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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2528 KP) rated Hired Guns in Books
Jan 11, 2025
Spinoff Series Starts with a Bang
This book finds a trio of Army friends turned adventurers heading to the Arizona Territory to help out a struggling copper mine. No, it’s not to help them with the mining. The conglomerate Consolidated American Mining Corporation has decided it wants to buy this particular mine, and they are doing all they can to convince the owners to sell. There’s just one major problem – the owners don’t want to sell. And our trio of heroes have been hired to help protect the mine. But against the overwhelming odds, can they do it?
These characters began life in the author’s Holmes on the Range series, and I was happy to follow them over here. The story started a bit slowly, but it isn’t long before the action heats up as the characters find themselves facing overwhelming odds. Yet, I found myself cheering at the end. To be clear, this is more of an action story than a mystery. The characters are a bit thin, but they do have their moments to shine. The reality of racial relations in 1894 is part of the backdrop of the book, and it’s sad to think we ever treated each other this badly. The book is a bit more violent than I normally like, but only a little bit. It is softened some by the humor. If you are looking for an action book set in the old west, you’ll find this the perfect book to pick up.
These characters began life in the author’s Holmes on the Range series, and I was happy to follow them over here. The story started a bit slowly, but it isn’t long before the action heats up as the characters find themselves facing overwhelming odds. Yet, I found myself cheering at the end. To be clear, this is more of an action story than a mystery. The characters are a bit thin, but they do have their moments to shine. The reality of racial relations in 1894 is part of the backdrop of the book, and it’s sad to think we ever treated each other this badly. The book is a bit more violent than I normally like, but only a little bit. It is softened some by the humor. If you are looking for an action book set in the old west, you’ll find this the perfect book to pick up.
Home is Where the Murder Is
10.0
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Book
From author Rosalie Spielman comes a clever small town mystery that will leave you guessing until...
Merissa (13931 KP) rated Worth the Wait (Worth It #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2025
WORTH THE WAIT is the first book in the Worth It series, set in the seaside town of Worthbridge. Nathan and Freddie were joined at the hip from a young age, but life wasn't easy, and so their friendship came to an end. Nathan joined the army, and Freddie joined the police force. Skip forward fifteen years, and Nathan has returned to Worthbridge with his son.
If you are looking for a gritty contemporary story, then I can always recommend C.F. White! This one is no different. It is full of emotions and English slang. I can almost hear the accents! There is an ongoing story, but this one wraps up nicely. I am hoping we get to see Freddie, Nathan, and Alfie in future books, as this one pretty much ends just as they get together again.
There is also a great cast of supporting characters that I also hope to see and learn more about. Considering the story, this was fairly low angst between our two MCs, and there is steam when they get together, although it's not soft and tender steam, if you know what I mean.
A great read, a brilliant start to a new series, and one I'm really looking forward to continuing. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 17, 2025
If you are looking for a gritty contemporary story, then I can always recommend C.F. White! This one is no different. It is full of emotions and English slang. I can almost hear the accents! There is an ongoing story, but this one wraps up nicely. I am hoping we get to see Freddie, Nathan, and Alfie in future books, as this one pretty much ends just as they get together again.
There is also a great cast of supporting characters that I also hope to see and learn more about. Considering the story, this was fairly low angst between our two MCs, and there is steam when they get together, although it's not soft and tender steam, if you know what I mean.
A great read, a brilliant start to a new series, and one I'm really looking forward to continuing. Definitely recommended by me.
** Same worded review will appear elsewhere. **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Dec 17, 2025
The Christian Soldier: The Life of Lt. Col. Bernard William Vann, V.C., M.C. and Bar, Croix De Guerre Avec Palmes
Book
Lieutenant Colonel the Rev Bernard William Vann, VC, MC & Bar, Croix de Guerre avec palme, was one...
Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Nietzsche
Podcast
Beyond Good and Evil, by Friedrich Nietzsche A searing indictment of concepts like “truth” and...
Choices: Stories You Play
Entertainment and Games
6.9
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App
One choice can change everything! Fall in love, solve crimes, or embark on epic fantasy adventures...
Mending the Rift Box Set
7.5
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King's Conquest The only way for Prince Rin to save his kingdom is to marry a king and bear a...
M_M Fantasy Romance
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated The Death Of Stalin (2017) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Death…. Torture…. Child Abuse…. LOL??
Armando Iannucci is most familiar to TV audiences on both sides of the pond for his cutting political satire of the likes of “Veep” and “The Thick of It”, with his only previous foray into directing movies being “In the Loop”: a spin-off of the latter series. Lovers of his work will know that he sails very close to the wind on many occasions, such that watching can be more of a squirm-fest than enjoyment.
Rupert Friend (centre) tries to deliver a eulogy to his father against winged opposition. With (from left to right) Michael Palin, Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Buscemi and Simon Russell Beale.
It should come as no surprise then that his new film – “The Death of Stalin” – follows that same pattern, but transposed into the anarchic and violent world of 1950’s Russia. Based on a French comic strip, the film tells the farcical goings on surrounding the last days of the great dictator in 1953. Stalin keeps distributing his “lists” of undesirables, most of who will meet unpleasant ends before the end of the night. But as Stalin suddenly shuffles off his mortal coil, the race is on among his fellow commissariat members as to who will ultimately succeed him.
Stalin…. Going… but not forgotten.
The constitution dictates that Georgy Malenkov (an excellently vacillating Jeffrey Tambor) secedes but, as a weak man, the job is clearly soon going to become vacant again and spy-chief Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale) and Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) are jostling for position. (No spoilers, but you’ll never guess who wins!). Colleagues including Molotov (Michael Palin) and Mikoyan (Paul Whitehouse) need to decide who to side with as the machinations around Stalin’s funeral become more and more desperate.
The film starts extremely strongly with the ever-excellent Paddy Considine (“Pride”) playing a Radio Russia producer tasked with recording a classical concert, featuring piano virtuoso Maria Yudina (Olga Kurylenko, “Quantum of Solace”). A definition of paranoia in action!
Great fingering. Olga Kurylenko as Yudina, with more than a hand in the way the evening’s events will unfold.
We then descend into the chaos of Stalin’s Russia, with mass torture and execution colouring the comedy from dark-grey to charcoal-black in turns. There is definitely comedy gold in there: Khrushchev’s translation of his drunken scribblings from the night before (of things that Stalin found funny and – more importantly – things he didn’t) being a high point for me. Stalin’s children Svetlana (Andrea Riseborough, “Nocturnal Animals”) and Vasily (Rupert Friend, “Homeland”) add knockabout humour to offset the darker elements, and army chief Georgy Zhukov (Jason Isaacs, “Harry Potter”) is a riot with a no-nonsense North-of-England accent.
Brass Eye: Jason Isaacs as the army chief from somewhere just north of Wigan.
Production values are universally excellent, with great locations, great sets and a screen populated with enough extras to make the crowd scenes all appear realistic.
Another broad Yorkshire accent: (the almost unknown) Adrian McLoughlin delivers an hysterical speaking voice as Stalin.
The film absolutely held my interest and was thorougly entertaining, but the comedy is just so dark in places it leaves you on edge throughout. The writing is also patchy at times, with some of the lines falling to the ground as heavily as the dispatched Gulag residents.
It’s not going to be for everyone, with significant violence and gruesome scenes, but go along with the black comic theme and this is a film that delivers rewards.
Rupert Friend (centre) tries to deliver a eulogy to his father against winged opposition. With (from left to right) Michael Palin, Jeffrey Tambor, Steve Buscemi and Simon Russell Beale.
It should come as no surprise then that his new film – “The Death of Stalin” – follows that same pattern, but transposed into the anarchic and violent world of 1950’s Russia. Based on a French comic strip, the film tells the farcical goings on surrounding the last days of the great dictator in 1953. Stalin keeps distributing his “lists” of undesirables, most of who will meet unpleasant ends before the end of the night. But as Stalin suddenly shuffles off his mortal coil, the race is on among his fellow commissariat members as to who will ultimately succeed him.
Stalin…. Going… but not forgotten.
The constitution dictates that Georgy Malenkov (an excellently vacillating Jeffrey Tambor) secedes but, as a weak man, the job is clearly soon going to become vacant again and spy-chief Lavrentiy Beria (Simon Russell Beale) and Nikita Khrushchev (Steve Buscemi) are jostling for position. (No spoilers, but you’ll never guess who wins!). Colleagues including Molotov (Michael Palin) and Mikoyan (Paul Whitehouse) need to decide who to side with as the machinations around Stalin’s funeral become more and more desperate.
The film starts extremely strongly with the ever-excellent Paddy Considine (“Pride”) playing a Radio Russia producer tasked with recording a classical concert, featuring piano virtuoso Maria Yudina (Olga Kurylenko, “Quantum of Solace”). A definition of paranoia in action!
Great fingering. Olga Kurylenko as Yudina, with more than a hand in the way the evening’s events will unfold.
We then descend into the chaos of Stalin’s Russia, with mass torture and execution colouring the comedy from dark-grey to charcoal-black in turns. There is definitely comedy gold in there: Khrushchev’s translation of his drunken scribblings from the night before (of things that Stalin found funny and – more importantly – things he didn’t) being a high point for me. Stalin’s children Svetlana (Andrea Riseborough, “Nocturnal Animals”) and Vasily (Rupert Friend, “Homeland”) add knockabout humour to offset the darker elements, and army chief Georgy Zhukov (Jason Isaacs, “Harry Potter”) is a riot with a no-nonsense North-of-England accent.
Brass Eye: Jason Isaacs as the army chief from somewhere just north of Wigan.
Production values are universally excellent, with great locations, great sets and a screen populated with enough extras to make the crowd scenes all appear realistic.
Another broad Yorkshire accent: (the almost unknown) Adrian McLoughlin delivers an hysterical speaking voice as Stalin.
The film absolutely held my interest and was thorougly entertaining, but the comedy is just so dark in places it leaves you on edge throughout. The writing is also patchy at times, with some of the lines falling to the ground as heavily as the dispatched Gulag residents.
It’s not going to be for everyone, with significant violence and gruesome scenes, but go along with the black comic theme and this is a film that delivers rewards.
Uptown Oracle (24 KP) rated Clockwork Prince in Books
Jun 30, 2017
A surprisingly wonderful middle book for a trilogy
Clockwork Prince is the 2nd book in the Infernal Devices Trilogy. The Shadowhunters and Tessa are searching for Mortmain before he unleashes a demon/automaton army.
Clockwork Prince avoids the middle book slump that a lot of trilogies endure. The first book was good but this book was definitely better in my eyes. One of the main reasons must be because of the amount of backstory. It really felt like Clare had thought out every single little detail. Such as what happened to Will as a child, or what is Tessa really?
Clare also didn't make the mistake of reiterating her previous TMI books. Often writers have a set formula for their books, but Clare has branched out and added extra layers. There's some deceit, secrets and mystery woven within the plot.
I personally enjoyed all the information shown about the Clave and politics. We learn how heads of institutes are chosen, and that it can be challenged. We also learn about how Shadowhunters do cooperate with mundanes to a degree. There's involvements in the monarchies and governments of the time. These may be throwaway lines but I enjoy the world building it brings.
I also enjoyed the travel of England a bit. Clockwork Prince visited Yorkshire. There was also a throwaway comment about Grantham which is in my home county of Lincolnshire. Although it wasn't explored as a location, I enjoyed the reference since I did grow up 20 minutes away.
Overall I enjoyed Clockwork Prince. I hope the third book lives up to expectations.
Clockwork Prince avoids the middle book slump that a lot of trilogies endure. The first book was good but this book was definitely better in my eyes. One of the main reasons must be because of the amount of backstory. It really felt like Clare had thought out every single little detail. Such as what happened to Will as a child, or what is Tessa really?
Clare also didn't make the mistake of reiterating her previous TMI books. Often writers have a set formula for their books, but Clare has branched out and added extra layers. There's some deceit, secrets and mystery woven within the plot.
I personally enjoyed all the information shown about the Clave and politics. We learn how heads of institutes are chosen, and that it can be challenged. We also learn about how Shadowhunters do cooperate with mundanes to a degree. There's involvements in the monarchies and governments of the time. These may be throwaway lines but I enjoy the world building it brings.
I also enjoyed the travel of England a bit. Clockwork Prince visited Yorkshire. There was also a throwaway comment about Grantham which is in my home county of Lincolnshire. Although it wasn't explored as a location, I enjoyed the reference since I did grow up 20 minutes away.
Overall I enjoyed Clockwork Prince. I hope the third book lives up to expectations.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance in TV
May 21, 2018 (Updated May 21, 2018)
I Give It A Year
Mind-bogglingly weird, supposedly based-on-true-events TV movie cashing in on the recent paroxysm of monarchist schmaltz. You know the story: she's on TV, he used to be in the army, hushed intake of breath from the British establishment when it turns out the lad's seeing a lady of her particular type, and so on, and so.
Everything is very clearly presented as the tale of a modern, progressive, independent woman who ain't gonna take no nonsense from this troubled scion of a gaggle of hidebound inbreds; Meghan is the heroine who saves Harry from the crushing oppressiveness of royal tradition. You go, your grace!
Direction is bland, acting mostly indifferent, dialogue execrable. Worth watching for: the scene where Meghan ends up chasing Harry's private jet down the runway after precipitately chucking him. The subplot about Princess Diana being reincarnated as a lion. Some very surprising dialogue ('I love a dirty martini,' says the Duchess of Cornwall). Possibly the least accurate depiction of the Queen ever put on screen - she complains about how she's shown in The Crown, in a nicely meta moment.
Pervasive sense of double-think permeates the production: film is consistently down on the royals, which is odd when you consider that if Harry wasn't a royal it wouldn't actually exist. Media intrusion on the couple is also strongly frowned upon, but if making a whole movie fictionalising their lives isn't an intrusion of some sort, what is? Soon to pass into obscurity, I reckon, but an arresting, mutant production while it's with us.
Everything is very clearly presented as the tale of a modern, progressive, independent woman who ain't gonna take no nonsense from this troubled scion of a gaggle of hidebound inbreds; Meghan is the heroine who saves Harry from the crushing oppressiveness of royal tradition. You go, your grace!
Direction is bland, acting mostly indifferent, dialogue execrable. Worth watching for: the scene where Meghan ends up chasing Harry's private jet down the runway after precipitately chucking him. The subplot about Princess Diana being reincarnated as a lion. Some very surprising dialogue ('I love a dirty martini,' says the Duchess of Cornwall). Possibly the least accurate depiction of the Queen ever put on screen - she complains about how she's shown in The Crown, in a nicely meta moment.
Pervasive sense of double-think permeates the production: film is consistently down on the royals, which is odd when you consider that if Harry wasn't a royal it wouldn't actually exist. Media intrusion on the couple is also strongly frowned upon, but if making a whole movie fictionalising their lives isn't an intrusion of some sort, what is? Soon to pass into obscurity, I reckon, but an arresting, mutant production while it's with us.