On the Verge of Lunacy

Released in 2000 and 2001, the game is playable in PlayStation 2.  It has three modes, the single player mode, tournament mode and VS mode. Characters are unlocked in the tournament mode when you play the single player mode. The player gets to pick one of the three characters (Taketsune Nakayama, Shozaemon Hyuga and Yasutomu Yoshimura). Each character has his own story and purpose of pursuing the way of the warrior. Their stories however have little effect on the game itself. At the start of the single player mode, each have individual stats showing their strengths and areas to improve. After choosing a character, the first goal is to pick a dojo and train until he is able to complete all the tests. The set of tests include basics like attack, defence, stances and ki. These tests are in the form of matches wherein the player gets opportunities to use all those mentioned. When the player is able to complete all the tests, he can now move on to challenge other dojos. ...

This short book provides an introduction and English translation of one of Hesiod's work. The first part is an excellent outline of the history, background, and contents of Theogony. I recommend reading the part first because it is an important guide of the themes, inconsistencies and the studies done by scholars over the years of the work. However, I warn readers who are not into mythology. The introduction is lengthy and the tone is academic. Anyone without even the slightest background of Classical Mythology will be buried in all the information. For those who have read some of the Greek myths, Theogony is much easier to read because you'll know what to look for. I've read Theogony a while back and I find this book helpful because of the introduction. Some of the passages make more sense now. Rating: 10 out of 10

As presaged in the latter part of the first book of the series The Steel Remains, Ringil Eskiath is estranged again from his family; this time officially by his father. Some time after his encounter with Seethlaw and the other dwenda, Gil found a new mission and has vowed to disrupt the slave trade which he has discovered previously. Meanwhile, a messenger warns Archeth Indamaninarmal of a coming disaster, a disaster which might have something to do, or not, with Egar Dragonbane's discovery in the Afa'marag temple. In this second installment of A Land Fit for Heroes series, more information is revealed to the reader about some of the Dark Court and its possible involvement in the unfolding of the events. There is also more mention of the Grey Places. Magic and history are interwoven beautifully and the pace is consistent with the first book. The characters, narration, and action scenes are familiar to the reader and so it is easy to pick up where you've left. T...

Ringil Eskiath is a bored hero of Gallows Gap. Although full of regrets of the past and is shunned by his family because of his sexual preferences, no one really notices it beneath his cocky and arrogant attitude.  One day he was surprised to see his mother asking him for help to look for a female cousin sold into slavery. Gil agrees reluctantly. Taking with him his Kiriath sword Ravensfriend, he visits old friends and meets new enemies. What he was about to unravel however involved more at stake than just the cousin he was supposed to rescue. Egar the Dragonbane is the clanmaster of the Skaranak, but his family and his people are dissatisfied with his ways. Ways and thinking which have been changed during his time at the wars. Meanwhile, Archeth Indamaninarmal is tied to the Yhelteth emperor. Being the only half-Kiriath half-human left, she feels out place. Both Egar and Archeth are old friends of Gil. A gathering of dangerous forces and a prophecy brings the three to...

The volume is a compendium of three books of the Orcs: First Blood series. It includes Bodyguard of Lightning, Legion of Thunder, and Warriors of the Tempest. The story is set in Maras-Dantia, populated by various races who do not get along well with each other. There is an ongoing struggle between two religious factions, the Unis and Manis, and involves various races. Apparently, according to the elder races, Maras-Dantia is losing its magic and killing the land because of the invasion and abuse of the humans. The Manis, who have humans among its followers, believe this as well and are seeking to restore some of the power lost because of the human settlements. This edition also features a short story called The Taking which tells about Coilla's first day with the Wolverines and a short interview of the author. Bodyguard of Lightning In the first book, the members of the orc warband, the Wolverines, are introduced. Touted as the best orcs in Queen Jennesta's army...

History tells of a woman who defied tradition to follow her heart's desire and succeeded. Grania was the daughter of the Black Oak Dubhdara and Mairgret of clan O Malley. When most women were expected to fulfill their roles and housewives, Grania instead wanted to sail the seas. At a very young age she was known for her willfulness and insight. A natural leader known for her charisma and unconventional means to get what she wanted, she was a constant object of admiration and sometimes resentment of men and women alike.  First married to Donal O Flaherty, Grania has had her share of lovers like most heroes portrayed in adventure stories. Although I'm not fond of romance, Grania's affairs seem intriguing and more often her treatment of the men is refreshing for a lead female character. She still retains her qualities of being a woman, a mother, and a wife ---aspects that give her more advantage over the male leaders who are also after power. It is only fitting there...

Laura Shane was born on a night of a freakish lightning storm. Her life since then has been filled with both despair and mystery. Despite losing her mother and later her father at an early age, Laura grew up to be a strong and positive woman. Through most of the trying times of her life, from her birth then an incident with a store robber and more, Laura feels like she's being watched over by someone. This guardian appears during some of her life-threatening encounters and what's more puzzling is that he does not seem to age even as years pass. Ever since his last appearance however, Laura begins to doubt the existence of this blond, blue-eyed, gun-toting guardian. Lightning's pace is consistent from start to finish even when the timeline jumps from days to years sometimes. Laura's fantastic experiences may be a bit exaggerated but they are consistent with the idea in which the story revolves. The technical details explaining the guardian's appearances is ...

This collection of the majority of European mythology will make the lover of myths cry out for joy. Bulfinch's Mythology includes Greek and Roman myths; Norse; Celtic; Arthurian and British legends (Beowulf, Hereward and Robin Hood); tales of Charlemagne's Paladins; and a few Egyptian and Eastern (Zoroastrian/Persian, Hindu, Buddhist) myths and legends. The stories are limited however and only the more popular tales are included. It is a general overview of most myths but the focus, as expected, is still on Classical Mythology. The pages dedicated to the Greek and Roman gods take up most of the book, followed by Charlemagne's Peers. Despite my disappointed to find that I'd be reading stories I'm already familiar with, the book does have its surprises. There is a chapter dedicated to monsters and how myths are formed. Some of the epics are summarized, much to my dismay, but it might be a good introduction for readers who find the longer versions too te...

Greek history enthusiasts will find this beautiful volume an invaluable addition to their collection. Filled with vivid illustrations and photos, the book is a general outline of history of ancient Greece from its prehistory until Alexander's death.  It contains mostly descriptions of major architectural and archaeological finds and a narration of events at the time they were built or made. The book is informative but not detailed enough for the scholarly purposes. It however provides a good overview of architectural styles, art and a condensed history of the area. I recommend this both for casual and scholarly reading. If you are interested in mythology, the book also mentions a few things. The text is easy to understand and reader friendly (however, the reader might want to check some updates on the progress of the study of finds). Rating: 9 out of 10

Even more than months after the San Antonio Spurs won their fifth title, I still feel like everything is a dream. As a long-time fan of Tim Duncan, last year's loss to Miami Heat still feels like a nightmare whenever I think about it. It took me more than a month to recover after that loss. I'm just a fan and I felt terrible so I can't imagine what it was like for the players. People who did not believe and appreciate them said it was the end of the line for the "old" guys. Duncan and Manu Ginobili were passe. They said some might retire or go to other teams, but they proved them wrong again. Of course I didn't wanna believe all the bad things they wrote but it was not easy to keep thinking like that after that kind of loss. They said it would not be easy to recover from that nightmare. Of course it wouldn't be, but how the players will deal with that will say a lot about them individually and their spirit as a team. Whatever the unbelieve...

In the third book, Joffrey Baratheon was poisoned at his wedding feast and Tyrion Lannister was accused by his sister of the crime. The guest Oberyn Martell became Tyrion's champion but was killed by Gregor Clegane. Tyrion escapes with help of his brother Jaime. Tyrion however confronted and killed his father and Shae. Brienne of Tarth searches for the Stark sisters to keep her promise to Catelyn and Jaime. Arya Stark goes to Braavos because she has nowhere to go and she remembered the offer given to her previously. Sansa Stark escapes King's Landing and pretends she's Petyr Baelish's daughter. During their stay at  the Eyrie, Littlefinger murdered Lysa Arryn. Now they both have to keep up the pretense of being father and daughter.  Cersei Lannister thinks she's in control of the realm, but she's ran out of friends and allies and sees enemies everywhere she turns. Maybe Cersei's hold is finally slipping away especially now that Jaime i...

Jaime Lannister, defeated and captured by Robb Stark was released by Catelyn under oath. Overconfident and unquestionably a good warrior and talker, his life is about to change in his trip back to King's Landing with Brienne of Tarth and cousin Cleos Frey supposedly to Jaime's advantage. His moniker Kingslayer continues to haunt him despite his attempts to hide it. Catelyn Stark is second guessing herself. Maybe she was a bad mother who made wrong decisions. Only the outcome of the war can tell if what she has done for her family was right. Arya Stark is still on the run. What she has witnessed of the world so far only served to make her tougher and colder. Tyrion Lannister, betrayed again despite what he has done for the realm, thinks he has found solace in a few allies and a woman whom he thinks adores him. It's just a matter of time until his enemies move to take him out of the game. Davos Seaworth thought everything was lost until he recalled wh...

The land is split into six factions after King Robert Baratheon's passing. The current king of the Iron Throne is Joffrey, Robert's supposedly eldest son. But rumors about his parentage spread doubts of his claims. They believe that Jofrey and his siblings are products of incest and have no right to the throne. The others vying for the title take center stage. Stannis Baratheon, Renly Baratheon, Robb Stark, Daenerys Targaryen, and the Greyjoys all want a piece of the action. Stannis and Renly are convinced each has a legitimate claim to the throne when rumors of incest spread. After the execution of Ned Stark, the North rose in rebellion and proclaimed Robb King of the North.Meanwhile, Ned's ward Theon decided it was ripe time to please his father by handing him Winterfell. Far away from King's Landing, Daenerys and her khalasar set out to find what the future has prepared for them. Thus begins her journey to power. Her challenge is to gather enough resources and pe...

Ned Stark is a benign lord of his subjects at Winterfell and a loving husband and father. A good friend of King Robert Baratheon, he just wants to live his peaceful life away from politics and intrigues at King's Landing even when he has proven he was a good warrior and administrator. His loyalty, honesty and love for the king however will be tested in storms to come. Given the choice of revealing a secret that would shatter the realm and start a war or to remain quiet for the safety of his family, it seems he would pick the obvious. But forces he could not control are mounting up the pressure that would ultimately involve not just they key players of the court but everyone else and pit one man or woman against another in a battle for the throne and the redemption of hurt loved ones. In the midst of all the human struggle is a greater threat known to and recognized only by a few. This first installment of A Song of Ice and Fire series is told from the point-of-view of eight ch...

Me and my boyfriend. I used violet, blue and red ballpens. My deviantArt Link:  http://fav.me/d8067r6

Ezio Auditore in one of his outfits in AC Brotherhood I used graphite and colored pencils on oslo paper My deviantArt link is here  

Set years after Assassin's Creed Revelations, Ezio Auditore lives in a countryside with Sofia Sartor and their children Flavia and Marcello. A retired assassin, he was alarmed to find a hooded figure talking to Flavia one day. It turns out the stranger, who introduced herself as Shao Jun, was looking for Ezio to ask him how to rebuild the assassin order in her country and how to help her people. Ezio at first refused but Sofia convinced Ezio to let her stay. Shao Jun (left) and Ezio Auditore Ezio and Sofia "... love of people, cultures, and the world... fight to preserve that which inspires hope and you will win back your people." This sad and beautiful 21 minutes and 22 seconds short animation film shows Ezio at the twilight of his life. Though dissatisfied and full of regrets, he is still a formidable fighter in the film even if he's slower than the hero in the three games. Ezio's fans will love this peek at Ezio's last moments (and...

Assassin's Creed Ascendance is a short animated film set after Assassin's Creed II and before Assassin's Creed Brotherhood. Ezio Auditore was informed that a new threat is growing in Roma. Pope Rodrigo Borgia's son, Cesare, is brewing up trouble to take control of all of Roma. In the next 13 minutes and 32 seconds, Ezio learns how his would-be nemesis rose to power. Ezio Auditore Cesare Borgia (middle) The picture story animation is reminiscent of the artistic style of the Renaissance. The music, voice acting, and scenery will all be familiar to the gamers. There are fewer action scenes than in Assassin's Creed Lineage and mostly just recollection of Cesare's deeds to get to where he is at the start of AC Brotherhood. The picture story might be new to the viewers but it's just as beautiful as the animation in the games. Voice Actors: Roger Craig Smith - Ezio Auditore Andreas Apergis - Cesare Borgia Carlos Ferro - Leonardo da V...

Note:  My review will not include the multiplayer modes for AC Brotherhood and Revelations and most of the DLCs. I will provide a list however of DLCs included in this edition (refer to cover above). Assassin's Creed II is the direct sequel of Assassin's Creed, while Brotherhood and Revelations follow up on the story of the trilogy's lead character Ezio Auditore. The gameplay is similar to the first game. Memories are accessed through the Animus. These memories form sequences and must be completed by performing the necessary objectives of each mission. Ezio's abilities are pretty much the same as Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad's in Assassin's Creed  but with several improvements. The wall climb and roof run, Leap of Faith, and tracking targets by stealth or gathering information are basically the same.  At the start of Assassin's Creed II, Desmond Miles is rescued by Lucy Stillman out of Abstergo Industries, the Templars, and brought to a secret, t...