Second Life: A Review of Press Reset, by Jason Schreier

The video game industry is one of the largest in the world, but it can be hard to imagine just how much money these companies make.  In 2020 alone, the global market for video games generated over 150 billion dollars in revenue, with predictions for 2021 set to increase that number even more.  Despite a measure of success which cannot be denied, the video game industry remains one of the most volatile industries of the modern day.  Few other fields rely on creating products that also need to serve as a piece of art, from the gameplay to the design to the story being told.  Even films do not suffer from the same demands or risks as games do.  One flop is all it takes for an entire company to fold in itself, and even the most successful ones perform mass layoffs without warning.  For many gamers out there, working in the video industry seems like a dream come true.  Get paid to make games?  But the reality, as in many instances, is much harsher.

Outlaw to Sheriff: A Review of Spellmaker, by Charlie N. Holmberg

Writing a sequel is always a unique problem for an author as it is usually a self-inflicted one.  It is easy to approach a story with the idea that the complete tale will be told in one book, and most authors do choose to go this route.  But there is something about the fantasy and science-fiction genres especially that draw writers towards creating more.  Usually, this is a net win for the audience, as we want to spend as much time as possible in an author’s imagination if the first book draws us in.  I have put down many books wishing that the story had not ended with the last page.  But, sometimes, the sequel does not quite live up to the expectations set by the first entry.  A sequel needs to both provide a continuation and a satisfying payoff to elements set up by the first book.  A mystery or conflict may be enjoyable while it is ongoing, but if the resolution is not satisfying, then the entire whole can suffer.