Weekender Briefing

Yes, I know I just finished posting another post a moment ago but y'know, didn't want to overextend the scope of each post.

I'm finally getting into the groove with the fluff involved in Warhammer 40'000 and am well into my first WH40K novel. It's the Dawn of War novelization by CS Goto. While I'm told this is not the best book he's written (and that his DoW stories got better as they move the plots further away from the original game's storyline), I suppose it could only be a good thing that this is my first experience with his work anyway.

I've heard that writing action scenes is an author's least favourite thing to do. And that's understandable. Action is frequently something very visual that is difficult to describe (and make it interesting no less) in words. Goto however manages to run with it. And the author must do so considering the subject matter. Unfortunately that also means the bulk of the narrative is all about depicting the graphic violence on the battle field. Which, in one way is either incredibly thrilling, or quite long-winded ...all depending on the reader's current mood. And so it took me a good long while to get into the flow of the plot. What's particularly jarring (and I credit the author with handling such a balancing act) is that the DoW game featured no less than 4 races (in the first iteration anyway). Although the book addresses the humans as the main protagonist race, it does give us a reasonable look at the motivations behind the other sides of the battle in small enough chunks that it doesn't completely ruin the pacing.


Another book I've been reading is "White Maze" - a curious items I had grabbed at the local anime/manga specialty store. Although I do get picky with this genre, I will devour anything Ghost in the Shell. Long time readers of this blog will note that I own a complete set of the Stand Alone Complex DTS-edition DVD among other memorabilia...

This book is actually the third in a group of stand-alone stories translated into English and published by TokyoPop (which depending on your view of things can both a good and bad thing). I'm not entirely certain if this is an artifact from the process of translation but whereas the book I reviewed above drags its heels on action narrative, this book takes the "Dan Brown" approach and rapidly "gets to the point" in all matters. Action is sparse but when it does happen, there's often just enough detail that anybody who's watched the animations can see everything happen in the mind's eye. In fact, I'm reading it so quickly I picked up another one just today (yup, the backlog is running high again).

Speaking of the backlog, my haul today:

• Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex "The Lost Memory" - can only assume it'll read kind of like "White Maze" - very light-weight stuff.
• Dawn of War "Tempest" - yes, it's book 3 but I can't seem to find "Ascension" anywhere - will probably have to order it directly from The Black Library (unless Amazon stocks it again; that sure would be handy). Like I said, the first book is coming along so I'm thinking I'll get to this within a couple of weeks.
• She-Hulk Vol.4 "Laws of Attraction" - loved the first 3 volumes. This is one of the best comics series in publishing today - zany comedy unlike anything else out there.
• Road to Civil War - yeah, the prelude collection... I kept waiting for Silver Snail to get it back in stock but it looks like I'm not the only one who know's about their trade sales. Finally got this 2 weeks behind the times.
• Wonder Woman #4 - it's the one series I feel is "worth waiting for." Since late fall, this is only the 4th issue to come out?! And I hear the last chapter of the current story is delayed so the next issue will actually be a filler story. Argh!!
• Ghost in the Shell 1.5 "Human Processor Error" #5 - thanks go to Weirdguy for warning me this issue came out. I've blogged this series before and I'm loving it.

On total tangent, I was listening to Space Station Liberty's Richard Epcar interview podcast today and took note that they revealed that the dub for Solid State Society was already complete and that the entire cast of Stand Alone Complex had reprised their roles for the job. Absolutely cannot wait for July to roll around. I wonder what goodies Bandai and Manga Entertainment will be bundling into the limited edition this time! Life is good at this time.