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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Storm Clouds Rolling In (Bregdan Chronicles #1) in Books
Nov 26, 2019
Describing this book makes it sound like it could be a tale of Southern romance set before the American Civil War; Carrie Cromwell is the teenage daughter of a plantation owner in Virginia and falls for the son of another plantation owner as the political and social storm of the events of the Civil War brew around them.
In reality however this is a far more complex work - yes the romance is there but it is very much overshadowed by the situation and events of the time. Firstly Carrie is not a Southern Belle happy to sit on the verandah and look after her hard working man - she wants to make something of herself and doesn't think that she will be happy running her father's plantation in later life. Secondly she has grave doubts about slavery, an institution that has become the basis of the plantation owner's very existence.
This novel then is far more an exploration of the confict the slave issue creates as well as the lack of opportunity for a bright woman to better herself in the nineteenth century.
The author does well with the slavery issue in presenting someone from the whole spectrum, from reactionary pro-slavery plantation owners to equally abhorrent abolitionlists who are in many ways just as bad. Carrie is very much undecided throughout the book and that is a good thing, we are essentially treated to a novel length essay on the causes of the civil war and the justifications for slavery that caused a lot of the friction, along with the North failing to take account of the depth of the pride of those in the South.
The characters are very well drawn, and although each more-or-less repesents one particular facet of the debate none are mere ciphers and indeed many of them evolve over time and change their outlook and opinions, not lease Carrie but also of note the slaves Rose and Moses, both young but who really grow during the course of the story. The author has necessarily put some perjorative terms for slaves in the mouths of some of her characters - for which she apologises in a brief forward - but this not only lends realism but underlines those characters attitudes towards the slaves.
The book does move at a relatively slow pace, and there are plenty of discussions around politics, society and slavery but it is quite immersive and acts to let each character become far more solid.
Overall a book I enjoyed and it provides a lot of insight into the state of America at the outbreak of war and why it happened
In reality however this is a far more complex work - yes the romance is there but it is very much overshadowed by the situation and events of the time. Firstly Carrie is not a Southern Belle happy to sit on the verandah and look after her hard working man - she wants to make something of herself and doesn't think that she will be happy running her father's plantation in later life. Secondly she has grave doubts about slavery, an institution that has become the basis of the plantation owner's very existence.
This novel then is far more an exploration of the confict the slave issue creates as well as the lack of opportunity for a bright woman to better herself in the nineteenth century.
The author does well with the slavery issue in presenting someone from the whole spectrum, from reactionary pro-slavery plantation owners to equally abhorrent abolitionlists who are in many ways just as bad. Carrie is very much undecided throughout the book and that is a good thing, we are essentially treated to a novel length essay on the causes of the civil war and the justifications for slavery that caused a lot of the friction, along with the North failing to take account of the depth of the pride of those in the South.
The characters are very well drawn, and although each more-or-less repesents one particular facet of the debate none are mere ciphers and indeed many of them evolve over time and change their outlook and opinions, not lease Carrie but also of note the slaves Rose and Moses, both young but who really grow during the course of the story. The author has necessarily put some perjorative terms for slaves in the mouths of some of her characters - for which she apologises in a brief forward - but this not only lends realism but underlines those characters attitudes towards the slaves.
The book does move at a relatively slow pace, and there are plenty of discussions around politics, society and slavery but it is quite immersive and acts to let each character become far more solid.
Overall a book I enjoyed and it provides a lot of insight into the state of America at the outbreak of war and why it happened
Mark Halpern (153 KP) rated Saving Private Ryan (1998) in Movies
Jan 3, 2018 (Updated Jan 3, 2018)
EPIC
One of the best Normandy landing scenes of all time. The cast whether it's a cameo.little part or the large roles play a fantastic role. The plot of the story is based on the Lincoln letter that is read in the beginning of the movie that a mother of 5 yes 5 lost 5 children in the Civil War. After that it was decreed that no mother should go through that again. The plot and separate stories in the movie play equal yet significant roles in the movie. There is never nay downtime in my opinion and it is a movie that keeps you interested in every second of it's 2 plus hours greatness.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2478 KP) rated A Princess of Mars (Barsoom, #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
American Civil War vet John Carter is shocked to find himself suddenly on Mars where he becomes a semi-prisoner of a race of aliens. But then he meets another human and sets out to free them both.
I enjoyed the movie from last year and finally got around to reading the book. It was a lot of fun even if most of the plot was familiar thanks to the movie. There was one slow section that seemed to come out of no where to slow things down, but on the whole it was worth reading.
read my full review at<a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-princess-of-mars-by-edgar.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I enjoyed the movie from last year and finally got around to reading the book. It was a lot of fun even if most of the plot was familiar thanks to the movie. There was one slow section that seemed to come out of no where to slow things down, but on the whole it was worth reading.
read my full review at<a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2013/07/book-review-princess-of-mars-by-edgar.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Last Samurai (2003) in Movies
Feb 12, 2018
Troubled Civil War veteran Tom Cruise goes off to Japan to train their new modern-style army just after the Meiji restoration; winds up being allowed to become a samurai despite not quite meeting the minimum height requirement.
Clearly wants to be a lavish Dances With Wolves-style epic drama; works well enough as a historical adventure with some well-staged action sequences, but not quite as moving or powerful as it would really like. Every Japanese person I know who's seen this movie seems to think it's supposed to be a hilarious deadpan comedy. Someone should tell Cruise it's bad manners to organise a kamikaze charge and not die alongside everyone else.
Clearly wants to be a lavish Dances With Wolves-style epic drama; works well enough as a historical adventure with some well-staged action sequences, but not quite as moving or powerful as it would really like. Every Japanese person I know who's seen this movie seems to think it's supposed to be a hilarious deadpan comedy. Someone should tell Cruise it's bad manners to organise a kamikaze charge and not die alongside everyone else.
Anna Steele (111 KP) rated Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) in Books
Jun 15, 2018
Not feeling Deadish
I rarely give out 10/10 ratings
But Neal Shusterman deserves it
He has formed so many different worlds
Slightly different from our own
And wholely different from each other
He has brought me into Everlost
Shown me life after the Second Civil War
And now I have expirence a world
That has conquered mortality.
Two young people
Must learn how to kill people
The Sycthedom
Is the only political body standing
And it’s splitting
At its core
Massacrists
And compassionate killers
Must fight for the moral code
That will rule the only killers in the world.
This story is thrilling
And has left me not feeling so deadish.
But Neal Shusterman deserves it
He has formed so many different worlds
Slightly different from our own
And wholely different from each other
He has brought me into Everlost
Shown me life after the Second Civil War
And now I have expirence a world
That has conquered mortality.
Two young people
Must learn how to kill people
The Sycthedom
Is the only political body standing
And it’s splitting
At its core
Massacrists
And compassionate killers
Must fight for the moral code
That will rule the only killers in the world.
This story is thrilling
And has left me not feeling so deadish.
David McK (3695 KP) rated The Lost Outlaw (Jack Lark #8) in Books
Apr 12, 2020
8th entry in Paul Fraser Collard's 'Jack Lark' series - originally dubbed as The Talented Mr Ripley meets Sharpe - and, this time, we're in Wild West territory with Jack joining a cotton convoy down from the Southern US States into Mexico.
Jack remains as compelling an protagonist as ever, having now fought on both sides of the American Civil War and throughout the British colonies (the series started in Alma), although now his past is beginning to tell - he is no longer as cocksure, as certain of himself as before and is suffering from nightmares over all he has witnessed.
And, yes, the finale does very much resemble Rorke's Drift - even the author states as much!
Jack remains as compelling an protagonist as ever, having now fought on both sides of the American Civil War and throughout the British colonies (the series started in Alma), although now his past is beginning to tell - he is no longer as cocksure, as certain of himself as before and is suffering from nightmares over all he has witnessed.
And, yes, the finale does very much resemble Rorke's Drift - even the author states as much!
Age of Assassins
8.0
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