Assorted Shiny Things

BOOKISH SHINY

If you like your secondary-world fantasy with a healthy dollop of intrigue, wit, danger, and understated but powerful romance, you should all go read Leah Cypess's Mistwood (HarperTeen, April 2010), which I just finished and enjoyed enormously. Steph Su has a very good review of the book here, though I'd disagree with Steph's comment about the secondary characters -- I had no trouble telling them apart, myself.

And Leah tells me she is working on revisions to the companion novel as we speak! Yay, companion novel!

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TV SHINY

In the DO WANT category: J.J. Abrams' new show Undercover, about a married couple who are spies. From the guy who wrote Jack and Irina? This HAS to be good. Seriously, look at this picture. I am gleeful and optimistic.

Also, check out this lovely, exuberant, heart-warming Doctor Who S5 vid from humansrsuperior: Brand New Day. Thanks to infiniteviking for the tip.

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WRITING SHINY

I'm mostly preaching to the choir here, I'm sure, but still -- taraljc has reposted a terrific essay about the effort that goes into writing quality fan fiction, and how it isn't always easy -- or even desirable -- to just file off the serial numbers.

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And that will be all, because I'm feeling curiously dizzy all of a sudden. *blinks*

Why River REALLY knows the Doctor's name

I just thought of this right now and... I think... I think I might really be onto something here.

( Spoilers for 'The Time of Angels', 'Flesh and Stone', etc. )

Obviously the details are sketchy here, as I have no idea of the circumstances involved. But I do feel pretty confident about the underlying premise. It seems to fit well with everything we know so far -- though I'm willing to be corrected on this point by people with better memories than I have.

What say you, fellow Whofen?