feat: baptism of fire

1 files changed, 101 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/content-org/brain-rot.org b/content-org/brain-rot.org
index 05eafd2..5bcec5a 100644
--- a/content-org/brain-rot.org
+++ b/content-org/brain-rot.org
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-
+# 
 #+AUTHOR: Michał Sapka
 #+URL: https://michal.sapka.me/blog/
 #+STARTUP: show2levels indent logdone
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 :EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER: :primary_menu "brain-rot"
 :END:
 
-# ** Dune
+** Dune
 :PROPERTIES:
 :EXPORT_HUGO_SECTION: brain-rot/dune
 :EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER: :primary_menu "brain-rot-dune"
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ CLOSED: [2024-04-14 Sun 18:10]
 :EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER: :primary_menu "brain-rot"
 :EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :abstract The Dune series
 :EXPORT_HUGO_PAIRED_SHORTCODES: img-r menu menu-info
-:EXPORT_HUGO_MENU: :menu "brain-rot"
+:EXPORT_HUGO_MENU: :menu "brain-rot" :parent "series"
 :END:
 
 #+attr_shortcode: "dune-1st-ed.jpg"
@@ -318,6 +318,7 @@ The movie stopped and all was left was CGI.
 :EXPORT_HUGO_SECTION: brain-rot/anime
 :END:
 *** DONE Patlabor The Movie (1989)
+
 CLOSED: [2024-04-11 Thu 21:01]
 :PROPERTIES:
 :EXPORT_FILE_NAME: patlabor-the-movie
@@ -410,17 +411,33 @@ I get, that Japan gets extremely hot during summer, but is it real that frequent
 One of many GITS-style scenes.
 #+end_img-c
 
+
 ** Witcher
 :PROPERTIES:
 :EXPORT_HUGO_SECTION: brain-rot/witcher
+:EXPORT_HUGO_MENU: :menu "brain-rot-wicher"
+:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER: :primary_menu "brain-rot-wicher"
+:END:
+*** DONE Wicher
+CLOSED: [2024-04-14 Sun 18:10]
+:PROPERTIES:
+:EXPORT_FILE_NAME: _index
+:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER: :primary_menu "brain-rot"
+:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :abstract The Witcher series
+:EXPORT_HUGO_PAIRED_SHORTCODES: img-r menu menu-info
+:EXPORT_HUGO_MENU: :menu "brain-rot" :parent "series"
 :END:
+#+attr_shortcode: "brain-rot-wicher"
+#+begin_menu
+Witcher
+#+end_menu
+
 *** DONE Time of Contempt (1995)
 CLOSED: [2024-03-24 Sun 22:27]
 :PROPERTIES:
 :EXPORT_FILE_NAME: andrzej-sapkowskis-time-of-contempt
-:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :abstract Saga continues
+:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :abstract My review of the second book in the Witcher saga
 :EXPORT_HUGO_PAIRED_SHORTCODES: img-r
-:EXPORT_HUGO_MENU: :menu "brain-rot"
 :EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :aliases '(/blog/2024/andrzej-sapkowskis-time-of-contempt/)
 :END:
 
@@ -488,7 +505,86 @@ Sad, scary - sure; but not funny. Just like the movie.
 It was already too much.
 
 
+*** DONE Baptism of Fire (1996)
+CLOSED: [2024-04-25 Thu 16:27]
+:PROPERTIES:
+:EXPORT_FILE_NAME: andrzej-sapkowskis-baptism-of-fire
+:EXPORT_HUGO_CUSTOM_FRONT_MATTER+: :abstract My review of the third book in the Witcher saga
+:EXPORT_HUGO_PAIRED_SHORTCODES: rating
+:END:
+
+/Baptism of Fire/ is the third novel in the /Witcher/ saga.
+While I had not that positive reaction to /Time of Contempt/[fn:toc], this time I loved every page.
+
+We start where we left last time: Ciri joins Rats in the middle of nowhere, while Geralt tries to find her.
+Reads like every novel in the series.
+Andrzej seems to have a template for a book at this point.
 
+But I *loved* this book.
+And it comes to who is it about.
+Yes, we've got Ciri.
+Yes, we've got Yennefer.
+They exist, but we spend almost the entirety of the book with Geralt, Jaskier and a band of mischiefs who form a fellowship.
+We've got Milva, an archer.
+We've also got Zoltanm, a dwarf.
+And we've also got Regis, a vampire.
+
+#+attr_shortcode: 4.25 "sapkowski-baptism-of-fire.jpg" 
+#+begin_rating
+The classic cover
+#+end_rating
+Having spent quality time with an interesting, diverse crowd made it very enable ride.
+They even joke sitting by fire!
+I think lack of such interactions is why I disliked the last book.
+It was full of Ciri, Yennefer and other sorceresses while Geralt was ignored most of the time.
+And sorceresses are so up-tight and irritating, so it was not what I would call a nice time.
+Also, here, whenever the action moved to, either Rats or mages, my enjoyment went down significantly.
+
+I don't know why, as I generally don't read fantasy.
+Maybe they are written poorly?
+I don't know the standards.
+For sure the female characters here have nothing to show compared to /Game of Thrones/'s ones.
+It is very hard to write powerful characters who are also female.
+Most of the time, they are male characters in skanky clothes.
+R.R. Martin was able to create menacing woman, who were still woman.
+Sapkowski?
+Not so much.
+And they are not even funny!
+
+They look as a poor rendition of older hits.
+As an example, the sorceresses have a multi-generational plan to mix genomes from selected people in order to create a very specific being.
+It's /Dune/, but while Bene Gesrit  so much more involved, twisted and multidimensional, here it comes out of nowhere (I think?) and disappoints.
+
+But let's ignore the woman for a moment, and we've got ourselves an awesome little book.
+I loved how, in one introduction to a chapter, we see the same legend told from both sides - Humans and Elves.
+This is where /Witcher/ shines.
+It's a great commentary about racism and hatred.
+No wonder it comes from Poland, with our complex history.
+It's as subtle as a bulldozer, but it's not that type of story.
+It's obvious, blunt and takes no prisoners.
+History is never easy, there is never a clear split between the good and bad guys.
+Most likely everything you know is wrong, as it was written by victors.
+This is the overarching theme in the /Witcher/.
+Even a vampire may be a good person!
+
+So, for me Witcher is a moral series /dressed/ as fantasy.
+The magic system is barely there, no one explains /how/ Witchers work.
+And I think it's a plus.
+The meat of the story is not diluted by mechanics of the world.
+The fact that we've got that lovable bunch here is just icing on the cake.
+
+Also, the ending here is much better.
+I finished my review of /Time of Contempt/ assuming that I will get to know the Rats in the follow-up.
+I didn't know anything about them (nor I cared about them), but I assumed they will be the focus.
+I was wrong.
+I still have no idea who they are outside superfluous facts the short burst of their story the book has.
+I /know/ Regis and I want to spend more time with him.
+
+So, I left very satisfied.
+I found charm and a lot of substance.
+I hope that Ciri's plot will develop in interesting ways, as her teenage rebellion may be the end of me.
+
+[fn:toc] vide [[/brain-rot/witcher/andrzej-sapkowskis-time-of-contempt/][my review]]
 ** Persona
 :PROPERTIES:
 :EXPORT_HUGO_SECTION: brain-rot/persona