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My review of “Star Trek” (2009)

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I was never as into the “Star Trek” franchise as much as its real fans, but I did enjoy the tv show and films.  And like so many people, I was really disappointed at how the lackluster and continuity-crushing “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002) seemed to sound the death knell for a franchise that has been around since 1966.

I was happily surprised, the, when I finally got to see J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” (2009) in its entirety.  It captured all of the magic of the original series, and updated it with 21st Century special effects, set design and sound editing.  The all-star cast was uniformly good, even if Eric Bana (as Nero) got too little screen time.  It was amazing how Chris Pine and Karl Urban seemed to channel William Shatner and DeForest Kelley, respectively.

One or two things might make viewers scratch their heads …  The coincidence of Kirk’s discovery on the ice planet is pretty mind-boggling.  And why was he exiled there instead of just thrown in the brig? Also, Nero’s doomsday device appears in the skies over Vulcan and Earth.  Does neither planet have the equivalent of an air force?  Why is the Enterprise the only ship in the battle?

Still, this was a really good hard sci-fi flick.  Check it out if you haven’t seen it already.

star trek movie poster 2009-7877

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Stephen King’s “Joyland”

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“Joyland” is a surprisingly average novel by an otherwise amazing novelist.  Its ghost story is actually pretty scary, but it occupies so little of the book that it seems like a brief subplot.  The bulk of the book is a coming-of-age story about its protagonist, with tons and TONS of expository information about “carny” life, work, and culture.  I actually found myself skimming pages that detailed the carny dialect (or “Talk”), or the descriptions of daily work.

The characters of Devin, Tom and Erin were relatable and likeable — Annie and Mike were a little less so.

This book was okay, but I doubt it belongs at the top of anyone’s must-read list.

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Tremble before the terrible and mighty beard!

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I named it Grendel, and I am working gradually to tame it.

It’s part of my Crazy Poet phase.  I am trying hard to look like a madman or a Russian dissident.

I’m concerned that what I have achieved is more Unabomber than eccentric writer.  And DEAR LORD, THE GRAY.  It’s more terrifying than Liam Neeson’s “The Grey.”

Hey Shoaib Kamal … ya can’t touch this.

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Fear in a handful of dust

“Fear in a handful of dust.”

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A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only
There is shadow under this red rock,   25
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

–  from T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
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“Let me through. I am a priest.”

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This blog post contains major spoilers for Stephen King’s “The Gunslinger” and “The Waste Lands.”  Please read no further if you haven’t read the series.

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A re-read of “The Waste Lands” has informed me of a switcheroo that might strongly detract from one of the most powerful scenes in “The Gunslinger.”  (And I am not sure how the hell I missed this in past readings of the novel … did I just forget?  Am I going senile?)

It is actually Jack Mort, and not The Man In Black, who pushes Jake Chambers into traffic in New York. He is (somewhat confusingly) also dressed as a priest.

I much prefer the iconic, terrifying Walter/Flagg as the slayer (sort of) of poor Jake.  I might just forget that whole Jack Mort retcon, which served little point in “The Waste Lands” and seemed like a surprise that was just shoehorned in.

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Stephen King’s “Full Dark, No Stars”

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“Full Dark, No Stars” is a good, solid collection of horror tales — four strong novellas by Stephen King that had me engrossed. Interestingly, three of the four tales — “1922,” “Big Driver,” and “A Good Marriage” — contain no supernatural elements whatsoever, and deal only with murders.  The one tale of the supernatural — “Fair Extension” — is a shorter, faster, superior take on the basic plot device examined by the less-than-stellar “Needful Things.” It was typical King; parts were slow, but the pace didn’t change the fact that this was a great page-turner that was hard to put down.  There were a few references to other King novels to please long-term fans, including a reference to “The Dark Tower” series.  Even the Afterword was entertaining, as King delivered his down-to-earth recounting of how he got the ideas for each story.  There’s some great trivia there, too — King says “The Long Walk” was the first novel he wrote, at the tender age of 18. My copy of “Full Dark, No Stars” had a bonus feature — a damn fantastic short story called “Under the Weather.”  Don’t miss it.

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“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?”
― Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

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New Year’s Eve, 2014

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I wish all of you who share your voices and friendship here the very best of New Years — I hope your 2015 is filled with love, light, laughter, prosperity and peace.

And thank you — friends, colleagues, alums, and fellow lovers of words — for being there in 2014 and for brightening my days, and for being who you are — the best, funniest and kindest group of chums that a man could ask for.

Much love,

Eric

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2014 in review (goddam Paul Bunyan poem)

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 7,300 times in 2014. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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“Brave New World”

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O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in’t!

— Miranda, “The Tempest,” by William Shakespeare

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