Lord Of Chaos

Perrin is back again, and on the one hand, lots of plot points are moved forward; on the other hand, lots of things are at a standstill and new stuff has been layered on. This book felt a bit like a marathon, and is typically where people who did fall off reading started to fall.

• Dylin tells Rand that Tigrane is his mother. In this story we learn that Galad is Rand's half-brother.
• An emissary from the Tower is sent to Salidar.
• Taim is now in charge of the Black Tower and he has to be a Foresaken, right?
• Morgase is captured by Pedron Niall.
• Rand receives envoys both from the Tower and from Salidar - the Tower group assumes that rumors of a sister with Rand (actually Egwene) is Moraine who faked her death.
• Nynaeve does the impossible in heading Logaine, Siuan, and Leanne
• The whitecloaks culture is so much modeled on the Vatican.
• Egwene is a BADASS. She meets her Ji e-Toh, then travels the same night to Salidar to meet her fate there.
• Rand sends Matt to collect Elaine.
• Instead of punishing Egwene, the rebels make her Amyrlin.
• Sulin is HILARIOUS.
• Rand is captured by the Tower envoy. He is tortured and driven crazy by them.
• Matt, Elaine, and Nynaeve, along with Tom and Julen, head for Ebou Dar to deal with the weather issue by looking for the bowl of the winds.

Next up: Crown of Swords

• Dumai Wells happens and it's a blood bath.

Nordic Noir

One of the benefits of my addictive personality is that sometimes I land on some type of thing that is so interesting that obsession is warranted and rewarding. One such thing is a recent indulgence in a lot of Nordic Noir.

It started with the Stieg Larson Millennium trilogy and is most recently working itself out in my enjoyment of the Danish original The Killing TV series (kiss-kiss, Van). I've recently made a long list of popular Swedish thrillers - many of which are series focused on one detective - and I cannot wait to find the time to read more.

Here are some of the characteristics I love best in this genre:

• A heroine to the story (though not always, as in the mediocre The Hypnotist - more on that later) who kicks ass (Lisbeth Salander, Sarah Lund/Linden, Smilla) and has had absolutely all she can stand of misogyny and bullshit. She has generally gotten the shit end of at least one kind of stick, and she ain't gonna take it any more
• A mystery that needs some serious solving
• Characters who are the very best at what they do, but who are overlooked by most people because they don't comply with social norms
• Some kind of social injustice that the heroine (except in the mediocre, etc, etc) is absolutely livid about

Here are my recommendations if you enjoyed The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo or the AMC version of The Killing and are interested in more:

• Read Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow. It's the grandmammy of the genre and is outstanding. This book is one of Sly B's all-time favorites and she's been trying to get me to read it for ages. Why did I wait so long?
• There's a Julia Ormond movie called Smilla's Sense of Snow that's also wonderful
• Read all three Stieg Larson books - they are fantastic. Then watch the Swedish films - they are fantastic. Then see the US film - it was pretty damn good.
• Watch the AMC version of The Killing - so great. A Nordic Noir story set in Seattle. Fans FREAKED OUT about the S1 ending because it wasn't all Hollywood-tied-in-a-bow. Haha
• Watch the BBC version (it's Danish, but they dubbed into English) of The Killing - it's the original and the story is so dark and thrilling
• Do not, not matter what, pick up The Hypnotist, even though the cover says it's "methadone for those in withdrawal from Stieg Larson novels." First of all, really marketing people? Classy. Because heroin addiction is EXACTLY like loving some books. Second of all, it was a good mystery, but I hated the main character, his wife, his son, and everyone he knew. Seriously it was a 4 out of 10 nipples and doesn't belong in this class

You have your homework.

The Fires of Heaven

I finished this volume a few weeks ago. A LOT happened in this one, despite Perrin's POV being absent.

• Lews Therin has emerged as the voice in Rand's head. He's a nutter, too, so Rand is stuck listening to his weeping/ranting/homicidal ideas.
• Lanfear had her eyes on the Sun Throne - I missed that on the first read.
• Matt's medallion is proven out as a protection against channeling.
• Min and Elaine come to terms with the fact that they both love Rand. Meanwhile, Rand plays between the sheets with Avienda.
• Forsaken body count: Lanfear (?), Ravin, Asmodean. Moghedien is also captured by Nynaeve.
• The rebel Aes Sedai have set up camp in Salidar, and Nynave, Min, and Elaine are there with them.
• Biggest thing to happen: Moraine is presumed dead after taking Lanfear out through the mysterious doorway.

Next up: Lord of Chaos

The Shadow Rising

Book 4, The Shadow Rising, is (so far) the longest in the series at 1001 pages. This read for me was via audio-book and was 40.5 hours of bookiness. I think that in writing this volume, RJ must have decided: "Fuck it" and gone all in with the detail, scope, and length of the series. This one represents a real turning point in what would happen in the series and how many characters would be integral to the story. Whew, a biggun. Here are my thoughts in no particular order:

• Major plot points in this volume: The Tower is broken; Nynaeve proves that she is strong as hell, and can overcome a Foresaken; Rand is He Who Comes With The Dawn without a doubt; Rand captures Asmodean and now has a teacher and proves that he is unwilling to kill a woman; Egwene begins learning to be a dreamer; Perrin becomes a "lord" and marries Faile

• Min is more important to the plot of the series than I thought and I'm paying more attention to her role

• Siuan and Leane are hilarious

• Is Rand's breaking the Aiel bigger than his telling their historical secret?

Next up, The Fires of Heaven

The Sacred Band

I recently had the pleasure of finishing The Sacred Band, the conclusion to the Acacia trilogy by David Anthony Durham. Book 1 is Acacia; Book 2 is The Other Lands. Rather than do a plot summary here, because I really do believe you should read this one for yourself, I'll just talk about what I loved about this final novel.

First, the entire series is incredibly refreshing. Epic Fantasy is generally "conservative" in metaphor at many levels. The hero (and there usually is just one) is typically male, white, heterosexual, etc, etc, etc; the bad guys are typically of color, not Euro-ish, effeminate even sometimes. In Acacia, the heroes are varied in race, home, sex, motives. It takes many of them a long time, and a lot of mistakes to get to the point of doing "right."

Next, the conclusion of the series isn't a nice, tidy fix by a savior. It's just a hope of something better. I LOVE that.

Finally, Durham knows how to finish a series. Who finishes a trilogy in four years? Who finishes a trilogy in three books? LOVE THAT. Of course, I love the torture that is SOIAF and WOT too . . .

I'm going to read Pride of Carthage just because I know this dude can write. And he's on my must pre-order list from now on. Ten out of ten and the best book I read this year.

'bout got 'er licked

Sly B and I visited Big Beaver Brewing Co. in Loveland last week. Coincidentally, we'd just read a review of the brewery that claimed, and I paraphrase, that "unless you're a feminist or someone who hates fun you'll love this place." So two feminists walk into a bar. Aside from my being hit on by a biker, I'd say our man-hating, joyless, politically ridiculous feminism remains completely intact.

Just kidding, obviously. The review in question was silly. The brewery is stupendously unique as a spot - wonderfully home-made tables; friendly bartender; friendly patrons (especially that biker). It had a great vibe all the way around. The joke in the logo and name and tagline is continued in the brews:

-Beaver Stubble Stout (appreciated by a buddy)

-Bust-A-Nut Brown

-Potent Peter IPA

-Screw The Pooch Ale (my favorite)

-Whiskey Dick Stout

and so on. Feminists can laugh at that. We're proof.

I predict that in ten years, this is going to be a big, festival winning brewery. They've got the right stuff, no doubt. The beers are each unique and robust and true to style.

If you're in Northern Colorado and can, check this joint out. It's fantastic.

The Dragon Reborn

My thoughts on book 3:

• Matt never accepts his fate. He always wants to leave, but he really doesn't want to go back to Emond's Field.

• Nynaeve is driven because she sees herself as the protector of the Emond's Fielders. She is also driven by hatred of Moiraine.

• The Dragon Reborn was very light on Rand; the focus was on moving all the main characters to Tear.

• ALL of Min's viewings come true. Never doubt what she sees.

• Rand always thinks that he's defeated Shai'tan in the early books!

• The Forsaken body count: Aginor, Be'lal, Ishamael/Ba'alzaomon.

• We now know who The People Of The Dragon are. In that, the legends of the various peoples start to bleed together.

• Moiraine's role is really becoming more to remind the ta'veren who they are than to guide them.

• This is among my favorites of the books - a lot of great focus on the "girls" perspective and a lot of fantastic character development. Faile is an annoying character, IMO, and we meet her here, but otherwise this was a fun re-read and a fantastic story.

• Next up, The Shadow Rising

WoT Read, Read, Read

Sly B and I are both re-reading the massive Wheel of Time series in anticipation of the final installment in March. I thought it might be fun to do a series of posts that are just thoughts on each book. Not reviews, just thoughts. My review is this: I fucking love these books.

I've read the first 10 books in the series at least twice - some more than that. The latest books and the prequel I've only read once, so this is very exciting.

So I am currently rounding the corner to the end of book #3 The Dragon Reborn. Sly B is on book #8 already. She may or may not participate in this - I haven't even asked her yet.

Here are my initial thoughts on the first two books: I've read The Eye of the World the most of all of these novels and love the book. It introduces us to our core characters and gives us the messianic tropes, the fantasy usual suspects, and just a short quick peek into how vast this world is going to be. It shows us that not only is Rand critical to this story, but Perrin and Matt and Egwene and Nynaeve are also crucial.

The Great Hunt, I think, is my favorite of the series. I love how this novel pulls in the other crucial pieces of this world - the Whitecloaks, the Aiel, the Seanchan, the Foresaken, Darkfriends. I LOVE this book.

I know a lot of my buddies, and my brother-in-law, also love these books. It's just been SO ENJOYABLE to re-read this series so far. And, I'd better hurry up or I'm not going to finish by March.

Book Review - A Dance With Dragons

I finally finished A Dance With Dragons two or three weeks ago. I'll start by saying that you can find better and more comprehensive reviews and discussions of the book all over the place. My recommendation for the best is at Topless Robot and you should check it out. It's spoilery, as will be what I say below.

A few things I would like to say:

• Really, G.R.R.? Did you really have to do that to us right at the end? I don't believe that Jon Snow is a goner, me.
• I am fascinated and surprised by the directions a few pivotal female characters were taken in the addition to the story: Dani has been a bit muted, and with the addition of Aegon things are totally up in the air now regarding her agency; Arya is just in a weird space - man what is going to happen with her now? My guess: she'll become the assassin she prays for each night and take out her list; Cersei: humbled? Um, not likely.
• The scariest character in a long time in fiction: Ramsay Bolton. The shit he does to people, specifically Theon, is so horrible. The only one scarier than him is his dear old dad Roose. Skin-crawley.
• Even if we have to wait until 2016 for more, I loved it.
  

Five outta five from me.

Randomness

• I have an iPhone and am in the stage of looking at it all the time. I'm annoying even myself.

• I'm still reading Dance With Dragons - only about 350 pages in. Both Sly B and her mama have already finished. I'm usually much quicker through these beloved books, but life has gotten in the way. So far, I'm loving it.

• Evil Inc., bleh, but I realize that it's time to stop caring SO MUCH.
  

• We've seen tons of great TV this year. Standouts (some of which may be repeats but are just THAT good): Nurse Jackie, Treme, The Killing, Torchwood