The devil in the deets

 Writing can be rewarding but by the gods it can be frustrating too! Fellow writers will be familiar with this, I am sure. It’s absolutely true what they say, the devil is in the details.

When working on a scene, whether it’s dialogue-heavy or action-heavy (or both) there’s a lot to think about, like background and motivation of the characters involved, or even just the background of the world you’re working in (whether it’s real world, or sci fi/fantasy)

Sometimes you get stuck on a scene, and you keep playing out different possibilities or choices in your head, but you keep rejecting them because for some reason this or that won’t work, and it’s especially frustrating if the reason is minor or petty.

It’s even more frustrating when the detail you need to move the scene forward, the one you’re trying to figure out, is minor and petty in itself, and some people might just say fuck it and skip it, but you KNOW this shit has to be resolved/worked out before you can move forward with the scene. Brainstorm this, brainstorm that, nothing fruitful comes out of it, and it makes you angry and frustrated and you wonder if something’s wrong with you.

So you spend days, weeks, if not months, trying to work out this detail that shouldn’t be such a bloody pain in the ass but is, and then one day, after much frustration, you finally have that lightbulb moment, or brain-spark, or stroke of inspiration, or your muse decides to not be a bitch that day, whatever you want to call it, and you finally resolve that problem and can finish the scene and move on with the rest of the story.

And then you ask yourself why your stupid fucking brain didn’t come up with this in the first place instead of making you struggle however long you did.

But that’s not the end of it! Even though you managed to solve that detail, you know there’s going to be more details in the future, and you’ll run in this problem again, and deal with that frustration again... but it’s not like you can just stop writing.

Oy vey. 

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy VI

 This game gets a lot of buzz, and not without reason. I've played the original SNES version - I still have the original cartridge I bought at a Gamestop when I was a teenager - and the updated GBA version. This game was also updated/released to several other platforms including the Playstation and PC, but I will stick to the NES and GBA version as these are the ones I have experience with.

Unlike the last three games in this series, this one does not talk about elemental crystals, and has a much deeper story. Not that the previous games weren't enjoyable, but a new story certainly was refreshing, and we also got more depth to pretty much all the characters, including some quite tragic backstories. This also has the largest cast of characters, for a total of 14 if I recall correctly, though ultimately, four are optional (if you make the wrong choice, you lose one permanently, two can only be discovered with secret quests, and the fourth one is with you for the first part of the game, and you can choose to get him back later in the second part if you're so inclined)

This versatility and skill sets in the characters offer you a lot of options for your party. All your characters, except for one, can learn magic from Espers regardless of their skills, though their magical strength will naturally vary.

This game offers a real mindfuck at several points story-wise, and several choices will have real impact on the story later on. You will have character deaths, mental illness/insanity, exploitation of sentient creatures, and slavery, so this game may not be for those who are really sensitive, but I feel that for its time, these topics are handled appropriately.

The graphics and gameplay are pretty great. This holds true for the original version, and is polished for the GBA, along with the addition of several bonus dungeons/quests in the remake. If you like RPGs, this is definitely a game to try.

Grade

FF6 (SNES version) A-

FF6 (GBA remake) A

Retellings of myths and fairy tales

 As a voracious reader, I have read many, many, MANY books through my time here on this planet. And naturally, although I read all sorts of books, there are certain genres, and sub-genres that I prefer. Among them are novels based on fairy tales, fables, and/or mythology. This is a popular genre on its own, and within this fandom/readership you'll find readers who absolutely love this or that one tale - i.e. Beauty and the Beast, and so they gravitate towards retellings of that story.

I enjoy various fairy tales/myths and their retellings, and have come across some amazing novels/graphic novels/TV shows/movies, et. al. Some are retellings of just one myth/tale, while others are a mashup of various stories - for example the TV show 'Once Upon A Time', or the graphic novel series 'Fables', or the Elemental Mages novel series by Mercedes Lackey. And naturally, I am going to see the same character presented in some wildly different images/personalities.

I also like reading reviews, both of books I love and books I hate, and sometimes gain valuable insights, even from people who hated a book I loved, or vice versa. However, one complaint that I find to be absolutely unnecessary in the genre of retellings of myths/fairy tales is 'the (character) in this story is not MY (same character)

When I read about people complaining that (character) would never act this way, this is not my (character), that's not how (character) is supposed to be, this is not how I imagine (character), I can't help but think, yeah, no fucking shit, Sherlock! Different authors/writers/artists are going to envision the same character in different ways, and that's one thing I like about retellings. I don't wanna read the same thing over and over and read about Beauty or Cinderella or Persephone or whoever being the same personality type and having the same experiences (or reactions) every time I read a story based on that character or myth/tale. Sure, there are some retellings I've enjoyed more than others, but I try my best to judge them to the same standard that I would judge a book of any genre. There are plenty enough issues that can harm a book, regardless of what it is about, without slamming someone for their interpretation of a character.

So if a character - whether they be female or male or the main character or a side character - doesn't match my own personal conception of that character, I'm not going to trash the author and give their work a 1-star rating/F/thumbs down or whatever.

It is useless and trite to attack a retelling (or its author) for not turning out the exact way you want it to because it's not YOUR retelling. There's a reason why mythology, folklore, and fairy tales are so beloved across the world, and why the subgenre of retellings of these stories is also a popular one in the world of literature. It's honestly fun for me to read different stories about much-loved characters, and this has caused me to come across, and truly enjoy other people's retellings even if what they decided for this or that character wasn't something that I would have chosen for the same character in my own imagination.

P.S. I'd like to add a list of personal recommendations here. I've done my best to recommend stuff I think that most if not all of my readers/fans would enjoy, but naturally, reading/media preferences are not entirely objective :)

Movies

Shrek. I know it's probably a bit dated now, but it's still an overall solid fun CG-animated film that mashes together various fairy tales.

Secret Magic Control Agency (also known as Hansel and Gretel) Another CGI movie, this one is much more recent and I recently watched it on Netflix. It's goofy but fun, and like Shrek, mashes up various fairy tales.

The 10th Kingdom. TV/movie miniseries, it's a bit old, but it's still hella lot of fun and mixes different fairy tales along with creating some new ones.

Disney. Some people love it, some people hate it. I'm not pro- or anti- Disney (except for specific things or whatever) but some of their movies have been solid. I like most of the cartoon movies even though some of them are quite dated. For the live-action remakes, I've really liked Beauty and the Beast, and The Jungle Book. For the animated ones, my favorites are Hercules, Brave, and Princess and the Frog (though when I was a little kid, the Little Mermaid was my absolute favorite!)

TV Shows

Once Upon A Time (at least, the first 4 seasons. After that it just jumped the shark) Various fairy tales mixed up into an urban fantasy setting, had an original premise and the first few seasons were solid storytelling with intriguing characters.

Ever-After High (based on the YA novel series of the same name) I'm not a huge fan of the ultra-skinny bodies they use for the majority of the characters, but I like the stories themselves, this is another mix-up of various classic fairy tales.

Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and Xena: Warrior Princess (starring Kevin Sorbo and Lucy Lawless respectively) Some of the episodes could be really out there or anachronistic, but it's a fun romp through mythology, and not just Greek or Roman.

Novels

Monsters of Greek Mythology by Bernard Evslin. When I was a kid, the library had a bunch of books in this series in individual hardback format. The collection is now available in e-book version, sans the illustrations that came with the hard copies, which is a shame as the various pictures depicted could be spot-on at times (they were photos of various works of art, from modern to classical, with some recognizable works by recognized masters of art)

Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. I have not read the few most recent titles (as of 2022) but most of the early books are solid, being a mix of fairy tale retelling and urban fantasy settings (Victorian and Edwardian eras) Personal faves being Phoenix and Ashes (Cinderella) and Reserved for the Cat (Puss in Boots)

Daughters of Zeus series by Kaitlin Bevis. A refreshing modern-day YA take on various myths, particularly those of Persephone and Aphrodite, with some surprising (but fantastic) twists on the old stories.

Receiver of Many/Destroyer of Light-Unlike the previous recommendation, this is Hades and Persephone that is not safe for the kiddies. But it's well-researched and well-told, with a sexy Hades. Rawr.

Beauty by Sheri S. Tepper. A mix of medieval, modern fantasy, and science fiction, Beauty is one of the most original takes I've ever seen in fairy tale retellings, and overall this is one of my favorite authors for sci-fi. Several fairy tales are mixed in here but the main character/story is based on Sleeping Beauty.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. How the fuck can I NOT put that here? :)

Beauty by Robin McKinley. Based on Beauty and the Beast, and really made an impression on me back when I read it in high school. Beauty's smart and good-hearted, a winning combination. And the Beast? Hmm, read and find out for yourself.

Songs on Bronze by Nigel Spivey. The author takes on various Greek myths and retells them, adding interesting detail. Not a full-on novel but a collection of various myths the author chose to retell.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Based on Cinderella, this was one of the most unique and memorable novels I've ever read. Highly recommended.

Graphic Novels

Fables series by Bill Willingham, including various spinoffs such as Jack of Fables and Fairest. Heavily based on fairy tales including many popular ones such as Snow White, Cinderella, or the Big Bad Wolf, but it does have mythology and folklore as well, with many sources and references.

Hades, Lord of the Dead by George O'Connor. This is the fourth installment in the Olympian series by the author, but I chose this because I love the myth of Hades and Persephone, and this is a really fun graphic retelling of the myth.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman, including spinoffs such as The Thessaliad or Destiny: A Chronicle of Deaths Foretold. This includes a lot of mythology from around the world, including Christian mythology.

This is just a partial list, I've read/seen PLENTY of stories within this genre, but didn't want the list to become too long :P For more book recommendations (or to share your own recommendations with me) check out my book reviews/blog at M.M. Strawberry Library and Reviews at Goodreads. https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12558730-m-m-strawberry-library-reviews

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy V

Look at that! More elemental crystals! We must save the four crystals again or the forces of darkness will take over the world!

Wait... didn't we already do this before? Three times already, if I recall... in FFI, III, and IV. Wow, these crystals must be super-important!

But the game is still good. The storyline is unique enough from previous ones that despite the thing with the Crystals, it doesn't feel like some boring rehash. The Jobs system is back, and impvoed, so that skills you learned from one job path can be chosen/retained even if you choose a different path, so you can be a Thief who knows White or Black magic, or a Mage with physical fighting skills (i.e. Monk or Knight) which makes it pretty awesome.

This is a pretty fantastic installment in the series, with five characters with stories that fit well into the main story, and the artwork and gameplay is pretty fantastic. FFIV had some pretty great graphics, but it was in SNES' earlier days, FFV came along when SNES was improving in its graphics and I loved the designs of some of the bosses/villians.

The Gameboy Advance remake is pretty much what you'd expect from the updated versions of these games - you get bonus dungeons, but also several new Job designations. This game has a certain complecity in its story and world that exceeds FFIV and I wholeheartedly recommend it to FF fans.

Grade

FF5 (SNES version) A-

FF5 (GBA remake) A

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy IV

I played the original SNES version in English (branded as FFII back then) when I was a teenager, and enjoyed it. The first three games in the FF series all had unique features, and flaws, as if the series was still trying to find/feel its way. FFIV was actually the very first of the original FF series I ever played, and having played the first 3 games since, I can say that FFIV has a more solid story and gameplay compared to its precedessors.

Instead of switching around jobs like in FFIII, each character in FFIV has a job and certain skills, and that doesn't change, though I don't think that's a bad thing for this installment. The story is solid, though like FFI, III, and V, there are four elemental crystals the characters need to locate/save. Kinda repetitive, but eh, whatever.

The characters have backstories/histories, which make them feel more real compared to the generic characters from FFI and III, and FFIV is the best in the series, thus far. At least in my opinion. The story of the villians, and who the real bad guy is, is also decent, and so is the dialogue... there's some funny lines mixed in with the serious/story dialogue. You also get to travel to the Moon, so whee!

Like all the other remakes so far, bonus dungeons and additional items/weapons are introduced, making a good game even better. Not only that, but the characters you previously lost in the SNES version (Cid, the twins, Yang, Edward) return as playable characters, which definitely made me very happy, LOL. All in all, I would say that though the previous games were decent (especially with their remakes) this is the first installment in the series which really, truly feels very FF-like.

Grade

FF4 (SNES version) B

FF4 (Nintendo Gameboy Advance remake) A-

M.M. Kin Video Game Review - Final Fantasy III

 The first time I played this game, it was the oroginal Famicom version (albeit translated into English) I liked this game better than its precedessor, though it was still a basic one. The four main characters all start out as basically nameless OnionKids (you choose the names) and are given no real history. Fortuately in the remake/upgrade, they are given actual names and a history.

The original version was basic but decent, with job classes you could upgrade to as the game progressed, so you could customize your characters to an extent. There are also a few characters who join you temporarily, and the storyline itself is fairly creative, but also at the same time I could not help but sympathize with the villian Xande (Zande in the Famicom English translation) because the Archmage Noah gave him a shitty gift (mortality) compared to his other students Doga (who got magic) and Unei (who got the land of dreams)

Weird thing is, Doga and Unei end up dying anyway (voluntarily) We never see Noah in flashbacks or anything like that, even in the remake of the game, so it'd have been nice if the story had been fleshed out more and Noah's decision explained.

Xande gets so pissed off that it's easy for the Big Bad to use him as a tool and manipulate him Wonder if the great Noah saw that coming, lol.

Compared to the other earlier FF games (1-VII) this game is solidly in the middle as far as the original version goes, and a bit higher as far as the remake goes.

Grade

FF3 (Nintendo/Famicom version) B-

FF3 (Nintendo DS remake) B-

I would have given the DS version a better grade (A-) if it wasn't for the Mognet feature embedded into it. The WiFi feature in Nintendo DS was shut down in 2014, and I did not play this game until what, 2015 or 2016. So I had to use Game Genie codes to access the special features unlockable only by using Mognet. Fuck Mognet.

Book Spotlight - Blood And Other Matter by Kaitlin Bevis

 I've really enjoyed this author's Daughter of Zeus series - all 6 of the books - so when she endeavoured into a new genre (horror/mystery) I was curious to see what kind of story she would write.

I was not disappointed. As far as weiting style goes, she is consistent. The Daughter of Zeus series was written for a YA audience, and so was this, so those familiar with Ms. Bevis's work will not have a hard time getting into this.

Like with her previous books, she does a good job with narration and internal dialogue, so the characters feel real. It's hard to not feel bad for Tess considering what she has to deal with, and the author does a great job of keeping the reader on the edge of their seats, wondering who is behind all this - as someone who has read a fair amount of mysteries, it's nice that the culprit isn't obvious. The various viewpoints are presented well - Tess, her friend, the asshole football players.

The story is nicely-paced, and the ending... OMG. I won't spoil it, but I can honestly say it never occured to me that THAT would happen. Though I would love to read more mytholgical books from Ms. Bevis, I am also absolutely up for reading more of this kind of book too, or whatever else she may decide to write.

Kaitlin Bevis's website - http://kaitlinbevis.com/

Where this book can be purchased - https://amzn.to/2QbFIXN

Kaitlin Bevis's other books - https://www.amazon.com/Kaitlin-Bevis/e/B00875POAG