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Mardock Scramble




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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15583
PostPosted: Mon Dec 26, 2011 10:17 pm Reply with quote
It's surprisingly more feminist than I thought it'd be, considering its lurid back-stories and frequent objectification of women. Though it's pretty obvious that the casino game arc could have been shortened for pacing needs. And it's got a bit of a torture porn fetish which does not really rub well on me. But overall, I'd say it has a decent pay-off if you're willing to take your time with it.
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geishageek



Joined: 28 Nov 2005
Posts: 571
Location: Pleasant Valley, NY
PostPosted: Tue Jan 17, 2012 4:02 pm Reply with quote
I am currently in the middle of the 2nd novel and have hit a brick wall. While I loved the first book, I cannot seem to push forward with the 2nd. I liked the idea of the body part guys and when the switch to talking dolphins happened, it just through my mind for a loop and hasn't recovered. The 2nd book definitely has less action in the first half and I think that may be why I cannot move on. I do plan to finish them.

What did you think of them as a whole? Is it worth finishing the 2nd or should I just skip to the 3rd?
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15583
PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:04 am Reply with quote
I think you can skip ahead, 'cus most of that second novel's worthless.
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ajr



Joined: 29 Nov 2010
Posts: 465
PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:16 am Reply with quote
Mardock Scramble (I just finished it Sunday or so) is written with an unusual "flow" to it. I'm not sure exactly what makes it so, and when you say you hit a wall, I think I understand what you mean. Mardock Scramble has some interesting symbolism, and it's not a bad book, but neither is it a masterpiece. I wonder what it reads like in the original language. Despite the odd flow of the book, I thought the result felt interesting. Atypical, at least.

I don't really think one can entirely skip book two, and anyone who does will miss out on (some) symbolism that might be relevant later. The first book is of the most standard format of all three, the second is almost like the end of the first combined with an intermission and the start of the third, and the third is spoiler[ approximately 53% Blackjack ] (I checked). Having read the book, I really wonder how they plan to structure three movies around it.
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geishageek



Joined: 28 Nov 2005
Posts: 571
Location: Pleasant Valley, NY
PostPosted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:56 am Reply with quote
Well I actually moved forward in reading and am smack dab in the middle of the Casino arc. I am still not wholeheartedly enjoying it, but the pace as picked up a tad which is helping the flow of the story. I think I will stick with it until the end.

Ajr: I have yet to watch the first movie as I am waiting for the R1 Blu-ray to be released, but I do agree that with the odd pacing and non action of most of the 2nd book, will be a tough sell for the 2nd movie. Even the casino arc really wouldn't be all that great to watch unless they condense the hell out of it and sped it up considerably.
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ajr



Joined: 29 Nov 2010
Posts: 465
PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 11:03 am Reply with quote
Well, I don't know if they'd have to condense it simply for pacing purposes. It makes it more difficult to execute, but not impossible. After all, Hikaru no Go is about a kid sitting around playing board games, and yet it's a Shonen Jump title. They can't condense too much of the casino arc, otherwise they won't have much left to make a movie out of. I haven't seen the first movie yet, but I'm kind of looking forward to the second or third just to see how the heck they handle them.
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15583
PostPosted: Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:31 pm Reply with quote
geisha: The first movie's free on Hulu.
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