Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Jul 312006
 

Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis and Tracy HickmanI show the old cover here because I like it better than the one they have out now. Larry Elmore’s artwork after all. :)

I recently finished reading Dragons of Winter Night by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. It took me a while to be able to come back and write about it since it had a profound affect on me.

This is the second book in the Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy. The story continues with the war against the Dragon Queen and we quickly find the companions separated and forced to rise up against overwhelming odds.

What I liked in this book is that we watch three of the characters (Laurana, Sturm, and Tas) really grow and who they are as characters gets fully developed.

What’s frustrating about the book is that it is shorter than the first one and crammed with much more information. It was disappointing to me to have blips of the story summed up in a poorly written song instead of playing out in the book. But my love for the characters and their adventure allows me to embrace and cherish the story regardless.

My three favorite characters that I listed from the first book (the old mage, Tas, and Sturm) are still my favorites, but now I can add Laurana to that list as well.

I’m having a hard time writing about this book since I find that having met characters like Sturm, I find that I am forever changed. It doesn’t make much sense probably I know. And in time perhaps I will repost and explain more.

In any event, this trilogy is a remarkable one. On to the next book!

Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

Jul 252006
 

Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy HickmanI show the old cover here because I like it better than the one they have out now. Larry Elmore’s artwork after all. :)

I finally read Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. And yes, it was amazing. Now it ranks as one of my favorite books to have ever read.

It’s so well known that I’ll skip summarizing it and speak instead about what I liked. I found the writing style to be smooth and enticing, inviting the reader into the quickened pace of the story. It fed well into the tense, adventurous moments. And the story flowed with the feel of one excellent campaign.

Each of the characters are remarkable in their own right, however three eased their way into making them my favorites of the book:

The Old Mage – The delicate ease at which he starts the companions off on their adventure I found to be highly amusing. His bubbling “accidents” are fun to see, as are the ways the other characters react to him. Yes, this old mage is one amazing character.

Tasslehoff Burrfoot – Tas is a kender, a race that doesn’t know fear, so when one says that he’s feeling uneasy, you know you are in it deep. He has a habit of “acquiring” things from rings to string and everything in between — and when questioned about them always declares, “It’s lucky I found it. You must have dropped it along the way.” I love his childlike mannerisms, the bright outlook on life, and the overall fun of the adventure. Yep, he too is just an all around great character!

Sturm Brightblade – He is the honorable knight with a deep and sad history. A lot weighs on his mind and can be seen in his expressions. I’ve never read a story before with a knight in it that follows the code of honor so that is what speaks to me about him. He is a dignified and rich character, whose mannerisms of chivalry make me smile. Indeed, a regal character.

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Who is your favorite character from the first book and why? Feel free to post  about it here.

Why the Lone Gunmen was Cancelled by Dean Haglund

Jul 242006
 

Why the Lone Gunmen was Cancelled by Dean HaglundI recently stumbled upon this comic book, written, penciled, and inked by Dean Haglund. After being asked enough about why the show was cancelled, Dean took to creating this comic.

The comic’s construction definitely has an underground feel to it, which lends well to this subject matter and to what the show was all about. I enjoyed the illustrations, especially the pronounced chin that Dean gave himself. I found the story interesting to read, with an underlying sadness that blends with the humor of the writing style.

Basically what I get out of this is that the big wigs in charge of these shows really are a pain. Sheesh.

Amazing Toys by Schleich

Jul 202006
 

PegasusI had a happy find this weekend when a friend and I stumbled upon a display of Schleich Toys. If you are not familiar with Schleich, they are a German company known for making various figurines, including smurfs, knights, magical creatures, and more.

I first learned of them about a year and a half ago when another friend of mine dragged me into some small town gift shop. There I was presented with an awe-inspiring display of knights in battle. Naturally my first purchase was that of the black knight. :)

Black KnightThey are beginning to show up more or perhaps I am merely noticing them more often. Target even has a display of these toys now!

And this past weekend, we discovered more than just the knights — my eyes first gravitated toward a pegasus with glittery silver tipped wings, while my friend dove for the dragons. We’d only ever seen one dragon by them before. Now they have more, and in different colors too! Yay!

Then I looked on the next shelf down and discovered a phoenix. Yes, a phoenix!

For those of you that don’t know, I adore the phoenix and the symbolism behind the creature. You will see that in my jewelry, my home décor, my writing, and even the way I approach life. You can imagine how excited I am to have found this! :) And now I share because yes, there are some very cool toys out there.

Phoenix

Creative Writing Prompt: Victorian Jewelry Organizer

Jul 202006
 

Jewelry OrganizerI’ve seen similar versions of this jewelry stand out in stores and every time I see one I quickly back away. Looking at it fills my mind with visions fit for nightmares.

Tentacles pour out from where a head should be.

*shiver* Ick.

But my mind often lurks around the edges of horror. It’s just the way things are with me. You grow up in a house lovingly cluttered with books by Stephen King and this is what happens.

What do you see when you look at that jewelry stand? Where does your mind take you?

Allow yourself to freewrite on it or even just to fantasize a bit. Get those creative juices flowing and have fun. Feel free to share your thoughts on it here.

Got a picture you’d like to share as a writing prompt? Feel free to post a link to it here.

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner

Jul 182006
 

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen TurnerAfter reading and enjoying the book, The Thief, so much, I decided to dive right into the follow up book, The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner.

First, let me start off by saying that this book is dark in nature. I will warn that there are scenes that may seem too difficult to read for a child. I’m surprised this book is considered a YA book. I found moments hard to stomach. Just look at the cover. See the hook and cuff? I should have seen it coming, but I wasn’t really paying attention.

The crux of the book focuses on our favorite thief from the first book, Eugenides. We are forced to feel his pain and sorrow in this story as he goes through his personal hell. It’s not pretty. There is a glimmer of hope in those first 100 or so pages, but it’s really hard to see.

Midway through the book, we see signs of our loveable character again, but he’s never really the same and that is painful to read. Harder I think because the author has endeared me to the character so well. His father and his queen, Eddis, also shine in this book as strong characters.

However, I found the love story in this book to be off and somewhat disturbing in feel. Stalkerish at points too. Plus, the book spends too much time on the political nonsense between countries and the play by play of the war. I found myself skimming over those pages and hoping they’d go away. Trimming them would make for a better read, while still giving us a clear picture of what’s going on.

Despite those blips, I am haunted by the characters because they have ingrained themselves so deeply into my mind. And the lesson Eugenides learns from his Gods is one that causes one to pause and think. Yes, I must read the next book, The King of Attolia. It’s a necessity.

2006 Netflix Rolling Roadshow

Jul 172006
 

2006 Netflix Rolling RoadshowWhat a bizarre, yet intriguing concept. Netflix is sponsoring a movie screening road tour, “,” where you get to watch the flick where it was filmed. Watch at the place that inspired it, the Stanley Hotel. Eek! Nightmares folks…Oh and there’s a writing contest for attendees too. Fun stuff!

On a tamer note, you can watch from a parking lot across from a Quick Stop. Or my favorite and yet another nightmare inducing one: watch on the beach of Martha’s Vineyard.

The tour kicks off with a screening of The Warriors on August 2 at Coney Island. They’ve even got a crazy contest, “the Warriors Subway Scavenger Hunt,” leading up to it. Contestants even have to dress the part. Hah. Crazy indeed. :P

Check out the for complete tour information. It looks like it will be a lot of fun. :)

The Amazing Screw-On Head

Jul 142006
 

The Amazing Screw-On HeadSci-Fi.com is featuring an online animation that’s based on a comic by Mike Mignola. I’m not familiar with this comic so I can only speak to the episode I watched.

The episode introduces us to The Amazing Screw-On Head, top spy working for president Abraham Lincoln. His archenemy and former servant, Emperor Zombie, has stolen an artifact that must be retrieved. Life on Earth depends on it, naturally.

Overall I found it to be somewhat unpolished with blotchy animation and disruptive scene changes. The design work itself does yield a gritty graphic novel feel with its gray tones washed over the artwork. It is an interesting premise that needs some cleaning up to really capture the right twisted yet humorous feel they seem to be going for.

I liked the characters, especially Emperor Zombie. David Hyde Pierce lent his voice to this character, giving it that amusing prim-like feel that enhanced the zombie’s ex-manservant persona. The flies around his head were a nice touch.

Here’s looking to see what becomes of this.

Go watch. Take the survey too.

Enjoy!

Dungeon Crawl Classics #35: Gazetteer of the Known Realms

Jul 132006
 

Dungeon Crawl Classics #35: Gazetteer of the Known RealmsIt’s always fun when your D&D character becomes immortalized in printed word, so naturally I must take a moment to share.

The basis of my character, Sonechki (Yes my site is named after her), and her companions, Aunyx, Kashya, Linni, Sparkmaker, and Tala all appear in as NPCs. Fun, eh?

Better still, her unruly familiar, Evvit is there too. In fact, all the animal companions (Mungo and Stin’Kki) are there. The psicrystals (Y’na and Chenneth) too.

And they are just part of the fun.

It’s a box set that seems to come with lots of goodies — maps, books, you know, stuff. But you can read more about all that by checking out .

And if you would like to check out any of the author sites, here you go:

Enjoy!

Slips Be Gone in the Summer

Jul 122006
 

It’s hot. Worse yet, it’s humid. Yes, that’s stating the obvious, but there you have it. Lately we’ve had that kind of weather where you step outside and instantly wilt. Despite that I’m am still trying to walk to work from Port Authority when I can and naturally there are visions to be regrettably seen.

Wardrobes have taken an eye-wincing turn this summer. This may happen every summer in the City, but it’s my first, probably making it all the more noticeable. The first thing you will notice is that clothing becomes less and less and sometimes perhaps optional.

What I am seeing more and more though are the absence of slips being worn with skirts. Normally I could care less about such a thing, but the skirts are becoming gauzier in the fabrics, with white being a predominant color. Again you think, so what?

Well, here’s the only reason I even notice this — thongs seem to be the choice of panties worn with these skirts. Yes, thongs. I’m often finding myself stuck walking behind various sizes of wobbly asses that are being strutted by women who walk with a step that declares, “I AM SEXY! RAH!”

It’s no wonder I’m often queasy these days…

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