Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Book Review: City of Fallen Angels

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On July 30, 2014

In Book Review, Fantasy

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments, #4)City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

My Rating: [rating 4]
(Click here to see this review on Goodreads.)

If I had been reading these books as they were being published I probably would have thought that City of Glass was the final book. Granted a few things were left unresolved, but the bad guy was vanquished and all seemed to be as it should. I don’t know if Cassandra Clare had intended on a book four or if all the books in the series were intended from the start.

City of Fallen Angels does start to address a few of those lingering, unresolved details. In fact a couple of those details kind of turn into a pretty big deal. I don’t really want to say too much because I don’t want to spoil the surprises in the book. I can say that while I was a little suspicious of what the plot of the book might be, as I read more I really began to realize what still remained unanswered. This book only begins to answer them; but be prepared for some cliffhangers.

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The MMO Times: The Force Is Strong!

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On July 24, 2014

In Gaming, MMO Times, MMORPG

Sorcerer-screenshot
Issue 103: The Force is our ally and a powerful ally it is. As you may have guessed there is SWTOR news down there today. It makes me happy and excited to be playing SWTOR. On these hot and humid days of summer, while we wait for Blizzard to move their collective asses getting the next expansion deployed, its nice to have something interesting to do. Are any of you doing anything different while we wait, albeit impatiently, for Warlords of Draenor? Somehow I have missed a new MMO called Skyforge, have any of you been looking at this title?

So this issue we have a couple of interesting posts to read instead of the usual “look what’s coming soon” kind of headlines. I hope its a pleasant change for some of you. There are details about the Hearthstone adventure pack (which is now live), SWTOR and WoW game news, also the SDCC is coming soon.

I have a quick World of Warcraft PSA, this week you can get the Iron Skyreaver mount from the pet store for 40% off ($15.00). Enjoy!

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50 Years Of Mustang

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On July 17, 2014

In General Cogitation

1964_ford_mustang_convertibleIf you had your choice to own any car in the world, regardless of cost, insurance, maintenance, etc, what would you choose? I wonder how many people would pick the fastest car, or the most modern, luxury vehicle on the market. Aston Martin, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Rolls Royce are some of the most luxurious cars out there. I would pick none of those! Personally, I would either want a 64 1/2 convertible or a 67 Shelby GT-350, aka “Eleanor” (I would have a very difficult time choosing between those).

Fifty years ago Ford started the Mustang with the 64 1/2. There used to be a 64 1/2 white convertible, with blue leather interior in the family (like the one in the picture). I remember taking rides in it as a kid. We couldn’t go very fast because my mother blew the engine out long before I was born, but it was a sweet machine. Man what I wouldn’t give to have that car back!! My love for the Mustang started with that car. Then I saw the remake of “Gone In 60 Seconds” and that’s when “Eleanor” made the list of dream cars I would love to own.

It’s amazing that a car has become so iconic that Ford is still producing them even 50 years later and people are still buying them. I don’t know enough about cars to answer this, perhaps somebody does, but what other automobile brand has lasted 50 years, and is still manufactured? I imagine it has to be quite a small and elite group. I think most of the newer models of the Mustang have been pretty nice. I think Ford has been doing the Mustang name justice with some of the old school body designs; though I hope they never touch the body designs from the 90s. They were quite horrid.

I hope to one day own a Mustang. It will probably be my fun car. It would be great to get that 64 1/2 back we had in the family, though I wouldn’t mind getting my own “Eleanor”. Unfortunately, on a recent episode of “What’s My Car Worth” on the Velocity network, 1967 Shelby GT-350 Mustangs start at $80,000 up to over $100,000. In fact the 67 Shelby GT-350 in Britney Blue went for 80 grand at auction on that particular episode.

I guess that’s why they are called “dream cars”, the price tag (or odds of locating one), can only happen in one’s dreams.

Happy 50th Birthday, Ford Mustang.

/cheers

The MMO Times: The Daystar Burns Us!

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On July 15, 2014

In Gaming, MMO Times, MMORPG

hot-weatherIssue 102 – Greetings and Salutations, Friends!! Ah, the sweltering days of summer are upon us and what is there better to do on a hot day then sit in the air conditioning and game. Of course you could go to the pool to ogle the bods … err, I mean get some refreshing exercise – but you can’t slay Orcs while wading in the deep end! While keeping cool in this infernal days of summer, check out what’s going on in your favorite MMO titles.

Sony is teasing us again with some new trademarks, and speaking of trademarks, we finally know what “The Dark Below” is. Blizzard has some news for Hearthstone fans and for the folks still playing WoW (while eagerly awaiting Warlords of Draenor). WildStar is making an effort for players to better secure their accounts; I always suggest taking advantage of extra security.

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Book Review: Timebound

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On July 14, 2014

In Book Review

Timebound (The Chronos Files, #1)Timebound by Rysa Walker

My rating: [rating=4]
(See this review on Goodreads.)

This was a really fun book to read. I know whenever you read a book that deals with time travel you always have to wonder whether the author considered the downstream affect of altering the past. I think the author did a pretty good job of taking that into consideration. In fact it a small theme in the plot of the story. I often try not to get too hung up on the quantum details of time travel unless the author blatantly disregards all science and logic, and this author does not do that.

Basically the book is about this girl (another female hero – I guess that’s been a theme with me lately) who realizes she has a genetic ability to time travel using a special medallion. She is among an elite group of people that have this ability and all time travel is regulated by an organization called CHRONOS. When her estranged grandmother suddenly reappears in her life, she learns that someone is trying to alter the past for, none other than, power and glory. Her very existence depends on her ability to stop them.

A few years ago I read a book called Devil in the White City, which uses actual historical events to tell the story of the 1893 Chicago Worlds Fair, and the world’s first serial killer. It’s a fascinating book about a fascinating time in Chicago’s history and one of the climatic moments of Timebound will take you back to the 1893 World’s Fair, which involves said serial killer, and that was one of my favorite parts of this book.

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The MMO Times: Independence Edition!

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On July 7, 2014

In Gaming, MMO Times, MMORPG

4th_fireworksIssue 101: Happy Independence Day (for those of us in the U.S.A.)!! I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July. I celebrated our country’s birthday on the beaches in Maryland which means I took a week off of gaming. My vacation also explains why this post is delayed so hopefully there is still something in here that will amuse and/or excite you.

There are quite a few exciting headlines, especially for fans of WoW and SWTOR. There are also details about the Pathfinder Online MMO that is incoming and some exciting news for Asheron’s Call (for those nostalgia MMO fans). Also, not to toot my own horn but I am in the beta/alpha for two of Blizzard’s games now (Heroes of the Storm and WoD) so hopefully I will be able to talk about those games though probably not in too much detail because of the NDA associated with all closed beta/alpha invites. I know a few of you have also received a WoD invite as well so we could probably talk in secret 🙂

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