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10-Minute Plays for Kids
Book
In 10-Minute Plays for Kids,young thespians will find terrific plays by some of our most prominent...
Peter G. (247 KP) rated WarGames (1983) in Movies
Sep 18, 2019
Looking rather dated now but was considered way ahead for it's time, I found this film very intriguing as it came at a time when computers weren't quite in every home and many were paranoid as to their actual power and what they were capable of.
If you can look past the cluncky and very old hardware and the story in isolation there is a very tense and enjoyable us versus them government conspiracy chess game that moves at pace towards a satisfying but typical 80s conclusion.
Broderick and Sheedy make great protagonists and were great cast choices, it's rather cheesy now but for me a great look back at 80s cold war paranoia.
If you can look past the cluncky and very old hardware and the story in isolation there is a very tense and enjoyable us versus them government conspiracy chess game that moves at pace towards a satisfying but typical 80s conclusion.
Broderick and Sheedy make great protagonists and were great cast choices, it's rather cheesy now but for me a great look back at 80s cold war paranoia.
Acid Trip: Travels in the World of Vinegar: With Recipes from Leading Chefs, Insights from Top Producers, and Step-by-Step Instructions on How to Make Your Own
Michael Harlan Turkell and Daniel Boulud
Book
In Acid Trip, Michael Harlan Turkell takes readers on a fascinating journey through the world of...
Workshop Mastery with Jimmy DiResta: A Guide to Working with Metal, Wood, Plastic, and Leather
John Baichtal and Nick Offerman
Book
Jimmy DiResta has made a name for himself with his inventiveness and workshop skills, creating...
Dean (6926 KP) rated Mary Queen of Scots (2018) in Movies
Aug 29, 2020 (Updated Aug 29, 2020)
Saoirse Ronan (1 more)
Costumes and locations
Queen takes Queen
This isn't the type of film I normally watch but the cast swung me. It's the type of film that will win awards for the costume department and production. Saoirse Ronan really carries the film and without her I would score it a bit lower. Margot Robbie is sadly under used in this.
Tied up in a political, religious and royal game of real life chess as to whom will be heir to the throne of England. There is plenty of scheming and treason by both Royal courts. It's interesting but also at times a little dull. If you like slow period dramas you'll love it, if not you're not missing much.
Tied up in a political, religious and royal game of real life chess as to whom will be heir to the throne of England. There is plenty of scheming and treason by both Royal courts. It's interesting but also at times a little dull. If you like slow period dramas you'll love it, if not you're not missing much.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Tournament in Books
Nov 27, 2019
Australian author​ Matthew Reilly is known for his fast paced, edge of your seat, suspension of belief thrillers. This book is a considerable change from that, being a slower and more thoughtful tale of 16th century murder and intrigue.
Reilly's books, under the usual all-out action sequences, always convey a good plot and storyline and have strong characterisation. Here those are to the fore. The main players are a young Princess Elizabeth; daughter of King Henry VIII and soon to be Elizabeth I and her teacher, Roger Ascham. Sultan Sulieman the Magnificent has invited all the best chess players across Europe to play to decide which nation can claim to have the ultimate chess champions. Elizabeth and Roger accompany England's entrant both to avoid the black death but also because Ascham wants to give Elizabeth a wide education just in case she becomes queen.
After a few adventures on the way the party arrives, along with the representatives of the other nations. Court intrigue and politics abound and everyone has their own agenda. When there is a high profile murder, Sulieman requests the aid of Ascham - known for his insight and ability to resolve problems using logic - to find the culprit before there is an international scandal. As the bodies pile up, Ascham and young Elizabeth face dangerous and unknown enemies and uncover plots and dark secrets.
The medieval detective story is not entirely new for Reilly. Previous he has written a couple of short stories that are available for download from his website - www.mattewreilly.com - with this theme. Dead Prince concerns the death of the Dauphin in France and is investigated by the king's architect. Roger Ascham and the King's Missing Girl is a story that precedes The Tournament by a few months and effectively introduces Ascham and his skills as he tracks down a serial kidnapper and murderer in Cambridge.
Reilly acknowledges at the end of the book that he was influenced by works such as The Name of the Rose and indeed this has much of the same flavour. The plot is complex and has the chess match running through it (and indeed sections of the book are named after chess pieces). Everything is very well handled by Reilly and everything unravels nicely in the finale of the book.
This has also been well researched. With many real historical figures included (not only Elizabeth, Ascham and Sulieman but a supporting cast that includes Ivan the Terrible and Michelangelo) and the feel of all the descriptions is very authentic.
One aspect that has to be mentioned is that, since Reilly wanted to explore something that may have influenced Elizabeth in her future life, there are a fair number of events of a sexual nature that occur. Some of these have a direct bearing on the plot, others are so that Elizabeth can form opinions on sex and marriage. Reilly has printed a warning at the start of the book that this is not for younger readers, and I can fully endorse that.
I can imagine that a number of Reilly fans will not enjoy this book - the pace is slow and methodical rather than headlong and there are very few 'action' sequences to speak of. However I would recommend this book to anybody who likes historical detective style stories.
Reilly's books, under the usual all-out action sequences, always convey a good plot and storyline and have strong characterisation. Here those are to the fore. The main players are a young Princess Elizabeth; daughter of King Henry VIII and soon to be Elizabeth I and her teacher, Roger Ascham. Sultan Sulieman the Magnificent has invited all the best chess players across Europe to play to decide which nation can claim to have the ultimate chess champions. Elizabeth and Roger accompany England's entrant both to avoid the black death but also because Ascham wants to give Elizabeth a wide education just in case she becomes queen.
After a few adventures on the way the party arrives, along with the representatives of the other nations. Court intrigue and politics abound and everyone has their own agenda. When there is a high profile murder, Sulieman requests the aid of Ascham - known for his insight and ability to resolve problems using logic - to find the culprit before there is an international scandal. As the bodies pile up, Ascham and young Elizabeth face dangerous and unknown enemies and uncover plots and dark secrets.
The medieval detective story is not entirely new for Reilly. Previous he has written a couple of short stories that are available for download from his website - www.mattewreilly.com - with this theme. Dead Prince concerns the death of the Dauphin in France and is investigated by the king's architect. Roger Ascham and the King's Missing Girl is a story that precedes The Tournament by a few months and effectively introduces Ascham and his skills as he tracks down a serial kidnapper and murderer in Cambridge.
Reilly acknowledges at the end of the book that he was influenced by works such as The Name of the Rose and indeed this has much of the same flavour. The plot is complex and has the chess match running through it (and indeed sections of the book are named after chess pieces). Everything is very well handled by Reilly and everything unravels nicely in the finale of the book.
This has also been well researched. With many real historical figures included (not only Elizabeth, Ascham and Sulieman but a supporting cast that includes Ivan the Terrible and Michelangelo) and the feel of all the descriptions is very authentic.
One aspect that has to be mentioned is that, since Reilly wanted to explore something that may have influenced Elizabeth in her future life, there are a fair number of events of a sexual nature that occur. Some of these have a direct bearing on the plot, others are so that Elizabeth can form opinions on sex and marriage. Reilly has printed a warning at the start of the book that this is not for younger readers, and I can fully endorse that.
I can imagine that a number of Reilly fans will not enjoy this book - the pace is slow and methodical rather than headlong and there are very few 'action' sequences to speak of. However I would recommend this book to anybody who likes historical detective style stories.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I read this book very slowly through DailyLit, and even then I did not understand most of what I read or particularly enjoy it. When I read a book, I make a point of finding something to like about it, no matter how bad it is. I like chess, which plays a part in the book, but about the only thing that made sense in that context was Alice becoming a queen by getting to the end of the board. I know the text is a classic, but sometimes I don't care for a classic, and this is one of those times, unfortunately. While the book is chock full of great quotes, and an ideal book for a child to enjoy because of the imagination put into it, overall I'm not a fan.
Elizabeth: The Forgotten Years
Book
History has pictured Elizabeth I as Gloriana, an icon of strength and power -- and has focused on...
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: AND Through the Looking Glass
Lewis Carroll and John Tenniel
Book
Part of Penguin's beautiful hardback Clothbound Classics series, designed by the award-winning...
The Queen's Gambit
8.8
Rate It
TV Show Watch
Drama, based on a novel by Walter Tevis. Eight year-old orphan Beth Harmon is quiet, sullen, and by...