vivdunstan: Photo of some of my books (books)
A bumper crop of more books finished in the last month. Helped again by some library books.

    earlier books )
  1. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
  2. City of Vengeance (Cesare Aldo book 1) by D.V. Bishop
  3. Beside the Ocean of Time by George Mackay Brown
  4. Delirium's Party: A Little Endless Storybook by Jill Thompson
  5. The Haunted Trail: Classic Tales of the Rambling Weird by Weird Walk
  6. Manga Classics Sherlock Holmes volume 1 A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle, Crystal S. Chan and Julien Choy
  7. Glenshee: Glen of the Fairies by Antony Mackenzie Smith
  8. Insomniacs After School volume 7 (manga) by Makoto Ojiro
  9. Forgotten Churches: Exploring England's Hidden Treasures by Luke Sherlock
  10. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab


Of the newly finished ones, I enjoyed Arthur Conan Doyle's Memoirs collection of Sherlock Holmes stories yet again. The David Bishop book was a Renaissance Italy thriller, the first in an ongoing series, and very enjoyable. The George Mackay Brown novel (Saltire award winning and Booker shortlisted) was still magical, on a reread. I found the Sandman Little Endless graphic novel on a book clearout/rummage, so read it again quickly before passing it on to charity. The rambling "Tales of the Weird" book was interesting, but not a great run of stories for me. Enjoyed the manga Sherlock Holmes. Still really enjoying the Insomniacs After School manga series. Loved the church history book, and enjoyed with provisos the V.E. Schwab vampire book, newly published in June. That last one was read for my book club. I wouldn't have got to it so quickly otherwise.
vivdunstan: Test card (tv)
Have just managed episode 1, but hoping to get through an episode a week together, if not more often.

I’m very relieved to have watched this because casting spoiler for season 2 episode 1 ) I also have a sequence coming in episode 3 stuck in my head (spoiler for season 2 episode 3 )) but I can’t talk about that to him yet! Maybe in a few weeks.

I also considered us starting tonight watching Rings of Power season 2 or Sandman season 2. But the Rings of Power episodes are *so* very long. I'll struggle to stay alert throughout them. And Sandman has a rather glacial pace, which I gather is even more glacial this year. Wednesday at least is a moderately acceptable length, and full of content. It also doesn’t have a huge number of episodes.
vivdunstan: Photo of some of my books (books)
Finding another stash of books that can mostly be donated to Oxfam's. Including several Egaeus Press weird short story collections, gorgeous hardback books, but I no longer need, and am happy passing on. As well as a Little Endless "Delirium's Party" hardback. Keeping some of the other books though.

Time and distance is making it easier to pass on some of these books. And we still have way too many books in house, especially a huge number I can no longer read with my progressive neurological illness. It's very freeing passing them on. Even if book lover me naturally rails against the concept!

P.S. I reread the Little Endless book quickly tonight before passing it on. Quite charming, and written and drawn by someone other than Neil Gaiman. Gorgeous mini Endless comic book art too.

P.P.S. Martin is now going to have an incredible number of books to take to Oxfam later this week!
vivdunstan: Test card (tv)
After just one series. Radio Times report.

Not surprising, not least given the quagmire of accusations circling around Neil Gaiman since July. Which are continuing to produce new ones.

That's also why we haven't rushed to watch it to be fair ...

Sandman and Good Omens TV series may be safer. To be fair Good Omens just needs one more series. And it has been commissioned. Sandman has finished filming season 2 I think.
vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
I haven't posted about this publicly before. Mainly because I don't know what to say, and I'm still trying to process it. And I haven't felt that I can contribute to the discussion. Google it if you need to know more. Be warned the details are potentially highly triggering and distressing.

However at best I think there is a serious question mark over any perception of consent. Assuming consent in the circumstances described - hugely skewed in terms of age, power, and employer/employee relations, is highly questionable, and I think untenable. At worst it's potentially criminal sexual assault.

For now I am looking at his books and comics from a very wary distance. Including my recently personally signed and dedicated book.

I will be very surprised if one of his TV series continues, and am doubtful for the other two.

Just currently really disappointed.
vivdunstan: Photo of some of my books (books)
Martin and I have just enjoyed watching last night’s recording (for paid ticket holders only - I had bought an online viewing ticket) of Neil Gaiman at the British Library chatting with Roz Kaveney about fantasy. It was lovely. Takeaways included:
  • Neil has a half completed Neverwhere sequel novel that he hopes to get back to after writing Good Omens season 3 (yes 3!).
  • As a youngster Neil thought he’d be a scifi writer later in life. Ditto for Terry Pratchett. Both of whom ended up pretty resolutely as fantasy writers.
  • The only Discworld book Neil had a serious hand in was Pyramids, which he helped plan the plot for.
  • So many insights into the origins of Sandman - even loads I hadn’t heard in Neil’s one hour detailed chat at the Edinburgh Book Festival just about Sandman.
  • Neil thinks we are approaching the end of social media as we knew it. In particular he spoke of Twitter as “It’s a thing that we used to have in the olden days that was good.” Quite!
  • I still have some Neil Gaiman graphic novels yet to read - must prioritise! His discussion of his family history links with Violent Cases and Mr Punch was eye opening.
  • And yes, we need to watch the last part bonus episode for Sandman season 1 (“Calliope”) which was mentioned in the chat, and also Good Omens season 2 (also mentioned).

Tomorrow night we will be watching the recording from tonight of Neil Gaiman chatting with Rob Wilkins about Terry Pratchett and his worlds. Should be fab. Again I had pre bought an online ticket. These events are part of the wider Fantasy exhibition season at the British Library, and are going ahead despite the library’s ongoing cyber attack problems. I’m finding it astonishing that I’m able to watch and enjoy these talks viewing from northern Scotland.

vivdunstan: Test card (tv)
Had hoped to watch the D&D film this weekend, but I’m way too sleepy. Martin woke me with difficulty at 4.30pm. Then after dinner I had to go back to sleep 8.30-11. But managed some stuff after, including watching the first Sandman bonus episode (there’s technically one bonus episode 11, but it’s 2 separate stories, one after the other). This adapts the cats story in the original comics in animated form. I was really looking forward to this, though also rather dreading it because of something that happens in the story. But the TV version was well done, with good animation and voice acting. Also some nice familiar voices. We will watch the Calliope story next week. Which again I am keen to see, but at the same time dreading in some respects even more.
vivdunstan: Photo of some of my books (books)
Current reading, May 2022 version.

Rereading a favourite PG Wodehouse, a Sandman comics inspired short story collection, gentle Japanese manga, Andrew Cotter and dogs Olive and Mabel, continuing a Sherlock Holmes canon reread, and continuing Loren Wiseman’s Traveller RPG columns.

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vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
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