Thursday 7 August 2008

The Bookulator Strikes Back


Calvin & Hobbes: Weirdos From Another Planet by Bill Watterson


This volume of strips contains such gems as the origin of Stupendous Man and the feature debuts of both Rosalyn (aka the fiendish Baby Sitter Girl) and Calvin's killer bicycle. Bill Watterson had originally intended for Rosalyn to be a one off character, but he liked her relationship with Calvin so much that he brought her back again and again, thankfully. She's about the only person Calvin's afraid of!
There're some hilarious strips about Calvin being taken on a camping holiday by his parents - I especially like his mom's reaction to the idea of getting up at the crack of dawn to go fishing. It's clear she'd rather be in a nice hotel with room service, totally undermining her husband's enthusiasm for the 'character building' trip!


Star Trek Terok Nor: Dawn of the Eagles, by S D Perry and Britta Dennison


This is the final book of the Deep Space Nine Lost Era saga. It spans the years between 2360 and 2369 as the Bajorans liberated their world from the Cardassians.
Like the previous book in the series, I didn't find this one as engaging as James Swallow's Day of the Vipers, but that's not to say I didn't like it. It focused mainly on Kira Nerys, Odo, the Cardassian dissenters and the Bajoran Resistance's efforts to drive off the Cardassian oppressors. One thing I found especially interesting, was the continuing look at the Cardassian way of life. The way they think, act, interact, their beliefs and their conviction that service of the state comes before all else, even their family which they hold in high regard. This ongoing glimpse into the Cardassian ethos actually made me sympathise with them somewhat, even with the 'evil' Gul Skrain Dukat, prefect of the Occupation.
The various storylines are neatly interwoven and brought some light to events that had been only briefly mentioned during the television series.
Some readers might find this annoying, but I quite enjoyed the fact that a lot of things were left to the reader's imagination. After all, the authors couldn't possibly have elaborated on every story thread, otherwise the book would likely have been over one thousand pages long!

And that brings to an end to the 'Calvin & Hobbes vs Deep Space Nine' trilogy.

18 comments:

  1. Who wouldn't rather be in a hotel with roomservice?

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  2. I know! I do feel sorry for Calvin's mum.

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  3. They gave Dukat a first name?!

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  4. Is it wrong that I find Odo sort of... sexy?

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  5. Tim: Dukat's had a first name for ages.

    Although, I just read the memory Alpha link and it seems the S G could stand for Station Gul, rather than be his initials.

    T-Bird: Yes. And let's say no more about it.

    Except for: There's always plasticine...

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  6. It's not canon I tell you!

    And T-Bird, we've got a photo of Odo at work where he's mid-morph and he looks like a giant penis. I think they should've done a spin-off called 'All the ladies love Odo.'

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  7. A nice hotel with room service builds character.

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  8. I love that "Calvin & Hobbes" book! I might still have it in my archives, too.

    I loved it when Hobbes would tackle him when he came home from school.

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  9. I was sort of attracted to Odo too, in the little DS9 that I did watch. Is that wrong?

    I also would rather take the roomservice.

    I love Calvin and Hobbes and I see the books at work all the time. You've inspired me to sit down with one of them!

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  10. I'm with MJ on that.

    That is why I'm considering booking a suite at Hotel Russell in London for my upcoming birthday.

    You know, for character building.

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  11. Well, I kind of felt sorry for them Cardassians at the end of the Dominion War...

    For a second there, I thought Terok Nor looked like a Romulan Warbird...

    CP, the Hotel Russel? was the YMCA all booked?

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  12. Well apparently they don't serve Bollinger at the YMCA and they have all these cowboys, indians, policemen and such running around singing "macho, macho, macho man..." Bingowings.

    That's not kool.

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  13. But it's fun to stay at the YMCA!

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  14. True Dinah but Bollinger rates pretty high on my list of essentials for my 30th birthday.

    Maybe next year.

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  15. Tim: I don't care!

    MJ: Too right. Roughing it is OK for the proles, but not for the likes of sophisticates like us.

    Tara: I liked it when Calvin would try and trick Hobbes with a small snowman or a yard brush wearing his clothes, but Hobbes would always see right through it.

    Dinah: What is this? The Odo Fanclub?

    You should definitely catch up with some Calvin & hobbes. The nice thing is that they're so quick and easy to get through.

    CyberPetra: Remember to throw things at the maid, no matter how good she is at her job - You don't want her thinking you're not a diva!

    Eros: You're right. A quick glance does bring to mind some Romulan design themes. Must be the curve of the pylons.

    CyberPetra & Dinah: It's even more fun to wake up at two in the afternoon, surrounded by empty bottles of Bolly, and wondering who the hotty is in bed next to you!

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  16. You will care when the Earth spins off its axis and plunges into the fiery depths of the sun!

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  17. I didn't realise ignoring the canonicity of Star Trek could cause such a catastrophy, Tim?

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