Books and Fannish things...
Jan. 11th, 2018 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatBooks first, because well I never got around to writing about books last night.
1. Books
* I need to stop reading Smartbitches, because I can't stop buying books on sale that catch my eye via Amazon. They have a direct link, and the books are on sale for $1.99 or .99. I'm a book buying addict. I admit it.
Latest? Some urban fantasy that was a finalist for the Nebula Award, entitled "Borderline (The Arcadia Project Book #1) by Mischelle Baker.
From School Library Journal
Millie Roper has been at the Leishman Psychiatric Center in Los Angeles for more than six months, having checked herself in after a failed suicide attempt that resulted in the loss of her right leg. She's visited by a woman who wants to recruit her for something called the Arcadia Project, which she describes as a nonprofit employment project partially funded by the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, but refuses to provide any more details unless Millie meets her the following day. Intrigued, Millie packs up her belongings (wheelchair, crutches, cane, prosthetic limb, and suitcase) and takes a cab to the designated location. Thus begins a roller-coaster ride through Los Angeles and environs, as Millie is tasked with locating a missing actor. What she doesn't realize until she's well into the case is that fairies and other magical creatures live among the residents of her reality and that one needs only a special pair of sunglasses to be able to see them. Millie is a delight—outspoken to the point of rudeness, with a wry wit and (despite her history) a healthy sense of self-preservation. The supporting characters are a motley crew, all with physical or mental issues of some kind and of varying ethnic backgrounds, and the story is an entertaining mix of fantasy and mystery noir. VERDICT Most comparable to Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files," this should appeal to his fans as well as followers of Charles de Lint and MaryJanice Davidson.—Marlyn K. Beebe, Los Alamitos, CA
Which is basically why I bought it -- hit my story kinks hard.
* I am resisting the urge to buy the Mira Grant novel about Killer Mermaids, because I did not like her writing style as Sceanan McGuire for the Toby novels, so ...
* Currently reading a novel about a man who is estranged from his half-brother, and falls for the great-niece of the ruthless gossip who destroyed his life and drove his mother insane. The half-brother and the great-niece are attempting to heal the rift between the estranged brothers, and undo what the ruthless gossip has wrought. Has a strong theme about the negative effects of gossip, the futility and pain of vengeance, and the need to forgive and give people the benefit of the doubt. Also to be kind. Also the estranged brother/sibling theme -- which I'm obsessed with and is a big story kink of mine. Loving every moment of the book, because all the themes I'm really into, and seeking out at the moment. Particularly how fake news, innuendo, and gossip can destroy lives, but also why people spread it -- and the book delves into why they spread gossip. In this book -- the gossip does it because she was horribly rejected and felt betrayed. But her gossip and bitterness isolates her and makes her miserable.
2. Fannish things.
* Loving this vid fromsueworld of the Reunion of the Buffy Art Dept..
- Outtakes? If Joss didn't like something, he'd say what worked and what didn't, then say, okay we can make this work -- and then he'd make fun of it. Joss apparently found various set designs hilarious and made fun of the designers. Such as Acathla (the stone monster in the garden) and the whore house covered with alumnium foil on Firefly (the whore house) which he called the "Jiffy Pop" House.
- Whedon loved blowing up the sets. They built up the high school, which was located in Torrence. Torrence never welcomed them back -- wasn't happy about it. They did it at 4 am in the morning.
- It was everyone's first gig. They were all green. Also the studio wasn't watching them or paying any attention to what they were doing. So they brought their kids to work, and did stuff that they'd never get away with on a studio set.
-- Chunk of money for big set, and smaller account to build up backlot. They shot on a lot of cemetaries at midnight.
It's a highly informative video, well for theater/television/film geeks like myself.
* Shipping heros/villains? There's a couple posts about hero/villain shipping on flist. I wish people would lighten up about this. I've done it. Mainly because I find anything that explores nuance in characters interesting -- and I firmly believe that people aren't all one thing. There is no such thing as a purely evil or purely good person. A week ago, a friend said something rather interesting about this...she was talking about her father who'd sexualized her, and was abusive and she'd been furious at forever...but finally let go of it. I asked her how she let go of that anger? She said that she did it through the realization that her father wasn't one thing, for every horrible thing he did, he did a lot of good things too. He read to her, brushed her hair, taught her to cook. And she's done bad things. She can be monsterous at times.
Also people don't see themselves as villains. How do you know you aren't the villain in another's eyes? I think if you want to write well, you have to write the villain and the hero as people, not tropes. Complicated. With the hero capable of doing horrible things and needing redeemption, and the villain capable of doing wonderful things, and achieving redeemption. Otherwise the story is...somewhat flat in a way.
The best stories have complex characters. And when you put the hero with the villain sometimes -- this amazing thing happens, the characters can switch places. We see different sides of them. We see them from another angle. This happened in Buffy during S6, and I thought it was fascinating and the most realistic depiction of the series -- because heroes are assholes sometimes and villians are kind and sweethearts. That's reality.
I know I've met people who did horrible monsterous things. I wonder sometimes if people who see the world in such black and white terms, have? I sat across from a hit man. We were so close we could touch hands. And stood between a woman and the man abusing her. I've had a boss serial bully me, and betray me in a way that defies description. And I sat next to, and defended a former bank robber who had robbed banks at gunpoint so he could get high. This bank robber wrote pamphlets to help kids, and ran a drug abuse clinic inside the prison. He was kind. I've also seen people who were kind, and generous, stab others in the back and destroy them.
I can't write black and white characters and I can't read books with them easily, without getting annoyed. What I liked about Buffy in a way, was the writers seemed to get that villains were complicated and capable of good and bad things, and so were heroes. It's also what I liked about Farscape and BattleStar Galatica v. 2.0 and Lost. I require complicated heroes and villains,and I love it when the hero falls for the villain and vice versa.
But a lot of people don't get that. (shrugs). What can one do? But shrug. You either get some things or you don't. No amount of explaining will make the difference. We can't change how others think, not sure we can change how we think.
* Futile fannish hopes for fanfic? Or what would make me read it?
- Buffy - a story about Spike becoming human at the end of S6 (instead of just getting back the soul) except he is still the tough ass fighter, sort of similar to Ripper, but darker. And hates vampires -- because that's what he was. Self-hating. Because honestly Spike becoming weak and wimpy William again made no sense to me with a soul or as a human. He'd be a great fighter -- you don't lose a 100 years of fighting knowledge just by losing vampire abilities, I mean come on. Angel didn't.
- Star Wars? I'm half tempted to do it myself, but won't. The missing scenes where Luke informs Leia and Han what happened at the Temple and with Kylo Ren. Or Luke deciding to leave. Luke and Han discussing Kylo Ren coming to train with him. A scene between Leia and Rye.
- X-men? Scott Summers talking to Jean about what happened after she died that second time. (Since they are bringing her back). Also, a scene between Scott and Prof X about trying to lead people and handling power.
- Cross-over fic? Not really a fan, but I wouldn't mind one that had Albus Dumbledore and Gandalf.
Or, better yet, Micheal from the Good Place and Lucy from Lucifer comparing notes.
Also, Wynonna Earp meeting Buffy, while Spike met up with Damon Salvatore.
Better yet? Merge Supernatural with Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel and Vampire Diaries/Originals. Curious to see who survives.
1. Books
* I need to stop reading Smartbitches, because I can't stop buying books on sale that catch my eye via Amazon. They have a direct link, and the books are on sale for $1.99 or .99. I'm a book buying addict. I admit it.
Latest? Some urban fantasy that was a finalist for the Nebula Award, entitled "Borderline (The Arcadia Project Book #1) by Mischelle Baker.
From School Library Journal
Millie Roper has been at the Leishman Psychiatric Center in Los Angeles for more than six months, having checked herself in after a failed suicide attempt that resulted in the loss of her right leg. She's visited by a woman who wants to recruit her for something called the Arcadia Project, which she describes as a nonprofit employment project partially funded by the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, but refuses to provide any more details unless Millie meets her the following day. Intrigued, Millie packs up her belongings (wheelchair, crutches, cane, prosthetic limb, and suitcase) and takes a cab to the designated location. Thus begins a roller-coaster ride through Los Angeles and environs, as Millie is tasked with locating a missing actor. What she doesn't realize until she's well into the case is that fairies and other magical creatures live among the residents of her reality and that one needs only a special pair of sunglasses to be able to see them. Millie is a delight—outspoken to the point of rudeness, with a wry wit and (despite her history) a healthy sense of self-preservation. The supporting characters are a motley crew, all with physical or mental issues of some kind and of varying ethnic backgrounds, and the story is an entertaining mix of fantasy and mystery noir. VERDICT Most comparable to Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files," this should appeal to his fans as well as followers of Charles de Lint and MaryJanice Davidson.—Marlyn K. Beebe, Los Alamitos, CA
Which is basically why I bought it -- hit my story kinks hard.
* I am resisting the urge to buy the Mira Grant novel about Killer Mermaids, because I did not like her writing style as Sceanan McGuire for the Toby novels, so ...
* Currently reading a novel about a man who is estranged from his half-brother, and falls for the great-niece of the ruthless gossip who destroyed his life and drove his mother insane. The half-brother and the great-niece are attempting to heal the rift between the estranged brothers, and undo what the ruthless gossip has wrought. Has a strong theme about the negative effects of gossip, the futility and pain of vengeance, and the need to forgive and give people the benefit of the doubt. Also to be kind. Also the estranged brother/sibling theme -- which I'm obsessed with and is a big story kink of mine. Loving every moment of the book, because all the themes I'm really into, and seeking out at the moment. Particularly how fake news, innuendo, and gossip can destroy lives, but also why people spread it -- and the book delves into why they spread gossip. In this book -- the gossip does it because she was horribly rejected and felt betrayed. But her gossip and bitterness isolates her and makes her miserable.
2. Fannish things.
* Loving this vid from
sueworld of the Reunion of the Buffy Art Dept..- Outtakes? If Joss didn't like something, he'd say what worked and what didn't, then say, okay we can make this work -- and then he'd make fun of it. Joss apparently found various set designs hilarious and made fun of the designers. Such as Acathla (the stone monster in the garden) and the whore house covered with alumnium foil on Firefly (the whore house) which he called the "Jiffy Pop" House.
- Whedon loved blowing up the sets. They built up the high school, which was located in Torrence. Torrence never welcomed them back -- wasn't happy about it. They did it at 4 am in the morning.
- It was everyone's first gig. They were all green. Also the studio wasn't watching them or paying any attention to what they were doing. So they brought their kids to work, and did stuff that they'd never get away with on a studio set.
-- Chunk of money for big set, and smaller account to build up backlot. They shot on a lot of cemetaries at midnight.
It's a highly informative video, well for theater/television/film geeks like myself.
* Shipping heros/villains? There's a couple posts about hero/villain shipping on flist. I wish people would lighten up about this. I've done it. Mainly because I find anything that explores nuance in characters interesting -- and I firmly believe that people aren't all one thing. There is no such thing as a purely evil or purely good person. A week ago, a friend said something rather interesting about this...she was talking about her father who'd sexualized her, and was abusive and she'd been furious at forever...but finally let go of it. I asked her how she let go of that anger? She said that she did it through the realization that her father wasn't one thing, for every horrible thing he did, he did a lot of good things too. He read to her, brushed her hair, taught her to cook. And she's done bad things. She can be monsterous at times.
Also people don't see themselves as villains. How do you know you aren't the villain in another's eyes? I think if you want to write well, you have to write the villain and the hero as people, not tropes. Complicated. With the hero capable of doing horrible things and needing redeemption, and the villain capable of doing wonderful things, and achieving redeemption. Otherwise the story is...somewhat flat in a way.
The best stories have complex characters. And when you put the hero with the villain sometimes -- this amazing thing happens, the characters can switch places. We see different sides of them. We see them from another angle. This happened in Buffy during S6, and I thought it was fascinating and the most realistic depiction of the series -- because heroes are assholes sometimes and villians are kind and sweethearts. That's reality.
I know I've met people who did horrible monsterous things. I wonder sometimes if people who see the world in such black and white terms, have? I sat across from a hit man. We were so close we could touch hands. And stood between a woman and the man abusing her. I've had a boss serial bully me, and betray me in a way that defies description. And I sat next to, and defended a former bank robber who had robbed banks at gunpoint so he could get high. This bank robber wrote pamphlets to help kids, and ran a drug abuse clinic inside the prison. He was kind. I've also seen people who were kind, and generous, stab others in the back and destroy them.
I can't write black and white characters and I can't read books with them easily, without getting annoyed. What I liked about Buffy in a way, was the writers seemed to get that villains were complicated and capable of good and bad things, and so were heroes. It's also what I liked about Farscape and BattleStar Galatica v. 2.0 and Lost. I require complicated heroes and villains,and I love it when the hero falls for the villain and vice versa.
But a lot of people don't get that. (shrugs). What can one do? But shrug. You either get some things or you don't. No amount of explaining will make the difference. We can't change how others think, not sure we can change how we think.
* Futile fannish hopes for fanfic? Or what would make me read it?
- Buffy - a story about Spike becoming human at the end of S6 (instead of just getting back the soul) except he is still the tough ass fighter, sort of similar to Ripper, but darker. And hates vampires -- because that's what he was. Self-hating. Because honestly Spike becoming weak and wimpy William again made no sense to me with a soul or as a human. He'd be a great fighter -- you don't lose a 100 years of fighting knowledge just by losing vampire abilities, I mean come on. Angel didn't.
- Star Wars? I'm half tempted to do it myself, but won't. The missing scenes where Luke informs Leia and Han what happened at the Temple and with Kylo Ren. Or Luke deciding to leave. Luke and Han discussing Kylo Ren coming to train with him. A scene between Leia and Rye.
- X-men? Scott Summers talking to Jean about what happened after she died that second time. (Since they are bringing her back). Also, a scene between Scott and Prof X about trying to lead people and handling power.
- Cross-over fic? Not really a fan, but I wouldn't mind one that had Albus Dumbledore and Gandalf.
Or, better yet, Micheal from the Good Place and Lucy from Lucifer comparing notes.
Also, Wynonna Earp meeting Buffy, while Spike met up with Damon Salvatore.
Better yet? Merge Supernatural with Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel and Vampire Diaries/Originals. Curious to see who survives.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-13 12:12 pm (UTC)Then you definitely mustn't start reading Bookriot, same reason.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-13 02:12 pm (UTC)And you got me to buy The Thief and Seraphina...which I'd eyed a while back (too expensive) but were marked down to $1.99...can't resist.