Well, it's been a while since I've done anything at all, but you can be assured a new chapter is coming along soon. It's a corker too, finally getting to the size I like my chapters to be, and it's starting to get my unique characters--those darling and dubious Neitherworlders, each with their own charming madness.

But that's not what I'm here to discuss at the moment, we can do that when I post the bleeding thing. I'm here to discuss two topics closely linked: a different book in The Neitherworld series, and some particular music.

The book I speak of is the fourth book, The Pwyll Express (Pwyll is pronounced "peel", it's a Welsh name, if I remember correctly). This story centres around a luxury train running it's 'maiden voyage' (not sure what that term is, in reference to trains) and the happenings aboard.
These include a nasty case of arson, the vandalism of a Pwyll Express automaton, and close-qarters with a very frustrating Creator-of-All-That-Is. All to be suffered by Briar Morgan, a university student whose studies in psychology tell her that she is in extreme danger.
The train itself is an entity in itself, extravagant beyond belief, it is lined with velvet, trimmed with glass, and festooned with wrought silver fixtures standing vigil over the languid passengers. There are many carriages designed for recreation and study and each passenger sleeps in their own little rooms (with enuites for all).There is, however one major problem.
The Creator-of-All-That-Is I mentioned before is staying on the train because he cannot remember ever having made it. He claims it looks like something he'd make, he has a few notes on it lying around his study and a few architects and designers have proof of comissions for working on it, but he honestly can't remember anything about it (he's also entirely mad, by the way). Staying on the train proves to be a very entertaining experience for him. Then again, almost everything amuses him, he's finds existence itself to be enthralling. (e.g. 'My name is Briar Morgan.' 'Really? My, my, my. How is it working out for you? Do you enjoy it? Does it enjoy you? Shall we go for a walk? There's a tree I've been meaning to visit, it looks beautiful and I haven't seen it for a while. I hope it's grown since I last saw it.' )
However, as the train reaches the later stages of the trip, somebody brings to attention something the Creator-of-All-That-Is had missed because of his memory loss: he hadn't actually finished the tracks yet.

This is where the music comes into it. There is a favourite song of mine called 'This Train Will Be Taking No Passengers' by Augie March (one of the few good things to have come out of Australia). The song is just so perfect to be played by the band in the recreation carriage (there's a scene where the lead singer[s] say[s] 'Well, folks, how about one last song before we go...' ) at the climax of the story. Find it (I don't care how) and listen to it. You will understand why. Roaring piano, shrieking organ, and desperately haunting lyrics.

Why am I saying this? To spread Augie March out across the literary minded! After really listening to this band, other bands will pale in comparison in one way or another. Specifically, they will pale in their lyrics. The lyrics of Augie March are the most brilliant and poetic pieces you will hear in a long, long time. And when I say this, I mean it. They are truly literary minded people, capable of eloquent and articulate speech of notable beauty. Try this for example: [link] (The whole second half, in particular. 'Grow lean on love.' ) I can no longer take people seriously when they say 'Oh, [some band]'s lyrics are really deep'.

Find their songs and find them now. You will be glad you did.

I'm quite finished now, so go ahead and ask questions. Feel free to ask about the Pwyll Express; I would have talked about it more, but I can't remember much of it, and need prompting via questions.

EDIT: This site's emoticon system is just... idiotic. In the first version of this, it replaced single Ps and )s, no combinations of symbols which might have been emoticons, just Ps and )s on their own.