Behind the Blog: Bookshelves edition part 3

So this week we have one of my major bookshelves that houses a fair brunt of my books. Previously it held whatever books I could squeeze into any gaps that remained but a few weeks ago I decided to reorganise my shelves since it was becoming impossible to find anything. This set of shelves has become my genre shelf and features all my horror, sci-fi, fantasy and other similar style of books. Before I go any further I should probably correct myself by saying our bookshelves and books, since Tom and I have consolidated all our bits and pieces and they're all inter-mingling in these shelves.

 

This bookshelf was a 'gift' from a housemate when she moved out of town and while the collage makes it look like it's rather oddly shaped (which it isn't) it is in fact on a slight lean that frustrates me to no end! So basically the system on this shelf goes, from top to bottom, left to right: biographies, science fiction, travel and language, non-fiction, kids/YA fantasy, this month's to read stacked on top of the HP boxset, fantasy, horror, crime/mystery, and action.The problem with this shelf is that so many of my genre editions of books are from second hand stores and are hardcover and therefore huge. This made it difficult seeing as I usually try to put my big/heavy books on the bottom shelves and and if need be on the outer edges of the higher shelves. Since I was trying to keep everything in their sections that made it hard to organise the books by size like I'd like to so it isn't as neat and orderly as I'd like it to be. 

The Alien from 'Alien'

Terminator bobblehead

My gnome moneybox and pez dispensers

Harry Potter boxset and Harry Potter 3D glasses

Since this is my genre shelf it wouldn't be complete without some genre paraphernalia! On the top of the shelves I have a Doctor Who lunch box which I've converted into a first aid kit (get it?!) alongside our Terminator bobblehead and Justice league lunchbox. The facehugger form of Alien from Alien (and it's many sequels) guards the books from above and alongside my treasured Harry Potter and Chrestomanci books sits a small tribe of pez dispensers, elephants and large silver gnome. I love all these little bits and bobs and they fit so wonderfully with what I tried to do with the shelves.

Brisbane Writers Festival...It's going to be HUGE!

Oh my goodness guys! The Brisbane Writers Festival has released the 2011 program and it is BIG! We sometimes fall beneath Sydney and Melbourne's huge shadows but we are a capital city after all and we've managed to land some huge literary whales this year!

So who is expected this year? Johnathan Franzen, Simone Felici, Linda Jaivin, Phillip Pullman (via video cross though), Emily Rodda, and a litany of other international and national authors, comedians and actors.

It isn't about the names though, not really. For me the really exciting thing about this festival is the exchange of ideas by people who are in the industry of ideas. Over four massive days authors, scientists (the festival usually falls during science week so they have collaborative seminars), journalists, editors, bloggers and many other people talk about everything from "Philosophy in the Digital Age" to "Soundbites and Fury: Political Narrative in the Digital Age" to poetry slams and master-classes. There is literally several somethings for everyone and best of all most of the discussion seminars are free!

Friday Fanart: A Christmas Carol

Like Alice in Wonderland last week Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol inspires replications and adaptations all the time. This tale is so prolific that the moral lessons wthin it are almost naturally ingrained within your psyche from birth. I think by the time I was 6 I must have watched at least half a dozen adaptations of this classic Dickens story (my favourite was Mickey's Christmas Carol) and even now there must be at least two or three new versions every christmas. So in honour of this wonderful story I've collated a few pictures that I think perfectly encapsulate the morals, emotions and longevity of this story but put their own personal spin* on it. Why I chose a christmas story in August I'm not sure, maybe it's the fact it's winter in Australia or maybe I'm feeling a little desperate for christmas since my life is going to be a little hectic until then, either way I hope you enjoy these wonderful pictures and take the time to visit the artist's websites and deviant pages (just follow the links).

A Christmas Carol by Laura (Gasara)

Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come by Verreaux

A Christmas Carol by Mac (Macryc)

A Christmas Carol by Falang

A Christmas Carol by Felicia (Fotisha)

*One of these pictures is not like the other...Could you tell which one?

Can't stop listening to...Gotye

I've been playing this song on repeat lately, I can't even tell you how much I love it!

I'm not sure if he's infiltrated the international music scene but he's been a rather beloved member of the indie Australia scene for a few years now and for good reason. Gotye (real name Wally Debacker) is an amazing musician who makes incredibly unique and incredibly emotive music. This song is a bit more angsty than his previous singles but it does it so beautifully. I mean... those lyrics, that voice, the musical accompaniment...and Kimbra. It's perfect. It soars. I can't even put into words how much I love this guy, I can't wait for the full album to come out in a few weeks.

If you liked this you really owe it to yourself to check out his full website and really immerse yourself in Gotye's creativity and prolific music.

Review: A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold by George R.R. Martin

A Storm of Swords 2: Blood and Gold
(A Song of Ice and Fire #3)
By George R.R Martin

Published: 2000

Synopsis:  The Seven Kingdoms are divided by revolt and blood feud, and winter approaches like an angry beast. Beyond the Northern borders, wildlings leave their villages to gather in the ice and stone wasteland of the Frostfangs. From there, the renegade Brother Mance Rayder will lead them South towards the Wall. Robb Stark wears his new-forged crown in the Kingdom of the North, but his defences are ranged against attack from the South, the land of House Stark's enemies the Lannisters. His sisters are trapped there, dead or likely yet to die, at the whim of the Lannister boy-king Joffrey or his depraved mother Cersei, regent of the Iron Throne. And Daenerys Stormborn will return to the land of her birth to avenge the murder of her father, the last Dragon King on the Iron Throne.


Wow book two, what can I say?!

After completing the 'complete' book I think I'd have to say that this is probably my favourite book (by which I mean part 1 and 2 combined) that I've read in the series so far. It is by far the most complex, character-driven and action packed book of the series and I'd say Martin's most ambitious attempt yet.

When I reviewed A Storm of Swords book 1 I mentioned that it began to really delve into the character's psyche and motivations. This continued throughout book two also. In a world like Westeros life can be pretty black and white at times. You work tirelessly in your position, you marry to strengthen ties with other families in the realm and you honour your king but your family comes first. Because of the fairly rigid social and cultural boundaries and expectations many of the characters appeared to be fairly easy to assess. In this book (and part 1) Martin almost makes you feel bad for judging the characters so superficially or quickly. Characters like Jaime Lannister who seemed at first to just be an incestuous killing machine appears to have grown a conscience and built a wall between him and the rest of his family and Sandor Clegane, while not honourable or a gentleman, is definitely more than the 'king's dog'. It isn't as though they've simply swung in the other direction from bad to good, or good to bad but now they have far more texture and complexity and their morality is now hard to pinpoint, at least definitively.

Unlike A Storm of Swords 1 that seemed to concentrate more on this character investigation at the expense of action, this part definitely didn't lack in action. Unlike A Game of Thrones which heavily featured big and expansive battle scenes, this book's action was smaller but more potent. This time it was personal. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself!) Rather than large fights between faceless armies, brothers turned against brothers, friends vs friends, shadows flickered in the dark and the deaths were messy, unexpected and horrifying. Some (one in particular) were so unexpected and came from such secret planning that I could barely believe they had actually happened, while others were the culmination of three previous books of animosity or planning. In addition to the characters releasing some venom in their revenge or battle tactics Martin decides that this is the book that will begin to see some serious death tolls.

Death isn't a stranger to the people of Westeros. So far we've seen Ned Stark, Viserys Targaryen, King Robert, Lord Renley and countless smaller characters that won our hearts and some that perhaps we were glad to see die. This book trumps them all though. Death haunts every chapter but very few are expected. Unlike some books like Harry Potter where the death of popular or prominent characters seemed to be a bit heartless or unnecessary each and every death makes sense in this book. Sure I'd prefer a few of my favourites remained in the land of the living, but their deaths have so far proven crucial to the unfolding narrative. The sudden spate of deaths also seem to be pushing the story in a new direction and I think my prediction about the fire god R'hllor taking centre stage in the coming books will be correct. At least to a degree. I think I'd rework that prediction to say that R'hllor may not be key to the story, but it'll be key in pushing the story onwards away from the original narrative. If you read this book, perhaps you'll understand what I mean better, but I'd hate to give away any spoilers or influence your perspectives so I'll speak no more!

The books are roaring towards the conclusion now and to honest I can't wait to put this series behind me! It's been so consuming of my time and energy. The nature of the chapters means that it may be 100 pages between a Tyrion cliffhanger (for example) and the conclusion of that cliffhanger. That makes it hard to put down the book at 2am even when you know you have to be up in 5 hours, or to put it down so you can work on your big scary thesis that really needs to be worked on! I'm not very patient and I hate cliffhangers so more than once I've taken a stickybeak at some of the later chapters, reading sentences here and there to see if I can get a hint at where the story is going. This isn't a complaint about the book, more like a complaint about my lack of will power and hours in a day! Martin has superbly crafted a story that is so difficult to put down and that you can't get out of your head.

July Wrap-up

Seriously? July is over? Kaput? We're honestly in August, the eighth month, and this isn't some cruel practical joke to make me think that time is slipping away like water?

Not a joke? Ok, guess I'll wrap-up the "month" that just whizzed by.

Hosted by Two Bibliomaniacs

Aim:
books and 8 films.

Progress:
3 books and 2 films so far. Slow and steady wins the race!

News/Notes:
I'll be changing my selected books/films slightly. In place of Tim Winton's Cloudstreet I'll be reading LA Confidential by James Ellroy and watching the 1997 film of the same name.

Books Read:
True Grit by Charles Portis - A really great read. Quick, adventurous and a lot of fun.
Read my review here.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick - Another quick read. But equally as good. An interesting and introspective sci-fi that spawned a damn good film!
Read my review here.

Films watched:
True Grit, starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee Steinfeld - A sensational film from the always wonderful Coen brothers. Very close to the book, except for a few understandable changes. Hailee was mind-blowing, I'll be keeping an eye out for her in films from now on!
Read my review here.

Next to read:
The Great Gatsby -Graphic novel adaptation by Nicki Greenberg

Next to watch:
Blade Runner (1982) starring Harrison Ford, Sean Young and Rutger Hauer

Hosted by GabrielReads

Aim: Avid Reader (2 books per month)- changed from the original aim of casual reader (1 book per month)

Progress: Another two books added to the tally!

Books read:
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King - An interesting story that focuses greatly on and experiments with characterisation and voice.
Read my review here.

Confessions of an English Opium Eater by Thomas De Quincey - A bit of a disappointment. It could have been incredible but it was let down by an overly verbose and distracted author.
Read my review here.

Next to read: TBA

Aim: 75

Progress: 47 read so far. According to GoodReads I'm currently four books ahead.

Books read:
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin - A splendid second book!
Read review here.(Warning! Spoilers!)

A Storm of Swords 1: Steel and Snow by George R.R Martin - The man's talent knows no bounds, yet another huge but hugely amazing addition to a series quickly winning my heart.
Read review here. (Warning! Spoilers!)

Anything New:
In August I'm taking part in a month long reading challenge to raise money for MS Australia. They work tirelessly funding research into multiple sclerosis and trying to make MS sufferers lives a little easier, so I'm aiming to make as much money as I can to help them with their cause. So if you have some spare change jangling in your wallet or bank account maybe think about sending it to a deserving charity. You can check out my progress and/or make a donation here.