Thursday, December 18, 2008
Problem Sleuth - MS Paint Adventures
Not quite a webcomic, not quite a game, it's Problem Sleuth, an MS Paint Adventure! Modeled after text-adventure games, this bit of interactive storytelling focuses on Problem Sleuth, a detective fellow who is trapped in his office. Following reader-submitted prompts, the story goes from Problem Sleuth's attempts to leave his office to a much trippier quest to save the universe (both sides) from an evil mob boss. This story has successfully captured the sort of logical chaos that I only wish I had been able to get down in my novel this past November. Jeez. If you're looking for a hilarious way to pass the time, you can't overlook Problem Sleuth.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
A Metropolitan Murder
Title: A Metropolitan Murder
Author: Lee Jackson
What it's about: It's around 1850 in London. The underground system is still under construction. On one of the train cars, a young woman is found dead, and the man who found her is thought to be the murderer. However, he flees the scene. Meanwhile, Inspector Decimus Webb is on the case, and his inquiries bring him in contact with Clara White, a young woman who is now employed as a maid to a wealthy family but who has a darker past. What role does she play in the murder, and can the case be solved before any more lives are lost?
What I thought: A vivid, well-crafted story that's almost more an exploration of life in the Victorian era than a mystery. The story is gritty but not without touches of humor here and there. The narrative style is an unusual but interesting one.
Overall: Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of historical mysteries.
Author: Lee Jackson
What it's about: It's around 1850 in London. The underground system is still under construction. On one of the train cars, a young woman is found dead, and the man who found her is thought to be the murderer. However, he flees the scene. Meanwhile, Inspector Decimus Webb is on the case, and his inquiries bring him in contact with Clara White, a young woman who is now employed as a maid to a wealthy family but who has a darker past. What role does she play in the murder, and can the case be solved before any more lives are lost?
What I thought: A vivid, well-crafted story that's almost more an exploration of life in the Victorian era than a mystery. The story is gritty but not without touches of humor here and there. The narrative style is an unusual but interesting one.
Overall: Definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of historical mysteries.
The DaVinci Code
A few notes before we start. Sorry for the dreadful lack of updates. Over a month, oy. Well, I was reading during that time, just not posting here. November was pretty busy, what with National Novel Writing Month, finals, flying home from Rome, not having internet access on my laptop, and, well, just plain laziness. I kept a list of all the books I read in the interim, though, so there will be updates for all of the books I read that I haven't already written reviews for. Keep an eye on the blog; there will be a more regular posting schedule soon!
Title: The DaVinci Code
Author: Dan Brown
What it's about: So Robert Langdon is this Harvard symbologist who's in Paris. And this guy who works at the Louvre and who is the guardian of an ancient secret that goes against Church dogma is murdered. And this Catholic group called Opus Dei is behind it. And Robert and Sophie, the Louvre guy's granddaughter, have to uncover the location of this secret before they're killed.
What I thought: Very much a thriller novel. I read it fairly quickly, which was good - this is a book where, if you put it down and actually stop to think about it, you'll not be able to take it seriously. Relies a lot on suspension of disbelief and Rule of Cool stuff. Entertaining diversion, but not much to it. And since I'm a Catholic, I am pretty much obliged to comment on the religious aspect of the book. Basically, if you know anything about church and art history, you'll be able to tell that this book isn't entirely accurate. My art history professor actually gave a little discourse about just why the book makes no sense from a religious and art historical point of view, and I wish I could share it with you folks, but oh well.
Overall: Not bad for an afternoon's entertainment.
Title: The DaVinci Code
Author: Dan Brown
What it's about: So Robert Langdon is this Harvard symbologist who's in Paris. And this guy who works at the Louvre and who is the guardian of an ancient secret that goes against Church dogma is murdered. And this Catholic group called Opus Dei is behind it. And Robert and Sophie, the Louvre guy's granddaughter, have to uncover the location of this secret before they're killed.
What I thought: Very much a thriller novel. I read it fairly quickly, which was good - this is a book where, if you put it down and actually stop to think about it, you'll not be able to take it seriously. Relies a lot on suspension of disbelief and Rule of Cool stuff. Entertaining diversion, but not much to it. And since I'm a Catholic, I am pretty much obliged to comment on the religious aspect of the book. Basically, if you know anything about church and art history, you'll be able to tell that this book isn't entirely accurate. My art history professor actually gave a little discourse about just why the book makes no sense from a religious and art historical point of view, and I wish I could share it with you folks, but oh well.
Overall: Not bad for an afternoon's entertainment.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Time Traveler's Wife
Title: The Time Traveler's Wife
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
What it's about: Clare meets Henry for the first time when she's a young girl. Henry meets Clare for the first time when he's almost thirty. Soon after he meets her, they get married. No, this isn't some sort of lolita story. Henry has a genetic condition that causes him to spontaneously time travel, and the first time he meets Clare is when he travels back in time to when Clare is six. Meanwhile, Henry has been married to her in her future for a couple years already. The book is basically the story of two people in love who have to live with the difficulty of Henry's time travel.
What I thought: It's a very intriguing premise, and the story is executed in such a way that it's really not confusing. Really, the writing is top-notch and the characters are really brought to life. The sex in the book definitely isn't very fade to black, which turned me off a bit, but I guess that's part of how the book portrays this as being a story about real people.
Overall: I liked it, but I dunno if I'd read it again.
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
What it's about: Clare meets Henry for the first time when she's a young girl. Henry meets Clare for the first time when he's almost thirty. Soon after he meets her, they get married. No, this isn't some sort of lolita story. Henry has a genetic condition that causes him to spontaneously time travel, and the first time he meets Clare is when he travels back in time to when Clare is six. Meanwhile, Henry has been married to her in her future for a couple years already. The book is basically the story of two people in love who have to live with the difficulty of Henry's time travel.
What I thought: It's a very intriguing premise, and the story is executed in such a way that it's really not confusing. Really, the writing is top-notch and the characters are really brought to life. The sex in the book definitely isn't very fade to black, which turned me off a bit, but I guess that's part of how the book portrays this as being a story about real people.
Overall: I liked it, but I dunno if I'd read it again.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Green Rider
Title: Green Rider
Author: Kristen Britain
What it's about: Karigan G'ladheon is just a normal schoolgirl. Okay, maybe normal's not the best word for someone who runs away from school after getting suspended, but still, Karigan certainly never expected what happened next. A dying Green Rider, one of the king of Sacoridia's messengers, encounters Karigan and gets her to continue his message errand, one that is of vital importance to the safety of the country. Karigan's swept up into a dangerous adventure that brings her face-to-face with ancient monsters, traitorous soldiers, and the mysterious Grey One who plots the downfall of Sacoridia.
What I thought: Love this book. Seriously. This novel made me realize that epic fantasy stories could have a sense of humor to them and be more than Tolkien ripoffs. (Or rather, what I imagine Tolkien ripoffs to be, having never been able to make it through any of the man's books.) I really love how developed the culture and history of Sacordia are, and all the detail we get isn't explained in boring info-dumps but in natural places in the narrative that add flavor to the story. The characters are great, too. Timas Mirwell is a very interesting antagonist; he might be a bad guy, but his chapters make you respect his way of thinking and his cunning. Karigan herself is likeable. She's got a sense of humor and she's a pretty admirable heroine, but she's also not perfect, which just makes her more relatable. The way that romance is barely even touched on in this first book is also something that I find refreshing. I mean, I like me a good romance as much as the next girl, but this story didn't need any more than the foreshadowing it had. After all, there are three books by now and the series isn't even finished yet. Plenty of time for romance to develop slowly. As for the plot itself, it is pretty good. Green Rider can almost work as a stand-alone book, as the plot with delivering the message and stopping the Grey One is resolved mostly neatly by the end of the book. The plot of this book isn't anything hugely spectacularly innovative, but it really sets up the world and the characters for the more intricate plots of the following two books.
Overall: I'm a fan.
Review of the second book in the series, First Rider's Call, is coming up soon, but the third book was reviewed back in, I wanna say, May, for future reference, folks.
Author: Kristen Britain
What it's about: Karigan G'ladheon is just a normal schoolgirl. Okay, maybe normal's not the best word for someone who runs away from school after getting suspended, but still, Karigan certainly never expected what happened next. A dying Green Rider, one of the king of Sacoridia's messengers, encounters Karigan and gets her to continue his message errand, one that is of vital importance to the safety of the country. Karigan's swept up into a dangerous adventure that brings her face-to-face with ancient monsters, traitorous soldiers, and the mysterious Grey One who plots the downfall of Sacoridia.
What I thought: Love this book. Seriously. This novel made me realize that epic fantasy stories could have a sense of humor to them and be more than Tolkien ripoffs. (Or rather, what I imagine Tolkien ripoffs to be, having never been able to make it through any of the man's books.) I really love how developed the culture and history of Sacordia are, and all the detail we get isn't explained in boring info-dumps but in natural places in the narrative that add flavor to the story. The characters are great, too. Timas Mirwell is a very interesting antagonist; he might be a bad guy, but his chapters make you respect his way of thinking and his cunning. Karigan herself is likeable. She's got a sense of humor and she's a pretty admirable heroine, but she's also not perfect, which just makes her more relatable. The way that romance is barely even touched on in this first book is also something that I find refreshing. I mean, I like me a good romance as much as the next girl, but this story didn't need any more than the foreshadowing it had. After all, there are three books by now and the series isn't even finished yet. Plenty of time for romance to develop slowly. As for the plot itself, it is pretty good. Green Rider can almost work as a stand-alone book, as the plot with delivering the message and stopping the Grey One is resolved mostly neatly by the end of the book. The plot of this book isn't anything hugely spectacularly innovative, but it really sets up the world and the characters for the more intricate plots of the following two books.
Overall: I'm a fan.
Review of the second book in the series, First Rider's Call, is coming up soon, but the third book was reviewed back in, I wanna say, May, for future reference, folks.
Making Money
Title: Making Money
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: Moist von Lipwig is a respected citizen of Ankh-Morpork because of how he improved the postal system there. But while the initial rush of bringing the post office back from the brink was enjoyable, he's feeling a little stuck in a rut now. Happily enough, Lord Vetinari has a new job for Moist. He gets to take over the city's mint and bank. For Moist, it's like being a conman in a candy store. ... Er, wait, bad metaphor. But as a conman, Moist knows a thing or two, and he uses his knowledge of money and human nature to start getting the bank back on its feet. However, not everyone is happy with the changes Moist is making. (Of course.) The family who used to be in charge of the bank is determined to undermine Moist and take back what's theirs, and the effort is led by Cosmo Lavish, a man who admires Lord Vetinari perhaps just a little too much.
What I thought: The humor is in full force in this book. The situation is similar to Going Postal, but it has its own set of difficulties for Moist, so it's not a rehash. However, though this is an excellent book, I do sort of feel that it doesn't have the same desperate, frantic excitement of the first book, where Moist had to do well or pretty much end up dead, whereas in this one, there's not that sort of suspense.
Overall: Still a very good, solid Discworld book.
P.S. - This blog ain't dead. I've got a huge backlog of entries to do. I just caught the lazies. ^^;
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: Moist von Lipwig is a respected citizen of Ankh-Morpork because of how he improved the postal system there. But while the initial rush of bringing the post office back from the brink was enjoyable, he's feeling a little stuck in a rut now. Happily enough, Lord Vetinari has a new job for Moist. He gets to take over the city's mint and bank. For Moist, it's like being a conman in a candy store. ... Er, wait, bad metaphor. But as a conman, Moist knows a thing or two, and he uses his knowledge of money and human nature to start getting the bank back on its feet. However, not everyone is happy with the changes Moist is making. (Of course.) The family who used to be in charge of the bank is determined to undermine Moist and take back what's theirs, and the effort is led by Cosmo Lavish, a man who admires Lord Vetinari perhaps just a little too much.
What I thought: The humor is in full force in this book. The situation is similar to Going Postal, but it has its own set of difficulties for Moist, so it's not a rehash. However, though this is an excellent book, I do sort of feel that it doesn't have the same desperate, frantic excitement of the first book, where Moist had to do well or pretty much end up dead, whereas in this one, there's not that sort of suspense.
Overall: Still a very good, solid Discworld book.
P.S. - This blog ain't dead. I've got a huge backlog of entries to do. I just caught the lazies. ^^;
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Going Postal
Title: Going Postal
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: Moist von Lipwig is a conman whose luck has run out, or so it seems. He's encountered a benevolent angel (though angels usually don't come in the form of Assassins Guild-trained tyrants) who has offered him a second chance at life. If Moist accepts the offer, he gets the job of Postmaster for the Ankh-Morpork Post Office and the task of reforming the postal system of the city. Figuring it to be better than death, Moist takes the offer. He doesn't realize he'll have to deal with a golem parole officer, a pin-obsessed apprentice postman, a chain-smoking golem advocate, and an even smoother operator than himself who holds the reins of the clacks system and thus is an enemy of the revived post office.
What I thought: What a great book. It incorporates all the developments that have occurred in Ankh-Morpork, like the clacks and the Ankh-Morpork Times and the expanded City Watch and freed golems. We also get a look at the city from a new point of view; Vimes and crew in the Watch books see things from a copper's point of view, but Moist has his own shrewd way of seeing the world, and this is good for laughs and for the insights into human character that Pratchett is so good at delivering. I liked the looks into the culture of the clacks towers and their operators and the comparisions to computer programmers.
Overall: A great new entry into the Discworld series.
Author: Terry Pratchett
What it's about: Moist von Lipwig is a conman whose luck has run out, or so it seems. He's encountered a benevolent angel (though angels usually don't come in the form of Assassins Guild-trained tyrants) who has offered him a second chance at life. If Moist accepts the offer, he gets the job of Postmaster for the Ankh-Morpork Post Office and the task of reforming the postal system of the city. Figuring it to be better than death, Moist takes the offer. He doesn't realize he'll have to deal with a golem parole officer, a pin-obsessed apprentice postman, a chain-smoking golem advocate, and an even smoother operator than himself who holds the reins of the clacks system and thus is an enemy of the revived post office.
What I thought: What a great book. It incorporates all the developments that have occurred in Ankh-Morpork, like the clacks and the Ankh-Morpork Times and the expanded City Watch and freed golems. We also get a look at the city from a new point of view; Vimes and crew in the Watch books see things from a copper's point of view, but Moist has his own shrewd way of seeing the world, and this is good for laughs and for the insights into human character that Pratchett is so good at delivering. I liked the looks into the culture of the clacks towers and their operators and the comparisions to computer programmers.
Overall: A great new entry into the Discworld series.
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