I think I’m coming down with something and the nasty grey weather we’re having lately is not doing much to help my brain work properly. For shame! I want the sun back. Sunday was a rather nice day, what with it being the first time in ages that the world hasn’t been a grey misery. I really can’t stand this grey nasty crap weather. It deserves to die a nasty death by ice cream scooper! A dirty one. With a fungal infection!
So, reading some media political theory while watching Gundam is the plan for the day. Also trying to figure out what the strange noises in the building mean. It sounds like ninjas fighting with mops in a bookstore.
Today I’m working my way through the movies of the Splat Pack that I haven’t seen already, those violent geniuses that are trying to bring back the R-rating to horror movies everywhere. Well, at the same time that they are making good movies that is. I’ve just finished with Cabin Fever and Dead Silence and I’m now starting on the Saw VI. Mmm, sweet and murderous gore. Also, looking forward to Shutter Island which is coming out soon.
I recently went out and bought The Gathering Storm, the twelfth book of the Wheel of Time series. In case you don’t know what that series is… For shame! You’re a horrible entity and should be left alone in the basement to suffer with the jellofish. Anyway, I’ve been waiting five god damned years for this book. Which is a seriously long time to bother to wait for just about anything save your very own regiment of clone warriors. So, I bought the book and the started reading it a few days later. The next day it was done. The fact that I actually could wait a few days to read it is a bit weird, but I guess people change over the years. I’m thinking it is the fact that I went out and had a few drinks. But I’m loosing track of what I was trying to say here. Actually, I don’t really know what I am trying to say here. The book is good? That might be it, but it isn’t really what I wanted to get going here. Ah yes, the author is dead. That was what I was going for here. Dead as a dodo, which is a shame, but then again, that’s life and so on. The twelfth book was supposed to be the final book of the series, as Robert Jordan (he is the author, for you dimwits out there that trying to sneak out of the basement. The jellofish is watching you.) The fact that it wasn’t the final book of the series didn’t come as too huge a surprise on me. It was clear that he was nearing an end of the story, but I still believe that he couldn’t have wrapped it up in a single book. And neither could Brandon Sanderson (he is also the author, but not the same author. Go back to the basement. Jellofish is lonely). The final book has been expanded into three final books, which The Gathering Storm is the first of, and I do believe that he can wrap it all up for us. More stuff of interest happened in this book than has happened in the last two-three books written by Jordan. Sanderson is a breath of fresh air for a great series of books and I do think that he will be able to do both Jordan’s legacy and the series a service through this.
Now then, to the just of what I want to talk about here. The death of an author. More specific: the death of an author who was not finished with his work. I am not talking about grandpa who thought it was a good idea to start writing a novel at the age of 87 and then died at the age of 87, with four chapters done. Neither am I talking about that young, up and coming literature student that happened to get smooshed by a bus on his way to a hot coffee date, where he would brag about the novel he is just about to finish. No, I am talking about cases where a series of books has been written, a universe created and stories have been told. Like with Jordan and the Wheel of Time series. Is it the same series we are reading now? Sanderson is working with the notes and fragments left to him by Jordan, who had started to write the book before his death. That means that it is done as he wanted it to be done, simply through a different writer, doesn’t it? No, it’s not that simple. Even though Sanderson has Jordan’s notes and all the things that can help him write the end of the series, it isn’t Jordan writing them. It is Sanderson trying to honor Jordan, yes, but it is also Sanderson’s view of both the series and the author’s intention and wishes. Does that mean that I wish that Sanderson wouldn’t write these books? Not really, as I truly appreciate Sanderson’s own works -Elantris is one of the best fantasy books I’ve read in years- and I think that he can do great things with the characters and the universe that Jordan created. For me personally, a large part of this is that I want to read the ending of the series, I want to read Jordan’s ending to the series, how he wanted to wrap it up. I’ve invested a large amount of time into this series, so of course I want that. Also, the books are good. They are not great, but they are good and I appreciate them, what other reason do one need to read a book? Had I bothered to read the books if Jordan hadn’t prepared the way for someone else to take over the mantle? No, not by a long shot. That is the kicker; the author of the original series knew he was dying and prepared for that by reading notes and plot for the one that would take over and finish the series. This isn’t just someone trying to make money and some fame through someone else’s work. In the end, I guess it comes down to the fact that Jordan didn’t manage to finish the story he wanted to tell us, which is why another author had to step in to help him so that the readers would be able to read the story in its entirety. Sure, it might not be the story just as Jordan had meant for it to be, but it is the ending we get.
So, what makes the fact that Brandon Sanderson is writing the final books of the Wheel of Time series different from the fact that Brian Herbert is writing books in the Dune universe created by his father, Frank Herbert? For me the simple answer is that Frank Herbert had told his story. Sure, he might have wanted to write some more books in that setting, but the story itself was written, read and enjoyed. It was done. Were the books written by Brian Herbert needed? No, not really. And that is what makes the difference. Jordan’s story was not finished and needed an ending. Herbert’s story was finished and didn’t need anything else.
So, is this little fact enough? And then, I ask myself, enough for what? Justifying the fact that they were written? There really isn’t a significant difference between these two cases, beyond my personal preferences. I guess the thing I am trying to get at here is the fact that the books that were not written by the original author, even if they were good, they were not the products of the original author. They were the interpretations of the original author’s works, done by a different author. It’s the same with both Jordan and Herbert. The new authors are interpreting their works and writing the new books based upon this. Really, there isn’t a huge difference between these two cases that I’ve mentioned. And I’ve lost track of where I was going with this, not really sure if I had a goal at all when I started.
Anyhoo, the bottom line is this: the new books are not Jordan’s or Herbert’s. They’re the books they wrote, seen through the eyes and minds of other people. The fact that one of them worked out and the other created a series of books that I rather dislike (I wanted to end on a lighter note, hence a word that really doesn’t sum up the negativity I have against Brian Herbert’s books] is just a curiosity that has no effect upon this… this point that I think I might be trying to make. Truth be told, it really isn’t any different than what happens when your favorite book is adapted into a movie. It has to travel through the imaginations and creative process of other people to reach you, it is no longer the author trying to shove his vision into your head.
I’ve always loved music videos, they’re a great addition to a great tune and they’re something shiny to look at if it’s a bad tune. But I’ve realized that even though there are music videos being made, for both music I love and music I hate, I rarely see them. So, where the fuck are these videos aired? the first and obvious answer would be MTV, but the only times I can remember seeing music videos on MTV, is when I am awake at some ungodly hour of the day and they have run out of crap to show and actually show music. It’s amazing how little music I can actually find on MTV, but that might just be because I get the regional Norwegian channel. Who knows? But, it means that MTV is not where to turn to get music videos. Actually, I wouldn’t turn to MTV anyhoo because they rarely have anything to do with music that I have an interest in. It’s mostly just Top20 crap and where are they now-shows about boy bands. Not that interesting, I’m sorry to say. I’ve heard good things about MTV2, which is supposedly the edgier metal alternative to MTV vanilla, but I’ve never seen the channel, so it might be filled with nothing but armadillo porn for all I know. Actually, I’d watch it anyway.
VH1 used to show metal videos for a few hours every Friday, at least they did when I still had that channel, don’t know if they do it these days. But then again, for a few hours every Friday is not enough to really peak my interest. It’s a good alternative when you’re having a beer to relax after a long week, but in this day and age… If you can’t get it right now, well… So, that leaves Youtube (also, you might want to check out jewtube for some hilarity) but the record labels are stomping down on Youtube to have the videos pulled or only made available to certain countries. First of all, only made available to certain countries? What the hell is the point of that? Making people in one country wait for something that is available to their neighbors, I thought you had learned that didn’t work anymore. It only makes people learn faster how to download shit from the internet. Also, what is a music video, when you get down to it, except a commercial for the album? It is wonderful, it is a piece of art and they complement the album to make it something greater (in a perfect situation that is). But it is still a commercial… Youtube should be the easiest place to let people see these videos, but no, the record labels don’t want people to see the commercials for their albums. I just don’t know. You can always find a music video there, but more and more often, it seems like they are unavailable due to this “not available in your country”-bullshit or are just removed.
So, anyone know where I watch music videos? Also, after I’ve written this I’m going to find all the music videos I’ve ever wanted to see, which means my complaining about it and writing this post about it will be rendered completely useless. It’s almost guaranteed.
Oh, and if you should happen to ever find armadillo porn, let me know. I’m just curious if it really exists, you know. Nothing wrong with a little curiosity, is there?
So, last weekend I got around to watching the Great Glory that is The Best Film in Fucking Decades. Well, that was what it was supposed to be according to what I’ve read and heard about it. Was it all that and a bag of chips? Well, it was pretty. That’s about it… Beyond the novelty of watching it in 3D, there wasn’t much to be excited about, to be honest. The only impression I am left with after watching it, is that it was pretty. Very pretty. Also, the kitty-girls were kinda hot and feisty, but how long can hot and feisty kitty-girls really keep your attention? About two and a half hours it seems. What can I say? I like pretty things… Don’t look at me like that! It’s perfectly normal to leave a bowl of milk under the bed in case the kitty-girls stop by, honest. I’m not crazy.
But anyhoo, as I said it was pretty. Was it any good? Not to sure about that. I really can’t say too much good about the movie besides that it was pretty. The whole thing was a gathering of clichés, both in the form of the dramatis personae and the actual plot. Essentially, it’s Pochahontas in space. No no, just go check it out. Pochahontas in space, only now with more nude, blue and noble savages and mech-suits. Or, if you want to look at it from a different perspective, they painted Muad’dib blue.
The theme of the movie was obvious Nature good, Industrialization bad. Not a horrible theme to build a movie upon, but it was wielded as a blind hill giant spaced out on shrooms would wield a hammer. Bluntly and everywhere. If they had tried to be a bit more delicate and subtle in the way they tried to convey their message, you know, just tone it down a bit, it might have left room for other things that the movie could benefit from. Like depth of character and plot.
Kitty!
Though I did approve of the kitty-girls. They were awesome. Stop looking at me that way, you know you like them too.
Didn’t really get into the movie and feel that it stirred something in me until Muad’dib stood before his people and shouted “This is SPARTA!” Well, not actually what he said, but it could just have been. But to be honest, it isn’t really that difficult to get the blood pumping just a bit faster with a grand and glorious battle between evil technology and the noble savage. So I’m not going to give to much credit on that account when it comes to stirring my cold and empty heart. I mean, Up made me cry within the first 15 minutes and that movie is just plain hilarious. But, that’s enough bitching about the movie, it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t bad either. It was very pretty with a bunch of clichés instead of characters and plot, but it was pretty enough to be forgiven. Especially the shiny little helicopter dragon thing that was just so bloody adorable and useless that it would have made Darwin go out back behind the chemical shed and shoot himself in the kneecaps.
