Bicycling, Five Years Later

In 2020, I took up bicycling as a hobby and primary cardio routine. Shadowfax (my gravel bike) and I have traveled many miles at this point, in both Germany and America. This post looks at some trends, five years in.

My annual bicycling goal is 1000 miles. See chart above: I met that mark in 2020, 2022, and 2024. I missed it for good reasons in 2021 (we moved mid-year, and I was without my bikes for ~100 days in the riding months) and 2023 (we spent the summer finishing our basement, leaving little time/energy for cycling). Given all the other responsibilities in life, I think 1K is an achievable goal for this season, and that remains moving forward.

My number of rides per year varies (see above chart); ignoring 2021 due to the aforementioned move, 60 rides is the floor and 80-90 is the ceiling in a given year. 

One big change this year is the increased use of an exercise bike. Though my miles per ride on such bikes stayed about the same (orange line in above chart), the number of rides increased significantly (up to 44 in 2024, just over half of my overall rides). I have learned to use the exercise bike for speed training; I try to average 20mph on it, for 6-7 miles. That, in turn, has improved my road rides (both distance and speed); you can see the increase in distance in the blue line on the above chart. When I started biking, 15-16 miles was an average distance for me. Now, I am routinely over 20; I did 24 rides of 22 miles or more this year.

I set one personal record this year: in June, I biked 50.5 miles in one ride. That was a great (if tiring) experience and one I will seek to exceed next year. But otherwise, I plan to keep the road rides at 22-25 miles, and exercise bike at 6-7, due to competing obligations.

I am very thankful for this hobby; it took a pandemic and personal injury to lead me to bicycling, but it has been a wonderful 4635 miles so far. To more in 2025!

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (Andrew Peterson)

Janner, Tink, and Leeli Igiby live with their mother Nia and grandfather Podo in Glipwood, a town in the land of Skree on the edge of a fearsome forest. All is not well, for years ago, the vicious Fangs of Dang invaded and now rule the land. Though the Fangs are cruel and unpredictable, the Igiby children find ways to enjoy a humble existence . . . until some unfortunate incidents snowball and lead to all sorts of trouble. The children will soon discover the world is much bigger than they realized, with old secrets, strange creatures, and darkness all around. And their lives are about to be changed forever when the Fangs discover the lost Jewels of Anniera might be in Skree after all . . . can the Igibys survive?

I've had this series (the Wingfeather Saga, a quadrilogy) on my list for a few years, so I was excited to finally pick it up. It took me a while to adjust to the style and (especially) the names—Peterson weaves deliberately-silly monikers (and asides) throughout that I found amusing but occasionally irritating—but once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. Written for kids, this fantasy has some expected (and unexpected) elements, all done well, and has a dash of wisdom to boot. Looking forward to book two.

Rating: A

Oriflamme: Alliance

Today's review is of the 2022 release, Oriflamme: Alliance. For 3-5 players, it takes 30 minutes.

Overview

You represent a powerful family jockeying for influence in a cutthroat world. Can you attain the most influence in time?

In Oriflamme, you and your opponents will build a single line of cards, then activate any face-up cards in that line each round. You each start with 10 identical cards representing characters or schemes. Shuffle your cards, discard three face-down, and evaluate the remaining seven to determine your options and strategy for the game. 

The game consists of six rounds. In each:

- the starting player places a card face-down on one end of the line of cards *or* on top of one of their existing cards

- all players (proceeding clockwise) do the same, placing either at the front of the line, back, or on top of one of their existing cards

When all players have placed, the next phase of the round begins: activation. They player whose card is left-most in the line goes first, then each card (regardless of ownership) is activated in turn. To activate a card, do one of three things:

- if face-down, turn face-up and activate its ability *or* keep it face-down and place a coin on it

- if face-up already, activate its ability

When all cards are activated, the first player token passes clockwise and the next round begins, adding to the existing line of cards. Play proceeds in this fashion for six rounds. At the end of the game, the highest influence (represented by coins) wins!

game in progress; image from here

Review

This is a nifty little game with a surprising amount of strategy. I did not cover each card's abilities, but the gist is that some give you coins, some take others from adjacent cards, some destroy adjacent cards, some are traps (that hurt your opponent if they try to destroy them), and so on. The game has echoes of the character cards in Citadels, only here, the order of play is determined by card placement and not character role. Replayability is high, as you will be denied three cards each game (and those are kept secret from opponents), so even those familiar with the options will not know which ones you have available to you. Overall, this is a winner. And apparently the third in a series of related (and 'mixable') Oriflamme games.

Rating: A

When Christians Disagree (Tim Cooper)

John Owen and Richard Baxter were both "giants of seventeenth-century English Christianity." These men "were both wise, insightful, passionate, warmly committed to Jesus Christ, and deeply concerned for his church and the gospel" during and after the English Civil War. Yet the two could not agree, and lobbed inflammatory barbs at each other in print for decades. When Christians Disagree looks at what happened, why, and what lessons we can take from it. A summary follows.

----------

Cooper looks at the good accomplishments of each man in chapter one to make it clear that these were not troublemakers. They both truly cared for God and others, and served well. But the point of the book is not just that they disagreed but how they went about it, and so the rest of the book looks at (first) their respective backgrounds (experiences, personalities, theology), and (then) their disagreement and fallout.

While both men sided with parliament during the civil war, they took opposite views of the war itself (one calling it a triumph and the other a disaster). This was, in part, due to their personal experiences during the conflict itself, with one in the trenches (as a chaplain in the army) and the other relatively isolated from the bloodshet itself. Our experiences shape us in ways we don't always recognize and affect how we look at the world.

Baxter and Owen also had very different personalities. One was a political player; the other spoke bluntly without regard for how it was received. One was "easily exasperated"; the other was "simply exasperating." Sometimes conflicts are due more to conflicting personalities than we realize.

These men also wrangled over theology. "While they share an enormous amount of common ground, they stood back-to-back, looking in opposite directions and subject to opposite fears." One worried about lawlessness that came from misunderstanding God's grace; the other worried about encouraging works-based righteousness is also a gospel distortion. "Their underlying fear made it extremely difficult for each man to see in the other the many points they held in common. Rather, each one saw the other as aiding and abetting the enemy." 

In the wake of war, church unity was a focus for both men, but they had rival visions for it—one focused on confession (agreeing on principles) and the other on action (agreeing on practice). Ironically, "working together on unity served to drive them further apart." They sniped at each other in print and in person, culminating in derailing an important forum intended to heal the country. Years later, their previous poisonous exchanges would further shade future encounters, as memory can be powerful and encourage distrust even when both genuinely hoped for reconciliation.

So what can we learn? Cooper suggests five things:

1) have a mediator (rather than snipe at each other publicly and at distance)

2) focus on what holds you together (rather than drives you apart)

3) pay more attention to Scripture's calls for unity (John 17:11, Philippians 2:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:13, Romans 12:18, etc.)

4) be humble

5) there is great advantage to distance and hindsight, so look at past conflicts for lessons how to live today

And based on this situation, Cooper offers the following questions as a response when discord arises:

• Do I really need to respond to the initial provocation?
• How much of the conflict can be traced back to personality rather than theology?
• Am I overlooking all the things I have in common with the other person and seeingly only the small number of differences?
• How are my own faults contributing to a poor relationship?
• Am I showing the humility, generosity, gentleness, and kindness to which I am called?
• How much pride is mixed up in my motivations and actions?
• How much damage will be inflicted on those around me and the cause of Christ by my continued conflict with the other person?
• Is there anyone in my Christian community who can help repair our relationship or manage our differences?

----------

This work disappointed me. While the author brought up good points, the book seemed repetitive, speculative (there are a lot of gaps in the record that Cooper fills with assumptions), and not overly helpful for resolving conflict in our own lives. We didn't learn a lot about the men, the situation, or the ramifications to the church (which are hinted at but not spelled out). This book could have been an essay, I thought to myself as I read. The list of questions at the end is good and worthy of usage, and I did learn a few things, but I had hoped for more.

Rating: C

National Parks of Britain

There are 15 national parks in Britain (ten in England, three in Wales, and two in Scotland). In National Parks of Britain, each park gets an overview, explaining its history, showing top sites/points of interest, and providing a somewhat detailed map to help visitors navigate the area. 

As in the States, Britain's national parks can be large; the below map gives you an idea. A park can encompass many towns, geographical features, historical sites, and so on. This book is a nice guide to each.

The parks; image from here

As with the previous review, this book is great for those living in or traveling through Britain. Each park gets a cursory treatment, enough to get you going—but not enough to fully explore each area. So supplemental resources may be required, but this is a fine starting point.

Rating: B

Exploring Britain's Castles

Exploring Britain's Castles does just that, looking at 135 such structures across the island. The book is geographically arranged into six sections; most castles get one page (some two-four) with a few pictures and paragraphs covering history or other facts of interest. There is a good mix of castles, meaning the book includes ruined, 'real,' and restored castles (see this post for an explanation of these terms). 

This is a nice book for getting ideas of what to see: for picking out the castles of most interest if you live or are traveling in the area. There is far too little information to be comprehensive; this is just a taste. I enjoyed this book while we lived there, but now that we're ten years gone, I will pass it on to someone who can use it.

Aside: I think we got to see ~32 of these castles when we lived there. I felt like we covered a lot of ground, but apparently only scratched the surface. What a blessing, and also a reminder that we can't do it all.

Rating: B

Living Life Backward (David Gibson)

In Living Life Backward, pastor David Gibson walks through the bulk of the book of Ecclesiastes and its perspective on death. Why? "Living in the light of your death will help you to live wisely and freely and generously." In fact, Ecclesiastes "makes a very simple point: life is complex and messy, sometimes brutally so, but there is a straightforward way to look at the mess. The end will put it all right. The end—when we stand before God as our Creator and Judge—will explain everything." And "if we know for sure where we are heading, then we can know for sure what we need to do before we get there. Ecclesiastes invites us to let the end sculpt our priorities and goals, our greatest ambitions and our strongest desires."

I won't summarize the entire work here, but some highlights:

- We will die. Our lives are "like a whisper spoken in the wind." "Accepting death is the first step in learning to live." Since we won't live forever and will be forgotten, how should we then live?

- We insulate ourselves to forget death, often using "wisdom, pleasure, work, and possessions." Yet "this is the main message of Ecclesiasties in a nutshell: life in God's world is gift, not gain." God gives us things (life, wisdom, pleasure, work, etc.) partly for enjoyment, but they can never satisfy if they become our ultimate things and goals. "You can only truly enjoy what you do not worship."

- We don't always understand what happens in this world, and it eludes our control. Yet everything will have its day in court, so our conduct has weight and meaning. And we won't know it all. "Part of being wise . . . is learning to accept that we have only very limited access to the big picture." And "not even being wise will tell you everything you want to know . . . part of living wisely is learning to live with the limitations of wisdom itself." And "satisfaction lodges in my heart when I accept the boundaries of my creaturely existence and accept the seasons of my life as coming from his good and wise hands." 

- The source of our pain is our self-centerdness. We want to be god, to get ahead of our neighbor, and so on. When we do so, we hate others and in the process destroy ourselves. Relationships matter; your neighbor matters. Loving others is, in the end, loving yourself. So "take the best of what you have and the best of what you are and give them away." 

- Because life is a gift, "give up your pursuit of profit from your toil and instead seek to enjoy the things that God has given you for what they are, and as you do that, you will know some reward." There are better things than success and worse things than failure. Living well means, in part, to enjoy the gift you have been given and not obsessing over control, success, gain, etc. "A life fully lived is a life receiving the reward of today as a gift that you don't deserve and one that God has given you to enjoy." 

- "The Bible's realism about old age and death is both urgent—Rejoice!—and calm—Remember." We need to be "delighted with the bounty God gives" because when we aren't, we deny who God is and His covenant blessing. And we need to remember "your Creator, [which] means remembering that God made a good world, not an evil one, and that we are the ones responsible for spoiling it, not he. Remembering God as Creator means taking my place in the world in the appropriate way and not demanding for myself more than it is my right to have." 

---------

This is a great book! Powerful in many respects. As I learned, I was both convicted and overjoyed. My main ding is that it doesn't cover the entire book of Ecclesiastes. But I loved his discussions of the themes he does cover. Ecclesiastes is a powerful, yet at times confusing, book. Gibson does a good job showing its structure, patterns, and messages.

Rating: A-

Shrek

Continuing a recent trend of (re-)watching 'older' movies, today's review is of Shrek.

 

Shrek is an ogre living in the swamp. Judged and feared all his life, he lives out a quiet and miserable existence wanting to be left alone. One day, he meets Donkey and learns of the nearby noble's goal to rid his kingdom of fairy tale creatures, banishing them to Shrek's doorstep. Annoyed, he agrees to go on a quest to save a princess from a fearsome dragon in return for the deed to his swamp. Along the way, he'll have adventures and make discoveries he never dreamed of . . . and find the thing he was ultimately seeking.

This satirical take on the fairy tale genre was a huge hit upon its release in 2001. It has spawned three sequels, two spin-off movies, one holiday special, a musical, a surprising number of video games, and more. (The next installment, Shrek 5, is due out in 2026.) I watched this with my sons today, having surprisingly little memory of this classic though I had seen it before (it's been 20+ years . . . ). Anyway, it's a fun story, with predictable (yet amusing) nods to classic stories and holding true to the typical motifs while also turning them on their heads. I was surprised how dated the CG looked—I'm sure it was great in its day, and the main characters look alright, but the background/minor characters were 'stiff' and robotic. The message was pretty good, looking at the need for friends and forgiveness, and the importance of not judging too hastily. The humor was great in places, with some innuendo that only adults will detect (I think/hope). A solid effort overall.

Rating: A-

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Five years after the first film takes place, Hiccup and Toothless enjoy a period of peace in Berk. With vikings and dragons reconciled, they enjoy each other's company and explore the region. But all is not to last . . . when they come across dragon trappers on one of their journeys, they find out that an old foe, Drago, is determined to trap and control all the dragons in the land. And he just might have the means to do it, with incredible power at his disposal. Do our heroes have what it takes to overcome? They may need aid from a most surprising source . . . and everyone will learn that the leader's job isn't to control and dominate, but "the Alpha protects all."

Let your nine-year-old pick the movie, and you stay in the land of dragons. This 2014 sequel to the 2010 hit film was solid, but a notch below the original. Two messages were solid: that of leaders protecting their people (vs. dominating and controlling) and that it is better to work together than fight each other. So far, so good. But I didn't care for a pattern that started in the first movie and continues here: Hiccup routinely ignores his father. It is a typical message in children's shows of various kinds that "adults don't understand" and "kids know better." That can be true occasionally, but not always, and it is a dangerous message to propagate. That, plus some rushed plot points, drop my rating here. But there is still value to be had, if you know where to look.

Rating: B

How to Train Your Dragon

Hiccup (yes, that's his name) lives in the village of Berk with his dad (the chief) and other vikings. There they eke out an existence in a harsh land, with one threat overshadowing all: dragons. The dragon attacks are frequent and devastating, and so the vikings instill in their young the knowledge and power to fight them. But Hiccup doesn't appear capable of such a thing . . . and when his invention injures a dragon, Toothless, an unlikely friendship develops. Hiccup learns some shocking truths about dragons, himself, and the real threat facing them all. Does he have the power to break tradition and reconcile foes?

This 2010 film is highly regarded (with two sequels released and a live action version coming soon). I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of some of the messages (which include friendship, empathy, love, challenging societal norms, and finding your place). The humor was okay, the animation great, and the story solid (if predictable in places). The messages were mostly good, too. Check this one out.

Rating: A-

Long Way Down (Jason Reynolds)

Shawn is dead. Will, his younger brother, remembers the three rules of his neighborhood:

1) No crying

2) No snitching

3) Get revenge

Will finds Shawn's gun and plans to kill the perpetrator. But in the elevator, Will encounters the ghosts of friends and family who have killed and been killed over the years. He wrestles with the past and these rules . . . were they meant to be broken? Or "for the broken to follow"? And he remembers his mother's words . . .

but just remember, when

you're walking in the nighttime,

make sure the nighttime

ain't walking into you.

---------

This book, presented in verse with sparse word counts on each page, is powerful. You can get through the 306 pages in an hour, but reflect on it for days. The format heightens the tension, the sadness, the hardship. What terrible cycles of vengeance we can find ourselves in. What will we do when wronged?

Rating: A

Excalibur (Bernard Cornwell)

Continuing from book two . . .

Last time, Arthur put down Lancelot's rebellion yet reels from Guinevere's betrayal. But he doesn't have time to mourn . . . the two Saxon kings (Aelle and Cerdic) appear to have put their differences aside and join forces to overwhelm the British kingdoms . . . the fate of many will be decided at Mount Badon.

Merlin has disappeared, and Nimue with him. Determined to summon the pagan gods at any cost, they lay plans to do so. All who oppose them—friend or foe—will be cursed.

Mordred is now rightful king and developed a taste for war. He hones his skills in foreign lands, but soon rumors of his death abound, making Arthur's son the rightful heir. But all is not as it seems . . . and the foes are many. For the Saxon threat ever lingers, hatred on multiple sides will not rest, and this time, it might prove too much. 

---------

Book three concludes Arthur's story in an appropriate yet heartbreaking way. As with the first two volumes, this historical fantasy conjectures a realistic/historical Arthur fused with many elements of the legend familiar to modern readers. And Cornwell succeeds in what he sets out to accomplish, making this book (and the series) an enjoyable tale.

This volume makes Guinevere more nuanced and less annoying; throughout the trilogy, Cornwell does a good job portraying the spirit of the legendary characters in a historical setting. In the end, I found only Lancelot's portrayal objectionable.

I think this book was the best of the three, with the most memorable lines, poignant scenes, and suitable conclusion. It left me wanting more (in a good way), but that is an appropriate way to end a tale of the once and future king.

Rating: A

Wyvern

Today's review is of the 1994 release, Wyvern. A Collectible Card Game (CCG), this went out of production in 1997, making it a 'dead' CCG. 

Overview

In Wyvern, your goal is to win a series of battles where you defeat your opponent's dragons and overcome their terrain. If you win a battle (meaning your opponent has no more terrain or dragon cards on the battlefield), you get 25 points plus however many gold you have left in your supply. Then everything is reset and the next battle begins. The first to 100 points overall wins. Do you have what it takes?

Wyvern has four card types: dragons, terrain, action, and treasure. The first two are shuffled and placed in their deck to the left of the battlefield; the last two are shuffled and placed in their deck to the right.

To begin, each player draws 6 cards from their dragon/terrain deck and places them face-down in two rows of three, making their battlefield. Each player starts with 25 gold. Then, each player draws 7 cards from their action/treasure deck and the game begins.

On your turn, you take the following steps:

- draw a action/treasure card

- play a treasure (if possible/desired; these go on either side of the battlefield)

- move any two cards (switch their position on the battlefield)

- take your first action phase (play action cards)

- battle*

- second action phase

game in progress; image from here

*to battle, turn a dragon face-up and pay its costs. That makes it eligible to attack. Choose an eligible target (one row away unless there are modifiers), and your opponent turns that card face-up. If it is a dragon, your opponent pays its costs and they fight (higher strength wins, and both players can use action cards to help). If it is terrain, you do what the card states (and can overcome or be weakened/destroyed by its abilities). When a dragon or terrain card is defeated, it is removed from the battlefield and not replaced. 

I won't go into more detail on the game phases; you can find the rules here and a how to play video here.

Review

I enjoyed this game considering its era (the first generation of CCGs). It is simple but 'sneaky' in the sense that you don't know what you are attacking; it could be a trap. (I've heard this game compared to Stratego.) The rulebook could be better, but the online resources above are sufficient.

As a dead CCG, you can still pick up cards for reasonable prices. I might get a few more just for deck building options, but don't blow the bank on this one.

Rating: B

Deadpool & Wolverine

Now in the Marvel multiverse, Wade Wilson (AKA Deadpool) travels from his reality (Earth-10005*) to the Avengers' (Earth-616), hoping to join them. Spurned, he returns to his own life, where he leads a downhearted existence working as a used car salesman. But things are not to last . . .

The Time Variance Authority (TVA), keepers and monitors of the various realities, offer Deadpool a new opportunity in another timeline. But when he learns his own is deteriorating, he decides instead to seek its restoration. He goes against TVA wishes to other multiverses seeking a Logan's help, but the TVA cast both into the Void to get them out of the way. Undeterred, Wade and Logan will encounter familiar faces and new threats as they seek to save their respective realities. Can they do so?

----------

As with the other Deadpool movies, I was amused, disturbed, and edified . . . all at once. The humor is great, the cameos/allusions are impressive (and go way back into superhero movie past . . . I hope you started following 25 years ago), the violence and language are graphic (done for comedic effect, yet disturbing), and the message . . . is surprisingly good. 

As with Birdman (see previous review), this movie is about meaning. Deadpool feels like he doesn't matter. Wolverine like he's the wrong guy. Both have let people down. Both want respect, attention, and the sense that they've been someone worthy of both. But unlike Birdman, this movie actually provides an answer. The way to matter is to lay down your life for others. And they just might do the same for you. It's an amazing message wrapped in gore, cursing, innuendo, and humor. So viewers beware, and keep your kids away . . . but there is some gold here.

Rating: A-

*which is apparently the reality where the X-men and Deadpool movies reside, to include Logan.

Birdman

Riggan Thomson was Birdman, starring as the hero in a series of popular movies some thirty years prior. Now faded and forgotten, he seeks meaning, purpose, and adoration (or love?) as he writes, directs, and stars in a play on Broadway based on Raymond Carver's short story "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love." As the show approaches opening night, Riggan loses a main actor and turns to a well-known but problematic replacement. Will the show be a success? Will it matter?

I've had this 2014 film on my "to watch" list for quite a while. It is full of profanity, yet is a powerful and poignant look at our often futile, selfish, and harmful quest for purpose, validation, and affection. Riggan's daughter has the quote of the movie:

You're doing this because you're scared to death, like the rest of us, that you don't matter. And you know what? You're right. You don't. It's not important, okay? You're not important. Get used to it.

Yet Riggan persists, even as he agonizes. "Why do I have to beg people to love me?" he asks on stage. "I wanted to be what you wanted," he pleads to this ex in the play. Offstage, he (and others) wrestle with feeling invisible. "I don't exist. I'm not even here," says one. The main characters will grasp at anything to be convinced they matter; that they are special. Yet they feel like frauds, and even dreams, when seemingly fulfilled, do not satisfy. They want someone to say "you're good enough," and beyond that, they want to be "above them all." They want truth, love, and meaning . . . but their hopes seem pointless. An ambiguous ending leaves the audience wanting closure and a solution . . . but there is neither.

This is a great film, if incomplete. It rightly wrestles with some fundamental human challenges, and (also rightly) comes up with no earthly solution. If only it had considered or pointed to the heavenly one. It didn't, so I will: check out my religion page for some good news. Only in Christ can we rest in our quest for meaning, for we are indeed loved—but not due to our own actions.

 

Rating: A-

The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend (Alan Lupack)

The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legend is just that. Starting with the earliest references to Arthur, Alan Lupack investigates every known scrap of material (from historical to fictional) of the once and future king, from mentions in the sixth century to the present.

Structurally, "this guide is designed so that the book as a whole may serve as a critical history of the Arthurian legend. By selecting one chapter, a reader may follow some of the main traditions from their origins to the present." Since different traditions (and threads or components within them) "intersect and diverge frequently," there are a lot of intratextual references within the volume (and thus some repetition).

Lupack looks at the following themes:

• Early Accounts of Arthur, Chronicles, and Historical Literature
• One emphasis: Geoffrey of Monmouth
• The Romance Tradition
• One emphasis: Chretien de Troyes
• Malory, his Inflence, and the Continuing Romance Tradition
• One emphasis: Thomas Malory
• The Holy Grail
• Gawain
• Merlin
• Tristan and Isolt

Though the focus is writing, Lupack also looks at dramas, music, art, and more.

So was Arthur real? "While the question of Arthur's historicity is critical to the historian and intriguing to anyone interested in the legends, there is a sense in which it does not matter. Real or not, Arthur has inspired a vast cultural tradition, which is manifested in poetry, fiction, drama, music, art, film, and popular culture, and has been adapted to the concerns of eaach succeeding age that reintprets the tradition." Indeed, "each succeeding age continues to discover innovative ways of interpreting the legend and drawing on its remarkable diversity to comment on contemporary fears and values." 

Why does Arthur endure? "The stories of Arthur and the knights and ladies of his court are so enduring because their themes are universeal and therefore remain important, even in this century. The essence . . . involves olove and hate; honour and duty; religion and rependance; freidnship and betrayal; war and peace; leaderslp; the relationship between weak and powerful individuals or nations; values and ideals, and codes by which to live; the struggle to overcome baser instincts and to do what is right despite the cost; the choice between conflicting ideals."

-------------

This work is impressive in scope and detail. I skimmed or read sections only, as it is too much to ingest in anything other than small doses. Each work (be it historical or romantic) is evaluated and explained in some depth—Lupack will give synopses and other insights as he deems fit. That is great (for the dedicated) and too much (for the novice wanting more of an overview).

Having dabbled in Arthur for years, I enjoyed this work. I learned of a few works I had no idea existed, earmarked several I'd like to read one day, and will keep this as a nice (and compact) reference for Arthurian studies.

Rating: A

Jesus Loves the Little Children (Daniel Hyde)

In Jesus Loves the Little Children, Daniel Hyde explains why we (many denominations of Christianity) baptize children. He looks at:

• Defining terms (understanding what baptism is)
• Circumcision and baptism (and the similarities between this respective Old Testament and New Testament signs)
• Covenant and baptism (understanding the nature of how God relates to His people and their children)
• Baptism or dedication (looking at the differences between them)
• The mode of baptism (immersion, pouring, or sprinkling)
• A brief history of infant baptism from early church sources

Overall, this is a solid introduction. Believers can squabble over this doctrine, because there is no command in Scripture that explicit says baptize (or do not baptize) your children. I agree with Hyde that "infant baptism is a biblical doctrine because it is a "good and necessary consequence" of the entirety of scriptural teaching." And I think he does a reasonable job presenting his case, looking across the Scriptures in the above areas (especially in his discussion of original sin and how that doctrine applies here . . . that isn't always mentioned but should be). Sometimes, I think his arguments/proofs aren't quite as firm as he states (even though I agree with him), but this is a good introduction nonetheless. I would recommend it alongside R.C. Sproul's introduction to the topic.

Rating: A-

The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth

Today's review is of the 2024 release, The Lord of the Rings: Duel for Middle-Earth (hereafter, DME). For 2 players, it takes 30 minutes.

Overview

Sauron's malice and will to dominate is clear. Can the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth stop him, or will he rule them all?

In DME, you play as either the Fellowship or Sauron. There are three chapters to the game, each with their own unique decks of cards, laid out at the start of the chapter in a prescribed pattern.

On your turn, you either:

• take a card (an available card from the display)
• pay its cost (if any) and place it in your play area, obtaining its benefit, OR
• discard the card to earn 1, 2, or 3 coins (equal to the chapter you're in)
• buy a tile
• pay its cost and place it in your play area, obtaining its benefit

Costs can be paid by using skills on cards (gray cards) you have previously taken and/or paying coins for each symbol you lack on the card/tile's cost. Coins can be attained by discarding a card from the display on your turn or selecting an available yellow card. Some cards (of any color) also have symbols in their upper right that can be used as an alternate cost for some other cards (this is called 'chaining').

A chapter ends when the cards in its display are gone.

Chapter 3 in progress; image from here

There are three possible victory conditions; the first to fulfill one of them wins:

• Quest for the Ring: 
• uses the fellowship track and advances through blue cards
• If Frodo and Sam make it to Mount Doom, the Fellowship wins. If the Nazgul catch them, Sauron wins.
• Support of the Races:
• achieved through collecting green cards
• if any player gathers one of the six different race symbols on such cards, they win
• Conquering Middle-Earth:
• achieved through collecting red cards and tiles
• if any player has presence (unit and/or fortress) an all seven regions of the 'main' board, they win

Review

I like this game. I assume it is based on 7 Wonders: Duel, which is itself based on 7 Wonders. As with that offering, DME forces you to be balanced (in approach) and mindful (of your opponent's strategies). You need skills (gray cards), but if you neglect other cards, your opponent can take the day. So they all matter, and as you build your tableau, your choice will depend on both what is available on your turns and what you are trying to do (or stop your opponent from doing). There were turns, especially late in the game, where I was forced to take a card simply so my opponent could not. But he was forced to do the same to me, and I enjoyed the overall experience.

There is a lot to keep track of, but it is easy enough to pick up after a few turns. This is a nice two-player game, especially for The Lord of the Rings fans. And the art is fantastic!

Rating: A

Enemy of God (Bernard Cornwell)

Continuing from where book one left off . . .

Last time, Arthur won an unlikely victory and united the British kingdoms. This frees him to turn his attention east, to the Saxon threat. With smart maneuvering, he can turn the rival Saxon kings—Aelle and Cerdic—against each other and keep them at bay. But there are others with schemes of their own . . .

Merlin has returned and is focused on recovering the Treasures of Britain, convinced that they hold the key to bringing the aid of the British gods. But his quest takes him into dangerous territory held by the Irish, and may be his undoing . . .

Ultimately, Arthur wants only three things: a united Britain, defeated Saxons, and a just kingdom. But as he is to learn, the schemes and selfishness of others will make such things difficult. And as his half-brother Mordred comes of age to take the throne, it is clear that the golden age is coming to an end. For betrayal is in the air . . . and enemies abound.

-----------

Book two is much in the same vein as book one; see that review for what Cornwell is trying to do with this series. I enjoyed the story (though slow at first, the last one hundred pages picked up remarkably) and most of the characters (Lancelot and Guinevere continue to disappoint). 

I was disheartened by the way Christians were portrayed (and all religions, honestly). I suspect there is truth to Cornwell's depiction, but across the board, it is sad to see how many view(ed) religion as a way to manipulate God into granting them power or wishes. (In some cases, the characters thought they could effectively command the gods through certain actions or relics.) 

Another thing that struck me: Arthur is similar to Dostoevsky's The Idiot: a good man in an evil world. The tale is tragic but sobering.

Rating: A-

On the Christian Life (John Calvin)

On the Christian Life is an excerpt from John Calvin's magisterial Institutes of the Christian Religion. The broader work was first published in 1536 (and did not feature this material); Calvin would add and revise content until at least 1559 (considered the definitive edition, I'm told). "The final form of Calvin's Institutes is comprised of eighty chapters spread across four "books."" On the Christian life is Chapters 6-10 of book three ("How we Obtain the Grace of Christ"), and was separately published by Calvin to highlight how Christians should live. The chapter titles and points, as presented by the author:

Chapter 6: The Life of a Christian

1. It is necessary to derive a plan for ordering our lives from the Scriptures.
2. We are called to a love of holiness because God is holy.
3. A second motivation to holiness is the holiness of Christ, which God has made to be a pattern for us.
4. The gospel is a doctrine not just of intellect and tongue but of heart and life.
5. The mark of a Christian is not perfection but single-minded progress toward it.

Chapter 7: The Sum of the Christian Life, in Which We Discuss the Denial of Ourselves

1. Dedicating oursleves to God is the beginning of a new life.
2. The next step of righteousness is to seek the things of God for their own sake, not for our own advantage.
3. Paul presents the parts of a well-ordered life. [in Titus 2:11-14]
4. While self-denial especially concerns God, it also pertains to others.
5. We cannot fulfill our duties to others until we have first denied ourselves.
6. We should do good to others because they are made in God's image.
7. It is useless to perform works of charity without love.
8. The first part of self-denial is to depend wholly on God's blessing.
9. This means that we should not lust after wealth or honors or grumble impatiently.
10. Amid life's many miseries, our comfort is that they come not from blind fortune but fom the hand of God.

Chapter 8: Bearing the Cross

1. Bearing our cross entails an arduous life, following the pattern of Christ.
2. Affliction shows our weakness and need of God's grace.
3. Affliction teaches us to rest in God alone; his faithfulness gives us confidence in him.
4. Through affliction, God reveals the hidden virtues of his people and trains them in true obedience.
5. The flesh is stubborn, rebellious, and reckless until tamed.
6. Affliction is needed to correct our past offenses.
7. Suffering for the sake of righteousness is an honor and brings a reward.
8. Patience does not extinguish the bitter feelings in hardships but overcomes the anguish we feel.
9. The patience in affliction that God requires is not an unfeeling lack of grief.
10. The devout experience the conflict between natural feelings and glad submission to God's will.
11. The difference between Christian and philosophical patience.

Chapter 9: Meditation on the Future Life

1. The miseries of this life must teach us not to seek our happiness here.
2. We must break free from inordinate love for this world and recognize our mortality.
3. We are not to despise earthly goods such that we ungratefully diminish God's good gifts.
4. This life is not to be detested in itself but only in comparison to the life to come.
5. The hope of resurrection should conquer the fear of death in Christian minds.
6. Our minds will be troubled by present circumstances until we set our eyes on the future day of salvation.

Chapter 10: How We Must Use the Present Life and Its Means of Support

1. Some treat the use of earthly goods too strictly, others too indulgently.
   
2. Because God made earthly goods not only for necessity but also for delight, we can use them for both.
3. Grateful acknowledgment that we receive everything from God restrains lustful excess.
4. Contempt for the present life and meditation on immortality prevent excessive concern about external matters.
5. Peopl who are content to go without and ocnvinced they are accountable to God learn to restrain their use of earthly goods.
6. Consideration of our vocation is the principle and foundation of acting in every situation.

-----

I really enjoyed this little (65-page) book. Of course, it is hard (and dangerous) to rip chapters out of a larger work; I was convicted by the points Calvin presented, but left wanting more. But even this short treatise has its value. I need to remind myself of these truths daily.

Rating: A

Flame(s) On!

image from here

It is a new NHL season, and the Calgary Flames—those lowly Flames who dismantled their team over the last few years—are one of four undefeated teams remaining. Yes, it is just 4-0-0 (only 5% of the season). Yes, a lot of hockey remains. But what a (surpising!) start; they've shot up to 14 in the power rankings (they started the season at 27). Confidence is high in Calgary right now. Their current lineup (from dailyfaceoff): 

The Flames' unexpected success is a good reminder of why we play the game. In any league (or any endeavor). There are always the favorites, the superpowers, the big spenders, and so on. But our impressions are often based on the strength of individuals and neglect an important truth: you win as a team. It is the body that is ultimately successful or not. And synergy can matter a good deal more than individual strengths. The Bible reminds us of this in many places, but let's look at Ephesians 4 (highlights and underline mine):

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore it says,
“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
and he gave gifts to men.”
9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth?10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

The key points here: there is one body, we each have gifts to equip and build that body, and when each of us is working properly (i.e. using our gifts), we grow. This refers to the church—the body of Christ—but it applies to any group who have to work together to produce a successful outcome. Like sports teams.

We need to keep this in mind as we consider any endeavor where we are forming a team. It isn't just "what is _____ gifted in," but "how does _____'s gifts mesh with the overall team?" Sometimes, we may draw surprising conclusions, or make unexpected decisions, when we look at things through that lens. It isn't just what we can do . . . it is how we fit in.

Go Flames go!

Rattus (Big Box)

Today's review is of the 2023 release, Rattus (Big Box). For 2-6 players, it takes 30-60 minutes.

Overview

Plague! It is 1347 in Europe, and the Black Death is coming. Your goal is to have the most citizens when it's all over . . . can you prevail?

Rattus is straightforward. After initially placing role cards on the side and face-down rat tokens on the regions to be used in the game (this varies by number of players), each player places two citizen meeples on a region of the board (from first player clockwise), then another two (from last player counterclockwise). Then the first player begins.

On their turn, the active player has two phases:

Phase 1: Action

- increase population (places citizens equal to the number of rat tokens in a region of their choicde)

- chooses a role card (optional, and can be done before token placement. Take one card (from the supply or another player) and add it to your display)

Phase 2: Plague

- move the plague piece (to a region adjacent to its current)

- add rats (once in the new region, add 0-3 rats total to adjacent regions depending on the number in yours)

- resolve the plague (in the new region, resolve the rat tokens by turning them face-up one at a time)

Play proceeds clockwise until one person is out of tokens (meaning their population is at its max) or the rat tokens run out. The one with the most people left wins!

The game at setup. Image from here.

Two factors need to be described more:

a. choosing a role card grants powerful effects (which can be done any time during the action phase). But beware, as it also increases the likelihood that your citizens will be affected by a plague.

b. resolving rat tokens involves doing what the symbols on it indicate. This generally means removing citizens if you have role cards that match the symbols on the token, but you might also suffer if you have the most citizens in a region, and sometimes, you all suffer regardless!

Review

This is a fun and simple game, with a pleasant blend of chance, choice, and variability. Highly recommended.

Rating: A

The Rings of Power: Season 2

Continuing from season one . . . (with mild spoilers concerning character appearances below), multiple things are happening in Middle Earth and Numenor:

Two Harfoots accompany the mysterious visitor through the arid region of Rhun as he continues searching for his name and purpose. But a dark wizard is keenly interested in the visitor . . . and everyone is in great danger. Hope fades . . . but Tom Bombadil might prove helpful. 

Their lands in shadow and army defeated, southern humans flee to other lands to re-settle. Isildur, surviving the battle, finds and settles with them in Pelargir, an abandoned Numenorean colony. There they will face the perils including Wild Men, but they find powerful allies, too.

In Numenor, the old king is dead. At Queen Regent Miriel's coronation, revelation of a dark secret, accompanied by a foreboding omen, spurs her cousin, Pharazon, to claim the throne. The land descends into chaos as sides are chosen and distrust abounds. Elendil, faithful supporter of the queen, faces the most difficult decision of his life.

In Mordor, Adar raises an army of Uruks intent on defeating Sauron. Adar knows Sauron is in Eregion . . . and so the Elvish city must fall.

The Elvish rings have restored hope to the Elves. But all is not well . . . in Linden, Elrond mistrusts the rings, while Galadriel remains laser-focused on countering Sauron and his schemes. Their fears of a threat to the south are realized when they find legions of Uruk marching on Eregion . . . the Elves might be able to stop them in time, if the Dwarves send aid.

Shadow has fallen upon Khazad-dum in more ways than one. Their light shafts have collapsed, and traditional methods for finding new ones have been unsuccessful. Hope dims until the rings arrive from the Elves, granting King Durin impressive powers. But with it, increased malice and greed . . . and when he delves too deep in quest of riches, an ancient evil may rise.

After creating the three Elvish rings last time, Celebrimbor ponders what comes next in Eregion. He receives a familiar visitor—a so-called emissary from the valar who now goes by Annatar—who encourages and helps him to craft more rings. First comes seven Dwarvish rings, distributed to the Dwarf lords. Now Annatar is intent on creating nine rings for men. But when concerns arise regarding the Dwarvish creations, Celebrimbor has suspicions and struggles to understand what is going on around him. Is he helping Middle Earth . . . or helping to destroy it?

-------

The theme of season two could be summarized as "things fall apart." 

What I liked:

- the portrayal of Sauron. He is the ultimate manipulator/deceiver, and they do a fantastic job capturing that.

- the overall story. Despite many criticisms from Tolkien fan(atic)s, Amazon is adhering to the spirit of the events in the Second Age, even if they compress timelines, add characters, and inject other differences. (After all, the Peter Jackson films did this, too.)

- the visuals are beautiful.

- the dialogue and wisdom are mostly good.

- the story remains (mercifully) unfocused on romance and inappropriate/unnecessary things in this vein. Tolkien's legendarium had romance, of course, but not in today's way (or for today's purposes), and the show's creators are doing a good job of sticking to that.

- 'cameos' or appearances of familiar characters, events, locations, objects, and beings mentioned in The Lord of the Rings.

- aligning the style with Peter Jackson's films.

What I didn't:

- too many story arcs. There are roughly seven by my count, each getting a paragraph above. Three—Harfoot/stranger, southern human, and Uruk—have their 'cool' moments, but aren't contributing to the progress of the story as much as they are muddying the waters by introducing new elements and that much more to keep track of. 

- the speed of the story. With so many arcs, some moved too quickly. I believe three more seasons are planned, and am curious how those will shake out.

- the portrayal of Galadriel. I think the actress does a good job, but am not convinced the character is faithful to the spirit of the books.

- a few head-scratching plot points. One character appears to die in an episode but returns in the next with no apparent injuries. That is the most egregious one, but there are other, more minor, things that could have been better.

Overall, I think it is a powerful story that is done well. I look forward to season three (likely two years out).

Rating: A-

The Elephant in the Room

Today was my church's annual "Ignite" event. One of our men's ministry offerings, it featured ten speakers, each with a 5-minute talk on anything they wanted, with a concluding reflection. I love Ignite and participate every year; this year, I talked about Major League Baseball's Athletics. A transcript (with accompanying slides) follows.

Still stinging from the Orioles’ playoff exit, today I will talk about baseball. But not the O's . . . we need to talk about the elephant in the room. This is the story of the Athletics.

In 1901, the Philadelphia Athletics were created as one of the American League’s eight charter franchises to compete with the Phillies. Their manager was a man named Cornelius McGillicuddy, who (mercifully) went by Connie Mack.

In 1902, the A’s splurged on free agents. A rival manager was derisive, claiming they would have a white elephant on their hands (meaning they’d go bankrupt and regret the decision). Connie Mack owned the quote and made an elephant the A’s logo. The A’s proved doubters wrong and were successful in Philadelphia, enjoying 5 world series titles and the stability of Mack’s management, who would lead the club for 50 years (retiring at age 87). But it was not to last. Mack, who also co-owned the club, ran out of money and had to sell the franchise.

In 1955, the new owner relocated the A’s to Kansas City. Motivated by profit, he traded many of his star players to the Yankees, including Roger Maris. Mired in problems, the franchise was sold again in 1960. While this was happening, the staunchly democratic area complained that the elephant logo implied Republican allegiance. So the new owner changed it to a donkey, the Missouri state animal. And he promised a new day, swapping their traditional blue and white colors to green and gold a few years later. Perhaps appropriately, the team would make an ass of themselves in KC, with no winning seasons in 12 years. They moved to Oakland in 1968.

A change of scenery did the club well, as they won 3 consecutive world series in the ‘70s. A new owner in the ‘80s continued the success with 3 pennants and 1 more world series. And in 1988, he brought back . . . guess what? The elephant logo. But the good times were not to last. With a consistently low payroll, the franchise struggled. It punched above its weight for years, due in part to the brilliance of GM Billy Beane, the subject of the book and movie Moneyball. Nevertheless, with an owner unwilling to spend, things deteriorated, and the A’s became a laughingstock. They played their last game in Oakland just a few weeks ago, ending their 56-year run there. They’ll spend 3 years in Sacramento before moving to Las Vegas in 2028.

We have enough data to speculate about future A’s migrations. The franchise moves, on average, 24 miles per year. At this pace, and looking at major population centers, we can expect them in Oklahoma City in 2070, Nashville in 2096, and back in Philadelphia by 2125. You heard it here first!

Why does this matter? Why did I share the story of the Philadelphia/Kansas City/Oakland/Sacramento/Las Vegas Athletics with you? For a few reasons.

• Change happens. 
• We struggle with this. We fear and fight it, yet we know things change and decay. To everything there is a season.
• Our words matter.
• The Philadelphia Athletics adopted an elephant logo based on the criticism of another. That logo has been the most permanent thing about the franchise. It’s a good reminder that words are powerful and can echo through the ages. Guard your tongues, brothers! (James 1:26, 3:5-8)
• God doesn’t change. He is eternal, and His Words matter more.
• Though we wrestle with change, hurt others, and are hurt by them, let us comfort ourselves with the God who does not change (Mal. 3:6). Let us rejoice with Psalmists that God’s Word endures forever, He is king forever (Ps. 10:16), His counsel stands forever (Ps. 33:11), and His steadfast love endures forever (Ps. 100:5). He is true, and because of Christ, we will praise Him forever (Ps. 45:17), glorify His name forever (Ps. 86:12), sing of His steadfast love forever (Ps. 89:1), and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever (Ps. 23:6). He will wipe away every tear and is making all things new (Rev. 21:4-5). 

God’s presence and promises are the real elephant in the room. His marvelous truths are oft forgotten, but they are so much better than baseball.