The Tales of Beedle the Bard

This book is a new translation by Hermione Granger, with commentary by Albus Dumbledore and an introduction, additional notes and illustrations by J.K. Rowling. There are 5 short tales: The Wizard and The Hoppity Pot, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, The Warlock's Hairy Heart, Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump, The Tale of The Three Brothers (which was also featured in the last Harry Potter book). This hardcover edition is 112pp and priced at P649 (at Powerbooks). Part of the proceeds go to Rowling's charity foundation for children.

The book is short but very easy and fun to read, especially for readers of the HP series. For HP die-hards, I'd suggest waiting for the paperback version for your pesonal copies. Dumbledor's comments and Rowling's notes tie in to the HP books and are insightful and interesting.

4 stars.

MK vs. DCU

I already got one of the things I wished for (PS3) at the end of the year. Well, I actually gifted this to myself for a relatively successful 2008 goals-wise. The first game I played in the PS3 is the newly-released Mortal Kombat Vs.DC Universe.

"When worlds collide, heroes and villains must choose and fight as a sinister plot with cataclysmic results unfolds. Which side will you choose?" The DC Universe and Earthrealm are colliding into each other with disastrous consequences for either universe. As such, characters from both worlds meet and battle each other. There are two story modes in the game, one for each universe's point of view. There are 11 Kombatants featured from each world. Several fighting Arenas from each world are also available. The characters from each world have their own unique signature attacks and powers. New fighting mechanics like Freefall Kombat and Klose Kombat make for more interesting battles.

Although this game has less brutality and gore (Rated T) than the original Mortal Kombat, the game is still pretty cool to play. As a fan of DCU and having played MK before, this really is a great collaboration between the two popular franchises. With 1-2 players and online play capability, the game is worth purchasing. I have already finished the two story modes but there are still a lot of unlockables in playing the individual Kombatants in the Arcade mode. Playing the game with friends offers more fun and great replay value.

4.5 stars.

tedbits...
... Fully Booked Greenbelt 5 is now open.
... The next PS3 game that I'll be playing is the RPG game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Game of the Year Edition).
... It is good thing that the Australian Open plays at relatively close to our time zone such that I don't need to stay up till dawn in order to be able to watch it (unlike the other Slams).

The Lost Chronicles

The Heroes of the Lance are back in this Lost Chronicles Trilogy! Weis and Hickman are at it again, in this first book of "lost" tales that occured during the Chronicles series. These are the events that happened after the companions rescue the refugees of Pax Tharkas and then proceed to find the dwarven kingdom of Thorbardin (which was not told in depth during the Chronicles Trilogy).

I had a great time revisiting the world of Krynn and the original Dragonlance characters. Weis and Hickman stay true to the previous feel of the series and the heroes are as fresh and vibrant as they were before. It would take someone to have read the original series though to really appreciate this book/story.

4 stars.

2009

Happy New Year!!! :-)


...the tree at MOA:

(reminder to self: next year i'll be taking pictures of nativity/belen scenes for a change)