Gord’s Comments (group member since Apr 06, 2017)

Gord’s comments from the Vampires, Weres and Fae! group.

I finished the first one and I have no idea how to rate this. It's one of those books that falls hard into that 3.5 star range for me. I had no real problems with the book but there was nothing that really blew my mind either. It was entertaining, long, but entertaining none the less. There was really only one big twist, (view spoiler)[ the big reveal of who the head of the organization was (hide spoiler)] so a lot of the setup felt like there wasn't a massive payoff for it. The MC was fine. Not one of those characters where you get pumped the second they appear on the page but not one I hate reading. I rather enjoyed her nerdy snark and charm. I'll give the second book a crack after I get a couple other things out of the way first.

*sigh*

I took a little short of a week off from that puzzle I was stuck on. I came back this morning, stared at it for a couple minutes, clicked a couple buttons, and solved it the first time. How was I so stupid the last time? How did I get stuck on this for hours? *shake my head*

Kind of excited. After some back and forth I got tomorrow off giving me a four day weekend. I've got a bunch of exciting things to read and watch this weekend so it will be a great time. Now to get through the next couple of hours.

LOL, c'mon I had to poke it with a stick.

Aren't you glad work is nice and quiet, surely everything will be smooth sailing from here on out and absolutely nothing bad will happen at all. *evil cackle*

Sorry, I had to.

Seriously though, good luck with your shift and all the chaos.

Maybe it's because it's Monday morning? People trying to get a hold of someone after the weekend kind of idea. Regardless, hopefully it calms down soon.

Another week and more books. As has been the theme for a while now it will be a lot of manga and comics again this week. As mentioned before I am in a cycle right now with the library where I'm getting slammed with manga and comics. I'm nearly caught up as I run into more wait queues and the end of what the library has available. Soon I'll be back to reading more novels.

Spartan Frost -3 Stars
I had a craving for a novel but I was busy with other stuff so I compromised and read a novella. Not a lot to really say about this as it was super short. It basically covers what Logan has been up to after the end of the last novel. Basically Logan wakes up, tags along with his dad, gets into a fight with Reapers, decides to go back to school and Gwen. That's it, that's all. It wasn't bad but it didn't really do much either.

Now for all the manga/comics stuff

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 6: Last Gert Standing -5 Stars
I was browsing Hoopla and noticed the latest edition in this series was out and I had to read it. I love this franchise and just how absolutely unhinged things are. This comic kind of broke my brain trying to figure out how the results of certain actions are going to play out. I'm not going to spoil anything as this is a new comic but lets just say it involves all sorts of timey wimey things. I mean Fairlyland has always played by its own rules but this one was... odd. Cool, but very odd. I'm totally in for more of this franchise and I need the next volume when ever it comes out.

The Apothecary Diaries 09 -4 Stars
More of this series and it was everything I wanted. Maomao solving mysteries, hints at greater mysteries, etc. The series is great and I love it.

The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, Vol. 1 -4 Stars
I have been waiting a long while for my copy of this edition and I have some mixed feelings about this one. A lot of my issues with this manga stem from it's age which is something I kind of forget when reading it. I'm not a big fan of the art style for this subject matter. This manga first started publication in 1972 which places it somewhere between something like Astroboy and the manga we know today. I just don't like it for the horror genre and that opinion is influenced by modern horror. The weird loop I get stuck in is that modern horror is influenced by this author and my brain just kind of short circuits after a while. Basically this art style doesn't have that impact that I expect from a horror manga. That experience of turning a page and having an image burned into your nightmares for the next week just isn't here. The story kind of shows it age as well but once the story gets rolling it's pretty interesting. Basically an elementary school disappears one day with all the students and staff in the school. It's discovered that the school, and all in it, have been transported to the future somehow. There are a lot of plot lines going on in this story. You have the future thing, the local wildlife and fauna, the mental breakdown of people when faced with the reality of the situation. I feel that the author may have been influence by Lord of the Flies. Lets just say the adults didn't last long and there are a lot of kids that get messed up in this manga. That and kids can't really fly no matter how much they believe they can. I'm super curious where this manga is going and I can't wait for the next one. I guess that is another nice thing about a book from '72, I don't have to wait for the next one to be published.

Sakamoto Days, Vol. 9 -4 Stars
I said this back when I first started this series but this volume really makes me want to see this series made into an anime. The action scenes in this manga are mind blowing and seeing them animated by the right studio would be wild. I'm kind of salivating at the thought of it honestly. The story is alright, it kind of gets lost in all the action and the large roster of characters. Now this could also be due to the fact that I had a large break between volumes and my memory is kind of rusty. Regardless, I can't wait for the next one.

Dark Gathering, Vol. 2 -4 Stars
Dark Gathering, Vol. 3 -4 Stars
Last time I talked about the first volume I mentioned that this was a blend of the cute and the horrifying. I might have been a wee bit off on that one. This series is just straight up horror and I'm down for it. This story is interesting and I want to know more. It kind of has a monster of the week vibe while also being clear that there are at least two different overarching stories that are motivating our characters forward. The horror elements right now have an urban myth kind of feel to them that is super fun and the third volume ended at a point that really has me wanting the next volume. It kind of ended on a cliffhanger that is potentially the biggest threat we've seen the whole series so far and maybe a new group member (???). The unfortunate side of things is that there is only one more volume available and then I'm back at the mercy of the library again.

Now for what is next

Tomb of the Queen
I'm about halfway through this one and I'm reserving my judgement currently. Compared to a normal urban fantasy this is a longer book at nearly 500 pages and it kind of feels like it. I feel that a normal urban fantasy has a pretty snappy pace to it overall. This book really feels like it's taking its time to set up a lot of different things. I feel like a lot of elements have been set up and now I have to see if the payoff was worth the wait. Not to sure what is next or if I'm getting to it this week. This is 14.5 hours long so I still have a fair bit of book to get through.

Outside of that is, say it with me now, more manga and comics. I know, I know, it never ends but I am getting caught up, I swear, maybe, ignore the latest stack of manga I just got.

*GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH*

*other unintelligible noises of frustration*

I'm stuck on this stupid puzzle that is driving me around the bend. I already feel stupid but then I look at reviews of the game I see tons of comments saying that the game is "too easy" and that it has "baby puzzles". Well this dumb ass baby is taking a break. I can probably solve the puzzle but I'll need to sit down, probably draw it out.

The librarian part of the union did their voting today and the result was 94% in favor of striking. The rest of the union will be voting this weekend. It's not a strike yet but we are one step closer.

Small update on the library strike thing. The union is voting over the weekend if they want to strike or not and the city has applied for a lock out. Basically, both sides are preparing to shut things down and start drawing lines in the sand.

Mostly better. I still have a slight twinge in the muscles in the front of my neck but each day I'm feeling better and better.

I haven't heard anything yet.

I finally started the first one and it has me curious. I'm a little over an hour into the audiobook and I'm interested in the world and where things going. As for Jane there isn't anything that immediately jumps off the page as "I love this character so much" but there is something weirdly charming about her. Maybe I'm just a sucker for nerdy female characters.

I'm awake and alive. Overall I'm feeling better but the pain has migrated to my neck. It kind of feels like I slept wrong and have a kink in my neck. I'd think that is what it was but I was feeling this last night before I went to bed. This feels minor so I should be fine.

I just finished watching all four Anaconda movies, over a few days of course, and that was a thing. The first two were solid B movie giant creature flicks but the last two were just awful. Not even The Hoff in the the third one was enough to save the movie.

I'm kind of feeling something towards the end of the day. Not pain and nothing debilitating or anything. Just a kind of tightness in my shoulders and lower back. I'm sure I'll be fine.

This might not have been the smarted move but I completed my walk after this nice little tumble in the snow. About the only thing I felt and still kind of feel is a bit of tightness in my back which I'm not really surprised by considering I was wearing my backpack at the time. I think my fat butt and my back pack took the blunt of the fall.

Today has been interesting so far. We got some snow over night that is sitting on top of the ice from last weeks thaw. I walked out of my apartment, got a few steps of the sidewalk and ended up flat on my back staring up at the sky. My toque flew off and one earbud disappeared down my jacket while the other took off for warmer climates. Side note, white earbuds in fresh white snow is not a fun time. I also had my backpack on that was full of food stuff for the week at work. Lets just say I had rice cakes, now I have rice shards and some dust. I lost one pack of hummus as well. I could see my bedroom window from where I was laying in the snow and I seriously contemplated just going back up stairs and ignoring the rest of the day.

The part of the whole situation that really annoyed me was that I know someone saw me take a tumble. They were right behind me all the way down the stairs and were seconds behind me going out the door. Not a word was exchanged. They didn't even bother to check to see if I was alright. Don't get me wrong, I didn't need help but it's still the thought that counts. Especially as I was laying there for a little bit figuring out where everything went wrong and what to do first.

Alright, an extra one for this week but I need to talk about Murderbot.

Network Effect -5 Stars
This book, oh this book was such a blast to read. I had some concerns going in as this was the first full length Murderbot book in a series of novellas. I had heard some mixed reactions to it but I can happily say that I really enjoyed it. If I really had to choose though I'd pick the novella format. I think it's just what I'm more used to and the format forces the book to really move. That being said this book did a couple of important things in my opinion. There was a ton of important character growth for Murderbot and for their relationship with ART. Speaking of ART *insert fangirling scream here* seeing these two characters just bounce off each other is awesome and probably my favorite part of the book. Outside of the great character moments this book does something else important. We get into what ART and his crew does and it's rather fascinating because it sets up so much potential for future story lines. Both in corporate space as well as out in the more unexplored regions of space. This series just has so much potential and that is such an odd thing to say when we are five books into it but it just feels like this series keeps unlocking new potential. I am so glad I finally picked up this series and gave it a try.

Bit of a smaller week for me this week as I'm still working on my audiobook.

The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash (Light Novel) Vol. 2 -4 Stars
I was not prepared for how good this book was. The first book felt like a bog standard slice of life in a fantasy world with a hint of isekai sprinkled in. Not horrible but nothing to write home about it. This book picks up the plot right from the end of the first book and just runs with it. The main plot of this book is the MC working with the two veteran adventuring groups that took her in to bust up a kidnapping slaver ring. These are the really bad kind of slavers who target kids not just for slavery but the extra mile shall we say. Yes, it's a random spot of really dark subject matter in this novel but I don't really hate it. It's not in your face about it and really bad things do happen. Man, this is going to sound so weird but hear me out. It's like some sort of twisted middle ground between the hyper innocence of something like My Little Pony and the soul destroying darkness of something like Berserk. Now this story is not without its flaws shall we say. First, and foremost, is the isekai aspect. Now in most isekai we get at least a glimpse of the person before they woke up in the fantasy world. They were a business man, an idol, a high school student, etc. It doesn't have to be a lot but we get some basic idea of who they were. In this one we never get that glimpse and that previous life kind of feels like a MacGuffin for the author. In the fantasy world we have this nine year old kid cooking up these strategies for everyone to use to bring down the slavers. Now the people do initially question things but after a while everyone just goes with but I want to know is how the previous life person knew how to do all this stuff. There are a lot of things that just feel like it's hand waved away by the author as something from the past life person. Cooking, trapping, cleaning, strategy, etc. It's far from a deal breaker and I doubt it will ever be explained but I am very curious. Regardless, our young MC has a bunch of character growth, makes a bunch of new friends, and brings down a slaver ring with ties all the way up to royal family. I really want the next volume to see where things go but no library has it and it could be months if I request it. There are only three more books in this series so I'm thinking of just buying them.

Forgotten in Death -5 Stars
More In Death and man this book was a good one. This had what felt like three cases on the go. Two that were linked to one victim and then a third that was essentially a cold case as it involved a corpse that was nearly 40 years old. It was interesting seeing all these different cases being worked through and that inevitable moment of justice as the bad guys are caught and broken by Eve. These books are just a fun read for me.

Made in Abyss, Vol. 1 -4 Stars
Made in Abyss, Vol. 2 -4 Stars
I am finally getting around to reading the official English release of this series and I am stoked. I initially read the fan translations of this series many years ago and I loved the world building in this series. This island in the middle of the ocean that contains an abyss under it that draws people in. How the abyss is so easy to access but oh so hard to leave. The deeper you go the harder it is to leave to the point where eventually you just can't leave the abyss. The lore around those brave souls that venture into this pit looking for artifacts and history. The red whistles that are essentially apprentices, the blue whistles that are leaders of the apprentices, the moon whistles for those that are teachers, the black whistles for those that can delve deep into the abyss, and finally the white whistles. Absolute monsters that travel deep within the abyss. Folks that are larger than legends and with abilities to back it up. Performing feats so far beyond human comprehension. At the core of this story is a young 12 year old girl venturing forth into the abyss to find her missing mother, a white whistle legend called Lyza "The Annihilator". Now I know some people take manga recommendations off of my reviews so I feel I need to give a warning for this series. I haven't gotten far but I know that this series gets extremely brutal and is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of trauma in this series and some of it is down right horrifying. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Now for that is next.
Network Effect
I'm about 60% of the way into this book and hoping to have it done today. I'm absolutely loving this book so far. More next week when I've got this done and I find out where things are going.

Tomb of the Queen
Now that I am getting caught up on my audiobooks I can start tackling my buddy reads that I need to catch up on. So many books to read and never enough time.

The Apothecary Diaries 09
The Drifting Classroom: Perfect Edition, Vol. 1
I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 6: Last Gert Standing
These are the three comics I want to focus on getting done this week as well.