The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: November 2016 Blog List

 

Greetings to all!  I hope you'll join us for the next installment of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, an online gathering of bloggers who love books.  The next meeting is set for Friday, November 25th.  If you're interested, please sign on to the link list at the end of this post.

The idea is simple: on the last Friday of each month, post about the best book you've finished over the past month while visiting other bloggers doing the same.  In this way, we'll all have the opportunity to share our thoughts with other enthusiastic readers.  Please join us:

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: October 2016

Welcome one and all to the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, a cozy gathering of book lovers, meeting to discuss their thoughts regarding the works they enjoyed most over the previous month.  Pull up a chair, order your cappuccino and join in the fun.  If you wish to add your own review to the conversation, please sign on to the link list at the end of my post.

Title: Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu
Author: L. Neil Smith

via Wookieepedia

Lando Calrissian is one of many Star Wars characters in need of broader development.  Apparently, he will be included in the Han Solo standalone film scheduled for a May 2018 release, to be played by Donald Glover.  But I think he deserves a movie of his own.

Interestingly, Lando is one character who's more fun in the novelizations than he is in the movies.  As readers, we are privy to his internal dialogue laced with gambling metaphors.  In Lando Calrissian and the Mindtrap of Sharu, first released in 1983, I was hoping for more of the same.  I was also hoping for a bit of an origin story for the character.

The tale is set several years before Lando's appearance in The Empire Strikes Back.  He has just recently won the Millenium Falcon in a game of sabacc (Star Wars invention, more on that in a bit). Through a rather contrived series of events, our friend is manipulated into going on a treasure hunt for the mindharp mentioned in the title.

The story didn't do much to broaden the Lando concept.  It feels more like Smith already had an idea for the story and dropped the character into it to boost sales.  There are Star Warsy elements like the Falcon and a droid sidekick plus a splash of Indiana Jones with the search for an ancient relic.  The tale does have other things going for it: play with scale, teleportation and the hidden strengths of a seemingly primitive culture. It's just not much of a Lando story.

The one point of lasting curiosity for me is sabacc, a game invented for this novel which has had staying power within the Expanded Universe.  The deck involves cards which occasionally change faces.  Fans have compiled official rules over the years and there's now even a phone app you can download - naturally, I had to give it a go.  Can't say I understand the game much at all but it's fun to explore.  At one point, Lando does a tarot reading with the deck which is also fun.

Please join us and share your own review of your best read from the past month.  This month's link list is below.  I'll keep it open until the end of the day.  I'll post November's tomorrow.  Meetings are the last Friday of each month.  Next gathering is November 25th.

The Clone Wars: The General

My friends and I are watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Every Tuesday, we will be featuring an episode from the series which began in 2008 (as opposed to the one that started in 2003).  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of the fun.

Episode: "The General"
Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Season 4, Episode 8
Original Air Date: November 4, 2011

via Wookieepedia

"The General" is the second in a four-part story arc.  General Krell continues to lead the 501st Legion in Anakin's absence.  Krell is doing little to endear himself to the clones, ordering them into what appears a certain suicide mission.  The clones grumble, or at least the ones who survive do.  The banter between the clones is, in fact, the highlight of the episode.

via The Monster M*A*S*H Wiki

Krell reminds me of a M*A*S*H story.  At one point, one of the clones states that Krell has the highest casualty rate of any general in the Republic.  I recall there was a similar character in a M*A*S*H episode: Colonel Lacy in "Preventative Medicine." I see M*A*S*H storylines creep into other TV shows from time to time.  Battlestar Galactica had a couple.  I think most people forget how good M*A*S*H was at its best.

*****

via Wookieepedia

Dave Filoni was the supervising director for the Clone Wars series.  Filoni was born June 7, 1974 in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.  In high school, he played in the marching band and was the starting goaltender for the hockey team.  He attended Edinboro University.  Prior to Star Wars, he worked on Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Filoni has been deeply involved in all of Star Wars's recent major animated projects.  He was the director of the Clone Wars film and currently serves as executive producer for Star Wars: Rebels.  Plo Koon is his favorite character, to the point that he wore a Plo Koon costume to the premiere of Revenge of the Sith and has paraphernalia of the character all over his office.  He has also contributed voice work to the Clone Wars, performing the bounty hunter Embo in several episodes.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants today.  Next week: "Plan of Dissent."

Squid Bakes: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies were another Mark Bittman recipe from How to Cook Everything.  Two items we get in great abundance from our CSA are rolled oats and eggs.  The cookies made use of both.  My wife is grateful.  They're yummy, too.

The Clone Wars: Darkness on Umbara

My friends and I are watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Every Tuesday, we will be featuring an episode from the series which began in 2008 (as opposed to the one that started in 2003).  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of the fun.

Episode: "Darkness on Umbara"
Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Season 4, Episode 7
Original Air Date: October 28, 2011

via Wookieepedia

Phew, I feel better now.  I'd been worried about Season 4: signs of formula creeping in plus two consecutive droid stories.  But now we're on safer ground.  "Darkness on Umbara" is, at least in part, a clone troopers story and The Clone Wars is really good at those.

The Republic launches a strategic strike on Umbara. Anakin and his troopers fall victim to a sneak attack by the Umbarans, though their bacon is saved by Jedi Master Pong Krell's air strike.  Krell's maneuvers aren't finished.  He informs Anakin that he has been called back to Coruscant.  Krell will take over command in his absence.  We soon learn Krell's a jerk, dismissive and insulting to the clones and reckless in his decisions.  Understandably, the troopers chafe, respectfully.  We're likely to learn more about Krell.  "Darkness on Umbara" is the first in a four-episode arc.

via Wookieepedia

This arc is the first and only appearance of Pong Krell in the Star Wars universe.  He is a Besalisk from the planet Ojom.  He is voiced by Dave Fennoy.

via Fables Wiki

Fennoy was born January 20, 1952 in Silver Spring, Maryland, though he grew up in Cleveland.  He worked as a DJ in San Francisco until 1990 when his station, KSOL, fired its entire staff.  Already in contact with a voice over agent, he moved to Los Angeles and dove into his second career full time.  Most of his work his been in video games, including the lead character in The Walking Dead, but he has plenty of screen credits, too.  In television, he has contributed to Archer, Ben 10 and Guardians of the Galaxy.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants today.  Next week: "The General."

Squid Bakes: Brownies

We've had a mild fall so far temperature-wise, a somewhat disturbing trend in Vermont in recent years.  But it's starting to feel like cooler.  Turning on the oven for baking is a more appealing idea than it was a few weeks ago.  

I don't believe I'd ever made brownies from scratch before.  I got my recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics by Mark Bittman.  They turned out well.  The ladies both liked them.  They might be nice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream next time.

The Clone Wars: Nomad Droids

My friends and I are watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Every Tuesday, we will be featuring an episode from the series which began in 2008 (as opposed to the one that started in 2003).  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of the fun.

Episode: "Nomad Droids"
Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Season 4, Episode 6
Original Air Date: October 14, 2011

via Wookieepedia

Okay, I'm officially growing impatient.  Another droid story... groan...  This time Artoo and Threepio must escape when the Separatists attack their cruiser.  Rather than jumping into an escape pod, they grab a Y-Wing from the hangar deck.  Turns out, Artoo is quite a capable pilot all by himself!  At any rate, they find themselves in a couple of adventures laced with Wizard of Oz and Gulliver's Travels allusions.  Normally, I would be giddy over the Oz references but this time, they just leave me feeling tired.  This just isn't what I want out of Star Wars, folks!

We get a new Jedi next week.  That sounds promising.

via Wookieepedia

Albee Dewaw is the Oz-like hologram our friends encounter on the planet Balnab.  While just as much a humbug, he's a lot more violent than L. Frank Baum's Wizard.  This episode marks his only appearance.  He is voiced by David Acord.

via Wookieepedia

David Acord grew up in Delaware.  His primary occupation is that of sound editor.  He has worked his way up through the ranks at Skywalker Sound.  He was apprentice sound editor for Attack of the Clones, assistant sound editor for Revenge of the Sith and supervising sound editor for The Force Awakens.  For the latter, he was nominated for an Oscar.  He's had gigs with other big movie franchises, too, including Marvel, Pixar and Star Trek.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants today.  Next week: "Darkness on Umbara."

Squid Mixes: Hot Toddy

Autumn is a beautiful time in Vermont.  We're still at least a week away from our peak colors, I would say, but it's already gorgeous. 

Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when nasty colds start flying around.  My wife likes a hot toddy when she's sick.  I think they're nice anytime.  Our recipe: hot water, lemon, honey and whiskey, usually preferring Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey.  I tried Royal Crown recently, too, and that was most pleasant.

The Clone Wars: Mercy Mission

My friends and I are watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars.  Every Tuesday, we will be featuring an episode from the series which began in 2008 (as opposed to the one that started in 2003).  All are welcome to join us for all or parts of the fun.

Episode: "Mercy Mission"
Series: Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Season 4, Episode 5
Original Air Date: October 7, 2011

via Wookieepedia

I'm starting to worry a little about Season 4.  The stench of formula is creeping in.  For the third story in a row, we have two intelligent species coexisting on the same planet.  "Mercy Mission" is also a droid story and I'm not such a fan of those.  As much as I genuinely love Artoo and Threepio, any narrative that's too dependent on them tends to fall flat.  This isn't the weakest droid story I've seen in The Clone Wars but it's not the direction I want to see the series heading either.  Looking ahead, next week's a droid story, too.  Sigh...

The planet Aleen is in crisis after a series of groundquakes.  Our two favorite droids accompany clone troopers on an aid mission.  The Aleena are sort of like Ewoks without the fur, even demonstrating divine reverence for C-3PO.  After helping to set the food and communication situations right, the droids are led by the Aleena to a huge golden seal embedded on the ground like a huge manhole cover, partly open.  When a tremor hits, Threepio is knocked into the hole.  He falls down to the underworld and, of course, faithful Artoo must follow.   Once there, they encounter the Kindalo, tree-like beings who have some issues with the way the Aleena on the surface are handling matters.  There is a bit of an H.G. Wells Time Machine feel to all of this which is endearing.

via Wookieepedia

King Manchucho is the leader of the Aleena.  This episode marks his only appearance in the series.  He is voiced by James Arnold Taylor.

If you would care to join us for all or part of our travels, sign on to the list below.  Please visit the other participants today.  Next week: "Nomad Droids."

On the Coffee Table: Leonardo da Vinci

Title: The Notebooks of Leonardo da Vinci

via Amazon

I've always had a strong affinity for Leonardo da Vinci.  When I was in elementary school, an actor came for an assembly, dressed up as the Italian Renaissance master.  He told the story of the artist/scientist/philosopher's life, my first exposure to the full breadth of the man.  I was dazzled by the tales of flying machines centuries ahead of their time and heretical studies of human anatomy.  I gained a new appreciation for his art, too, especially The Last Supper with its use of converging lines.

I was given a copy of Leonardo's notebooks a few years ago, the Oxford World's Classics edition.  The range of topics covered is astonishing.  His curiosity is boundless.  He analyzes the flow of water, the growth of trees, the folds of various fabrics when draped over the human body.  Often, more realistic art is his ultimate objective but not always.  Over the course of his life, Leonardo was engaged for civil engineering projects in addition to the art commissions.  His approach was scientific, or at least as close as anyone was managing in the 16th century.  He was watching the celestial bodies before Galileo, observing motion before Newton.  His conclusions weren't accurate but he was certainly asking the right questions.  The book reaffirmed all of my long-held admiration.

That said, it wasn't as much fun as I was hoping.  For starters, there are precious few illustrations, not even all of the ones referenced in the text.  The text is dry, too.  Of course, da Vinci's musings were for his own use, not necessarily for publication.  Engaging the reader was not his primary consideration.  I'm glad to have read it finally but can't say I'd be up for more of the same.

The Cephalopod Coffeehouse: October 2016 Blog List

 

Greetings to all!  I hope you'll join us for the next installment of the Cephalopod Coffeehouse, an online gathering of bloggers who love books.  The next meeting is set for Friday, October 28th.  If you're interested, please sign on to the link list at the end of this post.

The idea is simple: on the last Friday of each month, post about the best book you've finished over the past month while visiting other bloggers doing the same.  In this way, we'll all have the opportunity to share our thoughts with other enthusiastic readers.  Please join us: