On the Verge of Lunacy

He was a murderer. Beyond that, he can't remember anything about his past. He is even unsure of his name. Victor Salsbury was supposed to be dead, but he thinks he is that same man. A man with a mission, Victor acts out orders from someone, or something. Where these orders come from he doesn't know. He does not even know why he has to do them, only that he has to and because he might find some answers. The few clues to his identity only add to the mystery; a machine he knows instinctively is called 810-40.04 and some items he needs for his mission were prepared for him. He was alone until a dog came to him. Intrepid became a constant companion since. Then he meets a woman named Lynda while fulfilling his mission. All the while he still can't make sense of everything. Not until he found they were threatened by some strange creatures he has seen on the wall in his house. One of Dean Koontz's earlier novels, Hell's Gate has the distinct Koontz elements fou...

This is an English version of  Monsieur Galland's French translation of the tales, collectively called One Thousand and One Nights. Andrew Lang selected only thirteen stories. The poetry and the passages that didn't seem to make sense but the original authors thought funny were dropped. The stories were collected over centuries from different parts of what is now the Middle East and South Asia. In this version, the events supposedly occurred during the reign of Caliph Haroun al Raschid in Bagdad [Note: I retained the spelling of the names found in the book]. At the beginning of the story King Schariar of Persia was introduced as a ruler who took many wives, each of whom is executed after marriage because he thinks that all women are like his brother's unfaithful wife. Finally when Schariar's grand-vizir could no longer find a suitable bride, the vizir's daughter Scheherazade offered herself. She claimed she knows how to stop the king from ordering more wome...

The fifth installment of the Novels of the Malazan Empire, Blood and Bone, is set in mysterious Jacuruku where the even more strange Himatan lies. This rainforest, known for its link to the spirit world and is supposedly Ardata's domain, is alive with strange creatures and notorious for its hostile conditions. In the tradition of the Malazan world, this book has unforgettable characters and a complex storyline. The scenes are narrated by select characters and the sequence of events is straightforward. The events in the book happen relatively within the same period as the tenth book of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, Crippled God. The tribes of Jacuruku have decided to invade the seat of the Thaumaturgs' power. Led by a man known only as Warleader, the conflicting natives set aside their petty wars to unseat the mages. The journey of this contingent is mostly told from the perspective of the young prince Jatal who wants to get rid of the stigma as just a powerless schola...

Prince of Persia Trilogy is a reboot of the three separate games of the same series. The Sands of Time, Warrior Within, and The Two Thrones have enhanced graphics for better gaming experience. For those who have already played this series, there aren't a lot of changes; while for those who haven't tried Prince of Persia, this is one of the best game series there is so I wouldn't recommend missing it. I enjoyed this series for the Prince's unique fighting style (and who wouldn't enjoy using the sand powers?) and a compelling story with an unforgettable character. The Sands of Time When King Sharaman and his son the Prince conquered the Maharajah's kingdom in India, they took with them several treasures including an Hourglass which supposedly contains the Sands of Time that can be unlocked by a dagger. The Prince took this dagger as a present to his father. The Maharajah's daughter, Farah was also taken hostage. Meanwhile the Maharajah's Vizier of...

A girl wakes up having no recollection of her past and even her identity. Her only clue is a spirit named Orion, who claims it's his fault that she lost her memories, and the people who claim to be her friends and co-workers at a maid cafe. Orion promised the girl he will help her piece together her past. Throughout the series, the heroine of Amnesia has no name. Add to the confusion is her seemingly close relationship with some of the men and a mysterious guy she met on the street who seems to know something about her. On her first waking moment, 8 A.M. August 1, a guy named Shin identifies himself as her boyfriend. All seemed to be going well until she wakes up again on the same time and day and this time with another love interest. She managed to retain her previous memory with her different lovers but even then she still has no clue what's going on. It seems however that a guy named Ukyo has figured something out. From left: Shin, Ikki, Kent, Toma, Ukyo, and Or...

The adventures of Orphe, Ed, Lui, Camu, Naoji, and Isaac continue in this second installment of the series. The aftermath of the king's failed assassination attempt seemed peaceful. This time however, each of the Strahl candidates has to confront his past to determine if he is fit to become a public servant. In the first series, Orphe's and Ed's past were the highlights. This time the other three take the spotlight. It might seem at first glance that these nobleman live carefree lives, but the series shows that they too have to overcome personal challenges before they can even face bigger problems ahead in their careers. Compared to the first season, this series has more action and character development. Tension from the failed assassination attempt is further built up here in the disappearance of the headmaster. The Strahl candidates also have to cope with the new academy rules and threats from outside. Overall, the second season has made up for some of the ...

This first of a two-season series introduces the viewer to the students of the elite Strahl class of Rozenstolz Academy. These future advisors of the royal palace of Kuchen were chosen for their brains and prestigious family backgrounds.  Although they enjoyed the peaceful and competitive atmosphere of the academy, the students were about to have a taste of what it's like to play with dirty politics. Orphe, Ed, Lui, Camu, Naoji and the undercover spy/writer Isaac Cavendish discover a plot to assassinate the king. Despite being students and with unknown people working against them, the five Strahl candidates will try to stop the attempt. As mentioned above, most of the episodes introductions of the main characters, notably Orphe and Ed. Orphe finds a rival in Lui who has a different opinion on how to properly govern the people. While engaging in various debates, the writer Isaac points out to them that their ideals do not really work in the real world and tha...

Hundreds of years after Armageddon, the tension between Methuselahs (vampire-like creatures) and Terrans (humans) continues. Terrans are led and protected by the Holy Roman Empire, of which the capital is Vatican, while the Methuselah are backed by Byzantine. A third major player, Albion, is known for its manufacture of war technology. It is a predominantly human colony but independent of Vatican's control.  At the start of the anime adaptation, the Terrans and Methuselahs are in a standstill. Viewers are introduced to Abel Nightroad, a member of the AX Agency, Caterina Sforza's special operations group. At the outset she is shown at odds with Francesco di Medici, a cardinal in the Vatican, who wants to start a war and is trying to intimidate young Pope Alessandro XVIII to do so. Caterina's goal to have diplomatic relations with the Byzantine Empire is carried out secretly with the help of the AX agents. It seems that a more grievous threat is about to reveal i...

He wakes up without a name and a past. Trapped in a labyrinth of mysterious rooms he does not recognize, his only clue to his identity is the name Joel. Then a faceless man, whom he identified as Sandman, goes after him. The next thing he knew he wakes up in a different room but this time with a beautiful woman he cannot not remember. He was sure however that the woman is harmless and trustworthy unlike the white-haired man he knew instinctively had another agenda. Pleasant though the woman's company is he feels something is wrong. When he starts asking he wakes up again in another place. One nightmare after another, he keeps seeing the same faces in different places each time he wakes up. Sometimes their demeanor would be different. He also figured they will put him to sleep every time he starts asking or he acts strangely. All these only serve to confuse him more, but one thing is certain --- they're trying to keep something from him by playing out different scenes. Joel ...

Chihiro and her parents were on their way to their new home. Reluctant to leave old friends behind, Chihiro wasn't as excited as her parents and was indifferent to the new sights. When her father took a wrong turn and ended up near a tunnel entrance, he urged the family to explore further probably both out of curiosity and to cheer up Chihiro. At the end of the tunnel was a theme park. Chihiro finds herself all alone when her parents were turned into pigs after they ate food from an enchanted stall. It turns out that the theme park was used by spirits for amusement at night. Luckily, she finds help in a boy named Haku who told her she has to work in a bathhouse and seek the witch Yubaba. Chihiro's misfortune became an adventure where she met new friends and some difficulties along the way as well. Some things came into mind while watching Spirited Away. Chihiro's blossoming into a confident and brave girl, qualities she already possessed at the outset, reminded me o...

In a universe ruled mostly by humans, man rules supreme. This guiding principle honors the sacrifices of the Alliance of mankind. Subjugated alien peoples ranked lower than humans and therefore treating them as equals, much more friends, is taboo. Among those conquered are the Demosians, winged creatures whose population is reduced to a few females. Writer Stauffer Davis meets one of them when he goes to Demos to do research. In the course of his dealings with a Demosian named Leah he began to question the system imposed by the Alliance in his relations with non-human creatures. According to the Alliance, each man as part of the system has to keep in mind its laws, the taboos, and the will of the council. Man was only a part of it and to question it is to challenge the very foundations on which it was built. Predictably Davis and Leah became more than just acquaintances and soon the Alliance was on their trail. The characters were trapped in an impossible situation where the on...