So December is hurtling towards us.
For most people this won't really mean much beyond Christmas and a nice break, but for those of us who are studying the worlds most difficult language, December is the time of reckoning.
On Sunday December the second, the bi-annual exam will happen all over the world. All five levels are taken by hopeful combatants at dozens and dozens of venues.
In all, more than 100,000 entrants will battle against the nefarious puzzle masters. This always astounds me, who knew so many people were studying Japanese?
Around 40,000 will pass their respective exams, although this will obviously vary year by year. Sometimes you get lucky and they make it easy, but more often than not some xenophobic old fart bemoans the lack of Japanese language understanding among foreigners living in Japan, forcing the examining body to make the questions more difficult in order to prove the academic rigor of their tests - thereby completely ignoring the single biggest problem with that JLPT (there is no interview or spoken portion, nor any writing section, meaning two pillars of language understanding are completely ignored). This makes the JLPT great for receptive skills, terrible for production.
Last time I took the test I had been studying Japanese for exactly 6 months (I've lived here for ages, but was working and training all day, every day (including weekends) which left me no free time to study) and failed the N2 by 20 points. This wasn't a huge surprise given how little time I had been studying for, and the experience was both a great measure of my progress and an excellent practice run.
The test is out of 180 in total, so I wasn't too far off. Hopefully, after another 6 months study, I will pass it this time around.
I have confidence in my listening ability, and I've been working my ass off to learn as many kanji as possible, so I think I can probably break even on that front.
The final section is reading comprehension, which is my weakest area by far. If a combatant gets less than 25% (I think it's 25%, but even if it's not exactly one quarter, it's around there) on any one part of the test they automatically fail, regardless of their scores in the other sections. I am absolutely terrified that I will have a mare on the reading comprehension section and essentially invalidate the hard work I've put in elsewhere.
In preparation I'm working through two or three reading questions every night, along with the obligatory kanji practice. The reading questions I am studying can take me anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour depending on how difficult they are, at which point I recruit my wife to check over my answers.
This is in addition to my school homework which usually takes an hour or two a night, and my kanji review. For reference, I usually spend between 4-6 hours a day on kanji alone, so between 6 and 9 hours a day of private studying. I mention this so that in the future, regardless of whether I pass the upcoming exam or not, no one can accuse me of not trying hard enough.
(I am a tryhard, with everything.)
(Although I did take this past weekend, Monday and today off to do some writing work.)
Also, in unrelated news, I published a book. Buy the ebook here, UK, america, Japan, France, India. Buy the physical book here, UK, america, Japan, France.
I don't know why I included France, because it's ENGLISH ONLY. Do not buy it if you can't read English. Also, if you can't read English, why are you here?
It's not the best book in the world, but it is mine.
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Tuesday, 13 November 2018
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Neuromancer
So Neuromancer is one of those books that I've always promised myself that I will read, but never managed to get round to it.
For whatever reason I sat down with it over the past few days.
It's one of the first books to approach cyberpunk and is the defacto standard upon which all other dystopian future books and movies are judged. I say this knowing that certain other works, like bladerunner, came before it, and were an obvious influence on the aesthetic, dialogue, even the names used throughout.
In short, this book is spectacular. I don't necessarily mean that in the literal sense of being a spectacle to behold, moreso the hyperbolic sense of being something truly unique. It may be that I am pre-disposed to liking anything in this setting, which may or may not be true, but the story works on a personal level that is exemplified by a single line of dialogue at the very end of the book. A fundamental nature of existence is revealed to one of the protagonists that fundamentally alters the outlook of their universe - yet I could care less because it doesn't directly involve the characters that I have followed from start to finish. I care more deeply about the people than the very nature of existence for something that is not human.
It is often said that the root of a good story is good characterisation, and this is why something like Robinson Crusoe divides opinion (is the island a character or not, and if so, is that appealing to the reader?) whereas something like the Titanic movie does not (it's a universal love story that happens to be set upon a famous boat and is either liked or loathed without having to delve into why). Whether you enjoy these stories is irrelevant because the central theme of the knowably human is evident throughout Titanic, but more difficult to find in Crusoe.
Cyber Punk is often accused of being an excuse to set a scene. To have worldbuilding overtake the character and assume life as Defoe managed (I think) to do two hundred years ago. I think this is to criminally undersell the value of world versus character, but it is a complaint I have seen time and time again with everything from music to painting to dance. How can I relate to the work. How can I understand what is being said through it.
Neuromancer understands people. It is a book written by someone who sees a world through the eyes of a character as opposed to showing you the character acting within a world.
I don't know if anyone reading this will have a mechanically altered pancreas that filters out drugs, or mechanical eyes, or the ability to telepathically alter the world around them, but these characters are as human as anything you will see in any other fiction.
That the science behind their augmentations allow them to interact in such a way is testament to the abilities of characters to work within the genre, and is something many authors have failed to replicate. Why care about a world, when everyone is a crudely drawn archetype?
In this way I think Neuromancer is the perfect gateway drug. It starts with a now infamous line, carries a story through locations that are as real as any documentary, and ends with a bomb that left me feeling hollow. The kind of hollow that drops the gut and reminds us of the power of great literature. Stories take on the experiences of the reader through a myriad of twists and turns that remind us of our past, our feelings and, fundamentally, of who we are. Whether it has the same effect upon you as it did me can only be discovered through reading, so get to it. It's available freely online with a quick google search or here, and isn't so long as to be overbearing.
Neuromancer is the high watermark for fiction of this genre and is a classic in any.
For whatever reason I sat down with it over the past few days.
It's one of the first books to approach cyberpunk and is the defacto standard upon which all other dystopian future books and movies are judged. I say this knowing that certain other works, like bladerunner, came before it, and were an obvious influence on the aesthetic, dialogue, even the names used throughout.
In short, this book is spectacular. I don't necessarily mean that in the literal sense of being a spectacle to behold, moreso the hyperbolic sense of being something truly unique. It may be that I am pre-disposed to liking anything in this setting, which may or may not be true, but the story works on a personal level that is exemplified by a single line of dialogue at the very end of the book. A fundamental nature of existence is revealed to one of the protagonists that fundamentally alters the outlook of their universe - yet I could care less because it doesn't directly involve the characters that I have followed from start to finish. I care more deeply about the people than the very nature of existence for something that is not human.
It is often said that the root of a good story is good characterisation, and this is why something like Robinson Crusoe divides opinion (is the island a character or not, and if so, is that appealing to the reader?) whereas something like the Titanic movie does not (it's a universal love story that happens to be set upon a famous boat and is either liked or loathed without having to delve into why). Whether you enjoy these stories is irrelevant because the central theme of the knowably human is evident throughout Titanic, but more difficult to find in Crusoe.
Cyber Punk is often accused of being an excuse to set a scene. To have worldbuilding overtake the character and assume life as Defoe managed (I think) to do two hundred years ago. I think this is to criminally undersell the value of world versus character, but it is a complaint I have seen time and time again with everything from music to painting to dance. How can I relate to the work. How can I understand what is being said through it.
Neuromancer understands people. It is a book written by someone who sees a world through the eyes of a character as opposed to showing you the character acting within a world.
I don't know if anyone reading this will have a mechanically altered pancreas that filters out drugs, or mechanical eyes, or the ability to telepathically alter the world around them, but these characters are as human as anything you will see in any other fiction.
That the science behind their augmentations allow them to interact in such a way is testament to the abilities of characters to work within the genre, and is something many authors have failed to replicate. Why care about a world, when everyone is a crudely drawn archetype?
In this way I think Neuromancer is the perfect gateway drug. It starts with a now infamous line, carries a story through locations that are as real as any documentary, and ends with a bomb that left me feeling hollow. The kind of hollow that drops the gut and reminds us of the power of great literature. Stories take on the experiences of the reader through a myriad of twists and turns that remind us of our past, our feelings and, fundamentally, of who we are. Whether it has the same effect upon you as it did me can only be discovered through reading, so get to it. It's available freely online with a quick google search or here, and isn't so long as to be overbearing.
Neuromancer is the high watermark for fiction of this genre and is a classic in any.
Tuesday, 13 September 2016
A Whole Day Off!
So I had a whole day off yesterday, so I decided to do something computer related with it.
I also did a few pages of editing (read: copious amounts of deleting) for my book, so that's still ticking along (about 1/3rd done with edits).
Anyway, I decided to do this:
It's a little game I made. I found a program called 'game maker,' on humble bundle, bought and downloaded it (15 of your us dollars) and started messing around.
So it's all programming which is unfortunate, because I have no idea how to program. Luckily there's a decent sized community, and I know just enough to change up the bits I need to when two tutorials conflict.
In the screen you see above, the green box is the player. The red box is an enemy that moves back and forth as it runs into walls. The pink box is a portal of sorts that sends you to the next level.
If you land on top of the red box, it disappears, simulating the banishment of said enemy.
If you land next to the red box and it runs into you, the scene resets, simulating the unfortunate death of a green box (the player).
The basics are there with this setup. The player jump height varies depending on how long you hold down the key, up to a maximum height, and the player has a nice momentum to it, so you're not just at 100% speed when you move left and right. There's also a decent feel to the gravity.
Some other stuff I want to add: enemies that detect edges, so that they don't need to be boxed in and they won't fall off ledges.
A player attack that affects what would be the equivalent of a square in front of them in this design.
Pickups, that show text on the screen. I want the player to walk over a box and for it to pop up text, to tell a little story.
Spikes, but that should be an easy thing to make as I already have the red box code.
If I get all the done, then it's just a case of making a metric boat load of art to take the place of everything. Art for backgrounds, art for the characters, art for the enemies. So much art.
The only problem is that I cannot art to save my life.
Oh well. We'll cross that bridge should we ever come to it.
I also did a few pages of editing (read: copious amounts of deleting) for my book, so that's still ticking along (about 1/3rd done with edits).
Anyway, I decided to do this:
 |
| I need a name for this blocky mess. |
It's a little game I made. I found a program called 'game maker,' on humble bundle, bought and downloaded it (15 of your us dollars) and started messing around.
So it's all programming which is unfortunate, because I have no idea how to program. Luckily there's a decent sized community, and I know just enough to change up the bits I need to when two tutorials conflict.
In the screen you see above, the green box is the player. The red box is an enemy that moves back and forth as it runs into walls. The pink box is a portal of sorts that sends you to the next level.
If you land on top of the red box, it disappears, simulating the banishment of said enemy.
If you land next to the red box and it runs into you, the scene resets, simulating the unfortunate death of a green box (the player).
The basics are there with this setup. The player jump height varies depending on how long you hold down the key, up to a maximum height, and the player has a nice momentum to it, so you're not just at 100% speed when you move left and right. There's also a decent feel to the gravity.
Some other stuff I want to add: enemies that detect edges, so that they don't need to be boxed in and they won't fall off ledges.
A player attack that affects what would be the equivalent of a square in front of them in this design.
Pickups, that show text on the screen. I want the player to walk over a box and for it to pop up text, to tell a little story.
Spikes, but that should be an easy thing to make as I already have the red box code.
If I get all the done, then it's just a case of making a metric boat load of art to take the place of everything. Art for backgrounds, art for the characters, art for the enemies. So much art.
The only problem is that I cannot art to save my life.
Oh well. We'll cross that bridge should we ever come to it.
Tuesday, 13 October 2015
Aurora
So I read a book recently called 'Aurora,' by Kim Stanley Robinson (I think I've spelled that correctly).
It's sci-fi, so if you don't like that genre you can move along.
It's also about an ark, a generation ship travelling through space.
It's pretty good.
The premise is the usual, humanity expanding towards the stars. The difference is that this isn't an omnipotent ship, the settlers aren't living inside a God like in so many other stories. Their home is breaking down, as are their bodies at the genetic level.
There's no real explanation for why humanity is failing onboard (genetic deviation is the official cause) but it results in an interesting problem - humanity struggling to move beyond our own system. This is in direct opposition to almost all other sci-fi where our destiny is to move beyond Earth. It sets up an interesting situation, and one that almost works throughout.
The problem I have with this book is the main character. She is said and proven to be rather less intelligent than the previous generation of travelers, and this manifests in her being unable to help fix the ship at all. She's so stupid that she can't do anything mechanical, theoretical or physical at all. Instead, she's demoted to being a pep talker, keeping morale high. It might not sound like a big deal written here, but the tonal shift from technical sci-fi to moralising parable is one that's not handled particularly well. It only worsens towards the end of the book as it finds new ways to preach.
And that's my summation of the book. It starts incredibly strong, when the main character is essentially retelling the story of another character, and then it goes downhill from there.
It's worth a read if you like this author and the style, or if you like dour (some might say, non-fantastical and entirely realistic) fiction in general. Or if you're a baby and like to be preached at. If not, I'd suggest avoiding it.
It's sci-fi, so if you don't like that genre you can move along.
It's also about an ark, a generation ship travelling through space.
It's pretty good.
The premise is the usual, humanity expanding towards the stars. The difference is that this isn't an omnipotent ship, the settlers aren't living inside a God like in so many other stories. Their home is breaking down, as are their bodies at the genetic level.
There's no real explanation for why humanity is failing onboard (genetic deviation is the official cause) but it results in an interesting problem - humanity struggling to move beyond our own system. This is in direct opposition to almost all other sci-fi where our destiny is to move beyond Earth. It sets up an interesting situation, and one that almost works throughout.
The problem I have with this book is the main character. She is said and proven to be rather less intelligent than the previous generation of travelers, and this manifests in her being unable to help fix the ship at all. She's so stupid that she can't do anything mechanical, theoretical or physical at all. Instead, she's demoted to being a pep talker, keeping morale high. It might not sound like a big deal written here, but the tonal shift from technical sci-fi to moralising parable is one that's not handled particularly well. It only worsens towards the end of the book as it finds new ways to preach.
And that's my summation of the book. It starts incredibly strong, when the main character is essentially retelling the story of another character, and then it goes downhill from there.
It's worth a read if you like this author and the style, or if you like dour (some might say, non-fantastical and entirely realistic) fiction in general. Or if you're a baby and like to be preached at. If not, I'd suggest avoiding it.
Wednesday, 11 February 2015
Mars Man
The Martian is an interesting book written by Andy Weir, focusing on a manned mission to Mars that, obviously, goes wrong.
This book is fairly technical with a whimsical character and that contrast makes the overall read enjoyable. Anyone interested in learning the ins and outs of potential Mars colonisation need not apply because the technical aspect is couched within an internal logic that mirrors the real world while never trying to replicate it (the author often refers to actual chemical reactions and pieces of equipment that could conceivably be used on such a mission) while the action is typical fantasy (he luckily has everything he needs and doesn't die a thousand times in a thousand different horrific ways).
The details in the world are interesting, providing an insight into the kinds of thinking required of such a mission without bogging down in the excruciating minutiae of an actual excursion - this is where the book stands out. There is enough research to justify the premise and carry the character through to the conclusion.
In many ways the story of the character is the weakest aspect, delivering on the journey aspect, but never deviating from a particularly structured step by step guide on how to survive within this fictional Mars environment. This paint by numbers approach is common elsewhere, but is made readily apparent by the main character who exemplifies the less realistic aspects of the tale. The character is a doofus. He's not a relatable oaf nor is he particularly charming, he's just a walking talking physics robot who has a humour module bolted on halfway through the book, in order to make him more resemble a human. In science fiction there are often cases where the 'science,' very much outweighs the 'fiction,' and this is one case where he has so little personality that I find it hard to remember anything about his particular journey. I can't even remember the guys name. This may seem like a minor slight in a world where ninety percent of books, TV and film have lead characters who may as well be called 'generic protagonist 1,' or 'minor villain X,' but if the primary motivation for a given reader is to follow a story, this hypothetical candidate is going to immediately put the book down. As such, this book is for people who like police dramas, Sherlock Holmes and other media that follows an investigatory route. It's is most definitely not for people who enjoy character development. I'd go so far as to say if you need a character in your story with whom to relate don't read this. He makes one or two pop culture references that were so wildly out of character with a pioneering space explorer, and the potential audience for this book, that I raised an eyebrow. I actual raised my eyebrow!
Having just entirely written off the character and made the book sound horrible I will say I enjoyed it quite a lot. The ways in which the main story dude (herein referred to as robot) solves the myriad problems that arise are interesting, as is the authors imagining of just how the mission will look if anyone does venture forth. I'd never really contemplated the specifics of some of the gear they'd need, besides the basics of habitats and supplies, so this book is a mild introduction into such things. The idea of a rover that can cover long distances and won't break down is obvious, but the imaginings of these parts is interesting as is the inclusion of a some of the more esoteric paraphernalia. There are plenty of doodads to keep robot tinkering away, and plenty of pitfalls to overcome. These aspects are the crux of the story.
Ignore the blurb about this being a story of a man overcoming odds, this is a story of fictional science, sciencing its merry way all around Mars.
This book is fairly technical with a whimsical character and that contrast makes the overall read enjoyable. Anyone interested in learning the ins and outs of potential Mars colonisation need not apply because the technical aspect is couched within an internal logic that mirrors the real world while never trying to replicate it (the author often refers to actual chemical reactions and pieces of equipment that could conceivably be used on such a mission) while the action is typical fantasy (he luckily has everything he needs and doesn't die a thousand times in a thousand different horrific ways).
The details in the world are interesting, providing an insight into the kinds of thinking required of such a mission without bogging down in the excruciating minutiae of an actual excursion - this is where the book stands out. There is enough research to justify the premise and carry the character through to the conclusion.
In many ways the story of the character is the weakest aspect, delivering on the journey aspect, but never deviating from a particularly structured step by step guide on how to survive within this fictional Mars environment. This paint by numbers approach is common elsewhere, but is made readily apparent by the main character who exemplifies the less realistic aspects of the tale. The character is a doofus. He's not a relatable oaf nor is he particularly charming, he's just a walking talking physics robot who has a humour module bolted on halfway through the book, in order to make him more resemble a human. In science fiction there are often cases where the 'science,' very much outweighs the 'fiction,' and this is one case where he has so little personality that I find it hard to remember anything about his particular journey. I can't even remember the guys name. This may seem like a minor slight in a world where ninety percent of books, TV and film have lead characters who may as well be called 'generic protagonist 1,' or 'minor villain X,' but if the primary motivation for a given reader is to follow a story, this hypothetical candidate is going to immediately put the book down. As such, this book is for people who like police dramas, Sherlock Holmes and other media that follows an investigatory route. It's is most definitely not for people who enjoy character development. I'd go so far as to say if you need a character in your story with whom to relate don't read this. He makes one or two pop culture references that were so wildly out of character with a pioneering space explorer, and the potential audience for this book, that I raised an eyebrow. I actual raised my eyebrow!
Having just entirely written off the character and made the book sound horrible I will say I enjoyed it quite a lot. The ways in which the main story dude (herein referred to as robot) solves the myriad problems that arise are interesting, as is the authors imagining of just how the mission will look if anyone does venture forth. I'd never really contemplated the specifics of some of the gear they'd need, besides the basics of habitats and supplies, so this book is a mild introduction into such things. The idea of a rover that can cover long distances and won't break down is obvious, but the imaginings of these parts is interesting as is the inclusion of a some of the more esoteric paraphernalia. There are plenty of doodads to keep robot tinkering away, and plenty of pitfalls to overcome. These aspects are the crux of the story.
Ignore the blurb about this being a story of a man overcoming odds, this is a story of fictional science, sciencing its merry way all around Mars.
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