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Rachel King (13 KP) rated Ink Exchange (Wicked Lovely, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The second book in the Wicked Lovely series is decidely darker than the first book, especially as it focuses on the Dark Court. A major plot point is Leslie's struggles to deal with how her brother and father have fallen off the "deep end" and the rape that her brother allowed to happen to her. She believes a tattoo will allow her to reclaim her body as her own and stop being afraid, but the tattoo she chooses has unimaginable consequences as she becomes entangled into the drama of the faery courts that her best friend Aislinn belongs to.
I like the change in main characters, as we get to see this world through other characters' eyes as well as learn about different aspects that Keenan or Aislinn may not be familiar with. I had a difficult time finding a character to really love, as all three of the main characters, Leslie, Irial, and Niall, all seemed to have major faults that I had a hard time getting around. The theme for this book seemed to be the darker side of humanity and how deeply entrenched people can get into the "gray" area of life, while still believing that they are not doing anything wrong. Irial wants to only use Leslie, just as he has for every other mortal, but then he falls for her. Leslie wants to be her own person and hates her brother for his druggie lifestyle, but then becomes an addict just like Ren. Niall has shunned the Dark Court for all it stands for, even denying his own nature, but then wants Leslie so bad that he unknowingly uses what he is and what the Dark Court is about to try and lure her to him. In a word, they all behave like hypocrites, but Marr is such a good writer, that I find myself feeling sorry for all of them at some point. While in many fantasy genre works, the female lead often has to choose between two guys, Marr takes a completely unpredictable approach, and I think that I like this ending the best of all possibilities. Plus, since this is only the second book in a series, there is potential for Leslie to change her mind in the long run as she becomes more comfortable in her own skin.
The way that Marr approaches the horrific trauma that Leslie endured prior to this book's beginning is handled very delicately, as it should be. It is never really described in detail what exactly happens to her, and it is mostly left up to the reader's imagination, which I think is a smart move in that girls who have been in a situation similar to Leslie's can relate to her and feel like they have a voice in her words and thoughts. This alone is what makes this book both poignant and powerful. The fact that both males vying for her affection try to rescue her from this trauma in his own way is what redeems both of them for me.
Politics run heavy in this series, and while I am not really a fan of politics in real life, fantasy books often make it much more interesting, Marr's writing being no exception. The dynamics between the faery courts are quite intriguing and I think they seem to balance one another out well, even though at first glance it might seem like some should be kept over others. I find myself constantly wondering about the High Court and its Queen, Sorcha, which I can look forward to in the third installment in the series, Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely).
I like the change in main characters, as we get to see this world through other characters' eyes as well as learn about different aspects that Keenan or Aislinn may not be familiar with. I had a difficult time finding a character to really love, as all three of the main characters, Leslie, Irial, and Niall, all seemed to have major faults that I had a hard time getting around. The theme for this book seemed to be the darker side of humanity and how deeply entrenched people can get into the "gray" area of life, while still believing that they are not doing anything wrong. Irial wants to only use Leslie, just as he has for every other mortal, but then he falls for her. Leslie wants to be her own person and hates her brother for his druggie lifestyle, but then becomes an addict just like Ren. Niall has shunned the Dark Court for all it stands for, even denying his own nature, but then wants Leslie so bad that he unknowingly uses what he is and what the Dark Court is about to try and lure her to him. In a word, they all behave like hypocrites, but Marr is such a good writer, that I find myself feeling sorry for all of them at some point. While in many fantasy genre works, the female lead often has to choose between two guys, Marr takes a completely unpredictable approach, and I think that I like this ending the best of all possibilities. Plus, since this is only the second book in a series, there is potential for Leslie to change her mind in the long run as she becomes more comfortable in her own skin.
The way that Marr approaches the horrific trauma that Leslie endured prior to this book's beginning is handled very delicately, as it should be. It is never really described in detail what exactly happens to her, and it is mostly left up to the reader's imagination, which I think is a smart move in that girls who have been in a situation similar to Leslie's can relate to her and feel like they have a voice in her words and thoughts. This alone is what makes this book both poignant and powerful. The fact that both males vying for her affection try to rescue her from this trauma in his own way is what redeems both of them for me.
Politics run heavy in this series, and while I am not really a fan of politics in real life, fantasy books often make it much more interesting, Marr's writing being no exception. The dynamics between the faery courts are quite intriguing and I think they seem to balance one another out well, even though at first glance it might seem like some should be kept over others. I find myself constantly wondering about the High Court and its Queen, Sorcha, which I can look forward to in the third installment in the series, Fragile Eternity (Wicked Lovely).
Sign Off, a murder mystery by Patricia McLinn, is a marvelous book about a woman named Elizabeth who works for a news station when a little girl asks her to look into a murder case that has been unsolved. At first Elizabeth wasn’t sure if she could solve it, but as she looks at the news from the case, she finds herself curious about all parties involved and begins asking questions. Along the way, she start to find herself after having had a rough past that left her in a small town, as well as finding someone who might be interested in her. With her small team of colleagues, they all work to try to solve the case and find out what really happened.
At first, I was worried the book would leave out details about the main character that could help fill in her background, but upon reading further I was pleasantly surprised with hoe they would tie in the information that was left out in the beginning, using the case to help introduce the said information. I enjoy the suspense and the way the book was written so that you were trying to solve the murder mystery alongside Elizabeth and Mike. The details McLinn used to describe different scenes and things in the book was chilling to think about. Even though it would be accurate in the way she was suing them, it still makes me shiver at the thought of such descriptions used.
I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities which made you want to suspect someone over another person and even take notes mentally in hopes to figure it out before the murderer was revealed. Though, your thoughts may be wrong. I also enjoyed the underlying tone of romance in the brewing. It made it so that it was realistic and made it able to give reasons for Mike to want to spend time with Elizabeth other than helping solve the case. I would have loved to see that develop more, but was pleasantly surprised with everything that was said about such a development between the characters and seeing them be mature about it.
Though they were mature about most things, it was clear not everything earned such merit. While the characters seemed to be able to handle themselves, you couldn’t help but wonder why in some instances where they so brave and in others seemed slightly cowardly or lost for words. There were also a few things that had confused me on the approach the characters took to certain problems but wasn’t like confused in the way that left you unhappy, but more like “why would they do that instead of this”? While I believe even though the characters made some slight error in my own opinion of what should be done, I found that these small errors made the story feel more well-rounded, unlike some story-lines that can make their characters seem like a god in their area of expertise. I quite enjoyed the reality feel for this murder mystery.
Sign Off was a real page turned that kept me wanting more, and even though it is book one of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series, I will have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it could easily stand alone. I will be looking forward to the rest of the series, as there are currently seven books in total. Patricia McLinn has given us a fabulous product that can satisfy just about any need you may have. It you want action, mystery, suspense, and a tad bit of romance mixed in with some comedy, this is a book for you. I would rate this book 4 star out of 4 stars. It was just a truly amazing tale that kept me wanting more.
At first, I was worried the book would leave out details about the main character that could help fill in her background, but upon reading further I was pleasantly surprised with hoe they would tie in the information that was left out in the beginning, using the case to help introduce the said information. I enjoy the suspense and the way the book was written so that you were trying to solve the murder mystery alongside Elizabeth and Mike. The details McLinn used to describe different scenes and things in the book was chilling to think about. Even though it would be accurate in the way she was suing them, it still makes me shiver at the thought of such descriptions used.
I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities which made you want to suspect someone over another person and even take notes mentally in hopes to figure it out before the murderer was revealed. Though, your thoughts may be wrong. I also enjoyed the underlying tone of romance in the brewing. It made it so that it was realistic and made it able to give reasons for Mike to want to spend time with Elizabeth other than helping solve the case. I would have loved to see that develop more, but was pleasantly surprised with everything that was said about such a development between the characters and seeing them be mature about it.
Though they were mature about most things, it was clear not everything earned such merit. While the characters seemed to be able to handle themselves, you couldn’t help but wonder why in some instances where they so brave and in others seemed slightly cowardly or lost for words. There were also a few things that had confused me on the approach the characters took to certain problems but wasn’t like confused in the way that left you unhappy, but more like “why would they do that instead of this”? While I believe even though the characters made some slight error in my own opinion of what should be done, I found that these small errors made the story feel more well-rounded, unlike some story-lines that can make their characters seem like a god in their area of expertise. I quite enjoyed the reality feel for this murder mystery.
Sign Off was a real page turned that kept me wanting more, and even though it is book one of the Caught Dead in Wyoming series, I will have to say I was pleasantly surprised that it could easily stand alone. I will be looking forward to the rest of the series, as there are currently seven books in total. Patricia McLinn has given us a fabulous product that can satisfy just about any need you may have. It you want action, mystery, suspense, and a tad bit of romance mixed in with some comedy, this is a book for you. I would rate this book 4 star out of 4 stars. It was just a truly amazing tale that kept me wanting more.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Apotheca in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
In the fantasy world, Witches and Wizards get all the credit for magical feats. But if it weren’t for the proverbial ‘man behind the curtain,’ those feats wouldn’t be possible! Who am I talking about? Apothecaries, of course! Yes, maybe a Wizard single-handedly defeated a dragon, but only after drinking a healing potion to recover some strength. And maybe a Witch was able to sneak past some henchmen after drinking a potion of invisibility. The list goes on! The point is, apothecaries can do some cool magical stuff too. So keep crushing it out there, apothecaries – this game is for you!
After years of study, you have finally become a master apothecary, and making magic potions is your passion. You buy all of your ingredients in a secret marketplace with no problem until one day, you come across another apothecary trying to buy all of the same ingredients as you! Who does this person think they are?? Using your quick wit, and some sleight of hand, you manage to scatter the ingredients around the marketplace to hide them from your rival. Now all you’ve got to do is give them the slip so you can go pick up the ingredients. Be careful, though – you’re rival is as sly as you are, and is scouring the marketplace to find them first!
In Apotheca, players are racing to create three magic potions before their opponents do. To craft a magic potion, players must make a match of three potions of the same color in a row. Played on a 4×4 grid, potions are manipulated by apothecary powers from recruited apothecary cards in a manner similar to movement in chess, or better yet – Onitama. Complete three matches, and you win! As a whole, I could describe Apotheca as chess with a helping of tic-tac-toe.
One thing I really like about this game is that it’s a game of semi-hidden information. Some things are hidden and some things are not. You do know the apothecary power(s) your opponent has, but you don’t know the color of the potions they put into play. Based on how they use their powers to manipulate potions, both face-up and face-down, you must deduce their strategy and thwart their attempts at making a match! Of course, they are doing the exact same thing to you – only you know the color of potions you place, but your power is known to your opponent. It’s a unique game of deduction and deception that requires more strategy than meets the eye.
Apotheca can be played with 1-4 players, but I think the best player count is 2. In a 3-4 player game, it can be difficult to build a concrete strategy because the board can significantly change between your turns. In a 2-player game, the board changes as well, but not nearly as quickly since it is just a back-and-forth with turn order. Also, more players means more hidden information – it can be tedious trying to remember who performed what action and who has what powers as you try to deduce everyone’s strategy. I don’t mind Apotheca as a 3-4 player game, but I would certainly prefer to play it as a 2-player game.
As you can see by our individual ratings, we are a little split on this game. It requires a decent amount of strategy and deduction, which work well together in this game. Apotheca was one of the first games in my collection, and it’s one that will stay there. Overall, Purple Phoenix Games gives Apotheca a sneaky 12 / 18.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/apotheca-review/
After years of study, you have finally become a master apothecary, and making magic potions is your passion. You buy all of your ingredients in a secret marketplace with no problem until one day, you come across another apothecary trying to buy all of the same ingredients as you! Who does this person think they are?? Using your quick wit, and some sleight of hand, you manage to scatter the ingredients around the marketplace to hide them from your rival. Now all you’ve got to do is give them the slip so you can go pick up the ingredients. Be careful, though – you’re rival is as sly as you are, and is scouring the marketplace to find them first!
In Apotheca, players are racing to create three magic potions before their opponents do. To craft a magic potion, players must make a match of three potions of the same color in a row. Played on a 4×4 grid, potions are manipulated by apothecary powers from recruited apothecary cards in a manner similar to movement in chess, or better yet – Onitama. Complete three matches, and you win! As a whole, I could describe Apotheca as chess with a helping of tic-tac-toe.
One thing I really like about this game is that it’s a game of semi-hidden information. Some things are hidden and some things are not. You do know the apothecary power(s) your opponent has, but you don’t know the color of the potions they put into play. Based on how they use their powers to manipulate potions, both face-up and face-down, you must deduce their strategy and thwart their attempts at making a match! Of course, they are doing the exact same thing to you – only you know the color of potions you place, but your power is known to your opponent. It’s a unique game of deduction and deception that requires more strategy than meets the eye.
Apotheca can be played with 1-4 players, but I think the best player count is 2. In a 3-4 player game, it can be difficult to build a concrete strategy because the board can significantly change between your turns. In a 2-player game, the board changes as well, but not nearly as quickly since it is just a back-and-forth with turn order. Also, more players means more hidden information – it can be tedious trying to remember who performed what action and who has what powers as you try to deduce everyone’s strategy. I don’t mind Apotheca as a 3-4 player game, but I would certainly prefer to play it as a 2-player game.
As you can see by our individual ratings, we are a little split on this game. It requires a decent amount of strategy and deduction, which work well together in this game. Apotheca was one of the first games in my collection, and it’s one that will stay there. Overall, Purple Phoenix Games gives Apotheca a sneaky 12 / 18.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/02/01/apotheca-review/
Kyera (8 KP) rated Day 21 (The Hundred, #2) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
This is going to be much shorter as I've already reviewed the first book (plus this isn't out yet). Also, fair warning there will be spoilers in this one as its difficult to talk about without giving away any plot points or the development of relationships. I will attempt to reveal as little as I can.
While I am not well versed in the side affects and speed of oxygen deprivation, I suspect the portrayal of it is utterly inaccurate. What I do know is that a person can experience deadly CO (carbon monoxide) levels in less than a day when locked in an airtight room. Obviously, these people are not in an airtight room, but their spaceship is leaking the only oxygen that they do have at an alarming rate. One could calculate the time, but as I do not know the number of people in Walden or Arcadia, nor do I know the size of those two areas of the ship.
There is a <a href="http://kimberlymoynahan.com/2012/04/friday-fiction-facts-trapped-in-an-airtight-room/">great article</a> for fiction writers that allows you to calculate the amount of time that your character would be able to survive in an airtight room. It also describes some of the effects that they would experience. While I do not expect the oxygen deprivation/carbon monoxide poisoning to be perfectly explained and accurate - I do expect there to be some degree of <i>believability</i>. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Immediately upon the sealing of the craft, the author makes the reader believe that the people are already being affected. What makes the situation worse is that people begin to panic, using up the precious oxygen they need to rid their bodies of the carbon monoxide. In case you weren't aware, you take in oxygen so that it will bond with the carbon monoxide and be expelled from your body as carbon dioxide. (Obviously this is a very simple explanation, but I'm just trying to get the general idea across.) As they lose the oxygen around them, more and more carbon monoxide builds up in their lungs. With the number of people on the ship, I expect that after a few hours and certainly after a day they will have (if not run out) be dangerously low on oxygen. Yet, later on two of the characters have spent a number of nights together and the lack of oxygen hasn't caused them to fall unconscious.
With the size and population being what it is, it seems unlikely that there would be oxygen left (as it's steadily leaking out.) And if there was any that there would still be enough to breathe relatively normally. This is what immediately made the pseudo-scientist in me question how much research was done. Honestly, it doesn't take much to make it marginally realistic.
The characters are not as well thought out as they should be. Although flaws are to be expected, contradicting actions/personality aspects just make the reader confused. As obsessed as one character is with his sister, her well being, and at times her location - he seems to quickly thrust her aside when the new girl gives him attention. Just as before, the relationships are like roller coasters. One act tears them apart, then in the next moment all is well. Such an emotionally tiresome existence.
The first book had shadowy allusions to prostitution, a case of teen pregnancy, and the most emotionally indecisive characters that I have ever had the privilege to read about. This book has Stockholm Syndrome, inaccurate science, and trigger happy humans. As with the other book, it is enjoyable enough as a silly, simple read. Don't expect it to be more than that or you will be disappointed.
While I am not well versed in the side affects and speed of oxygen deprivation, I suspect the portrayal of it is utterly inaccurate. What I do know is that a person can experience deadly CO (carbon monoxide) levels in less than a day when locked in an airtight room. Obviously, these people are not in an airtight room, but their spaceship is leaking the only oxygen that they do have at an alarming rate. One could calculate the time, but as I do not know the number of people in Walden or Arcadia, nor do I know the size of those two areas of the ship.
There is a <a href="http://kimberlymoynahan.com/2012/04/friday-fiction-facts-trapped-in-an-airtight-room/">great article</a> for fiction writers that allows you to calculate the amount of time that your character would be able to survive in an airtight room. It also describes some of the effects that they would experience. While I do not expect the oxygen deprivation/carbon monoxide poisoning to be perfectly explained and accurate - I do expect there to be some degree of <i>believability</i>. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Immediately upon the sealing of the craft, the author makes the reader believe that the people are already being affected. What makes the situation worse is that people begin to panic, using up the precious oxygen they need to rid their bodies of the carbon monoxide. In case you weren't aware, you take in oxygen so that it will bond with the carbon monoxide and be expelled from your body as carbon dioxide. (Obviously this is a very simple explanation, but I'm just trying to get the general idea across.) As they lose the oxygen around them, more and more carbon monoxide builds up in their lungs. With the number of people on the ship, I expect that after a few hours and certainly after a day they will have (if not run out) be dangerously low on oxygen. Yet, later on two of the characters have spent a number of nights together and the lack of oxygen hasn't caused them to fall unconscious.
With the size and population being what it is, it seems unlikely that there would be oxygen left (as it's steadily leaking out.) And if there was any that there would still be enough to breathe relatively normally. This is what immediately made the pseudo-scientist in me question how much research was done. Honestly, it doesn't take much to make it marginally realistic.
The characters are not as well thought out as they should be. Although flaws are to be expected, contradicting actions/personality aspects just make the reader confused. As obsessed as one character is with his sister, her well being, and at times her location - he seems to quickly thrust her aside when the new girl gives him attention. Just as before, the relationships are like roller coasters. One act tears them apart, then in the next moment all is well. Such an emotionally tiresome existence.
The first book had shadowy allusions to prostitution, a case of teen pregnancy, and the most emotionally indecisive characters that I have ever had the privilege to read about. This book has Stockholm Syndrome, inaccurate science, and trigger happy humans. As with the other book, it is enjoyable enough as a silly, simple read. Don't expect it to be more than that or you will be disappointed.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The City of Brass: Daevabad Trilogy in Books
Mar 25, 2018
Fantastic world-building (1 more)
Character Development
So much to say about this outstanding debut novel! First I'd like to address the issues around the author, then I'll delve into the book itself. (It's fantastic, though!)
So the book has been touted as an "own voices" novel, seemingly much to the author's chagrin. She is Muslim, but she's a white convert (Chakraborty is her married name). She has striven to correct the misconception about her ethnicity when she finds it, tweeting about it and talking about it in interviews. (This interview is a good example.) Because the book is pure fantasy, in a fantasy realm after the first few chapters, I'm not too worried about it not actually being written by a middle-eastern author. She does note in the interview I linked that she's not qualified to write some stories because of her ethnicity, and I appreciate that recognition of privilege. As far as I can tell, (as a white person myself) she did justice to the bits of mythology that she included. (Given the reception by people who were so excited about it being an Own Voices book, I think I'm probably right.) Her twitter (@SChakrabs) is FULL of links to minority authors and retweets about their books. I am very impressed by the level of her advocacy for minority authors.
So that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I almost always enjoy fantasy inspired by non-western mythology: Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic, and though Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had a western fairytale at its heart, being reimagined through an Asian lense was really neat to read. The Bear and The Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower were Russian inspired, as were The Crown's Game/The Crown's Fate. I really do try to pick up non-western inspired fantasy when I can. City of Brass scratched that itch perfectly.
City of Brass opens in Cairo, where our heroine, Nahri, is a con-woman with small healing magics. When a ritual goes awry, she's thrust into the world of the djinn. It's when Nahri and her accidental bodyguard, Dara, arrive at the Djinns' city of Daevabad that the story really gets started.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between djinn and Daeva; Daeva seem to be one of the tribes but also the name for the entire race, and some of them get offended at being called djinn but some of them don't? I'm not really sure about that distinction. There is a clear line between djinn and Ifrit, though - Ifrit are immensely powerful, immortal beings who refused to subject themselves to punishment many centuries ago. I'm not sure I actually see a downside to being Ifrit, other than the djinn all think they're evil. The Ifrit, however, are out to get Nahri, and Dara's not having any of THAT.
I love Dara - he's a fascinating character, with a violent, mysterious backstory. I'm very eager to read more about him and figure out exactly what's up with his background. Nahri is also awesome - a little arrogant, but by the end of the book she's starting to learn she might need help from those around her. Unfortunately, also by the end of the book she doesn't know who to trust. The naive djinn prince, Ali, is the third main character of the book, and while I can see him having an interesting story, his personality is still a little flat. Hopefully the second book will see advancement in all three of these characters' personalities.
And I can't WAIT for the second book! City of Brass didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it did leave many questions unanswered and our main characters' fates uncertain. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the sequel, just that it's being edited. No release date or title yet.
Read this book. It's fantastic.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
So the book has been touted as an "own voices" novel, seemingly much to the author's chagrin. She is Muslim, but she's a white convert (Chakraborty is her married name). She has striven to correct the misconception about her ethnicity when she finds it, tweeting about it and talking about it in interviews. (This interview is a good example.) Because the book is pure fantasy, in a fantasy realm after the first few chapters, I'm not too worried about it not actually being written by a middle-eastern author. She does note in the interview I linked that she's not qualified to write some stories because of her ethnicity, and I appreciate that recognition of privilege. As far as I can tell, (as a white person myself) she did justice to the bits of mythology that she included. (Given the reception by people who were so excited about it being an Own Voices book, I think I'm probably right.) Her twitter (@SChakrabs) is FULL of links to minority authors and retweets about their books. I am very impressed by the level of her advocacy for minority authors.
So that aside, I LOVED THIS BOOK. I almost always enjoy fantasy inspired by non-western mythology: Children of Blood and Bone was fantastic, and though Forest of a Thousand Lanterns had a western fairytale at its heart, being reimagined through an Asian lense was really neat to read. The Bear and The Nightingale and The Girl in the Tower were Russian inspired, as were The Crown's Game/The Crown's Fate. I really do try to pick up non-western inspired fantasy when I can. City of Brass scratched that itch perfectly.
City of Brass opens in Cairo, where our heroine, Nahri, is a con-woman with small healing magics. When a ritual goes awry, she's thrust into the world of the djinn. It's when Nahri and her accidental bodyguard, Dara, arrive at the Djinns' city of Daevabad that the story really gets started.
I'm still a little confused about the difference between djinn and Daeva; Daeva seem to be one of the tribes but also the name for the entire race, and some of them get offended at being called djinn but some of them don't? I'm not really sure about that distinction. There is a clear line between djinn and Ifrit, though - Ifrit are immensely powerful, immortal beings who refused to subject themselves to punishment many centuries ago. I'm not sure I actually see a downside to being Ifrit, other than the djinn all think they're evil. The Ifrit, however, are out to get Nahri, and Dara's not having any of THAT.
I love Dara - he's a fascinating character, with a violent, mysterious backstory. I'm very eager to read more about him and figure out exactly what's up with his background. Nahri is also awesome - a little arrogant, but by the end of the book she's starting to learn she might need help from those around her. Unfortunately, also by the end of the book she doesn't know who to trust. The naive djinn prince, Ali, is the third main character of the book, and while I can see him having an interesting story, his personality is still a little flat. Hopefully the second book will see advancement in all three of these characters' personalities.
And I can't WAIT for the second book! City of Brass didn't exactly end on a cliffhanger, but it did leave many questions unanswered and our main characters' fates uncertain. Unfortunately, I can't find any information on the sequel, just that it's being edited. No release date or title yet.
Read this book. It's fantastic.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Looking Glass (The Looking Glass, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.com/">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
When I read the blurb to this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I liked that it dealt with mirrors and ghosts. That's what drew me in. Luckily, I found this book to be super interesting!
I do like the title of this book. It pays homage to Lewis Carroll, and even some scenes in the book do the same.
I'm not a big fan of the cover although it does have to do with the story. I would've liked to see something spooky on the cover such as Elizabeth Blackwell staring out from the mirror or something similar, but that is just a personal opinion.
I did enjoy the world building and found it to be believable. However, I was a bit confused as to why and how Alice always ended up at the hotel's swimming pool at midnight for just an hour every night. Perhaps that could've been explained better. I was also a little big confused about the fog and how it differed for the witch and for Alice, but I won't go into details as I don't want to give away any spoilers. I do like how Alice's version of the hotel is different from the actual hotel and how she sees the real world through mirrors.
The pacing was brilliant in The Looking Glass! I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting this book to instantly catch my attention from the very first page, but it did just that. From the first sentence, I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next to Alice.
I enjoyed the plot very much, and I felt it was fairly original. (Don't worry, the next few sentences aren't spoilers). Alice dives into the hotel swimming pool and hits her head. She almost drowns and ends up in a coma. However, her spirit is stuck at the hotel where she must figure out the mystery of Elizabeth Blackwell if she's to reunite her body with her spirit. While I didn't feel that there were any major plot twists in the story, I still really enjoyed it. Oh, and don't worry. There's no cliff hangars either.
I found the characters to be very well written and likable. Alice is a very down to Earth, normal teenage girl. She was easy to relate to and had a likable personality. She is a very curious about everything, but that ultimately comes to her advantage. I also really liked Tony and how he was so willing to help Alice. He came across as a real sweetheart and a very brave person. George is another character who I wasn't really sure of to begin with but ended up liking.
I enjoyed the dialogue and felt it was appropriate for a young adult book. It flowed smoothly and never once felt forced. My favorite bits of dialogue were when Alice was thinking to herself. There's no swearing in this book, but there is some minor violence.
Overall, The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold is a highly interesting read. The plot will keep readers very much immersed in the book. The world building is very detailed albeit some minor confusing details.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 13+ who are after a book that's a little bit scary but not too much and for those who are after a book with a brilliant story line.
<b>I'd give The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold a 4.5 out of 5.</b>
(I received an free ebook of this title from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
When I read the blurb to this book, I didn't really know what to expect. I liked that it dealt with mirrors and ghosts. That's what drew me in. Luckily, I found this book to be super interesting!
I do like the title of this book. It pays homage to Lewis Carroll, and even some scenes in the book do the same.
I'm not a big fan of the cover although it does have to do with the story. I would've liked to see something spooky on the cover such as Elizabeth Blackwell staring out from the mirror or something similar, but that is just a personal opinion.
I did enjoy the world building and found it to be believable. However, I was a bit confused as to why and how Alice always ended up at the hotel's swimming pool at midnight for just an hour every night. Perhaps that could've been explained better. I was also a little big confused about the fog and how it differed for the witch and for Alice, but I won't go into details as I don't want to give away any spoilers. I do like how Alice's version of the hotel is different from the actual hotel and how she sees the real world through mirrors.
The pacing was brilliant in The Looking Glass! I'll be honest. I wasn't expecting this book to instantly catch my attention from the very first page, but it did just that. From the first sentence, I was hooked and couldn't wait to find out what would happen next to Alice.
I enjoyed the plot very much, and I felt it was fairly original. (Don't worry, the next few sentences aren't spoilers). Alice dives into the hotel swimming pool and hits her head. She almost drowns and ends up in a coma. However, her spirit is stuck at the hotel where she must figure out the mystery of Elizabeth Blackwell if she's to reunite her body with her spirit. While I didn't feel that there were any major plot twists in the story, I still really enjoyed it. Oh, and don't worry. There's no cliff hangars either.
I found the characters to be very well written and likable. Alice is a very down to Earth, normal teenage girl. She was easy to relate to and had a likable personality. She is a very curious about everything, but that ultimately comes to her advantage. I also really liked Tony and how he was so willing to help Alice. He came across as a real sweetheart and a very brave person. George is another character who I wasn't really sure of to begin with but ended up liking.
I enjoyed the dialogue and felt it was appropriate for a young adult book. It flowed smoothly and never once felt forced. My favorite bits of dialogue were when Alice was thinking to herself. There's no swearing in this book, but there is some minor violence.
Overall, The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold is a highly interesting read. The plot will keep readers very much immersed in the book. The world building is very detailed albeit some minor confusing details.
I'd recommend this book to those aged 13+ who are after a book that's a little bit scary but not too much and for those who are after a book with a brilliant story line.
<b>I'd give The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold a 4.5 out of 5.</b>
(I received an free ebook of this title from the tour host in exchange for a fair and honest review).
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The Treachery of Beautiful Things in Books
Jun 7, 2018
(This review can also be found on my blog <a href="http://themisadventuresofatwentysomething.blogspot.co.uk">The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl</a>).
I had been wanting to read this book since I had first heard about it. I was lucky enough to win it in a blog competition. I'm so glad I did because I loved every second of this book!! It reminded me a little bit like Snow White; not the Disney version but the Grimm's Fairy Tales version.
Jenny is 10 years old when she sees the forest swallow her older brother into the ground. She tries to tell everyone around her that the forest took her brother, but yet, no one believes her. Seven years later, Jenny is walking by the forest when she hears flute music like her brother used to play. Thinking she may be able to find him, she ventures into the very same forest. Little does she know what danger lurks in the forest. Will she be able to save her brother or will she be too late?
The Treachery of Beautiful Things is such a wonderful title for this book! Beautiful things can be dangerous despite their beauty, and how right that is!! The forest is full of beautiful creatures, but not everything is as it seems.
The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous!! Instead of being just some random picture on the cover, the cover is from a scene in the book, and it fits in beautifully with the title. Well done to the cover artist and the author for choosing this cover. I am entranced by it!
The world building and setting of the forest where the majority of this story takes place is done really well. The author uses great descriptions to make the reader feel as if he/she is a part of it. I easily lost myself in this book and in the forest thanks to the fantastic world building.
The pacing in The Treachery of Beautiful Things is absolutely fantastic! Not once in the story did I feel my attention waning. I was enthralled in the story from the very first page. I reluctantly had to put the book down to do real life things. However, when I had free time, I was devouring this book!
The dialogue is perfect for readers of teen years on up. The dialogue between the characters was very interesting. I especially loved the dialogue between Puck and Jenny.
The author does a great job with character building. I felt the characters were well-developed, and each had their own unique personalities. I loved the character of Jenny. I loved how determined she was to stop at nothing to protect those she loved. Jack was a fantastic character as well. I love how the author made him out to be conflicted but in a believable way. Jack comes across as being a real person instead of a character in a book. Puck was definitely my favourite character by far. He was the one who interjected a lot of humour into this story. I'm thinking the author got the inspiration for Puck from A Midsummer's Night's Dream by Shakespeare. Puck was loyal to a fault to the king, yet he has a heart of gold. Tatania/Mab made an excellent baddie. She reminded me a lot of the queen from Snow White. Oberon was a great baddie as well although he didn't feature as much as Tatania/Mab. We don't learn much about his character until towards the end of the book.
The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long is a fantastic story of romance, fairy tale, and suspense. It will keep you wanting more long after you've finished the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+. It's such a lovely read!
I had been wanting to read this book since I had first heard about it. I was lucky enough to win it in a blog competition. I'm so glad I did because I loved every second of this book!! It reminded me a little bit like Snow White; not the Disney version but the Grimm's Fairy Tales version.
Jenny is 10 years old when she sees the forest swallow her older brother into the ground. She tries to tell everyone around her that the forest took her brother, but yet, no one believes her. Seven years later, Jenny is walking by the forest when she hears flute music like her brother used to play. Thinking she may be able to find him, she ventures into the very same forest. Little does she know what danger lurks in the forest. Will she be able to save her brother or will she be too late?
The Treachery of Beautiful Things is such a wonderful title for this book! Beautiful things can be dangerous despite their beauty, and how right that is!! The forest is full of beautiful creatures, but not everything is as it seems.
The cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous!! Instead of being just some random picture on the cover, the cover is from a scene in the book, and it fits in beautifully with the title. Well done to the cover artist and the author for choosing this cover. I am entranced by it!
The world building and setting of the forest where the majority of this story takes place is done really well. The author uses great descriptions to make the reader feel as if he/she is a part of it. I easily lost myself in this book and in the forest thanks to the fantastic world building.
The pacing in The Treachery of Beautiful Things is absolutely fantastic! Not once in the story did I feel my attention waning. I was enthralled in the story from the very first page. I reluctantly had to put the book down to do real life things. However, when I had free time, I was devouring this book!
The dialogue is perfect for readers of teen years on up. The dialogue between the characters was very interesting. I especially loved the dialogue between Puck and Jenny.
The author does a great job with character building. I felt the characters were well-developed, and each had their own unique personalities. I loved the character of Jenny. I loved how determined she was to stop at nothing to protect those she loved. Jack was a fantastic character as well. I love how the author made him out to be conflicted but in a believable way. Jack comes across as being a real person instead of a character in a book. Puck was definitely my favourite character by far. He was the one who interjected a lot of humour into this story. I'm thinking the author got the inspiration for Puck from A Midsummer's Night's Dream by Shakespeare. Puck was loyal to a fault to the king, yet he has a heart of gold. Tatania/Mab made an excellent baddie. She reminded me a lot of the queen from Snow White. Oberon was a great baddie as well although he didn't feature as much as Tatania/Mab. We don't learn much about his character until towards the end of the book.
The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long is a fantastic story of romance, fairy tale, and suspense. It will keep you wanting more long after you've finished the book.
I'd recommend this book to everyone aged 13+. It's such a lovely read!
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Precious Blood (The Blessed, #1) in Books
Jun 7, 2018 (Updated May 18, 2019)
Precious Blood was a book I'd been dying to read since it first became available to buy. Everything about it sounded super interesting. Whilst a lot of other reviewers didn't really care for the book, I absolutely loved it! This book had so many feels for me, and it's definitely one of my favorites so far this year.
Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy are all admitted to the emergency room on the same night. Agnes has slit her wrists, Cecilia had drowned (and has been resuscitated), and Lucy has overdosed on some pills. On that fateful night, they are all given bracelets by the mysterious Sebastian. They seek him out and find him at a church. Sebastian tells the girls they are saints, but Sebastian has escaped from a mental institution and is listed as being very dangerous. Is Sebastian telling the truth or are the girls' lives in danger?
The world building, like the cover, was creepy and beautiful all at the same time. For the most part, it was easy to picture everything that was happening to Sebastian, the girls, and everyone else in my head. I love how Hurley makes it seem like something such as what happened in Precious Blood could actually happen at any time. The one thing that sort of bothered me was the insta-love between Sebastian and the girls. Perhaps it was more of hero worship, but it still happened quite quickly.
The pacing is what lets Precious Blood down a bit, but not by much. The pacing is not slow at all, yet it's the opposite. There are a few times where the pacing just totally takes off which left me feeling very confused and wondering what had just happened. In fact, I counted this happening as three times during the story. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but the story did seem to be missing some leeway those few times. Other then those times, the pacing really worked and definitely held my attention especially during the first two-thirds of the story.
I loved the plot! It was super interesting reading about these three girls' lives. They each brought their own baggage to the table. I was constantly wondering if Sebastian was delusional when he told the girls that they were reincarnated as martyred saints and were in danger or if he was actually being serious. I really enjoyed the way the story played out.
I thought the characters were very well written. I loved the innocence that Agnes seemed to have. The only thing I didn't like about Agnes was how she treated her mother. She was very rude to her. I don't know if there's more of a back story between Agnes and her mother, but if there was, it wasn't mentioned much in the book. My favorite character was Cecelia. She came across as being very hardcore and like she didn't care about many things, but she was actually quite a loving and caring person. Even when she had no money, she'd still buy some food and a drink for the homeless guy who lived on the top of her building. Cecelia had a very big heart. Lucy started off being selfish, but even she has a change of heart. Sebastian was very charismatic. I like how dedicated he was to his cause and how he was willing to risk everything for it.
Trigger warnings include profanity, death, and some graphic violence.
Overall, Precious Blood is a very creepy but beautifully written book. Yes, there were some pacing problems but nothing too serious. I would definitely recommend Precious Blood by Tonya Hurley to those aged 17+. The plot is interesting and the characters are likable. I loved this book so much that I bought the next in the series after finishing this one.
Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy are all admitted to the emergency room on the same night. Agnes has slit her wrists, Cecilia had drowned (and has been resuscitated), and Lucy has overdosed on some pills. On that fateful night, they are all given bracelets by the mysterious Sebastian. They seek him out and find him at a church. Sebastian tells the girls they are saints, but Sebastian has escaped from a mental institution and is listed as being very dangerous. Is Sebastian telling the truth or are the girls' lives in danger?
The world building, like the cover, was creepy and beautiful all at the same time. For the most part, it was easy to picture everything that was happening to Sebastian, the girls, and everyone else in my head. I love how Hurley makes it seem like something such as what happened in Precious Blood could actually happen at any time. The one thing that sort of bothered me was the insta-love between Sebastian and the girls. Perhaps it was more of hero worship, but it still happened quite quickly.
The pacing is what lets Precious Blood down a bit, but not by much. The pacing is not slow at all, yet it's the opposite. There are a few times where the pacing just totally takes off which left me feeling very confused and wondering what had just happened. In fact, I counted this happening as three times during the story. Maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but the story did seem to be missing some leeway those few times. Other then those times, the pacing really worked and definitely held my attention especially during the first two-thirds of the story.
I loved the plot! It was super interesting reading about these three girls' lives. They each brought their own baggage to the table. I was constantly wondering if Sebastian was delusional when he told the girls that they were reincarnated as martyred saints and were in danger or if he was actually being serious. I really enjoyed the way the story played out.
I thought the characters were very well written. I loved the innocence that Agnes seemed to have. The only thing I didn't like about Agnes was how she treated her mother. She was very rude to her. I don't know if there's more of a back story between Agnes and her mother, but if there was, it wasn't mentioned much in the book. My favorite character was Cecelia. She came across as being very hardcore and like she didn't care about many things, but she was actually quite a loving and caring person. Even when she had no money, she'd still buy some food and a drink for the homeless guy who lived on the top of her building. Cecelia had a very big heart. Lucy started off being selfish, but even she has a change of heart. Sebastian was very charismatic. I like how dedicated he was to his cause and how he was willing to risk everything for it.
Trigger warnings include profanity, death, and some graphic violence.
Overall, Precious Blood is a very creepy but beautifully written book. Yes, there were some pacing problems but nothing too serious. I would definitely recommend Precious Blood by Tonya Hurley to those aged 17+. The plot is interesting and the characters are likable. I loved this book so much that I bought the next in the series after finishing this one.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge in Books
Jul 16, 2018
Almost ruined my childhood favorite
One of my favorite books while I was growing up was the Beauty and the Beast. I usually love retellings,as they show me a different side of the story that might be, that I have never considered before. This book, however, almost ruined it all for me. The only reason it didn't was because I wouldn't let one bad retelling to ruin my childhood favorite!
The story is about Lucie, who is a servant in Jean Leup's palace. Through Lucie's story, we see Jean Leup as a horrible person who only cares about money and the respect he received from his aristocratic community. He treats the servants badly and doesn't even bother to look at them.
Lucie likes the thought of him. He is a very handsome man, and all she dreams about is for him to notice her. And one day, he does. And something really bad happens. Jean Leup does something horrible to Lucie.
[SPOILER - PLEASE CONTINUE CAUTIOUSLY]
He rapes her. And not only that this scene was very disturbing, it was also three pages long, with broad descriptions and it made be cringe badly. It made me hate everything and this was the part where I almost quit on reading this book.
[SPOILER FINISHED - YOU CAN CONTINUE READING]
After this big spoiler scene, the first reaction Lucie has is to kill herself. I am aware that this was a huge trauma for her, and people react differently, but if the author gives me this as a solution to her problem, do I want to continue reading? Is this really the lesson she learns?
With a bit of help of magic and wisdom words, she decides that now she wants for Jean Leup to suffer, and she wants to be able to see this happen. Suddenly, wish becomes a reality and the next thing we know, she is a candle that can't move, and Jean Leup has turned into a Beast.
Do you get the Beauty and the Beast reference now? We see the story from the candle's point of view, who is Lucie.
Well - not really!
Because here's the twist - the Beast doesn't remember what happened before. He doesn't know he was Jean Leup. He doesn't know he was bad in the past. The Beast is good by default, and a bit sad that he's alone in a big castle. So I have to ask again - Where is the lesson? Where is the punishment? If he can't remember he was bad, he'll never learn why he is a Beast.
To continue and shorten the story - Lucie (the candle) can talk to the Beast through her mind. The Beauty (Rose) comes to the castle and the story goes on. Lucie decides that she is in love with the Beast, and I won't reveal the rest, in case you want to read the book and see for yourself.
Now - I know that the author's point wasn't the lesson that the Beast learns as in the original story. Her point was to tell the story of the Beast, and Lucie, and how this tale can have a different plot, and ending, and back story. But I really believe that this was the wrong way of saying it, and it didn't leave a clear message.
The writing was poor, and it went from one moment to another, leaving me there in the middle, wondering what happened. One scene begins, and another starts before anything is finished. It was disorientated, and I felt lost in the first 40 pages.
This is a no from me, and I will give it 2 stars because I managed to finish it.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story is about Lucie, who is a servant in Jean Leup's palace. Through Lucie's story, we see Jean Leup as a horrible person who only cares about money and the respect he received from his aristocratic community. He treats the servants badly and doesn't even bother to look at them.
Lucie likes the thought of him. He is a very handsome man, and all she dreams about is for him to notice her. And one day, he does. And something really bad happens. Jean Leup does something horrible to Lucie.
[SPOILER - PLEASE CONTINUE CAUTIOUSLY]
He rapes her. And not only that this scene was very disturbing, it was also three pages long, with broad descriptions and it made be cringe badly. It made me hate everything and this was the part where I almost quit on reading this book.
[SPOILER FINISHED - YOU CAN CONTINUE READING]
After this big spoiler scene, the first reaction Lucie has is to kill herself. I am aware that this was a huge trauma for her, and people react differently, but if the author gives me this as a solution to her problem, do I want to continue reading? Is this really the lesson she learns?
With a bit of help of magic and wisdom words, she decides that now she wants for Jean Leup to suffer, and she wants to be able to see this happen. Suddenly, wish becomes a reality and the next thing we know, she is a candle that can't move, and Jean Leup has turned into a Beast.
Do you get the Beauty and the Beast reference now? We see the story from the candle's point of view, who is Lucie.
Well - not really!
Because here's the twist - the Beast doesn't remember what happened before. He doesn't know he was Jean Leup. He doesn't know he was bad in the past. The Beast is good by default, and a bit sad that he's alone in a big castle. So I have to ask again - Where is the lesson? Where is the punishment? If he can't remember he was bad, he'll never learn why he is a Beast.
To continue and shorten the story - Lucie (the candle) can talk to the Beast through her mind. The Beauty (Rose) comes to the castle and the story goes on. Lucie decides that she is in love with the Beast, and I won't reveal the rest, in case you want to read the book and see for yourself.
Now - I know that the author's point wasn't the lesson that the Beast learns as in the original story. Her point was to tell the story of the Beast, and Lucie, and how this tale can have a different plot, and ending, and back story. But I really believe that this was the wrong way of saying it, and it didn't leave a clear message.
The writing was poor, and it went from one moment to another, leaving me there in the middle, wondering what happened. One scene begins, and another starts before anything is finished. It was disorientated, and I felt lost in the first 40 pages.
This is a no from me, and I will give it 2 stars because I managed to finish it.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Rise of the Triad in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Back in 1993 The Internet was mainly confined to college campuses and would not start to arrive in homes for another year. Those who went online used dial up modems to access local bulletin boards to share pictures, play social games, and use chat programs in the early precursors to social networks.
With the success of the Doom games, First Person Shooters were all the rage and numerous companies cranked out games in this genre trying to appeal to a consumer base eager for games of this type and who wanted to experience to get in on the fairly new concepts of online play with their friends.
One such game was Rise of the Triad. Originally planned as a Wolfenstein sequel by Apogee Software the game cast players as a member of a United Nations special forces team who is dispatched to an island to take down a dangerous cult that has arisen.
Gameplay was frantic and fast as players had to mow down as many bad guys as they could with all manner of weapons and gear. The game was innovative in that there were all sorts of traps and objects that players could bounce from and they could even become a dog during power ups as they took the fight to the bad guys in both offline and online modes.
Jump forward to 2013, Rise of the Triad is back with a slick makeover that while looking more contemporary is still very much a retro game loaded with throwback elements.
The plot is essentially the same and aside from the improved graphics and physics, the game looks and plays very much like the original. The graphics are not eye popping examples of modern technology, rather they are improved and take advantage of graphic cards which were not widely in use back in 1993.
My first reaction was how much it played like a game of old. Aside from being faster and smoother than games of that era, the combat mechanics and techniques were very much as they were back in games of the day.
I enjoyed the nostalgia as I took down enemies and used the bounce pads to ascend to upper levels of buildings and collect power up coins that were littered throughout the map. I also enjoyed the over the top gore and humor of the game such as being rewarded with a pair of eyeballs splattered on the screen after I dispatched an enemy with a rocket launcher.
My biggest frustration was with the check point save system as having to replay elements of a game over and over when you die is not my favorite thing. Many times I would make solid progress only to be killed and forced to replay the previous segments over and over.
Enemies still come at you fairly directly when they attack but they can be very effective and deadly so players will need to be on their toes art all times.
The amount of firepower you can deploy is great from dual pistols to machines guns and rocket launchers, carnage is the way of the game.
I also had some issues getting matched online during my earlier attempts but as time went on, this became easier and I was able to enjoy the online nostalgia.
Rise of the Triad is great for those who remember the original and that era of gaming but for those who are accustomed to the mechanics and polish of modern shooters, they may find elements of the game frustrating and best left in the past.
For the rest of us, it was a welcome trip to the past that helped illustrate just how far games have evolved in the last twenty years.
http://sknr.net/2013/09/22/rise-of-the-triad/
With the success of the Doom games, First Person Shooters were all the rage and numerous companies cranked out games in this genre trying to appeal to a consumer base eager for games of this type and who wanted to experience to get in on the fairly new concepts of online play with their friends.
One such game was Rise of the Triad. Originally planned as a Wolfenstein sequel by Apogee Software the game cast players as a member of a United Nations special forces team who is dispatched to an island to take down a dangerous cult that has arisen.
Gameplay was frantic and fast as players had to mow down as many bad guys as they could with all manner of weapons and gear. The game was innovative in that there were all sorts of traps and objects that players could bounce from and they could even become a dog during power ups as they took the fight to the bad guys in both offline and online modes.
Jump forward to 2013, Rise of the Triad is back with a slick makeover that while looking more contemporary is still very much a retro game loaded with throwback elements.
The plot is essentially the same and aside from the improved graphics and physics, the game looks and plays very much like the original. The graphics are not eye popping examples of modern technology, rather they are improved and take advantage of graphic cards which were not widely in use back in 1993.
My first reaction was how much it played like a game of old. Aside from being faster and smoother than games of that era, the combat mechanics and techniques were very much as they were back in games of the day.
I enjoyed the nostalgia as I took down enemies and used the bounce pads to ascend to upper levels of buildings and collect power up coins that were littered throughout the map. I also enjoyed the over the top gore and humor of the game such as being rewarded with a pair of eyeballs splattered on the screen after I dispatched an enemy with a rocket launcher.
My biggest frustration was with the check point save system as having to replay elements of a game over and over when you die is not my favorite thing. Many times I would make solid progress only to be killed and forced to replay the previous segments over and over.
Enemies still come at you fairly directly when they attack but they can be very effective and deadly so players will need to be on their toes art all times.
The amount of firepower you can deploy is great from dual pistols to machines guns and rocket launchers, carnage is the way of the game.
I also had some issues getting matched online during my earlier attempts but as time went on, this became easier and I was able to enjoy the online nostalgia.
Rise of the Triad is great for those who remember the original and that era of gaming but for those who are accustomed to the mechanics and polish of modern shooters, they may find elements of the game frustrating and best left in the past.
For the rest of us, it was a welcome trip to the past that helped illustrate just how far games have evolved in the last twenty years.
http://sknr.net/2013/09/22/rise-of-the-triad/