I am immersed in deep thought and deep meaning. I recently bought The Boondock Saints, and I just LOVE the family prayer.

And shepherds we shall be, for Thee, my Lord, for Thee. Power hath descended forth from Thy hand, that our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be. In nomine Patri. Et Fili. Spiritus Sancti.

Also, I was just listening to Shai Hulud’s “Ending the Perpetual Tragedy.” And though I cannot find the quote to the monotone section of that anywhere online, it is still something you should hear. It’s quite chilling and uplifting. Shai Hulud is an American hardcore punk band from Pompano Beach, Florida, who got their name from the Great Maker worms of Frank Herbert’s Dune. I often get very filled with greater meaning, but VERY, VERY seldom is it anything to do with religion. I get this feeling from things that OTHERS create: Music, Artwork, Photography, Film, anything that overflows with extreme passion. And it is such a great feeling. I very much believe that the purpose for life is not just there, but instead, it is created. living creatures create their own reason and purpose, and that’s not hard to see.  The passions that one harvests, the GREAT amounts of love that one can hold for another, anything that a creature loves unconditionally, is the purpose of THAT individual life’s existence. Is that so hard to realize? For some it apparently is.

*Ahem*, MORE PHOTOS!

Don’t be misled, I do not play guitar. Of course, I WISH I could, but alas, I don’t. I was simply trying some camera angles. I took this strapped to the end of my Vendetta’s neck. God I wish I could play that thing.

Also, If you’re wondering why I’m wearing the same thing in all my photos on the blog, It’s because I pretty much took a WHOLE lot on the same day. Hahah.

Sabrina! It’s my cat again. I love that thing. I love cats.

Pretty self explanatory, except that I stuck my camera in the tree to take this one. I thought it was pretty cool.

On one last note, “I caught ‘em all” today! YES, I AM REFERRING TO THE ORIGINAL 151 POKEMON FROM 1998 POKEMON RED, BLUE, & YELLOW. I am definitely a Poke’nerd, but at least I own up to it! That was my generation, and I loved it. Every last bit. I’ve been working HOURS on those games to catch them all, and trust me, you have to have all three games to complete the collection. PHEW…That took so many hours of gameplay. Kingdom Hearts has got to be my favorite game of all time though. End of story.

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Now, for the new, weekly bits of media to check into:

Album of the Week: Thirteenth Step by A Perfect Circle

A Perfect Circle is one of my FAVORITE bands, and they’re sadly not together anymore, which emphasizes them THAT much more. Thirteenth Step is no doubt they’re best album, so check it out. There are only two songs on the whole album that are a little strange. The rest is gold.

Book of the Week: WATCHMEN – The Graphic Novel by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons

God, I could do an entire SERIES of blogs on this. And I probably WILL do a post or two. Anyways, until then, You should read it. It’ll only take a week or so, but it is one of the deepest pieces of literature I have ever read. There are hidden messages all over the place, and you probably won’t understand some things the first go around, such as “The Black Freighter.” Regardless, you’ll definitely like it.

Annnnnd…..

Movie of the Week: Into the Wild

This is one of my favorite movies, and soon to be, books, of all times. Its a true story about a boy who, just after graduating from college, decides to burn all of his credentials, money, and everything that ties him to society, and tramps across the Americas for two years, before taking the ultimate end to his travels in Alaska. Checkitoutttt….

THANKS FOR CHECKIN’ IT. BYE!

Releyendo la novela de Dune me he encontrado la siguiente cita que pienso que resume a la perfección el funcionamiento de la burocracia, en particular la de los organismos públicos:

La burocracia destruye la iniciativa. Hay pocas cosas que los burócratas odien más que la innovación, especialmente la innovación que produce mejores resultados que las viejas rutinas. Las mejoras siempre hacen que aquellos que se hallan en la cúspide aparezcan como unos ineptos. ¿A quién le gusta aparecer como inepto?

Mientras Isaac Asimov y Frank Herbert inspiraron la gestación del estilo de ficción conocido como Cyberpunk, son H.G. Wells y Julio Verne quienes resultan en gran parte responsables por el origen del Steampunk.

La premisa es simple, en algún momento del pasado el hombre decidió continuar la senda de las maquinas a vapor y a carbón en vez de seguir el camino del progreso mediante la electricidad. El resultado son avances inimaginados en ciencia y tecnología, que riñen con todo lo que la tecnología contemporánea, basada en lo electrónico y lo digital, ha ofrecido al ser humano.

Contrario a lo que sucedía en el Cyberpunk, en el Steampunk hay una celebración de la ciencia y los avances tecnológicos. Mientras el Cyberpunk mostraba una civilización decadente en pleno apogeo de lo digital, el Steampunk ofrece una visión mucho más positiva respecto al aporte de la ciencia a la humanidad. Sin embargo, la ficción Steampunk también ofrece una perspectiva de lo que sería una sociedad plenamente industrializada y las capacidades destructivas de un progreso basado casi plenamente en consumo de recursos naturales.

Estética victoriana y accesorios funcionales forman parte del vestuario que hoy en dia miles de personas intentan emular. Y no se trata solo de una moda, así como otras tendencias y estilos actuales detrás del Steampunk hay una filosofía de vida.

El Steampunk surge como una resistencia al estilo de vida digital, frío e impersonal al que la era digital nos ha arrastrado. El predominio de las maquinas y las “primitivas” formas de energía generan en el ser humano una necesidad de esfuerzo físico y perseverancia para lograr avances tecnológicos, dejando de lado la inmediatez y recuperando la capacidad de asombro en el hombre.

El trabajo invertido en las maquinas produce artefactos únicos que nada tienen que ver con la producción en masa de la tecnología moderna y esa cualidad única de cada invención las vuelve verdaderas obras de arte. La combinación de madera, metal y cuero vuelve la imagen de los artefactos algo más cálido, lo que se aparta de la estética estéril e impersonal de las invenciones modernas.

Para lograr un look Steampunk se debe tener cuidado con la elección de las prendas pues deben ir acorde al tipo de accesorios propios del estilo.

Ciertamente un estilo que rescata elementos muy interesantes de una época que se caracterizó por el interés y el asombro que aún provocaba el progreso en el mundo, resucitar eso hoy es un signo del estancamiento en que el hombre se ha sentido desde hace un par de décadas… da para pensar no?

DA! In sfarsit! Astazi, 19 noiembrie 2009, editura Adevarul Holding a lansat primul volum din DUNE de FRANK HERBERT. Cartea are 400 de pagini de format 13/20, este tradusa de Ion Doru Brana si poate fi achizitionata de la chioscurile de ziare la numai 10,99 lei.

Al doilea volum urmeaza sa apara joi, 26 noiembrie.

Si dupa cum ma asteptam in colectia 100 de carti pe care trebuie sa le ai in biblioteca vor fi publicate romane din ce in ce mai bune: PROCESUL de FRANZ KAFKA si CEI TREI MUSCHETARI de AL. DUMAS.

Pentru cei ce vor sa citeasca intreaga serie DUNE, aceasta poate fi comandata de pe site-ul Nemira!

Acum inchei… de abia astept sa ma apuc de citit!

Winds of Dune
by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson
Read by Scott Brick
Produced by Macmillan Audio
Run Time: 18:30

Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson continue to explore the Universe of Dune created by Brian’s Father Frank Herbert, with this latest installment, “Winds of Dune.”   The Duneverse is filled with opportunities to write side stories or fill in gaps between the original novels.  This job could not be done by just any Sci-Fi writer, and the team of Herbert and Anderson have not only done the job but they have done the job without taking anything away from the original stories. In fact, they have added more to the series that seem as though they should been there from the beginning.

The Winds of Dune begins after the events of Dune Messiah and jumps back and forth in time to before Paul Atreides came to dune and to the times during Paul Maud’Dib’s Jihad.

Paul has walked off into the sand, blind, and is presumed dead as told by Frank Herbert at the end of “Dune Messiah”, Jessica and Gurney are on Caladan; Alia is trying to hold the Imperial government together with the Duncan Idaho Ghola; Mohiam is dead at the hands of Stilgar; and Irulan imprisoned. Paul’s former friend, Bronso of Ix, now seems to be leading opposition to the House of Atreides.  With the characters from the classic novel in place Herbert and Anderson tell a story of true friendship, true love and the bonds of family.

After hearing of her son’s death Jessica, Duchess of Caladan, and Gurney Halleck, Earl of Caladan, return to Dune to mourn the death of Paul and his concubine, Chani (also mother of Paul’s children, Leto & Ghanima).  During Paul’s funeral there is great celebration in the life of Dune’s Messiah, Paul Maud’Dib.  The funeral is interrupted by Bronso of Ix (one of Paul’s childhood friends) claiming Paul is not the Maud’Dib but simply Paul Atreides.  Bronson of Ix has spent all his time, since Paul became the Messianic Emperor of the Universe, trying to thwart all the attempts at making Paul out to be a god, by simply pointing out his human flaws.  Irulan is told by the now Empire’s Regent, Alia, (sister of Paul, and the Bene Gesserit abomination) to write only things that put Paul in a positive light or she may be tortured or put to death.

Jessica then tells Irulan why Bronso is writing these negative things about Paul.  This takes the book on its first flashback, in which the listener is told of a time when Paul and Bronso of Ix first met and why they became best friends.  Both boys were only about 12 or 13 years old when Paul was sent to learn about the manufacturing based planet of Ix.  Both houses, Vernius of Ix and Atreides of Caladan are very close due to Duke Leto of Caladan once marrying a descendant of Vernius, and both boys pledge their loyalty to each other to their fathers.  The Bene Gesserit are upset with Bronso’s mother (a Bene Gesserit, herself) and demands she returns to Wallach IX to become a breeding mother.  She resists and the Bene Gesserit use a Guilt caster to put her in a catatonic state.  Not knowing what to do Prince Rhombur sends her with the Bene Gesserit in hopes of finding a cure.  Rhombur then reveals to Bronso that due to the accident that left Rhomber a cyborg he was not able to father a son and that Bronso is not his natural son.  Bronso runs away and out of honor Paul runs with him.

During this adventure Paul and Bronso are befriended by a leader of a Jongleur troop.  Jongleurs are traveling performers, so this makes this adventure very similar to the boys running away and joining the circus.  During this excursion Paul and Bronso learn some Jongleur techniques including a form of mass hypnosis, which comes in handy when Paul becomes the Maud’Dib.

Flashback to the books real time and Alia is using all forces available to capture Bronso.  For a reasons unknown at the time Jessica has Gurney Halleck stall the capture.  Gurney is working with the Ghola Duncan to track down Bronso, and through his undying loyalty to House Atreides Gurney stalls as best he can.  Meanwhile anyone caught with anti-Paul Maud’Dib material is put to death under orders of Alia.

Jessica then takes Gurney and Irulan out to the desert to finish her tale of Paul and Bronso.  This Flashback goes back to when Paul has become Emperor and the Maud’Dib and the empire is fighting Paul’s Jihad.

Jessica has been called to Wallach IX by the Bene Gesserit.  They want her to kill Paul so that his empire will crumble and the Jihad will end.  While making her decision Jessica discovers Bronso’s mother, while not completely healed, alive and awake on Wallach IX.  Jessica is called to Ix by Bronso and when she arrives on Ix she finds Paul with Bronso.  Here Paul reveals that Bronso is to spread the word Paul is a mere human to keep the Mythology of Paul Maud’Dib at bay.

Back in the book’s real time Bronso is captured and is sure to face execution.  This book goes perfectly along the lines of all the books in the Duneverse, in that it again is filled with plans within plans and no one knows the complete story until the very end.

Once again Scott Brick performs in his usual stellar reading, creating the mood and emotions of the book from the words written by Herbert and Anderson.  Brick is perfect at the subtle changes in mood and thought by small shifts in his voice that keep you glued to “Winds of Dune.”

Frank Herbert escribió Dune, un libro que recomiendo muchísimo.
Como en el caso de Tolkien, hago una advertencia: el lector debe tener una buena predisposición hacia la ciencia ficción. Sin esto, se quedará en la anécdota (futuro, viajes interplanetarios, etc) y no podrá apreciar la esencia de este magnífico libro.

Entonces, ¿qué leer y en qué orden?
Cómo decía en un post anterior, las opciones son leer sólo Dune o dejarse llevar por la saga… Dune es un libro que cierra perfectamente, pero si se decide leer el segundo ya se cae inevitablemente en el terreno de la saga sin fin. Una muy buena saga, pero SIN FIN.

Entonces, primero recomiendo los escritos y publicados por Frank Herbert, es decir: Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune y Chapterhouse Dune.

Luego, y ésta es mi opinión personal, recomiendo releer Dune…

Y ahí sí, encarar los publicados por Christopher Brian Herbert y Kevin J. Anderson, empezando por House Atreides, House Harkonnen y House Corrino, que narran los hechos casi inmediatamente antoriores a Dune. Es una muy buena previa, sin ningún Jar Jar Binks.
No tan de mi agrado, la trilogía más de ciencia ficción de toda la saga, que se ambienta en un pasado muy lejano (o nuestro futuro más cercano, ejem): The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade y The Battle of Corrin, donde se crean las leyendas, las viejas leyes y también todas las agrupaciones y hermandades.
Para quienes se quedaron con ganas de saber lo que sucedía luego de Chapterhouse Dune, ahora pueden continuar con Hunters of Dune y Sandworms of Dune, en los que se nota claramente la incorporación de la trilogía antes mencionada a la continuidad del relato…
The Road of Dune es un compendio de textos no publicados por Frank, entre otros, que fue promocionado como una especie de The Silmarillion (aunque la comparación con The Book of Lost Tales sería mucho más acertada).

Por supuesto, Brian y Kevin que aprendieron la lección de Christopher siguen escribiendo y ya publicaron Paul of Dune y The Winds of Dune (estos dos no los leí, por lo que no tengo comentarios al respecto) y están cocinándose The Throne of Dune y Leto of Dune.

Como decía, las opciones son leer sólo Dune o dejarse llevar por una saga SIN FIN… ¿alguien sabe si Frank tiene nietos?

La biografía oficial, Dreamer of Dune, no la he conseguido. Parece muy interesante, Frank era una persona sobre la que vale la pena leer…

I actually have some new stash and crocheting I should show you, but I’m too tired to take and upload the pictures now, so I’ll just discuss the next book on the list.

56. Dune by Frank Herbert

This was another recommendation from my DH’s library, and I enjoyed it, for the most part. I had a few quibbles (especially the wrapping up in the last page and a half – and I mean that literally – it should either have been longer or left out) but for the most part it’s well put together, even though the three parts to the novel could hang together better. The addictive Spice of Dune is what inspired the post title.

Writing is hard, make no mistake.

It’s hard to find the time to write.  Every tick of the clock is like a reminder that I am not, for the nonce, being paid to write.  I have too many ideas and nowhere near enough time to write.  When I make the time, I find myself frozen, with ideas that seemed so explosive and fresh as I drifted to sleep now sluggish and reluctant to spark upon the page.

The page itself is like life, a blank canvas waiting to have marks made upon it.  Like life, it’s frightening.  What if one makes the wrong mark?  What if one writes a story that’s universally hated?  What if one’s talent, which seems so brilliant in private, is revealed in the public light to be only the narcissistic ramblings of a deluded hack?  In essence, what if it all sucks?

See, that’s the hard part of writing, and also the hard part of life:  overcoming the fear.  Fear, as Frank Herbert wrote in Dune, is the mindkiller; fear is the little death that brings total oblivion.  Ad yet, even knowing such, sometimes oblivion seems the more attractive option than fighting the fear.  Fear is a fierce opponent; fierce, unrelenting, and damn near immortal.

I used to have dreams constantly of running, being chased by a being that was sometimes nameless and faceless, sometimes a bully from school, sometimes people I knew.  Sometimes, in these dreams, I would fight them, but my blows would have no effect at all and stopping to fight instead of run would only hasten my inevitable dream-ending demise.  And then, one night. . .

I’ll leave out the not-entirely-believable aspects of this tale and get to the story:  it was a night in late October of 2002, and I was in the middle of yet another dream, running from someone in the midst of vine-covered ruins.  Near a gorgeous waterfall, I was trapped at its edge, not, I suppose, unlike Sherlock Holmes’ famous first and last meeting with Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls.  Unlike Holmes, though, I had no idea of my foe’s identity and, as I already knew, no chance of winning. I suck at swimming even worse than I do at fighting, though, so there was no choice.  And then. . .

I have been a video-game player for a full two-thirds of  my life, longer than I’ve kept any other hobby except comic books (if you count Archie comics).  I’ve played so many games I can hardly keep the names straight, but I remember scenes, effects, and even music very well.  One game, whose name escapes me (though I think it was a Konami game), had boss battles introduced in a very dramatic style.  The character would be on the screen, in a seemingly peaceful place, their life bar in its normal place at the bottom of the screen, and then, suddenly, a second bar would appear beneath the player’s bar, expanding outward from the center; the boss’s name would appear at the left of that second bar once the bar was complete, and you knew it was on.  Yes, I really am more thoroughly a geek than most people would believe.

In this dream, as I stopped running and turned to fight and die, the world – for lack of a better word – twisted.  Suddenly I was looking at myself, on that precipice, near that beautiful waterfall. . .and beneath my feet was a long life bar, with my name at its left end.  As soon as I realized that line was there, a second bar appeared beneath mine, expanding outward from the center.  When that bar was complete, a word appeared at its left end:  Fear.

And all the running, chasing dreams finally made sense.  All just fear, just nothing, just another video-game boss character that I could beat like I’ve beaten thousands before and since.

That said, knowing the name of the opponent doesn’t solve everything.  Obviously, I still struggle with my fears about writing, and about life.  But knowing the name, knowing it’s just something else to overcome, and it can be defeated, makes a difference.

So, I sat down here with the intent of telling you about fear and why it makes writing stories difficult.

Instead, in the act of explaining it to you, I told you a story.

Take from that what you will, if anything.

VS – 11.6.09

so i saw this online recently, and i decided that i should do a similar thing.

10 books that changed my life and will forever stay in my mind.

of mice and men by john Steinbeck

this book is more than just a story. to me it was the way i discovered way more about myself and the way i deal with people than i felt comfortable knowing. the story is so perfectly and fully american. the feeling of honor and comfort clashing at every turn, and most of all the need to destroy the most beautiful parts of life. i cant read this book without a tear to this day.
rage by richard bachman (stephen king)

i really got into this book when i was about 12. i have re-read it countless times since and it always evokes a very strong and very personal reaction. there is something about the writing. it feels like a sloppy book by a teenage boy. it has all the fury, all the agony, and well… all the rage that it should. i’m sad that it is out of print, it is without a doubt my favorite book by him.

the man who would be king by rudyard kipling

magic lives in between the words of every rudyard kipling story. i can remember sitting in my grandfather’s house when i was only 10 and watching the movie version of this story. i can remember not understanding a thing. and i remember the way he watched the film. he was one of the smartest men ever to walk this earth, and when he watched this movie he didnt make a sound. he just sat there, in awe. i knew that meant it was good. so i remember watching it with him. in perfect silence. this is another story i have read and re-read, and every time i do i like it more. and i identify with it more. this story is magic.

the great gatsby by f. scott fitzgerald

i have beaten myself up countless times about how closely this book follows parts of my life. i know everyone who wants to sound deep says something like ‘i am gatsby’… but damn. i am. or at least, i was. this is without a doubt one of the best and most important books ever written.

the naked and the dead by norman mailer

norman mailer is the man’s writer. his stories are grizzled and masculine in ways that structured words cant describe. i have never met a real man who didnt like his work. but interestingly enough i have met countless women who hate it. i like to describe him as the serious three stooges. only guys get it. when i first read this book i couldnt believe it. his words are written in cold ink. and i understand every one of them.

old man and the sea by ernest Hemingway

this book is a ‘how to’ of how to be a man. id like to say that i have taken it to heart…
death of a salesman by Arthur miller

this book is way to personal to go into here. i just hope that im not as similar to Willy as i feel sometimes.
dune by frank herbert

the scifi novel at its greatest. this book has everything that a ‘normal respectable’ genre book has and more. the almost biblical tones and the messianic imagery alone makes this book a classic. and as if that wasnt enough, Gurney Halleck is the single greatest man in world literature. take that Beowulf!

the minister’s black veil by nate Hawthorne

this is another book that gave me something to point to. it was something i could reference to explain another little bit of myself.

our town by thornton wilder

this book/play has influenced my own storytelling more than anything else i can think of. the way it tells a somber tale but does it with just enough whimsy is the archetypal story in my mind. i cant imagine my own writing with out this book.

i only picked one book from each author. if i hadnt the list may have well ended up being all Steinbeck and Hemingway, with gatsby nailed in there as well…

Ugledni holivudski scenarist William Goldman je u svojoj knjizi “Adventures in the Screen Trade” napisao kako u Hollywoodu “nitko ne zna ništa”. S tim se teško ne složiti, pogotovo s obzirom na sklonost američke industrije zabave da gotovo ništa ne uči iz svojih pogrešaka.

Jedan takav primjer bi vrlo lako mogao predstavljati projekt koji je nedavno izazvao zanimanje fanova Dine, kultnog SF-romana Franka Herberta. Jedna od najpopularnijih knjiga u žanru znanstvene fantastike bi tako trebala dobiti spektakularnu holivudsku adaptaciju.

A malo koja knjiga izaziva uzdahe pri pomisli na filmsku adaptaciju kao Dina. Uzbuđenje koje bi filmska verzija mogla izazvati među njenim fanovima se vrlo lako može usporediti s uzbuđenjem koje su desetljećima pri pomisli na velike ekrane osjećali fanovi Gospodara prstenova.

Međutim, kod Dine ima jedan problem. Filmska adaptacija je već napravljena u režiji Davida Lyncha 1984. godine, i njeni rezultati baš i nisu bili potpuno zadovoljavajući. Glavni razlog je, dakako, u tome što se knjiga epske dužine, bogata likovima i sadržajima, jednostavno ne može utrpati u format od dva sata.

Taj problem je nešto kasnije pokušao riješiti remake u obliku mini-serije, koja je u pravilu zahvalniji format za adaptacije epskih književnih djela. Međutim, mini-serija, koja je bila daleko vjernija i sadržajno bogatija adaptacija, razočarala je zbog relativno niskog budžeta, nepoznatih glumaca i loših specijalnih efekata. Dojam je, doduše, prilično popravljen s nastavkom Djeca Dine, koji je mnogo uspješnije obradio dva sljedeća romana iz Herbertove serije romana.

Međutim, iako prva filmska ekranizacija nije uspješna, i iako je relativno nedavno snimljena TV-adaptacija, u Hollywoodu očito ima ljudi spremnih na novu remake-pustolovinu. Tako je već napisana prva verzija scenarija – koja navodno ima 175 stranica – a trenutno se razmišlja o angažmanu dvojice redatelja, pri čemu su glavni kandidati Britanac Neil Marshall, poznat po kult-hororu Dog Soldiers, te Južnoafrikanac Neil Blomkamp koji je mnoge oduševio sa SF-filmom Distrikt 9. Kao glavni glumac, koji bi trebao tumačitim Paula Muad’diba, navodio se Robert Pattinson, iako tek kao najbolja opcija za Petera Berga, prethodno angažiranog režisera koji je nakon nekog vremena odustao od projekta.

To sve zvuči kao dobra ideja, ali je povijest Hollywooda prepuna primjera u kojima su dobre ideje postale žrtvama odvratne realizacije. Režiseri koji majstorski barataju s malim jeftinim B-filmovima se izgube poput malog djeteta u skupim produkcijama velikih studija. Vrhunski glumci troše svoj talent i reputaciju na uloge koje im pašu kao ribi bicikl. A previše je sjajnih knjiga koje izazivaju razočaranje sa svojim fimskim adaptacijama. Dini bi se to moglo dogoditi čak dva puta.

Das Filmstudio Paramount will Dune neu auflegen, was ja angesichts der bisherigen Ergebnisse keine gar so schlechte Idee ist. Also immer her damit, Hauptsache, dieser Sting (siehe pic) ist nicht wieder mit dabei.

Ursprünglich war der mässig bekannte Peter Berg als Regisseur vorgesehen, der ist nun aber abgesprungen. Jetzt verhandeln die Paramounties mit dem Briten Neil Marshall (The Descent, Dog Soldiers) und dem Südafrikaner Neill Blomkamp. Dessen Spielfilmdebüt District 9 meiner Meinung nach zu ersten Liga der SciFi-Klassiker gehört, also neben Alien, Bladerunner, 2001, Das Ding aus einer anderen Welt (beide Fassungen), Stalker und meinetwegen auch noch Star Wars – Das Imperium schlägt zurück.

Blomkamp hat aber wie erwähnt jede Menge zu tun, also dürfen wir uns bei Dune – Rückkehr des Sandwurms (oder wie der Streifen dann heisst) wohl auf viele Explosionen und etwas britischen Humor freuen.

(via io9)

'DUNE' (DAVID LYNCH Version) Movie Poster circa 1984

Read more HERE.

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Pasaron unos diez años desde que leí por primera vez Dune.

Para ese entonces ya había leído todos los libros de JRR Tolkien, más los que su hijo Christopher tenía publicados. Pero no había aprendido la lección, y así fue como me llegó a las manos Dune Messiah y no resistí la tentación.

Hoy en día llevo leídos todos los que escribió Frank Herbert, más la mayoría de los que su hijo Brian escribió (junto a Kevin J. Anderson), y sigo sin escarmentar… y eso que abandoné a Christopher en su cuarto o quinto refrito de la historia de Turin…

Decía, que hace diez años leí Dune y me encantó. Es un libro maravilloso. Un must sin lugar a dudas.

Creo que hay sólo dos caminos posibles:
1. Leer sólo el primer libro y negarse rotundamente a leer una línea más. La historia cerrará perfectamente, con un final por completo coherente.
2. Embarcarse en la saga completa, sabiendo que nunca llegará a su fin (no mientras haya un Herbert para continuarla).

Al menos Brian es más sincero que Christopher, que nos quiere seguir haciendo creer que encuentra textos de su padre en los lugares más insólitos y que él simplemente edita.

En otro momento escribiré con más detenimiento sobre estos libros. Por ahora los dejo con un link al sitio oficial de dune, y con la famosa letanía contra el miedo…

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

A lizard crossed my path this morning. I had the immediate feeling that he belonged in the space occupied by the courtyard of my Northridge, California apartment complex more than I did. Much like the sandworms of Frank Herbert’s Dune or the sacrificing, multi-stage creatures of Orson Scott Card’s Speaker for the Dead, they were there before humanity showed up and imposed it’s will on the land. I can’t describe the lizard. I saw it for just over a second, but encountering something and realizing that I’m the alien will stick with me.

OK so top three books I’ve ever read in the Fiction department, and this is tough for me because I’ve read a lot of really good stuff, but I’m going to have to nail it down to three:

  1. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury

  2. The Long Walk, by Steven King (writing as Richard Bachman)

  3. Destination Void, by Frank Herbert

Any of those will mess with your head, which I love and which Severine hates (still can’t get her to watch Memento again, she was off kilter for three days)

.

Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.

FRANK HERBERT

Imi plac cartile lui Frank Herbert. Imi plac filmele facute dupa ele. Imi place culoarea planetei Arrakis.  Muad’ Dib e unul din personajele mele preferate si-mi placea si cand era Paul Atreides. Fremenii mi se par fascinanti cu ochi lor de un albastru electric ( culoare, normal, datorata mirodeniei ).  Si-mi place si Dune, parfumul lui C. Dior, parfumul meu preferat.

Si-mi place si muzica pe care Brian Tyler a facut-o pentru Children of Dune – 2003.