The Witching Well

I’m not so sure that telling lie after lie, especially to someone who carries a sword and doesn’t quite trust you already, is really the best way to save your own life. I’m having a hell of a hard time convincing one of my characters of that, though.

It’s not often that I pick up a novel and can’t put it down. Even when I’m reading one of my favorite authors, I generally read on the train ride home from work and in waiting rooms and such, but when I’m home there are comic books and magazines and nonfiction books and the internet — not to mention a dog, a cat, a husband, and my own writing — to keep me occupied.

But for the last week and a half (yes, I’m a slow reader), most of my available reading time has been eaten by this urban fantasy that I picked up on a whim a couple of months ago.

Honestly, while I was reading the first chapter or so, I wasn’t convinced it was going to be my cup of tea. The 1st person POV character (Cal) and his older brother (Niko) were interesting, but the piece was rife with flashbacks. The style felt choppy. Yet I kept reading, because the author gave me the feeling that there was something coming up that was a bit different, and, well, it’s what I do. A book has to be excruciating before I’ll give up on it that early. Besides, who can resist reading at least as far as the troll under Brooklyn Bridge that’s promised on the back cover copy?

I know exactly where Thurman hooked me. In chapter five, we meet a major supporting character who steals every scene he’s in. And the plot takes off like a rocket soon thereafter. You get monsters with world-destroying plans. Psychics and healers and vampires and werewolves. Trolls and boggles and a certain rather famous hobgoblin. And there’s a very very cool POV thang in there that would be too spoilery to give any details about, but trust me, it’s fascinating. And fun.

Yeah, there are rough spots: it’s a first novel. But I’m bouncing up and down about the fact that the next one in the series is due out next month. It’s been a long time since I did that.

You must watch this, but you must put the beverage down first.

Bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have Police tickets! Yaaaayyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!

Bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gods, I feel self-indulgent now.

Outpost Gallifrey is reporting that the cast of the upcoming Royal Shakespeare Company production of King Lear, starring the wonderful Sir Ian McKellen, will also include Doctor number seven Sylvester McCoy as the Fool. The play will be touring. Can we dare to hope it will come to the US with its full original cast?

Also in news for fangirls, John Simm (of Life on Mars) has apparently confirmed that he will be appearing in series three of Doctor Who (big-time spoilers included here). Also mentioned: LoM will be ending after two series, but there will be spinoff called Ashes to Ashes (love the Bowie-themed title continuity), with the very talented Philip Glenister continuing his role as Gene Hunt.

Since I had yesterday off and my husband only works until mid-afternoon on Fridays, we went to an early showing of Ghost Rider last night. We were well aware that it had been panned by everyone from The Boston Globe to Ain’t It Cool News, but I adored the comic book when I was a kid and had to see it anyway.

And you know what? I had a grand time. Yes, the film is a huge and pungent slice of fromage. Yes, the first part of the story, where we see how Johnny Blaze got suckered into his situation, was atrocious. Yes, some of the special effects could have been better and some of the sets could have looked less fake and some of the dialogue scenes could have been less ham-fisted. Yes. From a technical and artistic standpoint, this is not a highlight in the careers of anyone associated with it.

But.

Nicolas Cage is obviously having too much fun in the title role. Peter Fonda chews a lovely bit of scenery as Mephistopheles. Sam Elliot is marvelous as the Caretaker. There is something there that vaguely resembles a decent plot. They even included the legend of Carter Slade for us old-timers. And the soundtrack includes Ozzy and ZZ Top, and, yes — oh yes indeedy — the scene that uses an instrumental passage from (Ghost) Riders in the Sky is almost worth the price of admission all by itself. I’ve been humming the tune to myself ever since we left the theater.

Cheesy it is, and laughably cheesy at that. But a great deal of that cheese is absolutely deliberate, so I felt I was laughing with the cast and crew rather than at them most of the time. Check your brain at the door, though.

I’m so totally psyched for this. I adore Bruce Campbell.

Oh, my Gods, yes! I’ve known gamers who were exactly like this. And DMs who were just as righteously cruel to them.

Ah, good times. Good times.

Have a craving to hear The Tra La La Song from the Banana Splits on a Saturday morning? Of course you do! Well, Frank LaRosa can hook you right up. Or maybe your taste runs more to the theme from Mission: Impossible? He’s got that, too. And obscure cover songs and long-forgotten psychadelic bands and pre-PC sexist humor, as well, if that’s what you’re into.