What I Watched: The Chealsea Detective, season two. Good, wholesome, murdery cop fun. The scenery is the catnip, and after checking with my UK expert I discovered that I was never going to be able to move there. The average price of a flat in Chealsea is $1.75 million, while a semi-detached home goes for around $16 million. Here is a lovely little property for $24.2 million. The lead character lives on a houseboat; my UK expert pointed out how unlikely that was on a police detective’s salary. As per TellyVision, “the good news is that it’s better than ever. Season 2 still offers complex plots but features a tighter feel, fewer yawning holes, and a diverse cast that includes several much-loved stars of British TV, all against the spectacular backgrounds of the River Thames and west London.” So crack on and watch it!
What I Read: (speed-round reviews)
Shadow Dance (A Shadow Riders Novel Book 8) by Christine Feehan. Same old, same old, a mindless read in a semi-mystical modern genre. Set in a mafia-esque world, with bossy men and subtly powerful women. “As the head of the New York City Shadow Riders and his branch of the Ferraro family, Geno bears the weight of dual responsibilities on his broad shoulders. There’s nothing more important to Geno than protecting his territory and his famiglia.”
The Fate of Farringale (Modern Magick Book 12) by Charlotte E. English. Ogres, battles, the embodiment of Merlin magic and archetypes, what’s not to like? Of course, you will want to read the first eleven books first.
Several series continuances, all acceptable and unsurprising, including Life-Debt by R.J. Blain, Sweet Duke of Mine by Jillian Eaton, Forever Connected: Forever Bluegrass #20 by Kathleen Brooks, and Mistletoe Mine: An Eternity Springs Novella by Emily March.
What I Listened To: Write It by Ran Nir; Drums and Bombs by Luna Lux; and For Repair by Dekker.
Thank you for playing Brain Drain! How are you, dearhearts? Darling DeadSplinterites, what’s going on? Please do share with us!
Watched: Safe House, a 2012 action film with Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington. Actually pretty good, as far as action films go. Written and acted well, and a solid plot.
Listened: Tony Spinner, a solid blues musician who it seems hasn’t put out an album in years.
…thought those two played well off each other in safe house…even if I’m not sure the motivation of denzel’s character ever entirely made sense?
It looks like Tony Spinner released new work in 2020, and has a recent “authorized” live show bootleg?
Hilariously, I actually forgot that I have a copy of Love is the Answer.
I read The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff. This book is getting a lot of attention and deserves every bit. Early in the 17th century, a young servant girl flees the Jamestown settlement. Were famine and disease the only reason to brave the harsh winter elements and the native people she believes are savage? Groff does some beautiful stuff with language weaving in colonial vernacular. Just enough to add to the atmosphere without becoming a gimmick. This may be the best book I read this year.
I’m listening to The Fiction, the new EP from Luna Aura.
Money Bag
I have a busy weekend planned. See ya around, DeadSplinters.
Way to appeal to my word-nerd heart “beautiful stuff with language weaving in colonial vernacular“.
…watched the newest round of lupin on netflix which I enjoyed…& the recent part-1-of-2 mission impossible flick which…has hayley atwell in it…so, there’s that?
…also…I mentioned the podcast that george the poet lad had been doing for a few years at the tail end of a DOT earlier in the week & I really do recommend giving that a listen
..might be one of those legit works of genius you hear tell about…but if you can roll with it it is undeniably fascinating & the fact he does the whole thing in rhyming couplets is what I think the cool kids call “some next level shit”
…apparently any/everything else I watched was eminently forgettable though since I know there was more but I’m damned if I could tell you what?
I keep looking at Lupin as a “next watch”, but haven’t quite pushed the button.
…it’s pretty fun…a little nonsensical in terms of some of the heists/disguises & what have you but if you accept the premise that for whatever reason the lead guy can get away with the same things lupin could in the books then it’s a fun ride?
Is it better than S2? That season was such a bore. I wasn’t watching Lupin for family drama and kidnapping. I love the heisty stuff and hilariously bad disguises.
…I’d say yes?
…there’s not no family strife stuff but the ratio makes it much less of that sort of obstacle to the enjoyment of the thing
A friend of mine just discovered Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series and is reading them in order. I’m tempted to do the same. I own a random selection of them (ones I couldn’t find at the library twenty years ago).
Nothing new to report. I’ve been playing Zelda every night this week. It’s very therapeutic.
…in my experience none of them aren’t worth a read & many I’ve re-read repeatedly…so I vote go for it?
I haven’t read nearly enough Disc World; I like the idea of starting from scratch with book one.
The Chelsea Detective and new Lupin season sound good. We started the new Bosch: Legacy episodes last night.
Ohhhh Bosch Legacy is out? What a cliff-hanger it ended on last year!
I watched White House Plumbers on Max. The first two episodes are kind of clunky but it gets a lot better. The guy who plays Liddy is a riot. Harrellson’s delivery continues to annoy me, and I can’t tell if he’s putting it on or not.
I’m watching The Outsider, also on Max. Based on a Stephen King something or other. A series of murders occur, and each suspect had both incontrovertible evidence against them and a rock-solid alibi. It’s well-done so far.
Do you like Max? We have BritBox, Netflix, PBS and Acorn TV. Golly but I hate to buy another one, but folks seem to like Max . . .
It’s okay. Main advantage is it has all the HBO original series: The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Sopranos, Deadwood, etc. A decent selection of movies. We get it for free with our ATT phone plan.
I get Max free with my Spectrum cable plan.
I would not pay separate money for Max.
Rightio, free is a good price, not an option at this time. Thanks both of you (@LemmyKilmister, too) for the input.
ive been watching season 2 of kengan ashura
there is a story there….but its at least 80% raw violence
very nicely animated violence
it has the same draw on me 300 did
love me some pretty violence
…didnt read anything coz ive been staying up too late…..tonite will be no different coz i have f1 at midnight
and listening to dragonforce – power of the tri force
because i love cheese
Have fun with the F1!
LISTENED:
Various Artists – Dance Craze (soundtrack)
I had this on cassette when it came out, and it really opened me up to the UK 2-Tone ska era. So many great songs on here. Finally got it on vinyl — original pressing, which was important to me because they changed the song lineup on later pressings.
I hear that kind of music background often from Keitel.