movie: 300 + Torchwood: Season 1, eps 1-2

I broke in the new DVD player with 300 and the first two episodes of Torchwood.

300 was enjoyable, but more about the visuals than anything else. I think the queen was the only characters with an actual developed personality or plotline. Which made me happy (well, not that no one else was really developed, but that she wasn’t decorative) but there were elements there that made me want to yell at the TV for Frank Miller to leave his issues with women at home already, though. To be honest, when CGI is trying that hard to be realistic, I’d rather it just be live action. Once the CGI reaches the 300 and Beowulf level, it just starts looking odd to me. I think I’m in the minority with that, though.

And am I the only one who got a little tired of constantly being told how awesome the Spartans were?

Still, pretty fun.

Then there’s Torchwood. To be honest, it kind of bored me. That’s unfortunate, as I really like the idea of it (covert ops team that gathers alien technology to prepare humanity for the future and is led by an immortal who does not appear to be drowning in wangst). I’m inclined to like several characters—Gwen, Tosh, Ianto and whatever-Gwen’s-boyfriend’s-name-is—but that’s eclipsed by my hatred of Owen and irritation with Jack. Plus, it’s kinda skeevy.

( Spoilers: one pretty well known, the others not as circulated in my internet circles. )

Does it get better, or still stay so skeevy? Does Owen die in the next episode? I might watch more to see him die. I really do like the idea of it, and it has potential.

I should have the second disc tomorrow. Should I watch it, or just send it back to netflix?

Stranger at the Wedding by Barbara Hambly

Kyra is a young journeyman wizard about to take her final tests before her Council. However, something is affecting her magic in unusual ways, culminating in a vision of her younger sister, Alix, dying on her wedding night. Not about to let such a thing happen, Kyra leaves the Citadel and returns home in the midst of the wedding preparations, despite having been exiled by her father six years before.

The book is set in the same world as The Silicon Mage, The Silent Tower and The Dog Wizard, but has little connection to them. I think Kyra was mentioned as Random Young Wizard #3 or something in The Dog Wizard, but the storylines of the first three have virtually no impact on Stranger at the Wedding. Instead, the book focuses on Kyra’s attempts to both save and reconnect with her family, even as she does everything in her power to sabotage and postpone Alix’s wedding to fend off the vision, and on her background.

The book is darker than the other books in the series, touching on themes that were mentioned as a part of Antryg’s past before, but never as directly addressed, and deals almost entirely with the non-wizard society of the world, which we haven’t seen a lot of before. Though the final reveals about Kyra’s past are difficult to read, I thought it was very interesting to see how Kyra and her father got to where he blamed her for almost destroying the family. In the end, I can’t approve of how he treated her, but I can understand how he came to be like that. But I almost always like focus on family in fiction, and I like that the plot revolved around Kyra being determined to save her sister by any means necessary. I also really liked her various adventures and intrigues as she tried to figure out what was behind the danger to Alix, and the romance was cute, despite being a trope I’m not a huge fan of.

(no subject)

Is there anything more annoying than braving day-after-Christmas sales for cold medicine and cheap candles, only to find the cold medicine you couldn't find earlier as soon as you get home?

In Dublin's Fair City by Rhys Bowen

I don’t know if I’ve just been in the exact right mood or if these books just went from “really good” to “really really good,” but I’ve liked the 5th and 6th Molly Murphy mysteries even more than the earlier ones.

In her 6th outing, Molly is hired by Tommy Burke, a mover and shaker in Old New York’s theatrical world, to go to Ireland and find his sister, who he didn’t know existed until his mother’s deathbed confession. Ready for a break from the difficulties of her life, Molly agrees, despite the legal difficulties that face her in Ireland. On the ship, a famous actress she met in New York, Oona Sheenah, hires Molly to pretend to be her, only sick and confined to her cabin, so that Oona can escape her admirers. Molly is confused as to why anyone would give up a luxurious first class cabin for a tiny second class one, but agrees.

On the voyage, however, Oona’s maid is murdered, and when Molly confesses the deception to the captain, she learns that Oona hasn’t even been in Molly’s cabin the entire voyage, and is nowhere on the ship, leaving Molly not only with a second mystery, but also Oona’s luggage. From there, Molly’s search for Burke’s sister and her unwilling involvement with Oona’s machinations leads her to become increasingly involved with The Irish Republican Brotherhood, and forces her to confront some aspects of her past.

As sometimes happens with Bowen, the actual mystery gets a bit lost in favor of Bowen’s interest in the time period. This is far from a bad thing, as Bowen’s clear love of the era is a lot of the charm of the series. The only downside of the book is that, out of necessity, we don’t see much of Molly’s New York friends, and their absence is felt. On the other hand, Daniel has clearly not been forgiven for his behavior in previous books by the ladies, and has the full force of Ryan O’Hare unleashed on him. If you’re familiar with the books, you know that the encounter couldn’t be anything of glorious.

As is Gus’s response when Daniel is complaining (admittedly with decent justification) about his current, disgraced situation and says it’s none of Gus and Sid’s business: “Oh, we are most concerned. It affects us to. If you are unhappy, then Molly is unhappy, and if Molly is unhappy, then we cannot truly enjoy life ourselves. And since it is our aim and pledge to enjoy every moment, the sooner the situation is rectified, the better.”

Translation: “We still hate you, but for some strange reason, our Molly likes you, and so we are concerned for you. Until she gives up on you.”

And now to wait until March for the next book to be released in paperback, and then decide if I want to follow the series in hardcover. As Bowen is continuing with both this series and the Royal Spyness series, and the releases are spaced several months apart, I might be able to resist temptation.

The Dark Hand of Magic by Barbara Hambly

Still being hunted after the end of The Witches of Wenshar, Sun Wolf and his lover, Starhawk appear to be done for when they’re rescued by members of their old mercenary troop. It seems that their current siege is stalled thanks to a hex placed on it by a wizard, and the troop’s new leader wants to hire Sun Wolf to find out who’s behind it. He agrees, at least partly because he’s still looking for a mage powerful enough to train him.

The plot was fun, and it was interesting to see Starhawk and Sun Wolf return to the mercenary life after a year without it, and see how their viewpoints had change. But while Starhawk was as wonderful and pragmatic as always, Sun Wolf irritated me with his wishywashyness over some things. A little too much “save Starhawk or save an entire town” going on. Not to mention that, while it may be realistic to not cheat on your girlfriend primarily because you know she’ll dump you if you do, it’s not overly attractive when it almost comes across as the only reason. Though at least he and the text both realized he wasn’t showing his best side.

Both sequels to Ladies of Mandrigyn are good, but I think they get by more on the strength of the first book than on their own merits.

Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle ch 208 + Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock

So, I'm sitting here, reminding myself that, cold or no cold, I have to go to work today or I forfeit my holiday pay for yesterday.Then I remembered that there was a new Tsubasa chapter, even though I keep meaning to let the chapters build up again. (Also, aren't scanslators allowed to take Christmas off?

( very brief spoilers )

Also, I got bored in the third episode of Torchwood (I also learned who was involved in another spoiler I knew of and EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW) and switched back to Saiyuki Reload: Gunlock, which I had just started when the old DVD player died.  I couldn't remember what episode it was, so, while finding my place, I think I listened to Dokugakuji talk about how all that's left of Kougaiji is a cold and heartless killing machine.

I am rather fond of that line.

And I have now seen Sanzo as a tree, and Goku barking like a dog.

And...err...you know, I'm very fond of Lirin, but when did she become a serious threat to Sanzo?  And when was she possessed by Serious and Patient?

Spoiler code for Tsubasa chapter: <span style="color: #333333;background-color: #333333">Spoilers here.</span>

ETA:  Tsubasa spoiler in first comment.

Godchild Vol 7

( spoilers defy clever cut code )

Godchild Vol 8 (end)

( spoilers almost defy comprehension )

Hmm…and now I have read everything of Kaori Yuki’s that’s been licensed. In about a six month period. Viz (or whoever) needs to license more now!

Hmm…after I finish X/1999, I think I’ll need to cleanse my brain with some shoujo fluff and/or shounen.