The Quatermass Perpetual Book-Reading Blog

[Quatermass]

BOOK 80

Red vs Blue: The Ultimate Fan Guide, by Eddy Rivas and Burnie Burns.

Red vs Blue is one of those strange phenomena, where a fan-created series becomes both wildly popular and officially recognised. A comedic machinima series based on the FPS franchise Halo, it has become one of the most popular internet-based series of all time, and helped found the Rooster Teeth production company. I had gotten into the series recently, and now, I decided to try reading a guidebook to the series…

Red vs Blue: The Ultimate Fan Guide is a guide to the comedy series Red vs Blue. With a history of the events in the series, profiles of the characters, and analysis of the show’s events and locations. In addition, insight is given into the making of the series.

Okay. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Books like these are frequently triumphs of style over substance, and while this one manages to lean a little more towards the substance end of the scale than usual, it’s not quite as jam-packed as I had hoped it would be. I certainly expected more humour and more information, and it could have done without the making-of segment, or else a larger one.

That being said, what is there is still quite funny and informative. We have insights into the deranged psyches of characters like Sarge and Caboose, as well as further looks into the events surrounding the series. And the making-of section, while I wish it was more substantial, does manage to do quite a bit, with even some insights from the late Monty Oum.

Overall, for what it is, Red vs Blue: The Ultimate Fan Guide was enjoyable enough. I wanted more, true, but this still hit the spot…


****


FIRST WORDS: To: The Director of Project Freelancer, Dr Leonard Church.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to profanity. No, really.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 81

Street Fighter Classic Volume 1: Hadoken by Ken Siu-Chong et al.

You’d think that with a fighting game, there wouldn’t be much story to adapt into a comic series. And yet, Udon Comics did so, creating a long-running and acclaimed comic series based on Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise. Until now, I haven’t tried it…but that would change…

Two years ago, Ryu defeats Sagat in the Street Fighter tournament, bringing unwanted attention on himself. Now, Ryu finds himself embarking on a journey when his master Gouken is murdered, a journey that will see him recruiting fellow student Ken Masters to find out who killed Gouken. Meanwhile, Interpol agents Guile and Chun-Li join forces against a common foe who has robbed them of friend and family: Shadaloo, and its leader, the brutal M Bison. And the Shadaloo agent Killer Bee will have an encounter that will give her a new life away from Shadaloo…even as forces conspire to draw the reborn Cammy back to it. Revenge, megalomania, justice and redemption, all these forces and more will conspire to draw the strongest to the next Street Fighter tournament…

This deluxe hardcover edition was probably the best way to view this series. If I have to make a complaint, it’s probably because the compilation is oddly paced, with them putting many of the mini-episodes in chronological order, but then not bothering with some. Plus, the story admittedly is not for everyone, and is hammy and over-the-top as one might expect.

And yet, I bloody well loved this. The artwork is beautiful and colourful, taking on an anime style without actually aping manga (and yes, there is a distinction). The story, while something of an excuse for action, manages to not only be better than what you’d expect from the adaptation of a fighting game, but also tie things into a coherent whole.

Overall, this first volume of Udon’s Street Fighter comics was damned good. I can’t wait for the next instalments…

*****

FIRST WORDS: Two years ago...

LAST WORDS: Now, where were we?

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 82

The Mysterious World of Doctor Strange, by Billy Wrecks, Nick Jones and Danny Graydon.

So, to kill some time, I decided to read a book about Doctor Strange, Marvel’s mystic superhero. He’s certainly one of the more popular ones, enough to warrant a film with him portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch. But would this book do well for me?

The Mysterious World of Doctor Strange is a look at the mystical adventures of the eponymous mage. From his beginnings as an arrogant surgeon, to becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, this book shows off his adventures. It also shows the people he helped, the enemies he made, and the strange places he’s been to…

Okay, you’re probably sick and tired of me saying this, but I have to. Assuming anyone’s even reading these. This book, like so many others, is a triumph of style over substance, and what’s more, doesn’t have nearly as much substance as I would like. It’s rather lacking, and I thought it would be more interesting, even though my actual interest in Doctor Strange is not as great as some other Marvel heroes.

There was still much to be said for what is here, though. I did learn some interesting things. And the book itself is quite well-presented. We see a lot of the vivid imagery used frequently throughout the Doctor Strange comics. But I have to say that I wanted more.

While interesting and intriguing, this book was below par for me, disappointingly…

***

FIRST WORDS: The story of Doctor Strange is, at its heart, a story of redemption.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 83

Street Fighter Classic Volume 2: Cannon Spike by Ken Siu-Chong et al.

Having enjoyed the original compilation of the Street Fighter comics, I was soon to get stuck into the second. But how would it turn out? Well, let’s find out…

While Ryu journeys to the US with Sakura to attend Ken Masters’ wedding, a wedding that will be gatecrashed by Shadaloo’s enforcers, Chun-Li comes face to face with Cammy, the woman she blames for her father’s death. But soon, Chun-Li, realising that her opponent had been Bison’s brainwashed puppet, strikes an accord with Cammy. Meanwhile, Bison himself is revived using the vile technology Shadaloo perfected, the Psycho Drive. And soon, Ryu goes off on a journey of his own to get stronger, while Chun-Li and Cammy search out traces of Shadaloo’s vilest deeds. But can Bison be stopped? Can Akuma, the murderer of Ryu’s master Gouken? Or will evil prevail, from without or within?

I’m not sure I can really find anything to criticise this instalment of the series. Okay, the story isn’t exactly something to write home about, but really, Udon does a great job of stitching together the disparate story elements of a bloody fighting game series, and bringing it together into a coherent whole. It’s an enjoyable romp.

What’s more, the artwork is pretty damned beautiful. It’s also better paced than the first volume, and more exciting too. It certainly has more revelations than the previous volumes, and leaves off just at the end of one particular story arc, with promise for the future.

Udon’s adaptation of Street Fighter continues to astonish me, and in a good way. I just hope this continues…

*****

FIRST WORDS: Six months ago...


LAST WORDS: …And mine alone.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 84

Overlord volume 1: The Undead King, by Kugane Maruyama.

Being trapped in a fantasy video game is a somewhat common storyline in fiction, particularly Japanese fiction. The Dot Hack and Sword Art Online franchises are particular cases in point. But the concept of Overlord (not to be confused with the video game franchise, even if it shares a few similar themes) caught my eye. But how would that go?

In the early 22nd century, Yggdrasil, the most popular ‘Dive MMORPG’, an online game where you can experience it through a neural interface, is coming to an end. Momonga is the last member of the Ainz Ooal Gown guild to be around, taking the form of an undead lich in the game, and he decides, on a perverse whim, to stay online while the servers are shut down. But when the servers are meant to be shut down…Momonga ends up staying in the game. Only, it’s not a game anymore. He is now a lich himself, in a new fantasy world, and the Ainz Ooal Gown HQ, the Great Tomb of Nazarick, is now part of that world. Oh, and all the NPCs are now alive and have personalities of their own. Momonga now has an entire world to explore…but what will he do with it?

The plot, while interesting, is actually quite thin. True, it’s obviously setting things up for later books in the series, but still, most of the plot revolves around Momonga trying to figure out what’s going on, and what to do with his new power. The rest of the plot could have been a touch more involved, or at least the story extended a tad, and many of the characters warranted further expansion. The concept isn’t wholly novel, either, as mentioned above.

That being said, it’s a pretty damn good yarn, with Momonga’s awkwardness played for both comedy and drama in the right ways. The characters, while yet to be fleshed out, are interesting for the most part, especially Momonga himself, along with Albedo. And the events of this novel, as mentioned earlier, do seem to be setting things up for later books in the series.

Overall, the first volume of Overlord was enjoyable. In fact, I hope to read more of the series before long…


****


FIRST WORDS: Before one girl and another even younger one stood a figure in full plate armour brandishing a sword.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 85

Doctor Who: The Drosten’s Curse, by AL Kennedy.

In recent years, there haven’t been as many Doctor Who novels set during the classic series, the recent adaptations of Douglas Adams’ stories notwithstanding. But AL Kennedy, adapting her own novella The Death Pit, has done so with a story for the Fourth Doctor. But would it be a good story?

Arbroath, Scotland. Not the site one would think for unusual goings-on, but people are being eaten by a bunker at the Fetch Brothers’ Golf Spa Hotel. The Junior Receptionist of the hotel Bryony Mailer is losing her mind, and fighting it every step of the way. The owner of the hotel, Mrs Fetch, has two unusual grandchildren who aren’t human, but then again, neither is Ian Patterson. And the Doctor, who has just arrived, is finding himself losing his memories. As the humans of Arbroath are affected by a mysterious force, sharing memories and getting increasingly aggressive, the Doctor, Bryony and Patterson must find out who, or what, is causing it. But who or what are Honor and Xavier Fetch? What link do they have to the mysterious and dangerous Bah-Sokhar, an entity all but forgotten by the cosmos? And what link does it have to the Drosten Stone?

I’ll be perfectly honest, I actually found it hard to follow exactly what the hell was going on. In fact, I think the subplot about the Drosten Stone and its link to the Bah-Sokhar could have been integrated better, instead sticking out like the proverbial sore thumb. And there seems like there’s a lot of plot threads introduced that aren’t resolved as tidily as I’d like. It certainly also seems more like the style of later times during the Fourth Doctor’s era.

That being said, the prose is charming and very Douglas Adams-like. The story concept and its resolution, while a bit messy, is nonetheless quite interesting. It certainly engrossed me until the end, and frankly, I think that what it needed was better polish and foreshadowing.

Overall, this story was a good one, if apparently somewhat disjointed. A fine addition for Whovian libraries…


****


FIRST WORDS: Paul Harris was dying.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 86

Street Fighter Classic Volume 3: Psycho Crusher by Ken Siu-Chong et al.


So, the time has finally come for me to read the last volume of the Street Fighter Classic hardbacks. But would I enjoy it as much as before? Let’s find out…

The Street Fighter Tournament, hosted by M Bison, tyrannical leader of Shadaloo, is coming. He intends to use the tournament to find the strongest fighters in the world to become his minions…and extra bodies. He has re-brainwashed Cammy into becoming Killer Bee again. And all that stands between him and world domination are a group of martial artists. Ryu still struggles with demons both without and within, including the sinister Akuma. Chun-Li and Guile are looking for justice against Bison, as is T Hawk. Other fighters fight to test their skills. And at stake, the fate of the world…

Okay, after the last volume, the story quality did dip down somewhat. I think this is partly because it’s a compilation of less chapters than previous volumes. Which is something of a shame. And the art style seems different, and not as good as it was previously.

That being said, the series is still very well-illustrated with enjoyable action scenes. And the story is pretty good for being adapted from a fighting game. And I have to admit, the story is brought to a satisfying conclusion in the end.

Overall, while not as good as its prior instalments, the Street Fighter comic reached, at least in this storyline, a satisfying conclusion.

****

FIRST WORDS: Hong Kong.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 87

Overlord volume 2: The Dark Warrior, by Kugane Maruyama.

Having read and enjoyed the first volume of the Overlord novels, I decided to come back to them, and see how the story developed. How would that go? Well, let’s find out…

Momonga, now taking on the name of Ainz Ooal Gown, is consolidating his position in the strange new world he and the former MMORPG dungeon the Tomb of Nazarick has been transplanted into. Deciding to make a name for himself, as well as to find out more information about this new world, he takes on the guise of a wandering adventurer, accompanied by Narberal, one of his monstrous underlings. Joining the Adventurers known as the Swords of Darkness has its own little trials and travails, especially given Naberal’s contempt for humans. But even as they embark on a journey with the Swords, a dark plot emerges from the shadows…one which Ainz must stop at all costs…

The story is still a relatively slender one, seemingly setting up elements for later parts of the story, and ending, frustratingly, on a cliffhanger. In addition, a number of the characters are somewhat forgettable, and given their eventual fate, it seems like the Swords of Darkness were criminally underutilised. Hell, I have to wonder at the point of the whole ‘Wise King of the Forest’ saga.

But the story is pretty interesting all the same. The climactic fights are certainly one of the better ones I’ve read in stories like this, and the psychotic character Clementine is both interesting, and yet odious enough that her eventual demise is both fitting and well-deserved. And some elements worked together very well, making it an enjoyable read all the same.

I was entertained by the second volume of Overlord. I just hope the trend continues with the next instalment…


****


FIRST WORDS: The office of the highest ruler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick was a luxurious one.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 88

Empowered volume 1 by Adam Warren.

So, I thought I’d give Adam Warren’s superhero comedy series Empowered a go. This series about an endearingly insecure superheroine and her misadventures seemed right up my ally. But am I right?

Meet Empowered. She has severe body image issues, not helped by her ridiculously figure-hugging costume, and if it so much as gets a small tear, her powers go away. Not helping matters is the fact that she’s seen as a joke by other superheroes, and she often gets captured and tied up. But her life begins to turn around when two of her former captors, former minion Thugboy and the hard-drinking mercenary Ninjette, become her best friends…

Sadly, the comic is pretty puerile, mostly being an excuse, at least in the beginning, to show Empowered in states of bondage, which isn’t my thing, really. There’s a considerable focus on sex, and not always in an interesting way, and the artwork, done in pencils, isn’t always my style. Not to mention the fact that many of the so-called superheroes aren’t at all likeable.

That being said, when the story finally gets going, it’s actually kind of sweet. Empowered is, for all her insecurities, eminently likeable and a moral character, and you just want to give her a hug, and Thugboy, despite his past career, is also likeable, as is Ninjette. And the story does have an interesting look at superheroes and their motives for heroism, with Empowered showing herself to be a better hero than she thinks herself to be.

Overall, Empowered’s first volume, while considerably lacking in story and having too much titillation, makes up for it in character and heart.

***

FIRST WORDS: Uh…hello there!

LAST WORDS: Bye!

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 89

Overlord volume 3: The Bloody Valkyrie, by Kugane Maruyama.


So, I move onto the third volume of Overlord. But how would I enjoy it? Well, let’s find out…

During a mission to find skilled warriors for Ainz Ooal Gown, the vampire Shalltear Bloodfallen succumbs to her bloodlust…and ends up being attacked by unknown forces. Upon learning that she has been brainwashed, Ainz must prepare to either free her from being mind-controlled…or kill her. But given that Shalltear is one of the most powerful monsters his guild created, can Ainz figure out a way to defeat what may very well be undefeatable?

The story is still somewhat thin on the ground, I have to say. The author continues laying down foreshadowing for later volumes, but doesn’t pack much into the current one. And much of the volume is spent with preparing to fight Shalltear rather than on more interesting stuff.

That being said, there’s plenty to commend it. There’s some interesting, if gruesome, scenes in the beginning involving Shalltear and Solution. Not only that, but there’s an amusing interlude involving Ainz’s creation, Pandora’s Actor, while the climactic fight is probably the best done for the novels so far, if only because Ainz has to actually work to achieve his victory, as compared to the relatively anti-climactic fights in the first two novels.

Overall, this volume was a marked improvement over the first two. I can’t wait to read more…


****½


FIRST WORDS: Ainz Ooal Gown does not know defeat.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 90

Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls volume 1, by Okayado.


Monster Musume was one of those series I had been meaning to try for some time. Despite the fanservice and the heavy emphasis on monster girl fetishes, I thought it had potential. But was I right?

In a world where anthropomorphic monsters or ‘liminals’ have recently emerged and started integrating into society, Kurusu Kimihito has found himself conscripted by lazy bureaucrat Ms Smith into housing an interspecies cultural exchange student. Only, said student is a very amorous lamia called Miia, and her advances could get Kimihito into trouble, as sexual relations between student and host are forbidden. If that weren’t bad enough, through various misadventures, Kimihito gains two other guests, the scatterbrained harpy Papi, and the noble centaur Centorea, making his life even more complicated than it has to be…

Okay, let’s face it. While sexy monster girls aren’t necessarily a bad thing, this manga frankly overdoes the sex comedy elements. Some of the more disturbing elements come from focussing on the petite Papi, and much of the humour isn’t at all funny and clichéd when it is. It says a lot about a series like this when it’s worse than Highschool DxD.

About the slightest consolation in the matter is the author does seem to want to look at the consequences of integrating liminals into society. That, and Kimihito and Centorea, at least when the comedy is not going on, are decent enough characters. But overall, this was appalling.

Reading Monster Musume was, frankly, a mistake, one I wish I hadn’t made…

*½

FIRST WORDS: !

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 91

Goblin Slayer volume 1 by Kumo Kagyu.

So, I’m about to try yet another fantasy light novel. But how would Goblin Slayer do? Well, let’s find out…

In a world where the gods play games with the lives of mortals, one man stands out. Not because he is the greatest of heroes. Indeed, he’s somewhat ordinary. Goblin Slayer only slays goblins. It’s a thankless task that pays a pittance, and yet, he does it, because few others, other than amateur adventurers, will. Saving the life of a Priestess when her own party’s mission to kill goblins goes sour, he finds himself unwittingly with a comrade. Can this solitary adventurer find any camaraderie with not only the Priestess, but with others?

The plot of this book is, frankly, pretty thin on the ground, and many of the characters are fairly flat. What’s more, there’s some pretty squicky details that seem a bit too much at times. In truth, it’s just incident after incident without any real plot. This isn’t a book for people who want an intricate plot, never mind one that isn’t filled with clichés.

That being said, the fact that this book explores some pretty interesting concepts within a fantasy world, such as the consequences of goblin-slaying being poor-paying work. What’s more, Goblin Slayer, for all his monolithic and often dark nature, is quite interesting, as are a few of the other characters, with some of the story given over Priestess’ maturation as an adventurer. We even see that, for all his faults and the disdain some adventurers hold for him, the common people and guild staff actually appreciate Goblin Slayer.

Overall, this book was fine enough, but too thin on plot for me to want to continue with the series. Terry Pratchett this ain’t.

***


FIRST WORDS: Once upon a time, in the days when the stars shone far fewer in the sky than they do now...

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 92

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid volume 1, by coolkyousinnjya.

It’s odd what you can sometimes just stumble across, and I found this series quite by accident. But how well would Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid turn out? Well, let’s find out…

Miss Kobayashi is a pretty staid office worker, but she also has an interesting companion. She rescued a dragon from a dire fate, and said dragon, Tohru, has taken it into her head to become Miss Kobayashi’s live-in maid. While Tohru can shapeshift into a human form, unfortunately, she is somewhat out of touch with human culture in this world, and hilarity ensues…

Okay, let’s get this out of the way. This story has no plot whatsoever. True, so far, it doesn’t seem like it’s meant to have one, what with being a comedy series with a slice-of-life element to it, but still, that does bring it down significantly, which is a crying shame.

After all, the comedy is pretty good. And the characters are pretty endearing. If it weren’t for the very strong lack of any actual plot, I’d score it higher. Sadly, I can’t.

Overall, while enjoyable enough, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid lacks any real substance, which is a shame.


**½

FIRST WORDS: Dragons…the strongest animals in the world.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

 

[Mixa]

Wow Quatermass... I really admire your constancy! Have you thought of creating a blog with all these great book reviews?

I especially like your personal touch on writing the first and last words of each book without spoilers (I really appreciate it!).

Mx

 

[Quatermass]

No, I don't intend to make a blog. That's what posting in these forums is for.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 93

Overlord volume 4: The Lizardman Heroes, by Kugane Maruyama.

Having enjoyed the first three volumes of the Overlord light novels, I found myself anticipating what the fourth volume would bring. But given a very different emphasis in the story, would I enjoy it? Let’s find out…

A relatively peaceful group of Lizardmen settlements are unsettled by a mysterious warning, that they would be crushed by a powerful enemy. Lizardman adventurer Zaryusu travels to the other tribes to form an alliance with other leaders, like the mystical Crusch Lulu, and the boisterous Zenbel. But even as they intend to mount a desperate resistance, their foes, the undead forces commanded by Cocytus, one of the warriors of the Tomb of Nazarick, makes his own preparations. But is victory assured for Ainz Ooal Gown? Or can the Lizardmen pull off a successful victory?

After the highs of the previous volume of Overlord, this one, frankly, was disappointing. Part of it was the length of the novel, though that complaint can apply to the previous volumes as well, but part of it was the perspective flip. Much of the series’ appeal is showing Ainz/Momonga being able to overcome the obstacles in his way, as well as his development into a dark ruler, and while the perspective flip was interesting in concept, it didn’t quite work out for me. I wanted more on the denizens of Nazarick.

That being said, this was not a bad story, and the perspective flip was a brave experiment. In addition, the humour of the series was kept intact, even when dealing with the Lizardmen, with the infatuation between Zaryusu and Crusch both heartwarming and hilarious, as were a few interludes involving Shalltear and Aura. And the revelation of Ainz’s true plan for the invasion was an intriguing one.

Overall, while a noticeable dip in quality compared to previous volumes, I still enjoyed the fourth instalment of Overlord. Here’s to the next one…


***½


FIRST WORDS: “Welcome home, Lord Ainz.”

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 94

Darkstalkers the Comic: The Ultimate Edition by Ken Siu-Chong et al.

Having devoured the Udon Comics adaptation of the first couple of Street Fighter games, I found myself hungry for more. It was apt, then, that I decided to go for Udon’s adaptation of another fighting game series by Capcom: the horror-based fighting games known as Darkstalkers. But would that be a wise choice?

Millions of years ago, the brutal alien entity known as Pyron foresaw that the planet Earth would have powerful beings to satiate his never-ending hunger, and so left automatons to monitor it, and notify him when it was ready. In the modern day, Darkstalkers, creatures of the night, are becoming world news. The hedonistic heiress to the demon realm Makai, the Succubus Morrigan Aensland, ignores her father Belial’s admonishments and takes her pleasure in the human realm. In Romania, Demitri Maximoff, a powerful vampire that Belial vanquished and exiled to the human realm, is steadily regaining his strength. In Boston, an optimistic catwoman called Felicia tries to bridge the gap between human and Darkstalker for the sake of peace, a peace cynical werewolf Jon Talbain claims is impossible. And the hunter Donovan hunts the worst Darkstalkers, with a traumatised girl called Anita joining him on his quest. But with Pyron’s advent fast approaching, can anyone stand up to him?

Okay, let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. A lot of the story is, frankly, a bit thin on the ground. Part of the problem was that it’s clear this was originally meant to be an ongoing series like the Street Fighter comics, but was cancelled partway through. Much of the story is left up in the air, many of the prominent characters of the games are never used, save for in cameos, and the series ends on a massive cliffhanger that may not be resolved, unless the currently ongoing Street Fighter vs Darkstalkers series does so. Plus, the plot comes from a fighting game series, not known for their intricate plots.

That being said, the artwork is pretty gorgeous, as to be expected from Udon’s works, including some pretty spectacular fight scenes. And getting any sort of story out of a fighting game is still impressive. What’s more, the moral ambiguity of many of the characters comes through really well, like Morrigan’s amoral hedonism, or the cheerful optimism of Felicia, or the stoic determination of Donovan. It was an enjoyable romp, and I sincerely wish there had been a lot more.

While nowhere near perfect, and disappointingly brief, the Darkstalkers comic was nonetheless an enjoyable read. I just wish, as often is the case, that there was more to it…

****

FIRST WORDS: Castle Aensland.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 95

Playing with Super Power, by Sebastian Haley and Meagan Marie.

Recently, I purchased the special Nintendo SNES re-release, the one with twenty-one games on it, emulated. And on a whim, I bought a companion book, Playing with Super Power. But would I enjoy this trip down memory lane?

Playing with Super Power is a nostalgia-filled look at the SNES and its games. A number of games are put under the microscope, with trivia about development, gameplay, and speedrunning tactics for the hardcore gamers. There’s also a look at the cultural impact, including how fans of the SNES show their love for the games and the characters within them to this day…

Okay, let’s face it, this isn’t a very substantial book. In fact, it’s one of those ones that’s a triumph of style over substance, and the substance isn’t very much either. I would have much preferred a more indepth look at the various games’ development, as well as some better hints for playing the games than speedrunning tips, which are useless to a less hardcore gamer.

That being said, the book is still beautifully presented. In addition, the information that is provided is interesting most of the time. It’s certainly a nice book and decent enough to read for new information. I just wish there was more.

Playing with Super Power, while not bad, was a disappointment. I wanted more, and while fans might get something from it, they may not get all they want…

***


FIRST WORDS: The first video game console I ever owned was the Super NES.

LAST WORDS: Hope you enjoyed it!

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 96

Sekirei volume 3 and 4, by Sakurako Gokurakuin.

So, as I come back to this book-reading blog, I kick it off with the next omnibus instalment of Sekirei. But how well would it go? Well, let’s find out…

The crazed Hiroto Minaka has triggered the second phase of the Sekirei Plan, and now, any Sekirei and their Ashikabi are confined to Shinto Teito. An encounter with Karasuba, the bloodthirsty Black Sekirei, is unnerving enough for Minato Sahashi, but when he dreams of Tsukiumi, a proud and arrogant Sekirei who has vowed to kill her Ashikabi, well, things will get messier. And there is the matter of the Veiled Sekirei, who seems to be attacking Sekirei on the orders of Izumi Higa…and who may very well be closer to Minato than anyone would like…

Okay, let’s put it bluntly. As with the previous volume, this volume is ridiculously fanservice-heavy. It frankly gets to gratuitous levels way too often, and there are a few disconcerting images. And the plot, such as it is, is thin on the ground.

Of course, what plot there is is intriguing, and much of this book’s appeal is the character interaction, particularly of the heartwarming variety, and the comedy. Not only that, but I have to be impressed by Tsukiumi, a tsundere character whom, while I can’t say I love, is a tsundere that I don’t mind, and considering my opinion of tsunderes, that’s saying something. There’s also a nice interlude with Minato’s sister Yukari.

Overall, while not a stellar story, the next omnibus volume of Sekirei proved to be interesting and enjoyable enough, even while overly laden with titillation. Here’s to the next volume…



***½


FIRST WORDS: The time is ripe…!

LAST WORDS: I think that’s enough for today.

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 97

No Game No Life volume 1 by Yuu Kamiya.

So, I’ve decided to try the first volume of a series of Japanese fantasy novels. Having enjoyed Overlord, I thought I might luck out with No Game No Life. But would I?

‘Blank’, one of the world’s most legendary gamers, is actually two people, stepsiblings who have withdrawn from the world, Sora and Shiro. Sora is lazy, but a brilliant social engineer, while his younger sister Shiro is calm and methodical, despite being unsociable. But these two shut-ins get the surprise of their life when, after playing a chess game they’re invited to play online, they are invited to a world that will judge them not on their withdrawn natures, but rather, their skills as gamers. Sent to the world of Disboard, they find themselves in a world where violence is forbidden by edict of the very god that brought them there, and all conflict is settled via games. But the humans there are at a disadvantage, and only one kingdom is left, one that is about to be usurped…

Okay, this book gets marked down for a number of reasons. Leaving aside the very brief length of the novel, which doesn’t allow for much plot, there’s also a disturbing emphasis on sexual humour, more so than the norm for Japanese media. In fact, there’s also a very disturbing and not-at-all-innocent emphasis on Shiro in the book, who is eleven. If it weren’t for that, I would have enjoyed the story much more.

And to be fair, there are some things that are enjoyable. The concept of a world ruled by games used to settle disputes is fairly novel, being not unlike Yu-Gi-Oh! in many regards, and both Sora and Shiro are interesting characters, although they also can be pretty damned disturbing. Unfortunately, these weren’t enough to overcome the existing flaws.

Overall, the first volume of No Game No Life was a disappointment. Novel, true, but it also had a thin plot and rather disturbing elements that put me off enjoying it even more.


**½


FIRST WORDS: Urban legends.

LAST WORDS: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)