Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi (translated by Kevin Leahy)
Chapter 7
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Wednesday, 14 October 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Monday, 12 October 2026
Tabletop Games
Daggerheart
All 3 games continuing — in fact, this week is the one-year anniversary of joining my first!
All 3 games continuing — in fact, this week is the one-year anniversary of joining my first!
Sunday, 11 October 2026
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Films
Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
[2nd watch]
[#68 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
aka Avengers Assemble
Vampir Cuadecuc (1971)
[2nd watch]
[#68 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
aka Avengers Assemble
Vampir Cuadecuc (1971)
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
A little pile of new additions this week, two new releases and a few sales pickups. Plus it's time again for the monthly running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 3,749 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 959 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,790 [up 6]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 567 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 8,993 [up 6]
Number of films: 4,841 [up 6]
Number of additional cuts: 519 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,145 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,341 [up 4]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
625 days, 12 hours, and 35 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 11 hours, and 21 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
A little pile of new additions this week, two new releases and a few sales pickups. Plus it's time again for the monthly running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 3,749 [up 6]
Of which DVDs: 959 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,790 [up 6]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 567 [up 1]
Number of discs in collection: 8,993 [up 6]
Number of films: 4,841 [up 6]
Number of additional cuts: 519 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,145 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,341 [up 4]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
625 days, 12 hours, and 35 minutes.
(Up 1 day, 11 hours, and 21 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 9 October 2026
Thursday, 8 October 2026
Fiction
Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi (translated by Kevin Leahy)
Chapter 1
Oh look, I’m starting another series! This is the first book in the Vampire Hunter D series (would you believe it!), which was adapted into the 1985 anime that I watched recently, which I’ve owned for a while but was inspired to finally put on because before that I’d picked up the whole series of novels as ebooks (well, the whole series that’s been translated into English — there’s an ever-growing pile that hasn’t been, unfortunately). It might seem daft to jump in like that, but… well, it’s the kind of thing I do. Besides, it was a dirt cheap bundle, and as ebooks they don’t take up any real space, so... But I do hope I like them. They seem like my kind of thing.
Chapter 1
Oh look, I’m starting another series! This is the first book in the Vampire Hunter D series (would you believe it!), which was adapted into the 1985 anime that I watched recently, which I’ve owned for a while but was inspired to finally put on because before that I’d picked up the whole series of novels as ebooks (well, the whole series that’s been translated into English — there’s an ever-growing pile that hasn’t been, unfortunately). It might seem daft to jump in like that, but… well, it’s the kind of thing I do. Besides, it was a dirt cheap bundle, and as ebooks they don’t take up any real space, so... But I do hope I like them. They seem like my kind of thing.
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Fiction
The Legend of Drizzt: The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 25–29 [the end]
It took me a little while to warm up to this, but I enjoyed it a fair bit in the end. I'm not sure it ever fully transcends certain stereotypes of Fantasy fiction, but it's not a bad tale. Book 2 should be coming in my next delivery from the partwork, so I'll probably dive into it fairly quickly. (Hopefully the trilogy-concluding third volume won't be too far behind, though if they're cycling through all three trilogies they've started in issues 1–3, it won't be until at least the fourth delivery, likely in December.)
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 25–29 [the end]
It took me a little while to warm up to this, but I enjoyed it a fair bit in the end. I'm not sure it ever fully transcends certain stereotypes of Fantasy fiction, but it's not a bad tale. Book 2 should be coming in my next delivery from the partwork, so I'll probably dive into it fairly quickly. (Hopefully the trilogy-concluding third volume won't be too far behind, though if they're cycling through all three trilogies they've started in issues 1–3, it won't be until at least the fourth delivery, likely in December.)
Video Games
Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk...
Like so many random games I buy nowadays, I can't remember how I came across this; but it has Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam and is only 62p in the sale. Made an effort to play it today (not much of an "effort" — it's a visual novel so mostly just clicking through, and it only took 20 minutes) because its sequel (Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk...) is also Overwhelmingly Positive and only £1.54, and the sale ends tomorrow afternoon. I liked it enough to buy that too.
Like so many random games I buy nowadays, I can't remember how I came across this; but it has Overwhelmingly Positive reviews on Steam and is only 62p in the sale. Made an effort to play it today (not much of an "effort" — it's a visual novel so mostly just clicking through, and it only took 20 minutes) because its sequel (Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk...) is also Overwhelmingly Positive and only £1.54, and the sale ends tomorrow afternoon. I liked it enough to buy that too.
Tuesday, 6 October 2026
Monday, 5 October 2026
Fiction
The Legend of Drizzt: The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 17–23
End of Part Four.
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 17–23
End of Part Four.
Sunday, 4 October 2026
Fiction
The Legend of Drizzt: The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 14–16
End of Part Three.
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 14–16
End of Part Three.
Video Games
Aperture Desk Job
Nearly two weeks after it arrived, I finally actually played something on my Steam Machine. And I started the same way as on my Deck: with Aperture Desk Job. Despite all Valve's talk of the Steam Controller having input parity with the Deck, this shows it's not true: it shows the wrong command for taking a screenshot (it timed out and auto-completed before I could remember the button combination); there's a bit that requires a microphone (the Controller doesn't have one and, again, it autocompletes in silence); there's a bit where you have to sign your name that I guess used the touchscreen on Deck but says to use the mouse with the Controller, only the trackpads don't work like they should (I'm not even sure how I managed to force my way past that bit in the end); and the gyro only works if you enable a user-created control scheme, not the official one from Valve themselves.
Bright Memory
I picked this because it's also short, listed as being an hour or less. Took me an hour-and-a-half. It's really my first experience of more modern-style combat in games, which involves dodging and using multipe types of attack with timed refresh, rather than just running around and shooting. I tried the latter a lot at first, and died a lot. Once I got the hang of dodging all the time I didn't die again to combat, only struggling with some awkward platforming sections (I maintain that first-person platforming is dumb), but I was still mostly button-mashing rather than really using my attacks in a planned way. Still, only my first hour-or-so with this style, so maybe I'll get used to it. I mean, I guess I'll have to, as I think a lot of more recent games are more like that, which is why some people complain about the older-style combat in games like Skyrim. I quite enjoyed it in the end, though its story is nonsensical (I'd say nonexistent, but I think it thinks it has one), and it kind of just stops and tells you you need to play the sequel. I do already have that, so I guess I'll try it at some point.
Nearly two weeks after it arrived, I finally actually played something on my Steam Machine. And I started the same way as on my Deck: with Aperture Desk Job. Despite all Valve's talk of the Steam Controller having input parity with the Deck, this shows it's not true: it shows the wrong command for taking a screenshot (it timed out and auto-completed before I could remember the button combination); there's a bit that requires a microphone (the Controller doesn't have one and, again, it autocompletes in silence); there's a bit where you have to sign your name that I guess used the touchscreen on Deck but says to use the mouse with the Controller, only the trackpads don't work like they should (I'm not even sure how I managed to force my way past that bit in the end); and the gyro only works if you enable a user-created control scheme, not the official one from Valve themselves.
Bright Memory
I picked this because it's also short, listed as being an hour or less. Took me an hour-and-a-half. It's really my first experience of more modern-style combat in games, which involves dodging and using multipe types of attack with timed refresh, rather than just running around and shooting. I tried the latter a lot at first, and died a lot. Once I got the hang of dodging all the time I didn't die again to combat, only struggling with some awkward platforming sections (I maintain that first-person platforming is dumb), but I was still mostly button-mashing rather than really using my attacks in a planned way. Still, only my first hour-or-so with this style, so maybe I'll get used to it. I mean, I guess I'll have to, as I think a lot of more recent games are more like that, which is why some people complain about the older-style combat in games like Skyrim. I quite enjoyed it in the end, though its story is nonsensical (I'd say nonexistent, but I think it thinks it has one), and it kind of just stops and tells you you need to play the sequel. I do already have that, so I guess I'll try it at some point.
Articles
‘Goodbye Whoniverse. God, that was fun!’: Russell T Davies on writing the end of Doctor Who
by Russell T Davies (from the Guardian)
More details about what went down as RTD2 came to an end, which is interesting.
by Russell T Davies (from the Guardian)
More details about what went down as RTD2 came to an end, which is interesting.
this week on 100Films.co.uk
Another month has passed us by, and so 100Films.co.uk pops up with a review of my September film viewing...
...as well as some of the things I didn't view...
More next month.
...as well as some of the things I didn't view...
More next month.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I thought there was going to be a fair bit of stuff this week, but then some release dates were pushed back and some sale purchases didn't arrive as quickly as expected, and so there's only two additions — one of which is a very welcome DVD-to-4K upgrade (because apparently the Blu-ray was poor) for Interview with the Vampire.
Number of titles in collection: 3,743 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 959 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,784 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 566 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,987 [up 4]
Number of films: 4,835 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 518 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,145 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,337 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
I thought there was going to be a fair bit of stuff this week, but then some release dates were pushed back and some sale purchases didn't arrive as quickly as expected, and so there's only two additions — one of which is a very welcome DVD-to-4K upgrade (because apparently the Blu-ray was poor) for Interview with the Vampire.
Number of titles in collection: 3,743 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 959 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,784 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 566 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,987 [up 4]
Number of films: 4,835 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 518 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,145 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,337 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 2 October 2026
Fiction
The Legend of Drizzt: The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 6–11
End of Part Two.
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 6–11
End of Part Two.
Thursday, 1 October 2026
Fiction
The Legend of Drizzt: The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 3–5
End of Part One.
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Chapters 3–5
End of Part One.
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Fiction
The Legend of Drizzt: The Dark Elf Trilogy Book 1
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Foreword by Matt Chapman
Prelude
Chapters 1–2
As if I don't already have more than enough books to read or hobbies to spend my limited income on, I've subscribed to the new Dungeons & Dragons Novel Collection partwork. Rather than just let up to 100 more novels accumulate on my shelves, I decided to actually start reading them immediately (what a shocking idea!) With a new one out every fortnight, it remains to be seen if I'll keep up, but at least I'm starting with good intentions.
Partworks being the way they are, the release schedule is jumping around throughout the series (this is issue #1 but volume 18), which could get a bit annoying in terms of completing trilogies and whatnot. Luckily, I'm not averse to having multiple series on the go (at this point, I probably need to write a list of which book series I'm in the middle of, like I have for films), but I hope they don't spread them out too thinly. The first three issues all start trilogies, and issues 4 and 5 (at least) continue them, so that bodes well, I hope. At least there's no need to start reading with volume 1! (It would be a pretty dumb release schedule if that was necessary.)
As for this particular book, it's the chronologically-first adventure for popular character Drizzt and (as the intro explains) the recommended starting point for the character, so that's good.
Homeland by R.A. Salvatore
Foreword by Matt Chapman
Prelude
Chapters 1–2
As if I don't already have more than enough books to read or hobbies to spend my limited income on, I've subscribed to the new Dungeons & Dragons Novel Collection partwork. Rather than just let up to 100 more novels accumulate on my shelves, I decided to actually start reading them immediately (what a shocking idea!) With a new one out every fortnight, it remains to be seen if I'll keep up, but at least I'm starting with good intentions.
Partworks being the way they are, the release schedule is jumping around throughout the series (this is issue #1 but volume 18), which could get a bit annoying in terms of completing trilogies and whatnot. Luckily, I'm not averse to having multiple series on the go (at this point, I probably need to write a list of which book series I'm in the middle of, like I have for films), but I hope they don't spread them out too thinly. The first three issues all start trilogies, and issues 4 and 5 (at least) continue them, so that bodes well, I hope. At least there's no need to start reading with volume 1! (It would be a pretty dumb release schedule if that was necessary.)
As for this particular book, it's the chronologically-first adventure for popular character Drizzt and (as the intro explains) the recommended starting point for the character, so that's good.
Monday, 28 September 2026
Sunday, 27 September 2026
TV
How I Met Your Mother
2x17 Arrivederci, Fiero [2nd watch]
Richard Osman's House of Games
4x66 Episode 66 [2nd watch]
Couldn't remember which episode we needed to jump to next, so just watched the first one we came across that we didn't remember. Still didn't remember it by the end. Turns out we watched it four years ago. Oh well!
2x17 Arrivederci, Fiero [2nd watch]
Richard Osman's House of Games
4x66 Episode 66 [2nd watch]
Couldn't remember which episode we needed to jump to next, so just watched the first one we came across that we didn't remember. Still didn't remember it by the end. Turns out we watched it four years ago. Oh well!
Films
The Set up (1963)
[#61 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
That's not a typo — "up" doesn't have a capital U on the title card. Stickler for accuracy, me.
Topper (1937)
[#60 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
[#61 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
That's not a typo — "up" doesn't have a capital U on the title card. Stickler for accuracy, me.
Topper (1937)
[#60 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Saturday, 26 September 2026
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
This week was almost a quiet one, but then a large stack of seven titles (including two three-film box sets, so it looked more like 11) turned up this morning. Most of those were thanks to Radiance's current sale, where I mopped up a load of "maybe" releases at bargain prices. Hurrah!
Number of titles in collection: 3,742 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 960 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,782 [up 9]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 564 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 8,983 [up 15]
Number of films: 4,834 [up 12]
Number of additional cuts: 517 [up 4]
Number of TV episodes: 10,145 [up 1]
Number of short films: 1,337 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
This week was almost a quiet one, but then a large stack of seven titles (including two three-film box sets, so it looked more like 11) turned up this morning. Most of those were thanks to Radiance's current sale, where I mopped up a load of "maybe" releases at bargain prices. Hurrah!
Number of titles in collection: 3,742 [up 8]
Of which DVDs: 960 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,782 [up 9]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 564 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 8,983 [up 15]
Number of films: 4,834 [up 12]
Number of additional cuts: 517 [up 4]
Number of TV episodes: 10,145 [up 1]
Number of short films: 1,337 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 25 September 2026
Thursday, 24 September 2026
Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Technology
Steam Machine
Thirteen months since getting my Steam Deck, ten months since it was announced, and three months since they let you join a list to buy one, I've finally got my hands on a Steam Machine.
And, like when I got my Deck, I don't really have time to play with it right now, but I did unbox it and set it up, so that was... fun, in its own way. The games I most want to use it for are ones that are a bit too much for my Deck to run, which tends to mean they're big downloads, so the chances of me playing anything tonight anyway were always slim — even now, it's still downloading the two I most wanted to get on there. It's fundamentally a more powerful Steam Deck, anyhow, so the experience was all very familiar.
And I haven't got it completely set up yet (I need to install Decky, and Heroic, and RetroDECK, and move over some games I'd added by other means that I was intending to play docked, and prettify my library like I have on Deck), so there's still hours of fun to be had getting it 'working'. Maybe I'll even play games on it at some point!
Thirteen months since getting my Steam Deck, ten months since it was announced, and three months since they let you join a list to buy one, I've finally got my hands on a Steam Machine.
And, like when I got my Deck, I don't really have time to play with it right now, but I did unbox it and set it up, so that was... fun, in its own way. The games I most want to use it for are ones that are a bit too much for my Deck to run, which tends to mean they're big downloads, so the chances of me playing anything tonight anyway were always slim — even now, it's still downloading the two I most wanted to get on there. It's fundamentally a more powerful Steam Deck, anyhow, so the experience was all very familiar.
And I haven't got it completely set up yet (I need to install Decky, and Heroic, and RetroDECK, and move over some games I'd added by other means that I was intending to play docked, and prettify my library like I have on Deck), so there's still hours of fun to be had getting it 'working'. Maybe I'll even play games on it at some point!
Monday, 21 September 2026
Sunday, 20 September 2026
Films
Gangs of Wasseypur – Part 2 (2012)
[#58 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2026 #6
I’ve been planning to watch the two parts of this over a weekend for… most of the year? Certainly since sometime after I fell behind on my WDYMYHS goal (which, to be fair, was in February). Glad I've finally achieved it.
[#58 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2026 #6
I’ve been planning to watch the two parts of this over a weekend for… most of the year? Certainly since sometime after I fell behind on my WDYMYHS goal (which, to be fair, was in February). Glad I've finally achieved it.
Saturday, 19 September 2026
Fiction
Alchemised by SenLinYu
Chapters 63–65
End of Part Two.
I was worried about tackling this over-1000-page doorstop, but at this rate I'll have finished it in about 3½ weeks (touch wood). It's partly a testament to it being compelling; it's more a sign of how radically my reading habits have changed in the last couple of years.
Chapters 63–65
End of Part Two.
I was worried about tackling this over-1000-page doorstop, but at this rate I'll have finished it in about 3½ weeks (touch wood). It's partly a testament to it being compelling; it's more a sign of how radically my reading habits have changed in the last couple of years.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
After spending over £90 on Kill Bill last week, this week my £70 edition of Hamilton turned up. Bit crazy, that. Hope it's not a sign of the way the entire market's going. Also this week: a DVD-to-4K leap. Always fun.
Number of titles in collection: 3,734 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 961 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,773 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 560 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,968 [up 4]
Number of films: 4,832 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 513 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,337 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
After spending over £90 on Kill Bill last week, this week my £70 edition of Hamilton turned up. Bit crazy, that. Hope it's not a sign of the way the entire market's going. Also this week: a DVD-to-4K leap. Always fun.
Number of titles in collection: 3,734 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 961 [down 1]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,773 [up 2]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 560 [up 2]
Number of discs in collection: 8,968 [up 4]
Number of films: 4,832 [up 1]
Number of additional cuts: 513 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,337 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 18 September 2026
Thursday, 17 September 2026
Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Monday, 14 September 2026
Tabletop Games
Daggerheart
All 3 games continuing (well, one of them is technically on pause, but it's not cancelled).
All 3 games continuing (well, one of them is technically on pause, but it's not cancelled).
Video Games
Doom
Time flies: it's almost a year since I last played Doom! But I fancied some uncomplicated action (I'd like to get back to Rogue Trooper, but its controls are a pain) so it seemed a good pick. Having played all of the first episode last time, this time I kept going til I got through all of the second, The Shores of Hell. Once again, it took me way longer than it probably should (the best part of two hours), but those levels are torturous mazes! I finally realised you really do need to use the map to find your way around.
Time flies: it's almost a year since I last played Doom! But I fancied some uncomplicated action (I'd like to get back to Rogue Trooper, but its controls are a pain) so it seemed a good pick. Having played all of the first episode last time, this time I kept going til I got through all of the second, The Shores of Hell. Once again, it took me way longer than it probably should (the best part of two hours), but those levels are torturous mazes! I finally realised you really do need to use the map to find your way around.
Sunday, 13 September 2026
Saturday, 12 September 2026
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I finally caved and spent a small fortune on an imported 4K of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair this week. They'll probably finally announce an even-better and/or much-cheaper UK release now. Also this week, a handful of other mop-up titles (can't believe I didn't order the Fight Club 4K when it came out), all just in time for the monthly running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 3,733 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 962 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,771 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 558 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 8,964 [up 9]
Number of films: 4,831 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 512 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,337 [up 7]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
624 days, 1 hour, and 14 minutes.
(Up 21 hours and 7 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
I finally caved and spent a small fortune on an imported 4K of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair this week. They'll probably finally announce an even-better and/or much-cheaper UK release now. Also this week, a handful of other mop-up titles (can't believe I didn't order the Fight Club 4K when it came out), all just in time for the monthly running time update.
Number of titles in collection: 3,733 [up 3]
Of which DVDs: 962 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,771 [up 3]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 558 [up 4]
Number of discs in collection: 8,964 [up 9]
Number of films: 4,831 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 512 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,337 [up 7]
Total running time of collection (approx.):
624 days, 1 hour, and 14 minutes.
(Up 21 hours and 7 minutes from last month.)
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 11 September 2026
Thursday, 10 September 2026
Non-Fiction
Oscar Wars by Michael Schulman
Chapters 6–7
I was enjoying this in July last year, not really sure why my reading of it petered out. Not sure if I'll stick with it now or just read a chapter now and then.
Chapters 6–7
I was enjoying this in July last year, not really sure why my reading of it petered out. Not sure if I'll stick with it now or just read a chapter now and then.
Wednesday, 9 September 2026
Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Monday, 7 September 2026
Sunday, 6 September 2026
this week on 100Films.co.uk
Finally, a month for 100Films.co.uk that I'd consider successful — the first one this year!
Read all about why in my general review of August...
And follow it up with the long list of my inevitable failures...
Will September go as well — or even better, maybe? Find out in four weeks!
Read all about why in my general review of August...
And follow it up with the long list of my inevitable failures...
Will September go as well — or even better, maybe? Find out in four weeks!
Saturday, 5 September 2026
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I was expecting a few more arrivals this week, to be honest, but in the end it was just one new box set. More next week, for sure.
Number of titles in collection: 3,730 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 962 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,768 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 554 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 8,955 [up 3]
Number of films: 4,828 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 512 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,330 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
I was expecting a few more arrivals this week, to be honest, but in the end it was just one new box set. More next week, for sure.
Number of titles in collection: 3,730 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 962 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,768 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 554 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 8,955 [up 3]
Number of films: 4,828 [up 3]
Number of additional cuts: 512 [up 1]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [no change]
Number of short films: 1,330 [no change]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 4 September 2026
Thursday, 3 September 2026
Films
The Double (1971)
[#50 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Halfway! There's an outside chance I can still pull this off...
[#50 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Halfway! There's an outside chance I can still pull this off...
Video Games
Titanium Court
I've accumulated over 1,000 PC games since I started a spending spree provoked by my Steam Deck acquisition a year ago, and about a dozen of them I'm 'officially' already playing, but then I'll do something like buy this (currently half price) and immediately boot it up. Who knows why I am the way I am? Anyway, it's really weird, which I was expecting, and pretty fun, so far. It's a bit Strategy-y, which might turn me off in time (especially if it gets too complicated/difficult — Strategy has never been my genre), but I'm enjoying its quirkiness (especially its story) so far.
I've accumulated over 1,000 PC games since I started a spending spree provoked by my Steam Deck acquisition a year ago, and about a dozen of them I'm 'officially' already playing, but then I'll do something like buy this (currently half price) and immediately boot it up. Who knows why I am the way I am? Anyway, it's really weird, which I was expecting, and pretty fun, so far. It's a bit Strategy-y, which might turn me off in time (especially if it gets too complicated/difficult — Strategy has never been my genre), but I'm enjoying its quirkiness (especially its story) so far.
Wednesday, 2 September 2026
Tuesday, 1 September 2026
Monday, 31 August 2026
Sunday, 30 August 2026
Films
Dragonfly Squadron 3D (1954)
[#48 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
[#49 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
[#48 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Quatermass and the Pit (1967)
[#49 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
Fiction
Alchemised by SenLinYu
Prologue
Chapters 1–2
Knowing this started life as a Harry Potter fanfic, I can't help but try to map characters and locations back onto Potter. Some are blatant, others less so. Either way, I need to try to stop doing that — if I wanted the Potter version, I could just read the original!
Prologue
Chapters 1–2
Knowing this started life as a Harry Potter fanfic, I can't help but try to map characters and locations back onto Potter. Some are blatant, others less so. Either way, I need to try to stop doing that — if I wanted the Potter version, I could just read the original!
Saturday, 29 August 2026
Films
Dersu Uzala (1975)
[#47 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2026 #4
[#47 in The 100 Films in a Year Challenge 2026]
"What Do You Mean You Haven't Seen...?" 2026 #4
Fiction
His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
5 The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
6 The Adventure of the Dying Detective
That's the end of His Last Bow for me, but no "the end" note because I've already read the final story. Not that I don't want to read it again, but I'm still focused on reading all the stories I have never read (nine to go!)
Lady Frances Carfax goes to show why you can't always trust others' opinions: rated a strong but not exceptional 4 stars by the Pocket Essentials guide, and ranked right near the bottom-end by the fan poll, I thought this was actually rather brilliant — an unusual, fun, and surprising escapade.
The Dying Detective, meanwhile, is rated full marks by Pocket Essentials but sits almost bang in the middle of the fan poll. It's also different and kind of clever, but the 'reveal' feels obvious.
5 The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax
6 The Adventure of the Dying Detective
That's the end of His Last Bow for me, but no "the end" note because I've already read the final story. Not that I don't want to read it again, but I'm still focused on reading all the stories I have never read (nine to go!)
Lady Frances Carfax goes to show why you can't always trust others' opinions: rated a strong but not exceptional 4 stars by the Pocket Essentials guide, and ranked right near the bottom-end by the fan poll, I thought this was actually rather brilliant — an unusual, fun, and surprising escapade.
The Dying Detective, meanwhile, is rated full marks by Pocket Essentials but sits almost bang in the middle of the fan poll. It's also different and kind of clever, but the 'reveal' feels obvious.
Collection Count
Collection Count tracks my DVD/Blu-ray collection via a number of statistics every week.
I spent lots of money on Blu-rays this week... but almost all on preorders. Only one new addition actually arrived: Radiance's delayed box set of Jean Luc Godard's Histoire(s) du cinéma, along with other related works.
Number of titles in collection: 3,729 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 962 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,767 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 554 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 8,952 [up 3]
Number of films: 4,825 [up 4]
Number of additional cuts: 511 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [up 8]
Number of short films: 1,330 [up 5]
See you next week, faithful reader.
I spent lots of money on Blu-rays this week... but almost all on preorders. Only one new addition actually arrived: Radiance's delayed box set of Jean Luc Godard's Histoire(s) du cinéma, along with other related works.
Number of titles in collection: 3,729 [up 1]
Of which DVDs: 962 [no change]
Of which Blu-rays: 2,767 [up 1]
— of which Ultra HD Blu-rays: 554 [no change]
Number of discs in collection: 8,952 [up 3]
Number of films: 4,825 [up 4]
Number of additional cuts: 511 [no change]
Number of TV episodes: 10,144 [up 8]
Number of short films: 1,330 [up 5]
See you next week, faithful reader.
Friday, 28 August 2026
Fiction
His Last Bow: Some Reminiscences of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle
3 The Adventure of the Devil's Foot
This is one of the most-acclaimed Holmes adventures (9th on Conan Doyle's personal top 12; 13th in definitive fan poll; 5 stars in the Pocket Essentials guide), which is interesting because I pretty much guessed exactly what had happened. But it's a bit different to the norm and atmospherically told, so it still has that going for it.
3 The Adventure of the Devil's Foot
This is one of the most-acclaimed Holmes adventures (9th on Conan Doyle's personal top 12; 13th in definitive fan poll; 5 stars in the Pocket Essentials guide), which is interesting because I pretty much guessed exactly what had happened. But it's a bit different to the norm and atmospherically told, so it still has that going for it.
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