Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Contemporary fantasy love letter to classic children’s literature.
This is another book I read because someone saw fit to make a movie out of it.
Tag: reviews
The Big Necessity – Cannonball Read #33
The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters by Rose George
In a world increasingly concerned with both sanitation and impending shortages of fresh water the developed world can no longer afford to turn its nose up at alternate solutions to the removal of shit. Continue reading The Big Necessity – Cannonball Read #33
Lover Avenged – Cannonball Read #23
Lover Avenged by J.R.Ward – Contemporary romance with hyper masculine vampires.
“Wait, FyreHaar reads romance novels?”
Why yes, the great fiery one indulges in some quality H.E.A. action.
Dragonhaven – Cannonball Read #22
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley. Contemporary young adult fantasy.
From a writer known for her third person re-tellings of classic fairy stories with female lead characters comes a first person, entirely new, Fantastique (to use a Gaiman-ism) story whose protagonist is a 14 year old boy.
Total Immersion – Cannonball Read #32
Total Immersion: A Revolutionary Way To Swim Better And Faster by Terry Laughlin & John Delves
Several of my friend recommended the Total Immersion swimming technique so I jumped at a chance to pick the book up for cheap.
Get Me Out – Cannonball Read #35
Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth from the Garden of Eden to the Sperm Bank by Randi Hutter Epstein. Social history of pregnancy and childbirth
The Lady in the Lake – Cannonball Read #30
The Lady in the Lake by Raymond Chandler. Noir, straight up.
I sought out a Raymond Chandler novel to read after I finished The Black Dahlia. After reading a praised neo-noir I wanted to experience an original detective story from an acknowledged master.
Blood and Chocolate – Cannonball Read #20
Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause. Teenaged werewolf coming of age story. Spoilers.
I picked this book up because someone had seen fit to adapt it into a movie and it was cheap.
Nickel and Dimed – Cannonball Read #19
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. Undercover examination of life on minimum wage in America.
I Play Video Games: Arkham Asylum
We’ll get into what’s going on with the running joke known as my review of Shadow of the Colossus another time, but for now let’s stretch the game-reviewing muscles with last year’s critical darling, roundly praised as the best comic book game ever made.
Because I’m nothing if not sensitive to the needs of our audience, I’ve taken a suggestion from the Baker and written a much shorter review than I did for Far Cry 2. However, because this is 50% my website and I ought to be able to indulge myself pretty much at will here, I’ve also written a much longer review, full of particulars that you don’t need to know about, and put it after the jump. I think everyone ought to be happy with this compromise.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Source: Retail
Paid: $20
Play Time: ~15 hours
Batman: Arkam Asylum is one of the best third-person action games I’ve ever played. It bashes up platforming, sneaking, and brawling in a something-for-everyone formula that almost never falters, especially in the “predator rooms” where Batman uses his speed and stealth to outmaneuver the Joker’s gunmen until they begin to panic at every shadow. The story and voice acting are top-notch, and the environment is varied, convincing and fun to navigate. Character models and textures are strangely exaggerated, but the game otherwise looks gorgeous.
The boss fights are probably the weakest segments, but they’re a small part of the overall game. Arkham Asylum is a must-play for Batman fans and those who enjoy action games generally; pretty much every gamer ought to at least try the demo.
Hit the jump for the long version.