gdp's Comments

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Night Watch': Part 5

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 16:52:56 +0000

I do see what you're saying, but to me, neither of those older pics really look like the actors have gone through the same kind of life that Sam Vimes had, you know? Simms in particular looks like he has had a pretty decent life, all-told - though I could be wrong. I scanned his wiki page, but I might have missed something. Eastwood is a little easier to picture, insomuch as he does seem more "Vimes"y to me (YMMV.) That being said, I did find this portrait that Rob Perry did of him (I googled Clint Eastwood with eyepatch): <img src="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9fc22a_e57a3fd6c8dcbf46761560550e342929.jpg/v1/fill/w_512,h_749,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/9fc22a_e57a3fd6c8dcbf46761560550e342929.webp" width="342" height="500" alt=""> And honestly? I don't see it, though of course YMMV again. (And, of course, this is just an artist's interpretation of Clint Eastwood at this time, not an accurate representation, etc. etc. etc. but this is more how I feel like a Eastwood-Keel/Vimes would look.)

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Night Watch': Part 5

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:46:21 +0000

That's also true. Isn't smoking supposed to age you somewhat? There are a lot of reasons Vimes might might not be recognizable, even if they're not made explicit in the text.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Night Watch': Part 5

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:10:57 +0000

Well… yeah. Age + scar + eyepatch isn’t the greatest disguise in the world. Well, plus some stubble, probably - it's been at least a day (?) since he last shaved his face. I think? Honestly though, what I wonder is how many times Vimes has broken his nose. I think, if my 46 year old self popped into existence right now, I'd recognize her. I have a distinctive (to me) nose shape and a couple of facial markings that I would note. If Vimes's nose gets broken at any time between the two Sams, that could change the topography of his face enough that he wouldn't be immediately recognizable. I know that isn't specifically mentioned in the book, but IDK, I'd find it plausible.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'The Fifth Elephant': Part 12

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 01:34:17 +0000

I can only speak for myself, but I'm a rather larger woman, and I've worn a corset before. Depending on the fit, it can really take off a lot. The fat is easy to redistribute, and it can lead to a bit of a bosom, depending on how things are arranged. Alternatively, it can be redistributed down to the hips, which would be hidden under that large skirt. I can see it. :V

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Discworld': Q&A (So Far)

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 21:22:22 +0000

Thanks! I was hoping they'd be posted here, since I love reading the discussions, but ah well!

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Discworld': Q&A (So Far)

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 20:54:46 +0000

I like The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede. They're not quite the same, being more standard fantasy w/o the social commentary? But they have a sort of irreverent humor that I enjoy, and that reminds me sometimes of Pratchett's works.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Feet of Clay': Part 18

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 15:26:03 +0000

I love Carrot's sincerity. I've seen some commentary on him/his relationships that tends to assume that what other people think he's thinking is what he's really thinking, and I can't really buy that; I think it's more interesting when what-people-think-he's-thinking reflects them rather then him. If that makes sense lol.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 5

Wed, 5 Aug 2015 20:30:06 +0000

Exactly! :D

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 5

Wed, 5 Aug 2015 14:42:01 +0000

Not necessarily; it could genuinely just be a building with short steps. Some of the buildings in my school have them, because the school was built back in the early 1900 (I believe), and they were built with women's fashions in mind. Depending on the fashions of early Tharios, I could see 3 inch steps being plausible.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Sat, 25 Jul 2015 00:03:01 +0000

Well, for one, if he'd gone catatonic, he wouldn't have been chasing after Chime, and there's a high chance other people would have gotten involved + Tris might have gotten some heat for it (and might have felt more guilty about it?), however that's not what happened, so... Yes, but the other point I'm trying to make is, it escalated because Tris escalated it. She's the one who immediately snapped at him, and accused him of lying. She's the one that dismissed him multiple times, instead of acknowledging that maybe he at least thought he was telling the truth. Tris was acting like Tris, but we've seen before that that does hurt people, and the people acting like it was totally a good thing are rubbing me the wrong way, because even if it was in character, that doesn't make the character right in their actions/choices, and I wish it was acknowledged more in the book that maybe she was a little bit in the wrong in this confrontation.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 18:59:56 +0000

Gurer'f abguvat va gur grkg gb vaqvpngr gung gung jnf gur svefg gvzr fur hfrq gur jvaq pbeqf. Vs gurer jnf, V pbhyq tb jvgu gung gurbel, ubjrire tvira gur vzcyvpngvba gung fur'f orra noyr gb qb guvf gur jubyr gvzr, naq fur jrag fgenvtug vagb yvtugavat whfg ohtf zr. V zrna, rira vs fur qvqa'g xabj nobhg uvf genhzn, fur pbhyq unir chg yvtugavat nebhaq puvzr gb cebgrpg ure, nf fur qvq va gur frpbaq obbx + yngre va guvf obbx, engure guna nggnpxvat. Ubarfgyl, V svaq guvf fprar gb or irel fvzvyne gb gur bar va gur svefg obbx, ubarfgyl, jura fur ernpgrq gb Yvggyr Orne orvat nggnpxrq; va obgu pnfrf ure srryvatf jrer whfgvsvrq, ohg va obgu ure npgvbaf jrera'g gur orfg, naq pnhfrq na rfpnyngvba. Naq, hasbeghangryl, ng guvf cbvag, V qba'g ernyyl guvax fur unf na rkphfr; fur'f ab ybatre gur ryrira lrne byq gung qbrfa'g xabj nal orggre nobhg ure zntvp. V ybir Gevf, gb cvrprf, ohg V'z ernyyl hapbzsbegnoyr jvgu gur vqrn gung ure fubbgvat yvtugavat ng crbcyr vf whfgvsvrq, jura fur'f haqre ab vzzrqvngr guerng. Fur unf ab jnl bs xabjvat ubj vg'f tbvat gb uheg fbzrbar; rira n yvggyr fubpx pna or ceboyrzngvp gb fbzrbar jvgu urneg gebhoyr, be va guvf pnfr, vg pna gevttre fbzrbar jvgu CGFQ. Ntnva, vs, qhevat gur yngre fprar, va gur gbjre, vg jnf vzcyvrq gung gung jnf gur svefg gvzr fur unq/pbhyq znxr pbeqf, gung jbhyq or bar guvat, ubjrire gung'f abg gur pnfr. Vg'f rfcrpvnyyl sehfgengvat jura, va gur obbx, gur bgure oerrmrf qb trg pnyyrq gb Xrgu'f jbexvatf, ohg vg'f fcrpvsvpnyyl abgrq gung gur Rzryna oerrmrf fgvyy fjvey nebhaq Gevf, naq gurl arire tb njnl, zrnavat gurl jrer fgvyy grpuavpnyyl whfg fjveyvat nebhaq Gevf qhevat gur ragver pbasebagngvba, rira nsgre Xrgu jnf qbar jvgu uvf zntvpny jbexvat, naq pbhyq or hfrq jvgubhg srne bs gurz orvat fgbyra. Ba gbc bs gung, rira gubhtu Gevf jnf npgvat va gur qrsrafr bs Puvzr, gur snpg vf, Xrgu qbrfa'g gel gb nggnpx Puvzr hagvy Gevf nsgre unq pnyyrq uvz n "yvne" sbe pynvzvat abg gb unir zntvp, vafgrnq bs obgurevat gb urne uvz bhg. Fher, ur znl or fybj bs fcrrpu orpnhfr bs uvf qvfnovyvgl, ohg fb jung. Vafgrnq fur tbrf vzzrqvngryl vagb fpbyqvat/vafhygvat uvz, sbe fbzrguvat ur trahvaryl guvaxf pnaabg or uvf perngvba, rfpnyngvat guvatf shegure. tl;dr: I love Tris to death, but I genuinely feel that she was in the wrong in this scene, and I think she escalated things unnecessarily, given she went straight into insulting/scolding him, instead of bothering to listen. Keth didn't attack Chime until after Tris had done that, and it's always possible that, if Tris hadn't immediately called him a liar, she could have removed Chime peacefully. The fact that she didn't makes her Tris, but it doesn't make her right IMO. Sorry if scrambled, I'm not sure how much sense I'm making.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 18:11:53 +0000

V'z abg ersreevat gb jvaq jrnivat? V'z gnyxvat nobhg gur fprar jurer Gevf hfrf n qvfp bs jvaq gb syl gb gur gbc bs gur gbjre. Vg'f abg rkcynvarq, va grkg, nf fbzrguvat fur arrqrq gb yrnea/cenpgvpr, whfg fbzrguvat fur jnagrq gb qb, naq jnagrq gb svaq gvzr sbe. Ba gbc bs gung, va gur fnzr fprar, fur "guehfg gur qbbef fuhg jvgu n oerrmr, naq ybbcrq vg gb naq seb nebhaq gur yngpurf. Vg jbhyq freir nf n ebcr ybpx hagvy Gevf erzbirq vg." jvgubhg pnyyvat ba gur jvaqf sebz ure unve.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 17:30:04 +0000

I'd argue that the one that was best was the one that doesn't cause physical harm to someone, making the lightning the worst one by default, especially if her goal is to get him to listen to her, and stop attacking the dragon.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 17:26:16 +0000

While that may be the case, I don't think that, in this case, her "instinctive" response was the best one. We've seen that before with Tris; her automatic reactions (her sharp tongue, for example, in Briar's book), have consequences, and aren't always correct.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 16:58:23 +0000

While I can understand where you're coming from, I respectfully disagree. While Tris is only 14 (which makes some of her reactions easier to deal with, even if they're not particularly likable), I take issue with this part of your comment: What could she have done, in that instant, to prevent Keth from smashing the dragon, other than what she did? He's a grown man. She couldn't overpower him. Tris couldn't physically overpower him, true, but she's an accredited mage. She was tested, and found to be an adult when it came to her powers and skills, naq fur unf zber guna whfg yvtugavat! Va guvf obbx nybar, jr frr gung fur pna (1) znxr ebcrf bs jvaq fbyvq rabhtu gung fur pna evqr gurz; fur pbhyq unir obhaq uvz va gubfr, (2) fur'f pncnoyr bs znxvat n yvtugavat "fuvryq" nebhaq fbzrbar, fgvyy cbgragvnyyl genhzngvp, ohg cbffvoyl yrff fb guna npghnyyl uvggvat uvz naq (3) (ZNWBE FCBVYREF) fur pna pbaivapr gur ebnqf gb yvdhvqvsl, naq fvax crbcyr qbja vagb gur ebnq. Gung'f abg rira trggvat vagb gur snpg gung fur pna znavchyngr jngre gb fbzr rkgrag, nf frra va gur svefg obbx, jvgu gur jngrefcbhg. (V jbhyq abg arprffnel nqibpngr sbe gur ynfg gjb bcgvbaf, ohg gurl jrer fgvyy bcgvbaf fur unq.) Claiming that Keth had all the power in this situation rubs me the wrong way, because, while that would be the case in the real world, Tris does have power+control over it that Keth doesn't have, and ignoring that, IMO, doesn't do Tris any favors.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 16:10:52 +0000

Nqzvggrqyl, V pbhyq or zvkvat hc fprarf, ohg lrnu, gung'f fbzrguvat V'q yvxr gb frr, orpnhfr juvyr V jba'g nethr gurer'f fbzr "V'z na nqhyg, naq lbh'er n puvyq" va Xrgu+Gevf'f vagrenpgvbaf, V whfg erzrzore gung guebjvat zr bhg bs gur fgbel, orpnhfr gung'f abg gur bayl ernfba sbe gurve vagrenpgvbaf. If that makes any sense?

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:25:38 +0000

I have to agree, especially since just before, we saw the winds do her will, and later, fur'f noyr gb znxr gurz vagb n qvfp svez rabhtu gb evqr ba, pbhyq fur unir hfrq jvaq pbeqf gb ovaq uvz? Maybe she was worried about the shop? But then lightning could have caused a fire if something went wrong. She had other options, I feel like, so her going straight to lightning/offense was in character, but rubbed me the wrong way.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Shatterglass': Chapter 1

Fri, 24 Jul 2015 15:22:38 +0000

I honestly don't know how to feel about this book. On one hand, Tris! And glass! And glass dragons! On the other hand... I felt, upon rereading this book as an adult, that it was pretty obvious Keth suffered from some form of PTSD, which was unsurprising, given events. Fb yngre, jura Gevf jnagf gb uvg uvz jvgu yvtugavat gb cebir gb uvz gung ur vf vzzhar... V zrna, V pna frr jurer fur'f pbzvat sebz? Ohg vg sryg yvxr vg jnf frg hc nf "Xrgu jba'g yvfgra gb Gevf orpnhfr ur'f na nqhyg naq fur'f n puvyq"- ng yrnfg, vg jnf zragvbarq va gur grkg ng gung orvat n ernfba, naq abg, lbh xabj, genhzn. Vg jbexrq bhg, ohg vg fgvyy ohtf zr n yvggyr, gung gung nffhzcgvba jnf znqr va gur grkg, naq arire punyyratrq. Gung vfa'g gb fnl V qba'g guvax gurer'f na ryrzrag bs gung va Xrgu'f gubhtugf, ohg jura vg pbzrf gb Gevf uvggvat uvz jvgu yvtugavat, univat gung or gur ernfba sbe uvf hapregnvagl ehoorq zr gur jebat jnl, n yvggyr, naq V'yy or vagrerfgrq gb frr ubj bguref frr vg.

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Magic Steps': Chapter 1

Mon, 16 Mar 2015 17:53:56 +0000

Gevf univat gb grnpu fbzrbar jub'f nsenvq *bs* uvf zntvp, engure guna orvat srnerq *sbe* uvf zntvp, creuncf?

Mark Reads : Mark Reads 'Emperor Mage': Chapter 1

Fri, 13 Mar 2015 23:31:25 +0000

That would also be interesting? I don't remember, though, whether or not Thayet looks more Tortallan or not tbh. I know that Thayet is prominently part K'mir, and it shows up in her nose, but as for whether or not people from Sarain and Tortall look similar, I don't know.