Yay Me: A Purchase

[vacantlook]

I've got a bit of a happy going at the moment, and I wanted to share because, as Mark Twain once said, "...to get the full value of a joy you must have somebody to divide it with."

I got some very lovely mail today: books ordered. I now own, and will get to read, the PsiCorps trilogy and The Shadown Within. I'm quite excited about this!

Additionally, and non-B5 related, but jms-related, I also got the trade paperback of Midnight Nation, about which I think I am even more excited to finally have than I am the B5 novels.

So, sharing the joy, I hope you don't mind.

[Jan]

As Spider Robinson says, "Shared pain is decreased, shared joy is increased."

Congrats on your purchases. Have you read the Midnight Nation series before? If not, you're in for a treat.

Do let us know what you think of each as you read them, okay?

Jan

[vacantlook]

Nope, I haven't read Midnight Nation before, nor have I the PsiCorps trilogy or The Shadow Within: so I anticipate many moments of joy to come. From everything I've read on this board from people who have read Midnight Nation, I'm thinking that I'm definitely going to end up loving it.

[Jan]

Ooh, you *lucky* thing! To have all that new B5/JMS stuff ahead of you. I'm SO jealous! In the nicest possible way, of course. <g>

Jan

[vacantlook]

I've also debated whether or not I wanna get the Mongoose B5 RPG books. I know there's a lot of them, and they're kinda expensive, and I don't exactly have anyone to play any B5 RPG with, but they are still B5 stuff and might have interesting information that I wouldn't mind having for inspirational purposes and what not.

[David Panzer]

Picking up Midnight Nation was a very wise move. It's a great read and well worth the price. I'd also suggest Rising Stars, then Supreme Power if you're interested in more comic works of JMS.

I've been able to find copies of the B5 role-playing books at my local comic store. I'm interested in creating and playing a character of my own in the B5 universe since it's been a few years since my college days when I did any role-playing. I still have the character sheets for my blind mage and golem around here...anyway, I'd love to obtain those B5 books, but since I'm not in college and those I role played with live outside Memphis, finding anyone here in town interested in role-playing, and even B5 is very tough. The only other B5 fan in town I know of is Colonyearth, but I'm not sure if he's into role-playing.

[vacantlook]

I've read the first two trade paperbacks of Rising Stars and eagerly await the third. And I'm sure I'll end up meandering over to Supreme Power eventually too.

[vacantlook]

For the record:...

I started Midnight Nation this morning at like 8-ish. I finished it a couple handfulls of minutes ago. It was quite good, as expected. It gave me a moment or two of inability to breathe toward the end. I definitely enjoyed reading it. I'm even considering purchasing a second copy of the trade paperback and giving it to my best friend as a gift. She's never been interested in comics; but I think if I pressed her, I could get her to read this one. And based off of the conversation I had with her on the phone last night, she needs some hope right about now.

[Jan]

The afterword by JMS alone is worth the price of that book, imo, and might also help your friend. Good luck to her.

Thanks for the update.

Jan

[vacantlook]

Thank you, Jan. I hope it'll help her too.

I think I'm also going to go back through it and read it much more slowly so I can ponder each step of the story more. I came away from reading it feeling somewhat renewed; I just need to now figure out how so that I can sustain that on my own outside of reading the story.

[Jan]

The image I keep carrying in my mind is the people all huddled around the fires afraid to do anything or change their lives. I think the fundraising I did last year was likely the direct result of that part of the story.

Jan

[vacantlook]

Yeah, the campfire revelation was one of the more iconic moments that stuck with me as I read the story. I certainly identified with the position and fear of the campfire characters as I've been there a whole lot in my life.

Other parts that stuck with me are (don't read if you haven't read Midnight Nation but plan to):



The comment about the rain gathering in the eyes of the murdered man at the beginning. The crime scene of the murdered informant. Laurel waking up. Lazarus confronting the Walkers in the alleyway. Cathi's story. Drake's blood covered hand and blood splattered face. Walker-Drake crying hearing the thank you from his wife. Walker-Drake waiting slumped in the phonebooth until the shadows of night fall all over the street for the others to come kill him. The Walkers trying to get Sarah to kill herself. The first time Laurel asks David if he wants her to kill him. The Walkers showing up afterward with their endless, "Shah," which was just funny to me. Lucifer (I don't know if he was ever officially named, but I'm assuming that that's who he is) telling his side of things, and the look of those insane eyes of his. David talking to Old-David, especially the statements that David doesn't get his soul back and that he kills Laurel. The look of incredible sadness on Lucifer's face when he sees Laurel after she changes into the white gown on her way to be prepped for the crucifixion. The one-panel page of Lucifer standing on top of a building looking out over the city speaking on hope and hearing the underlying statement of how he himself lost hope. Lucifer's flinching when the Walkers nail the spikes into Laurel. Lucifer's quiet pleading with Laurel to rebel so she can stop being killed over and over. David's momentary viewing of Laurel's blinding light self. The presentation of the choice and the revelation that it is if David takes back his soul that will turn him into one of the Lucifer's green monsters. David giving his soul to Laurel and the beam of light that goes up into the night sky. I stopped breathing about when Arthur sees the light in the sky and tears up. And I loved finding out what Lazarus was looking into the sky for way back at the beginning. David's disappearing and Lucifer's comment "Well. I certainly didn't see that coming." Birth of Baby-Laurel. The revisit to the conversation between David and Old-David, this time from the perspective of knowing what Old-David's comments truly mean. Lazarus's looking in the rear view mirror of the car and the one with the flaming sword being there.

And having jms's detailing where the story came from out of his life was indeed most appropriate to read AFTER having read the story. I don't think it would have quite the same impact if it was read before reading the story.

[Jan]

And having jms's detailing where the story came from out of his life was indeed most appropriate to read AFTER having read the story. I don't think it would have quite the same impact if it was read before reading the story.

(need to re-read so not commenting on the rest at the moment)

I think that story would have had an impact no matter when, but coming fresh from MN, yeah, there was an extra punch.

Have you ever read JMS's Tales from the New Twilight Zone? His 'tale of the tale' before each episode is great. Sometimes funny, sometimes intense, sometimes just a good tale.

Jan

[Joansie]

I have read both Demon Night and Othersyde. I did find both of those a very good read. I didn't realize that Demon Night was his first novel. I can sure understand why he was so good at writing for The Twilight Zone. He is quite a versatile writer.