Book 41: Soulless

There is a certain Steampunk Sensibility about this book, the first in a series. Lots of gadgety things and Victorian science. Question: Does anyone write stand alone novels in the fantasy or mystery genres? Everything has to be a series.

So, the protagonist has no soul and is Italian. The premise of this series is that Vampires and Werewolves have an excess of soul, allowing them to survive the initial transformation and live on and on. Alexia, the heroine, having no soul is preternatural, rather than supernatural. Her touch allows her to suppress the supernaturality (sure that's a word) of Vampires and Werewolves.

The love interest/guy who initially irritates Alexia is a werewolf and also works for the supernatural regulatory branch of Queen Victoria's regime. There is a whole lot of exposition around systems of government and self rule among the Supernatural Set. Hives, packs, blah blah y blah.

I spent much of the book having theological sort of pangs about poor Alexia's lack of a future. You know, in the very, very long term. I don't care for this idea of the human soul being measurable and that there are inequalities of soul among us. I am just religious enough to believe that we are endowed with a soul by our Creator, and that it lives on after our bodies crap out. I also believe in fairness and that while this world is full of unfairness that the next world will not have such a thing. God: The Creator of the Even Steven.

I have no artistic objection to the book, but I just don't think the series is for me.

Book 40: The Baker Street Letters

The protagonist was a wanker, the plot was disorganized. Didn't care enough to write a proper review.

I can't make an umlaut

Here is Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Part. Is the magic in the notes? Or is it in the pauses? I cannot decide.

Favorite Site Of The Day

Accidental Dong

25350

If my math is correct, that is how many stitches this Big Pinwheel Blanket will contain. I am not including the kitchener stitches I plan to use to graft the ends of the applied i-chord bind off, as they are more sewn than knit. Again, more math here, but I am about 22,000 stitches into this thing. It's looking like I'll have used about 650 grams of Swish Bulky in Cypress and Honeydew.

I've mostly used the plain pinwheel pattern from Ravelry-- cast on 6 stitches, join and in round two K1 M1 to end. Round 3 and all other odd rounds, k. Every even row, knit while increasing by 12 stitches per row with evenly spaced YOs. The Ravelry examples used more cast on stitches. I didn't like the hole that left in the center of the blanket. There were also fewer increases in the alternate rows-- 7, 8, 10. I just like 12, because it's half of my favorite number, 24.

Swish Bulky is a fantastic yarn. It is pretty easy on my hands so far. The knit picks interchangeable harmony needles are smooth without excessive slickness. The cables are a dream-- thin and flexible. They are also really pretty needles. I still like looking at them after Twenty Two Thousand Stitches!

I have gotten quite behind in the reading due to this 'little' project. I have not been knitting much else besides it. I am probably not going to make it for the 52 books challenge unless I lay off the knitting a bit.

I Will Be Seeing Fewer Movies In the Future

Because everyone who signed the Free Polanski petition is Dead to Me. They are sympathetic to the plight of an admitted child rapist, who has spent 30 years evading justice.

Just because the victim doesn't want further media attention does not mean that the law should be disregarded. The victim having been left unattended by her mother does not in any way mitigate his guilt. Roman Polanski is a fugitive child rapist. That is not excused by making good movies, or having a tragic past.

Again:

FUGITIVE
CHILD
RAPIST

From Salon: . . .Roman Polanski instructed her to get into a jacuzzi naked, refused to take her home when she begged to go, began kissing her even though she said no and asked him to stop; performed cunnilingus on her as she said no and asked him to stop; put his penis in her vagina as she said no and asked him to stop; asked if he could penetrate her anally, to which she replied, "No," then went ahead and did it anyway, until he had an orgasm.

Even if you think a 13 yr old can give meaninful consent to a rich, powerful man in his 40s this girl did NOT give consent.

He pled guilty to avoid more serious charges. His admission of guilt also includes acknowledgement that the judge may accept the plea without accepting the sentencing recommendation.

From George Orwell's 'Notes on Dali': If Shakespeare returned to the earth to-morrow, and if it were found that his favourite recreation was raping little girls in railway carriages, we should not tell him to go ahead with it on the ground that he might write another King Lear.

A Repulsive Quote from the Fugitive Child Rapist: "If I had killed somebody, it wouldn't have had so much appeal to the press, you see? But...fucking, you see, and the young girls. Judges want to fuck young girls. Juries want to fuck young girls. Everyone wants to fuck young girls!"

Really? 13 yr olds? Who are drugged and still saying 'No'? I think not.

The Dead To Me List is here.

Book 39: What Happens In London

The romance of this novel was fun. Just enough initial dislike that Olivia and Harry could still have provoking discussions later. I must say, not nearly enough of the sex though.

I think Quinn should stick to the non-intrigue sort of book. Forget the spies and return to the straightforward Regency. The pacing of the intrigue was uneven and the whole villain bait and switch was just off somehow. The Russian prince was sure a dick though, regardless.

The hero's sidekick was a hoot, which means he gets the next book, natch. I don't like this trend where each book is an audition for the next in a series. It's like unauthorized multitasking. Why does it have to be a series anyhow?

Book 38: Evil For Evil

The latest Billy Boyle installment. This time, Billy is looking for some BFGs stolen from a base in Ireland. The MI5 think that it's the IRA and that the IRA is going to team up with the Nazis to distract the English. The main conflict in this one is loyalty-- is Billy going to complete the assignment given to him by the US government or will he look out for the interests of the IRA? If I weren't completely exhausted, I would really dwell on this. It was well played.

The most emotionally compelling part of the book was not even any of the action of this story. Instead, Billy recounts the letter that was pinned to his grandfather's coat when he came over to the US as a boy. Terrible to think of English soldiers guarding the docks as other food grown in Ireland during the potato blight was sent away, leaving people to starve. The blight was from God, the famine was from the Crown.

The hidden relationship between two of the linked characters was telegraphed rather early. Additionally, I thought some of the ending was too neat and tidy-- there were a couple of characters who died, out of nowhere, instead of having a more conventional, prison based comeuppance.

Book 37: The Crack In The Lens

Otto and Gustav are back deducifyin'. . . and this time, it's personal. I have really enjoyed the Holmes on the Range series by Steve Hockensmith. Otto and Gustav (Big Red and Ole Red, respectively) have a believable brotherly dynamic. They fight slightly less than the brothers I'm raising. In this installment Gustav drags Otto back to Texas. He is ready to solve the murder of Gertie, a Soiled Dove whom he had loved and lost to a killer who has dodged justice.

The small town of San Marco has gotten religion, and the whorehouse has moved right outside of city limits. This allows Otto and Gustav to get the city and county sheriffs after them. Actually, pretty much everyone in town comes after them. There are a lot of near misses for the brothers and there is sufficient collateral damage-- confined to them what had it comin'.

I am pleased to report that I didn't peg the killer until Ole Red did. I didn't think it was the first suspect they latched on. I was certain it was going to be someone else and I was pleased to be wrong, as that character seemed harmless enough.

What is troubling, is that this book ends in such a way that I fear it may be the end of the trail for Gustav and Otto. Gustav may be permanently disabled, or worse yet, about to become a goat farmer. I think Otto has a long way to go as a character-- he's pretty much the dimmer version of Watson, and a loudmouthed blowhard to boot. I wouldn't mind him growing up a bit. Gustav seems fully formed, but he's the better deducifier of the two, so I don't see that Otto could take on work without him. I admit, I hope the boys hit the trail again.

I just read Hockensmith's blog, which led me to some other book blog where that blogger was quite dismissive of poor ole Steve. That other book blogger has a stick up the pooper, by the way, so I won't be linking. Be a good little googler and find it for yourself. I do not think mystery novels are the same thing over and over-- even though they very nearly always end with a killer being caught. I just like the movement From Chaos To Order, so very different from how my house runs. People kill for a variety of reasons in a variety of ways and they slip up and get caught in others. The language and rhythms vary for each series and some puzzles are hard to solve, some are a good ride along the words. I guess I don't feel the need to Read Important Books. Or Impress People With My SmartyPants. Actually, I'm not wearing pants most of the time when I write this blog. Freedom From the Tyranny of PANTS!

Cheer up Hockensmith, you may not be Einstein, but neither was Mother Theresa. It is possible to bring joy to people using practically no brains at all. Not that I think these books are brainless or that Hockensmith is a dimwit. There are themes in those books of loyalty, justice, the importance of family, persistence, hard work. I have come to value these things as much as intelligence. They also have humor, which I value as one of the best uses of intelligence. In my experience (such as it is) humor keeps the intelligent going, it fuels persistence when spirits lag and enthusiasm and hope wane. If not for my (often inappropriate, vulgar, and black) sense of humor I am not sure what would have become of me over the last few years.

Book 36: A Duke Of Her Own

I find it difficult to believe that the hero and heroine were so damn stupid. Gideon, the first love who spurned Eleanor was a big prettyboy wuss. Further, it was pretty obvious to me that Lisette was BugFuckCrazy and that Villiers didn't see it sooner just did not ring true. I didn't really care for the scene of Extreme Pug Violence where she showed her true colors. Poor little dog.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD

It's not 'rediculous' it's ridiculous. Twice today I saw threads on Ravelry with the same error. Pls Stp.

Larfs and Tunez

Straight Outa Scotland. I had multiple LOLs. However, I also had multiple wines.

I love this song and video:

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew on Vimeo.

Book 35: Bloody Good

Imagine if the Germans had used Vampires as secret spies in WWII, such is the premise of Bloody Good. This is the first installment in the series from Georgia Evans. I started seeing ads for this book as sidebars on the Smart Bitches website, and I think on Crazy Aunt Purl's site as well. I read a sample chapter and the next thing I knew, I was preordering a copy from the fine folks of Amazon.

The town of Brytewood lies along an energy line and so Other folk (Pixies, Shifters, Whathaveyou) are drawn to the place. Brytewood also happens to be the very spot where the Nazis have launched a small invading force of undead. Thank goodness we are not dealing with Sparkly Brooding Emo Vampires. These German blood suckers are devoid of nonsense and romance. They are also plotting to double cross the Nazis, eventually, but only one character is in on that-- Bela, a fairy held by the Nazis as a Remote Vampire Listening Device.

In the other corner is a varied Paranormal Home Guard-- Alice and her Grandmother, Helen, are Pixie. Alice doesn't believe in Pixies or Other until she accidentally uses her powers, about 2/3 in. Meanwhile, her grandmother is a bit of a Character, sort of Marplish. Sergeant Pendragon is a dragon. There is also a were-vixen and another, more local vampire of moral neutrality. Along for the ride is poor, regular Peter-- a conscientious objector sent to work as a medical assistant. Alice and Peter have the whole 'first we hate each other, then we rip each others' pants off' thing going on.

The battle of this book is clearly a warm up for more of the series. I have the next two books already. As I just finished this in the bath this morning, I can't really tell you anything about the rest of the series. There were a lot of threads cast out in this book and either they will be neatly woven together or they won't. I'd go so far as to say that I can't really make a definitive call on how much I liked this book until I've gotten further in the series. At this point, they are calling it a trilogy, but since the first 3 books don't even crack past 1940, this one could be extended.

Book 34: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

This book made me crave Chinese food relentlessly. Even now, I would probably stab you for some noodles. Also, I approve of substituting a lucky number for a middle name. All my middle name is used for is an expression of parental disapproval. Anna Marie. Tsk, tsk, tsk.

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles was written by Jennifer 8. Lee. Let's just get something out of the way: Chinese Food As Americans Eat It Is Not Authentic. Shrug. I don't care about authentic; I only care about delicious. I sort of figured that General Tso's Chicken was as Chinese as I am. Incidentally, Meatballs are about exactly as Italian as I am: 1/4. The math on that is too complex for a mere blog entry.

I was surprised to learn the origins of the fortune cookie. I sort of assumed they were something that Chinese immigrants in this country developed. But no! I don't want to spoil it for you. . . that's what wikipedia is for. The specific restaurant in NYC that gave us delivery is highlighted. THANK YOU FOR THAT. I love it so much when hot, delicious food comes to my very door.

More somber are the details of what it takes for Chinese to come to this country and how hard they work in all those restaurants all over the country. Long hours, no days off. There is a pretty sad case outlined, of parents whose children were taken by the state because of the demands of the restaurant. (I would use names and places, but the book was due back at the library today and I am not prone to taking notes while reading.) Chinese parents who come to this country to give their children a better life sacrifice so much, including their relationships with their children. Lee is very compassionate to the parents who show love through sacrifice rather than through the sort of affirmation that is more commonly valued in the US.

The amount of travel that went into this book is baffling! There is a single chapter dedicated to The Best Chinese Restaurant In The World that must have cost about 15K just for the flights. That doesn't count the domestic travel: tracking the restaurants where people cracked open cookies with winning powerball numbers, or the trips to fortune cookie bakeries or soy sauce breweries. I would love to know more about the travel budget for this book.

I did find the structure of the book somewhat meandering. It is not too long, but it is not direct. However, other than hoping to impose my own organizational system on it, I wouldn't change it. Interesting, educational, not overly taxing on the mind. Much like the Discovery Channel of Books.

News Flash

People who are scared shitless work harder.

Book 33: This Duchess Of Mine

This one tries my resolve re: being unashamed of my reading materials. Look, I have to go with something that won't break my heart if it goes into the tub. There is just one character left to be covered in this series, and I had to read this one in order to read that one.

Jemma and Whatsisname have spent much of their marriage estranged and this is the tale of them patching things up. Admirable premise. The success of it all hangs on the well timed discovery of digitalis allowing Elias (Elijah? Something along those lines, can't be arsed) to live long enough to stop being such a stick in the mud. In the first novel of this series, we learned that Jemma and E--- were estranged after she caught him boning his mistress in his office at the house of Lords. Apparently, he wasn't cheating because he wanted to, but so he wouldn't look bad in front of the other aristos. There is a convoluted explanation of how his dad was found dead with a couple hookers and some fetishy stuff so the hero needed a single, boring lover to prove that he was a normal, studly Duke. WTF-ever. I mean. REALLY.

Book 32: Mistress

Oh so bad. So very bad. Unlike my previous Amanda Quick Re-read, this one didn't stand up to time. Maybe I was high when I read it the first time? Huge holes in the plot, through which one might drive a carriage. Dumbassery on the part of the heroine, who should surely have gotten killed.

Book 31: Two Guys Read Jane Austen

It's been some time since I read Pride and Prejudice or Mansfield Park-- the two Austen books read by The 2 Guys. If you have a passing familiarity with those novels, you could follow along with their correspondence. Steve Chandler and Terrence Hill are lifelong friends who have also read Moby Dick together and the obituaries. The letters read more like Applied Literature than literary criticism. I think that if anyone ever again asks me what good an English degree is I will refrain from beating them to death with my Norton Anthology and instead recommend they read this book. First of all, it will save me a bundle on bail money, secondly, they will certainly thank me for it. There is a lot of wisdom in here-- the kind of good judgment that rises from the ashes of bad judgment.

G-Force

So today, my dad and the boys outvoted me and we went to see G-Force. It. Was. Bad. They blew the budget on celebrity voices and there was not money left to get talent for the human characters. They could have used a little charisma in the human villain and the guy who trained the special agent rodents. Nicholas Cage is reusing the voice he did in Peggy Sue Got Married. Shudder.

The script was pretty lame. I can only remember one original (sort of) funny line in the whole thing. The other attempts at humor were based on the hope that if guinea pigs repeated the quotable lines from other action movies it would be some sort of hoot.

Unfortunately, I must also report that 20 Grand Theater in Omaha is now onto the Pepsi products. Yech. I wish more places would set up the fountain to dispense soda water. I would pay the crazy theater price for water with bubbles.

Book: 30 The Return of the Earl

I suppose this was supposed to be suspenseful- Is Christian the Earl or isn't he? Who framed Christians father and got them sent to an Australian Penal Colony? Will Julianne ever give it up? Eh, this one was not so entertaining. The book went on for quite a while, with a lot of dithering around and not much in the way of action. Not much in the way of action either, IYKWIMAITYD