... the IT man in LibraryLand
Well today one finally finished one's reading of Tolstoy's War & Peace.
Or as I believe it should be called:
War & Peace & Peace & War & War & Peace & Peace & Peace & Peace & Peace & Peace & Peace & Peace & War & War & Peace & Long and Rambling Meta-Physical Second Epilogue.
In Summary: I tend to agree with FridgePower's assessment of Tolstoy's work - needs more explosions and less Neighbours.
It has been one's in-between ebook reading - usually on one's phone - for occasions when one is without one's main read of the moment.
Still, despite the reading being a bit piecemeal, it did scratch one's Napoleonic itch somewhat.
It also gives an excellent feeling of what it would really have been like being involved in the Napoleonic Wars for the common upper-class aristocrat.
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Guardians of the Galaxy & Gridlinked by Neal Asher
Today's post is about the consumption of media various.
Guardians of the Galaxy
This one was a birthday present from Freeloading Mum. And by that I mean that one traditionally spends one's birthday money on b-grade sci-fi and fantasy that one has missed in the previous year.
Well this turned out to be a fun little romp very much in the vein of The Fifth Element level of sci-fi. Thankfully for one's tastes there was very little superhero-ish in there although sequel talk involves many spandexians apparently.
All in all a solid 4 star fun pic with the only real cringe moment being the hero's put down of the villain at the end.
I look forward to watching mother's other present in the near future, in glorious 3D - the much vaunted by The Real Greg Dean, Pacific Rim. And I tell you if it isn't every bit the cosmically mind blowing experience that The Greg has promised there'll be some mighty vengeance coming his way!
Gridlinked by Neal Asher
This one was my latest read and jumped to the head of the pack on the recommendation of Scary Spice.
It was quite an enjoyable future space opera with loads of wow tech and obscure aliens.
Unfortunately having recently read Ian M Banks Consider Phelbas one was struck by apparent parallels and coincidii, in military tech and delves underground after artifacts - to the point that one could joke about it being extremely well written fan-fiction.
That aside though it was a solid 3 and a half stars and I will undoubtably dip into the Polity universe again in The Future.
.
Guardians of the Galaxy
This one was a birthday present from Freeloading Mum. And by that I mean that one traditionally spends one's birthday money on b-grade sci-fi and fantasy that one has missed in the previous year.
Well this turned out to be a fun little romp very much in the vein of The Fifth Element level of sci-fi. Thankfully for one's tastes there was very little superhero-ish in there although sequel talk involves many spandexians apparently.
All in all a solid 4 star fun pic with the only real cringe moment being the hero's put down of the villain at the end.
I look forward to watching mother's other present in the near future, in glorious 3D - the much vaunted by The Real Greg Dean, Pacific Rim. And I tell you if it isn't every bit the cosmically mind blowing experience that The Greg has promised there'll be some mighty vengeance coming his way!
Gridlinked by Neal Asher
This one was my latest read and jumped to the head of the pack on the recommendation of Scary Spice.
It was quite an enjoyable future space opera with loads of wow tech and obscure aliens.
Unfortunately having recently read Ian M Banks Consider Phelbas one was struck by apparent parallels and coincidii, in military tech and delves underground after artifacts - to the point that one could joke about it being extremely well written fan-fiction.
That aside though it was a solid 3 and a half stars and I will undoubtably dip into the Polity universe again in The Future.
.
Spin me Right Round...
... Like a Record baby
So last weekend was one's 45 birthday.
I had a smallish gathering with the minor theme of "Bring a 45".
There was some excellent catering by Salsa Girl assisted by Freeloading Mum - although I do have to take issue with the idea that I had to give everyone a piece of MY cheesecake birthday cake!
Being the theme instigator I dutifully hauled my pristine collection of 45s from the late 80s downstairs - about 50 of them in all. Amongst their number where such gems as Samantha Fox - Touch Me, of which, with my newly acquired mature status, one is not ashamed (although probably 15 year old Phill should be).
Several others provided their own input including ElfBoy with an extensive compilation collection; Legion2 with his hauntingly familiar collection (in that shared bedroom growing up kind of way); and Badger with some prime Brit Punk. I was, however, disappointed to see no Smith & Wessons brought along.
Badger's standout contribution was providing the whole audio and phonographic equipment, without which we would have been unable to hear these gems of the songwriters craft. Impressively the turntable was a vintage 80s Marantz still in perfect working order.
Dropping the ball on the theme front were BestFriendSincePrep and StumpyRudolph, representing one's school friends neither of them had any knowledge of their 45s, or indeed of which number drink they were up to.
Representing the creative side of music were past (and future??) band mates FridgePower and Judge Mingus, along with their own personal creations.
Most parts of the party went well, although Hulk did insist on being sensitive to strangers and require alternating bouts of individual care from Salsa Girl and oneself which was the sole reason there are parts of the party that one cannot recall.
After most had taken leave Legion2 and Pirate Dave (returning from DragonMim's overshadowing 50th event which kept many others away) stayed long into the evening playing the Magic card game and helping one with ones overabundance of whisky. In fact I believe I may have been playing the game on muscle memory at one point and events and my thinking became decidedly fuzzy around the 1:00 am mark.
All in all a most excellent occasion.
.
So last weekend was one's 45 birthday.
I had a smallish gathering with the minor theme of "Bring a 45".
There was some excellent catering by Salsa Girl assisted by Freeloading Mum - although I do have to take issue with the idea that I had to give everyone a piece of MY cheesecake birthday cake!
Being the theme instigator I dutifully hauled my pristine collection of 45s from the late 80s downstairs - about 50 of them in all. Amongst their number where such gems as Samantha Fox - Touch Me, of which, with my newly acquired mature status, one is not ashamed (although probably 15 year old Phill should be).
Several others provided their own input including ElfBoy with an extensive compilation collection; Legion2 with his hauntingly familiar collection (in that shared bedroom growing up kind of way); and Badger with some prime Brit Punk. I was, however, disappointed to see no Smith & Wessons brought along.
Badger's standout contribution was providing the whole audio and phonographic equipment, without which we would have been unable to hear these gems of the songwriters craft. Impressively the turntable was a vintage 80s Marantz still in perfect working order.
Dropping the ball on the theme front were BestFriendSincePrep and StumpyRudolph, representing one's school friends neither of them had any knowledge of their 45s, or indeed of which number drink they were up to.
Representing the creative side of music were past (and future??) band mates FridgePower and Judge Mingus, along with their own personal creations.
Most parts of the party went well, although Hulk did insist on being sensitive to strangers and require alternating bouts of individual care from Salsa Girl and oneself which was the sole reason there are parts of the party that one cannot recall.
After most had taken leave Legion2 and Pirate Dave (returning from DragonMim's overshadowing 50th event which kept many others away) stayed long into the evening playing the Magic card game and helping one with ones overabundance of whisky. In fact I believe I may have been playing the game on muscle memory at one point and events and my thinking became decidedly fuzzy around the 1:00 am mark.
All in all a most excellent occasion.
.
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