Scottish girl in the English village

[mhalachai]

Hallo the internet!

MEME:

Ask me my Top Five Whatevers. Fannish or literary or otherwise. Any top fives. Doesn't matter what, really! Fandoms, books I might get around to writing one day, women in my fandoms, ideal holiday destinations, goals for the future, celebrity crushes, books I wish would be made into movies, love songs. And I will answer them all in a new post (or in comments). Possibly with pictures.

In other news, work has swallowed me whole. I am madly in love with this season of Doctor Who. And still cannot write a freaking thing.

Anyway, MEME.

Comments

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

Top five mad scientists?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Dr. Frankenstein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein) (book, of course)
Dr. Moreau (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Doctor_Moreau) - book again, not that movie with Marlon Brandeau and Iceman.
Dr. Emmet Brown (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/)
Dr. Strangelove (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057012/)
and a shout-out to Strindberg (http://www.strindbergandhelium.com/). Not really a mad scientist, more like a morose alchemist.

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I gotta ask this one! Which 5 books do you want to see made into movies and who do you hope is cast as the lead characters?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

oh man. most of my fave books are already movies... but the one I can think of would be the Dragonriders of Pern series. I think special effects are now at the place where they could make the dragons look real.

I'll have to get back to you on the other four (and actors for the above) - i need to think about this one!

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

I agree, I'd love to see McCaffrey's books brought to life.

By the way, I would also include movies/tv series that you think need to be remade, since so many movie adaptations of books are done so poorly.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Okay... including remakes:

1. Dragonriders of Pern ftw
2. If they could somehow bring the rebooted Star Trek movie to the small screen, I'd die a happy person.
3. The Big Sleep - while some say that Bogart and Bacall did it best (some people include me) I'd love to see someone tackle this again. Not to pull an update, but certainly to give it a new spin. Frankly, someone like George Clooney could carry off Marlow.
4. Ender's Game. If only they could film this with actors the real age of the characters... but a five-year-old playing a convincing Ender is probably impossible.

and because I can't think of any more...

5a. I have to say, I love the idea of a Sherlock Holmes remake done in modern times. But Steven Moffat beat me to it. Have you seen the modern Sherlock remake they put out on the BBC this last month?

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

Good lord, a movie version of "Ender's Game" would sweep every award out there if it was done right! But you're right, I would be truly gobsmacked if they could find kids to pull off all of the roles, especially Ender. Not to mention that the film would most definitely be rated R for mature themes and violence.

No, I don't know if they've shown it on BBC America yet, but I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled! Thanks for the heads up!

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I really doubt they'll ever get that to the screen as a live-action movie, in no small part because the book starts with six-year-old Ender killing a bully. Or Peter's sociopathy. Or the squirrel thing.

(You know, I haven't read that book in over a decade. I'm surprised I remember it all so clearly)

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

By the way, after reading your answers below regarding strong women in fandom, I have to ask if you've ever considered writing a crossover between the 'Gate verse and the movie "GI Jane"? Master Chief John Urgayle would be blown away by women like Sam, Janet, Teyla and Cadman. It would also be interesting if he recommended Jordan O'Neil for the Stargate Program once he got acclimated.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen GI Jane, actually. Worth watching?

The thing that drew me into SG1 in the first place was Sam Carter... someone who was a) awesome and b) kick-ass and everyone just was like "yeah duh" and that was that. I really enjoy that character.

[sulien77.livejournal.com]

I liked "GI Jane" a lot better than I thought I would, since I'm not the biggest Demi Moore fan, but she definitely kicks ass without bothering to take names. Viggo Mortensen plays the role of Master Chief Urgayle, the head instructor of the Navy Seal training course, to a tee.

So, yep, worth a watch!

[rosy-the-cat.livejournal.com]

PERN!!!

...Yeah, I got myself hooked on the books by noticing the Harper Hall Trilogy, which is AWESOME. Mennoly for the win!

-- Rosy

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Ha. I'm listening to Dragonsinger on audiobook right now - I love that mini-series so much.

[rosy-the-cat.livejournal.com]

I know, right? But the whole Mennoly/boyfriend firelizard-triggered shenanigans towards the end of the third book seemed to come out of left field for me. It was like adventure, adventure, PWP?!, and then never really talk about it's impact on their relationship because the book was mostly about Peimur (sp? I need to re-read those again...).

-- Rosy

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

I tend to flip past that stuff... but that's a fair approximation of what the scene is like ;)

[rosy-the-cat.livejournal.com]

Seriously! WTH was going through Anne McCaffrey's mind with that?!

-- Rosy

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Five favourite duos.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Peanut butter and honey
Holmes and Watson (any (http://www.sarahfobes.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/sherlock-holmes-watson.jpg), all (http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/holmes-watson.jpg)....)
Sheppard and McKay (http://www.gateworld.net/gallery/albums/atl_season3/311-TheReturnPart2/photos/311_thereturnpart2_24.jpg)
River Song and the Doctor (any Doctor, really) (http://pics.livejournal.com/tellitslant/pic/0005ys4z)
Richard Castle and Kate Beckett (http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kqgksqPeUn1qzzclno1_500.jpg)


(it makes me sad that I can't think of any chick pairs in there at the moment...)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Wait, that's only four. I meant to add Jack and Daniel from Stargate (and then use that icon) but left it off the list. Consider it added.

[tygermama.livejournal.com]

Top Five Fav Stories (that you wrote)

Top Five Fav Stories (that other people wrote)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Top Five Fav Stories (that you wrote)

Going with finished on this one, or else we get into the never ending WIPs...

SGA/NCIS: Agent Afloat Atlantis (http://mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com/305200.html)
SGA genderswap: Rosemary for Remembrance (http://mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com/327436.html)
Five Times The Doctor Travelled With Someone New (starts here (http://mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com/280796.html)): Doctor Who with Tin Man, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Anita Blake, Supernatural
Torchwood/Bones: Old Bones (http://mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com/311252.html)
Gilmore Girls/BtVS: In the Key of Major Finn (http://mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com/241960.html) (it's just a nice normal fic... unlike the crazy sci fi I write :)
and a bonus snippet because it's short - SGA: The End to the Beginning to the End (http://mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com/305947.html)


Top Five Fav Stories (that other people wrote)
Going backwards in my bookmarks here, because there's no way I only can possibly pick my top five :)

SGA: -.-. --- -. -. . -.-. - .. --- - (http://community.livejournal.com/sga_flashfic/842223.html). by mad_maudlin: The one where Rodney has an offf-world accident == can't see or hear.

Star Trek: So Wise We Grow (http://captanddeastar.livejournal.com/9048.html) by captanddeastar: the one where Kirk ends up adopting Spock's unexpected!son

Torchwood: Shades of Ianto (http://sarcasticbabble.livejournal.com/12581.html) by sarcasticbabble: real summary is: Ianto is much more than just a teaboy. (pre COE, and it's totally massive)

SGA: Only the Journey Matters (http://www.wraithbait.com/viewstory.php?sid=14549) by ga unicorn: the one where the newest Marine goes for a flying lesson with Sheppard and, well, Sheppard's luck holds.

SGA/SG1 series saga: Retrograde (http://www.ltljverse.com/watergate/seriesindex.htm) by Martha Wilson. AU after the end of SGA season 1. Basically, SG1 goes to look for the lost Atlantis expedition... but someone else got there first. Totally epic.

[forresterinc.livejournal.com]

I'll second the Retrograde series. You all absolutely must read "Trading Day" and "Vegas".

Other than that, fav HP stories? Crossover or not.
(Might I bring up Harry Potter and the Acceptance of Fate (http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1430023/1/)? It is sadly unfinished and on more-or-less permanent hiatus.)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Hmm, HP is going a bit back in the time machine. Off the top of my head:

Mirror of Maybe (also on permanent hiatus, sadly)
Blood Magic (http://www.fictionalley.org/authors/gatewaygirl/BM.html)
Pretty much anything every written by Echo (http://www.tthfanfic.org/Author-95/echo.htm). Mainly:
The LIfe of Brian (BtVS/HP) (http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-613/echo+The+Life+of+Brian.htm)
and
I Have Never Felt Your Fear (http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-1619/echo+I+Have+Never+Felt+Your+Fear.htm)

it's been a while since I read any HP fic :)

[waterfall8484]

Bouncing off your DW love (Amy and Rory! *squee*), top five things you liked this season.

Also, top five things you like to fic about/top five elements you like to include in your fics - pick one. :~)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

DW This season:
-The awesomeness of River Song
-The Doctor being a wily old man and figuring out a way to survive in spite of removing himself from the universe (wrt Amy's dreams) (and that whole thread of Amy's dreams that ran though the season
-The path of Amy and Rory's relationship thru the season - the pair we see at the wedding is the culmination of what they'd been through, and it's just such a romantic story :D
-Matt Smith as the Doctor. How a 26-year-old can play such a cranky old man always astonishes me.
-The fairytale mythology that was the backbone for this season - I'm really quite impressed with Steven Moffat as head writer. Well, and every episode Steven Moffat has ever written.

Going back to my first point... I'm really interested to see what Moffat and team build for River's back story. It's probably going to be epic. Because, if you think about it, the mention of her name made a Dalek beg for mercy and that's hardcore.

i'll address your second part later... gotta dash!

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

top five things you like to fic about/top five elements you like to include in your fics

1. crossovers, which isn't a surprise to anyone here. The thing I love about crossovers is that they open up a wider universe of possibilities. Instead of just the one fandom in which things can happen, suddenly you have an exponentially larger number of possibilities. I love it.

2. family ties. There's an old English saying, you can pick your friends but you can't pick your family. I love writing those relationships about people you really can't get away from :)

3. strong women. Most of my fics star smart/strong women (Anita Blake, Rory Gilmore, Buffy & Dawn & Faith, Ziva from NCIS, etc) because I dig strong women. No apologies :D (I find it hard to think of a fic I've written that's just dudes. Okay, I can think of only two ficlettes)

4. equal relationships. When I'm putting folks together onscreen, I like them to be evenly paired. Not a fan of power differentials. So when I put Anita Blake and Harry Potter together in Inevitable (starting over five years ago now wtf) it seemed natural to me to write them as peers, regardless of the age/experience differential.

5. figuring out backstory. It's the "how they got to where they are" that I like, working it out from the little clues of behaviour. I'm never right, but no one writes to be right.

[emony2.livejournal.com]

top five kick-ass women in fandoms?

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Can I list all five as "River Song"? Because I'm tempted.

Ok, really:
River Song (Doctor Who) (pics pretty much everything in this post (http://community.livejournal.com/doctoreleven/406602.html#cutid1))
Teyla Emmagen (SGA)
Sam Carter (SG1)
Miss Parker (Pretender)
Faith (BtVS)

[emony2.livejournal.com]

I would be tempted too... and I still have two eps left of this newest season!

The only one I don't know much about is Miss Parker.

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

River's even better in the last two eps :D

also try to avoid the previous comments in this post... I blater a bit about the season finale. Sorry :(

[emony2.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to them - it's just finding the time - especially when I'm watching it with my Mum.

lol - I missed that. But, at this point, I think it's my own fault if I stumble across any spoilers...

[deepfishy.livejournal.com]

Top five monsters? (as broad or as narrow a definition as you want)

[crimsonrage.livejournal.com]

Top Five Pies

Top Five Pairings (can be cannon or fandom, from any series)

[mhalachaiswords.livejournal.com]

Pies:
Apple. Apple pie forever.
Pumpkin (close second)
Blueberry
Peach (with crumble topping)
Lemon

Pairings:
Let's see... I don't do much with pairings, but there are some pairings in my head these days. Where I'm at these days:
1. The Doctor and River Song (possibly Doctor Who cannon, all around awesome)
2. Spencer Reid (criminal minds) and genderswap!John/Joan Sheppard (which makes no sense to me but it's eaten my brain)
3. going back in the time machine, Anita Blake and Nathaniel (AB)
4. Buffy and Riley (I know, I'm one of about 10 people on the planet who like them, but...)
5. Man, I'm out of ideas. I think my last pairing is a true oldie: Miss Parker and Jarod from Pretender.

that was hard...