Welcome to Echo Base

Yes,it is always this cold!

Friday, January 7, 2011

CBR3 review 1. The Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson

First things first: WOW. Thanks you Brandon for taking time out from writing your own stuff and finishing up something that has held my heartstrings for over a decade. You are amazing in your own right and I hope that this brings you many more readers.
And now some first reactions:
HOLY CRAP! How many Forsaken are dead now? The Towers of Midnight are NOT what I thought, still not sure if they are the Seanshan things or in the Blight.DUDE, Moriane is ALIVE!!And going to marry Thom? Okay.What is WITH the Vampire Aiel? (that is what I am calling them) Aviendha just completely CHANGED those Terangreal. Rand is kinda boring in this. Not enough scenes with Tuon. Perrin had some good stuff going on here. But really, Faile is just annoying me now. Glad and Berlain? Wouldn't he get all upset when he realizes what a scheming bitch she is? Gawayn, FINALLY you don't annoy me.
I really need to go back and reread all of the books. Some threads here and minor characters are teasing my memory, but I can't quite tease them into place. No matter, you can still glean what is going on around them. I haven't spent a lot of time on any of the many sites dedicated to picking things apart and the theories and speculations that accompany this opus.So, feel free to see things completely different than I do. Reading this 13th book is like visiting old friends. I also find the timing a bit confusing, but it all works out in the end.
We find ourselves in the calm before the Last Battle. Rand has gone all Jedi like and didn't descend into Vader town, but became more Yoda like. Where the Dark One touches, food spoils, yet where Rand walks, flowers bloom. Balance. If I were to say this book had a theme, I would say balance. Perrin finds his, Mat accepts his fate, Egwene and Elayne step more firmly into power. All of the strings are coming together. And yet, I want more. NOW. I have been waiting not so patiently for long enough, and now that the end is in sight, I feel like SOMETHING will prevent the end. (nasty aside to George RR Martin - FINISH THE DAMN BOOK)
There are so many plots by so many factions, I marvel that anybody can keep things straight. And it seems like the Aiel have been just glimpsed. We STILL don't really understand them. I truly wonder if things will ever be wrapped up to satisfy me. And if anyone would ever be able to write spin offs. Too many questions.
This is supposed to be a review, but since I suck at that, you are stuck with my thoughts and impressions. If you haven't read The Wheel of Time, you should. If you like fantasy anyway. It isn't for everybody. I have had thoughts to the tune of : ooh, look there's some Arthurian Legend thrown in there! Oh Spaceships! and of course, Epic epicness in the fantasy vein. For now, I am satisfied with the story moving along. Bid a fond farewell to some characters, and cheering for some we haven't seen much lately. Also, some sort of GRRing thrown in there. But, in the way a good read is supposed to sweep you into it's world, this latest offering has done so for me. It is a world I enter gladly. And I will be sad and happy to see the story finished. T'aishier Dragon

Saturday, August 14, 2010

gender profile and The Expendables

Hey, it's an ACTION movie. Who cares if Charisma Carpenter is in it? Well,I do. even if it is only for 5 mins total. But hey, this is a bromance movie, not a rom com. Well, it seems the witty banter (I know, Stallone,witty banter?) outweighs the Xplosions. Well, I will give a complete review when I have seen it , like 30,000 times. There is nothing better to do on a hot day in August than sit in a cool theater and munch junk food and watch dudes THROW a rocket at a helicopter. YESSSSSSSSSSS

Saturday, July 10, 2010

ranting about loonies

Since the Westboro fruits have made me think about this:
If I was raised in a bubble or another planet, somebody telling me about Jesus would freak me out. Case: Believe in my GOD who sent his son(self) to die for you.We telepathically communicate and he was a zombie. These things would freak me out if I had not been raised with the Christian background. So, why do I cringe every time I hear nutjobs preaching? I don't want to be associated with them in any way shape or form. I do not witness,I do not preach, I do not judge. If you reached this stage in adulthood w/o belief or deeply in one, you surely don't need MHO. So, I withdraw and shake my head. I know people of many faiths, and they all make sense. It just goes to show that everything is filtered through experience. Words can only mean so many things,but there are infinite ways to put them together.Infinite ways to come to your truth,your GOD,or your invasion theory. We all have to live here together,so why do we keep on making it as unpleasant as possible? Are these people that miserable? Every GOD I have ever heard any version of is at most indifferent and at best a big giant all knowing teddy bear who loves you unconditionally. He doesn't hate anybody,even when wrong has been done. Now, if these morons would just SHUT UP, maybe they wouldn't alienate potential converts.
AND WHY ON EARTH ARE THESE PEOPLE ALLOWED TO GIVE THEIR CHILDREN SUCH HATE FILLED SIGNS?
ARGH!
Okay, enough of my ranting. Off to watch a movie.I'll prolly go to hell for watching Hot Tub Time Machine anyway.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

When drugs to make you feel better tank

Going on day 5 of death defying neck pain. Finally tossed it and said get thee some drugs!So, to the tune of twenty bucks I now exist in a state of near sanity (not to be confused with consciousness). Plus, my neck STILL hurts, but is slowly trying to heal up,if I just didn't have to do pesky things like lift my head, turn, or sneeze.
Well, I just thought I'd let my FAN (luv Scott!) know how I am doing.And anyone else who stumbles across.
Echo out

Monday, June 28, 2010

Random Jams




Ohhh...Old Skool with anime...




ARC ANGELS!!


okay,more music assault later.You will be converted.

Monday groans again

Well, it has arrived again. Flying in the face of the weekend. Everybody has issues with the fun coming to a close. But this Monday was actually anticipated by a few friends, due to their A/C going out over the weekend. Believe me, when that happens around here, you cannot WAIT for Monday. I have so many things that need to be done, but I am made of apathy today. My good dog is being moronic and the evil dog is about to get booted off the island. I really just want to hide under the bed until armageddon. I don't think I will even poke my head out then. Well, I suppose I should go and do some things I have been putting off, but then again,I may just start it and sod off to watch Star Wars with Critter.