I dare you challenge wrap up and vlog debut!


Once upon a time, I came across this challenge and thought it was interesting.   Then Heather J asked if any of her readers were brave enough to accept a dare.  I took her up on the dare and she dared me to do the following and gave me 10 months to do it in and finish by April 10, 2010.   And, yes this is my vlog debut - my 15 minutes of fame.



Watch The Princess Bride
Watch Willow
Watch The Last Unicorn 
Watch Labyrinth
Watch at least 3 episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess
Read Dune by Frank Herbert 

Read The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Read The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley 

Read Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey 

Do a video blog about at least one of these items 

I managed to read all the books and watch the movies.  However, I didn't have the time to find or watch Xena.   I watched Xena, Warrior Princess back when it came out in 1995 and it was pretty hooky back then.   



Dragonsong by Anne McCaffrey: (review)  Amazing how these books stand the test of time and even more amazing is I felt like I was reading it for the first time which is to be expected when the last time I read it was back in the 70's when it first came out.









Dune by Frank Herbert (review)  I first read Dune back in 1984 and actually still have the whole series of books.  However, when I pulled it out to read  the print was so small I couldn't read it.  Tells me how much my eye site has changed in the past 25 years.    Fortunately, I had my brand new Nook and christened by reading Dune.  Wonderful having a feature that lets you change the font size.




 The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (review)  I thought I had read this one,  but must have been confusing it with another book.   It was interesting and I may just continued reading the series.  Jordan died while writing the last book in the series and Brandon Sanderson was chosen to complete the series.  The last book has been turned into 3 and Book 12 "The Gathering Storm" came out in October.  Book 13 "Towers of Midnight" will be released in the fall and the final book #14 "Memory of Light" in fall of 2011.   It will take me quite a while to read the series.  So with 14 book in the series, it will keep me busy for a few years to come.  Perhaps one book a year.  




The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley (review) turned out to be my favorite of the four books.  The story is a very interesting retelling of the Arthurian Legend from a female point of view and well worth the read. However there are times in the story, you just get so totally frustrated with the character's actions that you want to shake them and say get a clue.  Yes, I discovered you can get emotionally involved with a character.   There are two more books to the series, prequels "The Forest House" and "Lady of Avalon" which I want to read now. 


The Last Unicorn is a sweet, sometimes intense and emotional animated movie based on Peter Beagle's novel by the same name "The Last Unicorn"    James and I sat down to watch this one together and he loved it so much we ended up watching it several times.   It's interesting watching a movie with him - he picks up on something different each time to analyze.





Labyrinth with David Bowie and a very young Jennifer Connolly.   Father isn't a big fan of fantasy movies and said he wasn't interested in watching it.   After a few minutes of hearing it from the other room, he couldn't stand it any longer and joined in watching it. Yes he enjoyed it despite the singing.   It's about a young teenage girl who is totally into fantasy and fairy tales.   She has to babysit her step baby brother and being mad at her parents and very self centered wishes the goblins would take him away.  Imagine her surprise when he disappears and she immediately changes her mind and wants him back.  The Goblin King played by David Bowie gives her a few hours to negotiate the labyrinth to reach his city and find her brother.   Father enjoyed it and we ended up watching the bonus features as well.



The Princess Bride - thoroughly enjoyed this one and didn't remember much of it from when first watched it back in 1987.   The character who had stuck with me the longest - Mandy Patinkin's spanish sword fighting character and his famous saying:  "My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!"   






Willow, directed by Ron Howard and George Lucas is an excellent movie. I remember watching this one when it came out back in 1988. It was a big deal at that time, because reviewers kept saying a movie with a little person as the lead character would never fly.  They were wrong. Willow Ufgood played by Warwick Davis  finds an abandoned baby, he is suddenly thrust unto an adventure filled with magic and danger. The baby is adorable and has a very expressive face.   Ufgood has to save the baby from the evil queen.  Willow is a great fantasy story with some very intense moments.  Father and I watched this one together and we both could see where James wouldn't be able to handle because of the danger to the baby.  It would bother him too much.   He's a sensitive soul.

Okay - are you ready for the debut of my very first and perhaps my very last vlog?  Only for you, heather. 






6 comments:

  1. Wow!! Awesome dare and even more so for the accomplishment!

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  2. I loved your Vlog!!! Mists of Avalon is an absolute favorite book of mine and of course Dragonsong..loved that one too!!!! I've read Jordan's books up to 7 and then I stopped. I have a copy of the Last Unicorn..now I want to read it!! This was fun!!!

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  3. YAY ROBIN!!! I'm so glad you took me up on this challenge and that you enjoyed doing it. I love the vlog - it was wonderful getting to see and hear you after all this time. :)

    I do have to caution you about Bradley's prequel books though. I didn't like either of them very much, and I've heard the same from other bloggers. They just can't compare to MISTS (which I hoped they would) so I was rather disappointed in them.

    Oh, and by the way, are you liking your Nook? I'm thinking of getting an ereader later this year so please let me know the pros and cons that you've found. Thanks!

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  4. Yay, vlog! It was great to see and hear you.

    I've read the first ten Wheel of Time books, but I'm waiting until the whole series is out in paperback before I read the latest ones. It's been so long since I read the others that a reread would be absolutely necessary, and I don't want to have to resort to those measures too often.

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  5. Yay for vlogs! this sounded like a very fun challenge--I loved Xena! I still get sad because that show isn't on anymore.

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  6. Good job! That was like a 10 month scavenger hunt!

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