A Game of Thrones
Greetings, A Song of Ice and Fire is both a successful book and television series written by George R.R. Martin. It is set in the fictional continent of Westeros which is inhabited by many dynasties, clans and mythical creatures. A Game of Thrones is the first novel in the series and is centred around several characters that interlink the many plot threads, focusing mainly on the Stark family. With so many characters, with more to come, it can be difficult to keep track of them all but none the less is an enjoyable experience.
The main plot follows Ned Stark, who becomes the Hand of the King after the death of his predecessor. Essentially, Ned governs the kingdoms in place of the usurper King Robert who is too busy living a life of debauchery to rule. Stark begins to investigate into the death of the previous Hand of King, suspecting that he had uncovered something he shouldn’t have. His suspicions rise when a failed assassination attempt tired to take the life of one of his youngest sons, Bran who had fell into a coma and become crippled as he fell from a roof when it became clear that Ned would become the next Hand of the King.
Stark’s bastard son, Jon, had been sent to join an organisation that defended the Kingdoms from the threats that lay behind an enormous wall to the north. Behind the wall lie savages and mystical creatures that are believed to be only from fables or fairytales. As winter come closer unusual activities in the region increase. Another important thread plot is that of the overthrown dynasty of the Targaryen, with only two members of the family left they attempt to regain their stolen throne, Daenerys and Viserys. Daenerys is married to a warrior named Drogo in the hopes that his clan will be able to reclaim their kingdoms taken by King Robert.
There are other characters and story lines that are important to the overall plot such as Tyrion Lannister known as the Imp, Cateyln Stark and her daughters. With over 700 pages a Game of Thrones is a long introduction to the series and has me eager for more. I have yet to see the television series but I’m sure it will be as entertaining as the book.
Plot=9/10
Characters=9/10
Wording=9/10
Overall=9/10
Quote of the day
You don't know who I am. You don't know where I am. And you'll never see me coming.
The Mandarin
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3
Greetings, in Iron Man 3 Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as Tony Stark better known as Iron man, and is set after the events of the Avengers film. I feel this film surpasses the second one for numerous reasons, one being that the villains have changed. Iron Man doesn’t fights against antagonists in equivalents of his suit, as was the case with the first two movies, rather he is conflict with a more dangerous enemy with powers that are not based on technology. I thought this was a fresh change that the series needed in order to prevent it becoming stale.
As mentioned the plot is set after the Avengers, Stark suffers from emotional turmoil as well as frequent attacks of paralysing fear realising that there are greater, unknown rivals out there since he took part in the battle for New York against Loki and his alien army. Tony finds himself seeking revenge after a terrorist known as the Mandarin is believed to have detonated a bomb that injured one of Stark’s Chief of security. In his anger, he publicly addresses the Mandarin to a fight by giving away his address. Iron man is unprepared as his house is destroyed in an assault, nearly killing him in the process.
The storyline that simmers in the background begins in 1999, when Stark snubs a fellow scientist named Killian by refusing the offer to join his enterprise. In the present day, Killian returns offering Stark industries, under the leadership of Pepper, another chance at the experimental product Extremis which regenerates its users. Once again he is refused but is later found out to be related to the terrorist attacks orchestrated by the Mandarin.
Overall, it is an enjoyable film which I think has the best plot of the trilogy with an interesting twist. As usual the acting is of good quality, uses humour effectively and it the film is nicely paced throughout. I look forward to what is in store for the future of the series as well as that of the Avengers.
Plot=9/10
Characters=8/10
Special effects=7/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
I’m just an old-fashioned cowboy.
Spike
Cowboy Bebop
Wolfenstein
Greetings, the 2009 version of Wolfenstein is a sequel to the previous game called Return to Castle Wolfenstein, and sees the return of B.J. Blazkowitz in his role as the protagonist. The game follows the previous plot loosely with a few recurring characters and references to it but mainly sticks to the new storyline. Unlike other games, the 2009 version is relatively open world with both normal as well as supernatural Nazis and resistance fighters in conflict in the streets which is filled with collectables including documents, gold and tombs of power. The gold can be used to upgrade the various weapons unlocked as the player progresses throughout the game.
The story begins with B.J foiling Nazi plans to attack London and escaping the enemy ship with a strange crystal. He returns to his employers who lead an organization dedicated to stopping the Nazi factions experimenting with the paranormal. B.J. is debriefed for his next mission, to help the Kreisau Circle push their rivals out of the city of Isenstadt and preventing the Nazis, lead by General Zetta, from searching for mystical crystals. During his adventure, Blazkowitz discovers the supernatural Thule Medallion and uses it as a weapon against his enemies.
The game is entertaining but not ground breaking. The characters are rather one dimensional and forgettable, existing only as to serve as a plot piece. The various types of enemies keep the game play fresh, with some requiring special tactics to kill them such as the heavily armoured AIs. The powers of the Thule Medallion can come in quite useful during combat and some are necessary to complete puzzles, for instance the ability to effect time or switch from one dimension to another. Overall it is quite an enjoyable experience but not a revolutionary one, having said that the upcoming sequel looks similar to this while remaining interesting.
Plot=6/10
Characters=6/10
Graphics=7/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
Have you ever fired your gun up in the air and gone "ahhrgh"?
Danny Butterman
Hot Fuzz
Mass Effect: Ascension
Greetings, Mass Effect: Ascension is the sequel to Karpyshyn’s novel Revelations and is set after the events of the original Mass Effect’s conclusion. Khalee Sanders is the only character to return from the previous book as the story introduces new characters and expands on the lore of Cerberus that was mostly ignored in the first game. It is also the first piece in the series to mention the existence of the Collectors, a species which become more prominent later on. While I believe that Revelations was the better of the two novels due to the involvement of Anderson and Saren, two important characters from the video game, Ascension is still an enjoyable experience.
T he plot revolves heavily around a young autistic girl named Gillian Grayson who has biotic powers that indicate a lot of potential for the human race. She is placed by her father, Paul Grayson, into an academy for biotic children in order for Gillian to master her abilities. In the facility Gillian is placed under the care and instruction of Sanders and chief of security Hendel. Unknown to them, Paul is actually an agent of the pro-human paramilitary organization known as Cerberus with the intentions of testing experimental drugs on his daughter to further advance the cause of his company. When Gillian starts acting unusually due to the performance enhancing drugs, Kahlee and Hendel uncover the Cerberus operation and attempt to escape from the Illusive man’s clutches.
The novel introduces characters, factions and species that will shape the major events in Mass Effect 2 and 3. The novel is interesting as it only mentioning Commander Shepard’s actions in passing attempting to focus on other aspects of the Mass Effect story such as the development to key locations such as Omega and generally adding to the lore. Overall, I really enjoyed it and if you want to delve deeper into the Mass Effect universe the books are an enjoyable way to do so.
Plot=7/10
Characters=8/10
Wording=8/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
You don't fear death. You welcome it. Your punishment must be more severe.
Bane
The Dark Knight Rises
Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Revelations
Greetings, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood and Revelations are two spin off games following the adventures of Ezio after the events of Assassin’s Creed two. While I generally have enjoyed the series so far, I am concerned at how far Ubisoft intend to stretch it out as it is already getting somewhat stale and repetitive in terms of plot as well as game play. In my opinion, only a few characters are memorable and interesting enough to make the player care about the future of the franchise. Another problem is that the assassins are becoming more technologically advanced with weapons such as bombs in Revelations and as a result it is less entertaining.
The plot of Brotherhood is rather simple in comparison to the sequel, Revelations. As Ezio with the Apple of Eden and his uncle Mario escape from Templar forces, they are tracked to their home town by Cesare Borgia. The Templers attack the small community, Mario is shot and killed by Cesare, while a wounded Ezio is forced to flee. The apple is once again falls into Templar hands during the assault. The young assassin makes his recovery in Rome, hoping to avenge his uncle and retake what was stolen from him.
Plot=7/10
Characters=7/10
Graphics=8/10
Overall=7/10
In Revelations, an older Ezio travels to Constantinople in search of the keys to open up Altair’s library in Maysaf. During his adventures he has to fight Byzantine Templars and gets caught up in a conspiracy involving a struggle for the title of sultan. A side plot also exists involving Altair, the protagonist of the first game, and his troubled life after the original Assassin’s Creed. Mini-games are also include as the player has to face an invasion of Byzantine soldiers on an Assassin complex.
New features in the games include the use of horses for transport in Brotherhood, the ability to recruit assassins to kill guards and removing Templar influence in an area by destroying their towers. Players can also invest in local businesses and purchase monuments to allow the economy to grow. In return they will receive money to buy new weapons and other items. Overall I preferred Revelations to Brotherhood but am still cautious as to how far the series will be stretched. I have heard mostly negative reviews surrounding Assassin’s Creed 3 which is set during the war for Independence between the 13 colonies, her allies and the British Empire.
Plot=8/10
Characters=7/10
Graphics=7/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
Over?! Why, my dear, delusional Dark Knight, it hasn't even begun!
The Joker
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Moonraker
Greetings, Moonraker is the third book in Ian Fleming’s famous series about the British spy, James Bond. I have read as well as reviewed the two previous books on this blog and came to the conclusion that I didn’t enjoy Casino Royale or Live and Let die as much as I hoped I would. I stated that if Moonraker failed to grab my attention I would be giving up on the series. Unfortunately it followed in the same footsteps as the other two for the reasons that it just isn’t a joyful experience or that interesting to read. In my opinion its age is starting to show and there are other more immersive novels to delve into.
The plot is reasonably straight forward and takes place shortly after the end of the Second World War. With the world in chaos due to the advancement of nuclear weapons in the hands of various countries and the return of the USSR as a rival, Britain needs to defend itself. Entrepreneur Hugo Drax constructs the Moonraker with the help of ex-Nazi scientists, a missile intended to ensure the safety of the British people in the event of an attack. 007 is sent to investigate the project and its leader after the suspicious murder of the current chief of security by a German worker. As Bond digs into the case further, he realizes that there is more to it than the initial impressions the press gives, indicating that Hugo is not as innocent as he seems.
It is a short book, not even 200 pages long, but it is rather dull. Understandably due to the time it was written in, the Germans and soviets are not portrayed in a very positive light which makes it similar to the racist and sexist undertones in Live and Let die. Overall, the characters are pretty flat and the plot is slow to move to anywhere remotely interesting. So I would suggest that you avoid the series as a whole as speaking for myself, I haven’t enjoyed a single 007 novel by Ian Fleming/ If you want to get your Bond fix I would suggest playing the video games, reading other 007 novels by different authors such as Sebastian Faulks or the films which seem to have raised their standards.
Plot=6/10
Characters=7/10
Wording=6/10
Overall=6/10
Quote of the day
Look at that, Mrs. Hudson. Quiet. Calm. Peaceful. Isn't it hateful?
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock
