Entries by The Mad Giggler

I’m filling in as a pinch hitter for Peter on this assignment so we can kickstart this baby back into gear before I forget what happened last. Continue reading "The Fires of Heaven (Chapters 5-10)"

I wanted to put this out there before I forget, since I don't know when Brandon will get to his end of year Red, Blue & Pigskin. I attended six home games and watched the BYU game on TV. This is the most fun I've had at Rice Eccles in several years. I didn't expect much from this team at the beginning of the season.

A 4-8 record is more or less what I'd pictured. I kind of got my hopes up after the Stanford game, but of course horrible things began happening to Travis Wilson at that point. We ended up 5-7 with a fairly young team, ravaged by injuries to several key players. The thing that stood out to me the most was just how much fight this team had. And really, that's all I could ask for.

When the question is asked, "Would you rather still be in the MWC winning 9 or 10 games every season?" the answer is really easy for me. "No, of course not." I would much rather sit through a season like this one than the season we had before joining the Pac-12. It got boring watching Utah blow out Colorado State and UNLV, then getting blown out by TCU (who also left the MWC.) This season may not have been a winning season, but it was a really fun one.

Good stuff. I had one minor quibble with this section that I’ll put in the spoilers, but I was happy to have this assignment. I talked to two people this week that are interested in following along, so maybe if I do a really good write-up, we can convince them to contribute. Continue reading "The Shadow Rising (Chapters 43-48)"

These chapters were really incredible. We get world building that doesn’t feel encyclopedic. We get some character development and some good action, as well as a little mystery and suspense. Continue reading "The Shadow Rising (Chapters 25 - 30)"

Absolutely loving this novel so far. Great stuff in these chapters. Lots of foreshadowing going on and a little mystery to keep things interesting. Continue reading "The Shadow Rising (Chapters 13-18)"

The story threads have started to come together. Our heroes have each for their own reasons come to the same place. The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. Continue reading "The Dragon Reborn (Chapters 44-49)"

We get some excellent chapters here. Mat's excellent adventure with Thom continues and we get some great scenes with Perrin.

Continue reading "The Dragon Reborn (Chapters 32-37)"

After dragging his feet a bit with the first two novels, Robert Jordan really seems to have a grasp on where he wants to go as we start the third book in the saga. Chapter summaries...you know the drill. Continue reading "The Dragon Reborn (Prologue - Chapter 7)"

To be honest, I had to read these chapters a week in advance, but I didn’t get a chance to write up my thoughts fresh from completing them. Summaries and commentary below the fold. Continue reading "The Great Hunt (Chapters 24-29)"

Overall, I felt that this was a solid assignment. We get to learn a bit more about several characters besides Rand, along with doing a little more world building. Summaries and further thoughts below the fold. Continue reading " The Great Hunt (Chapters 12-17)"

I really enjoyed these chapters. There was a lot of good stuff packed in here. Some good revelations and thrilling action. I think I’ve probably said this too much, but I’m really enjoying this re-read. I definitely did not start reading this book in the same frame of mind as I’m finishing it. Chapter summaries and my further thoughts below the fold. Continue reading "Eye of the World Chapters 43-48"

Rand and Mat flee Whitebridge, all the while hoping to see Thom running up the road to re-join them. They don’t have money and they must rely on charity from strangers. This theme continues for five chapters as they alternately meet kind farmers who don’t want to get involved with their trouble and locals who want them as far from sight as possible.

They make a short attempt at earning their room and board as traveling entertainers, until they get trapped at The Dancing Cartman in Four Kings. They realize too late that the innkeeper would like to rob them, and as they put on their little show while trying to find an escape, they realize a rich merchant has a very specific interest in them. They escape miraculously (or so Rand believes) when lightning kills the Darkfriend and his accomplices, leaving the inn in ruins as they flee town.

They continue relying on charity for wagon rides while Mat’s eyes heal (he was blinded by the lightning) and Rand recovers from a sudden illness. Rand has horrible dreams. Another Darkfriend makes an attempt on their lives.

They have a close encounter with a Fade before lucking into another cart ride into Caemlyn. They receive much useful information about the Queen and her Aes Sedai advisor, Elaida.

They arrive in Caemlyn and are overwhelmed by the size of the city as well as the amount of people. They find refuge at The Queen’s Blessing where Thom had told them to meet him. They find a friend in the innkeeper, Basel Gill. They continue to learn about the political landscape of the city.

Mat sulks in their room while Rand meets an ent. Ogier the loyal ogre explains much about the world and reflects on how short human lives are. He also introduces the term ta'veren which will continue to be important as the series progresses. Loial basically tells Rand that he and his friends are going to screw a lot of people’s lives up before they are through.

My thoughts below the fold. Continue reading "Eye of the World Chapters 31-36"

Summary of What Happened

Rand arrives in Emond’s Field with his ailling father and realizes that he wasn’t the only person to have a horrible night. We piece together what happened through talking to various villagers and Rand is told by Nynaeve that there is nothing she can do for his father. Rand decides to ask Moiraine Sedai for help.

Moiraine heals Tam and Rand learns that he may have been a target of the Trolloc assault. He also learns a little more about his father’s sword, further muddying his vision of his past.

Rand agrees to leave town and is able to talk briefly with his father about it before the group attempts to sneak out by night. Moiraine is confronted by superstitious villagers and she throws their proud (but forgotten) heritage in their faces. They shamefacedly return to their homes.

Rand, Lan and Moiraine join Mat and Perrin in the stables, only to learn that Perrin is terrible at this adventure business and fails to uncover Thom Merrilin hiding in the loft. He and Mat also fail to conceal their movements from Egwene. The fellowship of seven leave the Shire only to be pursued by a Winged Nazgul.

With the aid of magic, the party flees across the countryside to Bucklebury Ferry.

The party crosses the River Taren with the aid of some well-compensated ferrymen after which Moiraine destroys their livelihood. They find a secret hide-out prepared beforehand by Lan. Moiraine and Egwene go have a conversation about the One Power and Rand witnesses Egwene channeling for the first time.

My thoughts below the fold. Continue reading "The Eye of the World (chapters 7-12)"

Just wanted to get some quick pictures up today. We'll have more tomorrow as we celebrate this great day at the office.

This is a x-post from Winged Wolves.

So apart from spending most of my day either working or wrangling four children, I generally have an hour or so to myself. I’ve spent a lot of time since last November playing Skyrim on my XBox (which could probably be a post for another time.) I also play other video games (including spending a lot of time with Anne and her siblings playing League of Legends together) and have even instigated XBox Friday at work, but really I’m using this piece of the internet to talk about how my love affair with comic books as been rekindled.
Continue reading "Comic Books"