The Hidden Blade Assassin's Creed in Depth

How'd you like the Foundation sequels? Personally I didn't feel like they didn't really live up to the grandness first story. The whole earth thing seemed just like a very unrelated story.

Also Alamut legit one of my favourite books. A re-read this year?

This was my second readthrough of the Foundation series. The original book certainly has a memorable premise. Because it's set up to span 1,000 years you have get used to the characters dying off every few chapters. That includes the series' central character, Hari Seldon, who started off as an old man. I was interested to learn more about Seldon and was pleased that Asimov wrote two prequels covering the early and later parts of his life, respectively.

Foundation starts strong but fizzles into what feels like loosely related short stories... because that's what they were originally. Many people like Foundation and Empire but I'm not big on the Magnifico character. My favorite is Second Foundation, which is actually third in the central trilogy. You're right: the two sequels are flops.

No, I just read Alamut one time. I commented about it in 2022 while reading it and just listed it again as a book I read last year, so it may seem as if I read it twice. As you had mentioned, the second half is more exciting than the first. My jaw dropped at how Suleiman and Yusuf's story was resolved.

Dun dun dun AC:R and Alamut's connection revealed?

I clearly haven't read the book, and probably should this summer.

Hahaha, it was a big inspiration for the first AC You may even recognize some scenes from the game!

Alamut's connection to the first AC I have known for a while now, but just realised that the connection to AC:R was deeper after reading this bit of trivia from the wiki:

[Spoiler tags added. -stabguy]

There's something about Ender's Game that I didn't get and it's a major plot element. Most of the book centers around a military training exercise that's essentially laser tag in zero gravity. We're told this is to prepare Ender and the other young soldiers for combat with the alien force. They are given no other training, so I expected actual combat to resemble this game except with live ammunition. When they finally go up against the aliens there are no battles with small arms. Instead, combat only involves

Maybe someone who understands the story well can explain why so much attention was given to the 3D laser tag game.

I thought it was for training of the use of formations and counter-formations and attempting to be creative with those, while dealing with the human factor of subordinates and caring for their well-being. Probably were better ways to prepare them.

Yes, I believe it was more for learning about combat strategies individually and applying them to the actual battles later on. It could have gone without this training and still be the same, though. But it's been over a decade since I read the book anyways.

That makes sense. Thanks guys.