Kevin's Watch

With the saturation of what books, television and movies have shown us, is there anything left for us to be amazed by? Science Fiction and fantasy is big business and the audiences for those genres are very large and expanding every day. I would like to believe that there is someone, somewhere that is capable of making me sit back and be mesmerized like I had been many times only a few years ago. Great literary ideas. Films with groundbreaking special effects. I hope to see or read something exciting and unique soon.

Actually, I was amazed by Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Mostly, I think, because it really isn't like any other fantasy book I've ever read, and secondly, because I never really was a big fan of his. I've read Salem's Lot (years ago, and then again just recently because of a cross over character) and a couple of others, but I never really was all that hooked on his books. The Dark Tower books literally blew me away. They are in a class by themselves really. There are no elements of "high or epic" fantasy in them. Just some minor magic and the criss crossing into different worlds. And I love the main character, he's so enigmatic and brooding, he reminds me of TC.

I haven't read any Dark Tower but I've heard many good things. I'm sure I'll be giving them a look soon. I've read other stories by King and frankly I haven't been that interested. Of course I've seen most of the badly produced movie adaptations. I almost liked the Stand.

I like to think of what your referring to as "Wow! moments". Here are some of my fondest wow moments from page and screen:

Reading TCTC: No fantasy series before or since struck such a chord with me (Dark Tower and ASOIAF are close).

Reading "Gates of Fire" by Stephen Pressfield: The heroics and drama where so good I literally cried with delight.

Reading "The Dark Knight Returns": IMHO, the best graphic novel ever. Great Story, Great Art, Tremendous style...

Watching Saving Private Ryan: Gave me an appreciation of the horrors of combat and the sacrafice that our veterans have made on our behalf. A truly visceral experience.

Watching Braveheart: What can I say about this masterpiece. Quite possibly my favorite movie of all-time.

Watching FOTR: Seeing that a movie could do justice to a fantasy story. Amazing effects, brilliant acting, splendid locations. This movie demonstrated that the fantasy genre, when taken seriously, can become mainstream.

Watching the First Matrix: Mind-blowing effects. Ushered in a new genre of movie and a revolution in special FX.

Somebody wrote:

"I hope to see or read something exciting and unique soon."

Yeah! The 3rd Chronicles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (...and ROTK )

the Last Chrons are going to blow us all away that's for sure!!

Hey, speaking of ROTK, did anyone see Primetime last night..they had a whole hour devoted to it. It was really good

I saw the 1st ten minutes, then (boy was I pissed when I woke up! )

oh NO!! They did a little snip scene with Arwen and Elrond, when her hands turn cold and he realizes that she is becoming mortal. Was good, but way too short. 30 seconds at the most...

Yup, I'll bet anything that the Last Chrons surprise and impress the shinola outta me!

And I haven't been moved by many books the way I was by Gates of Fire, which I made that thread about.

I think the question would work the same for songs. Somehow, another one comes along every so often that blows me away.

I think the actual thing that truelly mezmorizes us is not the "fantasy" of the novel, but the story and how the author controls it. Without a story, all these fantasy worlds (Middle Earth, The Land, etc) are the same and quite empty. The stories pull us into the world and make it attractive, but that's really just a template. I think the plot is the core of what makes us amazed. Some of us just don't realize that at times.

Cromas Tummins wrote:With the saturation of what books, television and movies have shown us, is there anything left for us to be amazed by? Science Fiction and fantasy is big business and the audiences for those genres are very large and expanding every day. I would like to believe that there is someone, somewhere that is capable of making me sit back and be mesmerized like I had been many times only a few years ago. Great literary ideas. Films with groundbreaking special effects. I hope to see or read something exciting and unique soon.

I'm workin' on it! My sci-fi novel's on page 258.

danlo wrote:Somebody wrote:

"I hope to see or read something exciting and unique soon."

Yeah! The 3rd Chronicles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (...and ROTK )

Please, can't you just leave me in peace. I'm dead for gods sake. I've already saved the land, twice! (well, one and a half times). Do I really have to go through all that pain again? I'm not sure if I can handel being that depressed and hopeless again. And you know how it goes, each Sequell has to have a bigger, more deadly and unstoppable danger than the last, how do you expect me to win? I don't even have my ring anymore! You are all looking forward to the next chrons, well I say to you, it's not that easy.

Thomas Covenant wrote:Please, can't you just leave me in peace. I'm dead for gods sake. I've already saved the land, twice! (well, one and a half times). Do I really have to go through all that pain again? I'm not sure if I can handel being that depressed and hopeless again. And you know how it goes, each Sequell has to have a bigger, more deadly and unstoppable danger than the last, how do you expect me to win? I don't even have my ring anymore! You are all looking forward to the next chrons, well I say to you, it's not that easy.

Oh, you poor thing! Here, come with me to fanfic-Land, and you can go on living your life as a normal person. Why, you don't even have to be a leper.

BTW, I can be impressed. Reading a Peirs Anthony book was very impressing to me.

I agree with everyone that mentioned the third chronicles. There are cinematic things I look forward too. TROTK for sure. I saw the entire primetime live special. Just whetted my appetite. I look forward to the final Star Wars film. I can't wait to see the up coming Fantastic Four movie. Thank to rumor I know that hollywood is working on the script for a big budget IRON MAN movie. I am hopeful my novel (not to be confused with my short story project) "Omegabane of Randecore" will have something pretty cool in store. I'm happy with the story concept. Its big and its heroic. We'll see how that turns out. In any case I'm looking for exciting things.

I'm frequently impressed.

Just yesterday:
The solution to James White's short story "Dogfight"
The scene with Medusa in the movie "Clash of the Titans"
The mail owls in HP Sorcerer's Stone
The beautiful people in "Octopussy"
Michelle O'Leary's insouciant predator heroine in THE HUNTRESS
The delicate humanity in R.A. MacAvoy's fantasy
Whatever page I happen to look at, in an SRD book.

In general,
Learning a new computer technique.
A new idea to laugh with.
Solving a problem.
Finding a new talent I can promote.

Being impressed is fun. It might even be the secret to a happy life.

I need only mention one certain joyous occasion in aSoS by GRRM - I, at least, can be surprised....

Murrin wrote:I need only mention one certain joyous occasion in aSoS by GRRM - I, at least, can be surprised....

The first joyous occasion I thought of was the one involving Lysa. The second involved Lord Lannister. Not even mentioning the plethora of less positive surprises. Which joyous occasion did you mean...?

Possibly a "Red" joyous occasion?

(ouch!)

Yes, I was not impressed at that one.