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My site has moved, please visit: Stainless Steel Droppings.

Snubbed at the Oscars 

How to Post Your Comments

All readers are encouraged to comment! To do so, click on the comments link at the bottom of a post. On the page that opens enter your name, email if you want, and type your comment. Then click "say it" and your post is there for posterity. I appreciate any feedback, lets me know you're reading. Go on, do it! You know you want to!

About this site

This site is me, or at least a part of me. It will contain posts related to things that I find interesting that I would like to share with you. For the most part the posts will be frivolous anecdotes about topics of interest with very little of a serious nature involved. My intention is to stay away from politics and religion...topics that I am very interested in but are not in the spirit of what I want this blog to be. I want to recommend books that I've enjoyed and want others to read. I want to give my Siskel and Ebert, or Ebert and Roeper, about movies I've seen either in the theatre or on DVD. I want to link to sites of interest in the hopes that I can get others excited about the things that excite me. I'm hoping that those who already know me will get to know me a little better and that those who will never meet me will find that there is a kindred spirit here-someone with a plethora of interests that is not afraid to share them with the world. I hope you have fun on this site. It began very recently as an accidental experiment and I'm really enjoying it. I don't expect this to be a well traveled site but my intention is to craft it as if it were. And for those of you who take the time to read my inane ramblings I want to say 'thank you'. I hope you take the time to post as I'd like to hear from you. And don't be afraid to start a blog of your own. Its an easy and highly enjoyable way to spend a little bit of your day.

The Stainless Steel Rat

The monicker 'Stainless Steel Rat' comes from a series of science fiction novels written by Harry Harrison from the 1960's through the 1990's. My first memorable foray into the literary world of science fiction was with the Han Solo novels written by Brian Daley. These books were published in the interim between Star Wars and the Empire Strikes Back. I was a young man with a hunger for adventures in space that was fueled by my uncle Dean's treasure trove of science fiction novels. Han Solo had captured my imagination like no other character before and after devouring those novels I was hungry for more of the same. Around this period of time my father was diagnosed with cancer. He would often have to take trips with my mother to Omaha for treatments. On one of these occasions we were staying with my grandmother and I was scouring my uncle's shelves for something to read. I came across The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison.
The tales of "Slippery" Jim DiGriz, master criminal, stainless steel rat in the wainscotting of society, were just what I needed. Slippery Jim DiGriz was the mold from which Han Solo was created and this book made an indelible impression on me. This was my first non-Star Wars science fiction experience and though admittedly not "high literature" this book and its sequels are and always will be near the top of any "best of" reading list of mine.
Through the years I've paid homage to the Stainless Steel Rat and his creator with email addresses, computer game character names, etc and so when the time came to name this blog the choice was an obvious one. Thank you Harry Harrison, and thank you Slippery Jim.....

About Me

I'm a geek and proud of it! I love the typical geek things: science fiction/fantasy books and films, comics, computer games. I am a well-rounded geek, however. I love all kinds of music, old classic films of many genres as well as the new stuff, and even enjoy 'chick flicks'. I enjoy sports, American Chopper, those car shows on Discovery Channel, and Extreme Home Makeover. I have a beautiful wife and wonderful daughter and a very childish elderly dog. I like to do alot of different things and am rarely if ever bored. Maybe I'm more of a Renaissance Geek..yea, that's it...does that make me cool?

obernewtyn 

Obernewtyn

Obernewtyn is the first in a series of books written by award-winning Australian writer Isobelle Carmody. It is a postapocalyptic story set on an earth in which many children are born with enhanced mental abilities. Those with these abilities are termed Misfits and are sought for either extermination or service in Obernewtyn. The story follows Elspeth Gordie, a young girl with the gift to read minds and communicate with animals. Discovery of her powers by members of the Council lead to banishment to Obernewtyn where Elspeth must learn to control her powers in order to save her friends, and herself, from the evil being wrought there.
Ms. Carmody's books have just recently made their way across the shores and are among a number of books that are following a recent trend: being printed unabridged in both children's and adult versions. I came across this book while I was perusing Spectrum 11 and noticing the cover art by Tristen Elwell. The coverwork for the adult version is by another spectrum alum, Donato Giancola. My initial impression was that the book was slow but by the time I finished the first chapter I was really into the story and finished the book in a day. The story moves along at a pace that keeps you interested in what is about to happen without being overwhelming. Ms. Carmody allows the reader to get to know her characters in such a way that you are interested in their respective fates. This is an appropriate story for children aged 10 and above but is by no means a "kid's" story. I believe that the success of the Harry Potter novels has encouraged publishers to market books like the Obernewtyn Chronicles to children as well as adults. I would give the book 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars...

Interesting facts:

• Isobelle Carmody began Obernewtyn when she was just 14 years old.
• The Obernewtyn Chronicles has spawned numerous fansites on which members can join guilds, get to know others, etc. as well as submit their own fanfiction based on Ms. Carmody's characters.
• Book 5, entitled The Sending, is rumored to be the last book of the series and is due out October 2005.