Saturday, September 22, 2012

First blog post from my first wifi laptop! /Opar

Okay, the wifi thing is cool and occupies many of my thoughts (although nowhere near as many as my girlfriend) but that's not quite what I intend to blog about today. But the fact I can blog today is very much made possible because of wifi ;-) I have found it very hard to manage much reading time while working so many hours, not to mention all the other things. Time wth my girlfriend takes priority, and then social activities and board games and such. And I try and fit the Daily Show (and Colbert Report) in there, too. Actually, I get to see Jon Stewart pretty regularly at this moment in my life, because I live part-time in a motel, with cable, and it is about the only favor granted me by my cellmate...er, roommate. Anyway, I have finished part of the omnibus I've been reading, Gods of Opar. I have been very happy, despite moments of displeasure. But that's the worst critism I have: not the way I would have preferred things. Anyway, I finished Flight to Opar, which impressed me. The biggest thing that I carry with me is the suprise that the story wasn't finished when i settled down for a conclusion. In true pulp fashion, every time you thought the jig was up, it was only one more step in the story. Specifically, and I am going to warn you of a minor spoiler here, the last few chapters introduced new villians, heroes, powerplay/politics, and reasons for jeapardy. Sadly, and again in true pulp fashion, many of the human realities of personal dynamics are overlooked. Most notably I refer to the (spoilers!) romance between the protagonist and Lalila. Well, more the marriage than the romance. How does Hadon feel about her already having a child, and being an instant father? How does he feel about his adopted daughter? How does he adjust to his wife's undoubted cultural habits? Lalila is from an "uncivilized" culture, after all. Are there no stresses in the marriage? Maybe Hadon is too proud, too manly to speak of such private matters. But I can't imagine they aren't thought about. I have decided it is proper I finish Flight before The Song of Kwasain, the thrid and final novel in the omnibus. I have thuroughly enjoyed Kwasain. My main criticism is a big one, and I think it falls to the main writer, Carey (long story about the collaboration). The protagonist, Kwasain, should be an anti-hero. He is perfectly suited to it. In the original two books, he is treated as a egotistical brute. A boarish braggart. Perhaps even laughing at his own cruelty. I recall him laughing at the barbarian women he had raped who hadn't been able to walk immediately afterwards. In Song, he is a different man. Still a disrespectful braggart and thinks with his naughty parts, but too much of a hero for the sake of faithfulness. Maybe I am too critical. In other news, my "temporary job" won't last too much longer, at whcih point I will be (hopefully) again on unemployment and searching for renewed employment. I have not made much progress in my readings since my last blog post. Also, and this is not quite a new sentiment, but I need to make a Job Hunt Woes post on the sentiment "Life is too short for..." referring to my current well-paid, poorly-lived job.