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BookblogbyCari (345 KP) rated The Psychopath Test in Books
Sep 11, 2018
This book is remarkably entertaining – I can see why it’s having such a long stint in the bookseller’s shelves! It’s most definitely written for the lay person, and that goes some way to explaining the book’s longevity.
It logs the course of events taken by Jon Ronson as he interviews some people who are deemed crazy, or psychopathic, and some people who diagnose psychological traits. The start of Ronson’s journey is intriguing - it begins when various academics, predominately neuroscientists, are sent mysterious and cryptic packages. They all rush onto online forums trying to figure out what it’s all about. Unfortunately, this section comes to an abrupt and disappointing conclusion (no spoilers).
This all changes in Chapter 2, however. Here, Ronson meets a man, Tony, who claims to have faked mental illness in order to get put into a psychiatric facility rather than a traditional prison. The Scientologists are on his side, and they send Ronson Broadmoor’s file on Tony, but with significant omissions, which shed a whole new light on why Tony should be incarcerated.
Chapter 3 describes how in the 1960’s psychiatrist Elliot Barker, held several nude LSD-induced psychotherapy sessions for psychopaths. In Chapter 4, Ronson goes on a conference to learn about Bob Hare’s psychopath checklist, and by Chapter 5, he’s using it in an interview with a leader of a death squad, Toto Constant. In Chapter 6, he uses it in an interview with Al Dunlan, who apparently enjoyed firing 6.000 people from their jobs.
Following a brief interlude to discuss the media, conspiracy theorists and the second coming, the theme of psychopathy is picked up again in Chapter 9 which looks at criminal profiling, and how it was once used to lure one particular suspect into an unwarranted arrest.
Ronson goes off on another tangent in Chapter 10, which discusses the (very real) problem of an apparent ballooning of mental illness diagnoses. Here he tells the tale of what happened when a 4-year-old girl was given 10 pills a day for “childhood bipolar” disorder.
In Ronson’s concluding chapter, he attends a tribunal for the Tony of Chapter 2, and Tony’s fate is decided (no spoilers). By this point, Tony’s charisma has got Ronson taken in, in spite of Tony showing several psychopathic traits.
My take away from the book is that people will have eccentricities, diagnosis or not, and the way to tell if someone is dangerous, is by their actions. Ronson himself has spotted psychopathic traits in himself, despite being overly anxious and not the slightest bit evil. The book sheds a lot of light, not only on the nature of obtaining a diagnosis, but also on its implications.
Whilst I do recommend the book, this book is most definitely not a thorough analysis of the mental health industry, nor the criminal profiling industry. But for entertainment purposes it gets top marks. If you are looking for a more authoritative book on the mental health industry and diagnosis, I recommend Saving Normal by Allen Frances.
It logs the course of events taken by Jon Ronson as he interviews some people who are deemed crazy, or psychopathic, and some people who diagnose psychological traits. The start of Ronson’s journey is intriguing - it begins when various academics, predominately neuroscientists, are sent mysterious and cryptic packages. They all rush onto online forums trying to figure out what it’s all about. Unfortunately, this section comes to an abrupt and disappointing conclusion (no spoilers).
This all changes in Chapter 2, however. Here, Ronson meets a man, Tony, who claims to have faked mental illness in order to get put into a psychiatric facility rather than a traditional prison. The Scientologists are on his side, and they send Ronson Broadmoor’s file on Tony, but with significant omissions, which shed a whole new light on why Tony should be incarcerated.
Chapter 3 describes how in the 1960’s psychiatrist Elliot Barker, held several nude LSD-induced psychotherapy sessions for psychopaths. In Chapter 4, Ronson goes on a conference to learn about Bob Hare’s psychopath checklist, and by Chapter 5, he’s using it in an interview with a leader of a death squad, Toto Constant. In Chapter 6, he uses it in an interview with Al Dunlan, who apparently enjoyed firing 6.000 people from their jobs.
Following a brief interlude to discuss the media, conspiracy theorists and the second coming, the theme of psychopathy is picked up again in Chapter 9 which looks at criminal profiling, and how it was once used to lure one particular suspect into an unwarranted arrest.
Ronson goes off on another tangent in Chapter 10, which discusses the (very real) problem of an apparent ballooning of mental illness diagnoses. Here he tells the tale of what happened when a 4-year-old girl was given 10 pills a day for “childhood bipolar” disorder.
In Ronson’s concluding chapter, he attends a tribunal for the Tony of Chapter 2, and Tony’s fate is decided (no spoilers). By this point, Tony’s charisma has got Ronson taken in, in spite of Tony showing several psychopathic traits.
My take away from the book is that people will have eccentricities, diagnosis or not, and the way to tell if someone is dangerous, is by their actions. Ronson himself has spotted psychopathic traits in himself, despite being overly anxious and not the slightest bit evil. The book sheds a lot of light, not only on the nature of obtaining a diagnosis, but also on its implications.
Whilst I do recommend the book, this book is most definitely not a thorough analysis of the mental health industry, nor the criminal profiling industry. But for entertainment purposes it gets top marks. If you are looking for a more authoritative book on the mental health industry and diagnosis, I recommend Saving Normal by Allen Frances.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Kwaan in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
This game reminds me an awful lot of proteus. Very little is told to you. Wandering around a pixelated island trying to sort things out. The point and click mechanics might make you nostalgic. A peppy atmosphere and creative out lets might have you coming back to see what the community has done to the trees and chalk boards.
The game is in early access and it does show. Platforming is going to take a long while to get used to. You get around by shooting a string and pulling yourself up to a point where he can swing to get to the platform sometimes this can be very frustrating. This could be fixed by letting you slide down on the string but that has yet to be seen.
Appearance I genuinely liked the sprite animation, seems like something you might see in say a late Nintendo to early super Nintendo. Intricate works of player art can be found here and there. The over world if bright and colorful during the day.
Quest systems and leveling are something I didn’t quite get here. The story is told in the back ground and you have to go hunting for it. I got caught up in the bright atmosphere and exploring that I really did not get around to that part of the game. There is quite a bit to explore if you have the time and patience.
Ambient music is here and it does suite the mood. I do feel like it’s on an endless loop. Not to mention in the version I’m playing on there is no option menu at all. So either mute all sounds or mute it in the volume mixer. Small problem I know but several small issues can culminate into a bit one.
Velocity is another challenge, you can find yourself making a gap sometimes. Other times you will not be so lucky. Getting your string to attach to a flock of seagulls or a school of fish can feel almost impossible. Spikes and death traps are abound. When you overcome these obstacles for say a treasure chest it can be a bit underwhelming.
The mystery to it all feels very cryptic. I for the life of me could not find anything out. Admittedly I’m terrible at these kind of puzzles. Some clues would be much appreciated. End of the world is coming is about the only thing I could figure out.
The intention of the game feels good. I can see a lot of love and time went into crafting this world. Even with all its color, ambiance and charm I can see the flaws. Early accesses is a phrase I think is more than apt here. However this could be something very special with just a few tweaks.
In the end I could only recommend this game to those willing to support a modern point and click platformer. If you grew up with platformers like Mario and castlevania this might just be a bit to different. Unless you’re willing to look past the controls and or love retro sprites.
http://sknr.net/2015/04/10/kwaan-a-point-and-click-adventure/
The game is in early access and it does show. Platforming is going to take a long while to get used to. You get around by shooting a string and pulling yourself up to a point where he can swing to get to the platform sometimes this can be very frustrating. This could be fixed by letting you slide down on the string but that has yet to be seen.
Appearance I genuinely liked the sprite animation, seems like something you might see in say a late Nintendo to early super Nintendo. Intricate works of player art can be found here and there. The over world if bright and colorful during the day.
Quest systems and leveling are something I didn’t quite get here. The story is told in the back ground and you have to go hunting for it. I got caught up in the bright atmosphere and exploring that I really did not get around to that part of the game. There is quite a bit to explore if you have the time and patience.
Ambient music is here and it does suite the mood. I do feel like it’s on an endless loop. Not to mention in the version I’m playing on there is no option menu at all. So either mute all sounds or mute it in the volume mixer. Small problem I know but several small issues can culminate into a bit one.
Velocity is another challenge, you can find yourself making a gap sometimes. Other times you will not be so lucky. Getting your string to attach to a flock of seagulls or a school of fish can feel almost impossible. Spikes and death traps are abound. When you overcome these obstacles for say a treasure chest it can be a bit underwhelming.
The mystery to it all feels very cryptic. I for the life of me could not find anything out. Admittedly I’m terrible at these kind of puzzles. Some clues would be much appreciated. End of the world is coming is about the only thing I could figure out.
The intention of the game feels good. I can see a lot of love and time went into crafting this world. Even with all its color, ambiance and charm I can see the flaws. Early accesses is a phrase I think is more than apt here. However this could be something very special with just a few tweaks.
In the end I could only recommend this game to those willing to support a modern point and click platformer. If you grew up with platformers like Mario and castlevania this might just be a bit to different. Unless you’re willing to look past the controls and or love retro sprites.
http://sknr.net/2015/04/10/kwaan-a-point-and-click-adventure/
Debbiereadsbook (1303 KP) rated Blood King (Heart Stones #1) in Books
May 4, 2022
Left with so many questions but so bloody good!!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarain, I was gifted my copy of this book.
I'm not gonna write a bit about this book. I'm not gonna rehash any sort of plot line, but what I am gonna say is this:
ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!
Sayle has a particular way of messing with my head, she leaves me with question after question. Mostly, questions I cannot voice, but my head knows it has questions and Sayle drives me freaking nuts about it!
So, once I got over my spit-your-dummy-out, throw-your-toys-out-the-pram and I'll-scream-and-scream-and-scream-until-I'm-sick kind of tantrum, here's what I thought about this book.
So good, this first book in a new series, a very different book than of late for Sayle and I read this and flung my kindle at the wall and my partner looked at me like I grew a third head!
Why, you ask? Because questions, people, I have a lot, A LOT of freaking questions about this book and it's taken me 3 days to manage to write something about this book that actually makes sense!
I am, however, fairly certain that I will not be the only one why has questions, hell, I'm not even sure if Sayle has all the questions, let alone the answers to everything that was NOT said here.
Because while you get everything you need about Aion and Shiesha NOW, there is much, so (I really wanna use the Fword here but some sites don't like that, but I need to stress the point!) freaking MUCH, that is not said. About who Aion and Shiesha are running from, about what happened to Aion's family, about who Shiesha really is, about WHAT he is! And those bloody monks? Cryptic or what! But those monks, I understood. They are bound by a higher power and sworn to secrecy. Aion and Shiesha have all the answers, they just need to listen to their hearts to find them.
And then we get to the ending! A cliff hanger, people, of massive proportions! I knew this was coming, the blurb says so, but still. I had 10 minutes left in the book and then it was finished and sheesh, I was not happy! There is a teeny tiny bit that happens next, a bit of an epilogue slash sneak peak but I would rather have not had that, to be honest! I think it would have had a bigger reaction from people to not have that sneak peak, and I am left a little . . .annoyed . . .maybe. . . by it! I don't know WHY, but book feelings, people, I'm sharing my book feelings!
Anyway!
Because I have questions;
because I read it in one sitting;
because I threw my kindle at the wall (and it's been a long ass time since I did that!)
because of that freaking cliff hanger;
because, even, of that sneak peek;
because it's my review and I can. . .
5 freaking amazing stars!
But write quicker, Ms Sayle.
Write.
Quicker.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
I'm not gonna write a bit about this book. I'm not gonna rehash any sort of plot line, but what I am gonna say is this:
ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHH!
Sayle has a particular way of messing with my head, she leaves me with question after question. Mostly, questions I cannot voice, but my head knows it has questions and Sayle drives me freaking nuts about it!
So, once I got over my spit-your-dummy-out, throw-your-toys-out-the-pram and I'll-scream-and-scream-and-scream-until-I'm-sick kind of tantrum, here's what I thought about this book.
So good, this first book in a new series, a very different book than of late for Sayle and I read this and flung my kindle at the wall and my partner looked at me like I grew a third head!
Why, you ask? Because questions, people, I have a lot, A LOT of freaking questions about this book and it's taken me 3 days to manage to write something about this book that actually makes sense!
I am, however, fairly certain that I will not be the only one why has questions, hell, I'm not even sure if Sayle has all the questions, let alone the answers to everything that was NOT said here.
Because while you get everything you need about Aion and Shiesha NOW, there is much, so (I really wanna use the Fword here but some sites don't like that, but I need to stress the point!) freaking MUCH, that is not said. About who Aion and Shiesha are running from, about what happened to Aion's family, about who Shiesha really is, about WHAT he is! And those bloody monks? Cryptic or what! But those monks, I understood. They are bound by a higher power and sworn to secrecy. Aion and Shiesha have all the answers, they just need to listen to their hearts to find them.
And then we get to the ending! A cliff hanger, people, of massive proportions! I knew this was coming, the blurb says so, but still. I had 10 minutes left in the book and then it was finished and sheesh, I was not happy! There is a teeny tiny bit that happens next, a bit of an epilogue slash sneak peak but I would rather have not had that, to be honest! I think it would have had a bigger reaction from people to not have that sneak peak, and I am left a little . . .annoyed . . .maybe. . . by it! I don't know WHY, but book feelings, people, I'm sharing my book feelings!
Anyway!
Because I have questions;
because I read it in one sitting;
because I threw my kindle at the wall (and it's been a long ass time since I did that!)
because of that freaking cliff hanger;
because, even, of that sneak peek;
because it's my review and I can. . .
5 freaking amazing stars!
But write quicker, Ms Sayle.
Write.
Quicker.
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Faerie's Secret (Creepy Hollow, #4) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
The fourth novel to the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series pretty much made me realize that <b>there were actually some loose ends left untied in the third book</b> I'm not sure if I mentioned it felt like an almost abrupt ending (I probably did).
Anyways, <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> is <b>set approximately ten years after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie War</a></i></b>. Rachel introduces us to a <b>new main character Calla Larkenwood, Ryn's little sister</b> who made a few appearances in the first three novels when Violet is the main character.
<b>Calla is definitely different from Violet she's just as kick-ass, adorable, and doesn't actually follow orders from others.</b> She's a bit bratty sometimes (within reason) and a seemingly hopeless romantic who longs for companionship. She <b>desires to be a guardian and actually trains in private</b> before something happens and her parents approve of her joining a guild. She <b>gets a crash course of all four years in a month</b> before starting as a fifth-year guardian, where a lot of her peers and her mentor believe she doesn't belong. She's <b>determined to prove everyone wrong and show that she definitely belongs with the guild.</b>
Rachel seems to have focused more on giving the series more action, which doesn't really work out too well. <b>There's an entirely different faerie world that we are introduced to, and it's different from <a title="The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">when Violet was a guardian</a></b> not just with time, but with everything that happened in the third book. The <b>author does a pretty good job with easing us into the new guild,</b> but I'm a little curious on what the new guild looks like now that everything seems to be nice and dandy.
<b>I have very little idea on what the past characters are up to a decade later.</b> I'm very up to date with what happened to Ryn and some of the characters, but I don't really know what happened to Violet, Raven, and Flint. <b>There's some cryptic dialogue that tells me something, but it's not sure.</b> (It's not exactly safe to assume.) I know they survived, and they're still good friends. I don't know if they retired from the guardian life and pursued another career or something else entirely.
I may have enjoyed <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> more than the last two books <b>there are more dangers and adventures with Calla as our new heroine.</b> I don't really know what will happen in the next book <b>I'm left with an open ending where I have some questions that I hope to be answered in the sequel.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-a-faeries-secret-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The fourth novel to the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series pretty much made me realize that <b>there were actually some loose ends left untied in the third book</b> I'm not sure if I mentioned it felt like an almost abrupt ending (I probably did).
Anyways, <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> is <b>set approximately ten years after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie War</a></i></b>. Rachel introduces us to a <b>new main character Calla Larkenwood, Ryn's little sister</b> who made a few appearances in the first three novels when Violet is the main character.
<b>Calla is definitely different from Violet she's just as kick-ass, adorable, and doesn't actually follow orders from others.</b> She's a bit bratty sometimes (within reason) and a seemingly hopeless romantic who longs for companionship. She <b>desires to be a guardian and actually trains in private</b> before something happens and her parents approve of her joining a guild. She <b>gets a crash course of all four years in a month</b> before starting as a fifth-year guardian, where a lot of her peers and her mentor believe she doesn't belong. She's <b>determined to prove everyone wrong and show that she definitely belongs with the guild.</b>
Rachel seems to have focused more on giving the series more action, which doesn't really work out too well. <b>There's an entirely different faerie world that we are introduced to, and it's different from <a title="The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">when Violet was a guardian</a></b> not just with time, but with everything that happened in the third book. The <b>author does a pretty good job with easing us into the new guild,</b> but I'm a little curious on what the new guild looks like now that everything seems to be nice and dandy.
<b>I have very little idea on what the past characters are up to a decade later.</b> I'm very up to date with what happened to Ryn and some of the characters, but I don't really know what happened to Violet, Raven, and Flint. <b>There's some cryptic dialogue that tells me something, but it's not sure.</b> (It's not exactly safe to assume.) I know they survived, and they're still good friends. I don't know if they retired from the guardian life and pursued another career or something else entirely.
I may have enjoyed <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> more than the last two books <b>there are more dangers and adventures with Calla as our new heroine.</b> I don't really know what will happen in the next book <b>I'm left with an open ending where I have some questions that I hope to be answered in the sequel.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-a-faeries-secret-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Inferno (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
Infernal
Dan Brown has had a bad rap over the years from snobbish reviewers who dismiss his work as “trash”. I’m sure to a large degree the multi-millionaire Dan Brown couldn’t give a toss! I personally enjoyed both the books and Ron Howard’s films of “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels and Demons” as glossy escapism. Occasionally though books will generate a “WHHAAAT??” moment and Brown’s 2013 novel “Inferno” generated just such a response in its dramatic conclusion… and (for me at least) not in a good way. As someone always looking at script potential in books, the words “unfilmable” came to mind. So veteran screenwriter David Koepp (“Jurassic Park”, “Mission Impossible”, “Spiderman”) is to be congratulated in ‘adapting’ the story to provide a coherent screenplay.
But unfortunately it’s still arrant nonsense.
The film starts in promising style with famed symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) waking in hospital to horrific visions of hell on earth with only the attractive young nurse Dr Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) to soothe his nerves. A serious head wound prevents him from remembering the last 48 hours which makes it a bit tricky when a “Terminator”-style female cop (the striking Romanian actress Ana Ularu) arrives to try to kill him. Fleeing the scene, Langdon follows a typically convoluted trail of puzzles in a race to find the location of the source of a plague that if released will devastate the world’s population. In the process he has to dodge police, World Health Organisation (WHO) staff and members of a shadowy “private security organisation” trying to catch him.
The problem with the story is that it has a plague-sized hole in its plot. The actions of the main protagonist of the film, Bertrand Zobrist (Ben Foster, “The Program”), make absolutely zero sense. If he wanted to achieve his aims he would have just done it! (“No, Mr Bond – I won’t shoot you now”). Laying a devious cryptic trail for others to follow makes even less sense, particularly as he is even seen (in flashback) to be not very good at that! Quite bonkers!
Unfortunately, the more you ponder the story, the worse it gets, and it is this that fatally drags the film down despite all the good work that Hanks, Jones and director Ron Howard try to counter-balance it with.
For there are elements on the positive side of the scales. The Italian and Turkish scenes (in Florence, Venice and Istanbul) are gloriously filmed with lush colours and exotic and evocative locations. Tom Hanks is as solidly reliable as ever in the Langdon role, and its great to see Felicity “The Theory of Everything” Jones in a leading role before she disappears into obscurity again (humour: “Rogue One” is released in December).
Tom Hanks
The film has fun with romantic expectations of the Langdon and Brooks characters. Here though is Hanks with the more age-appropriate Knudsen.
The supporting cast is also of great quality. Sidse Babett Knudsen (“Borgen”) is Dr Sinsky, leader of the W.H.O. (not credited – as memorably done with Peter Capaldi in “World War Z” as “Doctor, W.H.O.”!). Irrfan (“Jurassic World”) Khan is striking as the mysterious and authoritarian “Provost”. And Omar Sy (who made such an impact in the brilliant “The Intouchables”) plays the lead W.H.O. officer in pursuit of Langdon.
Hans Zimmer again provides the soundtrack, with his beautiful series theme cleverly working its way into the music as Langdon’s memory returns. However, at various points the music become overtly noticeable, intrusive and not to my liking. A bombastic choral reworking of the theme over the end titles is stirring though.
In summary, a glossy and nonsensical disappointment.
But unfortunately it’s still arrant nonsense.
The film starts in promising style with famed symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) waking in hospital to horrific visions of hell on earth with only the attractive young nurse Dr Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) to soothe his nerves. A serious head wound prevents him from remembering the last 48 hours which makes it a bit tricky when a “Terminator”-style female cop (the striking Romanian actress Ana Ularu) arrives to try to kill him. Fleeing the scene, Langdon follows a typically convoluted trail of puzzles in a race to find the location of the source of a plague that if released will devastate the world’s population. In the process he has to dodge police, World Health Organisation (WHO) staff and members of a shadowy “private security organisation” trying to catch him.
The problem with the story is that it has a plague-sized hole in its plot. The actions of the main protagonist of the film, Bertrand Zobrist (Ben Foster, “The Program”), make absolutely zero sense. If he wanted to achieve his aims he would have just done it! (“No, Mr Bond – I won’t shoot you now”). Laying a devious cryptic trail for others to follow makes even less sense, particularly as he is even seen (in flashback) to be not very good at that! Quite bonkers!
Unfortunately, the more you ponder the story, the worse it gets, and it is this that fatally drags the film down despite all the good work that Hanks, Jones and director Ron Howard try to counter-balance it with.
For there are elements on the positive side of the scales. The Italian and Turkish scenes (in Florence, Venice and Istanbul) are gloriously filmed with lush colours and exotic and evocative locations. Tom Hanks is as solidly reliable as ever in the Langdon role, and its great to see Felicity “The Theory of Everything” Jones in a leading role before she disappears into obscurity again (humour: “Rogue One” is released in December).
Tom Hanks
The film has fun with romantic expectations of the Langdon and Brooks characters. Here though is Hanks with the more age-appropriate Knudsen.
The supporting cast is also of great quality. Sidse Babett Knudsen (“Borgen”) is Dr Sinsky, leader of the W.H.O. (not credited – as memorably done with Peter Capaldi in “World War Z” as “Doctor, W.H.O.”!). Irrfan (“Jurassic World”) Khan is striking as the mysterious and authoritarian “Provost”. And Omar Sy (who made such an impact in the brilliant “The Intouchables”) plays the lead W.H.O. officer in pursuit of Langdon.
Hans Zimmer again provides the soundtrack, with his beautiful series theme cleverly working its way into the music as Langdon’s memory returns. However, at various points the music become overtly noticeable, intrusive and not to my liking. A bombastic choral reworking of the theme over the end titles is stirring though.
In summary, a glossy and nonsensical disappointment.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated All In in Books
Dec 30, 2019 (Updated Jan 21, 2020)
When I read the synopsis for All In by L.K. Simonds, I was definitely intrigued. There was something about it that really spoke to me.
The plot felt very realistic and was done beautifully. Cami is a 29 year old famous author that doesn't seem to let things bother her much. After breaking up with her boyfriend, things start going downhill for her fast especially when something life changing happens. Unbeknownst to Cami, God is trying to touch her heart. Will she accept or will she push God away like everyone else she's pushed away?
The world building for All In was written very well. I felt like I was with Cami every step of the way from the breakup with her boyfriend, her one night stand, her vacations in Dallas, to her life changing event. While the pacing for All In starts off quite slow, it does eventually pick up about halfway through the book. Once the pacing picked up, I found myself absorbed in each and every little detail All In had to offer. I didn't really feel that this book had any plot twists or at least any major plot twists, but I also felt this novel didn't need any plot twists to hold its reader's interest. I did find myself trying to guess who helped Cami come to her life changing event. (Sorry to be so cryptic, but I don't want to give any spoilers away.) To some, All In may feel a bit preachy towards the ending of the book. However, this is a Christian fiction novel, and it is easy to tell that turning to God is what this book's main message is once you get closer to the ending. While we don't learn who contributed to Cami's life changing event (and it's not a big deal to find out who), every other loose string is tied up by the time the book ends.
The characters in All In are well fleshed out. My favorite character was Kate. I loved, loved, loved how caring she was towards everyone. She never had an unkind word about anyone. In fact, she was such a great role model. She was always full of encouragement throughout. I would love someone like Kate in my life. I also loved how patient Joel (Cami's ex) was with Cami. David was also a great guy, and I also loved how patient he was with Cami and just life in general. Another character I also loved was Sam. Even though he was dying, he wasn't angry or anything. In fact, he seemed very at peace with everything. The one character that did irk me was Cami. She seemed emotionless through most of the story. Joel accuses her basically of being emotionless, and he's right. She also comes off as extremely rude and snobby. I didn't really like or connect with Cami at all until the end of All In. Plus, I found it extremely gross when she was lusting and trying to seduce her 19 year old cousin. Cami seemed to just look at a guy and want to sleep with them. She'd also mention what each guy looked like and how attractive or unattractive they were each time. Cami couldn't just look at a man and see him as just a person. I felt like this took away from the book.
Trigger warnings for All In include death, some profanity, alcohol use, drug use, minor violence, and promiscuity (although the scenes were never graphic).
Overall, All In turns out to be a very uplifting read that sends a fantastic loving message. The plot is solid, and it does have some really sweet characters. I would recommend All In by L.K. Simonds to those aged 18+ who are questioning their faith in God or those who are already believers or are on the verge of believing. All In will leave you feeling satiated and loved.
--
(A special thank you to L.K. Simonds to providing me with a paperback of All In in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot felt very realistic and was done beautifully. Cami is a 29 year old famous author that doesn't seem to let things bother her much. After breaking up with her boyfriend, things start going downhill for her fast especially when something life changing happens. Unbeknownst to Cami, God is trying to touch her heart. Will she accept or will she push God away like everyone else she's pushed away?
The world building for All In was written very well. I felt like I was with Cami every step of the way from the breakup with her boyfriend, her one night stand, her vacations in Dallas, to her life changing event. While the pacing for All In starts off quite slow, it does eventually pick up about halfway through the book. Once the pacing picked up, I found myself absorbed in each and every little detail All In had to offer. I didn't really feel that this book had any plot twists or at least any major plot twists, but I also felt this novel didn't need any plot twists to hold its reader's interest. I did find myself trying to guess who helped Cami come to her life changing event. (Sorry to be so cryptic, but I don't want to give any spoilers away.) To some, All In may feel a bit preachy towards the ending of the book. However, this is a Christian fiction novel, and it is easy to tell that turning to God is what this book's main message is once you get closer to the ending. While we don't learn who contributed to Cami's life changing event (and it's not a big deal to find out who), every other loose string is tied up by the time the book ends.
The characters in All In are well fleshed out. My favorite character was Kate. I loved, loved, loved how caring she was towards everyone. She never had an unkind word about anyone. In fact, she was such a great role model. She was always full of encouragement throughout. I would love someone like Kate in my life. I also loved how patient Joel (Cami's ex) was with Cami. David was also a great guy, and I also loved how patient he was with Cami and just life in general. Another character I also loved was Sam. Even though he was dying, he wasn't angry or anything. In fact, he seemed very at peace with everything. The one character that did irk me was Cami. She seemed emotionless through most of the story. Joel accuses her basically of being emotionless, and he's right. She also comes off as extremely rude and snobby. I didn't really like or connect with Cami at all until the end of All In. Plus, I found it extremely gross when she was lusting and trying to seduce her 19 year old cousin. Cami seemed to just look at a guy and want to sleep with them. She'd also mention what each guy looked like and how attractive or unattractive they were each time. Cami couldn't just look at a man and see him as just a person. I felt like this took away from the book.
Trigger warnings for All In include death, some profanity, alcohol use, drug use, minor violence, and promiscuity (although the scenes were never graphic).
Overall, All In turns out to be a very uplifting read that sends a fantastic loving message. The plot is solid, and it does have some really sweet characters. I would recommend All In by L.K. Simonds to those aged 18+ who are questioning their faith in God or those who are already believers or are on the verge of believing. All In will leave you feeling satiated and loved.
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(A special thank you to L.K. Simonds to providing me with a paperback of All In in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
Bad writing (1 more)
Mostly romance
Drowning is one of the top fears in the world, and it's also one of the top ways to cover up a murder. In Lie to Me, Ward's fourth YA novel, she uses drowning as the basis of the story. Yet, this book fell very short in the thriller/mystery genre: Ward gives away too many hints at the beginning of the book, that most readers will have the murderer figured out by chapter 7; she also focuses too much on romance, something that should have caused this story to be filed under a different category other than mystery/thriller. But luckily she didn't bring in a wide circle of characters to cause confusion, using only one view point from the main character of Lie to Me: Amelia- - - a teen girl who believes she was pushed down a ravine to be left for dead in the raging water below.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Besides her 'accident,' Amelia leads a normal life with her mother, father and brother, Hunter - - - she also has a small group of friends. After her 'fall,' a body of a teen girl from the same town is found in a nearby river, but the town gossips, and makes it seem that this girl committed suicide, leaving Amelia worried that her family would think the same thing about her. Depression is something that Amelia's family has had to deal with before, but the talk of depression is candid and not very enlightening; her brother, Hunter, who is in therapy for such doesn't even talk about it, instead he's usually seen playing soccer or Fortnite, this seems to be a broad attempt to bring mental health into the story,but without going into that subject, it failed as a story line. Yet, one of the main causes of depression today is social media, which we find Amelia stalking one of her best friends/love interest on- - -if Ward was trying to reach the YA community about depression, she went the wrong way about it.
Another mistake that Ward made was when Amelia receives an anonymous text message from someone telling her to 'Just let it go,Amelia,' this occurs after she has started investigating whether her 'accident' was an accident. Amelia tells us that she is always suspicious of everyone, but when this text message comes around, it's as if she could care less. She even tries to take the anonymous message as advice: " 'Or it's advice.' I feel backed into a corner. It's one thing to believe someone hurt me and another thing to have proof of it. I don't want this to be proof. 'I mean, Sky's always telling me I should let my life get back to normal, and she doesn't even know I'm thinking any of this. Maybe someone else feels that way,too.' " In reality, if you believed that someone attempted to murder you, and suddenly you are receiving a cryptic message about letting it go, wouldn't the logic thing to do is go to the police?? Amelia doesn't!
Ward has written three other YA novels, 'Lie to Me' being her fourth. The writing in this story is bad in some places, for example, a scene with Amelia and her best friend, Sky, meeting up at the 'screen' (technically a giant drive-in movie theater screen); Amelia thinks about how this town is a haven for her, that everyone feels safe, but the very next paragraph, she's stating she doesn't feel safe anymore. This makes sense if you haven't read it, but the way it's written could have been in a much better and concise way. This and most scenes makes the story read like a sloppy diary entry. That, and the killer being predictable so early on in the story made me very disappointed with this book. 'Lie to Me' had great potential from the synopsis, but it lacked story, mystery, suspense and diverse characters.
I can't recommend this book to people who love horror stories, like I do. I think the only ones who would enjoy this story are the die-hard YA fans. It has everything that YA is known for: romance and teen drama, but it's lacking in everything else. Other than that, I don't think I'll read another book by Ward, but as far as Point horror books go, I will still give them a shot.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Hacksaw Ridge (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
In God, and Doss, we Trust.
Those dreaded words – “Based On A True Story” – emerge again from the blackness of the opening page. Actually, no. In a move that could be considered arrogant if it wasn’t so well researched, here we even lose the first two words.
When a war film is described as being “visceral” then you know you need to steel yourself mentally for what you might see. But given that this film is based around the horrendously brutal combat between the Americans and the Japanese on the Pacific island of Okinawa in 1945 this is a warning well-founded. For the battle scenes in this film are reminiscent of the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan” in their brutality: long gone are the war films of John Wayne where there would be a shot, a grasp of the stomach and a casual descent to earth.
But before we get to the battle itself, the film has a leisurely hour of character building which is time well spent (although it could have perhaps been trimmed a tad tighter). Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield, “The Amazing Spiderman”, “Never Let Me Go”) grows up a God-fearing youngster in the beautiful surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. His alcoholic father (Hugo Weaving, “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Matrix”) has been mentally traumatised by the First World War, further strengthening Desmond’s fervent belief in following the Ten Commandments; most notably “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. But his patriotic sense of duty is also strong, and Doss signs up after Pearl Harbor and is posted to a rifle brigade that – given his refusal to even touch a rifle – puts him on a collision course with the US Army. It also (obviously) disrupts his romance with nurse sweetheart Dorothy (Teresa Palmer).
This is really two films in one, with the first half setting up extremely well the characters that make the second half so effective. For you care – really care – for what happens to most of the characters involved, especially the zealous and determined Doss who has nothing to face the Japanese hoards with but a medical bag. The feelings that comes to top of mind are awe that these real people actually had to go through this horror and hope that in today’s increasingly unstable political world we will never need to again face such inhumanity of man against man again.
Andrew Garfield really carries this film, and his Best Actor Oscar nomination is well-deserved. He is perfectly cast as the (onward) Christian soldier. Also outstanding is Hugo Weaving in an emotional and persuasive role playing opposite Rachel Griffiths (“Saving Mr Banks”) his wife. But the real acting surprise here for me was Vince Vaughn (“The Wedding Crashers”) who plays the no-nonsense platoon Sergeant Howell: never one of my favourite actors, here he brings in a warm and nuanced performance that ends with a memorable action scene.
Also worthy of specific note is Dan Oliver (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) and his team of special effects technicians, the stunt teams (led by Kyle Gardiner and Mic Rodgers), production designer Barry Robinson and the hair and makeup team, all of who collaborate to make the final half of the film so gripping.
The film marks a comeback from the film society ‘naughty step’ of Mel Gibson after his much publicised fall from grace in the mid-noughties. A Best Director Oscar nomination would appear to cement that resurrection. For this is a phenomenal achievement in direction and one that should be applauded.
The film bears closest comparison with the interesting two-film combo from Clint Eastwood – “Flags of our Fathers” (from the American viewpoint) and “Letters from Iwo Jima” (from the Japanese viewpoint). While all three films share the same blood and guts quotient, with “Hacksaw Ridge” edging this award, the Eastwood films tend to have more emotional depth and a more thought-provoking treatment of the Japanese angle. In “Hacksaw Ridge”, while the war crimes of the Japanese are clear, the war crimes of the Americans are quietly cloaked behind a cryptic line (“They didn’t make it”).
That being said, there is no crime in a rollicking good story well told, and “Hacksaw Ridge” is certainly that. This was a film I did not have high hopes for. But I was surprised to be proved wrong. Recommended.
When a war film is described as being “visceral” then you know you need to steel yourself mentally for what you might see. But given that this film is based around the horrendously brutal combat between the Americans and the Japanese on the Pacific island of Okinawa in 1945 this is a warning well-founded. For the battle scenes in this film are reminiscent of the opening scenes of “Saving Private Ryan” in their brutality: long gone are the war films of John Wayne where there would be a shot, a grasp of the stomach and a casual descent to earth.
But before we get to the battle itself, the film has a leisurely hour of character building which is time well spent (although it could have perhaps been trimmed a tad tighter). Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield, “The Amazing Spiderman”, “Never Let Me Go”) grows up a God-fearing youngster in the beautiful surroundings of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. His alcoholic father (Hugo Weaving, “The Lord of the Rings”, “The Matrix”) has been mentally traumatised by the First World War, further strengthening Desmond’s fervent belief in following the Ten Commandments; most notably “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. But his patriotic sense of duty is also strong, and Doss signs up after Pearl Harbor and is posted to a rifle brigade that – given his refusal to even touch a rifle – puts him on a collision course with the US Army. It also (obviously) disrupts his romance with nurse sweetheart Dorothy (Teresa Palmer).
This is really two films in one, with the first half setting up extremely well the characters that make the second half so effective. For you care – really care – for what happens to most of the characters involved, especially the zealous and determined Doss who has nothing to face the Japanese hoards with but a medical bag. The feelings that comes to top of mind are awe that these real people actually had to go through this horror and hope that in today’s increasingly unstable political world we will never need to again face such inhumanity of man against man again.
Andrew Garfield really carries this film, and his Best Actor Oscar nomination is well-deserved. He is perfectly cast as the (onward) Christian soldier. Also outstanding is Hugo Weaving in an emotional and persuasive role playing opposite Rachel Griffiths (“Saving Mr Banks”) his wife. But the real acting surprise here for me was Vince Vaughn (“The Wedding Crashers”) who plays the no-nonsense platoon Sergeant Howell: never one of my favourite actors, here he brings in a warm and nuanced performance that ends with a memorable action scene.
Also worthy of specific note is Dan Oliver (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) and his team of special effects technicians, the stunt teams (led by Kyle Gardiner and Mic Rodgers), production designer Barry Robinson and the hair and makeup team, all of who collaborate to make the final half of the film so gripping.
The film marks a comeback from the film society ‘naughty step’ of Mel Gibson after his much publicised fall from grace in the mid-noughties. A Best Director Oscar nomination would appear to cement that resurrection. For this is a phenomenal achievement in direction and one that should be applauded.
The film bears closest comparison with the interesting two-film combo from Clint Eastwood – “Flags of our Fathers” (from the American viewpoint) and “Letters from Iwo Jima” (from the Japanese viewpoint). While all three films share the same blood and guts quotient, with “Hacksaw Ridge” edging this award, the Eastwood films tend to have more emotional depth and a more thought-provoking treatment of the Japanese angle. In “Hacksaw Ridge”, while the war crimes of the Japanese are clear, the war crimes of the Americans are quietly cloaked behind a cryptic line (“They didn’t make it”).
That being said, there is no crime in a rollicking good story well told, and “Hacksaw Ridge” is certainly that. This was a film I did not have high hopes for. But I was surprised to be proved wrong. Recommended.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Da Vinci Code (2006) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
No film since “The Last Temptation of Christ” has invoked as much controversy as The Da Vinci Code based on the book of the same name by Dan Brown. Prior to the film even being screened for the press, cries ran out to ban the film and its message that some find blasphemous. Fortunately calmer heads have prevailed and the film by Director Ron Howard has arrived in a wash of media frenzy not seen since Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.
If you are seeing a pattern forming, you would be correct as it seems that few topics can raise ire and wrath more than the topic of religion, especially if the film proposes a viewpoint that differs from the traditional beliefs that are given by the church, bible, and history.
In the film, a monk appears to murder an elderly man who with his last ounces of strength, manages to leave a cryptic riddle on his body. The bizarre nature of the crime prompts French police inspector Fache (Jean Reno) to travel to the Louvre to investigate the crime. A clue at the crime scene causes the police to summer Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) from a lecture hall where he is signing his latest book on symbols. Since the deceased was supposed to meet Langdon earlier in the day Langdon has fallen under suspicion for the crime.
As he attempts to decipher the message at the crime scene, Langdon encounters a police cryptologists named Sophie (Audrey Tautou), who informs Robert that he is in danger and soon the duo are fleeing from the police after deciphering some hidden clues at the crime scene.
Before either Robert or Audrey knows what is happening, they are being accused of multiple murders and on the run. As the clues begin to mount, the mystery takes an even stranger turn by the discovery of an artifact that when unlocked, should contain a map.
Seeking refuge and help, the duo arrive at the estate of Sir Leigh Teabing (Sir Ian Mc Kellen), who proceeds to tell Robert and Sophie that the clues they have uncovered are part of a cover-up that segments of the church will stop at nothing to keep secret. The nature of this secret is such that should it become public knowledge, then they very foundations of history, faith, and the church could be shaken to their core.
As the mystery becomes clearer, the group are attacked by a Monk named Silas (Paul Bettany), who has been doing the violent work of someone know as The Teacher in an effort to discover the location of artifacts and those attempting to uncover the mystery.
What follows is a frantic race that travels from Paris to London in an effort to get to the bottom of the mystery and unravel the true nature of the mystery and the secret that people are willing to kill for in order to protect.
While some may find the mystery, the players, and their motivations confusing, the film does grab hold and moves along at a solid pace. Ron Howard once again shows his skill by directing a film that is different from his other works, yet rich in its visuals and complexity. The scenic locales of the film enhance the mystery (For those who have not read the book), as they attempt to decipher the clues along with the characters.
The work from the cast was solid as Hanks gives a very good if restrained performance in his portrayal. Mc Kellen is a very nice blend of elegance and old world charm that lifts up every scene in which he is in.
While there are those who will lambaste the film for the message it provides, I chose to look at it as a film that does what movies should, entertain and make you think. The film is not saying its assertions are hard and cold facts, what it is doing is providing a vehicle for debate.
In college I was told that through debate comes knowledge and growth for a society. This was common in ancient Greek and Roman society where issues of the day would be debated in open forums. It seems that we as a society have become too insistent to take things at face value and have forgotten that the very nature of the human experience is to question, grow, and seek our own answers. As such the film is a great example of how Hollywood at times gets it right and provides solid entertainment that will stimulate as well as entertain.
If you are seeing a pattern forming, you would be correct as it seems that few topics can raise ire and wrath more than the topic of religion, especially if the film proposes a viewpoint that differs from the traditional beliefs that are given by the church, bible, and history.
In the film, a monk appears to murder an elderly man who with his last ounces of strength, manages to leave a cryptic riddle on his body. The bizarre nature of the crime prompts French police inspector Fache (Jean Reno) to travel to the Louvre to investigate the crime. A clue at the crime scene causes the police to summer Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) from a lecture hall where he is signing his latest book on symbols. Since the deceased was supposed to meet Langdon earlier in the day Langdon has fallen under suspicion for the crime.
As he attempts to decipher the message at the crime scene, Langdon encounters a police cryptologists named Sophie (Audrey Tautou), who informs Robert that he is in danger and soon the duo are fleeing from the police after deciphering some hidden clues at the crime scene.
Before either Robert or Audrey knows what is happening, they are being accused of multiple murders and on the run. As the clues begin to mount, the mystery takes an even stranger turn by the discovery of an artifact that when unlocked, should contain a map.
Seeking refuge and help, the duo arrive at the estate of Sir Leigh Teabing (Sir Ian Mc Kellen), who proceeds to tell Robert and Sophie that the clues they have uncovered are part of a cover-up that segments of the church will stop at nothing to keep secret. The nature of this secret is such that should it become public knowledge, then they very foundations of history, faith, and the church could be shaken to their core.
As the mystery becomes clearer, the group are attacked by a Monk named Silas (Paul Bettany), who has been doing the violent work of someone know as The Teacher in an effort to discover the location of artifacts and those attempting to uncover the mystery.
What follows is a frantic race that travels from Paris to London in an effort to get to the bottom of the mystery and unravel the true nature of the mystery and the secret that people are willing to kill for in order to protect.
While some may find the mystery, the players, and their motivations confusing, the film does grab hold and moves along at a solid pace. Ron Howard once again shows his skill by directing a film that is different from his other works, yet rich in its visuals and complexity. The scenic locales of the film enhance the mystery (For those who have not read the book), as they attempt to decipher the clues along with the characters.
The work from the cast was solid as Hanks gives a very good if restrained performance in his portrayal. Mc Kellen is a very nice blend of elegance and old world charm that lifts up every scene in which he is in.
While there are those who will lambaste the film for the message it provides, I chose to look at it as a film that does what movies should, entertain and make you think. The film is not saying its assertions are hard and cold facts, what it is doing is providing a vehicle for debate.
In college I was told that through debate comes knowledge and growth for a society. This was common in ancient Greek and Roman society where issues of the day would be debated in open forums. It seems that we as a society have become too insistent to take things at face value and have forgotten that the very nature of the human experience is to question, grow, and seek our own answers. As such the film is a great example of how Hollywood at times gets it right and provides solid entertainment that will stimulate as well as entertain.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Wish You Were Here in Tabletop Games
Nov 3, 2020
I thought I was smart. I thought my wife was smarter. I thought that combined, we would have a great shot at figuring out anything thrown at us. Then The Enigma Emporium threw Wish You Were Here at us, and now we feel the American school system has failed us miserably. The level of defeat we feel is immense and can only hope to redeem ourselves during the next game.
Wish You Were Here is a puzzle-on-some-postcards-that-make-you-feel-like-a-Kindergarten-version-of-Indiana-Jones-minus-the-physical-adventuring game. I really cannot describe it any better for you, but will let you know what to expect and how we fared.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of the entire Wish You Were Here series of games for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your envelope. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, as there is no rulebook. For more information and to order your own, visit the publisher’s website. Also, I am purposely hiding or not showing certain things because I wish to avoid any spoilers. -T
To setup, make sure your phone or tablet are fully charged, grab yourself a nice chai tea latte (or three), a pad of paper and writing utensil, open the game envelope and pull out the five postcards. You are now ready to “play” Wish You Were Here.
Why am I being so sparse and cryptic? Well, Wish You Were Here is a game that is played by figuring out puzzles and clues printed on postcards to catch a criminal and suss out their crime(s). The postcards are simply full of different puzzles and different TYPES of puzzles. I am really unable to go into much further detail for fear of spoilers, but before you tackle this adventure, I would brush up on your Dan Brown to channel your inner Robert Langdon (the guy from the Da Vinci Code books and movies).
Inside the envelope are five postcards from which you will need to assemble a working idea of what is actually going on and what is being communicated to you through these clues. Speaking of clues, the publisher has thankfully included their website to visit when you are simply stuck on something provided.
Players will be tackling the puzzles provided by attacking separately or as a group and putting together their thoughts and findings. Once the players have it figured out (good luck) then they must collaborate their answers within the game.
Components. This game is five postcards in a paper envelope. The envelope is fine and holds the postcards well. The postcards themselves are normal postcard stock, but every little item on them may be important toward solving the case. They are all vastly different in style and, I’ll give you a tiny hint, each card may have its own theme. The components here are strange to try to review, but for being the type of game it is, the components are excellent..?
Okay so like I said in my intro, I found my wife and I to be highly intelligent people. We both have college degrees and one of us was a high school valedictorian (not me). So imagine my surprise as we are cookin’ on the first postcard, have some items and ideas written down, but then get super stuck on what it is trying to tell us. So we think that there is no harm in checking out the clues on the publisher website and check it out. Once we find what we are looking for, we realize that maybe we are in way over our heads here.
The clues are incredibly helpful to solving the information provided on each postcard. I just wish we didn’t become so dependent on them to figure out each card. Once we pulled up the clues site the first time, it became more and more tempting to just get as many clues as we could there and then the game became more an activity of following clue instructions and applying their suggestions than us actually trying to figure them out ourselves. It might have had something to do with the fact that we started the game at 10pm, and were nowhere near finished at midnight, but the chai and cookies helped a little.
All in all, this game is incredibly unique and really really tough, unless the players are all into ciphers and codices. Being able to recognize what puzzle style is being employed is the first step in solving each one. Using that information to apply to the puzzle at hand is the other side of that coin. That said, we at Purple Phoenix Games give this one a solid, but hidden 12 / 18. Our brains are still reeling from that playthrough, but we are determined to figure out more items independently once we attempt the next game in the series. If you are looking for a small footprint, brain-wrecking, incredibly thinky game to pull out with your more academic friends, then definitely order your copy of Wish You Were Here from theenigmaemporium.com, and grab all the others while you are there as well.
Wish You Were Here is a puzzle-on-some-postcards-that-make-you-feel-like-a-Kindergarten-version-of-Indiana-Jones-minus-the-physical-adventuring game. I really cannot describe it any better for you, but will let you know what to expect and how we fared.
DISCLAIMER: We were provided a copy of the entire Wish You Were Here series of games for the purposes of this review. This is a retail copy of the game, so what you see in these photos is exactly what would be received in your envelope. I do not intend to cover every single rule included in the rulebook, as there is no rulebook. For more information and to order your own, visit the publisher’s website. Also, I am purposely hiding or not showing certain things because I wish to avoid any spoilers. -T
To setup, make sure your phone or tablet are fully charged, grab yourself a nice chai tea latte (or three), a pad of paper and writing utensil, open the game envelope and pull out the five postcards. You are now ready to “play” Wish You Were Here.
Why am I being so sparse and cryptic? Well, Wish You Were Here is a game that is played by figuring out puzzles and clues printed on postcards to catch a criminal and suss out their crime(s). The postcards are simply full of different puzzles and different TYPES of puzzles. I am really unable to go into much further detail for fear of spoilers, but before you tackle this adventure, I would brush up on your Dan Brown to channel your inner Robert Langdon (the guy from the Da Vinci Code books and movies).
Inside the envelope are five postcards from which you will need to assemble a working idea of what is actually going on and what is being communicated to you through these clues. Speaking of clues, the publisher has thankfully included their website to visit when you are simply stuck on something provided.
Players will be tackling the puzzles provided by attacking separately or as a group and putting together their thoughts and findings. Once the players have it figured out (good luck) then they must collaborate their answers within the game.
Components. This game is five postcards in a paper envelope. The envelope is fine and holds the postcards well. The postcards themselves are normal postcard stock, but every little item on them may be important toward solving the case. They are all vastly different in style and, I’ll give you a tiny hint, each card may have its own theme. The components here are strange to try to review, but for being the type of game it is, the components are excellent..?
Okay so like I said in my intro, I found my wife and I to be highly intelligent people. We both have college degrees and one of us was a high school valedictorian (not me). So imagine my surprise as we are cookin’ on the first postcard, have some items and ideas written down, but then get super stuck on what it is trying to tell us. So we think that there is no harm in checking out the clues on the publisher website and check it out. Once we find what we are looking for, we realize that maybe we are in way over our heads here.
The clues are incredibly helpful to solving the information provided on each postcard. I just wish we didn’t become so dependent on them to figure out each card. Once we pulled up the clues site the first time, it became more and more tempting to just get as many clues as we could there and then the game became more an activity of following clue instructions and applying their suggestions than us actually trying to figure them out ourselves. It might have had something to do with the fact that we started the game at 10pm, and were nowhere near finished at midnight, but the chai and cookies helped a little.
All in all, this game is incredibly unique and really really tough, unless the players are all into ciphers and codices. Being able to recognize what puzzle style is being employed is the first step in solving each one. Using that information to apply to the puzzle at hand is the other side of that coin. That said, we at Purple Phoenix Games give this one a solid, but hidden 12 / 18. Our brains are still reeling from that playthrough, but we are determined to figure out more items independently once we attempt the next game in the series. If you are looking for a small footprint, brain-wrecking, incredibly thinky game to pull out with your more academic friends, then definitely order your copy of Wish You Were Here from theenigmaemporium.com, and grab all the others while you are there as well.
