"Any decent person who knows what warfare is can never go into battle with a whole heart. But you didn't know. We made sure you didn't know. You were reckless and brilliant and young. It's what you were born for."
I read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card for the Science Fiction Experience. I wanted to get in some of those “standard” sci-fi reads and I had heard many good things about this book. And the book deserved them.
In Ender’s Game, Earth has already experienced two invasions by an alien race they call buggers. The military is anticipating another attack. Child geniuses have literally been bred so they can be trained as military commanders for this third attack. Six year old, Andrew “Ender” Wiggins, has been selected to attend the Battle School. He’s exceptional and he quickly proves himself to be a tactical genius so that he is then rushed through his training with impossible situations thrust upon him. He’s being groomed as the savior and because of that his training is grueling and cruel.
It’s scary thinking about these children doing nothing but learn battle tactics. Ender is six when he’s chosen for the Battle School and it’s so horrible the way he’s manipulated in this book, even by his own brother and sister - child geniuses like Ender - near the end, who had taken up false identities to spread their political ideas. But you keep reading because you want to find out how Ender overcomes his struggles and this book is well written. There are parts that left a lump in my throat, you can feel his loneliness. All Ender wants is to make friends. But each time he does they are then taken away from him. It was so hard to read it and not want to cry for him.
And then I get to the end. The last page and a half, actually, and it just really disappointed me. Throughout this whole book I’m cheering Ender on, hoping he gets through his trials. I don’t want to give it away but when I read that a book was written, explaining the buggers and their motives, I was excited. Until I found out how the book was received and it turned into some sacred religious text. That was the last thing I expected to come out of this story. We already had Ender, this boy built up as the last hope for mankind, then throw in the "good book" to wrap up the religious undertones in this book in a nice package. I think I've stated on this blog I'm just over religion and I don't want to get into it any further so I'll just stop.
Overall I did enjoy this book. It started out a bit slow but from Chapter Three on it’s a page turner and I’m really looking forward to see what the movie will be like. I’m actually looking forward to this one rather than The Hunger Games movie because that book has nothing on dystopian fiction when compared to Ender’s Game in my opinion. That is if you want to see children pitted against each other in battle situations done right and a future that seems more realistic!
Below are the questions (in bold) for the group read and my answers follow. There will be spoilers so beware if you haven’t read the book and would like to in the future. These books are a great read if you remain spoiler free. Now for a quick summary of the story so far:
In the first book of the series, Foundation, Hari Seldon predicted the fall of the Galactic Empire and a thirty thousand year period that would follow that would see the galaxy in the midst of barbarism. Instead of a thirty thousand year period of barbarism, he established two Foundations on each side of the galazy to help guide the galaxy to a Second Galactic Empire that would only take one thousand years. Men such as Salvor Hardin and Hober Mallow, guided the Foundation to success when threatened by stronger neighboring kingdoms to keep with Seldon’s Plan.
In the second book, Foundation and Empire, the Foundation was once again threatened but by the Galactic Empire as an ambitious general tried to conquer those kingdoms the Empire had lost hundreds of years ago. Once again these efforts failed and the Foundation survived. Then we were introduced to the Mule, a mutant who could manipulate emotions, an element Seldon’s Plan had not accounted for, who finally conquered the Foundation and the Galaxy.
We are now on the third book, Second Foundation, which continues the search for the Second Foundation by the Mule, who has sent out two men, Han Pritcher and Bail Channis, to assist. (On a side note: Han Pritcher/Han Solo. Bail Channis/Bail Organa. A Galactic Empire stretching across hundreds of planets. Hmmm…) The Mule is so close to discovering the location of the Second Foundation, but he seems to have met his match. Then (once again!) we jump several years to discover the Foundation is back on course and the Second Foundation may be involved more than we would have thought.
1. How have your perceptions of the Mule and his form of governing grown or changed, or not, after spending more time with him in this novel?
I don’t think my views have changed of the Mule. I was always rooting for him and we learn later in the book that his rule was a peaceful one, after he conquered the Foundation and after his entanglement with the Second Foundationers, which I think would have still been peaceful even without the Second Foundation intervening.
2. Having finally gotten a glimpse into the mysterious Second Foundation, what are your feelings/thoughts about this group and their methods (as revealed thus far)
And we questioned the Mule’s motives and actions! I find the Second Foundationers extremely sketchy, especially when we learn Channis was a spy of theirs and now we’ve learned something very interesting in the second half of the book, with the secret meeting between Pelleas Anthor, Dr. Darell, Jole Turbor, Dr. Elvett Semic and Homir Munn.
3. Has your understanding of the Seldon Plan changed at all with the revelations about the plan and the Second Foundationers near the end of this first part of our reading? Looking back does it alter any ideas you had about Seldon and his predictions?
“The laws of Psychohistory are statistical in nature and are rendered invalid if the actions of individual men are not random in nature. If a sizable group of human beings learned of key details of the Plan, their actions would be governed by that knowledge and would no longer be random in the meaning of the axioms of Psychohistory. In other words, they would no longer be perfectly predictable.”
I always felt it took an individual to make a crucial decision for the Foundation that kept with the Seldon Plan. We see that Seldon’s calculations are “dependant” on these random actions. But not I wonder if Hardin and Mallow’s actions were really random. We’re getting hints that the Second Foundation is infiltrating. So what if Seldon’s predictions only came true because these “random” actions were not so random? What if they worked because there was someone (or a group of people) secretly guiding things along but making certain these acts looked random? What if they were guiding Hardin and Mallow without their knowledge?
Then we get this, when Channis remembers the location of the Second Foundation: “Like Ebling Mis before him, he was conscious of only one vast, numbing surprise.”
What would surprise Channis and Mis so much? I can only think that it would be the true location of the Second Foundation being somewhere they least suspected because it was always said it was located on the other side of the galaxy. I think the Second Foundation was established on Terminus, along with the Foundation, in secret.
4. A simple one: How did you feel the first part of Second Foundation held up in comparison to the sections we've previously read?
It has the same flow and style. Not a whole lot of action as usual with a lot of talking and a lot of tension! Similar to the way the second half of Foundation and Empire ended, the first half of Second Foundation was quite tense. And we get resolutions to the tension without bloodshed which has usually been the standard throughout the series.
5. It is perhaps not surprising that Asimov's second important female character in the trilogy would be a direct descendent of the first. What do you think of young Arcadia "Arkady" Darell?
I like “Arkady” a lot. She’s smart and sassy and feels like a teenager. I remember when I was around the same age wanting to change my name to something more sophisticated so she definitely rang true. I’m looking forward to seeing what Asimov has in store for her and for the Foundation.
I have to say I’m glad I’ve participated in these group reads. This series has been a fun adventure. Return next week for the conclusion of the book and the series (and to see if I'm right about the Second Foundation)! And if you'd like to discuss Second Foundation, you can comment here or check out what others are saying here.
Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi is about a stereotypical large corporation that exploits planets for its natural resources. Jack Holloway, a disbarred lawyer, now a contractor for the ZaraCorp, is mining a claim on the planet Zara XXIII. He’s been in some trouble not just as a lawyer, but as a contractor as well, accused of letting his dog set off explosives. But his luck is about to change when he discovers a sunstone seam (the diamonds of the future, that the ZaraCorp has a monopoly on already). In a paperwork snafu, he’s entitled to a share that will make him very wealthy. But his discovery of a sentient race on Zara XXIII puts that in jeopardy.
Think of this as a Law & Order/Erin Brockovich of the future. There are a lot of courtroom antics which I found surprising for a Sci-Fi book. But it was still engaging and I found I couldn’t put this book down.
Jack Holloway is an interesting character. He is selfish and rude but there is an honorable streak in him. Being a lawyer in the past, he can manipulate the system to get what he wants. It’s often hurt people in the past but he’s learned his lesson and you can’t help but root for him when he stands up for himself and the fuzzys.
You will also fall in love with the fuzzys, the sentient creatures discovered on Zara XXIII. My favorite parts of the book was their interaction with Jack and his dog; the way they just made themselves at home, making sandwiches, taking over Jack’s bed.
The dialogue in this book is great too. It flows easily, sounds natural, it’s interesting and funny. It felt like it could easily transfer to screen. Another big plus are the names. You can actually pronounce them out loud and not feel silly!
The courtroom scenes had me biting my nails wondering what Jack was up to and what would happen to the fuzzys. Overall the book was paced nicely. It didn’t have a lot of action but the character interactions, plot and dialogue made this a real page turner.
“Ancient living machines that after millennia of stillness suddenly begin to move under their own power, for reasons that remain a mystery to men. Holati Tate discovered them – then disappeared. Trigger Argee was his closest associate – she means to find him. She’s brilliant, beautiful, and skilled in every known martial art. She’s worth plenty – dead or alive – to more than one faction in this obscure battle. And she’s beginning to have a chilling notion that the long-vanished Masters of the Old Galaxy were wise when they exiled the plasmoids to the most distant and isolated world they knew…”
It was a combination of the book cover and this summary on the back of the book that prompted me to pick it up at The Book Shelf. It even generated some funny looks from a couple of coworkers. Mission: Accomplished! Because, yes, it’s as cheesy, campy and pulpy as it sounds and looks and I love this book for it!
Legacy by James H. Schmitz was very James Bond-ish with it’s over the top and at times confusing storyline. It’s the dynamic between Trigger Argee and Major Quillan that made me think of James Bond (the Sean Connery years of course). These two have major chemistry and it’s obvious they are attracted to each other. But of course Major Quillan will say things and it’s very rakish and he’s full of himself and Trigger has to put him in his place, sound offended and when he kisses her she ends up swooning. Normally, I don’t care about this but these two make it work and it’s just… hot! (I can’t believe I just wrote that! But it’s not like I have any credibility to worry about so, there you go.)
Seriously, something is wrong with me though. First I’m all, “Look at me, I’m a big girl, swooning is so last season”, then I call out Asimov for his awkward attempt at playfulness between a married couple, now, here I am, getting all swoony over a book that had plenty of awkward moments (and a VERY awkward ogling scene)! But, in my defense, if you imagined Cupid as Major Quillan, well…
Trigger. Trigger, Trigger, Trigger. You have an awesome name! She did get knocked out one too many times, which bothered me a lot when it happened to Katniss in Mockingjay. But not so much in Legacy. Maybe because I like Trigger a lot more than Katniss. However, this book is lucky it was written in 1962 because I would not stand for someone calling my “doll” all the time! And the “Argee Lilt”! *SIGH* Trigger took it like a champ and got her zingers in. I think I’m going to have to use “ape” now in honor of Trigger whenever a man says something… man-ish (which will be all the time!). But she’s tough, will kick your ass if you try to lie to her and she saved the day!
I don’t know what else to say about this book. It’s got action, there's a mystery to be solved and for being crude at times I couldn’t put it down. I look at it, shake my head and laugh. Should I be ashamed? Nope. In fact, this is definitely a book I’ll be rereading in the future!
Unfortunately, my only exposure to Starship Troopers had been the movie. Not a good first impression. But, as usually happens, you hear that the movie is nothing like the book. I’d been hearing this for years but never bothered to find out for myself. Then the Science Fiction Experience came along. I knew my first non-group read book would have to be Starship Troopers for the Sci-Fi Experience.
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein is the story of Johnnie Rico. We watch him grow from wide eyed student who defies his parents to join the Mobile Infantry, to become a seasoned officer during the Bug War.
I have a thing with stories about military men, watching them rise through the ranks (Aubrey/Maturin books, the Sharpe series, Horatio Hornblower). I love reading the development of a scared young man turning into - not a killing machine - but a confident, capable officer, who is respected by his peers. When done right it’s fascinating to read.
This book reminded me a lot of Full Metal Jacket. It’s got all the interesting boot camp adventures (minus the homicide/suicide) with the war time experience. I don’t know if it’s much of a spoiler but I’ll put the alert here just in case [SPOILER ALERT] but since the story is in the first person POV, Johnnie Rico does survive to the end of the book. It reminded me of the end of another military movie, The Big Red One (watch this movie, it's good!), how it was dedicated to the survivors. In a way, it felt like that's what this book was doing as well.
The only thing I had an issue with was a snippet of a review on the book cover saying the book had these "elegantly drawn battle scenes". Was I reading the same book as them? There were a couple but they were not that long. The one at the end, while exciting, I found a bit confusing trying to wrap my head around who was where and where did some of these platoon sergeants come from. Plus, it didn't last very long. I love my battles (don't even get me started on A Clash of Kings) but I was fine that there were not these long drawn out battles. There was enough going on following Johnnie on his journey to make this a good read.
And why was this book so controversial? Was it the idea it presented that a citizen could not vote until they served in the military? Was it because some felt it glorified war and the military?
I can see taking issue with the voting thing. I think I contribute enough to society that I have earned the right to vote. But I didn't think it glorified war or the military. I think what it did do was shine a spotlight on the sacrifices and hard work the men and women of the military go through. It showed a spoiled rich kid who was determined to make his own way, who didn't quit despite the rough boot camp experience and making some mistakes. He stuck with his decision and had pride in what he was doing; nothing wrong with that and one of the reasons why I like Johnnie Rico.
In the end, this book made me hate the movie even more so than I did before I read it. So, no, Hollywood, you do not have permission to reboot this to try and make it up to me. But if you must, promise to use the model set before you by movies such as Batman Begins, X-Men: First Class and Star Trek. This book deserves so much more.
Here we are, the conclusion of the group read for Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov, hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. This is also part of the Science Fiction Experience which I’ve been participating in throughout January and on into February.
After a failed attempt by an ambitious general of the Galactic Empire, we jump ahead about a hundred years in the second half of Foundation and Empire. The Empire is no more and the Foundation has steadily grown but internally there are rumblings but none are greater than the Mule. The Foundation is once again threatened.
Below are the group read questions in bold and my answers follow. Beware, there will be spoilers!
1. While it didn't break new ground, Asimov did have a female character who played a major role in this second half of the book. What are your thoughts on how Asimov portrayed Bayta?
A little too domesticated at times but she was still interesting and I liked she was given an important role near the end. I have to comment on the scene where she grabbed Toran by the hair and they started this tumbling around thing. I guess it was meant to be playful but it was just awkward to me. But overall I liked her. She was kind and smart and you can see why Magnifico was attached to her.
2. Now that you know the Mule's identity, were you surprised or had you figured it out along the way? If you did figure it out, how did that affect your reading of the book?
Unfortunately, last week I was doing some research on Foundation and Empire. I warned myself not to read too much on the Wikipedia page but I ended up skimming over the part where it mentioned who the Mule was. I didn’t read it word for word but it was enough that I was expecting it. BUT, I loved the reveal and I loved the act Magnifico put on. He was pretty convincing!
3. In previous posts we discussed the role individuals seemed to have in the unfolding of Seldon's plan. How do you feel about the issue now that we've seen an individual derail Seldon's plans?
It still took an individual to carry out some kind of plan. Just not in Seldon’s way this time, which I found hilarious and awesome. This really made the whole story that much more interesting. We had certain individuals guiding things along, making sure Seldon’s vision was carried out and now we have the opposite side. I loved it. I guess the Foundation should not have been so dependent on Seldon and his psychohistory.
4. Did it surprise you in the end that the Mule was allowed to get away? Did Asimov make you feel any pity or empathy for the Mule, either as the clown and/or when you discovered he was the Mule?
Yes and yes. I was holding my breath as the Mule walked away almost sure Bayta would shoot since he hadn’t tampered with her feelings. I’m glad he was able to just walk away. I was hoping he would because of the empathy Asimov made me feel for the Mule, which may be the reason Bayta let him go. Part of the empathy came from the Mule’s story and the other part was the way he had been portrayed as the clown. Over all Asimov did a great job with Magnifico/Mule.
5. How do you feel this story compared to all the other stories that have made up the two Foundation novels we've read?
For me, the second part of this book was definitely the best and my favorite. The previous stories were all about strengthening the Foundation. This one was breaking it down; an intriguing balance that was done well and much more exciting for me. What can I say? I'm a fair weather fan.
6. What final thoughts do you have about Foundation and Empire?
This was very Empire Strikes Back (and I use this often since I don’t have any other examples to use, but now I do after reading this book!) when our heroes (Bayta/Toran/Foundation) are at their lowest. The Foundation is gone; the “bad guy” has gotten away with it and now the Second Foundation is threatened, if it can be found.
Honestly, I hope the Mule does find the Second Foundation and destroys it. I just don’t really see the Mule as a bad guy right now. And he really is just fulfilling Seldon’s plan. It’s just being done without the regular appearances of Seldon to pat the current leaders of the Foundation on the back and tell them what a good job everyone is doing. The Mule is just rebuilding the Galactic Empire a lot sooner than Seldon’s plan would have.
Now, the question is, will this blow up in the Mule’s face and what will the Second Foundation’s role be? Will they be able to stop the Mule or is he too powerful even for them?
I guess I’ll just have to find out in Second Foundation!
When I signed up for the Science Fiction Experience, I had these grand ambitions to read several books. I even listed some then acquired more from the library and a used book store. On top of my Sci-Fi reading, I also planned to watch some Sci-Fi movies as well as a popular BBC show. Well, this little show, called Doctor Who came into my life and literally stole it from me! It took three weeks of staying up late watching 3-4 episodes a night to get caught up on this show. It really takes a toll on you! I’ve only just started to recover but it has been worth it!
I started my viewing with the rebooted version that began in 2005 and watched everything up to the latest Christmas episode. I’m a big fan of Firefly, Buffy, Xena and Hercules. Doctor Who was very reminiscent of these shows but also has a style and life of its own. Its monster-of-the week, with continuing storylines, great character development as well as characters you really care about. There are light hearted and silly moments, and there are the moments that make you think and cry. Yes, you will cry. I don’t know if that’s the worst or best part of this show!
Doctor Who is one of the longest running television series. It began in 1963 and went through several incarnations of the Doctor, before ending in 1989. The eight Doctor was featured in a 1996 movie. After that it would be several years before the series was “regenerated” in 2005 and it is this version I watched throughout January.
The Doctor is a Time Lord, a humanoid alien with two hearts from the planet, Gallifrey. We are never told his real name, he is always known as the Doctor. He travels in a blue police box called a TARDIS, a time machine that would later be revealed, takes the Doctor where he needs to be. The Doctor often travels with companions, who join him in the TARDIS as he explores the universe, righting wrongs, saving the world or just out for some fun in the sun.
Now it’s time to get into the thick of the Doctor Who universe. And I tried not to reveal too much, but just in case, as River Song would say, SPOILERS!
So, Allons-y!
The Doctor:
We first meet the ninth incarnation of the Doctor when he rescues Rose Tyler in a department store from mannequins that have come to life. He is a bit goofy, but it’s forced, like he’s trying very hard to hide something behind the goofiness. After saving Rose, then all of London from an attack of the living plastic, he asks Rose if she would like to go along with him on the TARDIS. And so their journey begins.
Throughout their journey we learn that the Doctor is now the last of the Time Lords. We also learn that it was the Doctor who caused the destruction of the Time Lords and their planet Gallifrey, in order to end a brutal war that had raged through all of time and space between the Time Lords and the Daleks, an alien race who have removed all emotions and live encased in a mini-spaceship floaty thingy that you don’t want to mess with.
The Doctor being the last of the Time Lords is a recurring theme throughout the series. It often touches upon the loneliness of the Doctor and how he tries to compensate this with his traveling companions. But this also presents another dilemma. The Doctor is extremely old, about 900 years old. He also has the ability to regenerate. If he’s been mortally wounded, he regenerates, taking on a new form. He still retains all his memories and bits of his previous personality, but he looks completely different. He has lived for a very long time and he has the added protection of being able to regenerate. His companions do not and they are often put in danger as they travel through time and space, confronting the Doctor’s enemies such as the Cybermen and the Daleks. Sometimes the companions have no choice but to leave, some will leave on their own. But it always ends up the same, the Doctor alone, looking for company and the whole cycle and troubles start over again.
The Doctor being old and clever you would think he would learn his lesson not to drag innocent people into danger. He has tried to go it alone but his loneliness usually becomes too great that he needs to have someone with him, as a traveling companion and as someone who can keep him on a leash. He can be harsh and when his anger gets the better of him, quite ruthless. It’s a double edge sword, travel alone and try to rewrite time and have it backfire on him, as in Waters of Mars, or have a companion to stay his hand (The Runaway Bride) but that companion then be in some kind of danger. It’s this conflict that never grows old as you watch and makes the Doctor a complicated and fascinating character.
In this series the Doctor is played by three different actors, Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Matt Smith. Each portrays the sorrow of the Doctor and the whimsy and awe of this being who is a Time Lord. I liked each actor for what they brought to the series. I do like David Tennant’s version the best. But we did get to spend more time with him so if the other two had longer runs it would be a very difficult choice.
The Companions:
The companions usually meet the Doctor under unusual circumstances. Rose met the Doctor as she was about to be attacked by living mannequins in a department store. There is Mickey, Rose’s boyfriend, who has traveled with the Doctor as well as Captain Jack Harness, a Time Agent from the 51st Century, who pops up every now and then. Martha Jones met the Doctor when the hospital she worked in was stolen and transported to the moon. Donna Noble was a reluctant stowaway on the TARDIS. The TARDIS crashed into a young Amy Pond’s garden after the Doctor regenerated into the eleventh incarnation and they end up dragging Amy’s poor husband, Rory, along for the ride. And well, River Song is a very different, interesting and confusing story aaaannnnndddd I’ll just let you watch to find out…
Anyways, in these first meetings, the companions help the Doctor save the day and keep him from going too far, which he has the tendency to do.
And of course the companions have a tendency to fall in the love with the Doctor. It happened with Rose and Martha and maybe not so much with Amy (before she was married) where I think it may have been more of an infatuation. But it felt like Rose was the one the Doctor may have fallen in love with too. Martha spent a lot of time pining for the Doctor but of course she had the misfortune of traveling with the Doctor after Rose, so he could not return the same kind of feelings she had for him.
I think at this point of my life, I don’t know if I’d say I'm over the whole swooning thing, but to have two companions in a row trying to gain the affections of the Doctor was a little tiring.
There was a bit of this too with Amy until she was set strait by the Doctor that she was really in love with her fiancée, Rory, which, I don’t know about those two. There really was more chemistry between Amy and the Doctor, to me, than Amy and Rory.
Amy also fell into the trap of wanting to know everything about the Doctor or being offended when he kept something from her. There seemed to be a lot of trying to stake a claim on the Doctor’s affections with the younger companions. Even Captain Jack fell into the trap!
That’s why Donna is my favorite companion. To me, some of the best comedic and heart breaking moments of the show involved Donna.
Having rejected an offer to travel with the Doctor, she ended up changing her mind and went out to find him. But it wasn’t because she was in love with him. As happens after traveling with the Doctor or experiencing an adventure with him, it changes people. They find it hard to go back to their “normal” lives of working in a shop or as a temp. Donna was looking for an escape from her life and went looking for the Doctor. She was very much his equal. She didn’t get jealous of the other companions she would later meet and she was very adamant that there would be nothing romantic happening between them. She was also one of the few companions who would question him, stand up to him and give him a piece of her mind. I loved the maturity she brought to the adventures and gave a very strong shoulder for the Doctor to lean on after a very hair raising experience aboard a bus on the planet of Midnight, an episode that will always haunt me, especially the end when the Doctor returns and without a word Donna knows exactly how to comfort him. (And because I loved the Doctor and Donna so much I MUST get this!) So when it comes time for Donna to leave, it’s not by choice. It still breaks my heart when I think of how she had to leave.
Paging Doctor Donna!
Yes, you. YOU. You’re the best. You’re more than just a temp from Chiswick. Never forget…
oh damn!
*Sniff* Love, me *Sniff*
The Creatures:
The Daleks and Cybermen are the Big Bads in the Doctor Who universe that crop up here and there. The Daleks want to exterminate anything that isn’t like them. The Cybermen just want to turn everyone into them.
They cause enough drama and commotion to make things interesting but I found the other one-off creatures much more interesting. Such as:
The adipose are, literally pieces of fat with legs, arms, a face and one itty-bitty baby fang. These innocent little things are formed from the fat of overweight people through a revolutionary drug for weight loss. Sounds like a win-win situation until too many are formed from one person killing them.
Then there’s the Silence. I thought the idea of the Silence was very unique and original; the way they were forgotten once you stopped looking at them. It sent a chill up my spine as each character would look down to find marks on their bodies that they left themselves as a sign that they had seen a Silence. However, the look of the Silence:
reminded me a lot of the Gentlemen, from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode, Hush, and the Strangers of Dark City:
It’s the whole pale faces, dark suits, and being hella creepy that does it.
The Weeping Angels turn into stone statues once you look at them. If they catch you they throw you into a different point in time and feed off of your energy of what could have been. Makes sense? No, but who cares! Just watch the episode Blink because it’s just nifty! And… OH MY GOD! The San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers has been invaded by them!
Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink!
Out of all the creatures, big and small in the Doctor Who universe, it was the Isolus that became my favorite. It’s a spore-like creature that travels through space in large clouds filled with millions of their brothers and sisters. And what do they do? They play. It’s that simple. They don’t want to take over the world or are out to destroy the Doctor. They just don’t want to be alone. They are not meant to be alone. Their simplicity and innocence just struck me as so unique and creative. When you learn this lost Isolus latched onto this one lonely girl in the Fear Her episode, you feel so sorry for the Isolus because it is just looking for company. It’s a lonely child, separated from its siblings and trying to survive by finding others to keep it company.
The Gadgets:
The TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) is what the Doctor uses to travel through time and space. And yes, it’s bigger on the inside as most companions are shocked to find out.
I’m a fan of Neil Gaiman so when it finally came time to view the episode he had written I was super excited. It was this man who gave a voice for the TARDIS and it was just wonderful! The TARDIS revealed she takes the Doctor where he needs to be and the fact that there’s a pool inside just makes it awesome. The TARDIS is the Doctor’s one true and constant companion, the only thing he has left from his world. So to have been given a voice to communicate with the Doctor and to have to give that up, it’s just another reminder of how truly lonely the Doctor is.
Psychic paper allows the Doctor, or whoever uses it, to make someone see what they want. It’s also been used to send messages to the Doctor. Practical uses: movie and concert admission. Have you see ticket prices these days!
Sonic Screwdriver: Opens doors (unless made of wood), scans… stuff, turns regular glasses into sunglasses and probably not very useful when trying to hang shelves.
Favorite Doctor Who Moments:
The Doctor explains time
The Doctor and Donna meet again (I love how this video added a silent movie track to accompany it. So perfect!)
The Doctor is poisoned
Why I love River Song
These snippets just give you a taste of the fun you could be having if you watch this show!
Questions I now have:
1. Season 4 saw the return of Rose and only because the breakdown of time was affecting the parallel world she was in. After the events in Season 6, with time occurring all at once, did the same thing happen in Rose’s world? And can she come back and yell at them for causing a ruckus?
2. River gave her regenerative powers to the Doctor in the episode Let’s Kill Hitler. I know this means River no longer has the ability to regenerate now but does that mean the Doctor now has all of what she had left added to what he had left?
3. What’s a good forum to discuss Doctor Who? The sites I found hurt my eyes with their bad design and teeny tiny print.
Man, look at this post! I think this is the longest thing I’ve written up so far! I’ve been working on it for over two weeks! So obviously that means this show is great and I love it. It has its highs (BLINKBLINKBLINK and a bunch of other episodes) and like any show it has its lows (Planet of the Dead, you can skip that one). I mean, seriously, a show that introduces you to a baby in one episode, that named himself Stormageddon, Dark Lord of All, and refers to everyone as “not-mum” or “peasants” is a must watch, right?! Even Venessa liked it, even if this was her reaction most of the time:
And she was known, from time to time, to sneak out of bed and watch over my shoulder.
Yes, I have seen the light at the end of the sonic screwdriver. Though I would have preferred a light shining upon this kind of screwdriver:
You probably didn’t think I would get so long winded with this overview, did you? Well, if you would prefer the short version, and so you don’t forget that I am a Californian: LIKE, OMG! I HEART THIS SHOW’S FACE SO MUCH!!!!! LOL! IT’S, LIKE, SO AWESOMESAUCE!!!!!! *Flips hair/Snaps gum*
