We Want It! January 27, 2016

[helloladies]

Because we haven't quite managed to work out a way for us to consume ALL the entertainment yet: to keep us from emerging haggard and zombie like after regular all night box set marathons, book splurges and music overload we've set up this quarterly space where we can express our pure fannish glee at the fact that so many projects of awesome potential are continually being made. All of our past wants and desires can be found in the We Want It! tag.

Clare

Books

Once Upon a Galaxy by Alan Arnold — Now that I’m majorly into Star Wars, I'm finally exploring the behind the scenes world of the franchise. I’ve always been fascinated by the disconnect between what Lucas sometimes says (I planned this all out, claims Lucas, as America roots for a brother and sister to make out for six years) and what actually happened. Publicist Alan Arnold wrote this about his experiences on the set of The Empire Strikes Back, and I’d love to see an outsider perspective on it. It’s, of course, out of print, but I will not be stopped.

Film

Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny — In the wake of Alan Rickman’s death, lots of media outlets have been recommending his films to cope. The AV Club's Davette Chavez recommended this HBO TV biopic of Rasputin from the 90s. If that description does not appeal to you, then you probably didn’t send your late teenage years perfecting a rendition of Rasputin’s death as a party trick.

Jodie

Books

Chasing the Stars by Malorie Blackman — Hot off the presses: Malorie Blackman's new book is a gender swapped Othello set in space! WANT.

Certain Dark Things: A Fantasy by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — I loved Moreno-Garcia's Signal to Noise, a quiet fantasy story about music, family, friendship and love set in Mexico City. Her new novel is set in the same location but transforms it into a vastly different fantasy world—one full of vampiric crime bosses. I just can't resist such an original sounding twist on a big monster story.

Geek Feminist Revolution: Essays on Subversion, Tactical Profanity, and the Power of Media by Kameron Hurley — Did you know you can now pre-order Hurley's upcoming essay collection? You can and I have. I love her non-fiction even if there it does display a tragic lack of sandbeasts.

Places No One Knows by Brenna Yovanoff — I think this sounds a little like Yovanoff's writing about her high school experiences, which makes me really excited because those pieces are so well written.

The Star Touched Queen by Rohsani Chokski — This sounds like it has some Bluebeard influences and some really interesting fantasy touches ('gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit'). Also, the cover has a beautiful mix of colours.

A Criminal Magic by Lee Kelly — I'm so suspicious of publisher blurbs that compare books to other things I love—they're almost never accurate. But I can't quite resist a book that is supposed to be like a magical Peaky Blinders. Gang alliances, sorcerers, and a seedy American criminal underbelly all sounds great.

The Last Days of Paris by China Miéville — Really want to read This Census Taker and Three Moments of an Explosion as well. Ugh, he has so many books! The idea of a 'surrealist bomb' in this one is just...what is that?

Television

Lucifer — This looks like it be a bit of a car crash but I'll probably watch it anyway. I am so uninformed about big SFF TV developments right now because I saw this advertised but had no idea it was based on one of Gaiman's characters. I'll be watching because Tom Ellis, the jobbing Brit actor I've watched do little parts for years, got his own big deal Prime show! So, proud.

Renay

Books

The Cold Between by Elizabeth Bonesteel — This sounds like amateur detectives, but in space, and bonus, the characters in it seem to already be together in a relationship. Maybe this means there probably won't be any weird love triangles or related shenanigans, just a cool murder mystery/political thriller! Fingers crossed.

The Race by Nina Allan — The Race came out in 2014 in the UK, but not here. This is finally being remedied (thank you, Titan Books) and I'm excited because I've heard so many great things about it. I was on a podcast with Nina Allan last year and she was so lovely and has in the past been super supportive of my writing and projects, so I'm really stoked to be able to give her work a shot, too! This one is definitely on my to-buy list. :D

Infomocracy by Malka Ann Older — I mostly want to read this because I feel like if I keep reading novels that are premised on politics I will start being able to understand and write about politics more and better. Let's combine politics with science fiction, which I love, to make it entertaining! Also because I read Max Gladstone's blurb for this: "A fast-paced, post-cyberpunk political thriller... If you always wanted to put The West Wing in a particle accelerator with Snow Crash to see what would happen, read this book.". I was that nerd going

Film

Deadpool — I tried to read Cable and Deadpool a few years ago, but it was too opaque for non-comics me. This trailer makes the film look darkly funny, so even though I don't know the character I'm hoping this is just a fun time. Happy Valentine's Day. :D

Susan

Television

Leverage S2 — I got the first series of Leverage for Christmas because my family are amazing, and it is on the list of Things That Could Have Been Made For Me Because They Are Flawless, and I am now flailing wildly as I wait for series 2-5 to arrive. I have no idea what's the holding-it-together plot is going to be this time, as the previous one's been resolved, but I'm excited to find out and just... Enjoy these guys committing crime together to help people!

Miraculous Ladybug — I've been excited about Miraculous Ladybug since it looked like this, but somehow it actually being released still slipped past me! It has a magical girl fighting crime in Paris! It has a magical boy who thinks she is the greatest! It has a love polygon involving two people (She has an unrequited crush on his day-to-day identity, he has an unrequited crush on her secret magical girl identity, SHENANIGANS ENSUE) which is either going to make me root for them to kiss a lot, or make me scream in horror! However it shakes out though, new magical girl show!

Games

Amnesia: Memories — You're going to think this is really silly, but I keep forgetting I had this. *facepalm* It's a visual novel/dating sim about a woman with amnesia, which has very pretty art and came recommended as one of the classics of the genre? I'll report back when I finally have time to play it.