HBO's Game of Thrones, Season 1

Been a little busy this week, but truly what can be said that hasn't already been said? No, really... check it out.

Winter Is Coming - Episode 10 Recap Roundup

For what it's worth, I was extremely pleased with the season finale - in fact, as far as I'm concerned, it was the best finale of the year on television. (Yes, I'm still grieving over the idiocy of the House season ender.)

There's no one like me.
Hit me with that rock again, and I'll still talk smack.

Joff, our favorite bastard, count your blessings
that you didn't get stuck with the other sister.

As noted last week, the characters (love 'em or hate 'em) have grown into their roles, and for those viewers not familiar with GRRM's brand of brutality - well, I think going into season two, it has been established that no one is safe.

I like to kill fat boys!

Summarily, as far as the season goes, most of my thoughts were shared last week. But what we're looking at is a strong cast of unexpected characters (so many children actors), each now with enough screen time to warrant viewer sympathy and emotional investment, all going into season two with increased stakes - in an environment where no one is safe.

There was a lot of "sexposition" in Season 1 - and while sex and violence are a big part of what occurs in Westeros, Season 2 - based on A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2), shouldn't require as much background information. Clearly, there's going to be war and the political machinations shouldn't necessarily require hooker scenes to pull off. We'll see.

There's been a lot of positivity regarding the CGI dragons - and I agree, they were well done. But again, the role of the dire wolves becomes increasingly relevant to the story of the Stark children, and I hope that in this filming, they give the pups some more screen time. Which, to their credit, they did manage in the final episode. It's symbolism, it's a magic that can't be ignored, and can't be focused exclusively on the dragons, because that's only one story arc amongst several.

Some puzzles remain for the viewer to chew on in the next several months, and despite what's been done in other fantasy stories, one shouldn't think that baby dragons are anything but a novelty at this point. Dany has no army, the dragons are vulnerable, and meanwhile all the rest of Westeros is armed, ready and marching. This will take awhile to unfold. Even if there are Targaryen loyalists, she still has to get to them (before they get killed under some other banner).

That would be the dilemna, from one perspective, if GRRM were a simple man. But he is not.
Before I digress, a funny or two.






And my favorite feature on WIC, Twitterers gone wild.

*

HBO's motives are clear. Convert this best selling fantasy series into something that will translate into subscribers and merchandise sales.

Long before the first episode aired, I told anyone else who would listen that the significance of the success of this series had a potential impact on publishing.

We've seen how True Blood and Twilight gave rise to urban fiction, to the point where agents and publishers were saying "enough vampires already" by last year.

We've already had a successful Lord of the Rings movie trilogy - and The Hobbit (part 1 of 2) is set to release in December of this year.

This should mean a huge boom for the epic fantasy literature genre. I'm counting on it. Martin is not a prolific author, Tolkien's film adaptations will likely end in 2013, and that's going to leave a void for people who want more.

While the success and quality of A Game of Thrones (as well as Peter Jackson's film projects) are great in entertainment value alone, the bigger picture suggests that this is only the beginning of a huge spike in the popularity of Elves, Dragons, Dwarves, Knights and magic.

Reading and Watching, June 2011

I'm going to be busy for a couple days, so I thought I'd go ahead and put up my latest reading journal.


Between the ending of House, Borgias, and Game of Thrones (forthcoming Sunday), I've kept my eyes peeled for some summer television shows for when I take a break from reading/writing.

Covert Affairs, USA. Season 2. In the "true confessions" department, I admit that I don't watch this sort of thing (I was never sold on Matt Damon as an action hero. These are the same folks who did the Bourne Identity series), and that the only reason I watched was because I've had a crush on Piper Perabo since her role in Coyote Ugly.

And in Season One, she wasn't entirely convincing in the role. However, by the end of the season, the story got interesting, and she was handling herself better in the action sequences. S2E1 was hit and miss with the action editing... the car scene was amateurish, unfortunately.

But, who cares? Sexy girl and a fun espionage storyline. They kicked off the season with a bang, rebooting the disappearance of the love interest Ben, got her back into the field bucking the system, and above all else, the supporting cast and story arcs are being nicely handled. I'm looking forward to the season.

White Collar, USA. Season 3. Guilty pleasure. I like the Ocean's Eleven vibe. I think they kicked off this season well, with Neal Caffrey (played by Matt Bomer), appearing to slide back into his old ways. What can I say, I'm a fan of the anti-hero, and between him and Mozzie (Willie Garson), it doesn't get more "unlikely savior". It'll be interesting to see how far they take the "this is the white whale of cons" arc, but all the same, it's off to a good start.

Burn Notice, Psych, Royal Pains. USA Network has the best summer line up on television. But, I don't watch THAT much TV.

I picked up The Hedge Knight - Second Edition [Graphic Novel] last week, as I find myself more and more excited by not only HBO's series, but also the release of A Dance with Dragons next month. Beautiful art, and of course, a great story within. Fascinating to read the prequels in light of all the buzz about A Song of Ice and Fire, and really, George R. R. Martin tells a good story.

It was only afterwards, while looking for the next novella (I've already read the third installment, The Mystery Knight, in the Warriors anthology), that I learned that The Hedge Knight (1st) and The Sworn Sword (2nd) were released in other anthologies. (Legends: Stories By The Masters of Modern Fantasyand Legends II: Dragon, Sword, and King, respectively.) I'm going to have to go back and get those now, because as much as I enjoyed the art, I love GRRM's prose and I want to read every detail of the prequel stories. (For those of you who have read through AFFC, you'll understand the interest in Dunk and Egg.)

While I'm on the topic...
- Win an autographed copy of ADWD.

Annnd, on the topic of epic stories brought to HBO - what about I, Claudius? (Nice catch, Adam!) That is also gonna be must see tv for me.

Turns out, in the Songs of Love and Death anthology that I've been reading, there's a huge easter egg for fans of Jacqueline Carey's Kushiel's Dart. Anafiel Delaunay's backstory! He and Rolande.

And finally, to complete my reading journal, I started upon R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing series, with The Darkness that Comes Before (The Prince of Nothing). I must say, and I'm not alone in this (based on the review blogs I read), that this is NOT a quick read.

I find it a little fitting that Steven Erikson does the cover blurb on this version, because after two pages, Erikson is exactly who I thought of. The styles are different, yes, but the density of the prose is similar.

Having said that, I'm 131 pages in and enjoying the story. At this point, though, I could only recommend this if you are a fan of Steven Erikson.

Oh, and while we're talking about R. Scott Bakker, three very esteemed book bloggers joined forces and did this interview of him recently.

That's all I've got for now. What are you reading?

Thoughts on HBO's Game of Thrones, Episode 9.

I am far too excited about last night's episode to wait a few days. As before, no recap, just commentary.

Here's a couple of recaps in case you want or need them. (I may add more later. Feel free to check back.)


Winter Is Coming Episode 9 Recap Roundup
Grizzly Bomb Episode 9 Recap (found this site while searching for screenshots; it was only proper to share.)

Last time I wrote about Thrones, I asked you a few questions...

What happened to Arya? Ah, she escaped into the city, living off of fat pigeons and brown stew.

Maisie Williams' acting was excellent. Even the subtle way she put a hand on her sword whenever she was going from one place to the next. Did you recognize the man in black? Joren, the recruiter from Night's Watch.

The Late Lord Frey

We finally meet Lord Walder Frey. While he doesn't have all the tics portrayed in the book, it was hardly noticeable. Excellent portrayal. We'll see more of him in the future, no doubt.

Robb Stark and Catelyn. Now there's been a few complaints about not showing the battle scene at Whispering Woods. But this scene is true to the books - you have to see the fear in Catelyn's eyes, for lack of getting internal monologue. That part? Excellent.

The aftermath? Well, it was clever dialogue, to be sure. But "1 on 1 combat"? - WHERE IS ROBB'S DIREWOLF? Jaime, would you fight Robb AND his wolf? No, Kingslayer, I think not. Fear would look good on you Nikolaj, even for a moment. You've got the range.

The sneak preview of the season finale means they're going to push forward Jaime's arc a little bit, otherwise he'd be captured for much of season 2.

This part of the story is going well - but again, the viewer is losing the impact of the Starks and their remaining direwolves (their banner symbol). A direwolf on the field of battle changes momentum tremendously. And men will talk.

Let's skip to Tyrion. In armor! Fighting his first battle!!

Then he gets trampled by his soldiers? WHAT?! Well, bloody hell. THAT's a notable departure. THIS was supposed to be the battle scene for this part of the story (not Whispering Woods). Knocked on the head by his own man - aww, I'm sorry Peter Dinklage. (But, war is here, you'll probably get another chance to fight. Maybe.)

Storywise, a clever tactic to keep Tywin Lannister and his superior skill and army occupied. But that's only going to work so many times...

In the meantime, we have a new whore. (Some folks thought that Ros would be our Shae.) Well, Shae is pretty and impetuous, like the books. Foreign, NOT like the books. No "sexposition" this time? A drinking game?? What do we call that, "drinxposition?" Ah well. The acting was top notch, but that was a lot of screen time to fill with stuff that wasn't entirely relevant at the time. Mind you, the Tysha story is important, but it could have waited. Undoubtedly, build up towards Tyrion's role in Season 2. Aside, Bronn is fantastic, no?

Jon Snow gets a sword, a reprieve from Thorne, and a lecture from the last Targaryen. Snow is a bit angsted, you know, and Kit Harrington is a bit more believable in the role than he was. Thing is, last week he's angsted about Uncle Benjen's horse coming back without a rider. This week, it's his half-brother has marched off to war. (And, since this isn't clear in the show, I must tell you that Valyrian Steel is a BIG FRIGGIN' DEAL. It's the family heirloom beyond all heirlooms. It's grandmama's priceless set of antique china, but medieval and functional.) The writers need to get to the part where Snow settles into his decision, whatever it is, so that he can carry the role that next season will have for him.

In clever editing, we go from the old Targaryen to the young hot one. This, too, is more or less close enough to the books. It may seem a little rushed, because it is. The viewer didn't get time to feel the angst of Drogo's quick descent into infection, and the numerous interactions Dany has with the witch. The Dothraki are a bit more hostile here than I recall them in the books, but this is nitpicking, truly.

Everything with Dany's arc has been carefully laid points and clues to prepare the viewer for the season finale. Yes, some of it was not according to the books, but here at the end, it's all still lined up. With the events that have taken place in the rest of Westeros, all eyes should be glued to Dany, and not just because she's cute.

For those of you who haven't read the books, this next part must have been a shock. But, even if you have, I have to agree with the Winter is Coming comment (linked above).

Wow, what an emotional ending. I was not expecting to be affected as I was. I knew the story, I knew what was coming, I thought it was the new viewers who would be shocked and appalled and I would just smile knowingly and say, “That’s Martin for you!” Instead seeing it play out on screen, with Ned trying to save his daughters only to have everything go horribly wrong and seeing Sansa and Arya’s reaction. I’m getting emotional again just thinking about it.

Aside, that is Ned's Valyrian Steel sword, "Ice".

To paraphrase Pulp Fiction, Ned's dead, baby.

Farewell, Sean Bean. At first I thought you might've portrayed Ned Stark a little too tough and rough, but by the end, I was convinced. I saw the conflict and emotion and the sheer stubbornness. We didn't get to really understand what was going on with you in the dungeons, but those dream sequences would have been pricy to produce. Thank you for giving Ned Stark some star power, for compelling people to feel his plight, and for once again championing the fantasy fiction genre. Kudos to you.

Also, good job little Joffrey in that scene. Truly, everyone hates your guts of course, but that scene would have been easy to botch. Damn good job.

*

As we approach Episode 10, it seems we have lost a lot of the series' star power. What does this mean?  The series is about the children. Children living in an adult world, under ridiculously trying circumstances. One by one, they lose the protection their parents offered them - or that protection becomes meaningless.

What becomes of the Stark children with Ned dead and Catelyn off to war? Does Winterfell become a giant point of vulnerability with all of the north marching south to war? And wildlings and White Walkers just beyond the Wall? What becomes of Daenerys if/when the mighty Khal Drogo dies and only one renegade knight to protect her?

Many people give up the series after the death of Ned Stark. Can HBO, the writers and producers, the young actors in lead roles - can they carry the series as well as the books compel the readers?

Fans of the books will continue to watch the series. We can't help it. We've read the story, many of us more than once, and it's a little geek's dream to see it come alive on screen. Between the series and ADwD coming out next month, this is all too good to be true.

But of those new to the series, not yet read the books, not yet knowing what wicked George R. R. Martin has planned for the characters that remain - will they stay along for the ride?

Next week's season finale has to be done just right, I think, to convince viewers that the characters that remain still have a lot of story to tell. Because, frankly, the next two books/seasons are infinitely more exciting than what has just taken place.

Enough of that seriousness. Here's an awesome reaction to Episode 9, courtesy of the WiC link above.

Game of Thrones. Approaching Episode 9.

Episode 8, written by George R. R. Martin, was by far the best episode yet this season. Since all of the good recaps have already been done, no need to do that here.

What? Haven't read a good recap? Check out Adam Whitehead over at The Wertzone, and his recap of episodes 7 and 8. I mostly agree.

Or you can go to Winter Is Coming, and see a list of the commercial recaps.

Oh, Ned. All that honor. This is what I like about GRRM - being good and noble gets you a bum leg and jail time. What's fantastic about the way this is portrayed is that if he was truly "doomed" - why would Varys keep visiting him?

And if you didn't like Sansa before, do her actions make her more or less sympathetic? I always thought she was an idiot, in the books and on the show.

See, I'm messing up my pretty dress and everything!

Which is to say that Sophie Turner's portrayal is excellent! Next season will give her a better chance to show off her acting chops.

Can I have more lines, please?

 Richard Madden, playing Robb Stark, finally gets more lines than Theon Greyjoy. (Once again, READ THE BOOKS). Unfortunately, the game is late, so Stark's ideology is as yet unclear, since Madden has had so little screen time.

Here again is a role that will develop better next season.

Suuure, he'll lead them into battle.

There was a lot of commentary on how Tyrion's swagger was reduced in the presence of Tywin Lannister (played by Charles Dance). I loved the hill people in all their ugly heathen glory, and Bronn continues to impress. Episode 9 promises to show this amazing juxtaposition - the dwarf who should certainly NOT be making war, going to war with his ragtag army. Again, Martin is brilliant. Without spoiling too much, I cannot wait to see how Peter Dinklage portrays Tyrion as he goes through ... hell.

But the big story last week was what Khal Drogo, (my gf has a big crush on Jason Momoa now - how to compete with that?) and his Dothraki necktie.

ANYONE ELSE NEED A DOTHRAKI NECKTIE? I didn't think so.

Moreso, the episode highlighted the resentment some of the Dothraki have with Daenerys and her increasing role as Khaleesi. Both Emilia Clarke and Momoa (and the excellent Iain Glenn) continue to make this story arc shine. There have been hints and allegations of what will come next. Oh, the witch lamblady is only there to help!

Did you just tell me to bark? You naughty Khal!

Yes I know what happens next, but I see how they've been laying groundwork all season for how this will end. There have been clues, here and there.

Aside, does anyone else find it ironic that the only functional couple on GoT is the arranged marriage that was consummated by rape? Beautiful tragedy.

Oh, there's more - but this isn't a recap.

Here's the questions to ask for Episode 9 and 10.

1) What happened to Arya? Will she get out of the city?
2) Will Catelyn Stark convince Robb to go home before he gets killed in battle? Or will he have crushing victories over the Lannisters?
3) Will Ned get out of the dungeon, and still maintain his honor? What if Sansa begs him?
4) Will critics ignore the barking of Ghost, Jon Snow's direwolf? (In the books, he's silent.) What are the implications of Benjen's horse coming back without a rider?
5) And as notable from the preview of Episode 9, what's gonna happen to the Dothraki if they are not happy with their leadership?

We've already said farewell to Robert Baratheon, Viserys Targaryen, Syrio Forel (maybe), and most of the Stark household. Who else will die before the season ends?

Game of Thrones, Stupid-Ned-Stark meme

Link provided, courtesy of the folks over at Winter Is Coming.

I didn't do an episode review this past week. There was quite the buzz about Littlefinger's brothel scene, and I had some mixed feelings about it.

So, in anticipation of the events that will unfold tonight, I would like to share this meme with you.

More memes are here.

Thoughts on Borgias, Thrones

Since my last television post was a bit rant-o-rrific, I'll keep this brief. If there's any specifics you'd like to discuss, we can do so in the comments.

The Borgias, Finale - Showtime.

First and foremost, all those promotional clips featuring soldiers and bloodshed were pretty darn misleading. Annoyingly so.

Here it comes! The big battle!!



Oh wait. Next episode. No, wait. Next season. No, really. We promise?

Annoying.

However, let's be positive! Loved the finale. Holliday Grainger continues to amaze and astound with her acting range (the girl can scream, wow!). We see the more subtle and conniving Pope defeat the French through intellect and cunning. Jeremy Irons is much more suited to this.

Cesare' gives us a glimmer of the risk taker he was in the beginning of the season. And Juan, forever useless, shows up to stand around while the French army is camped outside of Rome.

I was wondering where they were going to go with the story, seeing as the promo videos seemed to indicate WAR (you naughty liars), but the resolution was not only convincing, but necessary.

A few more thoughts, but ... eh. Truly, why are "seasons" so bloody short?

A Game of Thrones - HBO

For those who are new to the series, it should be obvious anyway: It's ALL running downhill, at breakneck speed, from here.

Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon - this is solid, perfect, wonderful. Ned's added assertion? Yes, let's see "Winter is Coming" Stark! The man who rules the north, as Hand of the King.

Oh, Cersei, and her badge of honor? Without her brother (who has skipped town)? Enter Tywin Lannister. Lions and Wolves are just beginning to ... it's not looking good for mending fences. Fantastic scenes, there.


The story will push forward now. Episode 7, some of you have seen on HBOGO. NOT the one to watch for. It's Episode 8, the one directed by Martin himself (as I understand).

I am noticing one sad little trend. Where are the Direwolves?

The scene with Bran, Robb, Theon and (new character) Osha played by Natalia Tena? Great! Excellent! Why would Bran leave the company of his brother? To go search for Summer, his wolf. Who would summarily chew up and eat one of the wildings.

The lack of direwolves is going to be an issue for story continuity. The direwolves are pivotal in this series, they are reflections of the Starks. Especially for Bran, because of his physical condition.

Troubled indeed, dear Arya.

Everything else is fine. Fun. Exciting. The way I've imagined it in all my readings. Not sure of the scene between Theon and Ros, but it was a small thing. And nudity to facilitate exposition.

Tyrion's fight for freedom. Bronn, his new accomplice. Mord! Some variation from the book, (turtle stew, ha ha), but not enough to matter. What's relevant here is the new, tentative alliance between Tyrion and Bronn. In terms of character development - what do you think Tyrion will do, with his newly found freedom? Keep an eye on the little man.

In all of this so far, I suspect that Catelyn is not gaining friends at this point, but - without saying too much - I didn't care for her too much at this point in the book, either. Don't give up on her just yet.

The crowning moment of this episode was the beautiful uh... crowning... of Viserys Targaryen. Anyone that annoying must needs die. That is why I love GRRM.

Hat's off to you, Harry Lloyd. You absolutely sold the creepy little horror that was Viserys. There's a great interview with him here. And now, Dany is free to soar!

(Even with the blatant foreshadowing, I think the first time viewers are going to go apesh*t over Dany before the end of this season.)




Episode Six was a large improvement in maintaining the story's integrity while providing visual stimulation and the certain simplicity required for visual media. Yes, you'd get more depth and understanding if you read the books.

But, frankly, it'll be pretty hard to mess things up from here. Buckle your seatbelts, the rest of the season is going to be a helluva ride. I can't wait!

Aside, Winter is Coming does a Twitter recap each week. I was booming laughter reading some of the responses and commentary. Check it out for yourself, you won't be sorry.

Thoughts on Fox's House, MD

House. At one time, IMLTHO, the best show on network television. After last night? I'm mad. And while this is likely a rant, let me offer some ideas on how to fix Season 8.

At the end of the day, Dr. House is one of the best anti-heroes on television.* That's why I watch, have all the seasons on DVD, and force every girl I've dated in the last few years to watch with me. People say that the show has become formulaic, and I agree - it's a medical drama - and unless you're watching Discovery, medicine is secondary to the drama, it's the setting.

* Particularly since Fox cancelled Lie to Me, as Dr. Cal Lightman was another fantastic anti-hero.

Fox has renewed House for Season 8, and in many ways, that's good news. There's a chance to go out with a bang, and give the fans what we've earned.

Where's the Character Tension? Chemistry? 

The best shows on television have this inherent sexual tension between characters. So many fans cried for "HUDDY", the match up between House and Cuddy - and when it came to pass, it was a disaster. So, now television history will call it "jumping the shark".

Why was it a disaster? Because Cuddy wasn't realistic in her expectations of House. They spent an entire season exploring the "maybe" of this - and then once the relationship came to fruition, those notions never carried forward.

Marrying a foreign bride was the answer? No. Bringing back Jennifer Morrison would have been better (producers, you can still do it!).

Bring back a wicked Dr. Cameron?

Is it because I have a huge crush on Cameron? (I totally do. Sorry?) With Cameron, you had tension between House and her, between her and Cuddy, between her and Chase, between Chase and House. It was complicated! That made for tense moments, people wondering "Oh noes, what if?"

Attractive, intelligent, bisexual and dying.

So, then a new hottie is introduced, right? A bisexual Thirteen, that fans didn't seem to like. What's not to like about Olivia Wilde? Her character had depth, passion, and a complicated situation. (You can thank me for not googling a more provocative picture - Olivia Wilde is far more daring than Jennifer Morrison.)

But she's disinterested in anyone. Except Foreman. While Omar Epps is a decent actor, his character is emotionally closed off. What happens when you have two emotionally barren people hook up? Sparks? Or not. (sad face.)  Then the writers really dropped the ball in ignoring the potential chemistry between Chase and Thirteen at the end of Season 6. They brought Thirteen back, not from some interesting medical adventure regarding her Huntington's Disease (depth, motivation), but from jail because she euthanized her brother. (who? what?) Huh?

Fans grieve for the loss of "cutthroat bitch" (Amber Volakis) - why? Because there was a weird chemistry between her and House, a relationship between her and Wilson, and the weirdness between Wilson and House, as a result.

The provocative side of Masters? Nice!

I thought Amber Tamblyn, playing character Martha Masters, had some interesting potential. Zero sex appeal (and judging by this picture I found, clearly unfounded). She was a good balance to House's moral compass, until he corrupts her. Masters shows Chase the light where concerns his whoring, but a couple of episodes later, he's at it again. Zero lasting impact. Masters had the potential, too. Taub and his womanizing. Foreman and his uptightness. No one even bothered to become friends with the girl. Poor thing. She must feel so used.

What's our core conflict? We have one man who is a medical genius, can solve any problem, and each episode shows us how he does it. But the man is broken, twisted, and a grumpy bastard. Neat.

He has a team of doctors do the legwork for him, a few friends who have their own lives to live, but have chosen, for whatever reason, to tie their careers and lives to this maniac. It's a fantasy adventure!

The truths of each of the characters, their inherent issues and chemistry, begs complications. No one cares how many girls Taub gets pregnant (unless it's Cuddy), or if Chase picks up girls at bars every night (unless it's Huddy, Thirteen, or maybe one of her girlfriends). Give Foreman some personality, and some bloody ambition, as House self-destructs - Foreman should be going for House's job.

Wilson? He's the one person who knows House too well to be used only for comedy relief. (Chasing chickens? Really?)

What do you do? House is going to jail? (Again?) I don't buy the season finale. He's heartbroken over Cuddy, so he's going to almost kill her by driving his car through her home? Uh, no. He'd go in there and beat the crap out of her lover with his cane. (You can throw him in jail then.) (Aside, Wilson sprains his wrist? Why?) Have him punch Wilson in the face, too!

Ahh, Mira Sorvino. Come back from Antartica!

Bring back Stacy Warner. Bring back Ali (the teen stalker). How about Mira Sorvino from Season 4 (Frozen)? Where is Dr. Edward Vogler in all of this, as House descends into his own personal abyss?

You have a cast of people who understand House's self-destructive behavior, but not a single person who is empathetic towards it. That's the challenge in this series. Can he cure the world and still be a jerk? Who or what can make HIM better?

You can't have him do diagnosis from jail in Season 8. Is being in prison going to help him mend his ways? He'll lose his license, Huddy will fire him - there's no recovery from that ending. No REASONABLE ending. Or beginning. It's too late to undo that finale, of course, but there's still hope for Season 8, the final season of House.

Choose your own adventure, Fox.

Images: Google

Truth is Stranger than Fiction | Stalin responsible for Roswell UFO crash?

I admit, without reservation, that I watch The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Frankly, I think the world needs humor and satire to go along with the ridiculous news that we have to digest.

So earlier this week, I caught his interview with Annie Jacobsen. She was doing her book tour for her recently published book, Area 51: An Uncensored History of America's Top Secret Military Base.

You have to see it for yourself. This is incredible.



I can't help but wonder how this changes the face of science fiction. It's fun to imagine that aliens landed in New Mexico and were kept in a secret underground military bunker, ala the 1996 movie Independence Day. Good storytelling!

The best part of this is that - some of this is true. Sooo, there is an Area 51. And! There is a UFO hidden deep within Area 51. But the Russians built it! Really?!

Sets the imagination off, no? What if the Russians were wanting to test their secret project, launched this thing into space, and they discovered real aliens? Who then took the UFO and used it to sneak back into the earth's atmosphere, using the space ship's technology?

All of this truly begs the question... WHY would the U.S. keep this a secret? Wouldn't the government (either government, for that matter) gain more credibility by saying, "Nope. No aliens. This was Stalin trying to get one over on us, as part of a big plan to panic their enemies."

What's the purpose of the big secret? There's another story premise right there - that the government wants to use this as their own secret weapon, in order to panic enemies and/or solidify an unruly public trust behind a common enemy. Even the President is on a "need to know" basis (according to the interview), which means we could get attacked by aliens (i.e., ourselves) and yet the leader of the free world wouldn't be in on it. Or would he/she?

Truly, the possibilities are endless. (Which sci-fi author do you think will grab this and run?)

Yahoo does an interesting story on this 'buzz', with multiple links, by the way, if you'd like to do your own research.

Truth is stranger than fiction, my friends.

Reading Journal, Borgias, Thrones

Monday morning musings...

Finished The Blade Itself (The First Law: Book One) last night. Damn it. Super duper cliffhangers. Rawr. Grrrrr.


Moving on to positivity, here's what Mr. Abercrombie accomplishes in his breakout novel. He does write excellent fight scenes, by the way (noted in one of the back cover blurbs). He compels the reader to root for the underdog. That's a skill, a talent. There's a nice balance between action and narrative, the plot moves forward and the protagonists' lives become interwoven in an interesting way.

He breaks many of the rules that we unpublished writers read again and again in all these ever-so-helpful writing tip blogs. That, in and of itself, is a statement. If you have the talent, it will show. He does. So, instead of taking everyone's advice and having your unique style and voice get washed out in a vanilla coated style compendium of zero risk storytelling - just do what you're gonna do.


This is the lesson I'm finding, again and again, every time I pick up a genre novel. At the end of the day, you cannot argue with success.


Having said that, I get really frustrated with reading 500 pages and not having any resolutions. I won't be doing that. That's not likely to stop me from picking up Before They Are Hanged (The First Law: Book Two). Dang it. :-p

*


Ah, the Borgias. They're going down! I think they rather dragged out last night's episode, considering next week is the season finale... hmm. They're going to leave me on a cliffhanger, too, aren't they?


Damn it.


What can I say after last night's episode? I like Holliday Grainger all the more these days.


And, I told you so, Juan Borgia's an idiot. "Hey, let's just wait for the cannons to fire!" Actually what he said was, "Who gives the order to charge?"


Which, really, says more than any commentary I could add at this point.


*

Thrones.


Last night captured the essence of the relationship between Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon superbly well. And while *I* don't think Maisie Williams looks much like a boy at all, considering the parallel historical time period, I think it's clever that the viewer gets that perspective: she's dirty and not in a dress = boy with long hair.


I think it's a little funny that "sex scene" = "exposition and backstory time". It's almost insulting! (Truly, a good whore is going to piss off her client? Even if she's trying to be cheeky, repeat business insures her income.) I guess it's a reasonable time to chit chat, but the scene with Cersei and Robert was much better.


Ser Loras and Ser Renly. Varys and Illyrio. I weep. Television forces the giant HERE IT IS spotlight, where a novel allows and encourages the reader to take the clues, the hints and draw their own conclusions. Read the book.


I can appreciate that we didn't see Jon Snow or Daenerys Targaryen in this episode, though the timing for Dany is a bit off. Crossing the Dothraki Sea should've taken a whole episode. The action should have clung to her more tightly once they arrived at Vaes Dothrak (which they did in the last episode, as I recall.)


But the Wall? No, the viewer can assume that the four new friends are bonding, being beaten up by Aliser Thorne and teaching Ser Piggy how to fight - the next episode will be a good time to let them take their vows. Their lack of presence in this most recent episode works.


Aside! Apparently some viewers were upset by the demise of direwolf Lady in episode 2. GRRM has addressed that on his Not A Blog, in a manner which I must fully endorse. Spoiler alert: There's going to be a lot more death before the end of the season.


*


Not to get overly meta, but lately I have seen a number of stories where the perceived ruler is fat and decadent. Is this a trope? Or is this a statement towards modern governments - those we choose become bloated, indulgent and selfish, and the countries are actually run by appointed bureaucrats, who are completely out of touch with (and unaccountable to) the common folks?

I do not like the trope. Medieval times were too harsh. A man (or woman) who could not hold their kingdom would lose it. Having said that, it certainly makes sense as a plot point - because at least the reader can appreciate why the ridiculous ruler is going to see war (there is always war).
*

What's next for me to read? I'm deciding between Dune, Songs of Love and Death: All Original Tales of Star Crossed Love, and Kushiel's Scion (Kushiel's Legacy).


In other (personal and irrelevant) news, this weekend marked the first time in two weeks that I was able to eat and not feel pain. The Crohn's has gone back into remission. Huzzah! Now to be a little indulgent myself and regain the weight I've lost... and edit the beast, dang it. ;-)

Thoughts on Showtime's The Borgias

It took me awhile to begin to enjoy Showtime's previous project, The Tudors, but after reading Sara Poole's Poison: A Novel of the Renaissance, my interest was piqued in their project, The Borgias. The only other reason I'm watching it is because it's gritty historical fiction. I like sex, blood, and political intrigue. Anything less is essentially watching the nightly news.

As yesterday, this is no essay or review - just some random thoughts I've had while watching the series. A writing exercise - I've not been blogging, and I feel rusty.



In many ways, the smaller cast makes it easier to follow than fan favorite Thrones. Casting seems pretty solid. I've had some hesitation with Jeremy Irons, an amazing actor - he just doesn't convince me as a sex-starved power monger. I still closely associate him with his role as the stoic in Kingdom of Heaven. His demeanor is too cool and calculating for me to embrace that he's just a horny old goat. Otherwise? Of course he does well.


I think it is safe to assume that if I'm not watching something on the History Channel, or Discovery, or NatGeo, that there's going to be some degrees of interpretation in the interest of making the story more interesting. In other words, I approach this less as a history lesson, and more as an entertaining retelling. I did the same with the Tudors, and if you haven't caught any of the series yet - I suggest you do the same.

Sex. Seriously, there's a lot of sex. Almost too much, almost to the point of "really?" This goes a long way towards portraying the corruption and decadence of the Borgia clan - and so be it.

The story line moves adequately - you have to swallow the info dumps inherent in the pilot - comparatively, all pilots seem to kinda stink for that reason - and by the third episode, it is easy to gather the relationships and the motivations.

Lucrezia Borgia, played by Holliday Grainger, does an excellent job at portraying a young girl, full of youth and mischief and naivete, plagued with the worries of what she's experienced... and yet, growing, evolving and clearly a Borgia.

Cesare' Borgia, played by Francois Arnaud... now this is a more complicated characterization. In the beginning of the series, he seemed tougher than he seems by episode 7. I suppose that the harshness of the way that he follows his father's orders in order that Rodrigo may become pope - softens once Cesare' is made a cardinal.



The least convincing characterization, to me, is Juan Borgia. He seems the most ill qualified for any sort of responsibility, much moreso leading the papal armies. He's not even loyal to his own little brother. Though, to be honest, I'm not sure if it's the acting, writing or directing that has him all over the place.

Overall? If you like this sort of thing, even if you only remotely enjoyed The Tudors, you'll enjoy this. There's really no major flaws in anything. The sets and costumes are beautiful. The characters are interesting, and true to themselves, for the most part.

Perhaps it is not as complicated or intriguing as Sopranos or Thrones, but that arguably works in its favor. What's missing is the sympathy for the protagonists, as well (and maybe even accurately) as they seem to be portrayed. They get themselves into bad positions and I don't really feel bad for them.

At this point, I'll continue to watch, and while I know that the outcome will be tragic, I'm still hoping to be surprised somehow. In this, Sara Poole's novel (mentioned above) is superior to the television production.

Some links:

Borgias Fan Website
Sara Poole's Blog
The Borgias on Showtime

Thoughts on HBO's Game of Thrones

My last post seemed redundant the moment I carried over a bunch of old posts from the previous blog. Then, April showered! Maladies, computer problems, and a busy enough social schedule.

But I felt a lack of continuity in my blog here, because - as SOOOO many others - I had been contributing (in my ever so small way) to the growing hype of HBO's A Game of Thrones.

Truly, I can't even talk about my own WIP without mentioning the great desire that I have for HBO to knock this out of the park, ala the next Sopranos or Rome - as GoT purports to be a little of both, in the more fantastical setting of Westeros. I've read the entire series a number of times (four, at least), but I do believe I can discuss this without revealing any spoilers.

I am loathe to "review" the series. As much as I enjoy critical analysis, and apply the same measure to my own works - I'm afraid that an overly critical analysis would overshadow my general joy and happiness towards the project. In short, take what I write herein not as judgemental, but as observation with the intent to highlight the strength of the source material. Ultimately, I am still excited - and very much enjoying - HBO's project.

So, as far as Thrones - READ THE BOOKS. No medium is going to capture the depth and subtlety of Martin's writings. It is too hard to get emotionally invested into the characters when the subtext is limited to what you can insinuate from a 45 second conversation.

I was disappointed a little in the pilot, in that we do not get to hear the children speak, that Jon Snow appears to be so youthful and angsted (and that Catelyn Stark is such a bitch to him), that we don't even know who Theon Greyjoy is until 4 episodes in, and the most tragic deviation of all - Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen.

I think the viewer is losing out on the value of Dany's ascension into a Khaleesi, a Queen, by the deviations in the story. Drogo is gentle with her and smitten. And Dany commands Viserys to walk, not Rakharo. Little things. These are the subtleties that make her decisions at the end of the book that much more powerful - and credible.


And well, you should know that I like my canines - apparently, we could not find an albino pointy earred dog to behave. The relationship with Tarly and Snow, in the book, gains depth and understanding when Samwell is NOT scared of Ghost, and Ghost accepts the fat boy as a friend.

But! Truly, I pick and nag out of love, not because I'm a critical bastard, some angry, sad man who himself is not published because his big fat WIP requires tremendous editing. Overall, the series IS telling the story in a different medium, and as noted elsewhere, it is much like a love letter to A Song of Ice and Fire, as much as a portrayal.

Those nuances noted, casting for Thrones is spectacular. (And it seems impossible to find a casting ensemble picture without infecting your computer with a virus!) I was already quite in lust with Daenerys (played by Emilia Clarke), and from page to screen, I have fallen all over again.

I was never particularly pleased with Cersei on the pages, but Lena Headey brings out the sexual power of Lady Lannister, which somehow makes it easier to accept that she's a bitch. Jaime Lannister? As noted elsewhere, the depth they have given him is commendable. He's charming and clever and cruel. That this is made clear from the beginning is quite the exceptional highlight of an allowable, if not encouraged, deviation.

I knew from the beginning that Mark Addy would pull off Robert Baratheon, and he continues to do so. Peter Dinklage, as Tyrion - brilliant as possible, as everyone on the internet had well predicted. Old Nan? Awesome, perfect and a pleasant surprise. Viserys? Creepy and spastic - bingo! Bran? Stubborn and youthful, with a convincing range of emotion for such a young actor. Nicely done.

Perhaps we haven't seen just enough menace from the Hound, and perhaps Littlefinger is a bit stiffer than I recall him being in the books. Robb Stark is appearing flaky, but I think that's due to lack of screen time; he's just not making sense. And while I am pleased that Sean Bean is playing Ned Stark - the television portrayal has the Stark patriarch as a tad brutish, whereas in the books, my impression was that he was a stoically somber man.

On the other hand? Ser Jorah Mormont, by Iain Glen - fantastic! I'm more convinced by him on screen than I was in the books. Maisie Williams, as Arya Stark - the absolute screen stealer.

The water dancing scene at the end of episode three? It was so good, it made me cry, I kid you not. Arya becomes an increasingly notable POV as the story progresses, and so far young Miss Williams is quite possibly the best casting on the show.

The Artisans: Maisie Williams

Some deviations are necessary, no doubt. As HBO has given a greenlight to Season Two, the producers are really going to have to consider how to carry the story forward with working animals versus CGI. Especially Ghost, damn it - the bastard boy is defined in his books by his freakishly silent wolf.

I wonder how they will reconcile the motivations of the characters, and their actions (Joffrey doesn't like Sansa, what?!), as the story gets even more complex.

All in all, my own selfish motivations aside, I am beyond pleased at the reports that ratings are solid and/or increasing.

For the best commentary on Thrones, I refer you to Winter is Coming or even Adam at The Wertzone. I won't be trying to keep up with those blogs in terms of news and updates.

As an aside, and a post for another time, it is well worth considering what the success of Game of Thrones means for the fantasy genre. If HBO can capture Martin's characterizations and complexity in a world of winters, wargs and wildlings - will it give credibility to a literary genre that is oft neglected or considered immature? Can sex, incest, political intrigue and the cruel nature of war make adult viewers consider that not all fantasy fiction is wands and long-bearded wizards and moreso - understand and appreciate that good and evil is not always black and white, but rather, deep shades of grey? By the Muses, I truly hope so.

However, another discussion that caught my eye and perhaps will catch yours, was a question brought up by the Speculative Scotsman. Martin is notoriously NOT prolific as a writer, and will the series become his deal with the devil, disallowing him time to write what HE wants to write, becoming slave to his success?

Oh, to have such troubles! ;-)

Until the next.