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For those who don't follow my other blog (www.spiritblade.net/blog), I've been selected for the jury on a trial that will be running this week and next. So I may not be able to keep up with posting consistently. But check back Friday or Saturday for my review of "Clash Of The Titans"!

The Night Angel Trilogy, by Brent Weeks (Book Review)


I believe this will mark the first time I've done a book review using the same rating system that I use for movies. I usually don't read books or fantasy series until they are complete and available in paperback. By that time I feel like I've "missed the boat" already and lose motivation to write a review. But a few months ago I took a chance on a new author named Brent Weeks, who published his first trilogy completely in paperback and in three consecutive months. (A brilliant marketing scheme on his part!)

The Night Angel Trilogy is comprised of the books "The Way Of Shadows", "Shadow's Edge" and "Beyond The Shadows". It is sword and sorcery fantasy with possibly the darkest tone I have yet read in this genre. Although the trilogy features an ensemble cast of characters, it centers on Kylar Stern, a mystical super assassin called a "wetboy". The trilogy starts with his humble beginnings as a member of a street gang and follows his career as he becomes one of the most deadly and efficient killers who ever lived.

Weeks does a fantastic job of pulling me into the minds of these characters. While many fantasy authors pride themselves on "world-building", Weeks has made the effort to present his world through the eyes of his characters, engaging me emotionally from the very first page. And this is a world that lends itself to intense emotion.

The story is set in a corrupt city and centers on corrupt people. Prostitution and sexual abuse and all kinds of human depravity figure prominently in the story and the language associated with these themes is very harsh. The "f-bomb" is very common throughout many chapters of all three books, as well as other language that may be more or less offensive to some. But the way in which these harsh words are used is anything but careless. Weeks' writing contains a clear sense of right and wrong. And while nearly every character in this story is corrupt in some way, the author portrays this corruption as tragic and makes us long for a better world.

The story is violent and filled with intense action, deadly combat and incredibly powerful magic. Those seeking fantasy of this nature will not likely be disappointed. The deadly world of assassins is a dark one, but captivating to peek into. The planning and brutal execution of assassinations is a strong point of these books. If you like Batman stories that focus on all the brainpower and planning it takes for Bruce Wayne to become a terrifying urban legend, you'll love Kylar and his "Night Angel" persona. (I wouldn't be surprised if Brent Weeks was a comic book fan.)

The story includes some politics to follow, but these elements are introduced slowly enough to keep track of and never overshadow characterization or story. I would advise, however, that readers pay careful attention as new characters are introduced. Otherwise you may later discover that a character you skimmed through has become a lead player in the story, and you don't quite remember who they are. (This was the case for me.) As the trilogy progresses, more characters are introduced and "screen time" is more evenly portioned out. So don't rush and know that there will be a few more characters to keep track of that are important, especially once you reach the third book.

There is a very clear objective morality in these books. Many fantasy authors guide their characters by "what feels right". They create tension by letting their character be insecure regarding what they ought to do. By contrast, Weeks' characters very often know morally what is the right thing to do. The tension comes from them having to make the right decision, which often results in pain or sacrifice on their part. Or from living with the consequences of making a decision they knew was wrong. The combination of these heart-wrenching decisions and watching the characters lose what they most hold dear is a primary part of what makes this trilogy so captivating.

I can't be certain, but I highly suspect that Brent Weeks is a man who, if not professing to be a Christian, has at least spent a great deal of time reading his Bible. This is possibly the only mainstream fantasy novel I have read that takes place in a polytheistic society in which a "One True God" religion is portrayed favorably. Themes of morality, justice, wrath, forgiveness and redemption run clearly through many chapters in all three books. There are also more parallels to Biblical stories or teaching than I can count. In nearly a dozen instances, the Bible is almost quoted word for word, depending on which translation you're reading. And one particular scene between a king and a prostitute in "Shadow's Edge" mirrored the account between Jesus and the adulteress(John Chapter 8) in a way that made my eyes brim with tears. These elements will be detectable to various degrees depending on the reader's familiarity with the Bible, but this is not a "preachy" book. Rather, it paints a picture that makes us long for what could be.

Out of nowhere, Brent Weeks has exploded onto my bookshelf and, in my estimation, stands toe-to-toe with an author like Terry Goodkind. Well done, Mr. Weeks. Now when will your next book be released?


Quality: 9.0/10

Relevance: 9.0/10

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I'm scheduled for jury duty tomorrow, but I have yet to find out if it will actually happen. The last two times it was my turn, I never made it to a courtroom. Maybe the third time is the charm?

I'll be making a phone call soon to see if I even have to appear. If so, then I'll go in tomorrow and hopefully be selected! (I know, call me weird. But I wanna do it!)

Stay tuned...

No, I don't mean the "Lord Of The Rings" chick, but the vocal artist whose geeky LOTR dad gave her the same name. (A man after my own heart.)

Last week I was trying like crazy to find a new Christian artist to listen to that had a dark sound that was either Industrial Electronic or that had some electronic production value. I'm a huge fan of the band "Red" and figured I'd never be likely to find anything else like them in the realm of Christian music. But then I stumbled onto Eowyn while sifting through a TON of bad music and she totally grabbed me.

I'm not usually into female vocalists. Mainly because I can't sing along in the strongest part of my vocal range. And Eowyn utilizes the break in her voice a little too often at times. But she otherwise has a wonderfully smooth voice and does a fantastic job of haunting my thoughts while suspended by a dark Industrial Rock sound. She has three albums out, but her current sound is newly developed with the album "Silent Screams".

Looks like it came out in 2008 and she's been releasing a new CD about every two years. So hopefully we'll hear something new from her soon! I will likely wear out "Silent Screams" in just a few weeks!

Repo Men is the story of a future in which those who cannot make payments on the artifical organs they have purchased are hunted down by Repo Men who reclaim their organs, often killing them in the process.

Although the previews for “Repo Men” don’t show much in the way of science fiction aside from the basic premise, this is clearly a sci-fi action movie with the visuals to back it up. It’s not a flashy movie with a great deal of money thrown into effects, but there is plenty to see that reminds you that this is the future we’re dealing with. The modest effects look great while being subtle enough to keep us grounded in reality.

Jude Law is our hero and Forest Whitaker plays his eager partner. Both bring engaging performances to their roles, as does Live Schreiber, who plays their heartless, greedy boss.

The action in this movie is wonderfully choreographed and brutally intense. Just when I think I’ve memorized every possible fight move or takedown the silver screen can show me, movies like Repo Men and The Book Of Eli remind me that there are still a few creative people left in Hollywood.

Now, stop me if you’ve heard this one before. In the future there are law enforcement officer who enforce laws that we might consider inhumane. There are two officers who work closely together, but one of them, our hero is put in a position where he must now be hunted like the many he has hunted down before. This causes him to doubt the nature of the laws in place and to seek to bring about change for everyone. He may even develop a romance with a woman who is also being hunted by enforcers.

If this sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve seen Logan’s Run, Minority Report or Equilibrium. And if you’ve seen any of those movies, you’ve seen a significant portion of “Repo Men”. The formulaic nature of this movie is easily its weakest point and tends to diminish the other great elements present.

Also, the concept of Repo Men reclaiming human organs has already been covered recently in the lesser known but highly intriguing and enjoyable sci-fi rock opera movie “Repo: The Genetic Opera”. (If you want something MUCH more unique, go find a copy of this one to rent.)

The ending of Repo Men has potential to provide a welcome surprise, but if you pay close attention and enjoy trying to think ahead while watching movies, you probably won’t be taken off guard.

It’s possible that the subject of marriage will come up after viewing this movie, especially if you value lifelong commitment in marriage and believe in the unity of the family/ It appears that the filmmakers don’t. Although the hero’s marriage is rocky, it doesn’t seem doomed. But when our hero spends enough time away from his wife and son, he doesn’t have a hard time “falling in love” with another woman and starting an affair that the film portrays as a warm, romantic fulfillment of our hero’s needs. Although the phrase is never used in the movie, this is the natural outcome of the “follow your heart” mantra when applied consistently to relationships.

While this movie is cool and engaging in several ways, it uses a tired plot concept without including enough separate unique elements to make it memorable.

Rated R for strong bloody violence, grisly images, language and some sexuality/nudity.

Quality: 8.0/10

Relevance: 8.0/10

www.spiritblade.net/blog

I suppose I am MIA because I broke my habit of blogging... Or perhaps Facebook has ruined me because of the simplicity of updating the world. No effort at all there. Just click and upload photos easily! No need for long drawn-out explanations. Just a status. Just a sentence. One measly little teeny tiny quote. Minimal proof-reading... Only people I know can read what I post. No one I don't know! So less worries there. Well then why am I blogging today? Well, I was just rereading my birth story for Justus and tearing up at the memory and thought, I really need to try to blog a little more often because it is so nice to go back and read about certain events. Like that special home birth! So I will attempt to blog more. I'm not promising anything because I am pretty busy! But I am gonna give it the ol' college try, whatever the heck that means. :)

Maybe I would feel more motivated if people actually posted comments. (hint-hint)

Any why the pic? Because tonight, I wrestled with a 3-year-old who did not want a hair cut. He screamed the entire time but I triumphed! Then he screamed as I trimmed his 3-inch finger nails... Again, point for ME!

I'm making pancakes! I love pancakes! Here is a poem about my pancakes:

Pancakes are so good to eat.
Pancakes are a special treat.
Pancakes are as good as meat.
Pancakes do not taste like feet.
Pancakes.

The end.

I've got 10 bucks of i-tunes money that I have no idea how I'm going to use. I don't want to buy any videos, the latest offerings from The Echoing Green and Andy Hunter aren't what I'm looking for. (Too bright or mellow respectively.) Red is nowhere near releasing a new album. There are no film scores I want. No video game scores either.

I'd love to find a dark, industrial artist that uses a solid lead vocal (lots of out of tune vocalists out there) and maybe some orchestral or "epic" elements to their sound. Or another band like Red that values melody flavored with screaming with a hard rock sound and some epic elements all complimented by some electronic production value.

And if it happens to be Christian music, that's icing.

Any recommendations? Or is that bit too specific?

Here’s part two of my evaluation of the comic books I’ve been reading regularly for awhile now. Last time I took a look at my “team” books. This time I’m zeroing in on the “solo” books I read.

The Flash: Rebirth

I first started reading comics on a regular basis while collecting “Crisis On Infinite Earths”, in which the silver age Flash, Barry Allen, died saving the universe. It was a heroic and noble death for a character that, for many, was bland and uninteresting. His successor, Wally West, has been my Flash for virtually all of my comic book reading life.

With so many other heroes returning from the grave, the death of Barry Allen was the one reminder of the seriousness of death in the DC Universe. I saw absolutely no good reason to bring Barry Allen back from the dead. To be honest, I still don’t. But I’ve always said(of both Flash and Green Lantern) that who wears the suit isn’t near as important as how good the story is. And in Flash: Rebirth, Geoff Johns works his magic again, presenting a character driven story and a redefined hero.

Barry Allen’s time away has brought him back with an intense desire to make every second count. This has effects on his relationships with those closest to him that make for a very sympathetic character portrait. Johns has also monkeyed with Barry’s past just a little to give better motivation to Allen’s pursuit of Justice. All of his life, Barry Allen has believed that his Father was wrongly convicted for the murder of his mother, and this has driven his pursuit of truth and justice, driving him to find out what the truth is in criminal cases and pursue justice for the deserving while protecting the innocent.

The end result is a character that I look forward to reading more about. And though I hope Wally finds ways to be prominent and well-written in books like “Titans”, Barry is positioned best right now to tell the strongest Flash stories possible. This 6 issue miniseries is a must read for DCU fans.

Superman: Secret Origin

I’ve not been a consistent Superman reader. I jump on and off when the writing is good because Superman is a character that has to be written very well be good. But when he IS written well, it’s wonderful.

After reading Crisis On Infinite Earths, I collected the “Man Of Steel” miniseries which re-established Superman’s origin in “post-Crisis” continuity in the mid-80s. (No Superboy or fully developed adolescent powers.) I really enjoyed this new take on the Superman mythos and started becoming frustrated when it would be ignored by more recent stories. “Last Son Of Krypton” was a more recent attempt at redefining Superman’s origins, but Mark Waid’s story was just not “pure” enough in its focus or characterization.

Leave it to the most recent “time crisis” to give Geoff Johns an excuse to work his magic and redefine Superman for this generation of readers. It should come as no surprise that he does a fantastic job. If you are under the impression that Superman is a sterile, 2-dimensional character, be sure to pick up this miniseries. (Currently on issue 4 of 6.)

Many of the little things we take for granted about Superman are given purpose or a brand-new perspective. Johns’ distills these characters into their purest forms while reminding us why they have endured and what makes them worth writing about. Considering that Superman is the hero that started it all, this miniseries is a must read for all superhero comic book fans.

Wonder Woman

I’ve never been drawn to reading female character books, but I had always wanted to give “Wonder Woman” a try because of her iconic status in the comic book world. Like Aquaman, she is a character that I have always wanted to see work, but always seem to be disappointed. Sandals, togas and all the Greek stuff just don’t do anything for me. But I came on board this new Wonder Woman series impressed with the story and writing. At first. But they couldn’t seem to hang onto their strong writers and the book began to fail.

Gail Simone to the rescue!

Although this is a very different book from Secret Six, Gail Simone continues to prove her worth as a writer. Diana is a character from a foreign world but is brought down to earth by her quirky supporting cast. As Diana plays straight man to the rest of the world, we’re reminded of how poorly she fits in. I would guess that many geeks who feel out of place in the world will likely feel right at home with this book.

But despite her social awkwardness at times, Wonder Woman is no insecure weakling, and the action in this book is a load of fun. If you’ve ever wanted to give this character a try, now is the time!

Ex Machina

Although published by DC (through Wildstorm), Ex Machina takes place outside main DCU continuity. In a world without superheroes, one man is given the power to control technology with the sound of his voice… and then enters into politics.

Don’t misread me here. There is plenty of superpower stuff happening, especially with all the flashbacks to “The Great Machine’s” brief stint as a costumed hero. But the book has a very realistic tone and dark, gritty sensibility.

The writing has been strongest at the beginning and now as it starts to come to a planned finale. But even its weaker story arcs have been interesting enough to keep me from dropping it.

If you want a superhero story without the costumes and “Heroes” is boring you as much as it is me, give this book a try. However, be forewarned that it is designed for “mature readers”. Rough language, and sexual references abound. And if you are politically charged, you may also want to know that although the book starts out in the middle ground, it reveals more and more of its left leaning sensibilities as it progresses. Though not extremely so.

Green Lantern Corps

The “Blackest Night” storyline has done nothing but good things for Tomasi’s already solid writing. This book has been consistently good, though not great. But currently, it is a great read every month. A cosmic war is raging and this book tells the story of space marines who are in it together through thick and thin. The action is massive and often non-stop, and the sense of brotherhood between GLs is inspiring and in a couple instances surprisingly moving. Not a book that will interest everyone, but worth picking up if you want the whole story behind “Blackest Night” and a must read for Green Lantern fans.

Green Lantern

In the midst of the massive “Blackest Night” storyline, Green Lantern is not only vital to exploring the deeper goings-on, but it is also where much of Green Lantern history is being remembered, celebrated or renewed. Geoff Johns continues to be a master of presenting the core essence of characters and reminding us of why they are captivating. And somewhere along the way, Johns even made this crazy idea about a “rainbow of lantern corps” work really well!

In preparation for the release of the Dragon Age: Origins expansion coming out next week, I decided to go ahead and buy the two pieces of downloadable content I don't have yet. Warden's Keep and Return To Ostagar.

I played through Warden's Keep last night and had a great time with it! Comparing it hour for hour to the amount of gameplay you get with the basic game, it was probably overpriced. But comparing the amount of entertainment I got from it versus most other things I spend money on (chiefly comics and movies) it was easily worth it.

I had noticed that some folks have complained that the quest is too easy for characters that have already finished the main game, but I compensated for this by bumping up the difficulty level I was playing the game on by one. The expansion must have been auto-scaling fairly well, because I found some weapons and armor that would have been worthless to me at earlier levels and I even had to drop the difficulty back down again a couple times to avoid losing my entire supply of health potions!

The sour note in all of this is that when I downloaded my DLC the game forced me to apply an update to the game. Once I did this, my old DLC became unusable whenever I'm disconnected from the internet. I got around this before when it only effected one in-game item, but with The Stone Prisoner DLC effected by this bug, I can't load any of my old saves offline.

Although EA and Bioware have offered zero solutions for this problem, I found a solution on an EA forum developed by a Bioware forum user to fix the problem. The solution worked for all of my DLC... except The Stone Prisoner.

So for now I am stuck upstairs in my office, which is no tragedy. But if I want to treat myself now and then to playing the game on a bigger HD TV with a much better sound system, I'll either have to wait for a fix to be discovered or purchase a wifi adapter ($50-$100) for my 360. Blech.