Saffron Bryant's Blog, page 9
March 23, 2013
Dragon Age Tabletop Game
So, as a fantasy lover and enjoyer of online RPGs I have for quite some time been keen to get into tabletop/pen and paper role playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Unfortunately I never found the time or the playing companions to give it a go, and then I saw this:
Half an hour of hilarity with a couple of the stars from The Big Bang Theory. They do a great introduction to the game and got me ready and raring to give it a go. So I did, and I loved it!
It was filled with all the adventure I had expected and was a lot of fun. One thing I’ve learned after playing (and DMing) a couple of times is that it can be hard to come up with adventures, especially if you don’t have much time. Sure designing your own adventures is great, but sometimes you just want to be able to sit down and play an impromptu game without hours of preparation.
So with that thought in mind I hereby give you a copy of one of the adventures I have made:
It’s adaptable to almost any level range and is composed of equal parts role-playing, problem-solving and combat. I definitely recommend it for new GMs who need somewhere to start. Although be aware, I have assumed you know the rules (e.g. how advanced tests and combat scenarios work).
If you enjoy this adventure be sure to sign up for my newsletter, I will be sending out new adventures just as quickly as I can make them. Sign up here to get new adventures as soon as they’re released: http://eepurl.com/wQKBv
Did you enjoy this adventure? What did your players get up to? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
March 15, 2013
The Dark Tower- Book Review
Every so often a book comes along that sucks you in so much that it becomes a part of your life. You start putting reading that book ahead of other, normal things- like sleeping. You start to see the characters in your everyday life and wonder what they would do in your place.
The Dark Tower series by Stephen King is definitely one of those books. I’m up to the second last book and I am torn- I can’t wait to read the next one but I’m dreading finishing the series. The heroes of the tale have enamoured themselves to me, despite their flaws and I really don’t want to see them go.
To me these books are different to the other Stephen King books I’ve read. The phenomenal writing is still there but somehow the story is different. If you’ve enjoyed Stephen King’s other books- go an buy this one, if you haven’t enjoyed his other books, buy this one anyway- you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
The main character is a grizzled gunslinger like that starring in any beloved Western, and as the story progresses he gathers a band that anyone could relate to. The story progression is so smooth that you won’t even notice yourself being pulled into the world of The Dark Tower. Soon the strange coincidences that play such a big part in the story and the characters’ lives will begin to pop up in yours.
Those that have read it will understand these that I have picked up from my own life: Have you noticed that the wizard of Oz has just come out in cinemas? What about that the Merlin series has just come to an end? The biggest of them all, as I write this it is the 16th of March (3) = 19. A person could go mad if they thought about it too long (I could name many others but I don’t want to spoil it for those that haven’t read it yet!)
Without a doubt this book is 5 stars, it appeals in such an intrinsic way, could be enjoyed by readers of almost any genre and is written with phenomenal skill. Trust me, go right now and buy this book (even if it’s just the first one)- you’re bound to get hooked.
For those that have read it, how has The Dark Tower entered your life? Have 19, Oz, trains or wolves affected you? Tell me about it below- surely I can’t be the only one?
March 13, 2013
The Herald of Darkness- First Sneak Peak
Well ladies and gents, it’s been almost a year since the release of The Fallen Star and I have been busy! I’m sure some of you just can’t wait to get your hands on the sequel; The Herald of Darkness. This next installment will take you into the heart of an army as it prepares for war (if you haven’t read The Fallen Star- go and buy it, read it, and then come back or there will be spoilers!).
The dark power in the west is rising and so an uneasy truce is drawn between ancient enemies and an army gathers. But how can such a varied army work together when there is so much racial tension? How can they fight a man with so much to loose? How will they overcome such impossible odds?
The first draft of the Herald of Darkness is complete and the second draft is well on its way but there will still be a little while before you can hold it in your hot little hands. In the mean-time I’m planning to have exciting giveaways and competitions so keep your eyes out. The most exciting opportunity in my opinion is to have yourself written into the book as a character!
More information on that coming soon….
Would you like to star in The Herald of Darkness? What did you think of The Fallen Star? Tell us all about it below.
March 8, 2013
Once Upon A Castle- Book Review
In this children’s book Alan S. Blood tells the story of two young children in the time of war. They are taken from their home to live with an aunt in the country. From there they experience the excitement of farm life and some mysterious encounters.
I have to say, this book has a lot of potential. The story itself is interesting and I like the underlying concepts but it lacks ‘meat’. I feel there is insufficient back story and depth to the characters, there’s something missing. A lot of parts are glossed over and I feel many characters act inconsistently or are never really fleshed out.
On top of that I don’t think the author has written to the intended audience, it’s a children’s book and yet some of the words would not be part of a child’s vocabulary. Words such as ‘chauvinist’, ‘flamboyant’, ‘inglenook’, and ‘soporific’ appear throughout the story, it would have been best, I think, to get several (average) children to read it first.
My biggest gripe of all is the ending. The story was traveling along quite nicely and suddenly it ends. I’m not sure if this book was intended to have a sequel (although I think it would be better to just add a few more chapters) but the ending needs to be expanded. I was left with a lot of questions about the story and the characters, and the main event at the end was glossed over, barely mentioned in fact. It was almost like it was added as an afterthought to make the book fit more into the ‘World War’ category. Perhaps the author got to the end and said ‘wait, this is supposed to be set in wartime!’, but it didn’t do the setting justice I feel.
While the story was good and children with a better than average vocabulary/reading ability will enjoy it, the author would do well to sit down and re-write this story, with more depth but also in a format more appropriate to the audience. I think this version should have been more like a ‘work-in-progress’, handed out to reviewers (such as myself), as well as child readers, for feedback and then rewritten with these suggestions in mind.
Alan S. Blood writes a good story but in future I hope he focuses more on the audience and on the depth of his tale so that the story can get the support it deserves.
I have given this book three stars although I feel that it could be two- based just on the writing, or four if just based on the story itself.
Have you read Once Upon A Castle? What did you think? Do you know any children that have read it? What did they think? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
March 6, 2013
DNA on a Whole New Level
A little while ago scientists achieved a pretty amazing fete: they managed to encode pictures, PDFs, even a book into something so small you can’t see it-DNA.
I think it helps to write and enjoy science fiction when you have at least a small grasp of scientific concepts. I took that a step further and did a biomedical degree, and one of the greatest things about the whole field is that it’s always evolving.
At first glance it seems like an impossible task and the implications make the mind run wild. DNA can last for millennia given the right conditions (and for centuries even under the wrong conditions!). It will always be relevant and readable (unlike VHS, DVDs and USBs), and think of the storage capacity! With just a small stretch of the imagination I can picture walking into a ‘DNA rental’ shop to hire out the latest movie- just pour the DNA into your reader and up it comes on the screen… OK, OK, that might be a little farfetched but it’s closer than you’d think.
This new advancement is based on the fact that both computer programs, and DNA are in essence quite simple. All computer storage, programs etc. are based on a binary code, that is, a series of ones and zeros. The sequence of these ones and zeroes tells the computer what to do (mind-blowing isn’t it?). Similarly, DNA is made up of 4 proteins (for simplicity we’ll call them A,C,G and T). These proteins are lined up in a sequence and the order in which they appear determines what your body produces (and looks like!).
So, these clever scientists have basically said ‘well A and C =0 and G and T=1’. They have then taken the binary code of the book (or image etc.) and created a DNA chain that matches that sequence (based on the translation of A/C=0 and G/T=1). For those of you not in the know, yes we can make DNA chains now, in whatever sequence is needed really (the future is nigh!).
Anyway, once the DNA chain is created it can be decoded (“DNA sequencing”), to get the DNA sequence which can then be converted back to the binary code of computers.
So you can see how the data can easily be moved from one form to the other and back again. The possibilities are endless although at this time the cost of creating and sequencing the DNA is limiting. But in the not so far-off future I think that DNA-movie store will be a reality.
Read more about it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/aug/16/book-written-dna-code
One related scientific paper can be found here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1226355
What do you think of these new breakthroughs? What can you envisage in the future?
DNA image curtsey of mstroeck at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DNA_Overview2.png
