Wolfy's anime series (and movie) category challenge for 2013 (The Sequel)

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Wolfy's anime series (and movie) category challenge for 2013 (The Sequel)

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1AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Nov 29, 2013, 2:49 pm

Introduction to my challenge



Last year I featured my favourite Japanese rock band as my theme. This year I’m taking it a step backwards to what introduced me to the Japanese music scene – Anime! I started watching sometime in the late 1980’s when one of the four TV stations (yes that’s all we had back then) broadcast some shows and movies late at night. It was usually pretty violent with lots of blood and gore. Thankfully production progressed to the stage where you can find any type of show you want to watch and hopefully you’ll see that reflected in some of the categories below.

These choices are amongst my favourite anime’s and if you click the pictures it should take you to a video featuring scenes from the show set to a music video.

For this year I’m going for a pyramid style to allow for some chunksters and hopefully give me some spare time at the end of the year or along the way to allow for some off-challenge reading. Most of my selections will be from ongoing series or those that have a starter book on my tbr shelves already. Here's the category list and more information about their content will be given in their individual posts:

1. Jin-Roh (The Wolf Brigade) (1/1)
2. VanDread (2/2)
3. Legend of the Galactic Heroes (3/3)
4. 12 Kingdoms (4/4)
5. Crest/Banner of the Stars (5/5)
6. Death Note (6/6)
7. Cowboy Bebop (7/7)
8. Studio Ghibli (6/6)
9. Nana (5/5)
10. Ghost in the Shell (4/4)
11. Black Lagoon (3/3)
12. Gankutsuou (2/2)
13. Beck (1/1)




As always, everything is subject to change. Comments and suggestions also welcomed.

2AHS-Wolfy
Oct 1, 2013, 6:17 am

1. Jin-Roh (The Wolf Brigade) - Completed



This is not just one of my favourite anime movies but also would include it in my all-time top 5 movies list. It’s a very dark tale of a member of a special police unit that gets emotionally involved with the sister of a terrorist girl that blew herself up in front of him.

Reason for selection: It has a Little Red Riding Hood motif running throughout.

1. Grimm Fairy Tales Vol.1 by Ralph Tedesco (Msg240 06/09/13) 3½★'s

Options:
Grimm’s Fairy Tales (abandoned)

2. Vandread - Completed



This is a comedy mecha series that has some surprisingly touching moments.

Reason for selection: To get the best from their mecha’s they have to be combined. My selection will be one book that contains two stories.

1. Haunting the Nightside by Simon R. Green (Msg251 29/09/13) 3½★'s

Options:
The Wizard Knight by Gene Wolfe
Ellis Peters Omnibus
Andrea Camilleri Omnibus
Anima by M. John Harrison
Shadow and Betrayal by Daniel Abraham

3. Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Completed



Intergalactic war told from both sides. A long running space opera series with political manoeuvring and huge battles in space. But for all that, it is a very human story.

Reason for selection: The 110 episode series was summarised in 3 movies so my selection will be one book that contains 3 stories.

Carlucci Omnibus
1. Destroying Angel by Richard Paul Russo (Msg108 27/03/13) 3½★'s
2. Carlucci's Edge by Richard Paul Russo (Msg113 31/03/13) 4★'s
3. Carlucci's Heart by Richard Paul Russo (Msg118 07/04/13) 4★'s

3AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Nov 4, 2013, 9:14 am

4. 12 Kingdoms - Completed



A complex fantasy that has probably the best character development I’ve ever seen.
Reason for Selection: The fantasy world has an almost medieval feel to it so this category will feature historical fiction

1. Rebellion by James McGee (Msg80 24/03/13) 3★'s
2. Sovereign by C. J. Sansom (Msg138 20/04/13) 4½★'s
3. Purity of Blood by Arturo Pérez-Reverte (Msg 20218/07/13) 3½★'s
4. Dark Star by Alan Furst (Msg29 02/11/13) 4½★'s

Options:
Bones of the Hills by Conn Iggulden
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Sharpe’s Tiger by Bernard Cornwell
Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin
Heresy by S.J. Parris
The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Flashman by George MacDonald Fraser
Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland

5. Crest/Banner of the Stars - Completed



Another space opera but this time with a lighter feel to it.

Reason for Selection: Need to fit my SF&F in somewhere.

1. The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King (Msg84 06/03/13) 4★'s
2. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi (Msg94 12/03/13) 4★'s
3. Temeraire by Naomi Novik (Msg168 05/06/13) 4★'s
4. Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold (Msg181 20/06/13) 3½★'s
5. Fugitive Prince by Janny Wurts (Msg190 07/07/13) 4★'s

Options:
Towers of Midnight by Robert Jordan/Brandon Sanderson
Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson
Grand Conspiracy by Janny Wurts
The Waste Lands by Stephen King
The Darkest Road by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss
The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks
Canticle by R.A. Salvatore
The Cold Commands by Richard K. Morgan
Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card
The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett

4AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Nov 16, 2013, 7:16 pm

6. Death Note - Completed



A supernatural, psychological thriller where a student finds a notebook from the realm of the Gods with the power to kill.

Reason for Selection: Themes of the supernatural, mystery, detective fiction fit the urban fantasy genre perfectly.

1. Vicious Circle by Mike Carey (Msg51 19/01/13) 4★'s
2. Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch (Msg87 09/03/13) 4★'s
3. Johannes Cabal the Detective by Jonathan L. Howard (Msg148 30/04/13) 4★'s
4. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher (Msg191 09/07/13) 3★'s
5. Dead Men's Boots by Mike Carey (Msg228 10/08/13) 4½★'s
6. Sweet Silver Blues by Glen Cook (Msg31 15/11/13) 3★'s

Options:
The President’s Vampire by Christopher Farnsworth

5AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Oct 4, 2013, 5:06 pm

7. Cowboy Bebop - Completed



A group of disparate bounty hunters barely making ends meet. Each of the characters have unresolved issues from their past which gets explored.

Reason for Selection: Noir in space with bounty hunters searching out criminals so why not use this for a crime/mystery category.

1. The Poison Ape by Arimasa Osawa (Msg33 07/01/13) 3½★'s
2. Bloody Mary by J.A. Konrath (Msg86 07/03/13) 4★'s
3. Have Mercy On Us All by Fred Vargas (Msg120 10/04/13) 4★'s
4. The Man Who Went Up in Smoke by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo (Msg155 07/05/13) 3½★'s
5. The Unbearable Lightness of Being in Aberystwyth by Malcolm Pryce (Msg206 23/07/13) 3½★'s
6. Lullaby Town by Robert Crais (Msg238 15/08/13) 4★'s
7. Headstone by Ken Bruen (Msg15 03/10/13) 4★'s

Options:
The Concrete Blonde by Michael Connelly
Free Fall by Robert Crais
Farewell My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
Rusty Nail by J.A. Konrath
Exile by Denise Mina
The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjowall & Per Wahloo
Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason
The Bone Collector by Jeffrey Deaver
Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
Fractured by Karin Slaughter
Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon
Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs

6AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Oct 23, 2013, 11:09 am

8. Studio Ghibli - Completed



The makers of some of the most recognisable anime movies ever known most people will have seen or at least heard of some of their work. From the Oscar winning Spirited Away to the adaptations of Howl’s Moving Castle and The Borrowers. My personal favourites go back to the earlier releases of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky.

Reason for Selection: Generally aimed at the younger age market this fits nicely with a YA category

1. The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld (Msg38 10/01/13) 4★'s
2. Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan (Msg103 19/03/13) 3★'s
3. Predator's Gold by Philip Reeve (Msg167 02/06/13) 3½★'s
4. Divergent by Veronica Roth (Msg174 08/06/13) 4★'s
5. Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Msg176 10/06/13) 3½★'s
6. Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (Msg24 23/10/13) 3½★'s

Options:
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan
Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve
Maze Runner by James Dashner
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness
The Alchemyst by Michael Scott
Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

7AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Oct 17, 2013, 10:41 am

9. Nana - Completed



Two girls, both named Nana, arrive in Tokyo for very different reasons and end up sharing a house together. Though complete opposites they become very good friends but can their new found friendship survive each others dream?

Reason for Selection: This anime series was adapted from the Ai Yazawa manga so seems ideal for a graphic novel category.

1. Preacher Book Two by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (Msg68 04/02/13) 4★'s
2. Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Six by Bill Willingham (Msg95 14/03/13) 4★'s
3. Preacher Book Three by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (Msg130 12/04/13) 4½★'s
4. Preacher Book Four by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon (Msg230 12/08/13) 4★'s
5. Fables: The Deluxe Edition Book Seven by Bill Willingham (Msg250 26/09/13) 3½★'s

Options:
Preacher
Fables
Criminal

10. Ghost in the Shell - Completed



The barrier between the physical and digital world has been blurred. The difference between human and machine has also become obfuscated and it is up to section 9 to police this world in whatever means necessary. Most people will remember the 1995 movie which helped provide inspiration for the Matrix films but there were also a couple of seasons for a TV series as well as a secondary movie and another film based on the TV show also.

Reason for Selection: A true cyberpunk masterpiece provides a perfect accompaniment for a New Weird/x-Punk category.

1. Nymphomation by Jeff Noon (Msg74 14/02/13) 3½★'s
2. Shriek: An Afterword by Jeff VanderMeer (Msg159 26/05/13) 4★'s
3. Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan (Msg218 04/08/13) 4★'s
4. Homunculus by James P. Blaylock (Msg20 17/10/13) 3★'s

Options:
Automated Alice or Pixel Juice by Jeff Noon
Count Zero by William Gibson
Halting State by Charles Stross

8AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Nov 29, 2013, 4:32 pm

11. Black Lagoon - Completed



An action-packed series featuring the exploits of a Japanese salaryman as he is first kidnapped by and then joins a group of mercenaries who will take on any job as long as the money is right.

Reason for Selection: One of the newer titles to find its way onto my favourites list and it’s the same for Glen Duncan so far as authors go.

1. Love Remains by Glen Duncan (Msg61 01/02/13) 4★'s
2. The Bloodstone Papers by Glen Duncan (Msg196 16/07/13) 4★'s
3. Weathercock by Glen Duncan (Msg37 29/11/13) 4½★'s

12. Gankutsuou - Completed



A re-telling of the Count of Monte Cristo story.

Reason for Selection: A truly epic tale as is G.R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire. Time for me to play catch up with the two volumes I haven’t read yet.

1. A Dance with Dragons: 1 Dreams and Dust by George R. R. Martin (Msg241 06/09/13) 4★'s
2. A Dance with Dragons: 2 After the Feast by George R. R. Martin (Msg245 16/09/13) 4★'s

13. Beck - Completed



An almost biographical tale that follows the formation of a rock band up to the chance of making it to the big time.

Reason for Selection: I have a couple of biographies on my tbr shelves so will be able to get at least one of them read.

1. Trautmann's Journey by Catrine Clay (Msg208 26/07/13) 4★'s

Options:
The Fry Chronicles
Mike Summerbee – The Autobiography

9AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Dec 9, 2013, 12:32 pm

14. Extra Features



I will detail any off-challenge reading that I do here.

1. The Guns of Avalon by Roger Zelazny (Msg47 15/01/13) 3★'s
2. Sign of the Unicorn by Roger Zelazny (Msg110 28/03/13) 3½★'s
3. The Hand of Oberon by Roger Zelazny (Msg145 24/04/13) 3½★'s
4. The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny (Msg146 25/04/13) 2½★'s
5. American McGee's Grimm by Dwight L. MacPherson (Msg240 02/09/13) 2★'s
6. Jack of Fables Vol. 1: The (Nearly) Great Escape by Bill Willingham (Msg240 03/09/13) 3½★'s
7. Jack of Fables Vol. 2: Jack of Hearts by Bill Willingham (Msg240 04/09/13) 3½★'s
8. The Walking Dead Volume One by Robert Kirkman (Msg252 24/09/13) 4★'s
9. The Walking Dead, Volume 2 by Robert Kirkman (Msg252 26/09/13) 4★'s
10. The Walking Dead, Volume 3 by Robert Kirkman (Msg252 29/09/13) 4★'s
11-15 The Walking Dead, Volume 4 - Vol.8 Robert Kirkman (Msg45)
16 I'm Not Really Here by Paul Lake (Msg51 06/11/13) 5★'s

10-Eva-
Edited: Oct 1, 2013, 12:15 pm

Just dropping a comment to make sure I don't miss out.

ETA: Never mind, the star follows over to a new thread. :)

11mamzel
Oct 1, 2013, 5:38 pm

Pretty new digs! Looks like you'll have no trouble finishing your challenge this year.

12rabbitprincess
Oct 1, 2013, 6:05 pm

Happy new thread! Just noticed you're very close to completing your challenge :)

13lkernagh
Oct 1, 2013, 8:45 pm

Migrating over to your new thread, Dave and continue to love the Sheldon pic at the top... it is just so perfect. ;-)

14GingerbreadMan
Oct 2, 2013, 4:30 pm

All caught up and migrated to the new thread! A good string of reads for you lately, but no BB:s not already embedded in my gut, thankfully :) Thanks for the reminder we have actually concluded the third quarter. I need to make a summary one of those days.

15AHS-Wolfy
Oct 4, 2013, 5:04 pm

Cowboy Bebop (Crime & Mystery) - Headstone by Ken Bruen

One of the few ongoing series that I'm almost up-to-date with is the Jack Taylor one about an Irish private investigator set mostly in Galway. This is the ninth instalment in this violent and hard-hitting sequence of books which sees the protagonist receive almost as much punishment as those he goes up against. Wondrously, the opening of this book sees Jack in a happy place. He'd been to London, met Laura, spent an idyll week in Paris and she was due to visit him in Galway in a few days. But anybody who's been following this series knows that it won't be long before a spanner gets thrown into the works and sure enough it's not long before Jack hears that Father Malachy has been attacked and left in a coma. Soon after a Down's syndrome boy is killed and Jack, along with Ridge and Stewart (the two people he can call friends) receive packages in the mail each of which contains a headstone. Obviously a warning but for what? Jack also gets a new case where he's asked to locate a missing member of a church group who's absconded with rather more than this week's collection plate money. So can Jack solve the case while avoiding the danger from the warning and get ready for the arrival of his new lady friend?

Another fine addition to an already wonderful series. Not one I'd recommend as a starter book if you haven't yet tried Mr. Bruen's work as Jack Taylor is not an easy person to like unless you already know him from earlier adventures. Well worth starting from the beginning with The Guards. The writing style is somewhat unique, using cut-up sentences to form a character's thoughts before they are then put into speech but it's not difficult to get to grips with and the short chapters make for a fast and exciting read. 4★'s

16-Eva-
Oct 4, 2013, 5:15 pm

Ninth?!?! I'm so behind...

17AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Nov 18, 2013, 12:52 pm

There's a 10th already released so that's why I'm only almost up-to-date with it.

In anime news, the schedule has been released for Leeds International Film Festival so I now know which films will be showing alongside the 3rd Evangelion feature.

11:00 Garden of words + HAL
13:00 Patema Inverted
15:00 Steins;Gate the Movie: Loading area of déjà vu
17:00 Evangelion 3.0: You can (not) redo
19:30 Akira – special 25th anniversary presentation (new digital print)

For anyone interested each of these links will take you to their respective webpage of the festival programme where you will get more info on the movies themselves and also links to view trailers. Looking forward to each and every one of them. Should be a good day.

18mamzel
Oct 7, 2013, 11:16 am

Looks like some great viewing!

19clfisha
Oct 8, 2013, 1:22 pm

Have to let us know how it goes, Paterma Inverted looks intriguing! Ok I am a sucker for underground fiction.

20AHS-Wolfy
Oct 17, 2013, 10:40 am

Ghost in the Shell (New Weird/x-Punk) - Homunculus by James P. Blaylock

There's an airship that's been travelling the skies for many a year in a Flying Dutchman kind of way. A skeleton tied to the while seems to be the only crew. It's circumnavigations have seemed to be getting lower and looks like it's due to land in the very near future. Various people want to get hold of some of its rumoured contents and will do just about anything to get their hands on what they believe is there. Millionaire, Kelso Drake, is interested as is Narbondo, the mad hunchback who re-animates the dead with his assistant Willis Pule who also has plans of his own. Then there's the Trismegistus Club, a disparate group of scientists and philosophers of which Langdon St Ives is one such member. He's currently building a rocket-ship and wants to learn the secrets of the dirigible's engine. So who can thwart who's plans and what is really on board the airship? Some even say there's a little man inside a box that's behind it all.

This is supposedly a fun, early steampunk romp but I had real trouble ploughing through the first half of this book. Cardboard cut-out characters and confusing plot (is there one?) didn't endear me from the outset. This is a shame as I had high hopes of this winner of the PKD memorial award and with the author being generally regarded as a forerunner of the genre I came away with a big case of the let-downs. It does pick up somewhat in the second half of the book and builds to an action-packed finale but by then I really couldn't care less who survived, who didn't, who came away with the prize and what that prize actually was. It's probably not quite as bad as this review suggests and could actually be a case of wrong book/wrong time as there are some elements that I would usually enjoy and there are moments of humour which did have some appeal but I guess this is one series that I don't feel inclined to continue. 3★'s

21clfisha
Oct 17, 2013, 5:07 pm

Well at least that's one book I can avoid! Sorry it was so mixed.

22-Eva-
Oct 17, 2013, 5:54 pm

That's a shame, but if you don't have engaging characters, you'd better sweep me off my feet with a breakneck-speed plot. Premise sounded fun, though.

23DeltaQueen50
Oct 18, 2013, 9:37 pm

I thought as Eva did that this sounded like it was going to be a very fun read, it's too bad the characters were cardboard and the plot confusing. On the other hand, this is one I can actually avoid adding to my wishlist!

24AHS-Wolfy
Oct 23, 2013, 11:07 am

Studio Ghibli (YA) - Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan

The third instalment of The Olympians series featuring young hero Percy Jackson. The Satyrs have been sent out searching for new half-bloods to bring up the numbers at Camp for the impending war and it seems Grover has managed to find a couple at a boarding school in Maine. Percy, Annabeth & Thalia are sent to pick them up before the other side can make a grab for them. Events obviously don't go according to plan and off we set on the all-action ride that dominates this series. They end up needing help to survive an initial encounter which is provided by Artemis and her Hunters but not without some cost. The remaining companions and the Hunters are sent to Camp Half-Blood while Artemis goes off to Hunt a new evil. The oracle makes an appearance and it is time for a new quest. Percy almost misses out but manages to tag along anyway as the mad-cap thrill ride continues. Can he rescue his friend, save the goddess and prevail over the forces of evil once again?

A better story than the second, Sea of Monsters, and greater character interaction too. Readers with a higher degree of understanding in Greek mythology than I possess will certainly get a lot more out of these books than I do but they are quick and easy to read being aimed primarily at the younger end of the YA spectrum. The ending sets up the next book in the series and I will, at some point, continue as book four is already on the tbr shelves. 3½★'s

25mathgirl40
Oct 23, 2013, 8:14 pm

I didn't like the third book of the Percy Jackson series all that much, but I thought the fourth and fifth were very good. Hope you enjoy the rest of the series.

26-Eva-
Oct 25, 2013, 6:03 pm

Although I liked the first two books, I thought Titan's Curse was the turning-point where the series went from good to really very good. I think you'll like the other two as well!

27craso
Oct 26, 2013, 8:42 pm

#20 Sorry to hear Homunculus wasn't that great. I read Lord Kelvin's Machine earlier this year and thought it was a fun fast paced steampunk novel. I will skip Homunculus if I decide to read more books in this series.

28AHS-Wolfy
Oct 26, 2013, 9:58 pm

Re Homunculus: I probably should expand on my wrong book/wrong time comment from my review. At the time I had some health issues and reading was, quite literally, a pain in the neck. I couldn't sit and read for any length of time so I'm sure that reflected in the enjoyment (or lack thereof) of the book.

29AHS-Wolfy
Nov 4, 2013, 9:12 am

12 Kingdoms (Historical Fiction) - Dark Star by Alan Furst

The 2nd in the (non-)series of espionage novels set just prior to and after the commencement of WWII. André Szara is a foreign correspondent working for Pravda. Like all such travellers he has been asked to perform small services for the NKVD and is once again tasked with one such on his trip to Ostend to write a story on the Belgian dockworkers. He's asked to find out where a fellow passenger is staying which he does but then finds this task escalating into something more and is actually recruited into the Russian spy network itself. His first assignment sees him running an agent in Berlin who is providing production figures which enables the estimation of how many aircraft Germany are churning out in preparation for the obviously upcoming war.

This is a very atmospheric and evocative read. Szara is a masterful creation as someone who is plunged into an incredibly difficult situation but manages to survive working for his two masters when one misstep would result in his demise. While there are a few contrivances which see the reluctant spy being placed in a position to witness critical events in the unfolding drama, the plot is tight and focused. While the reader is aware of the bigger picture, the story remains centred on the protagonist throughout. The only thing that stops this from being a five star read is the ending, it's just a little too pat. 4½★'s

30luvamystery65
Nov 4, 2013, 11:11 am

Alan Furst is on my radar for next year. Every review I'm reading makes me want to read him now.

31AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Nov 16, 2013, 7:14 pm

Death Note (Urban Fantasy) - Sweet Silver Blues by Glen Cook

First in a series of books written in the early years of urban fantasy as a genre. The majority of those that I've been reading recently have been set in a recognisable world with just magical elements or creatures added in to make the difference. This one takes a different tack by adding the hard-boiled private detective, a la Sam Spade, to an altogether made up world which contains those aforementioned magical bits. Garrett, the PI at the heart of the series, is a hero of the long-running and still active Cantard war (i.e. he survived his tour of duty) and provides the narration for this tale. He's hired by a gnome called Willard Tate who's son, Denny, had died in an accident and has left a fortune in silver in his will to a woman that his father had never heard of. Garrett knew Denny from his time after he got out of the army with both of them frequenting ex-servicemen establishments and a friendship was built which had somewhat lapsed over the years since. He also recognises the name of the woman having had a fling with her in his teenage army days and still holds a candle for his early crush. It soon becomes apparent that the hoard of silver has not been obtained by legal means and so there will probably be other nefarious types interested in its disposition so Garrett's first order of business will be to hire some protection. Morley Dotes, a half-elf of the dark variety fits that bill and as they're heading into the Cantard suggests taking along some grolls (human/troll hybrids) instead of mules. They can carry twice as much for twice as long and they're a lot more handy in a fight. Garrett also enlist some help from the Dead Man, a Loghyr killed some four hundred years ago but they tend to stick around a while even after they die. A deductive genius who also happens to have psychic powers but because of his condition unable to leave his current locale so Garrett turns to him for advice and any pointers he might be able to supply. So then it's time to gather up Morley and the grolls along with a couple of unexpected tagalongs and set off on his investigation and try to find the missing heiress.

This is much more aimed at the fantasy end of the spectrum than the majority of the genre. I'd say it was more of a quest adventure than a true detective story though the lead character is a very typical hard-boiled private detective type. The tone of the narration is very straightforward and matter of fact. The world-building is there but the point of focus never strays far away from the main plot. Characters are fleshed out through interaction with each other rather than extended descriptive passages though anyone wanting strong female characters should probably not look here. Those that do feature are treated as the typical dames that the genre is famous for. There is enough humour to lighten the mood when the tension rises as the investigation uncovers much more than a simple missing persons case. I wasn't transfixed by the story and I know from reading some of the author's other work he can do better but as this was an early book by him I'm willing to progress with the series and see how it goes. 3★'s

32AHS-Wolfy
Nov 18, 2013, 5:43 pm

So yesterday was the animé day of the film festival (referred to in msg17 above). Here's a review of the day for those interested.

Garden of Words and HAL kicked off the presentation. Two short films from directors at very different points in their careers. Makoto Shinkai has been nicknamed the new Hayao Miyazaki, not for the style of films he makes but just as being the most recognised film-maker in the animé industry and Garden of Words looks to follow in similar design to his previous works. Whereas HAL is the debut film from Ryoutarou Makihara. Both films fall into the romance category, Garden of Words has a high school student falling in love with an older woman he meets by chance while skipping school to work on shoe designs. Visually stunning and very atmospheric and suited the emotional tone of the movie perfectly. Even though it's a short film the characters are fully realised and you get to learn exactly where in life they are at and why they become drawn to each other. Would watch again. 4★'s. Hal is a near-future tale which sees an android being remodelled to look exactly like a lost loved one and sent to care for the person left behind who has become emotionally crippled and basically turned their back on life since the tragedy. Will Hal succeed in bringing Kurumi back into the world of the living? It's a decent enough story but the emotional attachment to the characters isn't present in this one. Glad to have watched it but not something I'll seek out again. 3★'s

Patema Inverted was the first full-length feature of the day. Patema is a young girl from an underground society who loves to go exploring in the industrial complex in which she and the other people around her live a happy and contented life even if their gravity has become inverted. One day while searching around a restricted area Patema is terrified when she encounters a bat person and falls to the world above. Age is a young boy who lives in this other world. It is a fully regimented society in which even looking upwards is against the rules and are told that those who fell into the sky during the great catastrophe were sinners and deserved what happened to them. The two youngsters meet when Patema is attempting to retrieve her bag that has caught on a fence and Age manages to grab hold of her when she nearly floats off into the sky. This is a pretty good film which explores differences in culture when two different societies meet. It is an adventure story that has both comedic and tender moments and even if there are moments of disorientation for the watcher when the viewpoint of the characters is suddenly switched it is still an enjoyable way to pass an hour and a half. 3½★'s

Steins;Gate the Movie: Loading area of déjà vu was basically a continuation of a 25 episode series about time travel. Okabe is starting to feel the strain of the memories he retains from jumping across the world lines and starts to wonder at his place in the world ultimately leading to his vanishing from existence. When Suzuhara again makes an appearance from the future, will Karisu resist the lure of travelling backwards to save him as he has asked her not to or will she risk everything in order to save her love? There's no way you could get much out of this film without watching the series and this just feels like an extended episode but as I did enjoy the series then this was another worthwhile watch. 3½★'s

Evangelion 3.0: You Can (Not) Redo is the third film in the remade franchise and was the biggest let-down of the day. Though I will say the opening sequence was pretty impressive. If only the rest of the film had matched that intensity but unfortunately it wasn't just a complete change of pace, there was no inducement for the viewer to care about the characters. 14 years had passed since the conclusion of the 2nd film. Shinji, after his recovery in the opening sequence, wakes to find himself unchanged (a product of being an Eva pilot) and spends a large portion of the remaining movie trying to find out what's happened. These 14 years are basically ignored from any other point of view. Most of the characters have reverted to a one-dimensional state so to have built complex characters over 2 movies and then basically press a reset switch without explanation is incomprehensible. Yes, it does show Shini's confused state of mind but if that's the only reasoning not to include some back-story then that's ridiculous. Why are most of the old people he knew trying to battle NERV and destroy the organisation that's supposedly battling the angels and trying to prevent the destruction of Earth? Shinji also meets Kaworu who is perhaps the only character to come to life in the whole film and he learns they are supposed to pilot a new Eva together. From Kaworu, Shinji learns a lot of what has gone on at NERV not only from the last 14 years but event preceding that as well. But when the only emotional impact in the whole film is the homoerotic subtext between these two characters then there is not much to recommend but the eye candy. 2½★'s

Akira in this new 25th anniversary digital print edition looked and sounded absolutely stunning. Although recognised as an animé classic, it's not one of my all-time favourites but it's still a decent movie and to finally see it on the big screen was a great ending to the day. It's cyberpunk theme sees the Japanese military testing out telekinetic kids for use as weapons while trying not to produce another Akira, a previous experimental subject who grew too far and went out of control to devastating effect. Kaneda and Tetsuo are members of a biker gang with Kaneda being the naively charismatic front-man and Tetsuo always tagging along in his shadow. When fighting off a rival gang they get caught up in the recapture of one of the kids who has escaped from the experimental facility. Along with the escapee, Tetsuo who has been injured is also taken by the army and ends up having tests performed on him. These tests prove that Tetsuo has enormous potential as en esper and if not properly controlled could rival the power of Akira himself. Kaneda wants to rescue his friend and gets embroiled with a terrorist group in the process, falling for Kei (one of the terrorist members) in the process. The rescue attempt does not go well leaving an extremely powerful Tetsuo enraged and out on the street looking to challenge the mythical Akira which will not be well received by the rest of humanity if that showdown ever happens. The film holds out surprisingly well over the years and most of its themes can still resonate with an audience of today. Definitely one I'm glad to have revisited especially in a format that has done it justice. 4★'s.

33-Eva-
Nov 19, 2013, 6:59 pm

That's one packed day and sounds like a lot of fun. I did have to smile at this: "they are supposed to pilot a new Eva together". Oh, really? :)

34rabbitprincess
Nov 19, 2013, 7:39 pm

Indeed, that does sound like a lot of fun. Hurray for film festivals!

35AHS-Wolfy
Nov 20, 2013, 7:03 am

Was quite a long day especially when you factor in the travelling time and the sleep disruption on Saturday having to re-adjust after working Friday night on overtime. But overall it was a good day.

33, Not my fault that that's the diminutive form of the name. It's been the case since the original series aired in the 90's. Although there has always been a certain amount of fan-service within the show, it's never gone quite that far. :p

@34, I don't watch anywhere near as much as I used to so days like that are a great way to catch up a little and feed the addiction once again.

36psutto
Nov 21, 2013, 3:59 am

sounds like a lot of fun - I've seen Akira a long time ago, sounds like I should make time for a re-watch...

37AHS-Wolfy
Nov 29, 2013, 4:30 pm

Black Lagoon - Weathercock by Glen Duncan

"I have the disease of cruelty." is something Dominic Hood (the narrator) confesses to a priest. We (the readers) know this as we've followed his life up to that point. Well, at least the major events of it from when he was 8 anyway. From believing he's witnessed a miracle from a character who assumes an almost mythic status as Dominic ages. Unfortunately he also comes into contact with an unsavoury element and childish games turn dark and the question "You like it, don't you?" will come back to haunt him as he is introduced to sadomasochism after encountering Deborah Black. So a tormented soul ensues, filled with shame from his Catholic upbringing but still relishing the acts he and Deborah delight in. Will he succumb to this darkness or will he turn to the light with the help of the enigmatic exorcist and miracle-worker, Father Ignatius Malone?

This is another novel by Glen Duncan that's hard to classify. Part coming of age drama, part sexual discovery/erotica and part just contemporary literature all thrown in with more than just a dollop of religion and the supernatural. The writing, as I've come to expect from the author, is as fantastic as ever. Managing to create a sympathetic lead character despite the unpleasant things he does is quite an accomplishment but there are some very good relationships formed throughout the tale. Tender moments with his sister, Julia, and childhood friends, Pen and Kelp, abound and offset the darker aspects of the narrative more than enough to have the reader actually care what happens. It's a challenging read which doesn't shy away from the darker edges but is lightened by moments of real fun. Even though I've been a fan of Mr Duncan for a while now I would say that this compares favourably with The Last Werewolf as my top read by him. Unfortunately, I've got no more of his books on the tbr shelves now so am stuck waiting for the next one to be published before reading anything new by him. 4½★'s

A very good way to finish my challenge!

38rabbitprincess
Nov 29, 2013, 5:46 pm

Congrats on finishing! :)

39luvamystery65
Nov 29, 2013, 5:59 pm

Congratulations on finishing your challenge.

40DeltaQueen50
Nov 29, 2013, 10:05 pm

Congratulations Dave on another successful Category Challenge and finishing off with a favorite author as well - good planning!

41lkernagh
Nov 30, 2013, 10:14 am

Congratulations on finishing your challenge, Dave! Always great to finish with a really good book. ;-)

42GingerbreadMan
Dec 1, 2013, 9:59 am

Congrats on finishing! And true to form, you go down in a hail of BB's :)

43christina_reads
Dec 2, 2013, 11:42 am

Congratulations!

44-Eva-
Dec 2, 2013, 2:11 pm

Big congrats on finishing!!!!!!!!

45AHS-Wolfy
Dec 2, 2013, 3:32 pm

Thanks everyone. I've forgotten to say that I've also been continuing reading Walking Dead comics and have now reached upto issue 49 or in other words just started on vol.9 of the TPB's. Really enjoying this series and it's good to get surprised by the differences between these and the tv show. I will, of course, continue to update this thread with my reading until the end of the year and I guess I really should do something about planning for 2014's challenge.

46rabbitprincess
Dec 2, 2013, 5:38 pm

The BF and I watch The Walking Dead, but I haven't read any of the comics so he has to explain the differences between the show and the comics. He has the two Compendiums (ending with issue 96) so it will be a while before he gets the next set. Are you watching the current season on AMC or catching up with box sets or Netflix?

47AHS-Wolfy
Dec 3, 2013, 6:47 am

Even though I'm in the UK I still manage to keep up with the weekly airing of the tv show. My reading of the comics has now caught up to the point where they're at in the show. I'll probably just keep on reading though as there are enough differences to keep the separation between the two of them.

48rabbitprincess
Dec 3, 2013, 5:29 pm

Ah yes that's right, the UK airs it on Fridays. It's interesting to compare the comics with the show and see what changes.

49AHS-Wolfy
Dec 3, 2013, 6:20 pm

Yeah, but who waits 'til Friday's. I'll usually watch it the day after it airs in the US and then watch Talking Dead straight after.

50mathgirl40
Dec 3, 2013, 9:27 pm

Congratulations on finishing your challenge!

51AHS-Wolfy
Edited: Dec 9, 2013, 12:33 pm

Extra Features - I'm Not Really Here by Paul Lake

I'm not one for reading much in the way of non-fiction but having enjoyed the Bert Trautmann biography earlier in the year I thought I'd give another Manchester City legend's book a go. This is a story of local lad makes it big playing for the team he supported as a boy. Captain of the team by the time he was 21 and being talked of as a future captain of the national side even though he was yet to receive a full England cap having only represented them at under-21 and B level. Unfortunately his career and the bright future were curtailed by serious injury and the poor treatment he received by the medical staff that he trusted to make him well again. Rupturing a cruciate knee ligament, going through an operation and rehab to make his comeback to the game and team he loved only for his knee to fail again and again sent him into a state of clinical depression. The death of his father and the collapse of his first marriage certainly added to his woes at this time. Depression was never treated as an illness during this period and so he never could be open about how he felt. He'd often spend time at the cinema just to be alone and avoid speaking to people for a couple of hours. Finally calling it a day at the age of 27. Steered towards physiotherapy as his new career he even ended up back at City as his first job, looking after the academy team and despite moving on to other clubs due to needing distance from the memories he later returned as a club ambassador for the charitable work that City do in the community.

This is a forthright and honest account of the highs and lows of Paul Lake's life and career. Even though he was not treated well by the club, a proper diagnosis at the time of his injury would have seen his career back on track, he never comes across as bitter recounting only one instance where he had an argument with the then chairman who had been reluctant to pay for the correct course of action needed and so setting in motion the decline of a great talent. It was a very emotional read and there were plenty of times I'd have to stop to clear the lump from my throat or the moisture from my eyes but it also contains some light-hearted moments as well. Not only does it look at the life of a future footballing star but also deals frankly with the depression that sets in when that is taken from him. It's a powerful and emotional read and even if you're not a City fan I'm sure this would be an affecting read. 5★'s

52clfisha
Dec 16, 2013, 3:51 pm

Hey congrats on completing. Will keep my eye out for that Duncan, might be my next one.

53mamzel
Dec 16, 2013, 5:09 pm

54AHS-Wolfy
Jan 6, 2014, 9:22 am

Not been around much these last couple of weeks but I suppose I should wrap this thread up and look to sort out a new one for 2014. Time for some mini-reviews to get those out of the way.

Extra Features

Un Lun Dun by China Mieville

An urban fantasy story for children. Aimed at too young an audience for my tastes but still a fairly enjoyable trip to an alternate London. A pretty slow beginning but the pacing improves when the action really heats up. 3½★'s

Corpsing by Toby Litt

Debut novel is a modern day thriller which starts with the narrator and his ex-girlfriend being gunned down in a London restaurant. Narrator survives and after convalescence is determined to track down whoever was responsible for the hit. A pretty good offering for a first book that throws up the odd surprise along the way. 3½★'s

The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch

I plan on reading the third in this series soon so thought that a re-read of these two was required to reacquaint myself with the exploits of the Gentleman Bastards. Both books stand up very well to a second visit. Fantasy at its finest filled with adventure, fun and real pathos. I originally gave both books a 5★ rating in 2009 and am content for these to remain unchanged.

55AHS-Wolfy
Jan 6, 2014, 9:22 am

Year end stats and summary:

Total books read: 69

Primary Tag:
Graphic Novel 17
Urban Fantasy 8
Cyberpunk 4
Historical Fiction 5
Fantasy 16
Sci-Fi 6
Crime 8
New Weird 1
Contemporary Fiction 2
Biography 2

Original Language
English 65
Spanish 1
Japanese 1
French 1
Swedish 1

Author
Male 61
Female 7
Both 1

Ratings
2★'s: 1
2½★'s: 1
3★'s: 6
3½★'s: 20
4★'s: 33
4½★'s: 5
5★'s: 3

Average category rating: (4 or more books to qualify)
12 Kingdoms: 3.63
Crest/Banner of the Stars: 3.9
Death Note: 3.75
Cowboy Bebop: 3.79
Studio Ghibli: 3.58
Nana: 4.00
Ghost in the Shell: 3.63

Least favourite books read for the challenge:
American McGee's Grimm by Dwight L. MacPherson
The Courts of Chaos by Roger Zelazny
Homunculus by James P. Blaylock

Overall favourites
The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch
I’m Not Really Here by Paul Lake

And with that I’m now done. Time for me to work on the 2014 setup.

56lkernagh
Jan 7, 2014, 1:46 am

Love your year end summary and have to vocalize a huge "ACK!" re Lynch's The Gentleman Bastard Sequence! I have book one waiting on my TBR bookcase so my question is: should I start hunting down books 2, 3 and 4 before I even start book 1? Go ahead, tell me I need to track down the other books before I start the series..... I really need to hear see that from you Dave, only because I am already juggling too many books for January over on the 2014 group!

57AHS-Wolfy
Jan 7, 2014, 7:03 am

Lori, while both books are stand-alone stories, book 2 does have a horrible cliff-hanger of an ending. Book 1 can be read in isolation (just to see if you like it) and book 3 has only recently been released in hardback/e-book (paperback due in July). So there is time if you want to wait as there's also a prequel containing two novella's due the following year.

58clfisha
Jan 7, 2014, 1:49 pm

Nice round up, interested to see your review of third of Gentleman Bastards. I am waiting for paperback but nervous.. I really didnt like the 2nd.

Corpsing is of course on my list to get but I may try something else of his next.

59mamzel
Jan 7, 2014, 5:29 pm

It looks like you may the last one to close this joint down, Wolfy!

60-Eva-
Jan 8, 2014, 12:05 am

Yey - I'm not the only one to finish "late." :)

61GingerbreadMan
Jan 9, 2014, 9:28 am

Hey Dave, nice round-up! I like how you hammered home all your 2013's best reads AFTER the challenge was done :) Flea bought and read Republic of thieves this autumn, but I, like you, feel I need to reread the first two first. Which won't happen in 2014, so I guess part three will have to wait too. So many books, so little time...

62AHS-Wolfy
Jan 9, 2014, 8:34 pm

Anders, that's probably led to the procrastination of setting up my new thread. Having my top 3 reads for the year being outside the challenge is quite a significant pointer for me.

63psutto
Jan 10, 2014, 5:20 am

I haven't yet read red seas and am awaiting the 3rd to be out in paperback but will probably re-read the first once I have the possibility of reading all three

64GingerbreadMan
Jan 10, 2014, 6:14 am

Oh. Will you drop out?