Raven

Quite a few sci-fi & fantasy novels amongst this month's Kindle deals.

^ Priorities. No snow here yet, but it is forecast for tomorrow and Friday. Panic buying in Waitrose this evening; all the Covent Garden soup was sold out.

^ She's very good. Not got around to reading this one yet, getting it for free should spur me on!

^ You too!

The first book in Jen William's second trilogy, The Ninth Rain is currently free - yes FREE! - on Kindle, Kobo and iBooks (maybe more, not sure!).

I have a copy on the shelf, but haven't got to it yet. Still mean too, though!

What did you think of Redshirts?

I'd recommend the Copper Cat trilogy by Jen Williams. Very well written, with good world building. She also has the second book of a second trilogy coming out next month, I think... If you buy the Kindle versions of the books, the first one - The Copper Promise - was released in four parts so you can end up buying it twice if you are not careful!

3.5. I was going quite well, but have been ground down by The Massacre of Mankind, Stephen Baxter's sequel to The War of the Worlds. There is some good stuff in it, but it took a dog's age to get going and it is rambling all over the place. There will probably be a review when I finish it.

I know quite a few pubs in London, but am struggling to think of a suitable one. Try The World's End in Camden, they have an upstairs area in their back bar that - if you ask them - they might be willing to reserve (I don't know if that is something they do, however). I don't know that I would call it quiet, either!

I was planning to go and see Black Panther at the Cineworld complex at the end of the road where I work, but having found out they have put their prices up - again - to a now eye watering £12.50 a screening (2D, non-IMAX) they can jog on. Looks like I'll be waiting for the Blu-ray...

Lord of the Rings got better for me as it went along. Part of the problem with Fellowship, especially at the beginning, was Tolkien didn't really have a game plan and was making it up as he went!

Technically, I was around for the first UK run of TOS, but only just! I was a huge fan back in the eighties/nineties when TNG and DS9 were at their peak. Wasn't a huge fan of Voyager, but I enjoyed Enterprise. This is very different, and certainly more adult in tone, but it is the most consistent and even first season of any of the Trek sequels.

Studio Ghibli films are fantastic! They are all pretty good, but I'd recommend Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke.

I've never watched Black Mirror before, but I did watch the USS Callister episode this week. It was clever, in a way, but I'm not sure I want to watch anymore.

Since the mid-season break, this has been consistently good, and the twist at the end of this week's episode turns the whole series on it's head. Well played, I certainly didn't see what they've done coming! 3 episodes left to go...

Also Babylon 5 is being shown on Pick every night at eight. Haven't watched it for years, but have been enjoying that as well.

I have chain watched the first two seasons of Stranger Things over the last couple of weeks, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Perfectly captures the spirit of the 80s, but has a great story and some fantastic performances - especially from the kids. The Goonies meets the X-Files, I cannot recommend it enough!

You might enjoy Enigma, by Robert Harris. It's not a milion miles away in tone and is well written.

Watched a couple of very different films last night, Mr. Holmes and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. I thought Mr. Holmes was good, Ian McKellen pretty much carried the film, but it was pretty bleak in places. Guardians was good, but not as good as the first one (though the intro and teenage Groot were both very funny).

2! (This year, thus far) That's more than I read in six months last year!

Fallen Acorn Black Hearted. A subtle little black IPA from Gosport.

Have a good one, Chrissy! May all the books you wish to read be all the ones you want too!

2 days in and I have one on the board! Not bad, after last year...

[First line, you can stop after that an save your ears...]