Have you been keeping up with the new Darksiders II reviews and updates? Still uncertain about whether you should dish out the dough to buy the game? Check out this Youtube channel that has a walk through of the game. Maybe you will make a decision once you see the game in action.
Tag Archives: Review
Review: The Newsroom “I’ll Try to Fix You”
Ringing in the New Year with Bigfoot! That’s the start of this week’s episode of The Newsroom. This episode will make you laugh, and possibly make you cry in this sex scandal filled montage aptly titled for a culmination in a galvanizing moment that instills the fervor within the Newsroom.There are two overarching themes throughout this installment of The Newsroom. They are led by Neal (Dev Patel) and Will (Jeff Daniels), respectively, and like Don (Thomas Sadoski) says: It’s time to start the New Years with a bang!
Bigfoot is real; just ask Neal Sampat. Throughout the entirety of the episode he desperately tries to get Will, and the other members of the Newsroom to believe in the man, myth, legend, that is Bigfoot. Going so far as to create an entire presentation to illustrate the information available on the apex predator; Neal finds this task of convincing Will to do a story on this lovable oaf is harder than he thought.
That’s not the only hard thing on this episode, and to Will’s detriment a flurry of women with whom he’s dated have been seen splashing drinks into his face and forcing stories about him to appear on page six of the daily news. Problem after problem and mishap after mishap riddle Will’s personal life full of meaningless holes that he can’t seem to fill without the obvious necessity of the lack of an intimate Mac (Emily Mortimer) in his life. Although he is the star, this isn’t the only love story that’s taking place. There’s also a nicely timed piece concerning Maggie (Alison Pill), Don, and Jim (John Gallagher, Jr.).
It begins on New Year’s Eve, like all train wrecks do, with Don forcing Maggie’s roommate to go out with Jim. Everything boils down to a lie, of course, and when Maggie finds out Jim lied to her about spending the night with her roommate; tensions flare on an early Saturday morning where Jim is force to use his position to take control and order her into a timeout of sorts after he apologizes for his betrayal of her trust.
With the revelation between Jim and Maggie and Will’s negative status on the cover of tabloids coming to a head; Charlie (Sam Waterston) realizes the key to all of their problems. That key was that ACN owns that tabloid, and the owner of ACN is trying to deliver on her promise to fire Will if he doesn’t cool off on his reports on her Tea Party friends. Just as things seemingly couldn’t get worse; they do, but they all come together to produce a broadcast of brilliance on reporting the near fatal shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords on Saturday, January 8, 2011.
Rating: 4.8/5
Don’t miss The Newsroom Sundays at 10pm on HBO
Review: The Newsroom “The 112th Congress”
Spanning six months, this episode delivers astute political criticism towards the Tea Party and news that ceases to be informative to the modern voter. This shows seeks to explain, or at least try to, the decisions of voters and how educated they truly were in the 2010 American election. It begins with the most simply complex thing possible: An apology.
Aaron Sorkin delivers another masterpiece in this; the third episode of a series that is making leaps and bounds in an attack on the politics that corrupt own daily news broadcasts. This idea that is so eloquently delivered throughout the broadcasts of News Night is that the facts are what matters and not the spin on stories that are of little concern. This point is made clearly as we begin talking about the “Times Square Bomber” which, on News Night got fairly little coverage due to the fact that the system actually worked in capturing the bomber while little consideration was given to the actual person that reported the bombing, an immigrant from Senegal, who turns out to be Muslim.
This show takes big risks by attacking certain political parties, but does so brilliantly in exposing the flaws in not just one party, but all parties as everything is fair game in the political arena. This does however cause great distress to the network which causes another main focal point of the episode in a time skipping meeting involving Charlie Skinner (Sam Waterston) and the CEO of Atlantis World Media, the parent company of ACN, Leona Lansing (Jane Fonda). This episode, and the conspiring events, is what led to this eventual meeting that had taken place after these six expedited months of newscasts which all culminated with the coverage of Election Night 2010.
Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy is brilliant in his delivery of information and retaliation against political extremists, but also towards MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer) as he brings date after date into the Newsroom to more than entice McHale into retaliating with her own solution–a secret boyfriend–which is discovered by Will during the Election Night newscast which sends his tripping over his own feet on the way back to his desk in a troublesome disbelief, but with everything it did to him it didn’t distract him from his job: delivering the facts. This isn’t the only love-line on this show; as time goes on and the multiple break-ups and get-back-togethers of Maggie (Alison Pill) and Don (Thomas Sadoski) influence his actions, Jim (John Gallagher, Jr.) tries to keep his cool long enough to ask Maggie out, but every single time he is shot down before he can take off with the appearance of Don to sweep Maggie away before he can even arrive.
This episode is a fantastic piece of political examination from the previous election. I would highly recommend you start watching from the beginning as this is still a new series, and it gives you insight into facts that you may have not known had you been otherwise misinformed. I have to give this episode a 4.6/5. Don’t miss an episode on HBO Sunday nights and 10!
Review:True Blood “Let’s Boot and Rally”
Being caught about to screw a Werewolf is one thing, throwing up on his shoes is another. This is where we find out protagonists this week in the HBO series True Blood. After being captured and released by The Authority for the sole purpose of hunting down and killing the malicious Vampyr; Russel Edgington (Denis O’Hare)… again. Having escaped from his cement burial with the help from an unknown woman from The Authority. This episode, however, is probably the least bloody episode I’ve seen to date.
Starting with Bill (Stephen Moyer) and Eric (Alexander Skarsgård) finding Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Alcide (Joe Manganiello) about to get busy, this episode is more of a preparation for next week rather than a true story line of its own. If there is a story line here, it’s Sam (Sam Trammell) finding his support group–excluding Luna (Janina Gavankar)–shot dead at their usual meeting spot. After alerting the police, who are having supernatural problems themselves, Sam decides it’s best to warn Luna, but as he’s leaving her house gunshots ring and both of the remaining shifters in the cast are wounded and presumed dead on Luna’s front lawn with her daughter shifting into her wolf form to escape unharmed.
All the while this is happening Lafayette (Nelsan Ellis) is struggling to come to terms with the evil inside of him that he absorbed from his recently murdered boyfriend Jesus (Kevin Alejandro). Lafayette’s visions of the demonic face and Jesus’ severed head riddle his conscious moments. This, however, is a severely under-told part of the story this week.
Another significant turn in “Let’s Boot and Rally” is the acceptance of Tara (Rutina Wesley) being a Vampyr. She and Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) hashed out their problems as any child and parent would while getting Tara to realize her new place as a Vampyr. This new life doesn’t come without costs, however, and thus a friend finds her and begins to relate and express concern. This friend is non-other than Jessica (Deborah Ann Woll), who had gone through the same things after being turned by Bill in the first season. Still with feelings for Hoyt (Jim Parrack), Jessica–now trying to move on–ends this latest episode in finding Tara feeding on him in the stall next door.
I would say the true main story for this episode would have to be the one involving Terry (Todd Lowe) and war-buddy Patrick (Scott Foley) as they go to uncover the fire starter that had killed the other men in their previous unit. They find, to their dismay, a crazed friend who was convinced that it was a demon all along from a cruse long ago before they all left the Corps. Little did they know, the demon is real!
This episode receives a 4.3/5
If you haven’t seen it yet tune in to HBO Sundays at 9!
Advanced Review: NCAA Football 13
13 is a special number this year. 13; the namesake of this year’s NCAA Football, but also 13 is the number of uniforms that have been digitized for the Oregon Ducks and their high flying offense! That’s right, with 13 different pre-set uniforms for the Ducks they lead their way into a ranked four position atop the preseason charts in NCAA 13. That’s not all that’s changed with this newest edition of the long-standing franchise. There have been various tweaks, pokes, and prods to this years graphics and animations, but it comes also with the addition of a new mode: Heisman Challenge.
This new Heisman Challenge mode lets you step into the shoes of ten different Heisman winners and play as them–on your favorite team–for a whole season to try and best their own candidacy for the Heisman trophy. Armed with a new reaction time feature–in Heisman Challenge and Road to Glory modes–you can set out on your conquest with a plethora of new throwing and catching animations as well as a slightly overhauled control scheme. Now, like never before, you can see your rise to become a College Football Legend impeded by new difficulty settings in Road to Glory.
This additions do not come without consequences. In making the game better and more realistic, now like never before, you actually must learn to play defense. It’s not all about the high powered offenses and scoring 100 points a game. You need to be aware of the offenses and make the receivers be distracted and run the wrong routes if you are to succeed in stopping your opponent with ruthless efficiency. This also makes running the offense harder and more crucial to have good decision-making skills. If you don’t set before you throw you have a large chance to throw it away or–even worse–an interception.
Graphically there isn’t much to differ from last years, or at least not enough to warrant a buy on graphics alone. There are some obvious lighting improvements, and of course there is the addition of new game day traditions from some schools that were snubbed last year. The rosters are still varied enough to have most of the key players on your team have the right stats and numbers from real life, of course EA would never admit to copying people, but they’re there. With a playoff being instated in 2014 this may be one of the last times you’ll get to see the BCS Bowls in their entirety in a video game. Last, but not least, the majority of your favorite features have returned such as the Mascot Mash Up, Online and Offline Dynasties, and Road to Glory. The only reason to really buy this game is the new Heisman Challenge mode, and of course the new rosters and team uniforms. I’ll leave the decision up to you if it’s worth the buy, but I rate this game a solid 3.9/5.
In NCAA 13, on both sides of the ball, you will be tested more than ever before as blitz’s rain down upon you and short, accurate, throws rules the day. Running the ball is essential and turnovers come at a high cost. In order to get the true experience of NCAA 13, and to fill the void of a summer without College Football, you can pick it up on store shelves on July 10th. Until then I’ll keep your seat warm and Win the Day.
Better Late Than Never: Strike Back: Project Dawn
Kicking off this new series of reviews (Better Late Than Never) I’m starting with the latest season of Strike Back–a British-American television series newly hosted by Cinemax which pits Section 20–a covert branch of the British MI6–against a global terrorist known only as Latif (Jimi Mistry).
The Season Two cover of the Strike Back Blu-Ray.
This season starts with Section 20 on the tail of the notorious Latif, and their captured undercover operative John Porter (Richard Armitage), in a race against time to save their comrade. In their quest they enlist Porter’s former partner, and former Delta Force Operator, Damian Scott (Sullivan Stapleton) to aide the ex-Special Boat Service (SBS) Sergeant Michael Stonebridge (Philip Winchester) and Captain Kate Marshall (Eva Birthistle) in finding and identifying Latif after their original mission concludes in failure after the execution of Porter over a live video feed. With a wish for revenge and a need to save the world from the terror of Latif and his mysterious Project Dawn; Section 20 with Colonel Eleanor Grant–played by the ball busting Amanda Mealing–scour the world in exotic locals such as India, South Africa, Kosovo, Chechnya, and Budapest, Hungary.
This season is remarkably short for all of the action-packed power and performance that enthralls you despite the moderately shallow dialogue. Violence isn’t the only thing this show delivers as one of the leading men, Damian Scott, is a roving sex addict to the mimicking of an American James Bond. However, in the ten episode season they do manage to pack a clearly centralized storyline into the realm of spies and international intrigue.
Their mission does not come without costs. During the course of events they lose a handful of agents including Captain Marshall, but overall the plethora of terrorists that the two ex-special forces men dispatch are without equal and are almost out of the realm of possibility if it were not from the excellent use of real life tactics and maneuvers. The character of Scott was obviously cast to be a daring and careless rogue to the tune of a Han Solo or John Rambo. Often rushing into situations without careful thinking has cased more than a few problems for his counterpart in Stonebridge, but the Sergeant’s calm and cool demeanor has allowed him to swoop in and save the day multiple times, often in the same episode!
On the other end of the radio are the intel and analysis wing of Section 20. Starting with the Colonel’s second in command–Major Oliver Sinclair (Rhashan Stone) and going down to Sergeant Julia Richmond (Michelle Lukes)–is an integral part of the show’s screen time. Code-breaking, satellite surveillance, and identifying targets are just a few of the responsibilities tasked to this marvelous secret agency. Suspicion and treachery lie in the ranks of Section 20 and insubordination came to a head before being easily dealt with in what seemed to be a quick fix for a problem that could’ve lasted for another season.
If asked for one word to describe this season of Strike Back; I would have to use: Rushed. This show has the promise, but not the budget to last a season that’s on par with most basic cable television shows, and even being on a premium cable network can’t help it enough to last for too much longer in an American market. That is a sad point indeed as I feel that its generally exaggerated characters are a breath of fresh air to all of the stoic seriousness of series such as 24 and even Burn Notice. In my opinion, in order to improve the ratings and viewers, is to move it to a different time slot for Spartacus and add more than ten episodes to a season. This show has all the potential to be a great spy/military thriller, but seemingly little opportunity to prosper.
Rating: 3.8/5
Stay tuned to Cinemax on 17 August 2012 for the continuation of Strike Back in Strike Back: Vengeance (Also known as Season 3 in US)!
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Review: The Newsroom “We Just Decided To”
Created by Aaron Sorkin, The Newsroom stars Jeff Daniels as Will McAvoy–A news anchor for the fictional Atlantis Cable News (ACN) with hostile tendencies and a attitude that is suggestive of a man that has it right, but dumbs himself down in order to communicate to a larger audience–who seemingly snaps during a panel interview at Northwestern in which he claims to have had vertigo. This is where the story starts and the dialogue gets smart.
At this interview he attempts to deflect every question that comes his way until he is force to give an answer to which is explodes into a political frenzy that, in fact, mirrors my own opinions on the current political system and a hope for improvement, which all started with the question: “Why is America the greatest country in the world?” The simple answer; it’s not, but it can be. This outburst leads to nearly his entire staff to jump ship with the Executive Producer (EP) Don Keefer–played by Thomas Sadoski–thus leaving Will with a new EP that he is all to familiar with: His ex-girlfriend MacKenzie McHale (Emily Mortimer).
This series features newscasts from real-world events that have occurred with the added spin of a retrospective about the knowledge gained over time. They search for information, pester sources, and come together to form a broadcast of which isn’t at the level of Jay Leno–as Will McAvoy was compared to by his lack of opinions and having “not bothered” anyone.–but in fact spearheading the mainstream media to inform and educate rather than talk about easy to understand concepts and ideas. As the episode continues it’s filled with turmoil with interoffice relationships and old habits dying hard as the new mix of personalities juxtapose to form a beautiful piece of action and information that is penned wonderfully by the show’s creator; Sorkin.
I would recommend this show to anyone with indifference and an ability to be unbiased about past news, as some of the topics touched upon are rather harshly pursued from multiple points of view that could upset some people with their political ideals. I plan on watching and review an episode each week, and I leave you with the first episode in its entirety. Be sure to tune in Sundays at 10 PM on HBO!
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Film Review: The Grey
Are you in the mood for a movie? Is there nothing that interests you out in theaters at the moment? Perhaps you should rent a DVD from Redbox or Blockbuster. If you are looking for a good movie to rent from one of those venues, I suggest you set your sight on the action-thriller “The Grey” starring Liam Neeson.
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Information
Title: The Grey
Film length: 117 minutes
Genre: Action/Adventure/Drama/Thriller
Staring: Liam Neeson
Average online rating: 7.0-8.5
Rating: R
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Synopsis
This film takes place in the arctic wastes of Alaska. John Ottaway is a sniper employed by a large oil company to protect its workers from wolves and other hazards as they work in the freezing plains. We see from the very beginning of the film that Ottaway is a very troubled man. Unlike the common camaraderie we see among other employees Ottaway is socially withdrawn and often silent. Within ten minutes of the film starting, the depth of this man’s troubles are revealed, as he tries to kill himself.
Obviously he doesn’t (or else that wouldn’t be much of a movie), and the next day, when it comes time for vacation, Ottaway boards a small jet-liner with various other roughneck employees from the company, due to fly to Anchorage. Unfortunately, the plane never reaches its destination, as a snow storm causes it to crash somewhere on the edge of the tundra. Ottaway and seven others survive the crash, and are forced to rally together and find a way to make it back to civilization, as the option of being rescued seems unlikely.
On the very first night, the men find out that their troubles are far from over, as they managed to have crashed in an area that is prowled by a vicious pack of wolves. After the death of a watchmen, Ottaway, who is well learned about wolves and their habits suggests that they head to the tree line where they might have better defense from the wolf pack. Armed with nothing more than a few bullets, the men cross the treacherous environment to seek solace. Faced with deadly cold, deadly terrain and even deadlier hunters, the men are pitted to survive, resorting to primal instincts with the hope that they might leave the wolves 30 mile kill zone and make it back to the family that is waiting for them on the other side of the wilderness.
This is a film that shows how a group of strangers can unify and fight to the death. Towards the end of the film, the audience will question which is the fiercer animal: the wolves, or the men.
Review
This epic film boasts brilliant cinematics that never fail to highlight the sense of doom that surrounds these men in their hostile environment. With a good script and great actors, The Grey is a need-to-see movie. However, I will extend a word of caution to those who are weak of stomach, as the film does not hide the ferocious gore that hunting wolves summon.
The studio did an amazing job with the visuals; the environment and the wolves came together as a masterpiece. Much like Rise of the Planet of the Apes, while the actors’ performances were note-worthy, it was the depiction of the animals that were truly amazing. While on one end of the spectrum, this film is a portrayal of the human condition in times of desperation, the other end looks at the wolves.
There are several scenes in which the nature of the wolves are spoken of. The complexity of wolf society and psychology comes through in this film, as it touches on the protectiveness of home, as well as the various levels of wolf culture, ranging from the Alpha-wolf, to the Omega-wolf. The combination of animatronics, complex puppets, CGI and actual wolves makes for a very convincing portrayal of these great beasts.
The film deftly combines aspects of horror, action, drama and even poetry to create a brilliant work of art that makes for an action packed two hours of biting, running, jumping, praying and preying. This combination of an epic story, gripping social dynamics (in both man and wolf), great actors and breath capturing visuals makes The Grey a ground-breaking film that is definitely worth watching. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, go watch it, and if you have seen it already, watch it again to catch subtleties.
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Book Synopsis and Review: A Song of Ice and Fire saga
Readers beware, this is a long article. The first half of the article is a synopsis of each book, while the second half of the article contains the actual review.
Warning: This article contains certain spoilers; if you are afraid to find out certain bits of information which are essential to explaining the continuity in the series, skip over the sections are greeted by ‘Spoilers Ahead’. The endings of said sections are marked
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Song of Ice and Fire books 1-4
The ominous words of House Stark are spoken throughout the book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George RR Martin. Hailed by Time Magazine as the ‘American Tolkien’, Martin has created what can only be described as one of the best fantasy book series of this day and age. As the inspiration of one of HBO’s newest hit shows, “Game of Thrones” Martin’s saga tells the story of multiple characters in the fictional lands of Westeros and Essos.
The ‘Game of Thrones’ Band wagon is travelling around the world, and many people are hopping on, so I can understand your hesitance to pick up the books which the show is based on. Are they worth the read? Well check the synopsis and review below and decide for yourself.
Book Synopses: Books 1-5
Book I: Game of Thrones
The saga ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ begins with the book titled ‘Game of Thrones‘ , the name-sake of the show which brought the books into the lime light. Opening with one of the most gripping, brutal prologues, Martin hooks readers in immediately, curious of the mysterious threat that looms beyond the great wall of ice (which separates the land of Westeros from the threats of the North), in the land of winter. The irony of this scene is that it is the only time the White Walkers (who can be considered to be the main antagonists of the overall plot) are actually seen prior to the third book, A Storm of Swords (which is my personal favorite, much to the disgust of many of my fellow fans).
Rather than following the text-book linear path of a unified country standing against a greater threat, Martins focuses primarily on matters south of the Wall in the beginning of his saga, opening the actual story with the King, Robert Baratheon, riding north to Winterfell to visit Lord Eddard Stark and his family. Lord Eddard (affectionately called Ned), who is the Warden of the North, is a close friend with the king, and played a major role in the rebellion that gave him his power. King Robert usurped the Iron Throne (A ghastly metal chair forged from the swords of the defeated, and dragon fire) from the Targaryen dynasty which ruled Westeros for three hundred years. However, Robert’s visit is not a social one, however, as he asks Ned Stark to return south with him to Kings Landing, to act as the King’s Hand after the suspicious death of prior hand and foster father of Ned and Robert, Jon Arryn.
Unbeknownst to the King, Ned received a letter prior to the Kings arrival from his wife’s sister, claiming that Jon Arryn’s death was not a natural one, but murder by the hands of the Lannister family. This letter is what prompts Ned to accept the King’s request and ride south to Kings Landing, to serve as the Kings hand while at the same time investigating the cause of Jon Arryn’s death.
This introduction leads readers to create a close connection with Ned Stark, his wife (Catlyn Stark), his five children (Rob, Bran, Rickon, Arya and Sansa) and his base-born (bastard) son, Jon Snow.
The Starks are not the only group of major characters in this story however; with King Robert Baratheon came a great procession of vassals, knights and sell swords, as well as his own royal family which include members of House Lannister (Queen Cercei, his wife, and her two brothers, Ser Jamie of the Kings Guard and the dwarf/imp Tyrion), a powerful family in the West.
It is clear from the palpable tension that there is some bad blood between House Lannister and House Stark. This tension only grows stronger as the book progresses. When Ned Stark leaves for Kings Landing, he takes his daughters Arya and Sansa with him. While Kings Landing is the royal city it is far from glamorous; the city is filled with peasants, liars and traitors.
Warning: Spoilers below
The tension between the Starks and Lannisters is amplified when Ned’s son Bran mysteriously falls from a tower. Lady Catelyn is convinced that this was a Lannister attempt to kill her son. After travelling to Kings Landing, Catelyn is led to believe that Tyrion Lannister sent an assassin to finish the job, and as a result she hunts the man and captures him. She takes him to the Eerie, in the Vale of Arryn to face charges for killing Jon Arryn and attempting to kill Bran.
Towards the end of the book, the fragile bond that holds the Seven Kingdoms together shatters when King Robert dies, causing the ascension of his son Joffery Baratheon, who is an ill tempered young boy with a lust for violence. When Joffery comes into power, events come to pass which result in the events which occur in the second book, a Clash of Kings. One of the most note worthy events is the execution of Ned Stark, who is accused of treason after attempting to take the Throne from Joffery, who is revealed to not be the rightful heir of the Iron throne, but rather the result of incest between Queen Cercei Lannister and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard.
End of Spoilers
This execution rallies the North, causing them to break off from the seven kingdoms to become an autonomous kingdom. While all of this is occurring, word reaches Kings Landing of a last living member of House Targaryen, who fled Westeros when the rightful king was usurped. A girl, by the name of Daenerys Targaryen poses a threat to validity of the iron throne, and if she were to return to Westeros she could undo everything that Robert Baratheon’s rebellion had worked to achieve.
With the threat of Daenerys across the sea, and discontent upon the shores of Westeros, readers are compelled to read the second book of the saga and find out how long this kingdom can last.
Book II: A Clash of Kings
Cover for ‘A Clash of Kings’
A Clash of Kings picks up where A Game of Thrones left off, revealing the extent of disorder in the Seven Kingdoms. A bleeding star can be seen in the skies of both Westeros and Essos. Each culture considers the crimson star to be a sign of a different prophesy. As a result of this,there is not one, not two, but five kings in Westeros. King Joffery of House Baratheon and Lannister, King Robert Stark of the North, King Stannis, brother of Robert Baratheon, and rightful heir to the Iron throne, King Renly, youngest of the three Baratheon brothers, and King Balon Greyjoy of the Iron islands.
With five kings fighting, three of whom want the Iron Throne, one of whom wants justice and one of whom wants revenge, this book is filled to the brim with fighting as the kings compete for power. All the while, rumors are reaching Kings Landing from across the sea, speaking of Daenerys Targaryan and her three dragons. As dragons have been extinct for over 150 years, most write off these rumors as fishermen’s tales, turning their concerns to the more pressing matters of rebellions arising in the North and East. Rob stark marches south, defeating every army who dares face him without suffering a single loss, while Renly’s fierce host mobilizes in the East. Few pay attention to King Stannis, who has but a few banner men, and fewer ships, however letters sent by Stannis to be circulated through the kingdoms prompt people to question the validity of Joffery’s rule over the Iron Throne.
Warning: Spoilers Below
Stannis meets Renly at Storms End, the seat of House Baratheon and demands him to surrender, claiming that the throne is his by right of law. Renly ignores Stannis’ request, but soon comes to regret it, as he meets an untimely end through mysterious means that elude to magic, an art which was believed to have died with the dragons. With Renly dead, Stannis consolidates his power and makes for King’s Landing, bringing with it the climax of the book, the Battle on the Blackwater.
While the battle wages on, chaos and dissent spread through King’s Landing, resulting in riots and acts of cruelty on behalf of the King. With hopes of quelling this, Queen Cercei and the current kings hand send an envoy to House Tyrell of Highgarden, a powerhouse south of Kings Landing. The Tyrells were allied with Renly though after his death they withdrew rather than siding with Stannis Baratheon.
When the battle on the Blackwater seemed to be in favor of the invading forces of Stannis Baratheon, the Tyrell and Lannister forces converge and smash the remainder of Stannis’ forces from their unprepared flank, thus effectively repelling the invading forces, and sending Stannis to retreat in shame.
End of Spoilers
After the battle on the Black Water, things are far from normal in Kings Landing, as Lord Tywin’s host along with the fierce Lion Lord himself settle in Kings Landing, attempting to pick up the pieces from the chaotic and disastrous reign of Joffrey the Boy King. Mean while, the armies of the North continue along their victorious path.
Book III: A Storm of Swords
Book cover for a Storm of Swords
Book III is one of my personal favorites, much to the disgust of many fans. This book takes place during the aftermath of the Battle on the Black Water. King Stannis’ army is fiercely depleted, Rob Stark’s attention is turned towards trouble in the North and Balon Greyjoy meets an unexpected end. Even so, the threats are not over just yet, as the Nights Watch, who ventured North of the Wall in the second book come across the grizzly foes that Martin reveals in the prologue of the Game of Thrones. White Walkers. When dead men rise in the North, the Nights Watch is forced to face the threat that it was originally intended for, yet they are horribly unprepared.
Meanwhile, in the South, King Joffery Baratheon is arranged to be wed with Margaery Tyrell, daughter of Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden and one of the saviors of Kings Landing. Along with this, Jaime Lannister, who was previously held captive of Robb Stark’s army in the North makes is way back to Kings Landing, to assume his role as the Lord Commander of the Kings Guard, though an injury he sustained keeps him from returning in to the true glory of his previous self.
Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen begins to follow in the footsteps of her legendary ancestor, Aegon the Conqueror. Purchasing an army of legendary eunuch slaves known as the Unsullied through a suggestion made by Ser Jorah Mormont, Daenerys begins to conquer and sack the cities in the slavers bay, quickly adopting the title ‘Breaker of Shackles’.
Warning: Spoilers Below
A Storm of Swords is filled with regicide. As Rob Stark marches back North to deal with a problem in Winterfell, he seeks to mend his relations with House Frey, an ally who was spurned as King Rob betrayed a pact with Lord Frey, marrying a western girl rather than one of Lord Frey’s own daughters. Lord Frey invites them into his keep, honoring the tradition of giving them salt and bread, which is a symbol that no harm shall come to them as guests. Unfortunately this gesture meant nothing to the Freys and King Rob met a similar fate to his own father as a result of a ghastly massacre known as ‘The Red Wedding’. It is later revealed that this wedding is one of the machinations of Lord Tywin, Hand of the King, who tells his son Tyrion a famous quote: “Some wars are won with swords, others with quills and ravens”.
Rob Stark is not the only king to meet an untimely end at a wedding, as King Joffrey is also killed at his wedding with Margaery Tyrell. While the exact nature of his death is unclear, it is implied that he was poisoned. Lord Tywin’s son, Tyrion Lannister stands accused of the act.
Towards the end of the book, Tyrion is imprisoned and chooses to endure a trial by combat. For his champion, he chooses Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper of Dorne, who sits on the small council representing. His opponent is far more daunting, as the Queen selects Gregor Clegane, commonly known as the Mountain that Rides. This fight is more than meets the eye, as Oberyn seeks revenge upon Clegane for murdering his sister and killing her children during the sacking of Kings Landing, in King Robert’s Rebellion.
Even with fifteen years of bitter hate in his soul, Martell is slain by Clegane, though not before poisoning the man (a trick that the dornishmen are known for). As a result of this loss, Tyrion is sentenced to death though just before it, Jamie and Varys, the Spider, free him from his cell, and allow him to escape. Tyrion’s escape ended up striking a blow against the kingdom, as he killed his lord father before leaving .
Meanwhile, North of the Wall, White Walkers have the men of the Nights Watch on the run. The Old Bear, Lord Commander of the order is murdered, and in his stead, Jon Snow is selected to be Lord Commander, and helps guide the Nights Watch through one of its darkest winters.
End of Spoilers
Once again Kings Landing is left in a state of utter chaos. Queen Regent Cercei takes it upon herself to run the kingdom in her father’s stead, while white walkers and treason force the Men of the Nights Watch to elect a new lord commander to face the threat of a great Wildling Host. Once the new lord commander is elected, and the battle begins, it is clear that the Watch could be over whelmed, however salvation came to them, as King Stannis’ armies, which had sailed North after the Battle on the Blackwater, all but destroying the great host of Wildlings.
Book IV: A Feast for Crows
A Feast for Crows book cover
A Feast for Crows came out in 2005, and is the fourth book of the series. This book takes place immediately after the death of Lord Tywin. While Tommen, Joffrey’s little brother, is the king of the Iron Throne, due to his age, his mother rules the kingdom for him. Cercei is overwhelmed by paranoia as a prophesy she was told as a child appeared to be coming true. One of the first things the Queen Regent does is offer a reward for the head of Tyrion Lannister, who has gone missing from his cell. Along with this, she attempts to displace any and all men who are not loyal to her on the small council.
In the South, Dorne is in uproar over the loss of Prince Oberyn. In the North, Stannis’ host grows strong as it lingers at the Wall. Tales of Daenerys grow more fearsome as she conquers one city after another in Essos. In the face of these threats, and her own paranoia, Cercei attempts to strengthen her own allies, granting the Holy Order the right to reestablish it’s military orders, which were disbanded during Targaryen rule due to the threat they posed. She sends Jaime to take care of the last remaining stronghold of the Kingdom of the North, Riverrun.
On the Western Sea, the demand for a new king of the Iron Islands leads to a Kingsmoot. Some of the major participants of this moot are Asha Greyjoy, Victarion Greyjoy and Euron Greyjoy.
Warning: Spoilers below
In an attempt to sew further chaos in the seven kingdoms, the daughter of Doran Martell abducts Princess Myrcella, Daughter of Cercei, and attempts to raise her as the queen, as she is entitled to rule by the laws of Dorne.
A combination of grief, fear and a lust for power drive Cercei to her demise. She attempts to plot the downfall of Margaery Tyrell, Tommen’s wife and soon to be queen. Her plotting eventually grabs the attention of the Faith, which results in Cercei’s imprisonment due to the betrayal of her secrets by one of Cercei’s agents, who’s tongue was loosened by torture.
Far away, a knight seeks the daughters of Catelyn Stark, armed with the blade of Jamie Lannister, and assisted by the page of Tyrion Lannister. She has the misfortune of stumbling upon a group of Outcasts, previously under the guidance of Lord Berric Dondarrion. However with Dondarrion gone, they have a new leader, one who the knight knew. Though shrouded by a hood, she revealed her tattered face, the face of a woman presumed dead. The face of Catelyn Stark. Catelyn sentences Brienne and her companions to death, though just before being hung, Brienne utters a word.
End of Spoilers
The book ends with a note from George RR Martin, who notes the absence of major characters and explains that the original copy of Feast For the Crows was too large, and because of such, he separated the book, adding the narrative of the other characters in the first section of the following book, A Dance with Dragons.
Book V: A Dance of Dragons
A Dance of Dragons book cover
Unlike previous books, A Dance with Dragons does not start immediately after the actions of the previous book, but rather at the same time. This book has characters that were not mentioned in A Feast for Crows such as Jon Snow, Bran, Tyrion and Daenerys.
The beginning of A Dance with Dragons focuses on the events that occur on the Wall, and across the Sea. Stannis and his host bring the Wildlings south of the Wall and settle them in the Gift, while they take up residence in some of the abandoned castles along the wall. Stannis has plans to retake the North, yet first he must consolidate his power. Jon Snow, who is the new Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, is faced with difficult decisions, as he faces the threat of White Walkers looming in the North. A threat which he is horribly unprepared for.
Unbeknownst to Jon, there is something else that lingers North of the Wall. His younger brother, Bran, who is presumed dead marches North in search of the Three Eyed Crow which he sees in his dreams. Accompanied by Meera, Jojen, Hodor and a mysterious rider with cold black hands, the group travel deep in the Lands of Winter, seeking Bran’s fate.
South, across the sea, we find out that Tyrion Lannister has been smuggled out of Kings Landing to Pentos, where he is met by the familiar face of Magister Illyrio. From the appearance of the magister, it is clear that Tyrion is mean to assist Daenerys in her conquest. He leaves Pentos in a matter of days to join up with a secretive group that is travelling down the Rhyone. However his journey doesn’t go according to plan as he is abducted and begins a new journey to a different destination.
Daenerys, who had settled in the city of Mereen to act as a queen is finding her people to be cruel and hostile towards her new policies. Freed Slaves are being murdered in droves, and while her advisors wish for her to go to Westeros, she feels obligated to see Mereen to peace.
Warning: Spoilers below
When Stannis marches for Winterfell with his host, he comes across Iron Born who were fleeing castles to return to the sea. Among these Iron Born was Asha Greyjoy, who Stannis captures. He continues towards Winterfell though a winter storm stops them in their tracks, three days from Winterfell.
Jon Snow, who heeds to the advice of the Red Priest, Lady Melissandre, sends the Lord of Bones (later revealed to be Mance Rayder) along with several spear wives, south of the wall to Winterfell, with the hopes of rescuing his sister from Lord Ramsay, the Bastard of Bolton. Unbeknownst to him, however, the girl is an imposter, and Arya is safe across the sea in Bravos, training to become a Faceless Man.
The group that Tyrion was travelling with consists of one of the old Hands of the King, exiled Lord Jon Connington of Griffins Roost, as well as another passanger who is presumed dead for over 15 years (That spoiler is too good to reveal here).
Tyrion, who was captive of Jorah Mormont, on his way to Daenerys Targaryen, is taken by slavers when their ship gets damaged in a storm. Tyrion, Jorah, and a dwarf companion are forced to become slaves of a Yunkai Slave master who is outside of the walls of Mereen, along with a great Yunkai force that wishes to over throw Daenerys and make Mereen a slave city once more.
In order to end the killing of her Freed men, and stop the seige from Yunkai, Daenerys gets married to a Mereen noble, though this marriage is short lived as an incident at the pits results in Daenerys going missing.
End of Spoilers
The fifth book of Martin’s saga is one of the most gripping of them all, having surprises at every turn. It does well to pull together elements of a much broader story, while allowing for the diversity in characters and settings that A Song of Ice and Fire is known for
Book Series Review
After reading this series, I can see why Time Magazine would dub Martin as the American Tolkien, and I find myself agreeing with that author. Martins creates one of the most enticing indepth fantasies of this age, building a world filled with unique lore, culture and stories all from scratch. Well, actually, perhaps saying it was built from scratch is inaccurate. Martin’s writing eludes to influence from multiple real world stories and individuals.
The most notable of these is the parallels between the Game of Thrones and the War of the Roses, as House Stark and House Lannister compete with one another much like the Houses York and Lancaster in the ancient civil war that took place in England. Even the land of Westeros looks similar to the Isle of Great Britain.
Even with these real world influences, George RR Martin creates a unique work of fiction that has a place on the shelves of Fantasy greats. What makes his work so unique is his deconstruction of Fantasy conventions. Where most fantasy models follow a generic code of good versus evil, covered in a layer of magic and myth, Martin’s work takes a far more realistic edge to it. Realistic? I know, it is an strange description for a fantasy saga, yet where most novels are crammed to the teeth with magic, the Songs of Ice and Fire merely have touches of it. This is most notable in the first book, where Dragons and Magic are all but extinct, until the very end. In the place of heavy magic and heavy myth, Martin gives us complex characters, and an even more complex moral environment. Every character has a little bit of both in their heart, even the honorable Eddard Stark who fathers a bastard after being wed. Even in later books, when magic is more prominent, it does not take away from the gritty realism of the relationships between characters, and the nature of the land of Westeros in general.
George RR Martin
Martin’s unique story is coupled with excellent writing that paints amazingly detailed pictures; where as most authors who seek to provide images go into expansive, almost exhaustive detail, Martins manages to use short bursts of powerful words to embed images in our memories. Few readers will have a hard time visualizing Lord Eddard cleaning his Valyrian Great Sword ‘Ice’ in the Godswood, yet Martin never halts the story to depict these things.
Another admirable feature of Martin’s writing is his framing. Each of the saga’s books are filled to the brim with surprises, yet even when these surprises are revealed, it is never done so in a blunt fashion that is common in the works of lesser authors. Martin never says something out right, but rather hints at it, and allows for the reader to figure it out. Along with this, there are many unsolved mysteries that allow the readers to create their own theories and assumptions.
It is not a surprise that these brilliant works of literature have encouraged the creation of a HBO hit, as the tale of Westeros is compelling, gripping, and always leaves readers wanting more. Be warned though, these books are not for the faint of heart, as they touch on tabooed subjects such as regicide, kin slaying, murder, betrayal and even incest. Also, no character is truly safe in these books, as main characters meet sudden unexpected ends. Each book is roughly 800-1000 pages, though with the masterful writing of George Martin, readers will breeze through hundreds of pages without taking a break. Each book offers a breath of fresh air to the enticing saga, as old characters are killed, new characters are introduced, subplots thicken and surprises appear.
This book series is definitely a must read, and while the HBO adaptation of it has its merits, the books plunge into details that the TV show cannot. You can find the books in any decent sized book store, as well as online. Discover the fate of Westeros, learn the secrets that I never revealed, and find your own favorite character!
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The Verdict
Each item that is reviewed is analyzed and rated in five categories: Originality of Story, Characters, Technical Originality (how the film/show/story is framed), Artistic Quality (Visuals and Writing Quality), Simplicity of Content (How easy or hard it is to grasp the content). The scores are then compiled into a greater score of 50. For every 10 points of the total score, a star will be given to the rating of the item that is being reviewed.
The Score
Originality of Story: 8 out of 10 – While the story is based on certain real world influences, it is still extremely original in each character’s individual story, as well as the greater arc story.
Characters: 10 out of 10- As Mentioned before, each character has a complex moral personality. There are no generic good and evil characters. While at first glance some characters may meet the description, as the story continues those characters will gain depth and originality.
Technical Originality: 10 out of 10- George RR Martin does a brilliant job of breaking through the tropes of Fantasy writing, creating an invigorating and original framing of the story.
Artistic Quality: 8 out of 10- George RR Martin paints a beautiful picture for us in A Song of Ice and Fire, using dialogue and writing that suits the genre and story. The descriptions are vivid and sweet though they could go more in depth on certain occasions.
Simplicity: 6 out of 10- A Song of Ice and Fire is far from a simple story; with a character roster of over 20 major characters, each with their own unique story and path, it is next to impossible to pick up any of the subsequent books without reading their predecessors. This list of characters comes with numerous sub-plots and story arcs, and a new set of moral complexities. The stories go to a depth that even the Song of Ice and Fire Wiki cannot hash out.
Total Score: 42 out of 50 (Four Stars)
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Information (Who we are)
Are you tired of having moments like this?
What is the Nerd Nexus?
Don’t you hate the experience of waiting in line and spending your hard earned cash only to be disappointed? I know I do. Have you ever found yourself debating whether or not you should read a book or watch a show? Have you ever been afraid that all the praise you hear about the newest show or film is simply hype, and that it would be a waste of your time to watch it? Have you ever wondered if you should spend that 60 bucks on a new game that has decent trailers, but unclear reviews?
Well look no further, because you have stumbled onto a blog which has the goal of solving these issues for you. This is no marketing B.S. nor is place that harbors to bias. The Nerd Nexus was created to give you the facts, whether they are good, bad or ugly.
The Nerd Nexus is a blog that focuses on all things nerdy; we look at film, T.V., video games, and books. We analyze adaptations and we review original products. We look at the new releases that are not worthy of the title block buster. We look at the older things that prompt fits of nostalgia. We look at what is being hyped up, and what is being neglected.
We have the information that will push you to either buy a game, movie, book or show, or let it gather dust on a shelf at the store. This information was made by those with passion for media, not passion for making money. We have information that you have been dying to find and use in an argument with your friends about whether the book or the movie was better.
What we hope to do
As a nerd, I have always found myself in heated discussions with friends about whether something is genius or garbage. Many can relate this experience, and can attest to the fact that in many arguments people fabricate evidence and stretch the truth. It is the goal of the Nerd Nexus to debunk false arguments and show the truth about the dynamics of something, whether it is an original film, game, book or show, or an adaptation of one (or multiple) of the above.
Services
- Reviews (Film, Television, Games and Books)
- Analyses of certain aspects of a film, tv show, game or book (eg. What makes Sandor Clegane [Songs of Ice and Fire] awesome]
- Comparisons and Reviews of Adaptations (eg. Eragon the book vs Eragon the film)
- Random nerdy articles of interest all around nerd fun.
About the Authors
While I know that I should keep myself extracted from my articles, I feel that you, the audience, have a right to know a little bit about me to aid in legitimacy purposes (Because we all have those friends who question sources when they are proven wrong).
My name is David, I am from the Turks and Caicos Islands, though I currently live in the United States. I am fresh out of college, holding a Bachelor of the Arts degree in the field of Communications. I am a nerd, through and through. I have always been a lover of scifi, fantasy and the paranormal, and this love has woven itself into my personality. I am a huge fan of Star Wars, as well as media that revolves around the concept dystopias [post apocalypse films, Orwell’s 1984, V for Vendetta, etc].
I hope you find this blog to be worth reading and showing to your friends. Have fun!
Dylan M:
Hello, I’m the other guy. You know, that guy. The guy you always introduce to your friends because they don’t have any friends you don’t already know? Yeah. That guy’s me.
I’m Dylan, obviously, and I’m from Portland, Oregon. I’m currently enrolled in Portland Community College, and I love to write. My passion started when I was 11 writing as the leader of the sports section for my middle school newsletter. From there I advanced to editor by the time I left for high school. That’s when I started to become a real nerd. I always aced my English classes, and even took a Sci-Fi writing course as well as one in Mass Media. I am one of the Gods of useless information. I know a lot of stuff that nobody would ever want to know until that one time that you’re on a game show and that sucker pops up in a question, but I wasn’t cool enough to be your phone a friend and you lost. Bummer bro.
Oh, and I Love My Ducks. You already know.
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