Kyle A. Massa

Page 29 of 30

A Book Review

June 5, 2012 /

Just finished Joe Abercrombie’s Best Served Cold, and it’s easily my favorite entry from an excellent fantasy writer.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Abercrombie, he’s known for a gritty, character-driven style of fantasy in the vein of George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. He published his first novel in 2007, entitled The Blade Itself. Since then, Abercrombie has written a novel a year, most recently The Heroes in 2011. Another entry is due out sometime this year, tentatively titled A Red Country.

The thing I love about Abercrombie’s books are his characters. Those who read his First Law trilogy are probably already familiar with a few, but there are plenty of newcomers in Best Served Cold as well.

Beware. Here there be spoilers.

My favorite of the new characters is definitely Caul Shivers. Not completely new, as he is introduced in Before They Are Hanged, if I’m not mistaken. But he’s certainly expanded upon throughout this new entry. I found his character arc quite compelling, going from a man seeking a better life to a bitter warrior with nothing left to lose or gain.

I noticed a few reviewers were concerned with Shivers’ striking similarity to Logen Ninefingers, a fan favorite of First Law fame, and I can’t deny that they are indeed very similar. However, I found that the similarities work well, lending a sense of stinging irony to the book. Shivers proclaims his hatred for Ninefingers numerous times, (after all, Logen did kill his brother) and yet he mirrors his most hated enemy’s character arc, almost to a tee.

That said, I found the main character of Best Served Cold, Monza Murcatto, a bit underwhelming. She reminded me more than a little of Ferro Maljin, yet another character from The First Law, but not in a particularly good way. While Shivers and Ninefingers are tragic mirrors of one another, Murcatto is more like a retread of Maljin. Even their love stories seemed recycled. (In The First Law, Ferro falls in love with Ninefingers, then they end up hating each other by the end. In Best Served Cold, Monza and Shivers fall for each other, and by the end, they hate each other too.) I liked Monza a little more than Ferro, but they were still a bit too similar for my tastes.

As for the other characters, I found Nicomo Cosca to be a wonderful return. His odd combination of cowardice and wit entertained me throughout. The institutionalized convict Friendly was another of my favorites. Such a strange fellow, and his duel with Shivers toward the end was epic. Castor Morveer was another welcome addition. He was funny and interesting, with a hint of tragedy, just enough so that you felt bad when he died. Well, I don’t know about you, but I did.

As far as the story, I found it engaging, though perhaps a bit on the long side. The murder of Prince Ario in the brothel was by far my favorite of the seven assassinations, and I felt that none of the others afterward approached that level of excitement.

…

Best Served Cold is an excellent addition to any fantasy collection. Well drawn characters, a well realized world, and plenty of gory action all combine to make one hell of an adventure.

Rating: 9/10

The Gunslinger: Yet Another Reason Why I Want To Be Stephen King

May 31, 2012 /

I just started reading The Gunslinger by Stephen King today. First impression: very, very, very interesting. I know that most fantasy books have reviews on them that say something like: “This book is unlike anything you’ve ever read.” All due respect to those books, The Gunslinger really is unlike anything you’ve ever read.

The story begins with Roland Deschain, a character chiefly based on Clint Eastwood’s classic “Man With No Name.” Roland explores a vast desert world in pursuit of the enigmatic Man In Black, a sorcerer who has a talent for evil. Along the way he meets a man with a talking raven and a man risen from the dead, among other fascinating characters.

Already I’m beginning to see some interesting similarities between Roland’s world and ours. For example, at the first saloon he stops in, the patrons are sining along to “Hey Jude” on the piano. It’s little details like this that make The Gunslinger special. Often in literature, it seems that authors like to write little nods and homages to other works of literature. King does the opposite, writing in homages to real life. I think this really helps to set the world up as a different (yet not entirely distant) place.

Can’t wait to read the rest. Yet another classic by one of my favorite authors. Keep ’em coming, Steve!

Crazy Mother’s Day

May 13, 2012 /

Having a hard time thinking of something to do for your mom on Mother’s Day? Think another lame card from Target just isn’t going to cut it this year? Well my friends, here are some ideas for Mother’s Day your mom will never forget!

Crazy Mother’s Day Idea #1 – Take Mom Skydiving

Defying death has never been so fun, and who better to do it with than your lovely mother? This will be an experience that neither of you will forget. You can make it even more interesting by taking bets on who will have a heart attack first. If you go this route, make sure you bring along the trusty old defibrillator.

Crazy Mother’s Day Idea #2 – Take Mom for a Joyride

Most people don’t know this, but a lot of moms have a huge amount of repressed anger, and most of it’s directed at you. Remember that time you didn’t do your science project, and then mom had to do it for you at midnight? Or the time you left your dirty socks on the floor and mom had to pick them up? It’s these kinds of things that make moms so angry. So on Mother’s Day, put your mom behind the wheel of a car and let her drive one-twenty down the freeway. You could even bring a baseball bat to a residential neighborhood and have mom whack a few mailboxes while you’re at it. If you get pulled over, just remind the officer that it’s Mother’s Day. If he has a mom, he’ll understand.

Crazy Mother’s Day Idea #3 – Blow Something Up with Mom

What could be more fun? There’s nothing like a nice big explosion to bring a family together. I would start small, with a garden gnome or something, then work your way up. Maybe by the end you could blow up mom’s boss’s house. Now that’s a Mother’s Day gift I’m sure she’d appreciate.

…

In all seriousness, I wish every mom out there a happy Mother’s Day. I encourage everyone to do something with their moms, whether it’s something crazy or something relaxing. And to my mom – the best mom in the world – I love you, and happy Crazy Mother’s Day!

The Avengers!

May 3, 2012 /

Tonight, I’m going to The Avengers midnight premier. Well, actually the 12:20 showing, but close enough. The midnight show was already sold out, so that should tell you how popular this movie is already.

The plot centers around four well-known superheroes coming together to fight some crazy super villian. The studios also decided to throw in a couple lesser-known superheroes (as if four wasn’t enough), plus the great Samuel L. Jackson (who is pretty much playing himself, but with an eyepatch).

The film is written and directed by Joss Whedon, creator of numerous TV series such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse. More recently, Whedon helped co-write and produce The Cabin In The Woods, which has thus far been a good box office draw.

Personally, I think The Avengers should be pretty good (…and so does everyone else, but whatever). At first I was afraid it would just be a ridiculous explosion-fest, but from what I’ve heard, the script goes a little deeper than that.

Also, I’ve never been to a midnight premier, so that should be a good atmosphere. I just hope I don’t get stuck in the front row…

Oh, and I’m calling this now. They’re going to set up for a sequel.

You heard it here first.

I JUST KILLED A DOG! (I bet you’ll read this now.)

April 26, 2012 /

Before we start, just to be clear, I’ve never actually killed a dog. But dogs are the topic of today’s blog, or rather, animals in general. Have you ever been to a movie in which an animal is killed? People get mad. What’s funny is, nobody seems to care when, in the very same scene, a human being is killed.

Of course, I should first clarify what I’m talking about. I’m sure that many people were moved when Jenny died in Forest Gump or when Dumbledore died in Harry Potter. But these were characters that we had connected with over the course of the film. I’m not talking about them. I’m talking about action films in which people are being blown away in every other shot. Most of the time, viewers don’t even blink.

Take the same movie, but now replace that nameless extra with a dog. Suddenly you have a mutiny in the theater. Chairs get destroyed, popcorn begins to fly, chaos reigns supreme…

Of course, I’m exaggerating. By not by much. I kid you not, I’ve been to movies where people have left the theater after seeing a cat get killed. I’m not trying to say that this isn’t upsetting, but at least ten humans were killed earlier in the film, and no one flinched.

So what does this say about us? Why do we find dying animals so upsetting?

Personally, I think it might be about cuteness. Yes, cuteness. Show someone a video of a guy stepping on an ant. Very few people will get upset. But replace that ant with a kitten, and you’re in for it. And what’s the difference between an ant and a kitten? You guessed it. Cuteness.

I’m sure there are thousands of other explanations for this phenomenon, but honestly, I don’t care to spend five-thousand plus words exploring them. I think the reason probably varies from person to person.

At any rate, I’ll leave you  with this parting question: why do we always assume that animals are all innocent and cuddly?

Hasn’t anyone ever read Cujo?

Mapex Voyager Drum Set

April 26, 2012 /

I bought a Mapex Voyager drum set, and I must say, I love it. Maybe it’s just my inner-thug talking here, but there’s something really fun about whaling away on something with wooden sticks. And what’s better, I can call it music.

The drums came at $500, a pretty good price for a beginner set, and especially one of high quality. Disclaimer: I bought from a local store, and I’m pretty sure that the owner was nice enough to give me the set at a discounted price. At any rate, I think they go for $600 normally. Still not too bad.

The drums are very nice. Solidly built, strong, and I’m sure they’ll last a long time. The hardware is great too. My one complaint is probably the cymbals. Mine are already beginning to warp, and I’ve only had the set for about a month. Of course, they aren’t exactly name brand, so I probably should’ve expected that. Anyway, I can buy new ones.

Setup was easy, and took less than an hour. They came with an instructional DVD that was quite helpful, and I had them up in no time. My only complaint was that you need to tune the drums, and I found the DVD rather unhelpful with that. I think I’m going to need a drummer to come in and help me get it right…

After setup, I went to work. Like any skill, it’s actually a lot harder than it looks. Guys in bands play like it’s second nature, but it takes a lot of practice. I played three or four hours a day for about a week straight, and it took me that long just to master a basic beat. I wonder how long it’ll take me to play my first drum solo…

Music these days…

April 26, 2012 /

I was watching the channel “Palladia” the other day, and it is quickly becoming my favorite station. They show old and new concerts pretty much all day, each one in high definition. It’s like stepping back in time to watch some of the greats. I’m talking Led Zeppelin, The Who, Pink Floyd, all of those rock and roll legends. Afterward, they showed footage from some modern concerts, and I must say, something struck me. When did computers start playing music?

Now I know I had a very similar post go up just a few days ago, but I feel like it’s something worth talking about. I’m sure I must not be the first person to notice this. How could we not? Most popular modern artists today have their music generated electronically rather than with instruments. There are even some who don’t really sing, but only appear to sing through the use of auto-tuning.

Does this mean that modern artists are less talented? Of course not. Many artists are excellent singers, songwriters and dancers. But think about this: how many modern mainstream artists can you name who can rip off a good guitar solo? Granted, there are still old bands out there with guys who could always do that, like Metallica and The Rolling Stones. But I’m not talking about them. I’m talking 21st century century bands. Do any modern guitarists from those bands measure up to their 20th century counterparts? The truth is, they do not.

So what’s become of popular artists playing real instruments? It may be that music itself has changed. Rock was certainly always a spectacle. Shows were just as much about the onstage antics as they were about the music. But today, it’s a different sort of show. Today it seems like the music takes a backseat to the performance. We have choreographed dancing to go with the singing, and crazy costumes to boot. Of course, we had that before, but never to the same degree.

I realize I must sound like a crotchety old man right now, but gosh darrnit, kids these days just don’t know good music when they hear it!

Game of Thrones: The Best Show On TV

April 26, 2012 /

Has there ever been a more entertaining show?

If so, I’ve never seen it. I can’t get enough. Does it have backstabbing, you ask? What about plotting? And incest? Yes my friends, it has all that and more. Although, I could do without the incest.

Basically, I see it as a soap opera you’re not ashamed to watch. I mean think about it. Everyone hates each other, everyone’s sleeping with each other, and it’ll probably never end. Sounds like a soap to me.

But thankfully, Game of Thrones is far more intelligent than your run-of-the-mill daytime soap, thanks in large part to the character development. Each is so well drawn and so believable, it seems as though they’re based upon real people. I think it’s a credit to George R.R. Martin and the writing team that they could create such strong characters.

Furthermore, it’s helped bring fantasy into the adult mainstream. Of course, Lord of the Rings was certainly mainstream, but not in the same way. Before A Song of Ice and Fire, most mainstream fantasy literature was aimed toward a younger audience. That’s not to say that an older audience couldn’t enjoy it. Quite the contrary; Lord of the Rings is extremely popular, both on the page and on the screen. However, it deals with more universal themes. A Song of Ice and Fire and Game of Thrones deal with more realistic themes. In essence, it’s fantasy for adults. Not only this, but A Song of Ice and Fire has spawned a new generation of fantasy for adults, such as Joe Abercrombie’s First Law series.

Personally, I hope they continue making the show. It’s extremely expensive, but at the same time, it’s so wildly popular that I think it will stay on for at least a few more years. Can’t wait for the next episode! But until then, just remember…winter is coming.

The Old Folks Effect

April 24, 2012 /

I want to get a copyright on this phrase. It’s something I’ve noticed ever since the Superbowl halftime show four years ago. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers were the band that year, and though I personally enjoyed them, it seemed to everyone else at the party that they weren’t especially good. Okay, I get it. They aren’t exactly Heartbreakers anymore. But the music should speak for itself.

In fact, there seemed to be a similar reaction to The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springstein, The Who, and most recently, Madonna. I call this the “Old Folks Effect.”

It seems to me that people get turned off by old people playing music. I suppose it’s a young person’s game and all, but honestly, nowadays, old people are much better at it than young people. Remember the Black Eyed Peas? No instruments, and Fergie was the only person actually singing without the aid of autotune. When did we start using computers instead of instruments?

Look, I’m not trying to knock modern music. Obviously, most modern musicians are very talented. But I think that there is something to be said for old music. Personally, I find it to be far more appealing, but that’s not the point. The point is that modern music wouldn’t exist without the old folks.

So next time you see an old person rocking out to “Born To Be Wild,” try to repress the Old Folks Effect. Someday, that’ll be you. Only, you’ll probably be listening to something like “Moves Like Jagger.”

The Wii-U…Will it sell?

January 17, 2012 /

I love Nintendo. Even now, I still remember the day I got my Gameboy Color. I spent countless hours slaying octoroks in Legend of Zelda and stomping on goombas in Mario Bros, and I enjoyed every second of it. As far as video game companies go, I think Nintendo is the best at capturing the imaginations of minds both young and old.

So, naturally, when I heard that a new platform was coming out, I was excited. After all, Nintendo is known for their ingenuity. As we know, they were pioneers of motion-sensing technology with the Wii, and of touch screen capabilities with the DS. Now Nintendo is trying for a combination of the two, called the “Wii-U.”

According to a recent article by CNN, the Wii-U will utilize a motion sensitive touchscreen, allowing one player to play independently, while the other four play using the TV screen. An interesting idea, but will it sell?

As much as it pains me to say this, I don’t think so. I love Nintendo for their innovation, but in this instance, I think that same innovation might be their Achilles heel. After all, there’s such a thing as being too creative.

Take Nintendo’s R.O.B., for instance. In 1985, Nintendo released the R.O.B., or the Robotic Operating Buddy, which was just that; a life-sized robot who could play alongside the gamer. Obviously, this product was as ambitious as it was unique. Before or since, I don’t think there’s ever been anything like R.O.B. But oddly enough, R.O.B. never caught on. Or maybe it wasn’t so odd.

R.O.B. was innovative, but too much so. You see, gamers as a whole are a people grounded in tradition. They like their games new, but not their systems. If a system strays too far from the norm of a nine-button controller and online interface system, hardcore gamers won’t buy it. I think the Wii proved this observation. Though it sold well with older and younger people, hardcore gamers chose the Xbox first.

Furthermore, few companies are going to jump at the opportunity to make games for this system. Though companies look for innovation, it is difficult for them to make certain types of games for certain systems. Just like it is challenging to make a satisfying shooter on a handheld platform, it will be extremely difficult for companies to make fighters for the Wii-U.

That being said, I must say quickly that while Nintendo is taking many creative risks, I think they should be applauded. Among the top three video game companies, Nintendo is by far the most creative. Many will say the Xbox’s Kinect is superior to the Wii’s motion control. But don’t forget, Microsoft was following the trail of breadcrumbs left by Nintendo when they created their motion-based product.

So what I’m saying is this: Nintendo is the most innovative of the current video game companies. However, in their quest for innovation, they sometimes alienate the hardcore gaming market. For this reason, I’m concerned that the Wii-U may have poor sales.

I know I’ll probably end up getting one. But the question is, will anyone else?

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