Happy Friday, everybody! Today I’d like to share a simple post about what’s on my fantasy and sci-fi agenda right now, in terms of entertainment. =)
Kushiel’s Dart
This is a novel by Jacqueline Carey that I’ve been wanting to read for awhile, so I finally started it last week. A fantasy book featuring a world where the wealthy can seek physical pleasures at the Night Court, it has tons of world-building and character development that is making me fall in love with it. I’m a sucker for a well-built world, and Kushiel’s Dart explains in great detail what each of the houses of the Night Court specialize in; in each reside men and women who are trained in lovemaking, but with a unique focus such as modesty, physical prowess, or even pain for pleasure.
I hear this book is also a romance (which doesn’t surprise me), so I’m eager to continue reading and see who the young protagonist Phedre ends up falling for. I kind of doubt in a world like this, she can find true happily-ever-after…
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Obviously this is where my heart and soul is at right now. Those of you who read this blog frequently probably know by now that I’m obsessed with Mass Effect, and the newest release in the series has me totally hooked. I’m currently about 20 hours into the game, so I’m taking it… well, not slowly, but relatively slowly considering some fans have blasted through it in a couple of weeks already. Why not savor it, right? You can read my game diary as I progress here. Also, I’d love to compare notes with other players to hear about your Ryder’s personality and decisions!
Cosmic Star Heroine
This game wasn’t really on my radar until recently, but as soon as it came out, I downloaded it to see what it was like. It just looked cool — and it is. Featuring spy Alyssa L’Salle of the Agency of Peace and Intelligence, it’s science fiction with gorgeous 16-bit graphics. The music is also awesome — some 80’s-like synth in places, retro sci-fi sounds in others. So far, I’m laughing a lot at the hilarious writing and falling hard for the characters, since Alyssa is part of a team.
In the frequent turn-based battles, she works alongside her teammates, and they have to heal each other, boost each other’s abilities, and check enemy weaknesses to blast them with weapons and special skills that will really hurt them. So far, the strategizing is simple and straightforward if you’ve played turn-based games before — but you’ll get your ass kicked. I’m playing on the second difficulty level of four (on the easy side), and I have died a couple of times!
If you’re curious about the game, I highly recommend checking out a trailer (or some footage) to see if it’s your style. It might not be for everyone, but I am having such a blast with it!
— Ashley
Robo♥beat 
I’m probably going to finish Andromeda later today. My review (which should be sans spoilers) will probably go up sometime next week. Unless the ending manages to strongly disappoint me somehow, which seems unlikely, I’ll be coming away with a pretty positive impression of the game. Definitely like it more than vanilla Inquisition, though maybe not quite as much as post-DLC Inquisition.
I’m also ever more stunned by how much this game is stealing from StarCraft. Guess I don’t have to wonder what a StarCraft RPG would be like anymore.
Aside from that, I’m reading the latest installment of the Warcraft Chronicle while I wait for the book releases I’m really excited about (The Fatal Gate and Beren and Luthien, both of which are coming in late June if memory serves) and wrapping up my rewatch of Continuum in between season three of iZombie.
Going to be going through some serious withdrawals over the next few days, once I finish Continuum and Andromeda.
Oh Continuum. I’ve been rewatching that lately as well. I look forward to reading your review of Andromeda!
Brief update: Andromeda’s ending is amazing, far better than expected.
Also holy crap the credits song is by Aurora Aknses. How did I not know she was involved with the game before now?
Ooh I can’t wait to get there!
I too am playing ME:A. That game has kind of sucked the time to do a lot of other things right out of the room. But I do hope to finish it and move on to a few other things.