book #1 of the second trilogy (The Vampire Rites Trilogy (USA.))
This book can be read as standalone, should you wish, though it clearly leaves room for the book after it, and does make reference to the events of previous books.
This is a kids book - probably suitable for age 11+ - but obviously, age shouldn't be a barrier if the kid is mature and/or capable of reading to this level.
And, of course, this book is suitable for adults who refuse to be bound by the restrictions of age (like me!)
Premise:
The series is split into a number of trilogies. This is book #1 of the second trilogy (The Vampire Rites Trilogy (USA.))
This book can be read as standalone, should you wish, though it clearly leaves room for the book after it, and does make reference to the events of previous books.
This is a kids book - probably suitable for age 11+ - but obviously, age shouldn't be a barrier if the kid is mature and/or capable of reading to this level.
And, of course, this book is suitable for adults who refuse to be bound by the restrictions of age (like me!)
Premise:
Darren Shan (the author's pen-name doubles as the name of our young protagonist,) a half-vampire child, must make the dangerous journey to Vampire Mountain (hence the name,) to be presented to the Vampire Princes by his mentor, Mr Crepsley.
Best
bits:
The whole vampire society is clearly understood by the author - and that makes this world both believable and absorbing. Not least because of the names and histories of the vampires in this world (the names are great: Larten Crepsley, Gavner Purl... the kind of names that make a book otherworldly and rich in detail.)
The story is interesting - which is always a plus. This alone may be enough to tempt even a reluctant reader through the chapters (which are fairly quick and pacey.)
The dynamic between Darren and the world he now inhabits is well portrayed - with particular room for expansion in the relationship between Darren and Mr Crepsley.
I also like the female vampire Arra Sails, because she's pretty damned cool. And I love the challenges Darren faces as a slow-aging kid-vampire - it adds an extra dimension of feeling older than the world perceives you to be.
The story is interesting - which is always a plus. This alone may be enough to tempt even a reluctant reader through the chapters (which are fairly quick and pacey.)
The dynamic between Darren and the world he now inhabits is well portrayed - with particular room for expansion in the relationship between Darren and Mr Crepsley.
I also like the female vampire Arra Sails, because she's pretty damned cool. And I love the challenges Darren faces as a slow-aging kid-vampire - it adds an extra dimension of feeling older than the world perceives you to be.
Not
so great bits:
Some of this verges on the gory, and there is some violence, mentions of killing, etc. - which might upset younger and/or more sensitive readers.
What I object to, though, is the treatment of the old, the infirm, and the 'mad,' vampires - politically correct this is not; euthanasia is not a topic which should be treated in a manner that's quite this blasé, and almost cold. This isn't integral to the book as a whole - it's more of a side-detail - but it p**sed me off.
What I object to, though, is the treatment of the old, the infirm, and the 'mad,' vampires - politically correct this is not; euthanasia is not a topic which should be treated in a manner that's quite this blasé, and almost cold. This isn't integral to the book as a whole - it's more of a side-detail - but it p**sed me off.
Verdict:
A pacey and enjoyable kids' book which is equally entertaining for the adult. A vivid world with a gothic edge, this might be useful to tempt the reluctant reader, or boys.
Tuesday 1 December 2015
Goodreads Challenge 2015 - One Month Left
There's a month left of Goodreads' 2015 challenge. I have 20 books left to read. I can do this!
If, like me, you need to get your ever-loving butt in gear and sprint to the finish line, here's my plan for kicking this challenge's arse. Hopefully, it'll help you out with your challenge-arse-kicking-plan too.
Book polygamy
This is the part of the plan that I have the least trouble with (he he!) - I am always reading more than one book at a time - and I'm pretty sure this is the way to continue!
Short books are your friends
There is no shame in short books. In fact, some of the best books you can read are also some of the quickest. You can get through multiple books at a faster pace - handy for if you need to make up the numbers.
You might want to try the aptly named Quick Reads, and a good dash of comics (or at least, the ones listed on Goodreads,) and graphic novels.
Become surgically attached to your book
...figuratively, of course. Please do not actually surgically attach yourself to a book.
If you have a book with you at all times then you reclaim the lost minutes - in a queue, over a cup of coffee, while trying to avoid a neighbour you don't like (I don't do that! It's just an example!) etc. etc.
Read, read, read, and then read some more!
This is the bite-the-bullet part of the plan I'm afraid. In order to have read your target number of books, you just have to keep reading!
And one more thing...
There's an edit button on your challenge page. Don't be afraid to use it. Seriously, if you're less than 50% through your challenge (for example,) then you may want to consider revising the number down. There's no shame in it, it's just being realistic.
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