Gideon Falls Volume 4: The Pentoculus
Ah, things were really clicking in this series now. There’s a lot of jumping around, from the different dimensions accessed by the Pentoculus (that’s the multiverse machine Norton Sinclair built in his barn) to the different bodies that the Laughing Man (or as I call him, the Bug God) inhabits, but I found it all reasonably easy to follow. In part because the threads were starting to be drawn together, as the main characters (it is written that there must be five, constituting a kind of Fellowship of the Bug) all finally find themselves on the same page. Dr. Xu even gets to see herself as Old Dr. Xu in the village dimension, which is somehow at the center of everything.
In addition to the Fellowship of the Bug there are also other networks in play, including the uninspiring Ploughmen and the Bishop’s gathering of bug-fighting priests. Meanwhile, the Laughing Man is vomiting his bugs into his victims in the sort of mouth-to-mouth process that has long been popular in horror movies (see my note on this in my review of The Invasion). Once possessed, these people go on bloody rampages, all (I think) just to get attention since the Laughing Man only needs to possess Danny in order to open all the doors. I wasn’t sure why. Maybe it’s just because Danny, as a character, seems like such an empty vessel thus far.
Lots of slam-bang action, and Andrea Sorrentino was really pulling out all the stops when it comes to fragmenting the page into hallucinogenic collages. This is always been his style, and with this series he gets to indulge it fully. So overall it’s a series that’s finishing strong, making me hopeful for the conclusion.
Alex Good 
Just noticed that cover is a jigsaw puzzle. Have all the covers been like that?
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Not all jigsaw puzzles, but all playing on the outline of a guy’s head.
Way too early for you to be up on a weekend. Too much pizza last night. Get back to bed!
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too much pizza is WHY I’m awake. My pump ran out of insulin at 230’ish, so I had to get up and put in a new one. I can’t go back to sleep now. I’ll be asleep at 5pm tonight though, to make up for it 😀
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Oh yeah, that’s what I meant. I remember you said you were going to be eating pizza and playing cards all weekend. That’s a recipe for no sleep, even without the pump alarm.
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Well, the cards are at 10am this morning and then at noon on Sunday. I can’t be a night owl any more if I want to be!
How’s the back?
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Not great. Plus this morning I’m supposed to be doing a lot of moving trying to make space for renovations on the main floor. Most of it is just bulky stuff but there’s a couple of big, solid wood dressers that are going to be absolute pig. Got a guy helping me but even so I’m looking at the stairs they have to go up and wondering if it’s possible.
Hope the card game is fun. Do you have your deck already selected?
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I am sorry to hear that. I was hoping it had resolved itself. But moving stuff put paid to that I guess. Any other neighbors that could help you?
I do for Sunday’s game. We’re using the Warhammer 40K decks. My opponent (Spalanz on the blog) is using the Necrons deck and I’ll be using the Forces of Chaos Deck. Good times!
today, I’m bringing the Lord of the Rings decks and the Harry Potter knockoff that WotC tried.
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Sounds like fun! Is this all by phone? Do you have these physical decks?
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Today’s game will be face to face. Playing with one of the kids from church. I get along with his dad really well, but he’s not into magic at all. He’d rather do handyman jobs around the house. But his son loves the game as much as I do, so we play when we can.
Sunday’s game will be by whatsapp. I have it on my computer so it’s like an instant messenger. I have the official decks and Spalanz printed them off at work. I bought them when they came out, so I paid msrp. They are now out of print and the cheapest price for all 4 decks is now around 500. which is why spalanz printed them. WAAAAY cheaper 😀
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It’s a collector’s edition! You shouldn’t play with them. Just leave them in the package and put them on the shelf and look at them . . .
All sounds like good fun.
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Weeeeellllll, there actually ARE collectors editions of these decks. Those run between 1000-1400.
I couldn’t afford those when they came out and I can’t even begin justifying them now 😀
It would be nice though, hahahahaa.
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If you were to play with them you’d have to wear those white cotton gloves that museum curators use to handle priceless artifacts.
Actually, people do play with their cards in slip covers don’t they?
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Yep, most people use some sort of card case nowadays.
For the collectors editions, you would have to double sleeve them. First a clear card sleeve that fits like a glove, then a slightly larger card sleeve, put on the opposite way. That way each “open” end of each sleeve is against an unopened end and thus no part of the card is exposed.
I have one deck that I double sleeved because it was one I created from scratch and used some pretty expensive cards. It is 30% bigger than a regularly sleeved deck 😀
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Well, at least it makes it harder to hide them up your sleeve.
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Apparently, people actually hide the cards on the laps, so their opponents can’t see how many cards they have. It’s illegal, but I guess it still happens. Amazing. It’s just a game 99% of the time. And even the pro’s don’t make THAT much money…
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People cheat all the time just because the feeling of winning is more important than any shame they may feel.
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I view bloggers who generate stuff with ai for posts as cheaters.
Are they in the same category?
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I doubt there are many individual bloggers doing that. I think that’s mostly businesses. Wouldn’t make sense for just Joe Blogger to do that.
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I hope not. Or I will have to hunt them down and disqualify them from blogging, with Extreme Prejudice…
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🗡
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I’d say something was lost in translation there…
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It was a follow up on extreme prejudice. I was looking for a gun emoji but couldn’t find one so I went with a dagger.
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Ahhhh, I get it. I’m seeing all these replies through the notification bar and it’s wicked tiny. I didn’t realize it was a dagger 😀
Yeah, google and their “no guns” thing
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Good Morning all, though it’s just about to become afternoon. Enjoy your game Booky, and mind your back AAA!
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Noon is still hours away!
I think I’m going to wear one of those weightlifter belts for the moving stuff.
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I’d get a man in.
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There is a guy coming. And he’s a big boy. But it takes two.
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Well good luck – take it steady!
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Thanks! Some day this will all be done and I’ll have a new home!
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It is snowing here. I am thoroughly sick of this April….
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Cold here, but at least no snow. Supposed to warm up this afternoon.
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lucky you. Going to be cold here all weekend 😦
And a plow truck just drove by. Grrrrrr…
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Grrrrr? Or Brrrrr? Or both? Grbrgrbrgrbr?
🥵🥶
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If you keep saying that out loud and fast you end up saying bugger bugger bugger.
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Grrrrrr, because it is noisy and we shouldn’t need plow trucks in April.
Just hovering around freezing, so not that cold.
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Spring here, sunny days all week! Which probably means summer will be a complete washout.
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As per usual?
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Haha, nope. Cloudy now this afternoon so that’s the default setting kicked back in.
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My condolences 😉
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Thanks Booky 🤣🤣🤣
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Well I hope you two had a fun day playing cards and enjoying the sunshine! I got some stuff moved. But now I have to go online while sitting on the floor and looking at a screen propped up on a cardboard box. Hmph.
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Could be worse 😁
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That’s true. Have to look on the bright side. At least I have a working computer . . . and a cardboard box!
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I’m not a fan of people poking their apendages or vomitings into other peoples mouths, most inconsiderate. Glad it’s going well though!
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Especially vomiting bugs!
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