04.30.07
Posted in Books at 11:54 pm by Administrator
This is the first part of an anthology of short novels set in the “mirror universe” of the Trek mythos. In particular, this story is set just after two episodes in the final season of “Enterprise”. It almost feels like a follow-up script, right down to the credits. Mike Sussman, a writer on “Enterprise”, provided the story, while Ward and Dilmore fleshed it into the novel itself.
As a result, it’s hard to know who to credit and who to blame. On the one hand, this was a great bit of nostalgia for one of the best moments for the entire “Enterprise” series. Nearly everyone loved the “mirror universe” episodes, because they energized the cast and gave the world a look at how the look of the original series might translate into modern sensibilities. And one must credit those episodes for beginning the process that led to the “remastered and enhanced” versions of the original episodes now running in high-definition.
By focusing on Hoshi, who was seldom more interesting than she was as the seductive and treacherous vixen of “In a Mirror, Darkly”, this story had a great deal of promise. And her long road to supremacy makes an interesting enough tale. Unfortunately, a lot is covered in a relatively short period of time, and the length doesn’t allow for deep characterization.
The story itself focuses on action, which is typical for the “mirror universe” episodes. The novelty is seeing how the characters evolved differently, and how similar events were twisted into a recognizable but disturbing form. And in that respect, it works. There’s a bit of closure on what was started in the “Enterprise” episodes, and certain ideas are set in motion that tie into the similar episodes from “DS9”.
If there’s a problem, it’s more a question of how the story is used. This reads like just another “mirror universe” episode, and while those are fun on a very basic level, the short novels present the opportunity to do more. The history of the “mirror universe” is so bloody and treacherous that one cannot help but wonder how it sustains itself on such a parallel course to the “proper universe”. Motivations could be a bit more complex than destructive self-interest, and that’s what seems to be missing from this particular story.
Rating: 7/10
Permalink
Posted in Books at 11:51 pm by Administrator
This is the kind of information that the readers wanted when the script books were originally announced. After all the speculation and the endless conspiratorial theories, JMS sets the record straight on what happened in the last days of the fourth season when the series’ final year was commissioned long past the 11th hour.
The story takes a lot of time, and quite clearly, JMS still harbors confusion and bitterness over some of the developments. As he says, it should have been a moment of pure joy and satisfaction. Instead, it was a complete nightmare. It’s shocking that he didn’t drop dead from the stress.
Remarkably, for those of us who were there during the long, twilight struggle, the story as told in 2007 is almost identical to the story as revealed, as possible, in 1997. The difference is one of detail and scale; JMS reveals the whys and wherefores of the extended option deals and the enormous hit that the fifth and final season took as a result of that fateful weekend at Blackpool.
JMS also reveals, in very general terms, what the beginning of the fifth season was supposed to be, and how all of that had to change under extremely short notice. The effect is right there on the screen: what should have been a short telepath arc with Byron had to be extended to allow for time to introduce Captain Lochley. JMS openly admits that his attempt to keep most of the pieces in their intended place in the story was part of the fifth season’s problem. More than that, he admits that certain ideas about the Sheridan/Lochley relationship were spur of the moment and ill-considered.
It’s also interesting to note how the possibility of future spin-offs and films through a wrench in the plans for the final season. While the major events were all outlined in the original arc structure, JMS was constantly trying to mold the final season to lead into projects that never developed. Originally the final season would have focused more on the Rangers, and there are still hints of that throughout the scripts. In other places, the setup for a potential Telepath War film is plain as day (which, in turn, matches the documented online rumors from the time the episodes were originally written and filmed).
The bottom line is that this volume is a candid look at how the renewal process and all the issues surrounding it undermined the fifth season from the very beginning. I’m one of the seemingly few fans of the show to defend elements of the fifth season for their value to the series as a whole, so I tend to be forgiving. Even so, the circumstances also serve as a reminder that JMS’ method (planning an entire series in massive detail) can be both a blessing and a curse.
Rating: 10/10
Permalink
Posted in Books at 11:49 pm by Administrator
The first book of this trilogy, focusing on McCoy, was a love letter to DeForest Kelley and one of the best Trek books in recent memory. It was also massive, rewarding the reader with an enormously detailed look at a character’s psychology over the span of decades. This set the bar pretty high for the second and third volumes.
The second book was slightly disappointing, because it was much shorter. At the same time, it managed to explore a subtle aspect of Spock’s psychology by taking an unexpected direction with the on-screen continuity. The focus on character exploration, particularly Spock’s motivations over the years, made sense within the context of the book. It was a capable enough extension of the core idea.
So when the final book came along, the expectation was something similar: a chance to see Kirk’s motivations in a new and intriguing way. Unfortunately, the author determined that this would be predictable, and chose instead to tackle the concluding installment as more of an action piece. Not only that, but the novel weighs in at half the length of the first volume, with a lot more rehashing of on-screen action than in either previous book.
The effect is crushing. First, the reader is immediately aware of the fact that the promises made in the first two books of the trilogy will never be fulfilled. Shortly after that, the reader becomes annoyed with the enormous focus on plot points from “Generations”, a story that falls apart on close inspection. And quite soon after that, the reader is struck by how confusing the various layers of time travel can be when the story is told from the perspective of the same character in overlapping versions of himself!
I don’t want to say that this is a horrible novel. Taken on its own merits, it’s decent enough, even if it’s not what I particularly enjoy. But it’s the concluding novel in a trilogy built around a central theme, and so there were expectations. One can meet the general expectations of depth and complexity and still satisfy a desire to explore unpredictable ground. Instead, much of what made the trilogy exciting and substantial was stripped away for the final volume, and it made for a much less enjoyable story.
Rating: 5/10
Permalink
04.22.07
Posted in Music at 12:01 am by Administrator
For a lot of fans, NIN hasn’t been the same since “The Downward Spiral”. Most of the material since that landmark album has felt like variations on the same theme. “With Teeth” was a bit less introspective than “The Fragile”, but it was also perceived as a bit safe and repetitive. If Trent Reznor is to be believed, this album was the result of a personal epiphany of sorts: a concept album about a repressive society in the near future. It’s been done before, with mixed results, but this is NIN and anything’s possible.
(Just a note: there’s a wealth of online information about Reznor’s vision behind the songs and hints to the deeper context of each and every cut. It’s literally impossible to address every aspect of that; instead, this is just my interpretation/reaction to each song in the album sequence. Your mileage, as always, may vary.)
1) Hyperpower! – A short intro, basically setting the mood with a nice wall of sound. It ends in anarchy and destruction, which sets the stage rather effectively. (7/10)
2) The Beginning of the End – Good driving beat, good exploration of the breakdown of civility in the world of Police State. The intensity builds over the course of the song. Still, nothing special. (7/10)
3) Survivalism – An unusual sound, which puts the listener out of the comfort zone, which is entirely the point. The lyrics are a great commentary on the ability of a population to accept and condone brutality in the name of personal survival, the breakdown of common concern for fellow man. (8/10)
4) The Good Soldier – This song has a great groove and a solid vocal line. More about the Police State and the role of the man sent to forcibly take control of his former world. This is a bit more conventional, but it actually works better for it. (10/10)
5) Vessel – Now this one just leaves me cold. There’s clearly a purpose to the unusual arrangement, but it’s beyond me. There’s a definite sexual vibe, a hint of commentary on drug addiction, and a whole lotta noise. My suspicion is that the idea is mind control through introduction of specific drugs and technology to the population, which is interesting it and of itself. (5/10)
6) Me, I’m Not – Things move back into something a bit less bizarre with this one. The lyrics are particularly obscure, but seem to deal with self-identity and, once again, the idea of withdrawing internally to ignore the truth. (6/10)
7) Capital G – Now this is a great song, another one with a great groove, and one of the best on the album. In essence, this is about how people give up their power to their leaders, who abuse the power, and how those with power care nothing for their followers or the future. Obviously, there’s a current reference, but it’s a fairly timeless commentary. (9/10)
My Violent Heart – This sounds like the manifesto of a former soldier turned revolutionary. It starts out very soft and restrained, but it ascends into something far more angry and ugly. An effective blend of theme and execution, though not the most exciting song on the album. (7/10)
9) The Warning – This one has a strong beat to it, which is good, because the song actually feels like someone explaining a plot point, not a song in and of itself. The warning seems to be from an unknown agency, possibly aliens, come to save the world from its misuse by humanity, if things don’t change. Very strange. (6/10)
10) God Given – This would appear to be the response: use of state-sponsored religion to control the masses, complete with bigotry and holier-than-thou hypocrisy. The song moves along at a brisk pace. Another song with a good driving beat. (7/10)
11) Meet Your Master – This one is a bit more conventional than a lot of the preceeding material, but it works very well. It should play far better out of context than some of the rest. The song hardly requires further explanation for those who feel disaffected, though it’s a bit more subversive than it appears. (8/10)
12) The Greater Good – This ties back to “Vessel”; one assumes that the revolutionary leader has been captured and subjected to the mind control once again (or the first time, who knows). The best description of this song is “soundscape”. It’s disturbing mood music, but it has a good beat and keeps up the intensity well enough. (6/10)
13) The Great Destroyer – The enemy hiding in plain sight, the supposedly assimilated warrior searching for the right moment to strike back. This is more of a rock song than some of the more electronic fare, and I like that variation. The middle section, however, threatens to destroy the song completely. (7/10)
14) Another Version of the Truth – This is an instrumental, a staple of NIN albums since “The Downward Spiral”. It progresses between the dread of coming annihilation and the calm before the storm. Taken in context with the rest of the album, it’s a worthy display of musicianship and concept working hand in hand. (7/10)
15) In This Twilight – This is a meditation on the end of everything known. I like how the vocals are mixed amid the discordance. This should be an interesting song to hear live, considering how some of the vocal lines are designed to soar. (8/10)
16) Zero Sum – And now, the moment of judgment, the consequence of ignoring the warning. The confession of those in power, the regrets of those who chose not to resist. It’s not much of a crowd-pleaser; more of a wrap on the concept, largely spoken word. An unexpectedly low-key end to the album. (6/10)
Needless to say, it’s recommended to listen to a NIN concept album more than once, because it’s easy to lose sight of the vision amongst the noise. I listened to it enough to absorb the ideas and concepts and get a feel for the music. In the end, I still don’t think this is as infectious as the early NIN efforts. It could gain more in the long run, but even after passing through the initial reactions, this is just average with an interesting but overly-familiar concept.
Rating: 7/10
Permalink
04.21.07
Posted in Music at 11:57 pm by Administrator
It’s only been a couple years since my first exposure to “Within Temptation” and the lovely Sharon den Adel. I started with “Mother Earth”, which I thought had an enormous amount of variation but some questionable production values. “The Silent Force”, on the other hand, had great production but relatively little variation. I liked a lot of the songs on both albums, but I have to admit to liking “Mother Earth” a bit more. So how does the latest addition to the catalog fare?
1) The Howling – This is an exclusive to the imported version (which, of course, is the version I have). Immediately, I was struck by the less polished quality of Sharon’s vocals, despite the higher production values. The song itself is quite unusual, but in a good way. It’s one very strong opener, even with the silly growling bits. (9/10)
2) What Have You Done – It sounds like their version of “Bring Me to Life”, right down to the inclusion of a guest male vocal, but I still like it. The lyrics are remarkably dark, and I love Sharon’s range of vocal textures. The male vocalist is somewhat generic, but in the end, it works as the WT take on a specific kind of song. (8/10)
3) Frozen – This is a far more conventional song than either of the previous two, and I think it suffers as a result. It doesn’t descend into the sugary sentimentality that some of the songs on “Silent Force” fell into, but there’s nothing particularly memorable about this one. In fact, it sounds like something out of the mid-1980s. (6/10)
4) Our Solemn Hour – This is jump right back into classic WT territory, with the layered vocals and choral arrangements. I love the Latin pretensions and the WW2 allusions. Sharon’s vocals are quite expressive. This is the kind of song that I was waiting for! (9/10)
5) The Heart of Everything – Here we have Sharon really shaping her vocals, switching from gritty to angelic and back. It works wonderfully. This is the sort of thing she did a lot on “Mother Earth”, and it sounds better with the higher production values. The song itself is a bit simplistic, but the vocals really work well. There’s just one section in the middle that doesn’t quite work for me, but fits the overall tone. (9/10)
6) The Hand of Sorrow – Another WT staple: the fantasy tale told by an angel against a background of driving guitar and rhythm. It’s almost like a Dragonlance tale put to music. This one is about the struggle between love and honor. There’s not much else to say about it; it’s a solid effort. (8/10)
7) The Cross – I like the variation throughout the song and the melody. The lyrics is less about story than the previous track, but it does handle some complex ideas well. The arrangement is also quite good, though some elements are repetitive. (8/10)
Final Destination – After a long string of solid songs, this is a remarkably weak effort. Apparently this was originally recorded for a video game, and it has that kind of conventional quality. There’s nothing original about it; in fact, it sounds like another outtake from the “Silent Force” B-sides. (5/10)
9) All I Need – A competent power ballad, but coming on the heels of a weak entry, not particularly engaging. This point of any album can be difficult to sequence, and while this is a good enough song, it doesn’t keep up the intensity of the first half. (7/10)
10) The Truth Beneath the Rose – I love the lyrics for this song. This is about the struggle of personal faith, the path to forgiveness, and the cost of warfare in God’s name. It’s very easy to get caught up in the earnestness of the vocals. (9/10)
11) Forgiven – The album ends with a softer song, one of the few on the album (in contrast with “Silent Force”). This song, and its associated video, is particularly poignant, dealing with the effects of suicide on loved ones. It’s a beautiful song, and a nice denouement for the album as a whole. (9/10)
On the whole, this album does a capable job of melding the strengths of “Mother Earth” and “Silent Force” into something equally impressive. Only two songs fail to meet expectation, which is fairly impressive, and the album is a lot more consistent in tone that “Silent Force”. It’s worth listening to a few times, just to take it all in.
Rating: 8/10
Permalink
Posted in Books at 11:56 pm by Administrator
Despite the fact that this book is a decade old, more or less, this is the first time I’ve read it. I was wary of its origins, to be honest. Feist’s work is already an extrapolation of a role-playing universe, and this book was the extrapolation of a story conceived for a PC role-playing game based on the books. The pedigree alone is mind-boggling.
There was also a bit of backlash against the book because it was so similar to the game, which made me wonder if it would read like the original Dragonlance Chronicles. As good as those books were at the time, they do read like a strict interpretation of the results of a modular campaign. That always bothered me, and that’s why I tend to shy away from books based directly on games.
All that said, this was not a bad book. Granted, the two main characters were obviously based on the main characters of a game, the progression in power of each character was based on steady acquisition of more magic and stronger weapons (an RPG staple), and the plot advancement came in fits and starts. But character motivations are a lot more internalized in a book, and that makes the difference. Gorath in particular was a great character with a strong arc.
In fact, it’s as if someone gave Feist an outline of high points in the story and said, “Make sense of this”. The pieces aren’t particularly hard to reconcile, though there are some passages that feel strained, and Feist makes it work. I don’t know that this would ever rank at the top of my list of favorite Midkemia novels, but it was definitely an enjoyable read.
Rating: 8/10
Permalink
04.11.07
Posted in Books at 12:44 am by Administrator
The first thing I noticed, picking this book off the shelf, was the enormous lag time between volumes in the story. I actually remembered nothing about the first book, or for that matter, the entire trilogy that came before it, back during the very short “reboot” of the TOS novels that were supposed to focus on the crew instead of the command staff. It had something to do with Klingons, I recalled, and the whole idea of sleeper agents surgically altered to resemble humans.
The second thing I noticed, about 30 pages into the book, was how little that first thing mattered. It took very little time to get the gist of what had happened to bring about the crisis at the heart of the tale, and while some of the details were clearly meant to resonate with information from the first volume, I didn’t feel like I’d missed too much of the context.
That’s a hard balance to strike, as I’ve mentioned countless times before. If it’s too self-referential and complex, the long wait between books can be a chore or frustrating, depending on how well the author weaves the exposition into the early chapters. This time, the author did a great job. The book was never boring and the various pieces of the puzzle were very clearly identified, keeping the tensions high and the mysteries coherent.
The third thing I noticed, about halfway through the book, was how short it was. Granted, I’ve been reading large anthologies or longer franchise material lately, but this still felt short. A lot of that is the strength of the writing, since so much is happening that the pages seem to melt away. But it’s also standard tie-in length, which is sometimes less than satisfying. But why complain when a strong story about TOS leaves me wishing for more?
Rating: 8/10
Permalink
04.10.07
Posted in Books at 12:45 am by Administrator
So this is the final volume of the trilogy meant to rectify many of the issues with the “Age of Mortals”, and it manages to set things up a bit better than I might have imagined. A lot of the problems with the franchise “reboot” are reconciled, like the disappearance of the gods and the issues with magic, but some of the solutions feel contrived.
I love Mina as a character, and it should be interesting to see how the character evolves from here. I’m actually glad that Takhisis is out of the picture, and that Paladine is no longer a god, because this brings the series back to basics without leading to a retread. A number of challenges remain, but the magic is back and the rest of the gods will be vying for control. It’s a reboot with differences.
Much of the world is still at war by the end of the story, which gives the rest of the writers some room to maneuver. The Elves are exiles, the minotaurs have taken possession of Silvanesti, the Dark Knights control Qualinesti and much of the former Solamnic territory, the Knighthood is in tatters, and the orders of magic need to be re-established. That’s just scratching the surface! It should be enough material to explore for years before another major trilogy is sought (if that is even necessary).
If there’s one complaint, it’s how the plot thread with Tasslehoff, an annoyance throughout the entire trilogy, fizzles out in the end and gets resolved “off screen”. For something that was so important, it wasn’t really explained. Sure, it was the plot device to allow the reboot to take place, but after the pain, a reward would have been nice!
I was also struck by the fact that so many characters found their final rest (including the original companions, finally out of the picture), yet it never felt satisfying. Then again, since this was supposed to be the final statement on the franchise by Weis and Hickman, I really can’t complain too much. The new generation is lot more complex than the archetypical Companions, and that’s something I enjoy.
Rating: 8/10
Permalink
Posted in Books at 12:43 am by Administrator
If this were an episode of a television series, it would have been considered “transitional” at best. For all that the various scenes were interesting and well written, the book passed quickly and without much of a bang. Ben was tested as a potential candidate for Sith apprenticeship, but that never felt as complex and important as it should have been.
Part of the problem is that this is a very familiar story. It’s almost as if the novels are bringing the Star Wars saga full circle. Jacen’s descent into the “dark side” is awfully similar to the descent of Anakin Skywalker, even if it does make a lot more sense in the long run. The writers for “Legacy of the Force” are telling the same kind of story with more complexity and more trust in the readers. But it’s still a very familiar story.
Of course, one could argue that the point is to bring the galaxy back to the brink of the former situation, with Jacen at the center of the whirlwind, so that Luke’s Jedi Order can avoid the same mistakes and end the cycle once and for all. I just wonder if it was necessary to drag that out over the course of nine novels. As a whole, it’s coming together well enough, but ever since the first volume, the story has felt padded and decompressed.
Rating: 6/10
Permalink
Posted in Video Games at 12:42 am by Administrator
The great thing about Netflix is the ability to turn off a boring or underwhelming DVD without a shred of guilt. Buy the DVD, and you feel like you must watch the whole film just to recoup some measure of dignity. See it in the theatre, and it’s about getting some value out of the $50 you paid (and finishing the popcorn). With Netflix, when the movie just doesn’t cut it, you can send it back and try something else.
Gamefly is the equivalent service for video games, where the concept is even more appealing. Let’s say a game looks interesting and you want to give it a shot. The typical game these days can cost anywhere from $35 to $60. Sure, you can buy used games for less, but then you’re waiting for a copy cheap enough to justify the wait. Why not spend a fraction of the cost per month to test drive a game before buying it, used or new?
I’ve been using the service for more than two years now, and I’ve been very thankful for it. This game is the perfect example. It’s an attempt to take Ratchet and Clank concepts and meld it into the Star Wars universe. If there was nothing like a Ratchet and Clank game on the PSP, it might have fared better. However, having just played Size Matters, this game pales in comparison.
Ultimately, the game boils down to a strictly linear series of obstacle courses and shooting matches. Initially, given the graphics, this is fun. It quickly becomes repetitive and boring. By the time I began the Mustafar campaign, it was abundantly clear that the game wasn’t bringing anything new to the table and the story wasn’t nearly enough to keep my interest.
This game actually helps explain why I love playing RPGs. Action games tend to bore me unless the characters can evolve. That’s the payoff in an RPG: customization and evolution. As you grow more comfortable with the character, the character grows in turn, based on your preferences. Ratchet and Clank gives you that level of flexibility, within certain boundaries; Lethal Alliance does not. Some may find that kind of simplicity appealing, but I’d much rather play a game where I can immerse myself in the action on a more personal level.
Rating: 5/10
Permalink
