Allen Steele's Coyote

So, I finally got around to writing this thing. Hum! This won’t be a real review, more of a thought and criticism of something in the book. I already covered the plot of the book here, but in essence, the book is about a group of dissidents from a future America that’s been taken over by far-right politicians and turned into a police state, who steal the starship built by the latter, and head off to colonize the moon (Coyote) of a gas giant in another star system. Hit the jump to read my main problem with the colony.

Okay, so Cumberbatch isn't playing Gary Mitchell in Star Trek 2

And I am getting frustrated by this cat and mouse bullshit. I agree with Rob Bricken from Topless Robot: Just frakking tell us who he's playing already. Cripes, we're going to find out when they start promoting the movie, so it's not some kind of goddamn state secret. It's a role, not the codes to the nuclear frakking arsenal.

And 1632 is finished

Excellent, excellent. There won't be a detailed review, since I suck at writing them, but suffice to say, it was a really good book. I was bothered by how well both the population of Grantville and everyone in the 17th century seemingly adjusted and came to terms with the situation, but that's the only problem I had with the book and even then, that was a moderate gripe at best.

9/10.

Currently reading: 1632

And more than halfway through it. I admit, though, that I cheated. I had read part of the book last year, but stopped - as I sometimes do, even if the book is good - until I decided, on a whim, while at the local library to pick the book up again, and simply picked up where I left off (roughly).

Holy fudge monkeys, Batman! Benedict Cumberbatch's Star Trek 2 character finally revealed

Gary Mitchell, Kirk's broheim from Starfleet Academy. Mitchell appeared in only one episode of Star Trek, Where No Man Has Gone Before. In it, he gains god-like powers after the Enterprise passes through the galactic barrier. Basically, J. J. Abrams is adapting an entire episode from The Original Series into a movie.

Big credit goes to Karl Urban (Leonard McCoy) for accidentally revealing this during an interview with SFX Magazine. I have no problem whatsoever with Abrams adapting more TOS episodes to the big screen. Keep going.

h/t Topless Robot.

Oh my glob, you guys, there's going to be a new Old Man's War novel: The Human Division

Whatever.

My reaction can best be summed up in two gifs and a picture:

If you can't tell, I am a big fan of John Scalzi's Old Man's War series. Now on to the details. According to Scalzi, The Human Division won't be "strictly a novel", but rather thirteen episodic stories that if read together, tells a story arc. Essentially, it's going to be akin to a thirteen episode season of a TV show, but in written form. Interesting, especially if this idea is successful enough to warrant further seasons. Hey, it worked for Joss Whedon and his Buffy the Vampire Slayer comic series, which acts as a "virtual" eighth and ninth season of the show.

I'm certainly excited and can't wait until it comes out!

Finished: Coyote

Another book down. I'll write a review (still need to start on the other one...) soon. It was good. Not great, but good enough that I want to read the rest of the series.

What were you thinking, Independent Health!?

Via Whatever.

:3

"Turn her into the wave!"

I survived stormageddon 2012 (that, or fucking Praxis exploded again!) and a heatwave and all I got was this stupid t-shirt. That was certainly an interesting experience. Not one I'd ever want to repeat, however. For the non-Americans, several states got hit by a sudden windstorm and thunderstorms that caught us completely off guard. About two million people from the mid-Atlantic region to the Midwest lost power and unfortunately, at least 17 lost their lives. We were already in the midst of a heatwave when it happened and most of us had to suffer through the weekend without air conditioning or any form of cooling for that matter. It was rough, especially for the old couple that lives next door. The lady had to come over Saturday afternoon and ask for help because her husband - already in declining health and not being helped by the heat - fell and she needed help getting him up. I was half-asleep at the time, but as soon as I heard, I was out the door and hauling ass over there before my dad had even gotten his shoes on.

When it hit my area, the wind blew all the wind chimes off our porch (and really, just blew everything around), tore down tree limbs (knocking out the power) and even uprooted trees. Apparently the wind was blocked at 90 miles per hour in some areas. According to Wikipedia, this type of windstorm is called a derecho. Power wasn't restored until about six this morning.

Thank the Machine God for electricity.

My favorite reality show

(via Lucy in the soup with croutons)