2014 Q1

January through March of 2014

Jim Butcher - Furies of Calderon

The Furies of Calderon cover

I have read 15 books by Jim Butcher in the Dresden Files universe, so I decided to give his other series, Codex Alera, a shot.

Background

Unlike the Dresden Files, which are urban fantasy, Codex Alera is a more traditional fantasy series. Magic involves controlling elemental spirits (fire, earth, air, water, metal, and wood), and all humans, except for Tavi, the protagonist, can do some degree of magic. There are several other sentient races in the world, but the Alerans are modeled after Romans.  There is also plenty of political intrigue and romance.

Mark of the Ninja

Mark of the Ninja cover art

In Mark of the Ninja, you play a ninja trying to get back at a high tech weapons manufacturer for attacking your clan.  It's a fairly standard stealth game -- there are lots of guards to hide from, bypass, or assasinate.  There are some interesting skills that you gain throughout the game (eg, ravenous insects that can devour an enemy) and some challenges.  To get the full points on each level takes a bit of work, but the game itself isn't very hard.  The ending was okay, but it felt a bit lacking.  Overall, the game was fun, but it wasn't anything special.

The Benefits of an Elite Education, or How to Get the Most Out of College

When I was in high school, the common knowledge was that a stereotypically elite school wasn't much better than any other school, especially at the undergraduate level, so I shouldn't worry too much about where I go to school.  My experience at Stanford has convinced me that there is a large benefit to going to a stereotypically elite school, but I think that a motivated student can thrive at any school.

Do Good Now, or Why Public Service People Should Take Public Service Jobs

A lot of college students who want to save the world end up taking jobs in investment banking or management consulting, and some have asked me for my thoughts on the issue.  I'm not arguing in this article that there is anything wrong with those career choices, but I do think that it is wrong for someone who is primarily interested in public service and who is not passionate about banking or consulting to take one of those jobs.

Do Good Now

Antichamber

The Antichamber logo

Antichamber is a non-Euclidian puzzle game, which basically means that it's good at messing with your mind.  In many ways, the game is like an indie Portal.  Both are very fun puzzle games that challenge the way you think about problems.

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