Ringworld – Larry Niven

I picked this up firstly because it’s a classic in the sci-fi genre, but also partially because I’ve been exploring more Halo content this year, and I was always told this loosely inspired the game franchise. The connection is obvious—gigantic ring floating in space capable of supporting life—though the similarities mostly end with the structure. This book was a product of its time; the main character was a bland old, human, male who was pretty much inconsequential to the plot of the story. The aliens are portrayed in a range from curious beings to savages. The female characters serve only to captivate and adore men while remaining otherwise clueless. So, while the character work was uninspiring, I did appreciate the science fiction rules of the world. I was also a sucker for the revelation that the largest mountain was actually an inverted tear from a passing asteroid. Functioning purely as a travel guide to this strange world was entertaining, even if the events along the way were lacking.

Mark Twain - Ron Chernow

This isn’t the longest biography I’ve ever read, but of course I was still daunted by the 1,000+ page count. It turns out, every chapter was worth it. This was such an illuminating portrait of an author I always enjoyed, but about whom I had little background. As it should, the book covered every aspect of Twain's life, from the funny to the complicated. It also made me realize how little of Twain's actual written works I was familiar with and made me want to consume more. This is the kind of biography which will only enlighten anything I read from Mark Twain from now on. I only wish I could share this biography with my mom, who put me onto Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer from a young age.

Gilda (1946)

At first, I was a little unsure on the two most immoral characters ending up together and, apparently, getting exactly what they wanted. Both are manipulative and self-serving, and they hurt others along the way. After thinking more about it, however, it seems less what they both want and more what they both deserve. So, the two may be happy as the film concludes, but if the past behavior is any indication, this will be fleeting. Also, this film had one of the coolest shots I’ve ever seen playing with shadow. While one character was talking in the background fully lit, the other listened and responded in the foreground, completely featureless, being kept both literally and figuratively in the dark. That scene will always be first to mind when I think of this film.

Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (Sega Genesis) & Kirby’s Avalanche (Super Nintendo)

This is technically about two video games, but it’s really about the same game. When I say these are the same, I don’t mean they are comparable or one inspired the other or one is a spiritual successor. No, they are the same exact game, except for having Sonic characters or Kirby characters. Fortunately, it’s an excellent game!

I always fell more in the Dr. Mario camp of falling icon puzzle game preferences, so when my closest friend and Mean Bean advocate said he was clicking with Dr. Mario 64, I had to give Puyo Puyo another try. I immediately got stumped by the second (of thirteen!) levels. But once I learned the patterns and the importance of combos, things started to make sense. I was eventually able to progress through and vanquish King Dedede and Dr. Robotnik in their respective games, even as the blocks are dropping faster than I could see them. It’s almost not possible to watch them fall, you simply have to line them up and hope. I can see how someone can get good at this, but it took fairly lucky massive combos for me to finish both games. And at the end of the day (literally), I’m closing my eyes and seeing beans fall. That’s a bonus win for me.

Halo: Cryptum - Greg Bear

Earlier this year, I made a personal goal to fill in some of the Halo lore and backstory. Now, this is typically a misguided idea, but this is a franchise I already enjoy, so adding some in-universe history interested me. This was the first book of the chronologically earliest trilogy, thus a good starting point for this project. It was a fairly straightforward science fiction story about the oldest species and their early encounters with the common enemy which arise throughout the game series. This nebulous enemy is the impetus for the entire franchise, as it has the potential to spread and dominate the universe, necessitating constant conflict and the very Halo weapon itself. With this story in particular, they may be less of an immediate threat; instead, the conflict lies in the weapon’s creator and the political power it brings. This book is not going to win any new fans, but people who already have an appreciation for the story will find some nuggets of interest.