review

Stone Star | Review

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Stone Star, a comiXology Originals, follows the adventures of Dail aboard the nomadic space station Stone Star. The station is similar to a traveling circus but instead of bearded ladies and cotton candy, you get gladiators and death marches.

Dail begins his tale as a scavenger and thief but soon runs into a retired gladiator who sees that Dail has a special skill. Not much is revealed at first, but it appears he can control machines and become an energy being.

Eventually, he meets Kikanni, an on-the-run royal who’s family is displaced because of a coup. Dail witnesses the murder of Kikanni’s family at the hands of Stone Star workers. He and she then have to escape and hide.

img_2674The plot was a typical story about an average person with a great destiny and strange powers. The characters seemed pretty bland. The displaced princess, the good guy thief, the stoic and wise mentor, etc. Even by the end of the book, the characters didn’t seem to grow much–but it is the first book. The first book is meant to introduce the characters, setting, and plot. 

Stone Star does have a somewhat interesting plot. Someone murdered Dail’s father. His murder happened shortly after he refused to rig the fights. I think we can see where this is going.

So, if the characters are typical and the mystery is pretty standard, why did I like the story? It was one of those hard to put down books. I finished it in about an hour. 

Part of the reason was the art. It was pretty impressive; though sometimes it did look rushed, there were some moments that made my mouth drop.

I think the other part that made the comic so appealing was Dail’s powers. At first I wanted to know what they were. Then I was like, “Oh, he can just control machines. Big deal.” But then he merged with a fighting robot, and later he was able to semi-merge with Kikanni and learn her backstory. So, even though right now it seems like all he can do is control technology, they hint at something greater.

I also think pacing had something to do with my enjoyment. There weren’t many slow points and when you did slow down, you felt like you needed the rest. You felt like you were on the run with Dail and Kikanni; you felt as much in danger as they did.

Finally, I think it was the world. The setting of a traveling space station that works as an entertainment center is kind of unique. Also, it was neat seeing all the different alien beings. I liked the variety and creativity in each one. Each showed the personality well. I also liked how Dail looked human but not so much you’d think he was human. You know he’s an alien. The design choice allowed me to empathize with him but at the same time not wonder “How’d a human get here?”

While on the surface, Stone Star seems typical, the pacing, unique characters, and the deigns of the setting and world pull you in and make the read worthwhile. While I would like to see more adventures with Dail, Stone Star isn’t at the top of my To-Read list. I’m going to pre-order the book, but I’m also not marking down the days till its release on June 1. 4.1/5

A couple images from Season 1.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading!

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Buy Season 1 Now
A young thief named Dail discovers a dark secret in the depths of Stone Star and has to decide where his destiny lies. 
Pre-order Stone Star Season 2 Now
A young warrior named Dail has been drawn into the ring and is trying to prove himself in the Grand Arena, but there are forces on the station determined to see him destroyed as revenge for his father’s fighting legacy.

What Did Finn Want to Say | Theory

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May contain spoilers of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

During the Rise of Skywalker movie, Finn says that he needs to tell Rey something before they are about to die. They end up not dying and Rey asks what he wanted to say. He says that it isn’t important or he’ll tell her later. For the rest of the movie, Poe keeps asking Finn what he was going to say. Turns out, the audience doesn’t find out either–unless there was an end credit scene I missed.

At first, I thought it was just kind of a throw away joke; but when Poe kept asking, I started to think there was something more. The writers kept reminding the audience that Finn wanted to tell Rey something. It is likely that it was something important if they are giving up dialogue time for it. One extra time can be seen as a joke, but over and over becomes a sign.

My first reaction was that he wants to tell her he loves her. It seems natural; they met when the adventure began. Finn’s arrival is what began the whole trilogy. Normally, the male and female lead would end up together. But, Finn is in love with Rose.

The next possibility is that Finn is Rey’s brother/cousin. Finn was taken and raised to be a Stormtrooper. He could be related in some way. But seeing as we finally see Rey’s parents it is unlikely he is a blood sibling–but that doesn’t rule out adoption or a cousin. Personally, I hope they don’t do this. The surprise family relation thing has been done to death with Star Wars.

Another possibility, and the one I think is most likely, is that Finn wanted to tell her he is a Force user. In the first movie, it seems that Finn is the Jedi we are looking for. The music and cinematography for the battle between Finn and the First Order trooper when Finn activates the lightsaber seemed to suggest Finn is “the one.” Then throughout Rise of Skywalker, Finn pauses and does that staring-off-into-space thing that Force users do before they say something. Finn would look off into the distance and say that Rey was in danger. Sounds like something a Force user would say, doesn’t it. The ending with Rey’s lightsaber–specifically the symbolism of the color–would suggest that she is going to find other Force users and train/protect them; she could possibly be starting with Finn.

During the film, the Force Ghosts of the others Jedis say that Rey carries their history in her. The movie could be suggesting by this statement and her saber color that she will be a guardian, not a battlefield Jedi. Also, who her family is suggests that she will be a leader and not the “on the ground” hero in the next set of movies/series.

It seemed to me that they were hinting at Finn being the focus in the next saga.

What do you think? Could Finn be a Force user? Or is his secret something else? Let me know in the comments below.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

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Invincible Quill Magazine (Nov. issue) | Rapid Review

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

Invincible Quill Magazine November 2019 issue (Earnest Writes, free download): The latest issue has launched, and it’s about National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). The latest issue focuses on helping writers through NaNoWriMo. There are poems, prompts, and articles. I did notice some typos and some awkward sentences, but what work of art doesn’t have flubs? I liked the “Writing Styles Alignments” chart that lets you know if you were a neutral pantser or a chaotic plotter. According to the sheet, I’m a chaotic plantser; this means that I have a plot idea and then it all goes crazy from there. I also enjoyed the article by Kairavi Pandya titled “Better Egotist Than Poseur.” The article talks about how readers and writers alike think of novelists and poets as the brain surgeons of the field while they think of screenwriters or drama writers as loyal physicians. I like how the author mentions that a novelist is not better than someone who writes short stories–we’re all writers. Finally, this issue seemed to fly by. I got to one point and was like, “Why won’t this scroll any more?” It was because I was at the end of the magazine. The magazine was so interesting to read that it felt like I just started. The flow of poems to articles and back again made the reading captivating. I felt like I was reading something entertaining, not a boring textbook.

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.

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

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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.

The Mandalorian 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!

Horace Crenshaw, Jr.: Author of Blowing Sandstorm which, as the website describes, is a memoir of “a commander that was put in charge of an Army Reserve Petroleum Unit during the initial months of Operation Iraqi Freedom.” I haven’t read the book yet, but I was impressed with the website. It looked very professional. It was easy to read; there were few to no errors; and everything was easy to access. Within moments of arriving, I knew who Crenshaw was, what services he offered, and what the book was about. I would suggest fixing the book trailer video to add a thumbnail, if possible. As it is of writing this post, it looks like a broken link and makes me hesitant to click it.

The Mandalorian (Disney +): I was a bit leery and skeptical about the show. I’m not that big a fan of bounty hunter/anti-hero type of shows (though they are growing on me). I was a bit worried in the opening scenes when The Mandalorian didn’t speak. I was concerned about what type of show this would be. I was glad to see that events picked up. It was a little slow at first, but first episodes usually are. I was glad to see the action pick up; and then when I saw who The Mandalorian’s target was, I was hooked. Then it got better in the second episode. It added some humor and we got to see more of The Mandalorian’s character. Finally, I like the lone-hero western feel of the show; you can feel the isolation of the character and the environment.

New Super Lucky’s Tale (Nintendo Switch–Playful Corp.): It’s hard not to like a game with a cute fox who wears a cape. The graphics and animations are bright and cheerful, perfect for kids and the young at heart. The game comes with a ton (and I mean a ton) of puns. The characters are also very unique and colorful. I liked the burrowing mechanic; it allows you to avoid dangers by passing under them or you can use it to sneak up on foes. Also, it’s nice to see a game where a tail whip attack actually does something–I’m looking at you Pokèmon (LOL). Finally, it didn’t seem like you needed to be a master gamer in order to collect all the items. I didn’t play the game but watched the gameplay series by Stampy Cat (aka stampylonghead)–the videos are sponsored by Playful Corp.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows–Respawn Entertainment): I haven’t played the game, but I saw the cutscenes and some of the gameplay thanks to Gamer’s Little Playground. The story was very intriguing and hooked me right away. It was great to see what surviving Jedi were doing since the Purge. I quickly became attached to Cal and the other characters. I did notice times where the game got glitchy, such as characters passing through objects. Also, at times it looked like the characters would change appearance slightly. I don’t know if it was just the gameplay or something with the game, but at times the animations–especially during some of the fights–would seem odd. But, I like the ending and I hope this means we see more of Cal and the Mantis crew.

Lady and the Tramp (2019 live-action, Disney +): I think I liked the animated version a tiny bit better, but this version was also great. I liked how the animal characters showed emotion. They looked like they were sad or happy; they didn’t look stiff. I enjoyed how believable the CGI was; I could believe that these were “talking” animals. I also liked how it followed the original but wasn’t a carbon copy. It did start to feel long near the end.

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.

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Love | Review

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‪ ‬The poem “Love” by William Lynn recounts the story of someone who falls for another.

I enjoyed the line when the narrator asks if the person was an angel or a demon sent by the Devil to torment them. It showed the narrator’s feelings well and added the question of why they can’t be together; it makes you want to read more. My problem was that the question didn’t seem to be answered; I still want to know why they can’t be together.

The poem keeps the same tone very well. I can picture someone sitting at a desk thinking or even just sitting on a park bench watching their love interest from afar. You feel like you can get inside the narrator’s state of mind. I did notice a couple times when it felt like the rhythm faltered or became awkward; but for the most part, the poem flowed well.

I also had some trouble with getting lost in the lines. This is easily resolved by adding some verse/paragraph breaks now and then.

Another line I enjoyed was when the narrator mentions how people told them they didn’t know what love was. It gives the reader an idea of how old the narrator is. I could picture an older teen or young adult. The idea of a younger narrator is reinforced by the word choice. The flow and structure also makes it sound like a younger person speaking. I did not feel like I was brought out of the poem until the end.

While the poem was not perfect, it was well done and a great read. I enjoyed that I did not have to spend hours trying to pick it apart to understand it. Lynn does an excellent job of telling the reader what is happening while still giving you something to think about. 4.4/5

You can follow William Lynn on their blog or on Twitter.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

Fans of fantasy and sci-fi, The Beast of Camp TimberWolf is out now. You can purchase it from many online retailers.

Infinity Train Episodes 5-6 (Spoilers and Theories)

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Here’s the complete playlist: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Infinity Train is a (as of now) mini-series airing on Cartoon Network from Aug. 5-9. For now, it is ten 11 minute episodes. Each night two episodes will air. The show is also available on the Cartoon Network app.

Tulip and gang once again run into the scheming cat. This time she offers Tulip answers to the number on her hand. Instead, Tulip is trapped within her own corrupted memories. Slowly, Tulip realizes it was her corrupting them; she was replacing memories of her parents fighting with happy memories. This revelation allows Tulip to escape. Once they leave, the wire-monster-thing shows up asking where the three heroes are.

At first, I thought that the monster was interested in Tulip; but after watching the sixth episode, I started to wonder. In the sixth episode, One-One keeps saying that the Unfinished Car is all his fault and tries to fix it. Tulip tells him not to blame himself for things beyond his control, much like she blames herself for her parents’ divorce. After the trio leave, we see a round lock next to the door that looks like One-One.

It seems that One-One left the car for some reason and the car was left unfinished. Also once the three passed the car’s gate, One-One greeted Atticus and Tulip like he’d never seen them before. It seems that leaving the car erased his memory.

In the fifth episode, the monster-thing asks, “Where are they?” I thought it meant the three friends, but One-One is also two beings so they could be “they,” and One-One is not in the Unfinished Car like he is supposed to be. We also see that the wire creature has a boss–someone who responses in musical tones.

I’m thinking the wire creature is some kind of security/repair system. Tulip has left her car; that is why the creature tells her to “take her seat.” Tulip is breaking the rules by wondering around. This would also explain why Tulip seems to be the only one interested in leaving their car. The wire creature is trying to get Tulip back to where she belongs. It is also trying to get One-One back to the Unfinished Car.

Finally, throughout the series there has been an on-going joke about Tulip being the only one with opposable thumbs. Opposable thumbs are usually seen as a sign of intelligence (i.e. tool-making). The one breaking the rules is a human. She leaves and ponders and experiments while the others are content to “stay in their seats.”

Do you think the wire creature is more interested in One-One than Tulip? Why do they keep mentioning opposable thumbs? What does the train want with the passengers? Tell me your theories in the comments.

Until next wormhole…thanks for reading.

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Infinity Train Episodes 1-2 (Spoilers and Theories)

JoeRover Reviews, theories , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Here’s the complete playlist: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Infinity Train is a (as of now) mini-series airing on Cartoon Network from Aug. 5-9. For now, it is ten 11 minute episodes. Each night two episodes will air. The show is also available on the Cartoon Network app.

In the first two episodes, Tulip is on her way to coding camp. She is already working on a video game similar to Space Invaders. Unfortunately, her divorced parents are unable to take her at the last minute. She decides to make her own way there. Soon, she discovers a train. Upon entering, she is transported to a seemingly endless train where each car contains its own–and sometimes bizarre–universe. She needs to make her way to the Conductor in order to leave.

The first episode gives us a few theories to work with. Tulip meets a round robot that can divide itself called One-One. One side is depressive while the other is more upbeat. Both are pretty naive. One-One is looking for its “mother,” which it doesn’t know who she is or what she looks like. Since Tulip is a coder and interested in video games, it is possible that she is One-One’s “mother.” She could either create the robot as a video game character or as an actual robot.

The next big theory that I have comes from what happens after Tulip tries to escape the train. Outside the cars is a desolate wasteland. She soon runs into a cockroach-like creature that can age people/suck out their souls. It would seem like Tulip has been transported to the future, but I think the train cars are actual other worlds–either imaginary or real–with the train as some sort of hub or container. I am thinking that the train is more symbolic like the place is a dreamworld or the mind. The soul-sucking roaches might be things that cause us to give up on our dreams; they kill us on the inside.

More evidence to my dreamland theory shows up in the second episode. On Tulip’s hand is a glowing number. In the first episode it is 115, but it changes to 114 in the second. The thing is it doesn’t change during her “fails” through the other cars. She has trouble in the crossword, evil plant, and pinball worlds, but the number stays the same. It only changes after she yells at One-One for causing her trouble.

If One-One is her creation and she yells at it, and later tries to sell him/it in order for a way off the train, her dropping a “health point” could mean she’d been tempted to give up on her dreams. She states that all she wanted was to get off the train; she is willing to give up on going to camp (i.e. give up on her dreams) in order to escape.

When Tulip asks One-One what happens if the number reaches zero, One-One says she’ll be gone. He doesn’t say she’ll die–Tulip assumes she’ll die. There are other ways “to be gone,” such as giving up on your dreams or just simply getting kicked off the train. In the first episode, we do see someone getting vaporized by a strange light, but we don’t know if the person was killed or just transported away.

For now, my theory is that the Infinity Train is some kind of dreamland filled with imagination (possibly other worlds). People are brought there to come up with ideas, fight for their ideas, or learn some lesson–this part I haven’t completely figured out. It does seem the main point of Tulip’s story is her fight for her dreams. It is almost like she is deciding something–maybe does she continue running away or does she return to her family.

What’s your theory? Let me know in the comments.

Until the next wormhole…thanks for reading.

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Let’s Read #2

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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.

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Mega Review

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img_2676

I recently started watching Mega Man: Fully Charged thanks to Cartoon Network’s on-demand service. I’ve been impatiently waiting for the release. I’m a big fan of Mega Man. It was the first action video game I played–up till then it was Mario Bros. And I enjoyed all the comics and TV shows of the Blue Bomber (who can resist name gags like Rock and his sister Roll).

But, after watching the first few minutes of the first episode, I could see how old fans could be turned off by it. First, Rock is now Aki and his sister is now a human named Suna. Second, the Mega-Mini that “lives” inside Aki’s head was kind of disturbing and off-putting at first. Then there was the fact that for awhile they kept putting “Mega” in front of everything.

However, as the episode continued, I found the series to be quite interesting. img_2674They hint at some previous dark and troubling war, and it was nice to see someone other than Wily be the main villain. I also enjoyed how Mega Man has to stay in range when he’s copying robot powers. In the first episode (second part), he also copies a piece of Fire Man’s personality and has to learn to control his anger in order to finish the fight. It was also interesting how the robots weren’t reprogrammed by Wily (at this point–they might change this at some point); the robots were choosing to attack; it added a bit more personality to the characters.

I also enjoy the short episodes. It makes it great to watch during breaks or just before bed or work. And the moments when the characters switch to 8-bit game characters for flashbacks or moments of extreme emotion add a nice twist to an anime-like formula.

For now, I find the show to be enjoyable and hope it continues. That opinion might change as the series continues; but now, I find it fun and funny–4.5/5.

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