I finally got around to buying and reading this book, a collaboration by Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter, and a continuation of the Time Odyssey series (started with The Light of Other Days, or something like that).

It was excellent. I think I’ve said bother that I don’t usually like it when books go backwards and forwards between different characters, but these two manage it well and the story still managed to flow well. The characters were interesting and well-realised. There wasn’t too much physics and stuff, which is always good by me (the first stuff of Baxter’s that I read was a bit too science-heavy for me) – although there were some interesting descriptions of what goes on in the sun, and why/how the ‘sunstorm’ of the title happened. I really like that they have a little appendix at the end, too, explaining where someone can go read further about some of the science and technology mentioned in the book (like space elevators – they have always fascinated me, I think since Kim Stanley Robinson and the Mars series).

Anyway, a fun book.

I never thought I would say this, but I finally found a mainstream-ish film that is even a little bit too weird for me. I wanted to see this film at the cinema, but never got a chance, so I finally got it out and watched it today. Weird, truly weird. In the end I guess it went somewhere, but I wasn’t sure it would, for a very long time.

It is a very clever movie – and although I don’t know Cousteau stuff enough, I’m sure there are plenty of little jabs and puns in there that I don’t get. The cast was pretty entertaining; I love Anjelica Huston, but I was a bit bemused by Cate Blanchett’s ultra-English accent – what was the point of it? There weren’t any Pommy jokes or anything. I’ve never been a huge Owen Wilson fan, but I guess he acquitted himself well enough; Willem Defoe was pretty good – he seems to be a very good character actor. And it was nice to see Noah Taylor in there, too!

Overall, I think I liked it, although I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it again. I also wouldn’t bother to buy it, as some friends of mine have. But certainly an amusing movie for a holiday afternoon.

I wouldn’t mind having the Games on the TV in the background, really. There are, however, three obstacles that I simply cannot overcome:
1. Lawn bowls
2. Mark Nicholls
3. Shooting.

And I’m not a huge fan of rugby, either.