Defalt

A bit more of Guts’ past

Feels like the writing gets a bit better, especially because here we have some chapters that are just about talking and that’s great. Also there’s a good pacing for setting new characters, dangerous situation and enemies, although one might think it’s done in a simple way. Casca finally has some character development and tells about her past.

All of a sudden stealth episodes…

Also the ending this time doesn't feel too abrupt. And, of course, the art is still great with very detailed faces, clothes and giant battle or countryside scenes.

But there’s still a bit too many reactions shots and “thinking” speech bubbles but I’m getting used to it, I guess.

So, it's better than the previous one, story progresses at a good pace. Waiting for the Eclipse, I guess...

Ice cream in a desert and old-fashioned cinema!

A collection of very creative, funny, cute and very short stories (1-7 pages) with stylish, awesome, unique art. It’s just fantastic!

What else do you need from Cuphead?

Can’t wait to read the next volume!

A bit more of Guts’ past

Feels like the writing gets a bit better, especially because here we have some chapters that are just about talking and that’s great. Also there’s a good pacing for setting new characters, dangerous situation and enemies, although one might think it’s done in a simple way. Casca finally has some character development and tells about her past.

All of a sudden stealth episodes…

Also the ending this time doesn't feel too abrupt. And, of course, the art is still great with very detailed faces, clothes and giant battle or countryside scenes.

But there’s still a bit too many reactions shots and “thinking” speech bubbles but I’m getting used to it, I guess.

So, it's better than the previous one, story progresses at a good pace. Waiting for the Eclipse, I guess...

Part five (or nine, depending on how many spin-offs you’ve read) of “Same old, same old Abercrombie”

It’s hard to describe all features of Abercrombie’s writing especially when it’s the second book in the second trilogy and you probably already know what’s going on. And unfortunately I haven't read any spin offs yet because I was very tempted by A Little Hatred’s rating and reviews, so I'm getting more and more spoilers for those here.

The book starts a little slow to remind where the previous one has ended and spends a lot of time to build up the stage for something very big and epic, but to me it somehow—I rarely like long setups, especially when it’s the second part—still feels very interesting, probably because of the writing. And I think because of the pacing and some hints from the first book you sometimes have a feeling that you know where some storylines are going like “she will do this and it will be so epic”.

Also I really like the chapters where main characters get together in one place and we get different points of view in one chapter. For example, there’s one where two characters arrive at an “entertainment” house at the same time but they’re the worst enemies and everyone there is wearing a mask, it’s awesome. Overall I find a couple of characters not very likeable, though it’s still interesting to follow their path and see how they change. To me Leo is the most boring and has almost no development, when in A Little Hatred he seems very similar to Jezal from the first trilogy.

Although there’s almost no action until the last 100 pages, it’s fine because we get a big, mad, impersonal, pointless battle which is shown from many very different points of view—pikeman, crossbowman, canon guy, messenger—that are chained together, which is a great way to show this kind of action scene.

The ending has three plot twists, one of which is shocking and devastating where a character is crushed completely. But for some characters it feels like a long awaited redemption. Also the endings in the first and the second books in both trilogies are filled with so many gripping events that you want to grab the next book.

So I really can’t wait to read The Wisdom of Crowds!

Classic, military, first person sci-fi

There are a lot of nasty and brutal details about military training in a made up future where a man doesn’t have to go to the army, so it must be even worse when a man must do it. But in addition to those we have chapters where the main character wants to leave the army and where he describes too many technical details about his super high-tech infantry suit—both feel too slow and boring. Well I guess a third of the military training part isn't necessary here.

The bugs action starts only at 50% mark and very quickly ends switching to an officer school and after a long time we get a bit more action. But literally 30-40% of the book—probably even more—is military philosophy discussions, talking about duty, describing some regular soldier’s tasks. And all of this is written in a not very interesting way and goes for too long. So mostly it’s a military lecture.

Also there’s almost no description of the enemies, some unusual military slang that can be hard to understand and chapters don’t have any breaks in them while they can last for 30-60 pages.

So the movie is so much better.