(no subject)
Feb. 17th, 2010 11:57 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
skygiantsI have had a vague resolution to read The Lightning Thief before the movie came out for months, which ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chlorrel finally facilitated by shoving her copy into my hands. And I did, in fact, finish it the day the movie came out! I am the best resolution-keeper.
For the most part, I enjoyed the book! For anyone in the world who doesn't already know the premise: the series is narrated by twelve-year-old Percy Jackson, who finds out in the first chapter or two that he is secretly the son of one of the Olympic gods and monsters are trying to kill him. On the down side, he promptly gets stuck with a couple of downer prophecies and a dramatic cross-country quest to save the world. On the bright side, when things aren't going to hell, he gets to go to half-god summer camp!
I liked Percy's voice, and the way Rick Riordan is clearly having epic amounts of fun throwing in all the bits and pieces of mythology he remembers and gently poking at it, which makes for a lot of fun for the reader as well. I also had a lot of fun with the cross-country-road-trip aspect of the story, especially the parts that took place in cities I know and could go "hey, I recognize that!" On the other hand, I spent a bit of time cringing and trying to ignore the "GREEK GODS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND WESTERN CIVILIZATION IS SUPER IMPORTANT" part of the mythology, because: what, and no. (It could have been worse! The book made no sweeping appropriative claims about the rest of the world; instead, it just ignored it. Wait, maybe that's not better. I'm not sure. However, Greek mythology is in no way the only Western mythology, Rick Riordan!) I also suspect I was feeling more sympathetic to [SPOILER ANTAGONIST] and his goals than I was supposed to. The system is messed up! Down with the gods! REVOLUTION IN OLYMPUS, I am all for it! I do not actually expect the series will complicate its own setup enough to go to the "revolution in Heaven" place, but I secretly hope it surprises me and does.chlorrel has promised to keep supplying me with books and I will be continuing to read them.
In other news, I spent far too long last night reading through a linked collection of Fullmetal Alchemist bonus chapters that are not up in the scanlations, and many of you are probably sick of me babbling by now so I will keep this short, but man, guys. You know how sometimes you love many aspects of a story, while sadly getting the impression that the author does not share your priorities or actually like you all that much?
Yeah, Hiromu Arakawa is not one of those authors. Hiromu Arakawa LOVES ME AND WANTS ME TO BE HAPPY. >:D It is like she sat down and thought to herself, "what would make Becca happiest?" And then provided me with:
- Hawkeye hanging out with a lady friend and Hawkeye and Winry influencing each other in ways that have nothing to do with dudes!
- Hohenheim dispensing sage advice FROM THE TOILET. With his pants around his ankles!
- THE OFFICE: TEAM MUSTANG. Falman obsessing over paperclips! Havoc falling asleep and drooling on his paperwork! The FMA equivalent of prank wars!
- Mustang being INCREDIBLY, GLORIOUSLY MANPAINY . . . before his team shoots him down and dumps paperwork on his head
- and, of course, BABY IZUMI BEATS UP EVERYONE, which, okay, I feel the need to summarize this one:
18-YEAR-OLD IZUMI: *marches into the frozen wastelands with only a knife and the clothes on her back*
BRIGGS SOLDIER: Hey, you must be a spy! I will take you to justice. >:O
IZUMI: Aren't you supposed to be protecting the population, not harassing them?
BRIGGS SOLDIER: Around here, the law is survival of the fittest!
IZUMI: Really? WELL OKAY THEN. >:D *beats up Briggs soldier, steals all his stuff*
IZUMI: Man, surviving in the wilderness is annoying. *drop-kicks a wolf*
IZUMI: Stupid cold! *beats up another Briggs soldier*
IZUMI: And I don't even have a boyfriend yet! *beats up a PACK of wolves*
IZUMI: I guess I'll have some deep revelations about the universe now. *JUDO THROWS A BEAR*
If this is not proof that Hiromu Arakawa loves me and wants me to be happy, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
chlorrel finally facilitated by shoving her copy into my hands. And I did, in fact, finish it the day the movie came out! I am the best resolution-keeper.For the most part, I enjoyed the book! For anyone in the world who doesn't already know the premise: the series is narrated by twelve-year-old Percy Jackson, who finds out in the first chapter or two that he is secretly the son of one of the Olympic gods and monsters are trying to kill him. On the down side, he promptly gets stuck with a couple of downer prophecies and a dramatic cross-country quest to save the world. On the bright side, when things aren't going to hell, he gets to go to half-god summer camp!
I liked Percy's voice, and the way Rick Riordan is clearly having epic amounts of fun throwing in all the bits and pieces of mythology he remembers and gently poking at it, which makes for a lot of fun for the reader as well. I also had a lot of fun with the cross-country-road-trip aspect of the story, especially the parts that took place in cities I know and could go "hey, I recognize that!" On the other hand, I spent a bit of time cringing and trying to ignore the "GREEK GODS ARE THE FOUNDATION OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND WESTERN CIVILIZATION IS SUPER IMPORTANT" part of the mythology, because: what, and no. (It could have been worse! The book made no sweeping appropriative claims about the rest of the world; instead, it just ignored it. Wait, maybe that's not better. I'm not sure. However, Greek mythology is in no way the only Western mythology, Rick Riordan!) I also suspect I was feeling more sympathetic to [SPOILER ANTAGONIST] and his goals than I was supposed to. The system is messed up! Down with the gods! REVOLUTION IN OLYMPUS, I am all for it! I do not actually expect the series will complicate its own setup enough to go to the "revolution in Heaven" place, but I secretly hope it surprises me and does.
chlorrel has promised to keep supplying me with books and I will be continuing to read them.In other news, I spent far too long last night reading through a linked collection of Fullmetal Alchemist bonus chapters that are not up in the scanlations, and many of you are probably sick of me babbling by now so I will keep this short, but man, guys. You know how sometimes you love many aspects of a story, while sadly getting the impression that the author does not share your priorities or actually like you all that much?
Yeah, Hiromu Arakawa is not one of those authors. Hiromu Arakawa LOVES ME AND WANTS ME TO BE HAPPY. >:D It is like she sat down and thought to herself, "what would make Becca happiest?" And then provided me with:
- Hawkeye hanging out with a lady friend and Hawkeye and Winry influencing each other in ways that have nothing to do with dudes!
- Hohenheim dispensing sage advice FROM THE TOILET. With his pants around his ankles!
- THE OFFICE: TEAM MUSTANG. Falman obsessing over paperclips! Havoc falling asleep and drooling on his paperwork! The FMA equivalent of prank wars!
- Mustang being INCREDIBLY, GLORIOUSLY MANPAINY . . . before his team shoots him down and dumps paperwork on his head
- and, of course, BABY IZUMI BEATS UP EVERYONE, which, okay, I feel the need to summarize this one:
18-YEAR-OLD IZUMI: *marches into the frozen wastelands with only a knife and the clothes on her back*
BRIGGS SOLDIER: Hey, you must be a spy! I will take you to justice. >:O
IZUMI: Aren't you supposed to be protecting the population, not harassing them?
BRIGGS SOLDIER: Around here, the law is survival of the fittest!
IZUMI: Really? WELL OKAY THEN. >:D *beats up Briggs soldier, steals all his stuff*
IZUMI: Man, surviving in the wilderness is annoying. *drop-kicks a wolf*
IZUMI: Stupid cold! *beats up another Briggs soldier*
IZUMI: And I don't even have a boyfriend yet! *beats up a PACK of wolves*
IZUMI: I guess I'll have some deep revelations about the universe now. *JUDO THROWS A BEAR*
If this is not proof that Hiromu Arakawa loves me and wants me to be happy, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 05:43 pm (UTC)My mom actually really wants to see the movie. I think she's kind of jonesing for a Harry Potter like premises. I argued that I might need to read the book before attempting to see it with her. (You're review states Sir Jackson is twelve, while in the trailers he looks about fifteen? What?)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 05:49 pm (UTC)I kind of want to see the movie too, just because I have a great love for cheesy kids' fantasy films. From what I understand it is a bit different from the book! (Percy being older is DEFINITELY a difference. Also apparently they cut out like half of what's going on in the endgame of this book. So . . . yeah.)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 06:13 pm (UTC)*cough*
But yes! The books definitely trump the film, and they get more awesome as they go on. (My favourite is still probably the 4th one.) I like that Riordan kind of provides a basic background of a lot of the gods people don't tend to concentrate on too much while still writing about the Big Guys.
The movie is super cheesy, and it deviates from the books a lot, but if you can ignore that, it's still a fun flick. I really enjoyed it greatly even though reviews seem to be quite mixed ala my flist!
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Date: 2010-02-17 06:18 pm (UTC)(If you like Annabeth, don't see the movie only for her. Good heavens, that actress is terrible. And way too old.)
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Date: 2010-02-17 06:23 pm (UTC)Well then! I KNOW HOW I'M GOING TO SPEND THE NEXT HALF-HOUR. (Crying, probably, because from what I remember it is that volume but uh yeah.)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 06:28 pm (UTC)It is a defect :(.
BUT do you think the book is worth trawling through the library for? (Also, do you have any links to Gabriel-Mary that are indicative of their relationship? I apparently fail at tag scrolling.)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 06:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 06:40 pm (UTC)I do like all the mythological details he throws in! I cackled at the Lotus Casino and Argos and so forth. (Though Medusa is another one I was probably more sympathetic to than the book wanted me to be. Darn right, Athena's punishment was unfair!)
I am totally going to see the movie at some point - I am ALL ABOUT cheesy kids fantasy films. Bonus points if they try way too hard to be funny!
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Date: 2010-02-17 06:48 pm (UTC)(So I gathered from Lexie's review. D: Which is a shame, because she is a cool character! ARCHITECTURE.)
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Date: 2010-02-17 06:50 pm (UTC)(But Volume 5 has Izumi!)
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Date: 2010-02-17 06:52 pm (UTC)Well, I can see the problem. *pats Finn*
Hmmmmm. I think I want to reserve judgment for you until I have read further in the series! At which point I will have a better idea of where it is going. :D (Also, I do, I think - ask me tonight when I am not at work and can find them easier?)
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Date: 2010-02-17 06:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:09 pm (UTC)When you scroll down, Izumi's is "Tales of the Master"
SO MUCH HILARITY
(Also, "The Elric Family Omake" is the one with baby Ed and Al and bemused Hohenheim on the toilet.)
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Date: 2010-02-17 07:20 pm (UTC)TINY ED AND ODDLY-FATHERLY HOHENHEIM
--yeah that did make things better, lovvvvvvve
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Date: 2010-02-17 07:24 pm (UTC)And Hohenheim actually being decent at being fatherly! EVEN THOUGH HE CAN'T FIND THE TOILET PAPER.
And that is how I know Arakawa loves us deep down.
(You should also read the one that's the short novel with Havoc stalking Mustang for military assessments. HILARITY. Bitching over paperclips!)
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Date: 2010-02-17 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:43 pm (UTC)I will search for this!
Also, Izumi is amazing. Judo throwing a bear while discovering the Meaning Of Life. Ten points.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:51 pm (UTC)Okay! :D
(And no, I have no patience. AKA: Sure, okay! :D!!!! I HOPE YOUR WORK DAY IS DOING FABULOUSLY)
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Date: 2010-02-17 07:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 08:20 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 08:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-17 10:43 pm (UTC)Point the Second: Last Olympian... I will not spoil, but some of the issues with spoiler antagonist are actually VERY MUCH dealt with. The books go into this a lot more than the movie does. There is a whole Thing. It's actually something I really like about the books.
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Date: 2010-02-17 10:50 pm (UTC)As re: Last Olympian - I have been sort of hoping to hear that. :D Jenny has been mentioning he gets interesting character development! It is one of the things I am most looking forward to in the books.
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Date: 2010-02-17 10:56 pm (UTC)WHAT ABOUT CHINA??? AFRICA??? :(
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Date: 2010-02-18 02:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-18 02:43 am (UTC)Though I can sort of buy a lot of European polytheistic religions actually being the same because there was a lot of religious borrowing all over the place. I mean, if they said China's or India's gods were the pinnacle of Eastern Civilization, I'd say okay, because China, India, Japan, and Korea all did a lot of deity hijacking.
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Date: 2010-02-18 02:47 am (UTC)Well, there's deity hijacking, yeah - goodness knows the Romans did it - but all the same, the blending of ALL CULTURES EVER into one that is the ONE TRUE kind of weirds me out. And I mean, even just in terms of Europe, there were the Celtic myths and the Norse myths that really didn't have much to do with the Greek ones either. WHERE IS THOR, I ask you.
Weirdly, I think I would have been happier if he'd just left it at "Greek gods are real!" and not tried to explain it with the whole "Western civilization" thing. Suspension of disbelief is easier that way!
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Date: 2010-02-18 03:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-18 03:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-18 05:36 am (UTC)DAMN YOU IZUMI, my life's goal will never be fulfilled!
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Date: 2010-02-18 05:44 am (UTC)(Every day, in every way, I am becoming more and more capable of deep thoughts about the universe while judo-throwing bears.)
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Date: 2010-02-18 06:35 am (UTC)Liiiiiink?Never mind! *finds it in earlier comment thread*[Also, lookit! FMA icon! *pats Hayate*]
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Date: 2010-02-18 02:22 pm (UTC)(Yeah, the Hohenheim one was the only one I'd actually read before - it's included in the scanlations. But seeing it with all the others made me realize all over again just HOW MUCH Arakawa caters to my sense of lulz. >:D)
[HI HAYATE! . . . *eyes icon, laughing* can I ask when that icon is from, or is that spoilery?]
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Date: 2010-02-18 06:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-18 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-18 08:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-18 08:34 pm (UTC)