Book Review: The Steel Remains by Richard K. Morgan

In preparation for my reading of Richard K. Morgan's third book in the the Land Fit for Heroes, titled The Dark Defiles, I re-listened to The Steel Remains, which is the first book in this series.  I've read/listened to this volume four times now, and my impressions remain the same: Richard K. Morgan transplanted his kinetic style of writing, which I first encountered in Altered Carbon, and applied it to a fantasy/noir setting.  The results are a bit mixed: Morgan's style keeps the story moving in a fast pace, no sentence wasted, no unnecessary chapters.  It worked well in Altered Carbon, whose 'hard sci-fi' noir elements read like an action thriller in book form (rivaled only by the Expanse series by James S.A. Corey), and you can almost imagine how it's going to look like in movie form.  Here in The Steel Remains, you don't really have much time to smell the flowers, since the characters are busy moving from one point to another, kicking ass all the way through.

You have three protagonists, reminding gamers of Bioware games (Mass Effect, Dragon Age) in their banter as well as placing them into 'character classes' (you get a warrior type, a berserker/barbarian type and a thief type).  There is sorcery, though it's limited to 'an elder race' with science of a sort being a specialty of another 'race'.  The book serves as an introduction to these characters and eventually their paths meet, in their attempts to figure out what's going on.

I appreciate the (relatively) low stakes here: no end of the world stuff (yet); everything's personal (another Morgan trope) and violence and sex abound.  The latter bit deserves a bit of caution: if you are bothered by depiction of gay sex, you might want to skip a chapter or two.  This is especially disconcerting in audiobook form, since I had to listen to Simon Vance describe the act in quite explicit detail; made the worst by the fact that the prolific Vance also reads a lot of my other favourite books, and I could not quite get the image out of my head as Vance reads  Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series (it can be a bit disconcerting, to say the least).

But, the world building is there and it's extensive: you have an alternate earth (conjecture mine), with multi-dimensional travel, at least three cultures / countries taken from your usual historical Earth sources.  You have some form of magic and scientific system sketched out, as well as a pantheon of gods and a couple of religions -- extensive stuff!

Unfortunately, given RKM's tight writing style, it feels as if you have blinders attached to your head: you just don't get to look around while you're passing through: no plot fat to speak of, it's all lean story-telling from start to finish.

There was a bit near the end though, where the all too sudden transition felt jarring: one minute the characters are apart, the next, they're all together:  (SEMI-SPOILER: at least we can blame divine intervention for that I suppose END SPOILER).

This book is only slightly better than Woken Furies (Takeshi Kovac's Series, Book 3, of which Altered Carbon was the first of that series) in my book (pun intended).  Woken Furies was the weakest book in that series, which felt more like a money grab -- an attempt at exploiting the goodwill of Takeshi Kovac fans (as well as the character himself) for monetary gain.  You can almost feel the author's weariness as he gamely soldiered on in his efforts to finish the story and cash in his paycheck.  Perhaps he needed to pay off a Porsche, or settle a lost bet.

Even so, I am merely nitpicking: I loved The Steel Remains on first reading, just not head-over-heels the way I was with Altered Carbon (the bar was set rather high).  The next book isn't bad (I'll write up another review, of course), and I can't wait to reach to the third and final book in this short, but sweet series.

Verdict: Recommended 3.5/5

TL;DR:
++ Well written. Fast Paced. Not an ounce of plot-fat.
+ Interesting characters, and there are three protagonists
+/- This book is sometimes classified as LGBT fiction.  Consider yourself informed
+ Extensive world-building, though I wish we could spend more time in that world RKM built, instead of zooming through
- Author uses the word BANDLIGHT (sort of like Moonlight, except there's no moon and the 'band' is probably made up of materials from the moon blowing up. Or something) too many times

Details:
Author: Richard K. Morgan
Genre: Fantasy, Noir
Book Length: 432 Pages (Hardcover Version)
Published: January 20, 2009
Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Remains-Richard-K-Morgan/dp/0345493036/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=&qid=
Followed By: The Cold Commands

Book Review: The Republic of Thieves (Gentlemen Bastards 3) by Scott Lynch

Review:
I did not like The Republic of Thieves as I did the first two book of the Gentlemen Bastards series. At least, not at first.  It wasn't the usual book of plot twists and hateful villains: it was more about the narrative, the world-building.  It was about Locke Lamora's past (and therefore a bit about Jean Tannen and the rest of the crew as well), and also about his future, though it wasn't until the end where we were given clues as to where this series might potentially be headed towards.

The book is divided into two parts: one half covering Locke's childhood, while he was in the process of learning his trade.  The other half covered his latest job, this time in Karthain, where he faces the Bondsmagi who have been hounding him ever since he encountered one of their own in the first book.

I wasn't too crazy about the second part of the book: it began a bit too tedious, then devolved into Locke the do-it-all.  It got better as it got to the last third of the story, and the payoff was well worth the tedium.

The other half which dealt with Locke's childhood was more enjoyable to read: this part focused on his first courtship with the 'mythical' Sabetha -- the love of Locke's life.  It overlapped with the other part of the story, though not by much.  The two timelines gave us cliffhangers, as the point of view went from one to the other.

All in all, this is a slightly different kind of book in the ever growing series.  It's not bad, just different, and just as enjoyable to read, as it is to finish.  As it is, I cannot wait for the next book in the series (and I hope it does not take 7 years).

Verdict: Recommended 3.5/5

TL;DR:
+ We get more details about Locke's and the Gentlemen Bastards' early years
+/- The courtship of Locke and Sabetha can be a bit tedious
- No real villain here, at least, none that inspires the sort of hate the first two books did
+ Long read (or listen), quite satisfying
+ Audiobook version was narrated well.  Michael Page the narrator (of all three books) is pretty much the voice of this series

Details:
Author: Scott Lynch
Genre: Fantasy
Book Length: 704 Pages (Hardcover Version)
Published: July 29, 2014
Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Republic-Thieves-Gentleman-Bastards/dp/0553588966
Preceded By: The Republic of Thieves

Followed By: The Thorn of Emberlain 

Anime Review: No Game No Life

No Game No Life (NGNL for short) is an battle Anime series.  Sora and Shiro are siblings who specialise in all types of games.  They get sucked into a world where gaming is everything: from settling scores to serving as a proxy for wars between nations.  They eventually serve as humanity's representatives against other races in humanity's attempts at climbing up the racial rankings.

Sora and Shiro use their superior gaming skills to challenge and eventually triumph against their numerous foes.  Melodrama and humour are omnipresent through the series, with anime trope after trope being parodied.  Non-anime fans might find this series a bit hard to follow, especially if you're not a Japanese speaker, but I found myself enjoying the series immensely, particularly the juvenile humour.

And yes, there are a lot of ecchi (perverted) humour present in the series: Sora is your stereotypical virgin otaku, and there is a lot of fanservice going on. Stephanie Dola is a perpetual target, as well as serving as a butt of many jokes.

I love the art and character design here, reminding me of the Monogatari series with its highly stylised art.  Animation quality doesn't falter either, with no obvious reduction in art quality.

I recommend this series if you like watching anime/Japanese comedy.  If you've been watching anime for the past few years, this series parodies a lot of them and is enjoyable as such.  I'm just hoping that we'd see a few more seasons of this Anime since it stops midway, with no news on whether it will be renewed.

Verdict: Recommended 4/5

TL;DR:
++ A lot of funny moments in this anime
-/+ A lot of the humour depends on familiarity of anime tropes and series
+ Attractive art and animation quality
+ Interesting secondary characters, I like Stephanie Dola :)

Details:
Genre: Combat Anime
Episodes: 12
Aired: April to June, 2014

Movie Review: Mockingjay Part I

I really disliked what Peter Jackson did with the Hobbit: he turned a smallish novel into three unnecessarily long and dragging movies just because he could.  I've read the book and I was quite indifferent towards it (as opposed to being absolutely enamoured with The Silmarillion), even as it was directly connected to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

I haven't read the Hunger Games books, so I can only judge the movie by its merits and I'd have to say I liked it quite well: Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen (best name ever) is a joy to watch, and the late Philip Seymore Hoffman gave his usual excellent performance (his eyes seem to be always smiling, giving him that jokes-on-you look).  Julianne Moore is there as President Coin and Donald Sutherland plays his villainous best.

The movie is quite... depressing and tends to pull at your heart's strings. Katniss struggles against the role the rebellion places on her and spends the time looking generally bewildered, with interleaving moments where she's back as her usual Mockingjay self.  One thing I can say is that Lawrence certainly has turned out to be quite the young woman, as opposed to being just a teenaged girl as she was when she started with The Hunger Games.

Of course, as being the first part of two movies covering the last book in the Hunger Games series, the movie spends most of its time as setup for the concluding second part.  The pace is set quite well, and I never felt any sort of padding or fluff added on.  The ending isn't quite the painful cliffhanger they sometimes leave us with (which is good, since the second part is supposedly coming out on November 20, 2015 according to Wikipedia), but it's hardly all that satisfyingly conclusive.

Should you watch it? Yes, the movie is well made, the actors giving good performances and the story sufficiently heartbreaking and depressing (though not in a stressful way).  Fans will most likely watch it anyway, as for the rest of us, it's good cinema!

Verdict: 4/5 It's worth your 200-252 pesos.

TL;DR:
++ Jennifer Lawrence
+ Excellent supporting cast
++ Story and pace quite good, no obvious padding
+/- Slightly depressing
- One more year until part 2

Details:
Release Date: November 19, 2014
Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi, Dystopian
Running Time: 123 Minutes
Notable Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland
Seen On: Fisher Mall, 2D, Regular Cinema

Snack Review: Family Mart Revel Bar

This is actually my second time eating this revel bar from Family Mart.  After finishing my first, I thought that it was good enough to warrant its own review.  So here I am, in the name of information dissemination, sharing the gospel of FM Revel Bars, so that it may flourish (hereonafter).

The bar costs 35 pesos, same as the Lemon Bar it's often found beside.  I didn't care much for the Lemon bar -- it tastes as advertised. The revel bar, on the other hand, tasted divine!  It wasn't dry, it had a sizable layer of chocolate, it wasn't too sweet, and it was sized just right.  35 pesos for a bar this small does seem a bit expensive, but any bigger and it'd make you feel queasy from having too much.

I've tried revel bars from you typical fancy schmancy food bazaars (in Eastwood and other MegaWorld properties, usually) and they didn't strike me as something I'd go back for, in particular.  These bars from Family Mart had me going back a couple of days after (would've been the day after, were it not for the relative rarity of Family Marts, compared to, say, 7-11s).

Aside from serving revel bars, this Family Mart at the corner of Del Monte Avenue and Sto. Domingo, in QC (right across Siena College) was pretty unusual in itself: it actually had a restroom! This place used to be a restaurant/fast food chain, and I think that's probably the main reason why it still had a vestigial restroom.

Now this restroom was probably smaller than a broom closet -- I pity the girl who had to make use of it, as she'd probably barely fit (with her arms and legs touching three walls).  At least us guys just have to stand to do our business.

For 35 pesos, I'd be hard pressed to find a dessert item that'd give a better yum/price ratio.  Family Mart is quickly becoming my go-to location for food (try their sausages, and their pasta, and their soba, and their sushi, and their...and their...).  Hopefully, they'll have more branches set up and maintain their food quality.

Verdict: 4.5/5 Highly Recommended 

Details:
Food: Revel Bar
Type: Dessert
Flavour: Chocolate, and some other stuff
Tastes Like: Something short of heaven. Calories.

Movie Review: Horns

Having nothing else to watch this week (that is, the movie week Wednesday to Tuesday), we went to see Horns, by virtue of its trailer.  According to the trailer, you have a guy with horns and he seems to make people around him do bad things.

Interesting enough I suppose.

The trailer wasn't too clear about the plot (or maybe I wasn't paying too close an attention), but I'm hoping for something funny, intentional or otherwise.

Well, it wasn't really funny, or a lot of fun.  It was a rather serious movie with biblical themes littered all over the place.  Having not read the book (by which it was based on), I'm not sure what the author was getting at, but the movie is basically a magical-murder-mystery-love-story.  The closest thing I can liken it to will probably be Twilight, with horns instead of fangs.  And a bit more fun, granted.

Most of the 'fun' can be attributed to Daniel Radcliffe, who is looking quite fine, with or without horns.  He's all grown up, 5 o'clock shadow and Elijah Wood eyes and all.  His acting is okay, though I was a bit disappointed -- he seems to be walking about mostly bewildered, sometimes angry, sometimes screaming.  I was hoping to see a bit more of his acting range, but the movie seems to only demand a certain subset of his acting skills.

I don't know most of the other actors involved, maybe except the main villain, who was sufficiently evil.  I was surprised at seeing Heather Graham, who seems to be reprising her role in Bowfinger.  The female lead/love interest seem to have spent the entire movie crying and dancing semi-naked.

There are twists aplenty, this is a murder mystery after all, but the story is a bit flat, despite its fantastic nature.  I'm not sure if the movie explained why the horns appeared -- they just did.  Then there were pitchforks, and snakes slithering all over the place.  Well, I suppose I'd rather they just had things happen, than spend a big chunk of screen time trying to explain things at the expense of good storytelling.

All in all, I can't really say I can recommend the movie, unless maybe you'd like to see how Mr. Radcliffe is coming along, as an actor or magical being or his abs or something.  If you like fantasy with your religious imagery, I guess this film might be of interest to you.

Well, maybe just watch it on tape (or Bluray), at home, on a Holloween (it isn't really scarey, except maybe for the makeup).  Or maybe just to please your girlfriend.

Verdict: 2.5/5  It's an okay movie at best.

TL;DR:
+ Daniel Radcliffe
- Daniel Radcliffe's limited acting, (hopefully) not his best
+ Nice prosthetic effects
- So so story

Details:
Opening Date: November 12, 2014
Genre: Fantasy, Murder Mystery
Imdb: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1528071/

Anime Review: Aldnoah Zero

TL;DR:
+ Aliens VS Earth!
+ Nicely designed mechs
- Super/Do-it-all Protagonist
+ Deals with Politics (though simplified) and Racism
+ Story is set in a realistic background (physics, political)
+ Art is pretty good.  CG doesn't look obvious.

Review:
I grew up on Voltes V, Daimos and other giant robot, earth versus aliens themed anime.  I spent my college years devouring (and trying to make sense of) Evangelion and its copycats (RahXephon).  I liked Aldnoah Zero well enough, and while it's hardly groundbreaking, it's very well made and was enjoyable enough.

Your protagonists are high-school kids, though at least their participation in the Earth-Vers (Mars) war is handled in an acceptable manner (they're basically required to go through military training, by virtue of an earlier war with Mars).

The other side is your stereotypical European-Feudal society, albeit one that wields a bigger, higher technology stick.  Truth be told, they all looked the same, despite the fact that they used titles in one form or another (count, maybe a baron or two) and none of them were memorable.

The mechs on both sides are the star of the show -- both the simpler Terran mechs and the more complex Martian Kataphrakts were very well done.  I do feel that combat was a bit... oversimplified, with the Martians trouncing the Terrans at nearly every turn (except when Mr. Protagonist saves the day, of course).

Each of the Martian mechs had a particular gimmick (dimensional barrier, flying robot knuckles, plasma blade, etc. etc.) and that each mech was limited to that particular ability (which was inevitably used against them).  Would've been fun to see how the Orbital Knights (the nobility cum military arm of the Martian Empire) divvied these abilities up among themselves, and how many of them would've died to have the privilege of getting Rocket Punch as their Kataphrakts main ability.

Well, it's no more silly than the robots in Pacific Rim (3 armed mech to for a 3 pilot team?).

Well, plot holes aside, I quite enjoyed watching the series, though the ending was a cliffhanger.  At least there's a part 2 coming this 2015, which I'll definitely be looking forward to watching.

Verdict: Recommended 3.5/5

Details:
Genre: Sci-Fi, Realistic Mecha
Episodes: 12
Aired: July-September, 2014 (Part 2 Coming 2015)

Events: Onkyo Dolby Atmos Product Event

Today (11/12/2014) I attended the Dolby Atmos / Onkyo product introduction event at Toyama Philippines at West Avenue, Philippines.  This event was to introduce the newest Onkyo products as well as serve as a primer for Dolby Atmos.

Most of the products presented by Onkyo supported Dolby Atmos in one form or another.  Hi-resolution audio as well as the new AccuEQ calibration feature was also included in some of the products.  Of course, 4K is already a given, and Bluetooth is now a standard in most of the products.

Since Onkyo is well-known for its audio video receivers (AVR), presented first was its newest batch of AVR's:

Onkyo TX-SR333:

• Entry level 5.1 receiver with 110 watts per channel
• Bluetooth support with Music Optimiser (improves music coming from Bluetooth sources)
• Phase Matching Bass for clearer vocals with bass
• 6 HDMI 2.0 inputs allows more sources to be connected to the receiver

Onkyo TX-NR535:

• Network 5.2 receiver with 115 watts per channel
• Supports network/Internet applications such as Spotify
• Includes high resolution audio support
• Features Onkyo-exclusive AccuEQ room calibration technology

Onkyo TX-NR636:

• Middle-of-the-line Network AV Receiver with Dolby Atmos Support 
• Provides 7.2 channel support at 165 watts per channel
• Supports HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 for 4k protected content
• Built-in WIFI and Bluetooth connectivity 
• Customised capacitors and transformers provide high-current, low-impedance

Onkyo TX-NR737:

• Network AV receiver with THX Select2 Plus certification
• Provides Dolby Atmos and 7.2 channel support at 95 watts per channel
• Multi-Zone Audio control via Onkyo App
• DSD high resolution support 

Onkyo TX-NR838:

• Network AV Receiver with Dolby Atmos Support and THX Select2 Plus
• 7.2 Channel support at 130 watts per channel
• Pure Analogue Patch support bypasses digital stages for high quality analogue output
• Digital Processing Crossover improves audio quality by managing crossover frequencies
• Provides HDMI Zone 2 

Onkyo TX-NR1030:

• Network 9.2 AV Receiver with Dolby Atmos Support and THX Select2 Plus
• 135 Watts per channel support
• Allows Dolby 7.2.2 (the last .2 is for Dolby Atmos height speakers)
• 3 HDMI Output for Multizone Video
• Internal components are separated, for greater noise isolation

Onkyo TX-NR3030:

• Network 11.2 AV Receiver with DOlby Atmos SUpport and THX Select2 Plus
• 134 Watts Per channel 
• Support for Dolby Atmos 7.2.4 (4 height speakers)
• "Single Box" Full Dolby Atmos 7.2.4 support

Onkyo PR-SC5530:

• Network 11.2 AV Controller/Preamplifier with Dolby Atmos Support
• THX Ultra2 Plus Certification

For ease of integration into existing speaker setups, Onkyo is featuring the SKH-410 Dolby Atmos-Enabled Speaker System.  These speakers are placed on top of front speakers, in lieu of top/ceiling speakers, giving users Dolby Atmos experience without having to conduct major renovations to their existing home theater setup.

For a quick way to get into the Dolby Atmos experience, Onkyo has two home theater systems:

Onkyo HT-S7705

• 5.1.2 Channel Network Home Theater Package
• 115 Watts per channel with HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2 support
• WIFI / Network Support providing Internet Enabled Apps like Spotify
• AccuEQ Room Calibration Technology

Onkyo HT-S9700THX

• 7.1 Channel Network Home Theater Package with THX Integrated System Plus Certification
• 4k Upscaling with Qdeo Technology

Onkyo is introducting some audio-centric products, such as their Onkyo C-N7050 Network CD Player:

• CD Player plus Network Player integrated into one package
• Supports high resolution audio such as FLAC, WAV and DSD at 192kHz / 24 bit
• 32-bit Burr-Brown Digital to Analogue Converter allows for better playback of digital and CD files
• Allows functionality via Android and IOS apps

Another product I'm personally excited about is their portable Digital to Analogue Converter / Headphone Amplifier Onkyo DAC-HA200:

• Connects to your Android and IOS smartphones via USB/Lightning connectors.
• App support allows DSD file playback
• Charges via USB with an 8 hour battery life
• Works as a USB sound device for both Mac and PC, allowing you to take advantage of the HA200's superior DAC for better quality playback of digital audio files
• Also supports Optical input
• Greater emphasis is placed on the physical design of the HA200, allowing greater portability

Last, but not the least, is the Onkyo CA-265 Mini HIFI System:

• Stereo System 
• Supports Bluetooth and NFC
• Allows access of files in USB storage devices
• FM Tuner and Front Loading CD Player
• Comes in Five Colours: Black, Blue, White, Red, and Yellow

Once the product introduction was out of the way, we were given an introduction to Dolby Atmos.  Some key points:

• Object-based instead of channel based.  Older Dolby Technologies support channel based which simulated directional audio by manipulating the different channels (left, right, centre, rear left/right, etc.).  Dolby Atmos, aside from providing height speakers, switches to the object-based system, allowing for better positioning of sound sources (not being tied up with the 5-7 channels).  This allows for a more nuanced rendering of positional audio
• Dolby Atmos is gaining great traction both in movie studios and consumer electronic brands, some interesting facts:
• There are currently 10 Dolby Atmos cinemas in the Philippines
• Worldwide, there are 750 Dolby Atmos screens across over 40 countries
• There are currently over 200 movie titles supporting Dolby Atmos 
• Dolby Atmos has over 150 partners, showing a remarkable acceptance of Dolby Atmos technology within the industry
• In home theatres, common configurations consists of 5.1.2 channels, that is, 5 speakers, 1 subwoofer and 2 height speakers.  On higher end setups, we typically have 7.2.4 (Surround Back Left/Right and 4 height speakers).  As an alternative, we have 3.1.2 and 2.1.2 setups.
• Dolby Atmos provides downward compatibility with Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Digital Plus.  This allows existing systems to use Dolby Atmos Bluray Discs to play back in existing equipment.  Similarly, with the addition of Dolby Atmos speakers like the Onkyo SKH-410 or dedicated ceiling speakers, home theatre owners can utilise their existing setup and, with minimal upgrades, experience Dolby Atmos.
• Lastly, Dolby Atmos allows scalability, as home theater owners can start with as little as 5 speakers and move up to 11 as their budgets (and receivers) permit.

We were shown a few demo clips afterwards, but it mostly consisted of the Dolby Atmos introductory clips that are usually shown before Dolby Atmos supported movies are shown.

We had a short Question and Answer session, Manoj from Powertrip was there to ask a few key questions:

Mostly about height-speaker placement as well as installation guides for Dolby Atmos.

Of course, what's a good product launch without prizes, and there were prizes aplenty: Onkyo IEM's and an Onkyo TX-NR838 was being given away.  Of course, I didn't win anything (typical).  Congratulations to the winner (whoever you are):

At least there was food:

And loot:

It was a very informative event, at least as far as Onkyo products were concerned. I do wish the event had more coverage on Dolby Atmos, particularly on actual demo materials.  As it is, I can't wait to watch that Bluray Disc (with Atmos Support) but I'll probably have to wait a bit longer until I can get to try it on a home Dolby Atmos setup.

Book Review: Red Seas Under Red Skies (Gentlemen Bastards 2) by Scott Lynch

TL;DR:
+/- Starts out a bit slow, but gathers steam after a while.  Can be a bit dragging at times.
++ Still your favourite characters.  A new cast of hateful villains are well matched for our favourite pair.
++ Just like the first book, nothing goes as planned.
+/- Decent ending, but you know there's a follow-up novel (which is already out, thank the gods).

Review:
Locke Lamora and Jean Tannen return in what has fast become my favourite low-fantasy pair of scoundrels, and, of course, they're up to no good. The book picks up from where the previous book left off, with greater emphasis on the relationship between Locke and Jean.

The book is pretty long, with the pair going from one impossible situation to another, and their plans becoming more and more convoluted as they struggle to survive against the odds.  As the title implies, a big portion of the book occurs at sea, though this doesn't really take up the majority of the story.   The naval portions are well done, though it's no Patrick O'Brian.

The main highlight for this book is still the developing relationship between our two thieves: there are times when their bromance seem to be unraveling at the seams, as the tension of their situation runs high and higher still.  This part is done quite well and made me love them both all the more.

Of course, this book is a must read if you loved the first one.  I'm on to the next book (The Republic of Thieves) and I'll probably going through it real quick, only to wait years for the next book in the Gentlement Bastards series.

Verdict: Recommended 3.5/5

Details:
Author: Scott Lynch
Genre: Fantasy
Book Length: 576 Pages (Hardcover Version)
Published: July 31, 2007
Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Seas-Under-Skies-Gentleman-Bastards/dp/0553588958
Preceded By: The Lies of Locke Lamora
Followed By: The Republic of Thieves

Book Review: Half a King by Joe Abercrombie

TL;DR:

+++ Very fast paced, very hard to stop reading

++ Interesting protagonist, with the right sense of vulnerability and ability, and a nice set of supporting characters

++ Twists aplenty and nicely executed

+/- Not as long as I wanted it to be, but was good while the pages lasted

Review:

“A fast-paced tale of betrayal and revenge that grabbed me from page 1 and refused to let go.”—George R. R. Martin

That line sums it up, from someone who knows best.  Half a King is like your A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones novel distilled into its essence and with the sex bits taken out.  The story is pretty much your typical medieval fantasy fare: successor wars, betrayal, revenge and with dirt and blood rubbed all over the pages.  The plot is pretty straightforward in that sense, and there are twists aplenty.  I finished the book in less than two days -- it was THAT entertaining.

Worldbuilding is there, though it's tightly integrated into the plot.  As Amazon labels it as Shattered Sea Book 1, I'm hoping it wouldn't take too much time to get to the next book, and that it won't span across a dozen volumes.  Well, maybe it would be nice if there would be 12 books in this series, as long as each of them ends as satisfyingly as the first one did.

The book isn't really about innovating, in fact, you can see the similarity between this book and other books (Game of Thrones, Bernard Cornwell books) and movies (13th Warrior comes to mind), but it's just so well done, I can't recommend it enough.  I just wish it were just a bit longer.

Verdict: highly recommended 4/5

Details:

Author: Joe Abercrombie

Genre: Fantasy

Book Length: 354 Pages (Hardcover Version)

Published: July 15, 2014

Amazon Link:  http://www.amazon.com/Half-King-Shattered-Sea-Abercrombie/dp/0804178321

Book Review: Spark A Novel by John Twelve Hawks

TL;DR:

++ Very Noir

++ Very interesting character and character development

++ Realistic setting, well fleshed-out world (very Picketty)

++ Well paced, quite a page turner

++ Just the right length

Review:
Imagine all the favourite bits of Luc Besson's greatest hits: Leon the Professional, Le Femme Nikita, Transporter, heck, even Taken, and mix it with a dash of Hitman (the game series, mind) and set it in a Strossian x Picketty near future sci-fi noir fest and that's Spark: A Novel for you.

The story is pretty simple: an assassin whose neurological disorder allows him to accomplish his corporate-sponsored assignments effectively.  He has a set of rules that allows him to barely function as a member of society.  He has no sense of sentiment, no sense of morality, no right or wrong.  Despite that, his seeming alienness, he remains quite relatable, particularly in his unintentionally humorous:

“The music was as tasteless as the rice pudding. People sang about losing love instead of something important—like losing their car keys”

I especially like how he breaks down seemlingly complex situations into charts, just like your favourite game or book review.  One unusual thing about the novel are the many-numerous figures and drawings peppering the text (describing various ways by which the protagonist copes with the world around him).  It reminds me of that Hyperspace novel with its even stranger drawings.

I haven't had this much fun with a book since Altered Carbon and while the book ends quite satisfactorily, I'm not sure what I'd feel about sequels (should there be any) or more books in series: just like your typical Luc Besson movie, he would've done the world a favour by not making Transporter 2 or 3 (4 and 5 are actually planned out, according to IMDB).

Details:

Verdict: highly recommended 5/5

Author: John Twelve Hawks

Genre: Science Fiction, Noir

Book Length: 320 Pages (Hardcover Version)

Published: October 7, 2014

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Spark-Novel-John-Twelve-Hawks/dp/0385538677

Anime Review: Hanamayata

TL;DR: Hanamayata
+ You get to see the lead character, Naru Sekiya, grow from a super shy girl into someone less so
+ This is pretty much about friendship between middle school  girls
+ Yasakoi (folk dance) animation is pretty nice and fluid
- I'm not really the target audience for this series

I watched Hanayamata after reading Kotaku's Talk Amongst Yourselves recommendation, which is to say I didn't exactly go in blindly.  However, after watching an episode while at the gym, I was ready to move onto another series, out of embarrassment than anything (the entire thing looks so... girly).  However, having soldiered on, I found the story to be pretty inoffensive, perfect for younger audiences (of the female sort, I suppose).  It basically chronicles the budding friendship of five middle school girls and the formation of a Yasokai (traditionally a Japanese Folk Dance, now a freestyle dance).

Animation quality is pretty typical, except for the Yasokai dance sequences (even during practice): it's just very fluid and seems to almost be motion captured.  Probably the highlight

If you're looking for something non-stressful and feel-good to watch, this series is it.