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Peacerunner: The True Story of How an Ex-Congressman Helped End the Centuries of War in Ireland
Penn Rhodeen and President Bill Clinton
Book
Peacerunner is the must-read account of how ex-congressman Bruce Morrison rose from crushing defeat...
Letters from the Trenches: The First World War by Those Who Were There
Book
A history of the First World War told through the letters exchanged by ordinary British soldiers and...
Managing Difficult People in a Week
Book
Managing Difficult People In A Week is a simple and straightforward guide to being a better manager,...
Water, Peace, and War: Confronting the Global Water Crisis
Book
Now in an updated edition, this pioneering and authoritative study considers the profound impact of...
A Doctor on the Western Front: The Diary of Henry Owens 1914-1918
Book
Henry Owens Great War diary provides a vivid and complete narrative, seen from the perspective of an...
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Tyler Perry's A Fall From Grace (2020) in Movies
Aug 23, 2020
Destroyed By Pacing Among Other Things
After being accused of killing her husband, Grace Waters’ (Crystal Fox) only hope is a public defender trying her first case.
Acting: 3
To say the acting is weak is an understatement. Everything is either overdone or underdone, but nothing in the middle. A shame too as there are some really stellar names on the billing. I have honestly seen better dramatizing out of six-year-olds.
Beginning: 5
Characters: 6
Cinematography/Visuals: 3
Conflict: 7
If it’s one thing I can respect Tyler Perry for, it’s finding a way to incorporate consistent drama. More than most, he gets it. What I mean by that is, he understands that drama never has to be forced, rather you put two conflicting sides in the same scene and the drama will happen naturally. The problem here is that the drama in question wasn’t always interesting or intriguing.
Entertainment Value: 3
Memorability: 0
Pace: 5
Got bored real quick and I try and hold interest in movies even when I have to force it at times. Because there were so many moving parts and a lot of what felt like means to no ends, Also way longer than it needed to be.
Plot: 4
Resolution: 2
Overall: 38
Outside of some mildly interesting conflict and decent characters that were buried by a sticky plot, this movie left a lot to be desired. I tried, I really did. But with a movie so low budget it doesn’t even look presentable on a 4K TV, I have to pass on Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace.
Acting: 3
To say the acting is weak is an understatement. Everything is either overdone or underdone, but nothing in the middle. A shame too as there are some really stellar names on the billing. I have honestly seen better dramatizing out of six-year-olds.
Beginning: 5
Characters: 6
Cinematography/Visuals: 3
Conflict: 7
If it’s one thing I can respect Tyler Perry for, it’s finding a way to incorporate consistent drama. More than most, he gets it. What I mean by that is, he understands that drama never has to be forced, rather you put two conflicting sides in the same scene and the drama will happen naturally. The problem here is that the drama in question wasn’t always interesting or intriguing.
Entertainment Value: 3
Memorability: 0
Pace: 5
Got bored real quick and I try and hold interest in movies even when I have to force it at times. Because there were so many moving parts and a lot of what felt like means to no ends, Also way longer than it needed to be.
Plot: 4
Resolution: 2
Overall: 38
Outside of some mildly interesting conflict and decent characters that were buried by a sticky plot, this movie left a lot to be desired. I tried, I really did. But with a movie so low budget it doesn’t even look presentable on a 4K TV, I have to pass on Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace.
David McK (3932 KP) rated Peace Talks (The Dresden Files, #16) in Books
Mar 23, 2022
It was, what something like 5 years? 6? Between the release of the last book in the series (Skin Game) and this.
Long enough for me to go back and re-read the entire thing from scratch, anyway.
I'd also seen several reviews (on Amazon, mainly) bemoaning the fact that this is more like half a book: first impressions, upon receiving it, where that they were right: this was roughly half the size of that previous novel.
Having said that, there was also an argument to be made that those later novels (from around Changes onward) had themselves become too bloated, unlike the earlier entries in the series when Harry was (mainly) a detective.
Now that I've finished reading this, I can see where some of those reviews were coming from: more than any other I can think of in the series, this definitely sets up the next (Battle Ground, cutting off just as it 'tees up' the conflict to come and how the supernatural community is going to react to it.
After having conspicuously being absent in the previous, this also see's the return of Thomas Raith (and his sister Lara), both of whom play a large role in the proceeding within this, as does Harry's mentor Ebenezer McCoy, with the concept of family coming to the fore.
Did I enjoy it?
Yes.
Do I feel slightly cheated by the fact that it sets up but doesn't resolve the conflict to come, meaning I would have to buy the next book?
Also yes.
(I was going to anyway, having made it - and mainly enjoying them - this far)
Long enough for me to go back and re-read the entire thing from scratch, anyway.
I'd also seen several reviews (on Amazon, mainly) bemoaning the fact that this is more like half a book: first impressions, upon receiving it, where that they were right: this was roughly half the size of that previous novel.
Having said that, there was also an argument to be made that those later novels (from around Changes onward) had themselves become too bloated, unlike the earlier entries in the series when Harry was (mainly) a detective.
Now that I've finished reading this, I can see where some of those reviews were coming from: more than any other I can think of in the series, this definitely sets up the next (Battle Ground, cutting off just as it 'tees up' the conflict to come and how the supernatural community is going to react to it.
After having conspicuously being absent in the previous, this also see's the return of Thomas Raith (and his sister Lara), both of whom play a large role in the proceeding within this, as does Harry's mentor Ebenezer McCoy, with the concept of family coming to the fore.
Did I enjoy it?
Yes.
Do I feel slightly cheated by the fact that it sets up but doesn't resolve the conflict to come, meaning I would have to buy the next book?
Also yes.
(I was going to anyway, having made it - and mainly enjoying them - this far)
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Life After Life in Books
Sep 29, 2017
Mind-blowing account about different choices
This is really quite a unique novel about the roads taken if a person was given a choice. The story surrounds a woman named Ursula, who dies in various different ways until she makes the right choices. At some points she is aware that she is sensing deja vu, at others, she thinks she's becoming unstable. All throughout however, only snow is a consistent factor in gauging her bearings.
It almost feels like Jacob's Ladder has been amalgamated with Groundhog Day, but in a much more epic fashion, exploring death, conflict, and fate. From dying at birth, to dying during the Second World War, some of the paths are deeply depressing, but bravo to Kate Atkinson for writing a complex yet clear book.
It almost feels like Jacob's Ladder has been amalgamated with Groundhog Day, but in a much more epic fashion, exploring death, conflict, and fate. From dying at birth, to dying during the Second World War, some of the paths are deeply depressing, but bravo to Kate Atkinson for writing a complex yet clear book.
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Built on Bones: 15,000 Years of Urban Life and Death in Books
Aug 28, 2017
Incredibly dense, but well written and witty
First of all, hats off to the author Brenna Hassett for creating such an accessible book for such a complex subject. Secondly, I applaud her writing, the tone is sarcastic and witty, unlike a dry scientific journal. It is an absolutely fascinating look into the affects of urbanisation over the past 15,000 years, ingrained into the bones discovered from various archaeological sites.
From the spread of disease and conflict, to social practices and customs, there's more to skeletal remains than meets the eye. She also reveals the depth of inequality, through the health of slaves, women and children, as well as those poverty stricken, who carry ill health for generations. It is detailed and extensive, so you'll need to concentrate. A great read.
From the spread of disease and conflict, to social practices and customs, there's more to skeletal remains than meets the eye. She also reveals the depth of inequality, through the health of slaves, women and children, as well as those poverty stricken, who carry ill health for generations. It is detailed and extensive, so you'll need to concentrate. A great read.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Batman the Killing Joke in Books
Nov 9, 2018
Fantastically written self-contained story with superb artwork
This short graphic novel sees Batman trying to peacefully put an end to his conflict with the Joker (safely behind bars - or is he?) before one of them ends up dead. Needless to say Joker escapes and puts in place his plan to show the beauty of madness. He wants to show that everyone would be happier if they just let their brain snap under extreme strain, and then you'll always see the funny side.
Some superb artwork throughout the book, both in the current story and flashbacks of Mr J's life.
I think fans of the Arkham video games will get a real buzz out of this, it is totally in line with the stories and settings used in the games.
Some superb artwork throughout the book, both in the current story and flashbacks of Mr J's life.
I think fans of the Arkham video games will get a real buzz out of this, it is totally in line with the stories and settings used in the games.