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Ross (3284 KP) rated The Seventh Decimate : The Great Gods War Book One in Books
Jan 22, 2018
The main character (2 more)
The storyline
Everything else
1 dimensional short story that goes on too long
*** Disclosure: I received a free copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
I haven't previously read any of Donaldson's work, though my Dad's unwieldy omnibus edition of the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever has been in my pile for some time now.
The storyline follows Prince Bifalt journeying to find the sorcery that can undo his country's current plight (they appear to have lost all magical abilities, key to staying in their generations old battle with neighbours). It starts off in the moments before battle, with the prince teaching his comrades about the history of the battle in a very hard to believe section of "here's the backstory but isn't it good that I wove it into the dialogue". We are introduced to his brothers at arms and each of their quirks and peccadillos, which turns out to be a waste as they pretty much all die within the next 100 pages, whether they like horses or are womanisers or not.
The opening action is very gripping and filled me with hope for the book to follow, as Bifalt and his companions lead a special mission to assassinate the enemy's sorcerers with their previously unreleased rifles.
Thereafter the action pretty much dries up. What follows on Bifalt's quest is a nonsense 200 pages of journey through the back country with a thoroughly detestable character who suspects everyone except those who actually have a reason to be his enemy.
After days in the desert, he meets a nonsensical caravan of misfits that he manages to ostracise himself from by being himself.
What follows is a tedious nonsense of journey, discussion, treachery, intrigue and just general nonsense.
Donaldson has an annoying habit of occasionally following a line of dialogue with "What he meant was" to show what the prince is actually trying to ask but didn't. This gets very annoying very quickly.
The conclusion of the story can only be described as relief that it is over, no great revelations, no climactic sequence or discovery, just "that's that sorted then now send to publishers".
Having recently read a number of fantasy books told from numerous viewpoints and covering really epic storylines, to come to such a linear, one dimensional tossed away story as this from someone who is supposed to be one of the greats of the genre, it really was an incredible disappointment.
I shan't be reading the second or third books of the trilogy, and Thomas Covenant has just slipped down my pile a bit.
I haven't previously read any of Donaldson's work, though my Dad's unwieldy omnibus edition of the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever has been in my pile for some time now.
The storyline follows Prince Bifalt journeying to find the sorcery that can undo his country's current plight (they appear to have lost all magical abilities, key to staying in their generations old battle with neighbours). It starts off in the moments before battle, with the prince teaching his comrades about the history of the battle in a very hard to believe section of "here's the backstory but isn't it good that I wove it into the dialogue". We are introduced to his brothers at arms and each of their quirks and peccadillos, which turns out to be a waste as they pretty much all die within the next 100 pages, whether they like horses or are womanisers or not.
The opening action is very gripping and filled me with hope for the book to follow, as Bifalt and his companions lead a special mission to assassinate the enemy's sorcerers with their previously unreleased rifles.
Thereafter the action pretty much dries up. What follows on Bifalt's quest is a nonsense 200 pages of journey through the back country with a thoroughly detestable character who suspects everyone except those who actually have a reason to be his enemy.
After days in the desert, he meets a nonsensical caravan of misfits that he manages to ostracise himself from by being himself.
What follows is a tedious nonsense of journey, discussion, treachery, intrigue and just general nonsense.
Donaldson has an annoying habit of occasionally following a line of dialogue with "What he meant was" to show what the prince is actually trying to ask but didn't. This gets very annoying very quickly.
The conclusion of the story can only be described as relief that it is over, no great revelations, no climactic sequence or discovery, just "that's that sorted then now send to publishers".
Having recently read a number of fantasy books told from numerous viewpoints and covering really epic storylines, to come to such a linear, one dimensional tossed away story as this from someone who is supposed to be one of the greats of the genre, it really was an incredible disappointment.
I shan't be reading the second or third books of the trilogy, and Thomas Covenant has just slipped down my pile a bit.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
Nintendo Switch owners will likely be thrilled with the amazing new title for the system which for me has been the best reason for owning the system.
Mario vs. Rabbids: Kingdom Battle blends the iconic Nintendo characters with the Ubisoft Rabbids in a new turn based adventure that fans will love.
Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, and others blend with the mischievous Rabbids after a hysterical accident combines the two franchises.
Using a guide, players will move across a map, collecting coins as they go which can be used to upgrade your gear at various times.
When players enter certain arenas, the game becomes a turn based tactical combat game. Think X-Com but more family friendly and you begin to understand the fun and challenges that await them.
A typical round involves players moving to a point on the field, taking cover, and firing an attack shot at an enemy. Players may also opt to use a defensive skill when available or charge in for a close-quarters attack.
Should players complete the round with at least one of their three players still standing, they can move onto a new area and fight a new set of challenges.
I was doing very well until the first Mid-Boss who along with his minions presented a large challenge. The game gave me the option to play in an easier mode, but that did not seem to matter much as the enemies used travel tubes, exploding boxes, and other tactics to dominate.
Being able to upgrade your weapons is a big help as often the extra amount of damage you can deal an enemy is the key to winning a battle or failing miserably.
The game offers a co-op mode for players looking to play with another player and it is an easy game to play, but one that is very difficult to master.
The Game did very well at E3 when it was announced and won several awards which are well-deserved as after several days of playing the game, I am not bored with it at all and still keep coming back to it again and again.
This is a big deal for me as I often become bored with Nintendo games after a few days as I often find the dated graphics and gameplay difficult to hold my attention for long compared to other options that are out there. This time, I found a game that I love and enjoy the challenge and whimsical blend of styles which makes this one the first real reason to own a Nintendo Switch as I have found it far more enjoyable than any other title currently available for the system, Zelda included.
http://sknr.net/2017/08/28/mario-vs-rabbids-kingdom-battle/
Mario vs. Rabbids: Kingdom Battle blends the iconic Nintendo characters with the Ubisoft Rabbids in a new turn based adventure that fans will love.
Mario, Yoshi, Luigi, and others blend with the mischievous Rabbids after a hysterical accident combines the two franchises.
Using a guide, players will move across a map, collecting coins as they go which can be used to upgrade your gear at various times.
When players enter certain arenas, the game becomes a turn based tactical combat game. Think X-Com but more family friendly and you begin to understand the fun and challenges that await them.
A typical round involves players moving to a point on the field, taking cover, and firing an attack shot at an enemy. Players may also opt to use a defensive skill when available or charge in for a close-quarters attack.
Should players complete the round with at least one of their three players still standing, they can move onto a new area and fight a new set of challenges.
I was doing very well until the first Mid-Boss who along with his minions presented a large challenge. The game gave me the option to play in an easier mode, but that did not seem to matter much as the enemies used travel tubes, exploding boxes, and other tactics to dominate.
Being able to upgrade your weapons is a big help as often the extra amount of damage you can deal an enemy is the key to winning a battle or failing miserably.
The game offers a co-op mode for players looking to play with another player and it is an easy game to play, but one that is very difficult to master.
The Game did very well at E3 when it was announced and won several awards which are well-deserved as after several days of playing the game, I am not bored with it at all and still keep coming back to it again and again.
This is a big deal for me as I often become bored with Nintendo games after a few days as I often find the dated graphics and gameplay difficult to hold my attention for long compared to other options that are out there. This time, I found a game that I love and enjoy the challenge and whimsical blend of styles which makes this one the first real reason to own a Nintendo Switch as I have found it far more enjoyable than any other title currently available for the system, Zelda included.
http://sknr.net/2017/08/28/mario-vs-rabbids-kingdom-battle/
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Darren (1599 KP) rated Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004) in Movies
Nov 26, 2019
Verdict: Noticeable Small Sequel
Story: Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation starts straight after the first film, the humans know have the upper hand in the war against the bugs with more soldiers on the ground ready for battle. We follow a small unit that find themselves surrounded in a night assault, who seek refuge in an abandoned outpost, deep in the bug territory.
The unit finds Captain Dax (Burgi) locked away inside, while the unit gets surrounded Lei Sahara (Porch) does what she can to save her unit against her LT Dill (Monoson) who wants to get involved in paperwork and ranks, when the real enemy is a new threat they have never seen before.
Thoughts on Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation
Characters – Captain VJ Dax is the officer found trapped in the outpost, once a hero of the war now a disgraced man, he is the only one that seems to know how to fight back on a more aggressive way than other soldiers are. He will demand the best from the soldiers no matter how it might see him clash with the others. Pvt Lei Sahara is one of the strongest members of the unit, she is a weak psychic that gets visions that don’t always get taken seriously, she makes the rash decision to release Dax. LT Pavlov Dill is the inexperienced soldier put in a position of power that is more interested in dealing with the ranks and orders than saving the soldier’s lives. Pvt Soda is one of the soldiers saved that needs medical attention, though she isn’t everything she looks like.
Performances – Richard Burgi is the best of the performers here, he does continue the tone of a strong military man, while most of the rest of the cast don’t reach this level. Colleen Porch does handle the serious side of the film well too.
Story – The story continues the war between humans and bugs, only this time we see the soldiers cornered in battle which will see them finding an enemy coming from within. The story here does scale back big time what we are dealing with, giving us a small unit that must battle from within one location instead of different warzones. We do move the story on from the original as we see just how humans once again understatement an enemy, as well as providing more to the bug intelligence that we are seeing. One of the problems with the story though does come from the fact we are making the story more contained, this doesn’t help on the idea of the large scale war going on, this conflicts the audience into seeing almost like a small chapter of the war over the next battle for victory.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action does continue to be large scale shooting between the humans aiming for the bugs that don’t stop, while the sci-fi is more horror based with the idea of the new bug that no human has seen before.
Settings – The film does use the outpost as the main setting, it would be a safehouse for the soldiers during the attack, though just how safe is a different question.
Special Effects – The effects while given a much small budget, don’t look bad at all, they continue to make the bugs look terrifying for anybody that comes across them.
Scene of the Movie – Stand off on the roof.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We try to swap genres doing an alien to aliens reverse tone for the film, that just doesn’t work.
Final Thoughts – This is a sequel that doesn’t live up to the original, it does try to do something different, though it just fails to make everything hit the heights of the original.
Overall: Simple Sequel.
Story: Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation starts straight after the first film, the humans know have the upper hand in the war against the bugs with more soldiers on the ground ready for battle. We follow a small unit that find themselves surrounded in a night assault, who seek refuge in an abandoned outpost, deep in the bug territory.
The unit finds Captain Dax (Burgi) locked away inside, while the unit gets surrounded Lei Sahara (Porch) does what she can to save her unit against her LT Dill (Monoson) who wants to get involved in paperwork and ranks, when the real enemy is a new threat they have never seen before.
Thoughts on Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation
Characters – Captain VJ Dax is the officer found trapped in the outpost, once a hero of the war now a disgraced man, he is the only one that seems to know how to fight back on a more aggressive way than other soldiers are. He will demand the best from the soldiers no matter how it might see him clash with the others. Pvt Lei Sahara is one of the strongest members of the unit, she is a weak psychic that gets visions that don’t always get taken seriously, she makes the rash decision to release Dax. LT Pavlov Dill is the inexperienced soldier put in a position of power that is more interested in dealing with the ranks and orders than saving the soldier’s lives. Pvt Soda is one of the soldiers saved that needs medical attention, though she isn’t everything she looks like.
Performances – Richard Burgi is the best of the performers here, he does continue the tone of a strong military man, while most of the rest of the cast don’t reach this level. Colleen Porch does handle the serious side of the film well too.
Story – The story continues the war between humans and bugs, only this time we see the soldiers cornered in battle which will see them finding an enemy coming from within. The story here does scale back big time what we are dealing with, giving us a small unit that must battle from within one location instead of different warzones. We do move the story on from the original as we see just how humans once again understatement an enemy, as well as providing more to the bug intelligence that we are seeing. One of the problems with the story though does come from the fact we are making the story more contained, this doesn’t help on the idea of the large scale war going on, this conflicts the audience into seeing almost like a small chapter of the war over the next battle for victory.
Action/Sci-Fi – The action does continue to be large scale shooting between the humans aiming for the bugs that don’t stop, while the sci-fi is more horror based with the idea of the new bug that no human has seen before.
Settings – The film does use the outpost as the main setting, it would be a safehouse for the soldiers during the attack, though just how safe is a different question.
Special Effects – The effects while given a much small budget, don’t look bad at all, they continue to make the bugs look terrifying for anybody that comes across them.
Scene of the Movie – Stand off on the roof.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – We try to swap genres doing an alien to aliens reverse tone for the film, that just doesn’t work.
Final Thoughts – This is a sequel that doesn’t live up to the original, it does try to do something different, though it just fails to make everything hit the heights of the original.
Overall: Simple Sequel.
Natacha (374 KP) rated Bloody Rose in Books
Dec 1, 2019
Contains spoilers, click to show
4.5 (9/10 for smashbomb)
You can find the review and many more on my blog: natachainreviewland.wordpress.com
I loved the first book and I was so excited to read the second one. And I have to admit it was a roller coaster. The first 1/4 of the book I was really disappointed and almost angry at it. I felt that it didn't much the first book and I thought it will end up being a 3 stars (5-6 for smashboom) read. Then the next 2/4 of the book started picking up and then... oh boy was the last part of the book exactly what I was expecting from it and more... I've mentioned it before but the ending of a book and make or break the whole book for me and darn did this ending made the book a 4.5 stars (9/10 for smashbomb).
Things I liked:
-As with the first book, the characters were all well written, with their own personality and back story to tell. They all complimented each other and the outcome was amazing.
-Rose. I didn't care for her for most of the book but the author absolutely changed my mind by the end. Love when that happens.
-The writing, again as with the first book, was simple and easy to follow.
-The story and the journey were almost perfectly crafted. Always something new happening to keep you invested in the story with twists and turn that sometimes are obvious but sometimes you don't see them coming.
-I said in my review of the first book the I loved the final battle... Boy oh boy did this battle topped it by far! Loved it!
-It was very nice to see many characters from book one.
-I really love when books or movies dare not to give every single character a happy end. And this book did that! Not every character had a happy ending and not everyone survived. I'll be honest, there were a couple of foreshadowing but it was so well done! Oh, my poor little heart.....
Things I didn't like:
-As I mentioned in the above I had issues with the start of the book. We spend a 1/4 of the book with our characters going from arena to arenas and fighting monsters without feeling that this is connected in any way to the actual main story. I was a nice way to get a very good idea of every one of our band member but I still felt that it was falling short especially compared to the preview book. I didn't felt the connection between the members as strongly as I felt it with the previous band
-As with the first book with have every single fantasy creature that you can image. So much so that we lost track of what is what and how they look. Same with the number of characters during the battle. It is nice to see all the different characters having a role in the battle and not seeing only our main band but you quickly lose track of who is who so I ended up not really caring about how got killed or not.
-I spend most of the book mad at the author for foreshadowing, no, almost telling me that our MC will fall in love with a character. And I wasn't wrong but because I was told about it from the first 2 pages it felt forced... At the end of the book the author managed to change my mind I admin, but I still spend most of the book mad about the fact that he foreshadowed it instead of slowly showing me things developing.
You can find the review and many more on my blog: natachainreviewland.wordpress.com
I loved the first book and I was so excited to read the second one. And I have to admit it was a roller coaster. The first 1/4 of the book I was really disappointed and almost angry at it. I felt that it didn't much the first book and I thought it will end up being a 3 stars (5-6 for smashboom) read. Then the next 2/4 of the book started picking up and then... oh boy was the last part of the book exactly what I was expecting from it and more... I've mentioned it before but the ending of a book and make or break the whole book for me and darn did this ending made the book a 4.5 stars (9/10 for smashbomb).
Things I liked:
-As with the first book, the characters were all well written, with their own personality and back story to tell. They all complimented each other and the outcome was amazing.
-Rose. I didn't care for her for most of the book but the author absolutely changed my mind by the end. Love when that happens.
-The writing, again as with the first book, was simple and easy to follow.
-The story and the journey were almost perfectly crafted. Always something new happening to keep you invested in the story with twists and turn that sometimes are obvious but sometimes you don't see them coming.
-I said in my review of the first book the I loved the final battle... Boy oh boy did this battle topped it by far! Loved it!
-It was very nice to see many characters from book one.
-I really love when books or movies dare not to give every single character a happy end. And this book did that! Not every character had a happy ending and not everyone survived. I'll be honest, there were a couple of foreshadowing but it was so well done! Oh, my poor little heart.....
Things I didn't like:
-As I mentioned in the above I had issues with the start of the book. We spend a 1/4 of the book with our characters going from arena to arenas and fighting monsters without feeling that this is connected in any way to the actual main story. I was a nice way to get a very good idea of every one of our band member but I still felt that it was falling short especially compared to the preview book. I didn't felt the connection between the members as strongly as I felt it with the previous band
-As with the first book with have every single fantasy creature that you can image. So much so that we lost track of what is what and how they look. Same with the number of characters during the battle. It is nice to see all the different characters having a role in the battle and not seeing only our main band but you quickly lose track of who is who so I ended up not really caring about how got killed or not.
-I spend most of the book mad at the author for foreshadowing, no, almost telling me that our MC will fall in love with a character. And I wasn't wrong but because I was told about it from the first 2 pages it felt forced... At the end of the book the author managed to change my mind I admin, but I still spend most of the book mad about the fact that he foreshadowed it instead of slowly showing me things developing.