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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Turned at Dark (Shadow Falls, #0.5) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
As you may know from reading <i>Born at Midnight</i>, the first book of the <i>Shadow Falls</i> series, Della Tsang is Kylie Galen's Vampire friend. Here, we learn how Della was turned into a vampire and how she came about Shadow Falls. We also go into a bit more depth of Della's life before <i>Shadow Falls</i> and a brief history about Supernaturals. Warning though: like <i>Forgotten Lyrics</i> by Amanda Hocking (which I'm currently reading), it's a quick read. Actually, even more quick since it's only 32 pages long.
To be frank, I don't think I was expecting Vampirism to be a virus. I was expecting Della to get bitten by an actual vampire when I first met her in <i>Born at Midnight</i>. And was I so very very wrong at that assumption. The fact that Della had a Vampire virus in her blood was an unexpected twist in the series.
If I were Della's shoes, I probably would've reacted the same way as she did if I found out that *insert spoiler* wasn't actually dead and I was carrying a virus that could turn me into a vampire (It might even be cool). And that the fact blood will taste yummy. o_o
As for Della's issues in real life, I can totally compare my own life to her life. High expectations? yep. Sometimes too high? yep! Super harsh? Harsh, yes, but not like Della's parents in a way. Therefore, Della is now one of my favorite characters from Shadow Falls. Don't worry, there's plenty of room for the rest of them as well. Della just has that "twin-like" quality. :)
Overall, I love the humor that Hunter has woven into this story and find that Turned at Dark is a great prequel to Born at Midnight. It's not necessary to read Born at Midnight first, but if you want to, feel free to do so. I actually enjoyed the series and the shortstory. :)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-turned-at-dark-by-c-c-hunter/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
To be frank, I don't think I was expecting Vampirism to be a virus. I was expecting Della to get bitten by an actual vampire when I first met her in <i>Born at Midnight</i>. And was I so very very wrong at that assumption. The fact that Della had a Vampire virus in her blood was an unexpected twist in the series.
If I were Della's shoes, I probably would've reacted the same way as she did if I found out that *insert spoiler* wasn't actually dead and I was carrying a virus that could turn me into a vampire (It might even be cool). And that the fact blood will taste yummy. o_o
As for Della's issues in real life, I can totally compare my own life to her life. High expectations? yep. Sometimes too high? yep! Super harsh? Harsh, yes, but not like Della's parents in a way. Therefore, Della is now one of my favorite characters from Shadow Falls. Don't worry, there's plenty of room for the rest of them as well. Della just has that "twin-like" quality. :)
Overall, I love the humor that Hunter has woven into this story and find that Turned at Dark is a great prequel to Born at Midnight. It's not necessary to read Born at Midnight first, but if you want to, feel free to do so. I actually enjoyed the series and the shortstory. :)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-turned-at-dark-by-c-c-hunter/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Forest Dark
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"One of America’s most important novelists" (New York Times), the award-winning, New York Times...
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Eastman Was Here
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“Absorbing...Eastman is a riveting...presence who demands to be loved and remembered.” —The...
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Evil Dead: The Game in Video Games
Jun 1, 2022
Back in 1981, Director Sam Raimi unleashed the Evil Dead on audiences and in doing so ignited his career as well as that of star Bruce Campbell. The subsequent sequels only further cemented dysfunctional hero Ash Williams into Pop Culture history as did the recent television series which returned the character to eager fans.
Saber Interactive has given fans a chance to play as Ash or several of the characters from the series with Evil Dead: The Game and take the battle to the demonic hordes and plenty of humor, horror, and action along the way.
The game is played from the third-person perspective and online players can enjoy cross-play so that players on all systems can play with one another. In the multiplayer mode, up to four players can team up to get missing pages of a text over a dark and vast map that is littered with demons and can have a player-controlled demon in the mix as well.
Players will be able to arm up by locating guns, knives, swords, and ammunition along the way as well as matches which are key to lighting up areas to keep enemies from advancing. Ammunition is in limited supply so players will have to be selective about combat as blowing away enemies is tons of fun but having to mix it up or run is not always wise when they attack in masses.
The maps are very large and there are vehicles available that are handy in running down enemies and making it to remote areas of the map. Along the way, there are shops, cabins, homes, and other locales where players can find needed objects to survive.
The longer a player operates in the dark or away from other players makes them increase in fear which allows them to be possessed and turn on their fellow players. When a player is low on health they can regain it by drinking cola that is found around the map or by being assisted by a fellow player which is not easy in the midst of combat as helping others can place you at risk.
The goal is to get a legendary dagger and take on the evil leaders which if successful wins the rounds for the players and their XP levels up. Players also have the option for a regular or furious attack as well as special moves which recharge over time.
The solo portion of the game is set in chapters and requires Ash to complete various tasks to advance to the next one. I found this to be very challenging as at times the maps are so dark it is hard to navigate or see properly and without players to help out, it can be a frustrating defeat.
The game has decent graphics and sound and the numerous clips of star Bruce Campbell offering wisdom and quips are very enjoyable and sets the tone for the game well. The attention to detail from the movies is also very enjoyable as players will want to make sure to take a good look around the cabins to get their nostalgia fix.
The game is a fun diversion and fun in groups and gives fans of the series the action and nostalgia they have come to expect. Some may cite a lack of initial depth to the gameplay and maps but I am sure as time goes on and more updates arrive, the game will continue to grow.
For now, Evil Dead: The Game offers enough action, humor, and nostalgia to keep fans happy.
3.5 stars out of 5
Saber Interactive has given fans a chance to play as Ash or several of the characters from the series with Evil Dead: The Game and take the battle to the demonic hordes and plenty of humor, horror, and action along the way.
The game is played from the third-person perspective and online players can enjoy cross-play so that players on all systems can play with one another. In the multiplayer mode, up to four players can team up to get missing pages of a text over a dark and vast map that is littered with demons and can have a player-controlled demon in the mix as well.
Players will be able to arm up by locating guns, knives, swords, and ammunition along the way as well as matches which are key to lighting up areas to keep enemies from advancing. Ammunition is in limited supply so players will have to be selective about combat as blowing away enemies is tons of fun but having to mix it up or run is not always wise when they attack in masses.
The maps are very large and there are vehicles available that are handy in running down enemies and making it to remote areas of the map. Along the way, there are shops, cabins, homes, and other locales where players can find needed objects to survive.
The longer a player operates in the dark or away from other players makes them increase in fear which allows them to be possessed and turn on their fellow players. When a player is low on health they can regain it by drinking cola that is found around the map or by being assisted by a fellow player which is not easy in the midst of combat as helping others can place you at risk.
The goal is to get a legendary dagger and take on the evil leaders which if successful wins the rounds for the players and their XP levels up. Players also have the option for a regular or furious attack as well as special moves which recharge over time.
The solo portion of the game is set in chapters and requires Ash to complete various tasks to advance to the next one. I found this to be very challenging as at times the maps are so dark it is hard to navigate or see properly and without players to help out, it can be a frustrating defeat.
The game has decent graphics and sound and the numerous clips of star Bruce Campbell offering wisdom and quips are very enjoyable and sets the tone for the game well. The attention to detail from the movies is also very enjoyable as players will want to make sure to take a good look around the cabins to get their nostalgia fix.
The game is a fun diversion and fun in groups and gives fans of the series the action and nostalgia they have come to expect. Some may cite a lack of initial depth to the gameplay and maps but I am sure as time goes on and more updates arrive, the game will continue to grow.
For now, Evil Dead: The Game offers enough action, humor, and nostalgia to keep fans happy.
3.5 stars out of 5
Jamie (131 KP) rated The Bazaar of Bad Dreams in Books
Aug 15, 2017
Author commentary (2 more)
Plenty of dark humor
The handful of good stories were really great
Much of the collection simply fell flat (1 more)
Mix of genres was sometimes disjointing
An underwhelming collection from the King
The Bazaar of Bad Dreams is a large collection of novellas and short stories that include a wide variety of genres. Each time I turned the page to the next story it would be kind of a wild card and I never knew what to expect which was both good and bad. While it was nice that the variety keeps things fresh, it also made the collection feel disorganized. The stories in the anthology don’t fit any particular theme, instead they just seemed like odds and ends thrown into a master volume. This will probably not be a big deal to many, but for me it just broke the flow.
On a more positive note, one of my favorite aspects of King’s writing is the incredibly dark humor that is present in much of his work. I think the addition of comedy helps to break some of the tension from the otherwise horrific stories and I found myself chuckling several times while reading. The anecdotes before each story were fun to read and gave some interesting insight into King’s writing processes and the things that inspire him. These personal little notes were one of the major highlights of the collection since it serves as a way of connecting the reader to the writer. King to me just has a likable voice and I enjoy reading or listening to his talks.
My favorite story out of the entire collection was no contest, there was one story that stood out to me more than the others: Under the Weather. The short is just so well paced and filled me with so much dread from start to finish that I was in awe. It really showcased King’s mastery of the technical aspects of writing and how to build tension and suspense. Other notable stories were Mile 81, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Under the Weather, The Little Green God of Agony, and Summer Thunder.
Despite all of my praise, it was difficult for me to decide how I wanted to rate this collection. The stories are decent, there are even a few really good ones in the collection, but overall it was nowhere near King’s best. When I closed the book I felt relieved to finally be done, which is not the best feeling to have after finishing a book. Many of the stories seemed to be either love or hate to me and so it was really a mixed bag. Even after I’d finish a story I enjoyed and put the book down for the night, I’d find that I had no motivation to pick the book back up again the next day. Because of this I ended up taking a full month to read this collection which is slower than my average. I had actually been thinking of rating this book lower but the strong final stories drove me to push my rating up a little higher.
On a more positive note, one of my favorite aspects of King’s writing is the incredibly dark humor that is present in much of his work. I think the addition of comedy helps to break some of the tension from the otherwise horrific stories and I found myself chuckling several times while reading. The anecdotes before each story were fun to read and gave some interesting insight into King’s writing processes and the things that inspire him. These personal little notes were one of the major highlights of the collection since it serves as a way of connecting the reader to the writer. King to me just has a likable voice and I enjoy reading or listening to his talks.
My favorite story out of the entire collection was no contest, there was one story that stood out to me more than the others: Under the Weather. The short is just so well paced and filled me with so much dread from start to finish that I was in awe. It really showcased King’s mastery of the technical aspects of writing and how to build tension and suspense. Other notable stories were Mile 81, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Under the Weather, The Little Green God of Agony, and Summer Thunder.
Despite all of my praise, it was difficult for me to decide how I wanted to rate this collection. The stories are decent, there are even a few really good ones in the collection, but overall it was nowhere near King’s best. When I closed the book I felt relieved to finally be done, which is not the best feeling to have after finishing a book. Many of the stories seemed to be either love or hate to me and so it was really a mixed bag. Even after I’d finish a story I enjoyed and put the book down for the night, I’d find that I had no motivation to pick the book back up again the next day. Because of this I ended up taking a full month to read this collection which is slower than my average. I had actually been thinking of rating this book lower but the strong final stories drove me to push my rating up a little higher.
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Terminator: Dark Fate (2019) in Movies
Nov 6, 2019
Good (enough) conclusion to the Franchise
After a few attempts at resurrecting this franchise, James Cameron has (wisely) decided to bury the franchise with one last TERMINATOR film starring the original Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger. TERMINATOR: DARK FATE is a direct sequel to T2: JUDGEMENT DAY (or so says Producer/Writer Cameron) as it ignores the 3rd and 4th movies in this series (as well as the television show THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES).
And that is a wise move as it simplifies things and just lets us get on to what a Terminator movie does best - fantastic action sequences, state of the art CGI, a killer robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission, and a plucky hero or 2 to battle said killer robot.
Oh...did I mention that they recruit a Terminator to help them stop the Terminator?
And it all works well...enough. Set in this year (2019), TERMINATOR: DARK FATE tells the tale of what happens next after Sarah and John Connor stopped Judgement Day in the 2nd Terminator film. A deadly - even more dangerous - Terminator (version 9!) returns to 2019 to kill a single woman (Natalie Reyes). This time she is helped by an augmented human from the future (Mackenzie Davis) and...Sarah Connor! Returning to this film, all buffed up and aging, is a craggy voiced Linda Hamilton as Sarah, who brings an adequate amount of world-weary, "been there, done that" attitude to the proceedings that pretty much carry the first half of the film.
And...just as the film was beginning to sag in the middle, along comes Arnold.
Playing an aging Terminator (which is explained, well enough, in the plot), Arnold plays the Terminator (who has been living with humans for over 20 years) with a wink in his eye and a sense of humor about him. Yep...this is a Terminator with a funny bone. And - I'll be darned - it works! Thanks to the performance of Mr. Schwarzenegger. He knows exactly what kind of film he is in and brings the right amount of energy, muscle and humor to the proceedings. He pretty much carries this film on his broad shoulders for the 2nd half - and he carries it with ease.
Credit Director Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) for keeping things light, simple and moving along crisply. He, too, understands the type of film he is making (and the audience that will go see this type of film) so he keeps the dialogue light and snappy, the plot at it's simplest and the action as high as he can go - blowing things up at a moment's notice. It's not sublte art by any stretch of the imagination, but it is art - in a way - and art that he does well.
If this is the last Terminator film (and I hope it is), then it is going out on a high (enough) note. I was surprisingly entertained (and not preached to) and, I think that is all I could have hoped for in a Terminator flick.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
And that is a wise move as it simplifies things and just lets us get on to what a Terminator movie does best - fantastic action sequences, state of the art CGI, a killer robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's mission, and a plucky hero or 2 to battle said killer robot.
Oh...did I mention that they recruit a Terminator to help them stop the Terminator?
And it all works well...enough. Set in this year (2019), TERMINATOR: DARK FATE tells the tale of what happens next after Sarah and John Connor stopped Judgement Day in the 2nd Terminator film. A deadly - even more dangerous - Terminator (version 9!) returns to 2019 to kill a single woman (Natalie Reyes). This time she is helped by an augmented human from the future (Mackenzie Davis) and...Sarah Connor! Returning to this film, all buffed up and aging, is a craggy voiced Linda Hamilton as Sarah, who brings an adequate amount of world-weary, "been there, done that" attitude to the proceedings that pretty much carry the first half of the film.
And...just as the film was beginning to sag in the middle, along comes Arnold.
Playing an aging Terminator (which is explained, well enough, in the plot), Arnold plays the Terminator (who has been living with humans for over 20 years) with a wink in his eye and a sense of humor about him. Yep...this is a Terminator with a funny bone. And - I'll be darned - it works! Thanks to the performance of Mr. Schwarzenegger. He knows exactly what kind of film he is in and brings the right amount of energy, muscle and humor to the proceedings. He pretty much carries this film on his broad shoulders for the 2nd half - and he carries it with ease.
Credit Director Tim Miller (DEADPOOL) for keeping things light, simple and moving along crisply. He, too, understands the type of film he is making (and the audience that will go see this type of film) so he keeps the dialogue light and snappy, the plot at it's simplest and the action as high as he can go - blowing things up at a moment's notice. It's not sublte art by any stretch of the imagination, but it is art - in a way - and art that he does well.
If this is the last Terminator film (and I hope it is), then it is going out on a high (enough) note. I was surprisingly entertained (and not preached to) and, I think that is all I could have hoped for in a Terminator flick.
Letter Grade: B
7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Nick Friesen (96 KP) rated Deadpool (2016) in Movies
Jul 18, 2017
Deadpool! For real this time! (3 more)
Francis!
Damn Near Everything
Ryan Reynolds is Just Perfect
Deadpool Finally Has His Day
Studio execs and producers had no idea just how popular Deadpool would be. If they did, this movie would have been made a lot sooner and with a much larger budget. If that had happened though, we probably would not have been blessed with a Deadpool movie of this high a caliber. Ryan Reynolds poured a lot of himself into getting this movie made, and it shows. He is so perfect for the role, with his sarcastic attitude towards all things and dark undertones in all of his humor. The director and writers have created a faithful iteration of the titular character, with none of that mouthless garbage we received before. Deadpool is funny, with visually striking action and mocking attitude towards the superhero movie genre. The character breaks the fourth wall and insults practically everyone he interacts with, and it is glorious. The R rating, while the studio considered it a big risk, is actually the movie's greatest boon, as it allows Deadpool to be what he is. The only thing the movie suffers from is that the stakes don't ever feel too high, as anyone familiar with Deadpool knows he is capable and powerful enough to take down much greater threats. The movie mostly serves as a primer for bigger and better things for the character, however, and in that function it is an overwhelming success.
Gesundheit!™ HD
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The multi-award winning iOS classic regarded by many as the best adventure puzzle game of all time....
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated What We Do in the Shadows in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Ridiculously Funny And Absurdly Delightful
What We Do In The Shadows s a 2019 comedy/horror mockumentary television series written by Jermaine Clement and Taika Waititi. It's based on the 2014 movie of the same name. The show was produced by FXP, Two Canoes Pictures, and 343 Incorporated. The series stars Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillen, and Mark Proksch.
After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, four vampires who've "lived" together for hundreds of years in Staten Island are reminded they were tasked with total and complete domination of the New World over a century ago. A verite camera crew follows along and gives a documentary-style look into their daily lives as they go about achieving said domination.
This show is ridiculously funny and just as good as the movie it's based on. It is a great mix of two genres that don't always mix well horror and comedy but with a mockumentary style akin to The Office. The only thing I would say is that the show's sense of humor isn't for everyone. But I like it and enjoyed it and am super excited it's been renewed for a second season. I love how it expands on the vampire lore of the world that they built upon and how they satirize the whole vampire genre. How they aren't afraid to make fun of the cliches and tropes often overused and familiar for fans of the genre. I give this show a 8/10.
After an unexpected visit from their dark lord and leader, four vampires who've "lived" together for hundreds of years in Staten Island are reminded they were tasked with total and complete domination of the New World over a century ago. A verite camera crew follows along and gives a documentary-style look into their daily lives as they go about achieving said domination.
This show is ridiculously funny and just as good as the movie it's based on. It is a great mix of two genres that don't always mix well horror and comedy but with a mockumentary style akin to The Office. The only thing I would say is that the show's sense of humor isn't for everyone. But I like it and enjoyed it and am super excited it's been renewed for a second season. I love how it expands on the vampire lore of the world that they built upon and how they satirize the whole vampire genre. How they aren't afraid to make fun of the cliches and tropes often overused and familiar for fans of the genre. I give this show a 8/10.
The Queue: A Novel
Basma Abdel Aziz and Elisabeth Jaquette
Book
In a surreal, but familiar, vision of modern day Egypt, a centralized authority known as ‘the...
Science fiction politics social issues