meme + dark tower stuff + a feast for crows + BON JOVI OMG + whatever else

[janie_tangerine]

1. Bon Jovi was glorious. Like, GLORIOUS. (Two words: DRY COUNTY. I still don't compute that.) Post with pics/concert review shall follow shortly, but atm I feel way too crappy for anything that long. Or, I think it's a combination of not-really-sleeping for twelve hours in a train cabin with a seventeen degrees AC and spending another four hours on another train with the same kind of AC while the temperature outside was over thirty and of getting burned while walking around, but since I've been back I've been feeling like crap. And I get random headaches. I'm pretty sure it was the AC, but anyway, I've been writing this whole thing in breaks so I can't go sorting pics and stuff right now. STILL IT WAS SO WORTH IT OMG BON JOVI.

2. Apparently the Dark Tower adaptation isn't happening for now. Or at least, apparently not with the people attached to the project at the moment. And er, I'm totally not sorry about it because there wasn't anything about it which was getting me even remotely excited, from Javier Bardem to the format itself. let's not talk about the Eddie rumors shall we. I'll be here hoping that HBO sees how well Game of Thrones did and picks it up. Or that someone else with better ideas picks it up because either you do it well or I don't need it to happen.

3. Meme day three. Let's see how much slower I can manage to be with this.

1. Disappointing other people. I'm rarely disappointed in myself because I don't set myself very high standards and I tend not to brood over things, but I just feel miserable when I realized that I somehow disappointed someone else. Especially when I don't realize that it's happened until after it happens.

2. Losing sight and/or hearing. I don't even know which one would be worse - probably sight, but I wouldn't bet on that half of the time. Either way, the prospect terrifies me.

3. Human bones. Maybe it'd be better to say that they squick me to death rather than say that I fear them (that's be ridiculous) but if I look at real skulls/bones/hands/mummies/whatever either I want to throw up or I start hyperventilating. They have to be real and in front of me though.

4. Same as point 3, bugs and worms. I have more or less the same reaction whenever I look at any of those. :/

5. Having things stolen from me. It happened to me twice - the first it was some suitcases in which I incidentally had important stuff that it took years to replace, and the second it was a wallet in which I had all my identification papers and replacing everything was the kind of pain I'd really like not to experience again anytime soon.

6. Bad drivers. I hate driving, but I try to do it carefully when I do it.

7. Job prospects. I mean, it's not a -fear- per se, but what I'm studying isn't exactly the best subject if you want quick employment and while I do love my parents, I'd like to get my own place at some stupid point, and possibly while doing something I like.

8. Fanatics of every kind. (Religious mostly, but not only those ones.) They make me feel mostly scared for human race, but they're the last kind of person I'd want to deal with.

4. So, while in Udine and after I realized I had seen everything I had to except for museums that were closed, I found myself a park bench and finished A Feast for Crows while waiting for lasamy to get into town. Clearly I managed to burn an arm and half of my neck because it was quite sunny and I should know better, but anyway, I'm done with that one.

- Okay, let's get the stuff I didn't like out first: mostly, the format. WHAT THE HELL is that with minor characters' POVs being referred by titles and not by names, and different titles at that point? (IE Arianne, who had like two POVs and in both of them she had a different title.) I find that confusing as fuck and it didn't exactly help me keeping stuff straight. And apparently it's not going to be a one-time occasion. Siiigh. GRRM WHY.

- Anyway. I was lucky because I liked most of said POV characters even if Jon/Dany/Tyrion were sorely missed. But heck, I got Brienne, Sam, Jaime, Asha and Sansa, so at least it's good that I split my affections.

- Jeez, poor Starks. Nothing goes well for them, does it? (Also, WHAT THE HECK is that about Arya being blind? WHAT.) I still wait for Sansa's downward spiral to stop at some point, because really, sharing a bed with Robert Arryn is nothing that she has ever deserved, poor girl. *cough* Also I don't like that she's basically being a pawn for Littlefinger. :/ and er, well. The whole Littlefinger/Sansa thing = squicky. Then again she still thinks Sandor kissed her. Oh, ship. Anyway, I just hope there's some of her in Dance with Dragons. *crosses fingers* and I'll bet good money that the engagement doesn't end up like Littlefinger hoped.

- The Dorne part was interesting, if only because they're apparently the only house where WOMEN CAN RULE. OH MY. I should root for them forever just for that. Also I appreciate that Oberyn didn't apparently teach his daughters to sew. Poor Myrcella, though. Is everyone in this book getting facial scars at some point?

- Cersei: seriously? I mean, poetic justice and all that she'd get imprisoned because of religious crazies when she unleashed them in the first place, but... seriously, Cersei? I'll admit I found her POVs less boring than I had feared, but I still can't get over how self-centered and dull she is except when it comes to her children, and even with them... say what you want, but making your eight year old kid whip someone so that he doesn't question you and say that you did it for his own good will make me raise my eyebrows a bunch of times. Also it's strangely appealing how much she doesn't realize how bad Joffrey was. Whenever she made comparisons between Joffrey and Tommen the first was always the one coming out good out of it. And it was seriously disturbing how she thought that Joff being a psycho was him being ''strong'' and that she was seriously convinced that she had treated Sansa right. I mean, all children are beautiful in their mother's eyes and so on, but.. woah. I guess that if I had a liking for that kind of character I'd be all over Cersei, but.. apart from the obligatory sympathy for the fact that she was married to Robert, I just can't go there.

- On the contrary: Jaime, ilu. I'm really enjoying what they're doing with him. I like that he's still a charming bastard but that he wants to regain a shred of honor and that at least losing that hand did teach him something. (Also his conversation with Ilyn Payne were way amusing.) Also I appreciated that he managed not to technically raise arms against Tullys and that he was as disgusted with Jeyne Westerling's mom as I was. (UGH STILL NOT OVER THE RED WEDDING HERE.) Also, just let me say it: the scene where he punched Brienne's former suitor when he ill-talked about her in the bear pit was the most satisfying thing EVER. I just hope Brienne learns of that at some point. Really - after reading from her POV about how that idiot treated her, it was the best thing ever. Jaime, you earned points with me. Also, the Blackfish is awesome. I hope he's not disappearing until book six.

- Greyjoys: OH ASHA HOW SO AWESOME. Aeron is too much of a religious nut for my tastes. Victarion/Euron I don't really care for. Asha can rule the world, as long as I'm concerned.

- Sam: OH SAM. I really love that he's finally letting go of his baggage. Sam/Gilly doesn't exactly convince me but heck, he got laid! Better late than never. Also it's interesting what they said about Jon changing after becoming Lord Commander, but I was ready for that. That thing with Gilly's baby was cruel enough but it did have its sense, logic-wise. Still. :( Also I was sure Aemon was done as soon as they left. That bit was so sad. :((( anyway, I like the whole thing with Jon wanting Sam to became the Wall's maester. If only it ended like that. Also re Oldtown: idek what's up with the faceless man, but Alleras being Sarella = way too easy. Also it's highly amusing how Sam is meeting every other Stark left alive. Also i like how GRRM IS tying all the loose threads, as slow as he's doing that.

- Also: I don't buy that Davos is dead one second. Last time someone's head ended up on a spike off-screen, it was with Bran and Rickon. Everyone knows how that one went. When I actually see it happening, I'll be weeping bitter tears, but until then? Not buying it.

- Favorite part of the book and probably unpopular opinion: BRIENNE. FOREVER. I loved that while her bits seemed way random you ended up meeting a bunch of people (Sandor included - I can buy that the hound is dead exactly the way I buy that Sansa-as-Sansa is dead. Huge monk who likes dogs, digs graves and walks with a limp? Look at me thinking that the Hound might be dead, but that SANDOR isn't. And Gendry! And everyone else that turned up), and to be honest I just love her, okay? I love how she's basically fucking with every trope (she's a woman and she acts like a woman, but she can't because she's supposed to be a knight, but men don't take her seriously because she isn't a -man-, and maybe they would if she was prettier but she's also ugly, and as she said when speaking about her father, she can't be neither a daughter or a son to him, aw), I love that she's good at what she does but not at the expense of her feelings (even if she'd be better off ignoring them). I love that even if she's supposed to behave like a man she doesn't hide that she isn't one - and this when she doesn't even have physical appearance to help her in life. I mean, take her and Asha - Asha wouldn't have a problem finding a husband/suitor if she wished, she -can- (try to) be whatever she chooses to, Brienne not so much.

And THE ENDING. SOMEONE TELL ME SHE'LL PRETEND TO ACCEPT BUT THEN WON'T. Can't un!Cat just hang Freys here and there? When they told Brienne to kill Jaime was pretty much heartbreaking. Let's not dwell on the fact that she obviously likes him, whether she wants or not (starting from fantasizing about him in the baths and him letting her cry it out on his shoulder, or her screaming for him while feverish), but if you think about it, just as she's the only one who believes he has a shred of honor left, he's the only one except for Cat who has taken her seriously until now. You know he has - he gave her the sword and whenever he thought about her it wasn't in mocking terms. Asking her to kill him was like - OH MY HEART. Clearly she won't refuse if it means saving the other two, but. BRIENNE. ;___; also thanks GRRM for the OTHER one you had to give a facial scar to? LIKE SHE NEEDED IT. (Really - Myrcella at least has a name and a good title and she's still a king's daughter.) Un!Cat, you don't gain my sympathies for this. I highly doubt that this situation is going to be resolved in the fifth but I can only hope they find Sansa and it doesn't have to come to that? I'd weep very bitter tears.

^ That was a novel. Right, there's a reason I really liked this book. *cough*

- In conclusion: not my favorite of the entire series but not bad whatsoever. And at least no one I was OVERLY attached to died (if we don't buy Davos and if we don't think that Brienne died at the end, but I wouldn't say that). Only other quibble: WHERE ARE OSHA AND RICKON. It's a question of principle.

I have A Dance with Dragons, by the way. Will start it asap.

5. Okay, I've been doing this entry in chunks for half of this afternoon/evening so I guess I'll cut this here and hope that tomorrow I feel like staring at a screen for more than twenty minutes. Also because I need to inflict some Bon Jovi related gushing. *is still ecstatic*

Comments

[cassiopeia7.livejournal.com]

Bon Jovi was glorious. Like, GLORIOUS.

When is he NOT? ;) Feel better soon! (And check your e-mail -- you have goodies.)

[space-dementia6.livejournal.com]

VICTORIAN IS TOTALLY KICKASS TOO THOUGH. AND ASHA TOO. #GREYJOYSDOMINANCE.

ALSO THE MARTELLS WITH THEIR AMAZINGINESS AND THEIR POISONS AND AREA HOTAH. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF AREO?

ALSO BRIENNE AND DAVOS BETTER BE DEAD. ESPECIALLY NOT WITHOUT SER HYLE HAVING MADE HIS MOVE ON HER.

[zelda-zee.livejournal.com]

AFFC is my least favorite book. I didn't like the weird/stupid titles, I didn't like having one-shot POVs about characters I don't care about. I get it, he's building an entire world, not just focused on the characters that everyone knows and loves (or, as the case may be, hates). I constantly have to remind myself of the kind of writer GRRM is and that my priorities are not the same as his priorities.

Having him drop half the characters for the space of the book just didn't work for me. And now we'll have to wait years to find out about what happens next to all the AFFC characters - ARGH! I want to gnash my teeth when I think about not knowing Arya's or Brienne's fate for YEARS.

I think people in the fandom adore Brienne, actually. Or so I've heard. I like her okay, but I just don't find her all that interesting.

Cersei I can't stand, but worse than that, she bores me. I skimmed her chapters a lot.

Jaime grew on me in this book. I began to think maybe he'd become interesting. Before he was just too slick. I keep hoping he's developing, because there's a lot of potential there. If he's really cut the cord with Cersei, there may yet be hope for him.

You think the monk is the Hound?! Wow, I never even considered that! Interesting... I like it!


I liked the Dorne parts because I find that society & culture interesting and because Oberyn owns my heart & he is from there. Dorne women kick ass! Martells rule!

I have ADWD too, but am saving it for the plane to New Orleans even though it's ridiculous to take a 5 lb. book on a trip. I really should get a Kindle.

[fosfomifira.livejournal.com]

The other day I dreamt I went to Italy and met you. For some mysterious reason Rome looked like a crossover between Paris and London and thus very un-Rome-like, but it was a fun dream to have nonetheless.

Aww, I love bones. My physical anthropology course remains one of my favourite experiences from my archaeology degree. We spent an entire year with human bones, then a whole semester with non-human animals. It was very hands-on, which is a lot more than I can say about law school.

Can't wait to hear what you think of ADWD. I just finished it and I want to talk about it.

[vella-amor-dm.livejournal.com]

I ORDERED THE BOOKS FROM AMAZON :D

[bold-seer.livejournal.com]

Job prospects.

IKR? Which is why I'm going to do another degree, in another field. (No, I don't have a first degree. Yet.) And bones, I agree. They're just freaky.

*cough* Can you guess whose POV was the first thing I checked in Dance? (Cast that man already!)

Look at me thinking that the Hound might be dead, but that SANDOR isn't.

Yes. As with Sansa's kiss/non-kiss, Martin's choice of words is revealing: "He is at rest."

Otherwise - Cersei (still) and Aeron Greyjoy I don't necessarily like, but do find interesting. Dorne is so cool! I love the Blackfish. (Also Mance Rayder, who doesn't really appear in this one?) UnCat is frightening. :(

[twisting-vine-x.livejournal.com]

Yeah, ngl, I'm kinda creeping your journal right now. Memes are fun. :D

Bad drivers. I hate driving, but I try to do it carefully when I do it.

OMG BAD DRIVERS. I HATE THEM SO.

Like - I love driving. Love it with my heart and soul. There is nothing else I'd rather be doing. And I always said when I was little that when I grew up, I would never drive unless I could actually be good at it - and I am. So when people tailgate and cut into my own stopping time, or when they sit in my blind spot, or when they cut in front of me at 120 km/h without using a lane-changing signal, or when they drive on icy pavement like it's the middle of the summer - it makes me want to tear my damn hair out. Or theirs.

/rant

Bon Jovi was glorious. Like, GLORIOUS

Yay. :)

[valhalla37.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not too broken up about the Dark Tower adaptation news, either -- was really nervous about where they were headed with that. Hopefully, though, someone -- wink wink, nudge nudge, HBO -- will pick up the concept soon. Aaaand apparently there's a new book that will be coming out at some point? It's set in between a few of the other ones, apparently -- have you heard about it?

And shutting my eyes through the Game of Thrones stuff ... I'm midway through the first book and LOVING it. ;D