:-P
All jokes aside, back to the reviewin'
The Naked Sun
This novel was chosen literally at random: I have a list of ebooks that I want to read that's longer than I'd like, and I rolled a d100 with the list number-bulleted and got this. I went in with almost no expectations other than it being Asimov, and was surprised a sci-fi detective story. Unfortunately it turned out to the 2nd in the series of 4 Robot Detective novels, and although it didn't seem to make a huge difference I probably would have started with the first (Caves of Steel) had I known.
Part of the larger Foundation continuity but occurring closer in time to the I, Robot collection of short stories, we find an Earth detective venturing off the Earth (now completely sets of self-contained biospheres, the regular surface apparently unlivable) and to the colonies, of which little is known to the average Earth-dweller. He there confronts, alongside a murder investigation, the social norms and practices of the Colonists, who are in some ways quite *ahem* alien to life on Earth (which in turn is quite removed from our own).
The book is quite in Asimove's style, which is one that I like. I also like detective stories, and The Naked Sun delivered on both counts, making it fairly enjoyable. I think other Asimov works are better overall, but Naked Sun was good enough that I'd read the others in the series if I was bored and looking for something new to read.
Lost at Sea
From the graphic novelist who wrote Scott Pilgrim, a series I quite love, comes his precursor standalone novel, "Lost at Sea." It tells the story of a 18 year old Canadian girl who may or may not have lost her soul, and is on a roadtrip in California with some acquaintances.
Like Scott Pilgrim, O'Malley seems to have an ability to tap into the emotion and general sense of self of out/my generation to a degree I don't often find in other works. Overall the work just feels very genuine, and while it's kind of meandering and to some degree seemingly pointless, it is in a way that's very reflective of day-to-day life and manages to trigger a lot of feeling of similarities within me. I feel like if I had read this when I was actually 18 it would have been an instant favorite. With that said, it's apparent that this predates Scott Pilgrim, which I feel is a much stronger and better work, but you can definitely see the strands and ideas that eventually led to Scott. It's an excellent little book with a lot of potential, and an excellent addition if you have already read Scott Pilgrim and want something a little more.
The Graveyard Book
I love Neil Gaiman's work, and like Terry Pratchett he has an amazing ability to write "children's" novels that nonetheless appeal to the general audience. The Graveyard Book is no exception. It tells the tale of young "Nobody," who grows up in a graveyard after his parents are murdered, and is taken care of by the resident ghosts and other assorted mythological creatures.
Overall I don't have much to say other than it's another great Gaiman book, showcasing his excellent writing ability and once again showcasing his ability to morph classic mythology to fit perfectly in a modern context (รก la American Gods). I have nothing bad to say, and again for "children's literature" it far exceeds anything I would expect. It's probably not the best introduction to Gaiman, but if you've read other works by him definitely check it out. There's also a free reading by the author of the entire book floating around somewhere on the internet if you prefer audiobooks.
Waiting for Godot
This was just one of those literary "classics" that I so often hear reference but never actually read in school or otherwise, and since Matt had a copy lying around I figured I'd get around to it. Overall I don't have much to say. It was interesting and I think I enjoyed it more than I didn't, but it's nowhere near being one of my favorite plays and I can't quite say I understand why it's so highly regarded (not that I think it's bad). Probably better overall I read it on my own rather than for a class, which I suspect would have changed my opinion of it.
Wakfu (Season 1)
Not actually sure why I'm reviewing this since I think everyone who reads this blog has already seen it, but yes, Wakfu. Overall I think it's very enjoyable; I rarely felt like the show drags, it's very pretty, the characters are interesting, and I can forgive the Frenchness of it all. The biggest problem I have with it is that I don't feel like it has any one particular outstanding feature; it does a lot of things very well, but nothing great, and aspects of it are very trope-filled for classic fantasy adventure, which can be both a good and a bad thing. I have some problems with the season 1 -> 2 transition, as well, but I suppose that doesn't belong in the season 1 review. Overall I do enjoy it, and had I come into it in a vacuum I'd probably be pleased with it, but for whatever reason I entered the show with expected standards that didn't even come close to being met. Although I wish this wasn't quite the case, unfortunately that does end up coloring my perception quite a bit. Solidly watchable and far better than many shows I've watched, but not mind-blowing.
Fate/Stay Night
Despite going in to this show having most of the major spoilers spoiled for me, either from overhearing discussion or from watching Fate/Zero simultaneously, Fate/Stay Night proved much more enjoyable than I expected, although not without its fair share of complaints.
In the positive: great characters, excellent action, and most of all an amazing interpretation of classic mythology. The potential contained within this series is enormous.
On the downsides.... its potential does not always equate to actual greatness. The pacing is off, the animation could be better (especially compared to Zero), and plot decision are often questionable. My biggest complaint is with the transition from eroge to anime, in that the romance plot comes off weirdly in many places (for instance, random date during the climaxing episodes). If the writers had not felt compelled to follow elements of the source material so closely and show a bit of artistic license to make a more compelling show, and had a different studio done the animation, this could easily have been one of my favorite animes of all time. Romance is good, and action is good, but the blend that Fate/Stay Night produces ends up doing a disservice to both of them, and many characters that deserved a bit more screentime and/or backstory instead disappears in the meandering first half of the plot that centers of Shirou being stupid and incredibly, incredibly sexist (another big complaint I have with the series).
Overall Fate/Stay Night is a very big mixed bag. On the one hand, the underlying material is fantastic, but unfortunately its not given the proper treatment it deserves. I agree with a friend that it's definitely the number one thing, anime or otherwise, that I wish was given a full reboot by another company.
Kung Fu Panda 2
I quite enjoyed Kung Fu Panda 1, and had high hopes that its sequel would not fall prey to the usual "sequelitis." Fortunately that proved not to be the case. To cut it short, Kung Fu Panda 2 kept everything that made the first movie highly entertaining, didn't add anything stupid, and generally just improved or maintained on the quality of the original. If you liked the original, you'll like the sequel, and I have no complaints: Jack Black and other stars do an excellent job with voice acting (and once again I wish characters like Lucy Liu and Jackie Chan got more lines, but alas), the animation is top-notch, the fights fluid and pretty, and the story well-paced and interesting. Definitely recommended if you're in the mood for an action-comedy.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
I quite liked the original Downey Sherlock Holmes movie, and was especially surprised at how well it preserved the spirit of the Doyle stories while adding changes that nevertheless felt true to the original's spirit. Its sequel follows very much in the same vein: I don't feel it's either better or worse than the original, although it felt a little more faster-paced, although I feel a large part of this is due to the characters already being introduced and grounded, etc. Although it's often now being compared to the BBC "Sherlock," I honestly feel that the Hollywood version is the superior product, mostly in terms of following in the tradition of the source material but also in overall quality (since it is Hollywood). If your enjoyed the first, watch away, but if you weren't satisfied A Game of Shadows offers nothing significantly new.
Mission Impossible (4): Ghost Protocol
At its heart, Ghost Protocol is just another Mission Impossible movie, nothing less, nothing more. It's perfect in what it sets out to be: a holiday action popcorn movie, but it offers nothing deeper or innovative to the franchise, and while I enjoyed it at the time, a month later I barely remember what happened, other than a nuke being involved or something. The action scenes are well done, the acting decent, and its well-paced. It's an enjoyable two hours, but other than that I don't have much to say about Cruise's latest outing.
-HTMC
