Sci Fi Jungle

Got Me Some Rock Band 3

Hubster received a Best Buy gift card from his brother for Christmas, and we had a couple of reward zone certificates, so he's been chomping at the bit to spend some dough at Best Buy.  Today was the day - he came home with Rock Band 3 and a Keyboard.

So far so good - It took me a few minites to figure out to use all 5 fingers starting with thumb on the keyboard's "middle c."  I still don't understand what the rest of the keys are for -LOL.

Funniest part of the day was listening to my 7 year old belt out the Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots."  5 Year old played the keyboard.  I think they played it about 10 times in a row.

Then he got to spend the rest of the day watching playoff football, so it was also a football gift day.

 

Lending Kindle Books feature now Live

Amazon is now allowing Kindle books to be loaned to one person for 14 days.  Only books that have the feature allowed by the publisher can be loaned.  (And it seems that most publishers are being stingy.)

I did find a few books in my "Manage my Kindle" that have the feature enabled and successfully loaned a book to my mom.  She promtly grabbed it and loaned me one back.  Yay mom! (Gotta buy mom a new Link To Copy: Canon camera, she needs a really small easy to use point and shoot.)  But I digress.

I think more publishers should allow loaning of their titles.  I think it is really in their best interests because many people will end up starting the book and not finishing it and then they will buy it.  Or else if they do finish it they are more likely to buy more of that author's work.  Plus it is a nice featue of good will to your buyers.  People who read on Kindle tend to be heavy readers and publishers would be well served to treat them nicely!  For example, Macmillan seems to be allowing lending on a lot of its books and I give them a nice big SHOUT OUT for being cool.  Thanks Macmillan.

Great Funny Dungeon Fantasy where the Hero is... the Goblin?!?

I just finished reading the second book in Jim C. Hines Goblin trilogy, Goblin Hero.  The first book is called Goblin Quest and the third is Goblin War.

Goblin Quest is so funny because it takes the whole Dungeons and Dragons, Tolkein-esque fantasy genre and throws it on it's little pointy green ear by having the hero be a little rather timid goblin named Jig.  As the first book t Jig is working filling the cave lighting with flamable "muck" which is made from fermented toadstools and other nasty stuff.  (No Kichler lighting in the goblin cave)  Jig is used to being pushed around by larger (albeit stupider) goblins, but when he accidentally becomes part of a group of Adventurs his desire to stay alive bring out his inner hero.

Jim C. Hines writing is very dry and funny, and Jig somehow is very likable despite his sort of nasty goblin-ness.  (Love the gross descriptions of what the goblin head cook cooks up in her big stewpot!)

I definately recommend these books for some light fantasy with a lot of action and humor.