‘Book Club’: Horus Rising Part 2 Chapter 3 Rehash: Oops

Welcome back to Hatchet’s Summer Book Club!  If you’re new, check out the first post in the series ‘Book Club’: Horus Rising Ch. 1-3.

You can find the previous post HERE and the next post HERE (whenever that happens).

When I open up to chapter 4, the first page is on my right, meaning the last page of chapter 3 is on my left.

I may have skipped chapter 3 entirely in my previous post.

Oops.

Let’s fix that shall we?

Loken finds his friend Sinderman in the library reading poetry and fiction to recover from the terrifying necromorph attack.  They discuss the Whisperheads event (which happened NINE WEEKS AGO).  Loken asks Sinderman to review some of the poetry Ig has written as Loken has no idea how poetry works.

I was hoping that since the narrative with Loken picks up at nine weeks after, there would be no description of the mundane things that happened after all that exciting stuff from chapter 9.

I hoped in vain.

Honestly, it’s not that bad, there are some interesting things that happened in the past nine weeks.

Firstly, we get some insight on the relationship dynamics of the Mournival.

Secondly, we discover that Jubal was part of a Lodge, a warrior fraternity, and Loken hates those.  In fact he despises them.  I was only ever an honorary member of a fake frat, so I really have no opinion of them.  While Loken seems to have a personal vendetta against these Lodges, no one else agrees with him.

Thirdly, Iggy is alive.  Somehow.  That’s good for him I guess, I did like him (I like Keeler more, where the heck is she Abnett!!).  Ig is placed on probation since he can’t not tell the truth.  Loken vouches for him, under the conditions that Ig give him copies of all his poetry and ALWAYS tells the truth.

Fourthly, lowercase Horus invites Loken to a LODGE!  Loken says fine.

The end.

This has been Hatchet’s Summer Book Club, thanks for being here! x33

‘Book Club’: Horus Rising Part 2 Chapters 1-3: Here’s the Sitch

Welcome back to Hatchet’s Summer Book Club!  If you’re new, check out the first post in the series ‘Book Club’: Horus Rising Ch. 1-3.

You can find the previous post HERE and the next post HERE.

Alright, so here’s the sitch.

I’m having a hard time reading this book.

I don’t know if it’s because I’m trying to blog while reading or if I just don’t like it.  There are parts and characters that I enjoy, but for the most part, I’ve been purposefully avoiding this.  BUT I WILL CARRY ON!

So part 2.

In chapter 1 of part 2 all that excitement, action, and mystery of those last few chapters comes to a painful grinding halt.  I mean, this book that I had doubts about totally reeled me in those last three chapters, gained my trust, and then dashed my book heart against those stupid grass stalks of Murder.

We are introduced to a new dude, who waxes poetic for quite some time about finding the perfect opponent.  I much prefer his friend who doesn’t care about all that and just wants some action.  (please give me something interesting to read, please).  Their names aren’t important, they just die by the end of chapter 2.

So our new heroes encounter some strange half mechanical/half squishy-red-stuff creatures.  Or rather very dense bone stuff.  These things look like spiders, which is more than enough reason for me to want to destroy them.  These creatures are very tough and kill many nameless Astartes.  I may have missed something, but why aren’t they using giant flame throwers?  Doesn’t everyone know the best way to get rid of spiders is fire?  After a bunch of skirmishes, our now doomed group find what remains of the Blood Angels (they’re dead, bt-dubbs).

Oh yeah, New Dude and Co. were looking for for a company of Astartes called the Blood Angels.  They landed on Murder and promptly died, just like New Dude and Co.  I doubt they’d send anybody else after them.

Shit.

Chapter 3 returns to Loken and his crew, who are en-route to Murder to rescue the hapless crew who was sent to rescue the hapless Blood Angels.  Except no rescuing was happening.  These giant, horse-faced soldiers are so insecure that if they find out a group of their comrades need rescuing they’d be unable to function.  Anywho.  Instead of exploring Murder with Loken, we find out that Ig is alive.

Wait, Ig is alive?  Didn’t he die…like stopped breathing died?  And lost a bunch blood?  And had broken…everything?

Aight, whatever.  So Ig is alive, but also extremely subdued and much less Ig-like.  I guess Sadie called in a favour from Loken who vouched for Ig, and HORUS decided to let Ig stay on the giant ship-country.  However, Ig has to report directly to Loken and give him everything he writes so they can make sure Ig doesn’t say anything that makes the Empire look bad.

Well that was only a little surprising.

I believe that the next post should be on Ch. 4-5, as there are about 7(?) chapters in Part 2.  And then there are four chapters in Part 3 and we’ll be done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This has been Hatchet’s Summer Book Club, thanks for being here! x33

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‘New Music’: Balance and Composure in Light We Made

Hey bitmuchers!

Welcome back to Hatchet reviews music!  It’s been a while, but I’ve finally found the time (a.k.a. I’ve been sick all weekend with nothing to do) to listen to, take notes, and formulate words about Balance and Composure’s newest album.

Balance and Composure are an alternative rock/post-hardcore group from Doylestown PA (only two hours from my residence, practically a local band) and are nearly 10 years old.  They have three full length albums and several EP’s.

Balance and Composure’s third full length album, Light We Made, was released on October 7th of 2016 on Vagrant Records.  It is a bit of a departure from their previous albums, as will happen with any evolving musicians, but Light We Made is so undeniably Balance and Composure.  I wouldn’t put this album in the ‘post-hardcore’ genre, it is just too darn chill.  The music is so relaxing and soothing, it is great to lay down with a cat on your feet and zone out too.  It was a wonderful time.

Favourite tracks include Midnight Zone, Postcard, and Is It So Much to Adore?

Fair warning, the video for Postcard is a bit bizarre.

 

This has been According to Hatchet,

Thanks for being here! x33

 

Their Website | Their Facebook | Their Youtube

‘Books’: V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd

Remember remember the fifth of November

The gunpowder treason and plot

I see no reason why the gunpowder treason should ever be forgot

Happy November 5th everyone!  The day when the British burn effigies of Guy Fawkes for fun, and Americans only celebrate because an eccentric author wrote a comic book.

V for Vendetta is a comic book written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd, first published in 1988.  Set in a post-war/dystopian/post-apocalyptic UK in the 1990’s, the story follows a large cast of characters who are caught between a corrupt fascist government and a terrorist trying to spread anarchy.

The movie that most are familiar with came out in 2006, produced by the Matrix people.  The movie features a much smaller cast, and less obvious political themes.  Moore hates the movie (he hates all movies), but Lloyd praised the movie for being a compelling story despite straying from the source material.

Reading V for Vendetta for the first time was strange.  I had seen the movie a few years before and was shocked at the number of essential characters that were cut for the movie.  The political themes were much more poignant in the book as well, and obviously, the driving force behind the characters.  I wasn’t prepared for the clout behind the book that the movie didn’t have.

My most recent read through of the book was last semester when I wrote a paper about the themes of anarchy throughout the book.  The book is a commentary on Thatcher era UK (while the movie is a commentary on Bush era US), and Moore’s own personal beliefs in anarchism.  The character’s stories are heartbreaking and engaging, and the story sticks with you.

I highly recommend this book to any comic book lover and anyone who enjoys reading political novels.

And if you’ve never seen the film, November 5^th is the best day to do so.

This has been According to Hatchet,

Thanks for being here!

 

 

[I used Wikipedia because it’s really not that bad, I just googled the picture, but credit to David Lloyd]