"If the apocalypse comes, beep me." -- Buffy

I do not understand the fascination with Twilight. I read the series over one weekend, and wish I could rewind time to get the weekend back, as the series is not worth the paper it has been printed on. If you trust wiki, Stephanie Meyer has had around 116 million copies of the book purchased by someone. 

Having grown up with Buffy, I can say Joss Whedon is god. I don’t think I need to explain that any further.

Now I know a lot who read this blog will adore Twilight and will have pledged their aleigiance to Edward or Jacob but I cannot take this seriously. I know there are arguments for “letting my 13 year old self” out and going along with it, but my 13 year old self was reading Stephen King.  King himself rubbishes the work of Meyer, stating  “Stephenie Meyer can't write worth a darn. She's not very good”.

Even Anne Rice, another notable in vampire fiction, sinks her teeth in, to pardon the very bad pun. Writing "…my vampires possess gravitas.” 


Essentially, what you end up with, in regards to Meyer, is a series of books based around the idea of Mary Sue’s.  

I can’t really add much to the already overflowing wealth of internet ambivalence so instead, here are some of the funnier demotivational Twilight images I’ve enjoyed.

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Besides, everyone knows real vampires look like this...

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For some reason blogger isn't accepting my html coding today (except on the images) so these are the links I was trying to reference in text.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_books - Wiki
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/feb/05/stephenking-fiction - King on Meyer
http://www.themarysue.com/rice-versus-meyer/ - Rice on Meyer
http://anti-twilexicon.livejournal.com/947.html - Definition of a Mary Sue

All about the music II

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“Us” by Regina Spektor http://youtu.be/fczPlmz-Vug

“Shores of California” by The Dresden Dolls http://youtu.be/wTs0EBCdPmk

“Thank you” by Alanis Morrisette http://youtu.be/OOgpT5rEKIU

“Zombie” by the Cranberries http://youtu.be/6Ejga4kJUts

“The only exception” by Paramore http://youtu.be/-J7J_IWUhls

“All the things she said” by t.A.T.u http://youtu.be/8mGBaXPlri8

“Fuckin’ perfect” by Pink http://youtu.be/ocDlOD1Hw9k

“Rumour has it / Someone like you” Glee mash up http://vevo.ly/vFaEYS

“Such great heights” by The Postal Service http://youtu.be/0wrsZog8qXg

Review: The Magicians by Lev Grossman

The Magicians by Lev Grossman

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


This book, supposedly Harry Potter for adults, is plagarism and idea stealing 101.



The novel is set, in the majority, at a College of magic called “Brakebills” which can only be reached by those who are enrolled in the school and have access to the secret entry points. In the garden is a maze, which changes its pattern every semester. There is a game played called “welters” which has similarities to Wizard’s Chess. Throughout the book, there are three main friends, always two males and a female. The families are similar to those of Harry, Ron and Hermione.


The novel features a magical land called “Fillory” resembling strongly, Narnia and access comes via magical portals; mirrors and clothes cupboards. There are also talking beavers, a faun, a satyr, a talking tree, elves, which resemble Orcs and a final evil, very similar to Sauron.


The novel also features two powerful rams, who act as the gods of Fillory and desire to have humans on the four thrones of the country; two males and two females. The rams refer to the human characters as Sons and Daughters.


What concerns me most, is that the estates of Tolkien and Lewis and the lawyers for Rowling, have not queried or challenged Lev Grossman.


“Lev Grossman’s novel The Magicians may just be the most subversive, gripping and enchanting fantasy novel I’ve read this century.” —Cory Doctorow, Boing Boing

“This is my ideal escapist fantasy read, a Harry Potter book for grown-ups … I can’t imagine any lover of well-written classic fantasy, from C. S. Lewis’s Narnia books to the works of Diana Wynne Jones, who won’t absolutely adore it.” —Lisa Tuttle, The London Times


It is even more of a concern when reviewers call it subversive, best of the century, ideal escapist fantasy and compare it directly to the people that have been ripped off intellectually. I find it even more worrying that other authors like and promote this book.


I have rated this book with a 2 out of 5 because it was written with a nice flow but there was not an independent or original idea within this book. If you have read Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, please do not soil your mind with this book. It is not worthy of the praise it has received.

Review: White Teeth by Zadie Smith

White Teeth by Zadie Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The book, while well written, does not deserve the praise it was given in early reviews. What starts of as interesting, quickly becomes an "us and them" situation. The ethnic minorities dealing with the wealthy middle class who have all the advantages. At this point the book becomes over simplified. I won't say this is a life changing book, nor that it is worth the time spent to read it. If you're interested in anthropology and sociology, this book would provide an interesting perspective, but it is so far removed from what many of us experience, and because it is 'fiction', with all the problems relating to that, there may be limited value.


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