James M's quick review of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)





 




Welcome, folks. A few years ago, we sat down to review the long-awaited Sonic the Hedgehog movie. And now, we finally discuss the sequel, released no less than two years after the first film's debut, at a time when Sonic's popularity is soaring high once again thanks to the success of the first movie and its sequel.

For those who wonder what the story is, I will give you the rundown: After the first film, Sonic is living in Green Hills with Tom and Maddie Wachowski. However, after the hedgehog's adopted family go off to Hawaii to attend the wedding of Maddie's sister Rachel and her fiancée Randall, the evil Doctor Robotnik (played by Jim Carrey) returns with a foe to be reckoned with; Knuckles the Echidna. Sonic soon meets Tails and they embark on a quest to get the Master Emerald, a great source of power, before Robotnik and Knuckles do.

This movie is just as epic as the first film with more action and more Easter Eggs to the franchise's long history, making it another love letter to the Sonic brand, from the games to the cartoons and comics. And there is a treat for the Sonic fans at the end of the film during a mid-credits scene, and that treat is the appearance of Shadow the Hedgehog.

Oh yes, Shadow is in the Sonic Cinematic Universe and will have a major role in Sonic 3 (2024), let us hope he has character development and certain powers are hands off with how he is handled. The movie did well at the box office despite mixed reviews, just like the first film, and a Knuckles spin-off show is in development for Amazon Prime's Paramount Plus streaming service. Sonic 2 is an energetic and engaging film all the way to the end, deserving of a ten out of ten. Hats off to Jeff Fowler, Tim Miller and Tobey Ascher for their hard work. Thank you, good filmmakers and SEGA/Sonic Team.

And with this short review done, I take my leave. Adieu, folks.

-James M


James M's review of The Water Horse -the book and the movie-


 








Greetings good friends, I am back to finally review something I've been itching to do for some time. We are finally reviewing... The Water Horse (by Dick King Smith) and it's adaptation The Water Horse: Legend of The Deep (2007).

Published in 1990, the book is set in 1930s Scotland and revolves around young Angus and his family finding an egg that hatches into a mythical creature known as the Water Horse. They wind up keeping the newly-hatched creature for a time, despite the mother wanting to get rid of it, and name him Crusoe, after the legendary sailor Robinson Crusoe. After the creature grows to a considerable size, they set it free in the Loch at the end of the story after it has learned to fend for itself.

The book is beautifully written for it's time and tells a fantastical story about the bond between a family and a magical creature, Dick King Smith's writing is by far just as special as other writers' works. The book will not be forgotten and I happily give it a 9/10. Now, onto the movie, which is quite different from how things unfold in the book.

Starting off sometime in modern-day Scotland, a pair of tourists see the Surgeon's photo in the bar and an old man (played by Brian Cox) offers to tell them the story of how it happened, which is where the movie truly begins.

The story picks up in Scotland in the 1940s during World War II, Angus MacMarrow is living with his mother Anne MacMarrow (played by Alex Etal), his sister Kirstie and a pair of housekeepers and a cook. Angus' father went off to fight in the war and never returned, even with Angus believing that he will return. One day, Angus is digging around on the beach when he finds an egg (even though it was Kirstie who found it in the book) and brings it home where he puts it in his father's toolshed. The egg hatches into a mysterious creature that Angus finds during a stormy night.

The following day, British troops led by Captain Thomas Hamilton (David Morrisay) arrive at the MacMarrow household to set up shop and Angus names the strange creature as Crusoe. The MacMarrows are soon joined by a handyman named Lewis Mobray (played by Ben Chaplin), who starts cleaning out Angus' father's toolshed. Crusoe explores the house and encounters Sgt. Strunk's bulldog Churchill, who chases him and winds up making a mess. Crusoe takes up residence in the bathroom and is discovered by Kirstie, freaking her out until Angus calms her down.

Lewis eventually finds out about Crusoe after coming to fix the bathroom and explains to Angus that the creature is a Water Horse, a creature that wasn't supposed to be real as it was a legend from the Celtic past. He then helps Angus make sure his mother doesn't see it, especially as she doesn't allow Angus to have pets. One night, the soldiers are invited into the house for dinner, only for complications to arise when Crusoe escapes and is chased by Churchill, who winds up ruining the dinner when the chase leads into the dining room. Luckily, nobody sees Crusoe, which still proves to be trouble when Anne tells Lewis to collect Angus and send him to bed.

Lewis finds Crusoe in the fountain after growing several feet, prompting him and Angus to set him free in the Loch. Not long after, a pair of fishermen see Crusoe while fishing. Meanwhile, Captain Hamilton, deeming Lewis to be a bad influence, begins training Angus with his mother's permission to make a soldier out of him. However, Angus runs away after a while to visit the Loch and sees Crusoe, who has grown immensely since Angus last saw him, leading to Crusoe taking him for a ride until they encounter a net and return to the dock. However, Sgt. Strunk sees Crusoe while looking for Angus as Churchill runs towards the Loch just as Crusoe sees the Water Horse again.

Angus returns home and tells Lewis and Kirstie about his adventure with his mother overhearing them laughing and thanks Lewis. Hamilton, from a report by Lr. Wormsley, learns Lewis was in the Royal Navy and was honorably discharged. The fishermen who saw Crusoe discuss what happened at a bar and begin making plans to catch a photo of the creature, while Lewis, who has attended the bar before, overhears them talking (but does nothing until later for some reason).

The following day, Captain Hamilton takes Anne, Angus and Kirstie to the hill to show them the anti-German submarine battery (including a gun he calls Victoria) and declares they'll be firing in the Loch. To simplify things, Angus panics and attempts to stop them, earning the annoyance of his mother, who holds him back. Angus then tells her about The Water Horse and that he could get hurt. Um, Angus, I know you're in a panic, but you're leaving out very important details.

Anne is having none of it and irritably tells Angus enough is enough, stop the nonsense and let the soldiers do the work. Kirstie attempts to convince their mother and Angus rushes in to stop the soliders, earning Captain Hamilton's ire. The captain sends Angus and his family home, telling Anne the boy needs discipline. And I'll tell you now, if Angus had screamed to Hamilton there was a Water Horse in the Loch during his efforts to stop them (and if he had successfully stopped them), he would have been slapped by his mother and gotten a lashing, he would've also been yelled at too. Heck, Hamilton would be even more angry and, maybe, Angus would've put Crusoe in more danger for telling the soldiers, especially since Sgt. Walker (who hunted a deer at one point) would be interested in hunting the creature.

Regardless, the soldiers fire the gun in the Loch and Crusoe narrowly avoids the artillery fire. The fishermen, irked by what happened, set up a replica of Crusoe and photograph it, declaring "we'll be rich". Poor Angus is sent to bed at six every night for a month as a consequence for his actions on the hill, not even Kirstie is able to convince Anne the truth. One evening after the events on the hill, the photo of "Crusoe" in the paper attracts Sgt. Strunk's attention and tells Wormsley and Walker about the creature, which sparks Walker's interest in hunting the beast.

Kirstie lets Angus out of his room and he heads down to the Loch with Lewis, who wants Angus to get Crusoe to safety. Angus calls out to his friend, who doesn't initially appear. However, when he does, Crusoe attacks Angus, already shell-shocked by the bombardment. Yup, Crusoe kinda thinks Angus attacked him. Angus reminds Lewis that he told him to put Crusoe in the wild and Lewis remarks he didn't know they'd shoot at him.

Meanwhile, Strunk, Wormsley and Walker hunt for Crusoe, who attacks Churchill and then attacks the boat. During the attack, Wormsley radios the house that they're under attack. Crusoe upturns the boat and Hamilton soon receives the report just as he's talking with Anne to apologize for his actions, Hamilton thinks the Germans are attacking and tells Anne to get his children into the cellar, only for Kirstie to tell her mother that Angus has gone down to the Loch.

Down at the Loch, Crusoe attacks Strunk and Angus attempts to get Crusoe to calm down while Walker tries to shoot the creature, only for Lewis to interfere and the gun to do nothing. Angus slips and loses consciousness, which gets Crusoe to save his friend. Angus dreams about his father, Charlie, telling him to look after the house while he's away. Angus regains consciousness just as his mother and Hamilton arrive, Angus tells his mother he was only trying to save Crusoe and Lewis is about to explain, only for Anne to overhear Strunk telling Hamilton about "the monster" and Hamilton questioning what he's talking about.

Cue Anne ranting about everybody going mad and that there's no monster, even accusing Lewis of filling Angus' head with "tales of sea creatures and magic". Darn it, Anne! Luckily, she notices Crusoe and believes Angus, who tells her the brief rundown that he "raised him, right out of an egg". Okay, Anne, now that you believe Angus, maybe you can redeem yourself by, I dunno, helping your son protect Crusoe!

The millitary starts bombarding the Loch and Angus hops on Crusoe, riding him through the chaos. Anne, Lewis, Kirstie and Hamilton figure out that Angus is trying to get Crusoe out to sea and Hamilton attempts to contact the artillery unit, only for the weather to cause complications, prompting the group to take a boat. The unit soon spots Crusoe and, due to the rain, mistake him for a German sub, opening fire on him. The net is soon raised and Angus parts ways with Crusoe, heading to the boat where his family and Hamilton are.

Crusoe makes a charge towards the net just as one of the soldiers gets a closer look at the creature, right before the Water Horse jumps the net and, due to how big he is, winds up crushing it, which then sets off a chain reaction that decimates the artillery guns. At sunrise, as he sits on the shore, Angus accepts his father is gone before he and his family watch Crusoe head out to sea. In postwar Scotland, the old man finishes the story saying that the creature came back to look for Angus, who never saw him again, while some people claim to have seen it over the years.

The tourists thank the old man, who is then revealed to be Angus MacMarrow himself, what a twist, eh? As the tourists leave, a mother calls out to her son William, who is on the beach and finds an egg akin to the one Crusoe hatched from, indicating that Crusoe has died. Many years earlier, Lewis told Angus there could be only one Water Horse and, when one grows old, it leaves a single egg and dies, meaning the new Water Horse is born an orphan. Crusoe's egg begins to hatch and the film ends.

What can I say about this film? It was quite good. I don't plan on watching it again, but I will say it wasn't too bad. Even with all the creatives liberties it took with the story, changing the timeframe of when it takes place, and some potentially questionable choices, the film was well-received when it came out. 

In the years after I first saw it, my opinion has been mixed, especially considering that whole bit of the film with the guns and Anne refusing to believe Angus. I saw this back in 2010 while mother and I were reading the original book and looking back on it, I'll say it did alright and I can forgive the movie's flaws that I didn't think much of. David Russel and his crew handled it well. The Water Horse: Legend of The Deep was an extraordinary adaptation and I suggest that you go watch it if you want to, the film had such well-executed drama, decent pacing, good acting and special effects and is worthwhile.

Water Horse, I am sorry for judging you. And I can forgive your characters, especially Anne MacMarrow. Thank you, everyone. 9.5/10. See you next time, people.

-James M

James M's review of IDW Sonic issues 57-58



 

Finally back, just in time for IDW Sonic issue 59 releasing, to review issues 57 and 58 of the IDW Sonic run as it covers the Urban Warfare arc. Issue 57 sees Sonic go into Eggman's city with Tangle, Whisper and Lanolin the Sheep on a mission to take it down and things go south when the girls wind up in some pocket dimension and Sonic has trouble facing Eggman's robots, leading into issue 58 where he teams up with Tails and Amy and then they team up with Silver and Blaze while the other girls work out how to get out of their current predicament. And then, Shadow, Rouge and Omega show up to trash Eggman's forces. 

The complete Team Dark is back!

Both issues are extremely good and Shadow appearing after so long is also welcome, what makes his return more welcome is that Evan Stanley took to Tumblr to confirm that SEGA has dialed back their restrictions and gave the IDW team "clearer and more workable guidelines". 

And this is when Shadow has a prominent role in the new Sonic Prime show, despite not appearing much in the first eight episodes of the series. The future of Sonic looks promising, especially with the characters returning to their former glory, even though some folks have doubts Shadow will be portrayed the way we expect him to be portrayed despite Evan's assurance that things have cleared up.

9/10, IDW is really nailing it and their Sonic comic licensed by SEGA is super cool! Plus, this series is getting closer to 75 issues and will make it to 100 within a few years. Sonic is truly back on the map with a successful game, a good TV show, a great comic series and a successful film franchise and its all thanks to the first Sonic film that dropped in 2020, giving all sides of Sonic the boost they need. 

These issues have superb art and real cool writing from Ian Flynn, who steps aside to let Evan write the rest, mostly due to Shadow's presence in the story and the fact Ian is likely suffering issue 19 trauma.

See ya later, folks!









James M's review of IDW Sonic Scrapnik Island Issue 3 & 4

  












Greetings fans. Sorry I took so long, but I'm finally doing a review of the final two issues of the Scrapnik Island, which is very intense. So, what's the plot?

Simple. Mecha Sonic, whom Sonic tried to bond with while on the island of Scrapniks, went rogue after a battle with Mecha Knuckles and captured the blue hedgehog we know and love. His plan was to take over Sonic's body and use him to leave the island. Tails and the good Scrapniks caught on to what was happening and launched a rescue mission, which went south a little as Mecha Sonic took out the Scrapnik forces and sent Tails into a trash compactor. 

After that, he then initiated his plan to hijack Sonic's body with some scrapped Eggman mind tech, which then went wrong as the Scrapniks attacked (which also led to a Super Mario Bros Z/Dragon Ball reference as Mecha Sonic threatened to crush them). Sonic and Mecha battled, which led to them winding up in the Death Egg's trash incinerator. But unlike a certain two-part Sonic anime where Metal Sonic died, Sonic saved Mecha Sonic with help from Tails and the Scrapniks. As everyone breathed, we got an interesting moment where Mecha Sonic was happy. However, his attempt to take over Sonic's body led to their minds being linked and, as Mecha Sonic was feeling happiness, Sonic teared up.

That's right, SEGA finally let Sonic shed tears (for the first time in ages too, unless the movies count). And according to the story's writer, Daniel Barnes, SEGA gave his team all the freedom with the story and Daniel was able to fulfill his vision for Scrapnik Island. Back to the story, Sonic and Mecha Sonic part on good terms with Sonic and Tails flying off in the Tornado with Mecha staying behind on the island to look after the rest of the Scrapniks. 

For a Sonic miniseries revolving around sci-fi horror, this was great and seeing SEGA allow things such as the usage of Mecha Sonic, a Classic Sonic character, and Sonic shedding tears (even though they weren't his own) makes a fan happy, especially in a time where the Sonic brand is experiencing success after success following the release of the first Sonic movie. 

Sonic truly is back and SEGA is slightly easing up on their many restrictions, even though Sonic will always be their property and they'll have some guidelines in some shape or form. However, I'm getting off-topic. Daniel Barnes' writing was really nice and this isn't the first time a Sonic comic has tackled the idea of an island populated by scrapped Badniks, Archie Sonic did it first with the Island of Misfit Badniks and the usage of Mecha Sonic further solidifies the recent merging of Classic and Modern back into one with the Classic games being canon proper again. The art was real good too, helping to sell the eerie atmosphere and there were a lot of fun moments throughout the arc.

Also, fun fact, the story takes place between the Overpowered Arc and the Urban Warfare arc in the overall IDW Sonic timeline. Quite somethin, eh? I once again salute the IDW crew for their great efforts in delivering a quality Sonic the Hedgehog story worth reading and making fans happy. See you later, everyone, CVGW out!




BW8: Storytellers

 


It's book week 8 in our 52 Books quest and this week is all about Storytellers and all those lovely books they have created for our pleasure: narratives, myths, memoirs, drama, poetry as well as the world of fiction. From the classics to the contemporary writers of today there is a wide variety to choose from.

Growing up, my brother was the one who told the most magnificent stories, whether he was retelling a Monty Python skit, relating an event that happened, or telling us about a book he’d read. We would hang on his words, groaning or laughing as he told a tale, astonished by the details, even if he’d only read or heard something once. I was never great at oral storytelling, maybe because it was difficult to get an word in edgewise with my large talkative family.  Today, the role has been taken over by my husband and son, both who have Eidetic memories,  remembering everything that’s ever happened in their lives. Which can be great, unless it’s something stupid you wish they’d forget. LOL!    I prefer writing, taking my time to remember, exploring thoughts and phrases, seeing the words on the page.

I finished the non fiction historical arctic exploration thriller Against the Ice by Ejnar Mikkelsen. grit and determination it took for the two men to battle against the elements through hunger and strife as they persevered in their quest to recover the notes of prior explorers is amazing. Not something I would have ever chosen to do. (Book 18)

Finished Vicki Myron’s memoir about Dewey: The Library Cat which is so much more than just about the cat, but the town of Spencer and the people who live there. (Book 19)

And The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by new to me author, Shauna Robinson. Maggie has always been a non conformist, trying to find the fun in her jobs, planning special events and parties. She's between jobs again and offers to help her best friend who is about to have a baby by running her bookshop for her. Little does she know, the Bell River Literary Society has strict rules which means she has go underground and behind their backs to help the book store stay afloat. . She also enters into a budding romance with a guy who follows the rules, which makes it even more difficult. She enlists the aid of the local businesses and how they managed to keep it a secret so long is beyond me. (Book 20)

I’m currently in the midst of  James Rollin’s Fantasy novel The Cradle of Ice in which the characters have crash landed in a place where it’s virtually impossible to escape from. What will happen next?

Devon Monk’s book of 22 fantasy/sci fi short stories A Cup of Normal which are far from normal and very entertaining.

Haruki Murakami’s Novelist as a Vocation and the man seriously doesn’t think he is a good writer, but shares his stories, his process, and so much more.



BW7: Amari, Writers, and Eve

 

It's book week 7 in our 52 Books Quest and this week is all about Pablo Neruda. As I was meandering about the internet I came across Meanderings and Muses (Don’t you love that name) Odes to Common things. And wouldn’t you just know it, I fell down a rabbit hole.  Found The Examined Life’s article on Pablo Neruda’s Sublime Poetic Wonder at Meaning and Utility in Everyday Things.   Then stumbled upon Interludes where his poetry inspired  The Music of Poetry – Pablo Neruda: Odes to Common Things.   Yes, he even penned An Ode to a Book, but I liked his Common Things better.

I finished Amari and the Night Brothers which was a wonderful middle grade story in which I kept forgetting Amari was only 12 years old. She was mature for her age, continually bullied and not believed because of the type of magic she had. But she was bound and determined to find her brother who’d disappeared under mysterious circumstances.  (Book 15)

Also finished Writers and their Notebooks which has been sitting in my shelves for quite a while and would dip in from time to time. Finally read it from cover to cover, highlighting and annotating. Will be copying highlighted portions in my notebook at some point. So many writers, so many different ways to use a journal. I have discovered that one journal, a catchall for all my thoughts, ramblings, and stories works for me. Many thanks to Diana Raab and the many others for sharing their thoughts. Will be working on all the questions at the end of the book.  (Book 16)

Finished J.D. Robb’s Encore In Death, # 56 in the In death series. Don’t know why this series is comfort food for my soul but it is. Have read most of the series several times. Guess I enjoy diving into the lives of all the characters as well as the mystery of murder. Eve’s mind is fascinating. Her love for Roark is ever growing and it was interesting seeing how this particular murder made her appreciate their relationship even more. (Book 17) 

Diving into James Rollins The Cradle of Ice, the 2nd book in his Moon Fall series.

“To stop the coming apocalypse, a fellowship was formed.
A soldier, a thief, a lost prince, and a young girl bonded by fate and looming disaster.
Each step along this path has changed the party, forging deep alliances and greater
enmities. All the while, hostile forces have hunted them, fearing what they might
unleash. Armies wage war around them.

For each step has come with a cost—in blood, in loss, in heartbreak.

Now, they must split, traveling into a vast region of ice and to a sprawling capital of the world they’ve only known in stories. Time is running out and only the truth will save us all."


BW6: Sleuths and trouble is afoot.


 

It's book week six in our 52 Books Quest and this week's subject is Sleuths, continuing with our Agatha Christie theme. 

I'm currently reading three books right now. 

My sleuth is a twelve year who wants to help her brother in the children’s fantasy Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston which is quite good

“Amari Peters has never stopped believing her missing brother, Quinton, is alive. Not even when the police told her otherwise, or when she got in trouble for standing up to bullies who said he was gone for good.

So when she finds a ticking briefcase in his closet, containing a nomination for a summer tryout at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs, she’s certain the secretive organization holds the key to locating Quinton—if only she can wrap her head around the idea of magicians, fairies, aliens, and other supernatural creatures all being real.

Now she must compete for a spot against kids who’ve known about magic their whole lives. No matter how hard she tries, Amari can’t seem to escape their intense doubt and scrutiny—especially once her supernaturally enhanced talent is deemed “illegal.” With an evil magician threatening the supernatural world, and her own classmates thinking she’s an enemy, Amari has never felt more alone. But if she doesn’t stick it out and pass the tryouts, she may never find out what happened to Quinton.”


as well as the non fiction arctic historical fiction adventure Against the Ice by Ejnar Mikkelsen

“Ejnar Mikkelsen was devoted to Arctic exploration. In 1910 he decided to search for the diaries of the ill-fated Mylius-Erichsen expedition, which had set out to prove that Robert Peary’s outline of the East Greenland coast was a myth, erroneous and presumably self-serving. Iver Iversen was a mechanic who joined Mikkelsen in Iceland when the expedition’s boat needed repair.

Several months later, Mikkelsen and Iversen embarked on an incredible journey during which they would suffer every imaginable Arctic travail: implacable cold, scurvy, starvation, frostbite, snow blindness, plunges into icy seawater, impossible sledding conditions, Vitamin A poisoning, debilitated dogs, apocalyptic storms, gaping crevasses, and assorted mortifications of the flesh. Mikkelsen’s diary was even eaten by a bear.

Three years of this, coupled with seemingly no hope of rescue, would drive most crazy, yet the two retained both their sanity as well as their humor.

Indeed, what may have saved them was their refusal to become as desolate as their surroundings…”


Plus a dusty book: A collection of essays in Writers and Their Notebooks edited by Diana Raab in which I’ve been highlighting and annotating because there are so many meaningful snippets.

“This collection of essays by established professional writers explores how their notebooks serve as their studios and workshops—places to collect, to play, and to make new discoveries with language, passions, and curiosities. For these diverse writers, the journal also serves as an ideal forum to develop their writing voice, whether crafting fiction, nonfiction, or poetry.”

Some include sample journal entries that have since developed into published pieces. Through their individual approaches to keeping a notebook, the contributors offer valuable advice, personal recollections, and a hearty endorsement of the value of using notebooks to document, develop, and nurture a writer’s creative spark."

January Reading Wrap Up!

 


January has been an interesting reading month with an interesting assortment of books from magical realism to steampunk, to romance, to urban fantasy, to historical fiction, plus two non fiction writing books for a total of 4519 pages  which on average is 150 pages a day.  

1Q84 was a chunky read at 935 pages and took me most of the month to finish.  Write for Life was the shortest but was meant to be read in six weeks. However, I just kept reading because I was ready to implement her suggestions rather than wait.  I managed to clear 5 dusty physical books and 1 dusty ebook from my shelves and discovered six new to me authors.  


 After Dark - Haruki Murakami, (Magical Realism, Japan, 256)

“Time moves in it special way in the middle of the night.”


You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty -  Akwaeke Emezi,(Romance, e)

“For a moment, there was the scream of tires and the mad chime of broken glass, the soft petals of white lilies, and a clod of dirt breaking apart in Feyi’s hand, but she brushed it all aside like smoke. “Single,” she’d said in return, stepping right into his personal space. He smelled of rain and bergamot.”


Clockwork Angels - Kevin Anderson and Neil Peart (Steampunk, dusty, e)

"In another few weeks, he was going to have to put his dreams away on a high shelf. It didn't seem fair. All his life he had followed the rules. He had done what was expected of him rather than what he wanted; every day mapped out, every event scheduled; every part of his existence moving along like a tiny gear in an infinite chain  of other tiny gears, each one turning smoothly, but never going anywhere."

 

Black Orchid Blues - Persia Walker (Mystery, 20’s Harlem, dusty, 270)

“If he’s the kind of man I think he is, the kind who sees you for what you are, who you are, and still wants you, then never let him go. Sam”


Kitty and the Midnight Hour - Carrie Vaughn (Urban fantasy, reread, e)

“To be a DJ was to be God. To be a DJ at an alternative public radio station ? That was being God with a mission. It was thinking you were the first person to discover The Clash and you had to spread the word.”


Who Need Enemies - Keri Arthur (Urban Fantasy, Australia, e)

“Maggie waved a gnarled finger in my direction. “Mention one word,” she said, voice sharp but grey eyes twinkling with merriment, “and I’ll curse your sex life for the next year.” I snorted. “Curse away. It can’t get any worse.” She shook her head. “How can a siren have such a pathetic love life?” “Because I’m a siren who can’t actually sing, remember?”


Kitty Goes to Washington - Carrie Vaughn (Urban Fantasy, reread, e)

“That we have purpose for being who we are, and what we are, though we may not always know it.”


The Blue - Nancy Bilyeau (Historical Fiction, England, dusty, e)

"Amiability has never been counted more important in a woman's character than it is today." 


Write for Life - Julia Cameron (NF, Writing, 208)

"A well executed outline resembles a train track with each entry a tie."


1Q84 - Haruki Murakami (Magical Realism, reread, 996)

"1Q84 - That's what I'll call this new world... Q is for Question mark. A world that bears a question. Like it or not, I'm here now, in the year 1Q84.  The 1984 that I knew no longer exists.  It's 1Q84 now. "


A Swim in the Pond in the Rain - George Saunders (NF, Masterclass, dusty 432)

“The Russians, when I found them a few years later, worked on me in the same way. They seemed to regard fiction not as something decorative but as a vital moral-ethical tool. They changed you when you read them, made the world seem to be telling a different, more interesting story, a story in which you might play a meaningful part, and in which you had responsibilities.”


The Winter Lodge - Susan Wigg (Romance, e)

“We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face.”


Absolution by Murder (#1 Sister Fidelma - Peter Tremayne (Historical Fiction, 664 AD, dusty, e)

"Whenever there is a conflict of opinion, then human tensions rise and give way to fear. I do not think we need to worry. There will be much posturing during the verbal conflict. But once we have reached a resolution, then all will be forgotten and forgiven." 

BW5: Mini Reviews: Saunders, Wigg, and Tremayne!

 


It's book week 5 in our 52 books quest and the author of the month is Agatha Christie. I've been bouncing around the list, instead of reading chronologically, and currently have Why didn't they ask Evans?, Mystery of the Blue Train, and Sad Cypress in my reading stacks. 

Read Agatha Christie 2023 Motive and Methods February's readalong challenge is Partners in Crime, from one of her Tommy and Tuppence short story collections.   Which I don't have in my stacks and will have to wait until my buying ban is over. :(

The Royal Reading Room recently covered Agatha Christie during their Christmas Interlude which including a video discussion between Vaseem Khan, Dreda Say Mitchell, Robert Thorogood, and James Prichard on the Legacy and Life of Agatha Christie which was quite interesting. 


I finally completed George Saunders A Swim in the Pond in the Rain which has been sitting on my shelves for quite a while. I finally applied myself and got into it.  Saunders analyzes 4 Russian Authors and their short stories:  Antov Chekhov’s In the Cart, The Darling, and Gooseberries; Ivan Turgenov’s The Singer; Leo Tolstoy’s Master and Man and Alyosha the Pot, and Nikolai Gogol’s The Nose.  All the stories were good and The Nose made me laugh, Tolstoy made me cry, and the rest of the stories made me think.  I annotated the heck out of In the Cart and disagreed with Saunder’s view of The Nose. I didn't think it was a walking nose, but someone who had his nose, but I could be wrong and Saunders may be right. I'll have to go back and reread it again.   What I enjoyed most of all was Saunders and his analysis which is something I always had a hard time doing in literature class.  The symbols and analogies, the how’s and why’s. And his tips on writing were invaluable.  And as with all writing books, like Stephen King as well as Ray Bradbury, once I read how they write, I wanted to read their books.  Will be adding George Saunders to my reading list.  (Book 11) 


Cleared my palate with an angsty romance:   Susan Wigg’s The Winter Lodge, #2 in Lakeshore Chronicles series. She's grieving the loss of her grandmother when her house catches on fire which prompts the reappearance of Chief Rourke McKnight whom she'd been avoiding after a certain night together 4 years prior when they through her husband and his best friend was killed overseas. (Book 12)

I also finished Peter Tremayne’s first book in his historical fiction Sister Fidelma series – Absolution by Murder - set in 7th century Ireland and was quite good.  Also the sister was a member of St Brigid at Kildare which is grand since today is St. Brigid’s day.  It was quite interesting to read the history about the Synod and the differences between the Roman and the Celtic churches. I liked Sister Fidelma and will probably read more of the series. (book 13)


I'm in the midst of several books again. I heard it described by someone,  I can't remember who at the moment, who described it as an omnivorous reader, devouring more than one book at a time. I think I like that description better. 

I'm currently reading 2034 by Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis, an alternative geopolitical thriller about the next world war in 2034 between America and China in the South China Sea.  It is really good and scary.  China has developed cyber warfare and are  refusing to back down from their possession of the South China Sea They have technology that wipes out all electronics and communication so the U.S. battleships keep getting destroyed.  Which means the U.S. needs to go back to analog tech which some of the commanders are  totally against because they love their technology.  But the president is also threatening to go Nuclear which has caused a pause in the action. (Book 14)

I'm dipping into an anthology of fantasy short stories by Devon Monk with A Cup of Normal.

Non fiction wise,  I’m not done with Haruki Murakami yet so reading Novelist as a Vocation as well as Writers and their Notebooks edited by Diana Rabb. I'm enjoying Writers, better than Novelist at the moment.   Plus the historical set in 1910 - Against the Ice - by Ejnar  Mikkelsen which is an arctic survival story.  

 


  

Book Ten: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami


It's been exactly 10 years since I first read Haruki Murakami's 1Q84.  I remember loving it then. Now, I don't remember much at all. I didn't love it, but enjoyed the bizarre magical realism.  The story is about two characters who never get together until practically the end of the story.   Both characters, Tengo and Aomame are flawed, far from perfect, and find themselves in odd situations. 

 Aomame, stuck in a taxi on a gridlocked expressway,  climbs down the emergency escape ladder on the side of the expressway in order to get to an appointment in time.  Thus begins her journey into the surreal. 

"1Q84 - That's what I'll call this new world... Q is for Question mark. A world that bears a question. Like it or not, I'm here now, in the year 1Q84.  The 1984 that I knew no longer exists.  It's 1Q84 now. The air has changed. The scene has changed. I have to adapt to this world with a question mark as soon as I can. Like an animal released into a new forest, in order to protect myself and survive, I have to learn the rules of this place and adapt myself to them."

Tengo is pulled into a scheme to rewrite a story written by a 17 year old girl about a girl, the death of a goat, and the 'little people,' and his life is forever altered.  

Murakami has a tendency to have the characters repeat themselves over and over and over again, but with each reiteration, you're pulled in just a little bit deeper in to the weird life of the characters which is full of symbolism with cats, and crows, and owls, and death. It's full of  mystery and romance, with much to do about a cult, as well as a literary conundrum, in which Leoš Janáček Sinfonietta plays a big roll in the fusion of the alternate world.  It's bizarre, but a good bizarre to say the least, but well worth reading once or twice in your lifetime.