w00t!
Longer review:
Ah, lovely. Why is it that the books with Janet and Hammond featuring prominently tend to be the best? Well, I think we know that. There were some fabulous moments for everyone. Daniel and Jack were about as argumentative as they ever get on the series. Sometimes it felt like it was edging towards too much, but then it got redeemed by them being startlingly understanding of one another--as they have to be, to remain friends. Teal'c had some dramatic moments (er... sometimes borderline overdone, IMO--I'm not sure Teal'c would take himself off when people so clearly needed him), mainly with Janet. For the shippers, there were a couple of sort-of Sam/Jack moments, nicely understated and unspoken. I loved how the author expanded Dixon's character, and how he and Jack dealt with one another--and how differently the rest of the team got along with him.
Jack was kind of a bastard for a large portion of it, and sometimes it felt a bit relentless--but then again, it fitted with the situation and the personal history that was being dug up, much against his will. He is never more deliberately offensive than when trying to fend off enquiries about personal stuff.
There was much drama, much authentic-sounding (to me) medical stuff, much gruesomeness... They could never have done this on the show (too static, too unglamorous, too much jargon), but for a book it worked great. Janet was simply awesomesauce. I love Janet.
Oh, and I squeed for far too long over the tiny not-quite mention of Sam in Iraq, and Jack so nearly meeting her. Hee!
So, definitely second on my list of favourites (after Sacrifice Moon, and equal with Survival Of The Fittest).
Ah, lovely. Why is it that the books with Janet and Hammond featuring prominently tend to be the best? Well, I think we know that. There were some fabulous moments for everyone. Daniel and Jack were about as argumentative as they ever get on the series. Sometimes it felt like it was edging towards too much, but then it got redeemed by them being startlingly understanding of one another--as they have to be, to remain friends. Teal'c had some dramatic moments (er... sometimes borderline overdone, IMO--I'm not sure Teal'c would take himself off when people so clearly needed him), mainly with Janet. For the shippers, there were a couple of sort-of Sam/Jack moments, nicely understated and unspoken. I loved how the author expanded Dixon's character, and how he and Jack dealt with one another--and how differently the rest of the team got along with him.
Jack was kind of a bastard for a large portion of it, and sometimes it felt a bit relentless--but then again, it fitted with the situation and the personal history that was being dug up, much against his will. He is never more deliberately offensive than when trying to fend off enquiries about personal stuff.
There was much drama, much authentic-sounding (to me) medical stuff, much gruesomeness... They could never have done this on the show (too static, too unglamorous, too much jargon), but for a book it worked great. Janet was simply awesomesauce. I love Janet.
Oh, and I squeed for far too long over the tiny not-quite mention of Sam in Iraq, and Jack so nearly meeting her. Hee!
So, definitely second on my list of favourites (after Sacrifice Moon, and equal with Survival Of The Fittest).
Incidentally, it's got me interested in a part of Jack and Sam's history that I've always kind of avoided--Iraq. I had a prompt, a while back, to write something about that, so I'm doing some digging now. I've started reading one of the books I already knew about - Bravo Two Zero, by Andy McNab. There's also another version of that particular incident by Chris Ryan, which I'll probably look up (opinions seem to vary as to which is more 'true'). But does anyone have any other recommendations for reading around that time and part of history, i.e. the first Gulf War?
ETA: I knew I was forgetting something. Seen most recently with... practically everyone:
Everyone has things they blog about. Everyone has things they don't blog about. Challenge me out of my comfort zone by telling me something I don't blog about, but you'd like to hear about, and I'll write a post about it. Ask for anything: latest movie watched, last book read, political leanings, thoughts on something, favorite type of underwear, explain an interest, whatever.
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chasethestars
chasethestars
Comments
Okay, first, the movie Bravo Two Zero? *love*
As for books. About a few years ago they made the movie Jarhead - big blockbuster about American Marines in the Persian Gulf War. I really enjoyed the book it was based on (memoir-type war story) and the movie too.
I...feel like I should have more recs for you.
I want to watch the Bravo Two Zero movie, but mainly because of the picture of Sean Bean on the cover. I am so shallow.
I want to watch the Bravo Two Zero movie, but mainly because of the picture of Sean Bean on the cover. I am so shallow.
I watched it entirely for Rick Warden. I cannot judge.
http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,020805_Masters_Chaos,00.html
While it's mainly about the how Army Special Forces have been involved in Afghanistan and Iraq. It does give a history of Special Ops in general and various conflicts they've been involved in the last 20 or 30 years. It also gave a nice look about what life is like for these kinds of guys both at home and away, what's involved in they're training, and specialized knowledge and equipment they have.
The movie Three Kings also deals with that period. Strangely, I would count that movie as one of my all time favorites.
I also, um, have a set of Desert Storm trading cards that my dad bought me back in the day.
Yeah, I might give Three Kings a rewatch. I'm not usually into war films in general, but somehow I really enjoyed (not quite the word, but it'll do) that one.
...Desert Storm trading cards? :)
I'm not quite sure Three Kings fits into that, but to me it tells the story of some very 'human' people who are just trying to get by on both sides of the conflict. If I recall correctly it was also the first movie about Desert Storm. That in itself made it really stick with me because that was the first 'war' that I was alive for and my Dad was in the Air National Guard at the time and nearly got deployed for it, but they were modifying his squadron's C-130s and by the time that was completed it was pretty much over. Also, I really likeded the cinematography and the over exposed grainy look to it. The music was awesome too. There were some very interesting song choices. They really helped to propel the story forward.
Ah, yes, the Desert Storm trading cards. It was during the big 90s comic and trading card speculative boom. They were making trading cards for any and everything. The cards were kinda fascinating though. They had a card for like every aircraft, vehicle, and weapon used and all the stats associated with them. There were also cards for maps and the major players like Colin Powell and General Schwarzkopf.
Tell me
an embarrassinga story about your teenage years. What was your clique?I really enjoyed it - like you said Hammond and Janet are a good combo. And Dixon rocked, though he came off as a little too perfect.
I’m aware that these books are written by fanfic authors gone pro, but there are moments when that shows up more clearly. Not least of all because I’ve read Miller’s fanfic before and ‘Do No Harm’ has definite flavours of ‘Medical Considerations’ in it. (Though less of the swearing, and no smoking!Janet, thankfully. Can’t see Janet smoking, myself...)
The upside of having fic writers on board is also clear. They know the canon (and fanon, heh) much better than a random author would with research. The have a genuine love for the characters. And they write in the fic way that is actually quite nice to read in a SG book.
The downside is...they write in the fic way. And they have favourites. I’ve only read one other SG book, ‘Survival of the Fittest’, and that one in particular focussed on Jack more than I would have liked. Jack’s awesome, but there was serious Sam/Daniel/Teal’c time missing. Same with ‘Do No Harm’ but to a lesser extent.
Jack was also too much of an ass too much of the time. Though as you said, maybe it fitted in the situation. He and Daniel were at each others necks too much as well.
I liked how it explained Daniel's appendix, as wells as the scar. The magic-fixy of Janet's broken wrist by the tok'ra was a bit convenient (and why not make Daniel better while they were at it?) but I guess Miller had no choice seeing as in Nemesis Daniel was recovering and Janet's wrist was fine.
Of course I loved that Janet kicked ass. Of course she’d stay behind and piss off the President and Jack and Hammond because she felt it was the right thing to do. And I do love Jack/Janet friendship and interaction. The flashback to their S1 conversation in her house fits in with how close they seemed as early as Broca Divide.
And yes, the blonde playing cards. Heh.
Now, I hope the audio thing coming out has some great Janet & Teal'c stuff, cos that's rather thin on the ground in SG, unfortunately.
Yeah, Dixon was a little too perfect, sometimes – I kept comparing him to the Dixon we see, and thinking, "Man, you're going to get so cynical once you've got four kids." :) I guess that's, what, three or four years down the line, and maybe he had a few attitude-changing missions (in the SGC or on Earth, who knows). I'm not loving the timeframe, though – he doesn't have any twins, by the sounds of it, so that's a pretty rapid series of babies, all of whom will be toddlers or babes in arms at the time of the episode. Technically possible, but... eh. Although I always assumed that, from what Dixon says, at least one of those babies was an accident.
I liked all the little references to canon incidents – stuff that's already happened, or foreshadowing future events. I'm a sucker for all that – it definitely feels more fanfic than pro-fic. I see what you mean about favourites. I've been lucky in that this one is biased in the same way I am, so it's fine with me (as was Survival) – but in other books written by fan writers with different favourites, I've found it a little frustrating, and wanted it to be more neutral. Which is unfair of me, I know. :D
Ah, I loved Janet making the decision to stay behind – I knew there was just no way, once she was there, that she was going to turn around and leave them to it. I've not read 'Medical Considerations' – you wouldn't have a link, by any chance?
And yeah - Janet and Teal'c stuff is very rare. Not overly surprising, but a shame, because they're potentially fascinating. They could have some great conversations. Neither of them holds back on telling it like it is, and they're both very perceptive.
And yeah, I liked the favourites in this and Survival too. But it is noticeable. Particularly Survival when it's Jack's peril that snaps Janet out of it, not that of her best friends. Hmm.
Anyway, wow you've not read Medical Considerations? What a treat! http://sgnovels.shahrazad.net/storiesm/medicalconsiderations.txt
It has the nice season 3 feeling, and she has every character down to the spot. I love most of the books, but this one is indeed outstanding, and I highly recommend it if you missed Sam and Daniel in the other one.
The whole team is together from start to end, no splitting up like in other books, and once you started you can't stop reading.
Hmmm, yeah I forgot about Teal'c "hiding", that didn't quite sit right with me either. I thought he was missing because he wasn't having enough time to Kel'no'reem and was starting to get sick (especially after Jack previously bawling him out about it) but when it turned out he was just feeling sorry for himself and pissed off with his team....yeah that's not Teal'c.
And yes, Jack was a bastard, but I can believe that in that situation and when he's sick and feeling helpless, he would be.
And yeah, I squeed over the "hot blond lieutenant" reference too! Lol.