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The original three Shannara novels were probably the first ones I read after reading The Lord of the Rings when I was 13. I remember them fondly. Lord knows what I'd make of them now.

I read the fourth book, The Scions of Shannara, some time in my 20s. I don't remember disliking it, but I certainly don't remember being interested in it. I didn't bother geting the next book, which probably says it all.

I'd suggest the original trilogy is probably fine as a bit of derivative light entertainment.

Regards

Robin

This morning's re-read revealed the brilliant symmetry of that last page of Dredd with 'Letter to Judge Dredd' all those years ago.

There a guy driven nuts by Justice Dept injustice (their treatment of the Dem march) attacks a kid with a knife, catalysing all Joe's doubts, and he takes the Long Walk as a result.  

Here a guy driven nuts by  Justice Dept injustice (their treatment of the mutants) attacks a kid with a knife,  catalysing all Joe's doubts, and Dredd resolves to stay and fight.

Brilliant.

Didn't spot that, but yes, brilliant. I've been enjoying Dredd a lot, but I have felt that it's been coasting - now it looks like it's about to really get going.

Regards

Robin

Remind me again - why do our football players get such high wages?

Because football fans are willing to pay so much for viewing rights and merchandise, and they respond (subconsciously or otherwise) to advertising and sponsorship.


Regards

Robin

I bought the collected America - I find it handy having the three stories together.

With regard to the collected Meg stories, I think it's been difficult for the publishers. I was certainly one of many demanding that the Complete Case Files really be complete. Personally, complete to me meant all the 2000AD Dredds - I was quite happy seeing the Meg stories in a separate Complete Meg Files. However, I think what's happened is a reasonable compromise, and I do feel we've been listened to.

Regards

Robin

Courtesy of Dave Langford:

http://dresdencodak.com/2010/06/03/dark-science-01/

Regards

Robin

The main problem for me though, and I don't know if this bothered anyone else, even with the best of intentions was that it just felt in this instance...well...bad taste to appropriate such a tragic period in someone's life, and someone's mental illness, into the sillyness of Doctor Who, and for the purpose of making the writer feel better with a bit of fantasy wish-fullfillment. Anyone feel the same?

No, not at all. It didn't lessen the tragedy and rammed home the point that dealing with mental health issues is more complicated than giving someone a single moment of joy. It showed Vincent as an man with a real problem, suffering pain, and possessed of original talent, not just some irrelevant long dead arty nutter who cut off his ear.

Regards

Robin

So the space jocky in ALIEN was a suit???

Didn't they say it was fossilized?

I think they did, but given that it clearly wasn't subject to the process of fossilisation they were probably wrong. Pedantic, but mummified might be more appropriate. However, that's beside the point.

I think it was pretty clear from the film that something had burst out the chest cavity and what we were looking at was a ribcage of sorts with a big hole in it.

That was my interpretation. However, whatever it is seems to be organically fused with the chair - the whole apparatus could be a suit, not just humanoid bit. Also, we're looking at one of Giger's biomechanoid designs, so 'suit' in this context could mean more than just spacesuit. I hope Scott isn't being literal.

Regards

Robin

[spoiler]I'd really like to know where that other 'tardis'* came from too. Is there another Time Lord out there, or is it just technology from another time/space faring species? I suspect we'll never know, but it would be great if that thread were taken up again in future. Or past. It being a time machine and all.[/spoiler]

This might be of interest...

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Jagaroth


Note the ship design...

Nice find Mr Low.

Thanks, but it wasn't a find as such - I went looking. I remembered the  ship design from all those years ago. Jagaroth scared the crap out of me at the time. And I should have spoted it sooner, but I've only just realised a connection between Jagaroth and the Atraxi... it might be nothing, but...?

On the subject of the series in general, Andrew Rilstone has been writing a series of pieces... scroll down for Fish Custard (2)...

http://www.andrewrilstone.com/



Regards

Robin

Bought one yesterday. One of my concerns, namely the awkwardness of transferring document files between PC and pad, was quickly oversome by getting the Documents to Go app and downloading Documents to Go Desktop to my PC. Now I just sync files between the two.

Even the chap in PC World, who did a pretty good job of selling them to me, my girlfriend and her sister, was apparently unaware of this possibility.


Regards

Robin

The single-storey house looked very stupid. I don't think they made them like that c.1900 or indeed ever. Why was it built that way? Did they run out of money for another storey? Maybe they should have wibbled it into a totally different 1940s detached bungalow at the end, so it had never been a terraced place at all.

It certainly jarred, but as an exercise in fan-wankery it's pretty easy to deal with. The destruction of the time machine did actually destroy the original upper story, but it did so at some point in the past (all very timey-wimey). It was never full rebuilt.

Regards

Robin

[spoiler]I'd really like to know where that other 'tardis'* came from too. Is there another Time Lord out there, or is it just technology from another time/space faring species? I suspect we'll never know, but it would be great if that thread were taken up again in future. Or past. It being a time machine and all.[/spoiler]

This might be of interest...

http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Jagaroth


Note the ship design...

Regards

Robin

Another vote for Robert Rankin. I really liked the Armageddon trilogy and the Brentford books are good as well.

Good to see someone else liked the Armageddon series - I thought I was the only one.

Regards

Robin

Lead story on Wales Today right now.

Ah, good old Wales Today. "And now the 6 o'clock news all over again, but this time from a Welsh perspective."

Happy days in Bangor... I remember with fondness the night the lead story was a feud between two cliques in a badger-watching club.

Regards

Robin

Quite probably the most moving and meaningful episode of Doctor Who I've ever seen.

Regards

Robin

Thirded. Shame on you, Robin Low.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qz24lF_DrFw

Regards

Robin