Review: Lightbringer Series

Hello, it's me again. I got this new nice novels called Lightbringer Series from Brent Weeks. Currently it's on second book from four book totals, making it a quartet. The first book is titled "Black Prism", while the second book is "The Blinding Knife".

I had to give it to Mr. Weeks, but this two books is ROCKS!!! I love the magic system use, splitting light and gave each of them different properties, it just so cool!!! It differ from the usual magic system (male - female, 5 elements, etc), and had potentials for development and variations. It's interesting.

The main characters is nice too. The development is the standard Epic Fantasy kind, but the characters himself is quite departure from the usual. The cowardliness, the dark past, the secret, the guild, the resentment, all laid bare. Very nice actually.

The story telling is pretty good. Some passage could be better, but nothing too distracting. The battles and actions are very good, very enjoyable. The way Mr. Weeks stringing up the stories is good, most of time I couldn't guess the story line. Sure the ending of book two is a little bit predictable, but the leading actions is very, very good.

The language, style and atmosphere is very manly. I found it quite hard how little female characters make impact on this novels. Sure Aliviana got some mayor portions, but the impact is just not there. The characters is just not strong enough, while other potentially strong characters such as the White, Karris and Marisia (the poor women) not getting enough actions.

I had to give warning though, point of view Black Prism (book one) is differs to The Blinding Knife (book two). The characters is still the same, it just the portion which differs. I kind of like it, giving different view, different story from other side. Also give me deeper view on the said characters.

Overall, I found this two books very engaging. Yes, there are one or two weak parts, but nothing big. For you fantasy book lovers, you should try this series.

Review: The 20/20 Experience by Justin Timberlake

So, how long it was? 6 months? More? Sorry guys, I was really busy, so this blog of mine been neglected. Now, I'm back, with another review. Here we go.

Mr. Justin Randall Timberlake back after 6 years of hiatus into musical scene. Not that he absent completely, what with his name printed on singles or albums credits. This album, titled The 20/20 Experience, released several months ago, and pretty much earn mixed review. Some said it was nothing special, but some, like me, love this album very much.

JT's vocal is exceptional, I love how his falsetto delivered: smoothly. The lyric is interesting too, some is classic (or overused, from another point of view), but some really is interesting, if sometimes cheesy. Well, this is a mainstream album after all.

Just like the usual, his songs is full of catchy hooks and refrains. I especially love Tunnel Vision, Spaceship Coupe and Mirror (and the video clip. Old peoples getting romantic is really adorable! The skin colored-clad dancers girls with silvery wig is rather creepy though). The cherry-bubbling Strawberry Bubblegum (sorry for the pun) is good too, while Pusher Love Girl had nice refrain. I think Suit & Tie will make good music for lyrical dance. The reggae-touched Let the Groove Get In is nice break on the album, although 7:12 long song is definitely not short. The closing song, Blue Ocean Floor started boring, but got interesting when the refrain kick in.

The 20/20 Experience is bit departure from his last album, Futuresex / Lovesounds, which glittered with lasers and neon lights. I got this warm and classic feeling from Timberlake's latest album. The strings, the trumpets (or saxophone or whatever it is, I'm not really into musical instruments :P) combined with bass, drums and electronics creating a piece of music which spanned generations. A truly marvelous album.

The richness in it, the layers of sounds and instrumentals is good too. The musics is very enjoyable listened on my Goldring DR150 and FiiO E10. Really, you had to try listening it using good equipment. Your free-on-packaging earphones just won't cut it. With good equipment, you will notice just how rich and layered this album is, everything will come alive.

Lot of songs in this album clocked unusually long. For modern pop songs, that is. Some feels nice, bridging form one song to another song, but some, I feel unnecessary. But I had to give it to Mr. JT for his daring.

So, that's what I feel from the newest album by Justin Timberlake, titled The 20/20 Experience. Personally, I think the title reflect the album perfectly.