taiamu

watch

This is just fun...

 I  have a couch!  Granted, it is still covered in plastic, but it is here! In the apartment. People (including myself) actually have something to sit on now. :)

Yay!

Ivory and Steel by Janice Bennett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed it, though I thought the heroine lacked a sense of self-preservation. If you know a murderer is wandering the house, it's probably not a good idea to investigate every little rustle and squeak. On three separate occasions, Phyllida places herself in easily avoidable danger.

Despite that, this was a quick, fluffy read.

View all my reviews

To anyone who loves Science Fiction(Space Opera) like I do, may I point your attention to the following deal:

www.amazon.com/Fledgling-Liaden-Universe-Sharon-Lee-ebook/dp/B00APAELRI/ref=sr_1_4

This is Fledgling, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. It's a good entry point to the Liaden Universe, and is currently free for Amazon Kindle right now. If you like fun, character driven stories with rich world building,give this series a shot. You won't be sorry. :)

( Read more... )1.4 The Similarity Engine.

So, I'm attempting a new tag. Anything under "Random Fandom" will either be multi-fannish, or stuff that I just can't fit anywhere else. Today's random post is about Character Theme Song. These are songs that, for whatever reason, I tend to associate with a specific character. Why am I doing this? I have no idea. It's Sunday, and I'm in a whimsical mood. :) If I had the time to vid, I'd probably attempt the ones without vids already.

Rob Thomas--I Am An Illusion

Jack Bristow, Alias. Ah, Jack. So supremely messed up, yet so badass.

Indigo Girls--Galileo

The Tenth Doctor, Doctor Who

This is such a Ten song. He tries so hard, and stumbles so often. Bless. Someone needs to do a vid to this song.

Alan Parsons Project--Days are Numbers(The Traveller)

The Doctor, Doctor Who

Someone did do a vid to this, featuring Doctors 1-7. Alas, it was on a VCR tape that I've since lost. If anyone knows the vid I'm talking about, and has it, I'd like another copy. The Doctor. The eternal wanderer. Such a melancholy song, yet with a hopeful edge to it.

KT Tunstall--Suddenly I See

Sarah Jane Smith, Doctor Who

SJS. Queen of Awesome.

KT Tunstall--Funnyman

The Doctor, Doctor Who

I'm aware this song has a much darker meaning, but when I first heard it, it seemed like such a Doctorish song.

Matchbox Twenty--Push

Loki, MCU

Rob Thomas again. Loki, losing control.

Placebo--Running Up That Hill

Loki, MCU

Loki. Jealous, angry and ambitious. Never quite measuring up.

Rob Thomas--Something to Be

Tony Stark, MCU

The perfect Tony song, circa Iron Man I. Someone needs to make a vid out of this, ASAP.

Dave Matthews Band--Ants Marching

Cast, The West Wing

The daily grind of running the country, from the mundane to the ridiculous. And all those pediconferences. Oy.

Whew. And that's it. I may do another one of these at some point. To everyone on my friends list: What are your character theme songs?

Spoilers below:

The Lotus Palace by Jeannie Lin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really wish Goodreads had a way to issue 'half-star' ratings. The Lotus Palace was a three and a-half star read, but as GR doesn't seem to think half a star counts, here we are, left with three.

THE GOOD:

I've been enjoying Jeannie Lin's work for a while now. Her settings are always evocative, and the North Hamlet is no exception. I really felt as if I were among the dusty streets and gambling dens.

Bai Huang and Yue-Ying were lively protagonists, and I enjoyed reading about them. Their relationship was charming, and had a simplicity that I appreciated. For a novel which hinges on the age-old 'star crossed lovers' trope, there is next to no overwhelming angst. And in fact, if there is any pining to be done, it's Lord Bai Huang who is the romantic, while the serving girl Yue-Ying remains stoically practical about matters. The couple complemented each other well.

THE BAD:

The murder mystery plot(read: excuse for the protagonists to meet), wasn't bad, but it did suffer from too many culprits. Just as I was certain the case was at an end, another villain would crawl out of the woodwork. It caused the resolution to drag.

Likewise, the romance plot suffered by having Bai Huang's pre-arranged fiancee neatly swept under the rug, to pave the way for a HEA ending. The Lotus Palace is a romance, and therefore must have the traditional ending. However, after driving so much of the conflict in the novel, it was a bit too easy to have the fiancee fall in love with the hero's brother. And off-screen, at that!


THE UGLY:

There is no ugly. Despite a few missteps toward the end, this was a fun, light read. I enjoyed the main characters and their families, and I hope that this series can continue in some way. I'd be interested to find out what lies in store for Bai Huang's sister, in particular.

View all my reviews

 Heya, folks--

I'm looking to cut out cable sometime in the near future. I'm interested in hearing how other people use the available streaming services. Is the Roku a good value? My television consumption is relatively minimal, and I'm not overly concerned with watching shows right as they air. I currently have a subscription to Netflix and Amazon Prime. 

For those of you who consume media via streaming only, how do you like it? Does it work well as an alternative to  cable, etc? 

Thoughts appreciated!

 Heya--

I'll be at Gally this year if anyone on my flist would like to do a meetup. :)

Give me a shout.