It's raining games...

Following stories that Game retailer is in deep trouble and about to go under, I went in and spent all my sizeable credit. I wasn't planning to get any games any time soon as I only just bought Batman Arkham City and Mass Effect 3 came via post few days ago. So from my two visits to games I now have

1. Driver San Francisco,
2. Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock,
3. The Elder Scrolls Oblivion 5th Anniversary Edition,
4. Top Spin 2,
5. Dues Ex: Human Revolution,
6. Rage,
7. Project Gotham Racing 4,
8. Batman Arkham City,
9. Mass Effect 3

I initially got Saints Row The Third but after reading some reviews decided it wasn't for me as I would get bored of it to quickly, so I went back and got Driver SF, Oblivion and GH Warriors of Rock for it. If I include many other games that I have played but not finished playing yet (Gears of War 3, Battlefield 3, Forza 4, and many more), that is me sorted for this decade :).

Run by Blake Crouch

Last night I finished Run by Blake Crouch. One of more difficult books I ever read.

The plot has got many holes in it but it still holds. Basically the story evolves around family of four, parents in their early 40s with a teenage daughter and small boy having to constantly run and fight for their survival against cold, hunger, thirst and savage killers. It is a horrific story that makes you think what if this could really happen. At times it got very gripping and I couldn't put the book down no matter what. Crouch shows some master skills in immersing the reader in the book, so much so that at times I had to take a brake as it was getting too difficult to detach from the horrific events.

On a negative side I did not like the way relationship evolved between husband and wife. I had a feeling that corners were cut or not enough attention was put towards this. Their relationship changes as story progresses but I as a reader did not get the true picture of their feelings as these changes happened.

I rate this book as WWR (Well Worth Reading) - 3.5 stars out of 5.

Down the memory lane

I loved  this when I first read it in high school many years ago. Today I stumbled on it and had to make a note of it here. It is an excerpt from Common Sense, written in 1776 by Thomas Paine:

“Entrepreneur’s Credo
I do not choose to be a common man,
It is my right to be uncommon … if I can,
I seek opportunity … not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen.
Humbled and dulled by having the
State look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk;
To dream and to build.
To fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole;
I prefer the challenges of life
To the guaranteed existence;
The thrill of fulfillment
To the stale calm of Utopia.
I will not trade freedom for beneficence
Nor my dignity for a handout
I will never cower before any master
Nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect.
Proud and unafraid;
To think and act for myself,
To enjoy the benefit of my creations
And to face the world boldly and say:
This, with God’s help, I have done
All this is what it means
To be an Entrepreneur.”