Semi-Perpetual Book-Reading Blog, 2022

[Quatermass]

BOOK 118

One Piece Water Seven 43-44-45 by Eiichiro Oda.

So, here I come to the conclusion of the Water Seven arc of One Piece. But how would this arc, the best of the series so far, conclude? Let’s find out…

The Strawhat Pirates and their allies are facing the elite assassins of Cipher Pol 9 in their quest to rescue Robin. But the deranged Spandam has triggered the Buster Call, adding more urgency to their mission. And even if they escape the Buster Call called down on Enies Lobby, one of their own will make the ultimate sacrifice…

After the dizzying heights of the past couple of volumes, this volume is a bit of a letdown. It’s unrelenting battles that end up at times being more surreal than exciting, and One Piece’s surreal nature does often work against it. Hell, it also feels padded to some degree, and it feels like the arc has overstayed its welcome, as much as I enjoyed it.

Yet it still does pretty well. Spandam’s final humiliations are very satisfying to watch, the Merry’s last voyage and her funeral is a thing of tragic beauty, and we get a proper introduction for Luffy’s grandfather and father, as well as a return of a couple of characters. Plus, we have some promising moments for future arcs.

Overall, while not as superlative as previous volumes, this omnibus of One Piece was an enjoyable end to its best arc so far. A delight to behold…

****

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 119

Tsukimichi: Moonlit Fantasy volume 3, by Kei Azumi.

So, here I am, reading the third volume of Tsukimichi. The first couple of volumes of this isekai series were disappointing. But would the third time be the charm?

Makoto Misumi finally establishes his trading company. But there’s no rest for the Japanese outcast. Dealing with Forest Ogres, a traitor amongst the Forest Ogres, and a Lich is one thing. But an attempt at trying to help a group of Hyuman adventurers will go badly wrong…

As before, there seems to be little plot going here. Instead, we still have way too many of the isekai clichés. Which is a shame, as this series does have potential, it just seems to be wasted.

That being said, having a Forest Elf-like race being called Forest Ogres is novel enough. The greed of the Hyuman adventurers marks a noted turning point, showing a new and slightly disturbing aspect to Makoto’s psyche. And the worldbuilding is going well enough.

Overall, this volume was a small but noticeable improvement on previous ones. Here’s hoping the next one improves on this…


***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 120

The Prisoner: Shattered Visage, by Dean Motter and Mark Askwith.

The Prisoner was one of the most surreal and inscrutable TV series ever made. But it also got a comic sequel series, one that had the approval, or at least lack of disapproval, from Patrick McGoohan. How would this story fare, though?

Twenty years after the Village was evacuated, the mysterious prison for former spies is once more in the headlines, with the former Number Two, who wrote a tell-all exposé that was censored, about to be released from a more standard prison. But this means little to former spy Alice Drake. Estranged from her husband Thomas and her daughter, Alice embarks on a sailing trip, only for a storm to blow her off course. She finds herself in the abandoned Village, and soon finds its sole inhabitant…the man once called Number Six, a broken shell of what he once was…

Part of the problem is with Shattered Visage is admittedly a problem with the original. The lack of clear story does come from The Prisoner to some degree. And the enigmatic plot is going on hobbles things more than a little.

Yet this still feels like a sincere continuation of the original. The explanation for the bizarre events of the finale of the series fits in well, and Alice and Thomas feel like their own characters drawn into Number Six and Number Two’s feud. And the hints of a greater conspiracy are also intriguing, even if irritatingly vague.

Overall, this was a good continuation of The Prisoner, even if a frustratingly enigmatic one. A shame, really…

***½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 121

At the King’s Table: Royal Dining Through the Ages by Susanne Groom.

It was partly due to the works of Heston Blumenthal that I became interested in what royalty had to eat through the ages. So when I discovered this book while searching for more by him (due to Blumenthal having written a foreword for this book), I thought I’d give it a whirl. But how would it fare?

Royal dining has changed over the centuries. New ingredients, new fashions of eating, and changing cultures dictate this. From the lavish banquets of Richard II to the gluttony of George IV, this book looks into the effort made into bringing these dishes to life…

I have to admit to feeling some discontent, given that this book could have had more content, and yet did not. It certainly feels like it skipped over more than a few monarchs who could have been examined, or at least their diets, as I am sure there would have been some information. After all I have read in Heston Blumenthal’s books, I felt there could be more.

Yet there’s no denying that what is in here is interesting enough. The anecdotes about the banquets and what were served up at them were intriguing, as is giving some cultural context to some customs. There’s also some schadenfreude to be had about some of the pitfalls of the Field of Cloth and Gold. And the book is excellently presented, with plenty of illustrations.

Overall, this was an enjoyable look into royal cuisine throughout the centuries. Intriguing and interesting, even if it left me hungry for more, pun intended…

****

 

[Quatermass]

I'm actually genuinely startled at how long it's been since I've read this series. I thought I'd done it earlier in this book-reading thread, but nope. So, without further ado...

BOOK 122

Attack on Titan Colossal Edition volume 5 by Hajime Isayama.

It’s been many years since I read Attack on Titan. Which was admittedly a shame, as this series, despite its faults and unrelenting bleakness, was also enjoyable. Not to mention that the fifth of these omnibus volumes included the revelations about what was truly happening in that world. But now, finally, I have come to it, but would it turn out well?

The Battle of Shiganshina ends with the enemy Titan Shifters retreating. Armin’s life is saved, at the cost of making him a Titan Shifter himself. But there is little time to celebrate or mourn. Investigating Grisha Yeager’s basement reveals a shocking truth: the people living behind the walls are not the only survivors of humanity. Worse still, thanks to their ancestors’ attempts at conquest, their people, the Eldians, are loathed and despised throughout the world, and exploited by the ruthless country of Marley, where Grisha Yeager came from, and where the enemy Titan Shifters come from. This sets Eren, his friends and comrades on a mission deep into enemy territory, and confronting the past, present, and future…

I have to admit, this series’ unrelenting bleakness is pretty wearing on me. It doesn’t help that there’s some blatant and chilling parallels between the Eldians’ treatment and anti-Semitism in our world, both in medieval times and in Nazi Germany. And I can understand why the character of Gabi Braun gets so much hate, given her unthinking spouting of xenophobia towards her own people.

Yet it now feels like the series is finally getting to the crux of the story, after dragging out the mystery (unnecessarily, in my opinion) for so long. The moral ambiguity of the Warriors’ situation contrasts well with the Eldians on Paradis, showing that many of them have, unfortunately, been forced into this situation by their own birth. The exposition and flashbacks, even though it could have interfered with the pacing, actually work well. Many of the characters even in the enemy camp are sympathetic, and we finally understand where Grisha came from, along with some intriguing plot elements to come.

This omnibus volume of Attack on Titan was an enjoyable return to a series that, unfortunately, still wears me down with its darkness. A shame it didn’t quite reach perfection, but hey, it did well…

****½

 

[Quatermass]

BOOK 123

How to Rule Your Own Country by Harry Hobbs and George Williams.

The subject of micronations has fascinated me for some time. So it was that I bought this book. But how would it fare?

Why do micronations exist? To make a political point, or to draw attention to an issue. Or maybe it’s for eccentricity’s sake, or self-aggrandisement, or even fraud. There’s a variety of reasons why, and this book looks into the whys and hows of many a micronation’s existence…

I have to admit, a lot of what I read in this book, I’d already ready in previous books. I get that any new book on micronations is going to retread the same ground of Hutt River and Sealand, but it still feels like thoroughly retrodden ground. And I also feel that some micronations deserved more coverage.

Yet the information presented here is enjoyable, with many of the stories farcical and fascinating. There’s some explanation into how vaguely a state is defined by international law (helping explain some of the problems with micronations), as well as why Australia seems to attract the establishment of micronations. And there’s even interesting stories of micronations founded to either make a point, or just for humour’s sake.

Overall, this was a pretty good look at micronations as a whole. Irreverent and yet informative, while not perfect, it was still enjoyable enough…

****