Brief babble 2012 Book list

It's almost the end of the year and I tend to keep a book list of everything I've finished in the year along with some comments. So I figured share and share alike ;)

I don't think I will be posting again before next year. Maybe I will if something bites hard enough, who knows? But if not I hope you have an awesome new year with fresh challenges that you feel confident in overcoming and not those frustrating ones that laugh at you at every turn (I've had an awful year, so sue me).

All the best for the rest!


1. How to ruin your life by 40 - Steve Farrar:
          It was okay... some of the principles were fine and legit. The guy is a little old fashioned and most of the book had to do with choosing the right marriage partner (which makes sense since that's probably the biggest thing in your life besides having children). It's just not really applicable to me in particular. Other than that, definitely has some things one could chew on.

2. A feast for crows - George RR Martin:
          There are so many things he leaves us hanging on in this book. Evil, evil author. But still a series I enjoy. This is actually the second time I've read the Song of Ice and Fire series through. I know 'A dance with dragons' is out, but I'm waiting for the paperback version... which looks like it's going to take a while if you consider how long I've been waiting for 'Rogue' by Trudy Canavan to go soft.

3. Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay
          I really enjoyed this book. Dark, somewhat twisted but beautifully executed. Jeff not only managed to convey Dexter's "strangeness" but made you believe it too. You felt his confusion and understood his amusement. I grinned through most of the book and worried through the last. I have to say that the shift to mortal peril was a little jagged and random. But it was a good read. Somewhere in future, I'll definitely get my hands on the second book in the series.

4. The Crucible - Arthur Miller
         Short, somewhat sad and disturbing. Lots to take out of it but still not a play that I'd fall over myself recommending.

5. Basilisk Station - David Weber
          The First of the Honor Harrington series. I've read the series so many times through. Love it. David Weber can be somewhat info-dumpy, but it's easy to overcome.

6. Honor of the Queen - David Weber
          Second of the Honor Harrington series. Just as fun as the first if a little slower. Totally different dynamic with a lot more outer politics thrown in.

7. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
         Thought-provoking. Well written and well thought out. I also love the fact that the movie worked to enhance and clarify the book.

8. A Dance with Dragons - George R R Martin
         Took me over two months to read! Interesting, surprising, confounding. It finally appears as if the real players are beginning to reveal their cards. Still seems far to go though. I wonder how long it'll take for the next book to appear.

9. Equal Rites - Terry Pratchet
        My first step into the Witches series of Discworld. It was a rather interesting journey. I found it a little slow going but it said a lot more than what was written. Very thoughtful approach to gender roles and what is expected and unexpected. I LOVED the concept of headology :) Granny Weatherwax is an interesting character.

10. Mistborn - Brandon Sanderson
        Intriguing. Magic based on science, a well thought out system that is fed to you slowly and steadily as the main character beomces more competent. It was a really interesting read. I admit it took a couple of chapters to pull me in, but I eventually got to the point where I couldn't stop reading. You'll sit through most of the book speculating about what's going to happen at the end. In my case I was about 50% right... but I wasn't disappointed by my accuracy. I felt quite proud that I had guessed correctly. Rewarding the reader is the best way to get them to your side. ;)

11. The Well of Ascension - Brandon Sanderson
        I have some mixed feelings about this one. I only got interested by what I was reading 600 pages in (nope, not making this up). It took me far longer to finish the book than it should have because of how much of a slog it was to get through. Oh the characters were interesting, but it just never got anywhere until the end. Sanderson has amazing setups, but he is his own worst enemy. Instead of keeping important things secret, he ends up blurting them out in the very next page. With that being said, he put it one helluva amazing twist in the very end of the book that made your heart drop into your shoes. I have to read the last book now because of that even if it ends up being a slog too. Bastard.

12. Mass Effect: Revelation - Drew Karpyshyn
         I was rather apprehensive about reading a Mass Effect book. I've read a couple of Star Wars extended universe ones, and they've been... very coincidental. I was afraid I'd find something similar in this book. Surprisingly, that was not the case at all. The story was well set out, easy to read without being simple, and finely crafted. It expanded on a well known character without throwing him out of sync with what he appeared like in the games. The book also presented concepts and explanations of the 'verse that broadened and enriched what I already knew. Nice.

13. Mass Effect: Retribution - Drew Karpyshyn
          So I only realised that this is the third book in the series when I was already something like a quarter into it. By then I was already well into the story. Going on about how much the book helped me with getting ideas for my story and how I had to jump up, grab a notepad and start taking notes won't really make anyone all that eager to read it. But Drew Karpyshyn - having been one of the main writers who brought ME & ME2 to life - will pique every ME fan's interest. He knows his lore and shares it freely without boring you.

14. The Hero of Ages - Brandon Sanderson
         A bit of a weird ending to the series. Some interesting twists and turns. It was rewarding in its own way, but I wouldn't exactly call the book satisfying. I'll have to sit on the fence with this one.

15. The Walking Dead - Kirkman, Adlard and Rathburn (Issues 1-30)
         I read the first 20 issues a couple of months (or maybe over a year) before the series came out. I thought it was rather interesting - and this from someone who doesn't do horror at all. I decided this year to start from the beginning and work my way through. I've gotten to 30 and it's good. It's not necessarily excellent. I do feel that it's lost its punch, but that seems to be a trend with most graphic novels that don't have a definite end. I know there are some twists coming (don't spoil me), but I'm giving it a break for a bit. There's only so many crazy people you can take at a time.

16. Mass Effect Redemption #1 - Story by: John Jackson Miller & Mac Walters
         Short but rather interesting. Some key moments that link up with Mass Effect 2. I'm not completely convinced of the Liara-Feron friendship. He seems too much of a greasy git and she seems far too passionate about his plight. Not that I'm saying she's interested in him, but seriously? Too much angst, too little foundation.

17. Mass Effect Invasion #1-4 - Story by: John Jackson Miller & Mac Walters
         Again an interesting series detailing the seizure of Omega by Cerberus. It was noteworthy how many plans-within-plans there were. Cerberus are a bunch of seriously sneaky bastards, that's all I'm saying.

Maybe next year I'll keep a list of movies and series too. I'm nerdy enough to do that, after all. :)

Anime Babble: Read or Die

So I was sick this past week (no I'm not making excuses, damnit. I'm using this as means of introduction). I don't know about you, but when I feel sick and miserable and brain dead, I like to sit and watch something that doesn't really require much in the line of thought. A friend of mine recently directed me to the anime series 'Read or Die' and this ended up being the brain-dead story I chose to watch.

Big mistake.

As it turns out, the series actually sparked my mind and sent it flying in all kinds of directions. Granted this is me and I'm an over-thinker but I finished it yesterday and 24 hours later, my mind is still working overtime. So clearly it gave a lot more than I was expecting.

I usually like structure with posts and I can't really do that here. Also this more a "I seriously need to share this and get it out of my system" post than a review. So I'm just going to babble and we'll see where it goes. FYI I'm going to be referring to the original video animation (OVA) and the series as the same thing since that's how I watched it. Oh, and another reason for the lack of structure is the whole being sick thing... I don't whether I sleep longer than I'm awake, but if not, I'm always half asleep and drugged out of my mind. (So this is probably the best place to apologize for any language issues in this post. If anything is unclear, point it out and I'll fix it, but I can't say I'm really thinking clearly in any language at the moment and a warning should probably be made about it.)

So what's it about?

It an alternate history where knowledge is absolutely everything, the world is run by large Libraries (think more government agencies than book-nerds with paper cuts) - each moving powerfully to achieve their agendas for a better future at the expense of the common man. Caught in the maelstrom are six women, each extremely capable in skills sought after. It'll be up to them to face conflict from all sides in hopes of saving those they love, righting their own wrongs, and bringing to heel those who seek to destroy everyone for the gain of few.

Sounds pretty epic, doesn't it?

The OVA basically lays down the groundwork by introducing you to Yomiko Readman, a constantly distracted bibliomaniac with a powerful ability to shape paper into whatever she wants to. It exposes you to the British Library and the background of some of the characters who continue on in the series. The series takes place several years after the OVA's events and brings in three sisters, each specialising in their own form of paper mastery. Together are assigned the task of looking after a extraordinary author who everybody (assassins, agents, crazy fans) seems to want a piece of.

I can't talk much about what I didn't like. Because honestly, my biggest disappointment was running out of episodes. I'm still sulking.

I don't believe the series is for everyone. For one thing, it is extremely female-dominated with hints of same-sex interests - none of which are ever confirmed; the orientation of virtually all the characters are (purposefully?) left obscure. The story revolves around strong relationships (friendship and familial) more so than the events surrounding them. It is definitely character-driven and the moments where the circumstances are emphasised more than the relationships, the story actually begins to drag.

The things that made me go hmm...

Characters

By now, you should know that I'm a sucker for good characters. So obviously that's the thing that struck me the most of this story. I'm not going to go into each and every character. They are all pretty interesting and the bonds between them are fun to explore. I'm specifically going to focus only on three of them as they are the ones who made the biggest impression on me.

And they are called The Paper Sisters.

Michelle Cheung, Maggie Mui, Anita King are three non-biological sisters who have their own detective agency and are hired as body guards of Nenene Sumiragawa - the author who everyone loves and hates and wants to use.

Michelle (25), the eldest and often the leader of the three, is cheerful, ditzy and (like Maggie) an extreme bibliophile. In moments of conflict she is often able to keep a calm, almost detached, attitude and as a paper user primarily fights from a distance.

Maggie (20) is tall, reserved and easily embarrassed. As middle child, she looks up to Michelle while always keeping an eye on Anita. She is extremely protective of her sisters and doesn't hesitate to step into danger if it keeps them safe. She is considered the strongest Paper sister and uses her ability primarily to defend others.

Anita (13) is small, fierce and outspoken. Extremely agile, she uses paper in close combat along with martial arts. She dislikes books (which is uncommon for a paper user) and seems to enjoy being contrary and difficult.

Personality reflected in action
I found it fascinating to see the personality of the character reflected in the actions taking in their daily lives as well how they manifest when using paper abilities. You have the spitfire who is amazing at close-quarters combat, the collected leader firing at her targets with precision, the strong guardienne who always manages to shield the others. It really made me re-examine this dynamic of personality vs behaviour; looking at characters in other stories as well as people in real life.

Weakness/Strength/Unity

Reading the descriptions, you'll note how these three complement each other perfectly. Each weakness is balanced out by a strength be it in terms of personality, behaviour or ability. And, obviously such diversity brings conflict, it is still noteworthy how that very same diversity brings balance and unity. Most of us would say "Sure, nifty, but in real life it's not going to work that way." and probably it won't. However, a strong case is made and I can't say that what was presented was particularly one-sided. Nothing was perfect, left unquestioned or uncontested. It was really insightful to watch that play out.

Relationship/Family

What struck me the most was that the three really embodied the idea of family - which is particularly powerful considering they're a self-made unit. It's always said that blood is thicker than water, but in this story the bonds of the three are really tested and it's quite extraodinary to see how they deal with these challenges. They are broken and separated quite a few times and the ache produced by these moments of isolation is actually something I would easily compare to a 'natural' family unit disintegrating. And being able to provoke such an emotional response is quite noteworthy.

Maggie

I cannot begin to express how stuck I am on this character. She's going to haunt me for ages to come, I just know it. I could write paragraphs as to why. Instead, I'll note how awesome it is when you watch something and a character just sticks. When multiple aspects of a character just fuses into your mind so powerfully that you'll always carry them with you. For me it's Honor Harrington, Elphaba in Wicked, Tara in Buffy, Fred in Angel, Book in Firefly, Shepard and Tali in Mass Effect, Adam in Being Erica, Brienne in Game of Thrones, and Maggie in Read or Die.

So how do I end this off?

I watched this series in four days hoping for brainless entertainment and walking away with a lot more. It's worth noting not because it's an amazing series that everyone will love and adore. I think it's worth documenting simply because it struck at the heart of this blogger and I think everyone recognizes how rarely we are truly moved by what we see/hear/read and pushed towards asking any type of question regardless of what it is.

Such moments are always worth the time to note.

Book Babble: Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson

I have to admit, I feel really out of practice. Not only in reading but summarizing what I've read, bringing it over in a way that makes some sense...

Thing is with the Mistborn Trilogy, I haven't quite decided what to make of it and I finished reading it over two weeks ago.

Oh well, roll those sleeves up and let's get going.

After being discovered as a mistborn, Vin, a street kid, is recruited into a thieving crew consisting of very ambitious, very capable individuals keen on stealing the Lord Ruler's cache of the most valuable metal in the world, Atium. Able to use all the powers of allomancy, Vin is trained by the crew's leader Kelsier and challenged to break out of her previous conceptions of the world and of life, and of her own identity.

That's how the trilogy starts. You follow the story of Vin and how she grows and is shaped by the events that take place around her - events in which she plays an integral part. By the end of the third book, it's hard to go back to the beginning and try to look at her as the grimy street rat. It's hard to believe how much she shifts throughout.

A colleague of mine at work couldn't stop talking about how amazing this story is and eventually just loaned me the lot. I don't want to spend too much time explaining the trilogy as much as give my opinion on it as a whole. But some of the things I did actually like merit a little.  

What I liked:

World Building
Sanderson is definitely a Class-A world builder. There's absolutely no doubt about that. He doesn't data dump. Instead he simply lets the reader experience a world completely different to our own through the eyes of his characters. And it works perfectly. Reading through the trilogy, to say that the world is intricately put together would almost be an insult. It is truly masterfully done.

And the world works with the story. It's almost a supporting character, enhancing the plight of the characters, staying in the background for the most part with the exception of a few crucial moments. Really masterfully done. Massive nod to Sanderson in this regard. He knows how, no doubt.

Complexity and simplicity of abilities
Sanderson introduces a whole range of different abilities that are all in some way connected to metal. Allomancy, for example, is series of abilities which are activated by swallowing and then 'burning' metals in the body. Each metal enables a different kind of ability. Pewter, for example, enables a person to be stronger, have greater stamina and absorb damage to the body that might have resulted in death otherwise.

Sounds complicated right? 'Wait, this is just one ability in this set? Whaat?'

But Sanderson makes it simple, giving names to these abilities. A person burning pewter, is a thug. We all have a very specific image of a thug... and it works.

The mechanics of the abilities are fascinating, but not overwhelming. They're introduced smoothly into the series and what also helps a great deal is that he endows single abilities to some characters who in some way then embody the essence of what it is. Both his ability to do this as well as the ability to construct the abilities themselves needs to be nodded at. I thought it was rather brilliant and I can understand the incredible enthusiasm that he has gained from his fan following.

Seeded, watered and not noticed until the very end
Certain critical elements in the story are seeded throughout and mentioned, but never really focused on. That is, until the whole plot turns on a dime and everything rests on those seemingly insignificant things you've been taking for granted all along. It is the piece of chalk you picked up this morning not knowing that you're going to be caught in a concrete labyrinth later today; the unassuming old lady who ends up with all the diamonds hidden underneath her pillow; or the old ache in your foot that renders you unable to run at a crucial moment.

And it's utterly, utterly brilliant. As someone who loves experiencing not only the story, but the crafting that goes into it, I could only marvel. Simple, subtle and powerful. Very few people manage to get that right.

What I disliked:

No character writer be he
At all. Regardless of gender or age, the characters are just not quite there. I very rarely felt myself caring about what was happening to them or understanding why other characters cared. Sanderson managed to make what was supposed to be a romantic relationship so dry that it felt more like two housemates who worked opposite shifts.

I love character development, it's my playground and I wanted to be able to dive into these people who were each unique and well formed but none of which seemed to have the emotional capacity of a tea spoon. I just wasn't sold on most of them. There were three emotional aspects I could pick up on that I considered strong enough for me to accept and those were loyalty, regret and the need to prove oneself due to low self-worth. All of which are valid feelings, but to have those be the only ones to really be sold by in an entire trilogy? Eh.

I wanted to like Vin. I really wanted to like her. She is a female protagonist in a fantasy series, for heaven's sake. That in itself should have me hauling out pom-poms and start doing cheers. But I really struggled with Vin.

Now let's state up front, I'm known for the fact that I very rarely like the main character in whatever I read or watch. It's just one of those things.  But what bothered me most about Vin was that she wasn't what she could've been. I'd dare say she wasn't what she should've been. If it weren't for the lack of depth in the male characters, I would've said that Sanderson just struck that wall called femininty, but I can't. And then there's the dreaded Mary-Sue aspect. Horseshoes? Really?

Setups
I praised Sanderson for the awesome way he assembled some of the most masterful twists I've ever read and I don't want to detract from that here. It has to be said though that some things one could see coming from a mile away - especially character roles. It's the pretty girl next door that the dude ignores until some other bloke doesn't and then he has to pine and fight for her. It's done SO much that the moment a girl next door gets mentioned, everyone already knows where that story thread will be going. It's like that.

I have to say that the trilogy wasn't overrun with this problem, but I did have those moments here and there.

Give away, give away, give away
Imagine Luke Skywalker meets Darth Vader for the first time. He's horrified and runs off screaming like a girl (c'mon, look at the hair!). In the next scene ol' Darthie is having coffee with the Emperor (anyone having a Spaceballs moment?) and the Emperor goes "So how's your son doing?". "Oh, fine. He has a bit of a hair issue, but I'll mention it to him when I cut his hand off."

The connection between Luke and Vader was a pivotal moment in the trilogy. And it would've meant nothing if Lucas decided to give away the game in the very next scene.

Back to the book. There were moments where I was screaming at the book. Screaming because the game got given away in the very next segment, chapter or pov. There were some parts that were really interesting. It made me curious. I wanted to know more. Only I didn't want to know everything there was to know about it on the very next page. Bad author! Bad, bad! No cookies for you!

Conclusion:

I don't think I would've read this series if my colleague didn't loan me the books and then frequently asked me where I was in the story, and what I thought and what I predict will happen in the future. What he consumed eagerly, I had to slog through.

And yet, if I hadn't read the trilogy, I would have missed on some really awesome word building and mind-blowing storytelling. As someone who writes, I learnt both from the things I liked and disliked. As a reader, despite the effort it took for me, I felt rewarded at certain key parts.

As I've said at the beginning, I don't know what I really think of this story. The very end of the trilogy manages to both tie everything together brilliantly as well as leave me completely confounded. I could marvel at all the little things that led up to the very end. I could really see the planning and exquisite execution. But I also had to step back, look at everything and go... "Uh... what?"

So I have to sit on the fence on this one. I can't say I loved it, I can't say I hated it. I love the world and the mechanics. I love it. Enough so as to want to read the fourth book in this universe, The Alloy of Law. It's set 300 years later and I'm eager to see what's what.

Just... no horseshoes, if you please.

Huh??

It's nine days after Nanowrimo and I am still somewhat in a state of shock and disbelief.

What do you mean I can play games now? What do you mean I can stop ignoring those books that have been calling me since October when I was knee deep in planning? What do you mean I can straighten my hunched back (scream at the pain it will induce) and breathe fresh air again?

Is this someone's idea of April Fools? You're too early, bub. Or too late... Whichever blows your hair back.

Okay, I have to say my state of zoned-out zombie girl primarily has to do with the fact that work had me bit by a Walker in January and left me in a fit of spasms and unrelenting pain and fever until now. Sorta. Still working *sigh*

But nano definitely did its part, oh yes it did.

Another thing that adds to the whole dazed expression is that I am still writing. It is risky and surprising in the directions that it is going but it still is going and going and it is terribly lopsided so will need some more work after the first draft.

That definitely also adds to the blank expression punctuated by the occasional bout of drooling.

So what I am hoping to tackle this December in terms of posts.

1 Coursera - probably will be uninteresting to most but toughies for you.

2 The Mistborn trilogy. It took more than half a year but I got through them and can now comment.

3 My santa picture I share EVERY Christmas

4 have noooo clue...




Grrr, arrggg, drool

50k the NaNoWriMo way!

I did it. I made it. I have arrived. 50 000 words later and I have hit that euphoria and relief that is always there, regardless of how many times you 'win' - this would be my fourth in the seven times I've done nano.

I'm not done yet. My story isn't done and I'm now hitting on some of the big points in the story that took all willpower I had NOT to start writing right then and there. So no. I'm not going to stop just yet. I won't be hitting my 100k. Life has just been awful in throwing obstacles at me. I'm just glad to have 'finished'.

My story did some weird and wonderful things so far. As is known, I have been planning my fanfic from June/July. I've spent hours making notes and working through scenarios and deciding where I want characters to go and what I want them to do and how I want them to develop. One would think that, given the preparation that has gone into the story, things would have followed as it was set out step by grudging step. You'd be wrong though. While the sections to the story stayed the same, characters got added, characters died, relationships got forged and torn apart... it's been crazy.

A friend told me recently that you find the soul of characters in the moments they go beyond your planning. Some of my characters have a LOT of soul and they were all too happy to share it.

I've had to write scenes that I never thought I would. Ones that made me laugh, cry, feel sick to my stomach,  and shiver with anxiety. And in it all, I've learnt. And that's what is the most amazing thing about writing. You learn. You see things differently. You gain insights. You grow.

I want to finish this story. And I want to post it at some point. I'd have to rework quite a bit of it. Add scenes, remove scenes, tone down scenes (especially the creeeeeeeeepiest, most awkward one I've ever written) and finally really sit and figure out whether I am going to be posting it or not). But that's for later. For now, there are six days of nanowrimo left. The pressure to finish the race is off. Now it's to see where this story takes me.

Nanowrimo update

Gaaaaaahhhhh I missed a week somewhere. I've been an evil blogger.

Short and sweet summary for you

• I'm not going to reach my target because life is evil
• I'm incredibly busy because life is evil
• I hardly feel like I have a brain left because life is evil
• Life is evil

But I will be hitting 50k at least. That's a given.

*sigh*

I wish I could think of something more to say... *goes to bed instead*

Babble - Nanowrimo - the first week

The first week was rather frustrating, but then I knew it would be. Work has gone from crazy to the point of "Please someone come fetch us and make sure the strait-jackets have purple buckles!" Which means, I had a couple of really awesome writing days and then some really crappy ones.

Also, I missed my one coursera deadline which means I won't actually have my course be 'complete'... ever. That's a little disappointing too. The task just completely slipped my mind and yeah... I still have one essay I need to do and a couple of quizzes - which basically consists of single questions that you end up guessing, but anyhoo.

This week is not necessarily going to be any easier. Work is work and everyone wants me to do something they gave me which means I'm bringing stuff home to do as well. There simply isn't enough time in a workday. And it's not a matter of "oh, stuff that, just finish when you can." Some of the  funding we're getting is dependent on this and that funding needs to still be paid out this year. If we don't get the funding next year, the boat sinks. It's really as simple as that. So yeah... stress.

I want to crawl my way back. I really do. If I can somehow manage to make my target, I'll be absolutely ecstatic.

We'll see.

For now I'm giving myself two hours of writing and then I need to get back to work. Joy.

Babble: Nanowrimo Kick-off party and the first couple of days of writing

I was exhausted when I got to our kick-off venue. I had spent most of the night still putting some goodie stuff together. It still didn't seem like all that much.. The waiter told me that despite my emailing the owner and arranging the table booking over a week in advance, they had no booking for me. Fortunately, they had virtually zero clientele at that moment and tables quickly got moved to accommodate ten people. I didn't know how many would come. We knew of four confirmed, two who may be gatecrashing. I figured ten would be enough. My co-ML brought his lot of goodies and that made the packets rather awesome, I thought.

We ended up being seven wrimos in total, one +1 there for moral support. Not bad at all.

Our region has always been the one with very few actual participants. What we lack in numbers, however, we more than make up in enthusiasm. We are known for our enthusiasm. That tells you something.

So the kick-off went rather well. 

As for the actual writing. My months of planning is really paying off. I'm having a lot of fun writing. Every time the planning falters, spontaneity steps in.When my mind fails to think of something, my handy-dandy file has the answers. I'm about 954 words short of 10 000. I might actually make 100k this year. I really want to. I was pretty darn close last year, but my story was virtually non-existent and I couldn't think of any other crap to write down. Not that I would have made the goal even if I had continued, but still. 

This time I can totally make it, I think what I'm writing isn't all that bad and if I like it then what else matters, right? Right.

So... so far so good.

An update before - Nanowrimo

Yes, another month has gone by. I'm an evil blogger.

But I have been busy. Work is kicking my butt and I've been working on my nanowrimo novel's planning (I'm BIG on planning. I blame... er... I don't know who to blame about that). Oh! AND I've been working on my coursera class - which is probably what I will babble about somewhere in November inbetween my NaNoWriMo babblings. And yes, I fully intend to babble about that in November. It's a big part of my life so I can just as well talk about it... a lot. Mwahahaha.

As co-ML, ie municipal liason, ie regional cheerleaders, this time is also rather hectic. One doesn't necessarily want to go big on nano-kits (those are the things MLs sometimes give to their wrimos during the kick-off party) - there is this thing called money after all - but I do like having those kits be valuable. Our party is next week and I have yet to fully pull together everything we had in mind for them. Not knowing how many to expect is also an annoyance. Could be anything from five to ten to fifteen to... well ours is not a region of many social participants, but one can't be negative when it comes to Nanowrimo. Nope, can't have that at all. Every year brings the opportunity of having an even better year than before. And so every year, you go in with that extra boost of excitement.

Or at least that's what happens to me. :)

This year, I'm all about enjoying the ride. Not that I wasn't like that last year, but I landed in an epic challenge with someone who could whoop my butt in a blink and I ended up writing the most insane wordcount ever. This year, I have a really good story that I've planned out and want to make something of - heck I might even post it somewhere... hidden... where no one knows where it is... or could ever link it to me... *impish grin*

So yes, there's an update for you. The next you'll hear from me will either be right after the kick-off party - which is on the 27th - or on the 4th. I'm going to try and do small weekly updates on Sundays. No promises though.

If you haven't signed up to nanowrimo, I'd really encourage you to do so. It is a lot of fun just to do something a little different. It IS a commitment, but sometimes those random ones end up being some of the most memorable.

I hope to hear that you've done just that!

Babble: NaNoWriMo

Where have you been?!

A valid question given the time that has passed since my last update and I will try and supply some valid excuses: Coursera, Theme Hospital, work, subsequent exhaustion, laziness and Nanowrimo.

It is this last excuse I want to talk about today. That would be Nanowrimo.

It is hard to deny that every person on this earth is, in his or her own way, a word smith and a storyteller. We all find ourselves in need to tell other people things – be it interesting facts, an event that has taken place, a prediction of the future, an opinion. And in that need to share with others we shape some form of discourse to suit that need. We choose a right approach, use a line of thought that may bring us systematically to our point, or prepare the punch line; or maybe we go out to get the most shock value. We are all crafty – whether we think it or not.

And it is this spirit which Nanowrimo allows to come out without restrictions or judgement. It is the platform to craft a world, a thought, an idea, a story just because you can, just because you want to, just because it is time to get off your butt and do something creative again.

So what is Nanowrimo? National Novel Writing Month is a writing initiative that aims to encourage unhindered, unedited, and ungracious creative writing.  The goal is simple: Start a story on the first day of November and write fifty-thousand words by the end of it. Fifty-wha? Are you crazy? That is insane! Actually… yes and no. It is possible to write that many words in a month. It amounts to 1667 words a day, which is what? Two pages? That is all you need in a day. That is not impossible to do, now is it? And it is not like you have to do it all in one sitting. A couple of minutes here and there throughout the day actually lightens the ‘load’ and allows you to really just sit and write without even having to worry about how many words you are writing.  People also have their own preferences to when it is the best time for them to write. I write the most in the mornings when I am too tired to think (oddly enough). But I like writing mornings and evenings. A fellow participant I know actually writes his novel by hand. He keeps a notebook with him wherever he goes and will write whenever he finds the time for it – like when he is standing in a queue.

As for the accusation that it is insane, why yes, it IS insane and that is the beauty of it. The splendour. The majesty. It is something to do that is against the norm either in the privacy of your own home or along with a bunch of other over-eager and possibly highly-caffeinated people who have also chosen to make November a crazy, crazy month.

And by a bunch of people, I do not mean fifty or a hundred or a thousand. No, not even ten thousand, not even a hundred-thousand. Let me put it this way: last year there were over 250000 participants from all over the world. That is a big bunch…

That is a whole lot of crazy! Yes, yes it is.

Why? Why would anyone be crazy enough to do it? Well, why not? Why not allow yourself the opportunity to write something that is not for work or school? Why not allow yourself to be creative and silly? Why not allow yourself to do something challenging and different? Nanowrimo gives you that opportunity.

But I do not have a story. Most Nanowrimo participants start off not knowing what they are going to write about. Some only figure it out about three days into the month. So what do they do in the meantime? Well, just write whatever nonsense comes into mind, really. Nanowrimo is not about an awesome story – although some participants do use the month to rewrite some of their work or use the pressure of having a deadline as a way to construct a very rough first draft of a project they might want to continue working on later. Nanowrimo is simply about writing. You can do anything you want in your story. Want to have your characters sit in a pub and talk the whole time? Go for it. Want three pirates to walk in? Type that up. Want ninjas follow them? Do not let us stop you. Want someone to have an Alien/Spaceballs moment where an alien bursts out of their chests and dance on the counter top? Make it happen.

But that is ridiculous! Exactly. Nanowrimo is about what you want to write about. There are no rules because, as much as it plays the role of a competition and even calls those who made the 50k mark ‘winners’, it is simply giving you the opportunity and permission to write. How much sense your story makes is up to you. My last story was not worth being printed and used as toilet paper, but it was still fun and I felt I achieved something by the end of the month.

 I do not want to have anyone read what I wrote. Which is a valid concern, but not really relevant here. The purpose of Nanowrimo is not to critique your writing in any way. It is to get you to write. It is not to make anyone look at what you are writing – no one is going to. You do not submit your story somewhere and then wait for them to determine whether it meets some kind of criteria that classify it as a novel. The only time you are ever asked to upload words somewhere is when it is the end of November and your words go through a word count programme to confirm the fact that you have reached your target. Feel unsure about that? Feel like someone might steal your masterpiece? Well, go to a website like http://www.ipsum-generator.com/ which generates gibberish words, select how many words you want generated and paste the gibberish words into the Nanowrimo counter. But you can cheat that way! Yes, you can, but what would you gain if you do? Zip.

So what do you get out of it?

•          The satisfaction of meeting a supposedly impossible challenge head on and overcoming it – or getting close enough to beating it that you know you can.
•          The opportunity to be creative – not many of us allow ourselves to be even when we have a couple of minutes in our day to spare.
•          The permission to be silly; to take that harsh critic always lurking in your mind and stuffing them in a box somewhere. It has no place in Nanowrimo.
•          A chance to interact with people from different walks of life and perhaps make a couple of friends in the process. (Nanowrimo has also resulted in a couple of marriages mwahaha).

Does that not sound like something to consider at least?

Nanowrimo is my favourite time of the year. Move over Christmas and do not even glance at birthdays, there is a certain excitement I feel about Nanowrimo that I cannot fully put into words. Maybe it is simply because it allows me a moment to be geeky without feeling like I am being so all by myself. Maybe it is being passionate and challenged along with other people. Or maybe it is just simply because it allows me to write and not feel like 1) I have to justify it or 2) that it has to be brilliant. Instead I can simply write and dare call it a novel.

I also love the interaction among the participants – be they those in the local community or in the forums. There is an energy among everyone. Maybe it is simply because everyone is being sort of silly in taking on such a supposedly pointless challenge. Maybe it is just that people are eager to be creative or curious to see what they can do.

And, just to let you know. This post is going to be about 1667 words in length. That is my aim: 1667 words. Now why would I do such a silly thing? Well, it certainly is one way to show you that it is not all that difficult.  If you look through this post, you will note some of the ‘cheats’ used during Nanowrimo to help give you a bigger word count. Well no. Cheat is such a nasty word. Something to be frowned upon. We shall not call it cheating. Instead we will call it a shortcut. Yes. Shortcut it is.

The first shortcut being that there are no contractions in this post. Don’t counts for one word while do not counts for two. Nifty, eh? Also note how many random ideas I threw in here – ninjas, pirates, aliens. Random works. Random gives you more words. Repetitions also do the same thing. Adding more descriptive words also helps.  I also love adding thoughts in short sentences. This makes for more words. Yes. We like more words, do we not?

So how to find out more about Nanowrimo? Why, go to the website of course!  www.nanowrimo.org The website offers a wealth of information about the initiative – as it should! It also has a Frequently Asked Questions page (as opposed to a FAQ hahaha) that will hopefully be able to answer the questions I did not manage to cover in here. And then of course you are more than welcome to ask questions here so that you can be further saturated by all the Nanowrimo goodness.

Think about it. Ponder on it. Chew on it. Consider it a bit more. Then go to the website, register and let me know. I am always thrilled by the prospect of having another fellow crazy person writing along with me.

And that is about 1667. :)

Book Babble: Throne of Glass

So I finished Throne of Glass and figured to comment on it while it’s still fresh in my memory. I think my opinion of the story is going to be different from someone who hadn’t read the previous original piece. I’ve been spoilt by what I already know and so couldn’t really be introduced to the world as others would. From the reviews I’ve read, I’ve heard nothing but praise from both new readers and previous fans.  Plus, I can be (and mostly am) rather critical to even my beyond my learned friends’ observations.

So, before my criticism says otherwise, the book is worth a read. It is better than a lot of stuff I’ve read, but obviously not the best out there. I’ll say if you want something that you don’t have to really think through, but which might surprise you with its depth later in the series (and you’re into YA), go have a look at this.

Stop here if you don’t want the more critical view of this book. I can’t say I will be spoiling it. I’ll be vague for the most part and what I do mention will mostly  be from the back cover. The biggest spoil will probably be something like knowing there is a character in the book who has an x-type of personality.

<’}}}>< <’}}}>< <’}}}>< <’}}}><

So, without further ado…

I know my previous post included a picture of the full cover and thus also the back cover plot synopsis, but for those who didn’t bother reading it:

MEET CELAENA SARDOTHIEN.

BEAUTIFUL. DEADLY.

DESTINED FOR GREATNESS.

In the dark, filthy salt mines of Endovier, an eighteen-year-old girl is serving a life sentence. She is a trained assassin, the best of her kind, but she made a fatal mistake. She got caught.

Young Captain Westfall offers her a deal: her freedom in return for one huge sacrifice. Celaena must represent the prince in a to-the-death tournament – fighting the most gifted thieves and assassins in the land. Live of die, Celaena will be free. Win or lose, she is about to discover her true destiny. But will her assassin’s heart be melted?

The book is younger than I would’ve liked, but not enough to be disappointed about. The biggest fault I can give it is that the main drive of the story – the tournament – really kind of isn’t. This book is about interaction. It’s about what is said and shown and what people are confronted by. The tournament is side-lined for the most part and that is rather quizzical. The second greatest fault I can give the book is that it feels like it’s setting up a series (which it is) and while it has a main thread that concludes by the end of the book, it kind of felt like the middle-child in a trilogy. You read it knowing that things were being saved for a next book and that bugged me.

There are also a lot of unexpected leaps in terms of relationships – both friendships and otherwise. Celaena is supposedly the greatest, most talented, most feared assassin (notice something here?) and yet it doesn’t take long before people seem to forget that. I also would think an assassin as great and feared as she is would also be hardened by her profession especially given that she is only eighteen and I can’t that is the case. I found her personality far too changeable and overly dramatic (maybe because of her youth?). With that being said, I’ve met people a lot more fluid than Celaena so I can’t say that she’s unformed, but it is still not what I would have expected. Maybe that’s what makes her such a master assassin?

Some things didn’t make sense though, but might fit the YA scene. A highly-respected soldier, admired for his skill, who has never killed anyone. Actions leading to events which then stop abruptly before fulfilment without any interruption of any kind and having this befuddlement be considered normal. Young adults in leadership or positions of power who would probably, based on age alone, not have sufficient experience to be as good as they’re presented.

Many herald the protagonist as a great heroine as she holds her own amongst the male-dominated cast of characters she is surrounded by. She never diminishes and rarely seems overwhelmed by anyone. When she’s surrounded by men, you don’t feel that instant separation of sex pressing down on her and that is something that is still desperately needed in current culture. We desperately need more female characters who can stand their ground. Celaena definitely does that.

I can’t fault Sarah J. Maas’ writing. With the exception of a single scene in the book, I never had any trouble following what was going on blow-by-blow. There were some choices or… elements to the story that I didn’t quite get, but I’m going to write it off as something that’ll clear up in future sequels. It is hard not to compare this work to Queen of Glass as it was on www.fictionpress.com and I can’t say I succeeded in not doing so. So let me comment on that for those who like me did read QoG. Again no spoilers per se.

The main flaw in the competition as it occurred in QoG has been rectified, but I still had issues with Celaena being the only female in the competition. I would’ve preferred seeing at least one hardened female face in the group as opposed to all the uglies on the one end and the breathtakingly beautiful assassin on the other. Because the flaw in the story was fixed, events differ dramatically all the way through – as it should. I can’t say I don’t miss some of the moments that had to be cut as a result though, but that’s the fangirl talking. I have to say I was happy that Nehemia was already present. I love her. If anything, she is the type of strong, female character that I would love to see more of in fiction.

Celaena’s past comes through a lot more in this version – which I have no problem with and in fact support – but I can’t say I necessarily liked the way it was presented. If you want to bring in an element like past events or character issues or concerns, make sure it fits with the moment that your character is in presently. If it haunts her, make it a reoccurring dream or thought, not a one-hit wonder. Your reader is going to forget, but also is going to think ‘where did that thought come from’? That was a little jarring, but mostly because I recognized the things it was pointing towards, even if I thought it was a tad too revealing at times. I actually really like that Maas brought those things in already. I think it is appropriate that we don’t discover something later on that seems totally out of sync with what we have encountered before. And I truly appreciate the fact that Maas went that route.

I really liked her referencing something that I believe occurred in one of the novellas published before ToG’s release. It was simple and effective. As someone who hadn’t read the novellas (but looked through the titles), I really appreciated the way was brought in, because I didn’t have to know what happened. Simply by the way it was written, I could feel the depth of Celaena’s feelings for the events that transpired even when I didn’t know those events myself. I loved that. It would’ve been great to see that kind of ingenuity throughout.

<’}}}>< <’}}}>< <’}}}>< <’}}}><

So where would I rank this book?

It’s a lot better than Twishite and its awful offspring, but it’s not Hunger Games. I would recommend it to readers of either camp. I think if you’re used to YA, this would be a good read. Having something of an inside scoop regarding future developments, I’m still rather excited and will be following the series with much interest. I do have two of the four novellas already released and will most likely get the other two as well (they’re R13 on Kalahari.net which I don’t think is all that bad) – I just hope they end up putting them in printed form so that I can stick it in my bookshelf. I hate the idea of only owning an e-book version of something. I’m still old school, I guess. I’d love to see Maas continue with the novellas. I hope she doesn’t stop now that the ‘main’ books are coming out.

So… I’d give it a 7 out of 10. 

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Mentioning Jane Austen in a crowd and the reactions you’ll find are surprisingly diverse:

• “How the heck did that get into this conversation?”
• *groan*
• “Oooh!!” *ramble about Jane Austen’s books*
• “....... Jane who?”

One doesn’t want to generalize on the percentage of awareness amongst the population, so I’ll just say that in my little world, the last response is utterly shocking whereas in someone else's world it might be the most frequent and leave it at that. But even among those who do know of Jane Austen, there is definitely a sense of it being in another era - one somewhat detached from our own. Sure, the themes can be traced through to the here and now, but some of the immediate issues highlighted in the book just can’t. And so how do you make the stories relevant and accessible or at least refreshing in the world we live in?

Enter The Lizzie Bennet Diaries – a modern adaptation of Pride and Prejudice which is probably one of the best known of Austen’s works. Lizzie Bennet is a grad student studying for her Masters in Mass Communication. Living with her parents and her two sisters (Jane and Lydia), Lizzie finds escape from her overbearing, marriage-crazed mother and life in general by recording a video journal from her bedroom which she regularly posts on Youtube (with the help of her best friend Charlotte Lu who helps edit it). The vlog is mainly from Lizzie’s perspective; thereby giving a distinctly one-sided view of what is going on in her live and the lives of those around her.

The cast is small, first consisting of Lizzie, her two sisters and Charlotte before slowly adding a new member here and there. This doesn’t mean that other characters aren’t seen by the audience as the four frequently pretend to be other people - wearing rather ridiculous props and costumes and re-enacting events that take place outside of Lizzie’s bedroom.

The characters are each charming in their own way, the dialogue well thought out and the story brilliantly presented. It is fresh, thoughtful and entertaining. Modernized, these characters are not exactly those whom they represent from Pride and Prejudice. Their exposure to the world they live in, the education they’ve received, the accessibility of social media all play an intricate role in shaping the personalities of these characters. As such, Lizzie is not quite the old Elizabeth Bennet, though she still retains many aspects of the latter’s personality. Not every situation is necessarily the same – there is no regiment of soldiers that can introduce Wickham into the Bennet sisters’ social circle – and so some very interesting changes are brought in to take on these plot challenges.

Episodes of the show are relatively short (rarely longer than five minutes in length) and finely crafted to ensure that the viewer doesn’t miss any important information. Where characters are separated, some other methods are brought in to keep everyone up to speed. An example of this is Lydia’s brief posts from her own youtube channel filmed with a cell phone camera – which introduced two other characters to the show who will hopefully make another appearance soon.

The show also manages to consistently break the fourth wall by bringing in viewer interaction. The characters each have twitter accounts through which the story sometimes is broadened by characters interacting with each other on it (even those not in the actual cast such as the ever elusive Darcy). Some characters also have tumbler accounts, there is a Facebook page for the show and all of these present the viewers with the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. Some of these are then addressed in Lizzie’s vlog through Q&A videos which are posted after every ten episodes. The gang also went to Vidcon this year – with Lizzie doing a few posts from the convention centre – under the pretense of networking given their interest in mass communication and social marketing.

As someone who is familiar with Pride and Prejudice, I find this show incredibly delightful. It also puts me in the fortunate position of being able to appreciate the creative thinking of the writers in how they approach key plot points and how they deal with the layers of complexity within the story. The cast is brilliant, each crafting their character into someone unique and believable. If someone is bland, it’s because they’re supposed to be – although even the very overbearing Mr Collins manages to catch your attention in a way that can hardly be described as boring.

I can’t say every episode leaves me awestruck, but I can say that I’m always excited to see a new video posted and can hardly wait for the next one.

Whether you are a Jane Austen fan or not, I heartily recommend giving at least the first episode a look.

 

And let me know what you think!

Say WHHHAAAATTTTT!! :)

Books: Throne of Glass - The Journey

Sometimes the things you look forward to can really bite you in the ass.

Really? We never would have guessed that from your previous Mass Effect posts!

Ahem.

But I do want to share something I’ve also been really excited about for the past four years. Not kidding. Four years of waiting excitedly, forgetting, being reminded again, becoming giddy once more and then reverting back to the excited waiting. And now the waiting is over.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: 

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

About ten years ago, a sixteen-year-old girl started posting a story on Fictionpress.net. It was a story that came to her while listening to the soundtrack of Disney’s Cinderella. In fact, the idea came from a single set of notes in the sequence where Cinderella flees – a curiously ominous tone which made the girl wonder whether Cinderella wasn’t running for another reason.

And from that Celaena Sardothien was born. An assassin who is pulled out from her hellish prison with an offer of freedom dangled in front of her if she performs a task. A task that she is exceptionally suited for.

The story grew, becoming a trilogy that took six years to finish. It garnered a following of hundreds of readers from all over the world and thousands of upon thousands of chapter reviews. It made such an impact that, at one point, there was even a wiki entry about the story and the attention it was receiving. And then, bolstered by the enormous support, Sarah J. Maas, at the age of twenty-two, took off her story from FictionPress and set her feet on the terrifying and exhilarating journey to become a published author.

And now at twenty-six, she is exactly that. And the storms of supporters are still there with her, just as passionate as they were when she was still posting her story on the internet.

Sarah J. Maas

As someone who writes, I cannot imagine how Sarah must have felt not only sharing her beloved story, but receiving that much exposure. I can’t imagine how terrifying it is to effectively cut you off from that steady stream of affirmation to dive into the unknown and often disappointing world of publishing. And I’m not a fan girl in the strictest sense of the world. I am excited and have been for a long time, but more out of admiration and support. I have been rooting for this woman to step up and step out and share this really good story.

It isn’t the best I’ve read. I’m not going to go all Twishite and start rooting for one of the men Celaena encounters in this series and start joining “Team Whatshisface”.  But there was an undeniable charm to the story. I laughed, I cried, I frowned, I rolled my eyes.

I responded.

Now, I’m never one who enjoys a story for its main characters and Queen of Glass (as it was known back in the day) was no different. But fortunately – as with all the other stories I’ve enjoyed – there was always a character nearby that kept me reading.

And so here’s the real question: Will Throne of Glass measure up to what Queen of Glass was?

I don’t know. I’ve only seen rave reviews, but I don’t know. If there is one reason I hesitate to start reading the book that I finally have in my possession, it is the fear that I’m going to be disappointed. I have no doubt in my mind that the story will be exceptionally different. Things are going to be added and things are going to be left out. A beloved character might not see the light of day.

But I’m more concerned about how young she’s going to pitch it. A lot of YA are remarkably mature. They take on subject matter that makes it surprising to find in the ‘youth’ section. I want Throne of Glass to be one of those books.

I guess there’s only one way to find out.