lyssie, posts by tag: sff:books - LiveJournal

1. Flist, I have a very important question that I almost posted to twitter but forgot about. Did Jonas Quinn ever wear a bandanna a la Daniel Jackson and his do-rag of shame? (and why do I think I've asked this before? I don't even know WHY I wondered about this one my way home today).

2. It has come to my attention that I've not talked comics in, like, ages. (probably because I subsist on trades these days; holy shit it was back in 2014) And

• Rat Queens is currently on hiatus (and reading up on it, there has apparently been a quagmire of drama over the book for the last two years that I didn't even know about). This makes me sad. Although perhaps there is hope?
  
• Phonogram: The Immaterial Girl was everything I ever wanted in a story about Emily Aster. I love that woman, even if she's an asshole.
  
• Amazon keeps suggesting comics to me, which is why I've picked up:
  
  
  • Copperhead - it's a gritty space-age western with a badass female sheriff who is the quintessential cranky John Wayne type. Plus there's alien tensions, kidnapping, the heroine has sex, and bad things are on the horizon. (I totally loved it, ok, I can't help that I am weak for confident women having sex)
    
  • Paper Girls TOTAL 80's nostalgia trip, it's Twilight-Zone-influenced and hilarious and amazing. Plot? A group of paper girls on bikes vs what might be aliens in their sub-division. I love it.
  
  
• I continue to buy Saga, Lazarus, Sex Criminals, Ms. Marvel & Captain Marvel, but I haven't actually read all of them yet (I think I'm three trades behind in all but SC).
  
• I keep waiting for the new Velvet & Saucer Country trades in the vain hope they're not actually finished.
  
• I did read The Wicked and the Divine and, like Phonogram, it is a delight.
  
• Things I am not reading: most of Marvel, all of DC, and I may have accidentally broken up with Ghostbusters (but the movie may fill the hole in my life).
  
• Also not reading any of the new Doctor Who stuff out of (probably) loyalty to IDW. And also because I am not made of money.
  
• Where is my Painkiller Jane move, Mr. Palmiotti? Where? (I know, Emanuelle Vaugier and Kristanna Lokken are hard acts to follow)

3. Speaking of media, I am aware that there is new space opera on tv. However, I'm also sure none of you are surprised that I watched the first two episodes of The Shannara Chronicles the other day instead of Killjoys or Dark Matter. And unlike Legend of the Seeker I did not spend the entire thing going "please die, leading males, please fucking die as you are annoying and dull and boring." Instead, I mostly went "Oh, Wil, you're not that bright." and "I'm sorry, Allanon, that people are stupid and childish." and "What the fuck is Amberle wearing. WHY." (although, the thoughts were actually in reverse order). Idk. Epic fantasy apparently has hold of me right now? I liked Mr. Long-Suffering Druid and Amberle and Eretria, and Wil is adorable like a puppy.

3a. I think I'm terrified that all of the Who audio I listen to will make me super-critical of space opera (I mean, the Tricia Helfer thing from last year was probably amazing, but I couldn't last twenty minutes because dead girls and too many sexist males, but). Which is why I didn't try the other two.

3b. I also need to watch Wynnona Earp. And The Living and the Dead. (because creepy Victorian Gothic Horror; also, I'm pretty sure that if someone did a gothic horror series starring Romoloa Garai and Mia Wasikowski I would be all over that)

4. I did recently re-watch the Marple version of The Sittaford Mystery with Zoe Telford and Carey Mulligan. As always, it was excellent and I love Emily and Violet (and ship them so violently it's sad). And it made me want to work out more of a plot and finish the Emily/Violet fic I started the last time I watched (because Emily follows the money, but she can't help loving Violet, and Violet dislikes being used for her money but Emily is exactly what she needs now). Possibly there were Russian spies involved (shut up, I like spies and it was the 50's, and the Red Scare was a thing then. Besides, they were in South America. or maybe Prague)

5. So, my grand re-read of the Virgin NAs hit a snag as I realized that I would have to actually read Falls the Shadow. I certainly didn't manage it my first time through, and my completist brain wants to not skip. Sigh. But it's so long and full of dull torture, ma. */whines* Which is to say I haven't actually read anything since finishing off St. Anthony's Fire.

5a. Though, to be fair, I don't think I've managed to read an actual book this year. Perhaps I should break that curve.

1. Really. Bowie and Rickman in one week? Was it too much to ask not to spread them out a bit?

2. I am officially caught up on Doctor Who. Points to me for not stopping until I'd made it all the way through. No points to me for taking so bloody long.

3. I have also, disturbingly, caught up entirely on Sherlock. I blame the bushy-haired tall dude. Because he's not as tall as Trucco and Tahmoh, but he is tall, even if he's a bit odd-looking. (ok, also, Mary. And Molly.) and that voice, god

4. I should write up review things about the above two points, but they might entirely consist of "Can I have one?" (Clara) and "Can I have one?" (Sherlock). (ok, I'm not entirely that shallow)

(mostly)

5. In other news, I was listening to Spooks at work the other day (as you do, when windows keeps cuing up the episodes), and I realized that Tom Quinn is still the Angstiest Spy Ever, but Adam definitely gives him a run for his title. And as a whole, Harry's team really are the Worst, Most Obvious Spies. (also, Harry says something in a fourth series episode about not wanting to play god and I practically fell out of my chair. REALLY, HARRY. REALLY) And Ros, Ruth and Jo remain my favorites--if I had to quickly pick a team of women to storm the world, they'd be it. (and possibly Molly Hooper for medical backup. Or maybe Martha Jones. I can't decide which)

6. Like, a month ago I went down and visited aj and havocthecat, and there were potatoes and latkes and long conversations and it's been way too long since I'd seen them. And it was amazing to hang out. We all agreed that we are not too old for fandom, and that it sometimes is a bit scary to think about how long it's been since we entered said establishment and/or met each other (for reals, every time someone on my flist talks about the age of their children--if they have them--I suddenly am like "shit, I remember when...").

7. Christmas happened, saw parts of my family. Didn't see others. Drove a Ford Focus down and back, and it was lovely. (my sis and bro-in-law almost spoiled me for DW s9 and the xmas special, but I was all "la la la, can't hear you" at them. And then my sis was saying that she didn't get Elementary, 'cause Joan Watson sounds wrong, and I almost said "them's fighting words" but got distracted 'cause Joan would be like "...whatever" and go solve crime)

8. Watched the recent adaption of And Then Where None and thought it was very well done. Dark, gothic and very compelling (even if the music was occasionally a bit much). I also managed to not want it to end the way it did (and for once, fandom gave me presents in that the pairing I wanted to read is about the only thing out there--I know they are awful, awful people, but I ship it like I shipped everyone in Crimson Peak, ok)

9. I fell down on the job with keeping a booklist over the last year, so I've no idea what I read over the year. Perhaps I'll manage better this year. The only thing I remember is re-reading Georgiana again (I can't help it, Georgie is ridiculous and forthright and clever and she shoots him this one time, that's like Lyssie kryptonite served up with milk chocolate truffles)

10. I really have to stop with the parenthetical statements (even if they are fun, this is not prose, dammit).

(sigh)

1. I made it through Color of Magic and Light Fantastic (Rincewiiiiind. Mwah) quickly and with a lot of glee. I pushed my way through Equal Rites, because I figured it couldn't be as awful as I remembered it being (sadly, it kinda was, as it just... peters off into a not-very-satisfying ending).

But Mort, which I've never read? He is so dull. I'm, like, barely 60 pages in and I just... I'm bored. A part of me is like "keep reading! History is here!" Bleh. Maybe I'll manage more tomorrow. And maybe it won't be as predictable. (like, when I'm skipping ahead to see if the next bit has what I think will happen in it and it happens, this is not a good thing--especially when this is the third time I've gone "I bet this happens next.... yep.").

2. In the last week I have written 3000 words of Annie and Jai from Covert Affairs fic, 800 words of assorted other ficlets, and 5000 words of Katherine Grey/Derek Kettering spies and sex and repression. (with the latter, part of it was accomplished by writing scenes that happen two or three years later. sigh. Sadly, if I wanted to finish and file off the serial numbers, there'd be no point as I am not Ruth Rendell.)

3. I am sure I had more. Oh well.

Sorry, there was a random impromptu Not Paying Attention To Anything. And I'm back now. I'm only at skip 160, dudes. That is just sad

1. I came across this on my travels: In a statement, SFX said:
Revisionists would have you believe that Who was always a show with emotional impact, but barring a couple of companion departures, that didn't really become true until the advent of Russell T Davies.


No. No. You are wrong and everything you will ever think or say is wrong.

2. I suppose it's a good thing I pay no attention to magazines these days (but OH my collection. It's sitting over on a box right now because I was digging for old Avengers issues out of boredom last week)

3. Matt Fraction's Sex Criminals is entirely ridiculous, but hilarious and very readable. I read the TPB. And then I read it again right after. It was that kind of night.

4. I did Summerfest last week. Wednesday was the Airborne Toxic Event (not bad, I think I liked them better when we saw them two years ago? idk). Thursday was New Order (OMG THEY HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN 25 years. /old). NO were amazing and lovely and the new stuff they played had an excellent beat. Sadly, the vocals were drowned in the WALL OF SOUND. unf.

4a. However, before I saw New Order, I suffered two hours of the dullest DJ ever. DJ Whitney? Please never play anywhere near me again. For reals. THE SAME SONG OVER AND OVER AND OVER.

5. But at least it meant I plowed my way through most of Neil Penswick's The Pit, Good god, were large parts of that book dull. And let's talk about disjointed. And I felt like the end was very rushed. I really liked the Benny and Spike bits, though (especially how he never 'broke his programing'). I seem to recall liking this NA a lot more in my younger days. It also felt like Penswick was still stuck on the early Seven characterization, which fell a bit flat for, um, me. Because Seven is clearly the trickster who's playing tiddly winks while everyone else is Seriously Into Chess.

6. After my Ponds and Clara marathon over the weekend, I've been reading lots of fic. It's hard to find in-character stuff. There's a lot that almost manages it, but then Amy or Rory will say 'arse' and it throws me out (yes, yes, I know it is something UK people say. I just can't imagine Rory or Amy saying it. Clara, yes. Especially Victorian!Clara). Even worse are the crossovers where Amy, Rory, River and Eleven tell everyone their life stories. All. The. Time.

No. No, they wouldn't. They're all very private people. Eleven may babble, but there are some secrets he'd never tell (and River and Amy and Rory are secrets ffs)

(I am suddenly intrigued at more thoughts of Pryde & Wisdom vs Daleks, which is neither hide nor hair to this)

7. Still working. Should post about it at some point, and talk about how out of my depth I'm feeling at times.

Still not reading the flist, flist (I wouldn't be reading Tumblr if I had one, either)

Here, have the fic round-up meme thing.
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I finished off 2013 with yet more regencies (I really should start counting books)
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I rang in the new year with a re-read of Reforming Lord Ragsdale (Emma Costello, she owns my heart) (the author is the redoubtable Carla Kelly).

I also watched some tv.
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1. The bad news is: I'm still attached to the stupid project of pointless time and money-wasting. The good news is: I get to be bored silly while at my own god-damned desk with my co-workers around to help alleviate the boredom.

2. I'm pretty sure I already have Caroline/Sue White porn written for the upcoming femslash porn battle. (in my head, at least)

3. Ben A. is the new batman. It's like someone wanted to give me a lolsy early birthday present.

4. I read the last issue of The Lady Sif can rip your balls off, but is too bored to bother Journey Into Mystery. :/ :/ :( ngl, people, the fact that this book died is just a travesty. The art, the humor, the gravitas were all amazing.

5. I also re-read Simon Messingham's Strange England, which was not... awful. Like, I really enjoyed it, but it read less like a Seven adventure (even VNA Seven) and more like an Eleven adventure. Don't ask me how that works, since the book is fifteen + years old. But I've often said Eleven reminds me of Seven. And an OOC Seven is Eleven. (I wouldn't mind seeing this one translated to current-era, either. Chop out the Ace bits and Clara can take over Benny's spot. And not in a "Clara is inter-changeable" way, but in a "Clara can fit into Benny's bit more easily, since there's not much archeology, drinking or cursing involved" way)

6. Two weekends ago, I went drinking after work with my (real) co-workers. It was awesome.

7. I went looking for something else entirely and discovered that half of a box down in the basement was filled with Babysitter's Club, Saddle Club and the Linda Craig Adventures. If most of them weren't stripped library books, I would totally try giving them to someone.

8. There was also a Nancy Drew saves kids from behind the Iron Curtain, Cold War mystery. omg. At least I know where my love for the spy-tropes came from. (also, I must re-read it, and there better be Moscow rules)

9. Er, also, not at dragoncon. I considered it, but I am now an adult and can't justify spending that kind of money on a plane ticket. Also, my sister is packing this weekend as they're moving. So I'd be in the way there.

10. I shall now update my reading list. (please note that Elizabeth Peters was still alive when I was on my re-reading spree)
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1. I just watched The Krotons (I'd listened to it at work, prior to this, and I don't know how much was really gained by having the visuals...). The one thing that really really struck me, though, was that Eleven and Two have a lot of similarities--just. In the way they move. And once or twice, the way Pat Troughton phrased things (intonation, etc), was so terribly Matt Smith's Doctor. Which it's really the other way round, I guess.

2. The Magic Mousetrap is becoming one of the Big Finish audios that I really like. It's ridiculous and silly, but really serious at it's core, and I love the subversion of the ye olde Seven Manipulates Everyone trope.

3. Speaking of that Team Tardis (Seven, Ace and Hex), they really need to go hang out with the Leverage crew for a while and topple some totalitarian governments together. (yes, I know that DW is fictional in Leverage-verse.) They're all very good at that sort of thing.

(I may have given Live 34 yet another re-listen, and it's amazing and all of the things I love about the Virgin NA era distilled into radio broadcasts in a way sure to make me gleeful and geeky, and CHARLOTTE IS THE BEST EVER and should one day be a companion, and maybe go on awkward dates with Hex a few times. Someone make this happen)

4. Why yes, work has been absolutely mind-numbing shite over the last several weeks. I sit in conference rooms, generally alone for the bulk of my utterly fucking pointless day. This is the biggest fucking waste of time and money, EVER, but some idiot VP in upper management decreed it, so I am stuck until September.

(also, one of the people involved in our project told me the US has 51 states. WHY ARE STUPID PEOPLE ALLOWED TO LIVE. I just. No. NO. WHY.)

5. Book update, while I'm thinking about it.
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I have just finished Anne of the Island, and have come to a few conclusions. a) Diana Barry would be a Loki stan, and defend him against all comers as completely redeemable, if a little evil. b) Anne would despair over the lack of tall, dark-haired, broody Avengers and split her time between Thor (who is quite romantic enough for her) and Tony (whom she would write reams of brooding and pining for Pepper fic for). c) Gilbert, wisely, would just fanboy Fury and wistfully talk of redheads.

While at work, I've been listening to random things. Tuesday was Fellowship of the Ring in all its ridiculousness. And while it's entertaining, I'd forgotten just how much of a drama hound Gandalf is. Like, seriously, he is TOTALLY all about the dramadramadraMUH. (it suddenly puts into amusing perspective how I wrote a Mary Sue for Gandalf, given that I don't always like drama hounds).

Today was Two Towers, and the Ents going to war is epic even in sound-form.

(unfortunately, while Gollum is entertaining, the Sam and Frodo bits are excessively booooorrrrrring. Also, every time Celeborn said a line, I kept expecting him to be talking to Aeon Fluxx about being a clone. all Aeon Fluxx in Lothlorien crossovers will be adored; because that is an utterly amazing idea that just blossomed in my brain and what a pity I can't teleport images onto screen. sigh)

Aeon/Galadriel. youknowitwouldbehot

ahem.

I'm fairly certain I'm forgetting something, but lord only knows what.

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1. Rarewomen signups close tonight. I managed to get mine in, but now I have to construct a Dear Author letter...

2. Snow sucks.

3. Work would suck less if I could have dealt with the billion and one emails awaiting my attention over the last two days.

4. I have caught up on Elementary (except for tonight), and I stalled during Scott's reign on Midsomer Muders (there is like a stretch of mediocre episodes that just draaaag, even if Dan Scott is attractive and sometimes shirtless). Also, some of the early Troy ones are a bit... odd with their older gay man mocking Troy for fearing gay people schtick.

5. Still entirely behind on PoI, Scandal, BatB, Primeval: New World, Lost Girl, Bomb Girls and whatever else it is I normally watch.

6. I sort of love Ke$ha. I don't even know where my taste went. (Where are the thousand and one multi-era Doctor Who vids to "Blah, Blah, Blah" and "Fuck the DJ", I ask you?)

7. Updated booklist:
My Lady Governess by Wilma Counts (cute, a bit silly. But nice and fluffy)
Double Deceit by Allison Lane (adorably silly, with an undercurrent of srs bsns. Less angst-filled than some of her other works)
The Holly and the Ivy by Elizabeth Fairchild (this one was in desperate need of editing, as it felt insubstantial--I think the author was trying for a 'light' tone, but never achieved it, and neither protagonist seemed like a real person. Also, too dragged out. A short story would have had more impact)
The Unrepentant Rake by Melinda McRae (I was expecting something annoying, but this one was highly entertaining with an engaging heroine and hero, derring-do, and people defending each others' lives. ahhh. so easy, I am)

ahem.

1. In case anyone had forgotten, halfamoon starts tomorrow (today?) Eee.

2. also, womenverse starts a new round.

3. And there's a We Love Women friending meme going round.

4. In other news, I am cold and should sleep. soon.

5. Updated booklist (finishing off 2012, adding 2013)( Collapse )