random bits

[meganbmoore]

 1.  Waldenbooks did not have Elizabeth Bear's Ink & Steel when I went in armed with a coupon today.  They failed me.  Furthermore, while their main computer system showed books 1, 2 and 4 of Promethan Age, I&S wasn't listed under her name or the proper title.  So he looked it up online and got the ISBN and then found it for me and it brought it up properly and is ordered, but, SHEESH!

2.  Boy I Have No Adjectives For has officially quit.  I am now ALL ALONE on Saturdays unless one of the other Boys comes in  for overtime or to make-up hours.  Also, I was ALL ALONE for 6 hours yesterday.

3.  Also, work can get busy again.  Megan wants overtime.

4.  Now that it's over:  Dr. Horrible:  Will I like it, or will it make me mad?

5.  I still haven't seen any of s3(please don't spoil me any more than I have been), but the massive fandom divide on the f-list over last night's Avatar episode amuses me.  I guess because of what the divide seems to be over.

6. Anyone want to recommend mysteries, YA or fantasy set circa regency era-WW 2(yeah, broad time period, there)?  Not specifically limited to England.  It seems to be what I'm looking for the most, lately.

Comments

[estara.livejournal.com]

Naomi Novik's series is in the Napoleonic Wars and dragon fantasy, but weren't you reading Temeraire already?

Have you already finished Michelle West's Broken Crown series and the Cast-in-... series, too?

I can't offer mysteries, as I don't read those and the YA I have now are mostly Megan Whelan Turner and Tamora Pierce, so not the right time zones, or even set on Earth. Hmmm.

Victorian vampire mystery alternative earth = New Amsterdam by Elizabeth Bear

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

#1: Yup, reading them. Deciding if I'll get the new one in HC, or wait for PB

#2: Nope, still where I was on the last posts on them.

#3: Earth is not a requirement, if it's 'based on'

#4: On the list.

#1

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

If you'd like, I can send you an ARC of Hell & Earth (Promethan Age 4 & part 2 of The Stratford Man).

Re: #1

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

...

Yes please!

Re: #1

[magicnoire.livejournal.com]

All righty! Unless you've moved since Christmas, I still have your addy. I'll send it out to you next week. :)

Re: #1

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Alas (kinda) I remain...

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Dr. Horrible is predictable Whedon as he HATES his characters apparently.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Whedon doesn't hate his characters so much as he firmly believes in causing them angst and pain. See: Drosseleyer's rants in Princess Tutu.

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Dr. Horrible has some race and gender problems, but I really enjoyed it despite that. It's hilarious and the songs are really catchy.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been seeing reactions to it across the board.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

Dr. Horrible Everything Joss Whedon does has some race and gender problems--

Fixed that for you.

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Hee! So I've heard. Dr. Horrible is really the first thing of his I've watched.

[themachinehead.livejournal.com]

Race and gender problems? What are you talking about?

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

Almost the entire cast is white (everyone with speaking roles is, except for one bit part who might be Asian). Almost the entire speaking cast is male, except for Penny, who is a prize for the guys to fight over, and a couple of groupies.

[themachinehead.livejournal.com]

Do you not read superhero comics or watch the sort of serials this is parodying? Your first statement is completely irrelevant because even if it's true, it's parody. And for that matter, the girl who "might be Asian" is also a co-writer. As far as there not being women with speaking roles, there were only three principals, and one of them was a woman. As far as the reductionism that she's just a prize for the guys to fight over, I have to wonder if you make this identical complaint every third time you go to the movies.


Honestly, when you watch Star Wars, Episode IV (or whatever), do you make the same comments?

[kyuuketsukirui.livejournal.com]

TROLL HARDER

[themachinehead.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you make vague assertions about race and gender problems independent of the storyline, and, when pressed, make a complaint that could be applied to about 99% of media within the genre, and I'm the troll.


MAKE A REAL ARGUMENT IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY DUMB SHIT.

Sheesh. Seriously though, now that I think about it, Star Wars was about 1,000 times worse in everything you're criticizing here. Or how about LotR? All the heroes are white while the elephant-riding brown people are evil and the black people are a genetic perversion? How come everyone in Spider-Man's Queens High School is white? Isn't he a science geek? Shouldn't his friends include some Indian and Asian people?

Find a real argument to criticize a musical parody, then come back and share.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

*holds up hands*

Time out and no fighting, please.

Not touching the subject at hand (though it does raise an interesting idea or two) but I actually have seen people criticize your examples (though more the recent Star Wars trilogy than the original.) I do think, though, that people notice the problems more in Whedon's work because he claims to be more aware of the problems. Not a right or wrong judgement call, just an observation.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

*holds up hands*

Time out and no fighting please.

Being pretty familiar with the "Source material"(such as it is) and Whedon's other stuff and claims, I can see both sides, but I donm't see things going anywhere pretty.

[fairest1.livejournal.com]

I didn't actually see any gender problems with Dr. Horrible. Two of the three leads are male, and the only hero mentioned is male, but there's several female villains that have gained the respect of their peers and no gratuitous cleavage shots . . . and the female lead is 'normal' but does a hella lot with what she has.

[keelieinblack.livejournal.com]

I would have enjoyed Dr. Horrible much more if I'd skipped the third part entirely and pretended that Whedon penned one of the subversive endings I was expecting, instead of the one he actually did write.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's kinda the general feeling I get.

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

I have no idea. I just hope everyone will now SHUT THE FUCK UP about it and stop posting the ugly-ass graphic all over the damned place.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Ugly graphic?

[lyssie.livejournal.com]

If you've been lucky enough not to have it plastered all over your flist, yay, you.

[kingcrankycat.livejournal.com]

Dr. Horrible started off strong and kinda went downhill from there. The actors were, predictably, great, but the story just kinda loses steam after it starts taking itself seriously. Strong start, weak close. I still watch it if only to see Nathan Fillion cry like a baby.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Nathan Fillon crying like a baby does have an appeal...

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

Dr. Horrible: One can read it as either reiterating tired cliche's regarding female roles in superhero stories, or as mocking same cliche's by turning them into musical comedy. Which way it goes for you will depend on how much credit you're willing to give Whedon for past work.

[may-flyer.livejournal.com]

The actors did a good job, but I wasn't too impressed with several aspects of Dr. Horrible. I've long felt that Joss Whedon is massively overrated as a writer.

[sora-blue.livejournal.com]

Don't know if you read swan-tower's journal, but she has a post explaining what happened re; Ink and Stone: http://swan-tower.livejournal.com/182983.html

[sora-blue.livejournal.com]

Ink and Steel

I'm sorry. It's early. No coffee yet. :(

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I read both Marie Brannan and Elizabeth Bear's LJs. Bear actually posted on the subject a couple hours after this post.

[irenak.livejournal.com]

Dr. Horrible - pretty much what most people said - it's appropriate for the story he's telling and yet very predictable Joss. I kind of like it despite all that and am perfectly happy to take a step back from the meta and spend time in My Happy Place.

Avatar - heh. I can predict *exactly* what they're fighting over without even reading any of the commentary. Oh, fandom.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think that aspect of the Avatar fandom will always baffle me. In some ways, I can't help but think that everyone took a crackship seriously, and the merits of that ship took over the entire fandom. (I mean, they're 2 of my 3 favorite characters in the series, but it baffles me.)