Happy Hobbit Day

Today is 09/22, that makes it Hobbit Day.  Both Frodo and Bilbo were born on this day, several years apart, a very long time ago (they are real to me!).  Hobbit Day takes place during Tolkien Week.  The Hobbit or There and Back Again was published on 09/21 (my birthday!, told you it was real to me and I consequently fantasized that my parents got my birthday wrong or that Tolkien miscalculated Bilbo and Frodo's).  This is the 75th anniversary of the Hobbit's publication. 

Happy Birthday The Hobbit!  Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo Baggins (what is a bagginsis?)!
 

NPR's top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

NPR has published their list of the top 100 scifi and fantasy books.  I have read or attempted the top 10.  Actually out of the top 30, I had read or attempted 27.  I finished with a total of 52 complete.  I disagreed with some (Neverwhere was good, but how is it there and not Good Omens and why is Gaiman on here four times).  I think Hitchhiker is top ten book but I don’t think it is A. #2 on the list, nor B. the best science fiction entry.  I had at least heard of most of the science fiction entries, but can’t say the same for the fantasy entries especially #18 The Kingslayer Chronicles.  I mean on a list where I have read 27 of the top 30 and have seen movie versions of two more, I have never even heard of #18. 

I think a lot of authors got a bump due to being very hot right now.  Brandon Sanderson, for instance, had three things on here and I just don’t think he is going to be that relevant in 20-30 years.  It is worth noting that this list isn’t really a best of list, but more of a popularity contest.  A lot of people have commented on the fact that the list should have been split or that an author should only be allowed on the list once.  These are great ideas. 

Pleasant surprise-  Mary Stewart’s The Crystal Cave

Glaring omission-  John Steakley’s Armor.

  

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Friday Quiz- Animated Movies

This weeks quiz- Animated Movies
Next weeks quiz- Cartoon Shows

$200-  Earth is being evacuated and the seed ship is lost.  Humanity is living on the fringe looked down upon by alien cultures in this movie that mixes traditional animation and CGI. 
$400-  This movie is about extremely smart rodents that must move a house to save a child. 
$600-  Sen is a girl forced to grow up and save her family in this Miyazaki fantasy
$800-  This fantasy was the first animated movie to ever be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award.  It lost to Silence of the Lambs.
$1000- The 1978 animated version of Lord of the rings used this animation technique to give some scenes more realism. 

Character Assassination

Certainly this week, there’s been a lot of increasing chatter about the upcoming finale of the tv show LOST (it’s penultimate episode is this evening in the US). Now, I’ve liked this show from the get-go and am excited, anxious and incredibly curious to see how the show runners have decided to end it – but I’ll tell you one reason in particular I have really enjoyed and appreciate this show.