Andrea K. Höst's Blog, page 30
June 6, 2011
Doctor Who: "A Good Man Goes to War"
Some fantastic characters we've not met before, and will probably never meet again. A few cool lines.
But.
Guilt trips are boring and we've seen too much of them.
Obvious revelation is obvious.
But.
Guilt trips are boring and we've seen too much of them.
Obvious revelation is obvious.
June 5, 2011
#$@#$!%
Having hit the end of this read-through of Lab Rat One, I'm tackling the most abhorrent aspect of this trilogy, which begins with the dreadful words "In the previous volume".
It shouldn't be hard. Just a few short paragraphs giving a reader who for some reason is starting at volume two some vague idea of what the hell is going on. But I HATES it. It burnssss.
Synopsis of Peculiar Blandness, let me find excuses to avoid writing you...
It shouldn't be hard. Just a few short paragraphs giving a reader who for some reason is starting at volume two some vague idea of what the hell is going on. But I HATES it. It burnssss.
Synopsis of Peculiar Blandness, let me find excuses to avoid writing you...
May 31, 2011
A Short Indulgence
I'm not by habit a short story writer. It's a very different form of writing to novels, and I've only written a handful. The most recent was an urban fantasy idea I wanted to get out of my head to stop it bugging me, and coincided with a competition which crossed the theme.Rather than leave it to languish, I've put it up as a freebie on Smashwords. It's very short (1500 words!) and on reading it over it seems to me that the fewer words I have to use, the bigger the words will be.
May 26, 2011
Colours
Still turning over possible font/colour combinations for Caszandra. There's so many possibilities...
May 21, 2011
A Quick Trip to North Sydney
Congratulations to all the Aurealis Award winners! It was a strong field, and fun for me to even be considered in contention. [Cool AV presentation at the awards too. :) ]
May 19, 2011
MacGyver of the Caribbean
He's chained to a chair. The henchmen have gone to fetch their leader, so he has a bare minute to assess the tools at hand. A balcony, a window, a table sumptously laid for a meal. A chandelier.
The food distracts: it's been too long since his last meal. He edges the heavy chair forward, reaching. An oozing cream-puff bounces off a plate, but it's too late, they're coming, and he kicks it upward, hiding attempted theft in plain sight, pierced on the chandelier. The room fills with soldiers, numbers impossible to fight, but his quick mind has identified a chance, and all he needs is some way to get out of these chains...
It's scenes like these which are the core of the Pirates of the Caribbean series for me. Jack Sparrow is the Captain of Chaos Theory, capable of seeing potential connections at a glance, and engineering the escape device as readily as any blond-headed inventor. If only he would use his powers for good, instead of for rum.
Overall, On Stranger Tides is a fun outing. I gather the story has been borrowed from a book of the same name, and knowing nothing about the book I suspect that it spends a little more time than the movie on the thoughts and feelings of a stalwart missionary. Perhaps his motivation was left on the cutting-room floor, leaving a major plot point as "she's too pretty to be evil". But otherwise recommended.
The food distracts: it's been too long since his last meal. He edges the heavy chair forward, reaching. An oozing cream-puff bounces off a plate, but it's too late, they're coming, and he kicks it upward, hiding attempted theft in plain sight, pierced on the chandelier. The room fills with soldiers, numbers impossible to fight, but his quick mind has identified a chance, and all he needs is some way to get out of these chains...
It's scenes like these which are the core of the Pirates of the Caribbean series for me. Jack Sparrow is the Captain of Chaos Theory, capable of seeing potential connections at a glance, and engineering the escape device as readily as any blond-headed inventor. If only he would use his powers for good, instead of for rum.
Overall, On Stranger Tides is a fun outing. I gather the story has been borrowed from a book of the same name, and knowing nothing about the book I suspect that it spends a little more time than the movie on the thoughts and feelings of a stalwart missionary. Perhaps his motivation was left on the cutting-room floor, leaving a major plot point as "she's too pretty to be evil". But otherwise recommended.
May 17, 2011
The Character Arc of a Fat Detective
Having hit a few too many modern mysteries which didn't work for me, I'm plunging into a re-read of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries. (Somewhat overpriced) Kindle editions have made it easy for me to complete my collection, and I really enjoy doing end-to-end read-throughs of my favourite classic mysteries, to see the world change around the detectives.
Nero Wolfe, and his not-to-be-forgotten offsider Archie Goodwin, leap off the page of the very first novel. Wolfe is a brilliant man devoted to (and burdened by) his immense and costly collection of orchids. He is also a gourmand of expensive tastes. He undertakes his detecting primarily for money to feed his habit for food and flowers, (although there's no doubt some enjoyment of the intellectual challenge), and he cultivates his reputation of eccentricity to better prevent too many from attempting to stir him into working. Archie is the live-wire, the energetic go-getter, whose livelihood depends on ensuring the Wolfe earns both their livings.
Today, reading a review of some random steampunk novel, I saw a criticism about how the characters do not change significantly during the novel. This was termed a weakness, something to be forgiven, a detraction. And yet here am I, eagerly anticipating reading through 34 novels where the characters do not change. Oh, they get older, they bicker, circumstances on occasion oblige Wolfe to alter his routine or even, *gasp*, leave the building. One or two books force him to do rather more, but they don't essentially change the person that he is, and as soon as possible he returns to status quo.
I guess everyone has their own checklist of what is a 'right' novel. I do tend to avoid books with truly obnoxious treatments of women. Otherwise, make me care, don't cause my suspension of disbelief to go SPUNG, do not confuse me overmuch, and tie off the ends of the tale in a way that satisfies. Most of all, do not bore me. That's all I ask.
Nero Wolfe, and his not-to-be-forgotten offsider Archie Goodwin, leap off the page of the very first novel. Wolfe is a brilliant man devoted to (and burdened by) his immense and costly collection of orchids. He is also a gourmand of expensive tastes. He undertakes his detecting primarily for money to feed his habit for food and flowers, (although there's no doubt some enjoyment of the intellectual challenge), and he cultivates his reputation of eccentricity to better prevent too many from attempting to stir him into working. Archie is the live-wire, the energetic go-getter, whose livelihood depends on ensuring the Wolfe earns both their livings.
Today, reading a review of some random steampunk novel, I saw a criticism about how the characters do not change significantly during the novel. This was termed a weakness, something to be forgiven, a detraction. And yet here am I, eagerly anticipating reading through 34 novels where the characters do not change. Oh, they get older, they bicker, circumstances on occasion oblige Wolfe to alter his routine or even, *gasp*, leave the building. One or two books force him to do rather more, but they don't essentially change the person that he is, and as soon as possible he returns to status quo.
I guess everyone has their own checklist of what is a 'right' novel. I do tend to avoid books with truly obnoxious treatments of women. Otherwise, make me care, don't cause my suspension of disbelief to go SPUNG, do not confuse me overmuch, and tie off the ends of the tale in a way that satisfies. Most of all, do not bore me. That's all I ask.
May 15, 2011
Doctor Who: "The Doctor's Wife"
Loved this. Loved 'Idris', loved the 'Thief'. The actual plot was a lot of running about, don't think too much about it, but didn't matter because "Idris and the Thief" hit right to the core of one of the best things about Who.
May 14, 2011
Narrative Structure
Progress with "Lab Rat One" continues apace. I'm almost finished the current read-through (where I've been focusing on ensuring the volume's theme occasionally pokes its head above water), and will take a short break from it afterwards before a further review.
As expected, with "Stray" feedback shows the structure of the book is frustrating for some, although the overall story appears to be engaging. It's really interesting how the absence of the chapter structure and the use of diary form (today this happened today this happened today this happened) means the reader can't spot what's "important" nearly so easily. There's a development arc for Cass in each volume (roughly "stepping up", "falling apart", "settling in"), but on the whole Touchstone is simply a year in someone's life. One of the most unexpected years ever.
Fun for me, but understandably it's not something which is going to work for everyone.
As expected, with "Stray" feedback shows the structure of the book is frustrating for some, although the overall story appears to be engaging. It's really interesting how the absence of the chapter structure and the use of diary form (today this happened today this happened today this happened) means the reader can't spot what's "important" nearly so easily. There's a development arc for Cass in each volume (roughly "stepping up", "falling apart", "settling in"), but on the whole Touchstone is simply a year in someone's life. One of the most unexpected years ever.
Fun for me, but understandably it's not something which is going to work for everyone.
May 8, 2011
Doctor Who: "The Curse of the Black Spot"
Astonishingly stupid on almost every level.
Next episode looks interesting.
Next episode looks interesting.
