Haven Walkur

Madness

Dream Boy

Delirium

Kaleidoscope

george R.R. Martin's novels are frustrating and ultimately pointless

Yes, _A Game of Thrones_ and the sequel _A Clash of Kings_ were technically well-written. The grammar was good, the mechanics were excellent. But Martin should be aware that he isn't writing real world _history_! By the end of the first book, I was very weary of the way that NOTHING EVER ENDED. Martin seems to think he can simply retell real world European history, with all its ambiguities and unanswered questions, and that will make an adequate story. He sets up elaborate situations, but rather than resolving them, he "buries" them under the rush of other events. He seems to think that this makes a good story...well, he's wrong.

Not only are there no resolutions in either book, but none of the characters ever grow, develop or become greater than themselves. Throughout wildly changing circumstances, the characters continue to do the same foolish, disagreeable or ignorant things. They don't learn. As a fantasy novel reader, I _live_ for characters that finally, heroically become more than they ever have been before...as the commercial says, "Be all that you can be." And Martin's characters never do. Martin is telling his characters--and his readers--that he won't have any change and growth of characters, because it would only detract from his amazing sweeping plots.

So, I would recommend _against_ starting Martin's multi-book epic. If you do, you'll regret it...and be left resentful, frustrated and out the time and money it took to acquire and read the damn thing.

Q) What's the most attract-ive thing Iron Man's ever seen?

A) Popcorn on the Primal Pattern

Q) What will the well-dressed villainnesses be wearing this season?

A) The coccyx...and a small red marsupial

NICE problem, Ghost Who Walks!

The alien is definitely dead? No hope of rendering aid? Then Gamma Girl--who's a bit like Nightwing, but with forcefield powers--quickly searches the body for ID, or anything that would help verify the alien's allegations about the Vice-President. She'd keep careful track of those screeching car tires, and once the cardoors started slamming and the running feet hit the sidewalk outside, she'd get the hell out, leaving the body of the poor alien behind to slow down or mislead his pursures.

Gamma Girl would do some careful poking around to establish whether the alien was telling the truth about trying to prevent the attack on the President; talk to people, do a little judicious B&E, review tapes and files of the event. Hey, I majored in snooping [(Streetwise (16-), Conversation (16-)] back in Snoop School! She'd be careful, because if he _were_ telling the truth, others on the Viper payroll might be looking for anyone getting nosy. And what if the alien _were_ trying to prevent an assassination attempt?

Then begins the biggest undercover operation of Gamma Girl's career; investigating the Vice-President for Viper connections. This would involve stealth, conversation, acting and a new intern on the White House staff. Fortunately, I majored in sneaking and spying [(Acting (16-),Perception (14-)] back in Snoop School! If Gamma Girl has proof--and time--she'd take her info to a well-established news magazine that wouldn't be afraid to annoy the government. "Village Voice" or "Rolling Stone"...both are liberal as hell, but at least they're widely _read_.

If Gamma Girl doesn't _have_ time (Viper is about to seize control of the U.S. and start another world war, or something like that), she'd have to overcome her CVK and take the Supreme Serpent down herself. Yes, it would mean being hunted as an assassin, but the world would be saved _to_ hunt her, and she could work to clear her name afterwards...for as long as she survived.

name for a hero and his flawed duplicate

Hey, Blue:

How are you doing so far with your hero and his villainous flawed duplicate? I've seen some interesting ideas flying about the board, but I'm not certain which--if any--you've ended up selecting.

As far as names for the pair; how about

Hero Name: Free Will

Villain(ness) Name: Suffragette

Steal often and only from the best

I have arrived! Another poster wants steal--ah, borrow--a name I suggested. Thanks, McCoy, and you are certainly welcome to the name. I feel so actualized...

How about the Hekatonchires (hek-ah-ton-KY-rees), after the hundred-handed giants of Greek myth, who guard the captive Titans in hell?

And by the way, "Gibraltar"--as in Rock of Gibraltar and Straight of Gibraltar--is spelled -ar, not -er.

Does anyone remember "Sapphire and Steel"?

I watched "Sapphire and Steel" in England in 1980, and in New Zealand the following year. I don't know if it appeared in the U.S. The show began with a list of icons representing the various team-members, and two are highlighted, while a voice-over announces that "Sapphire and Steel have been assigned." I think the characters were supposed to be modern-day humans fulfilling some kind of office, and I theeeenk David McCullum played Steel. I don't remember who the woman playing Sapphire was. The characters had psychic abilities and enhanced attributes...and some futuristic tech, I believe.

Would they fit?

My most unusual character?

I'm normally a fan of angst-and-dark-secrets-type characters...check out the sig line for further clarification. But once, I ended up playing a paladin of a benevolent Death Goddess in a friend's game. My paladin's name was Merillion, and her goddess was Tory the Merciful, the Final Friend...a thoroughly _good_ goddess.

Merillion was a big brick (another departure for me), with a sunny disposition and a never-ending string of one-liners. "Well, Death _is_ nature's way of telling you to slow down." She not only didn't mope, she didn't take herself very seriously at all; "Don't mind me, I'm just part of the funeral arrangements." She was friendly and open, didn't know the meaning of the word "angst"...and she didn't even _like_ black!

I think that a cheerful and irreverant paladin of death has to be the most unusual character _I've_ ever played.