That was the Christmas that was...
Well, there we are then. That's Christmas and new year over and it's now 2009. Splendid.
We spent Christmas Day in Coventry but after Boxing Day we travelled down to Cardiff to stay with Elin's parents. Unfortunately it's been a bit of a washout as Delyth has been knocked out by a chest infection which has had us all worried and that, in turn has made things a bit tense, so it hasn't exactly been a jolly or relaxing Christmas. That said, Christmas day was pretty enjoyable.
The kids did well, mind. I finally bought Dafydd a rocket. I've been wanting to buy this thing since before Delyth was born and I finally decided this year would be it. He unwrapped it, pressed the button and when the launch sound started, edged away from it very suspiciously. Fortunately once we turned the sound off, he decided it wasn't so bad and I actually think it's now his favourite toy. Yay!
Despite Elin and my best efforts, Delyth had a barrage of Pink Fairy Princess items of varying descriptions and was absolutely delighted. She had a fair bit of not-pink-fairy-princess stuff too, so fair enough.
I had a pretty much Dalek Themed Christmas, aswell as a Zygon and Sea Devil (greatest. wife. evar.), the Series 4 soundtrack and the Starships and Spacestations book, it was Dr WHO-tastic, really. On top of that I had At the Mountains of Madness by Lovecraft and the Star Wars SAGA edition RPG core book making me, I think, a total D20 convert. Who'd'a thunk it?
Whilst here I have managed to finish the Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix and throughly enjoyed it. Top marks, Mr Nix. I must read Across the Wall now and I look forward to reading the 'Keys to the Kingdom' books.
Unfortunately I then picked up Chanur's Venture by CJ Cherryh and I'm not enjoying it so much. There are, as far as I am concerned, three major faults with this book.
Firstly, no introductions. Admittedly this is the second book in the series so it's not unreasonable for the writer to assume that you've read the first one. However, it's not so much a continuation of the events of the first book, but a new, self-contained adventure so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to be able to jump in and be re-introduced to the characters, but no. It's just assumed that I know who everyone is.
Secondly, on her Wikipedia page, Cherryh is described as writing in a "very tight limited third person", "intense third person", and "intense internal" voice." wherein she describes only the details that the narrator or principle character notices at that moment. Sounds cool, but it strikes me as just apologist cobblers for lazy writing. Much like Salvatore's Halfling's Gem, description is kept to an absolute minimum, Cherryh describes only the things she absolutely has to, and then only vaguely. Conversations can often degenerate to a simple column of unattributed quotes, leaving you to remember which of the speaking party is which (a personal bug-bear with writing in general).
Thirdly, on top of this all her characters, without exception (there is only one human and he has not spoken yet) talk in a sort of broken English like that used by Native Americans and comedy Arabs in old movies and pulp novels, "Big deal. You get. Me make talk. Make rich. me give." etc etc.
All of this concatonated (I've been learning Javascript) means that I'm half way through chapter two and I have absolutely no earthly idea who anyone is, where the hell they are or, indeed, what the hell is going on.
Cherryh has been described as a 'World Builder.' To this I say, Miss Cherryh, I'd like to see some of it, please.
Cherryh is also apparently a Hugo award winner. Well, what I've read so far has actually made me quite suspicious of said award.
Anyway, finally I leave you with a Dafydd comedy moment. I was on my own in the living room with him the other night and he said, somewhat concernedly, "Me close my grave."
I did a double take and said, "Sorry, what?".
"Me close my grave." He repeated.
Quite concerned I tried to confirm it, "You close your grave!?".
He leaned in close, touching his forehead to mine and said quietly, "Me close mygrave".
A long thoughtful pause and then it hit me, "MICROWAVE! You want to close the microwave!?" I'd just made their bed-time milk and shut the microwave door and he wanted to do it. :)
Children. Comedy gold!
Happy New Year, all!
We spent Christmas Day in Coventry but after Boxing Day we travelled down to Cardiff to stay with Elin's parents. Unfortunately it's been a bit of a washout as Delyth has been knocked out by a chest infection which has had us all worried and that, in turn has made things a bit tense, so it hasn't exactly been a jolly or relaxing Christmas. That said, Christmas day was pretty enjoyable.
The kids did well, mind. I finally bought Dafydd a rocket. I've been wanting to buy this thing since before Delyth was born and I finally decided this year would be it. He unwrapped it, pressed the button and when the launch sound started, edged away from it very suspiciously. Fortunately once we turned the sound off, he decided it wasn't so bad and I actually think it's now his favourite toy. Yay!
Despite Elin and my best efforts, Delyth had a barrage of Pink Fairy Princess items of varying descriptions and was absolutely delighted. She had a fair bit of not-pink-fairy-princess stuff too, so fair enough.
I had a pretty much Dalek Themed Christmas, aswell as a Zygon and Sea Devil (greatest. wife. evar.), the Series 4 soundtrack and the Starships and Spacestations book, it was Dr WHO-tastic, really. On top of that I had At the Mountains of Madness by Lovecraft and the Star Wars SAGA edition RPG core book making me, I think, a total D20 convert. Who'd'a thunk it?
Whilst here I have managed to finish the Old Kingdom trilogy by Garth Nix and throughly enjoyed it. Top marks, Mr Nix. I must read Across the Wall now and I look forward to reading the 'Keys to the Kingdom' books.
Unfortunately I then picked up Chanur's Venture by CJ Cherryh and I'm not enjoying it so much. There are, as far as I am concerned, three major faults with this book.
Firstly, no introductions. Admittedly this is the second book in the series so it's not unreasonable for the writer to assume that you've read the first one. However, it's not so much a continuation of the events of the first book, but a new, self-contained adventure so I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to be able to jump in and be re-introduced to the characters, but no. It's just assumed that I know who everyone is.
Secondly, on her Wikipedia page, Cherryh is described as writing in a "very tight limited third person", "intense third person", and "intense internal" voice." wherein she describes only the details that the narrator or principle character notices at that moment. Sounds cool, but it strikes me as just apologist cobblers for lazy writing. Much like Salvatore's Halfling's Gem, description is kept to an absolute minimum, Cherryh describes only the things she absolutely has to, and then only vaguely. Conversations can often degenerate to a simple column of unattributed quotes, leaving you to remember which of the speaking party is which (a personal bug-bear with writing in general).
Thirdly, on top of this all her characters, without exception (there is only one human and he has not spoken yet) talk in a sort of broken English like that used by Native Americans and comedy Arabs in old movies and pulp novels, "Big deal. You get. Me make talk. Make rich. me give." etc etc.
All of this concatonated (I've been learning Javascript) means that I'm half way through chapter two and I have absolutely no earthly idea who anyone is, where the hell they are or, indeed, what the hell is going on.
Cherryh has been described as a 'World Builder.' To this I say, Miss Cherryh, I'd like to see some of it, please.
Cherryh is also apparently a Hugo award winner. Well, what I've read so far has actually made me quite suspicious of said award.
Anyway, finally I leave you with a Dafydd comedy moment. I was on my own in the living room with him the other night and he said, somewhat concernedly, "Me close my grave."
I did a double take and said, "Sorry, what?".
"Me close my grave." He repeated.
Quite concerned I tried to confirm it, "You close your grave!?".
He leaned in close, touching his forehead to mine and said quietly, "Me close mygrave".
A long thoughtful pause and then it hit me, "MICROWAVE! You want to close the microwave!?" I'd just made their bed-time milk and shut the microwave door and he wanted to do it. :)
Children. Comedy gold!
Happy New Year, all!