Abaddons gate

Will update later with review. This book send to focus more on creating some interesting characters. We have stepped aside from the main cast and instead have focused more on a Russian priest, a old security officer doing what needs doing, and a daughter seeking revenge. They are all driven. Driven past the point of no return but each follows their own path, their own way of reaching their goals. It has been interesting to take more of a step back from the crew of the Rocinante and see how the rest of the world (sorry belters and dusters) tests to the events.

Finished. Another crazy story in the world of the expanse. Here, we have thousands of people launching themselves at a gate made by something they don't understand that goes thru don't know where. Doors and corners. Doors and corners. The ominous warming from what appears to be a disjointed ghost sets the tone for this book. Charging through what we believe to be our path, our destiny, has a funny of blindsiding us before we even make it through the gate. This whole book was about what comes next. What comes after decisions are made and hope we react to them. Anna, the Russian priest who believes the gate will unite everyone only to get caught up in civil war. Clarissa, the woman so bent on revenge she reinvents herself entirely to kill someone only to join him and Bull, the man knowing what needed doing no matter the cost. All of them crashed through the gate expecting the dominoes to fall a particular way only to find themselves underneath them.

Shitty breakdown aside, this one was much more violent with more action than the last. Technically it's odd that the crew of the Rocinante is always front and center but it is their story after all. It's also interesting the way the universe has opened up. With the gates open, who knows where the other books will go. I think I'm halfway done with the series and the stakes keep getting higher

Just one more time

Just one more time. I know you got it in you. I can feel it. It's not as potent as it was before but it's there, in the wind, in fate. So give me just one more time. One last peek and share of knowledge. One last confirmation and that's all I'll ask.

Calibans war

The second book in The Expanse series and the most recent book I've read. Again, such a fun tale. This time we join Holden and the crew of the Rocinante as they help the botanist Praxidike Meng rescue his kidnapped daughter. Again, the story follows a whirlwind of sci-fi drama and political intrigue. While the human villains are a bit one dimensional, the heros still take center stage and are given some more room to grow. We see a softer side to Amos, a pretty realistic look to a pragmatic woman (Naomi) and the kind of interesting arc that is Holden. I do like that he goes through the typical "whiny" hero phase where he admits that he can't take anymore loss but I appreciate that he quashed it quickly but just realizing that it was his own fear holding him back. Again, the secondary heros take the better roles with Prax and Bobbie being the standouts. Bobbie, the hulking Martian marine trying to find her calling after the universe knocks her down and Prax, the man who nearly starved himself to death to find his daughter were great characters. Their plights and how they dealt with them fat exceeded Holden's.

I give it a 4 out of 5 with the of course ending I saw coming but still loved it anyways. I'm sad the show is on the verge of being cancelled. I guess that's just the fate of truly great sci-fi, destined for only the most niche of markets. Oh well. Time for bed.

Next up, Abaddons Gate

Your Name

Went and saw the global phenomenon that is Your Name. Apparently the biggest anime of all time. I can see why, the animation was spot on, the acting (didn't watch the dubbed version) was great, and the story was actually pretty neat. It's interesting how much Japan loves its love stories though. It's always the threads of fate tying people together as being destined for each other. It would be an interesting feeling, I've never really experienced it to be honest.

Anyways, if you don't know, Your Name is essentially like Freaky Friday with a twist. Instead of two people butting heads trading places to get a new perspective, we get two kids who suddenly swap bodies with no prior connection. What follows is a very interesting tale that spans time and space in a very tight, and woven way not unlike the threads that are prominently displayed throughout the film. The oddest thing I noticed about the movie though was that these kids, after waking up in someone else's body, don't freak out. Instead, they go too that bodies respective school and work. That's the epitome of Japanese culture right there. Sure, I may not be in the right body but I still need to be productive. It's a really cute story with some heavy moments and enough hilarious breast fondling to keep the run time seem pretty mild even though it's around 2 hours long.

It's no Madoka, still one of my favorites too this day (thanks for that), but it was very endearing. I did appreciate that the characters were certainly more relatable. The main boy wasn't overly shy around girls but with the inexplicably good fortune of having a harem and the girl wasn't some senpai following floor mat. They were just pretty average kids. I appreciated that.

I can't

I can't help but think of course