| Two sequel anime to last year's The Fruit of Grisaia anime have been announced: a short film titled The Labyrinth of Grisaia and the series continuation The Eden of Grisaia. The Fruit of Grisaia began as a Japanese visual novel in 2011. After quickly gaining popularity, the game was developed into a manga and later, an anime. The game also inspired two sequel games, titled The Labyrinth of Grisaia and The Eden of Grisaia. The story of the game follows the romantic escapades of Yūji Kazami, a young man who transfers to a school with only five female students. As with all visual novel games, the plot branches off into multiple possible endings depending on which of the five girls' paths the player chooses. The 13-episode anime adaption premiered in October 2014. After it was received well by audiences, the studio 8-Bit went ahead with plans to adapt the other two games as anime. The second, The Labyrinth of Grisaia, will premiere on April 13 and act as a 60-minute special rather than a series. The plot is a collection, containing a prequel for the main hero, sequels for the five female characters, and other short stories. The third game, The Eden of Grisaia, will be a series like the first adaption. The Eden of Grisaia continues where The Fruit of Grisaia left off, and is premiering April 20. Sentai Filmworks licensed the anime for North America, but the series can also be watched on Crunchyroll. The website streamed the first series as it aired in Japan, and will most likely do the same for the next two. The series will also stream on video sharing site Niconico. The Fruit of Grisaia's game was licensed for release in the West by Sekai Project. In order to bring the two sequel games, the company started up a Kickstarter campaign. Response to the game was so positive, the campaign reached its goal in less than a day.
Release Dates For Labyrinth of Grisaia and Eden of Grisaia is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Release Dates For Labyrinth of Grisaia and Eden of Grisaia
Top 10 New Android Apps of the Week – March 13 2015
| Things have been fairly quiet on the app front for the last month, with few big budget games being released on Android. This week though, has been totally massive. New titles have been issued by Rovio, Gameloft, Disney and Squaresoft. Don’t forget, all of these apps can be downloaded from our very own Good e-Reader App Store! All of them are free and there is no registration required. Angry Birds Stella POP – Angry Birds meets bubble shooter in an all-new and super-addictive puzzler! Use your slingshot to match and burst colorful bubbles, save exotic critters, and topple the piggies. Strategic and intuitive gameplay make for a challenging and satisfying bubble popping experience! Cinderella Free Fall – Inspired by Disney's new live action film Cinderella, play as the most iconic princess of all time, connecting and matching luminous butterfly jewels in this FREE puzzle adventure with 100 dazzling levels! Dungeon Hunter 5 – The legendary Dungeon Hunter series returns with the roar of a dragon! Play the most intense hack 'n' slash game ever on mobile that will pull you deep into its fantasy world. Google PDF Viewer – PDF Viewing is now available directly in Google Drive. For environments where this cannot be deployed, Google PDF Viewer offers the same capabilities in a standalone app. View, print, search and copy text from pdf documents while you're on the go. ESPN Tournament Challenge – The #1 bracket app is back for the 2015 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament. Start a group, invite your friends, make your picks, and compete for a chance to win $20,000 and a trip to kick your feet up at the Maui Invitational! Think you know college basketball? Prove it! Compete against politicians, professional athletes, your favorite stars, and our very own ESPN talent. Download ESPN Tournament Challenge and start your march to the Final Four. Anime Amino – Look no further for the perfect place to talk about your favorite anime and manga, Anime Amino is the ultimate Anime social networking app for your phone! Smoothie Swipe – Join the fun! Millions of people are already playing Smoothie Swipe, the juiciest puzzle game available. Connect fruit, trigger boosters, and swipe your way to success through more than 400 levels. Good e-Reader App Store for e-Ink – Good e-Reader for e-Ink is the only App Store in the world that is optimized for e-readers. This includes devices issued by Onyx, Icarus, Energy Sistem, Boyue and many more! Youtube Kids – The official YouTube Kids app is designed for curious little minds. This free app is delightfully simple and packed full of age-appropriate videos, channels, and playlists. YouTube Kids features popular children's programming, plus kid-friendly content from filmmakers, teachers, and creators all around the world. Thuglife Video Maker – Have you seen those funny videos with gangster music and thug life text? Have you always been wondering how to make one yourself? Well, with this beautiful and user-friendly app you can make your own 'Thug Life' video in only a matter of seconds. Top 10 New Android Apps of the Week – March 13 2015 is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Our New Mobile Friendly Blog for Smartphones Launches
| Yesterday an email showed up in my inbox from Google Webmaster Tools saying that The eBook Reader Blog was not a mobile-friendly website and that 100% of the pages had critical mobile usability errors. This website is turning six years old in a few months, and I’ve never setup a mobile-friendly version of this site […] |
Streaming Video Top Picks: Film Festival Favorites
| OverDrive is proud to call Cleveland, Ohio home. To help support our community, Team OverDrive participates in local events like the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). Along with the Cuyahoga County Public Library and the Cleveland PBS and NPR affiliates, OverDrive is excited to sponsor screenings of the documentary I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story about Sesame Street puppeteer Caroll Spinney at the 39th Annual CIFF. The film festival is one of my favorite things to do in Cleveland and I'm always introduced to interesting documentaries, independent and foreign films that I otherwise may not have watched. Can't make it to a film festival? OverDrive's streaming video catalog has a large variety of titles, including top picks from the film festival circuit. The 10 movies highlighted below have been featured at the Cleveland International Film Festival in recent years and can now be found for purchase in OverDrive Marketplace. To sample these titles simply click on the jacket cover. Some video samples include strong language and violence. Mood Indigo  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2014/mood-indigo Awful Nice  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2014/awful-nice The Dog  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2014/the-dog The Crash Reel  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2013/the-crash-reel Unfinished Song  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2013/unfinished-song When Day Breaks  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2013/when-day-breaks Shepard & Dark  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2013/shepard-dark More than Honey  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2013/more-than-honey Last Call at the Oasis An American documentary about the world's water crisis.  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2012/last-call-at-the-oasis If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle  http://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2011/if-i-want-to-whistle-i-whistle
Melissa Marin is a Marketing Specialist at OverDrive. . |
BBC Make it Digital
| For Christmas 1982 my brothers and I got our first games console (an Intellivision as it happens. Yes reader, we were that family) and it was truly, mind-blowingly amazing. In fact, it was like magic. And that was the problem–it was like magic. No one had a clue how even their Grandstand Entertainment System (aka ‘Pong 8-ways’) worked and they certainly didn't have the tools to make their own computer games even if they wanted. We were consumers of tech, not creators.  BBC Micro, the breakfast of champions So the early 1980s was basically rubbish and we were all sad. VHS clocks across the nation flashed in sync because nobody knew how to set them. Then along came home computers and changed *everything*: the majestic BBC Micro; the mighty Spectrum (the best because I had one and I say so); the marvellous C64. And the Dragon 32. At last we could get to grips with how computers worked and use them to make stuff. Amazing things came from this revolution–including the Raspberry Pi– but that's another story. Fast forward at C-90 cassette speed to the present day. Life is full of space gadgets like smart phones, HD TVs and talking shoes. It's like magic. And that's the problem. Yet again, we are consumers of tech, not creators. Raspberry Pi was made to help fix this problem and we constantly champion computing as a creative tool for young people. You can see this in many of our resources as well as initiatives such as our Creative Technologists mentoring program. In short–we think digital creativity is hugely important. Which is why we are delighted and proud to be one of the partners of BBC Make it Digital which launched today. Make it Digital is a UK-wide initiative that aims to inspire "a new generation to get creative with coding, programming and digital technology" and to "capture the spirit of the BBC Micro." It will include free hardware for all year 7 students in the UK; training for thousands of young people; TV and radio programmes and online activities; national education events; and partnerships with organisations from all areas of digital creativity, technology and computing. The Micro BitOne part of Make it Digital is the small programmable device codenamed 'Micro Bit' that is currently in development and will be given to all schoolchildren in year 7 later this year.  BBC Make it Digital ‘Micro Bit’ The aim is to get young people programming on a simple platform that then acts as a "springboard" to full computers such as the Raspberry Pi. We're looking forward to getting our hands on the hardware to see what it can do. GTA TVAlong with links to flagship programmes such as Dr Who there are a host of new programmes for TV and radio. We were especially intrigued by the announcement of "a drama based on Grand Theft Auto". I'm hoping that they run it back to back with the documentary on Ada Lovelace so that I can celebrate digital creativity in a happy yet cognitively dissonant sort of way. The line-up looks great and it will be good to see digital creativity and computing represented in depth on TV and radio at last. EducationThe BBC will be providing a range of formal learning activities and resources and there will be a resource finder to allow students, teachers and parents to find and access this material and more. |
Anime Amino, The Perfect Otaku App
| Sometimes being a fan of anime and manga is a little difficult, especially coming from a small town like I did! I didn’t have many friends who particularly shared the same passion and in turn, I ended up going to the internet, looking through forum after forum for other lovers that were interested in the same thing. Well nowadays, with the free Anime Amino app for IOS and Android devices, looking for fellow anime lovers just became a lot more easier! Here people can discuss many things whether it be cosplay ideas to greatest animes ever. After setting up the initial account with the app, finding your way through is especially easy. When first opening the app up, it opens up to a newsfeed. Here you can access popular stories or see what your friends are watching or reading. My absolute favourite thing about this app however, is the amount of discussions there are. When opening up the forums tab, you’re immediately welcomed by banner after banner of topics discussing almost anything from Rps (Role Playing), discussing specific characters, AMVs (Anime Music Videos) or just in general anime love. After a quick tap on the home button, on the top left of the screen, a menu will open up and one of the four big buttons you can click on is called ‘Discover’. After tapping on it, you can actually see who else in the area or around you have the same interests! Now that all that has been covered, let’s talk about the profile section! When you click on you’re picture, you are taken to "Me". This is where you can post a collection you might have, a blog post or just check up on your discussions. In the blog area, you have free range to chat about anything you’d like! Maybe you wanted to show off that new Figma you got? Or a new a manga that you just bought. People will be able to find posts according to how you tag them and in turn, making even more friends. There’s also a pretty cool feature called the Anime Amino Reputation. Everyone wants to have a good reputation and the app is determined to do just that! To gain reputation, you must simply comment on discussions, interact with other users or when others follow you! It really helps you get you involved in the community and really helps you get more comfortable with the app. You need at least 50 reputation points before you can directing email or create a discussion. Now, if you aren’t completely sold, let me just say, the app is super clean no spam or garbage and no annoying ads that pop up randomly! There’s so many people and discussions to discover and it’s not just only for anime and manga! When you open up the home menu, you’ll find a list of communities at the bottom to further immerse yourself. You can download separate pages according to your interests, whether it be video games, art, television or even books! There are a lot more than what I just mentioned, so check out the app for yourself! You can check out the app’s official website for more information, or if you’re ready to go download it, you can head over over to the Itunes webstore as well as the Google Play store! If you decide to download it, feel free to add me, my username is Vahrun! Hope to see you all there! Anime Amino, The Perfect Otaku App is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Censoring Indie Authors
 Image via cultofmac.com With so much attention focused on the US when it comes to self-publishing, it’s easy to forget that this is a worldwide indie author movement, and that companies like Kobo are connecting readers across the globe, making it possible for a reader in Denmark to enjoy a work of science fiction written by an author in sub-Saharan Africa. But while US authors happily further the cause of literature by opening up new avenues and new titles to audiences, authors in some other countries are facing insurmountable obstacles that block the cause of free expression. A campaign currently at work in South Africa, for example, is calling on individuals to block a government-approved effort by the Film and Publications Board’s (FPB) that would essentially impose censorship on any internet-vehicled content. While the letter of the law in the draft of the proposed regulation doesn’t specifically mention authors, it is this vast open-endedness that has anti-censorship advocates and grassroots organizations like Right2Know working to stop this effort. According to an article by Micah Reddy and Julie Reid on the proposed regulations and the efforts to halt them, “The document, in its vague language and open-ended statements, would leave authorities with far too much room to infringe on the public’s right to freely receive and impart information as enshrined in chapter two of the Constitution. “The document states that: ‘Any person who intends to distribute any film, game, or certain publication in the Republic of South Africa shall first comply with section 18(1) of the [1996 Films and Publications] Act by applying, in the prescribed manner, for registration as film or game and publications distributor.'” It’s a small step towards censorship when an author or content creator must apply for licensing and have his work approved prior to publication, and the ambiguous nature of this proposal means it can easily extend to books, blogs, social media posts, and other forms of digital publication. How serious is the implied threat? “Worryingly, the regulations would allow the FPB to ‘dispatch classifiers to the distributors’ premises for the purposes of classifying digital content.’ Distributors would have to ‘ensure that the work of classifiers takes place unhindered and without interference.’ The vague wording of the regulations would allow for 'classifiers’ to visit, for example, the homes of citizen journalists and ordinary internet users.” So who would concoct such a regulation? Parties with a vested interest in blocking the publication and distribution of content they feel is inappropriate, inflammatory, or even just unworthy. “It is also apparent that the FPB is overstepping its legal boundaries. The Films and Publications Act of 1996 only gives the FPB the ability to issue guidelines, not to legislate. Additionally the Act gives the FPB jurisdiction over films and games, but not over all published content. The FPB has failed to adequately consult with relevant stakeholders before drafting the document. “Only industry stakeholders were invited to participate behind closed doors, while civil society was excluded from the process despite the fact that the regulations could have profound consequences for ordinary members of the public. The Right2Know Campaign condemns this latest attempt to broaden the power of authorities to censor and restrict publishable content — the sort of action characteristic of an increasingly overbearing, paranoid and insecure state.”
Censoring Indie Authors is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Join in on the March Madness with these basketball reads!
| Whether or not you're a basketball aficionado or a complete Luddite, like myself, there are still books to be had for this fine season of madness and mayhem on and off the court. Here are some basketball flavored recommendations for creating your bracket, watching it totally fail, and then wanting to feel like you still have some knowledge of basketball.  For the Young Basketball Fans: The Basket Ball by by Esmé Raji Codel, illustrated by Jennifer Plecas When Lulu is denied from playing in the boys' basketball game, she decides to host a Basket Ball. Girls from around the world join her and sport dresses with jerseys over them, while showing off their skills on the court. A testament to young girls that they can be athletic and girly at the same time if they so choose. Hoop Genius: How a desperate teacher and a rowdy gym class invented basketball by John Coy, illustrated by Joe Morse The story of how basketball was invented by James Naismith. Middle Grades: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. Alexander recently won the Newbery Medal along with the Coretta Scott King Award for this book. Written in verse, this middle grade novel is a perfect companion for the young basketball fan, and the reluctant reader. It's a quick read that tells the story of twelve year old twins, Josh and Jordan, through their love of basketball and their family's relationship. Home Court by Amar'e Stoudemire This is the first book in the STAT: Standing Tall and Talented series by the NBA superstar Stoudemire. A great new series featuring a talented Amar'e as his eleven year old self, playing basketball, excelling in school and helping his friends get the community basketball court back from the older kids. Young Adult: In My Skin: My life on and off the basketball court by Brittney Griner Griner, the No. 1 draft pick in the 2013 WNBA, writes about feeling out of place growing up. Her height, drive, and athletic ability would go on to help her become a star, but when young, she was bullied and felt lost. This is a fantastic memoir for young adults about staying true to your authentic self. Foul Trouble by John Feinstein Written by a noted sports writer, this novel takes a look at Terrell Jamerson who is the most sought after high school basketball player in the country. The novel looks at how a young player can continue playing his game when being bombarded with opportunities that could get him disqualified.
Adult: Dream Team by Jack McCallum The story of the 1992 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team, which consisted of such superstars as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, and Scottie Pippin. McCallum introduces behind the scenes moments, the selection process, and other pivotal moments. A book that is not to be missed by any basketball fan. Don't Put Me In Coach: My incredible NCAA journey from the end of the bench to the end of the bench by Mark Titus Mark Titus wrote this hilarious memoir about his time on the Ohio State basketball team as a bench warmer. In total, he scored nine points in his four years on the team, but as the guy on the bench he absorbed and penned his experience. He gives his audience the nitty gritty on the NCAA basketball program.
Kristin Milks is a Collection Development Analyst with OverDrive |
FlipHTML5 Magazine Maker to Reach 2.5M Downloads
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A more recent platform, FlipHTML5, has been gaining a lot of ground with smaller publishers who have the design experts to produce a great magazine but, just as with DPS, may not have strength in coding. FlipHTML5 has increased in popularity to the point that it’s expected to reach 2.5 million total downloads before the end of this month. “It undoubtedly features the most advanced editor,” claims a release from the company that came out this week. “Apart from that, it offers many high-end features not available in other magazine makers. Some of these features are, but not limited to, availability in multiple languages, bookcase embedding and easy mobile viewing facility, ability to add notes and annotations, self-hosting, and many more. As a result, the FlipHTML5 team expects to have 2.5 million downloads by the end of March, which will also repeatedly prove the success rate and popularity of this premium magazine maker.” One new concept in digital editions is this notion that any correlating print editions don’t have to be identical to the digital. What the industry has experienced so far is a copy-for-copy replication process that didn’t really take full advantage of the capabilities that digital magazines–especially for mobile device reading–made possible. Recent discussions and industry events have focused on this problem, and an acknowledgement that the industry needs to adopt a broader view of digital magazines and newspapers has already happened.
FlipHTML5 Magazine Maker to Reach 2.5M Downloads is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Audible Wants Authors to Exclusivly Focus on Audiobooks
| Audible is the largest company involved in the consumer audiobook sector and they want authors to start writing original content and bypass e-books altogether. The global audiobook industry is currently worth 2.6 billion dollars and part of the reason why we have seen a dramatic increase in profitability is due to digital In the first eight months of 2014, sales were up 28% over the same period last year, far outstripping the growth of e-books, which rose 6%. Audible is the undisputed market leader in audiobook production and distribution. Matthew Thornton the Director of Communications at Audible said "Audible content includes over 180,000 audiobooks and other spoken-word programming from leading audiobook publishers, broadcasters, entertainers, magazine and newspaper publishers, and business information providers. Non-audiobook content includes lectures, meditations, language lessons, comedy and periodicals." Audible has added 40,000 titles their store in 2014, a very slight increase versus 2013. In both 2013 and 2014, Audible Studios and ACX productions account for just about half of all titles added to the Audible storefront. One of the main reasons why Audible content is so successful is primarily attributed to the big name actors. Matthew Thornton explained a bit on how Audible embraces star power. "One of the ways we've worked to improve the overall customer experience of listening to audiobooks is in elevating the quality of audiobook performance—embracing A-List celebrities (among those who've recorded for Audible are Colin Firth, Dustin Hoffman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Kate Winslet and Susan Sarandon) as well as up-and-coming young actors at Juilliard, Yale, Stella Adler and other acting schools where Audible offers narration workshops. We've had great success with celebrity-narrated projects like the Gyllenhaal-narrated The Great Gatsby, Ben Stiller performing The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” Most of the audio content that Amazon has produced has been based on e-books. This is starting to change as Audible is starting to ask well-known writers to create original audio works. Don Katz, CEO and founder of Audible said in an recent interview with NPR “While performances are being elevated and attuned to this advanced listening experience, why not write to the form in an original way? So it’s not just book authors writing, but TV writers, and movie writers.” Audible now has about 30 original audio works in the pipeline. One, which has already been released, is The Starling Project starring Alfred Molina. It was written by bestselling thriller writer Jeffery Deaver and it’s more like a radio drama than a book. Audible Wants Authors to Exclusivly Focus on Audiobooks is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Audiobooks and e-books Experience Growth in 2014
| The Association of American Publishers released their final report on the growth of audiobooks and e-books in 2014. e-books experienced moderate growth, up 4.7% year-on-year and generating $1.58 billion. One of the big success stories contributing to the increase in digital books is children’s/YA segment, which saw sales spike by 33.6%, to $227.3 million and accounted for 12.0% of sales, up from 10.9% in 2013. 2014 was also the year of the audiobook has many libraries started to buy into this platform and new entrants such as Barnes and Noble are drawing in casual customers. The format saw a dramatic increase of over 28.7% over 2013. The AAP for this report talked to 1,209 trade publishers who contributed sales data. It is important to note that this is totally elective and not all publishers take part in this study. Audiobooks and e-books Experience Growth in 2014 is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Episodic Fiction is Finding a New Home on Kindle Unlimited
| Indie authors are disrupting e-book publishing by writing episodic fiction. They are primarily distributing the titles through Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle lending library. This is providing a financial boon to authors who write 60 page novels in a serialized manner. This method of writing is quickly becoming more profitable than simply writing a single feature length novel. Serialized fiction first gained prominence in Victorian England and it first appeared in newspapers. It was practiced by such literary giants as Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy and Joseph Conrad. It fell out of favor in the last fifty years, but is now making a rebound, thanks to Amazon. Things have been fairly static in self-publishing and traditional publishing for decades. An author writes a book and has it distributed through specific sales channels. They promote a single title and get paid when readers purchase it. Now we have Amazon picking up the tab when a book is read and the reader pays virtually nothing. The Kindle Lending Library was first established in 2011 and allows members who opt into Amazon Prime to read one free book a month. This has proven to be a lucrative method for indie authors to garner sales. Kindle Unlimited is a similar program, but instead of a Prime membership, users pay around $10.00 a month and read as many e-books they want. These two programs have Amazon paying an author each time their book is read. The amount paid per borrow is independent of price and depends instead on how much Amazon funds a shared pool. In the months where Amazon releases new devices or for specific holidays, the fund increases. The rate per borrow has averaged around $1.62. In order for authors to enter these two programs that have to enroll their titles in Kindle Direct Publishing Select. This basically prevents the author from selling their e-books through rival stores and locks them down into the Amazon ecosystem for 90 days. In exchange, you can take advantage of episodic fiction which basically allows you to triple dip the sales cycle. You can sell the book on the Kindle, have to available for Unlimited subscribers and the Lending Library. Susan Kaye Quinn author of 18 Debt Collector novellas said “I never intended to write Debt Collector in the first place – the idea came to me in the midst of writing another book – and originally, I thought I could get away with writing a novella about it. You know, get the story out of my head. Well, the story refused to stay small! So I wrote another novella. And a third. By the time I was plotting out the fourth in my head, I knew this story wouldn’t let me go until I wrote all of it. And as I wrote, the story very much wanted to be told in an episodic format. At the time (and even now) there weren’t many SF serials to follow as models for publishing this work (Hugh Howey's Wool being a notable exception, but that story also grew organically, starting as a novella; Sean Platt and David Wright are making a career out of SF serials, but not many others follow their all-serials-all-the-time model, in SF at least). Regardless, I decided to follow where the story was leading… not only writing in episodic format, but writing and publishing almost real-time, building a small (but fervent) audience as I went. Readers really engaged with the story, following along, scooping up each new episode every two weeks.” She went on to say “Romance readers are ravenous, in general, and many subscribe to Kindle Unlimited. In romance, serials allow authors to get material out quickly to their fans, and KU lets romance readers gobble them up without breaking the bank. But not every romance reader is enrolled in KU, so there are, in effect, two audiences for a romance serial – KU readers and non-KU readers. Understandably, the KU readers read episode-by-episode, taking advantage of the fact that each episode is free to them. They get the excitement of serial-reading (the episodes are generally fast-paced) for free. Non-KU readers tend to wait for the box set. Pre-orders are actually perfect for serials, as they allow readers the choice: pre-order the next episode, or skip ahead and pre-order the full box set. Readers then have the best of both worlds: read-as-you-go or get the full story, depending on your preference.” Science Fiction Episodic writer Nick Jones does not have his books enrolled in Kindle Unlimited or the Lending Library and approaches writing e-books as a hobby “Episodic books are an experiment for me. I think the e-book audience have become spoiled for choice and are used to getting full-length books for free. If they read book 1 for free and like the author then they seem happy to buy subsequent books at $3.99 without thinking too much about price.” Amazon is aware of this new way of writing episodic fiction and sought to capitalize on it early with their Kindle Serial program. You will hardly find any content on the platform though, as Amazon does not accept unsolicited titles from indie authors, it’s invite only. Episodic Fiction is Finding a New Home on Kindle Unlimited is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Star Wars Episode 3.14: A New Hope
| Martin O’Hanlon is a co-author of Adventures in Minecraft which we featured back in November. The book’s full of incredible projects you can do with Minecraft, involving learning programming skills through building structures and interactive applications within the Minecraft world using the Python API provided in Minecraft: Pi Edition. We don’t know how he comes up with some of the ideas, and we’re amazed by what he shows can be achieved (solar system in Minecraft, anyone?) but this one really blew us away. It’s an animation portraying the Death Star scene from first Star Wars film. Martin says:
You can try it out yourself too! Just open Minecraft Pi from the Desktop or applications menu and enter a world, then open a terminal window and enter the following commands: git clone https://github.com/martinohanlon/minecraft-starwars cd minecraft-starwars python starwars.py Then find a place to stand and watch the show! If you want to learn more about what you can do with Minecraft Pi, see our getting started resource, make a Whac-a-block game (a resource contributed by Martin), see Martin’s website stuffaboutcode.com and check out the book Adventures in Minecraft. See the code behind Minecraft Star Wars on GitHub. |
Reviewing The Fire Sermon, a dystopian thriller
| It seems like in the past few years, simply put, "It's the new Hunger Games!" in a book description, and it will sell. While there is no denying that dystopian fiction is all kinds of hot right now, I find that slapping the Hunger Games comparison on all of them really simplifies the genre. I like to read dystopian literature for the grit and the ingenuity of the main characters, and to imagine what I would do if I was placed in their worlds (and sincerely hope that my answer would not be run away/get in lock-step with the ruling class). The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig is a perfect example of mold-breaking dystopia, with one of the most relatable, even as she is so very different, characters that I have read in this type of stories in years. In The Fire Sermon, we are introduced to a post-nuclear war world, where the radiation has caused mutations in the human race. Every child born is a twin; one is physically perfect (the Alpha), and one has some level of physical deformity (the Omega). Alphas are the heads of society, getting all of the prime government positions and lifestyles, while their Omega twins are sent to live as second or third class citizens after the twins are separated at a young age. However, there is a twist, as the twins are still connected enough that when one twin dies, the other does as well (and the same goes for extreme pain, both twins can feel torture). While this mutation has ensured semi-decent treatment of Omegas in the past, the new ruling class of Alphas is striving to make changes to the system and treat their Omega twins as little more than cattle. Our heroine is Cass, a woman whose mutation is not physical. She is a Seer, who gets snippets of the future and of hidden places. Cass was able to hide her gift for the first 13 years of her life, meaning that she was able to stay with her parents and her twin, Zach for much longer than normal. The lack of separation, while heaven for Cass, is hell for her twin, who feels that his rightful place in normal society is being hindered by his twin's inability to "move on" with her life and to let him ascend to his rightful place in the hierarchy. After Zach successfully outs his sister as Omega, he begins the power plays he has always dreamed of, making Cass an unwitting pawn in his games. Cass is subjected to years of isolation and interrogation, before breaking free of her captors, taking along with her a one-armed, amnesiac man she breaks out of the Alpha's new (and super-secret) isolation tubes. Together, they journey to try to find a safe haven for themselves, and maybe to save the world. Haig began her writing career as a poet, and that is a gift for readers, as she provides the most beautiful and heartbreaking descriptions of the world she has created. Every page is a journey, and I found myself reflecting on many different things while reading. Rarely does my brain go to South African apartheid and The Matrix in one sitting. The connection between twins is what makes this book unique and thought provoking, and it is Cass's heart that makes this story worth reading. Haig has said this will be a trilogy, and I cannot wait for the next two installments of this bleak, yet hopeful read. |
Reviewing Gail Carriger’s Prudence, a comedic steampunk adventure
| Gail Carriger's newest novel, Prudence, is the first in a new series that is one part steampunk, one part fantasy, and eight parts comedy. It's easy to see why Carriger cites P.G. Wodehouse as a major influence, as she flawlessly captures his style of charm, cheer, and whimsical irreverence, and adds her own twist with paranormal fantasy, wordplay, and tea adoration. She also includes a nod to Dickens with memorable supporting character names such as Brigadier Featherstonehaugh and Lieutenant Broadwattle. Prudence takes place in the same universe as her two previous series- an alternate, steampunk version of Victorian England where "supernaturals" (werewolves, vampires, and ghosts) are accepted members of high society. The four main characters of the story, Lady Prudence Alessandra Maccon Akeldama, Honourable Miss Primrose Tunstell, Professor Percival Tunstell, and Mister Quesnel Lefoux, are the next generation of adventurers, the offspring of the characters featured in Carriger's The Parasol Protectorate series. The story centers around the Rue (Prudence) captaining an airship (or dirigible, for those who enjoy steampunk lingo) and heading to India on a mission to obtain some extremely important tea plants. But of course the plot thickens with stolen parasols, political intrigue, and other chicanery. Rest assured, readers new to this universe will easily enjoy this novel as a standalone read. However, those who find themselves struggling with the occasional unanswered question should look to her previous series for answers. But true satisfaction lies with those of us who have already read the earlier novels and are longing for updates on some of our favorite characters, who pop up with gratifying frequency throughout the novel in minor roles. This novel is perfect for anyone who enjoys adventure, wit, and humor served with a side of light-hearted silliness. This novel will thoroughly appeal to adults and teens alike.
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Acer Schedules NYC Event for April 23
| It’s been a rather busy and exciting start to 2015, with the first few months seeing exciting news from high-profile events like CES, Mobile World Congress followed by a buzz-worthy launch courtesy of Apple. With that in mind, it seems a little strange to hear that Acer has scheduled a ‘global press conference’ in New York City for April 23 –not so much because they wouldn’t have reason to do so, but it seems like rather advanced notice (perhaps an attempt to pull attention away from Apple and remind folks that ‘hey, we are still here’). Either way, this much notice is bound to give people time to speculate as to what Acer has up their sleeves –but it needs to be good if they are going to compete. Acer has already given us a look at two of their new products earlier this month at Mobile World Congress, taking the form of two entry-level Android-powered smartphones: Liquid Z220 and Liquid Z520. For anybody looking at a really basic smartphone with a 4-inch screen, the Liquid Z220 seems a decent enough contender (especially at the projected $100 USD price). Oddly, the device is being marketed and reviewed as a good ‘second cell’ that could be taken on holiday or used at times when having an expensive device may not be wise –which kind of makes it sound a bit like something made of cardboard that is ultimately worthless and disposable. The Liquid Z520 is a larger-format phablet-style smartphone at a bargain price (estimated at approximately $120 USD). Specs on the phone are remarkably blah, with the unit featuring: a 5-inch display with 800×480 pixels resolution, 1.3GHz Snapdragon 400 processor, 8-megapixel rear-facing camera with LED flash (and a 2-megapixel front-facing camera), 1GB of RAM, and 32 GB of on-board storage (which can be expanded using a microSD card). Hopefully the event launches a few products that we can get a little more excited about –with some speculating there might be a few new Windows Phones in the mix. Are there any Acer rumours out there that any of you are excited about?
Acer Schedules NYC Event for April 23 is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Star Wars Back-story to be Published Before The Force Awakens
| I am pretty sure that Star Wars is the only franchise able to truly give Apple a run for its money in the hype department. Even if you’ve been living under a rock the past few years, you’ll be well aware that a new installment to the beloved series of films is due out at the end of the year –but before we see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the big screen, Disney Worldwide Publishing and Lucasfilm confirmed that we will have a collection of 20 books at our disposal filled with the requisite 32 years of back-story following Return of the Jedi. As if the promise of uncovering ‘major secrets’ wasn’t draw enough to make these books required reading for any true fan, “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens” books will be released through a partnership with a number of (not to be ignored) outside companies; not the least of which being Del Rey and Marvel Comics. Michael Siglain, director, Creative Franchise, Lucasfilm, Disney Publishing Worldwide understands how Star Wars fans prepare –inviting the anticipation and speculation to begin while assuring us that “the filmmakers have a lot of surprises in store, and the hints and puzzle pieces in the publishing program will keep fans guessing until the film opens.” As we have come to expect from this creative partnership, no endeavour is completed half-way. Publishing of these books will take the form of: print and digital editions (many of which will feature new narrative stories for middle grade and young adults), comics, illustrated reference, Look and Find, and sticker books (which begs the question: am I too old for a sticker book?). According to executive VP of Disney Publishing Worldwide Andrew Sugerman:
While many of the books are still being written and edited, a few titles have already been announced:
Specific release dates have not been announced, but we are told to expect this ‘ambitious publishing program’ to kick off in full force this upcoming fall. Let’s hope it is sooner than later, because fans are going to need a little time to read them ahead of the December 18 launch (which cannot come soon enough) of the actual Star Wars: The Force Awakens film.
Star Wars Back-story to be Published Before The Force Awakens is a post from: Good e-Reader |
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
MixRadio Music Service Enters Private Android Beta
| Not since the early days of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) have users been so loyal to a platform in an attempt to retain the use of a single app. This is the case with MixRadio on Windows Phone; known as a popular music streaming service that recently made the move from being a Microsoft-owned property (by way of the pieces acquired from Nokia) to one belonging to Line. Fortunately for everybody on other platforms, MixRadio is branching out: development is underway, with a private beta in progress for iOS and Android users. There really isn’t anything special about MixRadio that you can’t find in a dozen other popular apps already available for Android; as you can imagine, it is a radio-focused service that customizes the station you are listening to based on a series of parameters that you define. Start with your favourite artists and genres, and the perfect playlist is created perfectly filled with the music you want to hear. Something about it brings mass-appeal, be it the user interface or the algorithm that picks song selections –time will tell once we get our hands on a copy to try. A specific release date hasn’t been announced, but I would be surprised if it doesn’t happen prior to the planned update of the Windows Phone app scheduled for sometime this summer.
MixRadio Music Service Enters Private Android Beta is a post from: Good e-Reader |
North American Manga Industry Estimates that Manga Grew For Second Year in 2014
| According to ICv2, a retailer-focused hobby game and comics/graphic novel market site, has just submitted a statement for the North American manga industry that it has hit a growth for a second year in 2014 after a long decline. ICv2 has been estimating the market for manga in the US and Canada since 2002, and things began to look up in 2013 after a big rise and fall with a peak reaching $200 million in 2007 which was then followed by years of a rapid decrease but then accumulating 2/3’s in 2013’s rebound, in which it grew 8% to around $70 million retail in the US and Canada which was a big improvement over the $65 million in 2012. While ICv2 has not complete a cross-channel analysis of manga sales in 2014, early indicators are positive in both the comic store and book channels. Attack on Titan was both a standalone winner has most definitely raised the field while other genres performed well. Viz also called out their shoujo successes, including the direct market sales, where it saw a 20% increase! In the Summer of 2014, ICv2 also did an analysis during that period and discovered that over 90% of it’s manga sales took place at that time in the book channel! Though currently, manga sales are still increasing, there’s plenty of room to grow, regardless of which channel is being used! North American Manga Industry Estimates that Manga Grew For Second Year in 2014 is a post from: Good e-Reader |
PEN/Faulkner Award Finalists Announced
| If you are looking for a new book to read perhaps the five finalists for the 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction might do the trick. The winner will be announced on April 7th, and the 35th Annual PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Ceremony & Dinner will be held on Saturday, May 2nd, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at the Folger Shakespeare Library. You can get a sense of who the authors are and what the books are about by visiting the awards biography website. Jeffery Renard Allen, author of Song of the Shank (Graywolf Press) Jennifer Clement, author of Prayers for the Stolen (Hogarth) Atticus Lish, author of Preparation for the Next Life (Tyrant Books) Emily St. John Mandel, author of Station Eleven (Alfred A. Knopf) Jenny Offill, author of Dept. of Speculation (Alfred A. Knopf) PEN/Faulkner Award Finalists Announced is a post from: Good e-Reader |
