Entries by The Mad Giggler

We get some excellent chapters here. Mat's excellent adventure with Thom continues and we get some great scenes with Perrin.

Continue reading "The Dragon Reborn (Chapters 32-37)"

After dragging his feet a bit with the first two novels, Robert Jordan really seems to have a grasp on where he wants to go as we start the third book in the saga. Chapter summaries...you know the drill. Continue reading "The Dragon Reborn (Prologue - Chapter 7)"

To be honest, I had to read these chapters a week in advance, but I didn’t get a chance to write up my thoughts fresh from completing them. Summaries and commentary below the fold. Continue reading "The Great Hunt (Chapters 24-29)"

Overall, I felt that this was a solid assignment. We get to learn a bit more about several characters besides Rand, along with doing a little more world building. Summaries and further thoughts below the fold. Continue reading " The Great Hunt (Chapters 12-17)"

I really enjoyed these chapters. There was a lot of good stuff packed in here. Some good revelations and thrilling action. I think I’ve probably said this too much, but I’m really enjoying this re-read. I definitely did not start reading this book in the same frame of mind as I’m finishing it. Chapter summaries and my further thoughts below the fold. Continue reading "Eye of the World Chapters 43-48"

Rand and Mat flee Whitebridge, all the while hoping to see Thom running up the road to re-join them. They don’t have money and they must rely on charity from strangers. This theme continues for five chapters as they alternately meet kind farmers who don’t want to get involved with their trouble and locals who want them as far from sight as possible.

They make a short attempt at earning their room and board as traveling entertainers, until they get trapped at The Dancing Cartman in Four Kings. They realize too late that the innkeeper would like to rob them, and as they put on their little show while trying to find an escape, they realize a rich merchant has a very specific interest in them. They escape miraculously (or so Rand believes) when lightning kills the Darkfriend and his accomplices, leaving the inn in ruins as they flee town.

They continue relying on charity for wagon rides while Mat’s eyes heal (he was blinded by the lightning) and Rand recovers from a sudden illness. Rand has horrible dreams. Another Darkfriend makes an attempt on their lives.

They have a close encounter with a Fade before lucking into another cart ride into Caemlyn. They receive much useful information about the Queen and her Aes Sedai advisor, Elaida.

They arrive in Caemlyn and are overwhelmed by the size of the city as well as the amount of people. They find refuge at The Queen’s Blessing where Thom had told them to meet him. They find a friend in the innkeeper, Basel Gill. They continue to learn about the political landscape of the city.

Mat sulks in their room while Rand meets an ent. Ogier the loyal ogre explains much about the world and reflects on how short human lives are. He also introduces the term ta'veren which will continue to be important as the series progresses. Loial basically tells Rand that he and his friends are going to screw a lot of people’s lives up before they are through.

My thoughts below the fold. Continue reading "Eye of the World Chapters 31-36"

Summary of What Happened

Rand arrives in Emond’s Field with his ailling father and realizes that he wasn’t the only person to have a horrible night. We piece together what happened through talking to various villagers and Rand is told by Nynaeve that there is nothing she can do for his father. Rand decides to ask Moiraine Sedai for help.

Moiraine heals Tam and Rand learns that he may have been a target of the Trolloc assault. He also learns a little more about his father’s sword, further muddying his vision of his past.

Rand agrees to leave town and is able to talk briefly with his father about it before the group attempts to sneak out by night. Moiraine is confronted by superstitious villagers and she throws their proud (but forgotten) heritage in their faces. They shamefacedly return to their homes.

Rand, Lan and Moiraine join Mat and Perrin in the stables, only to learn that Perrin is terrible at this adventure business and fails to uncover Thom Merrilin hiding in the loft. He and Mat also fail to conceal their movements from Egwene. The fellowship of seven leave the Shire only to be pursued by a Winged Nazgul.

With the aid of magic, the party flees across the countryside to Bucklebury Ferry.

The party crosses the River Taren with the aid of some well-compensated ferrymen after which Moiraine destroys their livelihood. They find a secret hide-out prepared beforehand by Lan. Moiraine and Egwene go have a conversation about the One Power and Rand witnesses Egwene channeling for the first time.

My thoughts below the fold. Continue reading "The Eye of the World (chapters 7-12)"

Just wanted to get some quick pictures up today. We'll have more tomorrow as we celebrate this great day at the office.

This is a x-post from Winged Wolves.

So apart from spending most of my day either working or wrangling four children, I generally have an hour or so to myself. I’ve spent a lot of time since last November playing Skyrim on my XBox (which could probably be a post for another time.) I also play other video games (including spending a lot of time with Anne and her siblings playing League of Legends together) and have even instigated XBox Friday at work, but really I’m using this piece of the internet to talk about how my love affair with comic books as been rekindled.
Continue reading "Comic Books"

I recently had a conversation with Radar about Mr. Ancient of Days and thought it resulted in an interesting idea.

Radar:
yeah, I would be curious to know which of the [ideas] he is referring to, since I know they have had several

The Mad Giggler:
I'm not sure
we didn't go into details on the project
we talked about I-N-S mostly
things we liked, things we didn't

Radar:
hopefully I was one of the likes.
[. . .]
it would be interesting to know what everyone thought were the good points about INS, from a strictly analytical perspective (minus the emotion)

The Mad Giggler:
yes, yes it would

So here's your chance to give feedback (as objectively as possible) on what you liked about I-N-S. Also if you have something you didn't like but have a possible solution for preventing or fixing that, I am interested in hearing that. My one concern is that this not turn into an attack post on You-Know-Who. Continue reading "Let's Talk Start-Ups"

Last spring after some discussion, Daboo gave our old labrador-mix mutt (some of you knew and hated Ford) back to her mom and we adopted a German Shepherd puppy. We named him Brashen (after the character in the Liveship Traders by Robin Hobb) and we call him Brash.

I'd always loved German Shepherds and admired their intelligence and versatility. When I was a kid, I learned that they've been trained as guide dogs for the blind; since then, I've learned they are also used to sniff out narcotics, apprehend individuals in cooperation with law enforcement officials, and of course for sheep herding. They are also my favorite looking dog. I have posted some images of him as a puppy here on Winged Wolves.

Daboo was willing to get a German Shepherd on the condition that she be able to train him to do something useful. She did some poking around and found a club here in Utah that does Schutzhund training (Wasatch Hundesport). She joined the club and quite enjoys spending her Saturdays out doing tracking, obedience, and bite work. Continue reading "Brashen"

All hail our shiny-domed tv overlord! May his golden smile bless us always and grant us longer lives!


Long Live Peter Nash!














Continue reading "Happy Peter Nash Day"

My psychic powers have only increased since last fantasy football season, and I am happy to report that I correctly picked the return of Brett Favre (the five letter f-word) to the Minnesota Vikings.

Dig out that World of Warcraft fan fiction guys:

Blizzard Entertainment is proud to present the 2010 Blizzard Global Writing Contest! Once again you're called to action, to use your wits and strength, to compete for the ultimate prize.

Your weapons? They seem to be but a musty tome and quill*, but know that their power is far stronger than the armies of the Scourge, far craftier than the zerg Swarm, and far mightier than the Burning Hells. Ready your tools, scribe, and prepare for combat with the inky beast called fiction!

Whether you're an accomplished writer or you simply fancy writing as a hobby, we encourage one and all to submit their creative works to our judges of official Blizzard writers and masters of lore. Their eyeballs are glistening and ready, their ocular fortitude intensified by the 2009 Blizzard Global Writing Contest.

Yes, last year's contest was a marathon for the retina. After poring over story and ballad, adventure and romance, the judges ascended from their drool-covered keyboards to proclaim that they had succeeded in their charge: the 2009 winners had been chosen. News delivered, they then heroically passed out.

Do you dare test our judges' optic mettle, laying your ideas and dreams beneath their unblinking gaze? If so, submit a 2,500- to 7,500-word short story written in English and set in the Warcraft, StarCraft, or Diablo universe by August 23, 2010, and earn your chance to visit the Blizzard headquarters and meet the writers and staff behind the lore of Blizzard's games and books.

See below for details about prizes and frequently-asked questions. You can also check out the official rules for more information.
(*Please see the FAQ regarding the submission of musty tomes.)

Award Categories
Grand Prize: The grand prize winner will receive a trip to Blizzard's headquarters in southern California, where you'll meet and eat with the Blizzard writing staff. You'll also receive your choice of a Diablo III "OVERTHROWN" barbarian diorama or a Frostmourne sword.

Runners-up: Seven runners-up will each receive a prize package of the Diablo Archive, the Warcraft Archive, the StarCraft Archive, and the Warcraft: War of the Ancients Archive, all signed by Chris Metzen, the cover artists, and Blizzard's writing staff.

FAQ