Thursday 1 December 2016

I carry the seed of Chatogaster*


 Well. Here we are again with another books-read-in-the-last-few-weeks post.
 I'll warn you now: you might find something a little... odd with this post. I hope it doesn't leave you feeling uncomfortable and wrong...

 Who left this whip here? And what's that laying on the rug?!

::pokes prone horse::

 It's not dead, is it?

 ::

46. Mindbenders, by Nicholas Fisk (1987)

  'Heads down, eyes glare, Mindbenders! Glass Move!' she commanded. She kept her eyes on the ants.

  Mindbending starts off as just a game for Vinny and Toby... until the ants arrive, that is. At first the formicarium - a gift from bossy Aunt Craven - seems just a typically useless present. What kind of fun could you have with a portable ants' nest? But as time passes, the children find themselves uncontrollably drawn to stare and stare into the glass case and to concentrate on its manic occupants - it is like plugging your mind into a huge power socket. Suddenly Vinny and Toby are doing wonderful, magical things that should have been impossible: mindbending is incredible!
  But then the ants decide to grow...

 Along with Trillions and Grinny, this book rounds out my Nicholas Fisk collection. I really must read more of his books.

 Just a minute... Those books aren't on chairs! What gives? Where are they?


Books under chairs and other seating conveniences


47. The Fury, by John Farris (1976)

  Robin and Gillian are 14 years old. They were born with the power to speak without words - and kill without contact...
  They are The Fury

 I can't remember how I came about this book, but I've had it for years, and read it several times now. I think this either inspired my interest in Anne McCaffrey's Talents books, or was inspired by them?


48. Calvin and Hobbes Sunday Pages 1985-1995, An Exhibition Catalogue by Bill Watterson (2001)

 On 18th November, it was the 31st anniversary of the first publication of Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes cartoon (thanks for the reminder, Mago).
 This exhibition catalogue collects Sunday strips from each of the ten years that Calvin and Hobbes ran for. These strips are those that Mr Watterson felt showed it at its best, and he's commented on quite a few of them which gives a nice background to his process of work and train of thought at the time.

 I've really missed Calvin and Hobbes. 


49. The Dark Side of the Sun, by Terry Pratchett (1976)

  Dom Sabalos had a lot of advantages.
  As heir to a huge fortune, he had an excellent robot servant (with Man-Friday subcircuitry), a planet (the First Sirian Bank) as godfather, a security chief who even ran checks on himself, and on Dom's home world even death was not always fatal.
  Why, then, in an age when prediction was a science, was his future in doubt?

 A wonderful, marvellous, and amazing book! And it still feels fresh and original after all this time.
 Last read back in 2015 here. Although it felt like much longer ago than that.

* Post title from page 116. 


50. Star Trek: 50 Artists 50 Years (2016)

  To coincide with the 50th anniversary of the original Star Trek TV series, CBS Consumer Products have commissioned a series of art pieces to celebrate moments, characters, storylines and episodes from the franchise. Artists from around the world as well as famous fans have contributed lovingly made posters, photos, sculptures, comic strips, textiles and much more to commemorate this beloved show. Foreword by Nicholas Meyer.

 You can see the art in this online exhibition. There are so many stylish and amusing takes on Star Trek, but my favourite is Star Trek Inception: The Cage, by Paul Shipper (mainly due to the presence of Captain Christopher Pike, as played by the devastatingly handsome Jeffrey Hunter). 

::

 So that's it from the books lurking under chairs. I hope it didn't disturb you too much!



13 comments:

  1. Books Under Chairs! Bravo!

    PS: Are the two books in the first pix on a skateboard? ???

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    Replies
    1. I just looked - I think it's one of those whirly-whizzy office chairs.Or the cockpit of broom?

      Delete
    2. Ah, yes. The first photo is The Dark Side of the Sun and Mindbenders on the living room floor with a small piece of each tucked under the leather sofa.
      The fluffy thing at the bottom is the rug.

      The second photo is of The Fury on the underneath bit of my "whirly-whizzy office chair".

      Delete
  2. Thanks for the idea of going under.I did pile a heap on my rocking chair, but the cats couldn't resist the chaos...
    Love Calvin and Hobbes!And Watterson's mind. And Pratchett.Not sure why, but I've never even tried to read Star Trek.
    Off now to do my own booky update...

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    Replies
    1. I would love to have seen a photo of the aftermath of your cats' forays on a book-laden rocking chair!

      Delete
  3. What luck! A dead horse! Just in time for the winter cold! Now summon your inner Han Solo (or Leo DiCaprio from The Revenant), pretend your sharpest kitchen knife is a light saber, gut that dead horse and crawl in to keep yourself warm from the cold winter night! You'll be nice and toasty...full disclosure, the blood will dry and the guts will smell in the morning, but I'm sure a hot shower and some Fabreeze will take care of any lingering dead animal odor!

    The two books on super powered teens intrigue and disturb me--teens are all ready horrifying enough when they're all moody and angsty; they don't need any super powers to make them more creepy and annoying!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. ::emerges from dead horse with a sound like that first scoop of trifle being removed from the bowl::

      Ug. There's not enough Fabreeze in the world to mask this stench! Why did I listen to you? I curse you with a plague of teens!

      Delete
  4. Actually I meant to comment that I've been watching the original Star Trek. I had forgotten how often uniforms get pulled/taken/ripped off. Strange how different things seem as an adult, but I do get a sense that Kirk just wants his nipples played with.
    Lucky it's my day off from work, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure William Shatner had it written into his contract that he had to show some (if not all) torso in every other episode.

      What else are days off for?

      Delete
  5. Hmmmm....
    *plots and tries to think of more devilishly devious places to photograph books*
    Sx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, I'm spent, so have at it! My backup plan was the rather crap 'books nearly on chairs'...

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  6. *embiggens Star Trek photo and spots Downton Abbey board game*

    Can you select who you want to portray?

    I want to be Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, you can! As well as Violet, there's Mrs Patmore the cook, Mr Carson the butler, Robert the Earl of Grantham, Lady Mary Crawley, and Mr Bates, valet to Lord Grantham.
      Downton Abbey Cluedo was a Christmas gift last year, I believe?

      Delete

Tickle my fancy, why don't you?