Sep. 24th, 2007

meganbmoore: (Default)
 And so ends my stash of Patricia Briggs's fantasy books, unless I manage to find a copy of Masques(my understanding is that it's out of print, so...)  I hunted these down because I liked her Mercy Thompson books, but i actually prefer her high fantasy to her urban fantasy.

These books are about Ward of Hurog.  Ward's a nice guy, but he comes from a long line of...well, creeps.  When he was a kid, his father, who viewed him as a rival, beat him so badly that it took him two years to recover.  Among other things, the beating damaged his ability to speak, making his speach very, very slow, resulting in people thinking he was brain damaged.  When Ward realized that this made his father see him as less of a threat, he faked dumbness in order to survive.  The fact that he's as big as an ox and has dumb puppy eyes(both descriptions being from the books) only helps.  However, when his father dies Ward has to figure out how to go "hey, I'm not dumb, I've just been faking it all these years" without making everyone hate him.

Before he can do so, however, the (EVIL!) king orders him sent to an asylum for mad nobles.  To prove his mettle, Ward escapes, along with an oversized dwarf(again, book description) the family ghost and his mute sister and sets off to make a name for himself as a smart man.  The first book deals with the history of Hurog(the lords of Hurog are rumored to be descended from dragons, and it's believed that there are treasures hidden there) and Ward establishing himself, while the second book takes care of the loose ends, particularly dealing with the scum!king.    Not as good as the Raven duology, but I liked these a lot and they had a few good twists.

I'm also catching up with Bleach.  After comments in  [personal profile] telophase's post earlier today, it seems I can't look at Byakkuya without thinking "noodle hair."  I've also realized that I'm rather fickle about Byakuya:  it seems I either like him or want to punch him in the face depending on the latest opinion I've read or discussion I've had about him.  I don't know if this means I have no opinion of him, or if I both love and hate him.  But then, I'm kinda fickle about Bleach in general...my favorite is Ichigo, Renji or Ishida...whichever happens to be in front of me at the time.

Also, why is it that Rukia looks normal sized most of the time, but teeny weeny when around Ichigo or Renji.  They aren't gisnts.  She isn't a midget.  Maybe it's their giant swords...
meganbmoore: (shun-reading)
 And so ends my stash of Patricia Briggs's fantasy books, unless I manage to find a copy of Masques(my understanding is that it's out of print, so...)  I hunted these down because I liked her Mercy Thompson books, but i actually prefer her high fantasy to her urban fantasy.

These books are about Ward of Hurog.  Ward's a nice guy, but he comes from a long line of...well, creeps.  When he was a kid, his father, who viewed him as a rival, beat him so badly that it took him two years to recover.  Among other things, the beating damaged his ability to speak, making his speach very, very slow, resulting in people thinking he was brain damaged.  When Ward realized that this made his father see him as less of a threat, he faked dumbness in order to survive.  The fact that he's as big as an ox and has dumb puppy eyes(both descriptions being from the books) only helps.  However, when his father dies Ward has to figure out how to go "hey, I'm not dumb, I've just been faking it all these years" without making everyone hate him.

Before he can do so, however, the (EVIL!) king orders him sent to an asylum for mad nobles.  To prove his mettle, Ward escapes, along with an oversized dwarf(again, book description) the family ghost and his mute sister and sets off to make a name for himself as a smart man.  The first book deals with the history of Hurog(the lords of Hurog are rumored to be descended from dragons, and it's believed that there are treasures hidden there) and Ward establishing himself, while the second book takes care of the loose ends, particularly dealing with the scum!king.    Not as good as the Raven duology, but I liked these a lot and they had a few good twists.

I'm also catching up with Bleach.  After comments in  [personal profile] telophase's post earlier today, it seems I can't look at Byakkuya without thinking "noodle hair."  I've also realized that I'm rather fickle about Byakuya:  it seems I either like him or want to punch him in the face depending on the latest opinion I've read or discussion I've had about him.  I don't know if this means I have no opinion of him, or if I both love and hate him.  But then, I'm kinda fickle about Bleach in general...my favorite is Ichigo, Renji or Ishida...whichever happens to be in front of me at the time.

Also, why is it that Rukia looks normal sized most of the time, but teeny weeny when around Ichigo or Renji.  They aren't gisnts.  She isn't a midget.  Maybe it's their giant swords...
meganbmoore: (Default)
I spent the ENTIRE TIME thinking "noodle hair."  Certain people already understand the referrence.  Those who don't should look in the comments here.  It made it difficult to appreciate the gravity of certain scenes.

And so ends(almost) the Soul Society arc.  The arc as a whole is what took Bleach from something I largely passively liked to something I loved.  I love the screwed-up-ness of the medieval Japanese palace-like society and all the insane(but usually engagingly so) characters.  It also increased my appreciation for the bulk of the cast quite a bit.  

I've also realized(thanks in part to commentary in the post above) the problem that I've always had with Byakuya but never been able to put my finder on.  I get, and appreciate, where he's coming from, and I admire his beliefs that he and his are responsible for leading by example and should be held to a higher stadnard.  Because of that, I can understand his willingness to allow Rukia to be executed without lifting a finger in her defense, and even be willing to carry out the execution itself.  I think he carries it too far, but I can get behind that.  I can't, however,really reconcile that from what we see and what we're told(more in books that aren't out here yet) about how he treats Rukia otherwise.

Now, I like protective characters.  I like obsessively protective characters.  I even like psychotically protective characters.  But I don't like smotheringly protective characters.  Byakuya's protectiveness of Rukia is from wanting to keep her safe, but at the same time, the way he does it is almost like an unwillingness to let her live her own life and carve her own way.  It's...stifling.  Compare it to the more open protectiveness towards Orihime from...well...pretty much everyone who knows her, really.  They may not like that she chose to come along on a dangerous trip, and they may always be aware of the need to protect her, but they respect that it's her choice and they let her make the choice(come to think of it, all that applies to Yuya in Samurai Deeper Kyo, too...)

And since it's time to head home (and watch wuxia)  I leave on this:  There was enough blood shed in this arcto create the red sea, the council aside...HOW DID NO ONE DIE????  Seriously...

Ok, not the last note:  someone direct me towards good Bleach icons.  I've realized recently how many of my fandoms do not have userpic recognition.  THIS MUST BE FIXED!  Ishida, Renji and Ichigo icons are preferred, or Rukia or Orihime.
meganbmoore: (fma-ed-bookworm)
I spent the ENTIRE TIME thinking "noodle hair."  Certain people already understand the referrence.  Those who don't should look in the comments here.  It made it difficult to appreciate the gravity of certain scenes.

And so ends(almost) the Soul Society arc.  The arc as a whole is what took Bleach from something I largely passively liked to something I loved.  I love the screwed-up-ness of the medieval Japanese palace-like society and all the insane(but usually engagingly so) characters.  It also increased my appreciation for the bulk of the cast quite a bit.  

I've also realized(thanks in part to commentary in the post above) the problem that I've always had with Byakuya but never been able to put my finder on.  I get, and appreciate, where he's coming from, and I admire his beliefs that he and his are responsible for leading by example and should be held to a higher stadnard.  Because of that, I can understand his willingness to allow Rukia to be executed without lifting a finger in her defense, and even be willing to carry out the execution itself.  I think he carries it too far, but I can get behind that.  I can't, however,really reconcile that from what we see and what we're told(more in books that aren't out here yet) about how he treats Rukia otherwise.

Now, I like protective characters.  I like obsessively protective characters.  I even like psychotically protective characters.  But I don't like smotheringly protective characters.  Byakuya's protectiveness of Rukia is from wanting to keep her safe, but at the same time, the way he does it is almost like an unwillingness to let her live her own life and carve her own way.  It's...stifling.  Compare it to the more open protectiveness towards Orihime from...well...pretty much everyone who knows her, really.  They may not like that she chose to come along on a dangerous trip, and they may always be aware of the need to protect her, but they respect that it's her choice and they let her make the choice(come to think of it, all that applies to Yuya in Samurai Deeper Kyo, too...)

And since it's time to head home (and watch wuxia)  I leave on this:  There was enough blood shed in this arcto create the red sea, the council aside...HOW DID NO ONE DIE????  Seriously...

Ok, not the last note:  someone direct me towards good Bleach icons.  I've realized recently how many of my fandoms do not have userpic recognition.  THIS MUST BE FIXED!  Ishida, Renji and Ichigo icons are preferred, or Rukia or Orihime.
meganbmoore: (Default)
NUMBER ONE:  There is no such thing as a "Witchblade Manga DVD."  There is a Witchblade anime and a Witchblade manga.  They are not the same thing.  They have equally horrible sounding concepts and feedback that have resulted in my likely never ever ever touching them even with my deep love of the franchise.  In addition to being different, distinct mediums, they also have different plotlines.

NUMBER TWO:  Directly related:  I may hate you forever for stating that both series are part of the Witchblade canon.

NUMBER THREE:  Please kill off Gleason(but not by Ian) and give Jackie his own book again.  Thank you.
meganbmoore: (witchblade-sara 2)
NUMBER ONE:  There is no such thing as a "Witchblade Manga DVD."  There is a Witchblade anime and a Witchblade manga.  They are not the same thing.  They have equally horrible sounding concepts and feedback that have resulted in my likely never ever ever touching them even with my deep love of the franchise.  In addition to being different, distinct mediums, they also have different plotlines.

NUMBER TWO:  Directly related:  I may hate you forever for stating that both series are part of the Witchblade canon.

NUMBER THREE:  Please kill off Gleason(but not by Ian) and give Jackie his own book again.  Thank you.

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