What has my attention this week?
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Book: Shadow Heart by J. L. Lyon
I was lucky enough to have my dieselpunk aviation-adventure Storming nommed for the Realm Makers’ Christian speculative fiction award. Naturally, I had to take a look at some of the other books that were nominated. This one was up for the sci-fi category (Storming is in fantasy). It’s the third in the trilogy, and I haven’t read the previous two books, but the opening chapter is great: strong, vibrant six-year-old female character. Not at all what you’d expect, but really great. Looking forward to the rest of the book.
Movie: Batman vs. Superman
So I finally saw it. Maybe it was because I went in with such massively low expectations, but, unlike so many I’ve talked to, I didn’t come out of the theater hopping mad. Mostly, I just came out yawning and ready for bed. It had a lot of good stuff going for it, but never succeeded in bringing them full circle. I gave up trying to map its structure while still in the First Act, but its biggest problem was that it just never convinced me to invest in the characters.
Music: Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies by Volbeat
Someone recommended this Danish metal band to me recently. They’re nothing like the soaring symphonic metal I usually listen to. More grunge. But they’ve got a really nice sound, and I was immediately intrigued by this particular album, which happens to be made up of ballads inspired by the American Old West.
Food: Dove Dark Chocolate Almond Promises
If I’m going to eat “cheap” chocolate, this is what I eat: Dove dark. Always dark. Usually, I like the plain dark, since I prefer just letting them melt on my tongue. But all that was available the last time I was looking was almond. They’re excellent too. Even though I have to chew them.
Gizmo: Book Darts
Let’s say I’m reading a book that doesn’t belong to me — a library book or a friend’s book. That means I can’t highlight any of the important stuff I want to save. So what do I do? I use these handy little bookmarks, which slip painlessly over the page and point right at the line I want to remember. I also use them to divide hard-copy books into eighths when I’m studying their structure.
Cute Animal I Want This Week
Photo taken by Karen Barefoot
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Shadowheart does sound interesting with a six year old lead… And yay for Storming. Bored with Batman & Superman eh? ? I pictured you waltzing out of the theatre yawning with a funny look on your face. It certainly doesn’t look a blockbuster, but I’d probably still watch it. When you’re a fan of the sport you just like to watch the game. But then there’s good ones and bad ones. I hate it when a movie is hyped so you naturally have high expectations for it. Then when the disappointment comes it runs that much deeper. The opposite holds true as well. If it’s a low profile flick and it blows my socks off, it’s exhilarating.
Danish metal sounds interesting. Still haven’t heard some of the sounds you’ve mentioned yet. Might have to take a dabble.
Dove chocolates eh? Love chocolate with nuts, it’d be kind a creepy without them.
The gizmo book darts look swweeeett! (not as sweet as Doves) That’s a genius idea! I’ve been seeing a rabbit recently in an area I go to for work. I suppose I could capture the little fella, or have him talk to some of his peeps in Nebraska. Perhaps they could just hop right on over to your place.
Yes, I’m really glad I saw BvS. It has a lot of good stuff in it. But your picture of my funny look coming out of the theater is probably just about accurate. :p
In music, I’m checking out Jordan Smith’s debut album, Something Beautiful. He covers some classics like Over the Rainbow and Amazing Grace, and his vocals are amazing.
As for movies, I’m trying not to get too excited for the next Captain America movie. It looks fantastic, but I’m really attached to some of these characters and I’m just a bit nervous after being disappointed by Age of Ultron. So it looks great, I’m just trying to keep it cool. 😉
Yeah, the Age of Ultron wasn’t the greatest. I loved the last Captain America movie the Winter Soldier. Haven’t seen the trailer for the new one.
Winter Soldier was fantastic. It was probably my favorite Marvel movie.
Ditto, ditto, and ditto. But I’m still rabidly looking forward to it. 😀
Ben, in my opinion, you shouldn’t see it. If you’re already anticipating it, leave it to that. I find trailers these days give way too much information, especially in terms of quelling your expectations. Not that it’s a bad trailer, not at all, but the fact that you haven’t seen it yet just makes me think you should wait until it comes out… then you’ll go in with your expectations neutral and can allow it to do whatever it wants!
A teacher I taught with back in the old days in Hood River, OR, created Book Darts. I see them everywhere (even in books I check out from the library). Pretty cool touch with greatness. 🙂
So he invented them? That’s pretty cool!
Since high school, when money was scarce, I never see a movie that I’m not pretty sure I won’t enjoy. BvS does not even come close to my standard. The new Cap, on the other hand…I like all the Cap movies, but was underwhelmed by Ultron. I am leaning toward yes, but bad early reviews could derail it for me.
The last two new (to me) records I listened to were Sturgill Simpson’s Metamodern Sounds In Country Music (new album of his out this week; lucky me) and Funs Cool by The Prettiots, which is what Elvis Costello would sound like if he were funnier, female and in a ukelele band. The last metal I listened to was that woman who sings recipes to death metal tunes on YT. Her problem is that you can’t bang your head AND learn the recipes.
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I love the Marvel movies, in general, especially Cap’s, but I was seriously underwhelmed by Ultron. They were due for a bad I suppose, but I hope they pull it back up with Civil War.
Music huh? I’m not sure. In response to one of your last posts, I too, purchased the newer album of Enya’s and I think I agree with your sentiments towards it: it’s good, but not her best for sure. Her earlier two or three albums are the best by far I think. Recently, I watched “Braveheart” again and was really enjoying the soundtrack. You know when the movie starts and you get those low bass “bum-BUM”s? They give me goosebumps, and I’m not sure why. Maybe because it just feels so epic and it reminds me how God takes us from our mundane lives into an adventure with Him; something much bigger than ourselves.
Yeah, the Braveheart soundtrack is great. That and cinematography are the best things about the movie.
I am listening to Shooglenifty on my Pandora. Love this band! They are from Edinburgh, Scotland. It’s a mix of contemporary pop, folk, even jazz but wrapped up in an energetic Celtic flare! It’s a great one to listen to while writing because it rarely has any vocals, which I find distracting. I first heard it while barreling along the Highland coast. The tour guide had it blaring and I was hooked. Everytime I listen to it, I’m back in those rolling green mountains– which is great at the moment since part of my book is set there!
That sound great! I’ll have to look them up. I can’t write to lyrics.
Huh… I wouldn’t have pegged you as a symphonic metal fan. Haven’t listened to metal for a long while. What’s good in that department nowadays?
I also wouldn’t have thought that anyone outside of Denmark had ever heard of Volbeat. Kinda fun that you know them. 🙂
They had their big breakthrough around 10 years ago. Didn’t actually know they’d another album since then. Their most popular songs then were “A Garden’s Tale” and “Sad Man’s Tongue”. Man, for a year or two you couldn’t turn on the radio for an hour without hearing one of those songs. They really paved the way for metal going mainstream in Denmark.
Right now I’m listening to Kashmir – a Danish band that’s been hugely popular here for the last 20 years, though a little less so in recent years. If you’re into music with an experimental, melancholy vibe, like Radiohead, you should check them out. I’d recommend the album “The Good Life”.
By the way, thanks for all the great stuff you do. I really appreciate it. 🙂
/M
Yeah, I love symphonic metal. Nightwish, Within Temptation, and Lyriel are my faves. Off to check out Kashmir!
Batman V Superman didn’t anger me either, but that’s mostly because I’ve raged out so much over Man of Steel that I kind of didn’t care anymore. BVS really isn’t a good movie; the plot is a mess that makes less sense the more you think about it, and Zack Snyder really doesn’t understand Superman as a character and he arguably doesn’t understand Batman very well either, but the movie has more going for it than MOS did. Wonder Woman is actually pretty good.
I listen to a bit of everything, but I listen to more Symphonic Metal than anything else. It kind of combines several awesome music genres into one, and when it’s well done, it’s so epic. My favourites in that genre would be Within Temptation, Epica and Nightwish.
Also bunnies can be cute, but speaking as someone who knows someone who’s owned several pet bunnies, they can get aggressive toward anyone who isn’t their favourite person.
Yeah, I found Man of Steel so incredibly underwhelming too. That’s probably why I went into BvS with such low expectations. Unlike, say, Ultron, which *did* make me mad. :p
I’ve listened to some of the songs off that album. It’s been a while, so I need to go dig them out of iTunes again. But I really loved them. BvS was disappointing, and it would have been much more enjoyable if they’d given the front half some sort of cohesion. It was like a series of sketches that were all supposed to tie together, but didn’t until the bomb. Supes has never been my favorite character, since he’s such a boyscout. And I couldn’t empathize with him at all. And I think that by now we all get the agony of Bruce Wayne’s childhood horror. So we have to beat that dead horse?
I inhale ‘As You Wish’ the other day. It’s an awesome book about the making of an awesome movie, and the only way it could have been better was if there were a few more tidbits from the other actors and some more incident specific stories. But now I need to go READ The Princess Bride instead of just watching it. Oh, such a hard thing, reading 😉
Yeah, I really like Batman’s Ghost, but it’s lost a little of its impact in recent years, having been done over and over so many times.
Those book darts are a great find. They’ll make great stocking fillers and be little thank you presents for my fellow book fiends. Also, bunnies are supercute.