Category: My Opinion

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Book Reviews Fiction

Japanese Literature: The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

The second book I discovered while holidaying in Hong Kong is by Japanese author Yoko Ogawa. I’ve long been a fan of her work—Mina’s Matchbox, Hotel Iris, and The Housekeeper and the Professor. Her latest novel, The Memory Police, transports readers to an unnamed island where objects mysteriously vanish and memories gradually fade. Most of the island’s inhabitants accept this as an inevitable part of life, while a few who still remember live in constant fear of arrest by the Memory Police. It is a truly unique story; I never knew what to expect from beginning to end. Like The Housekeeper and the Professor, memory is a central theme, but The Memory Police takes it further: what if the majority of people progressively lose memory, and this becomes the new normal?

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Book Reviews Fiction

Japanese Literature: We’ll Prescribe You A Cat by Syou Ishida

Hong Kong is a great place to discover new books. The island has so many bookstores, unlike Singapore. One of the two books I picked up during my holiday was We’ll Prescribe You A Cat. It turned out to be a lighthearted, page-turning read. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. And honestly, I agree — a cat a day keeps the doctor away!

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Book Reviews Fiction

Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa

According to the author’s note at the end of the book, Yoko Ogawa has won every major Japanese literary award. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker. Her works include The Memory Police; The Diving Pool, a collection of three novellas; The Housekeeeper and the Professor; Hotel Iris; and Revenge. She lives in Ashiya, Japan.

When I picked up this book from the library, the author’s name felt familiar. Then I realized—I had read two of her books 14 years ago! Yet, I have no recollection of them. So, this blog entry is written as though I am approaching her work for the first time.

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Game Reviews

Children of Morta 6 Years Later – The 2025 Review (Is It Worth Playing?)

Children of Morta - It is always about the family

“Children of Morta” was a game I first played back in 2019, and now, six years later, I’ve returned to finish the story and collect all 100% of the Steam achievements. This is a pixel art roguelike RPG that really stands out for its storytelling and art design. But the question is: after all these years, is it still worth playing?

Stick around as we dive into my 2025 review of Children of Morta!

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Book Reviews Fiction

The City and its Uncertain Walls: A Reflection on Murakami’s Labyrinth of Closure

Murakami - The City and its Uncertain Walls

Few authors can weave a narrative tapestry as intricate and evocative as Haruki Murakami. For years, I have been captivated by his works, drawn to the way he blurs the boundaries between reality and fantasy. The City and its Uncertain Walls is no exception. While it may not rank among my personal favourites, it lingers in my mind long after the final page – a testament to its provocative themes and enigmatic storytelling. Yet, this lingering comes with frustration, as the ambiguous ending leaves much to the reader’s imagination, a choice that may not satisfy everyone.

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Game Reviews

Crusader King 3 – Chiefdom of Baol

This originates from a game called Crusader King 3. It was my first play through.

Geer Pateh

The year was 867AD, in the era of tribal, I was the ruler of Baol. Boal is a coastal country in Africa, in today’s west of Senegal. My name was Pateh, Geer Pateh of Baol, in the House of Congin.

Our faith was Roog Sene, which outlines the way of the divine, the path to living a spiritually fulfilling life in honor of one’s ancestors and the creator of the universe, Roog. Our culture was Wolof and we spoke Senegambian.

Geer Pateh of Baol

I was born timid and did not enjoy being challenged, or scared. I enjoyed things in moderation and am also greedy. I possessed a keen sense for all matters relating to stewardship and was an administrative force to be reckoned with. Not a natural leader, but I had to rule. In my younger days, I had taken up the call of the wild and enjoyed hunting. These were the highlights of my legacy.

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Music Reviews

Roger Water’s Dark Side of the Moon Redux is a Cringfest

Roger Water’s re-recording of Pink Floyd’s 50-year-old classic without any of the Pink Floyd members is very unpleasant to listen through. His long-winded spoken words are a constant distraction. And when he sings, he does so in such a low-key that makes me cringe all the way. The only part that is remotely enjoyable is when Roger Water neither speaks nor sings. The music is okay though I miss the real music from the original setup. Some parts are quite enjoyable, like his bass line. And then he sings, that spoils everything.

Album artwork

I forced myself to listen to the entire album in one setting. Because I am one huge Pink Floyd fan. My verdict: the original classic is so much more epic than this.

Sorry Roger, David is way more talented than you. You probably thought that this “Redux” album would prove otherwise. The truth is, Pink Floyd was fine without you. You are not good without Pink Floyd.

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Game Reviews

Warhammer: Chaosbane – A Review

Surprisingly, in the universe of Warhammer, there aren’t many real-time action isometric or 2.5D role-playing games. There is Inquisitor and there is Chaosbane. To summarize, Chaosbane released in 2019 is a casual aRPG, very accessible to players who are new to this genre, and very easy to pick up. Just that, you shouldn’t expect Chaosbane to be on par with other mainstream aRPG such as Diablo 3. The storytelling is basic. Voice acting has its hits and misses. Maps and enemy types are limited. But what I really like is the multi-stage boss fight that is epic and fair. The combat is fluid. Last, but not the least, you wouldn’t need to invest a lot of time to progress well in this game.

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J Pop Music Reviews

Love Psychedelico’s New Live Recording is Truly Phenomenal – Live Tour 2022 “A revolution” at Showa Women’s University Hitomi Memorial Hall 2022/11/23

I am not a big live recording fan (classical music is an exception). I prefer studio recording whereby all the tracks are perfectly recorded and mastered. A great live recording requires every band member to do well and the song rendition should offer something different, something better than studio recording (otherwise, why bother?). Live Tour 2022 “A revolution” at Showa Women’s University Hitomi Memorial Hall 2022/11/23 ticks all the boxes for me. Before writing this blog entry, I was thinking hard about what other live albums I like. I can only come up with one. Pink Floyd’s Pulse (Live).

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Game Reviews

Diablo 4 Open Beta Early Access – An Afterthought with Concern and Hope

How time flies is an understatement. A little over 11 years ago, I have participated in the Diablo 3 beta. Last weekend, I played the open beta early access. I would like to share with you my afterthought. The beta weekend has its ups and downs. I will address my concerns first and end this on a good note with things that I like.

My beloved Sorceror
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