What is Best in Life

I don’t actually read a lot of fantasy for someone whose favorite book is The Lord of the Rings. So I did some searching around online for some other notable books and came across Gene Wolfe’s four part The Book of the New Sun (published in two volumes: Shadow and Claw and Sword and Citadel). Two months later, after having finally slogged my way through it (as a comparison, the Harry Potter series was five times as long but I read it in a quarter of the time it took me to get through the comparitively paltry 824 pages of The Book of the New Sun), I must admit I’m a little unsure just what I thought of it. I’ll see if I can work out why that is here.
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So there it is, Saturday night, and I’m sitting at home with a Breckenridge double IPA watching a movie (instead of “clubbin” like usual). John Wayne and Dean Martin have just seen the man who shot their friend run into a bar full of men who would like nothing better than to kill them too. Dean Martin has been the town drunk for two years, but this time he wants to go in the front door, he’s tired of going in the back. “Do you think you’re good enough?” asks Wayne. “I’d like to find out” replies Martin, to which Wayne nods “so would I”. I catch myself nodding too. Wayne covers the room from behind while Martin goes in the front. His control of the situation teeters precariously, but finally, after a great deal of tension, Martin proves he is not the man everyone calls “Borachon” any longer. Panicking, a man in the back reaches for his gun on the floor. Wayne turns on him and snarls, as only John Wayne can, “You want that gun? Pick it up. I wish you would.” I’m not ashamed to admit it; I catch myself saying it along with him. Rio Bravo is just that awesome.
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First of all, if you have no interest in The Office, this post probably isn’t for you, go read my other more accessible posts about black metal and military history instead And if you have never watched The Office but have considered it, there aren’t any real spoilers here, so feel free to read this post though it still probably won’t be for you either. And if you have seen every episode of the office multiple times, then definitely let me know what you think…two episodes into season 4…is it just as good? Oh, and if you haven’t watched season 4, episode 2, yet (Leah…Aaron…) then do that first…there are minor spoilers about that episode here, and if nothing else just watch it so I can spam your comment sections with quotes from it: “I think they could both do better”, “you need awesome lessons”! Also…I didn’t make the picture for this post, I only wish I did. But enough with the prep work, let’s get on with it already! That’s what she said.
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