Stouffville, Ontario Canada (647) 962-1997 gwstudios@rogers.com M-F 8:30am - 2:30pm & 8:00pm - 11:00pm

Tag: reviews

Book One finished for 2025.

greatwallstudiosLeave a Comment on Book One finished for 2025.
If you hate sleep, and never want to do so again read this book, it’s terrific.

First out of the starting blocks is Annie Jacobsen’s “Nuclear War” a terrifying look at just what a nuclear world war three will entail. A deeply researched, and terribly captivating look at the death of the world. A fast paced train wreck that ends with us all either vapourised, pulverized, chemically choked to death, starved, or crushed. If you don’t want to sleep anymore let this book gnaw at your subconscious for a spell. A memorable waltz down the lane to our doom. Spectacular. I bought this in September expecting to read it in 2024, but I got hung up trying to get through some Alien’s anthologies, and just couldn’t get to it in time. Fresh start with 2025 though.

The Alien book that I’m 75% finished. Fewer than 100 pages to go! Should be book two with an asterisk for 2025.

I bought two of these Alien omnibus’ with a third single story line book to add into the mix. It was supposed to be an easy 5 story/book add-on to my 2024 reading list. I however stalled out after completing 1.75 of the first two stories in the first book. I had just watched Alien : Romulus and was on a real kick for that type of easy reading. But it started to wear on me, and I slacked off in November & December as far as reading is concerned. This *Should* be my book two for 2025, but I have a feeling the next item on today’s list might usurp that spot.

From the duo whom brought us “The Expanse” series of novels.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I will be heavily drawn to reading this new universe from the writing duo known as James S A Corey as my actual second book this year. Things it has going for it: hard cover book with large type (my eyes aren’t what they used to be). A brand new story I know nothing about. It’s hard science-fiction but snappily written from what I can tell, similar to the other ten books of theirs which I own, and have read, and thoroughly enjoyed, I might add. The book isn’t too thick, which even though I am so close to finishing the other novel, visually puts me off as a mental obstacle. I know, I’m weak. I get it. I don’t have the stick with it—ness of a 1,000 plus page tome like I used too. I’ve gravitated towards better written short science fiction, but that might be due to brain rewiring from Covid-19 infection(s) from years previous. Hard to nail down. Anyway, I ordered this book ages ago, once I found out about it. Unlike video games I will jump on a favored authors pre-order so that I get a nice surprise delivery months, or years, later out of the blue. Sometimes those release dates get bumped or shuffled and I don’t bother to keep up to date on them. I do note when the release date I last heard of passes by, if no book arrives though. I have wanted to pre-order a Scott Lynch book, for his court of gentlemenly bastards line (sic) I don’t recall off the top of my head what it actually was. But he’s been ill, or suffered familial issues and his next novel has had its release date jump by a number of years. I’ll keep an ear/eye out for that should it come out. I like his stuff a great deal. It’s all very reminiscent of George R R Martin and his final entry into the Song of Ice and Fire “Game of Thrones” series. Waiting on baited breath for that let me tell you.

Three more Alien stories to read in two books.
Final two books in the Dune series to go.

Then I will have atleast three more Alien’s based books to read, and two more Dune novels to round of this years to-be-read list. I will likely order more throughout the year as I hear of my favourite authors releasing stuff I’m interested in. I like to aim for twelve in a year, but I don’t always hit the mark. In some years I go well over, and last year I did 11.75. I was a mere 100 pages from successfully completing my challenge. And yet… I managed to clutch defeat from the arms of victory. Oh well.

I figured out I was forgetting Fart Quest book four from last years count, and a second Adrian Tchaikovsky book from very early January last year which I forgot about. So I was really close to hitting my twelve, I really was. Even after 41 days of travel to Florida!

I read a single self help type book which one of my brothers recommended to me last year too. Luckily it was short, about 150 pages or so type of short. Not overly clinical either. Felt more like a long opinion piece where none of the statistical data /research gets mentioned all that much. Psychologists I guess!?!

I wish I could release this tomorrow,  but it would only count towards today. I’ve tried delayed releases before, and it messes with my daily writing streak by attributing posts to the incorrect day. So two posts today! A big day in Greatwall Studious blog news.

Things that I accomplished yesterday.

greatwallstudiosLeave a Comment on Things that I accomplished yesterday.

Can’t be resting on those laurels for long, so today we acknowledge what we’ve finished, and then we turn to face the front and keep on truckin’. I managed to finish book number eleven (11) of my twelve books in a calendar year challenge. Mo Hayder’s “Ritual”, which was… anticlimactic at best? A 400 plus page book about two or more adults who are unable to deal with loss, whether it was recent or from their childhood. And a sub plot about ghastly mutilation & murder. I thought there was going to be a bigger build up to pay off, but, eh! Not bad, not awful. I mean I finished it, and we all know I have no problem giving up on books part way in. But… a bit of a let down in the end. I think that is the third or fourth Mo Hayder book I’ve read. The others were far superior. This one was more melancholy than suspenseful. Tick it off the list. Book eleven is in the can! So I turn to another Richard Morgan book to complete the twelve. His 2008 novel “The Steel Remains”. More light hearted and humorous than “Black Man” or any of the Altered Carbon series. Let us hope it stays good so that I can complete my 12 book challenge. Although if I get enough pages between multiple unfinished books, I’d take the page count of what was read, add it up, and if it crosses 250, I’d call my challenge done. If I’m being honest. Cover to cover is the goal, but I’ll take partial credit for pages read in a pinch.

Second item on the list was to finally sit down and watch Sony Studios’ “Morbius”. Which felt much like “Venom”, in that it was ok. Obviously lower budget than standard MCU fare, but not horrendous. It wasn’t a Uli Boll film, so it wasn’t unwatchable. Slightly better than Venom 2, the Carnage one with Woody Harrelson. It even had one of the actors from Andor in it. I’ve had that dvd in my possession since Christmas, so I’m glad to finally take that off of my personal to do list. The kids had dance last night, and costume fittings, and dinner with Grandma, so I had an additional 90 minutes on my hands. Nearly three hours of free time to watch a movie, eat, finish my book, and shower in peace.

Also, I finished all the sanding on the Urn. Up to 800 grit with hand sanding using a rubber hand block. Buttery smooth. I used a torch to make the grain pop, and then needed to move through the grits again back up to 800 grit. No matter. Looks good. I’m happy with it. I even managed to get some Osmo finish on it, and buff it off with my polisher. Very nice! Today I want to add feet, and perhaps some spacers to stop the lid sliding around. We’ll see how we feel later on. But I can see the end of the tunnel on this one. Glad to put it behind me. I have since learned that the recipient is not sure if they want it anymore, so I may keep it for myself, for future use. I’m not afraid of that kind of preparation. Live and learn.

I have burgundy, yellow, emerald green, and this blue felt to choose from. Think HP House colours.

I’m also just about ready to rewash my resin kit in warm soapy water, to make sure all of the mould release is gone. I don’t want any part of this thing to peel or puckers or wear off prematurely. Given how much time and effort it takes to test fit, sand, and scribe lines, and fill holes, and pin together, and find work around for misshapen joints, I don’t fancy my expensive paints peeling off of it just hours after laying it down because I missed a spot.

So here we are, Thursday. Looking at the four day long weekend for Easter. By next Wednesday the temperatures supposed to reach above 20°C. That’s wild. I’d settle for three to five weeks at the 14°C range, and rains over night, and storms while we’re all sound asleep. As I understand Ottawa had an ice storm recently, with parts of the city without power. Yikes.

Oh in work related news, we managed to get just about all items off to the printers. Some items that require a third parties input were held up, but that’s honestly to be expected at this point. So yeah! Fantastic news. Ciao Bella!