Fail Harder (Caverns & Creatures #2) ★☆☆☆½

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Title: Fail Harder
Series: Caverns & Creatures #2
Author: Robert Bevan
Rating: 1.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 305
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The Gang of merry losers runs into some other humans who have been sent to this fantasy world by Mordred. They team up with them and learn of yet another group, of middle graders, who were Mordred's favorites and are sure to run rampant once they learn of his demise.

Katherine, Tim's sister, is kidnapped by a vampire who has also been brought here by Mordred. He turns her before the group can rescue her but they do rescue her and kill the vamp. With the loot and stuff they raid from the dead vamp's castle, they pay a dodgy magician to get Tim back to the real world so he can find Mordred's dice and figure out how to get everyone back.

Tim makes it back, but still in his halfing body and finds Mordred still alive in the freezer. The dodgy magician, having a glimpse of our world through Tim's mind, decides he wants to check things out and brings the whole Gang back with him.

My Thoughts:

You know, I barely even noticed the profanity this time around. However, the reason I didn't was because of the crass humor and the complete stupidity of just about ALL the characters involved.

This group of people who got sucked into the fantasy world? They deserve to die. In fact, the United States is a better place if these people really did die. The fact that scum like them get their vote to count as much as mine, it infuriates me.

Yeah, I was pretty pissed off for almost the whole book. That is how pathetic these people were. So I'm done. I knew I was going to be done with this book one way or another, but my goodness, the amount of idiocy the characters packed into a mere 300 pages was astounding.

Don't get me wrong, this has nothing to do with them being hardcore gamers. I can sit around and play Magic the Gathering for hours on end. But I'm not an idiot who just does whatever he feels like whenever he feels like. I realize I haven't pointed out specifics for you to judge for yourselves. But just think of someone you know who does what they want, when they want, regardless of consequences and you have this group. I've been using the term “stupid” but it is more along the lines of irresponsible in the worst way.

I still would like to thank Swords & Spectres for his very enthusiastic take on this series. For some non-frothing at the mouth reviews, check out his reviews. Maybe he can convince you to read them.

★☆☆☆½

• Critical Failures (Book 1)

Critical Failures (Caverns & Creatures #1) ★★☆☆☆

This review is written with a GPL 4.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at WordPress, Blogspot & Librarything by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Critical Failures
Series: Caverns & Creatures #1
Author: Robert Bevan
Rating: 2 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: 284
Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

A group of RPG gamers have put an ad out to a Cavern Master, as none of them want to do the hard work. A man shows up at the Chicken Shack, in cape and with all the other accoutrements a Cavern Master could need.

These gamers are jackasses. So they hassle the guy for wearing a cape and take their game playing very casually. This enrages the Cavern Master and has each of the players roll his special dice. This transports them into the game as their characters. The Cavern Master is interrupted by the sister of one of the players and her boyfriend. They too are transported into the game.

Shit happens and the gang gets separated, some in jail, some in the forest, more hijinks, mixups, etc. They all eventually get together, find out that the Cavern Master has done this to other people and trick him into a situation where he has to release them or die. Unfortunately for them, he dies and they're stuck in the game world with no way to get out.

The end.

My Thoughts:

Swords and Spectres has been reviewing this series and I thought I'd try it. He did warn me about the profanity and folks, he was NOT kidding. These are 20 something losers with the accompanying attitude. Self-absorbed, filthy mouthed, caring about no one or anything but themselves. I was actually rather glad that they got theirs by being pushed into the game. Unfortunately, they are just as horrible in game as they are out of the game.

The humor was right up my alley and I kept snorting and laughing out loud but honestly, it was wicked crass and relied on a juvenile humor about death and body functions.

Even with that, I'l be reading the next book. However, since I'm pretty sure it is just more of the same, I expect to stop the series then.

★★☆☆☆

The End of the Battle (Yu-Gi-Oh! R #5) (Manga)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: The End of the Battle
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh! R
Author/Artist: Akira Ito
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 296
Format: Kindle







Synopsis:
Jonouchi duels it out with the resurrected Bandit Keith, as this whole thing was instigated by Keith as revenge for his death at Pegasus' hand.
Yugi continues his duel with Yako. It is god card against evil god card. Can Yugi and the power of the cards break through the evil god cards' influence on Yako?
Either way, there are some great duels ahead.

My Thoughts:
This was a long volume. At almost 300 pages, it allowed for 2 duels that were both book length in and of themselves.

Neither duel had the impact on me that previous ones had. Part of that was that the ending of each duel was the typical Yu-Gi-Oh ending. Lots of friendship and caring and heart of the duelist. I'd actually say that Ito took this further than his predecessor, Takahashi the creator of Yu-Gi-Oh.

Anzu always played a very small part in this franchise but in this series it felt like Ito didn't know how to make use of her and so relegated her to a non-existence. Someone with that short a skirt should definitely have more page time!

Overall, I really enjoyed this series. Enough so that I'll start saving up to buy these in paper.  If you liked the original series or the Duelist series, you'll definitely like this.

Return of the Dragon (Yu-Gi-Oh! R #4) (Manga)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Return of the Dragon
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh! R
Author/Artist: Akira Ito
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 200
Format: Kindle








Synopsis:
Gekko goes up against the Number 1 Card Professor, and loses. Hence, Yugi is shutout from rescuing Anzu.
Kaiba goes up against Yako and even with his Ultimate Blue Eyes, he loses spectacularly.
Things really don't look good for Anzu.

My Thoughts:
Gekko's battle was a bit underwhelming but at some point the Good Guys needed to lose. To bad Yugi was paired up with Gekko so one's loss was the others as well. I know Anzu will be fine in the end, but I'm excited to see how Ito brings the story to its conclusion.

Yako and Seto's fight was awesome! The dark god cards just radiate menace and it was fun to see Seto overwhelmed.

Looking forward to the conclusion of this series in the next volume.

Synthetic Soul (Yu-Gi-Oh! R #3) (Manga)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: Synthetic Soul
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh! R
Author/Artist: Akira Ito
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 216
Format: Kindle







Synopsis:
Yako isn't interested so much in who wins or loses, but simply that the cards are being used to duel. All part of his plan to bring Pegasus back.
Jonouchi and Honda duel to a dead end while Yako asks Seto to join forces with him against Yugi.
It is now up to Yugi and Gekko, Yako's twin brother, to end this charade and save Anzu before it is too late.

My Thoughts:
Seto's duel, where he once again uses the Blue Eyes White Dragon was exactly a Seto Kaiba duel. He was in control the whole time and he knew it.

Jonouchi ends up dueling a defensive girl and tries to engage her so she'll actually be a duelist with a duelist's fighting spirit. It doesn't hurt that this allows him to win as well.

Yugi and Gekko take on the top Card Professors, and while not exactly wiping the floor with them, do overcome them. I have to admit, I was kind of hoping for a 4 player multi-duel with them.

I am still enjoying these and am glad I did eventually get around to reading them. They fit right in with the Duelist series and I am enjoying them more than the Millennium World series. It makes me actually consider reading some of the Yugioh GX series. I'll keep considering that for now.

A World Ruled by Fear! (Yu-Gi-Oh! R #2) (Manga)

This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot. wordpress.leafmarks.com & Bookstooge's Reviews on the Road Facebook Group by Bookstooge's Exalted Permission.
Title: A World Ruled by Fear!
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh! R
Author/Artist: Akira Ito
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 200
Format: Kindle







Synopsis:
Yugi and Jonouchi's battles advancing them into Kaiba Corp continue. The Card Professors are folding like a house of cards before them, but that is all according to Yako Tenma's plan.
Who is insane, twisted by the Jashin, the evil god cards, that even Pegasus never dared to create.
So Yugi and Jonouchi must save Anzu from the top protege of Pegasus, who wants to reincarnate Pegasus in Anzu's body.
And finally, Seto shows up to take back his company. He might be an arrogant ass hat, but he's a hardcore duelist through and through and nothing is going to stop him.

My Thoughts:
Holy smokes! While book 1 was all lightning fast battles, this was some real drama, plot reveals and some hardcore duels.
This book typified what I like about Yu-Gi-Oh!.

Given, having played both Yugioh and Magic the Gathering, I know that you don't always get the cards you want/need. So put that aside and the battles here are just flat out fun.

It was also good to see what Yako's real agenda is and how insane it is. What a nut job! It wasn't until near the end of the book that Seto and Mokuba show up to take back their company.  Seto is drawn with an intensity that just jumps off the page and the duel he's in crackles with energy. As for poor little Mokuba, that kidnap bait, he is drawn really weirdly. He reminded me of a demon monkey and his part is negligible as always. I'm just waiting for Yako to kidnap him, hahaha!

Overall, I was really pleased with this book. If the rest of the series keeps to this level, I'll be buying the paper copies for sure.