book club

Yolocraft, Fortnite, and More | Rapid Reviews (Spoilers)

JoeRover Rapid Reviews, Reviews , , , , , , , ,

The following are my opinion and do not reflect the opinion of any organization or person. May contain spoilers!

Yolocraft Season 8 (Blitzwinger & Unlimited Magic, YouTube): With another death the eighth season of Yolocraft comes to a close. *sob* It was an interesting one with unexplained deaths and disappearing horses. It was also odd to actually know more about the new Minecraft features than they did; usually it was them telling me. But, as always, the team of Blitzwinger and Unlimited Magic provided video after video of entertainment. There was humor and there was suspense. Each time they went into the Nether was nerve wrecking. And there were episodes I wished they would have edited; for instance, watching them ride their horses for about 30 minutes while they looked for the Pillager Outpost. Probably the best part of the series was the thousands of chickens they had.

Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 1 (Epic Games, PlayStation 4, Xbox, and more): Before you get too excited, I know that season 1 isn’t over–I also know that apparently it’s been extended to February–this is just a little recap/mid-review. The first chapter of Fortnite I didn’t play much. It was mostly the crossover events. First, I couldn’t afford any skins. Second, I’m bad at shooter games. Third, I felt like I didn’t get anywhere. It seemed like I never leveled up or progressed and on top of that I couldn’t make it passed the nineties. So, I am enjoying the new leveling system where it tells you in big letters, “Hey! You leveled up!” I also like how you can see your progress in the Battle Pass section. I don’t know how much of the menus they fixed, but it seems easier to find things like missions. I really enjoy the extra XP time during the weekends. When I first saw how far I’d have to go to get any of the Battle Pass skins, I thought, “That’s never going to happen,” then one day I was at level 60. I don’t know if they reworked their matchups but I seemed to actually survive for longer periods and actually get eliminations. Before, it was just me running away and dying…a lot. I’m also looking forward to this villain team/EGO thing they are hinting at.

Photographing the Dead by Dean Koontz (Nameless series, #2): I have to agree with some of the reviews I’ve seen that the second book wasn’t as good as the first, but that doesn’t make it bad. I still found it to be thrilling and hard to put it down. I liked how Koontz kept shifting to the two women hiking. You knew that they were going to meet the killer at some point, but would they survive? I kind of felt like I was always racing towards some unavoidable fate. Koontz’s villain was creepy as always; he really knows how to make a truly evil antagonist. You feel no pity for the man. I enjoy how Koontz tells the reader that sometimes the person is just evil–that they do something just because they can or they think they are better than everyone else. In the first book, I didn’t feel that there was much danger for Nameless–I kind of felt the same in this one–but I was worried for the hikers. Now that I think about it, maybe that’s the point: feel for the victims. After Nameless sees those “ghosts” at the end, I began to wonder if Nameless isn’t so “nice.” Maybe he murdered someone and we shouldn’t feel sympathy or worry about him.

Do you have any shows, books, movies, etc you’d like to see a review on? Tell me in the comments.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

Join in the adventure as Joe and company deal with everything from waking up in the morning to stopping an alien invasion in the Christmas themed eBook Gift of the Minion. Releases Dec. 3. Preorder for $0.99, regular price $2.99.

Pokemon, Nameless, and Mandalorian | Rapid Reviews (Spoilers)

JoeRover Rapid Reviews, Reviews , , , , , , , , ,

The following are my opinion and do not reflect the opinion of any organization or person. May contain spoilers!

Pokemon Sword/Shield (Game Freak, Nintendo Switch): From the little bit that I’ve seen of the games, through YouTubers like Stampy Cat and GhostRobo, it looks like the other versions of Pokemon. It seems to keep the same mechanic of battle and catch Pokemon. I do like that they added sneaking. It’s nice to see that there is a way to lower your wild Pokemon encounters than by using repel after repel. I haven’t seen a gym challenge yet, but I do like the idea; and from what I’ve gathered it sounds like the gyms have some kind of mission that you need to complete first. I also enjoyed that the player’s rival, Hop, seems to have more of a part than just “smell ya later.” He actually hangs out with the player for a little bit. They (the developers, players–I’m not sure where the tale began) said that the opening/tutorial was shorter, but it looked to be just as long too me. Finally, I have to say Yamper is cute. I think it might be my second favorite Pokemon; I still like Growlithe more–though they get bonus points for the “amp” Poke-pun.

In the Heart of the Fire by Dean Koontz (Nameless series): Pretty much everything you’d want from the first book in a series. You get introduced to the main character; you get a feel for the world; and you understand the character’s goals. The story has lots of suspense and action. The writing grabs you and you can imagine yourself in the world. Also since the character has no name, you can put yourself into the shoes of the character a little bit easier. I do have a problem with how OP Nameless is. He has this nearly all-powerful organization helping him. They can hack into anything, and they can plan for any problem. Nameless himself seems very capable. I didn’t feel worried that Nameless could be hurt. He can be injured, and he can be surprised; but it just seems like everything falls into place thanks to the planning of the organization. I’m glad the books are short; I can finish one in a short period of time and move on to something else. The shortness also adds to the sense of a deadline; it keeps the book moving forward. Finally, I liked that the whole series was released at once so I can “binge read” them. I think with the stories being so short, if Koontz released them one at time, I might have not been interested. FYI, you can get a discount on the entire collection on Amazon (not sponsored, not an affiliated link).

The Mandalorian (Chapter 3: The Sin, Disney+): I really enjoyed how well the production team showed more of the Mandalorian’s character, and the lives of the surviving Mandalorians, without telling. Within only a few seconds of a scene, you could tell who was the leader, what the Mandalorian culture is, and the personality of the main Mandalorian. The episode also did a great job with their battle scenes. Both the ranged/gunfight and the hand-to-hand stealth fight were done well; I enjoyed how they balanced it out–it wasn’t all fist fights or all blaster battles. The crew seems to be able to jump between the two well. I also enjoyed the hints at possible other plots or conflicts, such as one villain stating that the metal is easy to come by but not a crafter. I wondered if the villain knew that the Mandalorians were in hiding; I half expected the metal to be bugged. When young Mandalorian was about to be killed by a droid in his flashback, I hopped that Original Yoda would have shown up to rescue him, showing why he might care for the baby Yoda. Finally, I enjoyed how they make the Mandalorian tough but kind. He isn’t gruff and likable like Wolverine. You can tell Mandalorian had it rough and he’s been affected by it, but you can see his kindness and how he wants to protect his people. He wants to honor their culture, i.e. he is the culture and history of Mandalore–which is probably why he hasn’t been given a name yet.

Do you have any shows, books, movies, etc you’d like to see a review on? Tell me in the comments.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

Join in the adventure as Joe and company deal with everything from waking up in the morning to stopping an alien invasion in the Christmas themed eBook Gift of the Minion. Releases Dec. 3. Preorder for $0.99, regular price $2.99.

Let’s Read #5

JoeRover Let's Read, Superman: Dawnbreaker , , , , , , , , ,

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña–Chapters 17-31. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

This last section was hard to put down. The action picked up as did the suspense. At the end of each chapter, I wanted to read more.

In this section, Clark finally asks his parents about what’s in the old barn (like any fan of Superman didn’t know). But, we do get a nice look at Clark’s reaction; we get about two or three chapters dealing with how he feels about his origins. He does think about it for the rest of the novel, but it was during these few chapters that it is really spotlighted.

We also get to see Clark’s reaction to his suit and find out how Martha was able to make it.

But, the most important part is we finally find out who’s been taking the townspeople and what they want with them. We also learn why Wesco is so interested in the craters–green meteor rocks of course, but we learn why they care about them so much.

We find out if Bryan is a friend or foe and discover the real reason Lex was in Smallville.

Finally, we see Clark get his Superman name.

These last chapters were a whirlwind of action and emotion as everything finally fell into place. I enjoyed this new telling of Clark’s youth and origin. I felt like it didn’t drastically change things, just added or filled in some holes. I felt like this story could be standalone or have pieces that carry over into other stories.

Even though I could guess at most of what was going to happen–there wasn’t really a shocking plot twist–I still found the book enjoyable and reminded me why I like the Superman stories so much. I enjoyed the investigation bits. I enjoyed the action. I enjoyed the descriptions of Clark using his powers and how it felt to him–something that you don’t hear or see much of. I would recommend this book to any Superman fan or fan of any superhero. 4.8/5

What are your thoughts on the ending? What did you think would happen once Bryan learned about Clark’s powers? Was this a good Superman story or should it be forgotten?

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

 

Let’s Read #4

JoeRover Let's Read, Superman: Dawnbreaker , , , , , , , ,

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña–Chapters 8-16. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

In these chapters the suspense and action really take over.

When Lana and Clark sneak onto some property, they get chased. It was interesting reading this part because I knew Clark wouldn’t get hurt, but I still felt the fear and worry. It shows how good of a writer Peña is.

Peña also does a great job of making you feel Clark’s panic attacks. During these chapters, he discovers new powers or discovers how strong they are. Each time he panics, you get a picture of how he feels different and isolated from everyone.

Finally, I could feel the increase in tension as the date of the voting nears. There are more protests and more violence. You really get this feeling of a semi-calm before a storm. It feels like it won’t be long before there is mass chaos.

So, what do you think? How do you think Clark will stop the violence? Will the people vote for or against the stop-and-search law that is targeting minorities? How do you think the vote outcome with affect Clark’s viewpoint of his hometown? How will this affect his journey on becoming Superman? Tell me your theories in the comments.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

Let’s Read #3

JoeRover Let's Read, Superman: Dawnbreaker , , , , , , , , ,

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña–Chapters 8-12. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

I’ve really been enjoying how Peña balances the action with slower moments. For instance, there is the part where Clark stops some thieves then he has a brief emotional moment with his father then he’s relaxing at a party with friends. There are very few, if any, boring moments. The moments that would normally be boring are also interesting because you see more of the mystery or more of Clark’s character.

Speaking of mystery, I enjoy how the investigation part of the mystery feels like a real investigation story. For a moment, it seemed almost like I had stopped reading a fantasy/superhero story and started reading a mystery/crime novel.

I did have to sigh and roll my eyes when Clark’s super-hearing gave out just as someone was going to say something important. But, I did like how it showed that he didn’t have full control over his powers and that they could give out on him–it added some suspense.

It was also nice to see the plot of the missing people start to take the spotlight. So far, it has just been hinted at or treated as a B Plot. I like how there seems to be a connection between someone buying up farmland and the missing persons, but it still makes you wonder if they really aren’t connected–maybe there are two villains in town.

So, what do you think? Why do you think people are missing? Why does it seem to be only immigrants? Is it all connected to Clark and that he’s an alien or is that just to throw us off and the real reason is a twist? My working theory is that someone knows an alien landed in Smallville so they are rounding up any strangers to try and find the alien. Tell me your theories in the comments.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

Consider following and turning on notifications so you know when the next update is available. 

Let’s Read #2

JoeRover Let's Read, Superman: Dawnbreaker , , , , , , , , , ,

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña–Chapters 5-7. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

Not much to say about these chapters that wouldn’t be a lot of spoilers, but I did enjoy the Smallville TV show reference where a certain billionaire almost runs Clark over with his car.

I do enjoy how hints of the plot are sprinkled throughout. You don’t feel like you’re being hit over the head. You get little clues like how Lana, the girl who knows just about everything that happens in Smallville, doesn’t know about the missing persons. That tells you that whoever is behind it has some power/money.

Also when Clark meets up with Gloria, the one who told him about the missing people, she acts as if she doesn’t remember telling him. There isn’t a moment where he straight up asks her and she says, “What are you talking about?” but she does seem confused or she wants to change the subject. Did someone get to her? Threaten her? Pay her off? Does the villain have some kind of mind-erasing power or serum?

About the only problem I have with the book, at this point, is that it is kind of slow moving. It seems like it is taking a long time for Clark to get moving. He seems concerned about the missing persons but also doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it. At times it is almost like he goes, “Oh yeah! That’s right! There are people disappearing. I should look into that.”

I think it is great that the main villain might not be a Luthor. I just hope that Bryan doesn’t pull a Lex and turn out to be the bad guy. They’ve always done it where Lex and Clark were friends and then Lex turns evil; I hope they don’t do the same with Bryan, so far he seems like a good friend to Clark.

So, what do you think? Who’s behind the missing persons? What do you think is happening to the missing people? Why is Bryan’s brother so interested in the Kent Farm? Tell me your theories in the comments.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

Consider following and turning on notifications so you know when the next update is available. 

Let’s Read #1

JoeRover Let's Read, Superman: Dawnbreaker , , , , , ,

Superman: Dawnbreaker by Matt de la Peña–Chapters 1-4. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum.

The story starts with a everyday kind of vibe with Clark meeting up with classmates in the rain. I could feel and hear the rain thanks to the description, and I like how the story starts out with just a normal day. You don’t think anything weird is happening. Even when something eventually happens, it seems easy to dismiss.

I enjoy how the story shows the thoughts of Clark. He doesn’t want to use his powers because every time he does someone gets injured. I like the portrayal of this conflict within him. He doesn’t want to use his powers; but when there’s trouble, it describes him using his powers almost like this force that takes him over. I also like how his powers are described: almost like lightning that shoots through him or a powerful force. There’s even this point where it almost sounds like it is this force that breaks a shovel and not physical strength.

Within the first four chapters you can see Clark’s struggle with his powers and hints towards the book’s plot. The story doesn’t start off slow but doesn’t throw you right into the action. It is kind of like the beginning of a roller coaster.

What are your thoughts on the book (no spoilers please)? Let’s talk in the comments section.

Consider following and turning on notifications so you know when the next update is available. 

Thanks for reading!