The Quatermass Book-Reading Blog 9: On Cloud Nine...

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Again, it's time for a new Quatermass Book Reading Marathon Blog.

Regulars to this part of the forum may remember my previous book-reading marathons. This has been around since 2009, with my first such review blog (link here) clocking up 22 books over 46 days. My second (here's a link) clocked up 76 books in 179 days, my third(a link here for the connosieur) clocked up 100 books in 177 days. The fourth (click here if you dare...) clocked up 30 books in 88 days, and the fifth (abandon all hope, ye who enter this link) clocked up 72 books in 139 days. The sixth (and most disappointing, as you'll see here) clocked up only 11 books in 16 days. And the seventh managed to clock up 53 books over a period of 103 days (read all about it here). Finally, the eighth did 41 books in 99 days (plumb through its depths here).

The rules are self-imposed, and are as follows:

*The books can be fiction, non-fiction, or graphic novels. However, some non-fiction categories must be excluded, such as games guides and screenplays, unless the latter is within a book that also has other subject material (ie, a 'making of' book). Novelisations and other adaptations are allowed, regardless of whether I have watched the original program. In all cases, I must not have read it all the way through prior to this.

*In the case of graphic novels, it has to be a volume I haven't read in a series, or else a stand-alone graphic novel.

*In all cases, a book that I have started previous to this blog, if I finish it (for the first time) during this, will count. Also, just skimming a book and reading pages randomly doesn't count, actually reading it, even if speed-reading it, does.

*I must write a quick review.

*I must finish at least one book per week. It doesn't matter if I started it more than a week ago, as long as I finish it within a week of the last one finished.

*The blog and time limit will start when I finish my first book.

Keep in mind that this blog is self-imposed to help me expand my reading horizons. I choose the reading material, and I rarely, if at all, take suggestions.

The first book review will be up soon, the first volume of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga...

Book 1...

REVIEW: Yu-Gi-Oh! volume 1 by Kazuki Takahashi


I was never really into Yu-Gi-Oh!, to be perfectly honest. I watched a few episodes of the famous anime, where the fate of the world was decided with a fricking card game. But my interest was revived when I came to LittleKuriboh's Yu-Gi-Oh! The Abridged Series, and eventually, I decided to revisit, if not the anime, then the manga that spawned it. And as I discovered, if you think you know Yu-Gi-Oh!, then you had better think again...

At the beginning of the 20th century, a mysterious golden box was discovered in a tomb in Egypt, cursing all of those who found it. The box, containing a mysterious puzzle, has decades later found its way into the possession of Yugi Mutou, a timid high-schooler who prefers playing games to sports, and whose only real friend is Anzu. The delinquents Jonouchi and Honda are trying to make him into a man by taunting and teasing him, but Yugi refuses to fight. But soon, he is forced to fight in his own way, when hall monitor and big bully Ushio beats Jonouchi and Honda, and extorts money from Yugi. Shortly after being beaten, Yugi completes the Millennium Puzzle, only to be taken over by an ancient spirit, who challenges Ushio to a Shadow Game. Soon, Yugi not only as Jonouchi and Honda as new friends for defending them from Ushio, but now has a dark and deadly ally, one who will challenge bullies and evildoers to Shadow Games, with dangerous consequences...

While Yu-Gi-Oh! does have the simplicity (at this point) of a standard serial manga, with no overarching story emerging as of yet, the sheer novelty of the concept, of a protagonist winning through various bizarre (and very interesting) games with dark consequences for cheaters and losers, is impressive. I heard that Kazuki Takahashi did this deliberately, in order to make a hero who won through guile rather than through fists or weapons, and the games themselves are interesting. While there are some blips (like why Yugi defends Jonouchi and Honda from Ushio, and a few very deadly Shadow Games that possibly end in fatalities, or at least severe injury, it's never clear which), it's still quite an impressive feat for such a manga series at this stage to maintain this much interest so quickly.

Yugi and his dark counterpart are intriguing, as Yugi is perhaps one of the least likely heroes for such a manga. His dark counterpart is, at this stage, surprisingly sociopathic, and while his victims richly deserve their treatment for the most part (one of the possibly-fatal Shadow Games occurs to a murderer), it is disturbing to see Dark Yugi act basically like a toned-down version of Jigsaw. Disturbing, but interesting. The other characters are all pretty fine, with Anzu (Tea in the English version of the anime) and Sugoroku (Solomon, or Yugi's grandfather) being the standouts of the regulars. Of the villains, many of them are fairly similar (Ushio, Sozoji and Goro are basically the same school bully character with different personality aspects), but a few, like the muckraking ZTV director, the perverse psychic Kokurano, and evil b***h teacher Miss Chono, are actually quite interesting, albeit only one-shot characters. The art, while very different from later Yu-Gi-Oh! stories in many respects, still suits the series mixture of the whimsical and horrific.

I ordered this first volume of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga as an experiment, and it's an experiment that seems to have paid off. I intend to order the next six volumes of the series, and may complete it. Certainly, even those who didn't like the card games of the anime may actually like this version...


8.5/10

First words: There is a history of games.

Last words: But something changed between us three after that...


The next book will be The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia...

Book 2...

REVIEW: The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia by various authors (really! I dunno where to begin listing them!)

Undoubtedly, one of my favourite video game series is one that is a favourite to many. The Legend of Zelda series celebrated its 25th year in 2011, and in Japan, a special companion book, the Hyrule Historia, was released. It took a while, but finally, Dark Horse Books and Nintendo got around to actually translating it. Eventually, it got released, and I managed to get a copy...

Hyrule Historia is a compendium related to The Legend of Zelda series. Within is concept artwork, a manga giving further insight into the events prior to Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and even the famous timeline, the one that Nintendo was reputed to have for their Legend of Zelda games. All this is within the Hyrule Historia.

Of course, this book will probably only be of interest to fans of the series. But what a book it is! Hardbound, with presentation of a pretty high standard. Not only that, but besides concept art and even some game documentation that provides insight into the making of the original game, there is also the coveted timeline, which shows where the games fit into continuity, and, perhaps more importantly, where the timeline branches off. It's richly illustrated and filled with information. And even a manga set long before Skyward Sword that gives a bit more insight not only into Demise's war, but also the origins of Link, and Zelda.

On the other hand, there is a faint sense of disjointedness about the whole thing. I would have liked a slightly more detailed look at the making of the series, rather than a metric f***ton of concept art, much of it from Skyward Sword. It feels like it stopped short of a truly wonderful book, but this is not to say that it's crap, only that it stops short of what it could have become.

Hyrule Historia is certainly a must-have for hardcore Legend of Zelda fans. I certainly enjoyed it. It has its flaws, but overall, a good book.


9/10

First words: On the 25th Anniversary of The Legend of Zelda.

Last words: We hope you enjoy it!

Book 3...

REVIEW: Naruto volume 4: The Next Level by Masashi Kishimoto


Having started on Naruto in the previous book-reading blog, I have, while waiting on further volumes of Yu-Gi-Oh!, decided to read more of the series. It is entertaining enough in its own way if a bit thin on story. But would the fourth volume signal a change for better or for worse?

Seeing Sasuke apparently killed by Haku, Naruto's anger is unleashed, along with a portion of the demon buried within him, the Nine-Tailed Fox. He makes short work of Haku, but upon realising who the masked ninja really is, can't find himself to land the final blow. And when Haku sacrifices himself to save his vicious master Zabuza's life, their hirer, Gato, intends to turn the tables on all the ninja fighting for and against the bridge. And even if they survive the confrontation to come, Naruto and his fellow ninja have an even more terrifying ordeal to face: the exams to become journeymen ninja...

I mentioned this before in the reviews of previous volumes of Naruto, but manga of this genre are fast-food entertainment, with little nutritional value but certainly satisfying. Here, however, the story is beginning to get some depth, with backstory given to Haku that humanises the otherwise demonic Zabuza, and exploration of what it means to be a ninja. We also get some hints as to the depths of Naruto's power when he unintentionally breaks part of the seal on the demon within him, as well as Sasuke giving Sakura a badly needed confidence boost later in the volume.

In this volume, interestingly, it's the villains who get more development, specifically Haku, who was a more ambiguous villain, and Zabuza, who gets some surprisingly humanising traits. Sasuke and Naruto also get some development, with Naruto realising that his desire to gain power may one day come back to haunt him, and Sasuke showing at least a small kindness to Sakura later in the volume, as mentioned. We also have the arrival of new ninja, some from the Village Hidden in the Leaves (like the goofy Rock Lee) and others from the Village Hidden in the Sand (like the enigmatic Gaara).

Overal, Naruto's fourth volume was a mild improvement on the last three. Not great, but good enough for me to want to keep reading.


8.5/10

First words: !

Last words: Want to fight?

Book 4...

REVIEW: Doctor Who: Touched by an Angel by Jonathan Morris


It was inevitable that I read and review at least one Doctor Who book for this book-reading blog, and thanks to the BBC reissuing a number of older novels recently, you might see some like Ten Little Aliens or Earthworld make their way onto this blog. However, as my ability to get them was in doubt until recently, I chose a book from my local library to read and review. Choosing a story about the Weeping Angels is a decent enough choice, given that they are perhaps my favourite new monster of the series, but would this translate to the written page?

Mark Whitaker lost his wife back in 2003 to a road accident. Then, in 2011, he gets a mysterious package, one that has been held until now for delivery. Soon afterwards, he is attacked by the image of a statue that only moves when he's not looking at it, and despite the intervention of a strange young man known as the Doctor and his companions, he is sent back in time to 1994. There, he opens the packages, containing money and a letter apparently from himself. It claims that Mark can save his wife. The Doctor, Rory, and Amy travel back as well, hoping to prevent Mark from meddling in his own history. But a small group of Weeping Angels are also shadowing Mark and the time travellers. And the Doctor soon realises that the Angels have a plan, though what exactly it is, he may be too late to find out...

Touched by an Angel takes some very good concepts, and the structure of the story is quite well worked out. All the time travel and time tinkering works out consistently. But it feels like what was said in Macbeth, like this is a tale of sound and fury, told by an idiot, and signifying nothing. Part of the problem is the characters.

The Doctor, Rory and Amy do feel like they have come out of the TV show, but Morris' writing lacks the energy of the cast. And while we are meant to sympathise with Mark's plight, it feels not quite right to me. It felt hard to give a crap.

Overall, Touched by an Angel was not great, but it's not bad. A real pity, this.


8/10

First words: Slosh-thwack!

Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

Book 5...

REVIEW: Fullmetal Alchemist volume 1 by Hiromu Arakawa


As far as I know (which will probably show how ignorant I am about anime and manga in general), manga seems to be a very male-dominated profession. Indeed, the only female manga authors/artists that I knew of was CLAMP. So imagine my surprise when I found out that one of the most famous manga of recent years, Fullmetal Alchemist, was made by a woman! This is of course not a bad thing, as I discovered when, as part of a drive to dip my toe into notable manga series, I looked into Fullmetal Alchemist...

In a world where magic and science collide, new legends abound about the Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric. Even so, most people aren't expecting a hot-blooded teenager, accompanied by an animated suit of armour who is his brother, Alphonse. But Edward and Alphonse, in an attempt to revive their mother, transgressed the natural laws that govern alchemy, and Edward sacrificed his arm to save Alphonse's soul. Now, the two wander the world, looking for a means to get Alphonse's body back, battling rogue officers, evil priests, and terrorists along the way...

Maybe it's because its an action-adventure manga created by a woman, but Fullmetal Alchemist is impressive for an entry in the genre from the get-go. It does suffer the problems of such manga in that there's a lack of coherent storyline in the first few chapters, and it is this that primarily brings it down. That, and the characters are somewhat cliched. Even so, we have the first hints of a continuing story quite quickly, as well as the establishment of what appears to be an ongoing theme in the series: everything has a price.

Edward Elric is a fairly typical hot-blooded hero of this type, once you strip away certain things, although his younger brother Alphonse is more interesting. Unfortunately, not enough of the other characters are seen on page for long enough, though the appearance of the mysterious Lust and Gluttony, along with Roy Mustang towards the end, promises much. Here's hoping.

The first volume of Fullmetal Alchemist, while fairly good entertainment, is nonetheless above the norm for first volumes of manga of this type. It promises much for the future, and I may go ahead and read more...


8.5/10

First words: ...

Last words: Don't forget that.

Book 6...

REVIEW: Vintage Games by Bill Loguidice and Matt Barton


Okay, so I have been going on a bit of a games book binge of late. There was Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America, Game Over, and The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia. The history and production of video and computer games is quite a rich one in any case, and has much to be mined for books. So that is why I tried Vintage Games...

Vintage Games looks at 25 of the most influential games of all time, games which have influenced much of the games industry, as well as gaming culture. Favourites like The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros, and Space Invaders, along with games relatively obscure to the public today, like Zork, or Pole Position. This book examines those titles, and more, as well as looking into the history of games in general...

I have to confess that after the run of excellent games books, Vintage Games is something of a letdown. It's by no means bad, and is actually quite a good, informative book, with interesting choices, albeit justified, given that this is a book about the most influential rather than the greatest games. There is a lot of information in this book, information that will enthrall the average gamer with a smidgen of interest in gaming history.

However, part of the problem is that the book is not quite of interest to anyone without interest in gaming history. There isn't quite the right level of either depth of information nor of presentation, and some of the choices of influential games may provoke controversy. In addition, they saw fit to post multiple chapters online instead of in the book proper. I can't be sure whether that was a good choice.

Overall, Vintage Games was a good book. It may not appeal to non-gamers, but it's fine to kill some time with if you are interested.


8.5/10

First words: This book is about vintage games-or, more specifically, the vintage games that have had the most potent influences on both the videogame industry and the culture that supports it.

Last words: Perhaps one day we will find the latest interactive fiction titles alongside other best-sellers at our local bookstore-but we may also find parsers cropping up in the latest triple-A titles, where they could greatly enrich our conversations with computer-controlled characters.

Book 7...

REVIEW: Naruto volume 5: The Challengers by Masashi Kishimoto


I think, after this volume, I might give my reviews of Naruto a miss. While the series is entertaining, it's not particularly deep, and there are more interesting prospects to read. Even so, I might as well review the fifth volume of the series, as the ninja exams begin...

Sasuke has been challenged by fellow Konoha student Rock Lee to a battle, but an even greater battle awaits: the first stage of the exams required to become chunin. A series of nine ultra-difficult questions, with a tenth to be unveiled partway through. If the person gets none right, not only do they lose, but so do their team-mates. If they cheat and are caught, they lose points that could lead to the same fate. And the tenth question, the most vital of all, could make or break Naruto and his friends. Can Naruto make it through a test that could prove to be his undoing?

As said before, Naruto is nothing flashy in the way of entertainment. It satisfies, and that's about it. It's still a good volume, even if the twist at the end of the first exam is rather reminiscent of the twist of Kakashi's exam in the second volume. There's less action in this volume too, and while that's not a bad thing, it could have spiced things up.

Part of the problem is that, as part of this exams storyline, we have a bunch of characters dumped on us that we don't know enough about, and this causes the story to lag. The main trio are fine enough, with Naruto, while unable to grasp the point of part of the exam, nonetheless does a brave thing. The other characters...well, Rock Lee is grotesque, but interesting, as is Gaara and the smitten Hinata, who seems to come out of nowhere with her crush on Naruto.

This volume was fine enough. Not great, but it worked. I might leave Naruto at this volume, though. For the time being, anyway...


8/10

First words: You want to fight me...here and now?

Last words: LET'S GO!!

Book 8...

REVIEW: Doctor Who: The Blue Angel by Paul Magrs and Jeremy Hoad


After the disappointment of Touched by an Angel, I decided to try another Doctor Who book from the library, the oldest one still around. The Blue Angel was co-written by Paul Magrs, and to date, the only other work of his that I had read was Enter Wildthyme, a spin-off that features time-traveller and possible Time Lord Iris Wildthyme. That got a decent, but not great rating. So how would The Blue Angel fare?

Somewhere in reality, the Doctor is living with lodgers Fitz and Compassion, friends with Sally and her dog, and their elderly neighbour Iris. Elsewhere, the Doctor and his companions are on the spaceship Nepotist, investigating a mysterious world. Fitz and Compassion somehow end up near a shopping centre assaulted by giant owls, and some of the shoppers have been rescued by none other than Iris Wildthyme. At the heart of these events is the mysterious Daedalus, who has plans for the universe...

Okay, I'll be honest. I think that the only people who have any idea what The Blue Angel is about are the authors, and even that is doubtful. It feels less like intelligent writing where people are compelled to fill in the gaps with their own thoughts on the matter, and more like a slapdash story with only a pittance of explanation going on, and weirdness for its own sake rather than for telling a story. How this story got past editing is beyond me. There are plenty of nice moments, but overall, I find myself struggling to figure out what is going on.

The characters are given not enough development, or at least not clear enough development. The Doctor and his companions are criminally underutilised, although the ironically named Compassion is perhaps the best used. Iris is also not used to her full potential. The Nepotist crew are a tired parody of Star Trek that isn't even funny, and the main villain doesn't quite work out.

I'm sorry, Paul Magrs, but The Blue Angel has got to be the worst Doctor Who story I have ever read to date. It's just almost completely incomprehensible, with a lack of entertainment to boot.


4/10

First words: Door's stiff.

Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

Book 9...

REVIEW: The Greater Good by Sandy Mitchell (pseudonym of Alex Stewart)

My association with the Ciaphas Cain novels has been around for some time now, and I find myself enjoying the adventures of the supposedly cowardly commissar in the deadly and vicious world of Warhammer 40,000. I believe that I have read and reviewed three of the novels in the series so far: For the Emperor, Duty Calls, and The Emperor's Finest. Now, with The Greater Good, I have read a fourth...

Ciaphas Cain has gotten embroiled in a battle between the tau and the Imperium for the planet Quadravidia. However, the tau soon call a truce when they learn not only of Cain's presence, but of an approaching fleet of tyranids. Reuniting with human diplomat Donali, and tau diplomat El'hassai, sixty years since the incidents on Gravalax, Cain finds himself heading to the weapons manufacturing world of Fecundia, where the tyranid fleet may end up. The problem is, the singleminded Adeptus Mechanicus are studying something very dangerous there, something which has a link to Cain's past...

Like with the previous Ciaphas Cain books, The Greater Good stays at the middle of the road of enjoyment by my standards, being mostly a protracted series of events involving Cain going from one scrape to another. Despite the blurb on the back and the title of the book itself, there is surprisingly little involvement with the tau, particularly in the second half of the book. In addition, it's fairly obvious who the 'villain' is, and it would have been more surprising if it was the character in question. It's still pretty damn exciting, though.

Ciaphas, being the main narrator, and Amberley Vail, being a commentor, are as good as usual, although I can tell that Ciaphas seems less and less cowardly by this point in his life, his protestations notwithstanding. The other characters are interesting, but besides the recurring characters of Jurgen and El'hassai, the only other truly interesting one is the driven Adeptus Mechanicus Magos Kildhar. Otherwise, while not bad, they're not great.

Overall, I enjoyed The Greater Good. It was a cracking good yarn, with just enough meat to satisfy beyond the action, even if the ending was a little predictable.


8.5/10

First words: Editorial Note:

Last words: On which somewhat frivolous note, this extract from the Cain archive comes to a typically self-congratulatory conclusion.

Book 10...

REVIEW: Yu-Gi-Oh! volume 2: The Cards With Teeth by Kazuki Takahashi


Of all the manga series for me to enjoy, until recently, I would have put Yu-Gi-Oh! at the bottom of the list. As I mentioned before, I hadn't really gotten into the more famous anime series. However, upon learning of the darker story in the manga, I thought I would give it a go. And to my surprise, I enjoyed it. Now, with volumes 2 through to 4 ready for me to read, it's time to duel...

Yugi Mutou now has friends galore, but that doesn't stop him from getting into trouble, or his dark alter-ego punishing troublemakers and evildoers with Shadow Games, dark games that curse or harm losers and cheaters. An encounter with an unscrupulous shoe shop owner has a literal sting in the tale, and when Jonouchi rejoins his old gang, it seems like things will head into a shocking conclusion. But Yugi is about to engage in a series of battles that will define him for years to come. The first is a conflict with millionaire classmate Seto Kaiba, who is determined to do anything to get another Blue Eyes White Dragon card, even if it means stealing it from Yugi. And the second is an encounter with the mysterious, mystical Shadi, an Egyptian with frightening powers, including two Millennium Items, and a deadly mission against a pair of archaeologists, one of whom is a friend of Yugi's grandfather...

While not a particularly deep storyline, already, we are getting signs of a ongoing storyline. The last three chapters, certainly, are devoted to the first part of a story arc involving the enigmatic and morally ambiguous Shadi, while two of the other three stories are two chapters long, giving satisfying stories. It was certainly entertaining, and we have the first introduction of Duel Monsters, the card game that would eventually end up taking over much of the series, although it is yet to become truly prominent.

Of all the characters, it is Dark Yugi who is getting the most development. Although the first and third stories involve Shadow Games very much like the first volume, the second story (The Cards With Teeth, which introduces Seto Kaiba, who is rather more weaselly here than he is later on) shows him being relatively merciful to Kaiba, saying that he wants Kaiba to be a good gamer. And when he encounters Shadi for the first time, despite hearing that Shadi can take over people, he nonetheless spares Shadi's life, despite Shadi intruding on Yugi's mind. Jonouchi (Joey Wheeler to those who watched the dubbed anime) also gets development, with his past as a delinquent and having an alcoholic father introduced in a plotline about Jonouchi rejoining his old gang, albeit reluctantly. Shadi is perhaps the most interesting of the new characters, being virtually a villain, but being rather more morally ambiguous than most and with reasonable, if extreme, motives. The artwork is becoming more like the Yu-Gi-Oh! we know and recognise.

Overall, the second volume was enjoyable, and certainly an improvement over the original volume. This motivates me to read more of the series, and hope that I like where it takes me...


9/10

First words: Ummm...

Last words: ! !

Book 11...

REVIEW: Chocolate Wars: From Cadbury to Kraft: 200 Years of Sweet Success and Bitter Rivalries by Deborah Cadbury


Chocolate. Everyone knows about it, and certainly those who enjoy it are in the majority. And yet, it is a relatively recent culinary phenomenon in Europe, having only been around for the past few centuries. And when I was on the lookout for books to read at my library, this one caught my eye. I found myself intrigued, and decided to get a hold of it, hoping that it would be good...

Chocolate Wars discusses the founding and growth of a variety of chocolate companies, focusing in particular on England, and a firm called Cadbury's. At first struggling against everpresent threats of failure, this Quaker-founded company eventually grew into a phenomenon that would eventually become synonymous with chocolate. But even as Cadbury's tries to live up to its Quaker values, the dark side of success emerges.

Reading this book was something of an interesting insight into how the chocolate industry, particularly in England, turned out. More than one English chocolate company was founded by Quakers, and for the most part were shaped by their ideals. We also see how these ideals were shaped, changed, retained, or even tragically discarded as the years went by. A fascinating and engrossing read.

Even so, I feel that this history of the chocolate companies could have benefited with a touch more depth, particularly the chapters about the 20th century. In addition, I would have loved to see more on the actual history of chocolate (and specifically the cacao bean) and its discovery by Europe. And while the story feels relatively objective, I still cannot help but feel that the author may be just a tad too close to give enough of the bad side of Cadbury in history, if there was one.

Overall, though, I enjoyed Chocolate Wars. It was informative and enjoyable enough reading. And consider reading it if you can.


9/10

First words: When I was a young child, the knowledge that a branch of my family had built a chocolate factory filled me with wonder.

Last words: In the process they illuminated a different work ethic, on a more human scale, between master and man.

Book 12...

REVIEW: Yu-Gi-Oh! volume 3: Capsule Monster Chess by Kazuki Takahashi


Having followed the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga from the beginning now, I find myself getting more and more drawn into the storyline. It's an intriguingly dark story, particularly now that this volume not only continues the Shadi story, but also sets things up for the future. But does it keep standards up?

The mysterious mystic from Egypt, Shadi, is determined to test Yugi's dark half, even if that means killing his friends. He embroils Yami Yugi in a deadly trio of Shadows Games, with Anzu's life hanging in the balance, and Jonouchi chased by a brainwashed and homicidal Professor Yoshimori. But Shadi soon learns what the true power of the Millennium Puzzle is, and departs without regrets. Even so, more crises are on the way, like with a greedy student with an even greedier digital pet and young Tomoya Hanasaki's obsession with superhero Zombire about to have unexpected consequences. And even beyond that, the younger brother of Seto Kaiba, Mokuba, intends to take his revenge on Yugi in a game of Capsule Monsters...

Of the stories presented here, it is the concluding half of Shadi's story that is strongest, where he puts Yugi's darker half to the test. Indeed, we have a good explanation of why the Millennium Puzzle is so powerful: because it symbolises unity, and thus friendship, a concept that causes Shadi to lose the Shadow Game he is forcing Yugi to play. The rest of the stories are fine enough, but lack punch. The digital pet story doesn't even have Yami Yugi, and the American Hero storyline doesn't quite feel right to me. And the Capsule Monster game, I feel, could have been done with anyone, and not just Mokuba, although there is some good foreshadowing of the story arc to come, Death-T.

Dark Yugi gets the most development of the characters, as he did more or less last volume. We see him continuing to develop a conscience, or at least a less sociopathic way of dealing with his adversaries, and he is seen now perhaps at his least confident so far, as he struggles to win Shadi's games. Shadi is seen as a morally ambiguous character who accepts his defeat gracefully, even though he was willing to cause the deaths of Yugi and his friends. A minor character last seen prominently in the first volume, Tomoya Hanasaki, gets some development as well out of the blue. Mokuba seems a little too much like a generic villain, and it is actually jarring to compare him to his later, more sympathetic portrayal.

Overall, while not as good as the previous volume, the third volume of the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga is still pretty damn good. Enjoyable, and I can't wait for the big Death-T arc...


8.5/10

First words: GGGH...

Last words: We can play again later...when you've learned the rules!

Book 13...

REVIEW: Doctor Who: Sick Building by Paul Magrs

Having been vastly disappointed by the first Doctor Who novel I read by Paul Magrs, I felt some trepidation when I came around to reading the only other Paul Magrs Doctor Who book available from the library. But I decided to give it a go, as I believed that The Blue Angel was an aberration more than anything else. After all, Magrs wrote Enter Wildthyme and the Hornets' Nest audio stories, so he was worth another go...

The egotistical robot inventor Professor Ernest Tiermann has retired with his riches and his family to his very own planet, Tiermann's World, where the wintery climate and vicious beasts are kept outside their luxurious Dreamhome. But soon, a threat comes that the Dreamhome can't keep out: the Voracious Craw, a gigantic worm that eats every scrap of life on a planet, and which affects all kinds of machinery. The Doctor and Martha, while passing by, notice this, and intend to warn them, But the Doctor soon runs afoul of the paranoid and self-centred Tiermann, who imprisons him in the basement, intending to allow him, and the robots that tend the Dreamhome, to die. Can Martha stop Tiermann from leaving the Doctor to die? What is the Domovoi? And who will survive when the Dreamhome becomes a prison?

I think one of the main advantages of Sick Building is that the plot is very straightforward.
Unfortunately, it also turns out to be just a tad too simple as well. However, this, at least, is better than the convoluted, barely-explained mess that was The Blue Angel, and the ending, while pulled a little out of thin air, is nonetheless amusing and fulfilling. There is also some humour that helps balance out the more tense scenes.

The Doctor and Martha are portrayed as they are in the TV show. But of the Tiermann family, Solin is perhaps the most interesting. Unfortunately, Ernest is an almost singularly idiotic and repulsive man, and Amanda is more or less a demure ghost, although there are some interesting twists. The living appliances Barbara and Toaster (a vending machine and sunbed respectively) are better, as is the Domovoi, the main antagonist next to the monolithic Craw and the idiotic Ernest Tiermann.

Overall, while not quite up to the standard I would like Doctor Who novels to be, Sick Building was still enjoyable enough, and a far sight better than The Blue Angel. A decent enough work.

8/10

First words: She was running through the winter woods because death was at her heels.

Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers.)

Book 14...

REVIEW: Yu-Gi-Oh! volume 4: Kaiba's Revenge by Kazuki Takahashi


As I have mentioned before, the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga appears to be an undiscovered treasure, of sorts. After all, for all the second anime series (and the best known in the West) is mocked for being about a 'children's card game', the manga's story is very dark, and has more variety in the deadly games used. Now, we come to the first half of the Death-T arc, where Yugi and his friends are challenged to their utmost...

Yugi Mutou, or rather his dark half, once beat Seto Kaiba soundly at a game of Duel Monsters, and subjected him to hellish hallucinations in order to get him to change his evil and cheating ways. But instead, Kaiba, an arrogant expert games player, plotted revenge. Using the vast resources of the Kaiba Corporation, the games company he is head of, he has made a theme park called Kaiba Land. And within that theme park is a deadly set of attractions, known only as Death-T. After a run-in with a hoodlum at a video game arcade, Yugi and Jonouchi are picked up by Kaiba's younger brother, Mokuba, and brought to the Kaiba Mansion. Soon, they learn of the price they will have to pay for humiliating Kaiba: Yugi must make his way through Death-T, or his grandfather will die. But he won't be doing it alone. Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu, along with Honda's brattish infant nephew Johji, have come along to help. But even so, they will have to face mercenaries in a deadly game of laser tag, be forced to remain silent or be electrocuted during a ghost train from hell, and face off against a serial killer in a horrific mansion. Can Yugi and his friends beat Kaiba? Or will someone have to sacrifice their lives?

After a rather unimpressive first chapter, which only serves to give Jonouchi a chance to shine and set up some more background for Death-T, the new story arc begins with a bang. It starts with a version of Russian Roulette played with a Lazy Susan and poisoned dishes, and proceeds from here. Although Yugi and company have been in deadly danger before, here, it is ramped up a notch, and it is all the more thrilling and enjoyable for it. Not much plot, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Jonouchi and Honda get perhaps the greatest development here, with them giving a reason for their befriending Yugi that actually does them credit, as well as Jonouchi going to dangerously lethal lengths to retrieve Yugi's puzzle in the first chapter of this volume. Less welcome is the brattish Johji, who, while you're meant to hate him, nonetheless seems utterly irredeemable. As does Kaiba. In fact, I find it strange that the author thought that Seto Kaiba should be redeemed, as just about every act he does in this volume seems to push him further and further over the moral event horizon. But he is also an excellent villain, although most of his Death-T minions are rather less memorable, as is the arrogant and nasty martial artist in the first chapter.

Overall, this volume of Yu-Gi-Oh! was immensely enjoyable. And I can't wait until I can read the second half of the Death-T arc.


9/10

First words: Yugi, want to go to the arcade?

Last words: (Not recorded due to spoilers)

Book 15...

REVIEW: The Man in the Rubber Mask: Robert Llewellyn Tells the Inside Story of Red Dwarf Almost by Robert Llewellyn

Okay, I enjoy Red Dwarf. So it was inevitable that, if I could get a hold of Robert Llewellyn's pseudo-memoirs The Man in the Rubber Mask, I would read it some day. Unfortunately, I have no more pithy comments to make about this book and the review. So, here goes...

The Man in the Rubber Mask is the tale of how Robert Llewellyn got plucked from a stage play, Mammon, Robot Born of Woman, to play the mechanoid Kryten in the BBC science fiction comedy series Red Dwarf. Interactions with cast and crew over the making of three seasons of Red Dwarf, the trials and travails of wearing prosthetics almost all the time, plus his brush with fame in the US, all are detailed here.

It's enjoyable to read about Red Dwarf, being a fan, and there is certainly plenty of information here for other fans to lap up, like scenes that nearly went wrong or did go wrong, or the interactions between cast members and/or crew members. There is certainly a lot of funny jokes as well, with more than a few getting me to laugh out loud. There's also a running gag about Llewellyn's 'irony light' being on at inopportune times.

However, I have to confess being disappointed. This book is not really an autobiography, and indeed, feels like an extract from a more substantial work, even though Llewellyn hasn't, to my knowledge, actually written an autobiography or more substantial memoirs. It just feels like it could have been so much more meatier, and ends rather abruptly with little resolution.

The Man in the Rubber Mask was enjoyable, but less substantial than I would have liked it to be. Which is a shame, really.


8/10

First words: In the giant control room in the sky, there are banks and banks of lights on a huge, smooth, black control board, each one connected to an emotion, or a significant experience, of a human being on Earth.

Last words: It was only a temporary glitch, but while it lasted, it was very, very peaceful.