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David McK (3414 KP) rated Rapscallion (Matthew Hawkood, #3) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
The third book in James McGee's <i>Hawkwood</i> series of novels, this see Matthew Hawkwood sent undercover to the prison Hulks to investigate both the escape of several prisoners, and the disappearance of those sent previously to track them down.
Again taking factual history as its starting point (life on the prison Hulks, and the activities of the Free Traders (i.e. Smugglers)), the plot builds up to include those afore-mentioned smuggling rings, and a little bit of sea battle (a first in the series). It's also a first that the majority of this novel takes place away from London!
I do have to say, however, that even more so than the first two books, I found this one to be very remniscient of one of the Sharpe books from the 90s - have a look at <i>Sharpe's Company</i> (in particular) to see what I mean! That's not to say I din't enjoy it - I did - but just that, to me, elements of the plot seemed very familiar
Again taking factual history as its starting point (life on the prison Hulks, and the activities of the Free Traders (i.e. Smugglers)), the plot builds up to include those afore-mentioned smuggling rings, and a little bit of sea battle (a first in the series). It's also a first that the majority of this novel takes place away from London!
I do have to say, however, that even more so than the first two books, I found this one to be very remniscient of one of the Sharpe books from the 90s - have a look at <i>Sharpe's Company</i> (in particular) to see what I mean! That's not to say I din't enjoy it - I did - but just that, to me, elements of the plot seemed very familiar
David McK (3414 KP) rated The Serpent Sword in Books
Jul 7, 2019
The first entry in Matthew Harffy's Bernicia Chronicles series, which - I have to say - shares more than a few similarities to Bernard Cornwell's 'Last Kingdom' series in that it is set during Dark Ages Britain, with large parts in and around the fortress of Bebbanburg. Sound at all familiar?
When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.
Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.
Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)
When reading this, I had no idea which came first: this, or Cornwell's The Last Kingdom.
Thta's not to set that this novel isn't enjoyable, and that we can't have more than one story set in and about the same time period (indeed, if anything, this is set even earlier than Cornwell's novels, i.e. before the time of Alftred the Great): I did, in fact, quite enjoy this.
Throughout the course of this novel, we follow the exploits and the coming of age of Harffy's main protaganist, Beobrand of Bernicia, from his arrival at the court of King Edwin through his first taste of a battle in a shieldwall, to his time at a Christian Monastery and travels throughout a lawless land before finally settling down (at least, until the next novel!)
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Iron Angel (Deepgate Codex #2) in Books
Nov 15, 2019
The first novel in the Deepgate Codex trilogy, Scar Night, explored the immediate surroundings of the suspended city of Deepgate. This second entry follows the fallout from the battle of Deepgate as the balance between the powers of the world realign themselves.
As with Scar Night, Campbell's imagination creates some stunning characters and imagery; the Soft Men, John Anchor, a nightmarish journey through hell. The descriptions are extremely evocative, the whole having a sort of Gothic Steampunk feel to it.
This is, however, weaker than Scar Night, partly because there is just so much Campbell is keen to show us that the detail gets lost, and at times the story grinds to a halt for some lingering descriptions of something that although interesting has no real bearing on the story and just means momentum is lost. The result is unfortunately a bit of a mess.
Not a bad book by any means, but a case of an author's enthusiasm for their own creations reducing the focus on developing an interesting and coherent story
As with Scar Night, Campbell's imagination creates some stunning characters and imagery; the Soft Men, John Anchor, a nightmarish journey through hell. The descriptions are extremely evocative, the whole having a sort of Gothic Steampunk feel to it.
This is, however, weaker than Scar Night, partly because there is just so much Campbell is keen to show us that the detail gets lost, and at times the story grinds to a halt for some lingering descriptions of something that although interesting has no real bearing on the story and just means momentum is lost. The result is unfortunately a bit of a mess.
Not a bad book by any means, but a case of an author's enthusiasm for their own creations reducing the focus on developing an interesting and coherent story
David McK (3414 KP) rated Sharpe's Devil (Sharpe, #21) in Books
Mar 5, 2020
The final (*sniff*) of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe books, this is set 5 years after the battle of Waterloo (so, in 1820) and sees Richard Sharpe - now happily settled and living with Lucille in Normandy, and his particular friend Patrick Harper (now running a bar in Dublin) off to Chile in a quest to find an old friend (from all the way back in Sharpe's Rifleswho is missing, reported dead - a report his wife refuses to believe.
While at first it seems that the 'pit-stop' in Saint Helena to meet/gawk at the defeated Emperor Napoleon - pretty daring of Cornwell to put such a famous historical personage in the novel! - is just that, this actually later proves to be an essential part of the plot: I'm not going to give anything away by saying how!
Bit sad that the series is finished now; I guess I'm just going to have to go back and (re)read them all again, as I have been doing over the last couple of years!
While at first it seems that the 'pit-stop' in Saint Helena to meet/gawk at the defeated Emperor Napoleon - pretty daring of Cornwell to put such a famous historical personage in the novel! - is just that, this actually later proves to be an essential part of the plot: I'm not going to give anything away by saying how!
Bit sad that the series is finished now; I guess I'm just going to have to go back and (re)read them all again, as I have been doing over the last couple of years!
David McK (3414 KP) rated Robin Hood and the Caliph's Gold in Books
Mar 26, 2020
The 9th entry in Angus Donald's Robin Hood Outlaw series of books, although chronologically I think this is the third (set after Holy Warrior).
As such, this starts with Robin and his men trying to make their way back to England from the Holy Land, with the entire story told (as are all the others) in first person narrative, and from the point of view of Alan a Dale, the true protagonist of these stories (let's face it, Robin isn't always a very nice man...)
Shipwrecked on the way home, this sets off a series of circumstances and encounters that sees Robin and his men hatching a plan to steal the Caliph's Gold (it's all there in the title!), with many a ferocious battle and deeds of derring do throughout.
Having recently just having read one of Angus Donald's other historical works (the Blood series: last one I read was Bloods Campaign), I have to say: I think I prefer the medieval setting of these novels better, with Alan a Dale coming across as a more relatable character than Holcroft Blood.
As such, this starts with Robin and his men trying to make their way back to England from the Holy Land, with the entire story told (as are all the others) in first person narrative, and from the point of view of Alan a Dale, the true protagonist of these stories (let's face it, Robin isn't always a very nice man...)
Shipwrecked on the way home, this sets off a series of circumstances and encounters that sees Robin and his men hatching a plan to steal the Caliph's Gold (it's all there in the title!), with many a ferocious battle and deeds of derring do throughout.
Having recently just having read one of Angus Donald's other historical works (the Blood series: last one I read was Bloods Campaign), I have to say: I think I prefer the medieval setting of these novels better, with Alan a Dale coming across as a more relatable character than Holcroft Blood.
David McK (3414 KP) rated The Avengers (2012) in Movies
Mar 26, 2020
Known in the UK as 'Avenger's Assemble' (to avoid confusion with the other Avengers film!), this was the first of the MCUs big-screen cross-overs, bringing Captain America, Tony Stark/Iron Man, Bruce Banner/The Hulk (here played by Mark Ruffalo instead of Ed Norton), Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye (and not forgetting Agent Coulson, pre TVs Agents of SHIELD!) all together for the very first time to face off against Thor's brother Loki, returned from the (supposed) dead and at the head of an army of Chitauri - with the post-credit sting revealing, for the very first time, just how is the 'big bad' behind the entire thing!
That 'Battle of New York' at the end of the film would have further ramifications down the line in both the movie and TV side of things for Marvel, with the (not shown here) clean up activities afterwards even providing the impetus for one of the newer (at the time of writing) releases, in Phase III's Spiderman: Homecoming
That 'Battle of New York' at the end of the film would have further ramifications down the line in both the movie and TV side of things for Marvel, with the (not shown here) clean up activities afterwards even providing the impetus for one of the newer (at the time of writing) releases, in Phase III's Spiderman: Homecoming
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Current War (2017) in Movies
Jul 30, 2019 (Updated Jul 30, 2019)
Striking historical drama; unfortunate enough to get caught on the fringes of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, which is why it has sat on the shelf for a couple of years since it was finished. Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse engage in a battle of wills to bring electric light to America, but will victory go to the more principled man, or the more ruthless? And who is who?
Lots of good material here for a really interesting film about, essentially, the birth of the modern world; perhaps too much. The film's problem is really that it tries to cover everything - not just the rivalry between the two men, but also incidents from Edison's private life, the development of the electric chair, and the career of the much-mythologised but enigmatic inventor Nikola Tesla. As a result everything gets covered in a somewhat cursory manner and it often feels somewhat rushed. Still, it's a handsome looking film, the performances are excellent, and the direction is sometimes as inventive as the characters. Not entirely successful by any means, but a very distinguished failure.
Lots of good material here for a really interesting film about, essentially, the birth of the modern world; perhaps too much. The film's problem is really that it tries to cover everything - not just the rivalry between the two men, but also incidents from Edison's private life, the development of the electric chair, and the career of the much-mythologised but enigmatic inventor Nikola Tesla. As a result everything gets covered in a somewhat cursory manner and it often feels somewhat rushed. Still, it's a handsome looking film, the performances are excellent, and the direction is sometimes as inventive as the characters. Not entirely successful by any means, but a very distinguished failure.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Hot Fuzz (2007) in Movies
Aug 3, 2019
An instant classic
Hot Fuzz is a glorious film, plain and simple.
It's funny, it's crude, it's gory, it's just plain ridiculous at times, and it's very British...
Anyone who lives here in England can confirm - this country is full of little villages and towns where something just seems a bit...off. just like the films village, Sandford.
As Sgt. Angel starts to uncover a sinister conspiracy underneath the idyllic town, Hot Fuzz effortlessly weaves quick humour, with a creeping sense of dread, just like it's predecessor, Shaun of the Dead.
The fantastic trio of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and director Edgar Wright hit all the right comedic notes once again, and the film is riddled with famous faces from the British comedy scene.
It evens features once-James-Bond Timothy Dalton, just being generally awesome and villainous.
The climatic battle, (that likes fun at the silliness of the action genre) is good fun, but it doesn't quite hit the mark that Shaun of the Dead does.
It's still a great film though, I'd implore anyone to give it a go.
It's funny, it's crude, it's gory, it's just plain ridiculous at times, and it's very British...
Anyone who lives here in England can confirm - this country is full of little villages and towns where something just seems a bit...off. just like the films village, Sandford.
As Sgt. Angel starts to uncover a sinister conspiracy underneath the idyllic town, Hot Fuzz effortlessly weaves quick humour, with a creeping sense of dread, just like it's predecessor, Shaun of the Dead.
The fantastic trio of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and director Edgar Wright hit all the right comedic notes once again, and the film is riddled with famous faces from the British comedy scene.
It evens features once-James-Bond Timothy Dalton, just being generally awesome and villainous.
The climatic battle, (that likes fun at the silliness of the action genre) is good fun, but it doesn't quite hit the mark that Shaun of the Dead does.
It's still a great film though, I'd implore anyone to give it a go.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) in Movies
Feb 12, 2020
Ants!!!!!
Ant-Man and The Wasp- was a really great movie. It had action, comedy, ants, ants and more ants. I heard that some people thought that this movie was pointless and just a lead up to endgame, that this movie should of came out before infinity war. But thats not true, this movie was a excellent setup to endgame and that it would make sense that this movie would come out after infinty war. This movie is not pointless, it has a purpose.
The plot: Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy.
If you have watched and liked the first one, than you will like this one as well.
The plot: Scott Lang is grappling with the consequences of his choices as both a superhero and a father. Approached by Hope van Dyne and Dr. Hank Pym, Lang must once again don the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the Wasp. The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic duo finds itself in an epic battle against a powerful new enemy.
If you have watched and liked the first one, than you will like this one as well.
Chheam Pi Damnor
Book and Entertainment
App
"2 Blood Generations" - it's a title of this 56-episode Chinese Drama Book in Khmer. It tells the...