Falling Skies: Season 2, Episode 9: The Price of Greatness

  The 2^nd Massachusetts has arrived in Charleston, land of milk and honey (and all being gathered in one place for a nice big attack – yes I still question the wisdom of this) and Colonel Porter congratulates them on how long they’ve lasted out there, his own unit having been largely wiped out.

The New Charleston is an underground mall, a construction that survived the destruction of the city. They walk down into a food court  where people are eating (meals that are far better than what the 2^nd Massachusetts has been eating) and they all stand to give them a standing ovation for what they did out in the field. Captain Weaver gets to reunite with his daughter. And Pope is already plotting with the berserkers to leave.

Matt is happy to be where there are other kids and even a school (and if you think a kid missing school is unbelievable, try to grasp that Ann and Tom, after weeks of rations and privations, are tucking into a salad. Yes, salad. Who, after weeks of unappetising rations, craves lettuce?)  and Tom gets to reunite with an old professor – Arthur Manchester. He’s the majority leader of the new congress and presumptive president

Weaver goes to see Charleston’s General. With the intelligence Weaver has from the field, he offers to use his people to scout. But the General doesn’t want to know and doesn’t need scouts - he dismisses Colonel Porter when he protests.

It turns out that Manchester, as the civilian leader, refuses to provoke the aliens. It’s believe that the aliens have no reason to hit Charleston again since they think it’s pacified, and it’s best to hide and “rebuild” rather than pick fights. It’s apparent that the General isn’t Manchester’s best friend.

But there’s a ruckus since the Charleston folks want to disarm the 2^nd Massachusetts and spread them out around the place. Tom and Ann aren’t happy but Colonel Porter talks Weaver around, having them disarm and spread to where they’re assigned.

The next day it’s all domestic with Ann and Tom going to their various assignments – with Tom reporting to Manchester who has statesmen dreams of putting together a new government for a post-invasion world (ink on paper after the aliens aren’t about, methinks). But there’s a confidence vote for his government coming up and he wants Tom to speak for him (how can he speak for him? He has no idea what the government is doing!) Tom takes the chance to tell him about Red Eye and the rebel Skitters – which Manchester greets by saying they can stand back and let them kill each other. He’s adamantly against any kind of alliance, or poking his head out of the hole, and won’t do anything to threaten the city – which he links to the vote.

Fangs for the Fantasy Episode 80

This week we discuss True Blood and the season getting past its wallowing, it’s soapiness, actually having some plot and moving forwards. Though we do complain about how easy it now is to kill vampires. But Russel was awesome.

We discuss Teen Wolf with how much we’re surprisingly loving this series – but also how awful both the Argents in general are and Allison in particular is. We also discuss how race is portrayed on Teen Wolf.

We also discuss Warehouse 13 – and how a slow paced episode was ideal at the place in the series. And we talk about Alphas and the eternally manipulative Dr. Rosen and how I’m Team Stanton Parish. We also discuss Sinbad.

Our book of the week is Biting Cold by Chloe Neill.

Our next books of the week:

13/8-20/8: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

20/8-27/8: Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander

27/8-3/9: Storm Dancer by Jay Kristoff
3/9-10/9: Constantine Affliction by T Aaron Payton
10/9-17/9: Tempest Rising: Tracy Deebs
17/9-24/9: Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman

Review: Biting Cold by Chloe Neill, Book 6 of the Chicagoland Vampires

 Merit and the newly resurrected Ethan are on a road trip to desperately find the Malefacium, a book of all of magic’s evil that has been sealed away for millennia. Mallory, Merit’s best friend and a sorceress, has been driven to her limit by her addiction to dark magic and is determined to bring down the barriers of good and evil – no matter the cost and no matter who it hurts.

But Mallory isn’t the only one interested in the book. Tate, the former Mayor of Chicago, drug dealer, murderer and supernatural being of unknown origin is also after the book for his own purposes. When they find it, the story is just beginning, because a whole new force is unleashed on the world. Tate’s nature is revealed, and it’s worse than any of them expected.

Finding out how to stop him seems an almost impossible task as they dig through the records of history, consulting magic, fae and gnomes in an attempt to bring him to heel.

To add to the drama, Cadogan house faces ongoing investigation from both the Greenwich Prisidium and the Mayor of Chicago. And, after Ethan’s resurrection, there’s ongoing magical problems that may threaten his relationship with Mallory.

This series continues to have the wonderful, wide, rich world I love. The different supernatural creatures, all with their own unique twists that set them apart from other Urban Fantasy really adds to make this a unique series.

I like the characters, they’re very human now they’ve finally grown up. And Merit’s relationship with Lindsey and the other guards and friendly vampires is great fun – and shows a mundane side to the protagonist’s life that most urban fantasy’s miss. Most protagonists are either fighting, worrying or having sex, it’s rare to see them sitting around having a pizza night. And I do love Merit’s love of food, it’s a nice human quality to her, even though I generally don’t like vampires eating.

The story itself is decently paced with few flat down time moments. It twists quite abruptly from what I expected with the epic fight for the Malefacium being over almost instantly, but leading to a new, much more epic conflict that also fills in a lot of the gaps from before.

True Blood Season Five Episode Ten: Gone, Gone, Gone

 

This episode opens with a news report of vampire attacks due to the dwindling of true blood resources.  Steve Newlin of course goes on television to assure people that they continue to be safe.  Sookie walks into the room and turns off the television. When she hears a knock at her door, she brings a gun to open it.  It's Mike the coroner, who tells her that he is there about the body and then releases his fangs.  He takes a bite from her leg saying "I always liked you Sookie, but I had no idea" Sookie ends the problem by stabbing him with chop sticks. 

At the compound Molly is brought before Salome and Bill and told to accept the word of Lilith.  Instead of begging for her life, she tells them that they are creating havoc based in a book worth a thousand years old. Bill says may Lilith bless you before using Molly's own device to kill her. Steve gets excited and Salome has to tell him to be calm. It is clear that the message this season is how dangerous religious fanaticism is. We are practically being beaten over the head with this theme and it makes me want to scream I get it already.

Poor Hoyt is getting a ride from his mother home from the hospital  and she has plans to move him back in.  She says that she had to stand over Hoyt's bed to stop Jessica from giving him blood.  Hoyt has plans to move to Alaska to work in the oil fields and his mother is not impressed.  I actually hope he leaves because his character is useless.

The new sheriff is counting the take for the night and is not impressed. He suggests that they add a peep show to increase profits and informs Pam that unless she procreates, he will take control of the Fangtasia and Tara.  It seems that the authority is trying to increase the number of vampires.

Andy shows up to investigate Mike's death. Sookie is sure that he couldn't have been more than a day old.  They discuss his various perversions and fetishes and feel that what happened was not so bad. Sookie even brings up his desire to suck her toes when Mike was under the control of Marianne.

Eric is brought in and Bill tells him that he only has so long to convert.  Bill wants to help him because Eric saved his life.  Nora forces Eric's mouth open and Bill puts a few drops of Lilith's blood in his mouth.  Bill leaves the room to watch Eric on the monitor.  In front of Eric, instead of Lilith, Godric appears.  Eric tells Godric that he tried to save Nora and Godric says that Lilith is a Godless God.  Behind Godric, a naked Lilith appears and Nora begs for his forgiveness. Eric screams fight her but Godric says, "it's not I who must fight her," as Lilith rips his throat out. 

Steve and Russel are dancing and Russel tells him that there is a way for them to walk in the sun. They are dancing in a room surrounded by dead bodies that they have killed. You now damn well that this is just another way to rope Sookie back into the story.  I am so displeased that they have decided to make Russel and Steve a couple.  I don't like the idea that just because two gay men are in a room that they have to be lovers.  It's also worth noting that in this scene the camera pulls away from the two men and only implies a kiss, rather than showing it.  How nice and progressive eh.  I see shades of Jesus and Lafayette.

At Merlott's, a man threatens Jessica but Lafayette and Sam disarm them. Jason is shocked to see Jessica without her guards.  Their conversation stops when Hoyt walks in. Hoyt tells them that he is leaving because his home is where is girlfriend left him for his best friend and his mother smothers him. He asks Jessica to glamor him and make him forget about her because he never wants to dream about her ever again.  Jessica asks him to reconsider and Hoyt adds that he wants to forget about Jason as well and says that it's the last thing he will ever ask of her.  This was a really touching scene and so very well acted.

Fangs for the Fantasy Book of the Week

Every week on the Fangs for the Fantasy podcast (archives here) we read a book and discuss it on the show. The review for the book of the week always goes up on 3:00pm (EST) on a Monday (Monday’s book review).

To give people a chance to read along with us, every Monday we’re also going to include a list of our planned books of the week for the next few shows, so people can get the books, read them and join in the conversation.

6/8-13/8: Biting Cold by Chloe Neill

13/8-20/8: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

20/8-27/8: Night Shifted by Cassie Alexander

27/8-3/9: Storm Dancer by Jay Kristoff

3/9/-10/9: Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander

We will discuss each book on the latter date – so on the 27th August, we will discuss Storm Dancer by Jay Kristoff

We will post a new list every Monday with any changes or new books.

Face off: Miss, Good Riddence and PLEASE GO!

Sadly everything comes to an end - and this definitely applies to Urban Fantasy television series. We’ve seen some awesome series end, others we’ve been glad to see go - and yet others we’re counting  down the days until they can finally be cancelled.

So we decided to have a competition in the same vein as the old Marry, Fuck, Kill Game: Which show will you miss? Which show were you glad to see the back off? Which show just needs to END already?





Sparky
Missed Show:
Other than the obvious (Firefly, oh Firefly, I miss thee - as all right thinking people do), I think I’m going to go with The Dresden Files. Not because it was good - but because it was GETTING good, just as it ended. It felt like it was just getting in its stride. Of course, with it gone I lay in hope that maybe, just maybe, someone may try again, but do it right this time.

Glad it’s Gone:
The Secret Circle oh dear gods, reviewing that show was down-right painful. The plot made no sense, it destroyed its own canon, the characters were beyond vapid and I loathed all of them. Sarcasm was the only thing kept me going.

Please just END!
I’m going to say it... and I know someone will shoot me for this. But I’m going to go with... True Blood. Not, I hasten to add in a desperate attempt not to be killed, because it’s the worst thing out there - it’s not, Vampire Diaries, American Horror Story and Sinbad are all much less fun to watch. But True Blood seems to be slowly descending in quality and I think I’d like it to end now when I can remember it fondly, than for it to slowly drag on, more zombie than vampire and definitely beginning to smell.

Dark Angel, Season 1, Episode 7: Cold Comfort

 Another day in dystopian Seattle, only this time we don’t start with Max. We start with a woman hiding in a freezer who runs when discovered – and when she’s clear she uses the advanced senses Max has to check for pursuers – and she has a tattoo on the back of her neck.

It’s Brin, another X-5 and she’s on the run and calling for help after a close call with Lydecker’s people. Speaking of Lydecker, he’s quite literally taking a hit on the Pope, using “his kids” as assassins. In exchange, Lydecker wants more funding for Mantecore, to bring to the next stage – but he can’t while the X5s remain at large.

Max comes home to find Kendra away with her boyfriend – and Zack, injured and near collapse. He came to help Brin, but men took her (using tasers) and injured him (using a car) in the process. She gets him help – taking him to Logan and Bling, which Zack isn’t happy about. And she wants to rescue Brin – which Zack is even less happy about; he had given up on her and is moving on to keep the other X5s safe. As the last time we saw him, Zack is still very much in a Mantecore mentality, worrying about security and trying to command Max. And like last time, Max isn’t having it.

Logan starts using his eyes-only information net to try and find out when Brin is being taken out of the city. They don’t find much, but they do find a lot of history about Lydecker, his exemplary military record until his wife was murdered, then him becoming an alcoholic in the aftermath. Looking at this and discovering Lydecker’s in the AA programme, Max and Zack go infiltrate the local meeting to see if they can follow him.

And by follow, Max means capture and stuff in the boot of a car. To take him to a nice isolated location where they can ask Lydecker lots of questions about Brin with their fists. Lydekcer realises he has been captured by  X5s, tries to guess which ones have him while assuring them that he doesn’t have Brin. They don’t believe him so he recites their torture training and breaks his own finger – well, he’s a very obliging prisoner, isn’t he? He suggests that there are any number of foreign governments that would pay a fortune for Mantecore technology – and there are many people who would kidnap an X5 to sell them. He suggests they check various military contacts to see if anyone’s offering a transgenic super-soldier for sale.

Max sends Zack to see Logan and check his contacts (she doesn’t want to leave Zack alone with Lydecker in case “something tragic happens”.)

Hex: Season 2, Episode 7: Noir

 On the side of Team Evil, Jez/Ramiel, the demon-priest has now become the official headmaster of Medenham, alas poor David, the awesome headmaster.

On Team Good, Ella is back to full form, magically and physically, and she, Leon and Thelma have snuck back into the school to hide out in one of the many many many abandoned rooms and hidden passages.

Leon returns to the school as a student, giving Jez his cover story and playing the act of confused, lovesick teenager who didn’t have a clue what was happening, where Ella is or what Ella is for that matter, talking his way back in to be reunited with Tom. Which gives Leon a chance to ask him why he gave them away – to which Tom points the finger at Roxanne who pretended she cared.

Back at Team Evil, Jez is convinced Ella has crawled off somewhere to die and so he can tell Azazeal that it’s safe for him to bring Malachi to the school. Azazeal is worried and cautious about his son’s safety, especially since his master has demanded he leave Malachi alone. Azazeal wants Jez/Ramiel to question Leon further.

He prepares for Malachi’s going to the school, but his caution frustrates Malachi, who also has little faith in Jez, either.

There’s a nice little confrontation with Leon and Roxanne and we see more of Roxanne’s friends abandon her. Her being a tool for Jez is pushing everyone away. Roxanne turns to Jez to try and explain this, how she’s completely isolated, but he’s more interest in having sex with her. And Thelma’s interested in capturing it all on video camera – so she can Ella can watch it later with popcorn and sarcastic commentary.

And share a copy of the tape with Sir Ralph, the school governor, of course. Who is not amused.

Jez forces Leon to take remedial Kendo (yes, Kendo is an obligatory part of the curriculum, as Judo was earlier in the season, Jez has a fetish for Japanese martial arts it seems) wherein he intends to question him further about Ella at Azazeal’s urging. And since Azazeal advocated torture, he probably intends it to be unpleasant.

Or it would be if the full gear of Kendo didn’t hide the identity of the fighter and allow Ella to step in for Leon – the fight in which Jez intended to beat Leon goes the other way instead. Ella reveals herself to the stunned and hurt Jez, who loses his temper and attacks her with a straight razor. Ok, yes it has an edge, which a Kendo sword doesn’t, but if you can’t beat someone with a 4 foot club while you’re carrying the same, swapping it for a 4 inch blade isn’t going to give you an advantage. Ella promptly beats him to the ground.

All of this is witnessed by… Malachi. Who also locks the doors to prevent Jez escaping, not being Jez’s greatest fan. Ella throttles Jez, making intense eye contact with Malachi while he does.

Later, Sir Ralph and Awesome Headmaster David, enter the chapel and discuss Jez’s body – found hanging from the rafters. Their theory is Jez realised he had been rumbled having an affair with a student so decided to end it all. And yes, it’s immensely satisfying.