Joseph Mallozzi's Blog, page 129

April 6, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Black Widow #15 – cover art by Kaare Andrews

Strange #2 – cover art by Bjorn Barends

Strange #2 – cover art by Dan Panosian

Batman #122 – cover art by Gabriele Dell’Otto

Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom – cover art by Yanick Paquette

Alice Ever After #1 – cover art by J. Scott Campbell

The Joneses #1 – cover art by Mike Deodato Jr.

So, which were YOUR favorites?

 

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April 5, 2022: Meccha Tired!

Hoowee!  Received an email from my agent last night informing me that he was putting me up for a new genre show and requested a writing sample for a “sci-fi show that tends towards horror”.  The series is an adaptation of novel – which I happened to have read, so I knew the perfect sample script to put forward: Stargate: SG-1’s “Revisions”.  The only problem – I no longer had a copy of the script.  Fortunately, I had access to a dropbox database of all of my old Stargate scripts.  UNFORTUNATELY, that old dropbox account got deleted due to age and inactivity.  So what to do?  Search my old hard drives of course.  The result?  Nada.  And so, left with no other recourse, I resorted to desperate measures – reverse-engineering my script from episode transcripts.  Which took me almost all of today, from an 8:00 a.m. start to a 7:00 p.m. script delivery.

Now watch me not even get an offer.

I did find time for a few breaks in between all of the rewriting and reformatting – two Suji walks, a workout, and lunch with my old friend Simon who was in town, visiting from Vancouver…

Pictured here with the Pike’s Place Espresso Chocolate Bar he gifted me.

We enjoyed Dan Dan Noodles at Mogouyan Hand-Pulled Noodles (He treated!), followed by Vietnamese coffee mochi donuts from Isabella’s Mochi Donut Boutique.

Great to catch up with Simon who is one of the biggest foodies I know.

Another round of meals-with-friends tomorrow when my buddies Yael and Tana roll into town.  Dr. Blackjack has done the honors, lining up rare culinary double-feature lunch AND dinner.

I leave you with today’s Yes/No…

Grass Jelly Drink? Yes/No pic.twitter.com/hlUU1BK701

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) April 5, 2022

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April 4, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog!

Work has eaten into my once torrid reading pace, but I did read two books last week…

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan (January 4, 2022 release)

Frida Liu is struggling. She doesn’t have a career worthy of her Chinese immigrant parents’ sacrifices. What’s worse is she can’t persuade her husband, Gust, to give up his wellness-obsessed younger mistress. Only with their angelic daughter Harriet does Frida finally feel she’s attained the perfection expected of her. Harriet may be all she has, but she’s just enough.

Until Frida has a horrible day.

The state has its eyes on mothers like Frida — ones who check their phones while their kids are on the playground; who let their children walk home alone; in other words, mothers who only have one lapse of judgement. Now, a host of government officials will determine if Frida is a candidate for a Big Brother-like institution that measures the success or failure of a mother’s devotion. Faced with the possibility of losing Harriet, Frida must prove that she can live up to the standards set for mothers — that she can learn to be good.

My thoughts: It’s the Handmaid’s Tale meets Orange is the New Black by way of Black Mirror.  After running afoul of near-future social services, a young mother is sent off for “re-education” at a prison-like institute.  There she will have to prove her competence as a mom if she is ever to be reunited with her daughter.

At the beginning of this book, I had mixed feelings about our protagonist.  On the one hand, I did feel sorry for her in the face of an unforgiving dystopian system.  On the other hand, she DID leave her infant child unattended for several hours, completely forgetting about her as she went about her work.  I mean, I get it.  She was exhausted.  And everyone makes mistakes.  Still, it was difficult to totally get on board with Frida-as-victim at first.  But, as the story unfolds, one can’t but sympathize with this desperate mother.

Although the novel is clearly speculative fiction, imagining an oppressive world not too far removed from our own, it’s nevertheless very grounded – until about a third of the way in when the mothers are presented with, essentially, robot children to nurture for the duration of their one year stay/sentence.  At this point, we veer into science fiction and, while I love science fiction, it a jarring development.  And, to be honest, I didn’t love it.  It all works in the end, eventually, but it does take a couple of chapters to adjust to the shift.

Overall, an impressive and provocative novel that, at times, feels like it bites off more than it can chew when it comes to the myriad social issues it seeks to address.

***

The Broken Room  by Peter Clines

Hector was the best of the best. A government operative who could bring armies to a halt and nations to their knees. But when his own country betrayed him, he dropped off the grid and picked up the first of many bottles.

Natalie can’t remember much of her life before her family brought her to the US, but she remembers the cages. And getting taken away to the Project with dozens of other young children to become part of their nightmarish experiments. That’s how she ended up with the ghost of a dead secret agent stuck in her head.

And Hector owes Natalie’s ghost a big favor.

Now Hector and Natalie are on the run from an army of killers sent to retrieve her. Because the people behind the Project are willing to risk almost anything to get Natalie back and complete their experiments.

My thoughts: I’m an absolute sucker for the symbolic ne’er-do-well father – precocious daughter relationship at the heart of this novel.  It, on its own, is worth the price of admission.  But, as an added bonus, you also get a compelling story chock full o’ cool sci-fi elements, action, surprising turns, and a couple of very memorable, very colorful mercenaries.  This book is at it’s best when it focuses on the heartening, often  humorous relationship at it’s core, the growing bond between a battle-hardened agent and his young charge.  Some of the novel’s more fantastical elements didn’t work as well for me however (ie. Nathalie’s “sickness” manifesting supernatural projectile-vomiting), and while the climax sets up nicely, it does seem to wrap up in all too convenient fashion.  Still, the journey there is a very memorable one.

***

So, what have YOU been reading?

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April 3, 2022: Suji Sunday!

Impatient for spring to get here.

Planning dinner.

Ready to rock and roll.

Flower Princess.

Poor eyesight but great appetite…

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hi. I'm Sujiすじ子 (@newoldpugsuji)

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April 2, 2022: Stargate Saturday!

Check out the replay of my latest chat with David Read for Dial the Gate.  We talk SGU’s first season…

And from the Stargate vault…

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April 1, 2022: J-Town!

Today, Akemi’s and I visited J-Town, aka Japan-Town, aka the land of soy milk and honey-matcha mochi.

It’s located about 90 minutes from our place by public transportation, but I accompanied Akemi because that’s what husband’s do – especially after being guilted for not being more enthusiastic about a rare couples excursion.

Enroute

So, we walked from our place to the bus stop.  From the bus stop to the subway.  To the subway to the other bus stop.  And from the bus stop to J-Town mall which, to be frank, is less a mall and more a tiny strip mall of a half dozen tiny shops selling Japanese goods.  BUT Akemi was thrilled nonetheless.

The ArrivalThe Arrival Part 2

We started with a preliminary walk-thru, a scouting session of sorts to give us a a lay of the land – and potential purchases – prior to really getting down to it.

But before commencing our official shopping, we decided to grab lunch first.  Being J-Town, you would imagine they’d have a plethora of fine Japanese eateries to choose from – but that assumption would be incorrect.  The two big izakayas are only open for dinner.  And a couple of the other sit-down spots seemed to be still nursing their pandemic hangovers and remained closed.  So we opted for a couple of onigirazu, open-faced seaweed-wrapped rice balls stuffed with beef and chicken and ate outside where we could enjoy the just-above-freezing winter chill.

Hiru-gohan

Then, it was off to Yuzu no Ki Cafe, perhaps the only place open for sit-down service, where we enjoyed a cream chouquette and matcha opera cake, both delicious.

Dezato. Totemo oishikatta desu!

Fortified by beef and cream, we then put Operation Kaimono (shopping)!

(P.S. I know be regret not buy-in that couch with the reclining cat}

Akemi grabbed the basic necessities – rice, soy, tofu, miso, yuzu kosho, shisho, sakura ebi, more rice, and snacks in addition to the elusive mirin she’s been on the look-out for since…forever.  I, meanwhile, focused on the proteins: four different types of burger, two types of tongue, one cheek, and some monkfish liver.

The elusive mirin!

Rather than hazard the 90 minute trek back using public transportation, we elected to grab an uber which was, admittedly more expensive but undoubtedly easier on the arms given the two 15 lb rice bags Akemi had me carrying.

Owarimashita!

Akemi’s haul….

Tanoshikatta!

J-Town

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March 31, 2022: BB.Q Chicken!

I’m about to lapse into a fried chicken coma following a wondrous lunch at BB.Q Chicken – a Korean franchise featured in the K-Drama Crash Landing On You about a soldier from South Korean who, as a result of a paragliding accident, ends up north of the DMZ where she falls in love with a North Korean soldier.

No political intrigue or romance on this visit, but lots of delicious chicken. We were three so we were only able to sample a fraction of the offerings…

The eight piece Golden Fried chicken.   Classic.  Crispy on the outside.  Juicy and tender on the inside.

Honey Garlic Wings.  John Stead’s favorite.

Gangman Style Wings – sweet and spicy with garlic.  Ivon’s favorite.

Cheesling Wings – dusted with cheddar and mascarpone powder.  My favorite.

Sides included cole slaw and corn salad.  Service was excellent.

I have to go back to check out the flavors I missed on this outing: Hot Spicy, Soy Garlic, Ganjeong, Mala Hot, Galbi Q, Red Chak-Chak, Black Pepper, and Secret Sauce.

I made need back-up.   Who’s with me?!

BBQ Chicken Toronto Instagram 

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March 30, 2022: Amazing Covers!

A few that caught my eye this week…

Hulk #5 – cover art by Jorge Fornes

Astro City: That Was Then #1 – cover art by Jamie McKelvie

Sensational Wonder Woman Special #1 – cover art by Belen Ortega

Sensational  Wonder Woman Special #1 – cover art by Junggeun Yoon

Shadow War: Alpha #1 – cover art by Viktor Bogdanovic

So, which were YOUR favorites?

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March 29, 2022: My Stargate [redacted] pilot script review – and news of note!

The verdict? Fantastic. A perfect series for first-time viewers who know nothing about #Stargate, but also a richly rewarding experience for longtime fans. Action, adventure, friendship, humor, cool sci-fi, terrific characters, a compelling story – and one helluva an antagonist. pic.twitter.com/BHIVq7xCPN

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) March 29, 2022

Excitement building…

World’s first space hotel to open in 2027 with “activities you can’t do on Earth”.

Like slam dunk a basketball?  Can’t wait.

Mysterious beams of light in the sky have been spotted around the world.

We already did this on Stargate: Atlantis.

Elon Musk says he’s giving serious thought to creating a new social media platform

Interesting.

Dark Empaths: The truth about narcissists with empathetic traits

I know a few of these.

Insomnia is on the rise: A doctor warns melatonin may not be the solution

I’m more of a chamomile tea guy, but do keep melatonin on my nightstand just in case.  You?

Today’s Yes/No…

Peanut Butter Stacker and Peanut Butter Fries? Yes/Nohttps://t.co/4kGzpdurj9

— Joseph Mallozzi (@BaronDestructo) March 29, 2022

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March 27, 2022: Baron’s Book Club Blab Blog!

I was distracted by work and sundry other activities this past week so I only read a single book…

The Perfect Crime – Edited by Vasseem Khan and Maxim Jakubowski (Release date: September 13, 2022)

Around the world in 22 murders…
MURDER
BLACKMAIL
REVENGE
From Lagos to Mexico City, Australia to the Caribbean, Toronto to Los Angeles, Darjeeling to rural New Zealand, London to New York – twenty-two bestselling crime writers from diverse cultures come together from across the world in a razor sharp and deliciously sinister collection of crime stories.

My thoughts: As is the case with most anthologies, this collection of crime-themed fiction is a mixed-bag ranging from the unremarkable to the delightfully clever.  My favorites…

“For Marg” by J.P. Pomare about a farmer haunted by his former wife’s infidelity.

“Jumping Ship” by Oyinkan Braithwaite about a photographer hired to take baby photos for the married man with whom she has been carrying on an affair.

“Paradise Lost” by Abir Mukherjee about a former mob associate looking to start anew and leave his former life behind.

There were some a few other memorable tales, but these three stood out for their deft character work, crackerjack plotting, and ability to genuinely surprise this jaded reader.  All three writers are now firmly on my to-read radar (although Braithwaite has been on my to-read list since her debut novel, My Sister Is A Serial Killer).

3/5

***

And what have YOU been reading?

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