I Dont Breathe the Air Book Review Scott Dewey

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Remember those cheesy movies from the 80s? You know, the large budget ones that don't stand up to the exam of time, with the bad interim, laugh-worthy special effects, and stoic action hero-esque one-liners a la Arnold Schwarzenegger? This book could so easily be one of those that I can nearly picture the synth music intro and the young Matthew Broderick-cast main character.

OFF TO BE THE WIZARD has been on my radar for a while. I used to be

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Remember those cheesy movies from the 80s? You know, the big upkeep ones that don't stand up to the exam of time, with the bad acting, express joy-worthy special effects, and stoic activity hero-esque one-liners a la Arnold Schwarzenegger? This volume could then easily be one of those that I tin can virtually picture the synth music intro and the young Matthew Broderick-cast main graphic symbol.

OFF TO BE THE WIZARD has been on my radar for a while. I used to be a huge gamer when I was younger. In college, I had to choose between books and games considering I stopped having fourth dimension for both - I chose books, considering they're the least expensive and most portable of the two, merely my honey for games lives on.

And honestly, who wouldn't want to read most the biggest wish fulfillment fantasy always? Because OFF TO BE THE WIZARD is about a down-on-his-luck guy in his twenties who finds a file on his computer one day. When he makes changes to this file, he tin increase his meridian, drop a couple thou in his depository financial institution account, and even give himself magic powers.

Information technology seems similar information technology's too practiced to exist truthful. It is. Soon, editing the file gets Martin in problem, and so he does what whatever rational person in his position would exercise: he escapes to the Medieval period to exist a sorcerer. Specifically, 1150, considering information technology's the best fourth dimension to be alive in the Medieval menses, according to this excerpt he finds on Google Books.

I know.

Surprisingly, Martin is not the get-go person to get into problem like this and flee to this time menstruum. There are other wizards here, besides. On Wednesdays, they wearable robes. He'southward allowed to sit with the cool magician kids, provided that he undergoes some tests to ensure that he isn't going to ruin the skillful thing they accept going on. If he passes, he gets to stay. If he fails, he gets stripped of his "powers" and sent back to his time period to deal with the major mess that he created without any sort of help.

The beginning of OFF TO Exist THE Sorcerer is neat. Martin did what most people in his position would probably practice - experiment, rationalize information technology to himself, and push his luck while trying to figure out how much he could get away with. Things sort of fell apart when he actually got to "Medieval times" and I think a huge part of that is due to how historically inaccurate the time flow was. I know it'southward ridiculous to await a fantasy novel to stick to the facts, but having anachronistic linguistic communication and behavior, and so referring to one of the greatest female person monarchs of that time as "passive" (Empress Matilda sneers at your passivity, and raises you alliance to Anjou) is...well, just plainly giddy!

Another thing that bothered me is something that bothered a lot of other female readers - there are no female person principal characters in this book, and just i female character who is referred to at all, Gwen. To be fair, Gwen is a great grapheme, and her inclusion in the story isn't equally a dearest interest, which I found incredibly refreshing. That doesn't stop Martin from hitting on her awkwardly, though. Apparently most women who discover the file on their computers don't go to Medieval times because they don't remember it would be a friendly fourth dimension period for female witches (LOL, understatement). Instead, they choose to become to Atlantis...which apparently exists in this bizarre little universe.

What bothered me well-nigh this is that one of the characters - non the hero - essentially says that he wouldn't desire to go there considering he'southward agape to see what a earth run by women looks like. There'southward a few other blench-worthy moments, where the characters say vaguely misogynistic things like this:

"He toyed with the thought of hitting on her by non hitting on her. He would be friendly and professional, maintaining a facade of pleasant disinterest, all the while scheming to initiate a romantic human relationship. (39%)

That's Martin, in one of his early attempts to woo Gwen.

"I don't see the point in getting a adult female to similar you if you lot're not going to go out with her." (38%)

That'south one of the other characters - Gary, I think. He says a lot of stuff like this. I think it's supposed to exist funny, like, "Oh, you." It wasn't. He was an incredibly annoying character, and I wanted him sent back to his time menses, stripped of his powers, because what a jerk.

These moments are few and far in betwixt, and a few of the characters actually try to correct the other characters on their sexism, similar Phillip, who repeatedly tells Martin to go out Gwen lonely and who snaps at Tyler for his sexist comments. But Phillip also said that thing nearly non wanting to see Atlantis because of its being a woman-run globe, so boo on you lot too, Phillip.

It actually made me think of this YouTube comment I saw recently, where this male commenter was complaining that this one channel I follow has gone downhill because of the female writers. He said, paraphrased, "It's because women aren't funny. Some tin be, merely most aren't." Which isn't necessarily true, in my opinion. I think there'southward just a difference in what both groups are willing to tolerate, and most women in detail but don't find crude, sexist digs every bit funny as some men do. I desire to be articulate: I'1000 not saying that this author is sexist, just that this book appears to exist written with a by and large male audition in heed, and it shows in the humor used and the characters represented.

For the most part, I did like this story, and how it'south CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN Male monarch ARTHUR'Due south COURT meets The Matrix. I idea it was unique and clever, and had a lot of fun and lightheaded observations in it, and I appreciated the nerdy within jokes, too. I wish information technology had just been a scrap better developed, peculiarly the third act, which although information technology fabricated me express joy incredulously, felt like information technology had jumped the shark just a little bit.

2 to 2.5 stars!

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Source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18616975-off-to-be-the-wizard

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