(no subject)

[kerravonsen]

Interview questions from astrogirl:

1) Have you noticed any interesting patterns in what kind of shows or characters you seem to really like? If so, what are they?
Well, I do tend to like Avon-like characters -- clever, witty, snarky (with a touch of darkness and/or damage) who aren't the lead; Avon, Methos, Snape, House... I guess the 9th Doctor kind of fits in that pattern too. I tend to go for the tough-but-vulnerable ones -- I don't think I would have liked Jim Ellison so much if he hadn't been so darned vulnerable and scared in the pilot episode of The Sentinel. Of course, they aren't the only characters I like, but those ones seem to worm their way in further.

As for shows... it's harder to find a pattern (apart from "being SF&F or some kind of mystery") because I do like shows that are quite different to each other. Like, "Blake's 7" is on one hand a dark distopia with snarky characters and a thin thread of hope and determination, while "The Tomorrow People" is so much nicer by comparison. And I haven't liked every "dark distopia with snarky characters" either -- I gave up on Lexx after one season, and New Battlestar Galactica after a few episodes.

2) Speaking of TV shows, here's a hypothetical scenario I also gave snowgrouse: Breaking news! RTD has just been fired from Doctor Who and you- - yes, you! -- have been put in charge! What can we expect from the next season?

Ooooh! (rubs hands)
There will be alien planets (even if they all look like chalk quarries), and sympathetic aliens. Martha will be a recurring character. His new companion is this universe's version of Mrs. Moore, or someone similar. There will be more episodes written by Moffat and Cornell. Neil Gaiman will be a special guest scriptwriter for one episode. One story will be by Diana Wynne Jones.

The story arc for the season is that the Doctor is on the run; someone is hunting him, someone is trying to find him, and he doesn't want to be found. But in the two-part finale, it is revealed that it isn't some enemy -- it's Romana! The theme for the season will be consequences, responsibility, and making amends.

3) And one izhilzha asked me, because I thought it was interesting: What is the best (or most memorable) writing experience you've ever had?

Writing "Necessity". More in the "memorable" department, because I was really stressing about it and pushing the wire on it; in the last two weeks before the deadline, I was ringing up aizain almost daily, reading out scenes to him over the phone, really working very hard. I'm pleased with it, though; think it's one of the best things I've written.

Another one in the "best" class was waking up one Saturday morning with this idea about Snape and Anya, and just sitting down and writing it until it was done.

4) What's the best book you've read in the past year?
Hmmmm. Hard to pick just one.
New:
"Orphans of Chaos" by John C. Wright, for its blend of multiple myths and YA fantasy.
"The Sharing Knife 1: Beguilement" by Lois McMaster Bujold, because, like, it's Lois McMaster Bujold.

And in the old favourites department:
"Invitation to the Game" by Monica Hughes (which I re-read recently and enjoyed it more than I expected)
"The Changeling Sea" by Patricia McKillip
"The Paladin of Souls" by Lois McMaster Bujold

5) While we're at it, seen any good movies lately?

No, actually. I find it hard to motivate myself to go and see movies, because it's not as much fun by oneself, and there isn't anyone I regularly go to movies with. It's gotten to the point almost that the only time I see a movie is just after Christmas when I go with my brother and nieflings to see whatever is the current thing at that time of year. So, like, I saw The Lord of the Rings trilogy with them, I saw The Incredibles with them, and so on.

Comments

[astrogirl2.livejournal.com]

I think I want to watch your version of Doctor Who. That writing line-up makes me drool.

[kerravonsen]

8-)

[kerravonsen]

I figure that if one has good writers, then the rest will follow. Would want to get a good spread of writers, though, because even the best can get burnt out if they have too much to do in too little time.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I'd pay to see your Doctor Who.

[notes books and authors new to self]

[kerravonsen]

I'd pay to see your Doctor Who.
I'd want to see it too!

notes books and authors new to self
Out of curiosity, which ones were those?

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Bujold's one (I didn't know she had a new one out), Hughes, McKillip, and Wright. I find it easier to use recs these days rather than make random and often lass than good selections at the library.

[kerravonsen]

Bujold's one (I didn't know she had a new one out)
People may not have mentioned it because it's a two-part novel, and they were probably waiting for the sequel. However, the sequel's just come out in hardback (and my copy arrived today - squee!)

Hughes
She's a good kid/YA writer; I have one trilogy and one duology by her, plus "Invitation to the Game" which is a standalone.

McKillip
If you like evocative lyrical writing, McKillip is one to go for. However, I haven't managed to get into all her novels, because she can get so caught up in atmosphere that I can't make head nor tail of the plot. My favourite of hers is the "Riddle-Master of Hed" trilogy, since that's actually the most plotty one of hers. But "The Changeling Sea" is a good standalone, and has enough plot not to be confusing. Others of hers I'd rec would be "The Forgotten Beasts of Eld" and "Fool's Run".

Wright
A warning about "Orphans of Chaos" -- it has a lot about it that's great, but there were a few bits that squicked me.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

I just read two of your recs: "Orphans of Chaos"--and I can see where you were squicked; I doubt I'll read any more in the series--and "Poison Study" which I remember you reccing but neglected to mem. I really enjoyed that: Yelena is a great character, and oh joy, a different background instead of the usual sword and sorcery one: a military dictatorship, though one strangely without guns. Given the presence of coffee--and chocolate in the guise of the evil Brazell's Criolla, ha!--I'm placing it on a colony world that has forgotten earth. I know you said you didn't like the sequel as much, but I'm certainly giving it a try.

[kerravonsen]

I still intend to read the rest of the "Orphans of Chaos" trilogy, but first I'm going to read up on Greek myth, and then start from the first one again, trying to ignore the squicky bits.

"Poison Study" was great, I really did like it. "Magic Study", the sequel, made me loathe Yelana as a Mary-Sue. I'm not sure exactly why they struck me so differently.
a) The world-building didn't impress me as much -- though your idea of a Lost Colony might make it better, considering what other familiar thing turns up in this book.
b) Yelana was Right because She Was The Heroine.
c) Yelana was Special, not because of her intelligence or perseverence or strength of character, but because of her Special Magic. Somehow that rubs me up the wrong way.
d) There were relationship problems that got solved too easily.
e) The magic wasn't as interesting as the poisons.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

Actually there weren't that many poisons; just at the beginning. And I guessed about a third through that Velak made the butterfly poison up, going by how much of his character was revealed by then. But I did like Yelena's toughness and refusal to give up.

I'll let you know what I think of the sequel. I hope they don't make her from a Sitian aristocratic family; I really hate how heroes can't have humble backgrounds in fantasy novels. I did like the Ixian background.