Dungeon Samurai Volume 2: Kami no Kishi Review

Dungeon Samurai Volume 2: Kami no Kishi

By Kit Sun Cheah

If you have read my review of volume one of this saga found here, then you will know that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The second volume starts six months after the first. Our heroes have now gotten somewhat used to their situation, and things are starting to become a little routine for them in some ways. However, it wouldn't be much of a story if things just became run-of-the-mill, and Kit Sun does not disappoint.

Not only do the antagonists start to learn and adapt tactics, much like our heroes, but newer tougher enemies pop-up too. The stakes increase, even as our heroes gain an extra edge or two against the forces of the dungeon.

The way that Kit Sun actually shows the humans constantly adapting their tactics and equipment to newer threats and situations is refreshing compared to some stories that I have read where things remain somewhat stagnant. Not only that, but he also continues to show the 'behind-the-scenes' parts of military endeavours such as the miners, the farmers, the blacksmiths, etc, that fuel the war-machine, as it were, without getting bogged down in minutiae. Every little glimpse of this background detail is woven in to the story seamlessly, and you barely notice it happen without looking for it. Our heroes also constantly adapt too, growing as individuals, and as a group.

If the story had remained like the original entry, I would have been fine with it, but Kit Sun manages to not only take the original entry's strengths and maintain them, he manages to amp things up without them being overwhelming.

Overall, this is a great sequel to the original entry, and manages to not only match it's predecessor, but surpass it in every way. Definitely worth reading!

Triple Review

Today we have three different books to review, so let's get started.

Combat Frame XSEED: Coalition Year 40

By Brian Niemeier

I previously reviewed the first part in this series here. To recap, the first book was brilliant, and set the series off to a great start. Therefore the sequel had a high bar to surpass, which I am happy to say it managed.

The book takes place after the events of the first, and things have only gotten more complicated for the folks fighting for freedom. Once again, we have an interesting cast, political intrigue on a grand scale, and of course, big mecha battles that makes anime shows in the same vein look like amateur hour.

Suffice it to say that I fully enjoyed the sequel as much as I enjoyed the original.

If you read the first in this series, you will definitely enjoy this entry, and if you haven't checked out the original entry, then there's no time like the present to rectify that.

Dungeon Samurai Volume 1: Kamikaze

By Kit Sun Cheah

For more on how this series was created, drop by the author's website where he goes in to detail about the story behind the story.

I haven't read any isekai fiction before, as far as I can recall anyway, and what I have seen said of the usual fare turned me off from the genre in general. However, this is not your average isekai story as can be seen by the rules Kit Sun set for himself when he decided to write this.

When I read Dungeon Samurai, I could not help but notice how much it reminded me of the Wizardry series of games. As I am a big fan of those kinds of games, this book already hit the right notes for me. Throw in the detailed way that the characters of the story handle the dungeon in question, among other details, and this story was a winner for me.

A fantastic read, and as usual, I was left wanting more. So if you like isekai, or just feeling adventurous, get this book.

Superluminary: The Lords of Creation

By John C. Wright

I have read just about everything by John, and I am always surprised at how crazy some of the stories he tells can get without losing you. This book is no exception. The first in a three part series, Superluminary is once again one such crazy science fiction story, and should be read with its other two parts in one sitting for the best effect.

If characters being assassinated twice (successfully) and still being around to talk about it, space vampires (you read that right), or interstellar warfare involving Dyson-spheres outfitted for war (yes, war Dyson-spheres) don't intrigue you, you should get your pulse checked. You might be a space zombie. Yes, they too, are a thing.

Hollow City (Song of Karma Book 1) (Heroes Unleashed) Review

Hollow City (Song of Karma Book 1)

By Kai Wai Cheah

Next up after Morgon Newquist's Heroes Fall: Serenity City (which I reviewed here) was Kai Wai Cheah's entry, Hollow City. After the first book in the Heroes Unleashed series was released the bar was set high for future offerings, so was this lofty goal reached?

That would be a resounding 'yes'.

Hollow City is set in the same universe as the first, but in a different city. This time we follow the life of Prime, Adam Song, a police officer whose life is turned upside down after he takes out the son of a powerful cartel boss. A hit is then called in on Adam, the higher-ups in the police force play politics, and things proceed to get out of hand from there.

Much like the first Heroes Unleashed novel, the world feels real without being bland. Although we see super-powered individuals on both sides of the law, it remains grounded in reality without losing the more 'magical' aspects. The attention to detail was also fantastic with guns, and all the attachments Adam has customized them with, shown to great effect.

Adam Song is a great character, with an interesting background. His sense of justice, and background in the military combine to make a character that, while restrained by his morals, could just as easily remove every target he chose if he so wished. The way that he wrangles with the dilemma this creates I found great, and when he finally decides to handle the situation he is handed, it was really satisfying. In fact it was so satisfying that when the book finished, I was itching for more.

The book was a real page-turner, and much like the first Heroes Unleashed novel, I blazed through it and loved every moment. Now I can't wait for the next installment.

If you like superhero fiction, or action-packed thrill-rides, this is the book for you. Get it now. You won't regret it.

Star Knight Saga, Book One: Reavers of the Void Review

Star Knight Saga, Book One: Reavers of the Void
By Bradford C. Walker

Some time last year, a few folks were discussing the decline in the quality of mech-focused sci-fi from Japan, and the disappointment that was most of western sci-fi. From these discussions sprung the #AGundamn4Us movement, led by authors Brian Niemeier, Bradford Walker, and Rawle Nyanzi. Each author set to work on their own answer to this gap in the market, hoping to remedy the lack of quality that had been seen so far.

Personally, I was not that big of a fan of Mecha sci-fi, I don't generally watch anime, and the sci-fi I read does not exactly focus on big stompy robots. But as I have enjoyed the work of the authors mentioned previously, I was interested to see what they came up with.

Both Brian and Bradford crowdfunded their entries on Indiegogo, and I have backed both of them.

As far as I know, Rawle Nyanzi's foray launches later this year. However, Brian Niemeier's fantastic Combat Frame XSEED has already launched successfully and was an excellent start which I thoroughly enjoyed. So, does Bradford's attempt succeed?

In a word? Yes.

Reading the first entry in Star Knight Saga, I couldn't help but feel both the anime and western influences that obviously inspired Bradford's work. The cast is colourful, with valiant heroes, graceful ladies, scheming nobles, and so on. But don't let that fool you. There is intrigue, and high stakes, plenty of action-packed battles and thrilling fights, and the characters are varied and interesting.

There wasn't a moment that passed where I felt that the story dragged, and in fact, the pace steamed along so much so that I was saddened when I reached the end, and realised that I now have to wait for the next entry.

If you are in the market for sci-fi, with a slice of mecha-combat, and a good helping of intrigue and action then you may just want to check out Star Knight Saga: Reavers of the Void. I certainly enjoyed it, and I think you might too.

First Draft Complete! (And some thoughts on my writing journey so far)

Yesterday I finally managed to complete the first draft of the book I've been working on, and I wanted to make some notes of how I got here, before I decide to pretend it didn't happen.

The book in question is something I actually wrote over 9 to 10 years or so ago, handwritten in notebooks, during university, and later unemployment. Unfortunately, I went through a long period of despairing over everything, decided it was trash (the usual writer's angst nonsense), and put it aside. I then spent the next several (read: too many) years wallowing in depression.

Stop me if you've heard this story before.

About a year ago, I reached the breaking point, as some do during depression, and decided I was sick of it. I sought to get better, and put the effort in to overcome depression and anxiety. I actually went on a course for the anxiety issue, and due to it, I managed to overcome the anxiety that had plagued me for years.

I've seen many of the self-improvement type folks that I follow on Twitter over the years mention that when you decide to improve, after that initial issue that you choose to fix is dealt with, you notice various other problems that afflict you. I was no different in this regard. Some fall here as it can be a bit overwhelming to realize how many issues you have built up over the years, but luckily I persevered. Mostly for myself, but also in a way, for my parents, and my brother and sister. I mean, who wants a miserable sod for a relative, right?

Fast forward a year, and now I'm working on my health by getting in shape to be better able to deal with the Arthritis that I suffer from. I've a long way to go on that regard, but small steps and all that.

So what has all this nonsense to do with completing my first draft, you might ask?

Simple. In January, I decided that I wanted to finally get around to becoming a published author finally (something I've wanted to do since I was a child), and that to get there I needed to actually write something. This had the bonus of improving my discipline, and to form a positive habit. It's been a rocky start, as it has taken a span of three months to write what was technically a months worth of work, but I think I have the hang of it now. Hopefully, from now on, I should be writing or editing something of mine each day (barring unforeseen circumstances).

Now that I have finished the first draft of the book, and I can begin editing the thing, it feels like the progress I sought is finally starting to show, and I have to admit, it's a bit of a thrill.

Here's hoping it doesn't take as long to edit it to a state I'm somewhat satisfied with!

-----

For future reference, and just in case I lose my Twitter, I have included the log I kept of the number of words I wrote, and on what day:

Day 1 = 1897 = Jan 8
Day 2 = 1986 = Jan 9
Day 3 = 3028 = Jan 10
Day 4 = 1870 = Jan 11
Day 5 = 2148 = Jan 14
Day 6 = 1038 = Jan 15
Day 7 = 3004 = Jan 16
Day 8 = 1569 = Jan 18
Day 9 = 2991 = Jan 21
Day 10 = 1362 = Jan 22
Day 11 = 2176 = Jan 26
Day 12 = 3566 = Feb 4
Day 13 = 1899 = Feb 11
Day 14 = 1683 = Feb 14
Day 15 = 1389 = Feb 27
Day 16 = 2361 = Mar 5
Day 17 = 3305 = Mar 8
Day 18 = 4382 = Mar 11
Day 19 = 4411 = Mar 13
Day 20 = 5245 = Mar 16
Day 21 = 4726 = Mar 17
Day 22 = 4451 = Mar 18
Day 23 = 4687 = Mar 19
Day 24 = 6199 = Mar 22
Day 25 = 3708 = Mar 23
Day 26 = 5962 = Mar 24 (1st draft complete)

Other stats:

Overall words (During writing spree): 81,043
Overall words (Includes some editing that I forgot to keep a note of): 82,270
Overall characters: 455,058
Overall pages: 140
Overall Chapters: 40
Coffee drunk: Just enough
Tea Drunk: Not enough

All subject to change after editing is complete.

Maxwell Cain: Burrito Avenger Review

Maxwell Cain: Burrito Avenger
By Adam Lane Smith

I remember when I first saw the original idea for Burrito Avenger being discussed (or Burrito John Wick as it was code-named back then) and I thought the idea was hilarious, insane, but most importantly, brilliant. Usually when someone bandies an idea like this around, they laugh, but ultimately move on to more 'serious business'. I thought it would, at most, be a short story, and that would be it. But Adam, bless his soul, was all for this idea, and ran with it. And run with it he did, because half-measures are not in Adam's dictionary apparently, as we can clearly see being demonstrated during the course of this book's journey from concept to finished product.

I was excited when he announced his intention to set up a Kickstarter to help fund this madcap idea, and I happily threw money at the screen immediately. The book was basically described as John Wick meets Demolition Man and Die Hard. A winning formula if ever there was one.

The story follows Maxwell Cain, a city cop, dedicated to Justice, unfairly fired by the corrupt system for doing his job just a tad too well. While trying to enjoy a burrito, he is interrupted, his meal spoiled, and soon chaos ensues.

It quickly escalates from there, and never lets up. It was an action-packed thrill-ride from start to finish. I was knackered by the end, and I was just reading it! I'd hate to know how Maxwell Cain felt considering all that happens to him. His one-liners and no-nonsense approach was fantastic, and more than once I found myself laughing at things he utters, or smiling with nostalgia at little nods to inspirations for this book.

Maxwell Cain quickly became one of my favourite characters, but the story wouldn't be what it was without other great characters. Love interest Kate Valentine, a baker, with a keen aim, was a refreshing change from the usual action heroines. She simultaneously manages to be a bad-ass without being bitchy, kicking ass alongside our intrepid hero, while retaining her feminine charm. This all adds up to a personality that you can't help but like; a far cry from the usual vapid, or angry female characters action blockbusters feel the need to force on us. The dynamic between the two was great as well, with great interactions, and some hilarious moments.

Hunter and Nick, Maxwell's colleagues in the force, were great too. Although they didn't get as much time in the spotlight, they didn't feel like throwaway characters either. The camaraderie between the friends was evident, even from the little time they were present.

Finally, what would an action story be without it's villains? The main bad guy is a mafia boss, who is as sleazy as he is criminal, but the real standout villain was Johnny Legion. Cool and professional, he is a great rival to Maxwell Cain, contrasting perfectly with the main character's more fiery personality.

In conclusion, this book is a roller-coaster ride of gunfights, burritos, car chases, burritos, explosions, and burritos. Did I mention burritos? Get this book, you won't regret it!

I right fancy a burrito right about now. This is your fault Adam!

Heroes Fall: Serenity City Book 1 (Heroes Unleashed) Review

Heroes Fall: Serenity City Book 1
By Morgon Newquist

I will be honest, I'm not usually the biggest of superhero fiction fanatics. I like the occasional Batman film, The Shadow is my favourite superhero of them all but he's been ruined in recent years, and all the rest of the malarkey going off in the superhero comics/film/etc industry? Miss me with that nonsense. So you can understand my usual lack of interest in the genre.

Vox Day re-ignited my interest in comic superheroes with the Alt-Hero comics, but beyond that, there has been only one or two superhero-focused products that I was mildly interested in, such as Flying Sparks and so on.

Then Silver Empire's Russell and Morgon Newquist launched their Kickstarter for their Heroes Unleashed project. Featuring Kai Wai Cheah, Jon Mollison, J. D. Cowan, Richard Watts, and the initial book by Morgon Newquist, I decided I'd give the series a chance to make up for the lack of superhero goodness. That it was novels rather than comics, which were what every man and his dog were crowdfunding at the time, pleasantly surprised me. I'm much happier with books than comics, so that alleviated some initial indecisiveness on my willingness to jump in. So I backed the project with the thought that even if I didn't personally enjoy the finished product, at least it would help out some good folks in some small way. I would have been able to make a better dent in my 'to-be-read' list, so that would have been a bonus in that outcome.

Instead Morgon delivered a top-notch book. Curses.

I just finished reading this book yesterday, and it was good. Really good. I was beyond pleasantly surprised, I was hyped for more. No simple Marvel/DC knock-off, this was an original universe, with a unique cast of characters, and a frankly better approach to superhero morality than anything the current crop of superhero universes provide. Heroes that were in it for themselves, for fame, for fortune, or the simple wish to do good, there was a nice mix. There was kind of less focus on the villains, but to be honest, there was plenty of villainy done, and adding more villains in would have crowded the scene somewhat.

I'd like to make special mention of the main villain who was a nice change of pace too. The usual approach with villains these days is a split between "I'm insane" and "I like being evil." The main villain in Serenity City is so good at his job he doesn't even make a true physical appearance until nearer the end the book. Morgon does a great job of painting the picture of this almost omnipresent evil master puppeteer. His reasons for what he does, why he does it, and how he goes about it are great as well.

The main plot is riveting, just so you know, keeping you turning pages, with that 'I'll just see what happens next' feeling that is all too common in good books. So you'll probably not want to start reading late at night if you have somewhere to be in the morning in a coherent state.

All in all, this was a great book, that I fully enjoyed, and I would heartily recommend it to anybody who enjoys superhero fiction, or good stories in general. Now I can't wait to see what is in store in the future for the Heroes Unleashed project.

Four Interesting Books To Check Out

I thought today that I would talk about some books that I'm interested in. Maybe you'll be interested too. These were all crowdfunded, and I backed each of them, so I was already on-board the hype-train, but they far-outstretched what I hoped for, and the first one isn't even out yet!

Maxwell Cain: Burrito Avenger

By Adam Lane Smith

If the title alone doesn't get you, then why even live? Joking aside, if you're a fan of stuff like John Wick or just about any great 80's action film then check this book out. It'll be released on 30th March, so you've plenty of time to be ready for the greatness to come.

Infernal Affairs (Saint Tommy, NYPD Book 3)

By Declan Finn

What happens when you takes a cop in NYC and send demons after him? What happens if that cop has powers like a Saint? Well, then you get this awesome series. The first book features a serial killer possessed by a demon, and the second book features a Death Cult. Just an ordinary day in New York, I'm sure. This is the third in the series. Get the first two as well, you won't regret it. This will probably be the next book I read after I finish the current book I'm reading (more on that in a moment), and I can't wait to see what's in store for poor Tommy.

Heroes Fall: A Heroes Unleashed Novel (Serenity City Book 1)

By Morgon Newquist

This is one for fans of all things superhero. This is the first book in a project featuring great authors Jon Mollison, Kai Wai Cheah, J.D. Cowan, and Richard W. Watts. I haven't finished this book yet, but what I have read so far has been great, page-turning stuff. I can't wait to see what else is in store with this project. Definitely a project to keep an eye on, and you won't go wrong starting here. (Especially considering it's book one).

Combat Frame XSeed

By Brian Niemeier

I loved the Soul Cycle series, so when Brian announced that he was working on this, I was excited. And you should be too! This book is great. Big Mech battles, political intrigue, and military conflict. Fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat action from cover to cover. Pick it up, and you won't be disappointed!

Well, that's all for now. I'll probably just spotlight one book at a time in the future, but these needed to be mentioned. Check out the books, follow the authors. They are great folks that write great fiction. At the risk of repeating myself too often, you won't regret it.

Albedo: Eyes From Outer Space Review

I'm a fan of Sci-fi, and a lover of Pulp, so when a game claims it's got both, I'm willing to give it a shot.

I downloaded Albedo: Eyes From Outer Space (which henceforth will be Albedo: E.F.O.S.) because I got it for free ages ago, then promptly left it on my hard-drive gathering dust. In fact, I had forgotten I had it until last week when I was looking for something new to play. Something light, nothing too taxing, no 100-hour long RPGs this time.

Albedo: E.F.O.S. seemed to fit the bill.

I took a quick look at the screenshots to remind myself what the game was and was mildly intrigued. "Looks like an old-school style adventure game" I thought to myself. "This'll do nicely." I believed.

I was wrong.

I couldn't tell if the game was trying to be humorous and failing, or serious and failing. A secret research facility with strange creatures running amok could make for an interesting horror scenario, but on the other hand, it could easily be the set-up for a satirical jaunt, poking fun at all the sci-fi of the '60s and onwards.

The creatures are monocular, tentacled monsters like the aliens from The Simpsons. So, I initially thought it was supposed to be a satire. Later, I ran in to a floating fish that served no purpose as far as I can tell, which further suggested this. But there was no joking, no comments poking fun, barring hidden nods to Star Trek and Ghostbusters, which seemed more for nods to these particular series than for any satirical purposes. So, I assumed it was a semi-serious sci-fi horror. I say assume, because the game barely tells any story. The character speaks, but mainly to lightly direct the player.

The story, what little there was, was so uninteresting, I couldn't force myself to finish the game. Normally, I can't leave a game unfinished (or book for that matter), but in this case, I couldn't force myself to care.

Moving on from the story, the graphics are probably ok, with a very '60s aesthetic to the monsters (and the flying saucers), but the game looked like someone had smeared a thin layer of Vaseline over the camera lens, making it impossible to determine for certain whether the graphics were barely passable or bad. Perhaps that was the reason they did that, who can say these days.

The controls were simply bad. Interacting being finicky, an inventory that took forever to cycle through as you accumulated more items, making fighting a creature and cycling through the inventory deadly, and interaction points on items being tiny or oddly placed in some instances.

The audio was poor, with the voice of the main character sounding like he was talking into a tin can. The music was forgettable, so much so, that I can't even recall if there even was any music.

All in all, this was a game that had the ingredients for what could have been a great little horror adventure, or a satire taking a humorous poke at sci-fi from the '60s, which were all sadly squandered.

I'm glad I got it for free, otherwise I would have felt shortchanged, no matter the price.

Onimusha: Warlords Remaster Review

As someone who was a big fan of the Onimusha when it initially released, and was sad to see it fall by the wayside, as many games of yesteryear did, it was a nice surprise to hear that Onimusha was getting a remaster.

Of course, every man and his dog are releasing remasters. Hell, even games that no-one really asked for remasters of got the shiny treatment. I'm looking at you CoD4. Well, at least I know I didn't ask for it. Which is what matters, obviously.

C'est la vie.

Back to Onimusha.

At first, I was sceptical. It had been so long, would it still hold up to the nostalgia shades that are sometimes welded to my head? The price was decent, at about 16 quid, so I thought "why the hell not?"

First things first; yes it does still hold up. In fact, it only reinforced my belief that modern gaming has lost something. The magic, if you will. But that's a blog for another time.

Now, I did no extra research, beyond a cursory glance, so I know hardly anything about the technical side of things. It certainly must have been cleaned up a touch, upscaling, that sort of thing as the game looks smooth, and crisp. The game controls the same, with the fixed camera angles, and tank-like controls of other greats such as Resident Evil, and the like. The music was redone, and I have no idea if it is improved, but as the original composer was a conman (he pretended to be deaf, if I recall correctly), it was to be expected. It sounds good, regardless.

In my opinion, the game seems fine. I definitely had a blast replaying through the game. In fact, I hope this spurs Capcom to do the same for the rest of the series, and maybe even revive the series proper.

Now, a friend of mine mentioned that this is based on the version that released on the PS2 versus the Xbox version, which had extra content, and that is unfortunate, to be sure. I'm not sure of the reasoning for this, and I assume it was an oversight on Capcom's part, or intentional if they release the extra content as DLC which would sour my opinion.

All in all, the game was a refreshing blast from the past, and I definitely felt it was worth the price of admission. Your mileage may vary, of course, depending on various factors, but if you liked the series, and would like to take a stroll down memory lane, then you can do worse than Onimusha: Warlords.

The Beginning of Things

I have decided to start a blog, as you can clearly see. It will contain thoughts and musings, reviews and rants, and links to other, more clever, bloggers.

I will generally blog after I have finished writing for the day, so as to remember any thoughts I have while writing that I may want to jot down. I will hopefully have completed the book by the end of June, with editing to take place after that. Perhaps I'll finally have published something by the year's end, which would be nice. A man can dream. This is more of a note to myself so I can see later on how close to the mark I was. As I said, it'd be nice to have completed something for a change.

This is a short post, but as it is an introductory post, I wanted to keep it to a minimum.

You can find me on Twitter, where I will post a link whenever I post a blog.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Xayveir