Finished Dan Brown's Inferno

So, I finished Dan Brown's Inferno, and I got to say. It was mildly disappointing. Don't get me wrong, it's still a Dan Brown thriller, fast paced and full off twists. But the twists here are really predictable, well at least for me they were.

Brown has tried to change a few things, but these changes are not significant and may go unnoticed. His narrative this time around is not the relentlessly fast paced paper cut page turner we have come to expect a la The Da Vinci Code, but rather a lethargic tourist guide sprint through Florence. His descriptions of famous Florentian landmarks reads like a literal guided tour, at some points these overt descriptions become so tedious that you are tempted to skip them altogether, so that you can continue with the plot.  There is also a lot of unnecessary repetiition of a single plot point, again and again and again. It almost feels like it was done to meet some kind of word count.

The plot components stay more or less the same. There's a high powered organisation with a head who has a cool nickname. This time it's The Provost, the head of an organisation called The Consortium, which is so secretive that even Dan Brown wasn't allowed to name who they really were, and as a result, The Provost remains a mystery throughout the book. Even with all the mystery surrounding The Consortium, and even with Mr. Brown's statement that such an organisation exists and he was compelled to change their name to protect their identity, it doesn't make one curious to find out what The Consortium really is in real life like his previous books, which had me researching the NRO and the Delta Force in great detail.

The other change is the muscle/thug like Silas in the Da Vinci Code or the Delta Force in Deception Point. In Inferno, it's Vayentha a Consortium Agent who isn't much of a thug and is killed off in the middle of the book.

And the usual bait and switch you come to expect from Dan Brown when it comes to the real villain of the story, this time around is disappointing and quite predictable, even with the narrative trying so hard to take you in a completely different direction. The attempt at misdirection seems like it's trying too hard and at times feels contrived.

The only bit of the book that had some kind of intense pacing to it was the ending, which takes Robert Langdon to Istanbul. And it's here that Brown seems to find his Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons mojo again, the descriptions here are engaging and drive the intensity of the climax higher. The ending is the only bit of the book where I could find the Da Vinci Code Dan Brown. The ending was the meat of the story and the rest was just useless stuffing without the gravy.

This story left me wanting more and as a result, next time I just might wait for the paperback rather than pay premium for the release date hardback.

Began Dan Brown's Inferno

So, I received Dan Brown's Inferno yesterday. The cover art is spectacular, so is the hardcover beneath the dust jacket.

I only read a couple of chapters yesterday. Why do I mention this? Well because, for one, in the past, I would have finished the book in a few hours. And I have to say, so far it lacks this one lacks hook you in and keep you flipping the pages pace that were a hallmark of his previous works.

Now I won't simply judge the book from it's first few chapters, I still have a long way to g o, and I'm pretty sure that Dan Brown and Robert Langdon will deliver in the end. 

Star Trek Into Darkness, a Classic Retelling

That's all I can say about the new Star Trek movie. J.J Abrams has made an incredibly entertaining sci fi adventure in Star Trek. Into Darkness is fast paced and and a truly entertaining action adventure which pays homage to the Gene Rodenberry's world while also paving the way for a new generation. This movie will make new fans out of people born after the new millennium even, who may not even know what Star Trek is, and believe me, there are a quite a few of them out there.

One more thing, Benedict Cumberbatch is one of the most charismatic and deadly villains I have seen on a screen after a long time. And yes, he is who we thought  he is.

Major Spoilers ahead

John Harrison is Khan, Benedict Cumberbatch is Khan. Boy, I needed to get that off my chest. We see classic quotes and references from the very first minutes of the film and towards the end we also get to see the revered Vulcan nerve pinch.

But this movie is so cleverly crafted that even till the end you might think that this version of Khan may be different. Especially after the events of the first film, in which J.J Abrams gave us a time travelling Romulan who changed the course of history and reality as we know it, with Spock meeting Spock and all. By the way, the elder Spock makes a cameo in the sequel as well, where he tells the younger Spock what Khan is capable of, all while Jim Kirk is dying. Oh and yeah, Jim Kirk dies in this. But not to worry, he comes back to life. I won't go into any more details, not that there are any more details, but still. Star Trek Into Darkness pays homage to the Trek mythos while laying the groundwork for it's own legacy and it's own future.

The 3D conversion didn't give me a headache, which is always a plus.

The movie is awesome and everyone should watch it, there is no false advertising or misdirection here. Just pure fanboy entertainment.









 



 

Iron Man 3, The Mandarin, False Advertising or Misdirection?

So, I caught Iron Man 3 this weekend. And it was everything you'd expect out of a summer blockbuster. Especially a Marvel summer blockbuster.

The third instalment in the superhero franchise had tons of action, humour and the right amount of Robert Downey Junior to make it a bonafide hit. And judging by the 195 million dollars it made overseas, it's going to make its money for sure. But I do have a single gripe with this Iron Man Outing. And that gripe is the Mandarin.

When it was first announced that Ben Kingsley had been cast as the Mandarin, I was a bit skeptical o begin because in the comics, and people may disagree here, the Mandarin is depicted as Asian. I didn't nit pick though. Because hey it was Sir Ben Kingsley, so at least the villain will be in good hands. Or so I thought, until I saw the movie that is.

Possible Spoilers ahead

The Mandarin is not at all what he was advertised as. Now I don't know if it was some clever misdirection on Shane Black's part but if it was, it was a little disappointing. You see, in the movie, the Mandarin isn't at all what he seems, I mean literally. And if you're waiting for something more, you'll be sorely disappointed. Granted, theres plenty of action and explosions and cool armour that flies remote controlled. But at the end of the day I have to say that the supposedly main villain of the movie disappoints. And fans of the comics may feel a little cheated when they see whats been done to the Mandarin, arguably one of Iron Man's most notorious villains.One more thing Guy Pierce is not doing an extended cameo, he's a proper player in this movie. He was great, don't get me wrong. But the part he plays may surprise you a little.

One of the highlights of the movie was the after credits easter egg, which finds tony on a therapist's couch, and guess who the doctor is.

All in all, the movie is great, and you should watch it. But don't expect it to follow comic book lore to the letter.

 

 
 

 

Batman: Arkham Origins Release date Announced

Batman: Arkham Origins the Prequel/ Sequel to Batman: Arkham City will hit stands on October 25th.
But heres some news that may not be so welcome. Rocksteady Studios will not be developing the game.

Heres a link to the original article at:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/04/09/may-cover-revealed-batman-arkham-origins.aspx

Arkham City sequel to be called Arkham Origins?

Got the latest news from Cinemablend.com that the New Batman Arkham Game, tentatively titled Arkham Origins will be announced at E3 in June. And it looks like the Justice League will be a certainty.

The game is believed to be set in the Silver Age, but since the announcement may happen soon. There's no point in speculating. Just to be clear, this announcement at E3 at this point is just a rumour, so take it with a pinch of salt. 

Snippets of Fiction 2

She looked at him with forlorn eyes. He was nursing a cup of camamile tea as he spoke on the phone. She didn't know who was on the other end.In fact, she didn't want to know. Right now, he was an attractive man, seated opposite her at a cafe in Paris. What could be a more romantic setting? Now all that was left was their eyes to meet.

She had been willing him to look up from his tea for the past quarter of an hour. He was engrossed in the conversation. He was dressed casually in Jeans and an LL Bean Jacket, but he did have a very formal looking briefcase by his side. Who was he? She wondered. A corporate big shot,a journalist maybe or even a spy. Maybe he was getting instructions on his next assignment on the phone, maybe it was an assassination. She smiled. Her imagination did get away from her sometimes. She cointinued to stare at him discreetly. All he had to do was look up, and he would see her, maybe he would  walk up to her, maybe they would strike up a conversation, maybe they would begin dating, maybe he would be waiting by the altar. She smiled again.

As she looked at him again, she paused, he was looking right at her. He had caught her staring. She felt herself blush. He raised his cup and gave her a smile and a nod, acknowledging her.

She watched silently as he drained his cup, left change on the table and walked out the door and out of her life.Well, she shrugged, you win some, you lose some.