42 Challenge

Weekly Geeks: 2011-19: Quotables

2011-06-11T19:33:00.000-05:00

This week's weekly geek topic is all about quotes. So I thought I'd share some of my favorite Babylon 5 quotes!

"My father always told me: 'The best way to understand someone is to fight him, make him angry. That's when you see the real person.'"

-- Sinclair to Ivanova in Babylon 5:"Midnight on the Firing Line"

"I know a lot of guys who came out of the war changed. Some came out better, some came out worse. A lot of them had this problem. The war gave them definition, direction, purpose. Without it they don't know how to fit in anymore, so they keep looking for ways to go out in a blaze of glory. Some people call that being a hero, maybe so. I don't know, I've never been one. Me, I think they're looking for something worth dying for because it's easier than finding something worth living for."

"Finished?"

"Yeah. I guess that covers it."

"Michael. I don't have an answer for you. And .. I think maybe I should. Thanks."

-- Garibaldi and Sinclair in Babylon 5:"Infection"

"I'm thinking of thinking of calling her right after my afternoon nap. I'm thinking of thinking of sending her flowers right after Bonnie gets back. So many fishies left in the sea. So many fishies, but no one for meee.. I'm thinking of thinking of hooking a love soon after supper is done."

-- G'Kar's song in Babylon 5:"The Parliament of Dreams"

"Love? Pah. Overrated. Here, look, these are my three wives: Pestilence, Famine and Death. Do you think I married them for their personalities? Their personalities could shatter entire planets! Arranged marriages, every one, but they worked out. They inspired me. Knowing that they were waiting at home for me is what keeps me here -- 75 lights years away."

-- Londo to Vir in Babylon 5:"The War Prayer"

"Understanding is a three-edged sword."

-- Kosh to Talia Winters in Babylon 5:"Deathwalker"

"The universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest."

-- G'Kar to Garibaldi in Babylon 5:"Survivors"

"Sleep well?"

"Sleeping is not the problem. Waking up.. that is a problem. I've always had hard time getting up when it's dark outside."

"But in space it's always dark."

"I know, I know."

-- Sinclair and Ivanova in Babylon 5:"Signs and Portents"

"See yourself for what you are, not what others try to make you."

-- Aldous Gajic to Jinxo in Babylon 5:"Grail"

"I would suggest that there is a difference between being unreasonable and being angry. Ambassador G'Kar is angry most of the time, but even the greatest anger fades with time."

"My dear ambassador Delenn, I'm sure that for you this is true, but for G'Kar and his people; they will do all that they can to destroy us, until the universe itself decays and collapses. If the Narns all stood together in one place and hated, all at the same time, that hatred could fly across dozens of light-years and reduce Centauri Prime to a ball of ash. That's how much they hate us."

-- Delenn and Londo in Babylon 5:"A Voice in the Wilderness #1"

"You don't have to respond in kind."

"Of course we do. There's a natural law. Physics tells us that for every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. They hate us, we hate them, they hate us back. And so, here we are: victims of mathematics."

-- Sinclair and Londo in Babylon 5:"A Voice in the Wilderness #1"

"And just one more thing. On your trip back I'd like you to take the time to learn the Babylon 5 mantra: 'Ivanova is always right. I will listen to Ivanova. I will not ignore Ivanova's recommendations. Ivanova is God. And if this ever happens again, Ivanova will personally rip your lungs out.' Babylon Control out. .. Civilians! [Looks up] I was just kidding about the God part -- no offense."

-- Ivanova in Babylon 5:"A Voice in the Wilderness #1"

"Much apologizing. Mathematics not Zathras' skill."

-- Zathras to Major Krantz in Babylon 5:"Babylon Squared"

"Reading is no substitute for experience."

-- Londo to Lennier in Babylon 5:"The Quality of Mercy"

"There comes a time when you look into the mirror and you realize that what you see is all that you'll ever be. Then you accept it .. or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking into mirrors. No, nothing can be changed."

-- Londo to Morden in Babylon 5:"Chrysalis"

"Vir, do you believe in fate?"

"Well, actually, I believe there are currents in the Universe. Eddies and tides that pull us one way or the other. Some we have to fight, some we have to embrace. Unfortunately, the currents that we have to fight look exactly like the currents we have to embrace. The currents that we think are the one that's gonna make us stronger, they are the ones that are going to destroy us. And the ones that we think are going to destroy us, they are the ones that are going to make us stronger. Now, the other current--"

"Vir! Yes or no?"

"Yes! You know, somewhat, why?"

-- Londo and Vir in Babylon 5:"The Geometry of Shadows"

"The Universe doesn't give you any points for doing things that are easy."

-- Sheridan to Garibaldi in Babylon 5:"The Geometry of Shadows"

"10 pounds?"

"Well, a 10-pound gain isn't too bad, but you could afford to lose it. Here's a list of foods I want you to avoid. No meat, low fat. Lots of vegetables."

"Rabbit food."

"Well, it's only for a little while, Captain. We'll get those 10 pounds off in no time."

"Who's 'we'?"

"Well, a doctor and his patient are a team, Captain, don't you agree?"

"Sure. And since we're a team, why don't you do the diet part."

-- Sheridan and Franklin in Babylon 5:"A Distant Star"

"Universe puts us in places where we can learn. They are never easy places, but they are right. Wherever we are, it's the right place .. and the right time. Pain that sometimes comes is part of the process of constantly being born."

-- Delenn to Sheridan in Babylon 5:"A Distant Star"

"You've got a plan?"

"Try not to get killed."

"Brilliant."

-- Ivanova and Sheridan in Babylon 5:"The Long Dark"

"We believe that no race can be truly intelligent without laughter."

-- Delenn to Sheridan in Babylon 5:"A Race Through Dark Places"

"G'Kar, everyone in this room knows too well that the first casualty of war is always the truth."

-- Sheridan to G'Kar in Babylon 5:"Acts of Sacrifice"

"Ambassador, I have learned the hard way that governments deal in matters of convenience, not conscience. If they fall behind, it is up to the rest of us to make up the difference. If we don't, who will?"

-- Sheridan to Delenn in Babylon 5:"Acts of Sacrifice"

"I never forget the feeling of helplessness. I never thought there could be anything worse than being all alone in the night."

"But there is. Being all alone in a crowd."

-- Sheridan and Delenn in Babylon 5:"There All the Honor Lies"

"Commander, everything in order?"

"Remarkably so. It is beginning to worry me."

"Do you always worry when things are going well?"

"I don't have time to worry about them when they are not."

-- Sheridan and Ivanova in Babylon 5:"Knives"

42 Challenge: February update

2011-02-22T19:58:00.000-06:00

Over at Reading in Texas, I've been busy reading—and reporting on—science-fiction books which count toward this challenge. Recently, I reviewed The Gideon Trilogy, a SF series for young-adult readers. While I now have completed six of the target 42 items, I've only reviewed three of them. But I'll remedy that deficit fairly soon. The reading is no problem at all, but the reviewing is a challenge in and of itself.

Did you know?!

2011-01-06T12:27:00.000-06:00

Today I "discovered" that you can watch The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy on Hulu.com. This is the BBC one, not the movie. It is in six episodes. You might also find something on their science fiction 'genre' page. I'd recommend, of course, Stargate SG-1!

First Post, First Review

2011-01-05T02:55:00.000-06:00

1) For the first of my 42 items, I decided to listen to one of the weekly podcasts published at Escape Pod. One of the recent items caught my eye: Christmas Wedding, written by Vylar Kaftan and read by Mur Lafferty. This short story, originally published in Warrior Wisewoman, was a sweet love story set in a time just after the disastrous eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano.

Review is posted at Reading in Texas.

One down, 41 to go!

Elsi

Becky's 2010-2011 List of 42

2010-12-26T14:51:00.010-06:00

1. Mind War (B5, season one)
2. The War Prayer (B5, season one)
3. And the Sky Full of Stars (B5, season one)
4. Signs and Portents (B5, season one)
5. TKO (B5, season one)
6. Eyes (B5, season one)
7. A Voice in the Wilderness, part one and two (B5, season one)
8. Babylon Squared (B5, season one)
9. The Quality of Mercy (B5, season one)
10. Chrysalis (B5, season one)
11. Points of Departure (B5, season two)
12. Revelations (B5, season two)
13. Air, part one, two, three (Stargate Universe, season one)
14. Darkness (Stargate Universe, season one)
15. Light (Stargate Universe, season one)
16. Water (Stargate Universe, season one)
17. Earth (Stargate Universe, season one)
18. Time (Stargate Universe, season one)
19. Life (Stargate Universe, season one)
20. Justice (Stargate Universe, season one)
21. The Geometry of Shadows (B5, Season two)
22. The Long Dark (B5, season two)
23. Space (Stargate Universe, season one)
24. Divided (Stargate Universe, season one)
25. Faith (Stargate Universe, season one)
26. Human (Stargate Universe, season one)
27. Lost (Stargate Universe, season one)
28. Sabotage (Stargate Universe, season one)
29. Incursion part one and two (Stargate Universe, season one)
30. A Spider in the Web (B5, season two)
31. Soul Mates (B5, season two)
32. A Race Through Dark Places (B5, season two)
33. The Coming of Shadows (B5, season two)
34. Gropos (B5, season two)
35. All Alone in the Night (B5, season two)
36. Acts of Sacrifice (B5, season two)
37. Hunter, Prey (B5, season two)
38. There All the Honor Lies (B5, season two)
39. And Now for a Word (B5, season two)
40. In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum (B5, season two)
41. Knives (B5, Season two)
42. Confessions and Lamentations (B5, season two)
43. Divided Loyalties (B5, Season two)
44. The Long, Twilight Struggle (B5, Season two)
45. Comes the Inquisitor (B5, Season two)
46. The Fall of Night (B5, Season two)
47. Backtracked. Pedro de Alcantara. (time travel)
48. Pathfinder. Orson Scott Card. (space adventure, time travel)
49. Divergent. Veronica Roth. (dystopia)
50. Delirium. Lauren Oliver. (dystopia)
51. Across the Universe. Beth Revis.
52. Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
53. the dead & the gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer
54. this world we live in by Susan Beth Pfeffer
55. Surviving Antarctica: Reality TV 2083 by Andrea White
56. The Giver by Lois Lowry
57. Matched. Ally Condie.
58. XVI. Julia Karr.
59. Wither. Laura DeStefano.
60. Outside In. Maria V. Snyder.
61. The Pilgrimage: The Unforgettable SF Masterpiece of the Strangers Among Us: The First Book of The People. Zenna Henderson.
62. The People: No Different Flesh. (The New Chronicle of THE PEOPLE) Zenna Henderson.

Made it to 33!

2010-12-25T12:36:00.002-06:00

Here is a link to my 42 Challenge page. It's been great fun and I'm probably going to sign up for 2011.

Wrapping Up 2010

2010-12-25T00:01:00.000-06:00

I know this is a little late, but I just wrote my wrap-up for the 2010 edition of the Challenge; it's posted on my blog here. Didn't quite make it to 42 events/experiences this year, but I definitely enjoyed trying. Thanks, Becky, for hosting this - it's been one of my favorites of all the many (too many) reading challenges I've been involved in.

Starman Jones ~Robert A. Heinlein

2010-12-06T13:11:00.001-06:00

My 34th event for the 42 Challenge 2010 was reading Robert A. Heinlein's novel, Starman Jones. It was a fun, page-turner that is well worth reading. My review can be found by clicking here.

Want to 42 Again? Again?

2010-12-04T11:15:00.000-06:00

42 Challenge (for 2011)
Officially starts January 1, 2011
Officially ends December 3, 2011

Your mission--if you choose to accept it--is to read, watch, listen, and (possibly) review 42 sci-fi related items.

What counts? Short stories, novellas, novels, radio show episodes, television show episodes, movies, graphic novels, comic books, audio books, essays about science fiction, biographies about sci-fi authors, etc. Adapted or abridged works are okay as well.

Keep an ongoing list of your 42 either here on this site (just leave your email address in the comments) or on your own site (just leave a link to your list in the comments). Your list doesn't have to include links to your reviews. But it can if you like. Reviews are not required.

If you want to join the challenge, leave a comment on this post.
If you want to be able to contribute to this site, then leave your email address. (If you don't want to contribute, then that's not necessary.)
If this will be your second or third year, and you'd like to continue on, then leave a comment to 'renew' your participation.
If this is your first year participating, it would be helpful (see below) if you could say this is your first year.
MY goal is to (eventually) add all participants to the site's blog roll.
If you would like to be added to the blog roll AND your blog/site isn't linked in your profile, please leave a link to your site.

A Conferation of Valor ~Tanya Huff

2010-12-01T18:55:00.002-06:00

My 32nd and 33rd entry for the 42 Challenge 2010 is the two-novel omnibus covering books one and two of Tanya Huff's Valor series.
The book is called A Confederation of Valor, it was great, and you can read my review by clicking here.

Asimov's Science Fiction: January 2011

2010-11-15T09:47:00.002-06:00

For my 31st entry into this year's 42 Challenge I read the latest issue of Asimov's. It was a really great issue. My review can be found by clicking here.

The Currents of Space ~Isaac Asimov

2010-11-13T16:33:00.001-06:00

For my 30th item in the 42 Challenge I read and reviewed Isaac Asimov's 1952 classic, The Currents of Space. It was great fun, a book I recommend, and my review can be found by clicking here.

Star Trek Typhon Pact: Zero Sum Game ~David Mack

2010-11-09T20:53:00.002-06:00

Just read the latest Star Trek novel by David Mack, my 29th challenge related item for the 42 Challenge. You can read all about it by clicking here.

When You Reach Me ~Rebecca Stead

2010-10-08T09:07:00.000-05:00

My latest 42 Challenge review is up:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/when-you-reach-me-rebecca-stead

Shellie & John's (Layers of Thought) Latest reviews

2010-10-06T12:22:00.001-05:00

The Dream of Perpetual Motion by Dexter Palmer
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Post-Human by David Simpson
The Passage by Justin Cronin
The City & The City by China Mieville
Prador Moon by Neil Archer
Very Hard Choices by Spider Robinson
The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist

We have several movies to add, and perhaps I have a few short stories....

15 down 27 to go!

The question is can we do it?

That would be approx 4.5 reviews per person per month to the end of the year...better get reading and watching and reviewing!

Ministry of Space ~Warren Ellis, Chris Weston

2010-06-11T08:17:00.001-05:00

My 24th entry into this year's 42 Challenge is a review of the graphic novel miniseries, Ministry of Space, by Warren Ellis and Chris Weston. It is fantastic and comes highly recommended.

You can see my review here.

Star Wars Remembrance

2010-05-31T17:40:00.003-05:00

For my 22nd and 23rd items related to this year's challenge I have done a combined post reviewing Brian Daley's novel, Han Solo at Star's End, and reminiscing about The Empire Strikes Back, this being its 30th Anniversary. You can find the post by clicking here.

Strange Light ~Larry Niven

2010-05-20T20:50:00.001-05:00

Over my recent vacation I had the pleasure of reading Larry Niven's contribution to Lisa Snellings' "Strange" series. The review, my 21st for this year's 42 Challenge, can be found in the post here.

Three more book reviews to add to the list from Layers of Thought

2010-05-11T11:55:00.000-05:00

Inside Out by Maria Snyder- (girls young adult)
The Quiet War by Paul McAuley- (hard sci fi)
The Army of the Republic by Stuart Archer Cohen - (alternative reality thriller)

7 down 35 to go and the years almost half over... goodness!

Appocalyptic Young Adult Trilogy - The Moon Series

2010-04-07T15:22:00.000-05:00

Susan Beth Pfeffer - Apocalyptic 3 book series review at Layers of Thought.
I devoured the series.

4 down 38 to go!

Dr Who: The End of Time

2010-03-27T15:40:00.001-05:00

In preparation for New Who season 5 which starts here in the UK on Easter Staurday, I re-watched and commented on the last two episodes starring David Tennant, and my thoughts can be found here.

Finch ~Jeff Vandermeer

2010-03-09T22:00:00.001-06:00

My 20th post for this year's 42 Challenge is a review of a book nominated for the Best Novel category in this year's Nebula Awards, Finch by Jeff Vandermeer.

You can find the review here.

Eon by Greg Bear

2010-03-08T17:20:00.000-06:00

John at Layers of Thought gave this book 4.5 stars. See his review here.

The Alchemy of Stone

2010-03-04T17:14:00.000-06:00

My thoughts on this wonderful novel are here

Two Greats

2010-02-22T21:05:00.000-06:00

For #18 and 19 of my 42 Challenge I have done a 'two for one' review of the books Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein and You Will Never be the Same by Cordwainer Smith.

You may peruse said review here.

Moon

2010-02-21T11:55:00.000-06:00

My review of this fantastic movie can be found here.

Cyberabad Days ~Ian McDonald

2010-02-15T11:57:00.001-06:00

For my 17th entry in this year's challenge I read Ian McDonald's short story collection, Cyberabad Days.

My review is here.

Diving into the Wreck ~Kristine Kathryn Rusch

2010-02-10T14:48:00.001-06:00

Just read an excellent, excellent book, Diving into the Wreck by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. It is my sixteenth post for this year's challenge. The review is here.

Gateway ~Frederik Pohl

2010-02-10T04:14:00.001-06:00

For my fifteenth 42 Challenge post (I'm saving number 14 to post in conjunction with something else), I give you a review of the multi-award-winning novel, Gateway by Frederick Pohl.

My review is here.

Saturn's Children

2010-02-08T14:41:00.000-06:00

My review of this novel by Charles Stross can be found here.

Moon: A Movie Review

2010-02-08T09:34:00.001-06:00

I watched the excellent sci fi film Moon over the weekend and blogged about it here. I highly recommend it. It is my thirteenth post for the 42 Challenge.

Nova War

2010-02-07T04:52:00.002-06:00

My thoughts on the second of Gary Gibson's Shoal Sequence can be found here.

Number 12

2010-02-06T01:44:00.001-06:00

Just posted my twelfth entry for this year's 42 Challenge, a review of the March 2010 issues of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. It was great!

Review here.

Avatar

2010-02-05T11:14:00.001-06:00

Finally, finally got round to posting about this here.

42 Challenge, Number 11

2010-02-01T10:26:00.002-06:00

I just finished reading an excellent short story anthology from 1957/58 called, The Best From Fantasy and Science Fiction, Seventh Series, edited by Anthony Boucher.

Lots of worthwhile stories in this collection, particularly one by Chad Oliver that fans of Avatar, and non-fans of Avatar, should read.

My review is here.

42 #10!!!

2010-01-27T23:53:00.001-06:00

Just posted my 10th review for this year's challenge, a book review for John Scalzi's excellent, award-winning novel, Old Man's War.

Here is the link.

Number 9

2010-01-25T16:27:00.001-06:00

Just read and reviewed Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein. Excellent!!!

Here is the review.

42 Challenge Number 8

2010-01-23T15:35:00.000-06:00

Here is my eighth post for this year's 42 Challenge, a Friday Favorites/Book Review for the art book, Mark Schultz: Various Drawings Volume 4.

Here is the link.

Avatar Film Review

2010-01-19T20:19:00.001-06:00

Check out my Double Feature review for Sherlock Holmes and Avatar.

Review here.

Two for the price of one

2010-01-18T22:51:00.002-06:00

Two more posts up, numbers 5 and 6, for this year's 42 Challenge. Click on each title to take you to the review:

Deathworld 3 ~Harry Harrison

and

Galaxy, December 1964 ~edited by Frederick Pohl

Spectrum 16 Book Review

2010-01-15T09:37:00.001-06:00

I have just reviewed the latest volume of contemporary fantastic art work, Spectrum 16. The post is filled with lovely pictures, so come on by and give it a look. This is my 4th post for this year's 42 Challenge.

The link is here.

The Green Hills of Earth ~Robert A. Heinlein

2010-01-13T17:16:00.001-06:00

Just finished my 3rd post for the 42 Challenge, a review of The Green Hills of Earth. Excellent short story collection. My review is here.

42 Challenge, second post

2010-01-12T14:43:00.000-06:00

My second post is up for this year's 42 Challenge, featuring art from science fiction books released in 2009.

Here is the link.

#3 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on DVD

2010-01-11T21:22:00.002-06:00

So after watching the film a dozen times (no, I'm not exaggerating) with my kids on DVD, I've decided to count it for the science fiction challenge. I have a long post on my blog.

Elizabeth's 42 - 2010

2010-01-10T17:21:00.003-06:00

1 - District 9
2 - Terminator: Salvation
3 - The Giver by Lois Lowry
4 - Santa Olivia by Jacqueline Carey
5 - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
6 - The Authorized Ender Companion by Jake Black

Firefly

2010-01-02T15:25:00.005-06:00

Last night we watched the pilot episode of Firefly, the "space western" series created by Joss Whedon for the Fox Network. Fox ended up canceling the show after 11 of 14 episodes were aired. I think the show is brilliant, dark and at times very funny. Why was this show canceled? It just reconfirms my belief that most American TV executives are stupid.

If you haven't seen Firefly you are really missing something.

#2 Nightwings by Robert Silverberg

2010-01-02T12:28:00.002-06:00

I finished by second science fiction review for 2010, Nightwings by Robert Silverberg. It was originally three novellas but was later republished in book form as a three chapter novel. I read it in novel form.

Desolation Road ~Ian McDonald

2010-01-02T12:03:00.001-06:00

I have just completed my first read in this years 42 Challenge. It was Ian McDonald's unique and interesting book, Desolation Road. You can read my review of it here.

More for my list!

2010-01-02T12:00:00.006-06:00

23. Journey to the Centre of the Earth - Jules Verne: quite frankly I was disappointed! The narrator (the nephew was an irritating wimp who never stopped whinging'. If I'd been the professor, I'd have ditched the brat as soon as I could!

24. Avatar 3D: A visually beautiful film. The night scenes of Pandora were spectacular!

25. Fringe: I really liked this series and it has some great actors in it.

26. Doctor Who - The end of Time: I'm sad to see the end of David Tennant's Doctor, but the return of the Master and the Time Lords, well, what more can you ask for! :) I'm hoping that the Eleventh Doctor will rediscover his joy in life because the Tenth Doctor got so sad and lonely it was heartbreaking sometimes.

27. Flashback - Episodes 1 - 7. An interesting scenario, the whole world blacks out for three minutes and most people have a vision of their future in six months time. I'm looking forward to seeing how this pans out.

28. Sanctuary - Season 2. They're have been some great episodes in this season. I particularly liked Magnus's trip to the future :)

29. Transformers - Revenge of the Fallen. A full on action start to the film left me a little lost at times, but it was an entertaining way to fill a couple of hours.

30. 2010 Supernova. Don't even bother watching this, it was boring. Earth is in danger from the blast from a star going supernova. Amazing what you'll watch over the holidays.

#1 Avatar

2010-01-01T19:28:00.001-06:00

I wasn't expecting to see Avatar in the theaters but I did today. My husband and I got a pair of tickets as a gift.

Read my thoughts on the film on my blog.

Almost as good as a gift from Santa...

2009-12-25T10:27:00.001-06:00

Carl of Stainless Steel Droppings is hosting the Sci-Fi Experience. It will be from January through February of 2010.

You can leave links to reviews on this post about the experience.

Star Trek Vanguard: Harbinger ~David Mack

2009-12-24T22:48:00.002-06:00

I recently read and reviewed Star Trek Vanguard: Harbinger by David Mack. It was an excellent beginning to this series. My review is here:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1169

Chasm City ~Alastair Reynolds

2009-12-14T11:27:00.002-06:00

Just read and reviewed Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds. EXCELLENT book. Here is my review:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1164

Becky's List of 42

2009-12-10T12:52:00.004-06:00

My List of 42:

Becky's Book Reviews

1. Star Trek (2009)

2. Genesis by Bernard Beckett

3. Science Fiction Classics, Graphic Classics #17

4. 2001 A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

5. Under the Dome by Stephen King

6. Candor by Pam Bachorz

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

Want to 42 Again?

2009-12-03T12:29:00.001-06:00

42 Challenge (for 2010)

Officially starts January 1, 2010

Officially ends December 3, 2010

Your mission--if you choose to accept it--is to read, watch, listen, and (possibly) review 42 sci-fi related items.

What counts? Short stories, novellas, novels, radio show episodes, television show episodes, movies, graphic novels, comic books, audio books, essays about science fiction, biographies about sci-fi authors, etc. Adapted or abridged works are okay as well.

Keep an ongoing list of your 42 either here on this site (just leave your email address in the comments) or on your own site (just leave a link to your list in the comments). Your list doesn't have to include links to your reviews. But it can if you like. Reviews are not required.

If you want to join the challenge, leave a comment on this post.

If you want to be able to contribute to this site, then leave your email address.

If you don't want to contribute, then that's not necessary.

If this will be your second year, and you'd like to continue on, then leave a comment to 'renew' your participation.

MY goal is to add ALL participants to the site's blog roll.

If you would like to be added to the blog roll AND your blog/site isn't linked in your profile, please leave a link to your site.

Woo-Hoo - Challenge completed!

2009-12-01T15:04:00.002-06:00

And all through the miracle of TV!

See my recap of Warehouse 13 series 1 here.

And what I think of Fringe Series 2 so far here.

Podkayne of Mars ~Robert Heinlein

2009-11-29T19:28:00.002-06:00

Just read and reviewed the Robert Heinlein novel, Podkayne of Mars.

Review is here if you are interested:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1159

Alison's 42

2009-11-28T17:34:00.002-06:00

alisonwonderland
So Many Books, So Little Time
We're All Mad Here
(Links are to my reviews.)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 31, "Secrets"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 32, "Bane"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episodes 33 and 34, "The Tok'ra"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 35, "Spirits"

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 36, "Touchstone"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 37, "The Fifth Race"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 38, "A Matter of Time"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 39, "Holiday"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 40, "Serpent's Song"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 41, "One False Step"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 42, "Show and Tell"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 43, "1969"

Stargate: SG-1, Season 2, Episode 44, "Out of Mind (Part 1)"

Stargate: Atlantis, Season 4 (20 episodes)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 3 (22 episodes)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 4 (22 episodes)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 5 (22 episodes)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 6 (22 episodes)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 7 (22 episodes)

InterWorld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Stargate: SG-1, Season 8 (20 episodes)

Stargate: SG-1, Season 9 (20 episodes)

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Stargate: SG-1, Season 10 (20 episodes)

Stargate: The Ark of Truth

Stargate: Continuum

Sanctuary, Season 1 (13 episodes)

WALL-E

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Stargate: Atlantis, Season 5 (20 episodes)

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

FlashForward, Season 1 (9 episodes and counting)

Stargate: Universe, Season 1 (9 episodes and counting)

Sanctuary, Season 2 (7 episodes and counting)

Star Trek (2009)

V (2009 TV series), Season 1 (4 episodes and counting)

Push (2009)

Eclipse Three ~Jonathan Strahan, ed.

2009-11-23T08:40:00.001-06:00

I just reviewed the science fiction/fantasy anthology Eclipse Three and am counting it as part of my 42 Challenge. You can find the review here:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1154

Wrap up for rebeccavoy

2009-11-16T01:36:00.002-06:00

I finished the 42 challenge last week - yay! Such a fun challenge.

List here.

The Waters of Mars

2009-11-15T17:27:00.001-06:00

Wow. Review is here.

The Sarah Jane Adventures

2009-11-15T05:04:00.002-06:00

The Doctor makes an appearance during the two-parter Wedding of Sarah Jane Smith.

Warehouse 13

2009-11-09T17:15:00.001-06:00

A mid-season recap of Warehouse 13 - short thoughts on episodes 2 through 6 can be found here.

Wrap up post for Pussreboots

2009-11-07T15:29:00.003-06:00

I've finished the challenge. Since 42 is the perfect number for this challenge I won't add any extras to my list. I will be back when the next challenge launches in December.

I had loads of fun doing the 42 Challenge. It ended up being one of my favorites.

My completed list is:

The Perfect Infestation by Carol Emshwiller

Seafarer's Blood by Albert E. Cowdrey

Dance of Shadows by Fred Chappell

All in Fun by Jerry Oltion

Texas Bake Sale by Charles Coleman Finlay

Beyond the Blue Event Horizon by Frederik Pohl

Catalog by Eugene Mirabelli

Heechee Rendezvous by Frederik Pohl

The Host by Stephanie Meyer

Unstrung Zither by Yoon Ha Lee

Doctor Who and the War Games by Malcolm Hulke

The Boy Who Would Live Forever by Frederik Pohl

The Tribes of Bela by Albert E. Cowdrey

Sorcerers of Majipoor by Robert Silverberg

Avenger of Love by Jack Skillingstead

Andreanna by S L Gilbow

The Heroes of Googly-Woogly by Dalton James

Stratosphere by Henry Garfield

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

The Price of Silence by Deborah Ross

Doctor Who and the Three Doctors by Terrance Dicks

The Second Ship by Richard Phillips

Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Firehorn by Robert Reed

Destination Moon by Georges Remi Hergé

Explorers on the Moon by Georges Remi Hergé

A Rebel in Time by Harry Harrison

Retrograde Summer by John Varley

The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

Paradiso Lost by Albert E. Cowdrey

Adaptogenia by Wayne Wightman

Spaceman by Mike O'Driscoll

Simulacron-3 by Daniel F. Galouye

The Art of the Dragon by Sean McMullen

Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars by Ellen MacGreggor

Hunchster by Matthew Hughes

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon

Icarus Saved from the Sky by Georges-Olivier Châteaureynaud

Synarchy: Book 1: The Awakening by DCS

The Others by Lawrence C. Connolly

Enemies and Allies by Kevin J. Anderson

A Civil Campaign by Lois McMaster Bujold

Battlestar Galactica - The Plan

2009-11-07T13:36:00.003-06:00

Oh, Battlestar Galactica. I was so looking forward to The Plan. I mean, what's not to love - it's the BSG story, but from the point of view of the Cylons!! How could this go wrong?

Here's how - they could make it slow, and without purpose. Rather than trying to tell its own story, The Plan is basically nothing more than short scenes which could have just as easily been outtakes from previous episodes. While some of them were interesting, most of them didn't tell us anything we hadn't already learned. (Although the insight on Leoban's obsession with Kara was somewhat fascinating.) It just didn't work, and it was disappointing.

I know BSG fans are hoping for more movies like this set in the BSG universe - I know I am. But I know much of the future of the universe depends on how well The Plan is receieved. Unfortunately, after watching it, I don't hold out much hope for more.

Transition

2009-10-31T13:03:00.002-05:00

Here's what I thought of the new Iain Banks novel Transition. Is it or isn't science fiction? Well, I'm listing it here, so guess what I think!

Stargate Universe

2009-10-09T10:34:00.002-05:00

22. Stargate Universe. Hurray, another Stargate series! And starring Robert Carlisle! Great pilot episodes - can't wait to see how it pans out. Who will be the new baddies? I think the new enemies are CGI so they should be spectacular.

2009-10-05T16:02:00.004-05:00

19. The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Attwood. A scary future possibility.
20. Warehouse 13 - the pilot episode. This looks good. I can't wait to see how it develops.
21. I am Legend - Richard Mattheson. The film of the same name bears no resemblence at all to the book. It's almost a completely different story in fact!

#36: Hunchster by Matthew Hughes

2009-10-03T21:36:00.003-05:00

"Hunchster" reminds me of the "Mind Over Murder" episode from Family Guy Find out why.

Just so you know...

2009-10-02T13:42:00.002-05:00

I'm planning on hosting the 42 challenge again in 2010. Sign ups will BEGIN on December 4, 2009. I'll post about the challenge at that time.

District 9

2009-09-26T06:15:00.000-05:00

Loved this movie - my review is here

An art eating dragon, and a trip to Mars

2009-09-14T12:44:00.002-05:00

I've written two more reviews.

#34: The Art of the Dragon by Sean McMullen

#35 Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars by Ellen MacGreggor

Warehouse 13

2009-09-13T12:19:00.001-05:00

It's been ages since I've posted, but here is my review of Warehouse 13's pilot episode.

Three new reviews

2009-09-09T14:51:00.003-05:00

I now only have nine more reviews left for this year's challenge.

31. Adaptogenia by Wayne Wightman
32. Spaceman by Mike O'Driscoll
33. Simulacron-3 by Daniel F. Galouye

Steampunk and Aliens

2009-08-23T19:28:00.002-05:00

Here are links to my two latest 42 Challenge posts,

The Alchemy of Stone book review:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1126

District 9 film review:

http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/?p=1128

Two adventures in space and an alternative history

2009-08-08T15:52:00.003-05:00

#28: Retrograde Summer by John Varley

#29: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

#30: Paradiso Lost by Albert E. Cowdrey

A Monster, the Moon and Time Travel

2009-07-23T18:00:00.004-05:00

I have finished numbers 24-27 in the form of one short story, two old comic books and a twenty-three year old novel.

Firehorn by Robert Reed
Destination Moon by Georges Remi Hergé
Explorers on the Moon by Georges Remi Hergé
A Rebel in Time by Harry Harrison

Pashazade

2009-07-18T13:07:00.001-05:00

The First Arabesk - read my review here

Torchwood: Children of Earth

2009-07-11T13:48:00.001-05:00

As one of my friends said to me at the beginning of this week: OMG, how good was that! If you want to see my reaction to all five episodes, recorded as it happened, and with no spoilers (I think, no I'm pretty sure) then you should head here.

I've passed the halfway point

2009-07-08T18:14:00.005-05:00

After a dry spell in my scifi reading, I'm finally in the groove again.

#20: The Price of Silence by Deborah Ross, a short story published in FSF.

#21 Doctor Who and the Three Doctors a novelization by Terrance Dicks

#22 The Second Ship by Richard Phillips

#23 Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

Repo: The Genetic Opera

2009-06-30T19:19:00.003-05:00

Repo: The Genetic Opera

Plot summary from IMDB.com -

In the year 2056 - the not so distant future - an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants, for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by villainous Repo Men. In a world where surgery addicts are hooked on painkilling drugs and murder is sanctioned by law, a sheltered young girl searches for the cure to her own rare disease as well as information about her family's mysterious history. After being sucked into the haunting world of GeneCo, she is unable to turn back, as all of her questions will be answered at the wildly anticipated spectacular event: The Genetic Opera.

My thoughts:

This was definitely one of the oddest movies I've ever seen. The acting was passable - the singing pretty bad, except the songs done by the fabulous Sarah Brightman. And yet, for some reason, I couldn't stop watching. I found myself strangely fascinated by Shilo and her search for the truth about her family. And, of course, Paris Hilton, who was just exactly what you'd expect. I think the filmmakers were hoping for a "Rocky Horror" -esque cult following, and I just don't think it was good enough for that. But, if you don't have anything better to do, it's not the worst movie you could spend two hours on.

To Hie from Far Cilenia by Karl Schroeder (from Metatropolis)

2009-06-30T19:03:00.002-05:00

This is the last story in this audio collection, and it has a decidedly different tone that what came before. Instead of an actual city, this story takes place in a series of virtual cities - interactive, multiplayer game cities which future residents have chosen to abandon the real world to inhabit. There is a larger plot - Gennady, a contractor hired to find stolen plutonium, and Miranda, an anthropologist looking for her lost son, are trying to track down a shipment of plutonium believed to have been stolen by someone in one of these virtual cities. However, the exploration of the cities themselves were, to me, much more interesting than the larger story.

With the ever-growing fascination of massively multi-player online games, it is not a stretch to imagine a time when people literally abdicate their lives in the "real" world in favor of one of these online societies. The complex politics and economics of Shroeder's virtual worlds were fascinating, and I was fully engaged throughout the story.

I definitely enjoyed this anthology - in fact, it's soon to be available in print form, and I'm seriously considering making that purchase.

#19 Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold

2009-06-24T18:22:00.001-05:00

Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold is about Leo Graf, an engineer sent to teach at a distant space station. What he finds there ends up turning him into an activist.

His students are a genetically modified human subspecies called "quads" who have four arms instead of two arms and two legs. They are also genetically adapted to live better in the low gravity of off world living. While the have the same intelligence, personalities and hopes and desires as humanity, they are treated by the research company as property and nothing more.

Read the full post here

#18 Stratosphere by Henry Garfield

2009-06-17T13:55:00.001-05:00

I'm an American. Baseball is in my blood. I don't watch the games all the time but it's probably my favorite sport and I'm a sucker for a good baseball story. "Stratosphere" by Henry Garfield takes baseball and creates a near future tale of one of those big game moments.

The hero of the story is one Joe "Stratosphere" Stromboni who is remembered by a fellow player from the Farside league. Although the details of the game aren't spelled out, Garfield gives a number of hints about how the low gravity game would be different from how it is on earth. "Stratosphere" gets his nickname from one fantastic home run that sends the ball into orbit.

Read the full post here.

#17 The Heroes of Googly Woogly by Dalton James

2009-06-17T13:51:00.003-05:00

The space adventure that Dalton James imagines is surreal and humorous. The red and blue world of the Soodo and Soodont peoples reminds me of the off the wall space adventures from Danger Mouse.

Despite the goofiness of the planet Googley Woogley the conflict between the Soodos and Soodonts is a good starting point for discussing war, slavery and bulling with children. Like The Sneakiest Pirates the resolution isn't clean cut. With the pirates, their gold is still stolen property and now on Googley Woogley the oppressed become the oppressors, though in a less heavy handed way. In that regard, I am also reminded of The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss.

Read the full post here.

#16 Andreanna by S L Gilbow

2009-06-17T13:45:00.002-05:00

Alfred Hitchcock made Mt. Rushmore the perfect location a big budget cinematic chase full of mystery and intrigue. Since North by Northwest Mt. Rushmore continues to be a popular landmark for adventures: National Treasure: Book of Secrets and Ben 10. Now S. L. Gilbow visits with his story of a homesick robot horribly damaged in an accident on the moon.

Read the full post here.

#15 Avenger of Love by Jack Skillingstead

2009-06-17T13:38:00.001-05:00

"The Avenger of Love" in the April / May issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction is dedicated to Harlan Ellison. I haven't read enough of his work to get the connection between Skillingstead's story and Ellison's writing. Despite the gap in my reading I liked the story.

Read the full post here.

#14 Sorcerers of Majipoor by Robert Silverberg

2009-06-17T13:34:00.002-05:00

Sorcerers of Majipoor takes place one thousand years before the start of Lord Valentine's Castle. The traditional passage from Coronal to Pontifax and the choosing of a new Coronal will be challenged when the blood heir of the soon to be Pontifax desires the throne. Though there is no written law against a blood succession it just isn't done. Until now.

Read the full review here.

#13: The Tribes of Bela by Albert E. Cowdrey

2009-06-17T13:30:00.001-05:00

"Tribes of Bela" was the cover story for the August 2004 issue and it's set on another world four light years away named Bela. There is a small mining operation of 1,200 people and in the last couple years a few people have been found murdered. Colonel Robert Kohn has come to investigate.

Read the full review here

Shelley's 42: 1-10 (Original Star Trek)

2009-06-13T15:20:00.003-05:00

1. The Man Trap - “The Enterprise visits planet M-113 for a routine medical inspection of archaeologists Robert and Nancy Crater, but find that Nancy Crater has been replaced by a deadly, shape-shifting creature.”
A somewhat worthy first episode. Their flared capri pants and high-heeled boots caught my eye. Must have been a sixties thing. The monster posing as Nancy was quite the beauty.

2. Charlie X - “While traveling about the Enterprise, a dangerous young man named Charlie Evans terrorizes the crew with his unusual mental powers.”
A hormonal teenager with super powers—scary stuff. The ending was a little anticlimactic.

3. Where No Man Has Gone Before - “After the Enterprise attempts to cross the Great Barrier at the edge of the galaxy, crew members Gary Mitchell and Elizabeth Dehner develop "godlike" psychic powers which threaten the safety of the crew.”
Freaky silver eyes!! Interesting ideas about power.

4. The Naked Time - “A strange, intoxicating infection which lowers the crew's emotional inhibitions spreads throughout the Enterprise. A crew member's inebriated actions place the ship in danger, forcing Scotty to perform a hazardous and untested engineering procedure to save the ship from destruction.”
Most memorable parts—Mr. Sulu brandishing a sword and Spock getting emotional.

5. The Enemy Within - “While beaming up from planet Alpha 177, a transporter accident splits Captain Kirk into two beings: one "good," who acts weak and indecisive; and one "evil", who acts overly aggressive and domineering. Scotty must quickly repair the transporter system to reunite the two Kirks, and to rescue the landing party trapped on the surface of the icy planet below.”
I loved this episode—except for the goofy dog with horns!

6. Mudd's Women - “The Enterprise encounters intergalactic con man Harry Mudd, who is arrested on outstanding charges while ferrying three extraordinarily beautiful women to a remote planet, destined to be wives for the miners located there. In actuality, the plain-looking women use illegal Venus drugs, which make them appear to be much more attractive than their natural appearance; after the drugs wear off, revealing Mudd's deception.”
I really didn't like this one that much.

7. What Are Little Girls Made Of? - “In search of Nurse Chapell's fiancé, renowned exobiologist Roger Korby, the Enterprise visits the icy planet Exo III, where Korby has discovered an ancient machine which allows him to duplicate any living person with an android replacement. Korby plans to use the machine to spread controlled androids throughout the Federation, and replaces Captain Kirk with such a duplicate in an effort to take over the Enterprise.”
It's obvious what the android Andrea was created for.

8. Miri - “After discovering what appears to be a duplicate of the planet Earth, Captain Kirk and his landing party find a population ravaged by a strange disease, which has two effects: children are granted extraordinarily long life, but anyone who reaches puberty (including the adult landing party) develop painful sores which eventually kill the infected. The oldest child, a girl named Miri, develops a jealous affection for Captain Kirk, and works with the other children to kidnap Janice Rand after Kirk attempts to comfort the frightened yeoman.”
An interesting episode. It's no wonder Miri has a crush on Kirk—he kind of overdoes it on being nice.

9. Dagger of the Mind - “At Tantalus V, a rehabilitation colony for the criminally insane, the inmates have taken over the asylum using a neural neutralizer, which is used to remove (or implant) memories from a subject's mind. One colony administrator, Simon van Gelder, escapes to the Enterprise, leading Captain Kirk to investigate the colony. While on the surface, Kirk is brainwashed and taken prisoner, but is helped by Dr. Helen Noel, a colleague from the Enterprise who joined him on the planet. Spock performs a mind-meld with van Gelder to counteract the effects of the neutralizer, healing his mind and allowing van Gelder to take over the colony after Kirk and Noel's rescue.”
This was a good one—I like stuff about mind control.

10. The Carbomite Maneuver - “The Enterprise find an odd, glowing cube floating in interstellar space, which must be destroyed after it begins to emit dangerous radiation. Following the cube's destruction, an immense, glowing sphere called Fesarius races to the Enterprise's location, controlled by Balok, an alien who announces that he will destroy the Enterprise in retribution. Captain Kirk manages to bluff Balok into believing the Enterprise contains a deadly substance called Corbomite, which would severely damage any attacking ship. After managing to escape the Fesarius's tractor beam, disabling the alien ship, Kirk and a landing party board the sphere, discovering the true identity of the vessel's controller.”
This one was suspenseful and a bit more complex than some of the others. The kid in the end is Clint Howard!

Utere Nihil Non Extra Quiritationem Suis by John Scalzi (from Metatropolis)

2009-06-01T21:40:00.002-05:00

John Scalzi is one funny guy.

This is the first story in the Metatropolis anthology with a lighthearted tone, and it's a welcome break. Scalzi's story centers on Benjy, a classic brilliant slacker who put off his required job search too long and is stuck hearding genetically superior pigs in the future New Saint Louis. Doing a favor for the girl of his dreams leads him to stumble accidentally on a scheme by a group of violent outsiders to overtake New Saint Louis, and gives Benjy the chance to be a hero. And get the girl. And have a pig at his wedding.

I really liked this story. It was much more about the people who live and function as members of the establishment, which we haven't heard a lot about yet. The structure and heirarchy of New Saint Louis was quite fascinating, and I'd be interested in another story set in this location. And of course, John Scalzi and reader Alessandro Guiliani (Felix Gaeta from Battlestar Galactica) were a match made in heaven. Guiliani perfectly nailed the sarcastic tone of Benjy, and had me laughing out loud several times.

I think there is only one story left - I will be a little sad to leave this world. It's been a great ride so far.

The Red in the Sky is our Blood by Elizabeth Bear (from Metatropolis)

2009-06-01T21:28:00.002-05:00

Boy, now things are getting really good in this anthology.

Narrated by the phenomenal Kandyse McClure (Dualla from Battlestar Galactica), Elizabeth Bear's entry tells the story of Cady, a take-no-prisoners type gal with just a few of her own secrets to keep. Cady is in hiding, with her stepdaughter, from her ex-husband, a leader in the Ukranian mafia, and one bad dude. She has built a tenuous life for herself, which she waits every day to collapse. When a stranger approaches her with too much knowledge, and a really weird offer, Cady has to decide if she can trust this new acquantaince, or if trust itself is just too risky.

Bear sets her tale in the Detroit of Stochasticity, so we are already familiar with the location, which allows us to feel instantly at home. This is my favorite of the stories so far, probably because I sympathized immediately with the feisty heroine. There is a fair amount of political rhetoric, but it didn't feel quite as obvious as in the last story, which I appreciated. Bear's group of "rebels" also seem less overtly anarchist, making them easier to like.

In case anyone has an interest in this collection, you should head over to Audible.com - they are currently offering Metatropolis FOR FREE - it's a really great deal!

Samsara's 42

2009-05-26T17:01:00.005-05:00

17. Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds: An epic sci-fi novel set in the twenty-sixth century, filled with the human races but more empty of alien races and technologies than you would expect...traces are found, but where are they now and why aren't they around....?
18. Torchwood - Series three - episodes one and two....amazing! I can't wait to see how this series unfolds, so far it's quite chilling....

Samsara's 42

2009-05-21T12:47:00.004-05:00

16. Red Dwarf Special - Return to Earth. If you're a Red Dwarf fan, don't bother with this. Seriously.

Samsara’s 42

2009-05-18T15:58:00.000-05:00

13. Star Trek – awesome movie! Loved it :-) Loved the renewing of the original characters. Loved the retro sci fi feel. Loved the effects.

14. Dollhouse – the series. I know it’s by Joss Whedon, but really? I just couldn’t sympathise with Eliza Dushka’s character. I felt the whole thing had been created as a vehicle for her. Not convinced.

15. Chuck – the series. A kind of daft way to spend 3/4 of an hour. I enjoyed Adam Baldwin’s character, John Casey, worth watching just for him actually!

Star Trek galore:)

2009-05-16T20:53:00.001-05:00

playing "catch up" here. Two more Sookie Stackhouse books and all the Star Trek The Next Generation episodes we've watched in the last couple of weeks-Whew!

13.Book: From Dead To Worse by Charlaine Harris
14. Book: Dead And Gone by Charlaine Harris

15.Star Trek TNG "Clues"-interesting story of the crews encounter with a highly xenophobic world and the drastic choice one crewmember must make to save the crew's lives-3.5 stars

16.Star Trek TNG "First Contact"-fantastic story of how the federation secretly goes undercover on a burgeoning world on the brink of space travel to "feel out" if they are ready for "first contact" with the federation-a classic Next Gen story-5 stars.

17.Star Trek TNG "Galaxy's Child-Geordi's fateful second meeting with his holo crush Dr Leah. Sparks fly as Geordi meets his crush in "the flesh". Very good and painful to watch for poor Geordi's sake:) 4 stars.

18.Star Trek TNG- "Night Terrors"-almost feels like a Halloween or "horror" episode. OK-definately not a favorite-2.5 stars.

19.Star Trek TNG-"Identity Crisis"-great Geordi storyline! 5 stars.

20.Star Trek TNG- "The Nth Degree"-BARCLAY! Enough said-5 stars.

21.Star Trek TNG-"Qpid"-a classic! Q, Vash, and the crew as Robin Hood and his merry men? What more could you want? LOL 5 stars.

22.Star Trek TNG- "The Drumhead"-another classic! Season 4 is the best. Jean Simmons is brilliant in her portrayal as Admiral Satie! 5 stars

23.Star Trek TNG "Half A Life"-Probably one of my top five TNG episodes! I always cry with this one-5 stars!

24.Star Trek TNG-"The Host"-a goody but Crusher and Riker kissing did freak me out a bit. LOL. An interesting perspective on what "love" means-is it the physical or mental that we are most attached to? 4 stars.

25.Star Trek TNG-"The Mind's Eye"- another great Geordi storyline (which I don't think we see that much more of in following seasons)-the premise of brainwashing through his visor is intriguing-4 stars.

26.Star Trek TNG- "In Theory"-another of my favorites-great "Data in love" story. 5 stars.

27.Star Trek TNG-"Redemption, part I"-pivotal Worf story! 5 stars
28.Star Trek TNG- "Redemption, part II"- Season FIVE: loved getting Worf back on the Enterprise and of course Selah, Tasha's daughter! 5 stars.

29.Star Trek TNG- "Darmok"-love Paul Winfield but this is one of my least favorite episodes. 3 stars.

StochastiCity by Tobias Buckell (from Metatropolis)

2009-05-14T15:12:00.002-05:00

In the second story in the anthology Metatropolis, Tobias Buckell takes us to post-apocalyptic Detroit, where civil unrest is ripe. A security company called Edgewater keeps things under control, but radicals still find a way to make their voices heard.

Reginald is a bouncer at a local bar, and to make extra money he engages is "turking" - illegal work where each person only performs one small task, so noone knows the complete mission. One of his assignments goes wrong, and he gets caught. To his great surprise, a lawyer comes to bail him out - except the lawyer also informs him he won't get paid for the job. Determined to get his money, Reginald embarks on a journey that sees him working for both Edgewater and the radicals, and undergoing a transformation of his own.

This was another captivating story in this great anthology. Because much of the worldbuilding was done in the first story, Buckell is really able to jump right in to his narrative, introducing the engaging character Reginald, and setting a blistering pace that is sustained through much of the story. There are a few points where it seems to bog down - most specifically, when the eco-friendly message takes precedence over the actual story - but in general, this was thoroughly engaging. I can't wait to see what city I visit next!

Battlestar Galactica: Caprica

2009-05-14T14:50:00.002-05:00

As an ardent Battlestar Galactica fan, I was more than a little apprehensive about the new series, Caprica, debuting this fall on SciFi. The first thing we heard about it said it would be little more than a night-time soap opera set in the Battlestar Universe. Yuck. Then, more details leaked out, and it started to sound a bit more promising. Then, we found out that BSG composer extraordinaire, Bear McCreary, would be composing for Caprica as well - another good sign. When I saw the pilot episode was available for early viewing from Netflix, I couldn't resist - I had to know if I would be disappointed.

I was so, so, so not disappointed!

Caprica is set 50 years before the events of Battlestar Galactica - before the first cylon war, before the devastation of the 12 colonies. It focuses on two families - the Greystones, and the Adamas - and the events that lead to the creating of the first cylons. In the pilot episode, Zoe Greystone is killed in a terrorist attack by a group promoting the one True God. Her father, devastated by her death, is astonished to learn that Zoe has created an avatar of herself - an exact copy, complete with all her thoughts, feelings, emotions, memories - that exists in a virtual world. Dr. Greystone becomes obesessed with bringing Zoe's avatar into the real world - and succeeds, althought not at all in the way he expected.

I am so excited for this series to begin. In just this first episode, they have answered many questions from the original series, as well as set the groundwork to explore a whole host of interesting issues. Eric Stoltz as Dr. Greystone is wonderful - a perfect combination of grieving father and cold scientist. The rest of the cast is equally brilliant, and of course, the score is beautiful.

This has the potential to be as excellent a series as Battlestar Galactica, which is no small feat. I am already engrossed in this new world, and can't wait for the series to kick into full gear.

3 more added to my list

2009-05-12T07:48:00.000-05:00

just added to my 42 list:

10. Book: All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

11.(Movie) Wolverine: Origins-starring Hugh Jackman-this "Old School" comic fan was very pleased with the movie. Lot's of action, Jackman obviously studied up on Wolvie mannerisms and character as he did a great job, and Liev Schribers Sabretooth was A+ as well-5 stars!
12. (Movie) Star Trek-starring Chris Pine and Zachery Quinto-I loved it, my husband not so much as the time travel aspect made him feel that the "altered universe" basically "wipes out" all previous Trek storylines. I disagree, though. All in all, I felt the cast was great and I'm looking forward to the next film. 5 stars!

Star Trek

2009-05-10T15:20:00.000-05:00

Just saw this today, to find out what I think just go here.