(no subject)

[salinea]

Finished reading Connie Willis' Passage.

That was the much fucking scary book I've read. Ever. Didn't look like it. It's not violent. It's funny, and subtle with very good characters. It doesn't have monsters. Doesn't have any thing of scary books. I swear I had never been scared of a book before and I certainly was by this. There was evening were I was so tensed up with dread I couldn't sleep, so I decided not to read it anymore on the evening.

It just about death. And the Titanic. And Near Death Experience. And messages, and metaphores. It's a pretty good book, if you dare to read it. But it cuts. Reminds me awfully of another short story by Willis which was about Black holes and the first world war. And the Shwar-something limit.

Oh, and generalblossom Yes, I did like the ending.

Otherwise, I realize I haven't been updating for a while, sorry. Nothing much new is happening. Mostly I'm working, and I'm preparing stuff for my flat. So far I've got a bed, a closet, a kitchen with an over that doesn't fit in the place it's supposed to fit, and a fridge that doesn't do it either.

There's an anime convention this week end in Paris where I'm planning to go, along with Maya and Casey and some of my friends. They want me to cosplay as Junko from Nana for it XD

Lastly, I decided to stop being in denial about my interest into the Harry Potter fandom. I might be dreadfully ashamed of it, but currently that's what i'm reading the most fanfics and essays about, so well... I might as well admit it's become one of my fandom.
Even if I didn't like the books so much the eternity ago when I read it. *feels extremely sheepish*

Two people asked me to do the DVD meme. To which I have to answer :
I own a total of three sets of DVDs, one of which I bought for myself (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust by that guy who made ninja scroll and after the novels illustred by Amano, you know ?) and two that were gift to me. Gravitation, given by the adorable and deadly Maya, and Utena the movie offered by Teresa.
Yeap, that's it.
I might start to buy DVDs once I get my flat and my DVD player. And money.

Comments

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with Harry Potter? I *adore* the Harry Potter books. And the brilliant rahael reads the HP books.

HP = good stuff, dude.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I held two things against Harry Potter

1/ Too freaking popular, and yes I can be snobbish that way.
2/ Not only did Goblet of Fire STOLE George RR Martin's Hugo award for A storm of sword (which is a fantasy book you WILL have to read to understand why i annoys me so much) but JKR didn't even come to get the award. I don't get upset for much, but strangely enough I still keep a grundge on this one.

*sighs* I suppose I have to admit it's good stuff since I'm getting so involved in the fandom. Obviously I'm liking the characters quite a deal and that's from the book as well (maybe JKR's biggest strength. She's not afraid of giving big flaws to most of her characters.)

Otherwise, well, rahael had gotten me to read Pullman, which was good, but not amazingly so (great, great universe, and very good characters but I dislike the feeling of being beaten with a thematic anvil. Whatever happened to subtlelity and nuance ? Besides, gnosticism ? Fun, but the historical antisemitic overtone makes me uneasy) So you'll forgive me if I don't hold her opinion as gold.

Wow, double rant for the price of one ! ^_^

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

*Oy* the popularity! I know *exactly* what you mean. I didn't start reading the books until a year and a half ago--after book 5 was already out. And for precisely that reason. Anything that popular had to appeal to the lowest common denonimator.

It was actually Rahael that suggested I might actually *like* them. Rahael being an Oxford graduate and a fellow Buffy fan, I gave in, and enjoyed them.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I actually read them quite a long time ago, when the popularity was just starting off and they hadn't made the first movie yet.

hehe, that's a lovely icon.

Yay for Rahael's advice then :)

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

Oooh. Sometimes I forget my default icon is rather vicious-looking.

Not to mention kind of rude!

; )

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Lol

Sometimes I'm afraid to use my "fuck off please" icon because of that, even though I love it dearly *shows said icon*

I adore those kind of icons, they make me happy, but I'm sometimes afraid people might get upset by them. I have no problem with swearing but it seems like such a big issues with most Americans.

[masqthephlsphr.livejournal.com]

I feel the same way about this icon. I rarely use it because I worry people will think I'm referring to them, their comments, or their post.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

We should create a community just to have a place where to use those kind of icons. We could attract all the people who like nasty and abbrasive humour.

[atpolittlebit.livejournal.com]

I'm told it's called fandom_wank (http://www.journalfen.net/community/fandom_wank/). ;-)

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to find a good retort but the thing is, you might be right.

[cafecomics.livejournal.com]

1/ Too freaking popular, and yes I can be snobbish that way.

Guilty also !

I finally got into Harry Potter after buying OotP for my brother last year. Before gif-twrapping it, I started reading the first few chapters and bought some months later the 4 first volumes and my own copy of OotP. I remember reading that one in one sitting, starting at 10 AM and stopping the next morning around 6 AM. ^^;

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Hehe it's always funny to hear when and how people "cracked out" and tried it ^^

However I did read it back in...oh... 2000, maybe ? I just didn't fall in the fandom at the time. Or got obsessed in any way. I had only borrowed the books and didn't feel the need to do more.

[sakuraragi.livejournal.com]

Bloodlust is one of my absolute favorite movies! They began releasing the novels here. I still have to go pick up the first volume. :3

I haven't bought an anime DVD in a while because there really wasn't anything that interested me. Are DVDs expensive in France?

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

b-b-but ! You're back and you didn't told me ? *is confused* oh well *hugs you* Very happy to see you back !

And yes, YES ! Bloodlust is brillant. So pretty ! So post-appocalyptic-gothic-western ! God, you're so lucky. I wish i could get my hands on the novels !

And yes they are, about 20 to 30€ for one. And of course as usual I spend so much money in books I have barely money for anything else.

[sakuraragi.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry~!

I'm still hesitatant about the English translations and all, but if it's a novel, then it's better than nothing. I do want to get the originals someday. ^^

I'd have to go to one of those conversion sites to figure that out. XD And don't worry. I've been spending a lot of money on books and manga too. x_x

[lisan.livejournal.com]

The Schwarzchild Radius. Passing stranger commenting because:
1)I've never read Passages (but hope to!)
2)Connie Willis is who I want to be when I grow up.

The first short story of hers I ever read was "The Child Who Cries For The Moon" and after reading it I just staared at my ceiling for like 10 minutes going "Wow" quietly to myself.

I like her short stories best but recommend "Lincoln's Dreams" if you haven't read it already. Like most of her stories, it's written simply, a subtle unassuming tale, but just clings to you and stays long long after you've finished.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

wow, I didn't know perfect stranger read my journal. Besides, you're not, I see you in the clamp fandom very often, don't I ?

Thanks for the title, yeah that was it. It had a very similar feeling of pressure and disquietness.

Connie Willis sounds like a very cool lady to want to grow up into. She does write in an incredibly nuanced (not to mention funny) way. I haven't read Lincoln's dream yet and will try if i can find that book. Thanks for the rec.

[lisan.livejournal.com]

Like all insomniacs on lj, I spend a goodly amount of time surfing the fflist (which means we likely have friends and communities in common) and bothering strangers. But yes, I am a minion of the ladies of CLAMP, damn their cold cold hearts. ^___^

[quitty.livejournal.com]

I didn't read HP until after Goblet came out and that's mainly because I found it a "trend" and I didn't want to jump on the bandwagon because I don't usually do that, ehehe. Though I don't really participate much in the fandom because it's only the books I like; never really liked how the movies turned out and it seems like the fandom's mostly on that (referencing the many icons with the actors ~_^ ).

And "Passage" sounds so familiar, I'm trying to figure out when I first heard that...Has it been made into a movie or something? Oh, well...Excuse me as I haven't taken a sip from my coffee, hee... ^_^

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Though I don't really participate much in the fandom because it's only the books I like
It's the other way round for me XD
I think the fandom is pretty big. Some parts are horrendous with fanon and fangirls etc. But some parts have some very nice writer and intelligent people to talk with, really. I wa slucky enough to find the latter quickly.

No, I don't think Passage was adapted as a movie

[littledust.livejournal.com]

Hee. I started reading the Harry Potter books when I was twelve, which was... almost six years ago. I wasn't aware that I was jumping on any sort of bandwagon; I just enjoyed them a lot. I don't mind liking things if they're popular and I don't automatically assume that popularity = teh suck, but I do like to be around in the fandom before something is popular. If that makes sense. I guess I'm a different sort of snob. *G*

I do love the immensity of HP fandom, though. You can find almost anything you want to read. I don't pay much attention to the analysis of the text because after a point it makes my head spin.

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

Yes, at 12 things must have been much different for you XD Now that I think about it, it was nearly 5 years ago for me. I know it was around the time I was in the ASOIAF fandom, when I was 19. O_o

but I do like to be around in the fandom before something is popular. If that makes sense
Oh yes, it does. Coming before the fangirlz spoil it all ^^

You can find almost anything you want to read
Oh yeah. there's some kind of slash that really scared me. Until I started tasting it, that is.

[sakanagi.livejournal.com]

I'll remember to read books by Connie Willis if I see them, but maybe not Passage, since it's that scary. If she can write a book with an impact like that without making it violent, then she's got to be a very good writer.

I haven't got in to the Harry Potter fandom as of yet. I saw the first film (not by choice...) and didn't like it, and I was told that the books were boring, and so I didn't bother reading them. The thought of the fandom being so active is nice, though. I hadn't thought about it before, but it's true that there are probably lots of good HP fanfiction authors. Maybe better ones than the original author. (*tempted*)

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

I reccomend "To say nothing of the dog" it's hillarious and well written without scary parts. It's got time travel, victorian england, three men in a boat, quid pro quo, a butler, a dog, a cat and many many other fun parts.

I was told that the books were boring, and so I didn't bother reading them
Oh they're not that boring really. The first two are a bit weak, but it lifts up after that. Though yeah, some fanfics are definitly better than the original XD

[chaineddove.livejournal.com]

Adorable and deadly... so very, very true *snigger* I love you much too *g* My Reira cosplay is done, btw! Buaha, I win! Wanna call me and plan meet-up tomorrow?

Passage

[generalblossom.livejournal.com]

I know what you mean about Passage, even if I did not think it too scary, dunno why since death does scare me. It moved me a lot and I keep thinking about it now and then, I think the central premise ( or what I interpreted it to be) is sort of comforting and undoubtly true - Willis avoided anything definite about what we can not know and as such it does not ring false. BTW did you know there were accusations of christian proselytizing about a detail in the last page? I think it is non-sense, tiny and making perfect sense in context, unlike say the final of Sean Stewart´s Perfect Circle which had me really mad - harrytheheir offered an interpretation which solved it a bt, but still, argh. But Passage is maybe the Willis book that i found stronger - I might have loved a couple more intensely because I am shallow and love funny though. The one book of hers lots of people find moving and all and won lots of awards was the only one of hers I did not really like totally, Doomsday Book ( I did love Colin though!). I do recommend more Willis of course. Including to myself,*sniff* I got no more books of hers left to read till she writes some more!

I know exactly what you mean about Pullmann. I got a rec for you though, Megan Whalen Turner´s Thief series, only two books, YA and I really love those. If we both make it to Glasgow can I push the first one on you as a loan? And about JKR and the Hugo give the woman a little break on it - it was not like she had shown up at a world con before or any sf con at all ( had she?) or that she was writing specifically sf/fantasy. I had no idea the whole fandom thing existed awhile ago and found it mostly because I was hunting more sf/f recs.

Good luck with the new house!

Re: Passage

[etrangere.livejournal.com]

dunno why since death does scare me

Maybe that's why. I'm not very scared of death myself. Always found it quite comforting to think that we all die eventually XD

Willis avoided anything definite about what we can not know and as such it does not ring false
My thoughts exactly. I loved the ending for that. Nobody can know... yet. And anyone trying to come up witht something is doomed to ring as false as that annoying guy in the novel ^^

BTW did you know there were accusations of christian proselytizing about a detail in the last page? I think it is non-sense, tiny and making perfect sense in context
Huh ? Really ? What detail ?

I can't say I adored Doomsday book either. It was good but not the kind of book that stays with you after...

I got a rec for you though, Megan Whalen Turner´s Thief series, only two books, YA and I really love those. If we both make it to Glasgow can I push the first one on you as a loan?
Alright ! And I'd be glad to borrow it of course if we both can make it to Glasgow, indeed, I'm starting to doubt I could...

And about JKR and the Hugo give the woman a little break on it
Alright, i won't so much blame JKR as the fans who voted for HP over any of the other books there :p

Re: Passage

[generalblossom.livejournal.com]

BTW did you know there were accusations of christian proselytizing about a detail in the last page? I think it is non-sense, tiny and making perfect sense in context
Huh ? Really ? What detail ?

There were cross-shapes in the masts or whatever of the Yorktown ( nevermind that I think they do have such in any kind of ship), plus the Yorktown needing three days to get ready. I think those arguments very silly.

I can't say I adored Doomsday book either. It was good but not the kind of book that stays with you after...

Yep.

Alright ! And I'd be glad to borrow it of course if we both can make it to Glasgow, indeed, I'm starting to doubt I could...

I got to get myself moving to get there, just my inertia to spend big money exherting itself. BTW the moment I do pay that ticket and decide to go, some unexpected big bill will be sure to land on me.

Alright, i won't so much blame JKR as the fans who voted for HP over any of the other books there :p

I know *hugs*, it was bad. But it was not like JKR lobbied for it, or asked for it, or any such thing.