Hellish Quart swordfighting video game

This week at Black Gate, I ask the question, "Is Hellish Quart the most realistic swordfighting video game ever?"

Allow others to call us heroes

This week over at the Rogue Blades site, I talk about how sometimes when someone compliments us by calling us a "hero," we should accept it.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: H.C. Berger Beers

H.C. Berger is another brewery that's no longer with us. Coming out of Fort Collins, Colorado, they put out some quality beers a couple of decades ago. They might be gone, but I still had a few of my notes about their beers that I'd tasted, so here you go.

H.C. Berger Chocolate Stout
Beer score: 7.3

Those of you with a sweet tooth shouldn't get their hopes up -- there wasn't any real chocolate in this beer. It was quite weak for a stout, more like a watery porter with some extra maple flavoring thrown in. Still, this wasn't a bad brew.

H.C. Berger Dopplebock Beer
Beer score: 4.6

An overly sweet beer that was heavy on the tongue. Reminded me somewhat of a stout, but that sweetness was just overpowering and nearly ruined what could have been an awesome beer.

H.C. Berger Dunkel
Beer score: 5.4

Had a strong sweetness and was pretty wet. Taste a lot like H.C. Berger's Rauchbier, their Doppelbock Beer, and their Kolsch Ale. Like the Doppelbock, too much sweetness for my liking.

H.C. Berger Indego Pale Ale
Beer score: 6.9

This was one of the stronger and more sour pale ales, with a touch of sweetness in the aftertaste. If you like Old World pale ales, this drink would have been for you. Quite wet and smooth, but stronger than many of the Americanized pale ales.

H.C. Berger Kolsch Ale
Beer score: 4.6

A slight sweetness with some beer-like bitterness. Tasted just like three or four other beers from H.C. Berger. Not awful, but nothing overly special.

H.C. Berger Rauchbier
Beer score: 6.1

Wet with a strong mixture of bitter and sweet. The sour turned sweet the more you drank, to the point of being annoying. Not a super great brew, one of several from H.C. Berger than nearly tasted the same.

H.C. Berger Red Banshee Ale
Beer score: 7.0

One of the stronger amber ales, and it was worth your time. Pretty powerful and wet. Quite smooth.

H.C. Berger Whistlepin What Ale
Beer score: 6.6

This one had a honey sweetness and a little fizz. Went down easy, and the sweetness wasn't annoying.

Weapons alone do not make a hero

My Rogue Blades article this week is titled, "Weapons Do Not Make the Hero." Let me know what you think.

Beer of the Week: Singha

Beer score: 1.2

Company: Singha

ABV: 5.0
IBU: NA

This beverage from Thailand was classified as a malt liquor in the U.S. until about a decade or.

When I tried this, it had tons of carbonation and an awful bitter flavor that tastes like a bottle of cologne was duped in the batch. The smell is even pungent with a scent of something like mowed grass.

At least it has a nice, light golden color to it.

I'd suggest passing on this one.

Books read in 2021: No. 24 -- Lord Foul's Bane

by Stephen R. Donaldson

Started: June 5

Finished: June 27

Notes: Despite the fact I read a lot of fantasy back in the '80s, this was another author I somehow missed, so I'm correcting that here by giving him a try. I've heard good and bad, so now I'll make my own opinion.

Mini review: This is not an easy book to decipher. At its surface, it seems a fairly simple quest tale of a modern man (at least by standards of the 1970s) who is transplanted into a fantasy world where he must play the role of hero or even savior, that he must ultimately save the world from Lord Foul, this fantasy world's version of a dark lord. But the story is more complex than that. The protagonist here is not only a leper in the real world, but he is not a likeable hero. In fact, he is quite unlikeable, even to the point of rape. Yes, early in the tale he rapes a young woman, an innocent undeserving of his rage. To many readers this would be an instant turn-off from the story, but I forced myself through to finish this tale. What I eventually came to realize is that though the protagonist himself is unlikeable, and perhaps unredeemable, at least within the fantasy world he is surrounded by a sizable group of questers who are quite noble and honorable. I feel that this is much the point, that this story is trying to show that nobility and honor but not through the protagonist but through the many side characters. Perhaps I am wrong. I can admit that. The writing here is fairly good, but I don't know if that alone is enough for me to continue with this author at a future date. Time will tell.

Talkin' about Deadlands, the Old West horror tabletop rpg

My Black Gate article this week gives the basics on Deadlands, the Old West horror tabletop roleplaying game.