WEEK 04 - Scales & Archers: Five (5) Titles to Start 2021 With

Week 4 and the end of January beckons. I’d say time flies because it’s true.

For this week, I decided to do one of the things I liked to do before - talk about the things that spark joy (haha). So here are five (5) titles - books, games, podcasts, comics, the works - that I’ve been excited about as we go further into 2021:

This Life Electric, Adam Tie

“Call it a power trip, a faux paradise, whatever you want. I know what this place means to people. I know what it means to me so to hell with the throne. What use is a silver spoon that can’t feed anyone?”

I started 2021 with this piece and wrote this to the author soon after reading:

“The Haven, though, is one of my favourite worlds now! A little retreat to heal from the stresses that go beyond just, as society can superficially call it, "work stress". Reading this piece of world-building kinda represents our sometimes-wish of wanting the world to just stop while we catch up or just stop ourselves to put the pieces back together - the pieces we might have dropped or ignored as we push forward with life.”

Everyone has had a point in their life where they wished the world would just stop so that they (or we, for that matter) can catch-up. So when William (no-last-name) found himself near an old friend, he takes up Donny’s offer and heads to the Haven. And that was where he found a place where the creative, the unique, and the ones with great potential find themselves again.

The longer version of my world-building review for this piece is also due on my Instagram. Stay tuned to have a look! And I hope that with this - you’ll be able to find your own version of The Haven.

划拳 huaquan, Curious Chimeras

I will always trust the brains behind Curious Chimeras - Alanna and Shao - whenever they come up with a new game. Shao has Game Mastered many an RPG for my friends and I. And Alanna just brings stories to life, whether you’re seated at the table or running around in a convention.

Huaquan is a two-player RPG set in the world of the martial artist, like what you can see in various wuxia movies. Using the mechanic of rock-paper-scissors, you play duelists who appraise each others’ different stances, techniques, clans, and everything else in between. It’s particularly refreshing to see this in the market, especially with RPG having a reputation of being played typically between 5-6 people.

As someone who likes small groups and faces the clashing schedule way too many times, this game is worth a playthrough. And knowing the Chimeras, it’s going to pack a punch (this is for you, Shao. LOL.)

Within the Wires, Janina Matthewson and Jeffrey Cranor

I will always recommend Within the Wires. Putting aside the fact that this series is set in the second person (the narrator is speaking to ‘you’, the protagonist), it’s a world that’s a growing puzzle waiting to be pieced together.

Through various audio mediums, Within the Wires introduces you to a dystopian environment of surveillance, control, and a major question on familial relationships and the state of the world. What I love about this podcast is how every aspect of this world is brought to you in pieces, leaving you to decide how you’d like to envision the rules and roles. Think: If the overworld of Five Nights at Freddy’s was a podcast, without the horror of the animatronics.

And yes, the stories continue to carry themselves within the wires.

SOUND: A Comics Anthology, edited by Charis Loke & Budjette Tan

Okay, I’m going to admit bias - I managed this collection just before I left Difference Engine, so this is definitely going on the list.

With a single word - SOUND - we get 13 different stories from across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines. A karaoke lounge steeped in Urban Fantasy; Hokkien lessons; Questions about the true nature of alley cats; And a look back into how we associate what we hear with what we believe, among others.

Diversity of style and storytelling aside, all stories brought about a plethora of emotions - relatability, joy, anger, laughter, sadness, inspiration - if anything, these stories speak and speak loudly.

And one of the most important factors of this collection? How each story is best told through the comic medium.

The LITO Podcast by Daniel Lim & Rebecca Toh

(I literally found them on Instagram a couple of days back, went for one of their Masterclasses, and I cannot stop listening to their Podcast now)

I’m a huge fan of playing by your own rules and finding ways to live authentically. (Gretchen Rubin’s Rebel here!) While I can give you a huge list of podcasts that talk about the freedom you can build for yourself, the LITO Podcast still stands out.

Daniel and Rebecca are not only hilarious, but also personable. In wanting to live life on your own terms, a healthy mindset is key. Thus, the LITO Podcast gives us these lessons in managing our emotions, worries, perceptions - all culminating into a framework that we can often go back to when we feel like life can be just too much.

Also, they’re right - we don’t give enough compliments to others. So go have a listen to them, laugh, and tell them they’re awesome.

Like the years passed, time will fly and things will change. So I hope this list can give you some level of inspiration if you’re looking for new titles to read, listen to, game with, or just as a platform to look for a new world to immerse in.

What are you reading, gaming, or listening to to kick off 2021? Let me know in the comments!

That’s it from me. Take care and see you all next week!

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