Oh, dear. I haven't done so well on the reading front this month. I put the blame squarely on book number fifteen...
15. Son of a Witch, by Gregory MaguireAnd the reason for the aforementioned blame is that this book was a chore to read. A chore! I think it's because the story seemed somewhat aimless and Liir, the titular son of a witch, was too sullen, antisocial and whiny.
After the death of his mother, Liir sets out to find his half-sister, Nor, first by travelling to the Emerald City with Dorothy following her "accidental" (yeah, right!) killing of the witch, Elphaba. Once Dorothy buggers off back to Kansas (and good riddance), Liir sets out on his quest but get distracted by, in no particular order: old nuns, being-taken-advantage-of and having-a-baby-with a slutty girl-nun, underground city prisons, Elphaba's broom, talking birds, dragons, having a stab-in-the-dark with a hot, blond, dragon-trainer (although almost all of said stabbing is left up to one's own imagination), Glinda and an elephant in human form. Sounds pretty exciting, doesn't it? It's not, though. I'd go as for as to say: Don't bother with this one.
16. Unspoken Truth, by Margaret Wander BonannoAfter the boredom of Oz it was nice to get back to the sanctity of the Star Trek Universe with this somewhat indulgent tale of Spock's protege, Saavik.
Set just after the Whale Probe Crisis of Star Trek IV, the GNDN story of a tumultuous year in Saavik's life includes double & triplecrossing espionage, a first contact with a race of giant worms, an intimate encounter and insight into Vulcan's most prominent family.
It was a nice book to get lost in, but ultimately, brings nothing new to Star Trek. However, it was nicely written and paced, with plenty of familiar touches and showed more of the Vulcan way of life, which I always find fascinating.
* No. Not you Timothy Elizabeth Leng. Unless you've been using your Media Whoring powers to insinuate yourself into this book. Albeit as a wizened old Vulcan High Priestess! Anyway, the title of this post comes from page 309.
17. The Little Book of Essential Foreign Swear Words, by Emma Burgess
Not exactly a great work of literature, but it is mildly amusing if one likes this kind of thing. Which I don't, particularly, but I received it as a novelty birthday gift so I felt obligated to read it.
As well as translations from English to French, German, Spanish & Italian of most of the well known swear words, there's also a section on phrases and another on random rudeness from around the world.
I'll leave you with a couple of my favourite phrases:
"Est-ce que c'est un bronzage ou avez-vous de la merde sur vos doigts?"
"Dein Schwanz ist so klein, dass es 'ne Maus nicht merkt, wenn du sie fickst."
You can do the translations yourselves, or just guess if you don't have a clue.
So, I take it the Son of a Witch would've been better off had a house dropped on him.
ReplyDeleteVulcans are such closeted freaks. It's always the quiet, conservative ones that always turn out to be really wild and perverted behind closed doors or after a few drinks.
Did the book explain how Saavik changed eyebrows and figure from Kirstie Alley to Robin Curtis?
You do read some very interesting stuff Mr De Vice.
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the non reccomendation of "Son of a Witch"
I probably would have picked it up for a read if I had been out on the hunt for some reading material.. but thank you...as you have saved me some money on my meager budget...
Eros: You're so right. Normally, I wouldn't wish a house upon anyone, but in this case I could make an exception.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Alley-to-Curtis phenomenon, it wasn't mentioned. But the book consistently describes the Robin Curtis Saavik, so I imagine Saavik was having a bad day when she appeared in Star Trek II...
Princess: Well, I do aim to please, and pass on any tidbits of info that I feel may prove useful.
Serious, is T'Leng a character in that Trek book?!
ReplyDeleteT'Leng: Yes. You ar- I mean: Yes. She is!
ReplyDeleteNO WAY.
ReplyDeleteI need to check this out in a bookshop.
(I know for a fact that the writers of the show used to pluck names out of magazines - which is, I think, how Ensign Timothy Lang came to be mentioned in a Voyager episode. It's not outside the realms of possibility that this is what's happened here!)
WAY. It is absolutely true. T'Leng's only in it for a couple of pages from page 309, but she's definitely there!
ReplyDeleteI don't speak French, but OH MY GODS THAT GERMAN ONE IS RUDE!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been good with reading either, only managing two books. They were lovely though, unlike your friend of Dorothy book.
The French is rude too, Petra.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly a great work of literature, but it is mildly amusing if one likes this kind of thing.
It's my kind of thing.
Why didn't they give it to ME?
That proves it Miss MJ is not only Canadien she is FRENCH CANADIEN
ReplyDeleteHow ghastly
IRISH Canadian, Mr. Beastie.
ReplyDeleteThough I once or twice had a little Quebecois in me.
teehee.
Well MJ, a little? That's not just a little sad.
ReplyDeleteMust have been quite a disappointment.