Showing posts with label Author: Jesse B.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Author: Jesse B.. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Review: Lunar: Silver Star Harmony
Lunar: Silver Star Harmony is a brand-new PSP remake of the classic Sega CD game Lunar: The Silver Star, one of the most famous JRPGs of all time. It expands upon the story of its predecessor, including the addition of a prologue chronicling the final battle of Dragonmaster Dyne. Random monster encounters have also been replaced with sprites that can be avoided (on occasion) if the party is low on health. All cutscenes have been remastered, along with the soundtrack.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Review: PSP Go
by Jesse B.
Note: More awesomeness at The T4inted Mirror.
I know it's been out for a while, and I know I've had one almost since the launch date, but the PSP Go (PSP-N1000/PSP-N1001) has become such an integral part of my gaming life that I can't resist writing a belated review. Available in both black and white, the PSP Go is the first truly portable PlayStation Portable. With its slick sliding screen and compact frame, it's hard not to feel lusty over the PSP Go. And don't forget the integrated microphone. But you didn't come here just to hear about its aesthetic value.
Note: More awesomeness at The T4inted Mirror.
I know it's been out for a while, and I know I've had one almost since the launch date, but the PSP Go (PSP-N1000/PSP-N1001) has become such an integral part of my gaming life that I can't resist writing a belated review. Available in both black and white, the PSP Go is the first truly portable PlayStation Portable. With its slick sliding screen and compact frame, it's hard not to feel lusty over the PSP Go. And don't forget the integrated microphone. But you didn't come here just to hear about its aesthetic value.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Book Review: Geektastic (Various Authors)
by Jesse B.
Swords and sorcery, lasers and lightsabers, fiction and reality: All these collide in Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, a new anthology of short stories collected and edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci. The authors syndicated within aim to thoroughly describe the follies and fantastications of the geek life.
As with all anthologies, there are low points and high points. There are two stories, specifically, which may strike the reader as dubious or simply ridiculous. (I have read previous works by none of the authors contained within the book, so I can ensure you an unbiased opinion.) In "One of Us", by Tracy Lynn, the head cheerleader at a high school pays a group of nerds to teach her about nerdy things; apparently, her boyfriend, the quarterback of the football team, is a clandestine geek, and she wants to impress him. It gets worse: By the end of the story, both cheerleader and quarterback attend a comics convention together. The implausibilities here are apparent. First of all, it should be obvious to anyone who survived high school that there's no such thing as a clandestine geek; a quarterback and cheerleader who attend a comics convention would instantly have their reputations shattered. Secondly, geeks would never associate with a cheerleader, not even for money; they hate cheerleaders and everything they stand for. Admittedly, there are some humorous moments in the story, but they are overridden by the stupidity of the underlying concept.
The second story which could be considered a low point is "The Wrath of Dawn", by Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith. In the story, a girl named Dawn feels cheated by her mother and stepfather and feels a connection with Dawn from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, considering herself her parents' unwanted child. She attends a Buffy sing-along flick with her wicked older stepsister (Cinderella, anyone?) and jumps up in front of the screen to protest the crowd's mockery of Dawn (the film character). Eventually everyone is applauding at her remarkable display of courage. The story is fine up until then, when the whole thing becomes a load of bullshit. No person in their right mind would applaud someone for blocking their view of a movie. And no person in their right mind would ever stand in front of a movie screen and shout protest to the film's content. This leads the reader to the inevitable conclusion that the entire audience, Dawn (the literary character) included, is clinically insane. Absolutely ridiculous.
Luckily, the book is redeemed by the other stories included within. While quite a few are exceptionally well-written, two shall here be addressed. In M.T. Anderson's "The King of Pelinesse", fantasy backgrounds are seamlessly interwoven with a young man's quest for truth. Jim sets out to meet an accomplished fantasy author whom his mother had had an affair with years ago and discovers things he would have rather not. Intriguing in its prosaic style, "The King of Pelinesse" is easily one of the best stories Geektastic has to offer.
Another interesting story included in the collection is written by Libba Bray and is entitled It's Just a Jump to the Left. In the tale, two teenage girls begin to experiment with sexuality. The interesting factor is that this sexual coming-of-age revolves around the girls' exposure to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The girls at first think it is merely a whimsical movie but over time learn of the movie's sexual connotations, all while experiencing their first "loves".
Overall, Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd is an excellent read. Any geek or nerd would be hard-pressed not to pick it up. The collection is to be published this month in hardcover.
Swords and sorcery, lasers and lightsabers, fiction and reality: All these collide in Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, a new anthology of short stories collected and edited by Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci. The authors syndicated within aim to thoroughly describe the follies and fantastications of the geek life.
As with all anthologies, there are low points and high points. There are two stories, specifically, which may strike the reader as dubious or simply ridiculous. (I have read previous works by none of the authors contained within the book, so I can ensure you an unbiased opinion.) In "One of Us", by Tracy Lynn, the head cheerleader at a high school pays a group of nerds to teach her about nerdy things; apparently, her boyfriend, the quarterback of the football team, is a clandestine geek, and she wants to impress him. It gets worse: By the end of the story, both cheerleader and quarterback attend a comics convention together. The implausibilities here are apparent. First of all, it should be obvious to anyone who survived high school that there's no such thing as a clandestine geek; a quarterback and cheerleader who attend a comics convention would instantly have their reputations shattered. Secondly, geeks would never associate with a cheerleader, not even for money; they hate cheerleaders and everything they stand for. Admittedly, there are some humorous moments in the story, but they are overridden by the stupidity of the underlying concept.
The second story which could be considered a low point is "The Wrath of Dawn", by Cynthia and Greg Leitich Smith. In the story, a girl named Dawn feels cheated by her mother and stepfather and feels a connection with Dawn from Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, considering herself her parents' unwanted child. She attends a Buffy sing-along flick with her wicked older stepsister (Cinderella, anyone?) and jumps up in front of the screen to protest the crowd's mockery of Dawn (the film character). Eventually everyone is applauding at her remarkable display of courage. The story is fine up until then, when the whole thing becomes a load of bullshit. No person in their right mind would applaud someone for blocking their view of a movie. And no person in their right mind would ever stand in front of a movie screen and shout protest to the film's content. This leads the reader to the inevitable conclusion that the entire audience, Dawn (the literary character) included, is clinically insane. Absolutely ridiculous.
Luckily, the book is redeemed by the other stories included within. While quite a few are exceptionally well-written, two shall here be addressed. In M.T. Anderson's "The King of Pelinesse", fantasy backgrounds are seamlessly interwoven with a young man's quest for truth. Jim sets out to meet an accomplished fantasy author whom his mother had had an affair with years ago and discovers things he would have rather not. Intriguing in its prosaic style, "The King of Pelinesse" is easily one of the best stories Geektastic has to offer.
Another interesting story included in the collection is written by Libba Bray and is entitled It's Just a Jump to the Left. In the tale, two teenage girls begin to experiment with sexuality. The interesting factor is that this sexual coming-of-age revolves around the girls' exposure to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The girls at first think it is merely a whimsical movie but over time learn of the movie's sexual connotations, all while experiencing their first "loves".
Overall, Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd is an excellent read. Any geek or nerd would be hard-pressed not to pick it up. The collection is to be published this month in hardcover.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Essay: The American Dream: Riches Greater than Money
by Jesse B.
From the time of our country's inception, there has been talk of an "American Dream"; there has been, however, extremely limited discussion regarding what this dream actually is. It is perhaps useful to reflect on classic American literature for the answer. That being said, numerous literary sources from American history support a single ideal, which one might surmise to be the all-encompassing basis for the American Dream: Happiness is to be found not in cold, hard cash but in the simple pleasures of life and the very opportunity for success and advancement. The attainment of such happiness is the very essence of the American Dream.
The Declaration of Independence –- one of America's most important symbols of its ideals. Even prior to its 1776 publication, the ideals of the American Dream were rooted in the minds of the British colonists. As Thomas Jefferson writes in The Declaration, ". . . all men are created equal." He states that men are entitled to certain "inalienable rights" and that among these are the rights to ". . . life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." These rights speak nothing of property or money; instead, they speak of freedom and equality, the cornerstone of happiness, the pursuit of which is the American Dream.
Walt Whitman was, and still is, a powerful supporter of the common man. His works focus on the simplicities of life. One example of this is his famous poem "I Hear America Singing". In this work, Whitman analyzes the working habits of the lower and middle classes by comparing their labor to song. Each worker "sings" a tune all his own, but together their form a veritable American symphony. Langston Hughes, in his poem "I Too", expands on the thoughts expressed in Whitman's poem. He does so by directly addressing the ideals of the Harlem Renaissance and the push for equality among the races. The black man, too, he argued, was no less American and no less entitled to pursuit of the American Dream. Both Whitman's and Hughes' poems support the idea of the American Dream as both simplicity and opportunity.
Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, is a staunch supporter of both cultural advancement and simplicity of lifestyle. His novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn epitomizes these ideals. The protagonist, Huck, lives a troubled life until he joins an escaped slave name Jim on a journey downriver. Huck and Jim become involved in many adventures along the way; however, Huck finds peace and true happiness only when he and Jim are alone on a raft, letting the current carry them. At first Huck feels he is committing a dreadful sin by helping Jim, but by the novel's conclusion, he realizes that Jim is as much a human being as he is. Huck questions the moral values of Southern society and heads west, hoping to find solace. Both the abolitionist ideals and love of nature presented by Clemens are characteristic of the American Dream.
The goal of finding happiness through both life's simplicities and the opportunity for success and advancement finds its way into the works of Jefferson, Whitman, Hughes and Clemens. To be sure, these are but a sampling of American authors with such a mindset. If one learns nothing else from reading their works, let it be this: Happiness doesn't come from dollar bills; it comes from the attainment of immaterial wealth, something far more valuable indeed.
From the time of our country's inception, there has been talk of an "American Dream"; there has been, however, extremely limited discussion regarding what this dream actually is. It is perhaps useful to reflect on classic American literature for the answer. That being said, numerous literary sources from American history support a single ideal, which one might surmise to be the all-encompassing basis for the American Dream: Happiness is to be found not in cold, hard cash but in the simple pleasures of life and the very opportunity for success and advancement. The attainment of such happiness is the very essence of the American Dream.
The Declaration of Independence –- one of America's most important symbols of its ideals. Even prior to its 1776 publication, the ideals of the American Dream were rooted in the minds of the British colonists. As Thomas Jefferson writes in The Declaration, ". . . all men are created equal." He states that men are entitled to certain "inalienable rights" and that among these are the rights to ". . . life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." These rights speak nothing of property or money; instead, they speak of freedom and equality, the cornerstone of happiness, the pursuit of which is the American Dream.
Walt Whitman was, and still is, a powerful supporter of the common man. His works focus on the simplicities of life. One example of this is his famous poem "I Hear America Singing". In this work, Whitman analyzes the working habits of the lower and middle classes by comparing their labor to song. Each worker "sings" a tune all his own, but together their form a veritable American symphony. Langston Hughes, in his poem "I Too", expands on the thoughts expressed in Whitman's poem. He does so by directly addressing the ideals of the Harlem Renaissance and the push for equality among the races. The black man, too, he argued, was no less American and no less entitled to pursuit of the American Dream. Both Whitman's and Hughes' poems support the idea of the American Dream as both simplicity and opportunity.
Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name, Mark Twain, is a staunch supporter of both cultural advancement and simplicity of lifestyle. His novel Adventures of Huckleberry Finn epitomizes these ideals. The protagonist, Huck, lives a troubled life until he joins an escaped slave name Jim on a journey downriver. Huck and Jim become involved in many adventures along the way; however, Huck finds peace and true happiness only when he and Jim are alone on a raft, letting the current carry them. At first Huck feels he is committing a dreadful sin by helping Jim, but by the novel's conclusion, he realizes that Jim is as much a human being as he is. Huck questions the moral values of Southern society and heads west, hoping to find solace. Both the abolitionist ideals and love of nature presented by Clemens are characteristic of the American Dream.
The goal of finding happiness through both life's simplicities and the opportunity for success and advancement finds its way into the works of Jefferson, Whitman, Hughes and Clemens. To be sure, these are but a sampling of American authors with such a mindset. If one learns nothing else from reading their works, let it be this: Happiness doesn't come from dollar bills; it comes from the attainment of immaterial wealth, something far more valuable indeed.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Music Review: World, Hold On
by Jesse B.
Wow. Just . . . Wow. That's probably about the reaction you'll have after watching "World, Hold On". (I would have posted the video itself, but embedding of this video has been disabled by the record company. Those damn tyrants! *shakes fist*) While it's quite possibly the strangest music video you'll ever see, it drives the point of the song home like a pneumatic nail gun. (And for those of you who haven't stepped out of the stone age when it comes to construction technology, yes, that's essentially mechanical hammer.) Bob Sinclar has created a true masterpiece here.
The vocals are reminiscent of Eric Clapton (in fact, one of Sinclar's aliases is Reminiscence Quartet), and the lyrical content isn't a far cry from his either. The electronic beat is something a bit different though; you certainly wouldn't find it in a Clapton song, but strangely enough, it seems to fit perfectly with this tune.
The video itself starts out simple enough but soon introduces some stop-motion animation. Eventually there's old-school cardboard cutout space ship (like they used in the original Star Trek and Star Wars) flying around. Basketballs substitute for proton torpedoes. If the weirdness doesn't bother you, you'll soon come to appreciate the music video as a whole.
Note: I originally heard the song sans video and loved it. My discovery of the video only enhanced my affection for the song.
Wow. Just . . . Wow. That's probably about the reaction you'll have after watching "World, Hold On". (I would have posted the video itself, but embedding of this video has been disabled by the record company. Those damn tyrants! *shakes fist*) While it's quite possibly the strangest music video you'll ever see, it drives the point of the song home like a pneumatic nail gun. (And for those of you who haven't stepped out of the stone age when it comes to construction technology, yes, that's essentially mechanical hammer.) Bob Sinclar has created a true masterpiece here.
The vocals are reminiscent of Eric Clapton (in fact, one of Sinclar's aliases is Reminiscence Quartet), and the lyrical content isn't a far cry from his either. The electronic beat is something a bit different though; you certainly wouldn't find it in a Clapton song, but strangely enough, it seems to fit perfectly with this tune.
The video itself starts out simple enough but soon introduces some stop-motion animation. Eventually there's old-school cardboard cutout space ship (like they used in the original Star Trek and Star Wars) flying around. Basketballs substitute for proton torpedoes. If the weirdness doesn't bother you, you'll soon come to appreciate the music video as a whole.
Note: I originally heard the song sans video and loved it. My discovery of the video only enhanced my affection for the song.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Music Review: Made of Glass
by Jesse B.
This video says so much about humanity's place in the environment. Shots of polar bears on dwindling icebergs are especially moving during this period of global warming. André Tenneberger (ATB) offsets shots of these beautiful creatures with video of (relatively) ecofriendly energy sources: nuclear, wind, solar, etc.
The music itself is suitably harmonious and the vocals are excellent. The lyrics reflect the mood set by the video but also leave room for further interpretation.
This video says so much about humanity's place in the environment. Shots of polar bears on dwindling icebergs are especially moving during this period of global warming. André Tenneberger (ATB) offsets shots of these beautiful creatures with video of (relatively) ecofriendly energy sources: nuclear, wind, solar, etc.
The music itself is suitably harmonious and the vocals are excellent. The lyrics reflect the mood set by the video but also leave room for further interpretation.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Poem: Captive
by Jesse B.
The prison within which
I am trapped is such that
the outside world would not
recognize it for the
penitentiary
that it is. The clever
façade of joy and mirth
imposed on would-be in-
mates lures all to their fi-
nal resting place -- my soul.
The tenets of my dark
religion require all
worshipers to abide
within the all-encom-
passing darkness. No es-
cape may be found from such
black torment -- hell of hells.
I bathe in the blood of
my ancestors while those
who came before me call
me back to their fold. A
horrible, violent
reckoning is coming --
crimson shall the streams flow.
The prison within which
I am trapped is such that
the outside world would not
recognize it for the
penitentiary
that it is. The clever
façade of joy and mirth
imposed on would-be in-
mates lures all to their fi-
nal resting place -- my soul.
The tenets of my dark
religion require all
worshipers to abide
within the all-encom-
passing darkness. No es-
cape may be found from such
black torment -- hell of hells.
I bathe in the blood of
my ancestors while those
who came before me call
me back to their fold. A
horrible, violent
reckoning is coming --
crimson shall the streams flow.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Comic Review: V for Vendetta (Alan Moore)
by Jesse B.
A young girl is pressed against a wall by a group of policemen who ready themselves for raping and subsequently murdering her. Suddenly, a cloaked figure wearing a smiling mask approaches, quoting Macbeth. The man releases a stream of tear gas and drops off a bomb as a souvenir. He grabs the girl and carries her to safety on the city rooftops. Together they watch as the Houses of Parliament are bombed to the ground. Fireworks follow.
So begins the stunning graphic novel V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. In a post-nuclear war England, a Neonazi group comes into power and establishes a totalitarian empire. All minority groups are sent to "relocation camps" and are systematically exterminated.
Enter "V", a revolutionary bearing a Guy Fawkes mask who devotes himself to the principles of anarchy and aims to destroy the current government and its institutions. V saves the life of Evey Hammond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and shelters her in his "Shadow Gallery". He grants the girl access to all of the cultural knowledge forbidden by national law. Evey wonders at all of this, but most of all wonders at the mystery of the man behind the mask.
A brilliant analysis of modern society and a disheartening picture of a potential future, V for Vendetta is of a surety one of the greatest graphic novels one will ever read. But if the above material did not impress this upon the reader, let it now be made plain: This novel is not for the faint of heart. Murder, rape and genocide are but a sampling of the heavy topics touched upon by Lloyd and Moore. V for Vendetta is not your standard comic book fare, as the majority of the novel focuses on philosophy, sociology and politics. If one undertakes the reading of this novel, that person should be prepared to experience both disgust and elation. One must remember, "England prevails."
A young girl is pressed against a wall by a group of policemen who ready themselves for raping and subsequently murdering her. Suddenly, a cloaked figure wearing a smiling mask approaches, quoting Macbeth. The man releases a stream of tear gas and drops off a bomb as a souvenir. He grabs the girl and carries her to safety on the city rooftops. Together they watch as the Houses of Parliament are bombed to the ground. Fireworks follow.
So begins the stunning graphic novel V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd. In a post-nuclear war England, a Neonazi group comes into power and establishes a totalitarian empire. All minority groups are sent to "relocation camps" and are systematically exterminated.
Enter "V", a revolutionary bearing a Guy Fawkes mask who devotes himself to the principles of anarchy and aims to destroy the current government and its institutions. V saves the life of Evey Hammond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, and shelters her in his "Shadow Gallery". He grants the girl access to all of the cultural knowledge forbidden by national law. Evey wonders at all of this, but most of all wonders at the mystery of the man behind the mask.
A brilliant analysis of modern society and a disheartening picture of a potential future, V for Vendetta is of a surety one of the greatest graphic novels one will ever read. But if the above material did not impress this upon the reader, let it now be made plain: This novel is not for the faint of heart. Murder, rape and genocide are but a sampling of the heavy topics touched upon by Lloyd and Moore. V for Vendetta is not your standard comic book fare, as the majority of the novel focuses on philosophy, sociology and politics. If one undertakes the reading of this novel, that person should be prepared to experience both disgust and elation. One must remember, "England prevails."
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Book Review: Next (Michael Chrichton)
by Jesse B.
In a world where cloning and gene splicing are common practices, the possible extension of such tasks into the human realm becomes an issue. This is not the world of tomorrow – it is the world of today. In Next, Michael Chrichton takes a detour from the realm of science fiction to the realm of science fact. While the stories that take place in his novel are extreme cases, they are still theoretically possible with today's technology.
The corruption of the business realm is extending more and more into the realm of science. Studies that would once have gone unquestioned are now traced in order to determine whether their results were manipulated by corporations. This corruption takes a darker tone when experimentation with gene therapy and hybridization become a distinct moneymaking opportunity. The questions of ethics and safety go largely unconsidered as companies secretly bypass FDA protocol.
A gene is synthesized which has the distinct capability to remove addictions to various substances. Nicotine, heroin and even the spending of money are possible for treatment. The market for such a gene is a rich one indeed. Besides, is it not one's duty to serve the good of the public with such a life-saving drug, even if it means bending government policy? Testing on animal subjects has seen amazing results; moving on to humans is only logical.
This is only one of many cases Chrichton analyzes in his novel. In another drift from his usual style, Next is told as a group of short stories with chapters from each one interspersed throughout. The startling conclusion brings all of these stories together. This is one psychological thriller not a soul should miss.
In a world where cloning and gene splicing are common practices, the possible extension of such tasks into the human realm becomes an issue. This is not the world of tomorrow – it is the world of today. In Next, Michael Chrichton takes a detour from the realm of science fiction to the realm of science fact. While the stories that take place in his novel are extreme cases, they are still theoretically possible with today's technology.
The corruption of the business realm is extending more and more into the realm of science. Studies that would once have gone unquestioned are now traced in order to determine whether their results were manipulated by corporations. This corruption takes a darker tone when experimentation with gene therapy and hybridization become a distinct moneymaking opportunity. The questions of ethics and safety go largely unconsidered as companies secretly bypass FDA protocol.
A gene is synthesized which has the distinct capability to remove addictions to various substances. Nicotine, heroin and even the spending of money are possible for treatment. The market for such a gene is a rich one indeed. Besides, is it not one's duty to serve the good of the public with such a life-saving drug, even if it means bending government policy? Testing on animal subjects has seen amazing results; moving on to humans is only logical.
This is only one of many cases Chrichton analyzes in his novel. In another drift from his usual style, Next is told as a group of short stories with chapters from each one interspersed throughout. The startling conclusion brings all of these stories together. This is one psychological thriller not a soul should miss.
Poem: Silence of Souless
by Jesse
I'm tired of hanging around this place
'Cause all I get
For all my troubles
Is nothing but the same
I'm searching inside
For something more
How did this life leave me so poor?
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
Without a soul I wander now
So destitute, so broken down
Maybe this life has left me broken
Only because I lacked
the strength to keep myself together
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
My shell is trapped within this dungeon
This hell
None of my plans are going well
I try to break the chain of darkness
that's holding me back from the land of sunlight
And warmth
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
There's no end to my suffering
I've fallen apart from the land of day
No mercy
I'm spiraling down into the ground
Beneath my feet
I've fallen so far I've begun to drown
And I'm drowning in pain
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
And I'm drowning in pain
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
Watch me as I drown
my hands still reaching towards the surface
All is lost
And nothing's gained
Nothing but the silence of the deep
I'm tired of hanging around this place
'Cause all I get
For all my troubles
Is nothing but the same
I'm searching inside
For something more
How did this life leave me so poor?
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
Without a soul I wander now
So destitute, so broken down
Maybe this life has left me broken
Only because I lacked
the strength to keep myself together
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
My shell is trapped within this dungeon
This hell
None of my plans are going well
I try to break the chain of darkness
that's holding me back from the land of sunlight
And warmth
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
There's no end to my suffering
I've fallen apart from the land of day
No mercy
I'm spiraling down into the ground
Beneath my feet
I've fallen so far I've begun to drown
And I'm drowning in pain
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
And I'm drowning in pain
I'm bleeding before you
I'm bleeding without you
I'm bleeding and I cannot understand
How you could forsake me
Walk off and take me
Far from this land
Watch me as I drown
my hands still reaching towards the surface
All is lost
And nothing's gained
Nothing but the silence of the deep
Monday, September 22, 2008
Book Review: The Twelve Kingdoms - Sea of Shadow (Fuyumi Ono)
by Jesse B.
Yoko Nakajima struggles with her social life in high school. Born with abnormally red hair in a Japanese society where all hair is a shade of black, her peers and tutors believe that she has dyed her hair against school policy and is associating with people she shouldn't be. To Yoko's great surprise, a young man named Keiki walks into her school one day looking for her, telling her that she is his master and that she must come with him for her own safety. Soon Yoko finds herself swept into a fantastical parallel universe. So begins the novel Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono
Separated from Keiki, Yoko finds herself hunted by the government as one of the dreaded kaikyaku, beings from another world who are thought to bring bad luck. Hiding by day and traveling by night, Yoko is forced to fight her way through hordes of demons with only the sword given her by Keiki and a gem which possesses magical healing properties. Eventually though, Yoko's luck runs out and she is only saved from death by a half-beast in the form of a giant rat named Rakushun. Something of an outcast himself, Rakushun joins Yoko and the two set out for the Kingdom of En, where people such as themselves are accepted in society.
A fast-paced novel full of magic, swordplay and demons, Sea of Shadow is the soon-to-be released first volume in the seven volume cycle The Twelve Kingdoms. Originally published in Japan, this wildly popular fantasy series is being translated into English for the first time. Fuyumi Ono spins an enchanting tale that is difficult to put down once picked up. Any fantasy-lover would be truly missing out if he refused to read this book.
Yoko Nakajima struggles with her social life in high school. Born with abnormally red hair in a Japanese society where all hair is a shade of black, her peers and tutors believe that she has dyed her hair against school policy and is associating with people she shouldn't be. To Yoko's great surprise, a young man named Keiki walks into her school one day looking for her, telling her that she is his master and that she must come with him for her own safety. Soon Yoko finds herself swept into a fantastical parallel universe. So begins the novel Sea of Shadow by Fuyumi Ono
Separated from Keiki, Yoko finds herself hunted by the government as one of the dreaded kaikyaku, beings from another world who are thought to bring bad luck. Hiding by day and traveling by night, Yoko is forced to fight her way through hordes of demons with only the sword given her by Keiki and a gem which possesses magical healing properties. Eventually though, Yoko's luck runs out and she is only saved from death by a half-beast in the form of a giant rat named Rakushun. Something of an outcast himself, Rakushun joins Yoko and the two set out for the Kingdom of En, where people such as themselves are accepted in society.
A fast-paced novel full of magic, swordplay and demons, Sea of Shadow is the soon-to-be released first volume in the seven volume cycle The Twelve Kingdoms. Originally published in Japan, this wildly popular fantasy series is being translated into English for the first time. Fuyumi Ono spins an enchanting tale that is difficult to put down once picked up. Any fantasy-lover would be truly missing out if he refused to read this book.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Book Review: Banewreaker (Jacqueline Carey)
by Jesse B.
In a world torn asunder by the very gods who shaped it, the line between good and evil is difficult to discern; such is the world, Urulat, in Jacqueline Carey's novel Banewreaker. Haomane, the first-born Shaper, has deceived the majority of the populous into believing that only one of Haomane's younger brothers, Satoris, is to blame for the Sundering. The truth of the matter is that Haomane is jealous of the gift Satoris possesses – desire.
In an attempt to obtain the gift of desire for his Children, the Ellylon, Haomane sparks a war among the Shapers' Children that spans millennia. The irony is that at the Ellylon's creation, Satoris offered his gift to Haomane's Children freely only to have it rejected by Haomane out of pride. Still it would be offered, had Haomane not in his wrath wounded Satoris in such a way that his gift could no longer be given.
Banewreaker, book one of two of The Sundering duology, chronicles a key portion of the war waged by the races of Urulat due to Haomane's deception. The key question asked by Carey in her novel is whether desire is as valuable as intelligence. A deeply philosophical text, Banewreaker forces the reader to reconsider what it means to be human.
In a world torn asunder by the very gods who shaped it, the line between good and evil is difficult to discern; such is the world, Urulat, in Jacqueline Carey's novel Banewreaker. Haomane, the first-born Shaper, has deceived the majority of the populous into believing that only one of Haomane's younger brothers, Satoris, is to blame for the Sundering. The truth of the matter is that Haomane is jealous of the gift Satoris possesses – desire.
In an attempt to obtain the gift of desire for his Children, the Ellylon, Haomane sparks a war among the Shapers' Children that spans millennia. The irony is that at the Ellylon's creation, Satoris offered his gift to Haomane's Children freely only to have it rejected by Haomane out of pride. Still it would be offered, had Haomane not in his wrath wounded Satoris in such a way that his gift could no longer be given.
Banewreaker, book one of two of The Sundering duology, chronicles a key portion of the war waged by the races of Urulat due to Haomane's deception. The key question asked by Carey in her novel is whether desire is as valuable as intelligence. A deeply philosophical text, Banewreaker forces the reader to reconsider what it means to be human.
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