no sense of style

Theodore Gale in Oz by KuroKoneko Kamen

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Sun, 20 Oct 2019 21:13:00 +0000

I received my copy of this from NetGalley.

[I'm editing this review on March 20, 2022; the original post wasn't at all what I had intended.]

The formatting of the file made the text almost unreadable on my Kindle, but since that time my version of Kindle has been discontinued - so it was probably my device.

This is a fun book if you're into this sort of thing (and sometimes I am? Maybe). The author uses a sensationalist, more-is-more approach to style in nearly every sentence, and it doesn't always work. In fact, it rarely works. But it's fun, so it's okay.

I used to get offended by what many might consider 'amateurish' art. What was I thinking? All art is amateurish, even 'professional' art. The only distinctions are meaningless categorizations relating to career choice or recognizability.

If I think about it now, maybe the only reason I was so hard on amateurish art (and my previous review placed this book in that category - ironically, but wrongfully, so, in my opinion) is because I wanted my own art to improve. I always want my own art to improve. But that has nothing to do with my criticism of others' works.

On Critiquing Art Generally

I really think critiquing art has the propensity to be a potentially dangerous thing when it's a purely negative thing - that is to say when it provides no basis for critical thought; when it's devoid of any logical pathway guiding readers toward any particular conclusion; when it serves only to insult a person's work, and by extension, perhaps their dignity.

That said, I think art critiquing is a wonderful thing when it encourages others toward their own successes for themselves in whatever forms that may take. It's never impossible, as far as I'm aware, to provide positive feedback on most things that don't polarize rational thought: This book, for example.

Anyway, so long as you're not offended by a different style of writing than we're conventionally taught about during school (and I most certainly am not; in fact, I tend to gravitate toward things that venture into their own sense of stylization), then you'll adore it. It's a fabulous fuckfest; I'm glad I was here for it as an observer, even if I wasn't all that into it.

This book would have received a better rating from me, but I'll only give it three stars because every chapter ends with something like, 'to be continued in chapter [next chapter number]..' I'm sorry but it just seemed to be superfluous, especially because I could see what number the next chapter was on the next page while I was reading it.

Marx at the Arcade: Consoles, Controllers, and Class Struggle by Jamie Woodcock

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 15 May 2019 04:25:00 +0000

I received my copy of Marx at the Arcade: Consoles, Controllers, and Class Struggle from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

I grew up on video games and now all I do all day is watch Twitch lately, so this book is for me. I found the discussion of the role of the gaming industry in the modern economy to be interesting and well-written. I knew GTA V was big, but I had no idea just how big. And I knew EA was a trash company that makes trash games, so that was also fun to read about. The part about e-sports predicts figures for 2018 and this book comes out .. today. It came out today, May 14, 2019. Maybe that should have been updated.

I was more into the second half than the first half of the book though it was pretty funny to see which games Woodcock discussed. I won't fault him for being into bad games like Assassin's Creed because at least they didn't ruin his ability to think and write a decent book.

Imagine an entire section devoted to role-playing games in a book about Marxism that doesn't include any mention of the largely classless, communist structure in place in much of the world of Final Fantasy VIII. You don't need to imagine it because it's real, and it's this book.

Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan by Hildi Kang

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Sat, 27 Apr 2019 19:11:00 +0000

I received my copy of Chengli and the Silk Road Caravan from the publisher through NetGalley.

This was a charming and fun adventure; great for kids. It has a cool ending.

Saint Young Men, Vol. 1 by Hikaru Nakamura

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 19:02:00 +0000

I received my copy of Saint Young Men, Vol. 1 from the publisher through NetGalley, which was kind enough to engrave my name into the .pdf file! So I have my own little copy, and no you can't have it; get your own!

This is wacky: Jesus Christ and Gautama Buddha are roomies and besties. They dress up and go to festivals together, ride the trains, etc. in modern day Japan. And silliness happens.

Reading the first chapter, I was thinking, "Well, at least this isn't very long. It's not bad, but I'm not into it." But by the end, I was in fact into it, which surprised me.

If you're religious, it might offend you. I don't know; a lot of things seem to offend religious and it's nearly impossible to forecast what those things might be.

If you're expecting Jesus to bleed while wearing the crown of thorns, you'll be disappointed. I thought that was a little weird, but maybe not as weird as the premise of the series. It's fine though. You'll probably like it, so you should read it.

Urusei Yatsura, Vol. 2 by Rumiko Takahashi

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 21:10:00 +0000

I received my copy of Urusei Yatsura, Vol. 2 from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

More madness and fun from Lum and Ataru, so what's not to love? I especially liked the chapter where Lum logs into a computer to check her compatibility with Ataru and it turns out she's the most compatible with someone else whose birthday is April 1. Maybe I've been reading too much Delany lately, but was that a nod to Stars in My Pockets Like Grains of Sand? It couldn't be, right? Wasn't this volume of Urusei Yatsura serialized long before that book came out? Anyway, it was interesting.

This was a good installment in the series and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Candy Color Paradox, Vol. 1 by Isaku Natsume

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 23:43:00 +0000

I received my copy of Candy Color Paradox, Vol. 1 from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

It's a story about two guys who work together as journalists but act more like high school students. First Onoe likes Kaburagi, then Kaburagi likes Onoe while Onoe refuses to acknowledge that he likes Kaburagi. This volume seems complete in itself, but there are two other volumes so now I wonder what else happens.

Love in Limbo, Vol. 1 by Haji

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 02:11:00 +0000

I received my copy of Love in Limbo, Vol. 1 from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

It's a cute love story: Calen has died and is now in Limbo, where he meets Makoto/Golem, his assistant who's made of clay. Naturally, they're perfect together. So far there's no real conflict other than the fact that Golem is stuck in Limbo and cannot be reincarnated, as Calen eventually can be. I thought it would be free of any gratuitous sex scenes, but there's one toward the end.

It's not a bad series so far. I'd like to read the next one to see where it goes.

We Never Learn, Vol. 3 by Taishi Tsutsui

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 01:01:00 +0000

I received my copy of We Never Learn, Vol. 3 from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

True to its title, the girls in this series never learn. They're all interested in their tutor, Nariyuki, whose selflessness seems somehow irresistible to these characters. High school drama ensues.

This wasn't as bad as the second volume was.

Platinum End, Vol. 8 by Tsugumi Ohba

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 22:44:00 +0000

I received my copy of Platinum End, Vol. 8 from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

This was an emotional volume. The battle that lasted I don't remember how many chapters finally closes, Mukaido passes on, and a kid starts controlling Kanade. What will happen next?

I think this was one of the better volumes of this series after the last few have been, in my view, weak.

One-Punch Man, Vol. 16 by ONE

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 20 Feb 2019 16:14:00 +0000

I received my copy of One-Punch Man, Vol. 16 from the publisher through Edelweiss+.

Saitama sits this one out, opting instead to play video games with King. The action is with Garo, who takes on more than ten of the heroes. Genos doesn't become inoperable this time, which surprised me.

Like the rest of the series, this volume is great. The artwork is fantastic and, although the story didn't move much, it's exciting throughout. I tried watching an episode of the anime, but it's definitely not for me. The manga series is far superior. I want volume 17 already!

My Footprints by Bao Phi

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:48:00 +0000

I received my copy of My Footprints from the publisher through NetGalley.

A cute little story about finding inner strength in the face of adversity, it's imaginative and has excellent art work. It's a little thin on material and impact, but it works for the intended age group.

The Squirrel Squire and the Tournament of Oaks by Erik DeLeo

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 04:30:00 +0000

I received my copy of The Squirrel Squire and the Tournament of Oaks from the publisher through NetGalley.

This book is very cute in all respects. It's about a little squirrel named Puff who's squire to his clan's Knight Captain, Sir Pattercloud. As an underling, Puff is unassuming and lacks confidence. There are cute, prophetic bears and a quirky, old acorn-divining squirrel named Blabberbit. There's tragedy, deception, and, after Puff pulls through in the end because his friends believe in him, redemption. What more could you ask for?

I would have loved this book as a kid. I want to read the second (and more!) in the series.

The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 01:48:00 +0000

I received my copy of The Bird King from the publisher, Grove Atlantic, through NetGalley.

It's rare in my ancient age that I read something that feels so immersive that when I finish it I feel like I woke up from an elaborate dream, but that's exactly what I felt after reading this. The Bird King is the sort of book in which a reader can get lost in, and it feels really great. The characters are great, the plot is interesting, and the imagery is nice and vivid. While I liked it overall, this book is not without some problems. (This is a book that can easily stand up to the toughest of criticism, so I won't be pulling any punches.)

The biggest problem with this book was that of style. It's inconsistent and not always as engaging as it should be. It's as if the writer has conflated the need to create interest in style with the need to create interest in plot. The pacing and the story are both great, but how the story is told needs a lot of work.

That said, there's something comfortable about conventional, vanilla writing. If you look through my reviews, you'll see that some (but sadly not all) of the books I really like are poorly written and even more poorly edited. But The Bird King is a book from which I had expected more. As a concept, it is elevated far above blasé genre fiction. In execution, however, it is average. That's where my disappointment lies.

And, okay: I got a little lost (and not in the good way as described above) in chapters 2 and 3. There's also an awkward construction in chapter 21 that feels incongruous to the rest of the book, which was a little disappointing and distracting at the time I read it. Though in retrospect I realize that no reasonable person would have the reaction I had at that part (so why am I even mentioning it?).

There are serious problems with the formatting of the e-book that I received, but I'm going to ignore that for purposes of this review because it likely has to do with the fact that it was an advance reading copy and not the retail version to be released in March (which, I'm sure, will be flawless in this regard by then).

Despite my gripes, I liked the book. You should absolutely read it when it comes out.

Stranger Things: The Other Side, Vol. 1 by Jody Houser

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 00:32:00 +0000

I received my copy of Stranger Things: The Other Side, Vol. 1 from the publisher, Dark Horse Books, on Edelweiss+.

Like most everyone else, I'm a fan of the Netflix series, and I'm glad to have read this parallel story that was largely unnecessary. I liked the comic just fine - the art is generally good, it's what is expected, and it's not nearly as realistic as (if we can use that word to describe) the series. So the medium of a comic suits this title well, I think.

I'm looking forward to the next season even more after having read this.

Urusei Yatsura, Vol. 1 by Rumiko Takahashi

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 23 Jan 2019 04:39:00 +0000

I received my copy of Urusei Yatsura, Vol. 1 from the publisher, Viz Media, through Edelweiss+.

As a fan of Takahashi's later works, I was eager to get my hands on this re-release(/re-translation?). Like the rest of her work, the main character just can't seem to get what he wants. Hilarity and antics ensue: it's drama all day. Lum is way too sexy, and Ataru is just one notch above milquetoast, though he thinks he isn't. Naturally, they're great together.

While the art is very dated (vintage, timeless, take your pick - however you want to characterize these late-70s manga conventions), the translation is fresh. In that sense, it's a little mismatched. But it's nothing over which one should gripe. Here's a series that's just as entertaining as Takahashi's future works, if not more so.

I'm glad Viz Media is breathing new life into this series that, in my opinion, didn't get as much love as it should have on this side of the pond. Kudos, Viz. I look forward to the next installment.

We Never Learn, Vol. 2 by Taishi Tsutsui

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 05:58:00 +0000

I received my copy of We Never Learn, Vol. 2 from the publisher, VIZ Media, through Edelweiss+.

Nariyuki Yuiga is still tutoring the two geniuses, Rizu Ogata and Fumino Furuhashi. Takemoto is still into Nariyuki. This time midterms are coming up and they're being good and studying. They end up doing better than expected. Then the reader is rewarded with tits everywhere - in the shower, during sports day; it's tits in your face.

I liked it better when they were studying, so maybe this isn't the series for me. But I'll still read it. It's really not bad.

RIN-NE, Vol. 29 by Rumiko Takahashi

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Fri, 04 Jan 2019 04:31:00 +0000

I received my copy of RIN-NE, Vol. 29 from the publisher, VIZ Media, through Edelweiss+.

It's another successful volume of RIN-NE, what else can one say?

I like this series when the chapters can stand alone. We're almost 300 chapters in at this point, so who needs new characters or a long narrative at this point, right? So this was an especially good volume, in my opinion.

There's a freaky doll, an equally crazy vengeful spirit (isn't there always?), a creepy talisman given as a Mother's Day gift, two stories about perverts (the one involving dakimakura made me scream-laugh), and other fun. It's usually the same story - someone died suddenly in a tragic accident and now they haunt the area or someone. I don't care that it's routine at this point; I still love it.

But here's what always bothers me - a little - about this series: its fixation on money. The eponymous hero is dirt poor. Each time a healthy sum of money comes his way it leaves him just as quickly. On one page he's reaching for a 10 yen coin from the ground. This fixation wouldn't bother me if Takahashi herself weren't so filthy rich. She's not a member of the 1% - she's more like 0.01%. It's kind of like she's poking fun at him. That's just a little mean. I hope he gets really rich at the end.

Anyway, I said before that Volume 28 was one of the better ones. Well, this one is even better.

The Language Learner Guidebook by Shane Dixon

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Tue, 01 Jan 2019 18:43:00 +0000

I received my copy of The Language Learner Guidebook from the publisher, Wayzgoose Press, through NetGalley.

I've never been in the odd position as a reviewer of a book in which I simultaneously recommend a book and would call most of what's in it to be superfluous. But here we are living that lifestyle.

I've been a student of several languages for years, so I was eager to read this. In this text, Dixon doesn't present a single new idea into the pedagogy of language learning. We've heard it or read about it all before. But what Dixon does well is compile and explain different approaches. Most of what you need to form a game plan to learn a language is here, and so I'd recommend this book.

However, since most of the stories and anecdotes do little to support the methodologies described in the book, here's how I'd recommend that you read it:

Read the italicized text at the ends of each of the chapters
If there's something you don't understand in that italicized text, read the chapter that that text follows
When you get to Part VII, congratulations, you're done. But you can enjoy a summary of the book that Dixon calls a strategy workbook, which isn't at all a workbook.

Dixon buries in the text the most important key to language learning: caring. Do you care enough to learn the language you're trying to learn? If you're not into it, then whatever methodology you employ isn't going to help you; you should just do something else. For me, it was learning Czech. Did I care to learn it beyond the 1 or 2 years I put into it? Ne tak moc.

But if you're into it, then Dixon can give you some good ideas that he has gathered from other people and his own experience.

Oh, and if you want to click the hyperlinks that Dixon includes in the text, then you might want to invest in an e-book version. I didn't try it out, but I'm pretty sure the links are broken in the paper version.

Sea Monsters by Chloe Aridjis

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Fri, 28 Dec 2018 16:20:00 +0000

I received my copy of Sea Monsters through Edelweiss+.

I read Aridjis's Book of Clouds years ago, and I really enjoyed it, so I thought I would also enjoy Sea Monsters. I didn't think it held up as well for two reasons.

First, there's far too much storytelling and not nearly enough storyshowing. What I mean by this is that there's very little development in the characters and plot. It's as if the reader experiences the story as a diorama: Everything has already happened and everyone is already there, and we peer in to see what's going on. Because of this I didn't see anything fresh in the prose.

Second, the stream-of-consciousness style Aridjis employs coupled with the static nature described above just doesn't work. It made it feel like the book itself was a distraction rather than a narrator being distracted by their memories or thoughts.

That said, the content is strong and Aridjis knows how to turn a sentence. It's well-written when we look at the trees. But, for me, the forest needs some work.

One-Punch Man, Vol. 15 by ONE

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Fri, 30 Nov 2018 00:43:00 +0000

I received my copy of One-Punch Man, Vol. 15 from the publisher, Viz Media, through Edelweiss+.

I really love this series. That might come as a surprise based on the mountains of shōjo manga in my reading history earlier this year. But it's true. One-Punch Man is hysterical and clever in so many ways, and it's wildly entertaining. This volume is right in line with all the previous ones.

I like where the story is going, but so far volume 13 is still my favorite installment of the series. I think of that volume as a masterclass in how manga should work as a storytelling art form. I could have used more of Saitama in volume 15, but I'm sure there will be more of him later. This is definitely a series that I'll continue to follow.

Platinum End, Vol. 7 by Tsugumi Ohba

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 06:13:00 +0000

I received my copy of Platinum End, Vol. 7 from the publisher, Viz Media, through Edelweiss+.

The art style of this series is a little hard to look at for me. I've always had a problem with it. But I like the story, so I've kept on. And I'm glad I did because volume 7 is a good one. More of Metropoliman's story comes out and the action is intense throughout. I'm excited for the next one.

Kimi ni Todoke, Vol. 30 by Karuho Shiina

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 05:03:00 +0000

I received my copy of Kimi ni Todoke, Vol. 30 from the publisher, Viz Media, through Edelweiss+.

Having read the previous 29 volumes of this series about a sweet but misunderstood girl's journey through her adolescence, I was eager to read the final volume to round out the series. It has the ending you might expect, and it was satisfying. Maybe I'll check out the anime, I haven't decided yet.

But what I will check out are the two Nintendo DS games based on the series. I had no idea these existed!

Don't they look great?

Anyway, many thanks to Viz Media for the many great series that you publish for us kids (nevermind that I'm 37 years old - I'm still a kid).

Ten Count, Vol. 6 by Takarai Rihito

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 20:49:00 +0000

I received my copy of Ten Count, Vol. 6 from the publisher, SuBLime, through Edelweiss+.

This is a nice, if unsurprising, conclusion to the series. I like when Kurose is nasty with that girl in the beginning. The bonus story was nice at the end.

Aquicorn Cove by Katie O'Neill

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 19:14:00 +0000

I received my copy of Aquicorn Cove from the publisher, Oni Press, on NetGalley.

I'm in agreement with the vast majority of the reviews of this book: This was just fantastic. The story is simple and touching and the art is endearing. My only minor gripe is that I wasn't a huge fan of the choice of font for the speech bubbles. But I wouldn't be surprised if I were joining the minority opinion about that.

This is really the perfect book to gift to a child for the upcoming holidays.

We Never Learn, Vol. 1 by Taishi Tsutsui

noreply@blogger.com (no sense of style) — Wed, 28 Nov 2018 05:38:00 +0000

I received my copy of We Never Learn, Vol. 1 from the publisher, Viz Media, through Edelweiss+.

Unfortunate brainy boy Nariyuki Yuiga agrees to tutor two of his hot girl classmates who are geniuses in exchange for a scholarship to a prestigious school. They're far from geniuses in the subjects in which Yuiga tutors them, but the author wants you to know they're cute. You get nudes to prove it because manga is both a visual and story-driven art form. Anyway, Yuiga is a sweet softboy and helps them earnestly by making them (and his other friends he looks out for) customized study guides. They meet his family and learn how sweet he is because it's never obvious to the oblivious.

Then another hot but dumb jock girl comes along and the principal wants Yuiga to tutor her, too. Despite the school's elite status, there's a shortage of qualified tutors in the area, you see. She hates studying though, so it's a challenge this time. She just wants to swim. But she likes Yuiga, so she sometimes wants to "study."

This is cute. It's also perfect for people who like this kind of thing.