Bits and Pieces

Ah, I almost blew off blogging tonight. (Again!)  I was finishing up Moon Called, which is (much to my happy surprise) a fairly decent werewolf book.  I’m not entirely sure why I bought it, since the blurb is kind of weird and disjointed and the cover isn’t great, but I’ve liked other books by that author so I gave it a shot.  Mercy is a skinwalker who shifts into coyote form.  She was raised by werewolves but never quite fit in, since she wasn’t able to join the pack and was then forced to leave her childhood home.  Now she’s in another pack’s territory, living on the edges and trying to get along with the werewolves, vampires and fae that live in the area.  I’ve not had great luck with a lot of werewolf books so I was glad this turned out well.  :)  I liked the characterizations of the wolves, the urban fantasy element was done very well (see Kitty Does the Midnight Hour for a bad example…) and the heroine was brave and plucky without being stupid about it and putting everyone else in jeopardy.  There’s nothing worse than a heroine who keeps getting into trouble because she’s too stupid to back down and find another plan…

More AMV torture

Well, not exactly music videos… I’ve already sent these to most of my friends, but what the heck.  Two I really liked with Azumanga Daioh characters – The Wizard of Ozaka and Lord of the Yen which are more movie trailer spoofs than anything… and Quid Pro Quo which has the characters from Descendants of Darkness debating what they would trade for a flying car (which is originally a skit from two of the guys from Clerks).  These are the things that made me laugh last week…

And in honour of my nephew, who has developed an Ichigo Mashimaro obsession to be proud of (I suppose it’s a good thing he can’t get any IM merchandise) here is a little promo episode of the show.  I guess it’s not really supposed to be on You Tube since the show has been licensed and is available for purchase.  Maybe you’ll want to go out and buy the dvd after watching…. :)  Also, I’m not sure why they’re in space.  It’s an imagination thing and no, they’re not in space in the regular series, though they do like a good game of pretend.

Snakes on a Plane

What to say that hasn’t been said already?  I had a great time at this one, though I couldn’t watch a lot of it (I spent a great deal of time cringing from the snake bites) and I left the theatre with a giggle headache, which is always a good sign.  I probably won’t be buying the dvd, though.  Like I could go through that again…  One thing I was surprised by and really liked was the sub plot with the FBI agent on the ground who was investigating the snakes and trying to find anti-venoms before the plane landed.  I just thought it added a nice relief from the SNAKES!!  Also, there were some characters who refused to learn and were entirely too casual about 1) being left alone in areas where snakes were known to get in and 2) sticking their hands into piles of stuff where snakes could be concealed.  There was a guy sitting a few seats down from me who really should have gone opening night.  He was by himself and kept shouting things at the screen, which got old really quickly. 

Vanished

My first new tv show of the season, and a disappointment.  I didn’t like it.  By the end of the episode I was so bored I didn’t care about the last twist and I was tired of the actors’ overacting and trying to be really really INTENSE (especially Rebecca Gayheart, who couldn’t quite pull it off).  The lead FBI guy should have just gotten a badge that said “I don’t take crap from anyone” and spared me the angst.  And poor Ming-Na.  She was reduced to running in to report things to the lead FBI guy (INTENSELY) and then looking serious while he did all the work.  It was like she was his secretary who got to pack heat.  Also, SIX subplots in one episode?  Geez!  Save something for episode two…  I have a friend who loved it though (probably because she likes the guy from Queer as Folk who played the INTENSE!! FBI guy) and one who merely liked it.  If I was really really bored I might consider watching this one, but quite frankly, I’d rather spend the hour doing something else.

Random Manga Observation

I was rereading Land of the Blindfolded the other night (such a good series, and I’m missing volumes 3 and 4 for some reason.  I think I lent them out and never got them back….) and was struck by the difference in the art for the first story in the series.  Even later chapters in the same book are much smoother.  Also, this series is really all about Arou for me, and he seemed so different when he first appeared in the story.  Much more mischievous and darker than after he falls for Kanade, and once Namiki shows up he kind of usurps the role of the rebel in the book.  In an angst competition between the two boys though, Arou wins hands down, which is probably why I love his character so much….

That’s about it for today, I think, though there were probably other things I felt like babbling about.  Hmm.  I guess I’d also like to mention that Tanya Huff (my favorite author and goddess of urban fantasy) will be at the World’s Biggest Bookstore on September 9.  My inner fangirl is squealing as I type….