sci-fi

atthequillsmercy

Writing Update! Plans going forward.

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So, since my money situation is not good, I am going to be releasing my next book in chapters as I finish them on my Patreon under the $5 membership tier. I am aiming for one chapter a month that’s as polished as I can make it. Be aware, this book is in progress. Once I finally release the completed book, things may be reorganized and absolutely will be re-edited. It’s been awhile since I continued my first series and I’m actually excited to get back to it!

I’m also still working on that dystopian librarian story and brainstorming some ideas for the Djinn, Fruit of the Dead, Go Away Girls, and Gods in the Grey City series. Sometimes it surprises me how many series I have going right now… These are also all available here on my blog if you want to check them out.

Yes, this is ambitious considering I work full time, overtime, looking into remote part time work, and still reviewing books all the while with a teenager but it’s clear that just one job isn’t going to keep a roof over our heads. I’m gonna have to push myself to write as much as possible. Hopefully, you all enjoy it!

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Lenni Reviews: “Mutant Cats” Vol. 1, by Matthew Medney, Alex Arizmendi & Morgan Rosenblum

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Mutant Labs is hard at work on The Cluster; a project that will provide renewable energy that’s small enough to hold in your hand. The device is composed of a threat that draws power from other universes. Flux and his team are under huge pressure to get it completed in three days and the rush inevitably causes an interdimensional catastrophe (pun not intended but appreciated).

Edgy teenage me probably would have gotten a kick out of this. From the Garbage Pail Kids kind of art to the Bored Ape parodies and frequent foul language; it would be a blast and a half for a brief moment but for me, it garnered a smirk here and there. I didn’t like it but I didn’t hate it either and once it was done, I completely forgot about it until I came back to type up this review. I don’t think it’s “low brow” but it is low hanging fruit in regards to humor even though some of the alternate universe stuff was interesting. 2.5 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Choujin X” Vol. 5, by Sui Ishida

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tokio, Ely, and Azuma go to Beast Isles to train, a place owned by the Yamato Mori. They get attacked and taken to see the founder of the Yamato Mori, Sora Siruha.

This volume was really interesting. There’s plenty of action and some funny moments but I don’t know how I feel about this big chosen one prophesy thing. I like the little twist on it but the previous volumes had the theme of maybe the chosen one thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Tokio is trying hard to find his way  because he always saw Asuma as a sort of chosen one but he got powers and has to work very hard to be competent; much less a golden child. I dunno, we’ll see. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Takopi’s Original Sin” by Taizan5

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review and is recommended for mature readers. Trigger warnings for suicide, child abuse, and bullying.

An alien, Takopi, arrives on Earth with the mission to spread happiness through the universe. His first subject is Shizuka, a 4th grader with a terrible life. However, Takopi’s misguided and simplistic attempts leave misery in it’s wake.

This is a rough read. I’ve seen people call it “misery porn” and given how much time is spent watching our main cast miserable and hurting only to have a rushed conclusion (that I kinda understand but it still feels rushed to me). I have to agree. I tried to embrace that last crumb of positivity but I felt exhausted by the end of this. If you’d like to try this one out, be aware of the trigger warnings and have something fun to read afterwards. 3.7 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Asadora!” Vol. 7, by Naoki Urasawa

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

The creature appears in Tokyo Bay ready to attack but the crowds from the Olympics keep Asa from getting there to help, losing precious time to stop the monster before it reaches land. Meanwhile, Shota is still struggling with the high expectations with his running.

Even though we didn’t get much progress on whatever’s going on with the kaiju, more of this is about Asa and Shota. Shota is inspired by Asa and not handling it well; twisting it into some dangerous habits and Asa is really coming into her own and becoming stronger. While I do wish we learned more about the monster, the character development is satisfying. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Alice in Borderland” Vol. 8, by Haro Aso

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Kaito Kameyama is a reporter who finds himself in Borderland and decides to use his camera to document his life there. When Arisu finds his camera, he learns of Kaito’s fate and Arisu is struggling to keep himself together. Meanwhile, the games continue with the King of Diamonds.

Yeah, with the amount of games that involve all this math, I’d be dead. As someone who’s eyes glaze over when complicated math is involved, I’m relying completely on the character’s reactions when it comes to the tension of the game they’re playing. If you’re like me in that respect, you might just flip through these parts until the game is over. Also, Niragi is back to fight Arisu and I am shocked this guy is still here. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Blade of the Moon Princess” Vol. 2, by Tatsuya Endo

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Princess Kaguya, stranded on Earth, is trying to find a way to honor the promise she made to her mother. Along with Guard Cadet Mikuni, they work against the Ume forces dark deeds.

There’s a decent chunk of this is Kaguya learning how to use her sword but it was cool so see her on a mission and gain some focus and discipline. As fun as Kaguya’s chaotic energy is, it’s nice to see her put  her energy towards something other than just being powerful and beating on bad guys. It’s not a lasting change for this volume but I can see the potential for growth in the character. 3 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Alice in Borderland” Vol. 5, by Haro Aso

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

This volume is the King of Clubs game with Kyuma; the musician who likes to be naked. There is also a side story with Chishiya in a game of black jack; showcasing just how calculating he is.

Why anyone gives Niragi more than half a braincell is beyond me. That’s easy for me to say as a reader, I guess, if I get people like that in real life, I pay them no mind. Other than that, the game in this volume is wild. It’s really tense and emotional, even in the side stories. And even if you’ve seen the show, the side stories give some more insight so it’s not just a rehash. Other than some deep strategy talk that feels super slow compared to the excitement of the game, this was a good volume. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Choujin X” Vol. 1, by Sui Ishida

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*This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.

Tokio and Azuma volunteer to assist in the search and rescue efforts at a plane crash were even though the plane was said to be on fire, all the passengers survived. Such a strange event is rumored to involve a choujin – a person with supernatural abilities – and an encounter with a bully with such powers puts the friends in the direct path of a choujin’s wrath.

Even though this is the start to a series, I feel like I’m missing some back story. The concept, action, characters, and what’s been revealed so far are fucking amazing and I absolutely want to continue reading. Maybe the next volume will fill in some gaps for me. Tokio is a great reluctant hero. This is the same creator as Tokyo Ghoul and I can see a bit of commonality in the protagonists but they’re not exactly the same. So far, my favorite is Ely. She’s adorable and has an awesome design. 4 out of 5.

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Lenni Reviews: “Inuyashiki” Vol. 1, by Hiroya Oku

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Ichiro Inuyashiki lives a sad life with a family that doesn’t care about him, a dull job, and a dismal medical diagnosis of terminal cancer. One night while out walking his dog (the only creature that seems to care about him) he sees a blinding light and wakes up hours later in the park. At first it seems nothing’s changed but Inuyashiki realizes his body has been drastically altered.

This is a bleak but solid start to the series. Inuyashiki’s life is just depressing and seeing him get a little bit of happiness is genuinely touching. This volume sets up the twist happening in his life and a possible conflict with another person who has also been changed. Oku also made Gantz and as such that series gets more than a nod here. It’s fine to do that but the story stops dead in it’s tracks so two characters can debate if Gantz is good or not. I ended up skipping over that part to get back to the main story and I honestly hope that doesn’t happen again. 3.7 out of 5.

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