Search
Search results
Shaun Collins (3 KP) rated Star Wars: Vader Down in Books
Jan 12, 2018
Vader goes from hunter to hunted in this crossover event from Marvel.
Firstly, "crossover" is a bit of a misnomer, since he's already a character in STAR WARS, but the idea was to broad strokes fill in some of the details of what he was doing when he wasn't on camera. Since these series are set between New Hope and Empire, there's a lot more wiggle room. Secondly, crossover events tend to be gimmicky and difficult for comic readers to track since they span multiple titles. Fortunately, there are only two titles here to deal with, so its a bit easier, but it still took some detective work to figure out the individual issues involved.
* VERY MILD SPOILERS (like the kind on a dust jacket) FOLLOW...
Okay, with the rant over, lets get to the good stuff. This book was good. This is really the first time we've seen the fearsome dark lord of the Sith AS a fearsome dark lord of the Sith, and not a broken down mechanical mystery monster who is really just a shadow of his former legendary self. This feels more like Anakin at the height of his powers, just evil. Alone on a planet with an entire battalion of Rebels on his trail, and Imperial agents who want to usurp him close behind, he's not worried, phased or hell even concerned. They're just dead men to him, and he tells them as much. This Vader is BAD-ASS.
Unfortunately, the counter plot to the Vader story is lighter in tone (and normally when those characters show up in the Vader comic I'm exceedingly happy for their brief forays into comedy to lighten up the proceedings), but here they are over used and quite honestly, detract from the bloodbath the Emperor's Fist finds himself in. While a dose of comedy can be welcome, this feels like the authors were trying too hard, and the result comes out as very uneven. Especially when the subject of the humor is Han. Han should be cool and unintentionally funny when things don't go his way, not bungling Mr. Bean style funny because he's inept.
Bottom line, the plot drove me through the rough spots, and I still think this is a great series, I only hope the luster is not starting to tarnish on this one, but that's what this volume feels like...
Firstly, "crossover" is a bit of a misnomer, since he's already a character in STAR WARS, but the idea was to broad strokes fill in some of the details of what he was doing when he wasn't on camera. Since these series are set between New Hope and Empire, there's a lot more wiggle room. Secondly, crossover events tend to be gimmicky and difficult for comic readers to track since they span multiple titles. Fortunately, there are only two titles here to deal with, so its a bit easier, but it still took some detective work to figure out the individual issues involved.
* VERY MILD SPOILERS (like the kind on a dust jacket) FOLLOW...
Okay, with the rant over, lets get to the good stuff. This book was good. This is really the first time we've seen the fearsome dark lord of the Sith AS a fearsome dark lord of the Sith, and not a broken down mechanical mystery monster who is really just a shadow of his former legendary self. This feels more like Anakin at the height of his powers, just evil. Alone on a planet with an entire battalion of Rebels on his trail, and Imperial agents who want to usurp him close behind, he's not worried, phased or hell even concerned. They're just dead men to him, and he tells them as much. This Vader is BAD-ASS.
Unfortunately, the counter plot to the Vader story is lighter in tone (and normally when those characters show up in the Vader comic I'm exceedingly happy for their brief forays into comedy to lighten up the proceedings), but here they are over used and quite honestly, detract from the bloodbath the Emperor's Fist finds himself in. While a dose of comedy can be welcome, this feels like the authors were trying too hard, and the result comes out as very uneven. Especially when the subject of the humor is Han. Han should be cool and unintentionally funny when things don't go his way, not bungling Mr. Bean style funny because he's inept.
Bottom line, the plot drove me through the rough spots, and I still think this is a great series, I only hope the luster is not starting to tarnish on this one, but that's what this volume feels like...
ArecRain (8 KP) rated Servant: The Awakening (Servant, #1) in Books
Jan 18, 2018
I had to force myself past the first few pages due to their confusing descriptions and use of wording. Once I passed those, however, the novel went by fairly quickly.
First off, I would like to say that you can tell Fantasy/Sci-fi are not Ms. Foster's usual territory. It seemed that she was so focused on developing the romance part of the novel that she completely forgot that there was suppose to be plot development, too. She did bother to come up with a plot but it was neither creative nor original. A doctor abusing patients for their own purposes? A female heroine with special powers trying to stop an evil while a man who is her exact opposite is somehow attracted to her and demands that she do as he says to keep her safe? Nope, not original at all.
I was also annoyed by the complete lack of character history. I felt that Ms. Foster purposely made Gaby an abused victim to foster home with a lack of education. It worked out for Foster seeing as that Gaby as an educational unintelligent person who lack major social skill fit into the story rather well. I just wished that Foster had come up with a better background than that. It just seemed to like a lazy way out. Not to mention that she barely mention's Mort's history, and Luther's is just non-existent.
All in all, the story didn't seem original or well developed but I couldn't stop myself from reading it. I admit it's not a great novel, or even good for that matter. I still must also admit that I liked it and couldn't put it down. I bought the book for the paranormal aspect but ended up reading it for the romance. I just had to see if Luther and Gaby hooked up. However, Gaby's personality and mouth made it hard. I understand that they way she talked and acted was part of the character that was Gabrielle Cody, yet all her foul language and agreeableness made the novel unpleasant to read. I am not offending by cursing, but Gaby's was excessive to the point of annoying. Growing up where I have, it was unbelievable, however.
An interesting book if not taken seriously.
First off, I would like to say that you can tell Fantasy/Sci-fi are not Ms. Foster's usual territory. It seemed that she was so focused on developing the romance part of the novel that she completely forgot that there was suppose to be plot development, too. She did bother to come up with a plot but it was neither creative nor original. A doctor abusing patients for their own purposes? A female heroine with special powers trying to stop an evil while a man who is her exact opposite is somehow attracted to her and demands that she do as he says to keep her safe? Nope, not original at all.
I was also annoyed by the complete lack of character history. I felt that Ms. Foster purposely made Gaby an abused victim to foster home with a lack of education. It worked out for Foster seeing as that Gaby as an educational unintelligent person who lack major social skill fit into the story rather well. I just wished that Foster had come up with a better background than that. It just seemed to like a lazy way out. Not to mention that she barely mention's Mort's history, and Luther's is just non-existent.
All in all, the story didn't seem original or well developed but I couldn't stop myself from reading it. I admit it's not a great novel, or even good for that matter. I still must also admit that I liked it and couldn't put it down. I bought the book for the paranormal aspect but ended up reading it for the romance. I just had to see if Luther and Gaby hooked up. However, Gaby's personality and mouth made it hard. I understand that they way she talked and acted was part of the character that was Gabrielle Cody, yet all her foul language and agreeableness made the novel unpleasant to read. I am not offending by cursing, but Gaby's was excessive to the point of annoying. Growing up where I have, it was unbelievable, however.
An interesting book if not taken seriously.
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Prisoner of Cell 25 (Michael Vey, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Michael is a 14-year-old who gets bullied in school, and just so happens to have electrical powers? The tale seems familiar until the exciting addition of having these special abilities is introduced. One of my favourite superpowers or forms of magic is one that is based on the elements, so I was very curious to see how electricity would be represented here. It was fascinating to see how it could manifest itself differently and be used in a variety of situations.
The overall idea of this story was very intriguing, although I found the writing to be lacking at times. One of the biggest elements that drew me out of the story was the author's inability to choose a word other than <i>said</i> to describe when a person was speaking. It became frustrating to listen to the characters talk when the entire page just repeated, "he said... she said... then they said... he said again." By that point, I was pretty over the word said. It definitely detracted from the story, which I found enjoyable overall.
It was definitely very trope-y, but that's not necessarily a bad thing - it completely depends upon your reading preference. I personally enjoy some tropes but when they're overused you tend to connect with the characters less because they're no longer unique. The biggest one for me in this book was the characterization of our three leads and how one dimensional it made them. I don't want to spoil the story, but once you read the book you will understand my issues with the characterization. I would love to see more character development over the next few novels.
As there are six other books in the series, I expect that the character development and world building will be improved upon. It wasn't until the end of the book that I started to feel more of a connection to the characters and curiosity about the world. The author definitely writes for a younger audience; the writing style was not as developed or mature as I would expect for a young adult reader.
I would recommend it to middle-grade readers, as well as young adult/teen readers who enjoy their fantasy books in a familiar setting. Don't expect flowery writing or deep characterization, just let the story take you on a fun, easy journey.
The overall idea of this story was very intriguing, although I found the writing to be lacking at times. One of the biggest elements that drew me out of the story was the author's inability to choose a word other than <i>said</i> to describe when a person was speaking. It became frustrating to listen to the characters talk when the entire page just repeated, "he said... she said... then they said... he said again." By that point, I was pretty over the word said. It definitely detracted from the story, which I found enjoyable overall.
It was definitely very trope-y, but that's not necessarily a bad thing - it completely depends upon your reading preference. I personally enjoy some tropes but when they're overused you tend to connect with the characters less because they're no longer unique. The biggest one for me in this book was the characterization of our three leads and how one dimensional it made them. I don't want to spoil the story, but once you read the book you will understand my issues with the characterization. I would love to see more character development over the next few novels.
As there are six other books in the series, I expect that the character development and world building will be improved upon. It wasn't until the end of the book that I started to feel more of a connection to the characters and curiosity about the world. The author definitely writes for a younger audience; the writing style was not as developed or mature as I would expect for a young adult reader.
I would recommend it to middle-grade readers, as well as young adult/teen readers who enjoy their fantasy books in a familiar setting. Don't expect flowery writing or deep characterization, just let the story take you on a fun, easy journey.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Incredible Hulk in TV
Mar 16, 2018 (Updated Mar 16, 2018)
The weird thing about the Hulk TV show is that it is almost nothing like the comic book version of the character, but still manages to be a classic piece of television (and was, for a long time, by far the most successful adaptation of a Marvel character to another medium). Creator Kenneth Johnson didn't want to do it, and did his hardest to distance his version from the book (he wanted to change the colour of the Hulk, but Marvel refused to let him), and ended up basically doing an American version of Les Miserables (the novel, not the musical) with Jean Valjean getting cross and swelling up into a monster twice an episode.
Everyone remembers this show as the one with the Hulk rasslin' small-time thugs every week, lots of jokes about 'how many shirts does this guy get through, ha ha', and 'you won't like me when I'm angry', but the range of styles and influences involved is really much greater - the programme goes from serious movie-of-the-week drama, to freewheeling comedy, to B-movie inspired horror and SF, and makes a pretty good job of all of them. Highlights include 'The Snare' (psycho millionaire whose hobby is hunting and killing drifters picks the wrong target), 'The Psychic' (a woman with unusual powers discovers Banner's secret just as it seems the Hulk has committed a murder), 'Equinox' (Banner and his indefatigable nemesis McGee finally come face-to-face at a masked ball, rather inspired by Masque of the Red Death), and 'The First' (Banner encounters another Hulk, created in the 1940s).
The programme's great strength is Bill Bixby's performance as Banner, for he is always utterly committed and usually highly convincing even when the episodes themselves wobble a bit. The show's Hulk is mute, but even so Ferrigno gives an increasingly effective turn as the creature (and eventually gets an episode where he appears as himself, so to speak, and does a pretty good job).
It is occasionally a bit formulaic, and you have to accept a few built-in implausibilities in the format, but this is a show which still stands up extremely well, and is still probably the biggest single influence on public perceptions of the Hulk. Well worth watching.
Everyone remembers this show as the one with the Hulk rasslin' small-time thugs every week, lots of jokes about 'how many shirts does this guy get through, ha ha', and 'you won't like me when I'm angry', but the range of styles and influences involved is really much greater - the programme goes from serious movie-of-the-week drama, to freewheeling comedy, to B-movie inspired horror and SF, and makes a pretty good job of all of them. Highlights include 'The Snare' (psycho millionaire whose hobby is hunting and killing drifters picks the wrong target), 'The Psychic' (a woman with unusual powers discovers Banner's secret just as it seems the Hulk has committed a murder), 'Equinox' (Banner and his indefatigable nemesis McGee finally come face-to-face at a masked ball, rather inspired by Masque of the Red Death), and 'The First' (Banner encounters another Hulk, created in the 1940s).
The programme's great strength is Bill Bixby's performance as Banner, for he is always utterly committed and usually highly convincing even when the episodes themselves wobble a bit. The show's Hulk is mute, but even so Ferrigno gives an increasingly effective turn as the creature (and eventually gets an episode where he appears as himself, so to speak, and does a pretty good job).
It is occasionally a bit formulaic, and you have to accept a few built-in implausibilities in the format, but this is a show which still stands up extremely well, and is still probably the biggest single influence on public perceptions of the Hulk. Well worth watching.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Rules of Magic in Books
Feb 19, 2018
So I actually didn't know that Practical Magic the movie was based on a book. But when I saw The Rules of Magic billed as the prequel to a movie I had loved, I knew I had to read it. And I'm so glad I did. The Rules of Magic is, well, magical. Magical and nostalgic and spell-binding. Most book worlds feel different than their respective movie-worlds, but this felt like a logical prequel. (It may be because I haven't seen the movie in some time - I intend to remedy that soon, and I might just have to read the book as well.)
Practical Magic, the well known movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, centers around the two girls and their elderly aunts. The Rules of Magic is the aunts' story. And what a story. It begins in New York, as the older of the two aunts is turning 17. On an Owens' girl's seventeenth birthday, they receive an invitation to spend the summer at the Owens home in Massachusetts. Frances, the older of the two girls, receives the invitation, and her two siblings won't let her go alone, so all three of them (yes, three, the movie doesn't mention their brother that I recall, though I suppose Bullock and Kidman's characters had to come from somewhere!) pack up and head to Massachusetts, where they meet their Aunt Isabelle. Over the course of the summer, they learn their family history, and get verification that they are indeed witches. (They'd had certain powers throughout childhood, though their mother tried to deny it.)
It was Vincent's storyline that intrigued me, since I knew where Frances and Jet ended up. There was an unexpected curveball that I won't spoil here, but I enjoyed it. It was Jet and Frances' storylines that had me crying at the end of the book, though. Not the very last chapter - it ended on a hopeful note - but the few chapters preceding it had me in tears. (It was midnight, and everyone else was asleep, so I had myself a good cry over my book, and then had to try to sleep on a wet pillow.)
If you enjoyed Practical Magic the movie, you should read this book. It's a perfect prequel.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Practical Magic, the well known movie with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, centers around the two girls and their elderly aunts. The Rules of Magic is the aunts' story. And what a story. It begins in New York, as the older of the two aunts is turning 17. On an Owens' girl's seventeenth birthday, they receive an invitation to spend the summer at the Owens home in Massachusetts. Frances, the older of the two girls, receives the invitation, and her two siblings won't let her go alone, so all three of them (yes, three, the movie doesn't mention their brother that I recall, though I suppose Bullock and Kidman's characters had to come from somewhere!) pack up and head to Massachusetts, where they meet their Aunt Isabelle. Over the course of the summer, they learn their family history, and get verification that they are indeed witches. (They'd had certain powers throughout childhood, though their mother tried to deny it.)
It was Vincent's storyline that intrigued me, since I knew where Frances and Jet ended up. There was an unexpected curveball that I won't spoil here, but I enjoyed it. It was Jet and Frances' storylines that had me crying at the end of the book, though. Not the very last chapter - it ended on a hopeful note - but the few chapters preceding it had me in tears. (It was midnight, and everyone else was asleep, so I had myself a good cry over my book, and then had to try to sleep on a wet pillow.)
If you enjoyed Practical Magic the movie, you should read this book. It's a perfect prequel.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
Bethany Fletcher (17 KP) rated Children of Blood and Bone: Book 1 in Books
Jun 24, 2018 (Updated Jun 25, 2018)
While buddy reading this with a friend we realised it was a plain copy of Avatar the Last Airbender. There is the king attacking magicians which is basically the fire nation attacking the air nomads. There is a secret temple that worships the magical gods and the protectors are there to help the chosen one. Basically the fire temple on the crescent island that is there to worship the Avatar and help Aang.
The characters were cardboard copies of Avatar. Zelie is a mix of Aang and Katara. There is Zelie’s brother, Tzain, who is the only one who doesn’t get magic because screw you Sokka you are not a Bender! They are being chased around by the Prince Inan who wants to impress his daddy but has mixed moral feelings. Hi there Zuko nice to see you again!
The plot was super confusing. There were parts that weren’t explained at all. So Inanas powers are control over someone’s mind right, so he can take someone into his ‘dreamscape’ (basically the Bone Season by Samantha Shannon). Anyway, he takes Zelie into his dreamscape and she hates him as he is a royal and hunting her down BUT she strips off naked and skinny dips? Why? There is no reason and it made zero sense for someone who is terrified of Inan to make themselves that vulnerable.
Zelie gets over her hatred for Inan pretty quick and soon they are lusting after each other. She doesn’t seem to care about the previous hatred and Inan is the only one who struggles morally. Here’s the thing, did they actually have sex? They had sex in Inan’s dreamscape while there physical bodies were actually no where near each other. Zelie was with her brother. So did their minds have sex? Did they share a dream where they both got it on? After Zelie is super awkward about it but it’s like, you didn’t actually do anything, did you? Not explained very well.
I could go on all day but I shan’t. It wasn’t even written well. It just read like the author didn’t know what to write so copied something they knew was succesful. If these things will annoy you as much as they did me then I would suggest skipping this book.
The characters were cardboard copies of Avatar. Zelie is a mix of Aang and Katara. There is Zelie’s brother, Tzain, who is the only one who doesn’t get magic because screw you Sokka you are not a Bender! They are being chased around by the Prince Inan who wants to impress his daddy but has mixed moral feelings. Hi there Zuko nice to see you again!
The plot was super confusing. There were parts that weren’t explained at all. So Inanas powers are control over someone’s mind right, so he can take someone into his ‘dreamscape’ (basically the Bone Season by Samantha Shannon). Anyway, he takes Zelie into his dreamscape and she hates him as he is a royal and hunting her down BUT she strips off naked and skinny dips? Why? There is no reason and it made zero sense for someone who is terrified of Inan to make themselves that vulnerable.
Zelie gets over her hatred for Inan pretty quick and soon they are lusting after each other. She doesn’t seem to care about the previous hatred and Inan is the only one who struggles morally. Here’s the thing, did they actually have sex? They had sex in Inan’s dreamscape while there physical bodies were actually no where near each other. Zelie was with her brother. So did their minds have sex? Did they share a dream where they both got it on? After Zelie is super awkward about it but it’s like, you didn’t actually do anything, did you? Not explained very well.
I could go on all day but I shan’t. It wasn’t even written well. It just read like the author didn’t know what to write so copied something they knew was succesful. If these things will annoy you as much as they did me then I would suggest skipping this book.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Mr. Deathmask in Books
Dec 7, 2018
<I>This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.</I>
A satanic cult, an angel, a ghost, and lots of murder,<I> Mr. Deathmask</I> is a novel like none other. Horror-novelist Lee McGeorge has created a character that blurs the lines between good and evil. Members of a satanic cult in the heart of London are slowly being killed off one-by-one by a mysterious figure going by the name of Mr Deathmask. The murders shock the community, not only in their brutality but because the worshippers of the “one true Lord” should not be able to be harmed by another living being.
Mr Deathmask, so named for collecting the death masks of his victims, is a man with superhuman strength who is believed to be a “son of light”, i.e. an angel. Accompanied by a ghost of a girl, Magdalena, he plans to seek out and destroy the satanic cult before they can raise the son of the devil.
To begin with, it is not easy to differentiate between the good and the bad. On one side is the anonymous murderer, and the other, the perverted and barbaric sect with unearthly powers. But once innocent lives get tangled up in the violent fiasco, it is clear whom the readers are expected to root for.
Hiding behind the façade of doctors and other professionals in the public sector, the cult easily preys on vulnerable people, resorting to sickening methods to satisfy their abominable desires. Difficult as it is to read about these vile deeds, <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> becomes gripping, the race is on to prevent unnecessary death and get revenge for something that happened centuries ago.
<i>Mr. Deathmask</i> is not for the delicate-minded individual due to its violent and sexual nature. Plenty of expletives and foul terminology make up the narrative, which, although is to be expected in this nature of novel, is not the easiest story to stomach.
Unlike previous books with heavy themes or social connotations, Lee McGeorge has penned <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> as a form of entertainment rather than to challenge morals and judgement of his readers. However, it still has its fair share of shock tactics to keep the story going. It will certainly entertain fans of the author and the genre.
A satanic cult, an angel, a ghost, and lots of murder,<I> Mr. Deathmask</I> is a novel like none other. Horror-novelist Lee McGeorge has created a character that blurs the lines between good and evil. Members of a satanic cult in the heart of London are slowly being killed off one-by-one by a mysterious figure going by the name of Mr Deathmask. The murders shock the community, not only in their brutality but because the worshippers of the “one true Lord” should not be able to be harmed by another living being.
Mr Deathmask, so named for collecting the death masks of his victims, is a man with superhuman strength who is believed to be a “son of light”, i.e. an angel. Accompanied by a ghost of a girl, Magdalena, he plans to seek out and destroy the satanic cult before they can raise the son of the devil.
To begin with, it is not easy to differentiate between the good and the bad. On one side is the anonymous murderer, and the other, the perverted and barbaric sect with unearthly powers. But once innocent lives get tangled up in the violent fiasco, it is clear whom the readers are expected to root for.
Hiding behind the façade of doctors and other professionals in the public sector, the cult easily preys on vulnerable people, resorting to sickening methods to satisfy their abominable desires. Difficult as it is to read about these vile deeds, <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> becomes gripping, the race is on to prevent unnecessary death and get revenge for something that happened centuries ago.
<i>Mr. Deathmask</i> is not for the delicate-minded individual due to its violent and sexual nature. Plenty of expletives and foul terminology make up the narrative, which, although is to be expected in this nature of novel, is not the easiest story to stomach.
Unlike previous books with heavy themes or social connotations, Lee McGeorge has penned <i>Mr. Deathmask</i> as a form of entertainment rather than to challenge morals and judgement of his readers. However, it still has its fair share of shock tactics to keep the story going. It will certainly entertain fans of the author and the genre.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1) in Books
Oct 9, 2018
Have you ever read a book that is so good you don't know what to say about it? It's taken me almost two weeks to even attempt this review because I just don't know what to write. The Poppy War is your typical story of downtrodden, disadvantaged girl testing into the highest school in the land and gaining the opportunities and privileges that come with that, but then the book takes a sharp twist into war. Rin doesn't exactly get the most typical of educations, even before war breaks out. And when war breaks out, the school is disbanded, the students getting flung all over the land to where the government thinks they will help the most. For Rin, that's joining The Cike. The Bizarre Children. The division of people who can do....things. Things the rest of the military isn't comfortable with. The Cike can call on the powers of gods, and doing so makes them not-quite-untouchables. Rin, who was never short on resentment before this, grows ever more resentful.
Rin is an interesting character; she's been hard done by, yes, but she makes decisions that only make things harder on herself. So I feel for her a little, but at the same time, girl. Check yourself. What's been done to you doesn't justify what you plan to do to others. I am hoping she comes to see that in the next book, because her rage and need for vengeance definitely gets the best of her in this one.
The Poppy War is an excellently written blend of military fantasy, epic fantasy, and coming-of-age novel. Unlike some books, where the military aspect far overshadows the characters, leaving them flat, Poppy War doesn't ignore the characters to focus on the bigger picture. It's a very good mix of both close-up focus on characters, fights, battles, and zoomed-out strategy and war. It's probably the best military fantasy I've read, and the Asian aspect of it makes it even better. So much military fantasy is western European, or Steampunk, or both. I've been finding more and more Asian and African fantasy, and I am SO HERE FOR IT. I need to try to find more South American fantasy. I know it's out there.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in this series, because it's awesome.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
Rin is an interesting character; she's been hard done by, yes, but she makes decisions that only make things harder on herself. So I feel for her a little, but at the same time, girl. Check yourself. What's been done to you doesn't justify what you plan to do to others. I am hoping she comes to see that in the next book, because her rage and need for vengeance definitely gets the best of her in this one.
The Poppy War is an excellently written blend of military fantasy, epic fantasy, and coming-of-age novel. Unlike some books, where the military aspect far overshadows the characters, leaving them flat, Poppy War doesn't ignore the characters to focus on the bigger picture. It's a very good mix of both close-up focus on characters, fights, battles, and zoomed-out strategy and war. It's probably the best military fantasy I've read, and the Asian aspect of it makes it even better. So much military fantasy is western European, or Steampunk, or both. I've been finding more and more Asian and African fantasy, and I am SO HERE FOR IT. I need to try to find more South American fantasy. I know it's out there.
I will definitely be watching for the next book in this series, because it's awesome.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.com
MStykal (3 KP) rated The Resistance in Tabletop Games
Nov 20, 2018
Excellent intro into social deduction games (3 more)
Easy to teach
Creates interesting moments
High player count
Component quality is lacking (3 more)
Seriously effected by the metagame (i.e. you were a spy last game, you're a spy this game)
Outshined by other, more impressive games.
Puts introverted players in awkward situations.
Good... Until it's not
First off... I love this game. I've had some of the best moments in my gaming history playing this game. It's a simple, quick, satisfying game of bluffing and lying to your friends. But... I'm a good liar. I'm not in the camp of "This game is broken" or "I'm too good at this so it's not fun", because neither of those are true. And maybe my lack of appreciation comes from spending hours playing this over and over early on in my collections history. But truth be told, there are better games that do everything this does and more. This is a good entrance point for people into social deduction games. Unfortunately, it makes introverted people uncomfortable when another, louder, more confident gamer is shouting about something. To be honest, that's the issue with the whole genre, but this is often the starting off point that sullies more involved games for some players. Games like Burke's Gambit, which is similar but with more things players can do. Avalon, which is this game with more in depth roles. One Night Ultimate Werewolf/Alien/Vampire, which is a lot of the same but with an app to moderate it and interesting and plentiful player powers. Secret Hitler, which if you can get past the theme, is amazing, and brings the same feel but with more choices and consequences for your actions.
The Resistance is a fine game. It's only great or good until your group has built up such a metagame that it's not great or good anymore. But then something surprises you and it's back up there. Until you play with a different group. Until you play a different game. Until you evolve naturally past The Resistance into another similar game. I'd always recommend this to new gamers. Because it's a good game... Until... It's not good anymore. Then it's always there for a new friend coming to play. For a session with the new players. It's a good game... Until... It's not.
The Resistance is a fine game. It's only great or good until your group has built up such a metagame that it's not great or good anymore. But then something surprises you and it's back up there. Until you play with a different group. Until you play a different game. Until you evolve naturally past The Resistance into another similar game. I'd always recommend this to new gamers. Because it's a good game... Until... It's not good anymore. Then it's always there for a new friend coming to play. For a session with the new players. It's a good game... Until... It's not.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Dishonored: Death of the Outsider in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
The latest game in the Dishonored series: Death of the Outsider is a stand-alone adventure that casts player in the role of Billie Lurk who fans of the series will know as the Captain of the Dreadful Whale.
A series of dark dreams leads her to her former mentor and on the path of a deadly cult that has taken control of several regions of the kingdom.
Using her considerable abilities, Billie uses stealth and brutal combat as well as special powers gained along the way to investigate, infiltrate, and destroy key members of the cult as well as gaining new abilities and weapons along the way.
The game has a” play your way” mode which is great for players like myself who are not as big on stealth and prefer a more combat oriented approach. While this works some of the time, the enemies are clever and numerous and will come at you in waves, so players must set traps, plan strategies and find honor in running away when the game calls for it.
The game also has a few puzzles players will need to solve and there is plenty to explore and loot along the way as well as numerous side quests players can take in the thriving and highly detailed cities.
While the weaponry will be familiar to fans of the series, the clever way that the pistol was incorporated as part of a wrist gauntlet was a nice touch as were the various ammunitions offered such as incendiary and shock bolts.
While not as long as Dishonored 2, there was still plenty of gameplay as I was shocked to see that I had invested over 17 hours of gameplay when I had completed the game as I was so engrossed in the characters and story that time seemed to fly by when I played.
The game offers adjustable difficulty settings which are great as some segments offer a real challenge depending on which type of gameplay approach you use.
The graphics and sounds of the game are in keeping with what you would expect from the prior games in the series and if this is the finale to the series, then it goes out in grand style as Death of the Outsider is an enjoyable adventure for action fans everywhere.
http://sknr.net/2017/09/20/dishonored-death-outsider/
A series of dark dreams leads her to her former mentor and on the path of a deadly cult that has taken control of several regions of the kingdom.
Using her considerable abilities, Billie uses stealth and brutal combat as well as special powers gained along the way to investigate, infiltrate, and destroy key members of the cult as well as gaining new abilities and weapons along the way.
The game has a” play your way” mode which is great for players like myself who are not as big on stealth and prefer a more combat oriented approach. While this works some of the time, the enemies are clever and numerous and will come at you in waves, so players must set traps, plan strategies and find honor in running away when the game calls for it.
The game also has a few puzzles players will need to solve and there is plenty to explore and loot along the way as well as numerous side quests players can take in the thriving and highly detailed cities.
While the weaponry will be familiar to fans of the series, the clever way that the pistol was incorporated as part of a wrist gauntlet was a nice touch as were the various ammunitions offered such as incendiary and shock bolts.
While not as long as Dishonored 2, there was still plenty of gameplay as I was shocked to see that I had invested over 17 hours of gameplay when I had completed the game as I was so engrossed in the characters and story that time seemed to fly by when I played.
The game offers adjustable difficulty settings which are great as some segments offer a real challenge depending on which type of gameplay approach you use.
The graphics and sounds of the game are in keeping with what you would expect from the prior games in the series and if this is the finale to the series, then it goes out in grand style as Death of the Outsider is an enjoyable adventure for action fans everywhere.
http://sknr.net/2017/09/20/dishonored-death-outsider/