Reading Race 2010

This year's book for the annual reading race between me and my nephew in Michigan is: Star Wars: 501st Imperial Commandoes by Karen Traviss.

This year's book selection was particulary difficult.  I thought that certainly by now the 3rd novel of the Eragon series (Brisinger) would be out in softcover, so I was disappoint that more than a year after it was published, it's still only out in hardback.

So, it was back to the drawing as last year's selection did not go over well.  I searched the whole bookstore.  And this one, caught my eye.  Star Wars!  Everyone loves Star Wars don't they.  I wasn't sure that it was about don't it looked interesting so I went with it.

We started racing last week.  The first thing I realized was that, there are an awful lot of Star Wars books already out there!  Some starting before Episode I, and some continuing after Episode VI, and many, many more in between.  This one is interesting because it takes place right after movie III, where Anakin has just assumed power as Darth Vader, and evil Palpitine has taken over leadership of the Empire.

The story has two main plots.  One, some of the rebels escaping to planet Maladore (really boring).  Second, the more interesting plotline follows the path of two clones in the Imperial Army assigned to the 501st Coomando Unit, Niner and Darman.  They had been fighting in the Rubpublic Army before the take-over, now it's become the Imperial Army.  So now where do their loyalites lie?  Do they continue fighting?  Or desert?  Escape to Maledore with their other family and friends?

What makes the book somewhat difficuly to follow is that the storylines of all the characters continue from a previous book Republic Commandoes: Code 66, in which they recieve the order (Code 66) to elimanate all of the Jedi.  It's apparent in that novel that in the insuing conflict Darman's fordidden love and wife who is a Jedi is killed in a final battle.  This tradegy consume's all of the players in this story, and not having read 'Code 66' it really seems to drag on too much.  Also, there is so much Star Wars jargon and slang, and difficult names for both people and planets, is difficult to read through at times, when she really stacks them up.  Coming in new to the arcing storyline, there are also too many characters to keep track of, and their relationships with each other - consfusing enough becuase so many of them are clones.  And Traviss doesn't help matters much by sometimes referring to the same character, by first name, sometimes by last name, other times by a nick name.

Currently I am on 220 out of 434 pages.  No word yet on how far my nephew is.  Or if he's already done...  I will give an update on the final results of the contest, and an updated book review in the Comments.

Until then...

Read, Dog Read!!

McDoogle

New Poll for 2010: Constellations!

What is your favorite Constellation? 

I have listed fourteen of my favorites to vote on.  If you are a little foggy on the names of some of the constellations, or remembering which are which, you can get some help by clicking: Here! 

I decided to go with an astronomy related poll this year, since in 2009, my interest in space was renewed.  We went to the MetroParks for several night lectures during the year and even saw on separate occasions, the rings of Saturn, and Jupiter.  On the night we observed Jupiter, four of it's moons were visible, and the telescope was so good, that I can even see some of the stripes on the planet.  It was pretty cool!

If you vote for 'Other', please leave a comment as to which constellation you like that is not on the list. Any comments on what constellations you like and why, would be greatly appreciated.  Plus then I'll tell you mine, and why...

 

Also, I'm hoping to update the links a bit, so there are a few more Astronomy sites to click on.

Enjoy, and keep watching the night sky!

McDoogle

Your Challenge:  The night sky photo contains a constellation.  Do you see it?  Can you tell which one it is???  It is in the list of constellations to vote on.  Bonus points to the person you figures it out first!

Movie Review: Sherlock Holmes

We went to see Sherlock Holmes on Christmas day, not realizing it was Opening Day. The theatre was packed. No wonder.

But I don't think anyone was disappointed. Sherlock Holmes was a great film. Not too cheesy. Not too corny. Not over the top in violence and unnecessary fight scenes.

The musical score for perfect for the setting and tone of this film.

I don't think it's a spoiler alert to say that the movie starts out with Sherlock outracing the police to the scene of a crime, to save a young lady from being an unwanted sacrifice for the evil villain Lord Blackwood. The staging of the opening appears as if Sherlock is on the run from the police and they are racing to capture him.

The villain is mysterious and appears to return from the dead to haunt Sherlock, Watson, and everyone else who caused him trouble while 'he was alive'. It becomes a bit of a magic vs. science theme, with Sherlock and Dr. Watson on the side of 1890's science.

The 1890's setting, played out with the London Bridge being built in the background and later in the foreground was excellent.

Robert Downey Jr was excellent portraying a more moody, gritty, not your Grandmother's kind of Sherlock Holmes. But more along the lines of what I thought Sir Conan Doyle intended with his character. Still amazingly intelligent, quick thinking, observant, and logical. This Holmes is also, moody, a fighter, and a bit smelly and unkempt - especially when bored and in-between cases.

Dr. Watson by Jude Law was also well done. Not the usual pastie we've grown accustomed by some who does have his own strength of convictions, is intelligent, and can stand up to Sherlock.

I was unfamiliar with the character of Irene Adler, having read one set of Sherlock Holmes stories previously in the 'Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes', but don't remember running into her character as the women who once bested Sherlock Holmes... twice! Irene was well played by Rachel McAdams.

The aforementioned villain is Lord Blackwood, played by Mark Strong. He was very believable, and had the right mixture of creepy and evil glint in his eye.

Of course, the real mastermind, Professor Moriarity.... we do not see! Not his face anyway. And of course he always gets away to test Sherlock Holmes again in future movies (sequels!).

I really enjoyed this movie.

Grade: A-