Katniss Art Nouveau

I haven't seen Mockingjay yet, but here's a beautiful Art Nouveau styled piece by Megan Lara:

Available at Society 6

Most of the story elements shown are also Katniss' identity. The fiery dress from the 1st Hunger Games movie falls down, and Katniss is in her real image (from the 2nd movie Catching Fire).

I'm assuming the flower is the one her father named her after. More obvious elements are the silver parachute and the split mockingjay pin. The symbol of her home, Distract 12, is tucked in the upper right corner. In the background, the hexagons represent the force fields from the games. Maybe because Katniss pops out of the shapes, we're suppose to see her as free from the boundaries. Of course, not after hard efforts. 

Katniss, both the girl and flower, even overlap the French titles for "The Girl on Fire," "District Twelve Tribute," and "The Victory Tour." I think the message is that Katniss' real identity is beyond the games.

Thanks, Megan Lara for this beautiful piece and all the thought you put into it! :)

More Hunger Games Humor

Surprisingly no one has used the Gaston book meme for The Hunger Games yet. I made one: 

For some reason I like photoshopping Beauty & the Beast more than any other Disney princess or movie. 

Here are some funny images I found in time for the 2nd Hunger Games movie, Catching Fire! After the Pocahontas one, they have some Catching Fire spoilers, especially the last one. A few of them I saw last time, but waited for the second movie. Enjoy. :D

Hope you get the song reference. XD

I laughed harder than I thought I would.

Hipster Peeta

It's awesome that Effie has a meme.

Reference to Catching Fire

New character in Catching Fire.

It might be funny only if you read the book.

BIG spoiler

Divergent Isn't Much of a Dystopia

I've mentioned Divergent by Veronica Roth, but barely read it. The book series is labeled "The new/next The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins." There are similarities, but the dystopic society in Divergent isn't as developed as in The Hunger Games. There will be spoilers in this post to explain why I think Divergent is a weak dystopia. I try to be vague.

Immediate Reaction

The beginning of Divergent felt slow and for a younger audience than The Hunger Games. I also saw a big flaw in the dystopic society. Dystopic societies are false utopias because they have flaws and usually have false intentions from rulers, but the society is typically united as a whole even if the citizens do not believe the government's proclamations.

Single belief broadcast everywhere in Equilibrium.

The dystopic society in the movie Equilibrium concluded that emotion caused war so emotion was eliminated with sedatives. They united under this envisioned utopia. Violence is used only on those who oppose.

In Divergent, separation from different races, religions, and politics is proclaimed as a cause of war. So for peace they decide to unite by values. However, they remain separated by dividing into factions with different single values. For example, the Dauntless faction live brave, but they have the aggression that Amity faction forbids. This society does not share the same vision and the new arrangement does not sound too different from before. The difference is that you live with people of same expressed thinking. You're still part of the same nation as those who are different..

Shirt design of The Hunger Games districts.

Districts in The Hunger Games have unique cultures as a result of their different production and climates. They all have the same rules from the same ruler. If one district disobeys, then all are punished. The districts are united from the same ruler and on-going punishment. To keep them from uniting into a force against the ruler, they are physically separated from each other. The government forces two children from each district to fight each other annually.

Divergent doesn't have a single ruler figure. One faction has the society's government positions as their contribution.

Factions in Divergent see each other in public areas such as school so anyone can notice the obvious differences. As different as different countries. The devoted members despise the other factions. "We are right. Those guys are arrogant. And these guys are actually ruled by greed." The factions automatically fight each other. They don't even pretend to work towards the same goal, which is peace.

The curious ones observe and consider leaving their own faction. At age 16, everyone chooses which faction to live the rest of their life. Although choosing another faction is felt as betrayal and "Faction before family" is taught to those who change, the choice has too much freedom for a dystopic society. Someone else choosing for you or rigged test results is more dystopic.

But I Still Got Hooked

The concept of living under one value and denying yourself the rest is interesting. The freedom to choose another faction isn't dystopic, but it's interesting too.

Left to right the factions are Dauntless, Erudite,
Candor, Selfless, and Amity.

The main character, Beatrice "Tris," may seem more passive than other heroines because she was raised to be selfless, but she has attitude. She has the teen problems of not meeting family and society expectations.

I was hooked after Tris made her choice. I enjoyed her reactions to new experiences such as running for fun. The author Veronica Roth gave a good description for that example. The story became thrill action militaristic adventure now that she had to pass the initiation for the faction to accept her. This part is the majority of the book. The teen interactions reminded me of the military sci-fi Insignia.

Another problem I had though was that Tris separated herself from everyone with the label Divergent. Even after agreeing with the boy Four that we should have all the values not choose one and put down others. I felt like I was hearing, "I'm special. Who else is one of the special people like me?" instead of "We are all human. Humans cannot live limited by one value. We are all those values." Hopefully she learns in another book.

Then I Lost Interest

After the initiation, the story changed quickly. The evil mastermind and the evil plan appeared. I thought they were weak. A peer during initiation is a stronger antagonist. I lost interest in reading the rest especially as certain characters died. Their deaths were weak scenes. One event was too close to one in Mockingjay, the 3rd book of The Hunger Games.

I had hoped that these events were a simulation. That would explain the quick weak turns. That was the only way I'd be pleased, but the weak events were not a simulation. It was a short section left but I still wasn't eager to read it.

I don't know if the next book Insurgent has a thrill ride too, but I'll stop at Divergent. I'd recommend Divergent for its teen identity struggles, trials, and "What if.." concept, but not as a dystopia. I'll probably see the movie in March 2014 with friends.

Fall of Games

The movie adaptations for Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game comes out on Nov. 1 and Suzanne Collins' Catching Fire is Nov. 22.

Ender's Game was published in 1970s. The series is more military sci-fi than dystopic. I read it about 8 years ago in high school. I've also read Ender's Shadow, Speaker for the Dead, and half of Shadow of the Hegemon. There are more books for this universe, but I'm content with how much I read already.  I recommend Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow.

Speaker for the Dead is the drama and biological science part of the series. I don't remember military in it. I liked most of it, but maybe I didn't understand a dark moment at the end. I didn't think I'd read it again, but now I think I might. As a heads-up, Speaker for the Dead has Portuguese dialogue that isn't translated. Because I know some Spanish, I was able to understand some lines.

Any movie ad for Ender's Game gets me excited. I am most excited to see the training room on the screen! :D A key element of the story though is compassion.  Here's the trailer:

This video states the similarities and differences between Ender's Game and The Hunger Games:

The trailer for Ender's Game left me with some goosebumps, but The Hunger Games' 2nd movie, Catching Fire, left me teary.

The first movie felt more like an introduction to the series so I expect more from Catching Fire for the social aspect of the world. The trailer covers it and also the question of how can a dystopic society have living idolized victors? : )

I thought Divergent was coming out next fall, but the release is March 2014. I'm still on the library's waitlist for the book, but now I know I can read Brave New World first.

For now, I'm interested in watching Guillermo Del Toro's movie Pacific Rim next month.

I'm hoping for a social/cultural aspect to the connected minds. Pacific Rim looks fun otherwise.

Sisters Red

A retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.

I mentioned Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce before for a promotional Figment contest. Now I'm halfway done reading it. Almost every time I read a section, I glance at the cover and wonder at the meaning of the overlapped figures.

After grandma is killed by a wolf (called a Fenris), Scarlett hunts Fenris with her sister Rosie and partner Silas. In the first conversation between Scarlett and her partner Silas, I thought of The Hunger Games when Katniss and Gale are in the woods. However, what if Katniss' sister, Prim, started feeling drawn to Gale like Rosie is to Silas?

One element of fairy tales I love is sisters. We know the evil jealous stepsisters very well. Like Cinderella's stepsisters who would do anything, even cut off their foot, in order to surpass the heroine or keep her down. Well, there are also entwined sisters like Snow White and Rose Red. These sisters of the old fairy tales don't get jealous. Snow White and Rose Red both end up with a happy ending and a man.

"Snow White and Rose Red" by AkaiSoul

Jackson Pearce may be mixing Snow White and Rose Red with Little Red Riding Hood. The result is an action story of love and identity. Here are two of my favorite passages so far that describe the sisterly bond.

Rosie:

When we were little, Scarlett and I were utterly convinced that we'd originally been one person in our mother's belly. We believed that somehow, half of us wanted to be born and half wanted to stay. So our heart had to be broken in two so that Scarlett could be born first, and then I finally braved the outside world a few years later. It made sense, in our pig-tailed heads--it explained why, when we ran through grass or danced or spun in circle long enough, we would lose track of who was who and it started to feel as if there were some organic, elegant link between us, our single heart holding the same tempo and pumping the same blood. 

A fan redrew the book cover.
Scarlett is on the left.

Scarlett:

And I have to admit that there is something undeniably fulfilling about hunting with Rosie. Somehow, it makes me feel as if the long list of differences between us doesn't exist. We're dressed the same, we fight the same enemy, we win together ... It's as though for that moment I get to be her, the one who isn't covered in thick scars, and she gets to understand what it is to be me. It's different than hunting with Silas--he and I are partners, not part of the same heart.

So entwined that they have the same heart. However, they cannot share the same heart forever. Along with feelings toward one boy, the girls feel different towards life. Scarlett thinks only of hunting. It calms her, identifies her, and makes her feel right. And she feels that hunting together is what binds her closer to her sister and best friend. Rosie, on the other hand, wonders about having more in her life than hunting. The heart actually has two different beats.

The chapters alternate narration between the two sisters. They never backtrack to what the other felt during the previous chapter. These two aspects add to the suspense. I like the fast pace, the hunt for an advantage, and the relationships. I also like that Silas seems to have an important role other than the love interest.

I have to tell you that this fairy tale retelling is set in modern-day Georgia so if you're imagining a fairy tale woods, then terms like McDonalds will pop out at you. It's magical realism with the magical fantasy elements in our world.

My hand-me-downs may help.

Also I have to mention a factor I dislike. I don't like how much the stalked/murdered victims are described as being ignorant of the consequences of their appearance and merry laughter. Most of them are dressed for a club or girls' night out. It sounds as if they should have worn Harry Potter's hand-me-down baggy gray sweats, have used no beauty supplies including scented soap, and have not vocally expressed their joy.

You can argue that the Fenris attack only when these girls drift from crowds, but a stalked victim is still the victim. The stalker is the cause of the crime. At least the Fenris is shown to attack near a public day event so that victims cannot be faulted for going out at night. Also I appreciate that the Fenris are always described by their deceiving appearance and true nature.

The girls' fashion shouldn't matter as much to the Fenris because they are distinctively said to look at the girls with hunger not desire. They hunger for nourishment and the thrill of chasing and terrifying. Their prey shouldn't be limited to girls only.

The fashion comments come from Scarlett's perspective though. She only thinks in terms of hunting and her body is covered in scars. The book starts with a glimpse of her before she learned of the Fenris.

Once again, I am only halfway through the book and anticipate two big discoveries. I recommend it so far.

I'm with the Mockingjay

I heard some readers felt emotionally-drained from Mockingjay, the 3rd book of The Hunger Games. I enjoyed it because it had concepts similar to Nineteen Eighty-Four. =) Catching Fire was the emotionally-draining book for me. I felt that Katniss was weighed down by her worries.

There's some spoilers in this post even though I indirectly talk about them.

In the drawing, I wrote vague terms for what I thought were Katniss' main worries in each book before the games. I added trees because nature is her relief. With each book, she is more cut off from it. Dystopic societies usually cut people off from nature or see it as too wild.

Also this series shows nature used as and altered into a weapon. However, nature continues to live as if independent from the story's events. Man suffers and struggles to survive because of man.

I have a drawing tablet now.
I'll try quick sketches to illustrate points.

 In The Hunger Games, Katniss was a survivor but she was numb. Her main focus and devotion was her family's survival.

At this point, she doesn't know that other districts suffer just as bad or worse. Her own district has had worse days, which the adults recall.

In Catching Fire, she should no longer have to worry about her family, but Snow proves that fact wrong and adds more worries to her list. Katniss fears even her own actions and the interpretations of her actions because of consequences.

For fans of the love story/love drama, the second book seems to be their favorite.

I feel that Katniss had the most spirit in Mockingjay. She rebelled at almost every moment. She wants to be more informed on situations. She acts more than fearing on acting. Because of this strong spirit, I was not shocked at her move during the peace ceremony.

I had hoped for that move because the leaders fit George Orwell's attitude in  Nineteen Eighty-Four  that all parties are the same. The people still had to trust a leader blindly. Some people still feared for their lives. Daily life was controlled by the leader. The rebel society still lacked humanity. In the final conference, Katniss states that things are still the same.

I could not think of a right replacement for Snow, but when author Suzanne Collins showed the final leader, I agreed strongly with the choice. That person had showed interest in the people and had suffered from the Capitol.

Mockingjay is perfect...if you expect a dystopia. The first book had the dystopic setup, but was told as an adventure thriller. The second book is the transition to dystopic. Mockingjay is the dystopia of the series. I felt that Collins held back themes and attitudes in the other books. Mockingjay explains the society such as the careers in the games. This book may be my favorite of the three because of these reasons. The first book is still a great example to me of constant conflicts and the audience's influence.

I say perfect, but the book is not flawless.

The reader may get confused when the pace is too fast for storytelling near the end, but you are put in Katniss' position. You feel the rushed moment as she does.

The ending is short and quick, but I am fine with that. Although I read the book over a week instead of a few days like some readers, I needed the story to end already. You feel burnt up by the events and need relief from the tension. I recommend stopping once in a while because of the numerous events and their impact.

If you have not read  Nineteen Eighty-Four, then I recommend doing so including the prologue or section about George Orwell. I was just told that the districts and Capitol in The Hunger Games are similar to Brave New World. I bought a copy, but I'm taking a break again from dystopias.

More Hunger Games Goodies

I've been a bit restless this week, partly because I not getting out of work late anymore. Therefore, I started reading Mockingjay, the third book of The Hunger Games. I have less than 30 pages left. I will discuss after I finish it, but right off the bat I enjoyed how dystopic this one is.

Meanwhile, here are some related goodies to share. =)

At first I thought Peeta was a Butcher. My favorite are Katniss, Cinna, and Effie. haha. 

This mix makes me love the people who create memes. Hahaha. Effie has popped up a lot in them. Here's a similar one:

Whoever did better not answer because he/she was selected.

The boys from the musical parody "Bake You Pies" worked again for a more serious video, "The Arena". Some events from the movie are depicted.

I Saw The Hunger Games

Last Friday, I saw The Hunger Games movie. I liked it, but I worry if people will understand some scenes. My friends who did not read the books missed the new situation at the end of the movie. Although characters smile at that point, listen to what is said in private!

I am glad that I read the first two books before the movie so that I knew the details and connections. It is hard for me to picture how much of the story I would have grasped without the book. Thankfully, some game explanations from Katniss' thoughts in the book were given in another manner.

I will be vague in further discussion of the movie to avoid spoiling it. However, I will first discuss my disappointment in The Watchmen adaptation for comparison. The trailer is down below.

Reaction to The Watchmen Adaptation First

I read The Watchmen comic shortly before the movie release. Here is the trailer for it.

During the movie, I laughed and was entertained, but afterwards I felt disappointed in the adaptation for these reasons:

• The state of the world was not depicted enough. In the comic the second Silk Spectra helped portray the society at least through her addiction.
• There is no distinction made between superheros and masked vigilantes.
• Heroes that did not severely harm or kill, like Silk Spectra, plunged a knife into a mugger's throat. In the comic, the heroes who take lives are the ones who have a different state of mind.
• Does the viewer question the consequences that the heroes reluctantly accept?

I do not detest every change made in an adaptation. For example, I have no problem with the change in the S.Q.U.I.D. Because years have past since I first saw the movie, I would now watch it a second time. Some scenes were great to see on the screen.

Back to The Hunger Games

The movie was a good introduction to Katniss' world. Some great scenes were left out of the movie, but I think key moments for characters were kept such as when Thresh speaks in the game and Cinna's influence. I was not disappointed. Some of you may be if you expect love drama.

Before the movie, I read an article on the decision to tone down the violence, which the director felt was unnecessary for the main message and characters. I agree. Anyone who hungered for more violence has not grasped that the game is actually an instrument not entertainment. The anticipation of the game and the game itself are exciting, but remember its purpose and meaning. Violence is not action. Do you mean conflict or confrontations that can be an opportunity for character growth instead?

I was surprised that the terror and danger were toned down too. I think young audiences could handle a little more of both. The focus was appropriately placed on the main danger, the Capitol. Each book because harsher though. Will the rating stay at PG-13?

To me the book was a suspenseful adventure while the movie was more on the dystopic world. When Kato has the sword, I thought of Roger in Lord of the Flies. I can see that aspect as enough terror for some minors.

Some parts before the game felt slow to me, but my coworkers who did not read the book said the beginning was fast for them. After all, they did not know the setting and characters yet. Come to think of it, I did not linger on questions with the movie's pace. So I guess the first half of the movie was not slow.

Stanley Tucci as Caesar.

My favorite minor characters in the book were Rue and Haymitch. During the movie, I smiled and laughed at every scene of Caesar, but I was still teary for Prim and Rue. It was nice to see non-tribute characters during the game.

I  left the theater at 1am with energy from the movie. The third book, Mockingjay, is higher on my reading list now and I want to read the first book again. I may watch the movie in theaters a second time.

2 Hunger Game Shirts And More

Have you seen The Hunger Games movie? I may do so this weekend. I'll wear my mockingjay pin from SD Comic Con. =)

Meanwhile, I saw these two The Hunger Games shirts among others. Click on shirt titles for links:

"Hunger-lympics" for $25.56 at  redbubble

I think "Hunger-lympics" is my favorite shirt for the book. Some of the actor/character shirts at Hot Topic are cool (I'd get Haymitch or Rue), but I like more than a face. This shirt shows some of the plot without spoiling the story. The Wasp Relay makes me laugh. I am excited to see that part in the movie.

I also like that the artist, WinterArtwork, came up with his own rendition of the mockingjay.

If I hadn't already bought a shirt that week, then I would gotten "Hunger-lympics." My sister bought it though, which is appropriate because she is the bigger The Hunger Games fan. The third book is her favorite.

"Paintballers" for $25.56 at  redbubble

WinterArtwork came up with this Community shirt on the left as well. It parodies the best season finales as the Ghostbusters. The artist wrote, "When there's something strange in your community college...who ya gonna Chang?"

This shirt is on my list to get next. =)

"Hungry Hungry Games" for $15 at shirt.woot!
(free standard shipping)

On  shirt.woot!,  the shirt on the right, "Hungry Hungry Games," has been one of the top 20 tees for a week so far. The Hunger Games is parodied as the children's game Hungry Hungry Hippo. No spoilers in the design. Just a laugh.

 Shirt.woot! is a new shirt site for me. Everyday a new shirt is released like TeeFury, but shirt.woot! keeps the shirt as long it sells.






Here are four more top 20 tees from shirt.woot! with more meaning behind the images:

"Family Portrait"

This shirt is a clever and funny depiction of the sad truth. That is Pluto off to the side.

Today the shirt is #19.

"Curiosity"

Those cat outlines spell out Curiosity. I thought the shirt was cute until I saw the numbered signs for dead bodies. :o Despite the shirt being morbid, I can't help still appreciating the artist's work like other people. The shirt is #9.

Speaking of 9, did you notice that there are nine cat outlines? That was one very curious cat.

"Wet | | Slippery When"

Here's a shirt for gamers! The odd title actually follows a mathematical formula, which makes the shirt more geeky.

This shirt is currently #6.

"Read"

The last shirt I'm sharing is at #3. I like that the depicted tales are diverse in genre, audience age, and time of publication.

Peeta Bread Humor

There's a meme (Internet running joke) for perspectives of college majors and career fields such as this one:

The two in the middle are my favorites.

Then this "What people think I do" meme spread to interests including literature. Here's one for Peeta from The Hunger Games:

Once again I like the mom one. haha.

I found another meme with Peeta and burnt bread:

The movie is coming out in March. Read the book beforehand. The rating is PG-13 so teenagers can enjoy it. Thus, some scenes will not make it to the screen including most likely the last death in the game which I am grateful it is not. I had no problem with that scene in the book, but I am fine not facing it again through another medium.

If you find funny The Hunger Games images, then I'd like to see them. They do not have to be Peeta. I just feel that I know that character better than Gale from the first two books.

Catching Fire: Likes & Dislikes

Hello. I felt guilty for most of December and so far in January, thinking I lacked a blog post for December. I did managed to write at least one blog though. December and probably November were busy for everyone--they were for me!

During that time, I finished Catching Fire (CF), the second book for The Hunger Games series. I can't say as much for that book as I did for the first one. First, I'll say what I liked, but there will be minor & major spoilers. I recommend that you have read at least up to Part 2 in Catching Fire:

• Character Interaction: Generally, I think I liked the interaction between Katniss and other characters better in CF. Darius became one of my favorite characters. As for Peeta, he was sweet and cute in the first book, but it was too mushy for me. He shows himself to be more than a love star in CF with his reactions and speeches.
• Revisiting District 12: I was happy to read about Katniss' hometown again. We get to learn more about characters such as Haymitch (a favorite of mine) and the district's history.
• Revisiting Mother/Daughter Relationship: In the first book, we immediately see how numb and hardened Katniss is from having to keep her family alive not just herself. Taking on this role caused her to dislike her mother. So I am pleased to see that with all essentials covered, Katniss makes an effort to understand her mother and have a better relationship. Katniss gets along better even with the cat!
• Twist in the Game (major spoilers!): When I first read that victors were safe for the rest of their lives, I saw a flaw for this dystopian society. The games demonstrate the authority's power over its subjects. Tributes are suppose to be examples of that power enforced, but the victors are actually examples of the districts' strength by beating the authority's obstacles and surviving. Allowing the victor such freedom and rewards in a dystopian society is illogical without a catch or at least behind-the-scenes punishment. Punishment is exactly what I expected and waited to read for Katniss and Peeta. Because the continued love story seemed to be the main punishment, I smiled from satisfaction and excitement when victors were re-entered into the games. I nodded my head to author Suzanne Collins for seeing that victors were a threat to the Capitol. I was also impressed with the game arena and that the cover of the book reflected it.

Wow. I am glad I decided to include spoilers because I had a lot to say for just those topics. I changed my blog title to the book's title and bumped off discussing other books.

Here are three problems I had with Catching Fire:

• Who is Katniss? After surviving the game, but no longer fighting to survive in the district, Katniss does not know herself in this book. Therefore, the reader does not get to know Katniss better other than circumstances and history. Readers may still sympathize for her because she feels trapped and confused. I realized that I missed Katniss when she re-entered the game. Her attitude may not be as strong as in the first game, but her will returned. In CF, Katniss' cluelessness expands to more than love so readers may get annoyed. If you caught on more than she did, then the ending will not be a confusing turn in events.
• Slow Burn (major spoilers!): I had expected enforced law, but the oppression felt too long for me to endure from Katniss' position and perspective. The plot starts to build once a certain character gets whipped, but then it draws on a bit. At this point, I took a break from the book because I was overwhelmed. When the new tributes were announced, I was thankful for the humor and thrill that was needed to balance the oppression, helplessness, and panic. The character Finnick contributed to this balance. He became one of my favorite characters. 
• CF Feels Like a Bridge: The second book felt mainly transitional. Without reading Mockingjay, I can tell that CF is the bridge between the first and last books. Therefore, I do not see CF as a book itself. The direction changes numerous times, but overall the plot is about transition as well. The Capitol returns to stronger enforcements and people figure out if they are rebels or not.  The rest is confusion and fear.

Family and friends have told me that Catching Fire was the long, boring book of the series. So you have to finish the second book in order to get to Mockingjay and decide if the first or last book is your favorite.

My family warned me before I started the series that it got harsh with each book. I read Catching Fire sooner than I planned to do so; therefore, I will not jumped to Mockingjay yet. I also heard that Mocking is brutal so I am encouraged more to take a break from the series.

I am still looking forward to The Hunger Games movie and still hoping that the social commentary is kept. =)

If Catching Fire is actually your favorite of the three books, please tell me what you thought of it.

2nd The Hunger Games Trailer

I started reading Catching Fire, the second book of HG trilogy, today. After reading two books in one weekend, I find myself not rationing the chapters like I did for the first book. I am 37 pages into the second book, and I am happy to see the characters in District 12 again. Thank you author Suzanne Collins for telling us more about Haymitch and returning to the relationship of Katniss and her mother.

The day I returned back to the world of The Hunger Games is when I saw the second trailer!

Gale still looks too big for his age. Now Katniss' face sticks out to me probably because I am imagining her in my mind as I read again. Otherwise the world, clothes, and other characters look fine to me. The wardrobe and fashion trends seem toned down, but I am okay with that as long as they capture "the girl on fire." ;)

Ending the trailer with the start of the game got me excited. I must ration Catching Fire to ease my anticipation for the movie. However, I won't ration only one chapter at a time.

Fictional Vacation

I was sick last weekend, and the rainy days felt longer by staying off the computer. The books I ordered had not come yet so I reread Charmed Life by Diana Wynne Jones. I had not read it from my purchased copy yet because I knew I would want to illustrate some scenes. But I needed a good book to distract me from being sick and waiting for Catching Fire (2nd book of Hunger Games) to arrive. So a compromise was made--I bookmarked the good scenes.

Charmed Life is one of my top favorite Fantasy books. The character descriptions and narration inspire me to draw and to write. I have to admit though that I'm also fond of the Chrestomanci character Chrisptoher and desire most to draw him in one of his grey suits. He is a silly, powerful man sort of like Willy Wonka. I cannot fully figured out Christopher, which is probably why he entertains me. Even if he is pretending to take the literal meaning of what children say, Christopher is still funny and charming.

An artist on Deviantart has her own fun with him by illustrating him in a love comedy:

Click HERE for more book fanart by artist chira-chira

What I also like about Charmed Life and the prequel, The Lives of Christopher Chant, are the innocent narrators and the magical realm aside from the parallel worlds. I forget myself and follow the boys through the  mischief and suspense. I was sick at home for the weekend but recovered and returned to the weekdays as if I had came back from a journey. =) I guess these books are my equivalent of the Harry Potter series to some people.




When my books did arrive, I was too hooked on Fantasy and read the prequel too. Luckily I have ordered other Fantasy books, both children and young adult, along with Catching Fire. They are:

Howl's Moving Castle also by Diana Wynne Jones. 

I already read this book as well after watching Mizaki's film adaptation. The two are different but the book answered questions for the movie such as "Why is there a parade in the town?" Plus you understand better why characters say certain things such as Howl eating girls' hearts.

Characters were omitted or combined in the adaptation. And Howl is different too; In the book, he does not come home late from fighting. Nope.



The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues by Ellen Raskin.

I already read it in high school, but at that time I instantly wanted to re-read it. However, it was banned from the library because the second main character's past actions and harsh words about the poor (vaguely remember that part) were  not suitable for children. I was drawn to the personality of that character because he is an eccentric man like Sherlock Holmes.

In addition, there was a scene where the eccentric character opens up. I must have been moved by the interaction because a melody played in my head until finished the scene. The author, Raskin, did a magnificent job of showing, not telling, the character's suppressed feelings during a discussion of a watch and its chime.

And Poison by Chris Wooding. 

For this book, I have read only half of it because of classes at that time. I first picked up this book because her brother is kidnapped by a Phaerie King like the movie Labyrinth. I bought the book because I remember liking the world and I left off at a suspenseful moment. Katniss' attitude actually reminded me of the heroine in Poison.





Catching Fire was the main book I waited for, but I am happy to own the other ones and reread them like Charmed Life. The bad reviews on Amazon for Germ and Maze Runner discouraged me from buying them. I was not sure if I wanted to own a copy and reread it later. However, I will give the two books a try at the library. Do you have any book recommendations based on what I've shared? It does not have to have a love story just characters and worlds to love. =) A good read.

My wonderful fictional vacation has inspired me to return to my own stories-in-progress. Lately I have written new ones for contests or notes for the existing ones. I am even writing on paper no the computer for a strong focus.

What books do you love reread because of its world?

The Hunger Games Cast Photos

I found cast pictures for the Hunger Games tributes (the game candidates). Here's a sunny, full-body shot. Note: Not all boys and girls are matched up by districts.

Click here for Vanity Fair's article with bios and character role tags to the cast photo. 

I thought the 1st girl was Foxface, but that actress will carry Clove's attitude. Gale looks too old. I do like the casting for Katniss, Peeta, Glimmer, and Cato. Rue was my favorite tribute so seeing her different than I imagined left me just accepting it, but the girl carries the right personality too. =) This shot though is of the actors not them as the characters so we can't judge too much by appearance. Their acting is what matters anyways!

I like these character movie posters, especially Haymitch and Effie:

By the way, I can't wait to read Catching Fire after the movie so I ordered it and will read it soon. I got the hardcover for $10 on Amazon! The next post will cover the other books I bought.

The Hunger Games trailer

A short trailer for The Hunger Games was shown at the MTV VMA.

When I read The Hunger Games, I rooted for Katniss and laughed at her remarks and social commentary. Not knowing the next move and the outcome was a thrill. Now that I know the pain she'll go through, seeing it may make me teary.

I wanted more from the trailer, but I'm already affected by hearing Gale's words over the visual of a young girl  trying to survive because of a dystopic punishment and for entertainment sake. What I know added to the trailer make Gale sound to me like he's trying to convince Katniss and even fate of her chance for survival. But he still sounds confident in her.

I'm glad I read the first book before the movie (thanks, sister). I'm also glad I have not read the second one yet because then I can feel the full weight of the ending. =) Save myself some thrill and suspense in the movie.

The anticipation though may win me over. But that's how The Hunger Games book was as well. You say you'll read just one more chapter and stop after three or four chapters instead. Haha.

The Hunger Games comes out in theaters in March. Katniss is played Jennifer Lawrence, who was Mystique in X-men: First Class.

SD Comic Con

Hello! Sorry I haven't posted for a while. This summer has been busy (such as working at Legoland), but great.  I want to share some photos and panel news from the San Diego Comic Con this past July.

I love how even the attendees are a part of the experience. In the photo below, I stand next to a cosplayer from The Green Hornet (2011):

Me with a Kato (Green Hornet) cosplayer!

Cosplaying is dressing up as a fictional character. I have cosplayed before, but now I just dress-up somehow. On the second day, I wore my Super Maio Bro's mushroom hat along with a blue vest and blue pinstripe pants. Next year I'll wear my new Luigi hat. ;)

More cosplayers:

Kiki and Tombo from Kiki's Delivery Service

Luna and Artemis from Sailor Moon

On the right: Frank the 6-foot bunny in Donnie Darko

Planet of the Apes

Angry Birds the game

Katniss from The Hunger Games

I appreciate the cosplayers who depict small details. The Katniss cosplayer is not only carrying her bow, but also the bright, orange pack used in the game!

Speaking of The Hunger Games, I stopped by their booth and got THE golden mockingjay pin as a freebie!

Movie posters as big as a door were also handed out.

Some Panel News

There were at least two panels that discussed fandom and cosplayers. I had hoped to attend one of the panels but I volunteered and had other panels as a higher priority. I also did not have a chance to stop by David Malki's booth to say I submitted to the Machine of Death anthology. Accepted entries are announced in October.

Anyway, here are some lines from the two panel descriptions:

Comics Arts Conference Session #1: Fan Studies

Scott Daniel Boras (Arizona State University) relates his experiences as "Ethnography Man," researching the world of cosplay at Comic-Con and investigating how cosplay both subverts and reinforces codes of conduct, and in the end is more about transcendence than escape. Beverly Taylor (School of the Art Institute of Chicago) presents her research into how the culture of physique athletes -- body builders, figure, and fitness athletes -- is influenced and inspired by superheroes, even to the point of considering their lives outside the gym to be their secret identities. ...

Obsession: How TV and Movies Go from Fascination to Phenomenon

 ...what does it take to turn a series or movie into something special that we can't live without? This panel from BuddyTV.com examines that topic from all points of view: the writers and producers who create the projects, the actors who star in them, and the fans who consume them. ...

Hopefully, the discussions can be found online or in print.

The IDW panel mentioned its program "Sparkles for Blood." You can trade a Twilight book for their comic "30 Days of Night" to learn what a real vampire is.

 The IDW staff even gave away traded Twilight hardback novels which can be traded back for the vampire comic.

Last bit of news I'm sharing is that even Football players co-write comics.

Lance Briggs at Top Cow panel

Lance Briggs joined the panel of comic-distributor Top Cow to discuss his comic idea, Seraph, which combines his Christian faith with his passion for comics. The comic is about of a man who committed suicide, and then he is given a second chance as a warrior for Heaven. He must follow God's guidelines in his battles.

Lance Briggs' comic pilot Seraph

Lance Briggs is a co-writer of the story and competing with other new comics in Top Cow's Pilot Season. More may  be stated Brigg's social network of comics at Lance's Comic World.

And Legos!

Because I'm working the summer season at Legoland, I had to check out the booth for Lego. I saw smiling, engaged children like I do at work plus Scrappy!

Scrappy cosplayer crawls over legos to his father dressed as Scooby-doo.

 Iconic figures made from legos were found in the whole exhibit hall.

Batman made from legos

Well, I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of my visit at SD Comic Con. If you are interested in going, then I have to warn you that this past year, tickets sold out on the first day of registration. So start checking for the day of registration in Feburary at www.Comic-Con.org. There you can also find out about a few other comic cons such as APE and Wonder Con.