Hello ladies & gentlemen,
Who doesn’t love the anticipation of new releases and things that they plan on doing? Every month there seems to be something new and exciting ready to hit the market for our consumption.
Being ready to embrace them with open arms is all we can really do.
To showcase this, I’ll be sharing my top 3 for each category of things that I look forward to this month right here, right now!
TO BE READ.
Release Date: July 16th, 2019.
Currently reading this massive beast and should be done with it pretty soon! Expect a review in the coming days. 😉
Release Date: August 6th, 1996.
I have already started this beast as well but plan on finally finishing it this month. Winter is coming…
Release Date: November 24th, 2020.
This one would’ve been read earlier had the final months of 2020 not been so hectic for me but I should finally have gone through it this month!
BOOK RELEASES.
Release Date: January 5th, 2021.
It mentions in its blurb that it’s perfect for fans of The Mandalorian and Cowbow Beebop. For some reason, anything remotely connected to The Mandalorian draws my attention nowadays hahahah
Release Date: January 12th, 2021.
I haven’t yet started this series of novella by McGuire but it’s nice to know that the 6th installment is already just around the corner!
Release Date: January 19th, 2021.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen the highly creative Nnedi Okorafor around, having only read her Binti trilogy, so it was interesting to discover that her latest book is coming out this month too!
COMIC BOOK RELEASES.
Spinning out of the recent DC Dark Nights: Death Metal tale is a two-month event that will explore various heroes at the near future to the end of time. While I’m not a big fan of these kinds of things, I’ll still be on the lookout for what it will offer, if anything good.
I’ll be reading the original Eternals story by Neil Gaiman this year but Marvel’s got Kieron Gillen to give fans a new vision of their mythology as the huge upcoming movie continues production and development.
I haven’t yet found the time to read the original Iron Fist stories but it’s nice to know that a new story is in the work!
TV SHOW RELEASES.
Played by Omar Sy (Les Intouchables) is a series about a man, inspired by the gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, out to avenge his father. It looks fun and promising. To be seen if it’ll garner any more attention than that.
The third season of the TV series adaptation of the classic novel by Neil Gaiman is coming out this month! And… I have yet to even start this series. 😛
This is my only priority TV series for the month. The long wait is over as the duo finally arrive in fashion to extend the MCU on the TV front! 😀
MOVIE RELEASES.
With newly declassified information, this documentary exposes the FBI’s attempt to sabotage Martin Luther King during his activism. By far the most interesting and exciting movie to come out this month!
This looks too promising to ignore. Based on the novel of the same name comes the story of a driver of a rich family climbing all the way up to success.
I love a good Denzel Washington movie but you gotta put Rami Malek and Jared Leto in there too? This is beyond thrilling! Hopefully the story can live up to the hype!
PERSONAL LIFE.
I think this month should calm down on several fronts, from deadlines to celebrations, allowing me to re-stabilize myself in my usual routine. In a couple of days, I should also have handed over an essay that took a lot of my time these past two months and that act alone should dramatically appease my soul. I do look forward to those after-work periods where I can just jump straight into a book a not think about time for the rest of the day.
The month will also be spent organizing myself for the following months, especially when it comes to preparing classes that I’ll be giving. It will finally be time for me to indulge all the hassle of giving online classes and what annoys me the most is how I foresee the experience… The idea of talking to a wall (since students usually don’t have the obligation to put on their cameras) just isn’t the same as having a dynamic and real class of students in front of you. I guess that’s the life of lecturers/teachers out there since the pandemic started and it’ll soon be time for me to face it too hahaha Hopefully I’ll be able to mentally prepare myself for that too throughout this month.
While I honestly don’t feel like 2021 feels that different from 2020 for the time being (sure, in the long term, hope seems much more tangible), I do want to tell myself that this year will be the year of structure and productivity. But, hey, how many times have we all tried to tell ourselves that only to see things go, ohhhh, sooooo, differently? 😛
Thank you all for checking out my monthly anticipation post!
Now tell me what you’re looking forward to this month! Any new releases? Anything exciting you plan on doing?
Yours truly,
Roars and Echoes 
Wow, you have been reading some tomes! I have a hard time concentrating beyond 400 pages, which is why I have not read Game of Thrones. I have starting watching a bit more Netflix and movies, so some of those also intrigue me. I sure hope 2021 will be better, but you are right, it is same old right now. Congrats on getting your major paper finished. I hope it is all you had planned when you started, Lashaan. Enjoy the rest of your week.
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I’ll always vouch for the greatness of ginormous books as a mainly SFF reader hahaha They’re just too much fun but they definitely take a lot of my time! I hope you get to try out some good shows/movies with Netflix and co. soon, Carla! Thank you for your kindness and I hope you’re having a peaceful and wonderful month so far too! 😀
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Someday, I might give one a try.
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Being a ginormous fan of George R.R. Martin, I can’t wait for your review of Game of Thrones! I’m looking forward to Wandavision and the third season of American Gods.
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What an exciting month, right?! 😀
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I am quite excited for Lupin, but will have to see if Dave is willing to watch it in French with me. And of course WandaVision. I haven’t seen any of the newer trailers but am very interested to see what they did with it.
Good luck on your classes!
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Thanks, Milou! I hope you get around to trying those series out too as they come out then! 😀
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Raj Kumar Rao and Priyank Chopra are brilliant actors. I hope you like that movie.
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I hope you get to try it out too then! 😉
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Well that Wanda Vision trailer totally confused me and my husband. I think I’ll have to wait for your review to see if we want to watch or not! 😂
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Hahahahah I have an interesting review of something that could prepare many comic book readers for that show coming out soon too! 😉
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Excellent!
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I had no idea that you’ll be a teacher Lashaan! When you explained about studying criminology I thought you’d work with the police force and all. Anyway good luck with the new job!
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Ahhh but I do both, Sophie! 😛 Since I’m still doing my Ph.D. degree, I got the opportunity to teach a class since my supervisor is on sabbatical! Otherwise, I’m still working full-time in a police organization as a crime preventionist! 😀
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So, how many more years do you think Disney can milk the Marvel franchise? I think DC is dead in the water and I feel like the stop in releases of superhero movies due to covid has too much inertia to overcome.
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I doubt both can EVER die hahahha Unfortunately, I don’t share such a dark vision of both machines like yourself hahahah I think it’ll be like the comic book business. At some point, it’ll all get rebooted, and right now, they’re just constantly setting up the pieces for more projects within each universe. Their only real problem is keeping everyone young. Those reboots will be inevitable in the future. 😀
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Ok, ok, really excited for those book reviews coming. That Lupin show looks interesting. I’ll have to check it out… whenever I manage to watch a TV show.
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Hahah same, same. I’m very unlikely to see it as it comes out myself but it’s nice to know it’ll be out there!: D
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I want 2021 to be an amazing year where we finally get back to normal, but who knows when that will happen? Good luck with your teaching! Hopefully it will go smoothly😁
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Hopefully, something closer to normal will be possible this year! I do feel like the new-normal has become normal though hahah Thanks, Tammy! Hope January proves to be nice for you too! 😀
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Ohhhh! Welcome to the so-far endless tunnel of the ASOIAF readers! 🙂
While compelling, this series shows no signs of nearing completion in the next few years, but still it’s a good, entertaining journey. Looking forward to your review!!!
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Hahah thanks, Maddalena! I’m giving myself a 5 year window to go through the series… Hopefully we’ll hear something about the next book in the meantime! 😀
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Not having seen the Mandalorian, it was the Cowboy Bebop reference that drew me to Persephone Station. And though I’m always a bit leery of believing those sorts of comparisons, it still intrigues me. I miss Bebop. I’ve not yet read any of the original Arsène Lupin stories, but I love some of the Lupin anime which was at least inspired by them, and I absolutely LOVED Les Intouchables, that was probably the very best movie I watched that year (and one I’d like to rewatch), so I’m curious about the new series. And regarding the rest of the year, how is it that saying goes? Hope for the best and prepare for the rest. Keeps the optimism without losing sight of reality. 🙂 I hope you find yourself enjoying the teaching, remote or not.
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I’m not a fan of these comparisons either but they do a good job in pointing out shows/movies that we might have enjoyed in the past hahaha I wouldn’t mind sneaking in a high recommendation for the Mandalorian though. Best thing to have ever happened to Star Wars! And if you haven’t heard, there’s a live-action adaptation project for Cowboy Bebop going on right now. Might interest you in a far, far future! 😀
I’ve read the first collection of stories with Lupin and was intrigued by the concept of his character but wasn’t mindblown by the writing style (they weren’t exactly intended to be full novels after all). I have heard so many things about Lupin the Third though! I absolutely LOVED Les Intouchables too! I was skeptical and maddened that a Holywood version of it was released recently though. I didn’t dare get near it (it’s called the Upside). Thanks for the encouragement, Todd! Hope your projects for this month have been going well so far! 😀
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I didn’t know there would be a series about Arsène Lupin, I’m very curious to check it out now! You also put a lot of movies in your list this month, and they all seem very appealing! I will try to start the Game of Thrones books this year – wish me luck for that ahah! Anyway, good luck for the online classes too – hopefully many of your students will turn on their camera so it won’t feel like talking to a wall too much! 😊
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While it’s not strictly ON Lupin, which would’ve been so great to see today, it’s close enough to be worth a shot hahah
Glad to hear about GoT! However, I could’ve sworn your sister told me that you already read the first book though! 😮 Hope your pursuit of the rest of the unfinished series will prove to be rewarding! 😀
Thank you! Hope January will be nice with you too! 😉
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Ahahah no I have the last one, but now I want to start from the beginning 😊 Hope this month is treating you well!
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Oh, I do wonder what you’ll think of Eternals, Lashaan! 😁
I’m a bit overdosed on comic book movies, so I’m totally not interested in whatever MCU or DCU puts out – but I might change my mind if you vouch that it’s good! 😀
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From Anathem, Ninefox Gambit, to Eternals, Marvel 1602, I think it’s safe to say that a lot of books you’ve recommended are high on my priority list this year! 😉 As for the upcoming superhero movie/shows… no worries. I’ll gladly go through them and let you know how it goes. And then you can take off maybe 3 stars (on 10) to whatever rating I give you to know if it might work for you or not! 😛 In fact, my next superhero movie/show review is going to be a big NOP for you hahahaha I can’t wait to write it up. 😀
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I love Denzel Washington films too and The Little Things looks just amazing! Thanks for sharing the trailer since it is the first time I am even hearing about the film. “A hunt for a serial killer” is such a well-trodden path in cinema, I do hope they have come up with something more or less new or an interesting perspective. Since we have the duo of detectives here it slightly reminds me of Fincher’s Seven too. Director John Lee Hancock does seem to jump film genres, The Blind Side, Saving Mr. Banks and now we have this. Versatile.
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The man can act and when he’s given a proper script and good direction, you’re bound to be impressed! Fences was one of his more modern projects that worked so beautifully for me, for example! And yes, it absolutely has a Fincher’s Seven vibe too, another classic that I adore! Hopefully this movie won’t just be one of those “good cast, bad story” things!
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I’m excited for the Wanda & Vision show.
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Same! I can’t wait to see what it will have to offer! 🙂
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So you’re one of those who reads different things at the same time. I mean, I guess I knew this before, but it still boggles my mind a bit.
I didn’t know that students don’t have to put their cameras on. If I were the student, I’d probably enjoy that, but what is the school’s reasoning? It allows students to just log in and walk away and it condemns you to talk to the wall.
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Variety is always nice! 😉 I also have reads for different occasions (even more pre-COVID, when I could commute and whatnot).
Yep, there’s no way to force it on students. I guess there are a lot of issues at play. For example, internet connection can be one. With larger Zoom groups, having your camera on might draw too much bandwidth and cause so much lag that you just can’t follow… There’s honestly no solution to this until Internet gets stronger for the whole world…
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Gosh, you are starting A Game of Thrones! I really want to do this as well, but not sure I have the stamina. Because once you start, surely you need to work your way through the whole series to find out how it ends? I agree, so far 2021 doesn’t feel that different from 2020. But I am still hopeful it will become better. Good luck with your online teaching, I see what you mean about talking to a wall (or to yourself) when you can’t actually see the students.
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Unfortunately, the one drawback of starting A Game of Thrones is that the author still hasn’t released the next book in the series and it has been a decade since!! 😛 Thank you for your kind words. I hope 2021 has been treating you well so far! 😀
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Oh, I didn’t know that! So the tv show concluded before the books were written… You will have the pleasure of two different endings!
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I’m also curious about Lupin! But man oh man am I so excited for Wandavision! I have a feeling it’s going to break my heart though (in the best possible way).
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I hope both shows turn out to be more than what you expect of them! 😀
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Whew. Much to catch up on for sure. The struggle for leisure continues despite the forced reclusive lifestyle the pandemic has imposed on us who take the virus seriously. It could be disconcerting giving a lecture online with text or graphics instead of faces of an audience you hope is listening. You might consider being more aggressive in having more interaction by asking something after making a point. You sure have come a long way though. You’re now on the other side. Progress!
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Hahaha thanks, Karina! I’ll probably be much more direct with my questions and make them regret not participating too. 😉 Life sure has has given me some truly incredible opportunities so far and I hope to make the most of them as they come! I hope it’s the same for you too with your own life projects, Karina!
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Yay for teaching! 👏👏👏 I have a friend who teaches college classes via Zoom and she usually has at least a handful of students who have their cameras on, so maybe you will be lucky and not have to lecture to a wall. 😀
Happy New Year! 🎉🎉🎉
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I find it sad when there are conferences being held and most people have their cameras turned off. It has to make the whole thing so much less fun for lecturers! 😮 Happy New Year to you too! 😀
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