Rabbits - Episode 1 & 2

I posted earlier about how excited I was that I was going to be able to listen to a new podcast from episode 1.  I did a short post about the first episode, but it was pretty skimpy.  There wasn't much to go on, but now that there's a second episode, I'm going to go ahead and talk a little more about episode 1 before going into episode 2.  There will be spoilers here.

In episode 1, we're meet Carly Parker and learn a little about Yumiko Takata, her missing friend.  She disappeared shortly after getting involved in a game called Rabbits.  (Well, Rabbits isn't exactly its "real" name, but it's the name that it's known by.)  Rabbits is, apparently, related to a category of games called "ARG"s (alternate reality games).  ARG's rely on immersive storytelling and role-playing to progress, and can sometimes trek into "conspiracy theory" territory.  It's a little hard to understand the connection between ARGs and Rabbits, but it seems that Rabbits steers a little closer to "conspiracy theory" than "immersive role-playing game".  Because of the secretive nature of the game, it's difficult to find much concrete information about it, but here is what we know:

• If you play, you cannot tell anyone that you're playing.
• There are Wardens that make sure that you are following the rules and/or honoring the spirit of the game.
• Consequences of breaking the rules while playing can result in serious physical or mental harm.
• The modern version of the game has been played eight times, and this is iteration number nine.

Presumably, the prize for winning the game is worth the potential dangers, but no information about previous winners has ever surfaced.  If Yumiko is involved in this game, did she catch the attention of a Warden? Or is she caught up in the pursuit of clues?  Or could her disappearance be completely unrelated?

The first episode focuses on establishing the relationships and histories among the different characters and giving background information about Rabbits and people that may or may not be related.  At this point, the only things that are known about Yumiko is that she has gone missing, she started acting strangely shortly before her disappearance, and that she visited the Natural History Museum before she disappeared.  Before its ending, Carly receives her first clue about Yumiko - a pin-up girl style photograph of young woman from an escort website - from someone called Concernicus Jones. 

But even as you get that clue, you're left with so many questions:  Who is Hazel, and how were they involved with the previous iterations of Rabbits?  What is Concernicus Jones's angle? 

So, episode two starts with a snippet of a conversation with the mysterious hacker Concernicus Jones.  But, before we can dive into that tantalizing little chat, it's time for a bit more background on the Yumiko situation.

Apparently, before her disappearance, Yumiko had become obsessed with learning more about people who had died while playing video games.  Yumiko herself became so absorbed in her research that, had Carly not had plans to meet with her, she might have followed the gamers who died playing MMORPGs in Korea.  Clearly, something is not right with Yumiko, but she can't talk too much about it.

Carly also follows up on what exhibit Yumiko looked at when she visited the Natural History Museum.  She doesn't learn much, but apparently, passenger pigeons have something to do with Rabbits.  Perhaps it's a clue in the game?

Finally, we can get into Concernicus Jones and his information.  It turns out that he knows quite a bit about Rabbits, and he encountered Yumiko while he was "watching" someone else.  He provides Carly with another lead - a website devoted to reviewing escort services like the one that Yumiko's picture had been on.  This new lead eventually turns up a new clue - "How many steps to the lighthouse?".

The latest episode has made me wonder - is Carly now an unofficial player of Rabbits herself?  How long until the Wardens turn their eyes on her, and will she be in danger if they do?  Or, since she's following another player, would the Wardens just consider her one of the fans/observers that have always existed in the game?

So far, this podcast has been pretty top-notch and interesting.  I am a little concerned, though, that this is going to turn into TANIS 2.0, as it has a lot of the same elements: the Deep Web, conspiracies, a trail of clues that lead to more clues, and hackers that know way too much.  I am hoping that I'm wrong. Despite this, I am enjoying how stimulating this story is.  It's definitely something that I have to stop everything and pay attention to, but I don't mind because it's so absorbing.

So, is anyone else following Rabbits?  Any theories you'd like to share?

The Unwritten vol 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity - written by Mike Carey, art by Peter Gross

Tom Taylor and Christopher Robin Milne have a lot in common.  They're both the inspiration for their father's greatest literary works. They both have quite a bit of resentment toward their father for that fame.  But, unlike Christopher Robin Milne, Tom Taylor may not be quite who he thinks he is.

Tom Taylor's father wrote the popular Tommy Taylor series, which follow the exploits of a boy wizard and his friends as they try to survive the rise of a powerful dark lord.  After writing the final Tommy Taylor book, Wilson Taylor went missing, leaving his son to grow into a rude, cynical slacker.  There's no love lost between Tom and his father - his father never seemed especially affectionate toward him and insisted upon drilling seemingly useless knowledge of literature and literary geography into his head at every available opportunity.  Although Tom has attempted to distance himself from his fictional childhood self throughout his life, he always finds himself returning to the convention circuit.

It's at one of these conventions that he encounters two people that throw his life into turmoil.  The first is a very eccentric man who believes himself to be Count Ambrosio, the villain of the Tommy Taylor novels.  He has been stalking Tom Taylor's convention appearances for a while, and his behavior has been getting increasingly erratic.  The second is a woman named Lizzy Hexam, who asserts that Tom Taylor is not the real son of Wilson Taylor - in fact, the boy known as Tom Taylor may not have ever existed at all.  There's no evidence of Tom's existence - no birth certificate, no real social security number, nothing.  So, who is he, really?  Before Tom can fully digest this revelation, "Count Ambriso" kidnaps him and attempts to livestream his villainous triumph over the boy wizard. And the "Count" isn't the only one that seems to be out for Tom's blood.

The Unwritten may sound like AU Harry Potter, but it's a lot darker and grittier than the beloved children's series.  It's kind of like what Harry Potter would have been like if it had been crossed with Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.

The first volume's pacing fluctuates.  During the action parts, it's pretty quick, but then there's an entire chapter following the literary life of Rudyard Kipling that's pretty slow.  The Rudyard Kipling chapter isn't included just for giggles - there's important things being established in this chapter - but it's slow and hard to read because you're reading handwritten diary entries.  It was my least favorite chapter, but don't skip it or you'll be confused about the overall "shadowy cabal" stuff that's going on.

I can't say that any characters stood out as being "favorite character" material in the first volume.  Tom Taylor is an unlikable, self-centered jerk, and you don't really know enough about anyone else to really form a strong opinion of them.  Lizzy Hexam is interesting - why does she know so much about Tom, and why was she researching him in the first place?

The real star of this book is the world-building that's going on.  We may think we know what's going on in the modern world, and we may think that literature is just a form of entertainment, but the line between the two may not be as clear as we think.  Authors might be more than just spinners of fanciful tales, but just how much power do they wield if that's the case?

The art is pretty good - it conveys emotion and movement really well.  The action sequences are paced well enough that you can follow what's going on without having to study each panel for five minutes.  You should definitely take the time to study the cover art and alternate cover art gallery at the back, though.  I think that a couple of them would make nice posters.

I think that this would be good reading for older teens to adults who were fans of the Harry Potter series or like darker fantasy stories.  It's definitely not something you'd get for your ten-year-old Pottermaniac nephew for his birthday.  There is a lot of strong language, and it's pretty violent - they don't shy away from committing grisly acts of murder with, for instance, farm tools or nail bombs.  (Okay, your ten-year-old nephew might be mature enough to deal with this, but, y'know, full disclosure and all.)

The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living - Meik Wiking

Before I get started: it's pronounced "Hoo-ga", and you can listen to the pronunciation here. (Incidentally, Forvo is an excellent free resource for language-learners.)  This does not stop me from reading "hygge" every time as rhyming with "pig", and I apologize to Denmark and all Danish speakers in advance.

So, what is hygge?  It's pretty hard to explain, as the word doesn't translate very cleanly into English, but - picture yourself in an overstuffed armchair, your warm beverage of choice within reach, a fireplace crackling and popping before you, the scent of baking bread in the air, a snowstorm swirling beyond the windows, and your favorite comfort-novel in your hand.  That's basically hygge.  You can hygge alone or with a small group of close friends.

The purpose of this book was to explore hygge and give tips about how to add hygge to your everyday life.  After all, if the Danish are frequently ranked #1 in happiness, there must be something to this hygge thing, right?

The book is fairly short, and the chapters are typically only a few pages long.  As I read it, I couldn't help but be reminded of the Marie Kondo books I'd read earlier, as both talk about how changes in one's environment can help change one's mood.  They also both emphasize mindfulness as one of the secrets of being happier.  I got the sense that, once you've gotten rid of your clutter using the Konmari method, you can start introducing some hygge to your life using Wiking's tips.

I would be doing a disservice to the idea of hygge if I tried to break it down into a simple list, but some of the things that Wiking mentions as important to hygge is: candles, food, companionship, and comforting surroundings.    If it weren't for the fact that I don't speak Danish (yet...) and that winter last about eight months up there, I think I'd move to Denmark just so I could be among like-minded individuals.

Fortunately, you don't have to move to Denmark, or make a lot of money, to add some hygge to your surroundings.  In fact, Wiking maintains that the more humble and simple something is, the greater its hygge factor.  A home-made knitted pair of socks is more hygge than cashmere socks, especially if you made them yourself and can fondly recall the experience of learning to turn a heel or cast-on when you wear them.  A humble but hearty beef stew with home-made crusty bread is far more hygge than a gourmet meal at an expensive restaurant, especially when made and shared with friends.  Hygge is about simple pleasures.

I can't say that I see hygge catching on in a widespread fashion here.  We're too addicted to our toys, our noise, and our pursuit of "the next big thing" to slow down and appreciate the simpler things in life.  It would pretty much require a complete cultural overhaul to have a chance of catching on around here.  But, you can at least make your "down-time" more refreshing and pleasurable by taking a few tips from this book.  For introverts, this is basically a how-to book for building the perfect nest, and they might be the ones to benefit most from reading this book.  As for me, well, if you need me, I'll be in my hyggekrog.