Blood Follows

Today I reread a novella of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series. The book tells how the manservant Emancipor Reese met his masters Bauchelain and Korbal Broach. Readers will recognize the three characters if they read the series.

The tale began when Mancy's employer dies and he was forced to look for a job. The city he lived in at that time, Lamentable Moll, was agitated because of a rumoured killer who disembowels his noble victims. Sergeant Guld began an investigation. The King's daughter was also involved when she was found in the crime scene of the killer's latest victim. The Mortal sword of the Sisters was also involved when he vowed he would deliver justice himself. The readers who are already familiar with Bauchelain and Korbal already know who the culprit is so it sort of takes away the anticipation of the things to happen. Mancy's personality however is interesting to make me continue reading. Their past was not also mentioned in the series, so this is a sort of delayed introduction of the three characters.

Mancy was left with no choice but to apply as manservant or his wife Subly would get mad at him. Too late, he discovers that his new masters practice necromancy and Bauchelain had already seen his death. He was already tied up with them. Besides, the thought of travel, of being away from his wife is attractive enough to make him stay.

Guld followed every lead until he had found the killer. He was ready to make an arrest when something unexpected happened. He discovers that the killer's partner, Bauchelain, was already prepared. The other people involved in the investigation were also stopped in their tracks, including the pair's long-time pursuer, Steck Marynd. Korbal was about to take the princess as well but was stopped by Bauchelain. In the end, they were able to escape and only the servant girl of the princess was harmed.

It's a great supplement to the series. I've always found the trio interesting although their presence does not affect the story at all. Blood Follows provides some explanations to the mysteries of what Bauchelain and Korbal have been doing over the years but I wish there was more.

Warcraft's Sunwell Trilogy

Title: Warcraft: The Sunwell Trilogy

Part one: Dragon Hunt

Part two: Shadows of Ice

Part three: Ghostlands

Illustrated by Kim Jae-hwan

Written by Richard Knaak

This three-volume manhwa follows the aftermath of Arthas' destruction of Quel'thalas and the Sunwell.  The main characters, Kalec and Anveena, met at Lordaeron when Kalec was wounded. Kalec's pursuers killed Anveena's parents while they were looking for the two. They were attacked by another enemy, Dar'khan, and binds their magic by placing neck collars on them. It would have been over if they were not saved by Kalec's future mate, Tyrygosa. Later Anveena finds a dragon hatchling among the ruins of her home. 

They then travelled to Tarren Mill to have the collars removed. They were found by the dragon hunter, Harkyn, the one who shot Kalec earlier. Fortunately Anveena was able to escape and met the paladin Jorad Mace. 

Kalec and his hunters however were ambushed by the undead led by Dar'khan. He later revealed that the Lich King had used the dragon hunter to kill the dragons because he knew that the dragons would be curious about the Sunwell. Anveena arrives to help them and this was when Dar'khan sensed that the power of the Sunwell was within the dragon hatchling accompanying the girl. Harkyn decides to turn against Dar'khan because of the latter's betrayal. He tells them later that in order to remove the collars, they must seek the dwarf Loggi.

The four characters were assaulted on their way to Alterac mountains. Anveena met the tauren Trag and the undead baron Valimar who explained his origins and the situation of the undead. Then he tricks her into using her powers to raise an army for him. Meanwhile, Trag found Kalec and the hatchling Raac and helped them reunite with Anveena. 

On the other hand, Jorad and Tyrygosa found the dwarf Loggi when they were taken as captives by Ichor. Later, along with the dwarves they tried to attack the undead but the baron saw them and used Anveena's power to counter. Trag was able to stop him. The rest of the group was able to defeat the enemies but Dar'khan took the opportunity to take away Anveena.

He takes the girl to Quel'thalas, where a group of exiled elves was trying to reclaim the place from the undead. Kalec, Jorad, Tyrygosa and Raac joined the exiles led by Lor'themar to fight Dar'khan. Meanwhile, Anveena was able to escape from her captor and was later told by an unknown character that she was the Sunwell. Dar'khan later finds her however. Silvanas Windrunner confronts him but she was taken captive as well. 

The exiles and their new allies attack Dar'khan when he was about to put a spell on Anveena. Dar'khan almost succeeded until Raac was able to free the dragon under his control. The group was able to defeat Dar'khan in the end.

It was later revealed that the dragon in captivity was the consort to Alexstrasza, Korialstrasz. Kalec and Anveena, along with the other elves decided to stay to protect her powers, while Jorad and Tyrygosa went to confront Arthas.

***

Jae-hwan's illustrations were consistent with the Warcraft style. I enjoyed most the landscape drawings. He was able to make up for the lack of excitement with the story.

The story in itself has a lot of potential but how it was told did not give it justice. There are moments when the two female characters were exaggerated for their abilities. There were even spaces wasted for nonsense comments such as "she's so beautiful" even if the romance part isn't clearly an important part of the story. The retelling of Silvanas' fate in Arthas' hands was inconsistent with what happened in the game as well. It shows that there was not enough research done on the part of the writer. The series had a lot of promise and excitement but it is not worth reading a second time. I am relieved though that not all the important books or stories related to Warcraft are given to Mr. Knaak or it would have been another bland material.

Midnight Tides

Title: Midnight Tides

5th book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen series

Author: Steven Erikson

For the first time in the series, no Malazan was involved in the fifth installment although Erikson leaves enough names and places that will be familiar to the reader. The story focuses on the Tiste Edur and the Letherii. Two nations that are so different from one another. The book also shows the Crippled God's direct involvement with other beings providing the readers a glimpse of his plans and the extent of his madness.

Although the focus of the story shifted, the book's theme is related to the fourth book, House of Chains. Midnight Tides highlights the relationship between leaders or gods and their followers and the identity of nations. The Letherii and Tiste Edur viewed each other as different people yet they both believed in destiny - that they are both destined for greatness. The Letherii sees conquest as an opportunity to expand and to expel outdated and sometimes violent beliefs prevalent about among tribes and nations who still cling to old gods. While the Edur believe that preserving their tradition and imposing it upon other people is the better path. The Letherii look forward whilst the Edur are tied down by their past.

Unlike the fourth book however, the focus this time is on the followers or subjects and not just the leaders. One such character is a victim of both the beliefs of his people and the manipulation of the Crippled God. Rhulad Sengar sought to be an equal with his brothers. He wanted them to see that he was no longer a child and that even if he was unblooded at the beginning of the story, they should not question his strength in battle. Unfortunately his behavior is seen as defiance of the 'proper way' of being part of their people, and this was preyed upon by those who sought power. The Crippled God gave him what he wanted but at a price. Another character who suffered manipulation many times was Udinaas. But unlike Rhulad, he accepted his fate and has done his best with every task that was given him. Some of the characters were also faced with similar challenges but on a lesser degree than the two I mentioned. Most of them were bound by their duty to do as they were told. But some had no choice. The choice then is how best to cope with it.

The gods themselves are being manipulated. They are used only when the worshipers find value in them. But when the followers disappear, the god is discarded and forgotten. Their existence depends upon the faith of their worshipers. They are made because they need to exist and the duration of that existence depends on their usefulness.

The Crippled God was also a victim. I admit I do not blame him for his need for vengeance. And I admire him for doing so. Instead of wallowing in misery, he embraces it even if by doing so his followers will do the same and therefore he will always be imperfect. 

Erikson fared better this time with some of the one-on-one battles. Unlike the previous books, he no longer describes sword fights as 'the swords were a blur' although there was only one instance in this book. His description of the battle between mages are superb as usual. The nature of the Holds was described here as well. The readers will also get to know demons more.

Overall, it is a great addition to the series. He was able to examine the different faces of people and gods who seem to have no power over what fate has intended. But destiny has nothing to do with it. It is the choices we made that will determine the course of life for our children and for the people around us.

Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne

A few years back I downloaded a game to pass time. I did not realize I will spend the next two years playing skirmishes and Defense of the Ancients for hours and hours. This review is a bit late but I feel that as a fan I have to write something about it.

Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne follow up on the story of the aftermath of the Burning Legion invasion. The game begins with a warning sent to Warchief Thrall through a dream. The Prophet delivers this message as well to the other armies. Fans of the Warcraft universe will soon find out the true identity of The Prophet. The Orc campaign is one of the many stages the player has to go through to unlock the other campaigns.

         Another campaign involves the humans. Prince Arthas Menethil is introduced. Later he would join Jaina Proudmoore to discover the source of the plague. The discovery led him to kill Kel'thuzad. The chase led him further into a trap that he would later willingly embrace. The change occurs when he pursues Mal'ganis and was forced to kill his friend Muradin Bronzebeard so he can acquire Frostmourne. His noble intentions became an obsession. In the end, his soul was poisoned by the blade forged by the Lich King. He then went home to kill his father King Terenas.

A new campaign begins with Arthas being a death knight. He resurrects Kel'thuzad then attacks Quel'thalas and destroys the Sunwell. It was here where he met Silvanas Windrunner whom he later changes into a banshee. Silvanas later has her own campaigns in the game.

Arthas discovers that Kel'thuzad is acting on behalf of the Lich King, who is helping the Burning Legion. There is a rift between the Lich King and the Legion however. Arthas and Kel'thuzad proceed to open a portal for Archimonde,  who later betrays them. At this point, the Lich King already plans to oppose the Legion.

Meanwhile Thrall's campaign continues. One of his friends, Grom Hellscream was trapped in Ashenvale and was forced to drink from a fountain corrupted with Mannoroth's blood to kill a demigod. Thrall was forced to join Jaina to purge Grom and his company with the corruption. Later Grom and Thrall would try to kill Mannoroth to free the former from the Legion's control. Grom succeeds but was slain in the process.

Another campaign involves the Elves. Tyrande Whisperwind awakens the Druids and frees Illidan Stormrage in order to stop the Legion. At this point in the story, Illidan consumed the Skull of Gul'dan and became a half-demon. He was later banished. Illidan also has his own campaigns in the game.

Through the Prophet, an alliance between Jaina, Thrall, Malfurion and Tyrande was made to oppose the Legion. The player has to hold out until Archimonde is destroyed by the ancestral spirits.

The first campaign for Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne begins with Illidan's flight from his kin and his pursuit for power.  A bonus campaign involving Rexxar is a great addition.

The other campaign revolves around Kael'thas Sunstrider's journey. The players also meet the Naga here. Illidan has also revealed his plans of opposing the Lich King.

The players will meet Arthas again in one of the three campaigns. The undead at this point has three factions. The other two are led by Silvanas and the dreadlords. Silvanas defeats the latter. Illidan, along with the Naga, battle Arthas and the Lich King but fail.

***

I enjoyed playing through the campaigns. One of my favorites is the bonus campaign with Rexxar. I played it three times a few years ago. One of the things that made this game great is the role given to the Orcs. They are not just portrayed as mindless animals hungry for blood. I also enjoyed Arthas' campaigns and I was not surprised with how his journey ended. The game leaves hints but leaves just enough mystery to make it more exciting. I for one was not expecting that Grom will die. I felt sad because he was one of my favorites.

There are a lot of stories to follow that are not covered in this game. I think that is one of the things that makes the Warcraft enterprise so addictive. The races have their histories that is why the game is built well. It is not a simple good-defeats-evil story.

I enjoyed the skirmishes as well. It was fun exploring the potential of each of the four armies. The other mini games were fun as well. One of my favorites is Zero to Hero. But the most addictive would have to be Defense of the Ancients or DotA. There are many characters to choose from and it's more enjoyable than most RPGs. The campaign is simple but there is always something to look forward to because of the variety of the characters.

I recommend this game to those who want a game with a good story, music and graphics, and who is looking for replayability. Overall, I'd give it a 10 out of 10 rating.

House of Chains

Title: House of Chains

4th book of the Malaza Book of the Fallen series

Author: Steven Erikson

This book begins with the story of Karsa Orlong. Those who have read the first three books in the series know him by the name of Toblakai. A quarter of the book is spent relating his journey to discover the place of their people in the world. The book spans all the previous three books so readers have to take note of some events that were mentioned earlier in the series so they do not miss the significance of said events.

The readers also encounter the elder races here for the first time. These include: a Forkrul Assail, Tiste Edur, the Eres, and Tiste Liosan. Half of the story is also told from the point of view of a Tiste Edur and a T'lan Imass for the first time. The nature of the Tellann Ritual is examined here as well.

The story focuses on the two important things that makes up this series. Readers will be presented with Korbolo Dom's long-term plans for the Malazan Empire, as well as the Crippled God's schemes to get into power. The theme of the book however is on leadership.

Karsa Orlong represents a determined but ignorant leader. He soon discovers that destiny and strength alone cannot make other people bend to his will. Schooled in heroic legends, he makes the mistake of underestimating the enemies he has only encountered in stories. Felisin or Sha'ik on the other hand represents the overconfident but inexperienced leader. She thinks her power and influence alone can win over everything else. There are times when she falters in her resolve, but this is replaced by hatred and hunger for vengeance. The kind of environment this leader fosters breeds overconfidence and laziness in important people involved with her cause. It seemed she could not handle her important officers well.

Fiddler represents the reluctant leader. Unlike Gamet however, Fiddler strives to find reason to continue fighting. Gamet has more doubts. Perhaps it was because he has already given up the life of a soldier. He never had any experience leading soldiers as well. He thinks lack of experience leads to incompetence. They do not have to bear the burden all by themselves however. People around them are constantly reminding them that their guidance is needed as well the their years of experience. Adjunct Tavore and Temul have to bear the responsibility alone though. Their followers doubt their abilities to lead because of lack of experience. If they falter however, the others will think they do not have enough reason to fight for them. The army is beset by doubt. Any weakness from the leaders will seal their doom. Emotions have to be set aside to perform well. The young leaders have to isolate themselves from others although from time to time they have no choice but to reach out. Tavore has to show no weakness and has to endure being in the shadows of Coltaine. While Temul has to live up to the expectations of his tribe.

***

The book has explained several things that were not so clear in the first three books. But it did not clarify the mystery behind what happened to Heboric. I was also expecting to read more from Felisin/Sha'ik but her importance has diminished. I was also disappointed with the final battle that took place in Raraku. It seems Erikson was trying save time and effort to illustrate a battle between the two armies. The spirits fighting on behalf of the Malazan Empire is an easy escape but I guess it makes sense. 

His one-on-one fight scenes are still not enough. Instead of illustrating how two fighters clashed, he used one sentence and wrote 'the swords were a blur'. I have seen that line a dozen times. I was anticipating a good battle between Karsa and Icarium but he did not even give me any image by describing how they fought. He is better at illustrating fight scenes involving assassins however. Also, his style of revealing bit by bit about the elder races works well. I have rediscovered a few more things about the T'lan Imass in this book. 

Overall it's still a good book but I wish there could have been more.

Grand Theft Auto 4: Liberty City

Niko Bellic came to Liberty City to live the 'American Dream'. Instead he found himself entangled in Mafia wars and drug dealers. Despite all the criticisms and controversies connected to the franchise, GTA 4 has provided players a more complicated character and a memorable story.

Before his cousin Roman convinced him to come to the city, Niko's was searching for answers from his past and trying to start life anew. Roman's gambling debts  and love affair plunged them into trouble. One death led to another and Niko found himself in the similar path he took in his past. He found friends along the way, but those friends consisted of arms dealers and steroid junkies. Niko was later betrayed by Dimitri Rascalov and when things got complicated in their group. Niko and Roman managed to escape and moved to another part of the city to start again. But this time Niko motivation was to get his revenge.

Niko took jobs from a vigilante, drug dealers and befriended men connected to Mafia families. He finds out as well that the girl he has been dating works undercover for a government agency hiding under the name of United Liberty Paper. He agreed to work for them in exchange of information about the man who betrayed him in the past. Roman was later kidnapped by Dimitri's men because he owes them money. After being saved by Niko he moved somewhere else. 

By this time, Niko has worked for several men. One of these is Ray Boccino who was able to track down Florian Cravic, the man Niko suspects to be the traitor. However he finds out that Florian changed his named to Bernie Crane and is now a lover of the city deputy mayor. They both came to the conclusion as to who betrayed them. Niko is also now friends with the McReary family, and has started dating Katie. He later works for one of the brothers, Gerry, to destroy another Mafia family.

Another McReary however suspects that his brother might ruin his plans to become the police commissioner. This is one of the three instances where Niko has to choose between two people. Later, Niko has to assist in the funeral of either Francis or Derrick depending on who the player chooses to eliminate. Gerry was also arrested sometime before the funeral.

While in prison, Gerry McReary contacts Niko to kidnap the daughter of the Don of the Ancelotti family in exchange for the stolen conflict diamonds. Both sides, including Bulgarin who showed up claiming they were his, were not able to retrieve the diamonds however. 

Niko later started working for Jimmy Pegorino and Jon Gavelli. With the help of Gavelli and United Liberty Paper, Niko was informed of the traitor's present location. They then arranged for a meeting between Niko and Darko Brevic. The player is given the choice to execute or let Darko live.

Pegorino then asks Niko for one final favor to arrange the deal on heroine with Dimitri. The player has to choose whether to execute his revenge or to go on with the deal. The choice will affect the ending of the story. Niko asks for advice from Kate and Roman. The former asks Niko not to deal with Dimitri and just move on, the latter wants Niko to forget about the past and just work with Dimitri because of the rewards. 

If Niko takes Roman's advice, Dimitri will still betray him. During Roman's wedding, an assassin is sent to kill Niko but shoots Roman accidentally. If Niko chooses to listen to Kate, he confronts Dimitri and his men on a cargo ship. Pegorino becomes furious and would try to kill him at Roman's wedding. He shot Kate instead.

Pegorino becomes the final antagonist in the game. With the help of Little Jacob (and with Roman if Niko chooses 'Revenge'), they went after Pegorino and his men. 

***   

Although it's a open-world type of game, I found the story interesting. When Niko confronted Darko, I sympathized with him. When he said that the traitor destroyed his life it broke my heart. The voice acting was well done and full of emotions (voice actor Michael Hollick deserved the award). I chose to let Darko go because killing him would not change the past. The man was already broken despite of what he claims. Killing him would close the doors for an opportunity for a good life for Niko because then he would confirm that he is a killer just like Darko.

I chose to kill Dimitri however because with him around, Niko cannot possibly have a peaceful start although he'd make an enemy of Pegorino. The old man's organization is falling apart anyway and he is becoming desperate. Roman's reasons are not convincing however. I admit I did try to look at what would be the ending for both choices. I did not want Kate to die but if Roman died instead, I think Niko would be broken completely. Despite all the troubles his cousin gave him, Roman was his anchor to his past and present, and the only family around to support him. I was sad that either choice would lead to disaster. I think Niko would willingly try to change for Kate.

The mini games, side missions and other stories are a huge improvement for the franchise, but it's the story that got me. Overall, I'd give it a 7 out of 10 rating.