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Reading, Watching, Playing
Jan. 24th, 2024 05:23 pmReading
$WIFE was reading Kathrine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale (in the Japanese translation) so I decided to give the original English a go. I DNF'd it after the first five chapters. I quite like Russian folk magic tales, and folk tales retold are fine, but this was was just so slow getting started with anything happening. It was all scene setting for five chapters, and actually no real sign of things getting going soon after that. So, I bailed. As per my new policy of "I read fiction for fun. If it's not fun, stop reading." I then moved onto another re-read of a series with a new book. Back in the 00s Mike Carey (who I knew then mostly as a comics writer from Lucifer and Hellblazer) had a series about Felix Castor, an exorcist from Liverpool based in London. Tortured bloke who normally wears a Russian army greatcoat but in the latter part of book 1 ends up in a trench coat... if you're familiar with Hellblazer you can see that this is basically Carey writing his own version of Constantine in novels. I've no idea if he originally pitched this idea to DC for a Hellblazer run or as Hellblazer novels, or if he just decided to "write what he knows" as he added novels to his output. He's since expanded his novels into a variety of forms, including an SF duology of which the first came out last year and the second is due late this year. He wrote five novels in the Felix Castor series and the end of those five did NOT complete the ongoing storyline. In fact, it left things rather up in the air. I enjoyed these (I'm a Hellblazer fan, so, you know) but was disappointed that he stopped. I was never sure if he ran out of steam or the publisher didn't want more or what. Anyway, he finally picked up this series again again The Ghost in Bone came out in summer last year. So, I've started a re-read of this series with "The Devil You Now" and am onto book two "Vicious Circle".
Watching
Continuing NuWho slow rewatch with very busy $DAUGHTER. About to start the double ep finale of season 10 (not my favourite as I've mentioned). Rewatched the first six episodes of The Nevers and am just about to start the second half of the only season. I was in two minds about bothering since HBO unceremoniously dropped the show half way through and the second six finally appeared on a different platform ages later. Behind the scenes stuff with Joss Whedon and allegations of workplace bullying seems to have killed it. Continuing to watch season 3 of the anime "A Certain Magical Index" with English subtitles, but trying to listen to the dialogue as ear-training for my Japanese study. Rather silly anime at times, but fun enough to watch but light enough that I can treat it as ear training. Watched The Flash movie. Lots of fun if you know previous DC movies/TV shows. Nice to see Michael Keaton as Batman again. Final cameo by (Spolier-redacted) was also fun. I'm not sure on the status of Blue Beetle as part of this failed DCU set of movies or whether it will be rolled into the new version Aquaman 2 also to come soon. The DC movies have been very varied with only a few good ones (I though The Flash was fun but not great) and a fair number of lemons. Maybe the new version will be better. The MCU continues to be consistently good or better, with (for me) only a few lemons. Not seen The Marvels or Echo yet. Still working through What If... Season 2 as well due to $DAUGHTER's study load.
Playing
Continuing with the DLC for Zelda:BotW, finshing off some missed side quests as well. I'll soon finish the main story on this. I'll have to see what I move on to then.
$WIFE was reading Kathrine Arden's The Bear and the Nightingale (in the Japanese translation) so I decided to give the original English a go. I DNF'd it after the first five chapters. I quite like Russian folk magic tales, and folk tales retold are fine, but this was was just so slow getting started with anything happening. It was all scene setting for five chapters, and actually no real sign of things getting going soon after that. So, I bailed. As per my new policy of "I read fiction for fun. If it's not fun, stop reading." I then moved onto another re-read of a series with a new book. Back in the 00s Mike Carey (who I knew then mostly as a comics writer from Lucifer and Hellblazer) had a series about Felix Castor, an exorcist from Liverpool based in London. Tortured bloke who normally wears a Russian army greatcoat but in the latter part of book 1 ends up in a trench coat... if you're familiar with Hellblazer you can see that this is basically Carey writing his own version of Constantine in novels. I've no idea if he originally pitched this idea to DC for a Hellblazer run or as Hellblazer novels, or if he just decided to "write what he knows" as he added novels to his output. He's since expanded his novels into a variety of forms, including an SF duology of which the first came out last year and the second is due late this year. He wrote five novels in the Felix Castor series and the end of those five did NOT complete the ongoing storyline. In fact, it left things rather up in the air. I enjoyed these (I'm a Hellblazer fan, so, you know) but was disappointed that he stopped. I was never sure if he ran out of steam or the publisher didn't want more or what. Anyway, he finally picked up this series again again The Ghost in Bone came out in summer last year. So, I've started a re-read of this series with "The Devil You Now" and am onto book two "Vicious Circle".
Watching
Continuing NuWho slow rewatch with very busy $DAUGHTER. About to start the double ep finale of season 10 (not my favourite as I've mentioned). Rewatched the first six episodes of The Nevers and am just about to start the second half of the only season. I was in two minds about bothering since HBO unceremoniously dropped the show half way through and the second six finally appeared on a different platform ages later. Behind the scenes stuff with Joss Whedon and allegations of workplace bullying seems to have killed it. Continuing to watch season 3 of the anime "A Certain Magical Index" with English subtitles, but trying to listen to the dialogue as ear-training for my Japanese study. Rather silly anime at times, but fun enough to watch but light enough that I can treat it as ear training. Watched The Flash movie. Lots of fun if you know previous DC movies/TV shows. Nice to see Michael Keaton as Batman again. Final cameo by (Spolier-redacted) was also fun. I'm not sure on the status of Blue Beetle as part of this failed DCU set of movies or whether it will be rolled into the new version Aquaman 2 also to come soon. The DC movies have been very varied with only a few good ones (I though The Flash was fun but not great) and a fair number of lemons. Maybe the new version will be better. The MCU continues to be consistently good or better, with (for me) only a few lemons. Not seen The Marvels or Echo yet. Still working through What If... Season 2 as well due to $DAUGHTER's study load.
Playing
Continuing with the DLC for Zelda:BotW, finshing off some missed side quests as well. I'll soon finish the main story on this. I'll have to see what I move on to then.
