Book Review: The Swordbearer by Glen Cook

The Swordbearer by Glen Cook
My rating: 8.5 of 10 stars

This is dark fantasy at it's core. No doubt about it. There is no hero, per se. There are goals and objectives and our main character will do anything to achieve it. Excelent!

But some things are just too damn confusing. Sometimes I can't really figure it out who is talking or why they are saying the things they are saying. It's a confusing tale.

The Swordbearer begins with giving us a lesson in history, geography and mythology which is nice but if I hadn't a book where I write the characters names and places and special events I would be at loss.

Almost no descriptions, a crude writing language (probably on purpose) but it confuse me. And the names of places and characters? Most of them are pure gibberish.

On the other end of the spec you've got a bleak, gritty, betrayals and almost near suffocating book.

Glen Cook is a odd duck. In one side you've got a great dark fantasy story but in the other you don't involve too much because most of the book alianates you with his characters and names and narration.

The Sword and the Boy reminds me of Elric but that's where the similiraties end. Don't forget this book was written 30 years ago. Most of the fantasy you read noawadays didn't exist - Sven Erikson, Robert Jordan, George RR Martin and others

****

"You want to stay alive, Sword or no, you'd better learn this lesson. You get your enemies, any way you can. Fight Fair, play the brave chevalier, and your're going to get your gut spilled."

*****

"-You fight fire with fire in this world. You don't see these Ventimiglians counting scruples do you
- If you sink to their level, we're no better than they are.
-What gives you idea that you are? Human is human boy..."

****

"Theis, no. I couldn't.
-What?"
-Kill men while they're sleeping."
-Best time. They don't fight back. You remember who they are? They could be the men who tortured your mother. Aren't you hungry? They have more than horses. Boy your age usually eats a ton of fodder a day.
Gathrid needed no reminder .His navel was griding against his backbone. But to kill men over something to eat...He was not that hungry.Not yet."

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Book Review: Sphere by Michael Crichton

Sphere by Michael Crichton
My rating: 7.5 of 10 stars

After trying and failing to finish Jurassic Park but having enjoyed Eaters of the Dead I gave Michael Crichton another try.

I don't know If I enjoyed it or no. I really don't.
The writing style is bland and it reads like a script. It's a fast-paced thriller no doubt about it. The plot itself moves forwards and makes you wonder what is going to happen but at the same time, in the end you will make a question. What happenend?

Allow me to elaborate. You've got a team of scientists and military that go diving into the depths to find out what kind of alien ship is lying there. Unfortunally the only thing you learn about the ship is that is not alien but earthly, but from the future. So now what? Why was it send here? What's the Sphere? Alien? Futuristic? What? What's it for? There are some questions that we never learn and that's is why I didn't enjoy more the novel.

The psychological side of the book is excelent. I really enjoy Beth, Harry and Norman battling the "Sphere" and the realization of the episode. The ending was in my opinion anti-climatic and left us wondering the questions I asked before. What the heck was the Sphere?

We learn a lot in this book, about how humankind dwell on the depths with low oxigen and such. We also learn about cryptlogy and other kind of science stuff. One thing I ask. If Norman was without his suit right in the end when Beth tries to kill him and he went outside, how come he was not crush by the pression in the water?

I will continue reading Chrichton books. State of Fear or Andromeda are on my pile to next to read.

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Book Review: Stay Out of the Basement by R.L. Stine

Stay Out of the Basement by R.L. Stine
My rating: 5.5 of 10 stars

Another one that I remember reading even after 15/16 years. This is how you know that the book had an impact on you.

Spoilers Ahead

Dr Henry, a botanist, was fired from his work and now works fulltime (and more) in his basement. His attitude is more reclusive and getting afar from his family. In the basement he is working with plants as they breath and moan. His father is also transforming at their young eyes.

As almost or all Goosebumps the reader gets a question in the end... Is it really over? After destroying the Dopelganger and everything works alright, Margareth grabs a plant that says that he is the real father.

Again first perspective (and a girl yet again).

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Anime Review: Danganronpa (Summer 2013 & Summer 2016)

Well to me it makes perfect sense to review these series as one since they are realistically a series with 3 seasons.

1. Danganronpa: The Animation (Summer 2013) - 13 Eps
2. Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc (Summer 2016) 11 Eps
3. Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Future Arc (Summer 2016) 12 Eps
4. Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School -Hope Arc (Fall 2016) 1 Eps

Chronological are:

1. Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc (Summer 2016) 11 Eps
2. Danganronpa: The Animation (Summer 2013) - 13 Eps
3. Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Future Arc (Summer 2016) 12 Eps
4. Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School -Hope Arc (Fall 2016) 1 Eps

Every Single one of the characters

Just to begin; this is based on a videogame which I did not play, and I pretty much get the picture. But there are a few things to know before starting watching this. ; The first Danganronpa is self contain. The second (Despair) can be seen without knowing nothing since it's set BEFORE the the first Danganronpa. The third (Future) can also be seen independently but to my opinion makes no sense if you do not seen the first Danganronpa. And the last one (Hope) if you didn't watch the previous also makes no sense since it's right after Future. In my opinion it should be the 13 Episode of the Future Arc.

So what it's this all about... It's quite strange to talk about this anime. Basically the first one is set on a tower where several contestants, 15 to be precise, are set completed isolated a
nd must find who the killer his amidst them. PLEASE DO NOT WATCH DESPAIR ARC BEFORE THIS ONE EVEN IF IT IS SET BEFORE. Basically you will not enjoy since you will know from the start who the bad guy/gal is all along. Basically the contest works this way, you must find who the killer his. If you cannot find who the killer is the killer is released and everybody else dies. As I said, each  person is unique and have some special abilities. We follow Makoto Naegi an average student  who is very lucky. 

From this moment on, there will be some spoilers.

After the dead of most of the classmates they finally discover who the killer is and 6 of them escape, including Kirigiri (Super High School Level Detective); Aoi Asahina (Super High School Level Swimmer); Byakuya  (  Super High School Level Heir);  Touko Fukawa (Super High School-Level Literary Girl & Super High School-Level Murderer) &Yasuhiro Hagakure (Super High School Level Fortune Teller)

We later understand that the one behind if all was another contestant  called Junko Enoshima ( Super High School Level Fashion Girl (Gyaru) / Super High School Level Analyst)

The second anime Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc is set before the events of the first Dananronpa and deals with the Junko and how everything came to be. They talk about some uber-despair event and we later understand what was it. This series are highly depressing because it's full of despair and we some characters falling into despair. 

Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Future Arc it's set 3 years AFTER the first danganronpa and deals with the survivors of the first game and the Future Organization trying to rid the world out of Despair. It's very alike the first one since its also a game. This one is a bit different. Basically each one has some bracelet with a hidden rule and if they cross that rule they will die. They must find out who the killer is.

We have as main characters some of our survivors from the first Dangaronpa and the second one.

It's highly interesting and we follow Kirigiri with a group of survivors and Naegi with other group of adventurers.  It's interesting because we have several guys who are trying to erradicate Despair but each it's own way. After all, how can we control despair. Is not despair and other negative emotions also needed? After all aren't we humans made of good and bad emotions?

The last story HOPE ARC is set right after Future. In my opinion it should not be a new arc since it's the culmination of the FUTURE.

How to watch this you ask?

Danganronpa  (all eps)

Then either watch one episode of each or watch everything from Despair and then Future.

Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc 

Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Future Arc 

In the end watch

Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School -Hope Arc

Advisable?

Yes and No. Unless you are prepared to watch all of the series, then don't watch. The animation is cool, there is no red blood but pink blood. If you don't like action and killing and such then don't watch it. Everyone dies in a horrible way... eheh

And I don't get it despair. Junko says that she wants everyone to fall to despair but she enjoys it. She almost is happy with it. How can you be happy with your own despair? It's quite hard to get it... But it's a nice series nevertheless. What I am trying to say is that it's kind of hard to understand everything...

TV Series Review: Doctor Who (Season 9) 1972

I've just watch the last episode of Season 9 of Doctor Who who run from 01/01/1972 to 24/06/1972. It features the Third Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo Grant (Katy Manning). It has 26 episodes distributed between 5 stories.

The First Story was Day of the Daleks (4 Eps) and deals with some rebels from a future conquered Earth who come to the past to change history.

The second Story is called The Curse of Peladon (4 eps). This one was one of the first the TimeLords sent the Doctor to a strange land (Peladon) to help a truce treaty. Interesting we see the Ice Warriors as some good guys... (So probably it's the future)

The third tale was The Sea Devils. This story deals with two enemies of the doctor. First the Silurians who awaken and are trying to control the Earth (like previous series "DDoctor Who and the Silurians. They will make a third appearance in Warriors of the Deep (1984) and the fifth doctor. The other enemy is the Master. The master is imprisoned and the Doctor and Jo are going to visit it.

The fourth tale is The Mutants (6 ep) a tale that deals with a colony of a future earth and the way they deal with the inhabitants. This tale is almost a vision of an Indian american/Africa being controlled by the Europeans. 

The fifth tale  and the last one is The Time Monster that deals with the Master trying to summon Kronos a beast that lives beyond time to make his bidding and conquer earth. In this episode we learn that the Master is responsible of destroying Atlantis. The famous actress Ingridd Pitt makes an appearance in this episode.

It was a very interesting season. I must say I like Jo Grant and the Doctor is very physic getting on fights and so on. My only complain is the length of each series. If you watch it you know what I am saying. It seems you could comprise most of these series in two or three episodes. It follows the same route. Something happens, the doctor and jo go to investigate, someone is killed or arrested then the doctor and jo are arrested then they escape then they arrested then they escape an so on. I mean the Master in each episode got the hold of the Doctor. I can't believe why he didn't kill it. He could have it at least ten times in this five episodes. Cartoons suffer from the same malignat problem. The evil doers are stronger and usually takes the upper hand and then smartly heroes escape and defeat the evil doers.

Btw, I see Jo and the Doctor and I see a romance, something I didn't saw with any other companion. 

Book Review: Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine

Welcome to Dead House by R.L. Stine
My rating: 7 of 10 stars

What a good reminder of my good old days. I was just a child at the time not knowing nothing about fantasy or horror except with a few episodes in television. I remember buying them on a weekly basis (at the time it was released that way, after all they were released a couple years after the initial english printing) and what a joy it was.

This is a child book no doubt about it. But it was horror nevertheless...

A spill from a factory killed all the habitants from Dark Falls. Afterward they were resurrected and they need fresh blood every year, like undead vampires. To that they lure some people every year to a house, that they call Dead House, and kill it's occupants (as they became new undead). The ending leaves us with a question (as other books from Goosebumps. They destroy Mr Dawes but as they are leaving the city they saw Mr Dawes showing the house to new peoplle.

Excelent. This is one of those series alongside "Uma Aventura" that my unborn child will read... if he wants it.

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Book Review: Phantoms by Dean Koontz

Phantoms by Dean Koontz
My rating: 8 of 10 stars

"At last a book by Koontz that make you shiver. I am enjoying the dread behind the book, the unknown enemy... My only problem as all Koontz books are his characters. Always unrealistic perfect role models. The 14 year old that behave as a much older person, the harlem black officer who overcame everything or the sheriff who is a widower, knowing all perfect man..."

This was one of my entries when I was half the book. True true true...

Dean Koontz it's a great writer, no doubt about it. If he was not a good writer he wouldn't be a new york times bestseller for most of his publish books in the last twenty years. So, one must give him credit.

World bulding creation? Excellent.
Ancient Enemy creation? Excellent.
Eerie feeling reading the book? Excellent
Characters creation? Not so great
Finale? Disappointing

Koont's endings are the worst part of any of his novels. Why? Because everything ends well, the characters get in love and even if they surpassed unspeakable trials they get unscathed and unscarred. Thank god there is no dog in this book to save the day.

Our main characters are almost perfect godlike beings as I said before. The Enemy of the characters is the right opposite and of course totally evil, and of course it makes a mistake and bang, Good triumphs. It's anti-climatic. Anti-real. This is why, Koontz will never be bigger than Stephen King.

I won't stop reading his novels, that's for sure but as always I will start a new novel with the realization that I am not going to enjoy the end.

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Book Review: Flesh of Cretacia by Andy Smillie

Flesh of Cretacia by Andy Smillie
My rating: 9 of 10 stars

This was one of the most interesting novels (novellas) that I read in a long time.

Flesh Tearers are a particular interesting chapter of space marines. Most Space Marines are unique in some way but they are still "normal". Most of the time we learn that Space Marines are almost inhuman but almost every story written by space marines we get the exact opposite. They are humans, with feelings (even if hardened by all they have to pass) and moral situations that, well make them human.

With the Flesh Tearers we get something more interesting than that. This tale begins right after the end of Horus Heresy and the separation of the Blood Angels and creation of new chapters. In here we follow Amit, a previous captain of the IX company of Blood Angels that was granted the honour of founding a new chapter. This chapter has a anusual amount of marines succumbing to the Black Rage which makes them the more interesting.

This tale begins as they engage the orks in a primeval world. But even before the deploynment begins things start to wrong but Amit, the chapter master, says that they must kill every Ork and overcome that obstacle. With his forces depleting after the crusdade they were dealing they had no homeworld to draw new recruits. Instead they recruited from worlds they save from the clutches of Imperial enemies.

In this tale we follow a couple of characters as they deal with their own moralities and problems. We follow Amit, the chapter master, Zophal the Chaplain of the Black Company, Barakiel, Scout Cassiel, Mamied, Manakel and other space Marines but also Tamir one of the leaders of Cretacia many tribes or even the Shipmaster Neta.

Very interesting book where you can learn a bit about this space marines. I should read Fear to Tread because for what I read, Amit's shame is told there.

"Even we have our limits, brother. Through as with all truths, there are those who would cry this false. The ignorant of humanity believe us to be gods, worshipping us as divine beigns of impossible power, who bring hope and terror in equal measure. but there is no mercy in our hearts, brother. Salvation does not run in our veins.
But the Rage, the Rage knows no limit. Some think we clad the damned in black to mourn their passing. But that is to misunderstand our purpose. We are angels of fury and violence. We are wrath and we are death, and nothing more. In the last moments of life we embrace the darkness, for there is no light after death, no forgiveness, only the blackness of rage and the absolution of death.
For only in death does duty end."

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Book Review: The Mall of Cthulhu by Seamus Cooper

The Mall of Cthulhu by Seamus Cooper
My rating: 1 of 10 stars

I will give one star because the book is funny at times, but everything else is plain ridicoulous. the main character is a pervert, adventurous, mind-scarred individual who saved a lesbiam female fbi agent from a coven/sonority of vampires and together they are trying to thwart the plans of a group of Cthulhu's cultists. So far so good... from this moment the book went downhill to pure cr*p. 

SPOILER ALERT all characters are comedians. all characters are fervously against every type of descrimination. the author also think that too. Every white character is like a racist or behave like a black... and descrimate womans. 

Conservators are also christians fanatics and so on and on... each page a description of someone being a white supremacist (inclunding HP Lovecraft... hahaha.. another times another mentalities.. this writer probably is one of those that wanted hucklebarry finn banned from schools BUT are of favour of a Black History Month. This is why the minorities will never grow up or evolve. 

They are only saying to everyone "you can't stand on your own so let us give you this..." Moving forward on the writer political and racial agenda. The rest of the story is boring and it seems to be written by a college boy/girl. The funny parts continue but that. didnt help. The best part is when he was in Ryleh and the meaning of time there.

I would advice this book to a political communist with an interest on Lovecraft... but being a "racist" probably wont help... Or else I am mistaken and this entire book is a weak pastiche/satyrical book about hp lovecraft himself... 

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Book Review: Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber

Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber
My rating: 4 of 10 stars

In my opinion this must have been a good novel at the time it was written. I imagined it had received good critics. But unfortunally reading it today I didn't felt connected to it.

First of all I think Leiber is an excelent writer. No doubt about it. But the plot suffered for what I call TimeLife. Maybe there is a term for it but I do not know it. My thoughts are these. Reading today in 2013, with hundreds of novels of urban fantasy avaiable this book fails to achieved it's goal. It's like most books written in the Gothic. Maybe they were good in those days but we are different.

The example I give is MacGyver. I really enjoy it. I still can watch it and like it. Or Knight Rider or something from those days in the 80's. But most people born after those tv's shows had long gone find them tedious when they have so much to see with action, adventure, life and so on.

Maybe I read "Conjure Wife" in the wrong time of my life. I enjoy a couple of gothic novels but others I find it boring that I can't even get to the middle of it.

Now for the book itself.

The protagonist is Norman Saylor, a professor of sociology in a College who starts wondering how did it get his sucess and his loveable wife (Tansy). One day he discovers that she is a practicioner of witchcraft and after a argument he says she must stop using that that she thinks is magic (which he doesn't believe).

After that problem solved several others appear almost at the same time with the culmination of his wife's disappearing. After this he tries to find rationality behind the witchcraft and even conjuring it.

Of course this was written in the 40's where how ideals were different from today. Men were sexist and thought of themselves the stronger gender and women were behind each spouse with devotion. Since this was written from Norman perspective he is a typical guy from the 40's. It's like saying Lovecraft was racist. Another times, another beliefs people. We can't judge them.

The premise behind the book it's simple. Behind each man is a woman but in this case behind each man is a powerful witch woman behind always fighting for the companions. And this is why woman were always relegated, persecuted and even killed. Because Men fear Women.

Either way. This is not the birth for Urban Fantasy but I can see why it's labelled that way. This is a psychological literature with mild influences of horror. Neither was it scary or had gore in it.

Why should you read?
Don't expect what the covers says but as I said before it's a Leiber book so if you like other things he wrote you will enjoy this one.

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Book Review: Tequila's Sunrise by Brian Keene

Tequila's Sunrise by Brian Keene
My rating: 8 of 10 stars

This is a collection of short stories. The title story is one tale that Keene wrote to homage his followers. As you are aware Brian Keene books are set in several realities but everyone of them linked by the Labyrinth Myth. Each book as some reference to the Mythos, often some character has some knowledge of it or you get the reference because you've read it somewhere else.

In this book, set in the Americas pre-spaniard invasion, we get a Chalco that meets Huitzilopochtli that warns him that he has the power to safe his people the Tenocahs by killing the leader of the Invasion force (the spanish conquistadores). He was to travel between the Labyrnth but shouldn't enter other doors or else he would never be able to return. As he travels between doorways he get glimpses of other works by Brian Keene, since each door was a different reality.

Very interesting story with 50 pages or so.

There are also other small stories with 2,3 or 4 pages. Golden Boy and Burying Besty are the best of them.

Solid anthology. For the price I don't reccommend to anyone if you are not aware/read any Keene stories. If you have read his novels then I advice this one so you can learn a lot more of the Labyrinth Mythos.

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Book Review: Entombed by Brian Keene

Entombed by Brian Keene
My rating: 6 of 10 stars

Good tale but I've read better from him. This is a zombie tale but without zombies, well at least for most of the book. Only a couple of pages with them. The main story is in a bunker as a band of survivors try to survive with limited provisions. I really like that descend into madness as the main character (Peter) tries to survive killing other survivals whilst a zombie apocalpyse is just outside the doors.

Interesting theme is the descent into chaos by humans in face of an apocalpyse. Most writers have a dark perspective of human nature (my as well) that humankind is worst than "things" out there.

This novella links to his Labyrinth Mythos but besides some notes (connection to Dead Sea per exemple) but it could be a separate book.

Would I advice it to you?
If you want a good story about a descend into madness propelled by hunger and thirst - Yes
If you want a good zombie tale - Yes but with precautions.

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Book Review: The Heaven Makers by Frank Herbert

The Heaven Makers by Frank Herbert
My rating: 5.5 of 10 stars

This was one quick read and unfortunally from nowadays standard is not that interesting. This book deals with two stories that eventually join. In one hand you've got immortal alien beings (Chem) that use humanity as we use television and in the other hand you've got the current story that aliens are seeing dealing with a Man in a story with murder and love.

The story deals mainly with psychological aspects of humanity and at the same time with the concept of immortality.

Quite interesting ending where Frank Herbert share is views on both topics. It's a nice reading, fast and what you can expect from herbert. Dealing with nowadays standard is considered a novella, with 150 pages, and outdated. But for those who want to read the primordials of Sci-fi give a try with this one.

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Book Review: The Cage by Brian Keene

The Cage by Brian Keene
My rating: 6 of 10 stars

Brian Keene is one of my favourite writers. His Mythos is also one that I know more of. Most of his stories are interconneted in some point. Some reference or character.

The title story "The Cage" is one of the weakest stories by him, in my humble opinion by one of the masters of horrors. I didn't felt connected with the characters (neither the captor and the captives).

This story is connected with the Labyrinth Mythos (the Shtar, on the Thirteen) and the reference to the television show "Castaways".

The workers of a store are going to close when a madman (Simon) busts in and take them hostages. After two of the workers are killed in cold blood he take the rest into a place in the store that's called "The Cage". There, the main story takes place where the characters try to work out what's going on and what can be done. From this moment on a psychological terror takes place.

The ending of the book was what to expect by Brian Keene and other horror writers giving a glimpse about the connectivity to the Mythos but closing a door of a follow up. It was a good tale but at the same time I didn't felt connected to most of the story until the very end.

In the end we get a glimpse of how this tale came to be (the same happens to the other three short stories collected within).

"Marriage Causes Cancer in Rats" - This tale is about a murder and the link between the killer and it's victims. It's a gothic ghost tale.

"Lest Ye Become" - As Keene says it's dedicate of the Body Snatchers book and it was a good tale (even if Keene doesn't say it's one of the first and weakest).

"Waiting for Darkness" - This tale has only a page. Nothing much to say.

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Book Review: The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderon

The Emperor's Soul by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 10 of 10 stars

What a terrific book. After a day of reading it I am still thinking about it. This book remembered me why do I keep reading and the thrill it gives me. A deep philosophical book with an depth descriptions of two characters and an interesting and unique magical system.

For what I could understand this book is set on the same world as Elantris but which doesn't need any previous notion.

The poscript of this novel Sanderson talks about how he conceived the magical system and it gave me something more to understand the full lenght an author must go to write a good story.

Almost all tale is set on a room where our main character (Shai) tries to create a soulstamp for its captors. The Magical system (The Forgery) is told not in descriptions but in conversation between Shai and one of her's captor Gaotona.

The ending of the tale was excelent.

I advice this book to anyone who wants to read a good novel, or doesn't understand why people reads fantasy. Poetic, subtle, philosophical, psychological fantasy....

6 Stars book. And now I have to start reading Brandon Sanderson larger books... because this one had only 175 pages. Elantris has 675 and Way of the Kings (the first of a ten part series) is 1200 pages.

One Word: EPIC!

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Book Review: Nightfall by James Swallow

Nightfall by James Swallow
My rating: 3 of 10 stars

Another un-interesting novel of stargate atlantis. After leaving a void when the show was cancelled I had to read the books belonging to this series. Unfortunaly they are not that good because the main characters dont behave equally in each novel. if one portrays wrongly mckay others leave teyla and ronon as simple sidekicks of sheppard. even their relantionships are kind of wrong. sheppard loves mckay in a way but some books its seems he hates him.

This novel depicts the sga in a world that is free of wraiths from some time but at the same time that benevolent dictator kidnaps people at random and after some time released them with some illness. Most of the first half of the novel is like the prime directive of startreck that says that should avoid messing with an enviroment they visit. Strangely in the episodes rarely this comes up. Well after teyla and ronon being held captive the rest of the team ignores the directive and move forward to help them. The revelation was great and easily the only worth part of the novel.

The ending was as predicted and it felt like nothing happened because its would be big in the episode continuity.

There was several typos on this novel mainly with the Ronon name.
Unfortunally the void remains and even not enjoying almost any novel I shall read the next one... with low expectations....

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Book Review: Duty Calls by Sandy Mitchell

Duty Calls by Sandy Mitchell
My rating: 7 of 10 stars

This is the fifth book I read from Sandy Mitchell and Commissar Ciaphas Cain and his fateful sidekick Jurgen.

Again he returns to kick some Tyranids butts...
You've got Cain and Jurgen in Periremunda to quench a supposedly chaos riot. BUT because one enemy is not enough they soon discover that they are in the route of an invasion of Tyranids. OF COURSE, this was not enough and Cain and Jurgen have to deal with the Inquisition as well.

Not as fast as other books in my opinion and after reading 6 books by him I must say that my favourite one was also the smaller one. Caves of Ice.

I think that most of this story could have been told with 256 pages or something like that. Too much fillers and at times it feel I was reading things that happened in other books.

Nevertheless, a good adittion if you like Ciaphas Cain and Jurgen. If you have read the last four books you are by now used to him (Ciaphas) and the author way of telling stories so you will enjoy this one as well. If you are new to this... you will not be lost but in my opinion start with Caves of Ice (even if it the second published).

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Kickstarter: Deep Madness vs Mythic Battles vs Shadows of Brimstone

I've never done anything like this so bear with me... This is my opinion, and I've not play any of the games with the exception of the 2 core boxes of SOB.

Price:
Deep Madness and


Mythic Battles cost the same 100$ and 99$ while SoB cost 300$ or 100$

Miniatures
Deep Madness already with 151 minis (5 days to end)
Mythic Battles with 40 troops; 6 Gods; 7 Monsters and 7 Heroes  (25 days to end)
Sob (20 Heroes; 72 Monsters; 3 Mini bosses and 4 boss (XL or bigger). 300$
      (10 Heroes; 21 Monsters; 1 Mini Boss and 2 boss (XL or Bigger) 100$ 

In terms of quality... well, I have SOB and the quality of the minis are not that good in my opinion. They are simple miniatures with no details... I've heard it was the first batch but I can't say because I only have the core sets. These ones seem prettier but let us see...Oh and you have to assemble them. I can't seem to understand why they still make this kind of minis since other companies do not. Kingdom Death is the only other one I know (boardgame) That makes it but those minis are in other level comparing with SoB

Mythic Battles are from the same guys from Conan in terms of miniatures they are on par with CMON. They serve their purpose but aren't that good. The heroes are ugly without a primer and to me, who don't have the habit of painting they look bad.

Deep Madness videos of minis look great. They really serve their purpose of frighting alien being right from the mind of Lovecraft. We have so many different (25 different types of units)

I am lean to choose Deep Madness ones...

Style of Game / Replayability
SoB is a game of exploration and battle. Your characters evolved and you go from one mission to the other and your characters evolves. There is a town where stuff can happen to so you can have dozens upon dozens hours with this game. Even if you finish all your missions you still can go on while exploring and battling monsters. There are a lot of expansions and types of monsters so each dungeon will be different... Apart from Kingdom Death I think this is the game with more replayability with only the base game.

Mythic Battles has a world campaign like warhammer 40K I guess. But basically this is a skirmish game. You choose one god and then choose heroes and troops and battle with another person. There are a lot to choose so I bet you can play hundreds of game but apart from choosing a different god or hero I think this game can be boring after a dozen or so plays... But that's me

Deep Madness in my humble opinion suffers from Cmon Zombicide's syndrome. It's a campaign dungeon crawler...they have those missions and then you have to craft your own. Or ope someone else does it. You can buy the expansions 100$ two of them with 50 miniatures or something like that and 8 scenarios I think. One interesting thing is that each epic monster gives different abilities or stats to the monsters so that can improve Replayability...

Campaign
Deep Madness is a success. A new company and with almost 850K. No doubt will achieve 1M. They have heard the backers and gave some extra minis to us. They have made bundles of addons that really add value to the pledge...

Mythic Battles is the beginning but they follow Conan steps. Some stretch goals show and then addons every couple of days.They also give us a lot of updates. They give a lot of videos of games and a lot of notoriety by Beasts of War video and others - That's very important. 

Shadows of Brimstone in the other hand is a failure in terms of communication. First they put the games up and only after 24h, with a lot of questions and such, they gave an update and appear on the comments sections. Second there are nothing to show us besides one photo. There are no videos. No supporters. Nothing. Then there the question about the SoB first kickstarter. Most people around the world only receive the core games after 3 years. I know it can take a while but they should have postponed for 3 or 4 months (that's when the wave 2 is going to be shipped) and then start a new one. Then there is the price tag of 300$. Okay maybe the stretch goals are good and surpassed that value but some people from the first one spent also 300 or 400 and are still waiting after three years. I know they will eventually come forward but.... I think they are asking too much. Then there is the Sumo Pledge that's not worth it. The Shipping prices are way to much. Cmon The Others or Conan (bout 7/8kgs) and asked 30 to 40 Euros. They are asking from 40 to 60. That's too much my friends. Then the all addons come from USA. That's absurd. I know they are a small company but other companies are small as well and I never heard not one doing that (They are small but with 6 or 7 games behind them) and I am talking other miniature boardgamers with this being their first game. It makes no sense. I think they are moneygrabbers. I am sorry. That's the only reason I can come up with it. They even say in their comments when someone asked... " . 

@Aitor “Hi, any chance to get addons from EU hub instead USA shipping? EU backers can't afford the high cost of shipping cost form usa + taxes” – Right now it is unlikely. The reason that the Add ons are packed at our facility in the US is that it takes a very long time and/or is very expensive to pack each backer’s box as an individual. We do not have a facility in the EU that is set up to pack that level of detail on each package being unique (and the 3rd party services are prohibitively expensive and time consuming)."

But okay, I am not trashing or bashing SoB, I really want them to succeed

If I wanted one, if I could afford one - it would be Deep Madness no doubt about it - Unless the SoB really takes off... Which I doubt unfortunally... Why they are so non-existent is frightning... That's the reason they are losing money. Only today it was 2K. Let us hope for a better day...

Book Review: Redemption Corps by Rob Sanders

Redemption Corps by Rob Sanders
My rating: 8 of 10 stars

This was an interesting reading even for IG branch. A bit of mystery and full of mayhem (as all of them). The only difference was the pace of the story. This one was at sometimes a bit slow.

This book centers on Mortensen (the only survivor of his world) and his band of stormtroopers. With Krieg (Commissar) are the main characters and most developded characters. There are a couple of other characters (like Rosenkratz) with some insight and development.

Inbetween each chapter or couple of chapters we get glimpses into a future events with characters that only appear near the end.

The Squads of stormtroopers go from suicidal mission to another, never pausing or resting (besides the time travelling). Some characters do die which enrich the tale but most of them goes from theater of war. Afterall the Stormtrooopers are the elite of the elite. Of course as we travel with him we realize that each mission has only the point to have him kill. The main reason is that the ecclesiarchy and adeptus sonoritas don't like the cult of personality that follows Mortensen. I had another impression about the Sisters of Battle and now I have another.

I enjoy reading the novel even if sometimes I felt that it was going too darn slow or that it didn't go anywhere.

View all my reviews

Monthly Update October 2016 - Movies, Series and Animes

I am sorry to be a little late but unfortunately things are difficult nowadays...

The month of October was the month of Horror Movies... I will make a list of my favourite movies with ratings of 0 to 10.

Apart from those movies I watch little to no Series or Animes...

Dead Summer

Series  (3 Eps)

• Dead Summer (2 Eps) - Started watching but stop due to the movies but enjoying... It feels like Friday the 13...
• Aftermath (1 Ep) - Another post apocalpytic tale. This one has some biblical nonsense attached to it. Let us see what the next episodes show us...

Animes (19 Eps)

• Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan (TV) (10  Eps) - Really enjoying this show. One of the best comedies I've watch but not to everyone. Each episode is divided in four 5m episodes
• Days (4 Eps) - Another football fun series. I am enjoying the series but I think they are overdoing it. You will understand when I make a review in a couple of months. There will 26 Eps and so far I am at 17.
• Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Despair Arc (2 Eps)  (9 Eps to go)
• Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School - Future Arc (2 Eps) (6 Eps to go)
• Hitori no Shita: The Outcast (1 Eps) 

Movies (32)

• 10 Stars
• 9 Stars Martyrs; Kairo
• 8 Stars As Above, As Below; The Other Side of the Door, The Tag Along, Train to Busan, 
• 7 Stars - Feast , Abattoir, 
• 6 Stars - The Happening, The Purge Election Year, The Windmill Massacre  4Bia, Uzumaki, 7 Sector
• 5 Stars - Nightflyers, The Faith of Anna Waters, Wrong Turn, Rec4: Apocalpyse
• 4 Stars - Pulse, Storage 24, Dark Exorcism, The Evil in Us, Feast 2, Feast 3
• 3 Stars - Blackburn, Lemon Tree Passage; Spider 3D, The Hatching
• 2 Stars - Caretaker, Stranded, Eerie 13, GraveWalkers

As you can see half are above 5 which is good.. Probably only 5 or 6 are going to stay with me for another viewing... One interesting thing I notice was the female or male protagonist...

Female Protagonist Martyrs, As Above, As Below, The Other Side of the Door, The Tag Along, Feast , Abattoir, The Windmill Massacre, Uzumaki, 7 Sector, Nightflyers, The Faith of Anna Waters, Wrong Turn, Rec4: Apocalpyse Pulse, Dark Exorcism, Blackburn Lemon Tree Passage; Caretaker, Eerie 13, GraveWalkers, The Evil in Us,

Male Protagonist Train to Busan,The Happening, The Purge Election Year Storage 24, Spider 3D, The Hatching Stranded

4Bia,  has 4 main protagonists (3 Females and 1 male)

Kairo has 2 main protagonists (1 of each)

Feast 2 and Feast 3 don't have a main protagonist... We follow a bunch of them...

As you can see the vast majority of horror movies with female protagonists 21 against 6 are a lot more than the males... I don't make on purpose...  Either the movie industry things we will react more to a female character or they think female protagonists are more easily scared... I don't know... of all movies let me tell you two things...

Females Main Protagonists saved by Males:

Maybe Nightflyers and Wrong Turn, Pulse and Eerie 13,  definitely.

Most of the others the female kicked ass so probably Hollywood just thing we will watch more Female protagonists

Now about nudity:

Martyrs (but not in any way sexual... way disturbing) Feast, Feast 2 and Feast 3
Less nudity on horror movies than in 80's and 90's where sex and nudity where used to attract more people. Oh they still do it but it's less common than before. Although almost every female or male for that matter are pretty or have the looks or cleavage or some sexual innuendo... 

Protagonists that died:

Martyrs; Kairo; The Other Side of the Door, Train to Busan, The Windmill Massacre  4Bia (all), Uzumaki,

Well what's in me for the future? 

I am going to catch up with the series and animes and try to watch some movies as well... But I am also reading so probably... It won't be as much as August or September.