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The week is almost over. My energy is gone. So I figure, let's toss out a few random things...
- Read Superfolks, a goofball novel from the late 70s by Robert Mayer. The book is 1/3 super-hero spoof, 1/3 goofy satire of 70s pop culture, and 13/rd serious story about a super-hero (essentially Superman in all but name) facing a midlife crisis as well as the sort of crisis he was once accustomed to. Mayer is an excellent writer, but the constant shift of style from silly to weird to serious weakens the book. Still, it's hard not to see thta this book was clearly an influence on the comic book writers to come, both in the way Mayer deconstructs the hero and in the kind of challenges he tosses in front of his protagonist.
- Read Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett. And to my shock, I didn't care for it. I found it dull and predictable. Really. Oh, it had some very PTerry moments along the way (mostly involving established characters in cameo roles), but the cast of characters was uninteresting, the plot was weak, and the book's big plot twist, used over and over, became tedious. What's more, PTerry addressed question of war far better in Jingo, and the question of a woman's role in what seems to be a man's world in a lot of other (superior) books. I guess everyone has an off-day.
- OTOH, I am currently reading A Hat Full of Sky, and after never really getting into The Wee Free Men, I am hooked anew. More after I finish it.
- Finally saw Spirited Away. It was almost as good as advertised. Miyazaki's beautiful animation and imaginative storytelling work to create a very entertaining family film that only falters slightly in its last (rather rushed) 15 minutes. It doesn't hurt that Pixar's John Lasseter did a great job in overseeing the English language version. This is the kind of film Disney should be making. It's a shame that all those Disney animators interviewed for the extras will never get to make a hand-drawn film of this caliber for the Mouseworks.
- Read Superfolks, a goofball novel from the late 70s by Robert Mayer. The book is 1/3 super-hero spoof, 1/3 goofy satire of 70s pop culture, and 13/rd serious story about a super-hero (essentially Superman in all but name) facing a midlife crisis as well as the sort of crisis he was once accustomed to. Mayer is an excellent writer, but the constant shift of style from silly to weird to serious weakens the book. Still, it's hard not to see thta this book was clearly an influence on the comic book writers to come, both in the way Mayer deconstructs the hero and in the kind of challenges he tosses in front of his protagonist.
- Read Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett. And to my shock, I didn't care for it. I found it dull and predictable. Really. Oh, it had some very PTerry moments along the way (mostly involving established characters in cameo roles), but the cast of characters was uninteresting, the plot was weak, and the book's big plot twist, used over and over, became tedious. What's more, PTerry addressed question of war far better in Jingo, and the question of a woman's role in what seems to be a man's world in a lot of other (superior) books. I guess everyone has an off-day.
- OTOH, I am currently reading A Hat Full of Sky, and after never really getting into The Wee Free Men, I am hooked anew. More after I finish it.
- Finally saw Spirited Away. It was almost as good as advertised. Miyazaki's beautiful animation and imaginative storytelling work to create a very entertaining family film that only falters slightly in its last (rather rushed) 15 minutes. It doesn't hurt that Pixar's John Lasseter did a great job in overseeing the English language version. This is the kind of film Disney should be making. It's a shame that all those Disney animators interviewed for the extras will never get to make a hand-drawn film of this caliber for the Mouseworks.
