Canavan’s Comments (group member since May 15, 2018)

Canavan’s comments from the Spells, Space & Screams: Collections & Anthologies in Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Horror group.

Lena wrote: Steampunk fantasy series!

I find it hard to form much of an impression, positive or negative, given that trailer. The on-line descriptions of the concept make the series sound a bit like a steampunky X-Men (or, rather, X-Women).

Up until very recently Joss Whedon was heading this project, but he stepped down from his show runner role in favor of Philippa Goslett. Some of the names I see associated with this show (e.g., writer Jane Espenson) hark back to Buffy.

I wish the show weren’t streaming on HBO. I can only afford to subscribe to a limited number of these streaming platforms and HBO ain’t on my list.

Lena said: Our avid reader and longtime friend Tyler just lost both her grandparents today to Covid.

I’m so sorry to hear this. Condolences to Tyler.

Lena said: For those of us who dearly miss Hannibal perhaps Clarice will ease the burden:

Not exactly a lot to go on, is there?

“Turkish Delight”, Roberta Lannes

This turned out to be one of the better stories in the anthology, although, given the rather heart-breaking plot, it’s not an easy one to read. (view spoiler)[Early in the story suspicion attaches to the old man, with various other characters harboring the belief that he is a pedophile. The reader, of course, knows well in advance that this is not the case. And yet, in a very real sense, it is. Like a pedophile, Andrew’s “grandfather” (and others of his kind) exploit the emotional vulnerabilities of children and strip away their innocence. (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭½

“The Haunted House”, E. Nesbit

This appears to be a piece of sensation fiction with, as Lena noted, some mildly racist elements. ’Nuff said.

✭✭

“Sleeping Cities”, Wendy Webb

This is another story that just barely qualifies as a vampire yarn. In reading the author’s foreword, I sense that she was impressed by her time in China; but, for me at least, she fails to fashion whatever insights about the culture she may have gleaned into an interesting story. I pretty much understand the plot, but I don’t understand enough about the characters to care about it.


✭✭½

Lena said (in part):

I realize I should have finished this last month, lol.

I realized shortly after starting this anthology that, given the rather hit-or-miss quality of the stories coupled with its length, it was going to be tough for me to finish. I feel guilty for having nominated it. I’ll plug along for a bit longer, however.

Netflix might have a new Dark type show coming up: Equinox. The preview is not very good though. It might be too dark, like The Forest (which is a grim version of Grimm).

Maybe it’s just me, Lena, but I kinda liked that trailer.

Lena said:

Have you ever wanted to know every thought in guys mind?!?!
Yeah, me neither.
Now it’s the basis of an action movie, of course it is:

Thanks for posting, Lena.

It actually looks a little interesting. At least the premise is a bit different. I typically like the director, Doug Liman. But I notice that the film has suffered a troubled production history, often not a good sign.

Lena said (in part):

For your holiday pleasure, Godfather Three Recut

Thanks a bunch for posting this, Lena.

A coupla thoughts. First, I have never thought this movie was the terrible piece of crap many have deemed it to be. The problem for me is that, when contrasted with the first two films of the series, it just seems bad. A lot of folks gripe about Sofia Coppola’s performance, but I didn’t think she was any worse than Diane Keaton or some of the other supporting cast members. Which brings me to my second point: The real problem is with the script, of which there were about a zillion versions. No matter how much additional footage they have or how much they tinker with the editing, it’s hard to envision how they save the movie from that muddled and uninteresting second half. I have seen this movie at least half a dozen times and yet I can never seem to recall just what in the hell is supposed to be going on with the whole Vatican Bank/Mob Commission/Immobiliare thread.

I’m certain that I’ll dutifully watch this when it becomes available, but I can’t say that I’m particularly looking forward to it.

Lena said:

Adorable lesbian Christmas movie!

That looks as though it could be sweet, even if a bit formulaic. And Dan Levy looks like a bit of a show stealer here. It’s too bad I no longer subscribe to Hulu.

Lena said:

For your holiday needs Bruce Willis and Thomas Jane are fighting zombies in space

It’s always tricky to judge a movie based solely on a trailer, but this one looks bad.

Lena asked:

Have you read her Saint Germain stories?

I’ve read some of the short stories over the years, Lena, but none of the novels. In addition to “A Question of Patronage”, I remember having read “Cabin 33”, “The Spider Glass”, and “Advocates” (the last of these co-written with Suzy McKee Charnas).

“Butternut and Blood”, Kathryn Ptacek

(view spoiler)[This story of a vampire stalking the wounded in a Confederate field hospital during the U.S. Civil War shows flashes of pretty decent writing. Some of the best, but simultaneously some of the most problematic, deal with our main character’s memories of life on his farm with his family and their slaves. Some of the ideas and themes expressed here are reminiscent of those on display in the author’s novel Blood Autumn. (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭

Lena said (in part):

I recently sprung for CBS and had been binge watching The Good Wife. Discovery is certainly on my list and my mother has enjoyed Picard.

I may have mentioned before my fondness (with some reservations) for the first season of Picard . However, I’ve found Discovery to be a more problematic show. With a few exceptions I’ve found the characters relatively bland. The continuity issues raised by some of the plot lines have raised eyebrows in many quarters. And while I thought the overarching story arc for Season 1 was occasionally entertaining, the one for Season 2 was boring and uninspired. That said, I am forced to admit that I’ll probably end up springing for Season 3.

“Hisako San”, Ingrid Pitt

I don’t have much to say about this one. It starts off as at least semi-promising, but then quickly devolves into something resembling a bad movie script.

✭

“A Question of Patronage”, Chelsea Quinn Yarbo

(view spoiler)[Those readers interested in vampires will probably be familiar with Yarbro’s literary vampire, Saint Germain. This is another story in that cycle. Like some of the others I’ve read, this is a rather low-stakes affair without a lot of tension or excitement. But I must admit that I do like the central character and tend to enjoy these tales. In the author’s foreword, Yarbro recounts this story’s origin; after reading it I found myself wondering how many casual readers are aware of just who Henry Irving was and what his link was to the creator of Dracula, Bram Stoker. (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭½

“Sangre”, Lisa Tuttle

(view spoiler)[In this story, the somewhat surreal experience of being transformed into a vampire is filtered through the victim’s neuroses. An interesting effort. (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭½

Randy said (in part):

I read Connie Willis' "Jack" a number of years ago. As I recall, she has a feel for the time period see also, "Firewatch."

I enjoyed reading “Firewatch” some years ago, so am looking forward to “Jack”.

“Luella Miller”, Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

This entry is an old chestnut, although after re-reading it this time around I came away a bit less sure about precisely what the author had in mind. (view spoiler)[There is a kind of Puritanical quality to the story’s critique of a certain type of infantile, helpless, and passive woman. And such feelings would have accorded with Freeman’s feminist ideals. On the other hand, there’s a weird tension between this viewpoint and what we know about Freeman’s early life. Most of her biographers refer to her intense dislike of the domestic chores imposed upon her when growing up and the ensuing friction this caused within the family. When one couples this biographical detail with the fact that financial hardships forced Mary’s mother to toil as a domestic in the years prior to her death at a relatively young age, then “Luella Miller” almost begins to look like a kind of Freudian letter of apology from a daughter to her departed mother.

The other facet of the story that I perhaps hadn’t fully appreciated before was its ending. Lydia, our narrator, comes across throughout most of the tale as self-reliant and clear-eyed; someone who is for the most part resistant to Luella’s vampiric charms. And yet in the final moments of her life she rushes over to Luella’s house to collapse and expire. What larger point, if any, are we to make of this? (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭✭