Daley Downing's Blog, page 41

Warriors Update: Dawn of the Clans

Okay, not going to lie — this series was honestly the single saddest experience of my reading career. And this is saying something, because Warriors is by no means a peaches-and-cream-petting-puppies-on-the-beach sort of series, anyway. But Dawn of the Clans is officially the saddest ever. 

As the title implies, this is the prequel to the established Warriors canon; it’s the tale of those first brave cats that left their failing home in the mountains to come to the forest and begin the Clan system. And because this is something that was never done before, these cats are like pioneers, so every natural obstacle (new predators, new climate, new illnesses) comes as a surprise, and they have to learn how to get through it.

And of course there are personal struggles, resulting in families being torn apart, and all of that is stuff that really, really gets to me. Brother turning against brother, father turning against son… I wanted to slap Clear Sky upside the head about 17 times. And that made it really hard for me to sympathize with him once his redemption began. So it kind of hampered my whole experience of the Clans formation.

                   

Here are things I liked:

It was really great to see the “old” forest again. Although it’s not “old” at this point in the timeline (prequel, remember), that part was still wonderful for me, to read about places that were so common (and beloved to the reader) in the original 6 books (The Prophecies Begin).
Gray Wing, Thunder, and River Ripple. I have to say, it was a bit of a surprise, but this is the only instance in which I’ve read a Warriors series and just not cared for many of the characters.
Seeing how each of the Clans got their names and how the original territories were established.

Here’s what I didn’t like:

Pretty much everything else.

The backstabbing. The breaking up of camps. The constant in-fighting. The villains. (My idea on the villains were that I wished Tigerstar and Brokenstar had already been born, so that they could come back from the Dark Forest and kick major rogue feline arse. Seriously. This is a big statement, because Tigerstar and Brokenstar were on the same level of love-to-hate as Voldemort, in my view, and believe me, I hated them.)

Literally, I was so upset by this series that I actually DNF book 6, and I “cheated” by looking up the ending in The Ultimate Guide. (Sorry-not-sorry, White Fang.) And no offense to those that really liked this one (I know from the fan art/videos that were some that did), but it just didn’t do it for me.

And that’s a sort of sad thing, since my heart has had so many incredible and beautiful moments when it comes to Warriors. But luckily I can still enjoy the “canon” without having to pay much attention to any of the prequel.

 

Moana: A Review and Some Thoughts

So, although we’re a little late to the party, we watched Disney’s Moana last night, and it did not disappoint.

In recent years, I have shied away from Disney films, mostly because I don’t like watching yet another sub-par movie produced by a studio whose best decades appear to be behind it. It makes me sad; especially as someone who (like most of my generation) grew up on the Disney classics (not just the European fairytale adaptations, but also such brilliant pieces as Fantasia, Alice in Wonderland, and Lady and the Tramp). After the extreme letdowns of Frozen, Zootopia, and Inside Out, I was ready to run the opposite direction from Disney/Pixar, and make my family exclusive Dreamworks viewers.

When we saw the trailers for Moana, and White Fang said, “Let’s give it a try,” I silently groaned.

Note to the preview people: Please stop making *such* cheesy trailers that do not do the actual movie justice.

I cried at least 4 times before the end of this film. Moana is amazing. Not only is the animation the complete, utter zenith of current technology and talent, the intense inner beauty of the story that permeates every single scene should move even the more jaded adult viewer. There are so many glorious individual moments, in character interaction, developing backstory, foreshadowing, and personal growth.

And can we just talk about our heroine for a minute here. The title character and protagonist is DA BOMB. Daughter of the village chief, Moana isn’t just beautiful and smart, she is a beautiful soul, and she is intuitively smart — she doesn’t simply retain knowledge and put it into practice well, she figures things out with her heart. The true absolute gorgeousness of this young woman as who she is makes me cheer and hold out hope for the future of humanity.

Moana is not a damsel in distress. Nor is she a clever girl who still ends up getting rescued by the guy. Unlike any Disney movie I’ve ever seen before, Moana becomes the embodiment of the power to change her circumstances and lead her people. (I feel my chest swelling with feminine pride even as I write this sentence.)

The female icons in this story are incredible. Moana’s grandmother; her mother (who shows unwavering faith in her daughter); even the island goddess; they’re all excellent examples of what and who little girls can grow up to be, whether they choose a traditional or pioneering path.

Let’s focus on the story itself for a bit. The messages of never giving up, of redemption and forgiveness, are powerful. The inner strength Moana must summon to continue her quest is awesome. The inclusion of Polynesian legend and culture feels authentic and interesting. This is not another “politically correct” grab at the diversity platform — this is simply a tale of a Hawaiian tribe and part of their history.

And the PIG. After the unbelievable cuteness of this fictional pig, I may be giving up pork products forever. 

The music wasn’t just fun — it was relevant to its part in the story, it was well-produced, it was moving. (That’s another refreshing departure from my more recent experience of Disney.) And of course the animation of the ocean, the stars, the mountains was all breathtaking.

I have never been to Hawaii; I have often considered going (particularly after Lilo and Stitch — just without the aliens). But now I really want to go, and I think I’d be seeing this island paradise with new eyes — not merely the eyes of a European descendant who spends a lot of time in a rather cold climate; but as a tourist who can appreciate the rich and layered beauty of the landscapes, the culture, and the lifestyle. (That’s the real win for increasing tolerance, by the way.)

So, if you’ve already seen Moana, good for you. If you haven’t — rent it from Netflix (as we did), request it from your library, grab it from Redbox. Skip the popcorn this time; acquire some coconuts and bananas and mangoes. Gather the kids and grandkids round, and let this tale encourage them to go after their visions of the future.

Just one last note in my gushing about this film — can I have the pig?

Discussion: The Book vs. The Movie

This is an ongoing thing among book lovers — Which is better to do, read the book before viewing the movie? What if the movie of your favorite book is a disaster? Is it ever acceptable to just watch the film and never read the original book at all?

Today I’ll be presenting a variety of thoughts on these very subjects. So, get out the popcorn and soda (or whatever you snack on while at the cinema).

I love to read. But I also love movies. When films are made of books I enjoyed, I get excited. Some book dragons get skeptical, or even worried. Not me — I just go ahead and watch with an open mind. And if I happen not to like the film version, so be it. For me, it doesn’t ruin the book.

Sometimes, I even prefer the movie over the book. I know that sounds like sacrilege to the ears of some; but, think about it, haven’t we all read something and thought, “This could just…have been…better“? For me, How To Train Your Dragon is a perfect example. After White Fang got hooked on the movie, we started investigating the books, and, well, we weren’t impressed. (Sorry, Cressida Cowell.) But we really appreciate the spark of imagination that the original series put in the minds of the filmmakers.

So, is it truly entertainment heresy if you see the film before reading the book? I say no.

There are instances when going to the cinema prior to the bookstore is actually helpful. After all, what if you weren’t even aware that the movie you just watched was based on a novel/biography/real event? If you liked the film, you’ll get interested in a book that you didn’t even know existed until you saw its title in the credits. (This is an especially clever way to encourage kids to read more.)

Also, there are times when attempting to read (particularly non-fiction) and glean all the information just doesn’t fit into your life. Recently, I watched Hidden Figures on DVD, because trying to read such a text right now (due to children) is a real challenge. But I could manage to set aside 2-3 hours (thank you, Lord, for gifting someone the ability to invent the pause button) to finish the DVD.

And sometimes you like a story, but an author’s writing style really doesn’t do it for you. The Book Thief immediately springs to mind — I couldn’t make it through more than 75 pages of the text, but wanted to know what would happen to Liesel and her foster family. Since the movie isn’t presented like the book, it was a win-win. The story is precious and important, and on screen I didn’t miss it because I couldn’t understand the long metaphorical ramblings of Death as the narrator (when I thought the story was about a little girl in Nazi Germany). (I have many, many issues with this book. Sorry, fans.)

And, in truth, I never could’ve managed to read Lord of the Rings without seeing the films first, and getting all the background on the different places, events, and how in blazes to pronounce everybody’s names. (I’ve actually given up reading high fantasy, because trying to relate to characters whose names I can’t even fathom how to say out loud really dampens the experience.)

And let’s not forget the topic no book lover actually wants to admit to — “What if I just won’t like that story, and don’t want to waste money on a printing I’ll never touch again?” A couple years ago, when “everybody” was reading The Help, and I had serious misgivings about it, I rented the DVD from the library (for free), and quickly (within an hour) discovered that if I tried to read the novel, it’d get thrown at the wall. Mission accomplished.

On the other side of the coin, if you just can’t stand the screen adaptation of your favorite book, you never have to watch it again. (This definitely holds true for me with The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.)

And there are times when I’ll simply like the movie better. I’m not big on reading drama, or thrillers, but I can rent the film from the library or Netflix, and get the jist of the hyped novels of (insert year here), that I know I’ll never read.

Another plus for me is that often I just can’t picture in my mind’s eye what the author’s describing (especially if it’s a place/event/style of decor I have no frame of reference for). But on screen, I don’t have to know the terminology or the geography; I’ll still be able to understand the setting or the point of that scene.

Are there some books that I just don’t think would adapt well to film? Sure. Just like literature is an art, good filmmaking is an art, and some things don’t necessarily translate from one medium to the other. Example — I think attempting to make a movie of The Scorpio Races would be an epic fail. And there are some authors (like Erin Hunter) who don’t want movies made of their work, and I can appreciate this viewpoint, too.

However, if a film company or student approached me about creating their take on my series, what would I say? Hmmm… The jury’s still out on that one.

ARC Review: Unsanctioned Eyes

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Okay, here we go — my first ever ARC review! I requested and received a digital ARC of “Unsanctioned Eyes,” by indie author Brianna Merritt. It’s a military/assassin thriller, contemporary, and I’d say definitely adult (but it’s acceptable for probably 17 and up).

This was unlike, I think, anything I’d ever read before. Well, honestly, I generally don’t read this type of novel, so that says a lot in itself. But still, I’d hesitate to concretely put this work in a genre of just “action” or “thriller”.

“Unsanctioned Eyes” is the story of a disillusioned young woman who goes from being in the military to being an assassin. She is ruthless at her new job; she even seems to enjoy it. (I have to admit, I was a little surprised that such an innocent-looking author created such a brutal character!) Andrea Abrams becomes Quinn Rogers (after her death being faked), and the “perks” of her position as hired mercenary include world travel, luxury hotel stays, and driving fancy sports cars.

Quinn is definitely set up to be an anti-hero. She’s no Jason Bourne — she kills whoever she’s assigned to kill, no second thoughts, no remorse, no guilt. It appears.

But by a quarter of the way into this evocative prose, it’s pretty clear there’s something massively disturbed sitting in the pit of Quinn’s soul, and it’s starting to make itself known.

By halfway through, we’ve come to know there’s much more to Quinn/Andrea than meets the eye. It’s gritty, it’s so hard to read, it’s true, and it hurts all of us — her, the other characters, the reader.

I won’t say what one of the plot twists is (to prevent spoilers), but I will say that Quinn’s journey towards dredging up all of that broken and torturous mire starts when a regular mission goes awry, and she finds herself in the company of some unusual players in her life.

The end carries some surprises, too. There will be a sequel (it states on the cover by declaring the subtitle: “The Dragonfly: Book One”), and I know Quinn has a whole lot of very intense, rather nasty stuff to get through, both internally and externally, as…well, again, without throwing in spoilers…but her life is very different by the last page than it was on the first.

To be quite honest, I’m not sure if I’ll read the sequel or not; it is purely because the subject matter just wasn’t for me, in a lot of ways. But please, please don’t consider that a negative review — this novel is at every turn exciting, full of intrigue, tons of violence (for those that do like that), and packed with some seriously heavy and realistic emotional stuff. (With my hand on a Bible, I solemnly invoke the Autistic Reader Disclaimer as my reason for appreciating this book, but not being able to love it.) There are also several scenes with pretty good quips, and a few of the characters definitely have a sense of humor that many readers will relate to.

“Unsanctioned Eyes” is slated for release June 27th.

You can reach Brianna at: briannamerritt.com, or her Twitter handle is @briannawriting  

Indie Author Interview: Daley Downing — Kyle Robert Shultz

This month’s interview is with Daley Downing, author of Masters and Beginners: The Order of the Twelve Tribes, Book 1 (which was featured in my June newsletter). Her book is a delight from start to finish, turning threadbare YA fantasy tropes upside-down to deliver a fresh and engaging story. You have to read it. It’s got YA…

via Indie Author Interview: Daley Downing — Kyle Robert Shultz

The Decision Has Been Made

There will be no Camp NaNo happening here this July. I have too many plans for Volume 2 to complete it on such a strict time limit as one month.

There will also be no memes or tags or regular themed, er, things for the foreseeable future. I have a short but intense TBR and discussion posts plan to work my way through.

There will probably also be less Twitter. I honestly love my Twitter community, and I will certainly be checking in with them. But the, you know, random sort of feed-reading that occurs all too often, when we’re really supposed to be doing something else (like sleeping, or writing) — that’s getting to me. It’s becoming a bit overwhelming. Not healthy.

As the true summer approaches (it doesn’t feel like it’s started yet, since we haven’t finished the school year here), there are also other things that will happen — like children’s schedules changing — and the time for new errands begins — hopefully trips to the Farmers’ Market and the park and breaking out different recipes… As I mentioned earlier, I may be around online less in general soon.

But one of my major priorities is completing my Warriors TBR (before the new releases in the fall), and finishing Volume 2.

And I can’t even explain why I feel guilty for having made these choices! Please tell me this is normal blogger/online presence guilt, and it’s not just me?!

So, expect to see something in this space once or twice a week for the next couple of months.

We shall still discuss bookish topics and fawn over lovely cat pictures.

Snippets from Volume 2 may even appear.

 

I’m Sorry, But I Just Don’t Get…

Okay, this is probably a silly post, but I honestly have to say this is something that’s been troubling me. In the last few months, there’s been some major buzz around the new release of the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel, and the first new Wonder Woman film in forever. My Twitter feed is blowing up with the excitement over all of it. And I’m…well, I’m significantly — unimpressed.

Maybe it’s just an autism thing, but these are two realms of fandom that I may never be able to relate to. My true, heartfelt, unedited feelings towards Guardians of the Galaxy (yes, I saw the first movie) were: “But this is a group of criminals, fugitives from various transgressions against a variety of civilizations, including a talking tree and a talking racoon that just don’t do justice to either of those concepts…the green alien lady is seen as a traitor to her own people, and some random human kidnapped with only the greatest hits of the 70s in his Walkman becomes their leader? HUH? Why does the ruling class with all the power and the technology see them as a threat? And why would I see them as anything I’d want rescuing me?”

And then when I saw the trailers for Wonder Woman, my immediate reaction was: “Oh, don’t tell me they’re bringing back that nonsense, not when the feminist movement has come so far.”

(Man, am I going to get some flack for this.)

And in a way I feel bad, because so many people (in a lot of instances, people I know) are really happy that there was another Guardians of the Galaxy, and were really excited for Wonder Woman. And part of me also wonders why I can’t see beyond my initial views to grasp what they appreciate about these concepts.

But I’m struggling. I just can’t find a talking tree that only says the same thing over and over again amusing. I simply don’t see true feminist values in an Amazonian’s costume that shows off much more skin than is necessary to go fight bad guys.

And I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings — I am a big subscriber to the “live and let live” view of surviving this existence. If you are totally in love with either/both of these fandoms, then go you. I’m glad it works for you, honestly. But I may have to just resign myself to not being part of it.

When I think of flawed superheroes, I think of Iron Man, and am satisfied with it. When I think of kick-butt women who personify using their feminine wiles to their advantage, I think of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, and I’m satisfied. Again, these are just my opinions. But they come from ideas that I hold dear and true to my core.

While I’m all for people who make mistakes being given second chances, I’m not for them getting broken out of prison — where they’re supposed to be facing the consequences for their bad choices — and suddenly saving the city (even when most of the citizens hated them?!), and then soaring away on their probably-stolen spaceship, all based on who the random human’s father supposedly is (and introduced way too late in the movie for me to buy it, sorry, folks).

While I’m all for women not “needing” men, and all for women superheroes, I just don’t (and probably never will) condone their “proving” it by running around in little more than a bathing suit. It’s extremely objectifying, it’s extremely sexist, and extremely impractical.

As a female on the autism spectrum, I am a rare breed. Most of the high-functioning ASD-ers do happen to be male, for whatever reason, and until recently, many girls who are Asperger’s or closer to PDD (that’d be me) were misdiagnosed as ADHD or anxiety/depression. And still, there aren’t that many of us. Take a room of 20 people on the spectrum, you’ll most likely count 15 boys and 5 girls. I have no answers for this variance, just the facts.

But what concretely puts us on the spectrum is certain neurological patterning, such as rigid thinking and a very low tolerance for “changing rules” morality. What I mean by this is: Why is it, in one movie, a man who robs a bank has to go to jail to atone for his sins, while, in another movie, another criminal is allowed to rob the banks of 14 planets and get away just because he has what that galaxy considers an awesome soundtrack?

I may never be able to suspend my natural disbelief of such a notion to enjoy Guardians of the Galaxy. I may never comprehend why women have to fight to vote, to run for office, to go to school, to marry whom they choose, but also apparently have no problem with letting their clevage do more talking than their sword.

And yet, I wish I could be part of the enthusiasm surrounding these fandoms. Both these films — from a production-quality view — seem well-made and should be fun to watch. However…

Like I said, I keep coming back to these sticking points, and they are major for me.

I feel like I’m being invited to the party but I may never join in. And that feels like far too much of the rest of my life. I constantly avoid social gatherings, meeting people, going to new places because my sensory perception doesn’t like lots of noise and crowds and spaces that might not be warm/cool/big enough. And while I stand behind my right to avoid for the sake of my health (I will get panic attacks, migraines, etc.), I also don’t like the idea of never trying at all.

Sometimes I think about the idea of meeting in person someone I know well online. I believe I could do it — as long as I picked the place, the time of day, the environment, the, well, everything. And honestly, it’s not being “picky” or even “neurotic” — it’s protecting my physical health. Unfortunately, most people don’t understand that yet. Aren’t there superheroes that defend autistic values?

Maybe one day there will be?

Some Announcements, Summer “Plans” and Foreseen Issues (Which May Cause Howls and Grumblings)

Okay, okay, I promise to try to reign in the long post titles for a while.

So, my apologies for not being around much the last few days — I’m on the downside of a cold (that hit me much harder than anticipated), White Fang is officially in his last full week of school for the year, and Muffin is…well, being Muffin. (The other day, while I was trying to rest — because I couldn’t breathe or walk faster than a turtle — there was an incident with a misbehaving toddler and baby powder. It was not pretty. And it did wonders for my stress level, of course.)

Anyway, so along with being busy, and sick, and knowing that while the sickness won’t last (thankfully), I am very aware that my schedule over the next couple of weeks isn’t calming down just yet.

Also I am seriously trying to finish my draft of Volume 2, and that of course takes time and effort, and ideally the rest of the world just going away for a little bit.

So, if I don’t make regular appearances here for the short-term future, all of this shall be why.

As of now, White Fang is slotted for a camp in July (and we have yet to obtain summer clothing that fits — thanks, growth spurt). We’re still waiting to hear about an actual start date for Muffin at preschool. Otherwise we’re not expecting to go anywhere (though that would be nice, as we haven’t had a formal vacation in quite a while).

Whining aside, still more extremely positive reviews on Masters and Beginners: Volume 1 are popping up, and I am very excited and humbled. If you haven’t yet obtained your copy, remember, there are still subscription boxes available (which means free gifts), and I do have an ebook (download-able to various sorts of computers, tablets, etc.), which at the moment comes with my short story collection at no extra charge. Do see my heading or sidebar for my contact information, so we can discuss paying and shipping or email and all the things related to this notion.

Okay, I am really bad at the self-promotion. Many, many thanks to all who have so far read and enjoyed Volume 1 and are encouraging others to follow their lead.

I am also planning to participate in Camp NaNo in July — whether this shall actually happen remains to be seen.

And eventually I will conquer my summer TBR. It’s been intensely shortened, to make it muchly realistic for my life.

Especially since, once fall approacheth, there shall be major shakeups headed my way.

Enough on that right now. I am going to have two months in between. Remember that, Moth…

And so, not that it’s really exciting, I proceed to start catching up on neglected chores and tasks that must be fulfilled, regardless of the state of my health…

May your summers be wonderfully glorious and blessed with seashells and windchimes and cloud-free skies.

Half-Year Wrap-up

HOW IS IT JUNE?!?! 

Ahem.

Okay, back at the beginning of this year (*sobbing over not yet developing the Time Lord gene that allows me to slow down the passage of months*), my plan was to post a wrap-up every 4 weeks, summarizing the past 30 days. In no way, shape or form did that come to fruition. (Hmmm, actually, maybe I squeezed out one — in the recent re-design of my layout, some things got shifted, moved, maybe cancelled…?!)

All right, trying again: So I’ve elected instead to attempt a half-year wrap-up. (Then I don’t have to worry about doing it again until December…)

Also, lately we have some new faces around here *waves* *thank you!*, so this could be a good way to catch up, too.

JANUARY: It was my second blogiversary! I have now officially been blogging for well over two years!

FEBRUARY: White Fang (my oldest son) turned 14 on the 15th. He’s an accomplished YouTuber, and does well in school, and is famous in our community for having read almost every single publication in the Warriors series. (It’s where his screen name comes from.) His current obsession, er, hobby is Minecraft. For those of you who may not know, he’s on the high-functioning end of the autism spectrum, and I do still remember when he was a little baby.

MARCH: This month passed in pretty much a haze of storms, specialist meetings for Muffin, and preparing for my printing and official launch of Volume 1.

APRIL: April was a big stinking deal around here. On April 21st was the official release of Masters and Beginners (Volume 1 of the Order of the Twelve Tribes). It’s the first novel in my YA contemporary fantasy series (say that 3 times fast), and so far it’s receiving rave reviews in the blogisphere and on Goodreads. I am immensely pleased with this.

(If you’re interested in obtaining your own copy — paperback or digital — of Volume 1, see the blatant advertisement in my heading or sidebar.)

I participated in Camp NaNo for the first time. I reached my target word count, but the end result sucked (in my very biased, first-person-author view). Well, at least I know now what I don’t want to do with Volume 2… My revisions are so far going pretty well, and my plan for the future is to make July’s Camp NaNo Volume 2 Attempt 2.0. (Does any of that make sense?)

MAY: May kind of blew by for me, as I had more meetings for Muffin, lots of editing to consider, TBR-trimming to do, and little things to arrange for White Fang before the end of the school year arrived.

JUNE: Last night was White Fang’s final chorus concert of the year. He starts final exams next week. Soon he will be finishing middle school. (Insert parental wailing here.)

Muffin turned 3 on the 3rd. He is a busy little guy. For several months now he’s been receiving speech therapy, and on his 4th or so round of physical therapy. By September, he’ll be enrolled in a preschool program for special needs children.

At present, he is obsessed with How to Train Your Dragon and dinosaurs.

And there we have it! Hope you’re all having a pleasant spring, moths!

Introducing: Masters and Beginners!

the orang-utan librarian

Hello all!! Long-time no see! Since I’m being so totally rubbish with blogging lately, I figured the best thing to get me out of this rut is to hit the crazy backlog of unreviewed books- because *arghh* I am so disorganised and these books are not gonna review themselves!!

I’m excited to talk about this particular book, because it’s by my lovely blogger friend Daley Downing– if you don’t know who she is, you *must* check her out *right now*, because her blog is full to the brim with endlessly different discussions, lists and posts!! And now she’s a published author as well!!  RESPECT *fist bumps*!

I am so glad to say that I had so much fun with her book. First off, it is charmingly written and naturally very sweet. I will say it felt reminiscent of books aimed at younger teens, but that’s in no way a…

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