A New Fan's Perspective
344451
I've known of Dope for years and years. However, I have never been the biggest fan of industrial metal/rock because a lot of times the melodic structure is just hard for me to personally find. Anyway, Loudwire advertised one of their new music videos, so I figured I would give it a try.

I loved it. So I decided to buy this album, and I loved it just as much. Like I said, I'm fairly new to their music because I've just never really listened to them before or given them much of a chance because of the genre they are placed in. I know a lot of people would tell me to listen to their older stuff and that it is way better. In some ways, that is true I'm sure. I'm like that with many bands that I listen to myself, but I also know many bands where their later stuff is infinitely better than the old. I think what Dope has done with this album in some ways is mature. The lyrics aren't as aggressive from what I've researched, the song structures are simplified and have a nice groove to them, and the melodies are quite catchy.

Being a musician and a huge music lover myself, I know what it is like to not like changes that a band makes to their sound. However, I think we as fans should be as open minded as possible to what they release because we want to support them and let them expand their music exploration. Look for positives, not negatives. Obviously for some it may just not work out because it is just something they do not like stylistically and that's fine. I think though that most can enjoy this record as long as they realize that bands change, evolve, and mature just like we do in our lives.
4682552
There are several Avengers books available to the average fan, but the problem is, they all read about the same.  A synopsis of each episode, some background information, author's opinions etc.  And that's fine for the most part, but quite frankly, how many episode synopsis does one need?

Then we have Andrew Pixley's The Avengers Files, a refreshingly new perspective of the series done with some tongue-in-cheek views. We definately get a synopsis of each episode, however, they are presented as "survelance videos".  Steed and Company are presented as real people and we are given backgrounds into their "real lives".

For newer fans, this probably isn't a book to start with.  Mr. Pixley uses abbrivations for episode titles and if you aren't familiar with the episodes themselves, it can be quite confusing. It's also not for the fan who takes the show too seriously as actual facts in regards to the characters, actors, writers, etc., are minimalized.  Mr. Pixley does pique one's interest in where he gets some of his information on the characters, leaving the reader to want to find the comics, books, episodes and such for further reading.

Over all, this is a very fun book to read and is one of my favorites.
1876570
This game is pretty freaking awesome. If you're a previous fan, then you will definitely love it. New fans might like it but that depends on if you can get over it being a little slow paced. Also, I did purchase the digital download of this game via Nintendo so I did not have to worry about waiting forever for shipping and such. If you prefer digital copies, then I would suggest doing so.
623389
When I was 10 years old I went to a Mets/Reds Game at Shea Stadium.  After the game was over I was standing outside the player's exit area and a new rookie named Eric Davis came out of the door.  I could only tell he was a player and I had no clue what his name was.  It was "bat day" that day and I asked this man to sign my bat.  He signed it 'Eric Davis' and stopped to ask me some questions about myself which I wasn't thinking he would...I figured a bigshot ball player would sign their autograph quickly and move on.  Being only 10 years old, I had never encountered any type of person in the public eye such as a celebrity or major league ball player.  I then followed Eric everyday in the papers.  When I met him, he was just up from the Minors and hadn't gotten any notice yet.  I took such pleasure following him and seeing him excel in the game.  My parents would mail me box scores of the Reds' games when I was in sleepaway camp over the summer.  I still remember getting excited when following Eric in the summer of 87 when he was on fire.
This book gives the reader an idea of what a warm person Eric is.  His courageous struggle through cancer and his triumphant return to the game are simply amazing.  I hope that Eric reads this one day, and realizes that a fan from the age of 10 (27 now) still follows and admires him.  From reading the book, I agree with one of the other reviewers that said that after reading the book, they weren't just a fan of Eric Davis, the baseball player, but they were a fan of the person.
3491850
As someone who is new to following the EPL this was a fascinating book.  It really gave a flavor for British football that you do not get watching the games on TV. He talks about the supporters, being in the stands and even getting to and into games (for example, because he wasn't known to a team they sometimes would not sell him tickets.) Well worth reading for anyone new to EPL and wanting to know what it's like being there.
4235068
Fans of the FF will be pleased with this book, especially if you have been a fan for a long, long time.  The writing closely relates to Stan Lee's style of the 60's & 70's but does stay current such as with Reed & Sue's children; Alicia no longer dating Ben, etc.

I'm at a loss to all the negative reviews here.  IMO, this book is enjoyable and offers a new direction for Marvel outside comics and cartoons (and of course the movies).  I've been a fan of the FF since the 1970's and being an avid reader this was an enjoyable ride to remember my days of reading these comics and today being able to read more into their adventures.  I'm waiting to read the next in this new series!

Thanks Greg Cox!  And thank you Marvel!
2332063
I wasn't certain I was going to enjoy this one, what with Warren's passing and my displeasure with #150. I was wrong. Other then a few nagging questions my writers brain was left with and a couple of editing  errors the new scribe has done an admirable job breathing life back into characters who mean so much to me. The story moved with a pacing the first few "new" Destroyers lacked and while it was slightly predictable it was an over all well written, enjoyable story. I look forward to seeing where the series goes from here. Good job sir, you've done us fans proud.
4577243
I am a life long baseball fan, Grew up in the northeast and was a Mets fan in their early years. They weren't very good, but they were fun to watch. As far as this book is concerned, I never really looked at baseball that way before, The purely statistical views and how it relates to the business is very interesting and a different way to follow the game. A decent read and I'll watch the movie next.
1759368
I've only watched a few episodes. I may not be the best judge. I haven't been sucked in yet, but I cannot deny that I'm very much interested, though that may have as much to do with the hype than what I've seen so far. I'll add further commentary as I progress through the series.
1750477
I won tickets to see Foreigner in concert. The show was a few days ago (April 24, 2015). I pulled out my old vinyl copy of 4 (an album I didn't like except for a couple of tracks and never really paid much attention to) before going to the show. I was surprised at how much I liked it. I used to have agent provocateur on vinyl but was even less impressed with it. That was the last time I'd heard new Foreigner until Can't slow down (which I think is a great album). I decided maybe I had not given post Double Vision a Foreigner a fair listen, so I decided to buy the Complete Atlantic Albums Collection. The first one I listened to is Unusual Heat. I agree with the reviewer who compared it to Holy Water Bad Company, but I must say (and I admit I'm only 2/3 through the first listen) but I'm liking it a lot! Someone complained about the lyrics, but IMO Foreigner has always been more about the rock n roll vibe than the complexity or even creativity of the lyrics. In the end I'm really glad I got this set. It's a very good price and I'm looking forward to checking out the other CDs that I never gave a chance to before. Can anyone speak to Mr Moonlight, the only cd other than Can't slow down not included in the set?
1998762
If you truly want to learn about Man City's long and difficult history, this is the book to read. As an American who never paid attention to the BPL, or honestly even knew of its existence until the last 5 or so years, I've fallen in with the Blues because they remind me of the New York Mets, my favorite sports team. The NY Yankees and the Damned United have much in common, with their unlimited budgets and their sense of entitlement. While the scrappy underdog Mets and City both feel like teams worthy of your devotion. Being a Yankee fan or a United supporter is easy. This book shows how much sweeter victory is when it is not expected.
337255
I've haven't played a baseball game in a very long, actually the last game I played was the coveted MVP '05. Not only was MVP '05 one of the best sports games ever made, it just seemed that every other baseball game I played after that game never had what I wanted so I just gave up after awhile. But, I decided to take plunge into this series and for the most part I'm pretty pleased.

I'm a franchise/dynasty type guy who loves baseball and fantasy baseball, so that's where I've spent my playing time with this game, not the "Road to the Show" portion. So here's just some immediate observations I have so far which may change down the road:

- No Single-A teams? Don't get this. How did a game made almost 12 years ago have full A, AA, AAA rosters and a game on a next-gen system like the PS3 do not?
- Where's Baseball America's Top 100 prospects?
- The budgeting seems confusing/pointless? In MVP '05 (yes, I keep going back to that) you had Owner mode and Dynasty mode. I just want to play the game and manage players...not schedule TV contracts and cut grass.

The playability is pretty good, in small sample sizes. I ditched the analog control almost immediately, and went to classic. Pitching isn't too bad but you'll be lucky to have your starters go past the 6th inning. You can rack up a decent amount of strikeouts, but at the same time there'll be times when the CPU will foul off like 12 straight pitches, even an opposing pitcher. Batting is also pretty good, but good luck trying to draw a walk though. Seriously. If you're even lucky enough to draw an 3-0 count, the pitcher will come back with three straight strikes at the knees with various pitches like Greg Maddux. I'm a pretty patient hitter and I average about one walk for every three games.

Presentation is an absoulte gem. But, like I said I'm new to the series so this may not be such a big deal for others, but the attention to detail is amazing. If a pitchers throws a circle change-up, their fingers are positioned correctly on the ball. The play-by-play and color commentary is a bit hit or miss though. They'll present something worthwile like a batter's stats from a previous game, but then repeat the phrase or anecdote over and over again.

Overall, this a really fun game that plays great and looks great. Just wished there was few more things that could be tweaked - but I suppose this can be fixed with a patch or some slider management.
3622621
Great to be a fan and to actually have the game on DVD to remember.  Wish there had been more of the commentary that I had watched after the game the night it happened.  That was what was almost as much fun as the game itself.  The compelling part about the game was contained so well in the comments after the game.
3357116
Being a life-long Rush fan, I can't honestly say I can be totally objective! But who cares? I'm a fan. Bottom line is I enjoyed it very much. Besides, how many NON-Rush fans are going to buy this book anyway?! ;-)

I particularly liked the comments from the producers and engineers over the years (Terry Brown, Peter Collins, David Leonard, etc). I would have loved to read so much more from that point of view - the recording process. However, getting into more of the technical process of the recordings would put some people to sleep... granted, that's my own personal taste (as a musician). But it did get into details of recording sessions - stuff that I've never read before. For the non-musician, or non-studio-geek, I'm sure the balance presented is just right. No complaints - only a personal wish-list (maybe a future book could be solely devoted to Rush's recordings sessions?!). :-)

I've read other Rush books, and I found many of these details new. Granted, you can't change the 'story' - it IS a biography! So, some news is old news to the more 'learned' Rush fan. Yet, I never found myself skimming through pages, or saying to myself "I've read this 100 times before...zzzzz". The book kept my interest throughout. In fact, I had a hard time putting it down! Also of interest is the last chapter - a short bio on a ton of the people involved with Rush over the years... all those names you wondered about in the album credits... well, now you know!

From one Rush fan to another, I'd certainly recommend this book. Chemistry indeed - very appropriate. (Now... where's the petition to get "The Camera Eye" back into their live set list?!). :-)
1362536
THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT... WHETHER YOU'RE A FAN OF THE SHOW OR NOT!
3124432
And by "Music fans" I mean the band, no fans of music in general.  Just thought I'd clarify that.

I picked the bands first CD as a recommendation from a friend, and it's one of my favorites.  I personally didn't think much of "Welcome to the North" at first, but after a few listens through, I do like that one also, just not as much as their first album, which, in my opinion is really good, start to finish.

For the new/last CD, I was a bit surprised at the different production on the whole thing.  Not a bad thing at all, just different.  The musical style/lyrical style is still there. which is good.  It just seems to me to be a bit over-produced.

Where "The Music" is great to just sit around and listen to with headphones, "Strength in Numbers" sounds to me to be more of the type you listen to in the car, good driving music, but lacking the real depth of the first album.

Then I listened to it straight through on my `phones.  The tight production really shines when you can hear it.  I personally don't have a high-end home stereo, my "high end" is a Digital Audio source connected to a headphone amp/DAC to audiophile quality headphones.  But anyway, I have a new appreciation for "Strength" after really listening to it.

Overall, if you're a Music fan, you have to own "Strength".  If you're not a big fan, or heard something of theirs somewhere and are looking for something to pickup, get "The Music" first.  If you like it as much as I do, you'll get "Strength" later on.
2787723
This is a great source for the average fan. The source material and commentary are great.  This is called the "art" of and not the complete background of development, so the commentary is light which the average fan will like but a wierdo fan like myself is left feeling I missed the main course. I also got it for a steal! Under $10 total, gotta love Amazon!