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Rikki Hammond (33 KP) rated King of Tokyo in Tabletop Games
Jun 4, 2019
Easy to teach (2 more)
Great at all player counts
Looks visually great
Games are over far too quickly sometimes (1 more)
Some cards are far too overpowered
Yahtzee With Monsters
Please note, this review is for the first edition of the game.
King of Tokyo is one of the first games I bought for myself, when I got back into board gaming years ago, and it's definitely a fantastic light filler game, that will appeal to all ages.
Players choose a monster, and then take it in turns rolling six custom dice up to three times (like Yahtzee,) to either attack other players, heal their own health, gain 1,2 or 3 victory points, or collect energy.
Once one player attacks another, they enter Tokyo, and gain an extra victory point for each turn they are in there, however, everyone else can attack you, and you can't heal, but your attacks hurt everyone else to counteract this. You can decide to exit Tokyo, which will put the last player who attacked you in there instead.
Energy is used to buy special cards that help you out in one way or another. This can be anything from allowing you to roll an additional die, to giving you an extra life if you are destroyed. Each card has a different energy cost to buy them, and generally the better cards cost more, although some cards cost very little, but can be very overpowered, which can throw a little imbalance in the game.
A player wins by either destroying all other monsters, or by gaining 20 victory points (although it's usually the former that occurs.)
King of Tokyo is a lot of fun, but sometimes the games can be over far too quickly, especially if someone gets lucky with the attack rolls and card purchases, and sometimes players can be eliminated early on, leaving them to sit and watch as the rest of the game is played.
Overall, I would recommend King of Tokyo to casual gamers, and those starting out in gaming, especially those with kids, as it's light, easy to teach, and fun to play.
King of Tokyo is one of the first games I bought for myself, when I got back into board gaming years ago, and it's definitely a fantastic light filler game, that will appeal to all ages.
Players choose a monster, and then take it in turns rolling six custom dice up to three times (like Yahtzee,) to either attack other players, heal their own health, gain 1,2 or 3 victory points, or collect energy.
Once one player attacks another, they enter Tokyo, and gain an extra victory point for each turn they are in there, however, everyone else can attack you, and you can't heal, but your attacks hurt everyone else to counteract this. You can decide to exit Tokyo, which will put the last player who attacked you in there instead.
Energy is used to buy special cards that help you out in one way or another. This can be anything from allowing you to roll an additional die, to giving you an extra life if you are destroyed. Each card has a different energy cost to buy them, and generally the better cards cost more, although some cards cost very little, but can be very overpowered, which can throw a little imbalance in the game.
A player wins by either destroying all other monsters, or by gaining 20 victory points (although it's usually the former that occurs.)
King of Tokyo is a lot of fun, but sometimes the games can be over far too quickly, especially if someone gets lucky with the attack rolls and card purchases, and sometimes players can be eliminated early on, leaving them to sit and watch as the rest of the game is played.
Overall, I would recommend King of Tokyo to casual gamers, and those starting out in gaming, especially those with kids, as it's light, easy to teach, and fun to play.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Hidden Oracle in Books
Jan 31, 2018
Another fantastic book by RR. We are introduced to our new main character in perfect fashion. "Just another meat sack." Quaint Apollo, or should I call you Lester Papadopoulos? That is an amazing name and starts the book brilliantly.
Apollo is written just as well as RR's other character. The sun God is forced into a powerless mortal body and dumped unceremoniously onto the island of Manhattan. Into a pile of trash. He must undertake a series of trials and get the Oracles back under his control or else he will remain mortal... and Lester. Accompanied by a feisty, sword-wielding street urchin and a bitey peach spirit, Apollo fights for the future. Camp Half-Blood is sparsely populated, campers are disappearing and all forms of communication are on the fritz.
The world building is just as beautifully done as the other Olympians novel. The reader is introduced to myths creatures and gods. Recommended that you read the two previous series before Trials of Apollo. There are characters (like our beloved Percy) and gods/monsters that you either meet or are mentioned in passing and it would be beneficial to at least be familiar with them.
The character development is also well-done. Apollo is his usual self-absorbed self but he also experiences some brilliant moments of humanity. You root for his success and roll your eyes at him simultaneously. Margaret, Meg for short, is his sidekick and occasional friend. Apollo doesn't like to admit that he is actually fond of the little urchin. She immediately reminded me of Megara from Disney's Hercules, sassy, cynical, questioning. The entire time that I was reading I kept expecting her to betray Apollo to the "Big Bad" but have grown fond of Apollo as well and regret her betrayal.
In case you are unfamiliar with some of the terms or gods, RR has a handy glossary at the conclusion of the book. Highly recommended, as are all of RR's novels. Great for YA reader that enjoy witty writers, well-developed characters, mythology, adventures and just general awesomeness.
Apollo is written just as well as RR's other character. The sun God is forced into a powerless mortal body and dumped unceremoniously onto the island of Manhattan. Into a pile of trash. He must undertake a series of trials and get the Oracles back under his control or else he will remain mortal... and Lester. Accompanied by a feisty, sword-wielding street urchin and a bitey peach spirit, Apollo fights for the future. Camp Half-Blood is sparsely populated, campers are disappearing and all forms of communication are on the fritz.
The world building is just as beautifully done as the other Olympians novel. The reader is introduced to myths creatures and gods. Recommended that you read the two previous series before Trials of Apollo. There are characters (like our beloved Percy) and gods/monsters that you either meet or are mentioned in passing and it would be beneficial to at least be familiar with them.
The character development is also well-done. Apollo is his usual self-absorbed self but he also experiences some brilliant moments of humanity. You root for his success and roll your eyes at him simultaneously. Margaret, Meg for short, is his sidekick and occasional friend. Apollo doesn't like to admit that he is actually fond of the little urchin. She immediately reminded me of Megara from Disney's Hercules, sassy, cynical, questioning. The entire time that I was reading I kept expecting her to betray Apollo to the "Big Bad" but have grown fond of Apollo as well and regret her betrayal.
In case you are unfamiliar with some of the terms or gods, RR has a handy glossary at the conclusion of the book. Highly recommended, as are all of RR's novels. Great for YA reader that enjoy witty writers, well-developed characters, mythology, adventures and just general awesomeness.
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Haunted on Bourbon Street (Jade Calhoun, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I downloaded this novel free from Amazon because I was looking for a lighthearted paranormal romance to distract me. I assumed it was along the same vein as other paranormal romances I have made like Karen Chances Cassandra Palmer Series or Patricia Briggs Mercy Thompson series. I wasnt too far off.
My favorite part of this book had to be the diversity of characters. Each character had their own personality, that it felt like you were reading about real people instead of caricatures. It seemed to come naturally too. There were no page long paragraphs tediously describing each character. You picked up bits and pieces along the way.
The world and story that Chase created were also pretty interesting. I am partial to ghost stories, which is what drew me to the book in the first place, so that whole aspect and how they dealt with the ghost was fantastic. The rest of the Chases mythology, however, is what was really interesting. After looking at future novels in the series, however, I feel that the series will become way to complicated and in depth for me. I also dont enjoy reading about angels v. demons.
The novel has a couple twists. The one concerning the ghost didnt feel like a twist to me. I figured it out much earlier in the novel so when it was confirmed I really didnt even notice. The secret surrounding Kane, however, was pretty surprising. I wasnt expecting it even though I knew he had a secret.
All in all, Haunted on Bourbon Street is a well-rounded novel with engaging characters, an interesting world, and plot that keeps you reading til the very end. I cannot think of a single thing I didnt like about the novel. I am not sure I will read the rest of the series, however, after reading the synopsizes and seeing where the story is headed.
If you are looking for an enjoyable quick read, I highly recommend downloading it, especially since its currently free!
My favorite part of this book had to be the diversity of characters. Each character had their own personality, that it felt like you were reading about real people instead of caricatures. It seemed to come naturally too. There were no page long paragraphs tediously describing each character. You picked up bits and pieces along the way.
The world and story that Chase created were also pretty interesting. I am partial to ghost stories, which is what drew me to the book in the first place, so that whole aspect and how they dealt with the ghost was fantastic. The rest of the Chases mythology, however, is what was really interesting. After looking at future novels in the series, however, I feel that the series will become way to complicated and in depth for me. I also dont enjoy reading about angels v. demons.
The novel has a couple twists. The one concerning the ghost didnt feel like a twist to me. I figured it out much earlier in the novel so when it was confirmed I really didnt even notice. The secret surrounding Kane, however, was pretty surprising. I wasnt expecting it even though I knew he had a secret.
All in all, Haunted on Bourbon Street is a well-rounded novel with engaging characters, an interesting world, and plot that keeps you reading til the very end. I cannot think of a single thing I didnt like about the novel. I am not sure I will read the rest of the series, however, after reading the synopsizes and seeing where the story is headed.
If you are looking for an enjoyable quick read, I highly recommend downloading it, especially since its currently free!
Kyera (8 KP) rated Hunting Prince Dracula in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Hunting Prince Dracula is the second book in the Stalking Jack the Ripper series, which is a fantastic Victorian-era forensics mystery that takes its readers on a harrowing journey with its main characters. In Hunting, Audrey Rose and Thomas travel to Romania to study at one of Europe's foremost schools on forensic science. Although they expected to examine cadavers, they never thought the bodies would belong to victims of a killer in the midst of their spree.
I found the plot of Hunting Prince Dracula to be more enjoyable than its predecessor, Stalking Jack the Ripper. There was a new cast of supporting characters which brought a depth to the storyline that wasn't as prevalent previously. There were more characters that had been introduced and developed that you formed bonds with or questioned their intentions - could they be the killer or the next victim?
By far my favourite aspect of the series was the Holmes/Watson-esque relationship between Thomas and Audrey Rose. Thomas' quips and barbs were the most enjoyable parts of the book, despite his sometimes rakish manner. He was my favourite character in both the first and second book. It was nice to see his emotional development over the course of the novel as he had previously been hiding that aspect of himself.
Audrey Rose continues to monologue incessantly in her head, both chastizing herself profusely for her feelings and reliving the events of Stalking Jack the Ripper. It is clear that she is suffering from a traumatic event, but is unable to determine how to deal with it. It was interesting to see her attempting to cope, yet sometimes falling prey to fits of her imagination as she was unable to process the events completely. Stalking pushed Audrey Rose in ways that she was not equipped to deal with and her struggle throughout the book feels authentic.
I felt that the mystery was very well done and the culprit wasn't obvious from the first few pages, rather you questioned everything up until the very end. Our heroes conclude the story with the news that they will be traveling once more and Escaping from Houdini in the third book in this series.
I found the plot of Hunting Prince Dracula to be more enjoyable than its predecessor, Stalking Jack the Ripper. There was a new cast of supporting characters which brought a depth to the storyline that wasn't as prevalent previously. There were more characters that had been introduced and developed that you formed bonds with or questioned their intentions - could they be the killer or the next victim?
By far my favourite aspect of the series was the Holmes/Watson-esque relationship between Thomas and Audrey Rose. Thomas' quips and barbs were the most enjoyable parts of the book, despite his sometimes rakish manner. He was my favourite character in both the first and second book. It was nice to see his emotional development over the course of the novel as he had previously been hiding that aspect of himself.
Audrey Rose continues to monologue incessantly in her head, both chastizing herself profusely for her feelings and reliving the events of Stalking Jack the Ripper. It is clear that she is suffering from a traumatic event, but is unable to determine how to deal with it. It was interesting to see her attempting to cope, yet sometimes falling prey to fits of her imagination as she was unable to process the events completely. Stalking pushed Audrey Rose in ways that she was not equipped to deal with and her struggle throughout the book feels authentic.
I felt that the mystery was very well done and the culprit wasn't obvious from the first few pages, rather you questioned everything up until the very end. Our heroes conclude the story with the news that they will be traveling once more and Escaping from Houdini in the third book in this series.
Merissa (12058 KP) rated Scrying for Summer (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #2) in Books
Mar 21, 2018
Scrying for Summer (Philadelphia Coven Chronicles #2) by Katherine McIntyre
Scrying for Summer is the second book in the Philadelphia Coven Chronicles, and we meet back up with the little powerhouse known as Jev, and the turncoat with soul, Liam. Brenna and Conor are out of town, and Liam doesn't know where else to turn. His friend is in trouble, with the same organisation Liam is trying to escape from. He asks for Jev's help, not realising the danger he would be asking her to face.
Liam shows a different side to himself in this book, one that Jev finds hard to resist. He is no longer the simple, one dimensional, turncoat she thought he was. Instead, she finds out more about his reasons for what he did, and also asks herself the question about what would she do in the same situation? Once she realises that the answer isn't as easy as she thought, as well as some wise words from Sam the Djinn, her view changes of Liam. He is busy fighting his attraction for Jev. He is a Hunter, and their lives are dangerous. However, no one tells Jev what she can or can't do, and her help with the situation regarding his mom breaks down some of the walls that Liam holds onto so tightly.
Whilst you don't have to read book one to enjoy this one, I would still recommend you do. You will get a much better picture of who Jev and Liam are, plus why they both feel the way they do at the beginning. This was an excellent addition to the series, and Katherine McIntyre continues with her fantastic world and character building. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I was thoroughly engrossed with the story from start to finish. Highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=22742
Liam shows a different side to himself in this book, one that Jev finds hard to resist. He is no longer the simple, one dimensional, turncoat she thought he was. Instead, she finds out more about his reasons for what he did, and also asks herself the question about what would she do in the same situation? Once she realises that the answer isn't as easy as she thought, as well as some wise words from Sam the Djinn, her view changes of Liam. He is busy fighting his attraction for Jev. He is a Hunter, and their lives are dangerous. However, no one tells Jev what she can or can't do, and her help with the situation regarding his mom breaks down some of the walls that Liam holds onto so tightly.
Whilst you don't have to read book one to enjoy this one, I would still recommend you do. You will get a much better picture of who Jev and Liam are, plus why they both feel the way they do at the beginning. This was an excellent addition to the series, and Katherine McIntyre continues with her fantastic world and character building. There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I was thoroughly engrossed with the story from start to finish. Highly recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
http://erotic.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=22742
postapocalypticplayground (27 KP) rated Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicles, #2) in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Awesome continuation of the series
I’m so happy to be back in the world of the Lunar Chronicles! Scarlet, is Marissa Meyer’s take on Red Riding Hood, big bad wolf and grandma included. As with Cinder, Scarlet is a whirlwind of a story, straight into the good stuff and the story blends seamlessly with the continuation of Cinder’s overarching story line. Scarlet is a girl on a mission to rescue her Grandmother with Wolf (the big bad fighter) on her side. Outside of New Beijing, Scarlet’s story is set in a future France, which seems very undamaged by the wars, it has a very rustic feel, with Scarlet and her Grandmother enjoying a simple farming life. But Grandma, what big secrets you have! The collision of her grandmothers disappearance and the entrance of Wolf is played to perfection and their journey to Paris is both exciting and full of anxious moments. Scarlet is a fantastic character and you can completely understand, through the brief glimpses of her father, why she gives up everthing to take the journey to Paris. Whilst she wants to appear worldly, she is also wonderfully niaive at times, very much wearing her heart on her sleeve. I also loved the nuggets of information about hers and Cinder’s past and how the lines become blurred at times as the secrets and lies unfurl.
The action is frequent with huge set pieces which played out cinematically in my mind as I was reading. It’s quite an emotional one at times too, Kai’s dispair, Cinder’s desperation, Wolf’s inner turmoil and a bit of an insight into Levana left me quite breathless by the end.
My favourite thing at this stage, is how there is still so many secrets to be revealed. With 2 more books in the series to go it’s clear that each of the next characters will have some connection to what happened to Cinder as a child and how we reach present day, in story terms, I can’t wait to pick up Cress and see where the story goes next!
The action is frequent with huge set pieces which played out cinematically in my mind as I was reading. It’s quite an emotional one at times too, Kai’s dispair, Cinder’s desperation, Wolf’s inner turmoil and a bit of an insight into Levana left me quite breathless by the end.
My favourite thing at this stage, is how there is still so many secrets to be revealed. With 2 more books in the series to go it’s clear that each of the next characters will have some connection to what happened to Cinder as a child and how we reach present day, in story terms, I can’t wait to pick up Cress and see where the story goes next!
I adore this book. It's not only a good science fiction story, but also fantastically character-driven, which is rare in genre fiction. That's great for me. When I read a book, I care more about psychological development than what a shiny setting and fun toys it has.
It's not a happy, frolic-through-the-daisies type of story. We're talking not only about war, but child abuse, human trafficking and rape. It can be quite disturbing, if that type of thing isn't your cup of tea. But if that doesn't particularly bug you, it's a fantastic book.
One thing that really bugs me, though, is how so many people insist there's slash. As a person who's not into that kind of thing, that originally turned me off of reading it, because I had a bad feeling the main character, Jos, was going to find healing comfort from his trauma in the loving arms of another guy, and it would go downhill from there.
Luckily, I decided to read it anyway. And I don't see very much slash there. Sure, one character definitely has a thing for Jos, and the villain's a real creep, and then there's a character who's gay by Word Of God, but that's it for this book. The rest of it's pretty much characters insinuating, which is designed to anger other characters. That's it.
Jos, himself, is on the asexual side. He treats attraction as a completely alien concept. Niko is a surrogate father to him. I see him as feeling responsible for protecting Evan. Evan, who frustrates him a great deal. And one time, Jos seriously needed a hug, and fell asleep while being hugged. Woke up, and went right back to the asexual, PTSD, Hates-Being-Touched Jos we know and love.
None of that makes him gay. And three characters who are bi or gay does in no way a majority make. Sure, the shipping potential is there for fans if they want to use it, but certain type of fans are always finding stuff where there's canonically nothing.
In short, one of the best books I've read, and I absolutely loved the main character. He is not gay, and neither are the majority of characters.
It's not a happy, frolic-through-the-daisies type of story. We're talking not only about war, but child abuse, human trafficking and rape. It can be quite disturbing, if that type of thing isn't your cup of tea. But if that doesn't particularly bug you, it's a fantastic book.
One thing that really bugs me, though, is how so many people insist there's slash. As a person who's not into that kind of thing, that originally turned me off of reading it, because I had a bad feeling the main character, Jos, was going to find healing comfort from his trauma in the loving arms of another guy, and it would go downhill from there.
Luckily, I decided to read it anyway. And I don't see very much slash there. Sure, one character definitely has a thing for Jos, and the villain's a real creep, and then there's a character who's gay by Word Of God, but that's it for this book. The rest of it's pretty much characters insinuating, which is designed to anger other characters. That's it.
Jos, himself, is on the asexual side. He treats attraction as a completely alien concept. Niko is a surrogate father to him. I see him as feeling responsible for protecting Evan. Evan, who frustrates him a great deal. And one time, Jos seriously needed a hug, and fell asleep while being hugged. Woke up, and went right back to the asexual, PTSD, Hates-Being-Touched Jos we know and love.
None of that makes him gay. And three characters who are bi or gay does in no way a majority make. Sure, the shipping potential is there for fans if they want to use it, but certain type of fans are always finding stuff where there's canonically nothing.
In short, one of the best books I've read, and I absolutely loved the main character. He is not gay, and neither are the majority of characters.
Kristin (149 KP) rated The Boon: Thoughts of a Schizophrenic in Remission in Books
Dec 7, 2018
Disclaimer: I was given an e-copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
I'll start by saying I hold a Master's Degree in Forensic Psychology, so when I was approached to read and review this book, I jumped at it. Schizophrenia was one of the many different topics throughout my coursework, and I'm always eager to learn more about anything Psychology-related. I thought back on my different classes, and while we discussed all sorts of things about Schizophrenia (symptoms, effects on the individual and family/friends, therapeutic treatment, drug treatment, etc.), I don't recall having ever read an anecdotal account from someone with the illness, and I think it's just a fantastic idea.
While this book is very long, it's well worth the read if you're either like me and are interested in Psychology, or if you either have or know someone who has Schizophrenia (Sz for short). Reading this book gave me all sorts of personal insight into the illness that you just can't find in a textbook, and I'm sure it would greatly benefit anyone who is affected in their life by Sz in some way. I found the opening philosophies on God to be very interesting, as it was a new way of looking at the topic for me, and it really drew me in to see what all Eugene believed, had been through, is going through, etc. The various quotes from song lyrics, psychologists, other Sz memoirs, and numerous other sources really worked to convey just what Eugene was thinking and feeling, especially the ones pulled from his earlier writings.
As I said, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has Sz in some form of their life: either themselves, a family member or friend, therapists, social workers, etc, as well as those who are studying or just interested in Psychology. First-hand accounts are few and far between, and I feel I learned more about Sz, its effects on the mind as well as the idea of "remission," from this book than I did throughout my coursework.
5 stars for its ability to suck you in and keep you reading and learning, no matter how long it is =)
I'll start by saying I hold a Master's Degree in Forensic Psychology, so when I was approached to read and review this book, I jumped at it. Schizophrenia was one of the many different topics throughout my coursework, and I'm always eager to learn more about anything Psychology-related. I thought back on my different classes, and while we discussed all sorts of things about Schizophrenia (symptoms, effects on the individual and family/friends, therapeutic treatment, drug treatment, etc.), I don't recall having ever read an anecdotal account from someone with the illness, and I think it's just a fantastic idea.
While this book is very long, it's well worth the read if you're either like me and are interested in Psychology, or if you either have or know someone who has Schizophrenia (Sz for short). Reading this book gave me all sorts of personal insight into the illness that you just can't find in a textbook, and I'm sure it would greatly benefit anyone who is affected in their life by Sz in some way. I found the opening philosophies on God to be very interesting, as it was a new way of looking at the topic for me, and it really drew me in to see what all Eugene believed, had been through, is going through, etc. The various quotes from song lyrics, psychologists, other Sz memoirs, and numerous other sources really worked to convey just what Eugene was thinking and feeling, especially the ones pulled from his earlier writings.
As I said, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who has Sz in some form of their life: either themselves, a family member or friend, therapists, social workers, etc, as well as those who are studying or just interested in Psychology. First-hand accounts are few and far between, and I feel I learned more about Sz, its effects on the mind as well as the idea of "remission," from this book than I did throughout my coursework.
5 stars for its ability to suck you in and keep you reading and learning, no matter how long it is =)
Reiko LJ (126 KP) rated The Psychology of Time Travel in Books
Aug 13, 2018
Engaging, fully formed world (1 more)
Complex female characters
This book had my interest on the premise alone, enough to give it a shot - but I didn't expect it to be such an enjoyable ride.
Usually when fiction tackles time travel concepts you get glaring paradoxes, intentional blurring of details or overdone tropes but this book actually pulled it off well. Rather than focusing on the usual quandaries faced by time travelling instead we had a plethora of content I'd never even considered before!
From the humble beginnings of the four 'pioneers' in the '60s (which most books would have kept focus on) we jump forwards to the modern era and have what happened between was filled in through very natural exposition and character discovery. The result is a rich and vast world I wanted to know more and more about. What a fantastic concept to show modern day Britain with a history knocked off course by the creation of the conclave and decades of shared knowledge.
I was repeatedly impressed by the level of detail that Mascarenhas took things to (the time travel terminology/slang definitely being one of them!) and the areas she covered.
Over the course of reading this book I found myself bringing up the book in conversation at work and home. I couldn't help but talk about it. It was also at this point, in describing the book, that I suddenly realised there were no male characters of note in the book at all. This absolutely took nothing away from the story. The women in this story were fully formed and real enough to be flawed. Such a refreshing experience in sci-fi! I was pleasantly surprised by the romantic sub-plot between two women as well. This was such a natural progression of the story, with no fan-fare or overdue focus - it was just right and wonderfully depicted.
The themes covered by the book are equal parts beautiful and painful - just like life itself. What an incredible debut novel from a voice I am keen to hear more from.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC of this book in in exchange for an honest review
Usually when fiction tackles time travel concepts you get glaring paradoxes, intentional blurring of details or overdone tropes but this book actually pulled it off well. Rather than focusing on the usual quandaries faced by time travelling instead we had a plethora of content I'd never even considered before!
From the humble beginnings of the four 'pioneers' in the '60s (which most books would have kept focus on) we jump forwards to the modern era and have what happened between was filled in through very natural exposition and character discovery. The result is a rich and vast world I wanted to know more and more about. What a fantastic concept to show modern day Britain with a history knocked off course by the creation of the conclave and decades of shared knowledge.
I was repeatedly impressed by the level of detail that Mascarenhas took things to (the time travel terminology/slang definitely being one of them!) and the areas she covered.
Over the course of reading this book I found myself bringing up the book in conversation at work and home. I couldn't help but talk about it. It was also at this point, in describing the book, that I suddenly realised there were no male characters of note in the book at all. This absolutely took nothing away from the story. The women in this story were fully formed and real enough to be flawed. Such a refreshing experience in sci-fi! I was pleasantly surprised by the romantic sub-plot between two women as well. This was such a natural progression of the story, with no fan-fare or overdue focus - it was just right and wonderfully depicted.
The themes covered by the book are equal parts beautiful and painful - just like life itself. What an incredible debut novel from a voice I am keen to hear more from.
----
Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for an ARC of this book in in exchange for an honest review
Sarah (7798 KP) rated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in Video Games
Aug 20, 2018
Still one of the best
Mario Kart is one of the classics. Despite now on its 8th iteration, it’s still as good as it ever was and is one of the best games out there to play. No matter which version of Mario Kart I’ve played, I never really have a bad word to say about it, and 8 is no different.
The graphics are fantastic, and a great step up to those I was previously used to on the last version available on the Wii. The gameplay is as you’d expect from Mario Kart and this isn’t a bad thing. Why fix what isn’t broken? I also love the fact that you can now play this online properly against anyone in the world - it’s such a great feature and brings a whole new level of fun to the game. It can get a little dull and predictable if you’re playing locally as a couch co-op (or at least that’s what my other half says as I always win ?), but being able to play online multiplayer is so entertaining and we can play it for hours. Yes it is very frustrating, as sadly real players are a lot more ruthless than the computer players you’re up against locally, but it’s still a lot more fun.
My only criticisms about this game are that whilst it has quite a lot of levels/courses, for me it still isn’t enough. They’re not exactly long races and you can get through them all fairly quickly, and there’s only so many times you can do the same courses. And the only other criticism relates specifically to online play. Online play gives you points, but some players have a lot more points than others (i.e. 5k+, 10k+) which indicates they’ve been playing for a lot longer. The online match ups take no account of points and you can potentially end up playing against players with a huge difference in skill and points level. It’d be nice if they could try and match players together within a certain points, as it might make it more of a fairer race and a little more challenging if players are all similarly matched.
The graphics are fantastic, and a great step up to those I was previously used to on the last version available on the Wii. The gameplay is as you’d expect from Mario Kart and this isn’t a bad thing. Why fix what isn’t broken? I also love the fact that you can now play this online properly against anyone in the world - it’s such a great feature and brings a whole new level of fun to the game. It can get a little dull and predictable if you’re playing locally as a couch co-op (or at least that’s what my other half says as I always win ?), but being able to play online multiplayer is so entertaining and we can play it for hours. Yes it is very frustrating, as sadly real players are a lot more ruthless than the computer players you’re up against locally, but it’s still a lot more fun.
My only criticisms about this game are that whilst it has quite a lot of levels/courses, for me it still isn’t enough. They’re not exactly long races and you can get through them all fairly quickly, and there’s only so many times you can do the same courses. And the only other criticism relates specifically to online play. Online play gives you points, but some players have a lot more points than others (i.e. 5k+, 10k+) which indicates they’ve been playing for a lot longer. The online match ups take no account of points and you can potentially end up playing against players with a huge difference in skill and points level. It’d be nice if they could try and match players together within a certain points, as it might make it more of a fairer race and a little more challenging if players are all similarly matched.