Reviews from the sick bed
Mar. 29th, 2006 07:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
baronessekatSo, the upshot to being sick is that I got caught up on some of the things I've wanted to read and see
Origins in Death by JD Robb. The most recent of the paperbacks in the "In Death" series (aka Eve Dallas series). JD Robb is the alter ego for Nora Roberts for those who are unfamiliar with her. Overall I really enjoy this series. I first discovered Eve Dallas after becoming seriously disappointed with Anita Blake. Eve is the sassy, smart mouthed, tough as nails woman that Anita used to be. But unlike Anita, she grows, learns and has a vulnerable side. Not to mention I think her husband is a hell of a lot more attractive than Jean-Claude will ever be. That being said... this book was alright. The story was an interesting idea about the use of human cloning and the perils that can be faced when left unchecked, unregulated and in the hands of a meglomaniac with too much money and brains. I loved the subplot of Eve and Roarke having to deal with Thanksgiving for the first time at their home with all of his newly found Irish relations visiting. The only thing I didn't really like was how when three clones are interviewed by Eve, they do not identify as individuals. I had rather creepy Borg flashbacks and kept wanting one of them to call themselves "Two of Three" rather than the name they all used. It was a fun read and I did not at all feel jipped out of my $7.99.
Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton. If this had been a work of fanfiction I would actually sing its praises. It was a quick read, not overly heavy and dramatic and not bad... had it not been written by a seasoned author with a huge amount of published work on her resume. I thought the plot had rather big gaps. Also I thought that this would have made a nice little intersection in a major work rather than a stand alone piece. And given the title I was rather hoping that it would have been more about oh.. MICAH, maybe even from his point of view or third person his pov. I do not think I would have been as disappointed had the price of the book been $3.99 rather than $7.99. If you want to read it, borrow it from the library or some poor sucker who paid for it.
Mistress by Amanda Quick. I've a fondness for Amanda Quick's work. I don't particularly care for the works she's written as Jayne Castle or Jayne Ann Krentz but as Amanda Quick, I'll happily pay the money for the book. Amanda writes mystery regency romances. Her heroines are always strong and independant (at least all the ones in the books I've read are) and her leading men are always a bit dark mysterious, dangerous and absolutely lustable. (I admit to loving the dangerous bad boy who is the good boy at heart, even when he doesn't want to admit it). This one is on par with her book The Paid Companion". But here it is the leading lady who is trying to solve the mystery and starts out by pretending to be the Mistress of a mysterious Earl that she is lead to believe is dead. But as always... he's alive and comes back into Society after hearing rumors about his latest misteress. Not only is he not originally upset by her scheme he plays along. Mystery and romance ensue. Happy ending. Perfect sick in bed book. And definatley worth the $4.99 paid for it.
Batman Begins Hands down... loved it. I think Christian Bale made a great young Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine was perfect for Alfred. I had been a bit afraid of seeing one of my favorite actors (Liam please don't make me spell his last name) typecasted. He had an awful Qui-gon feel to him during most of the movie but I'm happy at the twist to him in the end. The wise sensai was there with the thing that helped prevent it from being a SW:PM character revamp. I was glad to see the Scarecrow as the bad guy. I would still really like to see Harley Quinn make and appearance someday. I also liked the growing relationship between Bruce/Batman and the then Officer/Sgt/Lt. Gordon over the course of the movie. Definately two thumbs up.
Big Love (HBO Sundays 10pm - I watched them through Video on Demand). I'm still trying to form an opinion on this Cable series about Polygamy. My gut reations is "I like it". But I'm still being cautious about it. I wonder at the actual dynamics between the three wives. You have the "normal", the "bitchy prima donna" and the "child" and the child is that in the emotional sense. While she's young she's still and adult and not a barely pubescent girl (though there is a character who is that but she's not married to the leading man). I actually like Bill Paxton as the leading man here. I also like how they are somewhat exploring the effects of plural marriage on teen children. I will definately keep watching and give a more in depth opinion at the end of the season.
Origins in Death by JD Robb. The most recent of the paperbacks in the "In Death" series (aka Eve Dallas series). JD Robb is the alter ego for Nora Roberts for those who are unfamiliar with her. Overall I really enjoy this series. I first discovered Eve Dallas after becoming seriously disappointed with Anita Blake. Eve is the sassy, smart mouthed, tough as nails woman that Anita used to be. But unlike Anita, she grows, learns and has a vulnerable side. Not to mention I think her husband is a hell of a lot more attractive than Jean-Claude will ever be. That being said... this book was alright. The story was an interesting idea about the use of human cloning and the perils that can be faced when left unchecked, unregulated and in the hands of a meglomaniac with too much money and brains. I loved the subplot of Eve and Roarke having to deal with Thanksgiving for the first time at their home with all of his newly found Irish relations visiting. The only thing I didn't really like was how when three clones are interviewed by Eve, they do not identify as individuals. I had rather creepy Borg flashbacks and kept wanting one of them to call themselves "Two of Three" rather than the name they all used. It was a fun read and I did not at all feel jipped out of my $7.99.
Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton. If this had been a work of fanfiction I would actually sing its praises. It was a quick read, not overly heavy and dramatic and not bad... had it not been written by a seasoned author with a huge amount of published work on her resume. I thought the plot had rather big gaps. Also I thought that this would have made a nice little intersection in a major work rather than a stand alone piece. And given the title I was rather hoping that it would have been more about oh.. MICAH, maybe even from his point of view or third person his pov. I do not think I would have been as disappointed had the price of the book been $3.99 rather than $7.99. If you want to read it, borrow it from the library or some poor sucker who paid for it.
Mistress by Amanda Quick. I've a fondness for Amanda Quick's work. I don't particularly care for the works she's written as Jayne Castle or Jayne Ann Krentz but as Amanda Quick, I'll happily pay the money for the book. Amanda writes mystery regency romances. Her heroines are always strong and independant (at least all the ones in the books I've read are) and her leading men are always a bit dark mysterious, dangerous and absolutely lustable. (I admit to loving the dangerous bad boy who is the good boy at heart, even when he doesn't want to admit it). This one is on par with her book The Paid Companion". But here it is the leading lady who is trying to solve the mystery and starts out by pretending to be the Mistress of a mysterious Earl that she is lead to believe is dead. But as always... he's alive and comes back into Society after hearing rumors about his latest misteress. Not only is he not originally upset by her scheme he plays along. Mystery and romance ensue. Happy ending. Perfect sick in bed book. And definatley worth the $4.99 paid for it.
Batman Begins Hands down... loved it. I think Christian Bale made a great young Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine was perfect for Alfred. I had been a bit afraid of seeing one of my favorite actors (Liam please don't make me spell his last name) typecasted. He had an awful Qui-gon feel to him during most of the movie but I'm happy at the twist to him in the end. The wise sensai was there with the thing that helped prevent it from being a SW:PM character revamp. I was glad to see the Scarecrow as the bad guy. I would still really like to see Harley Quinn make and appearance someday. I also liked the growing relationship between Bruce/Batman and the then Officer/Sgt/Lt. Gordon over the course of the movie. Definately two thumbs up.
Big Love (HBO Sundays 10pm - I watched them through Video on Demand). I'm still trying to form an opinion on this Cable series about Polygamy. My gut reations is "I like it". But I'm still being cautious about it. I wonder at the actual dynamics between the three wives. You have the "normal", the "bitchy prima donna" and the "child" and the child is that in the emotional sense. While she's young she's still and adult and not a barely pubescent girl (though there is a character who is that but she's not married to the leading man). I actually like Bill Paxton as the leading man here. I also like how they are somewhat exploring the effects of plural marriage on teen children. I will definately keep watching and give a more in depth opinion at the end of the season.
