Sunday, July 22, 2012
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Legerdemain: Noun: Skillful tricks and sleight of hand. The performance of magic tricks for instance, or clever wordplay. A sentance using this word might be: "The street performer awed the crowd with his expert feats of legerdemain." I really enjoy this word. It just sounds cool, and its easy to use. Practically everyone can perform some act of legerdemain, which is an interesting thing to be able to say about yourself.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Magic Strikes
By Ilona Andrews
Book Three in the Kate Daniels series.
You'd think by now Kate would have learned how to stay out of trouble. Keep to herself. Stay below the radar like she's supposed to. But no. Instead, she gets herself in Derek's and Jim's issues. Derek, being nineteen, has a girl-related issue. The issue being that the human girl in question is part of a fighting group at the Midnight Games, a preturnatural fighting tournament that the Pack is completely forbidden from entering. And the rest of her team is probably not human, were, or anything else that simple or easy to deal with. And then they attack Derek and pretty much shred him.
So, obviously it's Kate's problem too, and of course she can't tell Curran about this, because then he would have to kill Jim, and probably Derek (if the aformentioned attack made him go loup) and the rest of Jim's team. And he'd have to do this because it's his job and they couldn't just tell him about these issues and instead pretty much went AWOL. You can just tell that this will go brilliantly, can't you.
Ah, Kate. I do love her, but she has no sense of self-preservation. I swear she and Curran actually enjoy beating their heads together over issues that could be resolved easily if anyone could actually keep their head long enugh to try diplomacy or logic. I really love Ilona Andrews. Great plots, great characters, brilliantly sarcastic humor, and some really bloody violence. What more can you ask for? The next one in this series comes out soon and I am pretty much climbing the walls waiting for it. AS always, love the book, love the author, love the series. Read it.
Book Three in the Kate Daniels series.
You'd think by now Kate would have learned how to stay out of trouble. Keep to herself. Stay below the radar like she's supposed to. But no. Instead, she gets herself in Derek's and Jim's issues. Derek, being nineteen, has a girl-related issue. The issue being that the human girl in question is part of a fighting group at the Midnight Games, a preturnatural fighting tournament that the Pack is completely forbidden from entering. And the rest of her team is probably not human, were, or anything else that simple or easy to deal with. And then they attack Derek and pretty much shred him.
So, obviously it's Kate's problem too, and of course she can't tell Curran about this, because then he would have to kill Jim, and probably Derek (if the aformentioned attack made him go loup) and the rest of Jim's team. And he'd have to do this because it's his job and they couldn't just tell him about these issues and instead pretty much went AWOL. You can just tell that this will go brilliantly, can't you.
Ah, Kate. I do love her, but she has no sense of self-preservation. I swear she and Curran actually enjoy beating their heads together over issues that could be resolved easily if anyone could actually keep their head long enugh to try diplomacy or logic. I really love Ilona Andrews. Great plots, great characters, brilliantly sarcastic humor, and some really bloody violence. What more can you ask for? The next one in this series comes out soon and I am pretty much climbing the walls waiting for it. AS always, love the book, love the author, love the series. Read it.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Numinous: adjective: Supernatural, mysterious, holy, or divine. Numinous is a lovely word, I think. It sounds like bright halos and moonshine shimmers. Mmmm. The queen held a numinous beauty.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
An Artificial Night
By Seanan McGuire
An October Daye Novel
Toby Daye, knight errant and half-fae PI, has always be what you might call danger-prone. She manages to get herself fairly messed up a bit too often for her friends tastes, and it shows no sings of stopping. See, the problem is that whatever she's getting shot at, stabbed for, turned into a fish because of, et cetera, is usually very important. This time is no different.
Children are disappearing: fae, changeling, and human. They disappear in the night without a trace, and all the signs point to Blind Michael. Two of Toby's best friend's children have disappeared, and another won't wake. Blind Michael takes children every century for his hunt, the fae to ride, the humans to be ridden. Now Toby must face an enemy more dangerous than any before, and time is running out. She is in the realm of childrens' games now, always fair and never kind. Kids are in danger, the Wild Hunt rides, and Toby's Fetch just showed up at her door.
How many miles to Babylon?
It's threescore miles and ten
Can I get there by candlelight?
Aye and back again.
If your feet are nimble and your steps are light
you can get there and back by the candle's light.
I know I've said this before, but I really love Toby, Seanan McGuire, and the Luidaeg. Oh, and May, but she's new to anyone who hasn't read the whole series already. May's Toby's Fetch. She's fun, even with the whole harbinger of death thing. Anyway, as always, SUCH a good book. Lyrical, funny, enthralling, and suspenseful. Toby's in as much trouble as usual, and as usual she's letting her hero complex do the thinking. Such an amusing idiot, that girl is. Gives her friends too many heart attacks for their comfort, but that just makes it more entertaining. LOVE IT! I need to go reread it now. Bye!
An October Daye Novel
Toby Daye, knight errant and half-fae PI, has always be what you might call danger-prone. She manages to get herself fairly messed up a bit too often for her friends tastes, and it shows no sings of stopping. See, the problem is that whatever she's getting shot at, stabbed for, turned into a fish because of, et cetera, is usually very important. This time is no different.
Children are disappearing: fae, changeling, and human. They disappear in the night without a trace, and all the signs point to Blind Michael. Two of Toby's best friend's children have disappeared, and another won't wake. Blind Michael takes children every century for his hunt, the fae to ride, the humans to be ridden. Now Toby must face an enemy more dangerous than any before, and time is running out. She is in the realm of childrens' games now, always fair and never kind. Kids are in danger, the Wild Hunt rides, and Toby's Fetch just showed up at her door.
How many miles to Babylon?
It's threescore miles and ten
Can I get there by candlelight?
Aye and back again.
If your feet are nimble and your steps are light
you can get there and back by the candle's light.
I know I've said this before, but I really love Toby, Seanan McGuire, and the Luidaeg. Oh, and May, but she's new to anyone who hasn't read the whole series already. May's Toby's Fetch. She's fun, even with the whole harbinger of death thing. Anyway, as always, SUCH a good book. Lyrical, funny, enthralling, and suspenseful. Toby's in as much trouble as usual, and as usual she's letting her hero complex do the thinking. Such an amusing idiot, that girl is. Gives her friends too many heart attacks for their comfort, but that just makes it more entertaining. LOVE IT! I need to go reread it now. Bye!
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Effervescent: adjective: Effervescent means sparkly, fizzy, or bubbly, and can be applied to either a liquid or a person. This seems to me one of those words that sounds like what it means, whats the term I'm thinking of... ah yes, a homophone*. Effervescent is just a sparkly word. "Layla's effervescent personality lit up a room." mmm.... I really do like this word.
*No, wait, that's wrong. I can't believe I had that up for three weeks without noticing that. The word I was looking for was onomatopoeic. Effervescent is onomatopoeic, not a homophone. Grrr. Stupid confusing English language.
*No, wait, that's wrong. I can't believe I had that up for three weeks without noticing that. The word I was looking for was onomatopoeic. Effervescent is onomatopoeic, not a homophone. Grrr. Stupid confusing English language.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Discount Armageddon
By Seanan McGuire
Book One of the InCryptids series
Verity Price isn't your average girl. Nor is she your average monster hunter. Her job is to, rather than exterminate the monsters, study them, protect them, and when necessary keep them from hurting humans. She is a Price girl, and cryptozoology is the family business.
At this point Very is living in New York for a year, trying to prove that ballroom dancing is a viable career option and keeping track of the city's cryptids. Unfortunately, it's never that simple.
Now local cryptids are vanishing, there are lizard men in the sewers, and there are rumors of a dragon sleeping underneath Manhattan. And to top it all off, there is the arrogant, aggravating Covenant operative Dominic De Luca poking about and trying to kill any cryptid he come across, the brainwashed idiot. For the sake of a token attempt at brevity, let's not even get into her boss, the religious mice, her telepathic, math geek, cryptid cousin Sarah, the snake cult trying to wake the dragon, or the attractiveness of the aforementioned brainwashed idiot.
Well, I am certainly glad I picked this book up. The next Toby Daye book doesn't come out until fall, and I've read everything else written by Seanan McGuire several times. Discount Armageddon, along with providing me with a much-needed new book, has hooked me on yet another series. I mean, really, the book is fantastic! Well written, hysterically funny, addictive plot-line and characters, and with fascinating new critters I'd never heard of! Just what I expect from such a good author. As always, loved it, need the next one! Which isn't out yet. Grr...
Book One of the InCryptids series
Verity Price isn't your average girl. Nor is she your average monster hunter. Her job is to, rather than exterminate the monsters, study them, protect them, and when necessary keep them from hurting humans. She is a Price girl, and cryptozoology is the family business.
At this point Very is living in New York for a year, trying to prove that ballroom dancing is a viable career option and keeping track of the city's cryptids. Unfortunately, it's never that simple.
Now local cryptids are vanishing, there are lizard men in the sewers, and there are rumors of a dragon sleeping underneath Manhattan. And to top it all off, there is the arrogant, aggravating Covenant operative Dominic De Luca poking about and trying to kill any cryptid he come across, the brainwashed idiot. For the sake of a token attempt at brevity, let's not even get into her boss, the religious mice, her telepathic, math geek, cryptid cousin Sarah, the snake cult trying to wake the dragon, or the attractiveness of the aforementioned brainwashed idiot.
Well, I am certainly glad I picked this book up. The next Toby Daye book doesn't come out until fall, and I've read everything else written by Seanan McGuire several times. Discount Armageddon, along with providing me with a much-needed new book, has hooked me on yet another series. I mean, really, the book is fantastic! Well written, hysterically funny, addictive plot-line and characters, and with fascinating new critters I'd never heard of! Just what I expect from such a good author. As always, loved it, need the next one! Which isn't out yet. Grr...
Monday, February 20, 2012
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Autocratic: Adjective: resembling or pertaining to an autocrat. also known as being high and mighty, tyrannical, despotic, and/or domineering. Very old or very powerful vampires tend to be very autocratic, for some reason. I think it's something about knowing you could have everyone in the room killed--or kill them yourself. I find their bewilderment when the hero or heroine of the piece shows up and doesn't do whatever they say ever so entertaining. Curran from Magic Bites is somewhat autocratic, I believe.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Catch-22
By Joseph Heller
People are trying to kill Yossarian. He knows this is true because every time he goes up in the air to drop bombs, people he doesn't know shoot at him with cannons. He wants nothing more than to be out of the war, but that is looking increasingly impossible. Technically he only has to fly a certain number of missions, then he can go home. Unfortunately, Colonel Cathcart keeps raising the number of missions he has to fly. He could also, theoretically, be excused on grounds of insanity. Catch 22, however, states that wanting to fly dangerous missions is insane, and not wanting to is sane. Therefore, if he applies to get out, he is sane, and so has to keep flying missions. This is war in the twentieth century though the prism of sanity. Or insanity, if you prefer.
This book is really quite entertaining. Wierd as all get out, but entertaining. I wouldn't call it funny in the same way that, say, Terry Pratchett is funny. It's more just the sheer weirdness of the book and the insanity of the characters that gives it its unique character. Every single character, I swear, is utterly, completely insane. I know I keep using this word, but there is really no way to describe this book than brilliant, weird, genius. There is a movie, which I haven't seen, so I don't know if it's any good. I am a bit apprehensive, because I'm not sure Catch-22 would translate well. Really an extremely good book. It's too odd a book for me to gush on like I usually do, but it is fantastic nonetheless.
People are trying to kill Yossarian. He knows this is true because every time he goes up in the air to drop bombs, people he doesn't know shoot at him with cannons. He wants nothing more than to be out of the war, but that is looking increasingly impossible. Technically he only has to fly a certain number of missions, then he can go home. Unfortunately, Colonel Cathcart keeps raising the number of missions he has to fly. He could also, theoretically, be excused on grounds of insanity. Catch 22, however, states that wanting to fly dangerous missions is insane, and not wanting to is sane. Therefore, if he applies to get out, he is sane, and so has to keep flying missions. This is war in the twentieth century though the prism of sanity. Or insanity, if you prefer.
This book is really quite entertaining. Wierd as all get out, but entertaining. I wouldn't call it funny in the same way that, say, Terry Pratchett is funny. It's more just the sheer weirdness of the book and the insanity of the characters that gives it its unique character. Every single character, I swear, is utterly, completely insane. I know I keep using this word, but there is really no way to describe this book than brilliant, weird, genius. There is a movie, which I haven't seen, so I don't know if it's any good. I am a bit apprehensive, because I'm not sure Catch-22 would translate well. Really an extremely good book. It's too odd a book for me to gush on like I usually do, but it is fantastic nonetheless.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Awesome Word (Or Phrase) of the Unspecified Random Time Period
Defenestration: Verb: To throw a person or object out of a window. For instance, "Oh, good! Marvin has defenestrated the villain!"
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Beautiful City of the Dead
By Leander Watts
"It begins with fire"
Zee is a quiet, odd girl with a notebook full of band names and song lyrics, a fascination with the bizarre, and a bass guitar. Relly is a strange, thin kid with a band, a burning, and the peculiar, extraordinary truth. When Zee joins Scorpio Bone, things begin to come together. Relly's band plays Ghost Metal, so loud it almost crushes your skull, but inside the sheer noise is silence, singing. And with Zee, they are no longer ordinary, outcasts, less. They are more, they are magic: Teenage heavy metal gods in a battle for survival and success.
"It takes four and no more.
It takes four to win the war."
An orchestral phantasm of screaming midnight storms and the utter silence of gravestone poetry, Beautiful City of the Dead is an absolutely stunning book. Not a very long book, but the sheer poetry of it really packs a punch. Lovely, absolutely lovely. Unusual, original, and pure magic.
"It begins with fire"
Zee is a quiet, odd girl with a notebook full of band names and song lyrics, a fascination with the bizarre, and a bass guitar. Relly is a strange, thin kid with a band, a burning, and the peculiar, extraordinary truth. When Zee joins Scorpio Bone, things begin to come together. Relly's band plays Ghost Metal, so loud it almost crushes your skull, but inside the sheer noise is silence, singing. And with Zee, they are no longer ordinary, outcasts, less. They are more, they are magic: Teenage heavy metal gods in a battle for survival and success.
"It takes four and no more.
It takes four to win the war."
An orchestral phantasm of screaming midnight storms and the utter silence of gravestone poetry, Beautiful City of the Dead is an absolutely stunning book. Not a very long book, but the sheer poetry of it really packs a punch. Lovely, absolutely lovely. Unusual, original, and pure magic.
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