Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Chapter XI
After the Masquerade by Doug Roth
Chapter XII [the end]
Stunning conclusion to the justifiably acclaimed masterpiece. You owe it to yourself to read this. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to pre-order all the action figures from the forthcoming film adaptation.
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Non-Fiction
Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of James Bond by James Chapman
Chapters 6 - 9 [the end]
Chapters 6 - 9 [the end]
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
TV
Babylon 5
1x14 TKO
Criminal Justice
Part 3 (of 5)
Some glimmers of hope as BBC One's super-depressing murder/prison/legal drama enters the trial phase.
Derren Brown: Trick or Treat
2x03 Time
David Tennant is the 'ordinary member of the public' in this episode from the last series of Derren Brown's trickery show. The first two stunts are almost mundane, as they're pretty standard Brown fare, but the third defies belief and reason -- exactly why I love this man's programmes.
Mine All Mine
Part 3 (of 6) [2nd watch]
Wimbledon 2008
Unsurprisingly, some bits of Andy Murray vs Rafael Nadal -- with it's equally unsurprising result -- and most of the second (and final) set of Jamie Murray & Liezel Huber vs Daniel Nestor & Chia-Jung Chuang, which went the way of the more likable of the two Murray brothers.
1x14 TKO
Criminal Justice
Part 3 (of 5)
Some glimmers of hope as BBC One's super-depressing murder/prison/legal drama enters the trial phase.
Derren Brown: Trick or Treat
2x03 Time
David Tennant is the 'ordinary member of the public' in this episode from the last series of Derren Brown's trickery show. The first two stunts are almost mundane, as they're pretty standard Brown fare, but the third defies belief and reason -- exactly why I love this man's programmes.
Mine All Mine
Part 3 (of 6) [2nd watch]
Wimbledon 2008
Unsurprisingly, some bits of Andy Murray vs Rafael Nadal -- with it's equally unsurprising result -- and most of the second (and final) set of Jamie Murray & Liezel Huber vs Daniel Nestor & Chia-Jung Chuang, which went the way of the more likable of the two Murray brothers.
Fiction
Gotham by Gaslight by Brian Augustyn & Michael Mignola
Published in 1989, and now considered the first Elseworlds tale, Gotham by Gaslight combines two interests of mine by pitting a Victorian Batman against Jack the Ripper. Although double the length of an average issue of a comic, the story feels a little short, with not enough room to develop fully. Nonetheless, it's a great idea and a good story.
Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Chapter IX
Sally Jupiter scrapbook
Chapter X
'Veidt' documents
With no shortage of twists and turns, as well as the usual doses of great art and juxtaposition, things rattle on towards the story's climax. Only two chapters to go!
Published in 1989, and now considered the first Elseworlds tale, Gotham by Gaslight combines two interests of mine by pitting a Victorian Batman against Jack the Ripper. Although double the length of an average issue of a comic, the story feels a little short, with not enough room to develop fully. Nonetheless, it's a great idea and a good story.
Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Chapter IX
Sally Jupiter scrapbook
Chapter X
'Veidt' documents
With no shortage of twists and turns, as well as the usual doses of great art and juxtaposition, things rattle on towards the story's climax. Only two chapters to go!
Non-Fiction
Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of James Bond by James Chapman
Chapter 5
Did you know that Moonraker was the second highest-grossing Bond film until GoldenEye? Were the people of the '70s really so blinded by the sci-fi trappings (so popular at the time thanks to Star Wars) that they threw out all pretense of taste? That said, look at some of the films that are released and are successful today -- some things never change...
Chapter 5
Did you know that Moonraker was the second highest-grossing Bond film until GoldenEye? Were the people of the '70s really so blinded by the sci-fi trappings (so popular at the time thanks to Star Wars) that they threw out all pretense of taste? That said, look at some of the films that are released and are successful today -- some things never change...
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
TV
Criminal Justice
Part 2 (of 5)
imagine...
11x06 Werner Herzog: Beyond Reason
Interesting documentary about the somewhat loopy Bavarian filmmaker.
Part 2 (of 5)
imagine...
11x06 Werner Herzog: Beyond Reason
Interesting documentary about the somewhat loopy Bavarian filmmaker.
Doctor Who: Decide Your Destiny
Regular readers of this blog will have seen that, over the past three weeks (it feels longer), I've published a series of reviews of the Doctor Who: Decide Your Destiny books. These are a collection of gamebooks in which you join the tenth Doctor -- and, most of the time, Martha -- on adventures in time and space. Having now covered all 12 of the books (there may be more in the future, though none have been announced), I thought I'd compile all of my reviews into one handy guide.
This is that guide.
1) The Spaceship Graveyard
"The plot isn't a bad idea, though it disappointingly doesn't all come together... all of the decisions you make are aimed at the reader and not the character... It's disappointing because you have no control over your actions."
2) Alien Arena
"several action-packed sequences and a real sense that you have choices and your decisions will matter... a fantastic final sequence in which you wind up in the titular arena, battling aliens! This is how a Decide Your Destiny book should be done."
3) The Time Crocodile
"Your choices are often limited to directing the story rather than your actions, and most routes lead to pages that just say the same thing but with different words... a weak entry, both in terms of plot and quality of play."
4) The Corinthian Project
"Moore has clearly spent as long creating the setting for this adventure as the actual plot... frequently, once you've chosen a path via two or three decisions, you're shuttled from page to page... Where's the choice in that?"
5) The Crystal Snare
"the first historical of the range, and it uses its setting well... isn't quite as much fun as [Alien Arena], but the setting makes a nice change, the gameplay is more appropriate than Brake's entries, and the plot less bogged-down in linearity and technicalities than Moore's book."
6) War of the Robots
"Get the right path and Baxendale's book provides an entertaining read with moderately varied choices and some exciting sequences; but get the wrong one and you'll be shuttled through a dull denouement... Even with this, it's one of the series' better efforts."
7) Dark Planet
"engaging, with a couple of decent incidents and a fair backstory... there are three notably different adventures to be had from this book -- good value for money... one of the series' better efforts."
8) The Haunted Wagon Train
"[the plot] is OK, though not exceptional... Compared to the range's only other historical, the amount of detail is negligible and the setting isn't exceptionally well evoked. Another weak effort from Mr Brake."
9) Lost Luggage
"It will come as no surprise that all the problems evident in Brake's previous three books are present here... Brake's style of choices sap much of the fun out of playing this kind of book, and when you pair it with an over-ambitious plot [you've got] an entry at the lower end of the spectrum."
10) Second Skin
"it's a Who-like story of a technology company gone wrong, and an alien parasite turning ordinary people bad... [It] isn't my favourite entry... but it plays well and has a decent story. Certainly one of the series' better books."
11) The Dragon King
"a mixed bag. There's no plot to speak of, at least on the path I followed... and the ending was utterly lacklustre... I seem to have missed noteworthy things on other paths [meaning] it's the book I'm most likely to re-read."
12) The Horror of Howling Hill
"set entirely on present day Earth [and] taps into one of Who's main genres -- creepy goings on in apparently lovely places... an atmospheric adventure... one of my favourites"
So, having reached the end, I can say that they're a bit of a mixed bunch. Those written by Colin Brake are, to be blunt, best avoided, as they don't properly capture the spirit of this style of book. Other books may be lacking in some elements, but most have something to enjoy regardless; his four entries, on the other hand, represent the lowest rank in my opinion, and while some are passable they're style still obstructed the having of fun for me.
By a similar token -- only, the other side of it -- Richard Dungworth's books are all a safe bet, with Alien Arena enduring as my best-remembered experience of the range (though it should be noted that it was only the second book, and so being flat-out better than the first may have given it a small boost). Aside from Dungworth's three (numbers 2, 5 and 10), I would most recommend Davey Moore's Dark Planet and Jonathan Green's The Horror of Howling Hill, both being exciting tales in their own right -- the former especially, as it contains three very different routes.
While I've been fairly critical of some of these books -- finding something bad to say about all of them, I must admit! -- they were almost all fun in one way or another, all well written (considering their target audience), and most captured the characters of the Doctor and Martha suitably. Certainly the less-critical eye of a younger reader -- some of whom would surely miss the distinction between "directing your character" and "directing the story", the much-cited primary flaw of Brake's efforts -- would be likely to get even more unquestioning enjoyment out of them than I did.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to read some books where the page numbers always go consecutively...
This is that guide.
1) The Spaceship Graveyard
"The plot isn't a bad idea, though it disappointingly doesn't all come together... all of the decisions you make are aimed at the reader and not the character... It's disappointing because you have no control over your actions."
2) Alien Arena
"several action-packed sequences and a real sense that you have choices and your decisions will matter... a fantastic final sequence in which you wind up in the titular arena, battling aliens! This is how a Decide Your Destiny book should be done."
3) The Time Crocodile
"Your choices are often limited to directing the story rather than your actions, and most routes lead to pages that just say the same thing but with different words... a weak entry, both in terms of plot and quality of play."
4) The Corinthian Project
"Moore has clearly spent as long creating the setting for this adventure as the actual plot... frequently, once you've chosen a path via two or three decisions, you're shuttled from page to page... Where's the choice in that?"
5) The Crystal Snare
"the first historical of the range, and it uses its setting well... isn't quite as much fun as [Alien Arena], but the setting makes a nice change, the gameplay is more appropriate than Brake's entries, and the plot less bogged-down in linearity and technicalities than Moore's book."
6) War of the Robots
"Get the right path and Baxendale's book provides an entertaining read with moderately varied choices and some exciting sequences; but get the wrong one and you'll be shuttled through a dull denouement... Even with this, it's one of the series' better efforts."
7) Dark Planet
"engaging, with a couple of decent incidents and a fair backstory... there are three notably different adventures to be had from this book -- good value for money... one of the series' better efforts."
8) The Haunted Wagon Train
"[the plot] is OK, though not exceptional... Compared to the range's only other historical, the amount of detail is negligible and the setting isn't exceptionally well evoked. Another weak effort from Mr Brake."
9) Lost Luggage
"It will come as no surprise that all the problems evident in Brake's previous three books are present here... Brake's style of choices sap much of the fun out of playing this kind of book, and when you pair it with an over-ambitious plot [you've got] an entry at the lower end of the spectrum."
10) Second Skin
"it's a Who-like story of a technology company gone wrong, and an alien parasite turning ordinary people bad... [It] isn't my favourite entry... but it plays well and has a decent story. Certainly one of the series' better books."
11) The Dragon King
"a mixed bag. There's no plot to speak of, at least on the path I followed... and the ending was utterly lacklustre... I seem to have missed noteworthy things on other paths [meaning] it's the book I'm most likely to re-read."
12) The Horror of Howling Hill
"set entirely on present day Earth [and] taps into one of Who's main genres -- creepy goings on in apparently lovely places... an atmospheric adventure... one of my favourites"
So, having reached the end, I can say that they're a bit of a mixed bunch. Those written by Colin Brake are, to be blunt, best avoided, as they don't properly capture the spirit of this style of book. Other books may be lacking in some elements, but most have something to enjoy regardless; his four entries, on the other hand, represent the lowest rank in my opinion, and while some are passable they're style still obstructed the having of fun for me.
By a similar token -- only, the other side of it -- Richard Dungworth's books are all a safe bet, with Alien Arena enduring as my best-remembered experience of the range (though it should be noted that it was only the second book, and so being flat-out better than the first may have given it a small boost). Aside from Dungworth's three (numbers 2, 5 and 10), I would most recommend Davey Moore's Dark Planet and Jonathan Green's The Horror of Howling Hill, both being exciting tales in their own right -- the former especially, as it contains three very different routes.
While I've been fairly critical of some of these books -- finding something bad to say about all of them, I must admit! -- they were almost all fun in one way or another, all well written (considering their target audience), and most captured the characters of the Doctor and Martha suitably. Certainly the less-critical eye of a younger reader -- some of whom would surely miss the distinction between "directing your character" and "directing the story", the much-cited primary flaw of Brake's efforts -- would be likely to get even more unquestioning enjoyment out of them than I did.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to read some books where the page numbers always go consecutively...
Monday, 30 June 2008
TV
Babylon 5
1x13 Signs and Portents
Criminal Justice
Part 1 (of 5)
BBC One's grim new drama, showing nightly this week, about a 20-something accused of a murder he may or may not have committed. Sounds like standard police drama fare, but this is more than that -- possibly a damning indictment of our legal system, or possibly just a depressing miscarriage-of-justice/prison-is-hard drama. It'll take an episode or two more to find out; so far, however, it's grim and depressing, and set to get worse.
Wimbledon 2008
Bits here and there, as usual, mainly from Andy Murray vs Richard Gasquet, which really pushed the light at five sets ending at 9:30 (and delaying Criminal Justice! On the other hand, if the BBC hadn't moved the tennis to One and delayed their schedule, I'd be stuck trying to find time to watch it on iPlayer before tomorrow's second part). Murray was bloody lucky to get that far, of course, losing the first two sets and only winning the third with an impressive -- though lucky rather than skillful -- final shot in a tiebreak. That boy knows how to work a crowd though (a British one, at any rate). I doubt he'll be so lucky in his quarter final against Nadal.
1x13 Signs and Portents
Criminal Justice
Part 1 (of 5)
BBC One's grim new drama, showing nightly this week, about a 20-something accused of a murder he may or may not have committed. Sounds like standard police drama fare, but this is more than that -- possibly a damning indictment of our legal system, or possibly just a depressing miscarriage-of-justice/prison-is-hard drama. It'll take an episode or two more to find out; so far, however, it's grim and depressing, and set to get worse.
Wimbledon 2008
Bits here and there, as usual, mainly from Andy Murray vs Richard Gasquet, which really pushed the light at five sets ending at 9:30 (and delaying Criminal Justice! On the other hand, if the BBC hadn't moved the tennis to One and delayed their schedule, I'd be stuck trying to find time to watch it on iPlayer before tomorrow's second part). Murray was bloody lucky to get that far, of course, losing the first two sets and only winning the third with an impressive -- though lucky rather than skillful -- final shot in a tiebreak. That boy knows how to work a crowd though (a British one, at any rate). I doubt he'll be so lucky in his quarter final against Nadal.
Fiction
Doctor Who - Decide Your Destiny: The Horror of Howling Hill by Jonathan Green
See here for my thoughts on this book.
Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Chapter VII
Blood From the Shoulder of Pallas by Daniel Dreiberg
See here for my thoughts on these chapters of Watchmen.
See here for my thoughts on this book.
Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
Chapter VII
Blood From the Shoulder of Pallas by Daniel Dreiberg
See here for my thoughts on these chapters of Watchmen.
Non-Fiction
Licence to Thrill: A Cultural History of James Bond by James Chapman
Chapter 4
Somewhat academic book placing the Bond films in social/historical context. I read the first three chapters a while back for an essay I was doing, so am now continuing it -- it's interesting enough, clearly.
Chapter 4
Somewhat academic book placing the Bond films in social/historical context. I read the first three chapters a while back for an essay I was doing, so am now continuing it -- it's interesting enough, clearly.
"Watchmen" by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons - Chapter VII
Moore moves his focus to a pair of character in this chapter, as Dan Dreiberg and Laurie Juspeczyk -- a.k.a. the second Nite Owl and the second Silk Spectre -- chat, bond, hit it off, nearly have sex, resurrect their superhero IDs, accidentally rescue people from a burning building, manage to have sex (it's the excitement of the costumes and the superheroics, you see), and possibly come to a fairly shocking decision...
Once again Moore leaves the other character's storylines in the background, focussing on just two members of the (actually nonexistent) group of superheroes that the book's main plot revolves around. It's mainly about Dan's memories, though there are no flashbacks here: it's as much about how two old acquaintances become re-acquainted. It seems a difficult chapter to find much to say about. It's not treading water or marking time, but nor are there bold gestures or big action sequences -- well, apart from the tenement building rescue, which is somewhat exciting, but also has a share of laughs (importantly, not at the heroes or their abilities, but rather at things like Nite Owl having a coffee machine on board), or many significant plot points... beyond those I already outlined, anyway.
Moore slides a few of his chess pieces around, reveals that Dan is impotent while Nite Owl is not (this seems bordering on a cliché, though Watchmen was probably ahead of the curve on that and it's just 20 years later that it looks old hat), and sets up where things are probably heading next. And next is...
Once again Moore leaves the other character's storylines in the background, focussing on just two members of the (actually nonexistent) group of superheroes that the book's main plot revolves around. It's mainly about Dan's memories, though there are no flashbacks here: it's as much about how two old acquaintances become re-acquainted. It seems a difficult chapter to find much to say about. It's not treading water or marking time, but nor are there bold gestures or big action sequences -- well, apart from the tenement building rescue, which is somewhat exciting, but also has a share of laughs (importantly, not at the heroes or their abilities, but rather at things like Nite Owl having a coffee machine on board), or many significant plot points... beyond those I already outlined, anyway.
Moore slides a few of his chess pieces around, reveals that Dan is impotent while Nite Owl is not (this seems bordering on a cliché, though Watchmen was probably ahead of the curve on that and it's just 20 years later that it looks old hat), and sets up where things are probably heading next. And next is...
"Doctor Who - Decide Your Destiny: The Horror of Howling Hill" by Jonathan Green
And finally, the end is here: the twelfth, and last, book in the Doctor Who: Decide Your Destiny series. The Horror of Howling Hill is written by gamebook stalwart Jonathan Green, which is promising as it would be nice for the range to go out on a high. After a three-book absence, Martha's back, for an adventure in which you must "help the Doctor and Martha discover the truth behind the legend of Howling Hill, before the horror that stalks the night catches up with you..." Ooh, horrific.
Despite being the range's final book, it can claim a first to its credit: it's set entirely on present day Earth (in a small village in Wiltshire, to be precise). It makes for a nice change, and allows it to tap into one of Doctor Who's main genres -- creepy goings on in apparently lovely places. Who's horror aspect has been largely ignored by these books, and while Howling Hill is hardly scary it at least incorporates some elements of the genre to good effect. Nighttime setting? Check. Cursed ancient monuments? Check. Old artefacts with mysterious powers? Check. Fantastical folk tales that may have an element of unlikely truth? Check. Creepy woods? Creepy church? Creepy graveyard? Check check check. Geeky-type investigating things in a caravan? Check. Monster hiding in the shadows? Check. All it needs is a large group of characters who exist solely to get killed off and you're there. It's atmospherically written, with a long and engaging plot. There are also numerous references to past Who adventures, spanning both the classic and new series, and even the new series novels. Spotting them can be good fun for fans of all ages.
Unfortunately, the way I chose to read this book brought out some of its shortcomings. I tried to follow every path at once -- loopy, it would seem, but for most of the book entirely possible. If you pick the right paths then you'll end up reading most of the book before the story's out. There are some variation. For example, the vicar knows a lot, but without cheating like me no one path allows him to offer all his information (ironically, one result ends with the Doctor saying "we've learnt all we can here", in spite of the fact there are two or three more things the vicar could tell you about!) Another is the town's museum, which you may end up in early on, or may only visit later. On the other hand, choose the wrong path and you might be whisked through the adventure at quite a lick, skipping the church, vicar, and that geeky guy in the caravan. Indicative of this hidden linearity, the book has just two final entries. There is some variety to the climax that occurs before these, to be fair, and ultimately you're just sent to either a version where it's just you, the Doctor and Martha, or a near-identical one where the geek's still with you. It's quite sensible, really, as it doesn't waste space with more near-identical final sections just for the sake of appearing to have multiple endings.
So, while the choices Green offers are in an appropriate style, they ultimately extend or cut short your adventure, rather than changing it. I even noticed a glaring error -- as you can avoid meeting the geek, a couple of times you're told "If he's with you, go to X, if not, go to Y." A selection of the latter all point to one page... where he's with you! And you can wind up having the monster abduct him twice! Oh dear. While most of the book's lack of consequential choice would be hidden from the reader (unless, as I say, you manage to miss some of these encounters on one read or another), this one is glaringly obvious. Obviously the books needed a better proof reader by this point, as something similar appeared in Second Skin (also part of the final batch of four books).
Ultimately, if I hadn't cheated I wouldn't've noticed this flaw in the book. It's an atmospheric adventure with some good locations and characters, and provided you make the right choices (avoid going to the Hill for as long as possible, so as to hit the church and museum, and make sure to head to the caravan) you can experience the majority of the best bits with one straight read. Lacking in re-play value then, perhaps, but the pros more than outweigh the cons to make this one of my favourites. The Decide Your Destiny books have certainly had their ups and downs, but at least they end on a high.
Despite being the range's final book, it can claim a first to its credit: it's set entirely on present day Earth (in a small village in Wiltshire, to be precise). It makes for a nice change, and allows it to tap into one of Doctor Who's main genres -- creepy goings on in apparently lovely places. Who's horror aspect has been largely ignored by these books, and while Howling Hill is hardly scary it at least incorporates some elements of the genre to good effect. Nighttime setting? Check. Cursed ancient monuments? Check. Old artefacts with mysterious powers? Check. Fantastical folk tales that may have an element of unlikely truth? Check. Creepy woods? Creepy church? Creepy graveyard? Check check check. Geeky-type investigating things in a caravan? Check. Monster hiding in the shadows? Check. All it needs is a large group of characters who exist solely to get killed off and you're there. It's atmospherically written, with a long and engaging plot. There are also numerous references to past Who adventures, spanning both the classic and new series, and even the new series novels. Spotting them can be good fun for fans of all ages.
Unfortunately, the way I chose to read this book brought out some of its shortcomings. I tried to follow every path at once -- loopy, it would seem, but for most of the book entirely possible. If you pick the right paths then you'll end up reading most of the book before the story's out. There are some variation. For example, the vicar knows a lot, but without cheating like me no one path allows him to offer all his information (ironically, one result ends with the Doctor saying "we've learnt all we can here", in spite of the fact there are two or three more things the vicar could tell you about!) Another is the town's museum, which you may end up in early on, or may only visit later. On the other hand, choose the wrong path and you might be whisked through the adventure at quite a lick, skipping the church, vicar, and that geeky guy in the caravan. Indicative of this hidden linearity, the book has just two final entries. There is some variety to the climax that occurs before these, to be fair, and ultimately you're just sent to either a version where it's just you, the Doctor and Martha, or a near-identical one where the geek's still with you. It's quite sensible, really, as it doesn't waste space with more near-identical final sections just for the sake of appearing to have multiple endings.
So, while the choices Green offers are in an appropriate style, they ultimately extend or cut short your adventure, rather than changing it. I even noticed a glaring error -- as you can avoid meeting the geek, a couple of times you're told "If he's with you, go to X, if not, go to Y." A selection of the latter all point to one page... where he's with you! And you can wind up having the monster abduct him twice! Oh dear. While most of the book's lack of consequential choice would be hidden from the reader (unless, as I say, you manage to miss some of these encounters on one read or another), this one is glaringly obvious. Obviously the books needed a better proof reader by this point, as something similar appeared in Second Skin (also part of the final batch of four books).
Ultimately, if I hadn't cheated I wouldn't've noticed this flaw in the book. It's an atmospheric adventure with some good locations and characters, and provided you make the right choices (avoid going to the Hill for as long as possible, so as to hit the church and museum, and make sure to head to the caravan) you can experience the majority of the best bits with one straight read. Lacking in re-play value then, perhaps, but the pros more than outweigh the cons to make this one of my favourites. The Decide Your Destiny books have certainly had their ups and downs, but at least they end on a high.
Sunday, 29 June 2008
TV
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross
14x22 (20/6/08 edition)
Mine All Mine
Part 2 (of 6) [2nd watch]
Spaced
1x04 Battles
Spooks
5x01 Gas and Oil Part 1
Spooks now seems to be aiming to outdo 24 in the believability-stretching -- even more so in the second part, based on the trailer.
Top Gear
11x02 (29/6/08 edition)
Coincidentally, featuring Rupert Penry-Jones and Peter Firth from Spooks.
14x22 (20/6/08 edition)
Mine All Mine
Part 2 (of 6) [2nd watch]
Spaced
1x04 Battles
Spooks
5x01 Gas and Oil Part 1
Spooks now seems to be aiming to outdo 24 in the believability-stretching -- even more so in the second part, based on the trailer.
Top Gear
11x02 (29/6/08 edition)
Coincidentally, featuring Rupert Penry-Jones and Peter Firth from Spooks.
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