Connect 2 Edmonton is a wonderful resource. I had an thread posted to see if anyone remembered NonCon 2. I didn’t know it at the time but Gordon R. Dickson was there. The convention was October 5,6,7th at the Edmonton Inn 1979. I wasn’t there for the whole event just the costume shin dig/dance. At the time I was still working at the Army & Navy and living over there at the Riverside Towers. That was a pay week/rent week as I moved into that residence that week. The following week I ended up with my girlfriend buying groceries for us three bachelors. I don’t remember much about NonCon. I think Dennis was there with us and I recall us in the café (different then it’s current location) with Ellen in the afternoon. I wasn’t in costume or anything.

Around noon, I finished reading “Icewind Dale” trilogy (collectors edition) by R.A. Salvatore. So here is a brief sketchy review of this huge book:

The skinny: Icewind Dale contains 3 novels, “The Crystal Shard”, “Streams of Silver” and “The Halflings Gem” It seems that The Crystal Shard was R.A. Salvatore’s first novel. It gather’s a black elf wizard known as Drizzt Do’Urden, an ill tempered Dwarf-Bruenor Battlehammer, a young woman Cattie-brie and a Conan inspired barbarian type-Wulfgar as well as a Halfling -Regis. In the first novel, “The Crystal shard” is about a evil wizard trying to capture an area called Ten towns. “Streams of Silver” is about an assassin and the last novel our band of heroes go after a captured Regis.

Pros: R.A. Salvatore is a wonderful writer that handles his material with confidence and ease. This shows in the breadth of his attempt to portray the friends. The good guys are likeable and the story through out the whole trilogy is engaging. Salvatore gives each page color and life. Adequate world building.

Cons: There are multiple point of view shifts on a given page that can be confusing. I didn’t like the “Ye’s” and archaic colloquial style Salvatore gave only 2 characters Cattie-brie and the dwarf. Other wise there aren’t many Cons in this book.

Bottom line: This was a fun read. Character growth was handled well, more so for the main character Drizzt. I liked the assassin. On a scale from 1 e. Jim-10, I give this book 10 e.Jim’s out of 10. Well worth your time in reading.

Right now I just began reading “Fast Forward #1.” Looks like a lot of fun.

This afternoon, before I leave out of here, I’m going to be calling Ms to see what’s going on with that job. Then it’s off to work and tonight I’m following the Oiler’s/Kings game. Hopefully I’ll have good news to take with me to work. If I get accepted and I get the job, training starts Monday December 1st. What I like about this job is not only the money but also benefits after 3 months. If I get hired on and I like the job and do well, great. I want to begin saving up for the C1 Nord combo organ. At $2,800 I’d be looking at $500/month for about 6 months. Amazon.com has a stage version but they don’t have it available, yet. But if I do get accepted for the job my wife and I agreed that she’d get one pay cheque and I’d get the other. I could have the organ as early as July 2009.

Anyway Bloggers that’s all for now

e. Jim