Review XP The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

(Forgive me for scolding the author as if he hasn't passed away. I just can't help it. And who knows, maybe he's reading this, wherever he is.)

How exactly can that be Loial?

I tried and tried and eventually failed to hold off starting book three until I could write a review on book two, which should tell you something. I didn't want to do the same thing I did with The Dark Tower books (put off any written review until I finished the series and then realize it was too hard to write a review on all seven books). The Great Hunt was so engrossing that I didn't even want to pause after reading a 700+ page book before grabbing the next. And I'm looking at books four and five sitting on my table so I'm really in for it. If August rolls around and you haven't heard from me, I may need an intervention.

I've come to realize the author's skill lies in his storytelling and ability to switch POVs, not so much in his writing skill. So there were some very cringy moments. The boys from Two Rivers' approach to the opposite sex continues to be so ignorant it's unrealistic. (You just had to do it, Jordan. Page 113: "Perrin cleared his throat. Half the time he did not understand what women meant when they said things. Not like Rand. He always knew what to say to girls.") I also heard at least four times how you could see right through the garments of Lord Turak's maidservants. I get it already! OMG they're practically naked! A few times I was unimpressed with his word choice (Apartments?) and of course we got to hear about the Pattern and the Wheel and the threads and ta'veren over and over and over.

I'm not sure how I feel about the whole Lan/Moiraine/Nyneave triangle. And again, as in book one, there is very little development we are aware of, and yet on the one occasion when Lan does speak to Nyneave, it leaves your knees weak. I wish we could get some Lan POV on this issue.

All that being said, I very much enjoyed it. The plot was exciting and came together at the end. All the characters grew on me, even Mat. I was horrified at what happened to Egwene. The Seanchan are no fucking joke.

No doubt I am reading with my heart from here on out. RWMH? Heart reading, well.💗

I had a "discussion" that was more like a disagreement with my brother about the original cover art for this series vs. the updated, electronic covers. Yes, the old covers are cheesy as hell. Yes, they show the series' age not to mention, fuck with my mental image of these characters. (Note to self: do not include images of my characters on my book's cover.) Even so, they are original, therefore, RESPECT. Right? Or maybe I'm just getting old myself (I am) and find a parallel between these outdated covers and the gray hair that keeps appearing (It's hereditary, people!). I'll allow that it's possible. Damn it, Tyler. RESPECT.

J. L. Dodd

RANDOM! Beck & Childish Gambino

Some might say I'm good at multitasking. I think I have a special form of ADD combined with early-onset Alsheimer's. It hits close enough to home that it isn't funny. But ... on the bright side of ADD and Alsheimer's, perhaps I could be the heroine in another one of those animes where a person's weakness becomes their greatest strength. I'll have to figure out how that could work.

Anywho, to continue my almost completely off-topic ramblings:

In the last few weeks, I've been listening to Childish Gambino and Beck's newest album, Colors. Either or and nothing else, dependent on mood of course.

I had the pleasure of seeing Beck in concert last year when he opened for U2. Although I was unfamiliar with most of his new music, I enjoyed his performance. Even my 17-year-old son was impressed with "Wow." I forgot that Beck can rap, after a fashion. So when I ran across "Fix Me" on YouTube and loved the song/video, I went looking for Colors. And I've been listening ever since.

In the case of Childish Gambino, I'd heard "Redbone" on the local radio. Later, the kids were listening to "3005" and were kind enough to clue me in, and although I was aware whatshisname from Community had started making music, I wasn't especially interested. My loss, until now.

Yes, there is much rapping. And I like rapping. As I become more familiar with Donald Glover's (I looked it up) body of work which includes three albums, I like more and more. But I think he particularly shines on tracks where he sings, and after a sampling of his music, my favorite song to date is "Sober."

An added plus is that my kids think I'm so cringy when I listen to him. There's a gleeful satisfaction in making them uncomfortable that only parents of teenagers can understand.

If you have the same seemingly random, genre-hopping, obsessive love of music as me, enjoy. If not, as one of my favorite co-workers likes to say, who cares? (I prefer who the fuck, but that's just me.)

J. L. Dodd

P.S. Sigh. I'm just not feeling it people. When my life becomes so busy that I'm forced to take a creative hiatus, I'm not feeling it.

Review XP Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Disclaimer: This series is very much a guilty pleasure for me, though I will not apologize.

***MAJOR spoilers follow***

It wasn't so much the choice Sookie made. I was tired of Eric and his selfish shenanigans too. I was ready to move on. In fact, Sookie's willingness to move on from Bill was one of the things I especially liked about this series.

However, the execution of the change in her relationship with Sam was some of the worst writing I've seen in years. Certainly the worse writing I've seen by a published author. Ms. Harris really didn't give a shit about this book, did she?

And Sookie never expressed any opinion herself. Yes, we know that she used the cluviel dor to bring Sam back to life, but in this book it goes from "Oh, Sam's acting weird," to "Sam likes me?" to "I guess I'll have sex with him," and then "We are taking it slow." There was no chemistry between them whatsoever. She might as well have decided to get with Jason because it felt the same. And other reviewers are spot on about the awkwardness of the sex scene. There was nothing redeeming in their relationship, and what really hurts is it had great potential. It should have, could have been amazing, but it was horrible.

To add to that, the plot was confusing. Just how many fucking different people were trying to kill her? A medium one, a tall one, a fat one, a black one, plus Arlene, plus Horst, plus Claude, plus a devil. Wait, was Claude the devil? Not, right? What happened to the devil? The writing was flippant and adverbs abound. Tons of telling, not showing. And seriously, I do not need to hear about Sookie's shaved legs or her outfits or her cleaning house or cooking or even her gardening. It's been a number of years since I read the first 11 books, but I don't remember it being that bad. Or were they?

Good news is, I realized something. I could have written this better. Yay, motivation.

Goodreads rating: 1/5 stars

J. L. Dodd

“No matter what happens in public—no matter what—don’t doubt that I love you and care about your welfare . . . as much as I am able.” - Eric in Dead Ever After

“If weeds could flourish with such vigor, may I could, too.” - Sookie in Dead Ever After

Links:

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/17328606-dead-ever-after