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Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Seinfeld - Season 1 in TV
Jan 22, 2021
I always assumed I wouldn’t like Seinfeld in the 90s. In fact I was opposed to the very idea of it on principle. And that principle was: I’ve never heard of this guy as a comedian, and American stand-up usually isn’t funny. I never saw a single episode until six months ago – in my head it was some dumb, canned laughter show with very forced scripts and little charm. I just didn’t get why it was always quoted amongst the best sitcoms of all time, and I wasn’t willing to find out. This is called “being ignorant”. Guilty.
One random day with nothing else inspiring me I finally took the plunge and put an episode on. Guess what happened? I laughed, I found it completely charming and witty and easy to watch, with some great lines and likeable characters. 3 hours later I had done 6 episodes and was as hooked as anyone can be with anything. It was just so nostalgically and completely 90s! And I loved that!
A show doesn’t run for 9 years and over 170 episodes without being some kind of special, especially taking into account the depreciation due to being dated, as all sitcoms eventually are, and it really is quite remarkable – deserving of a place in the conversation of the greatest ever American half hour shows. Sure, there is an element early on in the preoccupation with everyone’s sex life and dating habits that is a little creepy in 2020, but I am totally willing to forgive it.
Shows that are hyper aware of themselves and the audience are odd creatures the minute they take themselves too seriously, and Seinfeld never does that. It knows it is trivial, essentially about nothing and going nowhere, and style-wise it is always winking at us for being in on the joke and a part of it, even to the point of applauding new characters on their entrance, which is a uniquely American thing to do.
The secret of the show is undoubtedly the chemistry of the four leads, so mismatched that it someone works a spell and creates magic, much in the same way Friends managed to do, times six. Jerry Seinfeld himself is a very likeable everyman, and the schtick of each show beginning and ending with 30 seconds of stand up is a gimmick that grows on you, as does everything about it: the more you watch, the more you love it for what it is.
Jason Alexander as the balding, quirky, self-conscious, opinionated best friend is perhaps my least favourite of the regular quartet, but he has some amazing moments over the course of things, and plays great dead-pan. But the other two are on a plane of equal genius. The verbal timing of the super cute, super smart Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine (who I have fallen in love with a little bit in 1993) and the physical slapstick timing of Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer (surely one of the most memorable characters in sitcom history) have both left me aching with laughter time after time after time. Just a glance or an expression is often enough.
And the great thing is, it never seems to get old. They are always finding new ways and new situations that keep it fresh. Some trick! Even in the final season of the 9, when there is a small melancholia creeping in because they all know it is coming to an end, it still manages to create moments that aren’t just repeats of previous gags. Which means, as future background watching it is 100% perfect. Leave it on whilst doing something else, look up once in a while, and like the best of all long running US comedy shows each episode is indistinguishable from any other in the best way – it is like having a friend in the room.
I can’t imagine ever saying it is amongst my very favourites, maybe because I missed out on it first time around – which I put down to an inherent middle aged appeal, rather than a youth appeal – but I wouldn’t also ever argue with anyone that did say that it was one of their favourites. Because I get it now. And I’m so glad I got to do it, no matter how late to the party!
One random day with nothing else inspiring me I finally took the plunge and put an episode on. Guess what happened? I laughed, I found it completely charming and witty and easy to watch, with some great lines and likeable characters. 3 hours later I had done 6 episodes and was as hooked as anyone can be with anything. It was just so nostalgically and completely 90s! And I loved that!
A show doesn’t run for 9 years and over 170 episodes without being some kind of special, especially taking into account the depreciation due to being dated, as all sitcoms eventually are, and it really is quite remarkable – deserving of a place in the conversation of the greatest ever American half hour shows. Sure, there is an element early on in the preoccupation with everyone’s sex life and dating habits that is a little creepy in 2020, but I am totally willing to forgive it.
Shows that are hyper aware of themselves and the audience are odd creatures the minute they take themselves too seriously, and Seinfeld never does that. It knows it is trivial, essentially about nothing and going nowhere, and style-wise it is always winking at us for being in on the joke and a part of it, even to the point of applauding new characters on their entrance, which is a uniquely American thing to do.
The secret of the show is undoubtedly the chemistry of the four leads, so mismatched that it someone works a spell and creates magic, much in the same way Friends managed to do, times six. Jerry Seinfeld himself is a very likeable everyman, and the schtick of each show beginning and ending with 30 seconds of stand up is a gimmick that grows on you, as does everything about it: the more you watch, the more you love it for what it is.
Jason Alexander as the balding, quirky, self-conscious, opinionated best friend is perhaps my least favourite of the regular quartet, but he has some amazing moments over the course of things, and plays great dead-pan. But the other two are on a plane of equal genius. The verbal timing of the super cute, super smart Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine (who I have fallen in love with a little bit in 1993) and the physical slapstick timing of Michael Richards as Cosmo Kramer (surely one of the most memorable characters in sitcom history) have both left me aching with laughter time after time after time. Just a glance or an expression is often enough.
And the great thing is, it never seems to get old. They are always finding new ways and new situations that keep it fresh. Some trick! Even in the final season of the 9, when there is a small melancholia creeping in because they all know it is coming to an end, it still manages to create moments that aren’t just repeats of previous gags. Which means, as future background watching it is 100% perfect. Leave it on whilst doing something else, look up once in a while, and like the best of all long running US comedy shows each episode is indistinguishable from any other in the best way – it is like having a friend in the room.
I can’t imagine ever saying it is amongst my very favourites, maybe because I missed out on it first time around – which I put down to an inherent middle aged appeal, rather than a youth appeal – but I wouldn’t also ever argue with anyone that did say that it was one of their favourites. Because I get it now. And I’m so glad I got to do it, no matter how late to the party!
Jamie (131 KP) rated Not a Sound in Books
Aug 15, 2017
Engaging story (2 more)
Great cast of characters, a resilient heroine
Handles the subject of disability with delicacy and respect
A compelling thriller about a deaf woman that finds herself entangled in a murder investigation
The story follows Amelia, a former ER nurse left deaf after a horrible accident that is struggling to get her life back together. I greatly appreciated how delicately the subjects of disability, depression, and alcoholism are handled in this book. Amelia is both a sympathetic character and an admirable one, actively learning how to carry on and create a new life for herself after the loss of her hearing. She’s strong-willed, persistent, and resourceful. Her deafness is a part of who she is, but she is not defined by it. This book was incredibly informative both about the impact that deafness can have on a person’s every day functionality, but also the multitude of tools and resources available to help. I learned quite a lot about the services available for the hearing impaired and thought it was great how well researched the topic is. It wasn’t until after I finished reading that I learned that the author herself is hearing impaired and draws from her own experiences to depict Amelia’s journey toward recovery.
Having read a few of Gudenkauf’s books I can’t help but notice a pattern in her stories that bothers me. In every one of her books that I’ve read the main character always has some connection to law enforcement that gets her “in” an investigation, even though she really shouldn’t see or know any of this information legally. Even worse, the main character always ends up interfering in an investigation by giving the police false leads. I don’t mind following an amateur sleuth that makes mistakes in their investigation it starts to feel repetitive with these characters suspecting everyone of everything.
It’s a very obvious attempt at adding some red herrings to the story to keep the mystery going but it becomes very noticeable once you’re acquainted with the author’s writing style. It is because of this that the story becomes a little predictable and the culprit can be guessed almost as soon as they are introduced. It seems that Gudenkauf may have noticed this, at least, as the character is reprimanded for her meddling and I appreciated this.
Despite this, however, the story kept me interested in finding out the how and they why rather than the who. Gudenkauf has a way of immersing the reader into the story and the characters and it is something that I admire about her work. Her skill with pacing is perfect despite the sometimes overwhelming issues with dangerous interference that is present in many of her books. It is because of these two factors that make her books so hit or miss with me.
This book was a definite hit and I’m so glad that I took a chance on it. It’s rare to find a main character that is disabled in some way and so I was happy that I found this book. I love the commentary that this book has about the importance of trust and empathy in the health industry, a topic that I wish was addressed more often. Even with the mild plot issues it’s worthwhile read for the intense mystery and wonderful cast of characters, especially Amelia and Stitch.
Having read a few of Gudenkauf’s books I can’t help but notice a pattern in her stories that bothers me. In every one of her books that I’ve read the main character always has some connection to law enforcement that gets her “in” an investigation, even though she really shouldn’t see or know any of this information legally. Even worse, the main character always ends up interfering in an investigation by giving the police false leads. I don’t mind following an amateur sleuth that makes mistakes in their investigation it starts to feel repetitive with these characters suspecting everyone of everything.
It’s a very obvious attempt at adding some red herrings to the story to keep the mystery going but it becomes very noticeable once you’re acquainted with the author’s writing style. It is because of this that the story becomes a little predictable and the culprit can be guessed almost as soon as they are introduced. It seems that Gudenkauf may have noticed this, at least, as the character is reprimanded for her meddling and I appreciated this.
Despite this, however, the story kept me interested in finding out the how and they why rather than the who. Gudenkauf has a way of immersing the reader into the story and the characters and it is something that I admire about her work. Her skill with pacing is perfect despite the sometimes overwhelming issues with dangerous interference that is present in many of her books. It is because of these two factors that make her books so hit or miss with me.
This book was a definite hit and I’m so glad that I took a chance on it. It’s rare to find a main character that is disabled in some way and so I was happy that I found this book. I love the commentary that this book has about the importance of trust and empathy in the health industry, a topic that I wish was addressed more often. Even with the mild plot issues it’s worthwhile read for the intense mystery and wonderful cast of characters, especially Amelia and Stitch.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Safe (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
I’ve returned with another movie review for y’all and it should certainly come as no surprise Whatsoever that my review covers the latest edition to Jason Statham’s growing resume of action Movies. After 3 delays for its U.S. release, “SAFE” has finally arrived.
“Safe” is first and foremost an action film as one would expect from Statham
But somehow he always seems to up his game with even better actions scenes which are brilliantly Choreographed.
Some of which will have you laughing at the ineptness of his enemies
Or to the point where you’ll cringe at the very thought of the pain the characters might be going through. But as always, it’s worth it. This time, they’ve even thrown in more of a storyline and a plot twist or two that would peak Tarentino’s interest.
From writer/director by Boaz Yakin and executive producer Kevin Spacey and producer Lawrence Bender (Of Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards fame), Jason Statham stars as Luke Wright. A garbage man turned second-rate cage fighter and former NYPD officer. Upon leaving the NYPD after testifying against corrupt NYPD detectives, Luke drifts from garbage man to Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
In order to support his pregnant wife. Upon winning a fight that he was supposed to lose the bad guys decides to make an example of him by brutally murdering his wife and unborn child. If this was not bad enough, the bad guys then tell Luke that they will murder anyone he comes into contact with as is illustrated when they later kill a homeless man Luke gave his shoes to.
Meanwhile, Mei (Catherine Chan) a young math prodigy, is forced to be a ‘counter’ for a Chinese triad (in essence instead of using computers, the triad forces her to memorize everything from money for drug transactions to police payoffs etc.), in order to keep the triad from killing her mother.
Upon learning of the death of her mother, Mei escapes but with the knowledge of the entire organization retained in her memory the triad hunts her down through the streets of New York City while also trying to avoid the same thugs who terrorize Luke as they have discovered who she is and want to use everything she knows to bring down their competitors.
Luke, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a subway when he witness Mei being chased through the subway by the same goons who killed his wife.
After realizing that he is the only one who can protect Mei, Luke begins a brutal rampage through New York City battling all who stand in the way and pose a threat to Mei.
To sum up the movie briefly it is Grand Theft Auto meets “The Transporter” in New York City
minus the sex, drugs, and the modified Audi with the V-12 rocket engine.
There are plenty of shootouts, fight scenes, car chases, in even some intrigue to keep you thinking. A most excellent movie if you’re looking to take a break from the sunny weather and take refuge in a cool air-conditioned movie theater as the film is more than worth spending your hard earned cash on.
“Safe” is first and foremost an action film as one would expect from Statham
But somehow he always seems to up his game with even better actions scenes which are brilliantly Choreographed.
Some of which will have you laughing at the ineptness of his enemies
Or to the point where you’ll cringe at the very thought of the pain the characters might be going through. But as always, it’s worth it. This time, they’ve even thrown in more of a storyline and a plot twist or two that would peak Tarentino’s interest.
From writer/director by Boaz Yakin and executive producer Kevin Spacey and producer Lawrence Bender (Of Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Bastards fame), Jason Statham stars as Luke Wright. A garbage man turned second-rate cage fighter and former NYPD officer. Upon leaving the NYPD after testifying against corrupt NYPD detectives, Luke drifts from garbage man to Mixed Martial Arts fighter.
In order to support his pregnant wife. Upon winning a fight that he was supposed to lose the bad guys decides to make an example of him by brutally murdering his wife and unborn child. If this was not bad enough, the bad guys then tell Luke that they will murder anyone he comes into contact with as is illustrated when they later kill a homeless man Luke gave his shoes to.
Meanwhile, Mei (Catherine Chan) a young math prodigy, is forced to be a ‘counter’ for a Chinese triad (in essence instead of using computers, the triad forces her to memorize everything from money for drug transactions to police payoffs etc.), in order to keep the triad from killing her mother.
Upon learning of the death of her mother, Mei escapes but with the knowledge of the entire organization retained in her memory the triad hunts her down through the streets of New York City while also trying to avoid the same thugs who terrorize Luke as they have discovered who she is and want to use everything she knows to bring down their competitors.
Luke, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child nearly commits suicide by jumping in front of a subway when he witness Mei being chased through the subway by the same goons who killed his wife.
After realizing that he is the only one who can protect Mei, Luke begins a brutal rampage through New York City battling all who stand in the way and pose a threat to Mei.
To sum up the movie briefly it is Grand Theft Auto meets “The Transporter” in New York City
minus the sex, drugs, and the modified Audi with the V-12 rocket engine.
There are plenty of shootouts, fight scenes, car chases, in even some intrigue to keep you thinking. A most excellent movie if you’re looking to take a break from the sunny weather and take refuge in a cool air-conditioned movie theater as the film is more than worth spending your hard earned cash on.
Faris Badwan recommended track Jerusalem by Sleep in Dopesmoker by Sleep in Music (curated)
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Bronze Horseman in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Well, the Bronze Horseman started off well enough. The love story between Tatiana and Alexander was beautifully written and engaging for the first two parts of the book. Then in the third part, entitled Lazarevo, the book fell apart. Barely any plot, I could have skipped it and not missed much at all. Not to mention Alexander took a turn for the worse. He always was a bit short-tempered before, but he was ten times worse and became way too possessive of Tatiana for me to consider this romantic at all. Truthfully, it didn't feel like it belonged in this book and nearly made me abandon the book altogether. Nevertheless, I trudged through the 157 pages and got to the fourth part. Finally. After reading the first page, the writing and story already appeared better, more like how the book started, but it didn't really catch my interest again until the last sixty pages. That was the turning point and now, after thinking I wouldn't, I probably will pick up the next installment of their story.
As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.
As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated The Love Letter in Books
Mar 5, 2019
When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny.
Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.
Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way, not even Hollywood could imagine.
My Thoughts:
This book was wonderful. It is a fast-paced book, the story flows well and keeps the reader interested. The characters are entertaining and easy to identify with. The reader finds themselves in the middle of the storyline cheering the characters on. I enjoyed the mix of past and present in the writing, it helped identify with all of the characters and helped the reader understand each of the main characters; what they were feeling and understanding what their life was like. Full of surprises, twists and fun, this is a great read. I highly recommend this book, giving it a 5-star rating.
Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.
Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way, not even Hollywood could imagine.
My Thoughts:
This book was wonderful. It is a fast-paced book, the story flows well and keeps the reader interested. The characters are entertaining and easy to identify with. The reader finds themselves in the middle of the storyline cheering the characters on. I enjoyed the mix of past and present in the writing, it helped identify with all of the characters and helped the reader understand each of the main characters; what they were feeling and understanding what their life was like. Full of surprises, twists and fun, this is a great read. I highly recommend this book, giving it a 5-star rating.
Brecoles Nine (16 KP) rated The Flash in TV
Mar 12, 2019 (Updated Mar 12, 2019)
The Fastest Man Alive
The Flash on CW! This show is absolutely brilliant in my true honest opinion. It started with Grant Gustin appearing as Barry Allen in a few episodes of Arrow, after that, they announced that his own show would be coming to the network. The hype encircled this new show, the veteran fans of The Flash were immediately on board. Then came the new fans of the Scarlet Speedster. This show has given attention to a hero I believe has been severely underrated and underappreciated. Barry Allen is a CSI Agent that gets struck by lightning and gains the power of the Speed Force, he becomes The Flash, the fastest man alive. The show focuses a lot on Barry just not being quite fast enough to beat the villain of each story arc, but it can be that sometimes Barry can't always save the day. For being a show called The Flash, it focuses on each hero and villain as equal parts to the show. Cameos from other heroes and villains of The Flash tv show back in the 80's-90's era are also a wonderdul addition and subtle nod that the Multiverse actually does exist. There's time travel, parralel dimension travel, seperate Earth travel, amazing character development, wonderful nods to past present and future DC Hero's and Villians. The show does somewhat get repetitive as in, it feels like they're losing ideas once they finish up a story arc. It does catch its footing after a few episodes, however. The Flash on CW is definitely the show that takes the cake from all the other shows on the network such as Arrow, Supergirl, and DC's Legends of Tomorrow. We will see if Batwoman stays on par with The Flash when they finish that one up.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Azul in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
We are late to the game. Almost always. I mean, we BUY new games. We watch videos on them to learn. We then digest the rulebook and teach it to whomever is interested in playing with us. Then we play. Sometimes we can only get a few games in and we have to decide their fate in our collection after just a play or two or three. But then there are games that our wives buy us for Christmas that wasn’t even on our list, but she was on the publisher’s website buying a different game that WAS on our list, but thought this game was pretty so she decided to buy it for us (as well as the cute little expansion) and then decides she wants to play it and it turns out to be a really great game that we enjoy playing a whole bunch.
Uh. Sometimes I get too excited introducing a game. We are talking about Azul. O.G. Azul.
Ok, so you are supposed to be building a fancy tiled wall in Portugal. I think. The game comes with these fancy Starburst (not a sponsor) looking bakelite pieces – if you have played Hive you know the ones – and they are very colorful and cute. Everyone gets their own player board and score tracking cube. Then the game is afoot.
The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Standard. I’m not going to go into the entirety of a rules explanation. Instead, I’m going to give you my review.
After having played it a dozen times or more, I absolutely love it. It is by far my favorite abstract strategy game that I have played. The components are fun to play with, the rules are light – most players can grasp the concept and gameplay – and it’s quick enough that you can play multiple games in a row if you so choose.
That said, we at Purple Phoenix Games give it a 24 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/11/30/azul-review/
Uh. Sometimes I get too excited introducing a game. We are talking about Azul. O.G. Azul.
Ok, so you are supposed to be building a fancy tiled wall in Portugal. I think. The game comes with these fancy Starburst (not a sponsor) looking bakelite pieces – if you have played Hive you know the ones – and they are very colorful and cute. Everyone gets their own player board and score tracking cube. Then the game is afoot.
The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. Standard. I’m not going to go into the entirety of a rules explanation. Instead, I’m going to give you my review.
After having played it a dozen times or more, I absolutely love it. It is by far my favorite abstract strategy game that I have played. The components are fun to play with, the rules are light – most players can grasp the concept and gameplay – and it’s quick enough that you can play multiple games in a row if you so choose.
That said, we at Purple Phoenix Games give it a 24 / 24.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2018/11/30/azul-review/
Kyera (8 KP) rated The Knowing (The Forgetting #2) in Books
Jan 31, 2018
The Knowing is a companion novel to the Forgetting, rather than a strict sequel. Set hundreds of years after the events of the first book, the Knowing took a little time to find it's pace and delve into the story. At first, I wasn't entirely entranced by the plot but before long I was drawn in and couldn't put the book down.
Samara is one of the Knowing, the gifted people of New Canaan who are unable to forget anything. This is a unique premise, but soon the reader realizes that being unable to forget anything is not always a positive. Pain and bad memories can be relived perfectly, so forgiveness and healing are not entirely possible. On a positive side, someone could read non-fiction books and never forget their contents.
She is an interesting character and it was nice to see the plot from both her and Beck's points of view. As she is one of the Knowing, that identity and ability influenced everything she did in the book and how she reacted to situations - whereas Beck is from Earth and found himself in a completely foreign (yet fascinating) situation when he landed on the planet in search of the Lost City of Canaan. I enjoyed both of their portrayals, although I think I enjoyed Beck a little bit more as a character.
Going into the book, I didn't realize that it was set hundreds of years in the future of the Forgetting. It was a slight adjustment to get used to an entirely new word and way of thinking (the Forgetting versus the Knowing) and the pacing did not help. The first time I started the book, I put it down after a few chapters and decided to read other books. Once it got a few more chapters into the story, it was much more engaging and I really enjoyed the story.
Samara is one of the Knowing, the gifted people of New Canaan who are unable to forget anything. This is a unique premise, but soon the reader realizes that being unable to forget anything is not always a positive. Pain and bad memories can be relived perfectly, so forgiveness and healing are not entirely possible. On a positive side, someone could read non-fiction books and never forget their contents.
She is an interesting character and it was nice to see the plot from both her and Beck's points of view. As she is one of the Knowing, that identity and ability influenced everything she did in the book and how she reacted to situations - whereas Beck is from Earth and found himself in a completely foreign (yet fascinating) situation when he landed on the planet in search of the Lost City of Canaan. I enjoyed both of their portrayals, although I think I enjoyed Beck a little bit more as a character.
Going into the book, I didn't realize that it was set hundreds of years in the future of the Forgetting. It was a slight adjustment to get used to an entirely new word and way of thinking (the Forgetting versus the Knowing) and the pacing did not help. The first time I started the book, I put it down after a few chapters and decided to read other books. Once it got a few more chapters into the story, it was much more engaging and I really enjoyed the story.