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Frecklesxoxo (6 KP) rated Silent Weapon (Street Soldier #2) in Books

Feb 27, 2019

I received an arc copy from Netgalley of this book for an open and honest review.
I was surprised to find that I really liked this book, more than I expected too. It was well written and interesting. The plot was current and hits home as to just how much work goes on behind the scenes to thwart terrorism and I love how 2 different departments worked together. Its scary and real about radicalisation and I was plesed to see there were no type casts in this story.
There were a few things that made this a 4 star rating- in some areas I felt the story was perhaps a little rushed (near the beginning) and some parts could have been more polished. As I was reading this I felt I had missed something (I didn't know there was a prequel to this) I didn't know the whole background story which threw me off.
But the storyline was greatc and kept me hooked :)

Kudos

Setting the Stage: Attention to What We Do, How We Do it, and Why

David Hays

(0 Ratings) Rate It

Book

David Hays, elected to the Theater Hall of Fame in 2014, created an exciting and successful career...

The Tube Family

1.0 (1 Ratings) Rate It

YouTube Channel

Welcome to our channel! We are a family of 4 dedicated to entertaining and inspiring audiences of...

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Kick-Ass (2010) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019

Kick-Ass (2010)

2010 | Action, Comedy, Drama

7.3

(39 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

Kick-Ass starts out as a clever action movie with good humor interspersed throughout the first half, but by the second half the jokes trail off as the movie takes a blacker turn toward a mindless and confusing tale of morality.

Viewing this movie as a mindless action flick, it is impressive and at times humorous, albeit that humor, in the immersive first half, is deadened by the much darker scenes toward the end of the film. But if you’re trying to find a deeper message hidden behind the motivations and actions of the characters on screen, you perhaps would be better served by reading the comic first. The violence was surprisingly graphic for what started out as a clever and somewhat endearing highschool drama about not fitting in and trying to change the world for the better.

As the director of Layer Cake and Stardust, Matthew Vaughn has shown before that he knows how to do action and fantasy, and in this movie, the action scenes are tight and gripping and slightly surreal. You may even recognize a few cameos if you’re familiar with Guy Ritchie films.

Aaron Johnson, as the title character, brings a smart vulnerability to his part. As an overly ambitious, but well meaning comic book fan, his stabs at super-heroics were quite believable.

This movie may be titled Kick-Ass, but the most interesting character is Hit-Girl, played by Chloë Grace Moretz. Quite a few child actors come across as precocious, and Moretz is a welcome change. She shares some great scenes with Nicolas Cage, a vengeful father who has turned his 11 year-old daughter into a killing machine. Cage’s deadpan humor as Big Daddy matches surprisingly well with the giddy, foul-mouthed, black humor of Hit-Girl.

In a way, I may be doing the movie a disservice if I were to dwell on the plot holes, morality, and thematic elements of this movie which are clearly not the focused intent of the director. Not every movie is intended to be a deep and meaningful reflection on life, so in that regard, this movie is simply a blood-drenched charmer.

Kudos

Merissa (12749 KP) rated The Darkening (Dawn of Ascension #2) in Books

Apr 16, 2023

Samuel has only had a year of freedom after being rescued by Duncan and, for various reasons, is content to keep his distance from one and all. Vela is also keeping her distance but hers are more specific. She is avoiding all the militia warriors as she has already lost her husband to the war and wants to avoid being hurt any further. However, the breh-hedden has other ideas and these two become entangled within its sensual and overpowering grasp. Samuel has his power that he is afraid of, as he can't control it. Vela also comes into her power of being able to travel via the Darkening. A match has been made but will they work together or fall apart?

This is a brilliant story that straddles two series without being at all complicated for those not completely au fait with them. It is exciting and thrilling, whilst being heartbreaking in places too. Samuel has the opportunity to pay Duncan back for rescuing him but will he be too late? This book will grip you and leave you breathless, both for the sexy scenes but also for the action and 'behind the scenes' you get.

Thoroughly enjoyable and definitely recommended to all.

* 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!
Sep 28, 2015