In retrospective I have no idea why I was so skittish about Legends of Eisenwald. Or more accurately when it came to mustering enough willpower to start playing.

So far it seems to be a love child between Disciples and King's Bounty with a dash of Heroes of Might & Magic thrown in there for good measure, all with this very grounded and low-fantasy setting treading more on historical fiction territory than your classical fare with elves running amok and whatnot. I especially like how authentically medieval it feels and amount of effort that was channeled into stuff like folk tales, honest-to-god couple of pages long stories you can read after having someone narrate them to you first, and just all other fluff that would get dismissed as such in a more streamlined game. Degree of control you have over each and every single unit down to upgrades and equipment is also great.

It's difficult and I'm still quite perplexed about how to cover a genre like roguelike, but I guess I can try to explain how I feel about Sword of the Stars: The Pit so far in these few hours I went through as couple of my characters met their inglorious and untimely demise. Really strange thing going on is that The Pit is a spin-off title based on Sword of the Stars series, otherwise a 4X space game, so there's a lot of recognizable elements here like races and descriptions. Provided you're familiar with Sword of the Stars in the first place.

My impression so far has been that it's a VERY competent roguelike and one that actually stays true to the formula without delving into so-called roguelite approach that's cropped over the course of these last few years. You get your fixed classes, even some non-Human ones provided you have the DLC for it, and you descend into this alien installation to get to the bottom of it. Along the way you'll level up and do the usual expected activities with one major addition which acts as sort of a persistent element across all characters – experimental recipes you can unlock and craft items with once ingredients are acquired. These are divided into cooking and tech recipes, respectively.

I'll hopefully get you back some more on The Pit in the near future because I'm really enjoying the game, but it sure ain't easy and more often than not I end up screwing myself over by getting too greedy. Risk management, old chap. Risk management.

Acquired as advance booty from Humble Monthly, Warhammer End Times – Vermintide is actually one of my very few forays into online co-op and I can pinpoint with certain degree of confidence Warhammer Fantasy as a setting is making it a lot more palatable then I would usually consider such games. Even with scarcely a few hours under my belt I can already tell it could've used more levels, which could be blamed on me not owning major pieces of DLC though, but visceral combat and signature characters with their perpetual banter still bring the game to life for me and it hasn't gotten old yet.

It's only fair I mention some fluctuating performance problems on my part, which HAVE truthfully been addressed to a degree with the latest patch, but they're never significant enough to get in the way of enjoyment. I should probably set my mind to at least finishing the entire campaign before making any judgment because this is one of those perpetual games that can keep going and going if you have a good group to tag along with. Wonder how that console port is faring...

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₪ Genre: Historical Fiction
☑ Publication date: October 2002
⇲ Pages: 384

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I'll cut on the intro chatter this time around considering this is the second book in the trilogy and if you want to know more about the first one you can do so here as part of my last update.

Continuing where we left off in Harlequin, Vagabond follows Thomas of Hookton on his adventures to figure out what's the big deal about his family legacy and their connection to the Grail. Very much like the first book this actually gets a surprisingly small amount of time dedicated to it as we're once again embroiled in the events of the war(s) between England and France, and this time Scotland throws the gauntlet into the ring as well because historically they counted on England being too busy with the continental campaign to protect their northern border. This is mainly just the first chapter though, and after recruiting additional help Thomas quickly swings back south to follow through after the events of Calais where Frenchmen got demolished by the English longbows. Along the way story also kinda drags the whole “what we do about the Grail question?” matter out and gives it more of a spotlight as that appears to be the arc we're most likely going after in the last book. Book also kept me guessing if it'll stick to history or just go screw it and unfold the finale as it sees fit, but it stays true.

Vagabond also introduces a recurring villain for our protagonist, or at least one not protected by historic accounts and who manages to survive the book with promise of future problems later down the road. I have to admit it was overall very nice to see couple of familiar characters make a return even if it was heartbreaking for one particular figure after you see what happened to him in the fallout of the final engagement in Harlequin. I cared less for some like Jeanette and her drama, but Robbie was a great addition to the cast as through him we get to see the Scottish nobility a bit, and in general average nobility unlike the main character who stands out.

Honestly, biggest problems with Vagabond are probably A) it's the middle book so nothing there really seems to be that relevant, aside from plot dumps necessarily to lay simply advance the story, especially as some key players get relegated to backstage for good and B) the pace is kinda off in that last dozen or so pages seem to really pick up the pace at the expense of detail and mood I kinda got used to from Cornwell. It is by no means bad or rushed like some works feel as they're speeding toward a conclusion, but it was definitely felt.

If you ever wanted to read a two-page description on how trebuchet works you'll walk away a happy reader, though.

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₪ Genre: Drama
☑ Original run: October 2016 – November 2016
⇲ Episodes: 10

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Another notch on my belt as far as TV shows go and this one actually hasn't been in the making for any substantial amount of time as I managed to watch it as-is. From what I understand the Young Pope is not airing on US HBO until 2017 but it has elsewhere already so I had the chance to watch it.

Show follows Lenny Belardo. American priest who assumes the role of a new Pope - Pious the 13th - and sets out on a rather radical course to make the Church a lot more “hardcore”, for the lack of a better word, as he denounces publicity and liberal stances of the previous Pope on his mission to restore the faithful now matter how few in number they might be. Of course, this is really just the starting premise as show delves more into how the Vatican system itself operates, and we get to see how Pious the 13th tackles things like pedophilia and homosexuality as well as other currents in the Church try to pin blame on the new Pope for, in their point of view, looking to ruin the Church in the process of returning it to its roots. There's also a matter of Lenny's old mentor who fully expected to become the next Pope but was passed over in favor of his young protegee, but I would be doing a massive disservice here if I merely listed all the subplots going on because I think a lot of the appeal lies in HOW a lot of them are executed as opposed to just making a bland list.

As far as dramatis personae is concerned we have the titular character Pious the 13th portrayed phenomenally by Jude Law as he essentially embodies a relatively eccentric Pope looking to break preconception you might have about the said role. He smokes and drinks a Diet Cherry Coke for breakfast, but is also a shrewd manipulator who plays the system well to get what he wants while also maintaining virtuousness when you would expect him to fall in a lesser show for the sake of contrived drama. I don't think the show really has an antagonist even if Secretary of State Angelo Voiello may come off as one in early episodes. Even if they have some [personal] issues members of the Pope's cabinet are trustworthy. Particularly Sister Mary who essentially raised Lenny during his orphanage years and other soon-to-be cardinals he inherits and befriends at Rome. Entire cast airs heavily on the strong side and there wasn't a single character I felt was wasted... with the exception of perhaps Majordomo figure who sadly doesn't get enough screen time.

Now, big question you might be wondering about is “how does the Young Pope handle the question of God ?” and it would be a valid question. I don't think it really aims to preach on the subject and lets you make your own decision, but it implies heavily that things happen because Pious prays on certain subjects at times. It's not really used for convenient resolutions or anything if that's what you're worried about, but certain events certainly lend the character an air of mystery that he undoubtedly cultivates and accounts for in his long-term master plan.

Speaking of which I'm kinda torn in regards to how the show feels thematically. It's at the same time very profound and takes itself extremely seriously, and yet its musical choices and intentional humor without drawing attention to itself make for an oddly bipolar experience that somehow works when you sum it all up. In one scene you have the Pope sending one of the cardinals to Alaska as form of punishment and in the next Secretary of the State stands disappointed in his favorite football club getup after they just lost a major game. Or how Pope is getting ready for his speech with a pop song blaring in the background while he puts on the bling. I'm not complaining, just saying this is not a stuffy show that expects to be taken seriously all the time yet it also deals with serious subjects. That's even if I don't fully agree with the direction it maintained throughout – some of the middle episodes seem to meander doing nothing while last few episodes decide to explore a certain subject in a rather rushed manner, but that's just me. Beautiful cinematography with amazingly framed shots, particularly that of Vatican city, really enhances the show greatly in the visual department.

So yea or nay? Former for this viewer because it managed to genuinely both surprise and entertain. I think it should be perfectly watchable even if you don't care about the Catholic church itself because the characters themselves are engaging and show presents itself contrary to expectations. Give it a watch when you get the chance.

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₪ Genre: Speculative Fiction
☑ Publication date: July 2003
⇲ Pages: 623

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I should probably preface everything I say about Perdido Street Station with the following – I couldn't put this book down after I started reading for good ~200 pages or so. Keep in mind my initial plan was to check out first couple of pages just to see if it was any good. Now that you're aware of that fact, let's dig in.

We open to a very evocative and contemptuous description from a foreign visitor who arrives at New Crobuzon, city-state with the closest comparison I could make to Victorian era London or perhaps more accurately Ankh-Morpork of Discworld fame, sans any humor latter is known for. It was this mood setter and general writing style going into very grounded and nitty-gritty descriptions that had me enamored from the beginning. Previously mentioned visitor arrives with a objective vision in his mind and soon contacts a sort of rogue jack-of-all-trades scientist Isaac Grimnebulin with one simple request, one he can back up in gold chunks – visitor is a Garuda without wings and he wants to fly again. Can the scientist find a way to make that happen?

This is merely the initial hook and I assure you the book goes WAY beyond that premise, but that would obviously be telling. I did find it interesting that almost a good half of the book is spent on establishing the setting of New Crobuzon; from its social and political climate to our main characters themselves. We have Grimnebulin himself as the main character, but story jumps through various points of view as it develops and escalates. Some individuals like the professor's Khepri girlfriend Lin, with her scarab head and female body, also gets a lot of the attention even if her story kinda fades away as the book goes on. I won't go into detail, but at least listing some the races and characters will do some justice to what kind of book we're dealing with here. You have your humans but you also have Xenians, which is sort of a catch-all term for sapient and organic life – ranging from Cactacae who are lumbering cactus people with their own reservation area within the city, Vodyanoi with their amphibious natures and watercrafting which they use to mold water like clay to various constructs who act as mindless mechanical creations serving the residents of the city. Many of the main characters in the book are members of these and other strange races through which we get a glimpse into such alien societies. Primarily into Khepri with their matriarchal society where males are simply larger yet mindless scarabs while females have bodies of human women and scarab body-heads. Their district, unique art form and other elements get quite a spotlight.

I've rambled a bit about all of that, but I find it to be vital because as good as the story is, and it is good as it manages to explore a lot of themes and subjects from how Victorian era technology would coexist with a sort of magic to how there are horrible things beyond all that which don't coexist, main course here is the setting itself and how organically China Mieville puts it all together. You see a dark city with its distant governing body and most people somehow make end's meet in situations perfectly normal to them, yet also totally alien to you the reader who is somewhat embodied by the visiting bird-man. Buildings that ooze with larvae secretions used in mysterious building methods, gangs made of the Remade who were re-shaped in accordance to their crimes, talking miniature dragons with intelligence to match their size, and multitude of other things that take a while to get used to. And then we get to see some REALLY weird things that take even that world by surprise later on when it becomes clear this is more than just a research project and as other major players get involved with their own angles, both criminal and legal. It doesn't remain a mystery book forever, let's just put it that way.

If you haven't already surmised this is not exactly a sort of book where everyone walks away happily into the sunset. World of Bas-Lag, or at least what we get to see in this urban and decaying metropolis, is a gray one indeed with strangeness at every corner. I have to say I did not foresee such a grim ending even as author began to drop hints here and there. At some point all bets are off and death is not even close to how bad these outcomes can really get.

Would I recommend Perdido Street Station? Unequivocally so. This is a sort of fantasy that dispenses with Tolkien and D&D which, let's be honest, you've seen and read hundreds of times already in one derivative form or another. Although it is categorized as speculative fiction I would instead call it “weird fiction” as it doesn't fit anywhere else clearly and has this identity of its own. There are elements of familiar fantasy, but given their own spin and never just re-labeled the way a lesser work would do.

Highly, highly recommended.

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₪ Genre: Science Fiction, Mystery
☑ Release date: February 1993
⇲ Running time: 89 minutes

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Watching Babylon 5 still remains one of my earliest attempts at following a science fiction TV show. For various reasons this never really came through the way I intended it and my affair with B5 remained touch-and-go as I managed to watch an episode or two here-and-there, but never really got the bigger picture series was apparently famous for. Now is the time to rectify that. It is worth pointing out that yes, I am aware this movie has a second version featuring tighter editing for faster pace and some missing scenes that were added, but I'll be watching the original TV movie as it aired back in 1993. One I never watched until now.

At its core The Gathering is a whodunit murder mystery except that's not really what it's about because the investigation itself plays a secondary role compared to conveying all the setting information to the viewer.

We find out Babylon 5 is, well, the fifth station and that previous ones suffered misfortunes from being destroyed to just vanishing, and that it serves as a meeting place deep in neutral space where all major races keep their diplomat(s) at for the sake of policking as they try to keep the careful balance of power. Said races are comprised of; humans who seem to be growing in power, warlike and former sort-of slaves Narn, enlightened Minbari who suddenly stopped the war on humans while winning and Centauri, a waning empire that held Narn as their subservient until very recently. Events of the story kick in as everyone is waiting for representative of the fifth face, enigmatic and aloof Vorlons, to show up so he can take his rightful place with them. Chief crisis of the movie arises when said ambassador ends up injured under mysterious circumstances with an unlikely member of the crew having all the evidence pointing that way. Suddenly we have an old school mystery afoot.

Like I said, the idea itself is nothing short of overused if you've read any mystery novels, but I also think it's the extremely well realized characters that bring it to life more than you'd just expect in maybe a lesser work even with a certain stilted quality coming from performances when actors are not exactly sure where the roles will go afterward. Some certainly may not be as brilliant as others, but the likes of Commander Sinclair and Michael Garibaldi serving as his Chief Security Officer bring forth an almost staggering level of nuance and depth for a TV movie you'd expect to just be about dazzling the viewer first and foremost. That's not even talking about alien ambassadors like G'Kar and Londo Mollari who almost manage to steal the show with underlying animosity towards one another and their general personalities, successfully avoiding being one-note stereotypes in the process. Are Narn just a warrior race drunk on pride? I don't know, but G'Kar certainly does his best to exist as a fleshed out character I cannot stereotype so easily. There's at least about a dozen more characters but I've already gushed enough so let's just say show treats its characters extremely well.

One aspect where not as much was invested in are special effects which, whether I like it or not, play a sizable role when you have external scenes with space ships flying around, drones working on the hull, etc. Sadly, even when you account for the time the show was made and draw comparisons to B5's contemporaries, this does not look good starting with very basic models and poor use of lighting. Sets and props are largely fine, even if latter do look somewhat goofy and plastic, it's just that CG hasn't aged well at all and might actively detract if you're not willing to overlook it. I also can't really muster any favorable opinions on the music... primarily because I don't really remember hearing any. Oh, I'm sure it's there but none of it made any impression. That is highly subjective though, so to each his own.

So what would I say about this TV movie? Is it good? Yes, because I was fairly drawn in by the promise of greatness that is to follow and I saw enough plot hooks. Keep in mind I am also a person who will overlook technical issues if everything else is good and The Gathering was written believably enough to avoid info dumps wherever possible and ease you into this new world. I do wish the plot itself was more engaging, though.