Hello, Colin. Let's see….if memory serves, this would be a non-visitation weekend, so hopefully you're booking some Campbell time, getting in a little rest and relaxation on your own.
I mentioned to you that my new job came with a pay raise, but for whatever reason it's a lot more dramatic than I thought it would be in terms of surplus cash. As a result, I went out yesterday and cautiously wasted a little money downtown, bought some DVDs and a couple of books. (I know, that doesn't sound too extravagant, but I did say "cautiously", after all.)
I also bought the special edition of GATTACA, nice little concept SF piece, and finally laid my hands on a used wide-screen copy of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. (I have seen so many full screen copies of that movie for sale, I was starting to wonder if a wide screen version existed…) I did a blog posting some time ago which discussed steampunk and its lack of real penetration into the mainstream, but you know, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen came pretty close to creating a niche for steampunk mashup. I wonder if they'll ever adapt the less approachable comic book sequel, which pits the League against H. G. Wells' Martians?
But all of that is just preamble. What I really wanted to mention was that I picked up a trade paperback of China Miéville short stories, Looking for Jake - $17.00 at Chapters, so much for caution - and if you haven't already gotten it through The Science Fiction Book of the Month Club, I recommend that you keep an eye out for it in regular paperback format. Which I suppose I could have done as well, but I've been coveting this particular book for some time - as witnessed by the fact that I basically read the whole thing in one sitting.
If memory serves, I introduced you to China Mieville when I was reading his Perdido Street Station, which coincidentally also came out in Y2K. There's actually a good little piece in the collection I bought that's set in the same milieu, which discusses the fate of Jack Half-A-Prayer, the fReemade renegade whose arm has been replaced with a gigantic mantis claw.
In fact, the whole book is full of impressive bits and pieces. Some of them are a bit oblique, as with the tale of the feral streets, or viae ferae, to be technical, but as always Mieville's baroque writing style pulls the reader in and engulfs them totally. In short form, he reminds me a bit of Clive Barker - come to think of it, there's a certain resemblance in their longer works too, a sort of poetic fascination with the grotesque. But I think that Mieville has more of an urban fixation than Barker. In Mieville's stories, the sprawl of buildings and streets, alleys and walkways, is as much a character as it is a setting.
You know, I like to think that I've done well by our friendship in terms of recommending authors. Not only can I take credit for China Miéville, as far as I know I aimed you at Terry Pratchett and Iain M. Banks. But that's not intended to suggest that you're in any way behind, after all, you got me started on Little Feat and John Hartford - looks like a tie to me.
Talk to you soon,
- Sid
I'm trying to remember if I ever saw "The Cell"; I do recall when it was in theatres a few years ago. "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was in fact a highly entertaining movie - since a one-time costar of mine was in a lead role (Peta Wilson, whom I fought with on La Femme Nikita) - and a well-rounded cast of other actors.
ReplyDeleteHow many books do you buy in a month, on average?
Last month I bought "The Pritikin Edge" and now my ND has recommended "Sex Lies and Menopause". We buy according to our interests.....
What ever happened to Peta Wilson? She seems to have fallen off the map in recent years.
ReplyDeleteHow many books a month? The average would be ten, I suppose - some weeks it's two, some weeks it's three, some weeks just one. But, as bad habits go, I think it's fair to say that I could have made much worse choices than books.
- Sid
Hello, Sid.
ReplyDeleteYes it was a non-visitation weekend as far as my young lad was concerned. I did manage some Campbell time but not of the solo R&R sort. My brudder, Uncle Ralph (I always refer to him in the avuncular), came for a visit and so it was a weekend of wine and movies and Doom (oh my).
I kinda' like two-fers (two for the price of one) too and hope they do a lot more of that sort of packaging for DVD's. The Cell and Pan's Labyrinth seem to be an odd couple to package together however. I've seen both movies and rather liked Pan's Labyrinth. I don't have much recall on The Cell at the moment. I also liked The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Much of that was very stylish.
As for Mr Mieville, I was not aware of the book of short stories and will indeed keep my eyes peeled (AAAARGH), and yes you were the one who introduced me to the incredible world of Perdito Street Station. Wow, what a book, what a read. And most of his other work is quite readable as well. I may have to give The City & The City another read soon. It wasn't one of my favourites but there were elements in the book which I did find fascinating. Can you imagine what a great film, say Jackson, could make of Perdito? Slake Moths and all.
I think that there were a number of authors that you introduced me to over the years. Terry Pratchett is, of course, one that is very close to my heart. Maybe in a lung or something. Mr Banks was another for sure. I can't be sure about others; like Gibson, Stephenson, but who knows? I just feel good that I was able to occasionally offer in exchange some music that you hadn't come across yet; like Little Feat and the one of a kind John Hartford (always a hoot). It may be that I haven't been able to give as well as I've got but I'll keep pitching. When I come across something that I think you'd like I'll definitely point it in your direction.
Colin