The Nerdy Nook

ASOI&F: A Storm of Swords (#somespoilers)

We’re here again, back in Westeros and occasionally Easteros. In this rendition of A Song of Ice and Fire, the turmoil of having five, now four, kings in the world heats up. There’s talk of wildlings wanting to overtake the Wall, and Mance Rayder. A new faith has replaced the faith of the Seven, like in the second book, but is now in full force. R’hllor, the Lord of Light, God of Fire, is the one that Stannis and his wife now worship. Arya is still on the road, trying to survive. There’s more songs to hear, more tales to tell in this installment of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Fiddler on the Roof

Wow. This is all I can say when it comes to Fiddler on the Roof at the Orpheum: Wow. Fiddler at the Orpheum was amazing.

Fiddler is the story of a poor milkman, Tevye, and his family–his wife Golde and their five daughters. Five daughters. As his three oldest girls find men in their lives and fall in love, Tevye must decide whether he will let his daughters marry the men of their choice, or fall back on the tradition of their Jewish community in Anatevka. Throughout the musical, the basis of tradition is met with new ideas, such as radicalism, and love. Fiddler is clever, funny, and heartfelt. Since I know the story, I was very excited to see the play. I wasn’t disappointed.

Norse Mythology

Neil Gaiman is a god when it comes to writing. So it’s quite befitting that he writes about the Norse gods and goddesses, and the world in which they live. In this collection of myths, you read about Loki, Thor, Odin the All Father, and Freya, as well as monsters, the creation of the world, and giants.

Legion: The Many Lives of Stephan Leeds

Stephen Leeds isn’t crazy, but his hallucinations are: My name is Stephen Leeds, and I am perfectly sane. My hallucinations, however, are all quite mad (pg. 15). Stephen lives in a huge mansion, where his aspects as he prefers to call his hallucinations, all have their own rooms. His main team consist of people with various skills–such as historian, gunslinger, computer analyst, and coding decryption. Stephen lives alone, with a butler for company–later followed by his butler’s young niece.

Dear Evan Hanson: The Novel

Dear Evan Hanson the novel is a little different from the musical, but the message is the same: You will be heard. You will be found. The novel is just as good as the musical, but I still feel that the musical is a little better than the book. I wish certain information that was in the book could have been in the musical, but I am content either way with how both the novel and the musical turned out.

Wonder

August–Auggie for short–Pullman is just like any other ten-year-old kid. He loves Star Wars, he loves to read, he’s funny, and he loves his dog Daisy. Auggie was born with a rare genetic condition, one that has required him to have seventeen surgeries. While his face doesn’t look like every other kid’s, he still acts just like every other kid. He has fears, he has dreams, and he wants to be accepted just like everyone else.

The Interestings

At Spirit in the Woods, six gifted kids meet and become fast friends. In one of the boys teepees, Julie hangs out with Ash, Ethan, Jonah, Goodman, and Cathy. These teens want to become artists, dancers, or construct buildings. As they get older, as they mature and become adults, the Interestings as they call themselves, try to stay in touch.

The Rising

Bad weather. Unexplained hangings. Pirates.

In this installment of Morgan Brice’s Badlands series, homicide detective Vic and his clairvoyant boyfriend Simon face a new threat–a threat that deals with pirates, vengeful spirits, and a haunted manor. The Rising also focuses on how Simon and Vic’s continually growing relationship, especially how they are stronger together than when they are apart.

The Music of Castlevania

Trevor Morris composes a rich world, one fraught with danger. The music for Castlevania is really good, one that captures the adventure and treacherous land of Wallacia, in the 1400s. Morris has done a fantastic job of creating a memorable atmosphere with his score. I love the theme for this TV show, which captures the adventure and danger present in the show.

Castlevania is based loosely off of the video game of the same name: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. (I haven’t played the video game, but Rory has. It’s one of his favorite older video games.)

I love the orchestra & the use of a choir for the soundtrack. It fuels the intensity & danger of the anime. The show itself is fraught with both human and supernatural monsters. Some of these creatures are demons, while others are wicked people.

Bells, drums, and vocals drive this soundtrack. These sounds present a soundscape for the dangerous road ahead for our heroes: Trevor Bellmont, Alucard, and the mage Speaker.

One of my favorite songs is the one in which Trevor fights Alucard. He’s a monster hunter fighting an old vampire, and the fight is intense. It shows the viewer how hard it is to fight with a supernatural being, even with training under your belt. Alucard moves with super-human speed and deft grace, while Trevor moves quickly and with judgement. His reaction time to Alucard is amazing, quick and on the offensive.

Overall, this is a unique soundtrack. It’s memorable, fun, and foreboding. I’m looking forward to more epic music by Morris for Castlevania. I’m excited for the next season! I want to know what awaits our heroes and their adventures as monster hunters.

Lucky Town

This is a Badlands novella, the sequel to Badlands. I was excited to return to the world of Vic and Simon, who are some of my favorite characters. In this novel, Simon discovers that two murders–one in Myrtle Beach and another in Pittsburgh–are supernaturally linked. He also learns that one of the Old Ones–a very old mythical creature–is making people’s lives miserable after giving them a year of splendor. This takes place just before Christmas, too. Can Vic and Simon stop a Krampus before it’s too late?

Boy Erased

When Garrard Conley comes to the realization that he’s gay–he’s known since junior high–he does his best to keep it hidden, balling the truth up inside himself. He has a lot at stake: his parents are conservative, under the impression that homosexuality is a sin. His father, once Garrard is outed by the guy who sexually assaults him, threatens to stop paying for college if he acts on his impulses.