Reading and Watching

Reading

Lots of good books and a few duds this month. My most recent read was Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis: a wonderfully alternate World War II where the adversaries blast each other with a mixture of magical and steampunky weapons.

I wasn't too thrilled at the beginning when a cast of uniformly evil Germans took on an endless supply of plucky Brits. Yet, with the passing of the pages, the main characters become ever more complex and interesting. Except for one. The enigmatic, fascinating Gretel seems to stay the same, but she's so interesting as she is, I think I just want her to stay that way.



Recommended.


Watching

Sky Atlantic continues to Bring It with a hilarious and astounding cross between Jane Austen and Monty Python called Hunderby. Julia Davis' script mixes genteel, archaic language with appalling, hilarious filth to wonderful effect. An example of its dialog:

Elderly Husband to Nervous new wife: It is a quarter after ten. We shall intercourse until a thirty after.

Master: How is my mother?
Servant: Her insides are assailed by vipers. Her bowels still have not spoken... Although... I thought I heard them whisper.

You just gotta watch it...