strange and random happenstance

This one is going to be a hard one to write about. I was a fan of Neil Gaiman. I saw him speak twice and got to meet him at one of those events. He seemed perfectly lovely and dedicated to his fans. As we've since learned by the allegations that first broke on Tortoise Media this was all a front. A way for the spider to lure in the flies. The fallout was deservedly harsh, projects were scrapped left and right. The Sandman was almost completely wrapped when the news about Gaiman broke. Therefore production continued. What was to be done with the show could be decided later. After all Anansi Boys was completely finished when it was permanently shelved. Amazon got a nice tax write-off and got to appear as if they're supporting the victims when it was really all about the bottom line. But the thing is, The Sandman has a life of it's own. The fanbase is all-encompassing. Netflix knew that the clamor Amazon was experiencing over Good Omens was nothing to what they would face if this season never saw the light of day. Plus the team were claiming, whether honestly or to cover their asses, that the series had always been planned as two seasons and Gaiman wasn't really involved. Though I do question that second statement after reading some interviews. So season two of the show dropped in July with no fanfare and minimal press coverage. And I honestly didn't know if I'd be able to watch it. While having previously been a fan of Gaiman I had never been a fan of The Sandman comics. And oh how I tried. But I'd get about six books in, up to Brief Lives, and just throw in the towel. I never got any further and at least now I never have to force myself to finish this series. I am done with it. As for the adaptation, I did feel the need to tune in. The show worked for me where the comics did not. The rough edges and the excessive rapes had been sanded away. And at least we now know why Gaiman included so many rapes. Which actually made parts of this season a painful experience, and not just because of the autotuning of Ruairi O'Connor as Orpheus. When Nada confronts Dream about his treatment of her you are horrified thinking about how the man who wrote this put women in this same situation over and over again. And why bring back the rapist author, Richard Madoc as played by Arthur Darvill? Did they want to hit us over the head with the fact that Gaiman basically wrote his sick fantasies into this series? That Richard Madoc was his avatar in this fictional world. I mean, if Gaiman hadn't been such a good showman we should have seen what was right in front of us all along. Oh, the irony of the second series being about reconciliation and redemption after the first one was about reclamation and revenge. Because he denies it all. There will be no reconciliation for him. No redemption. And there can be no separation of art and the artist, he made sure of that. A part of me even wondered if originally Gaiman was supposed to be there at Dream's funeral next to Madoc. Thankfully that didn't happen. And even if their creator will forever be in torment, at least his creations were given a fresh start. They were released out into the world. They were set free. Hopefully not to ever be caught in their creators net again. Forever connected by somehow liberated.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Amazon, Anansi Boys, And the Emmy Goes To, Arthur Darvill, Avatar, Brief Lives, Comics, Dream, Good Omens, Neil Gaiman, Netflix, Orpheus, Rape, Richard Maddoc, Ruairi O'Connor, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, The Sandman, Tortoise Media

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Published by: HarperTorch
Publication Date: 1990
Format: Paperback, 412 Pages
Rating: ★★★★
To Buy

Crowley and Aziraphale have quite literally been there since the beginning. Man, woman, garden, snake. Crowley was the snake, Aziraphale was wielding the flaming sword while guarding the gates of Eden, but please don't ask about where the sword is now. But nowadays Crowley has the car and the suave clothes that befit his side while Aziraphale collects books. What else is there to do when you're waiting for the world to end? The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch predicted it all back in 1655. And that's not the nice that indicates the end of the world next Saturday is a good thing, it's the other, more "precise" kind. It's going to happen. Everything has been put in place, the "horsemen" are assembling, the time has come for the uprising of evil to herald the end of days. If only there hadn't been that little mix up with the son of Satan a few years back. Because if things had gone to plan it would have been a nice and smooth end to the world, instead it's complicated. Of course some of that was on purpose. Crowley and Aziraphale aren't sure whose side they're on because they rather like the world as it is, even if any tape left overly long in a car will start blaring Freddie Mercury and Queen. So they formed a plan. Crowley was meant to switch the son of an American diplomat with the Antichrist. Which he did. He and Aziraphale then posed as benevolent beings in this boy's life so that good and evil had an equal chance when the end days came. But not even their plan has gone to plan because the baby was switched again. Because the real Antichrist is a boy named Adam Young who has grown up in the perfect idyll of Lower Tadfield, Oxfordshire. Which means now that the Apocalypse is nigh the race is on to find the real Antichrist. But Crowley and Aziraphale aren't the only ones looking for Adam. There's Anathema Device, the descendant of Agnes Nutter, and Newton Pulsifer, a descendant of the Witchfinder who burned Agnes at the stake and the only current recruit to the Witchfinder Army. With time against them they all end up working together in ways they never would have thought. But can you go up against a witch who always knew what was going to happen? Or can you thwart the omens?

I first picked up Good Omens when it was rumored that Neil Gaiman would be stopping by the 2011 North American Discworld Convention here in Madison, Wisconsin. I found it kind of lacking. Too many characters, too many dated jokes, an ending that was more whimper than bang. I love Gaiman and Pratchett but I was not sure I loved them together. Then Neil made his magnificent appearance with Pratchett and their stories, their friendship, breathed new life into the story for me. I could see what they were trying to do which didn't really happen for me when reading the book. I was too busy figuring out who was who and who wrote which section. After that talk I decided that I should, in the near future, reread it with this newfound appreciation. Of course given my reading habits the near future turned into eight years. But at least it wasn't a whole decade! The main reason I picked it up again is because the book had been adapted by Amazon and David Tennant and Michael Sheen were starring as Crowley and Aziraphale, a more perfect casting I could never imagine. So I reread the book and I enjoyed it doubly as much as I previously did. I still had issues, I still think there are too many characters and sometimes the little vignettes staged to get a certain joke across instead of adding to the narrative take away from the overall structure of the book. Because this book doesn't flow. It's setup after setup and some work and some don't. Which leads me to inevitably talk about the adaptation, which did a good job of fixing some problems while adding in new ones. Who hired Frances McDormand to narrate? She was horrible. But ignoring Frances McDormand, which I admit is hard to do, the adaptation was the opportunity to fix the book and, for the most part, fix it they did. In particular the third episode "Hard Times" which chronicles the friendship of Crowley and Aziraphale through the ages is one of the best hours of television you will ever watch. It is two people who are genuinely friends playing two characters who, despite being on opposite sides of the celestial war, are genuinely friends. It ALL comes down to friendship, and that is a good thing.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Adaptation, Antichrist, Aziraphale, Crowley, David Tennant, For the Love of Book Clubs, Good Omens, Michael Sheen, NADWCon, Neil Gaiman, Terry Pratchett, The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter

Any fan of Good Omens or it's two authors will know the turbulent history of trying to get an adaptation of it made. Years and years of trouble and strife all for it to finally come together only because of Terry's death. His death hit me hard, it was one of the only times I've cried for an author and not because of something they've written. And Neil promised Terry that Good Omens would happen. Almost two year's after Terry's death it was announced that Neil himself was adapting the book to be a six part miniseries for Amazon that would be released in 2019. Later that year Michael Sheen and David Tennant (listed alphabetically using David's stage name) joined as the two leads. The show is jammed with the cream of the crop of British guest stars, so much so some people didn't notice a few recognizable Americans snuck in there as well. The show, like the book, is uneven. And don't get me started on France McDormand's narration as God. Never has someone so talented phoned in their performance so epicly. The show would be almost 100% better if they just edited her out. A lesson they took to heart in season two. Yet for me, and for most fans, the heart of the show is the relationship between Aziraphale and Crowley. Season one's best episode is "Hard Times" and all it is is their relationship through the ages. And it is priceless. Because the friendship and love isn't just between the two characters but between the two actors. Michael and David have become the best of friends, so much so that during lockdown they created and starred in the award winning Staged, which is a fictionalized look at their lives. Therefore the second season of Good Omens had high expectations, because now EVERYONE knew that not only where the leads best friends but they shipped their characters. This show is unapologetically gay and fan service to the max, but that's why there is a second season, because of the fans. Season two works better than season one because it's on a smaller, more intimate scale. The main cast is just a handful of characters and it's all about finding love. Which makes all the Jane Austen references so perfect, even if she was secretly a criminal and to Crowley's shock, an author. But the show still has pacing problems. We spent way too much time with Job, but thankfully Aziraphale having the meat sweats distracted me a bit there, and I could have used even more Jon Hamm. Seriously, I hated his character in season one, but an amnesiac angel let him lean into his comedic abilities which he should seriously do more often. Has everyone seen A Young Doctor's Notebook? Because if not you should get on that right away. And for some reason, no matter how much I do love her, Miranda Richardson just didn't work. But all my problems fell away with the final two episodes. The whole show is about how people in power don't want you to ask questions. They don't want you to think that something they are against is a possibility, so an angel and a demon falling in love? It's the greatest protest you could stage. And stage it they did. So damn beautifully. That HEA was well earned. Sadly it wasn't for Aziraphale and Crowley. Which means if we don't get a season three someone will be hurt. It will probably be me.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: A Young Doctor's Notebook, And the Emmy Goes To, Angel, Aziraphale, Crowley, David Tennant, Demon, Good Omens, Good Omens 2, HEA, Jane Austen, Jon Hamm, LGBTQIA+, Michael Sheen, Neil Gaiman, Staged, Terry Pratchett

This has been one strange year for fans of television. What with the strikes as I type this we don't even know if there will be an Emmy Awards Broadcast. Sure they say sometime in the new year, but I wouldn't trust studios, networks, or streaming services who won't even pay their employees a living wage. Seriously, just pay them already!* I mean, seriously, look at this past year, look at all the amazing shows, and get it into your heads that none of this would have been possible without the writers and actors. The losses you're taking are costing you more than if you were to just pay them. Now, to get off my soapbox, let's celebrate the wonderful shows that were adapted from books this year. I mean, we had the big fantasy epics from George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien. We had the classics reinterpreted, from Tom Jones to Great Expectations to Dangerous Liaisons. We had the spooky and the kooky, from Lockwood and Co. to Wednesday to The Midnight Club. And these are just the shows I got around to watching! There were so many adaptations this year one has to wonder a little if there are any original ideas out there, but trust me, there are, just look to The Afterparty and Yellowjackets. Also, these adaptations showed what you could do with an open mind and a willingness to embrace the spirit of the source material but not be enslaved by it. There was rarely a show among these that I wouldn't be willing to watch again and again, like what I've done with the new season of Good Omens. So let's get this party started and join me in celebration of the wonders of adaptation.

*The WGA strike ended, successfully, on September 27th, 2023. The SAG-AFTRA strike is still ongoing.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: And the Emmy Goes To, Dangerous Liaisons, Emmy Award, Good Omens, Great Expectations, GRRM, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lockwood & Co., Strike, Television, The Afterparty, The Midnight Club, Tom Jones, Wednesday, Yellowjackets

I admit it, I was extremely worried about this adaptation of Terry Pratchett's work. For years and years he'd been trying to get this adaptation going and then he died and I figured well, The Watch was never going to happen. I didn't view it as much of a loss as of all the Discworld properties that had been adapted I felt only Going Postal really worked and the only one I had ever really been excited about was when Sam Raimi was attached to Tiffany Aching because I SO want to see Bruce Campbell as a feegle! But then Good Omens was a hit and The Watch was back. I reluctantly admit to the fact that I saw the preview for The Watch a handful of times before I even realized it was a Terry Pratchett adaptation. I remember seeing the first picture and the Brutalist cyberpunk vibe they were going for and just dismissed it outright, hence why I probably didn't put two and two together when the trailer dropped. But I was willing to give it a try. I couldn't be like all those other Pratchett fans dismissing it outright! I have to have informed dislike. And it turned out I didn't dislike it... in fact I kind of loved it. I didn't think Richard Dormer would work as the beloved Sam Vimes, having only seen him in Fortitude, but he brought an interesting and very pugnacious vibe to Sam. I can actually see him on the covers of the books as illustrated by Paul Kidby. As for Carrot and Angua, they are literally almost exactly as I pictured them. But the stars of this show are Sybil and Cheery. Sybil was taken from the periphery of Sam's life and given a place front and center and she just kicks ass, there's no other way to say it. I also love how awkward she and Sam are around each other, there's true chemistry there. But far and away this season is about Cheery. I so loved Jo Eaton-Kent as Cheery I can no longer see the character any other way. There's also so much depth brought to the character about finding yourself and how much bravery that takes and yes, the beard does make an appearance people! I just literally can't with how much I loved Cheery as brought to life by Jo. You are doing yourself a disfavor if you don't tune in. So it's not perfect, neither are Practhett's books the way they jump around in their narrative style, which this show fully embraces! So come on, embrace The Watch!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: And the Emmy Goes To, Bruce Campbell, Cheery, Cyberpunk, Discworld, Feegle, Going Postal, Good Omens, Jo Eaton-Kent, Paul Kidby, Richard Dormer, Sam Raimi, Sam Vimes, Terry Pratchett, The Watch, Tiffany Aching

The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins
Published by: Harper
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A servant and former slave is accused of murdering her employer and his wife in this astonishing historical thriller that moves from a Jamaican sugar plantation to the fetid streets of Georgian London - a remarkable literary debut with echoes of Alias Grace, The Underground Railroad, and The Paying Guests.

All of London is abuzz with the scandalous case of Frannie Langton, accused of the brutal double murder of her employers, renowned scientist George Benham and his eccentric French wife, Marguerite. Crowds pack the courtroom, eagerly following every twist, while the newspapers print lurid theories about the killings and the mysterious woman being tried at the Old Bailey.

The testimonies against Frannie are damning. She is a seductress, a witch, a master manipulator, a whore.

But Frannie claims she cannot recall what happened that fateful evening, even if remembering could save her life. She doesn’t know how she came to be covered in the victims’ blood. But she does have a tale to tell: a story of her childhood on a Jamaican plantation, her apprenticeship under a debauched scientist who stretched all bounds of ethics, and the events that brought her into the Benhams’ London home - and into a passionate and forbidden relationship.

Though her testimony may seal her conviction, the truth will unmask the perpetrators of crimes far beyond murder and indict the whole of English society itself.

The Confessions of Frannie Langton is a breathtaking debut: a murder mystery that travels across the Atlantic and through the darkest channels of history. A brilliant, searing depiction of race, class, and oppression that penetrates the skin and sears the soul, it is the story of a woman of her own making in a world that would see her unmade."

A different, deeper kind of murder mystery. Sign me up! And not just because I'm a sucker for Georgian London.

The Ghost of Hollow House by Linda Stratmann
Published by: Sapere Books
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Kindle, 325 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Mina Scarletti returns in her most thrilling mystery yet! Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes, Agatha Christie and Antonia Hodgson...

A peaceful country retreat has become the scene of relentless terror...

Sussex, 1872.

Mina Scarletti is invited to ancient Hollow House to investigate reports of ghostly occurrences.

The current occupants - newlyweds Mr Honeyacre and his wife, Kitty - have been plagued by unexplained noises and strange visions since moving into the property.

And now most of their servants refuse to stay at the house after dark for fear of encountering the ghostly presence of ‘the woman in white’.

A determined sceptic, Mina’s main concern is for Kitty, whose health appears to be dramatically sinking under the strain of all that is going on.

With the help of her trusted adviser, Dr Hamid, and her lively friend, Nell, Mina must get to the heart of the mystery.

Have the maids merely been frightening themselves with tales of the macabre? Is there a rational explanation for what is being reported?

Or will Mina be forced to admit to the presence of a ghost in Hollow House?"

A country house possibly plagued by the supernatural? This is my bread and butter people!

Mistress of the Ritz by Melanie Benjamin
Published by: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 384 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A captivating novel based on the story of the extraordinary real-life American woman who secretly worked for the French Resistance during World War II - while playing hostess to the invading Germans at the iconic Hôtel Ritz in Paris - from the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator's Wife and The Swans of Fifth Avenue.

Nothing bad can happen at the Ritz; inside its gilded walls every woman looks beautiful, every man appears witty. Favored guests like Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Coco Chanel, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor walk through its famous doors to be welcomed and pampered by Blanche Auzello and her husband, Claude, the hotel’s director. The Auzellos are the mistress and master of the Ritz, allowing the glamour and glitz to take their minds off their troubled marriage, and off the secrets that they keep from their guests - and each other.

Until June 1940, when the German army sweeps into Paris, setting up headquarters at the Ritz. Suddenly, with the likes of Hermann Goëring moving into suites once occupied by royalty, Blanche and Claude must navigate a terrifying new reality. One that entails even more secrets and lies. One that may destroy the tempestuous marriage between this beautiful, reckless American and her very proper Frenchman. For in order to survive - and strike a blow against their Nazi “guests” - Blanche and Claude must spin a web of deceit that ensnares everything and everyone they cherish.

But one secret is shared between Blanche and Claude alone - the secret that, in the end, threatens to imperil both of their lives, and to bring down the legendary Ritz itself.

Based on true events, Mistress of the Ritz is a taut tale of suspense wrapped up in a love story for the ages, the inspiring story of a woman and a man who discover the best in each other amid the turbulence of war."

As I'm currently reading another WWII book that talks about the French occupation, is there a better time to read about it?

Starship Repo by Patrick S. Tomlinson
Published by: Tor Books
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Paperback, 336 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Starship Repo is a fast-paced romp through the galaxy from Patrick S. Tomlinson.

Firstname Lastname is a no one with nowhere to go. With a name that is the result of an unfortunate clerical error and destined to be one of the only humans on an alien space station. That is until she sneaks aboard a ship and joins up with a crew of repomen (they are definitely not pirates).

Now she's traveling the galaxy "recovering" ships. What could go wrong?"

Because every now and then I'm desperate for a good space opera!

The Nice and Accurate Good Omens TV Companion by Matt Whyman
Published by: William Morrow
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 320 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"A stunning full-color, illustrated, behind-the-scenes guide to the Good Omens television series, adapted for the screen by Neil Gaiman himself and starring Michael Sheen and David Tennant.

Following the original novel’s chronological structure - from “the Beginning” to “End Times”—this official companion to the Good Omens television series, compiled by Matt Whyman, is a cornucopia of information about the show, its conception, and its creation. Offering deep and nuanced insight into Gaiman’s brilliantly reimagining of the Good Omens universe, The Nice and Accurate Good Omens TV Companion includes:

-A foreword from Neil Gaiman
-A profile of the director, Douglas McKinnon
-Neil’s take on the adaptation process, in which he explains his goals, approach, and diversions from the original text
-Interviews with the cast, including Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Nina Sosanya, Jon Hamm, Ned Dennehy, Josie Lawrence, Derek Jacobi, Nick Offerman, Frances McDormand, Miranda Richardson, Adria Arjona, and many others
-More than 200 color photographs
-And much more!

The must-have official companion guide to the Good Omens television series, Nice and Accurate TV Companion is a treasure trove of delights for fans of Good Omens, Neil Gaiman, and Terry Pratchett."

Anyone else SO excited for this series that they made their book club read Good Omens? OK, just me then...

Jim Henson's Labyrinth Coronation Volume Two by Simon Spurrier
Published by: Archaia
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 112 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"The untold origin of the Goblin King from Jim Henson’s cult-classic film, Labyrinth.

As the clock ticks ever closer to the thirteenth hour, Maria struggles through the canals of the Labyrinth alongside her peculiar band of companions, wishing desperately to be reunited with her son. While she may be no closer to the Owl King’s castle, Maria begins to uncover the secrets of the Labyrinth and her own power within the walls of this magical domain. But from deep in the shadows, the Owl King watches her every move, plotting and waiting to bring her demise by any means necessary. Written by Simon Spurrier (Jim Henson’s The Power of the Dark Crystal) and Ryan Ferrier (Kong on the Planet of the Apes) and illustrated by Daniel Bayliss (Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Dragons) and Irene Flores (Heavy Vinyl), Labyrinth: Coronation Volume Two continues the bestselling prequel to one of Jim Henson’s most iconic creations."

Yes, this is a very good prequel, but round about now it started to drag, I think they did too many issues... 

Hilda and the Nowhere Space by Stephen Davies
Published by: Flying Eye Books
Publication Date: May 21st, 2019
Format: Hardcover, 200 Pages
To Buy

The official patter:
"Caught up on Hilda on Netflix? Craving more adventures with your favorite blue-haired Sparrow Scout? This is the book for you! More badges, more thrills, more friends in the newest Hilda illustrated chapter book!

Meet Hilda: explorer, adventurer, avid sketchbook-keeper and friend to every creature in the valley!

Newly initiated into the Sparrow Scouts, Hilda is ready to explore and document the wilderness, and perhaps even make some human friends. Yet as luck would have it, there is a dark, menacing creature afoot near Trolberg, and Hilda is whisked back home to safety. Even so, intrigue seems to follow our blue-haired heroine wherever she goes, and it seems we may finally discover why so many socks in Trolberg seem to lose their mates."

Because EVERYONE needs more Hilda to hold them off until the six book by Luke Pearson this fall!

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Good Omens, Hilda, Labyrinth, Linda Stratmann, Luke Pearson, Melanie Benjamin, Neil Gaiman, Patrick S. Tomlinson, Sara Collins, Starship Repo, Terry Pratchett, The Confessions of Frannie Langton

I love to think back to the North American Discworld Convention in 2011 as the short time I physically lived in Discworld. Terry Pratchett's books have transported me there many times, but to have a physical passport and walk among people who were living the same immersion experience I was, well, that was truly unique. As an added bonus a few of my other favorite authors were along for the journey. There was Esther Friesner, Patrick Rothfuss, Stephen Baxter, and the rumors of Neil Gaiman. Since day one of the con the rumors had been spreading that the reason the Good Omens panel had been moved from it's scheduled time on Saturday to Sunday was because Neil himself would be coming. To have Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett in the same room together would be ecstasy. This seemed like it was literally too good to be true yet the whispers continued. I started to get swept up in the anticipation of possibly FINALLY seeing Neil Gaiman. My mind was making pro/con lists and I kept hoping that the pro of Neil actually living in Wisconsin would tip the scales. I couldn't concentrate on making my Sock Mac Feegle, I couldn't keep my lunch down. I was like an overexcited small child who was destined for a tantrum and in need of a nap.

That afternoon the crush to get into the main hall was epic. I wasn't the only one who was willing to believe in rumors and hearsay. But as it happens, sometimes there are glittering moments in your life when everything aligns and rumors are true. The cheers, which must have been heard blocks away, started before I could even see them. People were soon on their feet as Neil and Terry came into view. Then just hearing Neil speak. That voice! It was just enough to hear his voice. The panel was oddly voyeuristic. I felt like I was sitting watching Neil and Terry just chatting in their living room. They recounted many stories about how Good Omens was written, many of the anecdotes I'd read about before, but it was different seeing them reminisce. They also upheld the belief that at one point the book started writing itself because there is one line they both love but they swear neither of them wrote. They also discussed taking the picture for the back cover of the book. Terry remembers thinking how cool the "black and white" look would be, only Neil laid claim to the black so he was nice and warm in this cemetery, in winter, in England. While Terry was wearing a pair of very lightweight cricket pants and all the cricket accoutrement, being the only white clothes they could find at that time of year. Therefore you have the cool laid back Gaiman who spent the day climbing on tombstones, and a cold Pratchett huddling in the meager warmth of the mausoleum.

At one point they sang a bit of a They Might be Giants song and at another point, while recounting meeting a crazy person who wanted to buy the rights to the book demonstrated their "escape plan." They where to employ the code word "Biggles." But this lady was so beyond Biggles levels they both started to pretend to fly, in a move the fictional pilot would heartily approve. When Neil, near the end of the wondrous hour, got up and stood at the podium near me, he realized just how big the room was. Literally everyone from the convention came... well, they kept telling us not to miss it? And have I said... rumors? Here was Neil going, "Wow, there's people over here." It was nice to finally see his face and not just his dulcet tones. The podium had a purpose, of which Terry was suspicious. Turns out Neil was there to present the 2010 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy to Terry for I Shall Wear Midnight, a serious contender for my favorite Terry Pratchett book ever. Terry was very humble with his short speech: "About Bloody Time." I don't know if any author event or panel could ever live up to this. Since then Terry is sadly gone and Neil doesn't do as many events. But at least I can say I was there. Also, it wasn't the only time I was destined to see Neil.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Biggles, Esther Friesner, Gaiman Gala, Gaiman Reminiscence, Good Omens, I Shall Wear Midnight, Nac Mac Feegles, NADWCon, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, Rumors, Stephen Baxter, Terry Pratchett, They Might Be Giants

Since day one rumors had been spreading that the reason the Good Omens panel had been moved from Saturday to Sunday was because Neil himself would be coming. To have Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett in the same room together would be ecstasy. This was literally too good to be true. Yet the rumors continued. To bide our time, in a totally fun and not at all arduous manner, Jess and I went to the Patrick Rothfuss reading. This was a rare occasion to be in a small venue with the great author, seeing as his booksingings now have upwards of 600 people showing up. We where such a small group that he handed out copies of his book, The Princess and Mr. Whiffle, which we read as a group. I have never had a more fun experience. Having the book read aloud while we turned page by page, but never before Patrick's command. It gave a whole new level to the work, I was sad to hand back my book, even if I had one at home, it would have been a memento forever. He also read an Edda (aka old Norse poetry) that he wrote for an anthology starring Will Wheaton. It was beyond funny and everyone should go get it now! Though, I will share the best line: "While beneath the bass of a murderous mewing, Came the thunderous thrum of Proud Petrifax purring." So, you're by now going, ok, Rothfuss isn't Pratchett, no matter how awesome he is... so back to the con...

I stepped into the auction for a few minutes, where items from/about/loosely connected to Discworld where being auctioned off, some for insane amounts of money. I did not win what I wanted because I don't know if I missed it or not... a few people had sheets about the auction lots, but it was the least organized of the events and left me slightly miffed. Auction, grumble, grumble... and after lunch my stomach was doing the grumble, grumble. Lunch, it did not agree with me... so the making of the Sock Mac Feegles was not so much, making, as harvesting the supplies for a later assembly. Also it was total chaos with no instruction and people who hadn't paid wandering in. Best to hit the bathroom... and then get in line to see if rumors can be true.

As it happens, rumors where true! The cheers for Neil and Terry walking in together must have been heard blocks away! Our seats where close, but not the best, all front row seats being "reserved"... we couldn't really see their faces, but just to hear Neil's voice was enough! It was a very odd voyeuristic Q&A where you felt like you where sitting watching Neil and Terry just chatting in their living room. They recounted many stories about how Good Omens was written, many of the anecdotes in the back of the newest paperback edition. They also upheld the belief that at one point the book started writing itself because there is one line they both love but they swear neither of them wrote it. They also discussed taking the picture for the back of the book (see above). Terry remembers thinking how cool the "black and white" look would be, only Neil laid claim to the black so he was nice and warm in this cemetery, in winter, in England. While Terry was wearing a pair of very lightweight cricket pants and all the cricket accoutrement, being the only white clothes they could find at that time of year. Therefore you have the cool laid back Gaiman who spent the day climbing on tombstones, and a cold Pratchett huddling in the meager warmth of the mausoleum.

At one point they sang a bit of a They Might be Giants song and at another point, while recounting meeting a crazy person who wanted to buy the rights to the book demonstrated their "escape plan." They where to employ the code word "Biggles." But this lady was so beyond Biggles levels, they both started to pretend to fly.

When Neil, near the end of the wondrous hour, got up and stood at the podium near us, he realized just how big the room was. Literally everyone from the convention came... well, they kept telling us not to miss it? And have I said... rumors? Here is Neil going, "Wow, there's people over here." It was nice to finally see his face and not just his dulcet tones.

The podium had a purpose, of which Terry was suspicious. Turns out, Neil was there to present the 2010 Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy to Terry for I Shall Wear Midnight (which is one of my favorite books.)

Terry was very humble, with his short speech: "About Bloody Time."

After the glory of the Good Omens panel, the rest of the night could never compare. We went to the Gala Banquet hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Quirm. Appropriate because Wisconsin knows it's cheeses like Quirm does (note Terry's "Native Attire.") Of course, having a Vegan with you to a cheese extravaganza meant she ate much mushrooms and leafy greens. The food was decent, nothing to rave about, but nothing to complain about like the other people at our table did. At least they wheren't dressed up, because if we had been at some of the other tables... we would have felt very out of place. Terry was very genuine in his toast and seemed to be warming up to Wisconsin... but that couldn't keep us past the bizarre and appallingly bad comedy sports team that was there for "our entertainment." Going home, putting on PJs and watching Big Bang Theory was more our line of entertainment.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: Biggles, Discworld, Good Omens, I Shall Wear Midnight, Nac Mac Feegles, NADWCon, Neil Gaiman, Patrick Rothfuss, Quirm, Terry Pratchett, The Princess and Mr. Whiffle, They Might Be Giants

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Published by: HarperTorch
Publication Date: 1990
Format: Paperback, 412 Pages
Challenge: Horror and Urban Fantasy
Rating: ★★
To Buy
Crawly and Aziraphale have quite literally been there since the beginning. Man, woman, garden, snake. Crawly was the snake. But nowadays he has the car and the suave clothes that befit his side while Aziraphale collects books. What else is there to do when you're waiting for the world to end? The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch predicted it all back in 1655. And that's not the nice that indicates the end of the world next Saturday is a good thing, it's the other, more "precise" kind. It's going to happen. Everything has been put in place, the "horsemen" are assembling, the time has come for the uprising of evil. If only there hadn't been that little mix up with the son of Satan a few years back... because if things had gone to plan it would have been nice and smooth, instead Crawly and Aziraphale aren't sure whose side they're on because they rather like the world as it is, even if any tape left overly long in a car will start blaring Freddie Mercury and Queen. Can you go up against a witch who always knew what was going to happen? Or can you thwart the omens?

While you can see how this book has developed the cult following it has, it still just wasn't it for me. I felt hollow after reading it, most likely due to my inflated expectations. I've read Gaiman and Pratchett at the top of their game, and I just didn't feel this was it... of course, this was before they where GAIMAN and PRATCHETT. Their styles where not yet formed, but I will say they worked well together. They claim that they can't tell who wrote what and they think that perhaps the book started writing itself at some point. I agree with this, not with the book writing it's own text, but who knows, but the bite about who wrote what. The book had a cohesion that made it feel that it was written by one person. The ideas where melded together into one perfect vision and did not feel like two competing minds, which is often the case when two writers collaborate.

More than any gripes I have with plot or character, which I don't really have except that I really thought that Satan's son shouldn't have been such a boring twit, my problem was that it felt so dated, so 1980s. Ansaphones? Really? Ok, I mean, sure they have been referenced on Dr Who recently, as well as being part of the common vernacular of England, but it still made it feel past it's day. Which brings me back to these authors at their current prime. They don't feel dated! Pick up any Discworld book, it feels fresh and now. Grab American Gods before it becomes mainstream with the HBO series. These are classics. Maybe in a few more years the dated will become nostalgia and I'll like. Every book changes every time you read it. I can see why people have wanted an adaptation or a sequel for years, because there is so much you could do now to update this and make it relevant. So many avenues you could explore. As for the original... not my favorite. But as for the Queen joke, it was worth buying the book. That was priceless.

Posted by Miss Eliza at 12:00 AM 0 comments  

Labels: 2011 Reading Challenge, Agnes Nutter, American Gods, Apocalypse, Discworld, Freddie Mercury, Good Omens, HBO, Neil Gaiman, Queen, Terry Pratchett