Thursday, May 31, 2012

Question about magic in Pierce's books

I just started listening to Beka Cooper: Mastiff by Tamora Pierce. They're looking for someone/something (I'm being as non-specific as possible here) and I have a question: they've got mages who can do fantastic things, why can't those mages just scry to see where this person/thing is?

I'm sure there is a reason why the mages can't but I haven't heard a particular rule of magic in the books as to why they can't. Though obviously it would mess up the plot for the novel.

Maybe one of my readers has been a more attentive reader than I have and can explain it to me.

EDIT 7/28/2012: I may have an answer here.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Witchy reading challenge completed!

I have completed another reading challenge! This one was put together by Magaly, and it is to read a bunch of witchy novels. My goal was to read 13 witchy novels, and I am happy to say that I have now read 16...with more on my to read list. :)




 If you look at what I've read you may notice that I started off with the Bone books and am now back to them. Yes, I read those around new years, and am rereading that series. I wonder if a book can go on the list twice if I read it twice...?

1) Bone: Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess
2) Bone: Quest for the Spark by Thomas E. Sniegoski
3) Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
4) Beka Cooper: Bloodhound by Tamora Pierce
5) Inheritance: Inheritance by Christopher Paolini 
6) The New Death and others by James Hutchings
7) Angelic by Kelly Armstrong
8) Discworld: Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett
9) Daughter of the Lioness: Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce
10) Discworld: I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett
11) Hexed by Ilona Andrews
12) Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
13) Bone: Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith

EXTRA!!!

14) Bone: The Great Cow Race by Jeff Smith
15) Bone: The Dragonslayer by Jeff Smith
16) Bone: Eyes of the Storm by Jeff Smith 

ps. I notice that the Goodreads.com widgit I've got on this blog says I've only read 16 books this year. I don't know where it's getting that, because if you click on it you'll find that I've actually  45.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Lizzie Bennet on YouTube

I'm a big fan of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I'm also a fan of the Vlogbrothers, so you can imagine my delight when I found out that Hank Green (one half of the Vlogbrothers) has a hand in a retelling of this great story.

But there are some distinct differences from the novel.

Elizabeth Bennet did not really make YouTube videos with the help of her friend Charlotte Lu, and tell the world all about her crazy mother and the cold Mr. Darcey in the most pubic way possible. A few characters (Mary, Kitty, and Mrs. Hurst) are missing, presumably to keep things relatively simple. Some of the plot is differently, and Lizzy could perhaps be slightly nicer to her sisters.

There are about 11 videos out by now, and although it's still early it's looking pretty good.

In particular I look forward to the consequences of certain individuals, such as Mrs. Bennet and Mr. Darcey, finding Lizzie's YouTube channel. As a communications major in college Lizzie should know that it'll get around to them somehow, but seems to think it'll be kept a secret from them. Still, the story couldn't be told half so well if she weren't under that naive assumption.

I'm also curious to see how Lizzie's changing feelings are handled, since she keeps certain things private even from her sister Jane in the book, but that just won't work for the a retelling via YouTube. I'm guessing that the Lizzie of YouTube will be a much more open person than the Lizzie of Austen's book.

I definitely recommend that you watch the first short episode, and that you keep on watching them. They're only a few minutes each.



SPOILERS FROM THE NOVEL!!!

I also can't wait to see how the whole thing with Mr. Collins is handled, as well as a certain fiasco with Lydia. The details of those events will have to be changed, somewhat. Or actually maybe not so much for Lydia...

Depending on what state they're in, Mr. Collins can't be a cousin if he wants to marry one of the Bennet sisters. (Did you know that it IS legal to marry your cousin in some states? I only found that out recently.) And I'll be very surprised if it's a matter of their house being entailed away from the male line. How often is that sort of thing done in the states? (Hey, Lizzie Bennet is in the USA, isn't she?)

Luckily for Mr. Whickam, Lydia is of age so he won't be charged with kidnapping and rape. (FYI, I have discussed in a previous post what would happen if Whickam ran off with Lydia in modern day USA.) Relatives also won't be able to stop Lydia from living with Whickam until they're married, but I suppose that everything else could follow the book pretty closely.

Prediction: Lydia and Whickam will be found in a hotel in Vegas.

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