Story Fragment: Avatars of Vulpran, part 5

Read part 4 (and find links to previous parts) here

Down the Stacks #43: Arcanum Unbounded

It is Brandon Sanderson time once more here on Down the Stacks.  This week’s selection is from the Cosmere, but in a much more general sense than any other book.  Arcanum Unbounded is a new anthology collection that brings together a number of short Cosmere tales that have been previously published in many disparate places.  It’s more than just a simple anthology though: this new Arcanum provides never before seen glimpses into the works of a significant player in the Cosmere’s background narrative.

Story Fragment: Avatars of Vulpran, part 4

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Other Media Review: Burrito Bison Launcha Libre

Many years ago, I was a regular player of browser-based Flash games through websites like Addicting Games, Newgrounds, and Kongregate.  One of the games I especially enjoyed was a distance-launcher game called Burrito Bison.  The premise was a bit goofy: the titular character was a Luchador whose normal day of shopping is interrupted when he’s kidnapped to a land of living gummy bears and thrown into a wrestling ring against candy-themed wrestlers.  The gameplay was launching B.B. from the ring (ideally hitting the opponent for a speed bonus) to bounce off gummy bears to try and reach the portal home.

Some time later, the game creators, Juicy Beast, released a sequel where Burrito Bison returns to the candy world to retrieve his stolen wallet.  I played both games to completion, found them to be highly enjoyable, and moved on with my life.

A few days ago, I was browsing the Google Play store on my phone and stumbled across a new entry in the Burrito Bison series, subtitled Launcha Libre.  It’s an all-new game with the core mechanics adjusted for a touch screen and with additions like new characters and typical free-to-play elements.

Down the Stacks #42: The Aeronaut's Windlass

This week on Down the Stacks, we return to a favorite author of mine: Jim Butcher.  This masterful and entertaining writer of the Dresden Files and the Codex Alera has recently launched a new series called the Cinder Spires.  The Aeronaut's Windlass is the first entry, and it has all the hallmarks of Butcher’s style: smart and snarky characters, a solid and fascinating world, and the promise of deep and complex plots.

Read on for more details.

Down the Stacks #41: Emerald Sea

This week on Down the Stacks, I owe John Ringo a bit of an apology.  After slogging through There Will be Dragons, I was dubious about the rest of the series.  When the I went to the library to pick out my next set of books, however, I decided to give “Council Wars”another go and checked out Emerald Sea.  It is a vast improvement.

Down the Stacks #40: Promise of the Wolves

This week on Down the Stacks, we have a selection that’s a bit lighter than recent fare:  Promise of the Wolves by Dorothy Hearst.