A to Z Challenge 2015: E - The Empire Strikes Back

Welcome to the second week of the 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge! I hope you survived your first week.

Have you made any new friends? Followed any new blogs? I hope you discover at least one new blog you love during the challenge. That's kind of the point.

Today we have the fifth letter, the letter E. And for my theme, we have the first feature film.

I have been a Star Wars fanatic for as long as I can remember! No the prequels do not exist for me. Yes, I also love A New Hope, and I was just going to do Star Wars in general for the letter S, but I have so many other stories for that letter.

Today's 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge story for the letter E:

The Empire Strikes Back

Probably one of the great Science-Fiction (or Science-Fantasy, if you prefer) films ever made, The Empire Strikes back came out when I was three years old, and has lived in my imagination ever since. Most of you have probably seen it, so I'll get on with it.

Here is the summary from IMDB:

After the rebels have been brutally overpowered by the Empire on their newly established base, Luke Skywalker takes advanced Jedi training with Master Yoda, while his friends are pursued by Darth Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke.

Director: Irvin Kershner
Writers: Leigh Brackett (screenplay), Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay), George Lucas (story)
Stars: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher

That's it! Please come back tomorrow.

A to Z Challenge 2015: D - The Drowned Cities

Happy Saturday! Here we are in the first weekend of the 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge, with tomorrow being our first day off! Did you survive the first week? Have you been having lots of fun? I have.

Today we have the fourth letter, the letter D. This is the fourth story in my theme, and it's another novel. This novel is the second in the series that started with Ship Breaker, which was the 2011 Michael L. Printz award winner for the best YA novel.

The Drowned Cities is a dark but brilliantly written tale, which follows a different protagonist than Nailer from Ship Breaker, albeit in the same post-apocalyptic world, and with a similar companion.

Today's 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge story for the letter D:

The Drowned Cities

Here is the summary from Goodreads:

Soldier boys emerged from the darkness. Guns gleamed dully. Bullet bandoliers and scars draped their bare chests. Ugly brands scored their faces. She knew why these soldier boys had come. She knew what they sought, and she knew, too, that if they found it, her best friend would surely die.

In a dark future America where violence, terror, and grief touch everyone, young refugees Mahlia and Mouse have managed to leave behind the war-torn lands of the Drowned Cities by escaping into the jungle outskirts. But when they discover a wounded half-man--a bioengineered war beast named Tool--who is being hunted by a vengeful band of soldiers, their fragile existence quickly collapses. One is taken prisoner by merciless soldier boys, and the other is faced with an impossible decision: Risk everything to save a friend, or flee to a place where freedom might finally be possible.

This thrilling companion to Paolo Bacigalupi's highly acclaimed Ship Breaker is a haunting and powerful story of loyalty, survival, and heart-pounding adventure.

Author: Paolo Bacigalupi

Apparently the publisher doesn't consider it a sequel, but rather a companion book. I suppose I can agree with that.

That's it! Be sure to visit my A to Z Challenge 2015 Assistants: Sylvie from Life from An Optimist's Point of View, and Carrie-Anne Brownian/Ursula Hartlein from Welcome to My Magick Theatre, and enjoy your day off tomorrow!

A to Z Challenge 2015: C - A Clockwork Orange

Here we are in the third day of the 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge! Have you been enjoying yourself? Have you been discovering lots of new blogs? I have.

Today we have the third letter, the letter C. This is the third story in my theme, and while it does have a film adaptation, I'll be focusing on the novel.

This is a story written over 50 years ago, that is still relevant and often talked about today. A modern classic, it's a dystopian novel written before dystopian novels were all the rage (but certainly not before they were a thing).

Today's 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge story for the letter C:

A Clockwork Orange

I haven't read A Clockwork Orange in probably twenty years, but I remember being as compelled by it as I was shocked. It's not a very nice story, disturbing and disgusting as it is in equal turns, but it is an important one, and a tale well told.

Here is the summary from Goodreads:

A vicious fifteen-year-old "droog" is the central character of this 1963 classic, whose stark terror was captured in Stanley Kubrick's magnificent film of the same title.

In Anthony Burgess's nightmare vision of the future, where criminals take over after dark, the story is told by the central character, Alex, who talks in a brutal invented slang that brilliantly renders his and his friends' social pathology. A Clockwork Orange is a frightening fable about good and evil, and the meaning of human freedom. When the state undertakes to reform Alex—to "redeem" him—the novel asks, "At what cost?"

Author: Anthony Burgess

That's it! From here on out we'll have novels, TV shows, films, and maybe even a graphic novel or manga or two. Be sure to visit my A to Z Challenge 2015 Assistants: Sylvie from Life from An Optimist's Point of View, and Carrie-Anne Brownian/Ursula Hartlein from Welcome to My Magick Theatre, and come back tomorrow!

A to Z Challenge 2015: B - Breaking Bad

Welcome to the second day of the 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge! I hope your first day went wonderfully. Mine certainly did.

Today we have the second letter, the letter B. And for my theme, we have the second TV show in a row.

I'm not really very surprised, since we are in a golden age of television. I will most likely include a few other TV shows in this list, so pay attention, and see if you agree with my choices.

Today's 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge story for the letter B:

Breaking Bad

In my opinion, this is probably the greatest television show ever produced. The writing, the acting, the cinematography, all are absolutely phenomenal. If you haven't seen it, I strongly encourage you to get caught up.

Here is the summary from IMDB:

A chemistry teacher diagnosed with a terminal lung cancer, teams up with his former student, Jesse Pinkman, to cook and sell crystal meth.

Creator: Vince Gilligan
Stars: Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn

That's it for today! Nice and short when it's a TV show only. Be sure to visit my A to Z Challenge 2015 Assistants: Sylvie from Life from An Optimist's Point of View, and Carrie-Anne Brownian/Ursula Hartlein from Welcome to My Magick Theatre, and now I'm off to make it through as much of my part of the list as I can!

A to Z Challenge 2015: A - A Song of Ice and Fire/A Game of Thrones

Happy April 1st, all you amazing A to Z Challangers! Today is the official beginning of the 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge, so welcome, welcome one and all!

As I revealed in my theme reveal, I'm switching it up a bit from the themes I have used in the past, and just focusing on great stories.

I like to focus more on visiting new blogs and meeting new bloggers than I do on my own posts, so I'll be keeping mine short and sweet, and just sharing a few details about some of my favorite stories that correspond with the letter of the day. So here we are, today's 2015 April A to Z Blogging Challenge story for the letter A:

A Song of Ice and Fire/A Game of Thrones

Technically, the name of the whole series is A Song of Ice and Fire. A Game of Thrones is the name of the first volume in the series, but Game of Thrones is also the title of the TV adaptation, so I've included it in the title of this post to avoid any confusion.

I love this story, obviously, but these challenge posts are the place to really go off about why, so I'll just include the plot synopsis from Wikipedia:

The story of A Song of Ice and Fire takes place in a fictional world in which seasons last for years on end. Centuries before the events of the first novel (see backstory), the Seven Kingdoms on the continent Westeros had been united under the Targaryen dynasty. As A Game of Thrones begins, it has been 15 years since the feudal lords led by Robert Baratheon killed the last Targaryen ruler and made Robert king.

The principal story chronicles a power struggle for the Iron Throne of Westeros after King Robert's death in A Game of Thrones. Robert's son Joffrey immediately claims the throne with the support of his mother's family, House Lannister. When Lord Eddard Stark, King Robert's "Hand" (chief advisor) discovers that Joffrey and his siblings are the offspring of incest by siblings Jaime and Cersei Lannister, Eddard is executed for treason and Robert's brothers Stannis and Renly lay separate claims to the throne. Several regions of Westeros attempt self-rule: Eddard Stark's eldest son Robb is proclaimed King in the North, while Balon Greyjoy re-establishes an independent Kingdom in his region, the Iron Islands. This so-called 'War of the Five Kings' is in full progress by the middle of the second book, A Clash of Kings.

The second story takes place on the northern border of Westeros, where an eight-thousand-year-old wall of ice defends Westeros from the Others. The Wall's sentinels, the Sworn Brotherhood of the Night's Watch protect the realm of Westeros (land of the seven kingdoms), whereas the "Free Folk" or "wildlings" are humans living north of the Wall. The Night's Watch story is told primarily through Jon Snow, who is introduced as the bastard son of Eddard Stark,[5] and who joins the Watch, rising quickly through the ranks. In the third volume, A Storm of Swords, this story becomes entangled with the civil war.

The third story is set on an eastern continent named Essos, and follows Daenerys Targaryen, isolated from the others until A Dance with Dragons. On Essos, Daenerys rises from a pauper sold into marriage, to a powerful and intelligent ruler. Her rise is aided by the birth of three dragons from eggs given to her as wedding gifts: used initially as symbols, and later as weapons.

Author: George R.R. Martin

And for the TV Show, here is the summary from IMDB:

Several noble families fight for control of the mythical land of Westeros.

Creators: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Stars: Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke

That's it! Hopefully the rest of these won't be so long. Be sure to visit my A to Z Challenge 2015 Assistants: Sylvie from Life from An Optimist's Point of View, and Carrie-Anne Brownian/Ursula Hartlein from Welcome to My Magick Theatre, and then I'm off to visit all the blogs!