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Ross (3284 KP) rated Altered Carbon in Books

Jun 28, 2018  
Altered Carbon
Altered Carbon
Richard Morgan | 2002 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
5
5.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
The basic idea behind the world created (0 more)
The execution (0 more)
Hated it
The world in which this story takes place is very intriguing - nobody ever really dies; everyone is put "on stack" when they die, i.e. their digitised brain is stored electronically, and they can have it put back into a new "sleeve", i.e. a body, when their family pay for it. The details of this were pretty scant originally, but emerged over the first 100 pages or so (though sadly piecemeal in glib, throw-away comments where the detail was taken for granted). The ideas filled me with hope - all prisons were digital (people held on stack in created scenarios), travel across large distances was electronic (if you could afford to have a sleeve waiting for you) etc.


Sadly, none of this was explored very well. There was a very clichéd, basic detective story overlaid on to this world. A billionaire claims he was murdered, but the authorities ruled his death as a suicide. This on the surface (someone being a witness for their own murder!) filled me with excitement for what lay ahead. However this quickly ebbed away as the story changed into a detective (Takeshi Kovacs - one of the most bland, one dimensional characters ever created) wandering around Earth, where he has never been, and annoying drug dealers and pimps.


There then follows a great deal of nonsense sex scenes, utterly drivel narrative (Morgan seems to think he has to take a whole page to describe each new location and has some very obscure turns of phrase - I actually speed-read the last 150 pages out of pure frustration with how long and boring the experience was - everything is contained in the dialogue so I recommend just reading that and skimming any action scenes), sci-fi jargon which means nothing to the reader, and very little plot development. In fact, pretty much the whole plot is outlined, by the perpetrator, in one chapter near the end - the "detective" didn't solve the case, he just worked out someone was involved and they filled in the details for him. Utterly clumsy storytelling.


Some people might enjoy taking a long time to read this, the futuristic setting, the overly-described settings, trying to work out what the sci-fi mumbo jumbo means. I am not one of those people. The world-building was there, but was under-used. The plot was basic and only really relevant in the first and last 50 pages. The characters were all forgettable, one-dimensional and clichéd (so much so that I frequently had to search back to find out who the person referred to was and why I should care).


That Takeshi Kovacs survived and went on to star in two follow-up books was a depressing revelation for me.
  
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
2017 | Action/Adventure, Role-Playing, Strategy
Nintendo Switch owners will likely be thrilled with the amazing new title for the system which for me has been the best reason for owning the system.

Mario vs. Rabbids: Kingdom Battle blends the iconic Nintendo characters with the Ubisoft Rabbids in a new turn based adventure that fans will love.

Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, and others blend with the mischievous Rabbids after a hysterical accident combines the two franchises.

Using a guide, players will move across a map, collecting coins as they go which can be used to upgrade your gear at various times.

When players enter certain arenas, the game becomes a turn based tactical combat game. Think X-Com but more family friendly and you begin to understand the fun and challenges that await them.

A typical round involves players moving to a point on the field, taking cover, and firing an attack shot at an enemy. Players may also opt to use a defensive skill when available or charge in for a close-quarters attack.

Should players complete the round with at least one of their three players still standing, they can move onto a new area and fight a new set of challenges.

I was doing very well until the first Mid-Boss who along with his minions presented a large challenge. The game gave me the option to play in an easier mode, but that did not seem to matter much as the enemies used travel tubes, exploding boxes, and other tactics to dominate.

Being able to upgrade your weapons is a big help as often the extra amount of damage you can deal an enemy is the key to winning a battle or failing miserably.

The game offers a co-op mode for players looking to play with another player and it is an easy game to play, but one that is very difficult to master.

The Game did very well at E3 when it was announced and won several awards which are well-deserved as after several days of playing the game, I am not bored with it at all and still keep coming back to it again and again.

This is a big deal for me as I often become bored with Nintendo games after a few days as I often find the dated graphics and gameplay difficult to hold my attention for long compared to other options that are out there. This time, I found a game that I love and enjoy the challenge and whimsical blend of styles which makes this one the first real reason to own a Nintendo Switch as I have found it far more enjoyable than any other title currently available for the system, Zelda included.

http://sknr.net/2017/08/28/mario-vs-rabbids-kingdom-battle/