I was wondering how they were going to work in the Aquaman bit, when I hit that point in the book I laughed so much I had to stop; that was the moment I was hooked.
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The Hare of Inaba
(via Pulp Librarian)
Spoilers for last night’s Game of Thrones and A Dance with Dragons
So the closing quarter of Hardhome was the best zombie film of the last ten years. If we skip Shaun and 28 Days Later then, well, let’s just say if they are making a sequel to World War Z (leaving aside that WWZ films should be an altogether different affair to what they made) they should watch this to see how you do it.
It was also a pleasant surprise with ep 9 of a series usually the big set piece battle of the series (I’m guessing) we still have the siege of Winterfell to look forward to. What else?
- I doubt we’ll have Abel rescuing Sansa (sorry Mance-truthers) but Theon could step up while Ramsay’s gone, I’m guessing she’ll be delivered to Brienne and Pod but ultimately to Stannis. When he learns that Bran and Rickon are alive that ties off Davos’s Wyman Manderley arc and leads him to a potential Rickon-rescue.
- Let’s hope Ramsay gets some comeuppance during his little guerilla raid on Stannis’s army, there’s been heavy-handed establishment of his evil credentials and while the books and show are pretty clear that comeuppance isn’t always to be had (sorry Ned!) I’d love to see Roose disown him as a bastard and have the Red Lady burn him.
- Jon’s headed for a stabbing :( The Hardhome detour was nice, I had my doubts at first but after that sequence I couldn’t have been more wrong. Some ep 10 we’ll have the Wildings, some very unhappy crows and possibly a crying Wun-wun to set things up. I imagine Jon will send Sam away toot sweet on his return to set up his Oldtown arc? I wasn’t too sure they’d even bother with it in the show but I can’t see Sam managing too well post corvicide.
- Will Jorah have his Gladiator moment? My guess was this line would converge with Dany’s departure on Drogon but I’m not sure how that plays out now Tyrion has hooked up with her.
This is a sweded parody of “Space Oddity,” the David Bowie song (and music video). The lyrics contain only the thousand most common words in English. It’s a loving tribute to David Bowie and it’s inspired by Flight of the Conchords, Michel Gondry, and especially the Up-Goer Five diagram by Randall Munroe.
On a related note, Randall Munroe’s next book will be Thing Explainer, an extension of his Up Goer Five strip a few years ago. It will probably be worth your money if What If? is anything to go by.
(via Waxy)
Talking of Marvel, if you enjoy the films and want to explore the comics (seriously, I recommend it, instead of waiting years for a new movie you can just cram amazing stories at your leisure) this is a pretty neat guide that picks out the comics that best match the movie experience.
What I’m reading at the minute:
East of West
A futuristic sci-fi Western. Death has abandoned his apocalyptic duties to track down his love, aided by Crow and Wolf, the other three Horsemen have been reincarnated as murderous children, and the great nations are trying to avert/bring about the Apocalypse complete with all manner of political manipulation, backstabbing and out-and-out war.
The character design is outstanding, the art is beautiful.
The Magician King
I read The Magicians last year and it was ace. I’d heard it described as ‘Harry Potter for grown-ups’ but that does it a disservice, sure there’s a school for magic and the (far greater) overtures to Narnia but it’s a great book full stop whether you get the Narnia/Fillory parallels or not. The Magician King is raring to go once I’ve finished…
Raising Steam
I’m enjoying it but I’m not gripped. When I was younger I’d start a Discworld novel and not sleep till I’d finished but I’m getting through this one. I struggled with Unseen Academicals too if I’m honest but Snuff I lapped right up, I guess Watch/Witches are my thing.
Saga
This is Star Wars-esque in scope. An intergalactic war, a forbidden love, bounty hunters, a ghost babysitter, magic, the coolest cat in science fiction. I’ve read Vols 1-3 and have 4 waiting for a Saturday morning in bed.
Plus a couple of new ones I haven’t read yet:
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August
It was cheap on Amazon and it’s supposed to be good I think?
Harry August is on his deathbed. Again.
No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, when death comes, Harry always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life he has already lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes.
Until now.
As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. ‘I nearly missed you, Doctor August,’ she says. ‘I need to send a message.’
This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow.
Reminds me a little bit of Unsound Variations the GRRM short story.
Jupiter’s Legacy
I remember reading about this after I saw Frank Quitely on “What Do Artist’s Do All Day?” on iPlayer, if was £5 on Amazon:
The story, which is influenced by Star Wars, King Kong, Roman mythology and origin stories from the Golden Age of Comics, is written as Millar’s treatise on superheroes’ connection to the American ideal. The story explores the generational conflict between a group of aging superheroes who used the powers they gained in 1932 for the betterment of mankind, and their children, who are daunted by the prospect of living up to their parents’ legacy.
Might have a read of him tonight.
Talking of cheap on Amazon, you can get the first three series of Korra for £5, £7 and £7 respectively. Bargain!