Video Games are Real

Tag: book review

  • Is this the most important videogame memoir? A review of Gamelife by Michael W. Clune

    Is this the most important videogame memoir? A review of Gamelife by Michael W. Clune

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    Imagine a world without spoken language. No words. No thoughts expressed as a series of interpretable sounds. And instead, people communicated in the language of game logic.

    A sunset wouldn’t be beautiful. Rather, it would be a numerical advantage over a lesser sun position. The pride you feel when watching your son take his first step, that’s not pride anymore. That’s just a couple of digits increased on a mobility stat.

    This is the world that Michael W. Clune inhabits in his memoir, Gamelife. As he says early in the book: “When I was eleven, computer games taught me how to imagine something so it lasts, so it feels real. The secret is numbers. Imagination fumbles outside reality like a child at a locked door…[numbers are] the secret to making imaginary worlds real.” (pg 29) (more…)

  • What if Your Favorite Video Game is Bad? A Review of Metal Gear Solid from Boss Fight Books

    What if Your Favorite Video Game is Bad? A Review of Metal Gear Solid from Boss Fight Books

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    I’m reviewing all of the Boss Fight Books releases, so subscribe to this channel and click the bell notification icon to be sure you don’t miss future reviews.

    Metal Gear Solid, #9 in the Boss Fight Books series, is funny, insightful, and is just what you would expect from a book by Ashly Burch and Anthony Burch (of Hey Ash, Whatca’ Playin? fame). This book asks “what if your favorite video game is bad?” The favorite video game in this scenario being Metal Gear Solid.

    Have you read this book? What do you think? Let me know in the comments at the YouTube video page. (more…)

  • Gun, Needle, Spoon. An overview of Patrick O’Neil’s drug memoir [video]

    Gun, Needle, Spoon. An overview of Patrick O’Neil’s drug memoir [video]

    This is a bit of a different format for my review videos. As I explain in the video, I’m trying to streamline the process of uploading videos while at the same time making the reading process itself more enjoyable. Let me know what you think.

    So, what is Gun, Needle, Spoon? It’s basically a drug memoir written in a vignette style. The lack of narrative “glue” doesn’t detract from the impact nor from the sheer craziness of the events in O’Neil’s life. If you like drug memoirs, definitely pick this one up.

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    Disclosure: Dzanc (the book’s publisher) sent a copy of the book to me. The free copy did not influence my opinion of the book.

  • Review of Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk [video]

    Review of Beautiful You by Chuck Palahniuk [video]

    Beautiful You seems to be Chuck Palahniuk’’s response to and commentary on the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey series and the proliferation of commercial erotica born from that series. But Beautiful You never rises to the deep social analysis that Palahniuk’s early stuff does. Beautiful You remains simply clever and superficial, becoming more a book belonging to the commercial erotica genre rather than a commentary on it. But still, it’s a damn fun read. (more…)

  • Finally finishing a Donna Tartt novel: A video book review of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt [video]

    Finally finishing a Donna Tartt novel: A video book review of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt [video]

    A video book review of The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – The Goldfinch is a big book, both in physical size and ambition. What initially seems like a straightforward story of a teenage boy dealing with the death of his mother turns into an epic coming of age story that teases the us, the reader, with where our emotional investment should reside.

    What am I drinking: Merry Maker Gingerbread Stout from Sam Adams

  • Rural family noir: a video book review of In the Devil’s Territory by Kyle Minor [video]

    Rural family noir: a video book review of In the Devil’s Territory by Kyle Minor [video]

    Kyle Minor’s In the Devil’s Territory is rural family noir at its best, with lots of back-woods religion overtones, and family dynamics rooted in harsh sexism where women are taught to be subservient to men and men are trained to exploit that subservience.

    Buy it here.

    What am I drinking? Schlafly Coffee Stout. Mmmmmmm.

  • Native Americans and Body Hair? A review of The Least of My Scars by Stephen Graham Jones [video book review]

    Native Americans and Body Hair? A review of The Least of My Scars by Stephen Graham Jones [video book review]

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    Stephen Graham Jones is incredibly prolific. Seriously, The Least of My Scars was published in late 2013 and already, as of March 2014, he’s got at least 3 other books out that I am aware of. But what’s incredible is that the man doesn’t skimp on quality. The Least of My Scars is no exception. This book is incredible.

    Similar to Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho, The Least of My Scars is told from the perspective of a serial killer with whom the reader has no empathy. But somehow, Jones (and Ellis) makes it work. I’ll be studying this book for a very long time.

    Intro easter egg: WheezyWaiter http://www.youtube.com/user/wheezywaiter (can it really be an easter egg when it’s probably pretty obvious and definitely a complete rip-off?)

    Least of my scars calebjross.com

    Buy The Least of My Scars from Amazon.com