Carcassonne: Winter Edition

Today's review is of the 2012 release, Carcassonne: Winter Edition.  For 2-5 players, it takes 40 minutes.

Overview
Carcassonne: Winter Edition is exactly the same as the original Carcassonne, save for two differences:
- it's winter-themed, so the fields are covered in snow (no effect on gameplay)
- 12 additional tiles are included in this release

That's it! All rules are the same; check the original review for more details.

game in progress; image from here

Review
If you like the original, you'll like this. I have a mild preference for this version, only because it includes more tiles.

Rating: A-

Heir to the Empire (Timothy Zahn)

Five years after Return of the Jedi, the New Republic is still struggling to establish itself.   As the New Republic looks to solidify government and recruit more worlds, Leia and Han are married (and expecting twins), Luke looks to strengthen his mastery of the Force, and Lando has a new business venture.  Yet threats lurk, within and without.  Borsk Fey'lya, Bothan politician, is playing political power games, and Admiral Ackbar may fall victim . . . while the Imperial remnant is now led by Grand Admiral Thrawn, a genius with great plans to take back the galaxy- and destroy the Skywalkers. 

Thrawn sends squads of Noghri commandos to hunt Leia, seeks secret Imperial technology in the dead Emperor's fortress on Wayland, recruits Joruus C'baoth (a cloned Jedi Master ruling the planet) to his cause, and discovers ysalamiri, animals that push back the Force and render Jedi within their range powerless.  With such weapons at his disposal, the fledgling Republic will soon be at his mercy as he plans an attack on the Sluis Van shipyards . . .

But Thrawn is not alone in seeking Skywalker.  The mysterious Mara Jade, working for smuggler Talon Karrde, burns with intense hatred towards Luke, and seeks an opportunity to kill him.  She may just have her chance, as Luke's X-wing is disabled near Myrkr and Karrde's base.  Karrde has plans of his own, though, and imprisons Luke without turning him over to a snooping Empire.  Where does his allegiance lie? Can Luke escape? And against Thrawn, can the fledgling Republic prevail?

This is the original Star Wars Expanded Universe (EU) at its finest. Action, adventure, intrigue . . . it's all there.  13-year-old me loved this book; 40-year-old me still does.

Rating: A

Dangerous Calling (Paul Tripp)

In Dangerous Calling, seasoned pastor Paul Tripp discusses and confronts problems in pastoral culture.  He starts by examining the culture and argues that he sees several problems in this vein:
1) pastors let their ministry define their identity
"Human beings are always assigning to themselves some kind of identity.  There are only two places to look.  Either you will be getting your identity vertically from who are you in Christ, or you will be shopping for it horizontally in the situations, experiences, and relationships of your daily life."
2) pastors let biblical literacy and theological knowledge define their maturity
Too often we "buy into the belief that biblical maturity is about the precision of theological knowledge and the completeness of their biblical literacy."  And yet "it is possible to be theologically astute and be very immature.  It is possible to be biblically literate and be in need of significant spiritual growth."
3) pastors confuse ministry success with God's endorsement of their lifestyle
"The success of a ministry is always more a picture of who God is than a statement about who the people are that he is using for his purpose."

He spends the rest of the book being "unflinchingly honest while being unshakingly hopeful" as he discusses other common problems, typical fears, signs of trouble, and steps to help.  He reminds the reader that ministry "is never just shaped by your gifts, knowledge, skill, and experience.  It is always also shaped by the true condition of your heart."  Everything we do serves either ourselves or God, and Tripp argues that "the biggest protection against the kingdom of self is not a set of self-reformative defensive strategies.  It's a heart that's so blown away by the right-here, right-now glories of the grace of Jesus Christ that we're not easily seduced by the lesser temporary glories . . ." for "no one celebrates the presence and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ more than the person who has embraced his desperate and daily need of it."

The message of the book was outstanding, deeply humbling and convicting (while also encouraging and inspiring).  I know it's geared towards pastors, but it's appropriate for all Christians, as we can (and do) fall into the same traps all the time.  I ding it only because it gets really repetitive as the book goes on, and could be delivered much more succinctly.  But it's highly recommended.

Rating: A-

Carcassonne: Star Wars

Today's review is of the 2015 release, Carcassonne: Star Wars.  For 2-5 players, it takes 35 minutes.

Overview
Explore trade routes, navigate asteroid fields, and conquer planets as you look to rule the galaxy! 

Like the original, Carcassonne: Star Wars is a tile-laying game.  On your turn, you:
- randomly draw and place a tile, laying it on the existing map and making sure edges adjacent to existing tiles 'match'.
- place one of your meeples on a trade route, asteroid field, or planet on the tile you just laid down (if you can)
- if a feature (trade route or asteroid field) is completed, or if a planet is completely surrounded by tiles, the meeple occupying it is scored and goes back into your supply, to be used again later

game in progress; image from here

There are three main differences between this and original Carcassonne:
- here, you can't lay meeples down in space (like you can in pastures in the original)
- if you lay a tile adjacent to a planet, you can place your meeple on the planet- even if someone's already on it!- and a battle ensues (you both roll a number of dice based on a few conditions; the person with the highest number wins and kicks the other off the planet)
- similarly, if a newly-laid tile creates a situation where two players occupy the same asteroid field or trade route, they battle and the loser is kicked off

Once all tiles have been laid, points are tallied, and highest wins!

Review
Carcassonne has produced several variants over the years because it's a solid and fun gaming system. Carcassonne: Star Wars is fun, though I think I prefer the base game or Carcassonne: Gold Rush to this version.  Something felt missing . . . perhaps having one fewer option (laying a meeple in space) was the gap.  That aside, the battles with dice was an interesting twist, and my kids really liked it.  It's a solid addition to the Carcassonne line.

Rating: B+

Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu

Today's review is of the 2016 release, Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu.  For 2-4 players, it takes 40 minutes.

Overview
You and your team hear of stirrings . . . whispers of a great evil.  You learn of four gates, through which horrors can arrive.  It's up to you to seal the gates, defeat the monsters and cultists, and (ultimately) prevent the awakening of Cthulhu.  Can you prevail?

Pandemic: Reign of Cthulhu is very similar to other games in the Pandemic line (like the original, Iberia, and Fall of Rome).  It's a cooperative game where each player has a unique role (granting special abilities) and gets 4 actions on their turn to move, defeat cultists or Shoggoths, trade cards, and seal gates.  At the end of their turn, they draw cards for their hand, then flip over 'summoning' cards to place cultists (the 'viruses' of this variant) on the board, triggering 'awakenings' (outbreaks) if a fourth cultist would be placed in a town.  Some differences:
- the cards you draw are not unique locations, but one of four regions (cities).  This makes it easier to pass cards (as you just have to be in any city in a region with another player, not one specific locale)
- defeating a Shoggoth costs 3 actions
- there's a 'sanity die' you must roll before defeating a Shoggoth or using a gate to 'warp' between locations. Each player starts with four sanity, and if you lose it, you go insane, flipping your role card and having reduced abilities until/unless you trigger a hospital/church visit to recover.

game components; image from here

Review
I enjoyed the H.P. Lovecraft short story The Call of Cthulhu, and I love the Pandemic line.  Combining the two must be awesome, right?  It's pretty good. I felt this variant of Pandemic the weakest of the ones I've played- perhaps too easy, with twists that weren't as original or interesting as other versions.  The theme may put some people off, as well, as it's notably darker (but aligns with the spirit of the book). It's not a bad game, but it's not quite as good as other Pandemic versions.

Rating: A-

Der Rauber Hotzenplotz (Otfried Preussler)

The robber Hotzenplotz has taken grandmother's coffee grinder.  When the law proves powerless to assist, Kasperl and Seppel devise a plan to catch the thief.  But Hotzenplotz is craftier than the boys suspect, and soon the two find themselves in hot water- one serving the robber, one a wizard.  Can they escape, bring the robber to justice, and (most importantly) get back grandma's coffee grinder?

This German children's classic (it was written in 1962) was outstanding . . . I thoroughly enjoyed it.  As I read it 'auf Deutsch,' I'm sure I missed some things, but I understood enough.  The tale was simple but had humor, adventure, twists, and suspense.  I highly recommend it, and want to read some of his others- though perhaps in English.

Rating: A

Outfoxed!

Today's review is of the 2014 release, Outfoxed!  For 2-4 players, it takes 20 minutes.

Overview
A wily fox has committed a crime, and it's up to you and your friends to stop him!  Outfoxed! is a Clue-like game geared towards preschoolers.  A fox is placed on the board in the starting square, sleuth tokens (representing the players) are placed in the middle, clues are placed face-down in spots on the board, and 16 suspects are placed around the board, face-down. 

game components; image from here

On your turn, you roll three dice (and can re-roll them up to 3 times).  Before you roll, you announce your intentions- you'll either:
- search for clues, or
- investigate suspects
You then roll.  After up to 3 rolls, if you get three symbols matching your intentions (paws = clues, eyes = suspects), you get to perform your action.  If you get dice with both paws and eyes, alas!  The wily fox gets to move three spaces, and when he gets to the end, he gets away with it!  But if your luck holds:
- Searching for clues means you can move as many spaces on the board as the number of paws you rolled.  If you land on a clue (always an article of clothing), turn it over and place it in the orange device holding the card of the perpetrator; the device will tell you if the perp was wearing that piece of clothing or not.
- Investigating suspects means turning over two suspects around the board (your choice).  You can then remove any suspects based on clues that have been revealed so far.  For example, if you know the suspect is wearing a cloak (based on a clue someone turned over previously), you can remove any suspects that don't have cloaks around the board.

Eventually, you'll have a good idea of 'whodunnit.' When you do, announce it, and if you solve it before the fox reaches town, you all win (this is a cooperative game)!

Review
I was pleased with two prior Gamewright offerings suitable for children (Sleeping Queens and Dragonwood), so I had high expectations for this one.  Unfortunately, I found it lacking.  Okay, it's for preschoolers; I get that.  But the other two are also suitable for the little ones and also enjoyable for adults.  This one is a snore for the older ones, though perhaps good for helping kids develop deduction skills.

Rating: B-

On War (Carl von Clausewitz)

"War is a mere continuation of policy by other means."  So writes Prussian Carl von Clausewitz in his classic treatise On War.  Unfinished and published posthumously in the 1830s, this text steps through different aspects of war- definitions, the ultimate goals, strategy, tactics, political considerations, moral aspects, maintenance of the military force, and more.  Ultimately, he argues, war "is an act of violence intended to compel our opponent to fulfill our will." Yet "If War is an ACT of force, it belongs necessarily also to the feelings. If it does not originate in the feelings, it REACTS, more or less, upon them, and the extent of this reaction depends not on the degree of civilisation, but upon the importance and duration of the interests involved."  And,

If our opponent is to be made to comply with our will, we must place him in a situation which is more oppressive to him than the sacrifice which we demand; but the disadvantages of this position must naturally not be of a transitory nature, at least in appearance, otherwise the enemy, instead of yielding, will hold out, in the prospect of a change for the better.

------------
This book caught me off-guard.  I thought this would be a "how to" book on war, with rules and tips/etc.; it was more about observations.  Carl was quick to point out that "Wars must differ in character according to the nature of the motives and circumstances from which they proceed."  He stated repeatedly that "science must become art" in many cases, and therefore the appeal to genius is necessary rather than rules.  I agree with him, but it also means much of this work can boil down to saying "war is difficult and formulas are impossible; it requires sound judgment."  In fact, he says basically this:

Great part of the information obtained in War is contradictory, a still greater part is false, and by far the greatest part is of a doubtful character. What is required of an officer is a certain power of discrimination, which only knowledge of men and things and good judgment can give.

The book was very difficult to read, and I'm not confident that I read the complete work (differing editions, presentations, and translations exist).  There were nuggets of valuable observations and keen insights, but these were, in places, overwhelmed by long and complex sentences, verbose digressions, and overall confusing prose. I'd read or skim as my attention held (or didn't); this text was unfinished at Clausewitz's death, and I can't help but think a better editing job might have produced a higher quality product.

Rating: B-

The Christian Calendar

the calendar; image from here

Happy Easter!  Today seems suitable to present the Christian calendar. Everyone knows about Christmas and Easter, but there's far more to it.  "The Christian calendar is an annual schedule that commemorates certain days and seasons related to the history of salvation." (from the Gospel Coalition)

The above image shows the main events in the year.  More explanation follows; I'm indebted to the aforementioned Gospel Coalition link for any quotes (and the general structure of) below.

• Advent
• The start of the Christian liturgical year
• Begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas
• We anticipate the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ, on Earth
• Christmas
• Begins on 25 December and lasts 12 days (until 5 January)
• We celebrate Christ's birth
• Epiphany
• Means manifestation
• Begins when, according to tradition, the magi visit the Christ
• We celebrate the revelation of Jesus as God incarnate to the entire world (Jewish and Gentile)
• Lent
• Begins on Ash Wednesday, lasts 40 days (not counting Sundays) until Holy Saturday
• "The period represents the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry."
• We examine ourselves and repent
• Holy week is the last week of lent and leads us to Easter.  Holy week includes 
• Palm Sunday (Jesus' entry into Jerusalem), 
• Maundy Thursday (the Last Supper), 
• Good Friday (His crucifixion), and
• Holy Saturday
• Easter
• Commemorates Jesus' resurrection from the dead
• Lasts 40 days (the length of Jesus' time on Earth following His resurrection), ending with Ascension Thursday, when He returned to Heaven
• Pentecost
• Commemorates the Holy Spirit coming
• Is 10 days after Ascension Thursday, or 50 days after Easter
• Ordinary Time
• Though there's no special celebration during these months, we're commanded to always rejoice (Philippians 4:4) and follow Jesus, seeking to love Him and our neighbors, which is the sum of the law (Matthew 22:35-40)

Why do we celebrate annually?  Because we're called to remember, and we need reminders- constantly- of who God is, what He has done, who we are, what we need, and how Jesus loves us.

A German Reading List (2nd edition)

The German Flag; image from here

Just over a year ago, I posted the first take of my German Reading List here- but promised it would change; this post is my second version.

My goal is to:
- Understand German history, to include key events that shaped Germany's identity as a nation
- Be familiar with key works of German literature and fiction, from classics to modern bestsellers

If I've already read a title, I link to my review of it below.  A few are in German and so labeled. I'm about halfway through, and really enjoying it so far.

Author	Title	Category
Norman Davies	Europe: A History	History- Europe
Neil MacGregor	Germany: Memories of a Nation	History- Germany
Joachim Whaley	German and the Holy Roman Empire Vol. 1	History- Medieval
Stephen Nichols	The Reformation	History- Reformation
Roland Bainton	The Reformation of the Sixteenth Century	History- Reformation
Oliver Pötzsch	The Castle of Kings	Fiction- Historical
David Macaulay	Cathedral	History- Architecture
C.V. Wedgwood	The Thirty Years War	History- Medieval
Oliver Pötzsch	The Hangman's Daughter	Fiction- Historical
Hans von Grimmelshausen	Simplicius Simplicissimus	Literature
Johann Goethe	The Sorrows of Young Werther	Literature
Johann Goethe	Faust	Literature
E.T.A. Hoffmann	The Devil's Elixirs	Literature
E.T.A. Hoffmann	The Nutcracker and the Mouse King	Literature
E.T.A. Hoffmann	The Sandman	Literature
Christopher Clark	Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia	History- Prussia
Carl von Clausewitz	On War	War
Ernst Lothar	The Vienna Melody	Novel- Austria
Franz Kafka	The Castle	Literature
Franz Kafka	The Metamorphosis	Literature
Thomas Mann	Buddenbrooks	Fiction
Barbara Tuchman	The Guns of August	History- WWI
DK Publishing	World War I- The Complete Visual History	History- WWI
Ernst Jünger	Storm of Steel	Memoir- WWI
Erich Maria Remarque	All Quiet on the Western Front	Literature- WWI
Heinrich Mann	The Loyal Subject	Fiction
Judith Kerr	When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit	Autobiography/WWII
Lion Feuchtwanger	The Oppermanns	Novel- WWII
Klaus Mann	Mephisto	Novel- WWII
Gert Hofmann	The Film Explainer	Fiction- WWII
William Shirer	The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich	History- WWII
Anna Seghers	The Seventh Cross	Fiction- Historical
DK Publishing	World War II- The Complete Visual History	History- WWII
Elie Wiesel	Night	Memoir- WWII
Dietrich Boenhoffer	The Cost of Discipleship	Religion
Gunter Grass	The Tin Drum	Novel- WWII
Bernhard Schlink	The Reader	Novel- WWII
Wolfgang Koeppen	Death in Rome	Novel- WWII
Robert Harris	Fatherland	Alternate Hist.- WWII
W.G. Sebald	Austerlitz	Novel- Historical
Hermann Hesse	Siddhartha	Literature
Peter Schneider	The Wall Jumper	Fiction- Cold War
Christian Kracht	Imperium	Novel- Satire
Markus Heitz	The Dwarves	Fantasy
Bernard Hennen	The Elven	Fantasy
Walter Moers	The City of Dreaming Books	Fantasy
Michael Ende	The Never Ending Story	Fantasy
Various	Die Schönsten Kinderklassiker	Children's/German
Otfried Preussler	Der Rauber Hotzenplatz	Children's/German
Otfried Preussler	The Little Ghost	Children's
Kai Meyer	Pirate Curse	Children's- Fantasy
Jakob & Wilhelm Grimm	Grimm's Fairy Tales	Mythology
P. Craig Russell	The Ring of the Nibelung	Mythology
Eugen Hollerbach	Rhine Legends	Folklore
Elke Leger	Hessische Sagen fur Kinder	Folklore/German
Arnold Leitner	German Made Simple	Language
Stephen O'Shea	The Alps	Travelogue
Fritsche et al	Technik in den Alpen	Engineering/German

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Judith Kerr)

A book for young readers (age 9-11), When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit is about Anna, a school girl in Berlin with a brother Max, their mom and famous father (he's a writer).  But in 1933, the Nazis come to power, and they're forced to flee- they're Jewish, and their father is a staunch critic of the Nazi party.  They live briefly in Switzerland, then Paris, and the novel ends as they arrive in London (1936).

I like the child's perspective. Unlike some (many?) war-related stories in this vein, you never get the idea that Anna is suffering.  It's annoying to move so often, they have to leave many cherished items (like her pink rabbit) behind, and money can be tight, but her perspective comes out at the end of the novel:

"As long as they were together she could never have a difficult childhood."

She just wanted to be with her family- when they were together, she'd never feel like a refugee.

I also enjoyed this other exchange, which resonated with me:

"Do you think we'll ever really belong anywhere?"
"I suppose not," said Papa. "Not the way people belong who have lived in one place all their lives. But we'll belong a little in lots of places, and I think that may be just as good."

That's how I feel. There's a part of me in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Germany, and England.  And that's okay.  There's no one place I feel at home- there are many.

Rating: A

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Cynical and hurting journalist Lloyd Vogel is given a most unusual assignment: Mr. Rogers, the well-known children's TV show host.  But Lloyd will be blown away by the kindness, patience, empathy, and love Mr. Rogers extends to him (and everyone).  Over a series of meetings, eventually they'll become good friends, and Lloyd will learn a good deal about feelings and acceptance.

I was surprised by this movie; I thought it was a biopic on Mr. Rogers, but instead it's more about the friendship between him and the journalist.  That said, I think it does a good job showing the character of the TV show host through his personal interactions.  You see a good deal of Vogel's broken family life, and how Mr. Rogers helps him through it- not through tips or tricks, but by being a friend, expressing concern, and showing compassion.  It's powerful, moving, and recommended.

Rating: A

The Explicit Gospel (Matt Chandler)

The Gospel is the heart of the Bible.  Everything in Scripture is either preparation for the Gospel, presentation of the Gospel, or participation in the Gospel.- Dave Harvey

Tragically, it's easy to spend your life in the Church- and call yourself a Christian- and never hear or understand the Gospel (the good news).  Too often, Christianity is twisted (even by Christians) into what one author* calls "Christian Moralistic Therapeutic Deism;" namely, that we should be good people and avoid (or stop) doing bad things, and in so doing we'll earn favor with/leverage over God.  But this is far from the truth. In The Explicit Gospel, Matt Chandler presents the core gospel message from two vantage points:
1) 'from the ground'- looking at God, man, Jesus, and our response to what Jesus has done
2) 'from the air'- looking at God's cosmic plan in creation, fall, reconciliation (or redemption), and consummation (or restoration)
He argues that both perspectives are necessary "help us comprehend the breadth, height, and depth of God's love.  Neither perspective dilutes the other but rather shapes our vision of God's saving purposes to the epic scope of biblical revelation. We are after a gospel that is resolutely centered on the atoning work of Christ and scaled to the glory of God. Let the explicit gospel drive us to worship with all "the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19) and in awe of both God's immense, universe-subsuming glory and his deep, personal love for sinners."

The content was solid.  The structure was pleasing.  The delivery was . . . okay.  It was more 'casual' in tone than I'd prefer, and I couldn't determine the intended audience. It's certainly basic (which isn't a bad thing- we all need the basics).  But is this for non-Christians or Christians?  I felt it didn't give enough backstory for the former, and may have been too 'casual' in tone for the latter (casual meaning not elegant or polished enough).  Don't get me wrong- there's a lot of good things in here- but the presentation just felt a touch off.  That said, it is good to hear the basics over and over- we need it.

Rating: A-

*confusingly named Christian Smith

The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of Grimm Brothers (Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm)

The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of Grimm Brothers: The Complete First Edition collects 200 stories and 10 "Children's Legends" collected by the Brothers Grimm in Germany.  Over the decades (1812-1857), the Grimm Brothers would release seven editions of their fairy tale collection, each time adding or revising stories until they had 210 in total (the first release had 86).  Here, you'll find classics you know as well as one-paragraph riddles or cautionary tales.

The classics you know are here:
The Frog King
Rapunzel
Hansel and Gretel
Cinderella
Little Red-Cap (Little Red Riding Hood)
The Bremen Town Musicians
Hans in Luck
The Elves
Little Briar-Rose (Sleeping Beauty)
Snow White
Rumpelstiltskin

And plenty you don't know. Recurring themes include:
- wicked stepmothers doing cruel things to their children
- princesses making suitors do impossible tasks for their hand in marriage
- people tricking each other (and the devil)
- powerful magicians using their magic for good or ill
- lots of stories in forests

Review
This disappointed me. I got this version (ISBN 9781503275836) because I thought it was the original version of the fairy tales (those original 86 in the first edition), in the original versions that weren't considered suitable for children (subsequent releases would soften the stories).  Alas, it was falsely advertised: all the stories, in later iterations, are here instead. And it was a print on demand book, too.

I read about 50 of the stories; aside from the familiar, there's little of value here.  Occasionally you'll find a witty or interesting story, but those are overpowered by the prevalence of bizarre and and seemingly pointless tales.  I now understand why many collections present only the familiar stories.

Rating: B-

Pandemic: Fall of Rome

Today's review is of the 2018 release, Pandemic: Fall of Rome.  For 1-5 players, it takes 45-60 minutes.

Overview
The goal and mechanics of Pandemic: Fall of Rome are virtually identical to Pandemic.  But here, rather than viruses, your team needs to convert or conquer barbarian tribes before they overrun the Roman Empire. It's a cooperative game, where each player gets four actions on their turn (helping them move, recruit armies, fight barbarians, and more), each player has a unique role granting a special ability, etc.  The main differences:
- Rome is set during the era of the Roman Empire
- Rome introduces dice (when conquering barbarians)

game in progress; image from here

Review
If you like Pandemic, you'll like this.  The designers did a good job introducing twists to a familiar baseline, and I was especially impressed how they balanced historical accuracy (forcing certain tribes along certain invasion paths) with game play.  I enjoyed the introduction of dice to the combat, too.  Another winner in the Pandemic line.

Rating: A