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Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Deception: Murder in Hong Kong in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
One of the funnest (yeah I know, it’s not a word) parts of board gaming is getting to introduce new people to the hobby! Whether it’s a family gathering or a party with friends, I love breaking out a fun game for any occasion! Some board gamers have an aversion to the ‘party’ games category, but I think you just need to find the right game for the group to have the best experience! One of those games, for me, is Deception: Murder in Hong Kong!
MURDER! As an Investigator, that’s just another day on the job for you. This time feels different, though. Something about this case is off… After the initial evidence is gathered, the team’s Forensic Scientist has disclosed to the team that the killer is one of the Investigators! Everyone is on edge, accusing every other Investigator of being the murderer. Everyone had potential means and motive, and it is up to you to figure it out! As the Forensic Scientist uncovers more evidence, the details of the crime will come to light, and the killer will be revealed. Put your investigative and deductive skills to the test as you try to unmask the killer, or throw the team off your scent if you are the culprit!
DISCLAIMER!! This review is for vanilla Deception: Murder in Hong Kong. We have plans to add in the expansion once one of us purchases it and learns it and teaches it to the rest of us. Should that happen and our review change, we will add that information to this review or to a new review and link to it from here. -T
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is a game of bluffing, deduction, and hidden identity. All players (except for the Forensic Scientist) have a secret role in the game – Investigator, Witness, Murderer, or Accomplice. The Forensic Scientist knows who the killer is, and how they did it. It is their job to guide the Investigators to the killer by providing clues about the uncovered evidence. The Investigators are trying to interpret the clues and uncover the killer’s identity. The Witness knows who the killer is, but has not yet figured out how they did it. The Murderer and Accomplice are looking to pin the murder on one of the other innocent members of the team! As clues are revealed, each player gets a chance to make a case against the player whom they think is the murderer. You must convince everyone of your logic, or else the killer could get away! In a game where everyone is a suspect, who can you trust? Gather clues, present your case, and put your poker face to the test in this ultimate game of deception! (See what I did there?)
I thoroughly enjoy games of deduction. Anything where you have to think and solve puzzles/riddles/etc. is fun for me. In Deception, it’s a race to see who can find the solution first. Not only do you have to deduce the correct answer from the provided clues, but you also have to put your persuasive skills to the test! Unless you can convince everyone that a specific player is the killer, they might turn their accusations towards someone else, or even worse, towards YOU! You really have to think outside of the box to interpret the Forensic Scientist’s clues, and I like to challenge myself to find the solution in as few turns as possible. The faster I can solve the murder, the smarter I feel. Don’t lie, it makes you feel smart too when you figure it out before anyone else!
The only part of Deception that I don’t really enjoy is the bluffing aspect, which is one of the most integral parts of the game, I know. I am just a horrible liar with a questionable poker face. If we play and I am the Murderer, I am almost always found out. Whenever anyone accuses me, my mind blanks and I cannot think of a single convincing way to get everyone off my scent! That is a personal problem, though, because when I get to be just a regular ol’ Investigator, I have a blast! I can still be accused, but I always feel like I have an easier time getting people off my case if I am actually innocent. I know some people really enjoy being the Murderer because they like the challenge of deceiving the entire team. I am not one of those people though. If I was guaranteed to be just a plain Investigator (or the Forensic Scientist) every time, I would probably pull this game out more!
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is a ‘party’ game, but with the right group, it can still be a challenging game. A higher player count, in this case, does not necessarily equate to a chaotic game either. So give Deception a try. It’ll be worth it! Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 17 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/26/deception-murder-in-hong-kong-review/
MURDER! As an Investigator, that’s just another day on the job for you. This time feels different, though. Something about this case is off… After the initial evidence is gathered, the team’s Forensic Scientist has disclosed to the team that the killer is one of the Investigators! Everyone is on edge, accusing every other Investigator of being the murderer. Everyone had potential means and motive, and it is up to you to figure it out! As the Forensic Scientist uncovers more evidence, the details of the crime will come to light, and the killer will be revealed. Put your investigative and deductive skills to the test as you try to unmask the killer, or throw the team off your scent if you are the culprit!
DISCLAIMER!! This review is for vanilla Deception: Murder in Hong Kong. We have plans to add in the expansion once one of us purchases it and learns it and teaches it to the rest of us. Should that happen and our review change, we will add that information to this review or to a new review and link to it from here. -T
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is a game of bluffing, deduction, and hidden identity. All players (except for the Forensic Scientist) have a secret role in the game – Investigator, Witness, Murderer, or Accomplice. The Forensic Scientist knows who the killer is, and how they did it. It is their job to guide the Investigators to the killer by providing clues about the uncovered evidence. The Investigators are trying to interpret the clues and uncover the killer’s identity. The Witness knows who the killer is, but has not yet figured out how they did it. The Murderer and Accomplice are looking to pin the murder on one of the other innocent members of the team! As clues are revealed, each player gets a chance to make a case against the player whom they think is the murderer. You must convince everyone of your logic, or else the killer could get away! In a game where everyone is a suspect, who can you trust? Gather clues, present your case, and put your poker face to the test in this ultimate game of deception! (See what I did there?)
I thoroughly enjoy games of deduction. Anything where you have to think and solve puzzles/riddles/etc. is fun for me. In Deception, it’s a race to see who can find the solution first. Not only do you have to deduce the correct answer from the provided clues, but you also have to put your persuasive skills to the test! Unless you can convince everyone that a specific player is the killer, they might turn their accusations towards someone else, or even worse, towards YOU! You really have to think outside of the box to interpret the Forensic Scientist’s clues, and I like to challenge myself to find the solution in as few turns as possible. The faster I can solve the murder, the smarter I feel. Don’t lie, it makes you feel smart too when you figure it out before anyone else!
The only part of Deception that I don’t really enjoy is the bluffing aspect, which is one of the most integral parts of the game, I know. I am just a horrible liar with a questionable poker face. If we play and I am the Murderer, I am almost always found out. Whenever anyone accuses me, my mind blanks and I cannot think of a single convincing way to get everyone off my scent! That is a personal problem, though, because when I get to be just a regular ol’ Investigator, I have a blast! I can still be accused, but I always feel like I have an easier time getting people off my case if I am actually innocent. I know some people really enjoy being the Murderer because they like the challenge of deceiving the entire team. I am not one of those people though. If I was guaranteed to be just a plain Investigator (or the Forensic Scientist) every time, I would probably pull this game out more!
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong is a ‘party’ game, but with the right group, it can still be a challenging game. A higher player count, in this case, does not necessarily equate to a chaotic game either. So give Deception a try. It’ll be worth it! Purple Phoenix Games gives it a 17 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/12/26/deception-murder-in-hong-kong-review/
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Tiny Epic Galaxies: Beyond the Black in Tabletop Games
Mar 11, 2022
In the expansion review series, we take a look at a game expansion to discuss whether it is a necessary purchase/addition to one’s collection.
This review is a breakdown of the Beyond the Black expansion for Tiny Epic Galaxies. Beyond the Black introduces several new components to the game: Pilot cards, Hangars, and Exploration cards. To set up for a game with the expansion, things are done as normal with a few additions. The deck of Pilot cards is shuffled, and a market is created above the row of Planet cards. Each player receives a Hangar mat with 4 Advanced Ships, and the Exploration cards are shuffled and placed face-down on the Exploration mat. A handful of new Planet and Secret Mission cards are included in this expansion, and are shuffled into their respective decks. Pictured below are some of the expansion components.
The gameplay with the Beyond the Black expansion is essentially identical to that of the base game, with two new action options. On your turn, when you have rolled your dice, you have the option to Hire Pilots. These Pilots will take control of an Advanced Ship from your Hangar mat, and will provide special and powerful abilities in the game. In order to Hire a Pilot, you must pay the dice cost for the specific type of Advanced Ship for which you are hiring. Take the Pilot card and place it on your Hangar mat, on the corresponding Advanced Ship. You then replace one of your normal ships with the new Advanced Ship, to be used throughout the rest of the game. Not all Pilots can control every ship, so you have to strategize on which Pilots to hire.
The other new action option is Exploration. On your turn, when you roll a “Move a Ship” action, you may move a ship to the Exploration mat. Exploring uncharted space could result in helpful discoveries (gaining resources) or dangerous consequences (usually losing resources). Once on the Exploration mat, you have the option to take any face-up card from the Exploration row, if there are any, or you have the option to reveal the top card of the Exploration deck. If you reveal the top card and it is a green Discovery card, you may choose to take it and reap the rewards, or you can choose to push your luck and draw another card hoping for something better. If you draw a red Danger card, you must immediately take it and suffer the consequences, thus ending your turn. The Exploration row can only ever have 3 face-up cards at a time, so knowing when to push your luck or when to take a safe card is key.
The game continues in the normal fashion, with these additional actions, until a player has earned 21 or more VP. Along with the base game VP, the expansion allows players to earn VP for hired Pilots and Exploration cards. When the game end is triggered, players will then score their Secret Mission cards and VP earned from Exploration cards, and the player with the highest total is declared the winner!
Official recommendation: If you’ve read our review of Tiny Epic Galaxies, and it’s newest iteration, Tiny Epic Galaxies Blast Off!, then you’ll know that we absolutely love this game. The gameplay is excellent, the theming is on point, and the mechanics are engaging. That being said, is the Beyond the Black expansion necessary? If you, like us, are serious fans of the base game, I would say yes. This expansion builds upon the great elements of the base game, and provides even more opportunities for strategy in your gameplay. Should you hire this Pilot now, and for which Advanced Ship? You’re allowed to replace Pilots in future turns, but what if you replace someone and then regret it? How far are you willing to push your luck to Explore uncharted space? The benefits are nice, but the consequences can be brutal. The gameplay is elevated by the inclusion of these new elements, and is not bogged down by unnecessary additions. When first introducing this game to people, I would probably just use the base game to build an understanding of the gameplay. But beyond that (see what I did there?), I would highly recommend grabbing a copy of the Beyond the Black expansion to include in your future plays of this awesome little space game.
This review is a breakdown of the Beyond the Black expansion for Tiny Epic Galaxies. Beyond the Black introduces several new components to the game: Pilot cards, Hangars, and Exploration cards. To set up for a game with the expansion, things are done as normal with a few additions. The deck of Pilot cards is shuffled, and a market is created above the row of Planet cards. Each player receives a Hangar mat with 4 Advanced Ships, and the Exploration cards are shuffled and placed face-down on the Exploration mat. A handful of new Planet and Secret Mission cards are included in this expansion, and are shuffled into their respective decks. Pictured below are some of the expansion components.
The gameplay with the Beyond the Black expansion is essentially identical to that of the base game, with two new action options. On your turn, when you have rolled your dice, you have the option to Hire Pilots. These Pilots will take control of an Advanced Ship from your Hangar mat, and will provide special and powerful abilities in the game. In order to Hire a Pilot, you must pay the dice cost for the specific type of Advanced Ship for which you are hiring. Take the Pilot card and place it on your Hangar mat, on the corresponding Advanced Ship. You then replace one of your normal ships with the new Advanced Ship, to be used throughout the rest of the game. Not all Pilots can control every ship, so you have to strategize on which Pilots to hire.
The other new action option is Exploration. On your turn, when you roll a “Move a Ship” action, you may move a ship to the Exploration mat. Exploring uncharted space could result in helpful discoveries (gaining resources) or dangerous consequences (usually losing resources). Once on the Exploration mat, you have the option to take any face-up card from the Exploration row, if there are any, or you have the option to reveal the top card of the Exploration deck. If you reveal the top card and it is a green Discovery card, you may choose to take it and reap the rewards, or you can choose to push your luck and draw another card hoping for something better. If you draw a red Danger card, you must immediately take it and suffer the consequences, thus ending your turn. The Exploration row can only ever have 3 face-up cards at a time, so knowing when to push your luck or when to take a safe card is key.
The game continues in the normal fashion, with these additional actions, until a player has earned 21 or more VP. Along with the base game VP, the expansion allows players to earn VP for hired Pilots and Exploration cards. When the game end is triggered, players will then score their Secret Mission cards and VP earned from Exploration cards, and the player with the highest total is declared the winner!
Official recommendation: If you’ve read our review of Tiny Epic Galaxies, and it’s newest iteration, Tiny Epic Galaxies Blast Off!, then you’ll know that we absolutely love this game. The gameplay is excellent, the theming is on point, and the mechanics are engaging. That being said, is the Beyond the Black expansion necessary? If you, like us, are serious fans of the base game, I would say yes. This expansion builds upon the great elements of the base game, and provides even more opportunities for strategy in your gameplay. Should you hire this Pilot now, and for which Advanced Ship? You’re allowed to replace Pilots in future turns, but what if you replace someone and then regret it? How far are you willing to push your luck to Explore uncharted space? The benefits are nice, but the consequences can be brutal. The gameplay is elevated by the inclusion of these new elements, and is not bogged down by unnecessary additions. When first introducing this game to people, I would probably just use the base game to build an understanding of the gameplay. But beyond that (see what I did there?), I would highly recommend grabbing a copy of the Beyond the Black expansion to include in your future plays of this awesome little space game.
My First High School Crush
Games and Entertainment
App
~~> Get ready to meet & fall in love with the cutest boy in school! ~~> Yay – he asked you out!...
Scott Tostik (389 KP) rated Raw (2017) in Movies
Jul 28, 2017
Great lead actress (1 more)
Weird twist
WTF did I just watch... In a good way :)
Contains spoilers, click to show
What can be said about french horror that the amazing film Martyrs couldn't say?
A whole mouthful as made apparent by this entry from the land of Eiffel.
It starts slow, which in horror can make the viewer lose interest and get bored. But by the end of the first act you find yourself strangely intrigued by the story of Justine.
Who knew the students in veterinary school could be so harsh on rookies of the program. They shower them in blood and make them eat raw meat. Justine, a strict vegetarian protests, but her older sister makes her eat it, beginning a whirlwind of activity from the prudish Justine that seems completely out of character.
She and her roommate, who is supposed to be a girl, but is a gay young man, engage in pleasantries when she first gets there and a solid connection between the two characters is made.
During a botched Brazilian wax, Justine kicks a pair of scissors from her sister's hand, accidentally removing her ring finger in the process. Sister passes out, Justine calls the paramedics who tell her to put it on ice and rush her into the ER.
But Justine has other plans, she begins smelling the finger, then sucking the blood from the severed end, before snacking on the removed digit feverishly as Alex wakes up and awkwardly stares at her with a look of disbelief.
I'm not going to reveal anymore of this film, to do so would be rude and ignorant to the reader.
This movie is something that needs to be viewed to fully appreciate. It's utterly amazing to watch Justine's transformation.
As an avid horror fanatic, I can only make a recommendation that this film be watched by you the viewer, and your own assumptions be made.
I can lead you to the water, but I can't make you drink. But take my advice... Drink!!! Guzzle!!!! CHUG IT TIL YOU CAN'T DRINK ANYMORE!!!!
A whole mouthful as made apparent by this entry from the land of Eiffel.
It starts slow, which in horror can make the viewer lose interest and get bored. But by the end of the first act you find yourself strangely intrigued by the story of Justine.
Who knew the students in veterinary school could be so harsh on rookies of the program. They shower them in blood and make them eat raw meat. Justine, a strict vegetarian protests, but her older sister makes her eat it, beginning a whirlwind of activity from the prudish Justine that seems completely out of character.
She and her roommate, who is supposed to be a girl, but is a gay young man, engage in pleasantries when she first gets there and a solid connection between the two characters is made.
During a botched Brazilian wax, Justine kicks a pair of scissors from her sister's hand, accidentally removing her ring finger in the process. Sister passes out, Justine calls the paramedics who tell her to put it on ice and rush her into the ER.
But Justine has other plans, she begins smelling the finger, then sucking the blood from the severed end, before snacking on the removed digit feverishly as Alex wakes up and awkwardly stares at her with a look of disbelief.
I'm not going to reveal anymore of this film, to do so would be rude and ignorant to the reader.
This movie is something that needs to be viewed to fully appreciate. It's utterly amazing to watch Justine's transformation.
As an avid horror fanatic, I can only make a recommendation that this film be watched by you the viewer, and your own assumptions be made.
I can lead you to the water, but I can't make you drink. But take my advice... Drink!!! Guzzle!!!! CHUG IT TIL YOU CAN'T DRINK ANYMORE!!!!
Debbiereadsbook (1650 KP) rated Rule of Thirds in Books
Apr 17, 2018
some darker moments, but brilliant!
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I have to admit, when I read the blurb for this book, I had no idea what AI meant, it did not click. Once it's made clear, very early on?? Well, now it made total sense!
Jason is suffering from PTSD and Chase and Shade are his AI companions to help with that. But not only Jason suffers, Shade does too and its left to Chase to keep everyone together.
Very quickly, you lose the fact that Chase and Shade are, for want of a better word, robots. They feel as much as humans do, they want all the same things. The fact that we lose that, is a testament to the skill of the author, it really is.
Just as Jason suffers from his torture, Shade suffers from the modifications made to him against his wishes. Shade may NEVER fully recover, but being around Jason, broken though he is, begins to bring Shade out of his trauma, just as Shade and Chase bring Jason out of his.
I have a soft spot for 3 way relationship, especially if they are hot and heavy. This book is NOT hot and heavy. This book is not about that. this book is EMOTIONALLY heavy, for all three men. You feel for both Shade and Jason every time something sets them off, something triggers for them. And you feel for Chase, trying to keep them all together. And you feel it, right here in your heart when Jason finally begins to let Chase and Shade in.
There has been a huge amount of research into PTSD for this book. You can't get the depth of felling and emotion across without a massive amount of work. Very VERY well done, Aidan Wayne!
I haven't read anything by Wayne before, but the author is on my hit list now!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
I have to admit, when I read the blurb for this book, I had no idea what AI meant, it did not click. Once it's made clear, very early on?? Well, now it made total sense!
Jason is suffering from PTSD and Chase and Shade are his AI companions to help with that. But not only Jason suffers, Shade does too and its left to Chase to keep everyone together.
Very quickly, you lose the fact that Chase and Shade are, for want of a better word, robots. They feel as much as humans do, they want all the same things. The fact that we lose that, is a testament to the skill of the author, it really is.
Just as Jason suffers from his torture, Shade suffers from the modifications made to him against his wishes. Shade may NEVER fully recover, but being around Jason, broken though he is, begins to bring Shade out of his trauma, just as Shade and Chase bring Jason out of his.
I have a soft spot for 3 way relationship, especially if they are hot and heavy. This book is NOT hot and heavy. This book is not about that. this book is EMOTIONALLY heavy, for all three men. You feel for both Shade and Jason every time something sets them off, something triggers for them. And you feel for Chase, trying to keep them all together. And you feel it, right here in your heart when Jason finally begins to let Chase and Shade in.
There has been a huge amount of research into PTSD for this book. You can't get the depth of felling and emotion across without a massive amount of work. Very VERY well done, Aidan Wayne!
I haven't read anything by Wayne before, but the author is on my hit list now!
5 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Splash and Bubbles
Education and Entertainment
App
Dive in and explore the ocean with the Splash and Bubbles Ocean Adventure app! Join Splash,...
The Golden Door: Letters to America
Book
Britain's most readable journalist takes on his biggest challenge - America. Where were you when...
The Complete Cosmicomics
Italo Calvino, Tim Parks and Martin McLaughlin
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Italo Calvino's enchanting stories about the evolution of the universe, with characters that are...
TacoDave (3982 KP) rated Captain Marvel (2019) in Movies
Apr 10, 2019 (Updated Apr 10, 2019)
Special Effects (1 more)
90's Setting
Acting (2 more)
Story
Overt Politicalization
Captain "Meh"vel.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I finally saw Captain Marvel, just a few weeks after the rest of the world. It has already made over $1 billion, so I know I'm late to the game.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.
What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.
Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.
And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"
One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.
So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.
I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
What can I say that hasn't already been said? It's a serviceable Marvel movie. It ranks up there with Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World as well-made, enjoyable, yet forgettable superhero fare. At the end I realized it doesn't really explain anything and doesn't really amount to much except a mouthpiece for feminists raging against toxic masculinity and a cry to help refugees, and that's disappointing.
What are Captain Marvel's powers? It never really explains. She shoots energy beams. She learns to fly, somehow. And apparently she can breathe in space (?). But how or why or what the limits of her powers are is never discussed.
Neither are weaknesses. Superman has kryptonite. Batman and Iron Man are humans using technology to help them, but can be killed. Even Vision died without his infinity stone. But apparently Captain Marvel is just such a kick-ass woman that she can't be hurt. The film seems to suggest that her only weakness is her lack of self-empowerment.
And while I don't mind a movie having a political bent, everything in this movie that is trying to promote a social message is too on-the-nose, too in-your-face to work. "I'm Just a Girl" plays while she beats people up. A man says she should smile. A pilot says "You know why it's called the COCKpit, right?" Ninety percent of the music features a female singer (the only one I noticed that didn't was Nirvana's "Come As You Are"). It's just ... too much. Or too blatant. It kept pulling me out of the movie, as if the director(s) were seated next to me, poking me in the arm, saying "See what we did there? Subtext!"
One of the aliens even refers to earth as a sh!t-hole, a clear, obvious reference to Donald Trump.
So that's Captain Marvel. 10% muddled action, 30% jokes (mostly funny), 5% story, and 55% political message. Oh, and 127% GURL POWER.
I enjoyed it as a prelude to Avengers: Endgame, but I don't think I'll ever watch it again.
Elizabeth (1521 KP) rated The Alchemist in Books
Apr 24, 2019
I struggled through the first half of the book. It wasn't bad, just not what I was expecting after all of the positive reviews I'd heard or following an interview I had seen with Paulo Coelho that had me intrigued.
Despite my apprehension, I kept reading and I'm glad I did. Once the boy set out on his adventure and began to learn and understand the language of the world, I understood what all the fuss was about. This is one of those books, that if read at the right time in your life, can have a profound impact. I found myself bookmarking every other page at one point, for some pearl of wisdom or a lesson that I had only recently learned myself and held so much relevance in my life.
I can relate to the boy because I feel like I'm on a similar sort of journey right now, learning the same lessons about life and being open and aware of what it is trying to tell us. It is not always easy to listen to our hearts or follow our dreams. Many of us go through life like the shopkeeper, holding on to our dreams to motivate us to get through the mundane lives we live, but never having the courage to go after them for fear of having nothing left to live for once the dream is reached or perhaps even fear of failure.
Even after I got past the first half, I took my time reading, letting the words sink in. Too often, I fly through books and months later if someone asks me about a particular scene I have trouble recalling it. I wanted to retain what I was reading. And for the first time in my life I wanted to buy the book just so that I could highlight passages and make notes in the margins. I had always thought of this as defamation before, like it was a sacrilege to mark up a book like that.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is feeling like there has to be more to life; someone who feels the potential of their destiny but is at a loss as to how to achieve it. The book doesn't have all of the answers, but it helps you understand that the only thing truly standing in your way is you.
Despite my apprehension, I kept reading and I'm glad I did. Once the boy set out on his adventure and began to learn and understand the language of the world, I understood what all the fuss was about. This is one of those books, that if read at the right time in your life, can have a profound impact. I found myself bookmarking every other page at one point, for some pearl of wisdom or a lesson that I had only recently learned myself and held so much relevance in my life.
I can relate to the boy because I feel like I'm on a similar sort of journey right now, learning the same lessons about life and being open and aware of what it is trying to tell us. It is not always easy to listen to our hearts or follow our dreams. Many of us go through life like the shopkeeper, holding on to our dreams to motivate us to get through the mundane lives we live, but never having the courage to go after them for fear of having nothing left to live for once the dream is reached or perhaps even fear of failure.
Even after I got past the first half, I took my time reading, letting the words sink in. Too often, I fly through books and months later if someone asks me about a particular scene I have trouble recalling it. I wanted to retain what I was reading. And for the first time in my life I wanted to buy the book just so that I could highlight passages and make notes in the margins. I had always thought of this as defamation before, like it was a sacrilege to mark up a book like that.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is feeling like there has to be more to life; someone who feels the potential of their destiny but is at a loss as to how to achieve it. The book doesn't have all of the answers, but it helps you understand that the only thing truly standing in your way is you.