Jean Michel Jarre Oxymore- Album Review

Jean Michel Jarre is going a bit more experimental in his old age and for some that's great; an electronic maestro flexing his skills to push boundaries. However, for others it's a fear that he's gone up his own backside for the sake of 'art' and is a bit more generic in this Sound Cloud age.

His last few albums have been interesting with revisits to old themes (Oxygene 3 and Equinoxe Infinity), collaborations (Electronica 1 and 2), his dalliance back into his musique concrète roots (Amazonia) and his embracing of VR with his 'live' VR show (Welcome to the Other Side: Live at Notre Dame).

With his latest album he leans into the latter two genres, mixing his musique concrète roots with VR. The concept here is of a binaural VR album where the music surrounds you. I've experienced synesthesia through the Bjork exhibition and through playing videogames like Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite and I have to say, the effect is electrifying. I don't have access to the Oxymore VR experience so I'm just listening to the binaural album with my Sennheiser PX200 headphones.... Hardly the optimal experience, I'm sure, but it's all I have so I'll judge the album on this, the lesser experience.

Oxymore was a much-hyped collaborative work with musique concrète pioneer Pierre Henry, but before the work to come to fruition Henry died. Luckily, Henry's wife provided Jarre with the music stems and so the album is more Jarre's work with a little Henry thrown in. Now, I'm not familiar with Henry's work so have to context for what the project would have sounded like if it had been completed fully but nonetheless, it's a fascinating listen.

It's a soundscape which is often abstract and difficult to pin down. The album works as a whole piece and I don't imagine listening to one track independently. It is very much a tapestry of sounds to immerse yourself in. It can be a challenging listen in that there are very few standout pieces but the whole is quite engaging and interesting. I can imagine listening to it after a hard day at work, just letting the crunchy beats and Jarre signature arpeggios wend their way around me. Standout tracks include Animal Genesis, an 80s synthy piece that sounds very Stranger Things, Zeitgeist, a track that has the most hummable melody in pretty much the whole album, Brutalism, a catchy, upbeat synthy piece, and Epica, a fitting finale for the whole album which uses elements seen throughout to end on a pop-filled high.

Jarre is a pioneer and, rather than leaning into his greatest hits, I love seeing his evolution as an artist. That said, that doesn't mean I've enjoyed all his recent works but that's what good artists do; they stretch themselves and try new things. It may not work out but it's better than being generic and boring, eh? Personally, I'd admire his range and willingness to try something new or different.

Oxymore is an interesting album and well worth a listen but is by no means classic essential Jarre. For a similar style I'd recommend Jon Hopkins who has a more melodious and crunchy beat to his work or, if you're feeling nostalgic, Burial is pretty awesome too.

LINK- Amazonia Album Review

LINK- Equinoxe Infinity Album Review

LINK- Planet Jarre Celebrates 50 Years of Jarre

LINK- Jean Michel Jarre Oxygene 3 Album Review

LINK- Jean Michel Jarre Electronica Vol. 2 Album Review

Ghostwire: Tokyo- Videogames As Art

Ghostwire: Tokyo is a stunning survival-action horror game, which doesn’t lean too much into the gore or scares. The game follows a man who is possessed by a spirit after a Rapture-like event wipes out the population of Tokyo. Instead, yokai and malevolent spirits roam the land and impede your mission to rescue your ill sister who is taken by an evil man in a mask looking to break the walls between the human and spirit world. The game is okay but the fighting does get samey and drags on after while but the animations and rain effects are incredibly beautiful. I finished the game at about 8 hours so it doesn’t overstay its welcome but it does feel like a typical Tango Studios game, great ideas that don’t fulfill their potential.

Anyways, enjoy the screenshots of my playthrough!

Dear Ambivalence: The Mustachioed One, The Witches And The Suspended Body- Book Review

The title is a lot, but when the writer is Deadly Premonition creator Hidetaka ‘Swery’ Suehiro what did you expect? The distinctively quirky auteur has produced some intriguingly singular videogames include Deadly Premonition, D4, The MISSING, and The Good Life. His reputation for building interesting worlds filled with quirky characters with a somewhat irregular tone is known. As a pop culture and cult TV and film fan, his references hit hard and fast and so we get influences by David Lynch, The Cat People and a lot of general Americana.

This novel is not a slight undertaking, coming in at an impressive 484 pages. The blurb is peak Swery and pulls you in:

"When the naked, hairless, brutalized corpse of a young girl is discovered in the British countryside, everyone finds themselves asking the same question: Who did this, and why...?
Normally, this quiet idyllic town's policemen spend the bulk of their time chasing around lost sheep.
But then, one day, they found her... Elizabeth Cole. 17 years old, female... Hanging upside down from the town's symbolic elm tree... Dripping with morning dew, shaved completely hairless, missing every last one of her organs.
Witch hunts... Magic wands... Milk lorries... Nuts and coffee.
Neverending rumors... Inescapable sins.
Emily, a detective who was recently demoted from her post in London, teams up with a small moustachioed gentleman named Poco in order to bring the truth to light."

On day of English language release, I bought the book and have been reading it as my October Halloween read. I can say that it is a very Swery book; the fact that the narrator is a cat took some getting used to but it works as a literary device.

It is a gripping and idiosyncratic journey with very heavy nods to Twin Peaks; a cop-with-a-chequered-past Detective Emily constantly grazing on nuts is much like FBI Agent Dale Cooper constantly commenting on coffee and cherry pie, acerbic pathologist Francis Mackenzie recalling snarky FBI Agent Albert Rosenfield and the mixed up secret life of the victim, Elizabeth, is much like the tragic secret life of Laura Palmer. Added to all this is the fascinating lore of the area referring to a haunting tragic history of an English village. It's all very well done but this is obviously an outsiders view of England as there are turns of phrase or details that don't quite sound right; it's a facsimile of England but it doesn't really matter as the central premise is so interesting.

Overall, I found the story to be interesting and engaging enough that I read it within a couple of days. It’s not as eloquent as the works of Sandor Mirai, nor is it as stylised as Haruki Murakami or as mind-bendingly humanist as David Mitchell’s work but it is typical Swery and for those who like his work, this is just fine!

Elden Ring- Videogames As Art

Elden Ring is an absolute masterpiece. As more games have added bloat and pointless mission markers all over the map, losing the sense of discovery, From Software have trusted the intelligence of their audience and created a true open-world experience (at least for the first 90% of the game before it becomes more mainline). As a result, we have the most awe inspiring open‑world game where exploration is encouraged and the story is slowly unearthed. I’m 140 hours into the game and am still not finished yet, currently bashing my head against Malekith, The Black Blade, however I am loving the experience. Check out my screenshots so far!

Nosferatu- Film and Live Score Review

I have been a film aficionado for a long time. My father brought me up on classics like David Lean's adaptations of Oliver Twist and Great Expectations as well as the various black and white classic comedies of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. However, I became interested in cult TV series and films whilst attending University. Our campus was media-centered and as a result it had a huge catalogue of videos to rent, free of charge; I ploughed through many often taking the maximum 8 out at a time and consumed them voraciously.

As a result, I believe I am quite literate in films and TV but Nosferatu, the German Expressionist masterpiece is like the Rosetta Stone. Over 100 years old and nearly obliterated from history, this masterpiece still haunts my dreams with its otherworldly imagery. I've seen it on film and DVD at home lots of times but never on the big screen. A chance to see it on the big screen at my local theatre was too good to pass up. Throw in a live score and it was a must watch for me, so I quickly booked a ticket for just myself... this was a bit too niche for even my wife who still hadn't forgiven me dragging her to the Werner Herzog documentary, Cave of Forgotten Dreams over 10 years ago in Cambodia.

So, on a cold, dark Monday night I descended on the Teignmouth Pavilion, wondering what the audience would be like. I picked up my ticket and saw that there was a small group of about 30 people with the average age of 60. I was one of the youngest member in the audience apart from a couple of teenagers who came along with their elders.

The film itself is a masterpiece of early cinema, mixing humour like, 'She has a beautiful neck,' when Orlok sees a picture of Ellen (a Mina Harker-a-like) or when we see Orlok using his powers to carry the coffins onto a carriage before using his powers to get the horses to gallop, to full on dread like when Orlok rises from the coffin in the ship and the crew are slowly picked off. When the title card read, ‘The ship of death had a new captain,’ and I saw Orlok on the ship, which was slowly moving forward under his evil influence, it sent shivers down my spine.

All through this, the music by Chris Green enhanced the experience and offered a new way to appreciate the hundred year old movie. As the blueish tint gave way to a yellow hue it felt ethereal on the big screen. I have had a copy of the dvd at home since the late 90s but that had a different musical track so seeing this new soundtracked version certainly was a boon.

Overall, I loved the experience and hope that many more events like this come to our local pavilion theatre; it's a way for people to appreciate old classics and brings the media to a new audience.

Magnetic Rose (Otomo's Memories)- Cult Film Review

Katsuhiro Otomo is a manga legend, rising to prominence with his seminal masterpiece Akira. It was the first real breakthrough worldwide manga hit, spread initially by word of mouth and then gaining a cult fandom until it broke through to the mainstream thanks to the terrific but confusing film.

For his follow up work, Otomo went a little more left field, creating a comic anthology series of which 3 were turned into an animated film called Memories. I knew of the film due to the soundtrack that I purchased at Forbidden Planet for a then-princely sum of £25. I was intrigued by the cover and when I saw that one of the composers was Yoko Kanno, whose work I'd loved in 'Macross Plus, I bought it. The music was mesmerising, bringing together Puccini's Madame Butterfly with Kanno's wending jazzy brassiness. It is a hauntingly beautiful score and I played it for years before ever seeing the film.

In the late 90s, the emergence of the internet made buying, selling and trading anime much easier and so, after striking an friendship with a fellow manga and anime fan, I received a copied VHS of Memories.

Now, all three short films are worthy of attention but for this review I specifically want to shine a light on the first, Magnetic Rose. I only read one comic from the anthology series and that was Magnetic Rose, but that was after having watched the 50 minute enthralling sci-fi horror/ psychological film

I only recently found out that Magnetic Rose was written by the late, great, gone-too-soon Satoshi Kon who made Paprika, Perfect Blue, Millenium Actress, Paranoia Agent and Tokyo Godfathers, and looking at those works, the psychological angle is obvious. The storyline is about a salvage ship on their way home receiving a distress signal. Following protocol, they go to provide assistance only to find a graveyard of ships all merged together in the shape of a rose. As the crew explore the interior they encounter a facsimile of a baroque world but there seems to be a presence within which means harm.

I won't spoil it but the atmosphere created, enhances by the evocative operatic soundtrack, is second to none and the film will linger in your mind long after the denouement. The animation is sublime and has some of the most technically impressive multi-plane shots seen at the time, lending the film a lived-in free movement which is appropriate for space.

I've been into manga and anime for over 30 years and this particular film is one of my all-time favourites. Even after all these years, the film haunts me.

Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark- Audiobook Review

If you grew up in America in the 80s, Cassandra Peterson's alter ego Elvira was a fixture in the horror world whether through her hosting performances, movies or TV appearances, she would be there cracking wise. Growing up in England, Elvira was not so prominent here but seeped into the cult viewing consciousness through cameos and references in a myriad of shows. I knew of Elvira in my teens but didn't know how or why- she was just there.

The audiobook is read by Elvira herself and contains her usual sass and cheesy jokes.

So, when the autobiography of Elvira came out, I decided to take the plunge and find out more about the life of Ms. Peterson. I bought the audiobook as Peterson read that herself and I felt it would be interesting to hear the words read by the author. What comes through is the wisdom that comes with age and experience but also a heartfelt survivors account of the early abuse, unwanted attention in her teens and the toxic masculinity that pervaded much of the world at the time and world and how much this was normalised. The most interesting elements for me were her accounts of her run in with celebrities, some of who were kind and polite, whilst others were predatory and hurtful. I'm not one for Hollywood celebrity stories but these recounts show the dark side of Hollywood and the entertainment industry as a whole was used as a way by those in power to leverage their authority on whoever they wanted. The names dropped come thick and fast including Elvis, Robert De Niro, Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Freddie Mercury, Tom Jones, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and so many more icons and A-listers.

Peterson is candid and discusses her highs and lows with honesty. She owns the decisions she has made but also explains how many of her life choices and chances were limited by those in authority; when she didn't put out on the casting couch there were repercussions but she doesn't regret her choices. In light of #MeToo, Peterson says she is not surprised and that this moment of reckoning was well overdue.
She ends on a note of hope and opens up about her recent personal life and bisexuality.

I really enjoyed this audiobook and Peterson's enthusiasm and candour make this a worthwhile autobiography to listen to.

Hag- Audible Series Review

I love fairy and folk tales because they offer a window into the past where society had collectively agreed that the messages and morals were important enough to keep alive through the generations. I'm sure we all have personal feelings and experiences with fairy tales and what we take away from them rings true for different people for different reasons. Lots of these fairy tales have been Disney-fied, which often altered the moralizing through its retelling. For some, Disney's is a shallow style of retelling which tries to apply a formula or an agenda. I don't agree with this point of view per se, but I do think the essence of these stories has been altered.

Luckily, there are plenty of modern interpretations of fairy and folk tales that keep to the core message and one of these is Hag, a free Audible series, where a variety of writers each undertake retellings adding something personal and relatable. The stories are from across the UK and the interview with the writers and Professor Carolyne Larrington, a specialist in Old Norse and British fairy tales at St John's College, Oxford, offers provenance into the tales. As an old anthropology student, it's great to hear different takes and angles and to explore old and new meaning.

For a society that has taken the edge away from many of these tales of otherness, identity, faith, religion, gender and sexual trauma, this production is like a breath of fresh air. It's like a modern version of Angela Carter's ouvre, which looked at the power dynamics of females and their potency, or Neil Jordan's classic Company of Wolves, which looked at the often misogynistic or sexist moralising intended to keep the female power in its place and subverts them.

As the cold, dark nights close in, Hag is a welcoming chair near a crackling warm fire - Lovely unsettling stuff!

Koko Be Good- Graphic Novel Review

I bought this graphic novel upon release in 2010 and remember quite liking it at the time but not thinking it was anything special. So, after about 12 years, it's nice to revisit it.

This is a handsome book with good quality paper stock.

The book is a coming of age/ existential crisis tale that was popular during this period in time. It has a slacker comedy vibe but also some of the elements of mumblecore movies where young adults are trying to figure things out. In this story we follow Jon, a young college graduate who is leaving his American home to travel to work in an orphanage with his Peruvian girlfriend in South America. He had his doubts but as he is directionless, feels its a good thing to do. He collides with Koko, a narcissist who is in it for herself and together their friendship grows and they learn about what it means to be good people and function in a society. There is a b-story about Faron, a young boy looking for a safe home and future, but his story is sidelined for the most part.

The ochre colours are beautiful and bring the art to life.

Whilst the story is perfunctory and the dialogue a little too earnest and Dawson's Creek-ish in its navel gazing, the art is a real standout and the ochre water colours are lush and expressive. The silent moments, the moments when the tale is told purely through images, is often stronger than the narrative unfolding through dialogue. It reminds me of Reality Bites, the early 90s film about finding your true self. It sounds great but some of the dialogue was clunky and didn’t aged well and it doesn't here either. However, the comic is an interesting read and, whilst not essential, worth the hour or so required of your time.

Love, Death + Robots- Season 1 Review

Love, Death + Robots is a Netflix backed anthology series of sci-fi stories that mixes cutting-edge animation styles with quick fire storylines. Each episode is stand-alone and with the longest episode clocking in at just over 15 minutes, you’re never too far away from a new world and new ideas. Obviously, this means that some episodes will chime more than others depending upon your tastes but they are all uniformly solid. I have written a brief synopsis and my views of those episodes briefly.

Three Robots- This follows 3 robots as they go on a tour of a post apocalyptic world sans humans. It's very dark with some great humour thrown in.

There is a great homage to the Terminator with the opening shot of a robot foot crushing a skull but from this the tale of 3 robot tourists taking in our crumbling ruins is great fun, more so with the interesting ending.

Beyond the Aquila Rift- When a ship suffers a catastrophic routing error, it is flung thousands of light years away from Earth but luckily a friendly face is on hand...

A great hard sci-fi story with stunning animation.

Ice Age- When a young couple move into a new apartment they find an old time fridge which contains a civilisation in there, but when the society evolves at a fast pace they see how adaptable humans can be.

Mary Elizabeth Winsted stars in this episode and, whilst hokey and a little cheesy, it is a cute episode with human actors.

Sonnie's Edge- When a beastie cage fighter (think mature Pokemon) is tasked to throw a fight she declines but a client is very insistent.

This is an edgy and interesting story with some great stylised animation. The creature designs are quite generic but the revenge story is told well enough.

When the Yoghurt Took Over- Sentient yoghurt solves all of mankind's problems but at what cost to freedom?

A cutely animated but well observed short animation on the fallibility of human nature and our disturbing ability to look for a man (or yoghurt) of destiny that offers easy solutions.

The Secret War- A gritty World War 2 tale of Soviet soldiers fighting an occult enemy they helped create.

A powerhouse of cgi animation with amazing lighting and a tense Alien-esque atmosphere. It culminates in a spectacular gunfight and a heck of a finale.

Sucker of Souls- When Dracula is revived, an aversion to cats saves a motley crew of scientists and mercenaries. But how do they make their way out?

The animation is a scratchy cel shaded style and is cool and whilst the story is interesting, the dialogue is a bit edge-lordy and cringy at times.

The Witness- When a woman witnessed a murder she goes on the run from the assailant.

The cyberpunk style city scape is gorgeous and the frenetic cgi is stunning with hues of pinks and purples adding vibrancy to the place.

Suits- When an infestation threatens the valley and lifestock of a local farm, the local farmers grab their mechs and fight to the death.

This is a gorgeous animation and very tense, at times reminding me of Telltales' Walking Death game in terms of the animation style and art. It's a clever story and exciting as well.

Good Hunting- The Huli Jing are changelings and are hunted as bewitchers but as the world is changing, a Huli Jing and a hunter become friends, looking out for each other and adapting to their environment. When the Huli Jing is abused by men in a rapidly changing world, she adapts and takes bloody revenge.

This is a dark tale about the power of the male gaze and the damage done to women. It's another sumptuously cel animated episode and one of the highlights. The steampunk aesthetic is suitably cool and imaginative. The dialogue is spot on and doesn't try to be too edgy.

The Dump- When a city planner pays a visit to the local dump to evict the tenant he gears an old yarn, but is it true?

A dark comedic piece with a slice of bitterness against capitalism and consumerism.

Shape-Shifters- When a team of American soldiers in Afghanistan are supported by a couple of ware wolves, it seems like they have the advantage. However, the Taliban may have their own dog soldiers and when an American warewolf is killed, its up to the remaining warewolf to find out the truth.

A beautifully animated shirt film and interesting choice of perspective as there are first person shooter angles.

Fish Night- When their car breaks down in the middle of the American desert, two travelling door to door salesmen have an amazing experience with the fantastical creatures of the night.

With rotoscoped style animation, this is a gorgeous animated film that is an audio-visual delight. Definitely one of the highlights from the series which has heart and says something about the human condition without trying to be too edgy or outrageous.

Helping Hand- When an astronaut is out on a spacewalk to fix a satellite but a piece of debris compromises a suit, a sacrifice has to be made.

This is a claustrophobic short film and suitably dramatic. I liked the main protagonist and the quieter moments as she gets used to the idea of dying.

Alternate Histories- A thoroughly original idea based on a not original one, we see 6 different scenarios where Hitler is killed and the resulting aftereffects of these.

Thoroughly creative and quirky, this is a strange but great short looking at causality and it's consequences.

Lucky 13- In the future, a space marine is assigned a ship, Unlucky 13. As she bonds with the AI it becomes lucky 13, but will its luck hold out?

A solid story about the relationships between man and machine and the power of AI.

Blindspot- In a cyberpunk future, when a gang try to steal some CPUs from a convoy there's a powerful machine standing in their way. Will they get it and at what cost?

The animation on this one is a mixture of CGI and more traditional cel animation mix which gives it an impressive look but the dialogue is circa 90s cringey in places.

Zima Blue- When a reclusive yet intergalactic ally famous artist provides an interview to a journalist she seeks what motivates him. His answer is... not what you'd expect.

This is a uniquely stylish production with an art style reminiscent of The Hollow. Like that, this look at the relationship between technology and humans and the search for truth. This is quite a philosophical episode and quite beautiful.

So, after what hung the complete series what did I make of it? Well, I love short-form animation so a series like this is a real boon however the edge-lordiness of some of the episodes, as well as it's gratuitous nudity and violence, made it seem sometimes juvenile and silly. Don't get me wrong, I'm no prude and watched lots of anime and manga back in the 90s, which was peak edgelord with Urotsokidoji, Ninja Scroll, Wicked City and Cyber City 808 being edgy/sexy, but in the 2020s it seems.... misplaced. A few of the episodes are interesting and worth a look like Three Robots, Alternate History, When the Yoghurt Took Over and Zima Blue but too many felt try-hard and almost like fanfic I would have written in my teens in the 90s after watching too much anime- not bad per se but when given a canvas like this, it's really an opportunity to really tell a unique and awesome story.

Overall, the series was worth a watch but I hope the newer series took what was good about the series (the interesting ideas, different animation styles and great sound work) and built it into a more refined experience with a clearer focus.

Ojingogo- Graphic Novel Review

Utterly surreal and slightly abstract with elements of Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz, Gulliver's Travels and much from the world of manga, Ojingogo is a not your average graphic novel tale. The story is about a young girl, her pet chibi-octopus and her sentient camera, which is stolen by a malevolent octopus/humanoid creature. At least, that's what I think happened as the book had very little to no text and is presented with a surrealist bent. As a fan of David Lynch and Jodorowsky, I'm used to art that challenged and confounds but even this didn't help in understanding the story too well. I think, author and illustrator Matthew Forsythe, like Lynch, is all about creating a mood and evoking feelings of wonder and bewilderment so you strap in and enjoy the absurdist journey.

The illustrations are beautifully drawn with fine lines and lots of use of blank space to let the characters pop. The drawings seemed to be inspired by South Korean and manga art; cute big eyes and some interesting creature designs. There were a couple I thought that could be turned in plushie toys so you get an idea of the aesthetic.

This One Summer- Graphic Novel Review

This graphic novel is like an ode to those everlong summers of the past, where the holidays seemed to stretch on forever and the possibilities and promises of the future seemed endless. The power of nostalgia is strong in this comic as writing and art team Jillian and Mariko Tamaki create a believable scenario where
Rose and her family head to the beach for the summer, as they always do, but things are tense in the family as Rose's mum is suffering from deep depression whilst her father is feeling the strain of keeping the household positive. Meanwhile, Rose and her regular holiday friend Windy, get involved with a teen pregnancy drama whilst watching horror films.

It is poignant and wistful, carrying the memories of summer beach holidays when everything was possible, nothing much actually happened and time seemed to stand still. The artwork is incredible- beautiful blue washes and an amazing mix of the detailed and the impressionistic- and the story is sad and realistic. The story and the art go together perfectly.

The demographic for the book is hard to pinpoint as it uses words like slut, rape, abortion, blow job, porn, boobs etc so it's quite fruity with its language but I know, from working at a couple of youth centre for over 10 years, that actually many tweens do talk like this so it is lifelike.

Overall, I'd recommend the book as it captures the fleeting moment we have all had our lives so well. Additionally, the gorgeous blue brushlike art flows, stunningly capturing the spirit of the summer; it make you *feel* the place you've never been to. The Germans calls this fernweh which means farsickness and it’s the concept of feeling homesick for a place you’ve never been or could never go. This book made me feel that and it captures the mood so well.

Knights and Bikes- Audiobook Review

Knights and Bikes was a 2019 videogame, developed by Foam Sword and published by Double Fine. I played the game near release time and loved the picture book aesthetic and the compelling story of adventure on the tiny island of Penfurzy had me gripped from the start. I played the game to completion and loved the world created and thought at the time that there was a whole world of potential storylines.

For the uninitiated, on the peaceful island of Penfurzy, Demelza Penrose, a young girl with a very active imagination, daydreams of grand adventures amongst the legends of yore that surround her on her island home. Living with her father, the owner of a dilapidated mini-golf course, she lives a boring life missing her mother who died in a tragic accident. One night, Nessa, a young runaway with tall tales of daring-do, enters her life and they become firm friends. Along the way, the pals halt the sale of the mini-gold land and destroy landmarks following clues contained in Demelza's mother's journal, the clues of which lead to the long lost castle and the treasure of the legendary Penfurzy Knights. Can the treasure offer Demelza a way to save her home?

The first book is very closely based off of the videogame and translates well to the written word. I got the audiobook so the West Country accents and the sound effects were especially wonderful to hear. The actors and actresses relished their roles and delivered the dialogue in suitably dramatic ways.

The second book, The Rebel Bicycle Club, is a new adventure and is more like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade as it deals with a magic chalice, not belonging to Christ but rather King Pendragon of the Penfurzy Knights.

The third and final book, Wheels of Legend, revolves around a mysterious travelling fayre that seems to be searching for something in the local quarry. Joining Demelza and Nessa is Jack, a young boy from the fayre who seems to have something to hide. Throw in giants, mystery men and a mermaid's soporific tune and you've got a cracking adventure.

This series of books has it all- an intriguing land full of mystery, great characters that are thoughtfully written and a cohesive through-line that offers a world of possibility. The stories are presented in a humorous manner but they have a truth to them that contains heart. Central to it all is the relationship between lonely Demelza, dealing with her grief, and mythomaniac Nessa who struggles with change and building friendship. The stories show the growing bond between these two characters and how friendship is an important part of your youth where the Summers seemed to stretch on forever. The books are full of 1980s references including the Nintendo Power Glove, arcade machines, bikes, frisbees and many iconic films.

Knights and Bikes is a thoroughly creative series and one I would have loved to have read back in the day as a youth. As an early 40s adult, I loved it and appreciated it for what it was but I know my 7 and 4 year old daughters, the target demographic for these books, will appreciate it much more than I do.

Overall, the Knights and Bike book series is well worth a listen or read whilst the videogame is well worth a play.

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi

LINK- Battle Angel Alita: And So It Ends

LINK- Ulysses 31 Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

LINK- Akira Soundtrack Vinyl Review

The Good Place and Philosophy- Book Review (and self-reflection)

We live in peculiar times, one where we have had relative peace for the longest duration in modern history, are more connected more than ever before but also seem to be separated; in this morally ambiguous time we have strangely stratified society where the loudest voices are from the extreme of the left and right wings.

A short while ago, I read How To Be Perfect: The Answer To Every Moral Question by Mike Schur, the creator of The Good Place, Parks and Rec and The Office (American version). I liked how he presented moral quandaries we often faced in everyday lives and his philosophical playthrough of each of these situations using different forms of ethics. It was a highly enjoyable read and it got me thinking deeply about how I could be a positive agent for change in the world.

In a little slice of heaven, Sharm El Sheikh, I read this book and thought about moral philosophy.

I wanted to delve deeper into some of the questions and moral thought experiments raised by The Good Place and the philosophy books I had read after it. The Good Place and Philosophy, which is edited by Kimberly S. Engels, breaks down some of the major themes from the show into 25 essays written by a wide range of authors, philosophers and academics covering 9 themes set against the backdrop of the 3 major ethical theories: Virtue theory, consequentialism and deontology.

Now, the titles of the chapters aren't useful if you haven't watched the show but they are quotes from it and make sense in that regard. However, broadly speaking these cover different aspects of philosophy and the brackets are my additions to explain what each chapter covers:

I just ethic'd you in the face (Ethics and it's application in the modern world)
Virtuous for virtues sake (Can ethics make you a better person?)
All those ethics lessons paid off (Morality is difficult and decision-making is tough)
Help is other people (We are at our best when we build each other up)
Absurdity needs to be confronted (Existentialism and why no God isn't necessary that bad)
Searching for meaning is philosophical suicide (Be better and do better)
The Dalai Lama texted me that (World religions and the idea of 'self')
Sometimes a flaw can make something even more beautiful (Everyone is different and unique)
Oh cool, more Philosophy! That will help us (Free will, the idea of the soul and the future of AI)

Each of the essays investigates and further expands issues raised from the show, all the while citing the many philosophers and texts mentioned. Overall, the essays turn out to be a very good introduction to these concepts and is more engaging than some of the heavier and difficult philosophical texts. I particularly enjoyed James Lawler's Beyond Good and Evil: Eternal Return of the Superhuman, Michael McGowen's Conceptions of the Afterlife: The Good Place and Religious Traditions and Dane Sawyer's Who Are Chidi and Eleanor in a Past-(After) Life? The Buddhist Notion of No-Self.

I walked away with a few thoughts after reading the book and am still processing these ideas so humour me as I go through a stream of consciousness of some of the ideas I've stepped away with.

The idea that all there is the silent indifference of the empty universe is one that worries many people and leads often to existential crises but this is where philosophy (and religion) can be useful. Both offer meaning to a seemingly meaningless life and the idea that there are 'projects' that will live on after you can be a soothing balm; they can offer an ethical transformation. What we do and the choices we make are acts of free will and we can use these to be transformative and have transformational ecstacy rather than descend into nihilism.

There is a truth that relationships are transformative, even relationships that run their course are not necessarily failures; another person can change your life without remaining a permanent part of it. People can leave an imprint on is, acting as a catalyst for (re) discovering something about ourselves. This is the power of our freewill, we can change the world in wonderful incremental ways. Just think back on the people in your life who had a profound and deep effect on you. This 'affective group', people who you feel connected with and bond with over some mutual appreciation of something, have a long - lasting effect on you and change you in profound ways.

T. M. Scanlon's Contractualism (We should act upon rules that others could not reasonably refuse i.e. create and follow reasonable rules that are built on interpersonal relationships) is a good way to think about society. Generally, people need people and especially at a time when religion is on the wane across much of the world, Ernest Becker's conclusion that modern relationships are all we have after the "death of God" struck a chord. However, even with friendship and love, "No human relationship can bear the burden of godhood." It's like Michael said when paraphrasing Eleanor, "Everyone human is a little bit sad all the time, because you know you're going to die but that's what gives life meaning."

The idea of religious luck or salvific luck (being born into the 'right' religion where out of all the choices you have the correct one is an interesting idea. What if you're a good person that does good things and behaved impeccably but we're just born into or selected the 'wrong' religion, what happens to you? In Islam, it doesn't matter as your deeds and intentions are considered, if you're people of the book that is great, but not all religions have that flexibility. What then? It may seem bleak for atheists as everything will end; no more family and friends, experiences, travels, appreciation of art and music. Nada. However, it doesn't have to be so bleak as your pain will also end; errors, regrets, sadness, a sense of ennui will all be gone. It’s the circle of life, just as you consumed from the world, so you will be consumed and add to the new life that will come after your death. You are never truly gone, you will remain in some way. For some, this will offer peace and solace and for others it might fill then with existential dread.

As a Muslim, and an eternal optimist, I've realised that I have never really needed to grapple with ideas of existential nihilism or whether I am living my best life, simply because of my belief in a higher power. It provides me with a foundation where meaning and order are maintained. Yes, with modern freedoms and the breaking down of social constructs, there can sometimes be a feeling of powerlessness, emptiness or ennui. And yes, with the old norms crumbling, we can feel overwhelmed by the choices and possibilities. We can become slaves to the swipe right/ Sliding Doors multi-verse (Wow, that’s the second mention of this Gwennie vehicle in as many month- Ed.). I know these feeling all too well, but the structure of my religion provides me with the strong underpinning and understanding that there’s a higher power who's intimately aware of me and this gives me something firm to hold onto when things get unpredictable.

I'm not saying it's always easy but the act of trusting something above and outside yourself is comforting and profound. It doesn't mean I'm an automoton or a Doug Fawcett-type 'happiness pump' because I choose which actions to take, which decisions to make and these actions and the intentions decide if I move closer or further away from Allah. I know I'm only responsible for what is within my power so I don't need to care about everything, even a multiverse, because it's up to me to decide what I want to be and do- I decide my moral imperative and the 'projects' I feel compelled to undertake and support. This doesn't automatically stave off the effects of the Internet, the overexposure to toxic social media and fractious opinions, I am a Millenial after all, but it does give me the tools to filter out the nonsense and keep a sense of self. I'm going to continue my search for knowledge and, as the Prophet said, I will go 'All the way, even to China' to find the truth and build my knowledge.

LINK- ‘Natives: Race and Class in the Ruins of Empire’

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On, And On And Colston (or, 'How We Learned To Talk About The Legacy Of Colonialism In GB')

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

LINK- Ms Marvel Can Change the World

Lucky Penny- Graphic Novel Review

I got Lucky Penny in 2016, which means I was 5 years into my marriage, had moved to Kent and had recently become a father to my first daughter. I'm not sure what attracted me to this graphic novel comic but I'm guessing it was during one of my nostalgic 'ahhh, my 20s were great' phases as I'd officially hit the mid-30s so was in the higher 35-49 years old insurance bracket. Maybe I was going through a premature midlife/ existential crisis and this was a comfort purchase. Whatever the case, I remember liking the book as it had a sweet goof all character but I couldn't remember much else so it seemed like now was a great time to dive in once again into the work of Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota.

This is a beautifully presented book.

Lucky Penny is the tale of young Penny Brighton, an unlucky girl who leaves disaster in her wake but has a heart of gold. The graphic novel follows Penny as she tries to figure out where to go, what to do and how to cope in the real world. The story is similar to Scott Pilgrim and Giant Days and also mumblecore movies like Frances Ha and similar works by Greta Gerwig, where charmingly clueless, young, main characters try to deal with all that life throws at them. In this case, Penny is wonderfully optimistic and chirpy whilst living in a storage unit (garage) and trying to get a job and maintain her relationship with a prospective boyfriend.

Lucky Penny is a quick read with relatable characters; Ota’s art is bold and solid throughout the whole book and Hirsh's storytelling gentle yet interesting enough to keep you reading. The ending of the book is very bombastic and out of pace with the rest of the book but I liked it as it goes big.

Overall, Lucky Penny is well worth your time as it has a quirky central character and an interesting coming-of-age slacker vibe.

Celeste- Graphic Novel Review

I remember buying this book upon its release in 2014 as I was a bit of a fan of I. N. J. Culbard due to his excellent work on bringing the tales of H. P. Lovecraft to life in graphic novel form. I do remember reading it at the time and feeling a bit blank, the graphic novel hadn't impressed me and I didn't know why. So, 8 years after the fact, I decided to revisit and re-evaluate it

Narratively, it's a difficult book to summarise as so much is to do with the mood and tone of the book, rather than the actual plot. However, I'll try my best; after a floating blossom from space enters the Earth, most of the people in the world vanish without reason. The few people who interacted with the blossom are left behind and try to figure out what is going on as well as establish a new purpose in life. The three characters, a girl with albinism in London, a businessman in California and a Tokyo cartoonist all lead their now consequence-free life, but is it really living?

Much like other great sci-fi stories, Celeste asks many questions without providing any answers. Rather, the author leaves it up to the reader to formulate their own meaning. Is this all actually happening or are the three characters sharing a collective dream brought about by their isolation in the real world or mental health? It reminds me of the work of David Lynch, John Boorman or David Lowery, dreamlike logic applies to real world scenarios where tone is king.

Visually, Culbard is a master craftsman, creating beautiful imagery that creates a vibe which is meditative and reflective. I read the book in about 25 minutes, so it's a quick read as it is a very visual story, but the questions it asks about the lives we lead and our sense of isolation definitely make it a worthwhile pick-up.

This One Summer- Graphic Novel Review

This graphic novel is like an ode to those everlong summers of the past, where the holidays seemed to stretch on forever and the possibilities and promises of the future seemed endless. The power of nostalgia is strong in this comic as writing and art team Jillian and Mariko Tamaki create a believable scenario where
Rose and her family head to the beach for the summer, as they always do, but things are tense in the family as Rose's mum is suffering from deep depression whilst her father is feeling the strain of keeping the household positive. Meanwhile, Rose and her regular holiday friend Windy, get involved with a teen pregnancy drama whilst watching horror films.

The book is beautifully presented with a blue brush-stroke style.

The demographic for the book is hard to pinpoint as it uses words like slut, rape, abortion, blow job, porn, boobs etc so it's quite fruity with its language but I know, from working at a couple of youth centre for over 10 years, that actually many tweens do talk like this so it is lifelike.

The book captures the fleeting moments we have all had on our lives so well. The gorgeous blue brush-like art flows and stunningly capturing the spirit of the summer; it make you *feel* the place you've never been to. The Germans calls this fernweh which means far-sickness and it’s the concept of feeling homesick for a place you’ve never been or could never go. This book made me feel that as it captures the mood so well; it is a definite recommend.

LINK- The Offworld Collection

LINK- Three Shadows- Graphic Novel Review

LINK: Japan: My Journey to the East

LINK- The Future Starts Here: An Optimistic Guide to What Comes Next- Book Review

LINK- On And On And Colston ( Or, How We Kinda Sort of Learned to Talk About the Legacy of Colonialism and the British Empire)

LINK: Let’s All Create a ‘New Normal’.

LINK- An English Geek in Saudi

LINK- The Mysterious Cities of Gold Retro Soundtrack Review

Three Shadows- Graphic Novel Review

I got this graphic novel way back in 2008, I remember as it was in the 'new releases' section of a comic book shop that no longer exists. I remember the owner was upset due to the landlord putting the rent up extortionately and so the shop was replaced by another faceless 'touristy crap' shop that exist everywhere in the city.

The book is beautifully presented on good quality stock paper.

Anywho, from the time I vaguely remember the graphic novel being beautiful; the art sketchily drawn and the story affecting but now it hits much harder due to where I am in my life. I have a young family now and have two young daughters and the possibility of something bad happening to them haunts me, as I'm sure it does to every parent and so once again, I delved back into the work of Cyril Pedrosa.

Three Shadows plays almost like a faerytale, a mother, father and young son like an idyll life in the woods when, one day, the boy sees three dark riders watching him from the distance. At first, they simply seem to ride off, and the threat is waved off but, upon their subsequent return, the family grow concerned about their presence and what it portents. Lise, the mother, is petrified and seeks guidance from a wise old woman whilst Louis, a strong man, does not want these figures near his son. And so, one foggy night father and son try to escape under the cover of darkness and the story descends into a thrilling game of survival. As the book reaches its powerful denouement, it delves into magical-realism, where the mission to save his son from the shadows is an existential crisis for the father.

Three Shadows is an exploration of how parents might react to knowing a dreadful truth about their child's impending death and the extent to which they will go to to protect them at all costs. As I said earlier, as a father this story hit harder this time round. There is a high probability that my daughters will live a full and happy life yet, at the back of my mind, there is a nagging thought that this could be the last day I get to enjoy my children. Don't get me wrong, the thought is only fleeting and I don't spend my days weighed down in existential gloom but the fear is real enough to assert its presence; the black dog is indeed over my shoulder.

Overall, Three Shadows is a powerful story and it's allegorical qualities are memorable as they concern the human condition and the knowledge we all have that everybody we know and live will die. However, its ending is one of hope in its poignancy. This graphic novel is well worth a read.

Hell Baby- Graphic Novel Review

To start my inaugural retro graphic novel reviews, I thought I’d revisit one of my first ever if not the first graphic novel I ever owned. I may be misremembering but I believe I got this for free with a copy of Manga Mania. It was in a sealed poly bag alongside the comic and at the time I remember being very excited. That would place it around the time I was about 11 years old and boy, at the time did I find it disturbing and edgy.

Hell Baby by Hideshi Hino

The cover is pretty horrific but wait until you see the art inside. The black and white images really pop.

This one-and-done horror story tells the simple tale of a demonic baby, who is abandoned by her father at birth due to her horrific appearance and lust for blood. She is forced to grow up in the Junkyard of the World, struggling against other scavengers. When she dies soon after, a mysterious force resurrects her and guides her on a path of vengeance. Upon reaching the age of seven, she makes her way back into the bright lights of the big city to cause terror and mayhem.

The story is slight, but in a world of never ending manga its quite nice to have a complete story told as a one shot. The entire tale reminds me of The Simpsons Tree House of Horror VII where Bart discovers he had an evil twin, Hugo, living in the attic as his parents realised that he was the 'evil' twin.

Having grown up a bit since its first reading, I have to say that I really like the simplicity of the story. Hideshi Hino's art is simple but this is powerful as the tale of revenge and redemption is vividly brought to life with the gushes of geyser like blood spray interspersed with the innocence of the 'good' twin. Re-reading this after nearly 30 years I was transported to when I first read it in my home in Barking all those years ago, shocked yet thrilled by the emotive, bittersweet tale.

Whilst not a masterpiece by any means, Hino's Hell Baby is a worthwhile read for the tale it tells in a quick bitesize way; some of the images will stick with you for a long time and isn't that the mark of a horror story?

Surveying My Kingdom (Of Graphic Novels).

I'm a longtime comic book collector and I first started collecting when I was 7 which was way back in 1988. Iron Man and Spiderman were my first loves as certain aspects of the comic book worlds I could identify with; Peter Parker struggling with the travails of High School and striving to achieve against all odds like Tony Stark often did, but then this is a common comic book trope. However, I think a huge part of why comics appealed to me was because of the sheer imagination and creativity on show. Comics were an escape as they spoke a universal language that could appeal to anyone, a fantasy world that you could project yourself in to.

Surveying My Kingdom (Of Graphic Novels).

I have quite an extensive collection of graphic novels.

Now don't get me wrong, not all comics and graphic novels are created equal. In fact, some of the manga I was reading was not always relatable but just plain awesome. Often, the stories had elements of truth and heart, like Alita finding her humanity just as she collapses after saving the scrapyard, Soichiro revealing his true self and breaking free of the cycle of abuse in Kare Kano (His and Her Circumstances) and Onizuka doing his all for the student who he comes to mentor and love (GTO).

Art is of its time but it can have a long-lasting cultural and societal impact and comics are an excellent medium for showing or even introducing that change. I remember that I wanted to go to parties, go out clubbing and have relationships. Usually I'd go to indie comics to find this sense of identity and so I gravitated towards these as I grew older. In mainstream comics this was covered but it was only when Kamala Khan and the Ms. Marvel series came out in 2014 that the issues she had in balancing her home and life outside rang true for me; I found myself really represented on the page. It was the first time that a mainstream, popular comic had truly spoken to me, not by proxy but actually really spoke to me and my cultural heritage.

I have quite an extensive collection of comics and graphic novels from the past 35 years of my life and, when my wife ask I get rid of many of them, I baulked at the idea; these comics and graphic novels were like my personal tree rings showing my growth a evolution over the years. Some of these graphic novels are of their time and may prove to be problematic now- I’m looking at you various ‘harem manga’- but I thought I’d revisit them now as the time seemed good as my collection is all set up on the Billy bookcases.

So when my wife asked, 'When are you going to read them ever again?' I thought I'd endeavour to read them all again to see how they speak to me now, many years after purchase and after the life I've lead. Maybe they'd speak to me in new or different ways.

So why not join me as I journey thought my graphic novel collection?