Lenni Reviews: "The Devouring God" by James Kendley

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**This book was sent to me in exchange for an honest review.**

Ghost hunters Takuda, Mori, and Suzuki are sent to investigate some mysterious and disturbing calls made to a local mental health facility. As the case goes on, they notice the clues come to them way too easy. Bodies start piling up all leading to a mysterious and evil artifact.

This book does a great job setting an atmosphere of tension and mystery. The writing is competent enough to give you a real sense of Japan (in 1993). It was intriguing to see the characters change the longer they do this treacherous job; as if corrupted by the very evil they are hunting. Our three main characters work off of each other well in a delicate balance of annoyance and loyalty. Endo - the villain - talks like The Architect from The Matrix; pontificating in a way that even makes other characters snap at him to get to the point. I gotta say, Endo is MUCH less annoying and makes WAY more sense than The Architect so it wasn't completely painful to read his little speeches.

On the whole, this book is written well enough that I didn't feel I was missing information from the first book in this series. The ending is left quite obviously open for a new story so while the immediate problem was solved; you're left curiously unsatisfied. The over-arching evil is still out there. If I come across the next one, I'm intrigued enough to want to pick it up as this one was an enjoyable, supernatural horror. 4.5 out of 5.

For more reviews, check out Haunting Hypatia.

New Release from SuBLime!

Yaoi manga publisher, SuBLime, has launched a new series called Ten Count. According to their press release, this book is a forbidden love story between a therapist and his patient. Media Lab was kind enough to send me some information.

Here's the cover of volume one.

I've reviewed other manga from this publisher before (link is here) so when I unashamedly added the previous manga to my Goodreads account, Ten Count did pop up as a recommended read. I will be reviewing this once I get it in my hands so expect it soon!

Nickelodeon Brings Back Rocko’s Modern Life for Brand-New, Original One-Hour TV Special

Marking its 25th anniversary of original creator-driven animation to the day and date, Nickelodeon today announces another reinvention of its library content: the greenlight of an original one-hour TV special based on its classic ‘90s hit, Rocko’s Modern Life. With Rocko’s original creator Joe Murray on board as executive producer, the animated Rocko's Modern Life TV special will bring back all the show’s classic characters and offer some surprising new takes on life in O-Town. Additional news of Rocko’s airdate and casting will be announced in the coming months.

"I'm very happy to be rejoining Rocko and my friends from O-Town again,” said creator and executive producer Joe Murray. “What I have found by bringing these characters back is that it's not so much about nostalgia, but a sense that they still feel relevant and fresh to me, and after twenty years, they can't wait to comment on modern life in the 21st century. They still have a lot to say."

Originally airing from 1993-1996, the animated Rocko’s Modern Life follows the adventures of an Australian wallaby named Rocko and his two companions, Heffer Wolfe and Filburt, through their adventures in their home of O-Town.

“Following our news about Hey Arnold! and Legends of the Hidden Temple, greenlighting a Rocko’s Modern Life TV special is another strong example of how we are bringing our library content back for both new audiences and the generation that grew up on them in the ‘90s,” said Chris Viscardi, SVP, Content Development, Nickelodeon Franchise Properties. “It’s a testament to the strength and appeal of these characters that so many people have loved Nick animation for these last 25 years, and we are excited to bring them back for new stories and adventures.”

Today’s Rocko’s greenlight news--25 years to the day of the original launch of the iconic Rugrats, The Ren & Stimpy Show and Doug—follows recent announcements of Nickelodeon bringing back its library content for today’s audiences. Coming in 2017 is Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, a new, original TV movie that will feature a storyline picking up from where the original series ended in 2004, resolving unanswered questions and plotlines, including Arnold finally getting answers about the whereabouts of his missing parents.

This fall, Nickelodeon will premiere its Legends of the Hidden Temple original TV movie, an action-adventure movie based on its ‘90s game show of the same name. Drawing from the original show’s premise of kids competing to retrieve artifacts from a mysterious Mayan temple, the new action-adventure TV movie version will follow three siblings who embark on a high-stakes, life-or-death mission. 

Fatal1ty FXM100 Gaming Headset Review

The FxM 100 & 200 headsets feature exclusive fHex720 Sound Chamber Technology™ and special Game-tuned version of Monster’s signature Pure Monster Sound™ profile. In concert with custom-built drivers matched to noise-isolating ear cups, these breakthrough features magnify essential audio details helping gamers to hear and identify critical elements and nuances. The result is pinpoint accuracy needed to gain a competitive advantage and to experience your game as never before.

X JAPAN: Drafthouse Films Set Fall U.S. Release For Acclaimed Music Doc ''We Are X' '

Drafthouse Films announced today that they will releaseStephen Kijak's 'WE ARE X' in New York and Los Angeles on October 21, 2016, followed by nationwide expansion. Since its premiere at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival--where it was awarded theSpecial Jury Prize for editing--the film has continued to garner critical acclaim due to its remarkably candid portrayal of its enigmatic subject, YOSHIKI, leader of the Japanese band X JAPAN.

​Since then, 'WE ARE X' has played to sold-out audiences on the festival circuit, including at the2016 SXSW Film Festival and was the most tweeted about topic during the week of SXSWonly after the festival's keynote speaker, President Barack Obama. Audiences at both theSundance and SXSW screenings were treated to exclusive performances by YOSHIKI, and similar eventized concert presentations of the film are planned for its theatrical release.

From the production team behind the Oscar-winning Searching for Sugar Mancomes 'WE ARE X,' a transcendent rock & roll story about X JAPAN, the world's biggest and most successful band you've never heard of...yet.

Under the enigmatic direction ofdrummer, pianist, composer andproducerYoshiki, X JAPAN has sold over 30 million singles and albums combined--captivating such a wide range of admirers asSir George Martin, KISS, Stan Lee, and even the Japanese Emperor--and pioneered a spectacle-driven style of visual rock, creating a one-of-a-kind cultural phenomenon.

Chronicling the band'sexhilarating, tumultuous and unimaginable history over the past three decades--persevering through personal, physical and spiritual heartache--the film culminates with preparations for their breathtaking reunion concert at New York's legendary Madison Square Garden. Directed by acclaimed documentarianStephen Kijak (Stones in Exile, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man), 'WE ARE X' is an astonishingly intimate portrait of a deeply haunted--but truly unstoppable--virtuoso and the music that has enthralled legions of the world's most devoted fans.

 'WE ARE X' was produced by John Battsek of Passion Pictures, producer of two Academy Award winning documentaries(Searching For Sugar Man, One Day in September). The film was directed by Stephen Kijak (Stones In Exile, Scott Walker: 30th Century Man).

Retro Game Look Back: Ghost Sweeper Mikami (SNES)

Ghost Sweeper Mikami: Joreishi wa Nice Body is a side-scrolling platformer game based of the Ghost Sweeper Mikami Manga and Anime series. Join Reiko Mikami the ghost sweeper in his quest to find seven special jewels of a goddess statue but it won't be a easy task since each jewel is protected by a evil ghost.

BLEACH Anime Series Available On Blu-Ray

VIZ Media unleashes the tense anime action drama of BLEACH on Blu-ray for the first time with the home media release of Set 1.

Now available, BLEACH Set 1 presents the complete, uncut first 27 episodes of the popular series on 4 Blu-ray discs, and carries an MSRP of $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN. Episodes are available with dialogue selections for dubbed English as well as subtitled, Japanese 2.0 audio, with episodes presented in their original 4:3 format.

In the BLEACH anime series, for as long as he can remember, Ichigo Kurosaki has been able to see ghosts. But when he meets Rukia, a Soul Reaper who battles evil spirits known as Hollows, his life is changed forever. Now, with a newfound wealth of spiritual energy, Ichigo discovers his true calling – to protect the world of the living and the dead as a Substitute Soul Reaper. When Rukia is taken away to face the ruthless justice of the Soul Society, Ichigo and his friends must cross over and do battle in the spirit world...

“Fans have eagerly anticipated the release of BLEACH on Blu-ray, and this summer we invite them to expand their personal anime collections with the release of the first set of this riveting series,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Marketing Manager, Animation.

The BLEACH animated films and TV series (distributed in North America by VIZ Media,rated ‘TV-14’) are based on a smash hit manga series created by Tite Kubo (also published in North America by VIZ Media, rated ‘T’ for Teens).