random musings from a serialist
The plot of this book is complicated and difficult to explain briefly. The author draws on elements of Indian culture and mythology for the alien race he creates. The multiple story lines are woven together tightly, but at times it was difficult for me to follow what was happening. Still, it was an enjoyable read.
Wow. Two books in one day. If I keep this up, I might actually get to fifty books read this year.
The Enterprise is studying some anomalies that act sort of like wormholes by instantly transporting an object across a distance. The distances vary throughout the trials, and they are unable to determine what factors influence how far an object will be moved. Suddenly, they find themselves in an unfamiliar galaxy with no idea where they are in relation to home. As they begin to explore the are in hopes of finding a way back, they find themselves entangled in an interstellar war that has raged on for millenia.
This is a pretty good Star Trek novel. It is somewhat reminiscent of Voyager, with the alien technology causing a ship to be sent across vast distances to an unknown place far from home, but the book was published in 1987.
My modem isn’t working, so I wasn’t able to waste the day online. This meant I had time to read. I got a wild hair and decided to read all the unread Star Trek books in my house. Probably a reaction to the darkness of Battlestar Galactica. More on that later.
Goblins and wizards and orcs, oh, my!
In the Company of Ogres by A. Lee Martinez takes place in a world full of creatures of epic fantasies and folklore. Orcs, goblins, sirens, wizards, warriors, and the titular ogres are among the species present, as well as regular humans. Most of the story is set in one company of the Legion that provides armies for wars.
The main character, Ned, is sent to be the new commander of Ogre Company, the place where troublesome soldiers are sent, mainly because he seems to be immortal. This is a good thing, as “accidents” have befallen the previous commanders of Ogre Company. Actually, Ned dies rather frequently, but somehow he manages to come back to life every time. He has not been able to figure out why he keeps coming back to life, but that mystery becomes clearer as the story progresses.
Ned is being cared for by a magical and divine protector, and she is responsible for his supposed immortality, but she cannot protect him forever. Eventually Ned must learn to protect himself, because if he dies and stays dead, the universe will be destroyed. You will have to read the book and find out what happens, because that is all I can tell without giving away certain plot points, not to mention the ending.
I have not been able to peg down exactly the type of audience Martinez is writing for. Initially, the book seemed to be aimed at adolescent boys. The soldiering and mythical creatures combined with simple descriptions and dialogue clearly places the writing in the young adult fantasy category; however, there are some elements of the story that are better suited for a more mature audience. Although, not so mature that they have lost all sense of silliness.
Silliness is the key to a great deal of the plot. Like Ned, the reader is bounced from one fantastic circumstance to the next, never knowing exactly what will come of it and without a clear direction towards an end point. Publisher’s Weekly recommended Martinez’s debut book, Gil’s All Fright Diner, to fans of Douglas Adams, and I suspect that style of silly is what Martinez is aiming for with In the Company of Ogres.
Most of the gore in the book leans towards the gross-you-out variety, more than the freak-you-out type. Besides, what kind of fantasy book does not have at least one sword fight scene? On the whole, the book is an entertaining read suitable for most young adults, provided that their parents are not adverse to a few slightly veiled references to sexual activity.
Solo album from Sixpence None the Richer’s frontwoman.
I have been listening to Leigh Nash‘s first solo recording (Blue On Blue) for the past couple of months, and it was no surprise to me that “My Idea of Heaven” was chosen to be the first single off of the album. It has all of the elements of pop sweetness that brought Nash’s former band, Sixpence None the Richer, to national attention in the late 90s. The hooky chorus comes immediately to mind every time I glance over at the CD case sitting on my desk, and I find myself singing along in my head and bouncing in my chair a little. Unfortunately, this song is one of few memorable tracks from the CD.
The album begins sparsely with the rolling, piano-driven “Along the Wall” that evolves into a slightly canned pop track by the end of the first chorus. This is disappointing to me because the song began with so much potential to be like a single rose in a simple vase and ended up overproduced like some cheap grocery store flower arrangement. Unfortunately, this is not the only track that was given that treatment.
Luckily, the second track was produced with a lighter hand (“Nervous in the Light of Dawn“) and features a haunting melody by a flute or reed instrument of some sort. The lyrics paint an image of a rolling prairie in the early morning when the air is just right for contemplating life and love. There is a sense of wistful hope and optimism in her voice.
And I wished for guidance
And I wished for peace
I could see the lightning
Somewhere in the East
And I wished for affection
And I wished for calm
As I lay there
Nervous in the light of dawn
The album is reminiscent of Sixpence, but with more of the pop piano and less of the rock. On the whole, it’s a great collection of songs, but very little stands out about it. Nash’s vocals are indeed unique, but the songs themselves are only slightly mellower variations on the romantic ballads found on any top forty station. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but it is a little disappointing. I was hoping for something more.
Perhaps that something more may come from the remixers. From now until September 1, fans are invited to download the multitracks for “My Idea of Heaven,” do their thing with them, and then upload them to the site. All entries will be judged by Marlin, Morgan Page, Styrofoam, Panoptica and The Submarines. The winners will receive an iPod shuffle and seven remixes done by the judges. Maybe this will inspire Nash to move beyond the tired pop formula.
I love Marketplace. The programming is always top-notch and the content is accessible to the average person. One of my favorite things about Marketplace is that they seem to always connect the segue music with the previous story. Sometimes I recognize the tunes, but generally I don’t. Today on Marketplace Money, they followed a story … Continue reading “marketplace”
I love Marketplace. The programming is always top-notch and the content is accessible to the average person. One of my favorite things about Marketplace is that they seem to always connect the segue music with the previous story. Sometimes I recognize the tunes, but generally I don’t. Today on Marketplace Money, they followed a story on keeping cool in the heat and saving money with the Dar Williams song “As Cool As I Am”. Heh.
Holy freakin’ cow that was intense!
I’ve been hearing folks rave about how great the new Battlestar Galactica series is. Without a television (by choice) I haven’t been able to watch, but when the opportunity came to review the DVD set for season 2.5, I decided to jump in and watch all of the preceeding episodes, including the miniseries that served as a three hour pilot.
Holy freakin’ cow that was intense!
I knew the basic premise of the show before watching it. Humans created robot/android type things called the Cylons to be mechanical slaves. The Cylons became self-aware and turned on the humans. After a war, an armistice was declared, and for forty years it seemed like that was the end. Then the Cylons came back, stronger, and nearly destroyed all of humanity in one day. Only 50,000 humans remain, protected only by Galactica. They are looking for a new home that is safe from the Cylons.
Nothing I had heard or read prepared me for the reality. This is not the old Battlestar Galactica with it’s 70’s and 80’s science fiction sensibilities. This is for modern viewers who are not afraid of androids that look like “walking chrome toasters.” This miniseries had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. In fact, my muscles are still tense and I’m thinking I’ll need to watch something light and fluffy now if I’m ever going to fall asleep.
I’m scared of these Cylons. Mommy!
