Man die fietspad bezaait met prikkeldraad, spijkers en glas praat zichzelf aan de galg tegen visser die stiekem filmt  Het Laatste Nieuws

LIVE. De Wever over eventuele tweede piek: “Normale quarantaine is er een van zieken, niet van gezonde mensen”  Het Laatste Nieuws

Experts, economen en politici: iedereen is nu al bezig met een tweede coronagolf. “Zolang er geen vaccin is, zal het nieuwe normaal blijven bestaan”  Het Nieuwsblad

NOAA has released a series of virtual dives to keep stay-at-homers entertained, educated and interested in the undersea world even when everybody's stuck on the couch. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration takes viewers deep into national marine sanctuaries, revealing sights non-divers have likely never seen.[...]

Even though you're living on some distant planet, there's no reason you can't look amazing!

It's good to know that even with advanced technology and space travel available, fashion remains sensible.

Though it did show signs of greatness akin to those which made the previous Terre d'Ange novels such incredible reads, I felt that Naamah's Kiss turned out to be Jacqueline Carey's weakest Kushiel-related work to date. Given the originality and the quality of its predecessors, Naamah's Kiss and the next two installments had big shoes to fill. Which is quite unfair as far as expectations go, but that's the way love goes.

Weakest installment or not, Naamah's Kiss was nonetheless better than most fantasy titles out there. And its sequel, Naamah's Curse, turned out to be a better balanced read. Indeed, it was another convoluted book full of wonder and sensuality.

Understandably, I was looking forward to discovering how the author would close the show in Naamah's Blessing. And I'm pleased to report that Carey brought this trilogy to a satisfying ending.

Here's the blurb:

Returning to Terre d'Ange, Moirin finds the royal family broken. Wracked by unrelenting grief at the loss of his wife, Queen Jehanne, King Daniel is unable to rule. Prince Thierry, leading an expedition to explore the deadly jungles of Terra Nova, is halfway across the world. And three year old Desirée is a vision of her mother: tempestuous, intelligent, and fiery, but desperately lonely, and a vulnerable pawn in a game of shifting political allegiances.

As tensions mount, King Daniel asks that Moirin become Desirée's oath-sworn protector. Navigating the intricate political landscape of the Court proves a difficult challenge, and when dire news arrives from overseas, the spirit of Queen Jehanne visits Moirin in a dream and bids her undertake an impossible quest.

Another specter from the past also haunts Moirin. Travelling with Thierry in the New World is Raphael de Mereliot, her manipulative former lover. Years ago, Raphael forced her to help him summon fallen angels in the hopes of acquiring mystical gifts and knowledge. It was a disastrous effort that nearly killed them, and Moirin must finally bear the costs of those bitter mistakes.

As is habitually her wont, Jacqueline Carey's worldbuilding is great. Eschewing the traditional European medieval environment, Carey's creation is a Renaissance era analog and it is set in an alternate version of Western Europe. Previous Terre d'Ange books took us on amazing journeys that enabled readers to discover more about her universe. Richly detailed and imagined in terms of cultures, religions, and politics, every installment of Moirin's trilogy was a textured and sophisticated novel that took us to alternate versions of Britain, France, China, Mongolia, Russia, India, and Nepal. Not surprisingly, Naamah's Blessing turned out to be another vast and captivating travelogue which introduced us to Terra Nova, an analog of the New world with alternate versions of Central America and Peru. The author's depiction of the Mayan, Aztec, and Inca cultures was well-done and certainly gave this novel its unique flavor compared to its predecessors.

There was a lot of drama involved in Moirin's return to Terre d'Ange, yet it was nice to see things come full circle in that regard. Scenes featuring young Désirée with Moirin and Bao were emotional and Moirin being named the child's sworn protector added another layer to the already complex relationship between the bear witch and the royal family. But to a certain extent, the tale truly begins when Moirin sails away to the new continent. Readers have always known that they would see Raphael de Mereliot again, that the storyline betwen Moirin and her former lover was not over. But I never expected this. I loved how the author tied up that loose end.

I'm not the only reader who missed the first person narrative of Phèdre nó Delaunay early on. Having spent her childhood in isolation in the wilderness, there was an innocence and vulnerability to Moirin, but also a definite strength that Phèdre did not possess at a young age. That resolve got sorely tested in the second volume. During her search for Bao, she often found herself alone and forced to rely on no one but herself. I feel that her harrowing experiences during the search for her beloved and subsequent captivity and flight finally made her come together as a main protagonist. So much so that I stopped comparing her to Phèdre and Imriel, as if Moirin's voice and perspective had finally taken their rightful place in the driver's seat. And it's even more evident in this final installment.

Jacqueline Carey has a knack for creating endearing and memorable secondary characters, and once more she came up with a wonderful cast for Naamah's Blessing. As mentioned, there are some poignant scenes featuring Désirée. But there is also Balthasar Shahrizai and Lianne Tremaine, as well as Moirin's father. There is Eyahue, the randy jungle guide, the ferocious warrior Temilotzin, and the brave Maidens of the Sun. And, as always, Bao, who carries half on Moirin's soul in his heart.

The author continues to write with elegance. As I've said many times, her lyrical prose is something special and I feel it could well be the very best in the genre today. Once more in Naamah's Blessing, her enthralling prose creates an imagery filled with wonder and beauty. And other than Robin Hobb, no one makes her characters suffer as much over the course of a book/series.

Like its predecessor, this novel doesn't suffer from any pacing issues. The rhythm flows well throughout and the ending is a compelling blend of happiness and heartbreak. One can only hope that Moirin and Bao will now make those fat babies. Round as dumplings! God knows they have earned some joy and peace of mind.

When all is said and done, though rewarding and satisfying, Moirin's trilogy couldn't possibly hope to equal or surpass Phèdre and Imriel's tales. Still, the series is well worth reading and is superior to most SFF works on the market today.

The final verdict: 8/10

For more info about this title, follow these Amazon Associate links: Canada, USA, Europe

Posted by: ninetydegrees

Fandom: Teen Wolf
Characters/Pairings: Stiles/Derek
Rating: Teen And Up
Length: 48,544 words

Summary: It's been months. Months of lonely days and lonelier nights.
And Stiles can't understand what he did wrong.

Why is it the BEST THING EVER: I found it to be one of the best stories I've read in this fandom because the author uses several well-loved tropes and treats them with the utmost respect and thoughtfulness. The author's take on them felt incredibly satisfying and believable, but still gave space for other possibilities at several points in the story. It could have gone differently and it would have been right too. I found the story raw, intense and beautiful. There is so much you can do with this fandom and these characters and this fic is a perfect example of that. It's made me fall in love with fanfiction all over again.

Fanwork Links: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15212723

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Joseph Wallace spent almost six years developing "Salvation Has no Name." Weeks into the shoot, he had to shut it down.

The post Coronavirus Stories: How A Filmmaker At Aardman Has Kept His Stop-Motion Project Alive During Lockdown appeared first on Cartoon Brew.

The agency will work with the character "in all areas, including tv, film, and brand strategy and commercial endorsements."

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Former RAF chief set to replace Dame Deirdre Hutton

Mijn eerste blog vanuit Leiden In dit tijdperk van Covid19 met iets minder bewegingsvrijheid dan we gewend zijn leek het mij leuk eens terug te kijken op al die bijzondere voettochten die ik heb gedaan. Je moet toch wat als die tocht van deze week niet

Today we tackled the bazaars. The Grand Bazaar was really good. Bigger than I expected and certainly a lot to look at. We browsed around and made a purchase although we were offered many more. After a coffee stop we continued indirectly unintentionally

A DER SPIEGEL reporter committed large-scale journalistic fraud over several years. Internal clues and research have provided significant evidence against reporter Claas Relotius, who has since admitted to the falsifications and is no longer employed by DER SPIEGEL. Other media organizations may also have been affected.

In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, 53, criticizes the U.S., China and Hungary for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic. He also promises not to abandon Italy and explains why he doesn't want to say that he's actually in favor of corona bonds.

The numbers of staff earning over €100,000 at the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) last year increased by 31 to 374.

Connacht GAA president Gerry McGovern believes the risks of a return to playing action this year are too high and has instead urged the Association to focus completely on the 2021 All-Ireland Championships.

The GAA's management committee and chairpersons from each county board will meet remotely today to discuss the future of the 2020 All-Ireland Championships.

GAA officials are still planning to hold club and inter-county championships in 2020, but have ruled out any inter-county games before October and say there is a lack of appetite for matches with no spectators.

The GAA has estimated that almost 20,000 of its volunteers have been involved in a community response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The adventure of putting together the hurling All-Star team of the Sunday Game era has now reached the half-forward line. Michael Duignan and Anthony Daly help us delve through the many options on the RTÉ GAA Podcast.

Runaway vote leader Pat Spillane and five-time All-Star Sean Cavanagh join Mikey Stafford and Rory O'Neill to discuss the best half-forwards of The Sunday Game era.

Pat Spillane believes the GAA "kicked the can" down the road with its most recent statement regarding the 2020 championships, while Anthony Daly argues the longer-term view was the correct call.

Safety C.J. Pollard announced on Monday he is leaving USC and entering the NCAA transfer portal.

Marty Blazer, an informant in the federal investigation into college basketball corruption that ensnared USC, is assisting the NCAA in its probe.

The White House says in a statement that it wants to make sure "NCAA student athletes are treated fairly without harming the integrity of college sports."

As USC trudges through at nightmarish February, the Trojans desperately need a big win, and more wins, to keep their NCAA tournament bubble from bursting.

USC tries to rally from a 15-point deficit but falls short in a 79-65 loss to Utah that severely hampers their aspirations of making the NCAA tournament.

USC coach Andy Enfield knows the importance of fans' roles in events such as the NCAA tournament, which will be absent this year due to NCAA precaution on the coronavirus.

An extended run through the Pac-12 tournament would certainly help ease the tension for both USC and UCLA. But a loss Thursday could put their fate in the hands of the numbers.

The USC men's tennis team, led by seniors Brandon Holt and Riley Smith, was ranked No. 1 in the nation before the coronavirus pandemic derailed the season.

Kyle Sturdivant is entering the NCAA transfer portal after having to mourn the death of his father in the middle of his freshman season at USC.

USC coach Andy Enfield says the Trojans were good enough to make a run in the NCAA tournament. But because of the coronavirus, he'll never know.

Win their first Pac-12 tournament game Thursday, and the resurgent UCLA Bruins would feel better about their chances of an at-large bid in the NCAA tournament.

The NCAA has decided to hold the men's and women's basketball championships without fans because of concerns over the coronavirus.

The UCLA women's basketball team's season came to a premature end when the NCAA announced the cancellation of the men's and women's tournaments.

For the first time in its 81 year history, the NCAA basketball tournament was canceled as the sports world continues efforts to control the coronavirus.

The NCAA is giving spring sports athletes whose 2020 seasons were majorly disrupted by the coronavirus another year of eligibility.

The UCLA softball team was determined to repeat as NCAA champions before the coronavirus pandemic brought a premature end to the season.

The acceptance of national letters of intent for NCAA Division I and II sports has been suspended until at least April 15.

The most iconic shot in UCLA history — by Tyus Edney with 4.8 seconds left in a 1995 March Madness game — originated on a makeshift driveway court.

A look at the players and coaches from UCLA's 1995 NCAA men's basketball championship team and what they are up to today.

The UCLA women's tennis team had just proved worthy of being an NCAA title contender when the coronavirus outbreak ended its season.

NCAA voted Monday to approve an extra year of eligibility for spring athletes who had their seasons canceled because of COVID-19 but some might not get same financial aid.

From the archives: This week marks the 25th anniversary of the UCLA men's basketball team's NCAA title. Here is The Times' story on the Bruins' championship win.

From the archives: How Ed O'Bannon didn't let a torn knee ligament stop him from propelling UCLA to its 11th NCAA title win in 1995.