BrainDead: on CBS

So my favorite show has just ended....

I don't know if it will get renewed, so I'm just gonna put it out there in the hopes it will get noticed by someone, despite the show being over currently.....

So here is BrainDead.

(just the summer trailer, which I know may be "old" but it gives a good synopsis)

Basically space bugs have come down and are eating politicians brains. This is why the system seems so radicalized and crazy.

Sounds strange right?

I was skeptical when we first started watching too.

But the writing is so clever, and the characters are easily relatable, or lovable, or whatever you wish to call it. The plot is a mix of a political drama, comedy, sometimes heartfelt and then other times a suspenseful thriller.

It can get a little dark, but there is lots of witty banter to lighten the tone.

I believe that the show did a very nice job of introducing twists and turns to even the very last episode.

The lead character is Laurel Healy Mary Elizabeth Winstead who plays the lead and her co-star Aaron Tevit, do extraordinary jobs. Each character, I would say especially senator Luke Healy, Laurel's brother played by Danny Pino, was a complex character with both redeeming heroic qualities, but also his share of faults; this created more three-dimensional believable characters.

 Like I said earlier the plot had so many good twists and turns. There were some plot lines brought up that could have been further explained or tied up, but for the most part Michelle and Robert King have done, another extraordinary job (they are also the creators of the good wife). 

The story was fast paced. There were a couple of episodes about 2/3rds of the way through that not too much plot developed, but the last couple episodes were completely riveting, leaving the viewers with a bittersweet feeling. I was happy to be apart of this shows debut, but it saddens me that the season is over with no clear future.

 I loved Laurel's outfits for the most part, which in a sense dosen't add or take away from the plot, I just enjoyed some of the things she wore and wanted them in my closet. Her style is sophisticated, chic and modern with a bit flare, showing off her creative film-maker side.

The series has a slight sci-fi tone. There are space-bugs eating people's brains. But the special effects are not overdone. Was it sometimes quite graphic to see a person's brains explode? Yes, particularly in the beginning. But aside from an occasional bug or brain, the strangeness is generally implied. I believe that this makes the situation more believable, or at least the suspended disbelief of space bugs.

Another thing that added to this shows lovable charm was, the episodes opened with a "Previously on," but instead of generic scenes as a review. Every episode had a unique jingle to remind us what had gone on.

Here is a video to one for episode 2 (so there isn't really too many spoilers as long as you already know the shows basic premise which i have explained above)

I can't imagine coming up with a new song for every episode. Each one clever in its own right. Personally I think that is talent right there.

So now I hope I have pitched it for you to actually watch the show and decide for yourself if it deserves a second season (which of course it totally does)

For more awesome clips here is the youtube page

Although some (although not all) contain spoilers.

A random present to myself

So last weekend I walked with some friends over to CVS. I ended up buying a pint of cherry garcia ice cream with the goal of eating it all in one night because I don't really have a good freezer. 

(I got about 3/4th of the way through before I was sick of ice cream, and very disappointed in myself that i couldn't finish a measly pint. Anyways!)

 I saw a pencil case that I really liked. But didn't get it because I already have a pencil case (ok actually 2 one for my desk and one for my backpack) but I don't need a pencil case. 

But I kept thinking about how cool it was,

 and since I have a certain number of "Pioneer dollars" (our schools money system) I have to use before the end of they year I figured I would just buy myself a present for surviving the first week of college. 

So here you go. This bag is my, what do the kids say these days?, My ascetic.
Awesomeness, and black and coppery and shiny.

BTW there was matching pens too. I figured I use pens for nearly everything these days so one can never have enough pens? I use them for art, and journaling, and note-taking, and outlining textbooks....
So why not add some pizzazz with some coppery joy.

So now I will review these joys.

The pens have adequate ink flow. They work fairly well with the occasional hiccup of not-putting-ink-down. But I always look super snazzy writing with them

No matter what. Period.

The bad is good. It is a little small, but that makes it more portable. Although rummaging through it looking for you favorite pen at the very bottom, is only a slight issue.

Also there is a plastic lining inside the pencil case so any ink leaks or graphite chards can be easily cleaned.

All in all I really like my snazzy gift to myself.

Although I  feel a little weird reviewing a random generic pencil case and pens....

"Freak the Geek" Art

So in English class last year. One assignment was to teach the class about a short story of our choosing.

There were certain requirements about the story we had to choose, like it had to have "literary merit" 

Sounds boring right? Usually (there are some exceptions) but "literary merit" means to have some deep unhinged meaning, and again usually is slightly depressing.

The only redeeming requirement was the author had to be alive.....

In the Library we received big heavy, scholarly books filled with various short stories. 

They were long and not all that fun to read.....

(At least not my kinda thing)

But behold a book called Geektastic

Fantastic

And in this book.

"Freak the Geek" by the one and only John Green

So our beautiful project became illustrating the scenes of the story into a type of comic

Mainly so we didn't have do much talking in the presentation...

Anyway, I did have two other partners, so it's not a complete comic, just my parts.

"Freak the Geek"

I suppose this may be what can be called "Fan Art"?

Really it was a school project I spent a short while on I just wanted to get it done with and not completely embarrass myself when the entire class saw it. I don't think it came our half bad.

You can tell the first one I spent a longer amount of time than the last one....

"The whole world of mischief and malfeasance is available to you, and you pick paint balls?"

I thought the book, although not a highly symbolized, or complex tale, it was a very easy read, light and enjoyable. (Especially because I thought we were going to read some heavy material)

It was all about accepting yourself and taking pride in geekdom.

Plus the one girl used Shakespearean insults which is just simply amazing, if you have never looked up Shakespearean insults I highly recommend it. 

Of course it may be that I like them because I am a geek...

Unfortunately, (or fortunately for no spoilers) I did not draw the ending scenes....

So if you are curious about how the story ends you'll just have to get it at the library or something!

The story is about a girls boarding school, where traditionally the students pick two girls to basically harass and intimidate in a ritual called "Freaking the Geek". 

Can you guess who is chosen? Our two lovely main characters.

Basically it goes as well as you could expect, whose fault is it? What to do? and it becomes a story of self-acceptance.

Genuinely a pleasant easy read.

Suicide Squad Comic Review

So because of the movie coming out August 5 I decide to give the Suicide Squad Comics a try. The trailer for the movie looks really good, and I am super excited to see it. I thought the comics did not disappoint. I have always loved a story that makes a reader root for the villain.

It was formatted in the typical way of multiple comics put together in on graphic novel. The beginning was a little difficult to understand, and therefore it took me a little longer than I would have liked to get into it. Some of the different chapter beginnings would disorient me as to what was going on in the story Of course this is from the point of view of someone who had no knowledge of what the Suicide Squad was except is was a bunch of villains sent out on dangerous missions, because they were expendable.

Once I was on board with what was going on in the story I was quite the page turner. Usually I prefer Marvel to DC comics, but Suicide Squad is one of my favorite comic series of either company.  I would definitely recommend this, although bear in mind it is also one of the goriest comics I have read. Deadshot was a fantastic anti-hero, and Harley Quinn's craziness kept you guessing what her next move would be. A fast paced adventure, that keeps readers hooked.

Bloody Chester Review

Bloody Chester by J.T. Petty and Hilary Florido

Let me start out by saying it is a very good story, keeping the readers on the edge of their seat until the end. With that said, the ending felt unfinished. I am unaware if a sequel is planned. Personally I hope there will be and think there is a very good possibility of one.

The graphic novel is centered around Chester Kates, an outcast in his current town. Chester is hired to burn the abandoned town of Wales, to make way for the new railroad. But what's a story without a hitch? Turns out the town isn't as abandoned as he was led to believe. Then comes the question, should Chester complete the job he was sent to do?

This book is quite enjoyable. the authors placed some tricky plot twists, making a unique story, I thoroughly enjoyed. The reader has many questions throughout the adventure, and as some are answered more questions are created. Most of my questions of the plot were answered. Some were a surprise. I did not find the book predictable at all, which was quite enjoyable. But as I mentioned before, although sort of tied up, in the end there were some blatant loose ends.

As in many graphic novels I find character development is weak. A reader can't get to know the characters intimate thoughts as a traditional novel allows. Usually I do not find this to much of a hindrance of a graphic novel. In this novel especially, the character development didn't dip past the surface, an outsider (aka the reader) seemed out of the loop. In many books I like to feel a connection to at least one of the characters, someone I could see as a friend. This did not take away from the story itself, but it would have made the novel on a whole more enjoyable.

I liked the artwork. It had essential details, and got the point across. I wouldn't say it was the most beautiful work ever created, but by no stretch was it a crude drawings.

First page of Bloody Chester

And to another reader I would say " It was pretty good you should try it sometime, I liked it."

The Power of Six

The Lorien Legacies by Pitticus Lore

The Power of Six

Sequel to the novel "I am Number Four"

A good story with lots of action and twists and turns that kept my interest so I will definitely
be reading the next one in the series "The Rise of Nine".

Summary

After leaving Paradise, Ohio John Smith  (number four)  is on the run from the alien Mogs, trying to kill the Loric and the FBI, for being wanted terrorists. This time the book alternates viewpoints from John's point of view, to number Seven -- called Mariana -- who lives in Saint Teresa's covenant in a small town in Spain.

Although I was skeptical of this alternate view point in the beginning, Mariana's story is quite interesting I enjoyed very much, and was a nice way to change up the story from the first book. What Mariana's story lacks action it makes up for with her interactions with the fickle nuns at the and her lovable friends Ella and Hector.

Especially towards the end John's story did have a couple unexpected plot twists that I did enjoy. But for the most part his story was much of the same through out the majority of the book. John, Sam and Six had a close call with either the Mogs or the Feds, but would escape, nearly loosing John's special chest. After training for a couple of days in a safe-ish location the cycle would start again.

Character Development

I also tired of John's struggle of being 'hopelessly' in love with Sarah, but he also can't stop thinking about Six, whom he knows Sam also has a crush on, but will still shamelessly flirt with her in font of Sam. But the chemistry is absent between any pair in this trio, and any crushing seems to be due to proximity.

I did really enjoy the bad-ass Six. In "I am Number Four" She was a minor character, and I really enjoyed her character development this time around. Her back story was interesting and she is a pleasant addition to the team. Personally out of all the Loric Legacies reveled thus far Six by far seems to have the coolest.

The last bone I have to pick is the fight scenes. Now I like a good action packed fight sequence just as much as the next person, but there were sooo many and they all seemed to be the same. The ending fight with Six and Mariana was notable and fun to read even after all the other semi-dragged out fights. Some of the fighting I felt took away from the actual story, glazing over what could have been some potentially interesting plot twists.

Rating - 7/10

In the end I would recommend this book to a friend who likes action or sci-fi, with the comment of "yea it was decent." A good summer read. And like I mentioned before it did keep my interest enough for me to check out the next book. The author is good at leaving a slight cliff hanger at the end of each chapter/section, and at the very end to keep us readers interested.