01-25-2012

Today (Tuesday) was a mixed bag as far as making-progress is concerned. I got THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT page 08 fully inked and then - in a bout of extreme boredom - also started to build the webpages for it. Given that I only have 8 out of 20 pages ready, the comic won't be up any time soon, but I figure that any work done now is work I won't have to do later. That's thinking ahead!

I also designed another character who is going to be showing up in Chibi Death book one. While they are going to be a pretty important character, they aren't going to be a regular cast member. I really like her design though. I'm thinking of putting the sketch up on deviantART, simply cuz I never put anything up over there anymore. If I do, I'll be sure to say something on the Facebook page.

I'm about a third of the way through THE WAY OF SHADOWS by Brent Weeks. The book caught my eye...years ago I think, in my various trips through bookstores. For one reason or another, I never picked the book up, but a few months back I finally did. I've been suggesting it all over the place (to exec-prod Dan and my brother mainly) so I'm glad I finally get the chance to read it for myself.
I'm a bit torn on the novel as it stands. The book stars a street urchin named Azoth who apprentices himself to the master assassin Durzo Blint. I think that's a great concept, I love it - you never read a book from the perspective of the killer! At least, not in the fantasy genre. Despite a solid concept, I'm not totally in love with the book. Weeks' writing style is VERY loose and vague - when he decribes building design, he doesn't describe what the building actually looks like, he says that it's "Alitarean in design". Hey Brent. I DONT KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. For all I know, the Alitareans make their buildings out of pure gold that's shaped like rabbits. Characters aren't well described either, which bothers the HELL out of me. Weeks absolutely fails on the detail department.
His characters work much better though. Weeks holds nothing back in describing the harsh and brutal nature of Azoth's youth and the early stages of his apprenticeship. His desperate need to escape his life is totally believable and he is a very relatable character. On the downside though, Weeks doesn't describe his characters very well either, leaving their histories, motivations, and personalities a bit of a mystery. If it isn't said by the character, you don't know it - and I HATE THAT. I've read quite a bit of fanficion where the writers don't put in my "acting" as I call it - they describe the basic setting, they have the characters state their lines, and they move on. I like much more subtley to my people.
Unless something drastic happens that turns me off the book, I'll keep going. Right now it isn't a bad read, it just isn't the kind of writing-style that I'm normally drawn too - especially after reading such wordy and acting heavy authors like Gail Z Martin and Karen Miller.

I've also started to watch the new show ALCATRAZ on Fox from the creator of LOST, JJ Abrams. I'm an absolute Abrams fan - I loved all of Lost, I liked Cloverfield, I love FRINGE and I'm digging his other program, PERSONS OF INTEREST. Alcatraz is off to a good start, introducing likable characters, an interesting plot with plenty of room for potential and story-twists, and great acting. Sam Neill and Jorge Garcia are personal faves (Doctor Grant and Hugo respectively), but the female lead - Sarah Jones - is new to me. I don't say that as a bad thing, I think she's been doing a great job. It's the kind of show that makes me want to write.

Peace!

- Ben Hobson