The Fireside

I am not a big fan of young adult material, all that much. I've read, and enjoyed all seven of the Harry Potter books, and also enjoyed the films. There have been a few other YA books and movies since (and during) that, intentional or not, have tried to recreate (or 'cash-in', depending on your viewpoint) that level of quality, immersion and sizeable fanbase.  I believe that The Hunger Games  while possibly not the 'next' Harry Potter, is possibly the best young adult books (and films) since.  I was pleasantly surprised after reading the first book (and the rest of the trilogy) by the the story, as well as the fact that I enjoyed it as much as I did.  I was also surprised by the first film (as I was with a few of the Harry Potter films) that a movie this good could come from YA literature - it is a force to be reckoned with, that genre. Without a doubt, Jennifer Lawrence is the best aspect of that first film.  And, the same goes with Catching Fire , t...

"End? No, the journey doesn't end here" It is now less than a month to go before myself (and my eight companions) see The Hobbit (Part 3) , the last Peter Jackson Middle-earth film in cinemas. Online, when it comes to the comments users have posted for posters, trailers, etc. they mention 'the end' and they oft refer to Gandalf and Pippin talking about death.  Like Gandalf, I am here to tell you that this is not, indeed, the end.  So once you see the final Hobbit  film, there are some things you could do: - see it again! If anybody could not make it out to see it with you, offer to take them, or join their group.  - watch previous Middle-earth films - look forward to The Hobbit (Part 3)  Extended Edition (or, in my case, the 2D blu-ray trilogy box set; both of which should arrive next November)  - read some Tolkien ( The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion  and  Unfinished Tales  to understand and appr...

There is something I have noticed lately - some big (as in famous, high profile) authors that I follow have been writing smaller works lately. No, this is not a complaint but a trend I have noticed recently, which is most likely coincidence. I am most likely (literally) reading too much into it.  Some of these works are a part of the world of their more famous writings, other times it is unrelated. Here are some examples. The Ocean at the End of the Lane  by Neil Gaiman Great book. My paperback copy clocks in at...178 pages of story, and it begins on page 3. The Wind Through the Keyhole  by Stephen King This is basically The Dark Tower  Book 4.5, but it was written after the seventh book, which is where the story ends. Making this book the 8th one published. my paperback begins on page 3, and is 384 pages. This title is longer than The Gunslinger , though that one is the first book in the series. The rest of the  Dark Tower  books have are longe...

Brandon Sanderson has written a great pep talk to those participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) which is great for aspiring writers, such as myself. To read it, head on over here:  http://nanowrimo.org/pep-talks/brandon-sanderson-2014 Best of luck to everyone! 

Well, there is both good and bad news - George R.R. Martin is about halfway done The Winds of Winter, Book Six of A Song of Ice and Fire .  "..."I'm still in the middle of the book..." http://mashable.com/2014/11/16/george-rr-martin-charity-event/ Of course, he could have more done and is going back to the middle of the book to write or edit extra stuff in regards to the winners.  This is all speculation, of course, and is no indication of how much of  The Winds of Winter is completed. Bear in mind, he began working on the book in January 2012, and he was already about 200 pages in, which were transferred from Book Five, A Dance With Dragons . I think it's safe to say that 2015 release date is hopeful, and 2016 is reasonable and realistic. Also, 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of A Game of Thrones , the first book. Either way, I am looking forward to it.  Those worrying about the show overtaking the books remember this - George has a lot of input on ...

It is now the final round for the 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards, so you get those votes in! Here's who I voted for:  Fiction: The Bone Clocks  Mystery & Thriller: Mr. Mercedes Historical Fiction:  All the Light We Cannot See Fantasy: The Slow Regard of Silent Things   Romance: Written in My Own Heart's Blood Humor: Yes Please   History & Biography: In the Kingdom of Ice Debut Goodreads Author: Pierce Brown  Young Adult Fantasy & Sci-Fi: Red Rising   I'll announce who wins....

Shortly after my most recent Tolkien post, I nosed around and had a peek here and there at various sections of the site. From now until December 25th , they are offering 25% off of some of their books.... but only on  http://www.tolkien.co.uk/ Here are some of the books featured, and ones I'd recommend especially this time of year...either for a fellow Tolkien fan, or yourself:  The Hobbit  (illustrated by Jemima Catlin) deluxe edition http://www.tolkien.co.uk/product/9780007497911/The+Hobbit The Lord of the Rings  50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition http://www.tolkien.co.uk/product/9780007182367/The+Lord+of+the+Rings The Silmarillion  30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition  http://www.tolkien.co.uk/product/9780007264896/The+Silmarillion

Everybody knows someone who likes Tolkien. About 13 years ago, I saw The Fellowship of the Ring  in cinemas, and received The Lord of the Rings (single volume hardback edition) for Christmas that year. That, and other things have made me associate fall and winter with fantasy. Essentially, since then I have become a fan of Tolkien. That said, here are some suggestions worth checking out for gifts to others...or perhaps yourself. First of all, there's The Hobbit  and The Lord of the Rings . I definitely recommend starting with those if you (or person buying for) have never read Tolkien before.  But what if you (or the person you're buying for) has already those?? I also suggest picking up The Children of Hurin. Especially for those who have read and enjoyed  The Hobbit  and The Lord of the Rings . This Tolkien's equal to a Greek tragedy, and is set in the First Age - so hundreds of hundreds of years before The Hobbit . It is also quite darker than The Lor...

"Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." - Dylan Thomas  I admit, I am a fan of Christopher Nolan...

In Flanders fields the poppies blow       Between the crosses, row on row,    That mark our place; and in the sky    The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,    Loved and were loved, and now we lie          In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw    The torch; be yours to hold it high.    If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow          In Flanders fields.

This a section from Inheritance, Or, The Vault of Souls  which is the fourth and final book in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle . It was on the Paolini website, and I have re-posted it here for all of y'all.

It is now the semifinal round for the 2014 Goodreads Choice Awards! Make sure you get your votes in.  Here are my picks: Fiction - The Bone Clocks  by David Mitchell Mystery / Thriller - Natchez Burning  by Greg Iles  Historical Fiction - All the Light We Cannot See  by Anthony Doerr  Fantasy - The Slow Regard of Silent Things  by Patrick Rothfuss  Romance - Written in My Own Heart's Blood  by Diana Gabaldon  Science Fiction - Cibola Burn  by James S.A. Corey Debut Goodreads Author - Red Rising  by Pierce Brown  Young Adult Fantasy & Sci-Fi - Red Rising  by Pierce Brown 

Chapters has recently highlighted some books. Due to the amount, I'm putting in a page break.

The day I finish watching Hell on Wheels  (season 3) on Netflix, I saw on comingsoon.net that it will be back one last time for a fifth season. Seven new episodes will air next summer, with the final seven episodes of the series following in the summer of 2016. It is unknown if it will be labelled as 'Season Five: Part 1' and 'Season Five: Part 2' or a style seen with other 'split' seasons, or if it will take the Breaking Bad  approach and call the first portion 'season 5' and the final portion 'the final season'. Either way, I am looking forward to watching the rest of the series and am glad that they know going in this is the end.  If you haven't watched the show yet, I strongly encourage you to do so - it is one of the best underrated TV shows. Looks like after this, AMC's 'big drama' will be Turn . Breaking Bad is finished, and Mad Men will end next year. 

Well, it's time of year  a change in the beer season! Herein I name some winter / Christmas beers worth checking out.

Courtesy of their facebook page (and probably other social media as well) For those of you currently enjoying the fifth season, you can be safe in the knowledge that your favourite butlers, lady's maids, footmen, lords and ladies will be back again. What splendid news that is to all of our ears! In retrospect, I'm far behind - need to watch season two and up! Great news though. I wonder how many more seasons it will get? Hopefully, they will know well enough in advance to bring closure to the story. 

"When are the new episodes of Game of Thrones  coming?" is a question I get asked frequently after the final episode in a year ends. Why, the same as any other TV show - a year later.  One show I've been watching in Thrones'  off-season is Vikings  on History Channel. Do not dismiss it as Game of Thrones  lite, or copying Game of Thrones , or any of that. Both shows are similar, and different, to one another. For one thing, even though Vikings  has the odd time-jump now and then, the plot is a lot more streamlined than Thrones' . The focus of the story is much more simple, yet it is equally brilliant.  The sex and violence is more light, but that does not mean these Northerners (the word 'viking' is never said on the show) are any less soft.  I am not offering Vikings  as a series to replace Game of Thrones  (far from it), merely saying that when Game of Thrones  doesn't have new episodes, you should be checking out Vikings...

The next Game of Thrones  beer by Ommegang has been announced! The next one in the series is called 'Three-Eyed Raven', and it is a dark saison ale, and will be 7.2% alc./vol. I am still awaiting Valar Morgulis to arrive here in Canada. Meanwhile, Three-Eyed Raven will be available in the U.S. spring 2015. 

Nope, I am not talking about the 'Art of' books by Gary Russell for The Lord of the Rings  film trilogy by Peter Jackson, but Tolkien's own artwork. Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull are doing a follow-up to their Art of The Hobbit, which I do not yet own but Christmas is rapidly approaching....

J.R.R. Tolkien has appealed to a large number of people over the decades, as well as various types of audiences. He has created his own world and tales of Middle-earth, Numenor, Beleriand....he has translated and composed epic poetry, as well.  The Hobbit  was written (originally) as a children's book, however children and younger readers were not the only ones to enjoy that story. Tolkien also wrote other tales targeted at younger readers and children. Some of these you may have heard of, some of them maybe not....but the kids will love them.

It's that time of year again...time for the Goodreads Choice Awards! you get to vote on the year's best in a series of rounds to determine the winners in various fields. It's all user-selected. Begin here:  http://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-books-2014 The opening round lasts until November 8. Then, Semifinals are November 10-15. The finals are November 17-24.  There appears to some restrictions - it seems this year it's US based. For example, I was wanting to vote on Tolkien's Beowulf  in the poetry section. Yet, The Fall of Arthur  won it last year. And, Ken Follett's Edge of Eternity  is a nominee this year. Doesn't make sense to me. 

Well, this could very well be it - the final soundtrack for a Middle-earth movie. As of now, there are no plans for any future Middle-earth films [due to rights, copyrights with the Tolkien Estate mostly]. Unless we see The Hobbit  Complete Recordings emerging in the coming years, this is the last Howard Shore music for a Peter Jackson Middle-earth movie. The Special Edition will be released on December 16, 2014  on both CD (2 discs) and itunes. There will also be a cheaper, less elaborate (and less music) standard edition. Here are the tracks:  Disc 1: 1. Fire and Water 2. Shores of the Long Lake 3. Beyond Sorrow and Grief 4. Guardians of the Three 5. The Ruins of Dale 6. The Gathering of the Clouds 7. Mithril 8. Bred for War 9. A Thief in the Night 10. The Clouds Burst 11. Battle for the Mountain Disc 2: 1. The Darkest Hour 2. Sons of Durin 3. The Fallen 4. Ravenhill 5. To the Death 6. Courage and Wisdom 7. The Return Jo...

"What do you want for Christmas?" is something I get asked, or think about, as early as October. When I was younger, I was more accustomed to making 'wish lists' so that my family had an idea on what to get me. Also because my liking for a particular book format, special edition DVD, etc... Then, I got a job (either part time pay-the-tuition or full time, depending on where I was at in life) and bought my own stuff throughout the year.  Since I have a few readers on here, I will share the answer to that question on here so you have an idea of what Old Man Hawboldt wants this year. And you know, in case Santa reads this blog.