Author Archives: ThomasPKing

Board Game Review: Yedo (2012)

8/10 A thematic Euro with a unique combination of mechanisms. I have played this at 2 and 3-player, even tried my hand at a solo variant (not very successfully). Designed by Thomas Vande Ginste and Wolf Plancke, published by Eggertspiele and Pandasaurus Games. Yedo is set in 1605 Japan where you control a clan seekingContinue reading “Board Game Review: Yedo (2012)”

Book Review: “Out” by Natsuo Kirino

8/10 Well-written and enjoyable despite some minor flaws. Four women struggle to make ends meet while working the night shift at a lunchbox factory. Their already desperate reality is thrown into the dark world of crime when one of them murders her husband and turns to the other three to help cover it up. TheContinue reading “Book Review: “Out” by Natsuo Kirino”

Role-playing: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd Edition

It’s been a busy week, so I don’t have a proper review of anything at the moment. Instead, I figured I’d take a moment to highlight an RPG I enjoy that I’ve been running for almost 2 years. Warhammer Fantasy Warhammer Fantasy started as a tabletop wargame pitching fantasy races against one another. If you’veContinue reading “Role-playing: Warhammer Fantasy RPG 2nd Edition”

(Update) Call for Beta Readers! “Last Light Out”

I’ve extended the time frame to two weeks. It’s only 9k words which can be read in one sitting. Two weeks to read it and leave feedback should be plenty of time. I’m really hoping to get some beta readers. It’s difficult to work without them! Speculative fiction horror story. 9,000 words long. Last LightContinue reading “(Update) Call for Beta Readers! “Last Light Out””

Call for Beta Readers! “Last Light Out”

I am seeking beta readers for a speculative fiction horror story. It’s about 9,000 words long. Last Light Out Tokyo is full of ghosts, and Akiko’s great-grandmother spent decades avoiding the city, hinting at horrible memories. Tragic events lure Akiko down a dark path, and she unwittingly drags her friends along for the ride. NotContinue reading “Call for Beta Readers! “Last Light Out””

Book/RPG Review: Fabled Lands

7/10 Enjoyable and unique but not without drawbacks. I’ve played bits of book 1-4 in the Java version and books 1-2 in print. Fabled Lands is a series of gamebooks that continue the tradition set by the Fighting Fantasy books of the 80s. For anyone unfamiliar with the term “gamebook” it’s like a choose-your-own-adventure andContinue reading “Book/RPG Review: Fabled Lands”

Book Review: “The Bells of Old Tokyo” by Anna Sherman

9/10 Excellent, well-written; a book I would love to read again. This memoir stories Sherman’s search for a series of bells that used to operate around Tokyo many years ago, some of which still ring on schedule. The history of these bells goes back to when Tokyo was a much smaller city. Sherman’s goal isContinue reading “Book Review: “The Bells of Old Tokyo” by Anna Sherman”

Board Game Review: Scythe

7/10 A Solid game and enjoyable, though flawed. This is an update to my previous review where I had only played a few times at 2-player. I’ve now played it several times, mostly at 2, but also at 3 and 4. In an alternate world, warring factions use mechs to traverse the harsh landscape andContinue reading “Board Game Review: Scythe”

Writer’s Tool: Draw.io

There are many word processors and everyone has their favorite. Personally, I use OpenOffice which is free and still updated. But most writers still struggle with whether to outline and how best to outline. And even for those who have established their best method, it often involves lots of stickies and piles of notes. AsContinue reading “Writer’s Tool: Draw.io”