A Book Review: Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (Cormoran Strike #3)

In Career of Evil, Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott return to the streets of London to catch a serial killer. Written by Robert Galbraith (J.K Rowling), Career of Evil is the 3^rd installment in a series of detective novels. This book, as well as its two predecessors, have attracted a massive readership, and they are being adapted by the BBC into a TV series. On Goodreads, Career of Evil has the highest rating out of all 3 books, but is it really that good? Personally, I prefer its predecessor to this book. But let me start this review with a synopsis for the book.

Synopsis:

It was a summer day and Robin was making her way to work. The courier stopped her at the door and handed her a parcel. A while later, a woman's scream broke the silence in the office. Cormoran came running to Robin's desk, only to find her, now pale-faced, staring at a parcel. Inside the parcel sat a grisly artifact – a freshly servered human leg!

Whose leg was it and who would do such a thing? The incident was most likely the precursor to a revenge plot, and Cormoran knew of four people from his past who were capable of such sadism. Now, Cormoran and Robin must solve this mystery before it ruins their professional and private lives.

My thoughts on this book:

The notable strength of this book is its characterizations. The author excelled at depicting the characters' emotions, thoughts, and how their pasts made the way they are today. This book also has plentiful of character developments. The story in this book was not just about catching a serial killer, but it was also about Strike and Robin's personal lives. Where the previous books focused on Cormoran, Career of Evil splitted the focus equally between Robin and Cormoran instead. Furthermore, the hidden romantic tension between Robin and Strike began to surface in this book. Personally, I like reading about Robin. However, I thought the romantic tension was cliched and formulaic; it is almost as if genre fictions just can't have a man and a woman working together without them developing romantic feelings for each other.

The plot in Career of Evil was quite good, but I didn't feel the mystery and suspense with this book as I did with The Silkworm. The story had twists and turns, but the case was easy to solve. This also means, I thought this book was convoluted. It felt like the book was going round after round for 500 pages to solve the puzzle while Cormoran really could have catch the killer at page 200. Having said this, I liked the parts of the book that explored Cormoran and Robin's personal lives; about how, being in demanding jobs such as private investigators placed tensions in their personal relationships. I have read a fair amount of detective novels, and I think Robert Galbraith is one of the best authors at writing characters.

Did I like this book? Yes I did. Aside from a few weaknesses I discussed above (i.e. a convoluted story, the cliched romance sub-plot, and the book felt too long), I thought Career of Evil was an enjoyable read. It took me a while to read this book because so many details in the story required my careful attentions. But it was worth it. Another note, this book also ended at a cliffhanger to make us wonder what will happen to Strike and Robin's business partnership (or, possible romantic relationship?). I heard Robert Galbraith is currently writing the 4^th book in the series which is due for some time in this year, I look forward to reading it.

A Book Review: Echo Burning by Lee Child (Jack Reacher #5)

Lee Child has sold more than 100 million books. All of them are about a man called Jack Reacher. This series is a phenomenal success. Why are these books attracting ten millions of readers? I think I know why.

I think most of us are decent people who want to do the right thing. Our instinct is to help those who are being treated unfairly or in trouble. Sometimes, however, due to the circumstances or our limited abilities, we cannot always help and do the right thing. And so in the daily life, we are a bit frustrated because of that instinct. Jack Reacher, on the other hand, is someone who can, and always, do the right thing. Jack Reacher books have a wide readership, because the stories satisfy our instinct to help people and do the right thing.

Indeed, justice, is the main theme in Jack Reacher novels. In the serie's fifth installment, Echo Burning, good old Jack is once again, dispensing sweet justice in an isolated Texan town.

Synopsis:

The sun was scorching the day when Jack Reacher walked on a country road in Texas. He had no destination. Jack raised a hand to hitchhike a ride but his chances are slim. After all, not only was he in a remote part of the country, but how many people would be out and driving in the fearsome heat? To Jack's astonishment, a white Cadillac pulled over. The door opened, and a beautiful woman invited Jack into the car.

Was fortune smiling on Jack? Inside the air conditioned car, the woman revealed her motives to Jack. Her name was Carmen. She had a little girl and they lived on a ranch in a county called Echo. Her husband was in jail but he would beat her dead when he came home. She pleaded for Jack's help.

Jack was not going to turn his back on this woman. Carmen drove Jack to her secluded ranch, where he discovered prejudice, corruptions, and murders were running rampant in the remote county. Echo, was burning. Jack, however, was determined to set things right...

My thoughts on this book:

Echo Burning is mostly a crime thriller. The book has some action sequences but the emphasis is on the suspense and the problem solvings. I always thought Jack Reacher embodies the characteristics of three iconic heroes; Sherlock Holmes, a wandering knight, and John Wayne. In this book, these characteristics of Jack became more evident; guided by his unwavering determination to see justice done, Jack solved the crime with his unparallelled intellectual and physical prowess. This story has a lot of twists, and it will please a fan of mystery books.

As for me, I especially liked the descriptions about Jack's thoughts, about how the cogs were turning in his head, not only during problem deductions, but also in desperate situations. For example, out of the two major action sequences in this book, one of them was a bar fight. It was brawl where Jack took on two assailants. The book described how Jack assessed the surroundings and quickly derived a strategy to take down his opponents. It was believable, it was something a person with special training could do in the same situation. Furthermore, the final deduction in this book was impressive and the ending was satisfying. It is on par with the works of Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle.

I also wish to make a note that Echo Burning, (or, Jack Reacher novels in general) is a fascinating combination of both western and noir. On the one hand, the story is rooted in the vein of western, about a wandering hero coming to a small American town to help the weak and dispensing justice. On the other hand, the story is also bearing the trademark of a noir; dark, with a slight moral ambiguity, and it is set in the modern day. The book is very atmospheric but it is also very easy to read. Lee Child wrote the book in his signature style, hardboiled and punchy. This book is a page turner, it is difficult to put this book down and it will make you forget your favorite TV series.

I highly recommend Echo Burning. This is a very good crime thriller, and it is a solid installment in the series. Every Jack Reacher novel tells a standalone story. This means, a new comer to the series can pick up any book and just start reading it. The crime/detective fictions may be a popular genre, but Jack Reacher books have this special flavor, western and noir, and I can't think of any other books quite like them. If you like crime and mystery books, then you owe it to yourself to read one of these Jack Reacher books.

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith (Cormoran Strike #2)

In the last month, my book club read a crime/mystery novel called The Silkworm. Written by one Robert Galbraith, The Silkworm told a story of a disabled English detective called Cormoran Strike.

Who is Robert Galbraith? Who is this author? It turned out, this author is one of the most famous authors of our time, and I am pretty sure a lot of people have read this author's books. You see, Robert Galbraith is in fact, J.K Rowling's pseudonym.

Ah, J.K Rowling, surely you have heard of her, yes? Indeed, a lot of people would have heard of J.K Rowling, the author of Harry Potter books. Hang on a minute, did I just say Rowling wrote crime/mystery novels using a male pseudonym? Yep, that is right. In fact, The Silkworm is the second book in a series of detective novels featuring Cormoran Strike. The first book in the series is called The Cuckoo's Calling. Meanwhile, here is another fact; Galbraith's (Rowling's) detective novels are quite successful and BBC has adapted these books into a TV series called Strike.

The question, is this book any good?

The short answer, I opine that The Silkworm is a very good book. The long answer? If you are interested, then feel free to read on as I expound my thoughts about this book.

Synopsis:

A middle aged woman, grey haired and slightly plump, walked from the snow ridden street into Comoran Strike's office. The lady introduced herself as the wife to Owen Quine, a novelist whose writing career has seen better days. Owen, it turned out, was missing, and she was hiring Strike to find him and bring him home.

It sounded as if Strike found an easy employment – find a missing man and bring him home. However, as Strike investigated the case, a realization dawned on him that this is more than just a missing person case. The mystery surrounding Owen's disappearance is entwined with a manuscript called Bombyx Mori, where it told a grotesque and macabre story in which Owen attacked everyone he knows with a venomous portrayal. While Strike was pondering on the significance of this bizarre manuscript, he made a haunting discovery in an abandoned house..

My thoughts on the book:

Admittedly, prior to my book club's introduction to The Silkworm, I was not aware of Rowling's endeavor in writing crime/mystery novels. Instead, my previous impression of Rowling was confined to her Harry Potter books. The Silkworm, however, made me realize Rowling's versatility as an author. She is just as good at writing crime novels as she is good at writing Young Adult books.

The Silkworm is not, however, an action-packed "thriller". While the story centred around a gruesome crime, but it doesn't have fight scenes nor the car chases typical in the many books in the genre. No, this book is not a thriller at all. One is bound to meet disappointments if he/she comes to this book expecting octane-driven actions such as the ones in Lee Child's Jack Reacher books. Yet, I like The Silkworm precisely for this reason; instead of explosive action scenes, this book treats its reader with well rounded characters and an intricate plot, one of suspense and tension.

Firstly, let's talk about the book's protagonists, Cormoran Strike, and his assistant, Robin. The book explored the emotions, on how their past history affect their characters in the present. The Silkworm has good character developments, and it is something that other books in the genre do rarely, if at all. The in-depth characterization made Strike and Robin impressionable and likable characters, and their relationship was interesting. Meanwhile, Galbraith/Rowling invested an equal amount of details into portraying her support characters, where she skillfully fused every character's background story with the book's central mystery. The book invites its reader to do some deductive works of their own to solve the mystery. Yet, this book is also packed with twists and turns to surprise you and throwing your expectations off the course. As a mystery novel, The Silkworm is a success and a fun read, and it also has an interesting theme about the book publishing world.

Due to its complex plotting, however, the Silkworm may feel convoluted at certain places. I had to re-read some paragraphs to remind myself of who was who, and who did what. However, this was a minor inconvenience and it did not hamper my enjoyment of the book. Furthermore, for those acquainted with the crime/thriller genre, this book may feel slow paced. This is because The Silkworm is character-driven instead of being action oriented. However, as I discussed earlier, I like The Silkworm precisely for its well-rounded character development. Make no mistake, The Silkworm does possess the "page turning" quality that made the books in this genre addictive reads. This book's suspense and the tension will compel you to keep reading until the very end.

After I read The Silkworm, curiosity drove me to watch the BBC TV series and comparing the two. Which one was better? The book or the TV adaptation? I think they are different mediums for telling a story, and so each one has its own merit. However, I do prefer the book. Perhaps my preference for the book is influenced by the fact that I read the novel prior to watching the BBC series. However, I thought the TV adaptation felt rushed and the narratives incoherent. Therefore, for those who have yet to experience the story of The Silkworm, I would recommend reading the book first. My bookclub did me a great service by introducing me to the world of Cormoran Strike, and from the local library I have already loaned the next book in this series. I recommend this book to my fellow readers who are fond of crime and mystery novels.

Until the next time, happy reading.

A Book Review: Deadhouse Landing by Ian C. Esslemont (Path to Ascendancy #2)

Deadhouse Landing, by Ian C. Esslemont, is the second book in the Path to Ascendancy trilogy. This is a prequel to Steven Erikson's acclaimed series, Malazan Book of the Fallen. The trilogy began with Dancer's Lament, where it explored the humble origins for Dancer and Shadowthrone (AKA Kellaved), both key characters in the Malazan series.

A few weeks ago I read Dancer's Lament. It was superb; excellent storytelling, good humors, and great characters. I was hooked by the story. I wanted more of it. Fortunately, Deadhouse Landing, the sequel, was already waiting for me on the bookshelf. With much eager I resumed Dancer's and Kellaved's misadventures. I read Deadhouse Landing in 3 days. It was just as good as its predecessor, if not better.

Synopsis:

Dancer and Kellaved, two comrade in arms, their ambitious plan went pear-shaped in Li Heng. The duo fled to a small island city called Malaz, where pirates and gangs controlled its streets. Soon, the island's environ rekindled Kellaved's old passion to take over the world. Between Dancer and Kellaved, the two partners hatched a scheme to take control of Malaz by subduing the other power factions on the island. To do so, they joined forces with a band of Napans who allegedly fled from their home land due to a civil war. Things were finally looking good for the duo and success was in their grasps. However, their plan went skew when Kellaved became fascinated with an alien and dangerous structure on the island known as Deadhouse.

My thoughts about the book:

Deadhouse Landing is a fast-paced book with great characters. In this book, Dancer and Kellaved were once again plotting to take over a city, and they do so with cloak and daggers. This time, they are going up against gangs and pirates. This book is like The Godfather set in the grimdark fantasy world. One can expect knife fights in the dark alleys, naval battles, shady deals and treacheries galore. The cast has increased in size since Dancer's Lament. Yet, Esslemont weaved every character's background story, seamlessly, into the main plot. The narratives in Deadhouse Landing were intricate and complex, but the main story was very easy to follow. Esslemont flashed out his characters well, even the smallest support character made an impression on me.

Dancer and Kellaved reamined the highlights of this book. I liked the portrayals, for how Kellaved's strange fascinations with Deadhouse, affected the dynamics in their friendships. I am very fond of this duo, whose ambitions often turned into misadventures that borderlined hilariarity. However, there are also moments when these two partners, one an assassin, the other a mage, flashed their true powers to remind me that they are dangerous individuals not to be trifled with. Aside from Dancer and Kellaved, the third character who arrested my interest was Dassem. I will not spoil Dassem's part in the story. Let me just say Dassem is the incarnation for awesomeness (especially at the ending).

Those who are initiated with the Malazan series will also identify many familiar faces in this book. I am unable to talk about every one of them because there are too many. Although a noteworthy mention here is the origin story for Empress Laseen. Deadhouse Landing showed us what she was like before she became the empress. Laseen's origin story was indeed fascinating. It will satisfy the veterans of the Malazan books.

The characterizations in this book are impressive, but Esslemont also deserves credit for the depictions of the fight and battle scenes. In this book, the action scenes are energetic and nail-biting. The fight scenes are not the main focus in the story, but it brought tension and suspense to the book, making it a very entertaining read.

I adore Deadhouse Landing as much as I adored Dancer's Lament. Between all the novels I read in 2017, these two books are my favorites in the epic fantasy category. My woe is the wait for the next book. The third book in this trilogy titled, Kellaved's Reach, does not yet have a release date. However, judging by the previous publishing history of one book per year (Dancer's Lament in 2016 and Deadhouse Landing in 2017), I am hoping at some time in 2018, the third book will be within the clutch of my grubby hands. Meanwhile, I highly recommend the Path to Ascendancy trilogy to those readers who enjoy the epic fantasy genre.

Daniel's top 5 favorite movies of 2017

  2018 is waiting to greet us with a big hug. 

Huray! 

It is the time to list my top 5 favorite movies of 2017. A lot of interesting movies were released this year; some movies were really good, while some movies were outright terrible (yes, I am looking at you, Transformers 5). However, 2017 is also the year of divisive opinions, where the audiences were divided into either loving, or hating, some major blockbusters. For example, just look at all the talks surrounding Star Wars The Last Jedi; the critics love it, but the audience hate it.

Anyway, none of the movies on my top 5 list has caused divisive opinions. And so feel free to read on because there could be a few movies on this list that you haven't seen yet. If that is the case, then you might want to surf the wave of the holiday season and check them out.

As usual, I compiled this top 5 list based on my opinions. In other words, while these 5 movies may not be the most well made movies of 2017, but I chose them because every single film here has touched me in one way or another.

Without further delay, allow me to unveil the list.

Number 5:

Get Out 

Genre: Horror/Satire

Get Out is a horror movie without ghosts or monsters. "Huh? Do you mean, it is a thriller?" Well, I suppose this movie can also be categorized as a thriller. I don't want to give the story away, so let me just say in Get Out, a white girl takes her black boyfriend home to meet mom and dad, and then things became REALLY weird. Speaking of plot twists, Get Out was full of it. While I was watching this movie, every time I thought the story was going one way, it would suddenly do a plot 180 and take me by surprise. This movie was also packed with a healthy dose of suspense. The whole time, I was worrying for its protagonist. There was a real sense of danger in this wonderfully executed film. Furthermore, Get Out is also a social commentary and it is humorous! What is it commenting on? Well, check out this movie and see it for yourself.

Number 4:

IT

Genre: Horror/Drama

No cinematic experience can match the thrills of a good remake, of the most horrifying movie from your childhood. At the tender age of 10, I watched the 1990 TV adaptation of IT. The result? I developed a phobia of clowns and bathroom sinks, a fear that only went away when I turned 11. In 2016, the announcement came, about a new movie adaptation in the making, and it got me really excited.

On the day this movie came out, I bought the ticket and walked gingerly into the cinema to confront the nightmare from my childhood – Pennywise the Dancing Clown. This time around, however, the movie did not scare me at all and it was a blast! This movie, a true Stephen King adaptation, is an interesting mix between Stand By Me and Nightmare on Elm Street. The stars of this movie were the kids; it is a story about growing up and confronting your worst fear. While Pennywise was terrifying, but even if they remove the evil clown and so the movie was only about the kids, it would still be just as good. If you haven't seen IT, then make sure to check it out.

Number 3:

Logan

Genre: Superhero

Every good story must have an ending. The problem with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is that it doesn't end!

Therefore, out of all superhero movies that came out in the last 5 years, Logan is the most important of them all. Why? Because Logan gave us, the audience, something we deserve – an ending.

Hugh Jackman's performance in Logan is phenomenal. This movie, heart rending and emotional, is about redemption. It brought the story of Wolverine, a most beloved character in X-men, to a fitting and moving conclusion. There is a (very) slight pacing issue with this movie, but overall the actions were great, its characters were memorable. From the start to the finish, this movie was compelling. Logan is perhaps my favorite superhero movie just after The Dark Knight.

Number 2:

War for the Planet of the Apes

Genre: Science fiction

In 1968, a very influential movie graced the science fiction genre. Starring Charlton Heston, Planet of the Apes featured a mind-bending story about a planet, where the hierarchy between human and apes, were reversed; apes were in charge and humans were caged animals. To this day, Planet of the Apes remains one of my favorite sci-fi movies of all time. But how did the apes become the dominant species on earth? Director Matt Reeve made a prequel trilogy to explore the origin for Planet of the Apes, and this is one of the most satisfying movie trilogy on the market.

This trilogy is about the story of Caesar, a charismatic leader of the apes. In War for the Planet of the Apes, Caesar's story arc came to a soul-stirring conclusion. The special effects in this movie were breathtaking. I would half-jokingly say, the apes in this movie looked more lively than the real apes! Some people have complained about the movie's slow pace and lack of actions. Well, despite its title "War" for the Planet of the Apes, this is actually a character driven story, not an action-packed war movie. For me, I love this movie because it is an emotional story about forgiveness, tolerance, and redemption. Now that the trilogy is completed, it occupies a seat in my list of top 10 movie trilogies of all time.

Number 1:

The Disaster Artist

Genre: Biography/Comedy/Drama

The Disaster Artist is a movie about the making of The Room, arguably the worst movie ever made. 

James Franco played Tommy Wiseau, and this is perhaps his best performance yet. The Disaster Artist didn't just make fun of Tommy Wiseau. Instead, this movie is about one man's determination to turn his dream, of making his own movie, become a reality (even if his movie turned into the worst movie ever made). Admittedly, I did not expect The Disaster Artist to be deep or meaningful prior to its release. However, when the credit started rolling on the silver screen, I realized this movie surpassed my expectations; it was funny, heartbreaking, but also inspiring. It stole the top spot on my list of favorite movies of 2017.

A Book Review: Dancer's Lament by Ian C. Esslemont (Path to Ascendancy #1)

Dancer's Lament, written by Ian C. Esslemont, returned me to the beloved world of Malazan. What is Malazan? This is an epic fantasy series created by two Canadian authors, Steven Erikson and Ian C. Esslemont. The world, and the story of Malazan defy the tropes in fantasy. Erikson's works, Malazan Book of the Fallen, is a titan consisting of 10 books, and it told a powerful story about compassion, and the problem of suffering; if there is such a thing as "War and Peace of the fantasy genre", then this is it. As an avid reader of the fantasy literatures, I consider this critically acclaimed series, the most important books ever written in the genre and it is my favorite series of all time.

The co-creator of Malazan is Ian C. Esslemont (who authored a 6 book series called Malazan Empire), but I have never read his books. During a visit to my local book store, however, I chanced upon Dancer's Lament. The book arrested my attentions. After a glance through the book blurb, I discovered that Dancer's Lament is the first book in a prequel trilogy to Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

A preqeuel trilogy? Count me in!

I purchased Dancer's Lament and took it home with me. I set my eyes on the opening paragraph, and I was hooked instantly. Dancer's Lament is not an easy book to read, yet I read the most of it during the weekend nevertheless. Esslemont's writings differ vastly to Erikson's own, but I like it. Out of all the fantasy novels I read this year, Dancer's Lament may be the most satisfying one yet.

Synopsis:

The story is set on the continent of Quon Tali. Regional powers divided this land following generations of warfare. At the onset of a border war, an young assassin known as Dorin ventured into the powerful city state of Li Heng. Dorin has two agendas on his mind. Firstly, he wished to establish his name in a big city as the best assassin of his time. Secondly, he is hot on the trail of a Don Hon mage, a little fellow called Wu, who seemed immune to Dorin's stabbing blade. These two young men, whose fates entwined, plotted a scheme to take over Li Heng from the ruling hand of a powerful sorceress known as the "Protectress". Meanwhile, the Quon Tali Iron Legion laid siege to the city.

Chaos ensued, it is the stuff of cloak and dagger, magics, and knife fights. Or, as Wu would say, it is also a time for... opportunities.

My thoughts on this book:

Those who have read Malazan Book of the Fallen will spot easter egg galore in Dancer's Lament. Unlike Erikson's books which usually have dozens of POV characters, Dancer's Lament only has 4 to 5 POV characters. Lengthwise, Dancer's Lament counted to a reasonable 400 pages, where Erikson's books are usually 1000+ pages each. In other words, Dancer's Lament is a lot easier to read than Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Esslemont also writes his book differently to Erikson; where Erikson dived deeply into philosophy and economy, Esslemont focused more on the storytelling instead. I like Erikson's books and Esslemont's prequel trilogy equally, for each has his own voice and style.

This book is set in a city called Li Heng. While this name may invite one to guess that the story's setting is pseudo Asian, but that is far from the truth. I can not relate the cultural setting in this book to any known culture in our world, or with the world from any other fantasy book. This is because the worldbuilding in this book is unique. Malazan is renowned for its detailed and revolutionary worldbuilding. Its scope is breathtaking. If you think George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire is epic, then wait until you read Malazan. Its world, and the story, are spanning across 4 continents, each continent and its people is abundant with lores and history. When it comes to races, there are really interesting ones in Malazan. You won't see the elves, dwarves, or halflings in Malazan. Instead, Malazan offers fascinating races that stretch the boundary of imaginations. Furthermore, in Malazan, you also won't find the pseudo European setting typical in most Tolkienesque fantasy books. No, every culture in Malaz is one of a kind. Despite its alienness, however, the world of Malazan is also believable, rich, and lively. I think the rich and original worldbulding in Malazan is due to Erikson and Esslemont's trainings, where both authors are archeologist as well as anthropologist.

Dancer's Lament cast Dorin as the main character. It is no universal secret that Dorin's partner in crime, Wu, would later become the founder of the Malazan Empire; where Wu is to become emperor Kellavend, and Dorin would become Dancer, the chief advisor to Kellavend. But somewhere down the line, this duo would advance in their careers to become gods, and therefore key players in Malazan Book of the Fallen series. So how did it all happen? How did a vagabond mage and a penniless assassin found an empire and then ascended to become gods? This book narrated the duo's humble origins, and the misadventures which paved the way to their ascendancy. Writing a prequel can be tricky. In the prequel, the author has to make sure the characters are consistent with the original series, as well as being reflections of their younger selves. In Dancer's Lament, Esslemont did a sterling job at maintaining the continuity of characterizations. In this book, Dorin and Wu were inexperienced and ambitious, but I also saw the personality traits in them, the traits that marked them as Contillion and Shadowthrone in Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Of the duo, Wu is eccentric, his overly ambitious schemes often landed them in the deep ends of trouble, making the partnership between Wu and Dorin uneasy, but also humorous.

In this book, the story's focal point was Dorin and Wu's plan to take over the city. This story was quite complex, it involved stratagems and shady dealings with the criminal underground. Despite its intricate plotting, the storytelling was seamless and exciting. I did not experience a second of boredom while reading this book. Every intrigue was accompanied by fast-paced action scenes that left me sitting at the knife's edge. Speaking of actions, this book had it all; from knife fights on the rooftops, assassinations in the shadowed back alleys, siege battles, to warring mages hurling explosive magics and wrecking havocs. I think Esslemont is a master at writing the action scenes, while his depictions are not as detailed as Erikson's, but Esslemont wrote his action scenes, fiery paced, with lots of thunder.

Aside from Dorin and Wu, Dancer's Lament also featured a cast of supporting characters who were very memorable. For example, I like the Protectress and her five city mages. These characters inhibited a very grim and dark world, but each of these character carried a touch of humor with them, and they were likable. It is also worthwhile to mention, Dassem Ultor appeared in this book. Here, Dassem's career as a remarkable swordsman was just budding at the temple of Hood. Dassem only had a minor presence in Malazan Book of the Fallen series, but he is one of my favorite characters. I am very glad that Esslemont's prequel trilogy is telling the origin story of Dassem. From the look of it, it seems Dassem will take on a major role in the future books and I am very excited about it.

The last 100 pages of this book was a converging event and it was very epic. From there, the book became unputdownable. I let out a sigh of contentment as I flipped over the last page in the epilogue. This is an excellent, action-packed novel that will sate a fantasy reader's hunger for an exciting tale. Veterans of the Malazan world would not want to miss out on this one. On the other hand, I think Dancer's Lament can also be a good starting point for a new comer to this series.

A Movie Review: The Disaster Artist

In 2003, Tommy Wiseau proved to the world, a way to become famous in the arts and entertainment industry is to make a "one of a kind" disaster piece. 

What disaster piece? Have you heard of a movie called The Room? The Room is an independent drama, and it is widely agreed by critics and audiences alike as the worst movie ever made. Today, The Room is a beloved cult classic.

Why would people love a really bad movie? 

Because it is a hella fun!

Although unintentional, but every scene in The Room is wrong; from the narratives, the settings, the directions, to the acting, everything is brilliantly out of whack. Yet, all the "wrongness" in The Room combined in such a miraculous way, to create this indescribable, cinematic experience. Even if you put together, the top ten directors in the world and charge them with a mission to craft a bad movie, the chances of them making a movie as deliciously bad as The Room is like winning the Lotto at the very second of planetary alignment!

If you haven't seen The Room, then you should try it at least once in your life. Really, this movie should be on everyone's bucket list.

The Room is a spectacular disaster and a treasure, but Tommy Wiseau remains a mystery to the legions of fans. You see, in the early 2000s, Tommy Wiseau suddenly appeared out of nowhere, who then took a few million bucks out of his own pocket to make The Room. No one knows where Tommy was born, how old he is, why he speaks with a strange accent, or why his bank account is a bottomless pit (BTW, the man also looks like Count Dracula).

Putting it simply, the guy is a total mystery. That is, until The Disaster Artist hit the cinema this weekend and shed some lights into the story behind The Room's making. And I have to tell you, the story about Tommy Wiseau is even more extraordinary than The Room itself.

Starring James Franco, The Disaster Artist recounts the powerful story behind the making of The Room. Powerful? Yes, I did just use the word "powerful" to describe this movie. While The Disaster Artist is a comedy and abundant with humor, but at its core, this movie is about one man's determination to turn his vision into the reality (even if his vision turned out to be the worst movie ever made).

This movie is funny. When I was watching this movie, my eyes watered and my stomach was hurting from laughing too hard. James Franco did an excellent job at portraying Tommy Wiseau. The moment James Franco appeared on the screen, I thought to myself, "yep, I can believe that man is Tommy Wiseau". The supporting actors and actresses also put up brilliant performances on par with James Franco's own.

The Disaster Artist is a comedy, but underneath the laughters, this movie is heart wrenching and inspiring. Tommy was determined to make his vision come true and he didn't care what other people say to him. This story moved me. I mean, how many of us are letting the fear of failure stop us from doing something that we always wanted to do? Yet, at the same time, this movie also showed the negative side to Tommy's attitude. While it was good that Tommy didn't care about other people's comments, but he overdid it, to the point where he rejected all good advices and constructive criticisms. In this movie, Tommy was the hero, but he was also the villain. This brings up the point, maybe we do need to listen to other people's criticisms of us. But how much should we care? To what extent? I don't know, maybe there is no easy answer to this.

I loved The Disaster Artist. This year is bursting with highly anticipated movies, but my most anticipated movie was this one, and it did not disappoint me. The Disaster Artist is one of my favorite movies of 2017 alongside La La Land, Logan, and War for the Planet of the Apes. I highly recommend this movie.

P.S.

1) You don't need to have seen The Room to enjoy The Disaster Artist.

2) But you really should check out The Room at least once in your life, it is an otherworldly experience; out of space, and out of time.