Wake the Sun

Over! Thanks, folks!

Today is 5/5, which has long been declared Hikaru no Go Day to much rejoicing. And bookshop has her annual wonderful massive meme/joy post up which I've yet to participate in because, uh. It's been a long time since I read the manga. And I don't remember everything.

OBVIOUSLY THIS WILL NOT DO. So! I am proud to announce:





Plans are still being hashed out, but I'm thinking we'll do a volume a week with a corresponding discussion post hosted here at my DW journal. Day/time for maximum participation to be decided (by, like, tonight. I'm still at work! Photos need editing!).

Also, bookshop has suggested also doing an anime rewatch with an accompanying live Campfire chats, which sounds totally rad.

Details to come! Stay tuned! And in the meantime, you can cruise the doujinshi posts I did for last year's HikaGo Day.

EDIT FOR DEETS: Okay! Discussion posts will be hosted here on effex every Wednesday, going up as close to Noon (US Central time) as I can get 'em. First post, for volume 1, will be a week from today!

You can read Hikaru no Go online at OneManga or download it via your torrent site of choice (look for scanslations by Toriyama's World for the early volumes. Ah, memories). If you enjoy the manga, I strongly recommend you buy the books - they're lovely in person. And lacking in pixelization.

And by books I mean the Japanese version; I can't recommend the English translation by Viz. I take this back - some of the earlier volumes have underage smoking censored out (%^&$ censorship) and folks use names a little too familiarly (Hikaru calling Akira by his personal name, etc), but otherwise the translation and reproduction is quite good. And they're easier to read in bed, so.

And that's it! SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEK!

* As you might have seen making it's way around the internet, evilpuppy (who has suffered back injuries and requires assistance while traveling) had a truly horrible experience with United Airlines: "I won't apologize for her actions and I'm not sorry for what happened to you. It's not in our contract to assist passengers with their luggage and we reserve the right to refuse assistance to anyone. If that's what you need, then perhaps in the future, you should make other travel arrangements."

* Relatedly, feyandstrange offers up Disabled air travel: how to survive.

* A possible cure for melanoma has been found. Full recovery in 16% of patients, you guys. Full recovery.

* On altmuslimah - The dos and don'ts of defending Muslim women: If a Muslim woman doesn’t ask you to be her voice or speak for her, don’t. If you wish to help a Muslim woman you feel is voiceless, help her get a voice. Never assume you have the right to speak on someone else’s behalf.

* The Hathor Legacy profiles Dr. Clelia Mosher: Among other accomplishments, she polled 45 women who’d been sexually active during the Victorian Era about their sex lives between 1892 and 1920 – or in other words, conducted one of the earliest known sex surveys. The results serve as a reminder that history is a tale told by the winners.

* cimorene has a brief essay up on Karl Marx, the US Civil War, and how history is taught in the States.

* Speaking of the civil war, Ta-Nehisi Coates has an amazing essay up on The Ghost of Bobby Lee. It's the latest in a long series of pieces he's done on the war and the culture that surrounded it - if you're interested in intelligent, thoughtful, and informative discussion, Ta-Nehisi is your man.

* Karen Healey - who's old Girls Read Comics blog was super formative for baby!feminist Effex - has written a book! AN AMAZING BOOK! bookshop will tell you all about it and also give away her copy, which is more then you'll get from me. [clutches book tight] giving away an extra copy!

* copperbadge is watching all the old Doctor Who series and doing writeups - Series One just went up and is an excellent read for those of us who've only seen New Who.

* cleolinda has done a 15 Minutes for Clash of the Titans!

* Joss Whedon is going to direct the Avengers movie. I'm not particularly happy about this. [shakes fist] WHEEEEDON!

* 1 Chicken, 17 Healthy Meals, $26 Bucks, No Mayo. My roommate and I are totally going to try this.

Lastly, some art/creative stuff:

* A great list of links and resources for artists.

* Compare Your Life to Pixar

It's been a while since I've done one of these! And it's nothing like complete, but whatever.


Currently Reading:

Soul Music by Terry Pratchett


To-Read Pile:

Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett
Feet of Clay by Terry Pratchett
Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin
The one quivo recommended to me with the title I can't remember by It's Sitting In A Bag In My Room


Just-Read Pile:

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett
The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett
Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones
Year of the Griffin by Diana Wynne Jones


There is maybe a theme here.

Notes: I really, *really* enjoyed Small Gods - I dig Pterry's thinky thoughts on Belief. I really, *really* disliked Year of the Griffin (why, DWJ?) - it was... disjointed and painfully heteronormative (did you really have to pair up everyone at the end, DWJ? Woe?).

And hey, anyone have any articles/guides on the SF&F genre for someone new to it? A 'So You Want To Read SciFi And Fantasy' type deal, maybe.

Next round!


Also, y'all should check out bookshop's post - The Most Influntial YA of the Decade? + Girls, yay! - for more woman and femslash awesomeness. Also books. Mmmm, books.

ETA: And resonant put out a call for YA books which has resulted in a lot of female-centric/friendly recommendations in the comments.

( Comics/Manga/Etc Series )


( Other Things )

How about you folks? What are your favorite slashy comics, books, and video games?

HELLO INTERNET!

It is Friday and I have a couple of sweet hats and a plan to see Ponyo this evening with friends, which means this is officially a *good* day. Not matter what else happens. Studio Ghibli cures all ills.

Which is good, because this month has sucked. Sucked!

( I have gotten some reading done - book list and commentary under the cut. )

Speaking of books! In honor of thoroughly ticking off one John C. Wright (and if you're not up on the latest round of SFF!fail, coffeeandink's got a write up.) Sam aka copperbadge has posted the first chapter (and part of the second) of his new novel in progress - The Valet Of Anize. Go check it out!

Also, halcyonjazz's been putting out some really excellent commission work. My first two are this one (Teddy and Billy from Young Avengers) and this one (Wendy Watson from The Middle Man), which I love with all due fervor. I am also very fond of everything she's done for tussah (more Billy/Teddy!), the Persona 4 (second listed) piece for nozomi_no_da, the Chase (Runaways!) piece for cloen, and the Doctor and Donna (<3 <3) piece for jeremymlad.


Up this weekend - Comic Con swag! My Psych Magic 8 Ball says I should totally post pictures. Also, webcomics.

I've been watching Torchwood (if you hadn't noticed) and reading 'Right Ho, Jeeves' by the esteemable PG Wodehouse (so. much. love.) and have started musing on crossovers, as you do. I *love* crossovers.

After much thought (aka this morning's bus ride), I've concluded that sending Bertie and/or Jeeves through the rift would result in either A)Bertie's death or B) Jeeves running everything. And B's got potential! Lord knows they need the help (although they're not doing badly this week), and Bertie could be an author or a kept man or a babysitter or whatever, but it's not quite the story I want to tell myself. Torchwood's got too much angst, not enough space for adventure and wacky hijinks.

So, they get picked up by the Doctor, maybe? Except, I'm pretty sure Jeeves would drive him *crazy* - he'd adore the man, sure, but extended time together... all those "Yes, Sir"s and "Well, Sir"s and "Sir?"s would drive the Doctor completely 'round the bend. Let's not mention Bertie - he'd probably get locked in a closet somewhere, 'for the good of the Universe'. Agent of chaos, what?

Clearly, who we need here is Donna. Donna and Jeeves would get along fabulously *and* she could assist in the Bertie-wrangling, plus she'd be aces at getting both of them to loosen up a bit (well, okay, *Jeeves* to loosen up a bit. Bertie would get the clue!bat). I just need to work out the logistics...

Besides, the Torchwood-in-my-head is busy with a very surprised Arthur and Merlin and the Doctor's hanging out with Booster Gold.

It's Wednesday! Week's only half over, but I've been busy. I've -

* Watched 29 episodes of American Idol S8

* Done a lot of chores that don't bear repeating but, damn, there were a lot

* Fallen in love with Adam Lambert

* Fallen in love with Kris Allen

* Read so much Star Trek fic, both new school and the original series

* Listened to Adam's rendition of 'Mad World' over and over and over

* There might also have been a lot of RPF/Bandom fic

* Walked 6.5 miles (Monday through today, not counting the additional mile I'll walk tonight)

* Went to the Dallas Day of Decision rally

* Watched the Xena/Gabrielle vid 'Boom Boom Ba' over and over and over


( Also, I've read some books )

Nameless is fantastic. I mean, I love Sam's (copperbadge) work and I loved the draft he posted online, but his 2500 beta experiment really paid off <3 <3 <3.

Geez, that's the smallest 'read' pile in a while - I've been *reading,* I know I have, but I've the sneaking suspicion it's all fanfic. That or Nine Layers of Sky, my last on-the-bus book, took longer then usual.

Currently Reading:

Cunt by Inga Muscio (I don't take this one on the bus with me for, lo, I am a wimp, and it's been regulated to strictly bathroom reading. But I'll finish it someday!)
Academ's Fury by Jim Butcher
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar (reread)

Finished Reading:

Turn Coat by Jim Butcher
Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher
Pluto vols 1 & 2 by Naoki Urasawa
20th Century Boys vol 1 by Naoki Urasawa
Nine Layers of Sky by Liz Williams

To Read Pile:

Around the Bloc by Stephanie Elizondo Griest
Kindred by Octavia Butler
These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer

( In which I go on a bit about Jim Butcher's books - There be spoilers here. )

The comments on the various Amazonfail posts have kicked over a ton of useful information, including alternative book-buying venues. I have decided to compile a list. Updated as I find stuff.

Powells: From humble storefront beginnings in 1971 on a derelict corner of northwest Portland, Oregon, Powell's Books has grown into one of the world's great bookstores, with seven locations in the Portland metropolitan area, and one of the book world's most successful dot-coms (www.powells.com), serving customers worldwide. I think I've seen the coupon code "powellswin" floating around, will have to see if I can find it again. ETA: Aha! From the Powells website - Just enter the code "#powellswin" by 11:59 pm (Pacific) on Thursday, April 16, 2009, and you'll save 20% on your order of $20 or more.

Better World Books: Better World Books collects and sells books online to fund literacy initiatives worldwide. With more than two million new and used titles in stock, we’re a self-sustaining, triple-bottom-line company that creates social, economic and environmental value for all our stakeholders. Coupon code for new readers in the comments here - the post itself is also useful.

IndieBound: IndieBound is a community-oriented movement begun by the independent bookseller members of the American Booksellers Association. It brings together booksellers, readers, indie retailers, local business alliances, and anyone else with a passionate belief that healthy local economies help communities thrive. Supporting local, indie businesses means that dollars, jobs, diversity, choice, and taxes stay local, creating strong, unique communities and happy citizens.

Alibris: Alibris (pronounced “uh-LEE-briss”) connects people who love books, music, and movies to thousands of independent sellers around the world. Our proprietary technology and advanced logistics allow us to offer more than 100 million used, new, and out-of-print books to consumers, libraries, and retailers.

The Book Depositary: The Book Depository was founded in 2004 with the aim of making "All books available to All" through pioneering supply chain initiatives, republishing and the digitizing of content. It is a continuing project, still in its infancy, and one of the most ambitious ventures in the book industry. Free shipping worldwide, easy access to UK editions <3.

Someone's also mentioned buying direct from the publishers, which I will have to investigate.

In addition, I've always bought my manga from Rightstuf - between their Got Anime membership and rotating publisher sales, you can pick stuff up at great prices. Comics and graphic novels I get from my local comic shop, Mile High Comics, and Comic Fusion. There're also a number of bookswapping sites that are occasionally goldmines - I use Swaptree and Bookmooch. Hurray!