It does not get more random than this

[mollyringle]

1. Among the few things that inspire me with a visceral hatred: animated smiley-faces that bounce and leer and roll their eyes and generally act starved for attention

Comments

[madbard]

George RR Martin's book maintain a consistent high quality throughout (if anything, the series gains a frantic momentum as it continues), and the plots are tight and well-constructed. Jordan's series took a nosedive in book 5 and has never recovered. At this point, Martin's output is worlds better.

[blagden]

Gearge R.R.'s stuff is very well written, however I think it is a disservice to both he and RJ if you compare them to each other. Yes, they are both in the 'Fantasy' genre, but the worlds they have created are too entirely different to invite serious critical comparisons in style. A particular type of world would predicate a different type of style of writting. A Song of Fire and Ice, I feel is set up as having a much more realism aspect than the Wheel of Time series. When characters exist in a more fantastical world, they will naturally have more fantastical elements to their personalities. So, it seemingly would come down to a matter of personal taste as tot he style of story a person likes. Personally, I thought the ending RJ's Book 6 was great. After that, they certainly could be said to have gone downhill in a few respects, 7 and 8 in particular really seemed to drag for me. But the ending of book 9 picked it back up. Having not read the recently released book 11, I cannot comment on it. I am looking forward to the release

[mollyringle]

Happy (early) birthday! I never get good movie releases around mine (in August)...

[blagden]

Thanks!!

[deliciouspear]

"8. I say "we" even though I live in Washington now. Oregon is where I was born, but besides that, Oregon and Washington are pretty much the same big state (Pacificnorthwestia) in the minds of their residents."

HA! I include British Columbia in that too!

[mollyringle]

Heh! Might as well. Then we could just tack on Alaska and call it done.

[deliciouspear]

Oh I have this whole plan for when I'm in charge, where the coast from alaska to very northern california rebels and forms their own country.

Only I can never decide if it should be called Pacifica or Cascadia or something else entirely.

[mollyringle]

I sometimes think N. Cal. really is going to separate from S. Cal. If that happens, I wonder if we should try to absorb them or what. It would be an interesting experiment to redraw the state lines where they "should" be.

[kalquessa]

Martin, eh? *makes note to investigate via amazon*

Also, unlike Jordan's, Martin's teenage characters do not act like they just stepped off the WB.

Heheheh. You just summed up one of the things that irritated me most about Jordan. Of course there's also the fact that half of his plotlines are ripped right out of Dune and plunked into his own version of Middle Earth with barely a cursory dusting to remove most of the spaceships and giant worms off. But whatever, it's not like I spent hours of my adolescence reading his worthless, derivative drivel when I could have been doing something more...wait...

And Remington would actually be kind of a cool name...but it might be best to just not Go There and name the kid after a nice uncle or something.

[mollyringle]

half of his plotlines are ripped right out of Dune and plunked into his own version of Middle Earth

And with the character and place names lifted from Arthurian legend. :) Actually I haven't read Dune - sounds like I should have gone there instead of RJ. I shall yet go there!

I guess with "Remington" there is at least the precedent of Remington Steele...

[blagden]

Don't forget Norse mythology. However, I think that;s the whole point. The Wheel of Time. What was, what is, and what will be are all the same from Age to Age. ::shrugs::

[kalquessa]

Dune was a good read, enjoyed it muchly. The sequels less so. I think I stopped reading about halfway through the third one. The nerd swears that they are all brilliant and that I should keep reading but...meh.

I guess with "Remington" there is at least the precedent of Remington Steele...

Such as it is.

[anonymous]

11. So, any sneak-preview reviews out for 'Goblet of Fire' yet? The internet's good for distributing those, at least.

My younger brother goes onto a fan website - Mugglenet.com - and said he read about 7 reviews and that they were "all positive". So I guess that's promising. I actually read an article by a kid who saw a sneak preview and he described the movie scene by scene. They took out a lot of stuff, but it sounded like they didnt screw it up that much.

-Sara

[mollyringle]

I think I saw the blow-by-blow review (might have been Ain't It Cool News), but I didn't spoil myself by reading it. Anyway, sounds like it's certainly not a total train wreck, so good.

[anonymous]

I think it would be pretty hard to screw this up. JK Rowling wrote a great story, and since she describes EVERYTHING, they dont really have to use their imagination. I just find it odd how everyone is saying all of the kids horomones are out of control in this one. Duh, dont they know that doesnt happen until the 6th book? ;)

[mollyringle]

I know...they have to ask each other to the Yule Ball, so suddenly it's all about "burgeoning sexuality". What are they going to call the snogfest of book 6? "A teenage orgy"?

[trilliah]

*prints this entry*

I'm going to start an anthology. Notable Lemony Moments. I might just forward part of the proceeds, too.

[mollyringle]

Heheh. Eh, buy some expensive chocolate with it, and send me a few pieces. I'll ramble more often if it will help pay the bills!