Channel - MTG 4th Edition

Wordpress Reader Issues

No, this won’t be a rant this time, just more of an “by the way, X is happening, be aware”.

WordPress has steadily been messing with the reader that has caused other issues, but I’ve noticed in the last week or so that only the picture of my avatar has been showing up when my posts go to the reader. I did figure out that if I made the book cover a “featured image” that it would show the book cover instead of my avatar. I’m guessing the feeder now shows the biggest image unless there is a feature image? So one problem kind of solved. I can go through all my scheduled posts and give them a featured image.

That however has rippled into other problems. I use the (details)(/details) code to hide my synopsis because sometimes it is outrageously long and nobody needs to scroll through it all. So when I edit a post that is already scheduled that has the (detail) code, WP in its infinite wisdom, strips that code out. So not only do I have to add a “featured image” but I also have to wade through the guts of the post and add the correct code all over again.

Just wanted make you aware of this so if you see all of my posts for the rest of the month showing just my avatar, I didn’t want you to think I was being (completely) egotistical. I’ve started to add the featured image to my already long list of steps that I have to take just to bleeping post here on WP so starting in June it should become a non-issue for any viewers.

Cheers!

The Cause of It All (The Russians) ★★★★☆

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 by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Cause of It All
Series: (The Russians)
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 20
Words: 5K

From Bookstooge.blog

A 2 part play about russian peasants and alcohol. The first part is about a husband spending the family’s money on drink instead of buying the stuff his wife asked for.

The second part deals with a thief who stole some food and blames his descent in life on drinking alcohol. The husband and wife get into an argument and the husband ends up giving the thief the food he stole anyway, just to spite his wife.

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Being a teetotaler myself, I had zero issues with this morality play. I think drink causes more problems than any comfort or enjoyment it brings. I also believe that impairment begins with the first drink. Which is why I don’t think Christians should drink at all. We are specifically forbidden to get drunk and as such, I’ll err on the side of caution on this issue.

Not much else to say really. Tolstoy makes his feelings on the issue of alcohol pretty clear so it’s not like I have to try to interpret what he’s secretly saying.

I liked this better than Shakespeare’s plays, that’s for sure. Much shorter 😉 And honestly, that cover is pretty cool too. If I had cheekbones and a chin like that, I’d probably be ruling the Social Media World right now. And then I’d be led astray into drinking which would lead to wild debauches and eventually I’d end up on the street, a penniless homeless diabetic, one insulin shot away from death. Man, that was a close call!

★★★★☆

• The Russians
• Leo Tolstoy
• Fyodor Dostoyevsky
• Ivan Turgenev
• Nikolai Gogol

The Seasons of the Tree of Day and Night

The Seasons of the Tree of Day and Night

I definitely identify with one side of the tree more than the other.

Pescatel (The Hatchery) (Groo the Wanderer #17) ★★★✬☆

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, by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Pescatel (The Hatchery)
Series: Groo the Wanderer #17
Author: Sergio Aragones
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Comics
Pages: 24
Words: 2K

From Bookstooge.blog

Groo is lost, starving and drowning. He eventually makes it to land, finds a village surrounded by a lake filled with man eating fish and gets a job at the village being their war chief. He is sent out to destroy the villagers’ enemies. Only, being Groo, he attacks their allies and makes them their enemies. When a second ally village is called to make peace, Groo attacks them as well thinking they are the enemies. Now everybody is an enemy of the village.

But thanks to the man eating fish, the village is safe. Until Groo releases the only fish that eats the man eating fish. The villagers finally kick Groo out and he runs into the villagers enemies. And proceeds to tell them everything.

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When I read the previous Groo comic, Wakizashi mentioned that #17 was the first comic he had bought with his own money and was very nostalgic about it. So I figured I’d give him a shout out because things like that are important. Why you ask? Because I said so, that’s why! And if you disagree, you can go sit in the corner without dinner and think about what a miserable wretch you are to even contemplate disagreeing with me. Wakizashi knows better and that’s why he is eating a delicious fish dinner, just like Groo.

Groo is a walking disaster. I mean, if he “could” do something the wrong way, invariably he does it the wrong way. And yet he always walks away from the situation alive, even if he should have died. Aragones knows this is the formula and as such doesn’t try to put pat endings on the comics. For example, in this issue the last page is of Groo walking into an ambush by the original villagers who hired him. Aragones doesn’t show the battle but we know we’re going to see Groo next issue, even if he’s hurt and bleeding, hahahaa.

The other thing is just how ridiculous Groo continually is. I’m going to include a page from the comic to illustrate this. I laughed hard enough when I read that Mrs B had to ask what was going on. When I said “I’m reading a Groo comic”, she just rolled her eyes and understood.

This whole page just sums up Groo to perfection.

★★★✬☆

• All of My “Groo the Wanderer” Reviews

The Con Man (87th Precinct) ★★★✬☆

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 by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: The Con Man
Series: 87^th Precinct
Author: Ed McBain
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Crime Fiction
Pages: 150
Words: 51K

From the Publisher

A con man is plying his trade on the streets of Isola: conning a domestic for pocket change, businessmen for thousands, and even ladies in exchange for a little bit of love. You can see the world, meet a lot of nice people, imbibe some unique drinks, and make a ton money…all by conning them for their cash.

The question is: How far is he willing to go?

When a young woman’s body washes up in the Harb River, the answer to that question becomes tragically clear. Now Detective Steve Carella races against time to find him before another con turns deadly. The only clue he has to go on is the mysterious tattoo on the young woman’s hand—but it’s enough. Carella takes to the streets, searching its darkest corners for a man who cons his victims out of their money…and their lives.

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The synopsis is very misleading, in that it makes it seem like there is only ONE con man doing his thing. Well, there isn’t. I won’t tell you how many though, because that would be, GASP, a spoiler and heaven forbid you read a spoiler for a book from 1957! (and by the way, Leia is Luke’s sister) Plus, everyone knows by now that Bookstooge.blog is a completely Spoiler Free Zone and I never tell anyone anything. You bunch of saps…

This wasn’t nearly as “gritty” as the Pusher and I am very thankful for that. McBain doesn’t go into graphic detail about the murders, so that’s good too. And it’s hard to be “gritty” about con men tricking people out of 5 dollars, or 50 dollars or 500 dollars. Basically, trust nobody and you’ll be safe. That’s my philosophy and it would have helped the poor marks who were fleeced in the story.

If it’s too good to be true, then it’s too good to be true. That is true whether you’re talking about money or love. Be happy and satisfied with what you have. Otherwise you’re going to end up losing what you do have. Don’t be stupid.

Well, if you really want to be stupid, you can be. But I’m going to have to charge you for being stupid on my blog. And that’s going to cost you a cool $20 American. Just leave your name, address, mother’s maiden name, credit card number, expiration date and cvw number down in the comments. It’ll be a sacrifice, but I’ll take your data and bilk you. But remember, I warned you, so it’s your fault.

★★★✬☆

• All My “87^th Precinct” Reviews

Scramble (One Piece #39) ★★★✬☆

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 by Bookstooge’s Exalted Permission

Title: Scramble
Series: One Piece #39
Arc: Water Seven #8
Author: Eiichiro Oda
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Genre: Manga
Pages: 207
Words: 10K

From Wikipedia:

“Sea Train Battle Game”

“Ramen Kung Fu”

“You’re Not Alone”

“The Honorable Captain T-Bone”

“Plastic Surgery”

“Necessary Evil”

“Scramble”

“The Supermen of Enies Lobby”

“I Got It!!”

“The Big Showdown on the Judiciary Island”

As they move through the train looking for Robin, Sanji, Usopp, and Franky deal with the lesser members of Cipher Pol. Although they find her, Robin does not allow herself to be saved. CP9 captures Franky again, kicks Sanji and Usopp from the train, and continues on to Enies Lobby. Sanji and Usopp wait along the tracks, and reunite with Luffy and the others when they go by. They arrive at the judiciary island soon after CP9 does and engage the forces of the world government in order to get Robin back.

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This was an absolute action packed volume. To the point where there were pages where I didn’t even bother trying to figure out the details of what was happening because all that mattered was that several characters were fighting. I have to admit, I am not a big fan of how Oda-san draws his action scenes. He might know exactly what he’s trying to convey and can see it himself, but for me, it is just a big swirly mess.

The crew keep increasing in power and I have to say, I really like Usopp becoming the Sniper King. And Luffy’s reaction to him is hilarious. Luffy thinks he’s a super hero because he wears a cape, hahahahaa. Good stuff.

With more info about the World Government, this world is really starting to remind me of the Warhammer 40,000 Universe, ie, there is no good side and power is all that matters. The CP9, the supposed arbiters of Justice, are as corrupt, ruthless and unprincipled as any pirate villain we’ve seen so far. At this point, I’d throw my hat into the pirate ring just to oppose them, they’re that bad. It doesn’t speak well of the WG that they employ and condone such characters.

This volume ends with the Straw Hats and Franky’s gang having broken into the Island where Robin is going to be judged. All of the CP9 are there as well as 10,000 WG marines. So I expect the fights will be continuous and non-stop in the next volume as well.

★★★✬☆

• All My “One Piece” Reviews