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Something Coming Through

Paul McAuley

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Book

The aliens are here. And they want to help. The extraordinary new project from one of the country's...

Jazz and Palm Wine

Dominic Thomas and Emmanuel Dongala

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Book

Jazz, aliens, and witchcraft collide in this collection of short stories by renowned author Emmanuel...

Warlord of Mars: Dejah Thoris Omnibus: Vol. 1

Carlos Rafael, Marcio Fiorito, Arvid Nelson and Robert Place Napton

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Book

Dejah Thoris, the Martian heroine of Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic Barsoom novels, strikes out on...

LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated A Quiet Place: Part II (2021) in Movies

Jun 7, 2021

A Quiet Place: Part II (2021)

2021 | Horror, Thriller

8.0

(22 Ratings)

Movie Rating

A Quiet Place Part II is a wonderful example of a sequel done right. Everything that made the first one such a tense and fulfilling thriller experience is still present and correct, but Part II builds on those elements in every way.
The younger actors are fantastic, especial Millicent Simmonds. She essentially takes the lead this time around, and the film is richer for it. The narrative isn't too different to be honest, but it does expand on the general lore of the series and flirts a little with how the apocalypse came to be, something I wanted to see for sure.
With this sequel comes a bigger budget, and it certainly shows. The aliens look great, and the action is more abundant and chaotic. This is also a slight criticism - the set pieces are well done and entertaining, but it does mean that the quiet intensity of the first movie is pushed to the wayside a little. It's still there, but sits out more than I would have liked.

It's hard to say whether Part II is a superior film to it's predecessor or not, but as a pair of films, they make for a fantastic double viewing. I'm excited to see what comes next.

Kudos

Awix (3310 KP) rated The Kraken Wakes in Books

Sep 5, 2019 (Updated Sep 13, 2019)

The Kraken Wakes

John Wyndham | 1953 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

7.0

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

Wyndham's second catastrophe novel isn't up to the same standard as Day of the Triffids, but is still a solidly crafted and (perhaps) eerily prophetic read. Aliens colonise the Earth and begin trying to displace the human inhabitants - but the twist is that they live somewhere almost totally inaccessible to human beings (at the bottom of oceanic trenches) which makes them rather difficult to strike back at.

Despite Wyndham's very reserved style, it's difficult to read The Kraken Wakes now and not interpret it as a novel about climate change: there is the predictable inability to agree on what to do about the crisis to begin with (many key players refuse to admit there is even a problem) and when the invaders make their final move (they melt the icecaps, causing rises in sea level and widespread flooding) the response of world governments leaves a lot to be desired. Many vivid sequences; the tone feels peculiarly light in parts, but the final third of the book is very powerful (though let down a bit by a somewhat bungled conclusion - the original, considerably more accomplished but much darker ending was changed at a late stage). Not one of Wyndham's strongest novels, but still one many authors would have been proud to write.

Kudos

Ari Augustine (10 KP) rated Aliens Abroad (Katherine "Kitty" Katt, #16) in Books

May 4, 2020

I have just four words for you: GO READ THIS BOOK.

Katherine Kitty-Katt is a force to reckon with and her determination to save the world is why I enjoyed her character so much. It's a lot like a superhero comic where the character themselves is so invested in their cause that you can't help but be invested in it too. Not to mention, the main character is married woman who makes matrimony sexy - proving that it's not the end of Independence for a woman. If anything, she and Jeff were a power couple and I love how well they worked together while maintaining separate identities.

Im serious, people. Aliens Abroad brought fresh elements to the science-fiction novel and it drew me in like the gravitational pull of a black hole. Its the kind of story that left me anxiously chewing the inside of my cheek as my heart raced and I couldnt (much to my own disdain) read fast enough. From the first page, I was tangled in the story and invested in all the characters. Nothing is more important than that for me, and its why I recommend you launch yourself into this book.