A Week In Reading

Hello world. I have not updated the blog in a while since I decided schoolwork was as good an excuse as any not to pay attention to the world. I've decided to relay my thoughts about some of my recent reads to all of you because some of the books I read this year were quite good and I think they are worth looking into by any science fiction or fantasy enthusiast.

This week I will cover a classic Golden Age science fiction novel titled "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke. The novel's primary focus is to decode the ultimate fate of the human race as a transitional species. As a transitional species, the role of the human race is not to explore the far reaches of the universe or to travel through time. Instead, the humans are destined to give birth to trans-humans with extrasensory perception and powers that the human race cannot explain through science.

The span of the book encompasses many generations of humans beginning with the generation that lived during the Cold War. Events quickly deviate from reality when extra-terrestrials travel to earth and eliminate any military and nuclear threats that could potentially cause the extinction of the humans. The aliens, or Overlords as they are called, serve a much greater being in the universe and they have traveled to Earth to ensure that the humans fulfill their duty as the race that gives rise to the new humans.

The most significant part of the story for me was discovering the physical attributes of the Overlords. They are unlike any extra-terrestrial being one could imagine in that they resemble an all too familiar human icon. I do not wish to spoil this, however I will say that I was disturbed at the prospect of seeing such an icon in the light that is presented in the novel.

Suffice it to say, the book covers quite a bit of territory in the realm of science fiction. Published in 1953, the book does a terrific job of exploring the potential of the human race even by today's standards. I would encourage people with even the slightest interest in science fiction to read this classic. I'll be back next week to add more to the expanding pool of knowledge that is the Internet.

A Different Kind Of Fantasy

It is finally upon us. No, I'm not talking about MGS4, because I'm trying to keep things fantasy related on this site and I am not particularly fond of the franchise. I'm talking about Final Fantasy IV for the DS which ships in North America and Europe in mid-July. While many PS3 owners are probably glued to their TVs playing through Snake's tale for a second or third time, I stand alone (very alone) in bringing you information about this game that has probably fallen under the radar of many gamers out there.

There are a number of reasons that people may not be interested in this game. To list a few:

• MGS4 released.
• FFIVDS is a portable re-re-re-make of a game that originally released some 15~ years ago.
• The art style is a little different.
• The game's chronology (IV) is confusing because it was released previously as Final Fantasy II.

I'm not going to describe the game for you because GameTrailers has put together a good preview that highlights some key features of this re-make that you can view at this link: http://www.gametrailers.com/player/35093.html.

I have played the original Final Fantasy IV and I play a good many current and old Role-Playing Games. From a personal standpoint, I think that FFIVDS will stand out as a shining RPG release this year across all platforms, including consoles and PC. Here's hoping the game is as good as I think it will be.
[Final Fantasy IV (Japan)]

Character Profile: Nasir (part 3)

Here's a Hero Machine work that I've done to show a little of what Nasir might look like were he outside my imagination. Anyways, next post will be a little more involved in terms of information regarding the character.

Character Profile: Nasir (part 2)

You may have read through the beginning of my character development entry earlier this week, and if you haven't you can check it out here:

http://mobden.blogspot.com/2008/05/character-profile-nasir.html

Now, I intend to expand on some basic elements. Here goes:

Name: Nasir (name given at birth unknown).

Birthplace: Nasir was born in the Elven city of Andura-Nagri in the land of Varathon.

Childhood: Nasir is the son of an Elven warrior named Shaia Jen-Falia, his father, and an Elven merchant named Miria Langrasi, his mother. Nasir lived a difficult childhood, losing his father at an early age (somewhere around 100 Elven years, equivalent to 4 Earth years) in a civil war between his own people, the Elves of Narsis, and the opposing Elves of Arowyn. In his young years (about 100 - 500 Elven years) Nasir supported his mother by hunting just outside of the city and collecting various animal pelts that his mother bartered so that she and Nasir could afford food and shelter. When Nasir was around 500 years old, his mother was murdered and he was exiled by the Elves of Narsis. The circumstances of these occasions are still unknown.

Training: Nasir taught himself to hunt at a young age in order to provide wares for his mother. He became skilled in the use of the bow, used in hunting small deer, and later attained proficiency in melee combat with knives, rapiers and swords in order to hunt bears and other comparable animals.

Ambitions: Nasir holds a grudge against all elves. Little is known about the reasons behind his animosity, however, one can surmise that the death of his mother and his exiled status bear some significance when determining factors regarding his personality. It would seem as though Nasir's ambition is to exact revenge upon someone or something relating to the circumstances of his mother's murder.

Fears: Nasir fears establishing strong interpersonal connections with others.

Quirks: Nasir may shuffle when walking in order to block out other sounds from miles away that he does not wish to listen to. Nasir will constantly pay attention to possessions of value, including individuals holding valuable items. Nasir carries around a deck of cards. Gambling is a habit that Nasir simply cannot resist.

Favorite Drink: Elven Wine.

Battle Cry: "I'll put your money where your mouth is."

That ought to light a few candles regarding the background of Nasir. I intentionally did not address all questions, but don't worry, that's because I am saving some for later.

The Music Of Your Dreams

Well, here it is. When rock, hip-hop, smooth jazz, rap, and r&b just aren't cutting it for you, Radio Rivendell wades in to comfort your weary ears. While I won't be listening to this station when I feel like jammin' in my car, I will tune in when I need to set the mood to EPIC! I figured it was a neat find that someone, somewhere might consider useful. I know it will at least help me on occasion. There's nothing like the soothing music of an elven treetop village, now is there?

[Radio Rivendell]

Character Profile: Nasir

My friends and I are running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign that has been going on for about a year now. I'm going to post a little bit about my character here because this blog will double as a journal for the adventures that take place in the land of Varathon.

Name: Nasir
Race: Elf
Class: Rogue
Gender: Male
Alignment: Neutral

Bio:

Outcast by his people, Nasir travels the land of Varathon for the sole purpose of personal gain. Money is the means to any end, as far as Nasir is concerned. When undertaking a job, communication is kept to a minimum. Nasir is not interested in developing bonds with others. To Nasir, a person's credibility is defined by how much money they have collected. While he is not a sociable person by nature, Nasir will flawlessly work with others when necessary. Not much else is known about the silent entity, but one thing is certain: the rogue will not fail to complete a task, even if it costs a life, be it his own or that of another.

What is it that drives Nasir? No man, elf or orc can presume to live without a cause. Perhaps there is a reason that Nasir is traveling the land of Varathon. Whatever, or whoever that reason is, it is likely that it represents the very existence of the rogue.

There. How was that? I feel like it's a good start to developing a character. I intend to follow-up on this background with a continuing log of the quests that occur in the land of Varathon. I'll work out the details later, but I hope you've enjoyed what's there.

Caspian: Hit Or Miss?

So yesterday marked the release of the latest cinematic installment in the Chronicles of Narnia series. I figure the film is worth mentioning because of the current lack of fantasy feature films on the market and the first movie was not so bad. So how does the second movie hold up? I'll tell you using a like/didn't like analysis. There's probably a better naming convention for that type of analysis but you'll just have to deal.

Like:

• Mouseketeers! I hadn't read the book prior to seeing the movie, but those mouse warriors were funny and much more likable than either Peter or Caspian.
• CG! The computer graphics were pretty good throughout, animating a cool water elemental and some living trees. Let's not forget that CG whore Aslan. I'm particularly fond of those kinds of graphics, though.
  
• Some intriguing plot elements. Religious parables aside, I retained a genuine interest in the temptation scene with Caspian. Not to spoil too much, but there was a point where I was on the edge of my seat to see how Caspian responded to the particular temptation. While the overall significance of the scene was not addressed in this movie, it left me wondering about what might become of certain artifacts in future Narnia movies/books.
• Stealth attack scene. The Narnian's plan to sneak attack the Talmarins is a good attempt at showing a dynamic to warfare that is actually interesting. I also liked the use of some other tactical warfare schemes that I won't mention for the sake of seeing the movie.
  
• Dwarf character is pretty cool. Not much else to say about that. Maybe give him an axe instead of a crossbow and he would have been awesome.

Didn't Like:

• Awkward ending. I'm not sure how things ended in the book, but what gives? I won't spoil it, but just be prepared for the awkwardness.
• Religious parables. They're just lame by today's standards. I guess there's no getting around them seeing as how the books place such a great emphasis on them.
• Caspian and Peter are both pricks. Whereas in the first film, we only had to deal with Peter, now we have to deal with two over the top idiots. If I had to choose between them, I'd pick Caspian because... well... not to relate the two to anything extraneous... cough red ranger and green ranger... Ok. That's enough of that.
  
• Lack of a hot chick. Seriously. Lord of the Rings can do it, why can't you?

There you go! Is the movie worth seeing? I'd say yeah, I don't think much else is in the cinema that can compete with it, so you've got nothing to lose. It's also a pretty decent movie. Just don't expect something on the same level as the Lord of the Rings and you'll be satisfied.

[The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian]