mcgrew’s musings.com

recently, i finished reading my coveted copy of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, illustrated by none other than Jae Lee, and found it a rather enjoyable read. About midway through i remembered there had been a movie made for it by the acclaimed Francis Ford Coppola back in ‘92, but i couldn’t seem to remember having ever seen it. I think i did. But maybe i didn’t. I dunno. Anyway, I finished the book and thought I’d go rent the movie and check it out. Couldn’t find it anywhere! Neither Movie Gallery nor Hollywood Video carried it. They carried Dracula 2000, though, and even Blackula! But definitely not the classic Bram Stoker version, if you can believe that. So instead of venturing further out in a seemingly hopeless search for this movie, i decided to just buy it from Amazon. Continue »

SUCKED!!!

Just kidding.  This book was an all in all good read, however, I think there are 2 hemispheres to consider.  The first half of the book was simply brilliant!  Mr. Stoker did a fabulous job of capturing the reader within the many suspenseful events that contributed to the overall introduction of the count.  Now, I’ve read a wee bit of horrific fiction in my day, such as the Resident Evil series, and had some uneasy feelings while doing so, but this book took on such an eerie feel, that I have no comparison. Continue »

Simple but sweet!

Starting off, i’ll say that i wasn’t sure what to expect by reading this book and i came close to putting it down after a mere 30 pages for lack of interest. oddly, the book begins in a kind of monotone dull voice with not a lot of anything happening, which doesn’t necessarily scream for attention. just basic repetition of a few well described scenes. it was only after those first 30 pages that i realized the underlying beauty of this book. it is simple. it is basic. it’s an apocalyptic tale of a father and son making their way south down the melting asphalt always wary of any other survivors also caught in the primal instinct of survival. it’s a story set in a world stripped of all glory and resilience. one thing i found particularly interesting was the complete lack of any specific details pertaining to the utter ruin of civilization. we don’t even learn the names of the characters. there are vague references of the event throughout, which was done solely with dreams, but we never really learn what happened. instead, the story focuses on humanity and the bond between father and son. we also have the age-old lesson of right vs wrong, good vs evil. but all in all, it really comes down to asking yourself, “what would you do in that situation?” “what measures would you take to ensure your survival?” one question i kept thinking… “why survive in a world deplete of all industry, all cultivation, all social economies… hoping to stumble across a rusted can of beans as your only source of food?” this story will definitely call to question not only the meaning of life, but also the value of it. it’s a simple read, it’s a quick read, it’s a good read. i recommend it.

FLAT!!

1000 years after the Jupiter mission of 2001, this fourth and final installment begins with the awakening of an astronaut once thought lost amongst the stars. As he recovers and adjusts to his new futuristic surroundings, Frank Poole discovers a few things about humanity (past and present) and its rapid emergence upon the stars. The level of technology described in this distant future is simply amazing! You’ve got ‘elevators’ extending through space connecting the Earth with the several off-world establishments (all thanks to inertial fields, of course). You’ve also got the pacification of humanity with the invention of the ‘Braincap’ for telepathy (no more crime), the abolition of religions, and the colonization of Venus.

As the story progresses, we have another ‘forbidden’ rendezvous to Europa (a moon-turned-world in 2010) with hopes of communicating with the monolith, and the stored memories of Dave Bowman and Hal 9000 (from 2001). We later learn the true function of the monoliths and that they are now receiving new ‘directions’ from their creators. While the exact intention remains unknown, Hal-Man reserves a pessimistic outcome. Of course, this causes us to panic and decide on a means of defense, which always results in the ol’ “let’s blow it up since we don’t understand it.” The actual method doesn’t fly with me; it just doesn’t seem plausible, but you’ll have to read it to understand why.

Anyway, the book seems to focus too much on Poole’s adapting to the future and looses touch with the underlying theme of the entire series. While we finally come to a full understanding of the mysterious monoliths, it is nothing more than simple statement set upon a kind of ‘life and times’ style novel. It’s a bit dissappointing, but there is some satisfaction in tying up the loose ends.