I am failing as a fan

[lizbee]

Apparently the new issue of Doctor Who: "The Forgotten" is out, but I was so disenchanted with the last one that I'm not sure I want to go to the effort of buying it.  Even though it has a different artist this time, one who (judging by the panel I saw) doesn't suck.

Worse, Tales of Beedle the Bard has been out since Thursday.  It's now Saturday, and I still haven't bought it.  But I have an excuse: I've been so sucked into Megan Whalen Turner's Thief trilogy that I really don't want to read anything else.  At some point I'll do a proper post about why I love these books, but it all boils down to this: Eugenides is the most brilliant, mad, god-touched kleptomaniac unreliable narrator since Miles Vorkosigan stole a mercenary fleet.  And Attolia is basically Crazy President!Romana, only Romana has never cut off anyone's hand, or cut out their tongue (although I'm sure she'd at least consider it for Brax and Narvin).

Here, however, is a story that makes me all glowy inside, and reminds me of how good things are when they're separated from fandom craziness: An old lady was looking at Beedle the Bard, and she commented on the lovely illustrations.  I told her that JKR had drawn them all herself.  And the lady responded (like a normal person), "How lovely!  Goodness, she's so talented!" instead of saying (as many people on the intertubes would), "THAT SELFISH BITCH, WHO DOES SHE THINK SHE IS?"

It was nice.  Today, since we're not going to the roller-derby bout, I'm thinking of going back to bed for a while, then watching "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead" again, and maybe working on some fic.

Comments

[skywaterblue.livejournal.com]

I had that exact same bit when it turned out RTD can draw. Except mine was more, 'oh shit, my life means nothing, I go die now.'

[elanid.livejournal.com]

Megan Whalen Turner's Thief trilogy

These have been pretty much my favorite books since I was a very small child. (Which explains a lot, really.) So the fact that you are reading them fills me with lush and joyful joy. :D

[elanid.livejournal.com]

(And I definitely took out ALL OF THE EXCLAMATION POINTS from that so that I would not look like a crazy fangirl. What the hell, !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[pimpmytardis.livejournal.com]

Favorable comparison to Miles Vorkosigan, the standard by whom I measure the worth of all other fictional characters ever? I think I need to look these up.

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

You really, really do. The first book didn't really grab me, but the second and especially the third completely blew me away. And now I've come to love the first book, too. But I can't WAIT for the fourth, which is due out in 2010.

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

*prods Liz in the direction of sounis*

My work here is done.

[cesario.livejournal.com]

Wait, what? How and in what world does JKR illustrating Beedle the Bard make her SELFISH?

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

Probably the same way donating money to charity makes her greedy.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

Yeah, fandom pretty much destroyed any enjoyment I was getting from the Harry Potter books, which is why I'm glad I left it before reading #6 and #7. Particularly as it turns out JKR is an awful person and should kill herself for writing them for, er, some reason I've never quite been able to work out.

[lizbee.livejournal.com]

I still have so much love for the books it's silly. Like, I was re-reading Philosopher's Stone, and got to the bit about Dudley putting his foot through his TV because his favourite show got cancelled, and I was like, IAN LEVINE OMG!!!

But yeah, the fandom takes a lot of the joy out of it. Although, I really just drifted away because I felt like I'd said all I could about my favourite characters.

[violetisblue.livejournal.com]

I got very wanky about the Percy thing and then was happy again when he reconciled with his family. Yeah, I'm sad, I know.

[risti.livejournal.com]

Eugenides is the most brilliant, mad, god-touched kleptomaniac unreliable narrator since Miles Vorkosigan stole a mercenary fleet.

Well now. That sounds like something I need to check out. I've been looking for a new series to read.

(Oh, and I haven't bought Tales of Beetle Bard yet either.)

[radiantbaby.livejournal.com]

I'm still undecided about my opinion on the newest issue of The Forgotten -- on the one hand the art has vastly improved since last issue (oh, how I miss Pia), but the story hasn't improved a whole lot when it comes down. Not a bad read, but nothing really to write home about either, IMO.

I already have the issue due to having a subscription though, so I would have ended up with it any way. *shrug*

[penwiper337.livejournal.com]

Oh, GOOD. I'm delighted every time someone else finds Megan Whalen Turner. When you're a voracious reader you have to settle for just good or merely readable books to get your word fix, but they're some of those books that remind you that, yes, writing can be brilliant and intensely satisfying.

[borgin.livejournal.com]

I asked for Beedle the Bard for Christmas. This is the first official HP book I didn't get on the release date since Prisoner of Azkaban.

I read The Thief trilogy last month, and ever sense I've been lamenting that I'm all caught up. The Thief was the most amazingly narrated book I've read recently.

[(Anonymous)]

It's amazing how much faith I've had in humanity since I left fandom.

I INTEND TO CALL YOU WHEN MY PHONE HAS CREDIT AND BATTERY. ON THOSE TWO, DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH ;_;

-gun