The Week in Womble AKA Avon Calling

Hellooo! Ooh twice in two weeks a record! So, an unusual week first half very very busy and I overdid the work side and managed to lose my wallet.  Happily, it was found the next day with nothing untoward to worry about but a good warning I was running around too much and not very focused. Slowed down slightly, prioritised and got loads more done. You can’t do everything at once. I’m a big believer in spoon theory so it’s a reminder that particularly when I’m diabetic that I need to look after myself. Let’s see if I remember that next week.

What I’m watching

Film wise a good weekend

Captain America Civil war – always enjoyed this one and now post Endgame quite impressed what this sets up.  A film that dares to tackle the consequences of superheroes is quite unusual in the franchise and the cast seem to be very happy to throw themselves into it.  I also find Zemo one of the most unusual villains in the show – clearly ruthless but perhaps e can see what made him choose to attack?

Stan and Ollie – An unusual story where an elderly Laurel and Hardy come to the UK for a tour (partly for the rush, partly for the money and partly to assist a future film). Its on the one hand a very warm character study of these two people past the highpoint of their careers dealing with being legends but age and internal disagreements have shaped them. John C Reilly and Steve Coogan give really rounded performances. There is however a bit of british tweeness about the humour and it doesnlt quite say why these two were so feted.

TV

Farscape watch continues and its sooo good even in the first season

Blake’s 7 – Sad news in geekdom with the loss of Paul Darrow but by all accounts, was a hugely warm and funny personality but best known as Avon one of the main stars in this show of SF rebellions. I was really touched by this blog post by a friend of mine https://liwella.wordpress.com/2019/06/03/paul-darrow/ giving an inkling of what he was like. When I was a little womble though Avopn was just one of the coolest SF characters.  The outfits, the sneer and the sarcasm.  I was probably too young to understand what an anti-hero was but I knew he was still doing something different to the likes of Buck Rogers So after a very long time I thought I’d try this again and its so far after four episodes holding up. Gritty, nice line in humour and yes Avon steals every scene – not hammy just someone you don’t know what they will do next.  Plus bonus BRIAN BLESSED who explodes….

On the to do list - Chernobyl and finally try Killing Eve

What I’m Listening to

Still catching up You’re Never Going To Read This but there is a great interview with the brilliant Emma Newman about her career and books.  Well worth finding tracing it down

What I’ve Reviewed

Interestingly an apocalyptic theme by accident

Permafrost by Alastair Reynolds  - Packs an awful lot into a short novella. I was really impressed how this builds up the two timelines and the two main characters have an unusual dynamic.

Wastelands The New Apocalypse edited by John Joseph Adams - I do love anthologies (something I hope to do more of post SKCA) but this was a surprise, The list of writers that John Joseph Adamas assembles such as Mira Grant or Elizabeth Bear was a good sign but the quality of stories in this was even better than expected. Firstly, a much more diverse series of lead characters but also a huge dose of optimism that even after something terrible people will still try to do the right thing. Impressive

84k by Claire North - Blimey this Subjective Chaos award was a bit stunning.  I really like Claire North/Kate Griffin/Catherine Webb’s stuff so was happy to finally catch up on this after the year of the endless house move. Sharply political, bleak and a unique style made this a very dark immersive read.  You should look this up if you like your SF on the more social political side.

What I’m reading

This week all the SF and a lot of space opera

Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky – the sequel to one of the best SF novels and I don’t even mind the spiders!

Salvation by Peter F Hamilton – not read him for ages but this covers mysterious aliens and objects

Rosewater Insurrection by Tade Thompson - a belated catch up on this novel of aliens in Nigeria

Velocity Weapon by Megan E O’Keefe – VERY much looking forward to another bit of space opera that all the bloggers are saying is one of the best out this year

Gren Valley by Louis Greenberg – sounds intriguing town with no technology has one hold out of people who live in VR and a girl has been abducted.