Final Fantasy series is one of the most breathtaking games ever. The universe introduced in Final Fantasy XII is huge, deep, beautiful, rich, and complex. The quests are many, the foes fierce. As always, secrets and mysteries abound.
Fortunately, you hold in your hands the ultimate insider’s guide to that universe.
This is about the story of Ivalice. A great era of peace and prosperity is fading. The stability bestowed upon Ivalice in the founding days of the Dynasty King has been darkened by the likelihood of war between empires. Rozarria and Archadia seem destined to collide, crushing whatever stands between them.
Indeed, the Archadian push west toward Rozarria has already consumed Nabradia and its sibling sovereignty, the small, peaceful Kingdom of Dalmasca. Final Fantasy XII opens with a quick glimpse of the last throes of pre-Imperial Dalmasca and its desperate fight for freedom, followed by an equally desperate negotiation for peace. In the opening tutorial mission, you participate in a final, fateful attempt to deliver land and king from the cluthes of Archadian domination.
Fast forward two years: In the Dalmascan capital city of Rabanastre, a new consul, Vayne Solidor, son of the Archadian emperor, arrives with a message of hope and renewal for the citizens of that subjugated land. However, his silver-tongued speech doesn’t fully convince Vaan, an orphaned street boy who sees the Empire as a thieving bully that has robbed his country of wealth and dignity.
Vaan dreams of escape, seeing his future in the skies as a sky pirate. First, though, he wants some measure of revenge. His bold attempt to infiltrate the Royal Palace during the consul’s inaugural fete to take back some of the treasure that belongs to Dalmasca leads Vaan straight into the clasp of a destiny none could foresee. It is a destiny that includes an exhilarating adventure in the company of pirates, a princess, and a great fallen Knight of the Order. As such, the tale begins.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Charles Dickens: Is He One of Your Favourite Classic Authors?
Charles Dickens was born in England, in 1812, the second of eight children of a debt-ridden government clerk. Because his family had handled their money poorly, young Charles was sent to work in a London factory at the age of ten. This experience upset him so greatly and left such an impression on him that he later created poor, suffering people as the heroes of many of his novels and cruel, selfish rich ones as the villains.
An unexpected, small legacy permitted Charles to break free of the slave factory and return to school. He became a newspaper reporter-a job which helped him to observe people and to create scenes that live in his readers’ memories.
With the appearance of The Pickwick Papers in 1836 and 1837, Charles Dickens, at age 24, became the most popular novelist in England. This popularity increased with the publication of David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities.
Dickens had a keen interest in politics and in improving social conditions. He used this interest to weave the exciting characters and events in France and in England that led up to the French Revolution in his historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities.
Much of Charles Dickens’ life was spent writing, editing, touring to read his novel, and promoting many charities to help the poor. He was active in all this work until his death in 1870.
An unexpected, small legacy permitted Charles to break free of the slave factory and return to school. He became a newspaper reporter-a job which helped him to observe people and to create scenes that live in his readers’ memories.
With the appearance of The Pickwick Papers in 1836 and 1837, Charles Dickens, at age 24, became the most popular novelist in England. This popularity increased with the publication of David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities.
Dickens had a keen interest in politics and in improving social conditions. He used this interest to weave the exciting characters and events in France and in England that led up to the French Revolution in his historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities.
Much of Charles Dickens’ life was spent writing, editing, touring to read his novel, and promoting many charities to help the poor. He was active in all this work until his death in 1870.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Classic Authors Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
As a boy in England, Arthur Conan Doyle enjoyed reading detective stories. But he was working his way through medical school and didn’t have much time for writing.
However, in 1886, as the twenty-seven-year-old Dr. Doyle sat in his new office hoping for patients. He decided to try writing a detective story. And so, Mr. Sherlock Holmes was born.
Over the years, Doyle himself came to be recognized as an expert on crime. He solved many real-life criminal cases and proved the innocence of men who had been imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit.
Doyle interrupted his writing career to serve as a doctor with the British Army during the Boer War in Africa. Afterwards, he wrote two books explaining why the British had to fight the war. For these efforts, Doyle was knighted by King Edward VII and he became Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
During a visit to the moor country in western England, Doyle became so interested in a legend about a hound, that he used it as a plot for a new book. This book became the greatest of all of Holmes’ adventure, The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Many of sixty Sherlock Holmes stories have been translated into other languages and have been made even more popular in plays, movies, radio, and TV.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930 at the age of seventy-one. But each day, the number of his readers increases, as someone discovers, for the first time, the amazing Mr. Holmes.
However, in 1886, as the twenty-seven-year-old Dr. Doyle sat in his new office hoping for patients. He decided to try writing a detective story. And so, Mr. Sherlock Holmes was born.
Over the years, Doyle himself came to be recognized as an expert on crime. He solved many real-life criminal cases and proved the innocence of men who had been imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit.
Doyle interrupted his writing career to serve as a doctor with the British Army during the Boer War in Africa. Afterwards, he wrote two books explaining why the British had to fight the war. For these efforts, Doyle was knighted by King Edward VII and he became Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
During a visit to the moor country in western England, Doyle became so interested in a legend about a hound, that he used it as a plot for a new book. This book became the greatest of all of Holmes’ adventure, The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Many of sixty Sherlock Holmes stories have been translated into other languages and have been made even more popular in plays, movies, radio, and TV.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in 1930 at the age of seventy-one. But each day, the number of his readers increases, as someone discovers, for the first time, the amazing Mr. Holmes.
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