Review: Hideaway - Dean Koontz

Hideaway by Dean Koontz
My rating: 4 of 10 stars

Oh my. Another Dean Koontz novel. Everytime I pick one of his books up I know four or five things are going to happen.

1º There's always a puppy (in this one there wasn't - which surprised me)
2º The main characters are always perfect. They are always knights in shinning armour. They have no faults whatsoever. (In this book it was true)
3º The Evil doer is always Chaotic Evil. If this was Dungeons and Dragons the guy was that one guy that chaotic evil characters are afraid of. He is that evil.
4º Everything ends perfectly well. There are no loose ends. Every character realizes something and it's a better person (if it's possible).
5º Of course the last four point's make one point stand out. Lack of Characterization.

So, Hatch has an accident and a doctor reanimates him after 80 minutes. After returning to life he thinks he is crazy because he "dreams" another man dreams (or life for that matter). That evil guy I told you about starts dreaming as well. They share-bonding dreams.

Meanwhile, the main characters, which had lost a child five years before are currently adopting one (as perfect as her adopt parents).

The main narrative its about this I've told you. In the end there is a confrontation and If you read any other of his books you know how it ends. That's another reason I don't enjoy the books... So why read it?

Well, I think he can be a good writer and envelops us with the tale. But I really hope he could do better than he has done. Be more Stephen King in the style of tales. Not every book ends well in his books. The characters are made with strong and weaker aspects that are relevant to the tale. And you fear for your character. In Koontz tales I don't fear for any of my characters. Sorry. I remove the horror tag because of that aspect...

In the plus side, Vassago - the evil guy is the only one that I really enjoy reading about. Even if he is evil than evil.


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Review: Zombie Pulp - Tim Curran

Zombie Pulp by Tim Curran
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a collection of books from one of my favourite horror/gore writers. His stories have vivid images of a apocalpytic future where everything when down the rail. When I was a little tired of reading full lengthened books I pick this one off. Beautiful cover and what can you expect from a cover where a zombie is dressed as a german soldier of the ww1. Excellent.

Most of these stories are self-contained and don't share a background with other novels. Or at least I am not aware of it.


The Shelter - A ode to Shirley Jackson's the Lottery. Imagine a safehouse and all around zombie like creatures who demand meat every couple of months. If they don't sacrifice 6 humans the undead will kill them all. This tale is pure drama. I don't know but I think this story is connected to Biohazard.

Corpse Cadavre - This tale is not an apocalpytic tale, but an old type of zombies... Voodoo zombies. Set in a prison the mortuary warden has a way with them.

Emily - A story of parenthood. How far are you go for your child. Quite interesting tale and one of the few I didn't felt I've read somewhere before.

Dis-Joined - This short story has some gangster feeling but in the end I didn't thought it was that interesting or good for that matter. One of the weakest.

Piraya - Zombie Piranhas. What's not to like. Awesome. I thought the story in overall was very good. This is the best of the lot.

They walk by night is a novella that has some ideas from the old pulp detective tales and it's full of cliches. Good in my opinion but a bit big.

Mortuary Those crazy religious fanatics... what are they up now! I wonder. Good tale.

Eulogy of the Straw-Witch was my least favorite tale so far... after I slept it vanished my mind.

Monkey House - It was a nice survival story. Not always being prepared is sufficient to survive. It evolves lab monkeys, the army and survivalists

The Mattawan Meat Wagon This one is connected to the Shelter I think. Good story.

Morbid Anatomy is the last story that comprises one third of the book. This story involves a Lovecraft's character called Herbert West doing his experiments in the World War I. Average tale.

If you are a fan of Tim Curran you will not be disappointing. If you are new to him I would advice Biohazard. I like that one better.

I looked out the gunport slit and I could see the action just fine. The Wormboys were coming from every direction, waxy faces like melting goat curds or rippling, papier-mache. A Hot of steam of rot rose from them in a sickening, churming mist. Some of them were walking, but others had crawled from ditches and pockets of shadow and many of them were missing limbs. I saw headless trunks. Severed hands. What looked like a rolling head. A woman whose flesh looked like it had been boiled saw me watching her and turned, shambling over towards the door. Her eyes were slimy rotten eggs bulging from raw red sockets, her face a worm carnival. She thrust her backside at me and lifted the ragged remains of her dress. Something like a gushing stream of rice pissed out from between her legs.

Disgusting isn't it? :)

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Anime Review: Giant Killing (Spring 2010)

Giant Killing  7.72 - Users 18,629
Episodes: 26
Studios: Studio Deen
Genres: Drama, Seinen, Sports
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating:  PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis

East Tokyo United, ETU, has been struggling in Japan's top football league for a few years. It has taken everything they have just to avoid relegation. To make matters even worse, the fans are starting to abandon the team.

In an effort to improve their performance, ETU has hired a new coach, the slightly eccentric Tatsumi Takeshi. Tatsumi, who was considered a great football player when he was younger, abandoned the team years before but has proven himself as the manager of one of England's lower division amateur teams. The task won't be easy, the teams East Tokyo United is pitted against have bigger budgets and better players. However, Tatsumi is an expert at Giant Killing.

Review

This series are a good football anime with 26 episodes. As The Knight in the Area (another football anime)  I thought they both missed something. This one focus on a coach that is the best at winning points to big teams. In football there are always team that are called Giant Killers but never contenders to titles.  

This story focus on a couple of characters. The first is Takeshi Tatsumi a former player of the team that left to a bigger club (money) and from that moment on the team fell and even w

as relegated. With time and the new captain the team rose to the first team but always small team. After training in England a team and winning bigger teams he return to Japan to train ETU (East Tokyo United) but of course the team is not the same it was and much supporters have left and most players (including the captain) is against the new coach.

Much episodes we are following Takeshi training schedule and his odd appearance and ways. He is undoubtly the main protagonist along with Tsubaki Daisuke a new player that his fast as lightning.  We also follows the supporters (the old supporters and the new more "ultra" supporters, capable of violence and the ones making threats and such)

My problem with this anime is that is rather short. With 26 episodes we see ETU change from a small team to a team who can defeat opponents. As a guy who watches football most things we see him do in the team are highly unlikable to happen in real football and that disappointed me. I hope for a more realistic feel I guess...

Another thing I didn't like was the way it ended. I hoped for more episodes to see where this team was going... but at the same time I understood. This was never about winning the championship but the change...

But nevertheless I enjoy one thing. The same team can play a lot better or worse depending on the manager. He sure is important. My own football team (Sporting Clube Portugal) changed a lot with this new coach. Same team and one year with didn't even compete to win the championship (like previous years) and the next year we were playing for the title becoming second 2 points behind.

A much watch to anyone who enjoys football.

Review: Pandora's Planet - Christopher Anvil

Pandora's Planet by Christopher Anvil
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This small tale was quite good. Written in 70's this SF tale follows some elements typical of that time. Don't aspect overly SF elements to dictate your enjoyment. Expect humorous situations mix with some criticisms of mankind.

Basically this book deals with a invasion by a intergalactic force which defeats humankind because of differences between the communists and the usa and other countries. We follow our main character, Horsip, as he tries to cope with humankind.

The book is a criticism. Don't expect anything more. The differences between the cultures and how they deal with them.

"-When we have dealings with these Earthen, we get carried off a basket?
-Yes, Sir.
-How do they do it?
-When they get through talking, everything looks different.
-How do they accomplish that?
-I think they emphasize whatever favors their argument.
-They have a weakness. If they restricted themselves to truth, they would be strong. With this procedure they will take up false positions.
-Nevertheless, we have a serious problem. They have gulled our men into giving up valuables space ships in return for- let's see - fancy ground-cars, cabin cruisers, vacation trailers, sauna baths, the collected adventures of sherlock holmes, ariplanes, undeveloped real estate, a private ocean backyard swimming pool... "Roffins look up." This isn't very promising.
Mackling growled. - And all this is against regulations. Every one of these transactions is a capital offence."

It's quite interesting what the writer is trying to say to us. We are too different. Every conqueror - do the easy part - which is conquer the adversary. But difficult is to rule them. Most of the times the conquerors become conquered. Afghanistan and Iraq says something? There was always rebels. Winning is easy - staying in power is hard.

Since this book has only 192 pages my advice is - Go read it.

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Anime Review: ReLIFE (Summer 2016)

Re-Life  8.31 - Users 72,203
Episodes: 13
Studios: TMS Entertainment
Genres: Romance, School, Slice of Life
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating:  PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Synopsis
Arata Kaizaki is an unemployed, single 27-year-old who has just been cut off from his parents' financial support. Unable to find a job due to him leaving his previous employer within three months, he is stuck. One night after drinking with a high school friend, Arata meets Ryou Yoake, a man who offers Arata pills to turn him back into a 17-year old so he can redo his life. After agreeing to the experiment, Arata joins a high school class, and meets Chizuru Hishiro, a socially-awkward silent beauty who yearns to have friends. Through connecting with her and other classmates, Arata must find what he lacks to live a happy life in the real world within a one-year time limit.

Rena, Honoka, Yoake, Chizuru, Arata, An, Ooga

Characters

Hishiro, Chizuru

A student of in Year 3 Class 3. She is really smart, always getting the highest scores amongst girls in her grade, and lacks social skills.

Kaizaki, Arata 

A jobless man who seems to fail at every job interview he partakes in. After accepting the offer to be experimented on, his body turns back into a 17-year-old.

Kariu, Rena

Arata's classmate and member of the Volleyball club. She was the class rep along with Ooga for the past two years before losing her position to Hishiro this year. She is in love with Ooga, but has consistently refused to make her feelings known to him.

Ooga, Kazuomi 

A student in Year 3 Class 3. He is very smart and always scored the highest among the guys in his grade. However, despite his looks, he is really bad at sports and really naive when it comes to love. After realizing his feelings for Rena, he decided to confess to her at the fireworks festival, and he did. They then began dating.

Yoake, Ryou 

He works at the ReLife Research Institute, and is in charge of monitoring Arata Kaizaki during his ReLife experiment. - Kaizaki actually isn't Yoake's first ReLife subject. His first subject was actually Hishiro Chizuru, who failed her ReLife experiment.

Onoya, An 

Arata's classmate

Tamarai, Honoka - 

Best friends of Rena - She is the captain of the girls volleyball club. She is also childhood friends with Nobunaga and Akira.

Inukai, Akira - A quiet and straight forward guy. Childhood friend of Honoka and Nobunaga.

Nobunaga Asaji - Childhood friend of Tamarai

This story is different from others I've seen in some ways. This guy who has 27 agrees to be part of a trial and became 17 again. For a year he is going to a school and Ryou Yoake is going to study and evaluate. For that period of time Arata will receive money and house paid, for a jobless man that was good and nothing to lose.

Pacing is really slow and story wise is very simple. The main focus is the interesting narrative and the way Arata evolves as a person and sees his failures and try to change people around him.In the end after being built for several episodes it felt short and for that I will not give a 10 or 9. I think there will be a second season since the story in the manga has evolve beyond the first anime season.

In term of art I cannot talk to much but it's simple and probably a 2006/2007 anime felt like - in my opinion it will not change my grade since I don't care a lot for the art itself. I am in for the story. Unless we are seeing boobs and in that case I support ART above all.

In terms of music I really not the best person to judge but it felt flat with only a handful of songs in the background. Most of time there isn't any music.

The characters... Each one is different and it mature in the series, mostly with the help of Arata.

So, the story we follow Arata as he interacts with Ooga and try to make him confess his love with Rena and at the same time try to understand who is An the awkward Chiziru.

Chiziru is the the characters who gets a great develop arc and develop from a awkward persona to a friend. She reminds me of Sheldon from Big Bang Theory.

At the same time we saw Arata trying to recover from the first job experience where his actions led to a female sempai to commit suicide. 

I enjoy this story and this only covers one period of the school year so we can expect more...

Some spoilers...

We later learn that Chiziru was the first experiences of ReLife that ended poorly since she didn't evolve anything and each day was un-eventuful. Arata is falling in love with her and her with him but he doesn't make a move because in his mind he is 27 and she is 17.

Saiki, Michiru - Sempai of Kaizaki - She commits suicide after getting severely rebuked by her coworkers.

Summary

This series are much more than what they seem. They are a critic to japanese society of hard working children turn to hardworking men. Japanese society is very hard on people. They are always focus on work never really enjoying life and since birth you must be the best of the best. That's why the suicide rate there is one of the higher in the world.

It also focus on society views of young teens and the way they live.

Anime Review: Hundred (Spring 2016)

Hundred
6.51 (32453 users)
Studios: Production IMS (The same studio from Shinmai Maou no Testament & Date A Live II)
Episodes: 12
Genres: Action, Ecchi, Harem, Mecha, Romance, School, Sci-Fi
Duration: 24 min. per ep.
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older (I would say probably older...)

Synopsis
When an extraterrestrial organism known as "Savage" attacks mankind, the only technology capable of combating the enemy is a weapon known as “Hundred.” A survivor of a Savage attack, Hayato Kisaragi is a teenager boasting the highest compatibility level with the aforementioned technology and as a result, is invited to master his skills at Little Garden, a prestigious military academy aboard a battleship.

Over the course of his intense training for the battle ahead, he immediately attracts the interest of multiple female peers and gets drawn into a number of incidents as he tries to fight against the creatures that now inhabit Earth and threaten its safety.

Review
As most of my reviews it contains spoilers... 
This will not be a lengthily review because there isn't much to say about it. You've seen it before.. yeah.  In this world Earth is being attack by aliens known as savage and the only weapon capable of battling is called hundred.

Thus enter Hayato Kisaragi a boy that supposedly has a very big connection with the Hundreds and so goes to live to a massive ship (with a city in it) to fight savages. From the start a guy Emile Crossfode (yeah in Portuguese this name is very bad - fode is fuck...) treats Hayato a little suspicious jumping and embracing him... Then he duels with Claire Harvey (The president of ship called Little Garden) and he is defeated by her (not before he touches her boobs...

Emilia, Sakura, Claire, Karen, (The competitors) - Reitia, don't know who is the last one... 

In that ship we've got also Karen Kisaragi (sister to Hayato) who have some condition and she can't stand up. We've got Erica Candle and Liddy Steinberg (Vice-presidents) and both in love of Claire Harvey.

Oh, after the fourth episode enters Sakura Kirishima (a world wide singer) and in love with Hayato

We've got also a couple of characters like Reitia Saint-Émillion; Mei-Mei, Claudia Lowetti, Xiu Mei Liu and the other only boy Frizt Glanz.

Basically each episode is:
- Fight some savages
- Someone making a move to Hayato
- Hayato touching someone boobs.

In the final 4 episodes enter three children which are pawns of a crazy scientist which we later see them battle in the final episode...

That's it.

What you want more?  Well... let us see
It seems Emile Crossfode is a girl that Hayato saved and she is in love with him. The ship is powered by Claire Harvey sister which is quite powerful (and it's a sleep but awakes to the final battle)

So was it worth it? I've watch 10 of the 12 episodes in two days but by the 7 or 8 I just wanted to finish it...

The ending we are left with two or three things:
1) They can do another season after all the threat still exists
2)  What a heck is preparing the brother of Claire?
3)  Hayato kisses Emilie and everyone sees it and now Emilie is Emilia. In the same note Claire and Sakura aren't ready to give up on Hayato...


Off the record
I just want to say a couple of things I've seen on some animes and some I don't need to watch but only by reading the synopsis... this kind of anime follows

a ) MC-kun, a boy with a tragic back story, gets admitted to an exclusive academy for people skilled in one of the following - Mecha's / ESP / or other supernatura ability

b) Basically he is the best but he is never aware of it... and then puff - he doesn't even need training
Beautiful hot big breasted women he encounters will become romantically and sexually attracted to MC-kun (Usually several types of females are atracted an usually two or three)

- Tsundere (a person who is initially cold and even hostile towards another person before gradually showing a warmer side over time) (Claire)

- Kuudere (at is cold, blunt, cynical, and pretty much doesn't care if her beloved dies. That's what she is on the outside but she is actually caring and nice on the inside.) Hmm on this one there weren't any

- Friendly but not-so-smart airhead

- Sexy transfer student (Sakura)
- Imouto (often with a brocon - brother complex) - (Karen)
- Girl who has to dress like a boy (Emilie)
- Top of class girl who gets beaten by MC-kun (Claire as well)
- Childhood friend (Emilie & Sakura)
- Loli

c) Throughout the series the Harem will compete for MC-Kun affection and most of the time he will oblivion of the tension and then the girls will be rivals and friends but compete nontheless... 

d) In the end MC-Kun abilities that have growth throughout the season will overcome everything and anything with the help of the Harem

Review: The Andromeda Strain - Michael Crichton

The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had to think for a couple of days to give this book a proper review/rating.

First of all, let me say something. I read some criticism that this book didn't developed any characters. Well my thoughts are the same BUT Michael Crichton in the beginning of the book says that this is a report and every single chapter/day was from a report of some sorts. There are several instances in each chapter that our narrator tells us important details, and say "how wrong they were..." or "If only they had done X instead of Y...". So my opinion is that this book is not focus on the characters, nor try to be focus on them. This book is focus on Science. This book is focus on how the USA operate in a particular event.

I really enjoy the premises and the execution of this novel. It had elements/words that I was not confortable - but I google them and that enrich me. I think that's one of the reasons I read. If they talk about something I don't know or that interest me I go to wikipedia or other similar sites.

It was very interesting knowing that this book was written in the 60's and some things didn't change and others have evolved immensely. Probably most of their clinical tests would be very easy nowadays. Who knows -in fifty years, when there is no more cancer or other plague I will read a book and say the same thing. Well in fifty years I will be eighty. Probably there will be no more paper books and the books are inserted in your mind or something like that. Or in the worst scenario I'll be dead. Eheh

The plot is very interesting, believe me. This book is hard science but also a thriller (mostly in the beginning and in the end) and speaking of end... most people said it was anti-climatic. I Didn't think so. But my first thought was... WHAT? WHY THE HECK THIS HAPPENED? WHY DID I READ THIS? But then... Most emergences either end in total destrution of humankind (we're still here) or We've saved the day - We are the heroes of humankind. Bear in mind that neither of those things happens. And that was the cherry on top of the cake. Good book Michael Crichton.

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Review: A Maze of Death by Philip K Dick

A Maze of Death by Philip K. Dick
My rating: 6 of 10 stars

So here we go.
Philip K Dick is an odd duck - to me. I really enjoy the concept of this novel but I didn't enjoy the writing and the parts where a psychadelic experiences of the characters. That put me off, as I said, to me.To other people I bet they would enjoy it... it's no wonder that he won several awards in his lifetime. But reading a book is like that. You might win a nobel prize in it and still half the people who read it deslikes it and add some criticisms.

Some Spoilers
I really enjoy the scenario, the realization of where they were, the virtual scenario ideia - don't forget that this book was written in the seventies, the characters and their motivations and the reasons.

Would I advice this novel to anyone?
Yes, I would. It's short and quickly read. Don't know if it's a masterwork of sff, as gollancz puts it, but it's decent.

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TV Series Review: Scream - Season II 2016 (Spoilers Ahead)

There are spoilers here... It will ruined your experience with Scream...

So we've got the last episode from season 2 and probably the last episode of these series. I don't know where they can go from here.

Everything points out to Emma and Audrey after being found out with pinchforks over Brooke's father. The Xeriff arrest them.

Well... after watching the first seven episodes post here I said that Kieran was the murderer.... and he was!!

He start corroborating with the police telling them stuff about Emma and other people taking their lenses out of him. In episode 8 he goes so far to dress as the killer and being gagged and with handcuffs. Since he was Emma's boyfriend he knew anything and everything.

In later episodes (10 and 11) he repeatedly appeared after the killer did and he never once was in the same place as the killer. 

The last episode as I said Emma and Audrey are on the run and of course Emma tells everything to Kieran so he knows everything beforehand. And  I had one final proof he was him BEFORE Emma finds out. Noah gave his phone to Emma in the Theatre. Emma goes searching for Audrey in the orphanage when Kieran appears telling her that he found out her place after talking with Noah and searching "where the phone is app". How could he talk to Noah if he didn't had the phone? 

In the final showdown Eli confronts Emma while Audrey is handcuffed and says that Kieran is the killer. Saying that Kieran was obessesed with a girl in Atlanta and he blamed Eli for it. When he tries to stab Kieran Emma shots him. But then Kieran said something that turns him in as the Killer.

In the end Audrey and Emma subdue Kieran and he is arrested. The reason for it all it was strange. Supposedly he was Piper's lover even before it all began and the reason he became a killer was his father and Emma's mother. Oh and killing is a better therapy.

All in all a good finale. 

When the show is in the credits we see Brook taking breakfast with Gustavo and his father. We see Emma and Audrey watching a movie together. The teacher writing a book and Noah talking in his radio show the Morgue. We also see Emma's mother grabing a note sticking on a tree with a knife carve on it (hinting on the return of Brandon). The last scene is Kieran's in jail talking in a phone and the distorted voice of the killer asking him "who gave permission to wear the mask?" This hints to a third season? The ratings are low.. I don't know if it is going to happen...

Read here about how the actor playing Kieran's felt..

When finding out he was the killer, Kieran’s first reaction was just blank. “It was like, ‘Oh, okay. This is very new.’ And then very shortly after, I became ecstatic. It was something I’ve been waiting for — it was something I wanted. I thought I was going to get it in Season 1, and then I wasn’t. And then in Season 2, I just ditched the idea completely, so I wouldn’t get down if it wasn’t. It’s a coveted part. I think a lot of people would want to be the killer on a show where you know, most people are getting killed off. There’s a longevity associated with that role. And so, I couldn’t really allow myself to take the bait and assume I was the killer. I just played along as good old Kieran,” he said.

Review: Time and the Gods

Time and the Gods by Lord Dunsany
My rating: 6 of 10 stars

Well... Why give 3 stars and make it Favorite. Well, because not all stories within are excelent. Some are quite weak. But others... ulálá... They are masterpieces. They are the foundation of Fantasy. If Tolkien is considered as the father of Fantasy then Lord Dunsany is the Grandfather of it all.

There are some great tales within this short story collection like The Men of Yarnith; Time and the Gods; The coming of the Sea and probably my second favourite In the Land of Time. In this story you've got them all... I can imagine an epic fantasy writer writing a ten book 1000 pages long each one and still come short to this one...

My favourite was this one... The South Wind Since this story is public domain and is not so big I am going to put here... Don't know if I can but

(you can read them all here http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Time_an...)

The South Wind

Two players sat down to play a game together to while eternity away, and they chose the gods as pieces wherewith to play their game, and for their board of playing they chose the sky from rim to rim, whereon lay a little dust; and every speck of dust was a world upon the board of playing. And the players were robed and their faces veiled, and the robes and veils were alike, and their names were Fate and Chance. And as they played their game and moved the gods hither and thither about the board, the dust arose, and shone in the light from the players' eyes that gleamed behind the veils. Then said the gods: "See how We stir the dust."
It chanced, or was ordained (who knoweth which?) that Ord, a prophet, one night saw the gods as They strode knee deep among the stars. But as he gave Them worship, he saw the hand of a player, enormous over Their heads, stretched out to make his move. Then Ord, the prophet, knew. Had he been silent it might have still been well with Ord, but Ord went about the world crying out to all men, "There is a power over the gods."

This the gods heard. Then said They, "Ord hath seen."
Terrible is the vengeance of the gods, and fierce were Their eyes when They looked on the head of Ord and snatched out of his mind all knowledge of Themselves. And that man's soul went wandering afield to find for itself gods, for ever finding them not. Then out of Ord's Dream of Life the gods plucked the moon and the stars, and in the night-time he only saw black sky and saw the lights no more. Next the gods took from him, for Their vengeance resteth not, the birds and butterflies, flowers and leaves and insects and all small things, and the prophet looked on the world that was strangely altered, yet knew not of the anger of the gods. Then the gods sent away his familiar hills, to be seen no more by him, and all the pleasant woodlands on their summits and the further fields; and in a narrower world Ord walked round and round, now seeing little, and his soul still wandered searching for some gods and finding none.

Lastly, the gods took away the fields and stream and left to the prophet only his house and the larger things that were in it. Day by day They crept about him drawing films of mist between him and familiar things, till at last he beheld nought at all and was quite blind and unaware of the anger of the gods. Then Ord's world became only a world of sound, and only by hearing he kept his hold upon Things. All the profit that he had out of his days was here some song from the hills or there the voice of the birds, and sound of the stream, or the drip of the falling rain. But the anger of the gods ceases not with the closing of flowers, nor is it assuaged by all the winter's snows, nor doth it rest in the full glare of summer, and They snatched away from Ord one night his world of sound and he awoke deaf. But as a man may smite away the hive of the bee, and the bee with all his fellows builds again, knowing not what hath smitten his hive or that it shall smite again, so Ord built for himself a world out of old memories and set it in the past. There he builded himself cities out of former joys, and therein built palaces of mighty things achieved, and with his memory as a key he opened golden locks and had still a world to live in, though the gods had taken from him the world of sound and all the world of sight. But the gods tire not from pursuing, and They seized his world of former things and took his memory away and covered up the paths that led into the past, and left him blind and deaf and forgetful among men, and caused all men to know that this was he who once had said that the gods were little things.
And lastly the gods took his soul, and out of it They fashioned the South Wind to roam the seas for ever and not have rest; and well the South Wind knows that he hath once understood somewhere and long ago, and so he moans to the islands and cries along southern shores, "I have known," and "I have known."

But all things sleep when the South Wind speaks to them and none heed his cry that he hath known, but are rather content to sleep. But still the South Wind, knowing that there is something that he hath forgot, goes on crying, "I have known," seeking to urge men to arise and to discover it. But none heed the sorrows of the South Wind even when he driveth his tears out of the South, so that though the South Wind cries on and on and never findeth rest none heed that there is aught that may be known, and the Secret of the gods is safe. But the business of the South Wind is with the North, and it is said that the time will one day come when he shall overcome the bergs and sink the seas of ice and come where the Secret of the gods is graven upon the pole. And the game of Fate and Chance shall suddenly cease and He that loses shall cease to be or ever to have been, and from the board of playing Fate or Chance (who knoweth which shall win?) shall sweep the gods away.

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Tv Series Review: The Sliders - Season 3, 4 & 5

The Sliders always were one of my favourite series. You can see the first half of review here.

There are two main focus on the third and fourth season. First the departure of my favourite character - Professor Maximillian Arturo and the appearance Maggie Becket (the hot Kari Wuhrer). Of course seeing an antire season with their hot girl is alrighty but the series turn it course and instead of an episode focus on a new parallel world after another we've got a big evil foe called the Kromaggs. Basically they discover the sliding technology and conquer world after world. So basically after season 3 we've got an episode focusing on a new alternate world where they've got an adventure and another episode where the Krommags are the main antagonists. After a while it was quite boring. Season 4 Wade Wells leaves the show and it enters Colin Mallory a lost brother of Quinn Mallory (in real life he is also his brother). In season 5 everything sucked...  Basically Quinn and Colin leave the show and another character makes the part of Quinn Mallory and a scientist appear called Diana Davis.

Maggie (3-5), Colin (4), Wade (1-3), Rembrandt (1-5), Prof Arturo (1-3), Quinn (1-4), Diana (5) & Mallory (5)

All in all only Rembrandt was in all episodes and all series. Of what I've heard the actor portaying  Arturo left because he didn't like where everything was going; the actress Wade Wells didn't get along with Maggie Beckett and Quinn and Colin because they didn't arrive in agreement with Fox in season 5. The changes in the setting was because Sci-Fi made the first two seasons and then fox made the rest. 



Season 3 (26 episodes)
Rulers of the Game - A world where a deadly game is being played and the sliders crash into it (this is almost 15 years before Hunger Games and they are quite similar in some ways...)
Double Cross - A world without resources where Rembrandt goes on an adventure and Quinn finds out that this world is trying to uncover the possibility to slding... A woman. Interesting twist in the end... Some Spoilers: The scientist behind it is a girl and Quinn kisses it and then after some molecular tests they realize that they are the same but on this world Quinn was born a female...
Electric Twisted Acid Test - A world being overrun by electric tornados... Not that good
The Guardian - A world where time moves a slower rate (quite interesting tale where Quinn faces a younger self and Arturo realizes he is dying...)
The Dream Masters - Boring episode...
Desert Storm - Mad Max
Dragonslide - This one has a fantasy setting
Fire Within - Is one of those interesting episodes where a world where evolution went another way.
Prince of Sliders - Rembrandts is royalty...
Dead Man Sliding There is no crime and the one that exist are live game shows...
State of the Art - There are no more humans only robots
Season's Greenings - Is a tale where consumerism goes up another level and everyone is in debt and only think of buying things...
Murder Most Foul - is one interesting tale of using theme parks to help those who have suffered a breakdown. This was one of my favourite episodes...
Slide like an Egyptian - Is an episode where the egyptians rule the world. Quite feasible...
The Exodus (2 Episodes) are focus on the death of Arturo and the coming of Maggie.
Sole Survivors - Stupid episode with Zombies...
The Breeder - Is an episode where we see Maggie boobs... well not all of them but you get my meaning...
The Last of Eden another boring episode...
The Other Slide of Darkness - This one connects has the same Arc as Exodus
Slither - is a dumb episode where Quinn and Rembrandt go on vacation to another country (really?)
Dinoslide - This one connects has the same Arc as Exodus
Stoker - Vampires exist.. another dumb episode (connects to the arc of Exodus)
The Slide of Paradise - Experiments on humans... Where did I see this? Dr Mureou... And the last episode in the Arc of Exodus. The friends are separated. Rembrandt and Wade to one place and Maggie and Quinn to another...

Basically in Exodus we've got Maggie Beckett appearance and both her husband and the professor are killed by Rickman. All episodes after The Exodus are a big Arc (albeit some are self containt with minor references to Rickman.



Season 4 (22 episodes)
Genesis- Maggie and Quinn finally find Rembrandt but Wade is still missing in a Kromagg Prison (or breeding camp)
Prohpets and Loss - An Oracle runs America and the Sliding machine is a way to heaven...
Common Ground - Maggie saves (unknowing) a Kromagg commander and it deals with new weapons to destroy "only" humans..
Virtual Slide - A world where virtuallity is the only life everyone knows... 
World Killer - A world where Quinn's Machine went wrong and everyone went to another planet... Talk about overpopululation...
Oh Brother, Where are Thou? -  A nice story where they meet Quinn's brother living in a backwater world.
Just Say Yes - Drugs are good... they should be mandatory... because they make everyone happy right?....
The Alternateville Horror - Acid Rain world with Ghosts hunting...
Asylum - A world raided by Kromaggs and not everyone is what it seems...
California Reich - A world where racists took over and everyone different dissapears...
The Dying Fields - Kromagg Training Camp, it seems Kromaggs and humans can interbred...
Lipschitz Live! - This one is a quickie fast paced adventure... 
Mother and Child - They arrive that defeated the Kromaggs with a virus.
Net Worth - A world where part of humanity lives well inside some buldings and another part of the humans are scavengers... It's a story of love.
Slide by Wire - A world where technology is Outlaw and Maggie has a double...
Data World - A world where they cannot leave Chandlers hotel because they are barely data...
Way Out West - This is the world of Clint Eastwood eheh...
My Brother's Keeper - Clones are good because they can be harvest... 
The Chasm - Cute little world  where nothing is what it seems
Roads Taken - Quinn and Maggie are dying of old age.... This tale is the first of an arc that follows throught season five. It seems that minutes have passed but Quinn and Maggie have spent a life time as lovers... Maggie will remember this world througouht season 5 after Quinn dissapear...
Revelations - Finally Quinn and Colin can go to their homeworld... Didn I say that Quinn and Colin were left in their respective world by their parents in a way to escape the Kromaggs invasion?

Season 5 (18 Episodes)
The Unstuck Man - This one the worst episode in the entire series because in this epside we see Quinn and Colin dissapear... This is the first in a new arc of episodes... From this episode and the next we've got Maggie & Rembrandt trying to dislodge Quinn Mallory from this new Quinn (supposedly the Quinn Mallory merged with this one and this one won..); We also see Rembrandt trying to find a weapon to kill the Kromaggs in World Prime (the original word); Diana Davis follows this new Quinn, that they will call henceforth "Mallory" to separate the two Quinns.
Applied Physics - This one Diana meets her double and Mallory has some visions from Quinn.
Strangers and Comrades - This one is not set in our world but in a world where humans and Krommags are fighting a neverending battle. 
The Great Work This one is set in a world turn upside down where instead of america there are islands and they enter a monastary (one of the few interesting episodes from this series)
New Gods for Old - This one mix religion with nano-technology
Please Press One - Are we bar codes or people?
A current affair - Journalism sucks and only tabloid is valid.
The Java Jive - Prohibition still exists...
The Return of Maggie Beckett - Maggie is a world wide hero and she returns.... Twist and one of the best episodes on this season...
Easy Slider - Another Mad Max episode... Mallory belongs to a gang...
Requiem -  In this episode they brought Wade back because of low ratings and to end once and for all theat Arc of Rembrandt remember from time to time about Wade...
Map of the Mind - Boring... Diana goes to the loony bin...
A Thousand Deaths - Simulation World...
Heavy Metal - In this world plastic was never discoverd and no planes exist. Due to a malfunction timer they go the pacific and must return to California before sliding... Pirates world...
To catch a Slider - This one deals with a malfunction timer and they must get hold a special gem... for that they must do anything unless they became stuck
Dust - This one is quite strange. Basically they arrive in a archaelogical dig where their time is all but gone... (probably technology evolution appear sooner on that world and after a cataclysm that world dissapear... Rembrandt is a god...
Eye of the Storm - Final episode in the Arc with Dr Geiger (that link with the first 2 or 3 episodes of this season)
The Seer - Last Episode of the series... They arrive in a world where the sliders are expected since a guy predict their coming... The religion is called Slidology.


Review
Arturo was my favourite character as I already claimed but Quinn was the heart of it. Remembradt was an ok character. Wade was there but not so good in my opinion. Then we've got Maggie an ok-sex actress and the producers try to focus on that (which they later stop trying)... Colin was not a good character at all... The new Mallory could never be Quinn and he sucked and Diana try to substitute Arturo and Quinn technological prowess but she was not a good character at all... And the shift in the middle of the third season and shifted away from social commentary and exploration of alternative realities...

All in all... The first two seasons are good, the third and fourth ok. The fifth? Don't watch it. AWFUL... Go read a Harry Turtledove book.

TV Series Review: Containment

Synopsis...

A virus appear after some guy from Syria drop illegally in America. This virus is 100% deadly and noone is inmune.  After the initial outbreak the CDC makes a cordon to isolate that part of the city of Atlanta. Families got torn apart with children separated from their parents or lovers... This series follows a couple of people...

Cast

Dr Cannerts; Sabine; Jana; Lex; Jake; Katie; Teresa & Leo

Outside the Cordon 
we've got Alex "Lex" Carnahan a Lt of the police force. He is the voice of CDC chosen by Sabine Lommers the CDC representative. Alex is also torn between duty and love. 

We also got Xander another black man who is doing everything to enter the city to meet his girlfriend that is 9 month pregnant (Teresa).

Then we've got Leo who is a  reporter (more of a conspiracy theorist) who wants to know the truth. He posts videos and photos of inside the Cordon. He confronts Lex for covering the story.

Inside the cordon
We've got Jana who is Lex's girlfriend. In the day that all happened Lex had asked Jana to move in but she had cold feet. The series focus a lot on her feelings and realizing what she has done. We also've got Suzy (Jana's friend and collegue).

Then we've got Jake. Best friend of Alex and former boyfriend of Jana. He is also a police officer and one of the eight inside the cordon. He develops a good relantionship with Katie and her son Quentin. 

Katie is the mother of Quentin. Before the outbreak occurs she was with her class in a field trip to a Atlanta hospital (where the outbreak began). She helps Jake with his feelings and anger and protects the rest of the children. In the episode 5 she discovers that the story about the virus they are being told is not true.

We've got Teresa a 9 month pregnant girl of 17. She has a strange relantionship with her mother Leanme (she disagrees with her because she was too young to date or get pregnant for that matter). She  has a grandmother also inside the Cordon called Micheline. Bert is her husband. Bert's job is to deliver rats to the hospital so they can make tests. He is kind character.

Then we've got Victor Cannerts. A CDC medic working on the cure of the Virus.  Katie later learns that he was the one who created the virus.

There is also some other minor characters...

I start making some notes about the episodes after the fifth... They contain too much spoilers and opinions...

Episode 5
Katie finds out that someone is covering for the Virus. It seems it was all a lie. Jake talks it with Lex. The army was delivering food and after 30% of the people receive their share  but a gang stole everything else from the police. Xander now inside the Cordon (after being help by Leo in exchange by some photos of the situation inside) and was "drafted" to work with the gang and in return Teresa gets her share of food. Reese, another police officer fell inside the Cordon but apparently it was accidental. He is later seen talking with the police commander. What a heck was he ordered to? 

Episode 6 
Lex seeks Leo so he can help him watch some videos that will confirm Jake story of hiding the Truth about the virus. Meanwhile Jake and Katie are searching for a lost boy, Thomas, who apparently has been around sick people and never got sick. Xander and Teresa escape the gang they were being hostage in Teresa's Mother shop. Her mother, who until now was a little bitchy with both Teresa and Xander makes a diversion.... Xander and Teresa went to Jana's Workplace. (He had been there before when he delivered a message from Leo on behalf of Lex).

Did I mention there is a place where Lex & Jake talk (a container that's the only official way in). My question about this... this cordon supposedly only covers the streets... What about the buldings? What's making people not enter that buildings and jump through the windows to the other side?  One side note is that a baseball game is going to happen outside the cordon so "everyone" can see things can go back to normal.... The National Guard  arrived and it's taking over everything. In other news... Reese (the police officer who "felt" down) join the gang that it's Teresa's Mother shop. Why? Jana also receive a usb disk with the videos so she could decipher it. In the end, holding hostaged Theresa's Mother appear in Jena's place  

Episode  7
A gang member ask for the phone and to take back Xander and Teresa to the store. But Jake appears and stops him.  Another gang appear on that now tight place ,but this gang is a bit different. It's a gang of drug addicts who think that lab is full of meth and stuff. Jake and Dennis (one of the two guys who were with Jana and her lady friend). One of those guys (I can't even remember his name) died after trying to negotiate with the meth's addicts. Jana as she was being attack used a police mobile phone to call Lex and ask for help.  Lex tried to enter and is stopped by the Army. Meanwhile they make a bomb and kill most of the Meth addicts but one didn't died and try to attack Teresa and Teresa's Mother put herself in the way and the addict bit her instead (why should he bit anyone... they are not cannibals or zombies...). Later on Jake return to the hospital with Teresa's mother. Heartbreaking moment...

Episode  8
Lex is suspended. He later receives the pen with the video that confirms that the patient zero was not the syrian but it was some scientist. Yet they have no reason to confirm if the virus was created by the CDC or not. Meanwhile Sabine (The CDC boss) wants Lex to sneak Thomas out of the Cordon to develop a cure since he seems to be inmune. As they try to make the transfer one of the medics became sick and Dr Cannerts understands that Thomas is asymptomatic carrier and must not leave the cordon. As Thomas is inside a container with Lex and Sabine the army locks both them in the container for 48H and a rebellion starts as people inside the cordon realize there's a way out.

Episode 9 - Day 13
A Rebellion is going on. The people on the Cordon want to get out. The army is going in. The army behaves like a child. Threating it like a rebellion and not heeding the words of Lex and Sabine that if they go in they will never get out because everyone will be infected. It's ridicolous... Katie trying to save a little girl injured herself and that little girl is sick... fvck... Really enjoy her. What? She is going to die and Jake who barely knew her is going to take care of the child? That's it??? What a soap opera.. but lets us see.
Katie is scrubbing herself and Jake is crying is tears out.... (it would be sexy to see Katie take a shower but it's not because it's a heartbreaking moment.. darn) - I am attached to this guys... Meanwhile Teresa got separated from Xander and her grandfather is hurt outside trying to get to his wife... The army went in, shot some people and went out... Are they crazy??


Episode 10 - Day 15
Teresa is giving birth. IT seems people that are infected by Thomas strain it takes longer to the symptoms appear. Instead of 24H it takes more, much more. So it seems Lex and Sabine are possible infected... Katie as well. It seems, from evidences from Leo that Sabine and Cannerts are responsable for this disease...
In the house of the deceased reporters someone stole their computer that link Sabine to all of it. I bet it was the police officer (Meese) who supposedly felt down. Chief is in work with Sabine Sommers... After exposing Meese Jake went down to Teresa to give her some supplies (given by the gang who took hostages her mother's shop - it seems they are not that heartless), he delivered a baby... He is awesome. It seems the chief was fooled by Sabine. She said that the evidences were against Syrians and they didn't need a faith war of christians blaming muslims. Lex confronted Sabine and ask her to resign unless everything went public... Don't understand why she done that... Leanne is the name of the baby after Teresa's mother name.

Episode 11
This was one sad episode I must say. It focus heavenly on Lex. Sabine distorded the news, apoligizing the Syrian Govermnent and blaming all on Cannerts telling that he lied to CDC and the officials. Leo understood and told Lex to drop the matter because if she is willing to blaming everything on the one who can save them and destroy evidences in the NSA it's useless to them to try.
Lex and his father try to go up the chain of command but are blocked by the Chief of Police telling that they can't go that way unless the son (lex) takes the same path as his father (discredit) and punished for taking up to the "Man".
In sad news the Teresa's Grandfather finally return home with some help of Jana who receive the deal that if she can get $5000 they can be smuggled out of the cordon. Sam (the gay guy who help Jana in the bulding) and Jana have $10000. Not enough for them two and her friend. Katie finally had her date with Jake before we watch her died... Sad episode. Jake was inside with some mask saying he love her before she dies in her arm... Very very sad... we see katie remember the scene in the shower we had seen before when she and jake behind a curtain touch and kiss... but now we saw that they remove the curtain and touch... Some tears came to my eyes. Damn...

Episode 12 - Day 17
The story begins with Jake cleaning Katie's dead body.
I must say I am a little sad about all evidences going against Dr Cannerts. He knew about the virus and he was a escape goat for Sabine even he has some share of blame. A guy broadcast the news of Cannerts culpability into the Cordon. Sam says that he wants to get out, no matter what. He had play the hero countless times.. Lies on top Lies. Sabine said something that makes sense to me and I understood where she was going with it... When Lex confronted about she doing research on bioweapons she said she had to do it because "Americans want security from their enemies without the responsability for how it happens. I had guts."
In the hospital, the gang who were selling food in Teresa's Shop went to the hospital and made an agreement that they would be the first on a vaccine if they would protect the Doctor, until a guy with the disease contaminated cinco (the leader's brother). He vouch that he will everyone in the hospital unless his brother is safe. The series end with Jana, her friend, Teresa, Xander and the Baby plus Katie's son being led by Reese on a way out of the Cordon for $5000 a piece. One interesting thing is that a guy was killed outside the cordon (one that Reese led out).


Episode 13 - Episode 19
The Army is taking down any sewers coming out from inside the cordon. Reese did a 2 days quarantine which was useless since the new strand of virus takes more than 48h.

They Start making implosions of sewers but Lex finds out that there were a group coming out. So Lex agrees with Sabine and the Army that he would have one hour to make them return. There he finds Jana and the rest of the gang (Teresa and her family had turn around after one of those tunnels colapse). Meanwhile Dr Cannerts understand that with the strand of the virus and some other component he can make a vaccine but for that he needs more people like thomas and after Jakes asks the city several people appear to help Dr Cannerts (after a innitial failure). Meanwhile Teresa Grandmother has some disease that will killer and she ask for her husband to pour some red wine and with pills inside so she can "choose" her own death. Of course, loving her, as he did he put some pills on his drink as well making another heartbreaking scene... Leo publish in his website Sabine confession after she acknowledge Lex knowing everything.

The last scenes we saw Jake spreading Kate's ashes in the wind; we see Theresa's greatfather and grandfather dead in embrace; Sabine being arrested, Xander proposing to Theresa, Leo and Lex's Father drinking because of Sabine's arrest, Lex inside the Cordon with Jana, her friend and Katie's boy...

Summary
I enjoy the series. They shorted the seriers (the original one had one more season) but they did a pretty good job. We never get to see if they have been all cured but supposedly, all indicates that yes. A good show with nice twists and some heartbreaking scenes...