The Bookworm Blogger

Currently Reading: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

2008-10-20T16:45:00.003-04:00

Understandably being a guy, I don't often read romances. I'm more of a Sci-fi kind of person. This book manages to be both, and the author weaves a convincing tale that is both very amusing and engaging.

Time-Travel is always a hard subject to write about. There are always the 'What If's' to think about, and the eventual paradoxes. Sometimes these paradoxes are part of the plot, and sometimes they're left unmentioned as part of a plot hole due to sloppy writing. The author acknowledges and even makes fun of them by having the main character meet up with himself multiple times and even having chats with him.

It's the story of a man, Henry DeTamble, with a disorder he describes as very few people having; the ability to slip out of time at a moment's notice, stress being the trigger. When he travels, he loses his clothes; he is naked and in search of new attire. This causes complications, especially if someone catches sight of him.

His time-travelling is mostly to places he's already been in the past, where he meets his future wife, Clare Abshire when she is a child. Romance builds between these visits, until she's old enough to marry.

It's certainly an interesting premise, and one that holds a lot of promise and humour. If Back to the Future was a time-travelling classic of the 80's, then this is the time-travelling classic of the 2000's.

There's a movie in production, and it remains to be seen how it's handled, but I'm looking forward to it.

Music Review: Melanie Doane - A Thousand Nights

2008-09-26T22:15:00.003-04:00

Special and lovingly crafted. This is how I would describe Melanie Doane's latest release.

I've been a fan of Doane's for awhile now ever since I had seen her open up for Great Big Sea on their Turn tour, and I thought she was terrific with a unique style and destined for stardom. So, it was no surprise that I had been patiently anticipating her new released once it was announced.

A Thousand Nights has a nice concept attached to it. Having recently had a child, Doane looked at having a record of songs that could be played to children without their parents getting tired of them quickly due to repeated listening, enduring "A Thousand Nights" of repeating listening if you will.

And Doane delivers, no pun intended, a beautiful album. The album is made up mostly of covers, but the choices are inspired, and the arrangements well done in her unique style, all very mellow. Melanie gives them fresh new takes, such as the beautiful version of Fleetwood Mac's Songbird, featuring Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo. It has to be heard to be believed. Among other beautiful gems are Leonard Cohen's Song of Bernadette, Tom Petty's Wildflowers, The Everly Brother's Devoted to You, Bruce Cockburn's All The Diamonds, Tom Waits' Martha, and Baby Makes Three, a very beautiful composition of her own.

This has become one of my favourite albums of the year. I highly recommend it.

www.melaniedoane.com

Music: Great Big Sea - Fortune's Favour

2008-09-13T20:41:00.007-04:00

After having finally picked it up after waiting a few months, I've listened through it. Gotta say, meh. It's not that I'm disappointed, because it has a great production, and in terms of albums, I think this is probably their best since Turn.

Perhaps it's because I haven't seen them in concert in ages or something, but I'm having a hard time finding enthusiasm for this album. I'm finding there's a certain disconnect. I knew this album would be different, but I'd have expected at least a song or two to click, but at this stage, none have. And Walk on the Moon, which I thought sounded out of place when first hearing it as a single, continues to sound out of place on the album. Sounds more like a song that would have fit on Something Beautiful instead. I continue to have the opinion that it was the wrong song as a first single as it doesn't fit the style of production they had going for the entire album, which is a more "take it by the horns" approach. Maybe the songs will grow on me.

If there's one good thing about the album is that it sounds like the energy is back. The one complaint I had about Sea of No Cares and Something Beautiful, is that they were too perfect sounding, that all the energy had been sucked out of the songs. Not so here, and Alan tends to sound like a completely different animal, no pun intended.

Overall, I'm not overly impressed. Though, perhaps it will grow on me. With each new GBS album though, I tend to feel as though GBS isn't for me anymore. Maybe they will be for you. Ironically, this is probably the album that will finally net them a Juno award.

www.greatbigsea.com

Movie Review: Get Smart

2008-09-07T19:57:00.004-04:00

Get Smart is fun, engaging, and best of all, a good tribute to the classic TV series.

When I had originally heard about this project many years ago, I had trouble believing that they would actually produce something significant. Steve Carrell had been rumoured to be in the role, and that he had really wanted to play Maxwell Smart, as a fan of the original TV series.

Then, they were going ahead with it after so many years in limbo. I was filled with anxiety. Could they really do it justice? Then, the trailer came out, and the familiar theme was played, complete with the phone booth. It was like a trip back in time. Still, I had my doubts. I didn't think they could really make a good movie out of it like so many TV to Movie franchises that have failed.

But then, this is Mel Brooks we're talking about. He brought us classics such as Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and Young Frankenstein. How could this go wrong? So, I turned off my brain for an evening and went to catch it at the theatre a few weeks ago.

My anxiety about it had disappeared by the time the first scenes came along. I was won over. This was Maxwell Smart. Maybe not the Maxwell Smart that we quite remembered from the TV show, but he didn't have to be. He wasn't trying to be. He just was. What I mean by this is that they weren't trying to be exact copies of the characters we came to know and love, but that they allowed the characters to be slightly updated, fitting the actor's skill, allowing for some growth to the characters. So, for Steve Carrell's Smart, he was played perfectly in the way that Steve Carrell played him.

We get to see 99 played by Anne Hathaway, and the kind of delivery is very similar to the original 99, in her own way. Alan Arkin's portrayal of the Chief is also very good, and right on the money. I don't think I would have chosen anyone else to play him.

There's a lot going on in the movie, yet it never feels like it's dragged down for any second. It's an intelligent comedy that actually pays tribute to the series that it had been born from , instead of insulting it, and the fans.

In fact, there are a ton of little nods to the series, including things that Max originally used in the series. It's not overdone, to the point of slapping you over the head with it.

So, with that said, I came away feeling satisfied, and even impressed. One of the better TV adaptations in recent memory.

Northern Lights Festival 2008

2008-07-07T22:23:00.003-04:00

Every year, we have a local music festival. It's quite big and attracts a lot of artists, and is talked about at every major festival. I've been to it in previous years, but only on seperate days and never a full weekened.

This year, I changed that and decided that a full weekend was in order. For $60, it's quite a bargain, with all the acts that one gets to see.

So, what made me do the full weekend? It was when it was announced that the festival had secured Don McLean. Wait, back up a minute. Did I say Don McLean? Yes, actually I did. I couldn't quite believe it when I first heard it. I mean, why would he come to a small town, him of all people? This was probably the biggest act the festival ever managed to secure. Well, biggest in recent years in any case.

So I paid my ticket and went with a friend and it's going to be hard to top next year.

Among the highlights were The Sadies, Two Hour Traffic, John Doe with The Sadies, Damien Robitaille, People Project, Daniel Bélanger, Sharon & Bram (yes), Mike Ford, The Great Lake Swimmers, Ian Tamblyn, and of course Don McLean, who I pleaded to not let the music die.

More later

Movie Review: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

2008-06-06T23:14:00.004-04:00

I loved the first one. I really found the scenery and cinematography to be gorgeous, and while I never read the books, I thought it was one of the best looking movies the year it came out.

So, why was it then that I felt reluctant about Prince Caspian? Maybe it was the trailers. I just never really felt like I had to see it. It just somehow wasn't working for me, and then I sort of shrugged it off.

But then I was asked if I wanted to see it a couple of weeks ago, and I was actually excited and looking forward to it. And so, I found myself in the theatre watching a sequel I didn't think I'd be watching on the big screen.

A good movie is often like a good book. Once you finish it, you're sad to see your favourite characters say their final words or do their final actions. Which is why sequels sell a lot, I suppose. And when you see them again in a sequel, there's both a sense of relief and trepidation over the events of the movie, feverishly hoping they don't screw around with what made the first one a hit.

In this case, it's not just the characters, but the Land of Narnia. Narnia is like a character in itself. It's not just a backdrop to which the characters are wandering around in. It has a sense of history. We find ourselves just as much in awe of it as the children do, and we can't wait to have them return to it to see what that old friend looks like. It's also what pulled me in, after having realized just what I would have missed had I not chosen to go see it. I fell in love with the scenery and cinematography again, the picture so sharp and clear as to see every detail. I realized I had missed it and couldn't wait for the journey up ahead.

Again, it's as beautiful as I remembered it. Maybe moreso. Although things have changed. It's now 1000 years since the last movie, with only 1 year having passed in the real world. The children now have a new adversary from a neighbouring land, planning to conquer Narnia for himself with runaway Prince Caspian fighting for Narnia with the Children against his uncle.

It's more of an action movie this time around, with most of the movie centering around a large battle. People wanted more fighting after seeing the fighting in the original, and I can't say I blame them since it was very well done, and I don't usually like fighting. It was very well orchestrated and the special effects were gorgeous.

I have to say, I'm glad I went. It was, so far, one of my favourite movies of the summer.

Movie Review: Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-25T14:46:00.004-04:00

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing the new Indiana Jones. I was both excited and anxious, wondering if it would live up to 20 years of wait.
And I guess on the whole, I was kind of disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I loved it. It felt great seeing Indy on the screen again, but the revelation at the end felt somewhat like an easy way out. I loved it until that point that kind of just made me wonder what they were thinking. The stunts were spectacular, and I think some of the best stunts in the series are from this movie. The humour was classic Indy humour and I laughed loudly in a lot of places. Some lines and actions were downright hilarious. I thought some parts were definite classics. And then there are the others that kind of feel like a whole new low in the series: CGI Monkeys and vine swinging. All in all though, it was a great fun romp.

When seeing it, you have to realize that it's been 20 years since The Last Crusade came out, and things have changed, not only for Harrison Ford, but in the world of Indy, so the tone is sort of different from the last three, and I think that's what a lot of people seeing it have failed to realize. Things have changed too much. It's not going to be the same Indy you saw him in The Last Crusade. The world of Indy has just gone through WWII, when last, it was on the brink of war. Nothing is the same after a war.

Some minor quibbles, however, and I'll try to explain without spoiling anything. These are mostly technical.
The movie starts off with Rock & Roll music, not the Indy Theme. I knew they were trying to set the tone of the movie that way, but I felt it kind of took away from the majesty of it all; it felt kind of dry. Cracking Whips. What cracking whips? There was none, other than one scene at the beginning. And the score felt almost like it wasn't even there. The Indy theme only appeared from time to time, as if to remind us that what we were watching was an Indy movie since the tone was quite different. There was nothing like an epic score, with variations on the Indy theme throughout like the other movies. So yeah, some of it felt lacking in certain areas.

So if you want a fun romp, turn off your brain for a few hours, stop nitpicking, and just enjoy the movie for what it is. Just realize that what you're seeing is different because there are obvious changes that have happened in the world of Indy. It's now a world of Intrigue, a world of discovery, obsession with Sci-Fi, and just a decade down the road, men will be setting foot on the Moon.

Movie Review: Ironman

2008-05-17T22:10:00.003-04:00

Last weekend, the summer blockbuster season literally started with a bang with the release of Ironman.

I hadn't read the comic books or knew much at all about what Ironman was about, except that it was about a flying tin-man. I went in the theatre last Saturday, with literally no expectations. And was I blown away?

In fact, I was. It was the perfect movie to open the summer blockbuster season with, and I can confidently say that those who aren't fans coming in, will like it as much as fans of Ironman.

Ironman brings a dose of realism to the big screen as far as superhero movies go, much in the way Batman Begins did for Batman. In fact, it's probably even more-so socially relevant of a movie than Batman Begins was, or any Superhero movie of the modern century for that matter.

As for the cast, I've always been very fond of Robert Downey Jr., and he IS Ironman as far as I'm concerned. Fans have told me that he portrayed the character of Tony Stark very well, and owned the role. An underrated actor that has gotten propelled into the limelight again, and I'm glad. One of my favourite roles of his was Chaplin, in which he so immersed himself in his role, transforming himself into Charlie Chaplin.

And then we have Gwyneth Paltrow who was charming as ever playing Pepper Potts, Tony Stark's secretary/assistant.

What can I say about Jeff Bridges? Well, this role has him almost unrecognizable except in closeup shots. His bald head and full beard has him looking unlike how I've ever seen him. Quite an accomplishment.

In short, it's a movie that is really worth seeing. It's probably one of the best movies to ever start the blockbuster season with. Speaking of Blockbusters, this summer will be a very busy one in terms of major releases!

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Indiana Jones & The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Dark Knight. All sequels that people are anxiously awaiting, especially Indy being back.

Tomorrow I go see Prince Caspian and I'll write up a review for that.

Talent

2008-02-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

What is talent exactly? It occurs to me that it's a word that is thrown around way too often these days. We're living in a decade where true talent is often buried under all the aweful stuff out there.

Generations have produced many wonderful talents. I can easily name a few, such as Elton John, though some might argue the validity of the claim. But today, I sit here and wonder what exactly this generation has produced?

Britney Spears: A good agent maybe, but talent? American/Canadian Idol: Is it really talent or is luck really the whole deal? And all those other reality shows: Does anyone really care? Does the outcome really matter?

Are we going to become known as the generation that simply produced "talent" that came out of reality shows?

It seems as though studio men don't search out talent enough these days. It might not be the case, but then, why is it that the good talent is a diamond in the rough so very often, hard to find, when it should be the true talent that shines through the horse's manure? True talent is so rare, and what makes it even rarer is when the aweful stuff is pushed out in front of everyone's eyes.

Talent is in the eyes of the beholder, I guess.

Talent is:

Nickel Creek and their cover of Britney Spear's Toxic

The Duhks - (Here with their cover of Tracy Chapman's Mountains of Things)

The Wailin' Jennys

Andre-Phillipe Gagnon (French-Canadian Impressionist and Imitator)

Does anymore need to be said?

Movie Review: The Golden Compass

2008-01-24T21:02:00.001-05:00

Over the holidays, I went to see something I had been very much looking forward to ever since I read the novel. For the most part, it didn't disappoint.

I'm talking about the movie adaptation of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, which is part of His Dark Materials trilogy. I was very impressed with the book, and I was eagerly awaiting to se how well the movie would translate to the big screen.

The first thing I really noticed as a reader of the book, was that the visual look was very much as described in the book. There wasn't a moment where I felt something wasn't what it was. Seeing something visually that was only up until then described in the book was visually breathtaking, and in a sense was another layer into the world of Lyra. I was finally there.

Of course, no movie can be without its faults, and the movie does have quite a few faults. Namely, it's in the way the events unfold. I don't want to spoil anything here, instead I'll explain it away using situations. So, let's say you have scenario A happening in the book, followed by scenario B. What the movie did was switch the order around so that Scenario B was actually Scenario A, and vice-versa.

A => B
B => A

Naturally when I first realized the scenarios happened in a different order, I was confused. Scenario B in the book was supposed to be its big climax, token chase/battle scene, instead it was moved up to be Scenario A, while Scenario A became the big climax. I know it was done for a reason, but the result in my opinion, is that it seemed to cheapen the impact of the message as it simplified the explanations overall. That's my main gripe with the movie.

Overall though, I would definitely recommend it. The story translates well to the big screen, and I can't wait to see the further adventures of Lyra on the big screen.

Happy Holidays!

2007-12-21T17:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays, everyone! I know I won't have the chance to post again before Christmas, but I wanted to wish everyone a good one. Hope you get lots of books that you can cuddle up with and read.

For me, I'll be catching up on the books that are waiting for me on my shelf. I might get a few new ones, but I'm not expecting any as I told everyone that I have a lot to catch up on.

So, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, enjoy the time with your family. I know I will!

PS: If you have a dog, don't let it sit on the tree like what happened with mine one year. Disastrous results will follow.

Currently Reading - Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

2007-12-12T17:12:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

So, what has this bookworm been reading these past few weeks? I'm reading Mary Shelley's Frankeinstein, which has long been overdue on my part. It had been sitting on my shelf, neglected ever since I got it as part of a free book promotion. So, me being a Sci-Fi fan, and with Mary Shelley oft-considered to be the mother of Sci-Fi, naturally I was curious.

Now, before I get into the book itself, I'll paint a picture. Apparently the black and white classic that's been so far ingrained into our culture and is a staple of every halloween, is actually quite far removed from the book. From what I've read, the movie doesn't follow the book very closely and only resembles it in name. Hard to believe since it's been considered such a classic. I think anything like that today would end up being called a hack job.

Now, there's a more recent version of Frankenstein which came out in 1994 starring Robert DeNiro, and apparently this one follows the book more closely. Mind you, I haven't seen either, but I'll be watching both, the original to see the history behind it, and the recent one to experience the story the way it was meant to be.

Frankenstein is more than just a story about a monster on a rampage. It's about a man and his ambition towards a goal and the realization of his mistake; a story about the human condition. And this is quite clearly shown throughout the book, and so far I've been impressed and how well it's held up. The classic movie tends to only show the horror and focuses more on the creature rather than Frankenstein himself, leaving out the human condition. I can see why it's become a classic, but I would have been more interested if it followed the story more closely.

So, after I'm done reading, I'll make it a point to watch both and compare, but I think I'll end up liking the one released in 1994 more, which should have been the way to do it in the first place.

Top Star Trek Books

2007-11-13T17:24:00.000-05:00

I promised last week, that I'd make a post concerning what I think are essential Trek books, so here we are. These aren't in any order, unless my mind puts one subconsciously before another. So, what's the criteria?

There are a lot of Trek books that have been written, just like there have been a lot of Star Wars books written. Nobody in their right mind expects a person to read every single one of them. Some are aweful, while some of them are average. Every once in awhile though, there will be a gem in the rough. These in my opinion are really good stories, that not only are really good in terms of Trek, but stand alone as good literature that can be enjoyed by anyone, and not just die hard fans. So, that's my criteria. A really good Trek book that can stand alone on its own merits. It's rare, but when you find one, they really tend to be great works of fiction. So, let's get to it.

Federation by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens: Ever wondered how the Federation came about? Ever wonder how Warp Drive was invented? You'll find that out here in Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens's Federation, in what is arguably the best Trek novel ever written, featuring the crew of Kirk and Picard's Enterprises in a plot that involves both crews and other familiar characters after a Time Warp accident. What is remarkable about this novel is that each crew never actually come face to face and manages to be stronger for it. Many episodes and novels would tend to have our crews face to face, which in my opinion lessens the impact by taking an easy way out. Having them not come face to face is a harder challenge in my opinion, and they've pulled it off beautifully. This novel came out before 1994's Generations where Kirk and Picard met, and still yet before 1996's First Contact where Picard's crew go back in time to help Zefram Cochrane with his Warp Drive experiment, and so some of it is invalidated due to those movies, but many people feel that this novel does it better than the both of them. In my opinion, it's far more tactfully done.

Immortal Coil by Jeffrey Lang: A Next Generation novel featuring Data. Probably the only one focusing on Data. The result is an Asimovian style story in which Data learns he is not unique. All throughout the show, he's been striving to become more human, ultimately curious to know what it takes to be human, learning how to correct himself and try to be less perfect, less like an android, all the while, adding puzzle pieces that an Android normally doesn't have, like humor with the use of a chip in Generations. The second plot point in this novel has him finding love, something which had eluded him until now, which more or less helps him complete his quest in becoming more human. Lots of references to both TOS and TNG episodes, but that shouldn't really get in the way of things. In fact, they just serve to add more depth to those who get the references.

The Ashes of Eden by William Shatner (Reeves-Stevens): For some perspective, when Federation came out, when William Shatner was thinking of writing a Star Trek novel, since Federation was so successfull, they had asked the duo if they would like to write with Shatner. They said yes, and this is their result. It's a wonderful story about Kirk retiring, meeting a new love, marrying her and then living off-world with her. It's age old innocence at its best. This book is actually part of a trilogy, although after this came out, Generations came out and went ahead and killed off Kirk. Now, Shatner wanted to keep Kirk alive, and so he wrote a sequel which contradicted even all the other novels published around the same time. He's a rebel, that's what he is. The publishers have given him leeway into doing what he wants, in that it won't affect the other novels people are writing. This is what people are affectionately calling 'The Shatnerverse'. Now, I'm not recommending picking up the rest of the books, as this one stands well enough on its own, since the sequel, 'The Return', finds an implausible, as far as Sci-Fi goes, way to bring him back to life. It goes downhill from there anyhow. Leave it at Ashes of Eden.

The Lives of Dax by Various Authors: Dax was a character on Deep Space Nine, and is a Trill. Now, the idea of Trills is that, some of them are joined, and some of them are not. By being joined, it means they have a symbiont inside of them, an alien creature able to retain memories by living inside the Trill and using them as host. If a Trill dies, they can still save the symbiont and transfer it to another host , which will then carry the memories of that dead Trill. The Dax symbiont has lived many generations, and Deep Space Nine portrayed two of those, including another which is featured in this book. The concept of this novel is brilliant. It is not one long story, but rather short stories, each taking on a different generation of the Dax symbiont, so what you get more or less is a history of the universe and its evolution through the eyes of the Dax symbiont, from before the Trill were discovered by the Federation, to Kirk's era, to Next Generation, and finally to Deep Space Nine. Each story though is interlocked by the memories of the previous and what you get is a spellbinding page turner, in which you can pick up and read and be finished with a story all while during a coffee break.

Q-Squared by Peter David: Have you ever met Q? He's delightfully annoying, always causing trouble for Captain Picard, while having so much fun tormenting the crew. In a way, he's the perfect villain for the Next Generation, who first appeared in the pilot to judge Picard on his actions. Actions he says that weigh in on the human race's survival. This arrogant omnipotent being thinks the human race is beneath him, and so hilarity ensues when he actually comes to Picard for help. Trelane was a similar being for Kirk, though he never was specified what he was; only that he was very immature for his age and always liked to play games. This novel takes a brilliant approach and assumes that Trelane is the same species as Q. So, when Q comes to Picard for help, it's because he's been tasked by Trelane's parents to keep an eye on him. Picture a daycare for omnipotent beings, and that's pretty much the concept of this novel. Alternate universes clash together as Trelane unravels the very fibers that keep them distinct, and before you know it, each universe blends into one. The galaxy is the Omnipotent's building blocks.

Prime Directive by Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens: This is one of the few other novels the Reeves-Stevenses wrote before engaging themselves with William Shatner. Again, this shows why they were chosen to write for him. This novel really is a piece of quality work. I have never seen a Trek novel capture the essence and spirit of Star Trek so well. They all act as you would expect them to act, and at times, you can really picture this being a movie. A good book in my opinion, is one in which you can hear the voices without having to wonder how they would say a certain thing. This one has it in abundance. It's about the story of Kirk and his crew, and a mistake they make for which they pay the price of. The Prime Directive is General Order Number 1. It's the most important rule to which Starfleet Captains must adhere to. Here they've apparently broken it, and their actions lead to a chain reaction. They must figure out how they triggered a destruction of a whole world.

A Stitch In Time by Andrew J. Robinson: Garak, a character in Deep Space Nine, has always been in the shadows. As a clothier, we never actually knew how he got there and what his past was, which made him an intriguing character with all sorts of secrets. Apparently, the actor who played him, Andrew Robinson, liked playing him so much, that after the series ended, he decided to write a book about the character's past, and what an interesting book this is. You don't even have to like the character of Garak or even know who he is to appreciate it. For instance, Garak wasn't one of my favourite characters before reading this book, but reading gave me a whole new appreciation for him, to becoming one of my favourite characters in Trek ever. Not just a great Trek book, but a great book overall that deserves the title of Literature.

No NaNoWriMo for me this year

2007-11-05T17:36:00.000-05:00

I'm sure some are curious if I'm doing it this year. I decided not to as I still feel like I pushed myself too much last year, so I'm taking a break and maybe I'll do it next year as I've already got some neat ideas about what I could do. Get inspired and maybe hit a home run.

Currently Reading: Star Trek - Titan: Orion's Hounds

2007-11-02T15:34:00.000-04:00

Hello, everyone! It has been awhile hasn't it? Unfortunately I haven't had much to write about and I have had several health problems which I won't mention here, which has distracted me from posting.

I have to say, I really enjoyed The Golden Compass and would recommend it for anyone wanting to read a good fantasy. I'm looking forward to the movie. The full trailer has finally been released, so look for it either on Yahoo or the Quicktime trailers site.

Currently I'm reading the 3rd book in the Titan series, following the adventures of Riker and his crew aboard his ship, the USS Titan. I'm half-way through it, and it's more or less a sequel to the first TNG episode, Encounter at Farpoint. It's not bad, but I still like the first book so far. I'm finding that this one and the previous one aren't holding my attention as good as the first one did. Anyhow, as always, here is the synopsis from Amazon.

---

As the U.S.S. Titan ventures beyond the outermost reaches of known space, the telepaths in her crew -- including Diplomatic Officer Deanna Troi -- are overwhelmed by an alien cryof distress, leading the ship to the scene of a shocking act of carnage: a civilization of interstellar "whalers" preying upon and exploiting a familiar species of sentient spaceborne giants.
Appalled but reluctant to rush to judgment, Captain William Riker and his crew investigate, discovering a cosmic spawning ground in a region of active star formation -- the ecosystem for a bewildering array of diverse but similarly vast life-forms. While attempting to negotiate an end to the victimization of these creatures, Riker's crew inadvertently grants them the means to defeat their hunters' purpose...only to learn that things are not exactly as they seem.

Currently Reading: The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman

2007-09-03T19:23:00.001-04:00

Weee, It's been awhile hasn't it? From being in Vermont for a week, and then having just coming back from Ottawa for a vacation, I haven't had much time to post.

During my vacation, I managed to finished Stephenson's System of the World, and I was happy to have finally finished it, yet sad that I did, but now I can leave it behind and concentrate on lighter stuff for awhile.

Unfortunately, I finished it while I was on vacation and I needed something for the trip back, so, surprise surprise, I've picked up yet another book!

This time it's The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, and it's pretty good. An acclaimed children's series much in the vein of Harry Potter.

Also, a movie Starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig is in the works and I believe it will be released this november.

Here's a link to the website: http://www.goldencompassmovie.com/

New Books

2007-08-19T15:59:00.001-04:00

It's been awhile, I know! I haven't really had much to say lately. But let's see, I'll try to change that. I just came back from Vermont and visited my favourite bookstore there, and those who know me will know that entering a bookstore is dangerous to me. I always come out with a number of books, and this time was no different. Ok, well, I got three, and I'll be getting more later this month. And hey, guess what, I still haven't finished reading the books on my shelf! I've got a backlog of at least a year at this point. And this is why I haven't raced to pick up HP & The Deathly Hallows. Why do I keep doing this? Well, one could say I love my books a bit too much.

Books I got:

- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams : I haven't read it yet in all this time and I've always been meaning to pick it up but have always been sidetracked, which happens a lot with what I want to read.

- Mercury by Ben Bova: A favourite author of mine ever since I read Mars by him, which I consider a classic in Mars fiction.

- The Zero by Jess Walter: First time I see his name, but the cover and description won me over. It seems to have gotten a lot of praise, plus it's from one of my favourite publishers. Description below.

----
The Zero

Hero Cop Brian Remy wakes up after shooting himself in the head -- and so begins a harrowing tour of a city and country shuddering through the aftershocks of a devastating terrorist attack (9/11). Lurching between lucid moments and entire days when he feels he's living another's life. Remy confronts a landscape at once fractured and oddly familiar. As he tries to make sense of his new life -- chasing paper scraps for a shadowy intelligence agency -- Remy can't be certain whether the trail will lead him to an elusive terror cell... or send him circling nightmarishly back to himself.

Redundant Translation on Parliament Hill

2007-07-01T14:48:00.000-04:00

Did you hear an echo? I know I did. Let me explain.

I'm a Proud Canadian. I'm also French-Canadian. I am also Bilingual; fluent in both English and French.

I watched the Canada Day celebrations on CBC, because I couldn't be there personally. I felt a great job was done, with a good selection of musicians, but overall, I felt one thing stood out like a sore thumb.

As Prime Minister Harper spoke, first in French, then in English, what I'm interpreting as eager translators started translating Harper's words of French into English. Seconds later, the same English words followed from his own lips. I found this silly. No, actually, I felt it more as an affront.

We're a Bi-lingual country, are we not? Then we perhaps should start acting like one. Canada Day isn't just about celebrating our beautiful country. It's about celebrating our diversity and our multiculturism. It's about celebrating what we're proud in, including the fact that we're officially a bilingual country.

Canada Day of all things should show all this. Speaking frankly as a French-Canadian, having the translations spoken over the French words was almost to the effect of shushing one of our official languages. Why? Both languages should have a chance to be spoken on their own merit, without interruption. I shouldn't have to switch to RDI, CBC's French counterpart, just to hear the French version of the words. I should be able to hear every word as it was meant to be heard, no matter which channel I'm listening to. It just sounds backwards otherwise. Even people who understand only one of the official languages often like to hear the other.

So, Canada, let's be bilingual, for real now.

I Met a Hero

2007-06-22T16:39:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending a speaker. Her name is Meagan McGrath and was all over the national news last month after climbing to Everest's Summit. She's young; only a year younger than I am, making her the youngest Canadian on record to climb the highest mountain on every continent. She's also the first member of the Canadian Armed Forces, an aerospace engineer, to do so. In itself, that is remarkable, but it doesn't end there.

After making it to the top and then making her way back down, she explained how she became a hero. She came across someone who was just standing there motionless. After a few moments, she knew that something was wrong with this person. After a communication barrier (She was a Nepalese), and she managed to break through and find out that this person wanted her to get her goggles out to continue up, and to Meagan, it was obvious to her that she wouldn't make her window of opportunity because it was too late in the day at the rate she was going, she she tried to convince the Nepalese woman that she needed to go back down to seek help.

To give some perspective on this, the woman was suffering from a lack of oxygen, and her brain was swelling up and wasn't "all there" because of that lack of oxygen. They have medicine that they can inject to keep the swelling down, but Meagan only had pills. She couldn't really tell where she was, so she managed to flag down a Sherpa who helped her take the woman down to a point where they encountered a seasoned climber who happened to be famous and was familiar with rescue, so he took over from there after injecting her with some medicine. If this encounter wouldn't have happened, this Nepalese woman would have died. Meagan simply couldn't live with the thought of leaving someone die, although apparently it happens quite often, so she had to do something to save this woman. Nobody else had been paying attention and just went past her as if nothing had been wrong; even her own Sherpa.

If that alone wasn't enough excitement, Meagan eventually started to experience a breathing problem and she wanted to get back down to base camp as soon as possible and she didn't have anymore oxygen tanks as she had given her last one to the Nepalese. It was later determined that she had a lung infection.

It's really quite amazing to hear it all come from her. I mean, all of it, from the preparations involved, to the acclimatization, to the climb itself, and finally, to the rescue. You really don't get a sense of how big Everest really is, not even on the IMAX movie, until you see it from someone's very own eyes. She showed us some of the massive crevasses she had to walk over using ladders, which would rightfully scare anyone, possibly even trained tightrope walkers. Some people look at these once and say, "Ok, that's enough! I want to go home!" When you realize that nature takes its course and things melt, such as ladders falling, it's even scarier. One such thing happened. She had crossed a crevasse, and then the next day, the ladder they had walked across had fallen in-between, and only hanging by a rope, and that was due to melting and the crevasse enlarging. Just a night is all it takes. Just amazing. When you think of what it takes to climb Everest, I think these people could easily join the circus, but then again, sometimes you just don't want to do it all over again. Sometimes it's just that one-in-a-lifetime experience that you're searching for.

When the talk was finished, a crowd was surrounding her, and it wasn't until the crowd dispersed enough for me to get to talk to her. I asked her, "What was your favourite part of the whole experience?" This was probably the only question that had given her a serious pause as she thought of what to say. She said, it was the company. Being at the base camp for 2 months, eating food and creating new friends that share a common interest, and then climbing with those friends. It hadn't even occurred to her she was a hero until she arrived at basecamp; and then she was honoured by Nepal for saving the Nepalese woman who was severely ill. A hero indeed.

Here's an article about her: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/0...st-rescue.html

Rental: Bon Cop, Bad Cop

2007-06-09T23:24:00.000-04:00

Last summer saw one of the most profitable Canadian movies of all time. Bon Cop, Bad Cop was set to become Canada's buddy cop movie.

It's tough finding something original these days, especially if it's a crime drama, as many cliches fall into place and it's hard to avoid them. So, how do you make a movie that sets it apart from all the rest of these buddy cop movies? You make the crime happen right on the border between two provinces that have trouble getting used to all of their faults. And I mean that literally.

A body is found right on the border between Quebec and Ontario. At first, the two officers assigned to the case on each side of the border refuse to work with each other. And what follows is a wonderful chemistry between Martin Ward (Colm Feore) and David Bouchard (Patrick Huard).

The movie really plays hard on the stereotypes, and the subtitles are an integral part of the movie, as they often switch between English and French midway between their sentences. This makes for a good number of jokes, for both English and French speakers. It's the first bi-lingual movie in Canada, having filmed two scripts; one entirely in english and one entirely in French. Which was used during key moments was only finalized during the editing process. For me, a bi-lingual, the movie was even better because I understood everything. The subtitles aren't always exact, as sometimes they're often part of the joke, so you don't just have the vocal part, but the visual part as well. And believe it or not, it works very well, and the movie is extremely funny.

If you want a good cop movie with some good suspense and comedy thrown in, then rent it. I doubt you will be disappointed.

David Bouchard: [surprised] You speak French?
Martin Ward: No, not really. I had a small gadget installed in my brain and I see subtitles under people when they speak.

Movie Review: Shrek The Third

2007-06-03T16:40:00.001-04:00

Shrek was great. I really loved it, and when the second came out, I didn't think it could top it, but I ended up loving it better than the first. There were just so many jokes in references in it to make one's side split in laughter, plus the character had gotten even better.

I was really looking forward to Shrek 3, and I went to see it a few weeks ago. There were a lot of laughs, but there weren't as many as the previous movies. It was as if the characters had been tamed. And they were. They even got along better and didn't get into disagreements or annoy each other like in the previous. Then I read about the fact that it was a different team that had made this one than the first two, which pretty much explains why this one hadn't been as great.

Still, if you're a Shrek fan, you can't go wrong with it. Just don't expect the same level of clever jokes and references.

Currently Reading: System of the World - Neal Stephenson

2007-05-17T18:28:00.000-04:00

It's nice and sunny out now, thankfully. It's actually summer weather compared to the fall weather we've been having the last few days. You may be wondering, what I'm reading. Well, read on and let me tell you.

I'm currently reading part 3 of Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, System of the World. From what I hear, for those who have stuck with reading this trilogy, is a treat for the readers. I'm currently about a quarter of a way through it and I'm really enjoying getting back to reading about the characters that I loved so much in the first two installments. I'll post the synopsis for each of the volumes for you to get an idea of the extensiveness of the story.

QuickSilver:

In Quicksilver, the first volume of the "Baroque Cycle," Neal Stephenson launches his most ambitious work to date. The novel, divided into three books, opens in 1713 with the ageless Enoch Root seeking Daniel Waterhouse on the campus of what passes for MIT in eighteenth-century Massachusetts. Daniel, Enoch's message conveys, is key to resolving an explosive scientific battle of preeminence between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz over the development of calculus. As Daniel returns to London aboard the Minerva, readers are catapulted back half a century to recall his years at Cambridge with young Isaac. Daniel is a perfect historical witness. Privy to Robert Hooke's early drawings of microscope images and with associates among the English nobility, religious radicals, and the Royal Society, he also befriends Samuel Pepys, risks a cup of coffee, and enjoys a lecture on Belgian waffles and cleavage-—all before the year 1700.

The Confusion (as by Publisher's Weekly):

The title of Stephenson's vast, splendid and absorbing sequel to Quicksilver (2003) suggests the state of mind that even devoted fans may face on occasion as they follow the glorious and exceedingly complex parallel stories of Jack Shaftoe, amiable criminal mastermind, and Eliza, Countess de la Zeur, courageous secret agent and former prisoner in a Turkish harem. In 1689, Jack recovers his memory in Algiers, evades galley slavery and joins a quest for the lost treasure of a Spanish pirate named Carlos Olancho Macho y Macho. This leads to adventures at sea worthy of Patrick O'Brian, and hairbreadth escapes from the jaws of the Inquisition. Meanwhile, Eliza is captured by the historical (and distinguished) French privateer Jean Bart while trying to escape to England with her baby. She must then navigate the intrigues of the court of Louis XIV, which are less lethal than those of the Inquisition by a small margin, but still make for uneasy sleep for a friendless female spy. Her correspondence with such scientific minds as Wilhelm Leibniz helps propel the saga's chronicling of the roots of modern science at a respectable clip. Of course, one can't call anything about the Baroque Cycle "brisk," but the richness of detail and language lending verisimilitude t? the setting and depth to the characters should be reward enough for most readers.

System of the World (as by Publisher's Weekly):

The colossal and impressive third volume (after Quicksilver and The Confusion) of Stephenson's magisterial exploration of the origins of the modern world in the scientific revolution of the baroque era begins in 1714. Daniel Waterhouse has returned to England, hoping to mediate the feud between Sir Isaac Newton and Leibniz, both of whom claim to have discovered the calculus and neither of whom is showing much scientific rationality in the dispute. This brawl takes place against the background of the imminent death of Queen Anne, which threatens a succession crisis as Jacobite (Stuart, Catholic) sympathizers confront supporters of the Hanoverian succession. Aside from the potential effect of the outcome on the intellectual climate of England, these political maneuverings are notable for the role played by trilogy heroine Eliza de la Zeur, who is now wielding her influence over Caroline of Ansbach, consort of the Hanoverian heir. Eliza has risen from the streets to the nobility without losing any of her creativity or her talents as a schemer; nor has outlaw Jack Shaftoe lost any of his wiliness. What he may have lost is discretion, since he oversteps the boundaries of both law and good sense far enough to narrowly escape the hangman. In the end, reluctant hero Waterhouse prevails against the machinations of everybody else, and scientific (if not sweet) reason wins by a nose. The symbol of that victory is the inventor Thomas Newcomen standing (rather like a cock crowing) atop the boiler of one of his first steam engines. This final volume in the cycle is another magnificent portrayal of an era, well worth the long slog it requires of Stephenson's many devoted readers.

Bunny is Back!

2007-04-29T16:26:00.000-04:00

A few years ago, we had a bunny that chose our backyard and kept visiting it all summer long. We never knew where it was coming from since we live in a residential area. This was after the dog died, and it was my opinion that the bunny sensed the dog's spirit and felt at peace in the yard where we buried him. Then, something happened and the bunny disappeared, and didn't come the next year. I was kind of worried if something had happened to it.

Then today, my Dad mentioned that he saw the bunny in the backyard again. So, I went outside with my camera, while it was still sunny and managed to take a few pictures. I kept trying to get as close as possible to get the best picture I could, and I did manage to get a really good one. My camera is only a 2.1 Megapixel camera, so I was limited in the amount of zoom I could get, which meant I had to get substantially closer to the bunny without scaring it off. What I did was I laid down my my stomach and then snapped away.

I was out there for awhile, and the Bunny had gotten out from under the tree and started to eat grass and leaves. I felt a drop of rain on my nose, and then the minute the bunny started to feel raindrops, it ran the fastest I'd ever see it run back under the tree where it feels safe.

Hopefully I'll be able to keep seeing it over the summer.

Hilarity on the Highway

2007-04-27T20:41:00.000-04:00

Let me preface this by saying that I don't travel very much, at least not out of the country. At least not at my age where I still have a lot of travelling to do and sights to see. But I'm posting this here because it does have something related to reading and it's funny.

Lately though, every year, we've tried to be at a certain place in Vermont which required lots of driving, many times straight through without much stopping. All 16 hours or so of it.A couple of years ago, something happened during our travels which will always stay with me. It's one of those moments where you just smile at what life decided to throw at you.

Sixteen hours is a long drive, and we all need to stop and take a leak, even if we're a little too quiet in the process. That summer, we were 3 in a rented minivan with my Dad doing the driving. I was in the front seat, quietly immersed in a book which I couldn't pry my eyes away from.

Brother in the back was as quiet as a mouse, also quite immersed in a book of his choosing. One of the few stops was getting gas, and so we pulled over to a gas station, in Rutland, Vermont, I think it was. Well, whaddya know, he needs to take a leak, and so he quietly, without making a sound, opens the sliding door and walks to the restroom.

Again, I say, I'm immersed in my own book, and I don't notice what's happening around me. After getting the gas pumped and paying for it, my Dad comes back and we drive off.

Fast forward to about 2 hours later, maybe less, and we get flashing lights in the rear view mirror. I glance over at my Dad and it seems like I can almost read his thoughts. "Huh? Is it legal to get gas in Vermont?", I could hear his mind say. Needless to say, we were both very puzzled as to what we did wrong.

Not one, but two cruisers had been sent for us. Wow, that's hardcore. It was actually kind of cool to hear that there were two of them sent for us. Well, when they knew they had found us, one of them turned back towards where he came from. As the lone officer walked up to us, my Dad rolled down the window. "Would you have by any chance left your son at a gas station?", the officer asks. Surely, he must have had the wrong vehicle, right? I mean, we're not the kind of people to leave our family members behind, at gas stations of all places. No, that would just be cruel. So, as I start to turn my head and look in the backseat to confirm my thoughts, I start saying, "No, he's right here...", a pause of unbelief spread across my face as I caught my fumble as I saw the unfortunate truth. "No, wait a minute! He's not!", I exclaimed.

Silence. Cold, hard truthful silence during those next few moments, and then the officer laughed as we thanked him and turned around back towards the gas station. Unfortunately, this delayed our destination by 2 hours. The upside is that we got my brother back all safe and sound. When we got to the gas station, he took it all in stride, and it seemed that the owner of that station, with a smile that looked like it was out of a cartoon, had a laugh at the situation too.

This adventure had even become the stuff of legends at our destination, even to the point of being featured in a newsletter and it's not something my Dad will ever live down.

The moral of the story here is: Make some noise and don't be so quiet when on a road trip. You'll never know if you'll be left behind.

Music Review: The Wailin' Jennys - Firecracker

2007-04-20T18:21:00.000-04:00

Every once in awhile, a record comes along that makes you sit up and take notice at a band you may never have paid attention to before. The Wailin' Jennys' latest release, Firecracker is one such release.

This is their second release, with one of the forming members, Annabelle Chvostek leaving the band; Heather Masse coming in to fill in for a critical 3rd voice. Gone are their celtic stylings that were apparent in the first release, and in with a more country-ish flavour that hint at the early style of country that is missing from many current country releases in favour of pop/rock oriented country.

When I first heard one of the songs, I was hooked and knew I had to get the record. Their 3 voices blend wonderfully and produce many haunting harmonies, on songs such as 'A Long Time Traveller'. I have to say, I think my favourite songs on the record are 'Begin' and 'Some Good Thing', but as always when a record is so good, it's hard to pick out the anything.

This record is not just a good country/folk record, but also a very good record in general for music lovers. It's a cracker of a record, one full of fire.

Album: The Wailin' Jennys - Firecracker
Label: Red House (US), Festival Destribution (Canada)
Release Date: June 6, 2006
Bonus Material?: No
Site: http://www.thewailinjennys.com/
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thewailinjennys

Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age becoming a mini-series

2007-04-09T13:58:00.000-04:00

Ok, so if you read this blog, you probably know I'm a Neal Stephenson fan by now, so I was really excited when I found news of The Diamond Age being adapted by the Sci-Fi channel as a mini-series and being produced by George Clooney. Did I mention I'm really excited? Neal himself is writing the screenplay. Oh , yeah, I'm really excited.

Diamond Age, based on Neal Stephenson's best-selling novel The Diamond Age: Or a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer, is a six-hour miniseries from Clooney and fellow executive producer Grant Heslov of Smokehouse Productions.

When a prominent member of society concludes that the futuristic civilization in which he lives is stifling creativity, he commissions an interactive book for his daughter that serves as a guide through a surreal alternate world. Stephenson will adapt his novel for the miniseries, the first time the Hugo and Nebula award winner has written for TV.

More info straight from the horse's mouth: http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=39447

Currently Reading: Nighttime is My Time - Mary Higgins Clark

2007-04-03T17:16:00.000-04:00

Well, I just started this one a few days ago as I don't feel like getting into anything heavy just yet.

This is my first from hers and it's not bad, but it's also not that great. The character names are very generic sounding, and the chapters are also very short. I suppose that's kind of what I'm getting to with this kind of mainstream author. I'll post an update when I finish this book and post my thoughts about it in more detail, which is something I should be doing from now on with books.

Description:

"The definition of an owl had always pleased him: a night bird of prey...sharp talons and soft plumage which permits noiseless flight...applied figuratively to a person of nocturnal habits. 'I am The Owl,' he would whisper to himself after he had selected his prey, 'and nighttime is my time.'"
Jean Sheridan, a college dean and prominent historian, sets out to her hometown to attend the twenty-year reunion of Stonecroft Academy alumni, where she is to be honored along with six other members of her class. There is something uneasy in the air: one woman in the group about to be feted, Alison Kendall, a beautiful, high-powered Hollywood agent, drowned in her pool during an early-morning swim. Alison is the fifth woman in the class whose life has come to a sudden, mysterious end.
Adding to Jean's sense of unease is a taunting, anonymous fax she received, referring to her daughter -- a child she had given up for adoption twenty years ago.
At the award dinner, Jean is introduced to Sam Deegan, a detective obsessed by the unsolved murder of a young woman who may hold the key to the identity of the Stonecroft killer. Jean does not suspect that among the distinguished people she is greeting is The Owl, a murderer nearing the countdown on his mission of vengeance against the Stonecroft women who had mocked and humiliated him, with Jean as his final victim.

UPDATE - April 25th: Well, I finished the book and while I originally thought I wouldn't like it, I did really like it and I thought it was quite a good mystery. I realize there are two types of mystery novels. There are the murder mysteries and some of them can tend to be quite gruesome. I personally like them when it's just hinted at and not explicitly given in detail, and this book rides the thin line between both. I did like the fact that I kept on guessing who the murderer was as hints were dropped about who it may be. It maybe you realize that everyone is not as who they seem at first. I think that in the future I'll be reading more of these books of hers.

Author: Mary Higgins Clark
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 464

LibraryThing

2007-03-19T17:44:00.000-04:00

Well, in what seems to be almost forever, I've actually added something new to my blog. This thing is really cool. If you look on the bottom right of my menu, you'll see a box randomly displaying books in my collection. I spent nearly 2 hours last night creating and entering my list of books for my online library, and if you click on "my library", it will take you to my library where you can either view it as covers or with a list view. I actually find list view handier since you can check out the groupings using the tags you assign to the books. So, for instance, all my Asimov books are together, all my Star Trek books, all the books in a series, etc. Many of these books I haven't read yet and will post about them in the future.

Currently Reading: Titan: The Red King

2007-03-13T15:39:00.000-04:00

Just a short note to update you all on what I'm currently reading. I'm reading the second book in the Titan series of Trek books, The Red King. You'll remember I started the series in June with Taking Wing.

I was actually reading something before this and after The Dueling Machine, but it was actually quite unremarkable and not really worth mentioning, so that's why it's taken me awhile to post anything on here.

Movie Review: Pan's Labyrinth

2007-02-18T15:09:00.000-05:00

Allow me to first say that, this movie is billed as an adult fantasy (no, not that kind of fantasy!) and has garnered many awards as an independent film as a fantastical achievement in both special effects and imagination.

I saw it a few nights ago with a friend after debating what to see. We ended up settling on Pan's Labyrinth because he really wanted to see it. I might be one of the few, but I have to say, I didn't really like it. It's too violent, too gory and too depressing and I found very little in the story that redeemed it. It felt more like a horror movie thinly disguised as a fantasy due to all the stuff that was happening, ie the shootings, the torture. Also found it didn't spend enough time in the actual fantasy stuff that would have been used to lighten things up. I thought the faun, while he was supposed to be one of the friendly characters in her fantasy, ended up even being threatening at times. Felt like one suckerpunch after another.

Sadly, I cannot recommend it. Let this serve as a warning to those who want to go see it. The trailer is very misleading in leading people to think that this has a lot of fantasy in it, which is really the opposite. It's almost as though the fantasy aspect of it was an afterthought. And after walking out of the theatre, my friend told me he knew it would be violent and gory due to the director's previous works. Had I known this, I wouldn't have went to see it.

Retro Reading - The Dueling Machine

2007-02-10T17:07:00.000-05:00

So, I finish this stack of old books with one called The Dueling Machine by Ben Bova. Ben Bova had become one of my favourite authors after having read Mars by him, and so when I was picking out these old books, it was a delight to see a Ben Bova book.

I never know how these books will turn out. A lot of them can be really awful, while there can also be some real gems, and I'm glad to say that this is definitely a gem and Ben Bova's writing didn't disappoint.

The setting takes place in a world that feel have pretty much solved the conflict of mankind by allowing people to step into these booths and settle grudges by creating scenarios, much like those in a Holodeck. The catch is that there isn't supposed to be any harm to the people involved in these scenarios, so when someone dies after coming out of it, and another one going into a coma, the inventor of the dueling machine gets called to the planet where this occured to find the reasons why it did. The result is quite a story as we later find out that it's all due to a plot from an enemy planet to try to take over the entire sector after having found some of the flaws of the machine. Sure, it sounds like standard Sci-fi fare, but it really is quite remarkably written in that you really get involved in the story wondering what will happen next. Its probably not considered a classic by authority figures, but I sure consider it a classic in my collection. Sometimes the older books tend to have the best writing and can actually be called literature. A lot of newer would always like to be considered that, but it isn't always the case.

Retro Reading - The House of Many Worlds

2007-01-12T16:58:00.000-05:00

I have a pile of old books I that I've mentioned from time to time. This is a pile that I still haven't managed to get through yet and it's been more than a year. Most of these books tend to be duds, but then I take chances and I find some gems. The House of Many Worlds is a gem among the rough. It's one of those books that are very good even after all the time has passed. It's one of those books has passed the test of time. Upon reading the first sentences, I knew this would be something special. I was right, of course, as I'm really enjoying what I'm reading.

Basically, the story is that of a strange house (not a haunted house as even the story mentions), but a house that has strange things happen to it. The owner of the house explains that it is a tangential point; a gateway to parallel worlds. At the point where I am in the story, the characters are now in a parallel world where the United States are called The Columbian Republic, and the nation's capital is New Orleans, not Washington, where the world doesn't have rockets, but have vehicles propelled by some form of propulsion.

It's all very interesting and it's apparently one of the better Alternate History novels published.

Synopsis:

Ancient, encrusted with legend, supposedly empty, the old mansion on Spindrift Key stood like a dark and lowering wraith. In this classic science fiction novel the New York Times called "a fast-moving adventure, told with engaging humor," reporter Elspeth Marriner`s nose for news leads her into a world of trouble. Make that, in worlds of trouble. When she and photographer Mack Fraser, the man she loves to hate, are sent to investigate the old mansion in the Hatteras, they never dream that once inside their lives will never be the same. For the house is a gateway to alternate Earths, watched over by a mysterious group called the Workers, who guard against more advanced civilizations crossing the dimensional barriers to conquer defenseless neighbors. From the Workers, Elspeth learns that her and Mack`s presence at the house is no accident. They have been personally selected by the Workers for a dangerous assignment. Their unique combination of talents and knowledge are needed to counter a threat that could plunge the entire world into war. If Elspeth accepted the assignment, she would have to cross to another world, aided only by her native ingenuity, then surmount a succession of plots and counterplots, with death the price of failure. Worse, she would have to work more closely than ever with the detested Mark Fraser. "Merwin has created characters that are human ¦ House of Many Worlds is entertaining and realistic." San Francisco Chronicle. "House of Many Worlds is an exciting ... story, with a new and highly unusual twist ¦ outstanding for its realistic characters and expert seasoning of thrills and horror." H. L. Gold, Galaxy Magazine.

How Blogs Are Born!

2007-01-03T16:15:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

I hope you've all had some good holidays. I know I did, and got quite a bit of awesome loot in the process, some of which I'll review here!

I only hope the year 2007 will end up being a better year for everyone, and in some cases, top 2006.

Not much today, but I thought I would make a post to let everyone know that I'm still safe and alive after all that binging. No, I didn't explode from overeating.

I found a certain video from Corner Gas (which I love) about how Blogs are born. I thought it would be appropriate to post it in my first post of the year. Robots vs Werewolves, I wonder...

Music Review: Sarah Mclachlan - Wintersong

2006-12-15T17:35:00.000-05:00

Before I begin, I'd like to say, that while I liked Sarah Mclachlan's music in the past, I've never actually owned one of her albums until now.

It all started when I first saw one of her performances of Joni Mitchell's River a few weeks ago from her new Christmas album, and I knew it was something special from then on. Next was this week's free itunes download of her version of Silent Night, which had an Enya quality to it. I then knew I had to get this album.

So, now I have my first Sarah Mclachlan album, and as it so happens, it's probably the best Christmas album to be released this year. None of that tacky selection of Christmas songs like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer or Santa Clause is Coming to Town are on the album. Sarah Mclachlan explains that she despises the commercialism of Christmas, and she chose songs that reflected Christmas as a celebration of Christ instead of a symbol of commercialism. As such, the album has more of a personal touch to it, and you can see that the album has been a labor of love for her. It's also quite a deep album as many of the songs are sung with melancholy. One would think that as a Christmas album, the songs should be cheerful and upbeat, but the reality is, that life isn't so cheerful, and one often wonders if we'll be together for the next holiday. That's what Sarah Mclachlan tries to show through her singing, and in the end, it brings a sense of hope to the whole situation in a way that a cheerful Christmas album might not possible.

The arrangements are quite interesting and not always what you would expect. For example, the first time I heard Greensleeves, I thought it was a completely different song. The melody isn't the same as we know, rather it seems like an entirely different melody wrapped around the same lyrics. It changes the mood of the song entirely into one that is darker, but in its own way, it is beautiful.

Along with covers of Joni Mitchell's River, there's also a cover of Gordon Lightfoot's Song for a Winter's Night and the Charlie Brown Christmas favourite, Christmas Time is Here. All in all, along with her original Wintersong, her covers and her interpretations of the classics, it's really quite a remarkable album that manages to convey artistic expression as well as keeping in check the true reason for the Christmas season.

NOTE: I should mention that there have been videos released around the same time featuring songs from this album. They have her singing while playing a piano. These aren't the same versions of the songs that are on the album and the instrumentation on those featured songs are different.

Album: Sarah Mclachlan - Wintersong
Label: Arista /Sony Music Canada
Release Date: October 17th, 2006
Bonus Material?: No
Site: http://www.sarahmclachlan.com/
Myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/sarahmclachlan

Currently Reading: Deception Point

2006-12-08T15:38:00.000-05:00

I became a fan of Dan Brown after reading the Da Vinci Code, and I think many did after that one, although it is a book that you either love or hate. Ironically, it was the second book in a series of books that became extremely popular, and it was only after it became popular that they reprinted Angels & Demons, his first book in the series. I actually ended up liking Angels & Demons better then the Da Vinci Code, and I hope they make a movie out of it like they made the Da Vinci Code a movie, which I found to be very cleverly made due to the book's visual clues. So far, all those books in the series have religion as a recurring topic. Angels & Demons presented a topic that is a very heated debate topic; one of Science vs Religion. The Da Vinci Code showed us that we should keep an open mind, that not everything should be taken at face value, that there is often an other side to what we are told. Apparently the yet unnamed third book will tackle the topic of Religion vs Politics, or Religion vs State, the Pentagon being a location in the story. It's all speculation of course, but I'm anxiously awaiting for its release.

In the mean time, I've wanted to read one of his earlier novels called Deception Point. I've wanted to read it for quite some time ever since I read an excerpt of it in, I think Angels & Demons, and I got it as a present last Christmas and only getting to it now.

Here's the description and synopsis:

When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory — a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election. To verify the authenticity of the find, the White House calls upon the skills of intelligence analyst Rachel Sexton. Accompanied by a team of experts, including the charismatic scholar Michael Tolland, Rachel travels to the Arctic and uncovers the unthinkable: evidence of scientific trickery — a bold deception that threatens to plunge the world into controversy. But before she can warn the President, Rachel and Michael are ambushed by a deadly team of assassins. Fleeing for their lives across a desolate and lethal landscape, their only hope for survival is to discover who is behind this masterful plot. The truth, they will learn, is the most shocking deception of all.

Synopsis
When a NASA satellite discovers an astonishingly rare object buried deep in the Arctic ice, the floundering space agency proclaims a much-needed victory -- a victory with profound implications for NASA policy and the impending presidential election.

Movie Review: Casino Royale

2006-11-24T14:48:00.000-05:00

Finally, the James Bond franchise is cool again. I never liked Pierce Brosnan very much. His Bond seemed to more or less just be action movies with the Bond name attached to it, with very weak stories. They focused too much on the action, and cartoony action at that.

Me and My Dad went to see Casino Royale last night on the recommendation of my Sister, and it was probably one of the first movies in awhile that made me feel like it was money well spent. The last one that did that came close to that was The Prestige, but even that didn't really do it.

Casino Royale brings the franchise back down to earth. Remember when the movies actually had good stories and didn't suck? Has been awhile in this franchise hasn't it? Well, imagine if a movie actually made an effort to be a James Bond movie again. This movie is it.

You know, I originally had doubts about Daniel Craig as Bond. When they first announced him he got the role, many people gasped at the fact that they had cast a blond bond. But you know what? You could never actually tell he actually is blond, cause there is something called dying. I think Roger Moore was the closest to blond that we ever got before, and we won't get a blond bond, because Craig's hair was dyed. Ok, maybe it was a dark blond. Anyway, at first I didn't think he was suited for the part, but gradually I accepted him.

Last night I was damned glad that they had went with a particularly unknown actor. It means there's less to distract us about, unlike Pierce Brosnan who was in Remington Steele, and Roger Moore who played The Saint. It was in effect, a perfect start for a franchise looking to look back at its roots. In a way, it was sort of like getting our first look at Sean Connery in Dr No. And Daniel Craig reminded me a lot about Sean Connery's Bond, yet he didn't try to be Sean Connery. Rather he became his own unique Bond. There was no doubt at the end of the movie that, he was Bond. I was sorry I ever had casted doubts on Craig for the role.

The movie gets back to basics. There are no gadgets, except for the few believable things that I won't mention. There's no Q. No Money Penny. You might ask, what's a Bond movie without those things? I'll tell you. It's a Bond movie that's actually really good for once, because instead of having gadgets to rescue Bond out of stupid plot holes, he has to think his way out of sticky situations.

There's a lot for girls to like about this Bond, and there's also lots of cleavage for guys to stare at. Wow, I almost thought Eva was going to have a wardrobe malfunction at more than a few points in the movie. Her dress was very loose.

Anyway, it was money well spent and I'm glad we went. Bond is Back!

New Look aka Blogger Beta

2006-11-15T20:09:00.000-05:00

Wow, it seems like everytime I go to write on this blog, that it seems longer and longer since the last time I wrote. This time, 2 months? Is that possible? Haven't really done much since my last blog post except for reading, and I haven't gotten any new music since the last review, so there really hasn't been much for me to post about.

Well, there is NaNoWriMo which I did participate in. I want to thank everyone involved for the support, though I must say that I cannot continue with it as I feel too rushed and too stressed. I will continue working on the story on my leisure which I will enjoy doing far more knowing I'm not on a deadline. While I'm no longer doing it, I want to say that I have a lot more respect for those who go through with it year after year. It really is quite an amazing accomplishment. You know who you are ;)

I've moved this blog over to Blogger Beta, and unfortunately meant I had to ditch my beautiful template and had to choose between a limited choice of templates due to the big overhaul between the template system. On the other hand, things are much easier to tinker with, which is a definite plus. I'm liking it so far. On the bottom of each post, you'll notice labels. These labels allow me to put posts in different catagories, which make it easier to search for something specific down the road, or if you just want to read book or music posts. I like those too because it allows me to see just how many of each kind of post I've made over the years.

Music Review: The Duhks - Migrations

2006-10-13T16:09:00.001-04:00

One Two Three Four, Run to the store! The Duhks have a new album and it's a sweet one!

That's right. I put in an order at Amazon on the week of its release in September and got it the first week of this month. I was a little impatient that it would take so long. But, I have to say, it really was worth the wait.

When I first got their self titled debut earlier this year which was released last year, I quickly fell in love with it, and so when I heard that they had a new album coming out this year, I both was really excited and had a little of trepidation. The trepidation was because I wasn't sure if they'd pull off such an excellent album as their debut, because as is often the case, followups aren't always as great, sometimes due to a producer change and a different vision that that producer has. Vision changes can be good, but they can also be disastrous. Well, in this case, there is a producer change this time around, but thankfully the vision stayed the same. The only thing that has really changed is the slicker production. Slicker production doesn't always work as sometimes it takes away from energy and art of the songs, but here, it works as all that was really done was give the songs more of a velvety feeling if that makes any sense. There is more bass to the songs this time around to make them stand out more.

So, how does this one compare to their self titled debut? It's actually quite a really standout album. I'm not sure if it will ever nudge the self titled debut out of my favourite spot, but there are some really stellar tracks on this album, and I would have to say which album is my favourite that came out this year, I'd easily pick this one. In fact, If anyone asks me what Canadian culture is like, I'd hand them a copy of this album and say that this pretty much sums it up.

Canadian culture is quite a mix, and a mix that we aren't afraid to show and it shows a lot in our music. In this album, you have a cook pot of Métis, French-Canadian, Acadian, and even some Cajun and Zydeco which the title of the album seems to imply (If one has any doubt, Cajun is a degeneration of Canadian while Zydeco is a degeneration of the french Les Haricot, which is the french for green beans, all deriving from Lousiana).

Many stand out tracks on the album, including a cover of Tracy Chapman's Mountain O' Things, a celtic song called Three Fishers sung by the beautifully voiced Tania Elizabeth, and Who Will Take My Place? about an Irish patriot, which is probably my favourite on the album as it's beautiful and poignant.

Starting with this review, I'll be posting the lyrics to the song that catches me most on an album, and that one happens to be Who Will Take My Place.

Who Will Take My Place?
Written by Dan Frechette

If they shoot me down to shut me down
Who will take my place?
If they bring an army into this town
Who will take my place?
if they rule this land and silence me
When I'm laid out with injury
When my words won't matter much anymore
Who will take my place?

Revolution, you are not my own
Who will take my place?
There are flowers painted on those stones
Who will take my place?
When the silence of oppression dies
Overheard beyond the battle cries
Are the words of final compromise
Who will take my place?

When the dogs of war are on the land
Who will take my place?
When you forfeit life to take a stand
Who will take my place?
When the dreamers fear the simplest thoughts
When the bloodshed takes all that you've got
When this world's an empty, creaking floor
Who will take my place?

If they rule this land and silence me
When I'm laid out with injury
When my words won't matter anymore
Who will take my place?
Who will take my place?

---

Again, I repeat, One Two Three Four, Run to the store! The Duhks have a new album and it's a sweet one!

Album: The Duhks - Migrations
Label: Sugarhill Records
Release Date: September 13th, 2006
Bonus Material?: No
Site: www.duhks.com
Myspace page: www.myspace.com/theduhks

Music Review: Lennie Gallant - When We Get There

2006-10-07T21:38:00.000-04:00

Been awhile hasn't it? I have to be honest. I haven't had much to post about ever since my trip. I guess I should have spaced that out more since I knew I wouldn't have that much material until a future purchase. I did promise some full length reviews of the albums I bought on the trip though. So, we'll start with this one.

Lennie Gallant. What can I say, but When We Get There. It's surprising that a singer-songwriter of his talent isn't more well known, even across Canada. What I mean by that is, I would put him in league with singers such as Gordon Lightfoot and Jimmy Rankin, and Ron Sexsmith. Yes, he is that good. At first I didn't really think much of it, but it's grown on me a lot and I find it to be one of my favourite albums that I've bought this year. I think it's destined to become a classic.

The songs are beautiful, and just the kind of songs that should be hits on the radio, but somehow aren't. The kind of songs that make you wonder just what are actually considered "hits" anymore. The kind of songs that make you wish that there were more of.

Album: Lennie Gallant - When We Get There
Label: Universal Records (Canada)
Release Date: 2005
Bonus Material?: No
Site: www.lenniegallant.com

The Trip: Loot

2006-09-07T19:13:00.000-04:00

Well, I picked up quite a bit of stuff during my trip, mainly in music and books. I'll list them here with a sentence or two, where I'll save bigger descriptions for later when I actually get to read them.

First stop was when I was in Ottawa. We headed to the Chapters in the market, the one that's two stories big. Wow, I had fun in there. Didn't think I'd spend so much time in there, but we spent nearly 2 hours there, maybe 3. It was almost too easy to get lost and get tempted to keep picking up more books. So, here's what I got there.

System of the World by Neal Stephenson: This is the book that finishes the Baroque Cycle. It's volume 3 of 3. Finally I have them all.

Kydd by Julian Stockwin: Saw this new series on the bookshelf and thought I might as well give it a try. It's a new series in the lines of Horatio Hornblower by C.S Forester and Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. In other words, napoleonic era, which I like.

Star Trek Titan (book 2): The Red King: You'll remember I read Titan: Taking Wing earlier this year, and I thought they were well written, so I picked up The Red King, and Orion's Hounds.

Star Trek Titan (book 3): Orion's Hounds: You'll remember I read Titan: Taking Wing earlier this year, and I thought they were well written, so I picked up The Red King, and Orion's Hounds. Yes, I did this on purpose. You're not experiencing double vision.

King Jerry by David Arnason: Picked this up in the bargain section. Couldn't resist. Well, who wouldn't when it's priced at $2.99. It's essentially a modern retelling of King Lear. The book says itself "A satirical modern-day version of King Lear set in a western-Canadian university English Department. "

Now for the music. Well, when we were in Quebec, on our way back, that is, we went to View Quebec and stopped in at Archambaud, which I think I mentioned in my original post. This store is a treasure of a store for finding french music, and has 3 floors! A bit on the pricy side, but then I'll take that over not being able to find them at all. Over there, I found at least two CDs I wouldn't even have had the chance of finding in Ontario, and I found them so easily.

C'est Ici Que Je Veux Vivre - Marie-Michèle Desrosier: Got this one and decided to give it to my Mom as it has many old french Quebec songs by other artists on this. I thought that she would like it more than me considering that. It was so easy to find to and I didn't have very much trouble at all finding it. In fact, one could say that it found me. I went to one corner of the store and it was just there, staring at me. Funny how that goes.

Plus Grand Que Les Mots - Les Muses: Wow, I had been looking for this one ever since I'd seen them on the East Coast Music Awards two years ago. Ask about them in Ontario, and you get weird looks and people wondering if you're thinking of Muses, Throwing Muses, or other bands using that word. In other words, it didn't exist to them. This is truly an awesome record. Beautiful french songs, with very clear words, which is quite rare as recordings aren't always too clear and sound compressed. It's beautiful even if you don't speak french.

When We Get There - Lennie Gallant: The only non-french album that I got while there. It's really quite a good album. It's my first of his and he's a great songwriter. Good songs.

The Trip: Pictures (Part 4)

2006-09-01T17:14:00.000-04:00

Misc

Will have to describe all the images here ahead of time since I'm having trouble entering text along with the pictures without the pictures messing up the text.

Picture 1: Beautiful sunset that we caught on the way back. We just had to stop. There was no alternative. It was gone very soon though as it didn't last very long.

Picture 2 & 3: Ok, there's a story behind the next two. At our second hotel, Motel a la Brunante, there was this fancy shower contraption. That is, the shower could slide up and down a metal bar to adjust height and the head could also swivel. There was a sign next to the hairdryer above the sink that basically told people to be gentle with the shower and not force it. It was both in French and in English, but the English version had a mistranslation to it that I found hilarious. I couldn't resist taking a picture as it's not something you see everyday.

Picture 4: Next is the windmill park next to La Maison D'Eole (Translates to The Windmill House) where I had breakfast one morning. There were a lot of these windmills in Quebec, and to the right is the biggest verticle windmill in the world, as the waitress at the restauraunt explained. Unfortunately, the braking system failed and it's too costly to repair, so it's not working.

The Trip: Pictures (Part 3)

2006-09-01T16:56:00.000-04:00

Le Grand Rassemblement

We stopped at this roadside attraction on the way back and we found that it was actually a lot more than we realized. This art is just amazing. The artist, Marcel Gagnon made statues made out of concrete and wood that extend further down the shore. As you'll see, some of them are even on rafts and when the tide comes in, looks like they're floating on the water. The idea is that all seafarers are all converging together onto this point for a big get-together, hence Le Grand Rassemblement. It's really quite unique.

The Trip: Pictures (Part 2)

2006-09-01T16:51:00.000-04:00

Rivière-Du-Loup

This next set is the house where my grandfather grew up in.It was built in the 1800's. My grandfather's family wasn't the first family to own it, but I think they were the second family to own it, and now, sadly it's a halfway house. I would have loved to have taken different angles of it, but I couldn't since we stayed in the vehicle the whole time.

The Trip: Pictures

2006-09-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

I said the pictures would be coming, and guess what, they're here! I'm sorry for the poor quality of the pictures in advance. These were taken with my new video camera and video cameras aren't known for good still quality. I had to use it for pictures since my brother borrowed my other camera for his trip to Cuba. Click on them to see them full size.

Auberge-Sur Mer

This set of pictures was taken from the balcony of our hotel room overlooking the sea.

The Trip: Scoop

2006-08-28T13:27:00.000-04:00

Well, I was gone on a trip since the 10th. Went up to Ottawa and from there, me and my sister went on a trip with my grandfather up into Gaspésie, up to as far as St-Anne-Des-Monts. Our first stop was at Notre-Dame Du Portage, where we actually had our hotel (Auberge Sur Mer) where we had an awesome room with a balcony overlooking the sea. We ate there that night in the dining room to a very fancy dinner, but unfortunately the service was very slow! We were in there starting at 9:45pm only to get out of there after having eaten everything at 11:30pm.

Then the following morning, we ate breakfast there and a very good breakfast at that. Just about the best breakfast I ever had. Then we went on to Rivière-du-Loup where my grandfather was born and grew up where he told us stories of his childhood and showed us the home he grew up in, which is now a halfway house. Apparently the house has a lot of history attached to it. I do love the town and the old houses though. If I could, I'd want to own a cottage in that area.

So after our little tour of Rivière du Loup, we went on towards St-Anne-Des-Monts where we found another good hotel (Motel a la Brunante). The price wasn't too bad to begin with, but it was also a little on the expensive side, but my grandfather had managed to charm one of young ladies who worked at the reception. Throughout our trip, me and my sister were sharing our hotel room while my grandfather would be getting a room of his own, and we wanted them side by side. Unfortunately, the hotel only had one simple room that wasn't non-smoking, but he said he'd take it anyway and lowered the price to around $60, and then remembered that elsewhere, there were two rooms together, but what they hadn't told him was that it was a room with two beds, so he got more for the price!

And this hotel really impressed him. It was the first hotel room that had a bar in the bath to help him get in, and you wouldn't believe it, but it impressed him so much that he kept talking about it with everyone he met. My sister and I both found that really funny and cute. For example, we stopped off at a tourist center in Matane where he went to go to the washroom, and he had been impressed that that one had a hook to put his clothes on. Those two things somehow seemed to be the highlight of his trip. This guy is 92. He congratulated that tourist center on having a hook and went on to tell his story about his bar in the bathroom at the hotel, and that wasn't the only place he did this.

What impressed me about that hotel was the fact that they had a red light in the bathroom to help dry clothes and towels and to help with the cold from stepping out of a shower on a cold day. I'd never seen anything like it before. But that might also be a disadvantage. You see, the normal light hadn't been working for some reason, and so I decided to turn on the red light, which turned itself off in the middle of my shower. Now picture someone in total darkness in a foreign shower trying to feel their way around. Hmmmm.

That night we ate at a little restauraunt attached to a gas station which ended up having some pretty nice food, and what surprised me was that for some restauraunt like this to have escargot. It was kind of funny because it didn't seem in character for a restauraunt of that type, but then again, what do I know of that area?

Breakfast that morning was very good. It was at a little restauraunt next to a windmill park (coincidentally the one with the biggest verticle windmill in the world) called La Maison D'Eole, and I had a nice big house style omelette with mushrooms and bacon in it. The toast was made out of some thick bread. Hmmm, just thinking about it makes me hungry for one.

Ahh well, so we went all the way from St-Anne-Des-Monts the next morning all the way to Lévis where we stayed at the Hotel Kennedy, a very reasonably priced hotel owned by a family. Our room had a coffee maker! This I was impressed with, and the following morning, I made coffee. I learned that not every room had one, but that should change as the hotel is still quite new. It's only a few months old, and they're still adding things to it.

The next morning, we went to Quebec City, visited Vieux Quebec which I did for the first time and found the treasure of a store called Archambaud where I found what I had been looking for for ages where I hadn't been able to find in Ontario (this will be detailed in a future post). Then we went to Montreal where my sister would be visiting a friend for the night while my aunt who lives there would be driving us back to Ottawa. And then I spent the rest of my weekend in my aunt and uncle's cottage in Ottawa and came back home on the 21st.

Pictures will follow soon.

Currently Reading: Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 1

2006-08-27T14:55:00.000-04:00

You're right. I haven't really had much time for reading this month. Mostly because I was busy with a trip and I didn't do much reading during that trip as I was too busy doing other things. I'll post more about my trip later, like when I get my pictures downloaded from my camera.

But, right before the trip, I did start a new book. This one is the Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 1, which was given to me by my brother for Christmas this year. It's a definitive version of the best science fiction short-stories published, this one between 1929 and 1964, and great stories they are!

Anyway, I know it's not much of a post now, but I'll have more posting to do in the next few days that will make up for this smallish post.

Currently Reading: Hornblower & The Atropos

2006-07-31T19:27:00.000-04:00

Did I say I was a slow reader? Sure seems like I'm going through books lately and contridicting what I said earlier. But the fact of the matter is, the books I've been reading lately have been easier to read than I thought they would, so I'm just blowing through books at a fast pace.

This one is part of C.S Forester's Horatio Hornblower series of novels, and the first novel of his that I read. It's part of the books in the pile that I got last year while in Vermont. Amazing that I've still got books in that pile that I haven't read yet and I only paid a dollar total for all of them. They sure were worth it for the reading I've been doing with them.

Unfortunately, I can't find a summary of this book without spoiling it both here and for myself, but if you've seen the A&E series of movies, then you'll love reading this. I've started reading the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey/Maturin series of novels, which the Master & Commander movie was based on, and in comparison, this novel feels more simplistic and less stylistic, and almost more mainstream. So far, I've enjoyed the Patrick O'Brian novels more since he has more of a flair for descriptions, and makes you almost feel like you're there, enough to smell the sea water. So, so far, it's good, but not as good as I'd hoped it would be.

Currently Reading: Pattern Recognition

2006-07-19T19:53:00.000-04:00

I, err, forgot. That's right, I forgot to post the book that I'm currently reading. I'm more than halfway through it now, but I suppose it's better late than never, right? I sure don't want to make a habit of forgetting.

Right, so with that out of the way, I'm currently reading Pattern Recognition by William Gibson. It's my first book of his that I picked up in the bargain section at Chapters, and some say that it's far from being his best book, this one taking place in the present, while most of his other books take place in a far away future. Since I don't have much to say about it so far, I'll just post the synopsis from the book itself:

"Cayce Pollard is an expensive, spookily intuitive market-research consultant. In London on a job, she is offered a secret assignment: to investigate some intriguing snippets of video that have been appearing on the Internet. An entire subculture of people is obsessed with these bits of footage, and anybody who can create that kind of brand loyalty would be a gold mine for Cayce's client. But when her borrowed apartment is burgled and her computer hacked, she realizes there's more to this project than she had expected.

Still, Cayce is her father's daughter, and the danger makes her stubborn. Win Pollard, ex-security expert, probably ex-CIA, took a taxi in the direction of the World Trade Center on September 11 one year ago, and is presumed dead. Win taught Cayce a bit about the way agents work. She is still numb at his loss, and, as much for him as for any other reason, she refuses to give up this newly weird job, which will take her to Tokyo and on to Russia. With help and betrayal from equally unlikely quarters, Cayce will follow the trail of the mysterious film to its source, and in the process will learn something about her father's life and death."

Title: Pattern Recognition
Pages: 368 [Hardcover Edition]
Author: William Gibson
Publisher: P.G Putnam & Sons

Canadian Music is Disappearing

2006-06-29T15:16:00.000-04:00

Picture the scenario of someone walking into a record store, money in hand, and coming back out with that money still intact. You might wonder of course, why that money is still not spent. It might either be that they're out of stock of what you're looking for, or that the artist is no longer in their list of artists to stock.

That person was me. Just today, went to Music World to planned on getting something I had been eyeing for many months. I scanned the rack of CDs, trying to find what I wanted: Melanie Doane. I had found her quite easy to find in the past, so I was quite surprised that I couldn't find it. A clerk came to ask if I needed help, and I told him what I was looking for and he went to check "the book" once I told him the correct spelling of her last name. Came back and told me they don't stock her anymore. Huh? Asked why, and the answer came back that it didn't sell well enough. Ok, sure. Last I knew, she sold well enough.

Fine then, I figure I'll try something else I'd been eyeing that was easy to find in the past. And you know what? Same deal here. And then I start voicing my disappointment to the clerk. Met another clerk, this time a lady that understood my plight and thought the decision to no longer stock them was a stupid one. Can't argue there.

It seems as if all the music that I like and interested in is disappearing. It's not just one band, but two out of the two I had been looking for that I could no longer find. These are not the biggest money makers, I'm sure, but as I said in my previous post on this subject, how is a smaller band supposed to make money if the albums aren't in stock? A lot of these smaller bands need the bigger chains to support them due to their smaller influence. Some of these Canadian bands only tour specific provinces or areas and hardly venture out of it and the support from these big stores means more of a chance for someone who might not be familiar with their music to become aquainted with them. Example: Band might not tour selected location, but at least I can enjoy their music and hope that in the future they decide to tour further out. But with these stores cutting their support, it means less of a chance of success for these smaller bands, not to mention those that can't even get stocked in the first place that deserve a chance.

It seems that more and more with the experience that I've been having, that Canadian bands are disappearing from the shelves, in favour of bigger, more promising acts, that will probably just end up fading away in the next 2 or so years, and by that I mean both bigger Canadian and American acts that are pushing the smaller ones away. There ought to be some of the same Canadian Content Regulations put in place that the Radio and TV abide to that give smaller bands a fairer chance, even if those albums don't quite sell as much as the bigger bands. We need some protection for these artists.

So, while I am interested in buying this music, it seems foolish that these stores not make it available for those with money in hand. I would gladly pay money for something I want that is in stock. Is that so hard to do? I'm starting to feel frustrated and depressed that I can't find the music I want, and I feel it's the start of an ugly trend. Of course, it could just be that I'm just too out of touch with what I'm supposed to want, right? What's a poor guy supposed to do? Obviously, walk right back out with the money still intact.

Currently Reading: Star Trek - Titan: Taking Wing

2006-06-14T22:35:00.000-04:00

Yes, don't laugh! I do read Star Trek books. I like reading them for light reading material when I don't want my brain to overload. Not going to say much as I've only just started it, but this one takes places after Nemesis is a new series about Riker's new command, the Titan. Should be exciting. I've wanted to read this one for quite awhile now. It was staring at me on my bookshelf, pleading to be read, and maybe after that I'll pick up the two other books in the series.

Ok, so as you've noticed, I finished reading Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince. It was quite good. I'm glad that I've finally read it so that I don't have to keep people silent.

Currently Reading: You-Know-What!

2006-06-02T17:49:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I've posted what I've been reading. I'd forgotten to actually post what I've been reading ever since I finished reading The Confusion. And that's mostly because I'd been reading books in my pile that I had gotten in Vermont last year that aren't really worth mentioning. Yes, still trying to catch up, and I still have books that I got for Christmas. Wonder how long it will take me? I'm guessing I'll be done all of them by the time Christmas comes around.

Anyway, yes, I'm reading HP: And the Half-Blood Prince. It's taken long enough already to get to it, and I figured this was as good a time as any. I'm a slow reader and don't plow through like most people, so you'll just have to bear with me and wait until I finish it to discuss anything that I know you're bursting to talk about. I'm currently on Chapter 16 for those who are curious. And this is the UK cover, the one that is also used for the Canadian release. I tend to like the UK covers better than the American covers. The American covers sometimes tend to look a bit overdone in my opinion, and the one thing that makes the UK and Canadian releases stand out is the fact that they don't use chapter images.

And then of course, there are the Adult versions of the cover for each book. As a treat, I'm posting this one:

Music Review: Spirit of the West - Star Trails

2006-05-27T18:20:00.000-04:00

As promised, here's another review, this time of the same band as the last. Won't happen often, I'm sure, but nevertheless, here it is. This time around, it's Star Trails, their latest release and is my first studio album of theirs.

As I said in the last review, I'd been meaning to get an album from this band and Hit Parade was a great way to sample their wide range of music styles from their different albums, and now that that is done, it was time for me to pick up a studio album. I mainly wanted to get this one first because it had caught my eye. Beautiful cover isn't it? In essence, it captures the name of the band perfectly. Here we have tents lit up at a star party in Northern Canada, possibly at one of the big summer Star Parties that happen every year. Time lapse photography has caught the star trails using a long exposure of many hours. And on the horizon, the greenish glow is not nuclear fallout due to a failing nuclear power plant, but an Aurora Borealis, something which is very distinctive to the north. The further north someone goes, the better chance of seeing an Aurora you'll get. And in some native communities, Auroras are considered to be the doing of spirits. So, as you can see, with this cover being as catchy as it is, it also has quite a bit of meaning towards the band's name. A well chosen picture for their cover.

Well, enough talking about the cover. Onto the music! So, how does it stack up? Well, I'd have to say in general, the whole album has a sort of retro 80's feel to it. I'm not sure why, but whenever I listen to it, I certain vibe from it that feels like something from that era. There are certain songs that sound like more modern of course, but there are also some songs that sound like they'd almost been done before, and songs that sound like they're from other bands of the 80's like Chicago. Perhaps it's simply the style they chose to do them in, but I can easily picture Chicago doing some of the songs on this CD, particularly 'King of Scotland' which sounds like a signature Chicago song. And the song 'July' is something I swear I heard before by a different band but, again that probably is just attributed to the style itself. Overall, I was a bit disappointed in the CD in that it sounds kind of familiar but isn't, almost like a deja-vue. Maybe I expected too much after hearing the fantastic Hit Parade and was spoiled by the range of style in that one, but it left me a bit to be desired. Does that mean it's not a good CD? Of course not. I still like it, but not as much as I hoped I would.

Album: Spirit of the West - Star Trails
Label: Universal Records (Canada)
Release Date: 2004
Bonus Material?: No
Site: www.sotw.ca

Music Review: Spirit of the West - Hit Parade

2006-05-15T14:33:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since my last review and I've been meaning to post something, so I won't delay any longer.

Spirit of the West has quickly become one of my favourite bands over the years, but I hadn't actually bought an album of theirs until recently. I'm not sure which song I heard first. It was either "Home for a Rest" or "And If Venice is Sinking". But by either one, I was hooked!

"Home for a Rest" is one of my favourite drinking songs, and is often mis-attributed to Great Big Sea. Funny thing, considering these bands sound nothing alike aside from their Celtic roots. Sometimes I wish Great Big Sea would just cover it to get it over with and say that they've actually done it.

"And If Venice is Sinking" is a beautiful love song in the style of romantic ditties of the venitian era, complete with accordion, as well as a tuba as bass. Essentially, it's about wanting to stay in Venice even if it sinks and going under with it, since it's so beautiful.

I'd been searching for the best album to get and I'm pleased to say that this is a great introduction to the band (I've bought another of their albums since) and these favourites are just a few of the many good songs on this album, including orchestral versions of "And If Venice is Sinking" (as if it wasn't beautiful enough!) and a few others. And if you haven't guessed by now, this band isn't a polka band like the cover would seem to suggest, but rather a Celtic based band, which has progressed into more of a rock band, and this album showcases the range of songs that they have very well. It definitely is a great album to have.

So, what are you waiting for? Don't walk, but run to the store to pick up a copy!

Album: Spirit of the West - Hit Parade
Label: Warner Music Canada
Release Date: 1999
Bonus Material?: No
Site: www.sotw.ca

Tech support can be funny

2006-04-10T22:47:00.000-04:00

Doing something a bit different today. Today I'm posting one of those technical support stories. What makes this one different for me at least is the fact that the person taking the call was one of my friend's sisters, so it kind of strikes close to home. I just couldn't resist posting it, so here it is.

A few months ago, a friend of mine had this happen to his sister who works in a call center taking calls for a big American cable company who's name I won't mention. All I'll mention is that the call center is in Canada. I swear I'm not making any of this up...

---

A woman is waiting for a cable technician to come to her house so that they can install cable. She's in New York. That distinction is important. You'll know why in a minute...

She calls, and this is how the conversation went approximately.

Techsupport: Hello, Techsupport, how may I help you?

Client: Hi, I saw one of your vans parked outside and I've been waiting for my cable to be installed. He got out but he never came to the house. Instead, he got back in and drove away.

TS: Umm Maam, the technician reported hearing gunshots coming from your house.

Client: Oh, that was just my husband doing target practice in the basement!

How the Canadian Music Industry Smells

2006-04-05T17:13:00.000-04:00

Ohhhh! He lives! Actually I've been engrossed reading Neal Stephenson's The Confusion and I haven't really bought any music recently, save for the Ray movie soundtrack and Spirit of the West's Hit Parade. So, as you can see, I haven't actually had much material to go on, especially since The Confusion is such a long book. But I haven't forgotten about this blog, which is why I'm making this post in the first place. I'll actually maybe review Hit Parade, but not the Ray soundtrack, because technically, what is there to review about it?

Ok, so I actually went out to buy some music today, so more material to review! But before I mention what I got, I've got a story. I went to the biggest music store there is in town. It's basically the only big chain store we have in the city anymore, and they usually carry lots of things that the other stores like Walmart and Futureshop don't. Well, I talked to a worker there who helped me try to find what I wanted. I first asked for Carbon Leaf. He goes to look for it in their index, but nah, he can't find it. I was surprised considering how big the band is down south, and that their latest album was actually released both in the US and Canada. He tells me that the chain won't put anything on the list unless the corporation recognizes it. So, essentially, you'll only find the already established bands. Big deal, right? Well, next, I asked about an up and coming Canadian band called the Clumsy Lovers. Awesome band, awesome music. Sorry, but can't find the album! You guessed it, because the corporation doesn't recognize them and they aren't on the list. How frustrating is that? I really want to support the band by buying the music, but I can't find it anywhere, and they aren't exactly an indie band. They're signed by Reprise Records, the same label that signed the Barenaked Ladies! I'm there in front of this worker wondering how new bands are supposed to become recognized and have their fans buy their albums. Man, it's frustrating to me just thinking about it. It must be doubly frustrating for the bands themselves! What a stupid policy! What's even worse is, this guy told me the store is not allowed selling albums of local bands, even if they know they're doing well, because, you guessed it, they aren't in the index. Hmmmphh! So, how the heck are bands supposed to make it in this industry? Yes folks, the Canadian Music Industry stinks! That's how it smells. S. T. I. N. K. S. Well, anyway, I did manage to find something I wanted. I was disappointed that I couldn't find Carbon Leaf and the Clumsy Lovers, despite how good these two bands aren't getting the support they deserve. I as I was scanning the CDs on the racks, I realized in the back of my mind that I did have another album in mind that I wanted, so I ended up walking out with Spirit of the West's Star Trails, their newest album. I did actually pay for it before walking out though ;)

Speaking of what stinks, anybody watched the Junos this weekend? Apparently it was the first time broadcast worldwide, and could be watched in the US on MTV and VH1. Of course, they needed worldwide recognized talent for that to happen and make people watch. But I tell you, Pamela Anderson just didn't cut it. She was probably one of the worst hosts the Junos ever had. She looked like she felt out of place , trying to remember who's who in Canada and who that upcoming talent is because of being in the US for so long. She looked disconnected from her reality. And then she drops the bomb while everyone boos her. She had made a poor tasteless joke about the seal hunt. Frankly, I think Mrs Anderson shouldn't be making jokes like that when she's been so out of touch with Canada and happy to be living down south. She was in Halifax afterall, one of the centers of the seal hunt. It was almost like a slap in the face to Canadians. "Hi Canada! Glad to be here! *SLAP!*"

Well, if Pamela Anderson wasn't bad enough, these Junos also had to count on American talent like Coldplay to get viewers. Not a bad idea on paper, but I'd far much rather see Canadian talent pulling in viewers. It is, after all a Canadian music awards show. Stop worrying so much about what the US will think, just showcase our talent! There are a lot of Canadian bands out there that deserve being watched by millions of US viewers, but instead that spotlight is being taken by an American band. This is Canada afterall, not the US, and I find the use of American talent to be pretty denigrating to Canadian talent, as if to say, our talent can't hold itself up, can't be counted on. What happened to the Canadian content regulations? They should have been put more into use here. I'd really hate to see the Junos become US-Centric and lose itself as a Canadian music awards show. But then again, it's not like it really matters does it? Do the awards really matter? Afterall, as a friend said, Great Big Sea, having been nominated for 12 years will have to change their biography to state that they are "twelve time juno losers". Yes, 12 years of being snubbed, folks. But in there, there's something to be proud of. There's a band that still makes money; people buying their albums, going to their shows, year after year getting snubbed. The by's are probably sitting around and saying: "Guys, look at all our fans! We don't need the Junos to tell us we're good!" After all, does anyone really remember Alannah Myles? She cleaned out the Junos in the 80's. Says a lot doesn't it?

Music Review: Michelle Doyle

2006-02-12T19:38:00.000-05:00

It's the 1930's. Smoke is swirling around you. You're sitting at a table eating dinner at a cabaret where sultry notes can be heard from a sexy singer on stage. In one word, you could say the atmosphere is mellow.

This is exactly the experience one gets when they play Michelle Doyle's album. It transports you to an era where you could just relax and enjoy the music for what it is. It's produced by her big brother Alan Doyle (of Great Big Sea) who also co-wrote some songs. Among the songs are some soft jazz, some pop ballads and a cover a Mary Chapin Carpenter song. She really has a great and powerful voice that puts you right in the mood. Sometimes, like in Darkest Stranger, she even reminds me of Pat Benatar.

All in all, it's a stellar debut album, and if her other albums are as good as this one is, I think we'll be in for quite a treat. The only thing that would have detracted me from buying this album would have been the fact that it's only available online and not in record stores, at least as far as the rest of Canada is concerned. I got this one as a Christmas gift.

Album: Michelle Doyle
Release Date: 2004
Bonus Material?: No
Site: http://www.michelledoyle.com/

Music Review: The Duhks

2006-01-22T14:31:00.000-05:00

Remember, how I've been wishing Nickel Creek would someday tour Canada? Well, The Duhks are a new Bluegrass band from Canada and are the closest thing we have to Nickel Creek at the moment.

The group describes themselves as "contemporary acoustic," "progressive soul-grass," and “kick-ass rock/folk fusion”, and it is a hell of an energetic mix that these talented musicians put out. I find myself tapping my feet at the reels, like a marionette on strings, meaning that it's that infectuous.

The lead singer's voice is full of soul, something that one hardly gets out of a bluegrass band, yet she also evokes the old-tyme type of bluegrass voice at the same time. Though these songs are not necessarily all bluegrass. For example, there is one song that resembles old style French-Canadian/Acadian folk songs, and the singer on that one sings it so well, complete with the vocal intonation style of the time, that one would think it were an old-time classic, yet it is an original.

This is clearly a Canadian styled Bluegrass band. A lot of influences here are like Canada itself, with its many languages and ethnicities, including salsa, blues, old-time, celtic, scots-metis, with its band members of different backgrounds and it creates a truly different sound. If we look at Nickel Creek for the moment, we notice that the band has a lot of jazz influences, which is mainly a creation that started out in the states. But even so, it's interesting to note the crossroads between celtic, bluegrass and jazz come together. New Orleans was/is like a hub for all of them, so it's not entirely unplausible that Nickel Creek got some of their influences in jazz. At the same time, The Duhk's influences are entirely Canadian. Well, aside from maybe some American bluegrass bands.

If one could choose a band for Nickel Creek to tour Canada with, The Duhks would be the perfect opener. In fact, it's said that Chris Thile of Nickel Creek is a fan of The Duhks. So, you never know! Maybe on Nickel Creek's next album tour, they'll tour Canada with The Duhks as their opener. We can always wish of course. It's just Ducky!

Album: The Duhks - The Duhks
Label: Sugarhill Records
Release Date: January 2005
Bonus Material?: Yes (Enhanced CD)
Site: www.duhks.com
ecard: http://www.sugarhillrecords.com/ecard/theduhks/

Currently Reading: The Confusion

2006-01-08T16:44:00.000-05:00

Well, Ok, I guess it's about time for a new post isn't it? I haven't told you what I've been reading ever since November, and what a better way to start off the new year. This one is going to be taking me awhile, since it's 848 pages. Hah, never fear though. I like big books and I'm never scared of having to read them even if they look daunting at first. I consider them more bang for the buck I just alternate between a big meaty book and a light read to give my mind a break, so the next one after this will be a book that will take me a week or two to read through.

I've been a fan of Neal Stephenson ever since I read Snow Crash. I think it's the book that started many people reading him, and as any fan will know, he's quite wordy, and his descriptions can go on and on. That's basically why I like him. He can make some of the most mundane things really stand out, and his prose can be quite good and memorable. I've read everything of his ever since. Well, I think there is one I haven't read and that's the one set in a university, and those that were previously under a different pen name co-written with an uncle of his.

Anyway, this book is the second book in what is called The Baroque Cycle, a 3 book series, and it was originally going to be published all as one book, but that would have been a bit daunting for anyone, including me, considering they all have approximately the same amount of pages. It's set in the 1600's, and it's essentially a prequel series to his previous book, Cryptonomicon, which took place in WWII and present day. All the characters in The Baroque Cycle are ancestors to the characters in Cryptonomicon, and it's interesting to see what these characters do in relation to what happened in Cryptonomicon, meaning that whatever these people do, will end up creating a legacy for the people that follow in their footsteps. For example, in the Baroque Cycle, there are Jack and Bob Shaftoe, and in Cryptonomicon there is Bobby Shaftoe. Daniel Waterhouse in the Baroque Cycle, Lawrence Pritchard (1940's) and Randy (1990's) Waterhouse in Cryptonomicon. All of this presents a certain depth to the universe that is being read, and all of them at the end of the Baroque Cycle will end up close to where the characters in Cryptonomicon are born, I think. I find it nice when an author puts some thought into writing like this as you can expect a certain quality to it. It makes the stories that much more meaty, and that's the kind of thing I like, and it makes me keep coming back for more. I mean, nobody likes a turkey filled with air, right? ;)

As an aside, I hope everyone had some nice holidays. My computer, which is practically all new now is running great, and it's only a matter of time before I get some games to show off it's awesome power. I got two new CDs as a Christmas present from my sister that arrived in the mail on Friday, so you can expect to see reviews of those fairly soon.

Flux Capacitor NOT fluxing, Engine not running...

2005-12-27T17:09:00.000-05:00

Props to those who can figure out the reference ;)

So, I think I've mentioned my computer problems that have developed over the last few weeks. First it was freezing up and rebooting, and it also smelled like something was burning. I called the guy at the shop that I go to and he told me to bring it in because it sounded to him like I had a virus. I had my doubts of course, as to me it didn't sound like it could possibly be a virus, so I decided to wait until my brother could help me over the holidays. I'm very glad I did.

One of the things I did was buy myself a nice new computer case. They can be quite fancy, and they're not just for looks. Most of them are for function as they add better cooling and airflow to keep things from overheating. I got one with a precision machined steel front panel, and the side has a plex-glass window where you can look into it and see everything running. It's got one front fan for pulling air in, and one exhaust fan which glows blue that brings the air out. It's this one right here, except the design changed. Mine doesn't have locks and has a window on the side instead, which they don't show on the website: http://www.silverstonetek.com/products-tj02.htm

Anyway, as my brother was transferring things over to my new case, it took one look at my motherboard for him to realize what my problem was. I had busted capacitors, which meant that these capacitors were losing charge, and if they lost charge, I'd freeze up or reboot.

That meant we had to do lots of research. It was time for me to get a new motherboard. We realized that there were no motherboards that supported my current processor, so that meant we need to get a new processor too. We also realized that I needed to get new RAM because the ram I have now is not campatible with the new board. And my video card? It's an older one, and most new motherboards don't support AGP. They're all coming out with PCI-Express these days. So instead of hunting around for a board with AGP, which we figured would limit me in the long run if I wanted to upgrade in the future, we decided to go for PCI-Express, which meant a new videocard. I'll be getting an AMD Athlon 3200+, DDR Ram, and a Geforce 6800 GS, which is quite the jump from the Athlon 1700+ and Geforce 4MX that I currently have. Whew! At least this way I won't have limited myself into a corner with already outdated technology that is hardly supported anymore.

So, I hope Christmas has all been good for you. My sister is coming tonight as she couldn't make it for Christmas Day and we'll be having another round of present opening for her.

I got lots of neat stuff, most of them being books. Is that really surprising? I got clothes, more clothes, and yet more clothes. Oh yeah, and chocolate. Got some reindeer droppings (chocolate covered almonds).

As for books?:
Harry Potter And the Blood Prince
Deception Point by Dan Brown
Science-Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 1 1929-1960 (Collection of sci-fi novellas by different established sci-fi authors)

I didn't get any music this time, but I'll be using some of my spending money on some albums that I want to get.

Here are some pictures of my new case:

Observations and stuff

2005-12-03T22:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in quite a bit and I'm sure those of you who read this are wondering. Well, my computer is out of commission for the time being and I'm using my Dad's computer to post this. It doesn't sound too good and smells like burning sillicon. My computer that is, not his.

So, I've done all my Christmas shopping and started in mid-November to beat the rush. I'm pretty happy with what I've got for the others in my family.I'm also glad that I don't have to shop at the last minute. Man, if there's one thing about Christmas, it's the shopping and seeing all the tacky stuff out there on the shelves. I mean, I do love Christmas, but sometimes I think the commercialization of it has just gone overboard! As cute as those light-up dolls are, who would actually buy such a thing? They would get more than quickly annoying in this household, and don't remind me of those talking santas. Yeesh. Great for storefronts, but an actual household?

You know, all these drug commercials on TV are getting annoying. Most of them are really bad and a lot of them jump at claims. It's just as bad as the cigarette commercials when they were allowed on TV. Why is this on TV? Honestly? I'm honestly concerned, considering that most than half of these are drugs made up for a niche, where they make up syndrome names just to sell the drug, and then of course, you have people on the commercial asking how they got these drugs, the person with the drug commenting that their doctor gave them a prescription. Well, no kidding! You honestly think that with all those side-effects, that they would have these over the counter? Goodness. So many side-effects that you need other drugs to counter them. Why should it be the concern of the patient which drug they get? Obviously, if your doctor knows how to make a well informed decision and give you the best prescription for you, they wouldn't rely on you to see a certain commercial and have you ask about it. If you have to ask about it, it's probably not the right drug for you!

Speaking of side-effects, this summer I had drugs given to me by my doctor. This was to clear something out of my system and the doctor had told me to take 2 per day for 5 days. Well, around the 3rd day, I knew something was wrong. This was basically a real nightmare for me. I started having side-effects, and before I knew it, I pretty much had all listed side-effects. This included being manic-depressive and obsessive compulsive. That's right. Those drugs that were given to me were seriously changing the chemical makeup of my brain while I was under its influence. Not to mention that these were extended release tablets! So, I was stuck with its effects for more than 2 weeks while I waited for them to draw out of my system. All during that time, I didn't feel like myself. I didn't know what was going on and I was pretty much out of it. Had trouble sleeping, kept worrying about little things I knew I shouldn't worry about but couldn't do anything about it, had trouble breathing, and could hardly focus on doing anything, like watch TV for instance. Boy, was I ever glad when I was back to feeling normal! Turns out it was too big a dosage for my system to take, and ever since then I've wanted to be careful about what kind of stuff I put into my system. I'd rather find something natural and try that first before using drugs. They should be something of a last alternative.

Anyway, with my computer out of commission, I'm not sure when I'll get to post next. But I do have to post what I'm now reading as I've finished The High Crusade. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all that in case I don't get to post more before Christmas.

Currently Reading: The High Crusade by Poul Anderson

2005-11-18T17:10:00.000-05:00

Well, I've finished reading The Einstein Intersection. I was kind of disappointed in how it lacked weirdness compared to what it claimed. Yes, it was weird, and it was a good book, but I'd read far weirder books than that. Books for instance where you could tell the author was on LSD when writing it. I suppose though that that could be for another post, one about bad books. Luckily for me though I hardly come across bad books. They're one in a million to me.

Anyway, I started The High Crusade by Poul Anderson last night. Seems very promising. The picture I've chosen here of the cover isn't the cover I've got on mine, but mine's a very lame cover. I actually can't tell what's on it. It looks very nondescript. I guess I shouldn't complain much though because this is one of the old books I'd gotten from a guy selling them out the back of his truck in Vermont. Every year I seem to find some gems from this guy, and he always seems to appreciate me coming back every year and he gives me a good deal. Got 9 books for about $2 this year if I remember right. This book is dated to around the 60's and 70's, so the cover looks pretty trippy. I like this modern cover much better though. You can actually tell what you're getting yourself into.

Got into the first chapter last night and it seems to be a very promising read. Lots of laughs involved with knights trying to figure out what they're experiencing when an alien space ship lands to pay them a visit, err to invade. These knights were on their way to help King Edward III in England's war against France. How dare they intrude! Go back to your home planet, you brutes!

Description of the book follows:

----

In the year of grace 1345, as Sir Roger Baron de Tourneville is gathering an army to join King Edward III in the war against France, a most astonishing event occurs: a huge silver ship descends through the sky and lands in a pasture beside the little village of Ansby in northeastern Lincolnshire. The Wersgorix, whose scouting ship it is, are quite expert at taking over planets, and having determined from orbit that this one was suitable, they initiate standard world-conquering procedure. Ah, but this time it's no mere primitives the Wersgorix seek to enslave-they've launched their invasion against Englishmen! In the end, only one alien is left alive-and Sir Roger's grand vision is born. He intends for the creature to fly the ship first to France to aid his King, then on to the Holy Land to vanquish the infidel!

Book Review: Venus by Ben Bova

2005-11-15T13:32:00.000-05:00

Well, a new review, finally! Let's get down to it.

Venus is part of Ben Bova's Grand Tour series, and is chronologically as of this time, the last in the series, happening late in the timeframe of the series, as a comparison with his Mars story being the 3rd chronologically.

Much in the tradition of authors who have explored the moon when hardly much of it was known at the time, Ben Bova tackles Venus, the hot fiery planet on which anyone would be doomed to even try. That is, landing on it of course.

I wouldn't know how his other works in the series fare, but I would have to say that Venus is far from stellar compared to his acclaimed Mars story. But I'll be fair and say that this is partly due to the lack of knowledge about the planet that we have, so scientific accuracy would of course have to take a backseat to storytelling. Unlike Mars, where I pretty much pictured it just like what it would be like if NASA were to send a team to Mars, Venus definitely stretches and the imagination and feels unrealistic most of the time. Ultimately, it feels much more like a popcorn flick than a scientifically based scif-fi. But then again, it does have the feel of those classics like The Sands of Mars by Arthur C. Clarke and and The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, from a time where we didn't know about Mars. Much like Mars was realistic, I'm sure there will be a new novel down the road by another author, or even by Bova that updates and makes a Venus story more realistic based on what we know of it. Then maybe we could look back at Ben Bova's Venus and herald it as a classic.

If you're looking for a fun book that goes to where no authors dare to go, then by all means pick this up. But don't expect to be dazzled like Mars.

As a sidenote, as I have posted in my preview, as I was reading the book, a quote jumped out at me: "I was born in New Orleans, Mr Humphries, or what's left of it after the floods." Ben Bova has a knack for predicting things. In his Mars book, he had predicted that we'd find life on Mars through water.

Author: Ben Bova
Pages: 416
Publisher: Tor Science Fiction

Music Review: Nickel Creek - Why Should The Fire Die?

2005-11-02T16:32:00.000-05:00

Time for another album review! This time from another favourite band of mine, Nickel Creek.

Nickel Creek hail from California and I've been a fan of them since I discovered them when they were making publicity for their previous album, This Side. Their music is described as progressive bluegrass. Progressive because it just doesn't do them justice to label them as bluegrass alone. They aren't your daddy's bluegrass. Neither is it the kind of bluegrass you'd find on the "Where Brother Art Thou" soundtrack. This is a new kind of bluegrass, one with an edge. Nickel Creek has started out pretty much as what one would call a traditional bluegrass band, but even then, they dared to be different from the crowd.

Their debut album contained traditional bluegrass tunes and even a few celtic tunes; their sound was mellow, very mellow with great harmonization. The Side continued their journey as a band, continued with the mellow sound and the great harmony, but this time they upped the ante. They dared to be more poppy, yet they also stayed close to their roots, and even added some of their jazz influences. It was a great album, but many of those fans that loved their debut, including fans of traditional bluegrass scoffed at the direction the band was going in. It was also considered very much to be an experiment in bluegrass. Nevertheless, the album garnered them praise. Praise in which I agree in.

Why Should The Fire Die? Indeed. The fire of their passion for music is evident with this album. More than ever, the band continues to experiment and delve beyond the borders of the bluegrass continuum. It continues infusing their jazz influences, continues with very interesting instrumental and vocal arrangements. It becomes mind boggling. It takes a few listens before you can truly appreciate the work that went into this album. It's deeper, darker, edgier, and grittier than their previous albums, one which starts to contemplate questions in life and starts to even sound like an indy record at some point. This is because after two albums, those who were produced by Alison Krauss, they turned to a different producer, a rock producer. The result is an album that is more aggressive. Is it successful? Yes, definitely. While I might not be a fan of the way this one was produced, in the way that it sounds more compressed and less clear and detailed like on their previous albums, I can respect the idea behind the decision that Chris Thile, Mandolin Prodigy Virtuoso, made. He wanted it to sound more like they do their concerts, and while I won't be able to see them live any time soon since I'm in Canada (They haven't toured Canada yet) , at least I can appreciate the idea.

Things that impress me about this album are the lack of a drum kit. There's actually only one song with the use of a drum kit (Helena) and that's towards the end of the song. Most of the album uses strong hooks and melodies, foot stomping and guitar tapping. The use of the upright bass is also something I'm impressed with and it provides a much richer sound than a standard electric bass. Too few bands seem to use the upright these days. On this album, it's used for texture and where drums would normally be used. Imagine deep low notes building and driving the song up into power and intensity as the stuff sitting on your large hi-fi speakers dances around, until your flower pot you have sitting on there takes a walk off the edge. No drums can match that. Overall, I'm impressed with what they can do, and I think it shows that you don't need drums to be cool like everyone else. You just need to be interesting with your instrumentation and choose other ways to express yourself.

So, if you'd like some good folk music to add to your collection, I'd recommend picking this up. Again, it isn't your daddy's bluegrass, but I think you'd be impressed at what this band can accomplish. Their fire won't die anytime soon.

Album: Nickel Creek - Why Should The Fire Die?
Publisher: Sugarhill Records
Release Date: August 2005 (Out Now everywhere)
Bonus Material?: No
Site: www.nickelcreek.com
e-card: Right here

Currently Reading: The Einstein Intersection

2005-10-31T21:58:00.000-05:00

Well, hasn't taken me long to read the last book, has it? I said I was a slow reader, but it was quite an easy read. Well, even though this is another thin book, reading around the net leads me to believe that this book isn't so much an easy read, so it should take me longer, not that it's a problem for me of course.

Apparently this book, being claimed as one of's Samuel Delany's best books, is pretty psychological and at the same time mythical; a pretty weird book too. Time will tell if I'll end up liking it though as many people seem to not be able to "get" the message of the book. Should be an interesting ride though.

And soon, I'll post that Venus review. Maybe in the next post even. Oh yeah, before I forget, Happy Halloween!

For now, here's the description of this book from the back cover.

---

The Einstein Intersection is a novel of a strange far future when this world of Einsteinian laws, having intersected with a universe following a different set of rules, has changed - changed strangely, wonderfully, incredibly.

This is the story of Lobey, an alien Orpheus, and his adventures across a weird sumptuous world, marvelously haunted. Along his questing trail, he meets Spider, the driver of dragons; Kid Death, the red-headed killer from the sea; the Dove, fabulous love image of a world obsessed; Greeneye, victim of a ritual invented by a race dead for millenia; and Friza - the dark, silent girl Lobey searched for over deserts, through jungles of carnivorous flowers, from a quiet village to a furious city, to the shores of death, and beyond.

Currently Reading II

2005-10-24T14:10:00.000-04:00

I've recently reading Ben Bova's Venus, so the review will come shortly. In the meantime, I've started one of the earliest Asimov books, in the period when he was still writing the original Foundation trilogy, but writing as Paul French. Apparently it is part of a series that isn't as easily available as the Foundation series, but I have a feeling it will stand well enough on its own.

I've picked up a number of classics while on a trip to Vermont this summer, so you'll see these from time to time until I've exhausted my supply.

Description from the back of the book follows:

Zero time!

Twenty-five years before, Lucky Starr’s parents had been destroyed during a pirate raid on the Terrestrial Empire. Lucky had since brooded, awaiting a chance to avenge their deaths. Now the vermin of space once more threatened the empire’s safety and tranquility. The time for sweet vengeance was near.

Lucky was at the helm as his space ship, the Atlas, was being readied for takeoff. The Luna City exhaust pit yawned as the ship’s main rockets blasted their fury into it. Slowly and with majesty the Atlas lifted and moved upwards, its speed increasing, its mission underway. It pierced the black sky, shrinking until it was only a star among stars, and then it was gone.

“One man against the pirates of the asteroids,” Lucky’s friend, Conway, mused sadly. “Soon the ship will be a rain of molten metal,” he thought. “Lucky Starr and the Atlas are doomed!”

A Month

2005-10-19T14:50:00.000-04:00

Well, today is a month to the day I created this blog. I have to say I've really been having fun with this and I wonder where it will take me in the months and years to come. Over the course of the month, I've been tweaking the blog a bit, like adding links and customizing it a bit. The most recent addition is the logo! Like it, Love it, hate it? Let me know. Of course, it's bound to evolve over the years if my scheme and my mood ever change. One thing's for sure, it's only going to get better.

Music Review: Great Big Sea - The Hard and The Easy

2005-10-11T17:32:00.000-04:00

The by's are back in town! It took a long time to get to this point. Great Big Sea has released their long awaited all-traditional album, The Hard and The Easy today, and after being less than pleased with Sea of No Cares and Something Beautiful*, I'm pleased to say that they've knocked this one out of the ballpark.

I think this release shows that the band understands how important their culture is, that they shouldn't be afraid to just be who they are instead of what the record industry thinks they should be. Their venture into the pop market wasn't as successful as they'd hope, and with this release, ironically, they've risked more here than they would have with their pop releases considering the all-traditional material. But I think the media is biting, and fans will be pleased to know that their raucous energy is back on this album, in full force.

Throughout the album, one can tell they enjoyed making it by the hearing the enthusiasm in their voices. You could even say they sound rejuvenated after having a lengthy hiatus, and if their hiatus is any sign of the feeling they come through on this album, then it indeed helped. Their sound on this album is more akin to what they sounded like on Up and Play, and even with hints of Turn, their voices bursting forth out of the speakers, and is a more pleasing and entertaining album than the pop laden albums they have served us for the past 2 years. The harmonies are beautiful, especially on River Driver and Graceful & Charming (Forget-Me-Not), and the instrumental arrangements are complex and interesting, even moreso than those on Up and Play.

If the music itself wasn't enough, there's even a 50 minute DVD included which promises to be quite a bargain. I haven't personally viewed the DVD yet, so I will elaborate more on it in a future post, but I think it's safe to say that this album is easy to recommend, unlike SONC or Something Beautiful*. It has easily surpassed my expectations. A welcome addition to any collection, folk music aficionados and Great Big Sea fans alike.

Album: Great Big Sea - The Hard and The Easy
Publisher: Warner Music (Canada) / Rounder (US)
Release Date: Oct 11th (Canada) / Oct 25th (US)
Bonus Material?: Yes (DVD)
Site: www.greatbigsea.ca

Excited

2005-10-07T22:59:00.000-04:00

Ok, I haven't been this excited in quite awhile about an upcoming album, but Great Big Sea's The Hard and The Easy, their latest album which happens to be all-traditional, is hitting the stores in Canada on the 11th, just the day after Thanksgiving, and the 25th in the U.S. I'm applauding their return to traditional material as well as the return to the sound and the energy that made them popular on Up and Play. You can be sure that I'll be reviewing the album in a few days.

To hold you over, here are two songs in their entirety (I think). Don't hold me on that since I'm not going to listen to them before I get the album in order to not get spoiled. I like being able to listen to an album the first time around and having them all be new songs to my ears. If anyone listens to them (the clips), can you please confirm it for me? Thanks :)

http://www.myspace.com/greatbigseaofficial

Time to Brag

2005-10-05T19:01:00.000-04:00

I can pause, rewind and fast-forward live TV! Yes! I just got a DVR from our cable company and I'll be looking forward to the new features of this box. No more missing TV shows, and no more conflicting schedules!

I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

Currently Reading

2005-10-04T20:09:00.000-04:00

I'm sure you're all curious at what I'm currently reading. I started this just a few days ago. Ben Bova's Venus. Here's a quasi-review from Amazon:

Amazon.com
Ben Bova picked his villains well for this fast-paced, popcorn-and-Milk- Duds matinee: Topping the playbill is our sister planet, Venus itself, which Bova matter-of-factly describes as "the most hellish place in the solar system." Sci-fi authors (Bova included) have all but colonized Mars by now, but few have boldly gone to the aluminum-melting, sulfuric-acid-soaked surface of the Morning Star. Venus proves a mighty, unthinking antagonist indeed--frustrating the efforts of sickly but likable rich kid Van Humphries to land there and recover the remains of his older brother Alex, who died two years earlier on another ill-fated mission.

Van gets pushed back and forth between the book's two lesser villains--his mean old cuss of a father, Martin Humphries, who's posted the $10 billion Venus Prize to the first person to return Alex's body, and Lars Fuchs, a belligerent asteroid miner and Martin's arch-nemesis, who's also decided to make a go at the purse.

Characterizations ride coach on this high-adventure flight, but remember that we're talking about Ben Bova here. It's hard to dispute the master's choices as you're following Van's well-researched, thrills-and-chills descent through Venus's pressure-cooker atmosphere. With solid science, a palatable environmental message (how could you resist commenting on greenhouse gases in a book like this?), and an inspiring character arc for unlikely hero Van, Venus delivers guilt-free, man-against-nature SF in a tight, page-turning package. --Paul Hughes
--

So far so good. I gather this won't take me too long to read as it's not as dense as his very good Mars book. This is a book published in 2000, and Ben Bova seems to have a knack for predicting things in his books. Such as the prediction of life on Mars. In Venus, I was struck with a particular quote said by one of the characters in the book: "I was born in New Orleans, Mr Humphries, or what's left of it after the floods."

Review: Psychohistorical Crisis by Donald Kingsbury

2005-09-27T15:03:00.000-04:00

I'm an Asimov fan, or more specifically, a Foundation fan, though you can hit me with a pile of bricks as I haven't read the Robot or Empire series even though I do plan to in the near future.

As my first review, I'll start off with Psychohistorical Crisis, a book which I recently finished reading. In general, I consider the Foundation series to be light reading, compared to most stuff that is released today. Though, maybe that isn't a fair comparison since when the Foundation series was started, the average size of books clocked in at around 200 pages. Psychohistorical Crisis by comparison clocks in at 512 pages, making it a denser read. More of that in a moment.

There are have been many tries at being successors to Asimov's writing, where by much opinion, have heartily failed. I'm of course talking about the Second Trilogy penned by the 3 B's of Science Fiction. So how does this one fare, being that it is not an official book sanctioned by the Asimov estate? It fares very well in my opinion.

Eron Osa, the main protagonist of the book finds himself guilty of a crime he didn't commit. Or maybe he did. The problem is, he's been sentenced, stripped of his personal familiar ( a device that Donald Kingsbury created which amplifies brain use, and a technological advancement of the mind control device used by The Mule), unable to perform with his fam. So, while being sentenced, the fam is stripped and destroyed. Since the personalities and functions of that individual are stored on the fam, the soul and the brain are essentially dead. Unless that individual tries to actually use his brain for himself. Eron Osa does, and the book follows through on his quest to discover just what exactly he's done that deserved having his fam stripped of him. The book switches back and forth between the present and the past, child and adult. We see him finally making the journey as a Psychohistorian, only to.... Well, I won't spoil it.

What I can say though is that this book splendidly pulls off the Asimov vibe , while Donald Kingsbury adds enough to the book to make it original enough to be his. It really works, considering this book is set a thousand years into the future since the formation of the Second Foundation.. While not being an officially sanctioned book, it does mean that some liberties have to be taken, like in the names of things. For example, take Hari Seldon. In the book, he's not referred to with that name, but rather The Founder. Rith is Earth, Splendid Wisdom is Trantor, Faraway is Terminus, Cloun the Stubborn is the Mule, and so on. It's a shame that it wasn't published as an official book.

Donald Kingsbury tried to make Psychohistory more mathematically believeable, enough to add depth to the concept, and while I'm nowhere being a math genius, he was convincing enough that it actually started to make sense in my little brain. It might not make any sense to those with more mathematical knowledge, but I think what's important in a story like this is making a believable sci-fi story, and he pulls it off brilliantly while adding lots of depth to it.

And while having lots of depth to it, it is also a very dense book to read. This is not a light read by any means, but it is very satisfying. But then again that might just be me since I do tend to like dense reads that tend to take me a long time to read as I like to get a long of bang for the buck.

I was very impressed with this book and If I had to recommend it to Asimov fans, I wouldn't hesitate. And with that said, I do recommend it, even if you're not an Asimov fan. You might even gain appreciation for his work through this.

Author: Donald Kingsbury
Pages: 512
Publisher: Tor Books (2001)

And Music Too...

2005-09-20T15:56:00.000-04:00

Well, it didn't take me long, but I've decided that I'll be including music reviews too. I like to think that I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, and I don't just buy what the media tries to shove down my throat. In fact, I hardly ever listen to the radio. If something catches my ears while browsing and I like what I hear enough for me to do some research, then I'm likely to buy if it's something I can find in a brick and mortar store. That's right. Call me archaic, but I don't do any online shopping. My reason is simple: I don't own a credit card as I find they are a spawn of the devil, too easy to get oneself into debt. If I can't find it in a store, I don't buy it, simple as that. I used to download music through Napster, but those days are long gone as it is such a fuss these days.

The unfortunate thing about buying only in brick and mortar stores is that if I can't find the music I'm looking for while taking a look through the local music stores, then I probably won't be able to have it, and it's only really rare for this to happen. Case in point, there is some really good east coast music that is available online and only available locally to the east coast (read that as Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and that general area of land), so the only way I'd be able to buy them would be to visit a particular music store in the east coast, which I know carries them, but that won't happen for awhile. Ahh, oh well, I can always dream can't I?

First Post

2005-09-19T23:06:00.000-04:00

I'm literally fresh out from the blog creation process and ready to meet the electronic world! So, if things seem a little rough around the edges, it's just me trying to get used to the new furniture.

I've noticed a lot of people tend to describe themselves and what their blog is about on the first post, so I'm not going to shy away from that, but instead I'll try to go on long enough to bore you.

First, as the name of the blog suggests, it is primarily about books. I love reading. I have huge stacks of books on my bookshelf waiting to be read, both store bought books and classics that I end up finding where I least expect them. I guess you could call me a slow reader, as I take the time to read a book at my own pace. Typically, a book will take me about a month to read, sometimes less, sometimes more, depending on the thickness or the story itself. If the book is exciting enough, I'll maybe end up reading it in about a week or two.

This blog will document my adventures in reading, as I describe how I depict how certain passages in books look to me and from my perspective throughout my journey of reading them, then I'll review them, tell you what I thought of the book and give them my praise or tell you if they are fit for the pits, and I'll tell you what I'm currently reading. If we're going to be in this reading adventure together, I might as well try to be interesting, to give you something to read about, as you read about me reading books. Yes, it's going to be an interesting adventure for you and I...