Review of Blood, Sweat, and Pixels:The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made

Blood, Sweat, and Pixels: The Triumphant, Turbulent Stories Behind How Video Games Are Made by Jason Schreier
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a really great read for me, being a lifelong videogame player. Yes, I've always had an idea or two in my back pocket for the world's greatest videogame. I planned them out, wrote out the mechanics, story and everything.

But obviously, there's more to it than all that. This book talks about the troubles/stresses/crunching involved with the whole process. The goods, the bads, the glamorous and the things people would rather hide.

I've played most of these games and gotten close to the rest. I followed the stories back in the day of the successes and always wondered about the missing ones. Now, I, unfortunately, know why Star Wars 1313 got canned. Every word in that chapter was like a hammer pounding in the nails to this game's coffin. And my soul. Man, that would've been a fantastic game.

While most of these games were made and had success, ending the book with the downfall of what could have been (the Star Wars game) was a bit of a downer. Makes me want to play some games...

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Solo: A Star Wars Story Review

Solo: A Star Wars Story by Disney Lucasfilm Press
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Want a near word for word transcription of the movie? Well, this is very nearly it. Outside of a few cool inside bits of information, (the insight into that crazy space creature, a few character tidbits I was wondering about [was it really Twotubes at the end of the movie in Enfys Nests gang... a Saw Guerrera compatriot... and yes it was], hearing all of Chewie's dialog in English (that was cool instead of "grwwl arrgh" for the whole book), then the book was just like the movie.
Which isn't a bad thing. It's just not a new thing.

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My review of "Lando's Luck" by Justine Ireland

Star Wars: Lando's Luck by Justina Ireland
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good fun Star Wars tale. Just don't expect anything too deep, it is a "junior" title. But, I did enjoy listening to it.
I really enjoyed hearing more about Lando, but when the story shifted to the other character I felt a little distracted. Not that it wasn't fun, it was that I wanted MORE Lando.
The story starts with a minor character from the Force Awakens: Bazine Netal. Now, I liked the story she was in, so I was excited to hear more about her. BUT... she's just in there to be in there. Although, it does make me wonder when this part of the story takes place with her in the overall timeline.
A quick mission, no real threat from the Empire, just some thugs wanting their money back from Calrissian, but you do get to the heart of Lando (since the rest of the stuff is all McGuffin anyway). Have you read it? Let me know in the comments!

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