2016 is quickly coming to a close. I noticed I haven’t posted anything in quite some time, so this is my attempt to jot down a quick list of my favorite things from 2016, with no particular ordering or planning. A lot of things, both good and bad, happened in 2016 but here’s my list of things I really liked.
Category Archives: Literature
Who Watches The Watchmen?
Until this past weekend, I had never so much as laid eyes upon a graphic novel or read a single comic book. It wasn’t until I saw the movie trailer for the upcoming film, Watchmen that I had any interest in reading the story. Coincidentally, I bought the novel on a whim when I saw it in the bestseller list. After all, I’ve found worse ways to waste $10.
It certainly was a unique experience reading my first graphic novel and having to get used to the style (I found it difficult at first to follow the tightly-packed dialog). The story is long and intricate and I appreciated the depth given to the main characters. It was also fun noticing scenes from the trailer and how well they match up. I’m sure it will be a visually stunning film. There are a few things I was not particularly impressed with involving the ending, but I will not elaborate on those and spare the spoiler warning.
I unfortunately have placed myself in something of a difficult position now, having “read the book.” Will Hollywood do the story and characters justice? With Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead, 300) as director, I do not remain optimistic. I’ll probably check it out anyway, though.
Live Chat With J.K. Rowling
Those who are interested in knowing a few more details about what happens to the main characters in Harry Potter will be pleased to know that Rowling has agreed to field questions from the Internet regarding just about everything to do with the books. The live chat is already over, but the fine folks at The Leaky Cauldron have posted a transcript of the chat for everyone to enjoy. Beware: the Internet does not know how to spell.
Oh, and watch out for spoilers if you haven’t already read the book, as if it wasn’t already obvious.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Yes, it is finally out and I have finally read it, having successfully avoided nearly all Internet spoilers.
Review coming soonish, but suffice it to say, I thought it was exceptional.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Out!
I managed to get my hands on a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince very close to midnight. Unbelievable how much more attention each book garners than the last.
I am about five chapters in so far, and I am impressed with the strength of the writing so far. The book hits the ground running and grabs the reader’s attention just as well as any of the prior books in the series.