Fast Food Nation

There’s a McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Subway or Starbucks on every corner. How did they get there and why does it matter?

( There's plenty that's broken in America without blaming fast food. )

Overall: He’s trying to scare a change into our culture. I can’t say that I’m particularly scared. This actually made me want to visit a meatpacking plant and some of the big industrial factories (I’ve been to places like the Herrs snack food factory—they’re fascinating), and gave me a craving for French fries.

Capsule reviews

“Bronsky's Dates With Death" by Peter David - An old salesman has issues with Death, who takes various guises. It changes tone near the end, but man, it really got me. Quick read, but very clever. (Also, it's apparently available for free now.)

Hero's Saga - Laevatein Tactics - Ernesto is a prince of Valencia, a country that barely retained independence after a war 15 years earlier. When the border fort he's visiting is attacked by undead soldiers, a mysterious armored woman gives him one of the Vaettir Arms, weapons of supreme power. This is a tactical rpg, but battles are handled as three turns of combat between a pairs of hero/generals and their eight soldiers each. You then have several options for each turn: attacking, charging recklessly, taking a phalanx formation, defending, or using a super-attack that takes time to charge. On the map screen, you can conquer bases to improve allied morale and use skills to heal or buff your characters. Apparently the game has four chapters, three that are broken up into episodes and a final, much longer "battle chapter" that has you roaming around fighting things. It's an interesting twist on the usual battle system (that reminds me mostly of Bahamut Lagoon) and the setup promises a lot of politics (with a Spanish flavor, hermano!), but I don't think I find it compelling enough to spend a lot of time on.