Ross (3284 KP) rated Legacy of Ash in Books
Dec 21, 2020
The book takes place in an empire with far-from-happy constituent parts and angry neighbours. The heirs of the traitorous Southweald "phoenix" are held captive as figureheads warning off any thoughts of rebellion. Meanwhile, a cliched corrupt council tries to keep the empire safe from impending invasion.
The book is filled with interesting magical creatures and abilities, with a demon, witches, crow-themed goth assassins and ancient spirits. These were at the fore nowhere near often enough, treated as curses and cast aside in favour of political plotting and old fashioned battle.
The first third of the book was awesome: learning about the richness of the world, its history, politics and magic. It really was set up to be an epic story of political intrigue, deception, plotting and underhand nastiness.
Sadly, this all lead to a battle sequence that lasted far too long. It was really like Joe Abercrombie had taken one of the First Law books and shoved The Heroes into the middle of it. I really struggled to get past this long, fairly boring conflict.
The second half of the book then calms down and focuses once again before taking a massive left-turn and changing to something very different.
As with many books of this size, the cast was massive and a number of characters not distinct enough to remember by name. And so many had such promising abilities to offer but were largely absent when they would have been so useful. It was like having a superstar in an amateur dramatic society and leaving them out of most of the script. Having said that, I once saw a pantomime with David Van Day in the cast and it was in everyone's best interests that he was largely absent.
The book finished well, but it was an 800-page book that read like a 1200-page one, taking me 5 weeks to read.
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Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated Mudbound (2017) in Movies
Jan 3, 2018 (Updated Jan 3, 2018)
Following the McAllan family, they are transplanted from the quiet civility of Memphis and seem unprepared for the harsh demands of farming. Meanwhile, Hap and Florence Jackson - sharecroppers who have worked the land for generations - struggle to build a small dream of their own despite the rigidly enforced racial barriers they face. In between, are the sons of both families, fighting together in a war, and returning together as brothers despite being on different ends of the spectrum. But soon after they face the harsh realities of the Jim Crow laws.
Rees' film is a study of historic division, but it has such a poetically tragic sense of the characters and their limitations that it transcends the setting and location. The cast are entirely remarkable, with standout performances from Carey Mulligan, Jason Mitchell, and Rob Morgan. The last few scenes are climactic, and truly horrifying, leaving you reeling at the end. Mudbound has elevated Netflix's theatrical game.
Daniel Johnson (11 KP) rated Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Books
Sep 5, 2017
While I do not believe this is the best Harry Potter book (Read the Goblet of Fire, it is perfect) this book is up there with the best. With a plot that is simple yet magical, it will no doubt be remembered alongside the adventures of Tolkien, with an epic story that is character driven and imaginative to the extreme.
The book takes an even greater appeal when considered alongside the rest of the series, and with the addition of the final book, rereading is crucial. Easter eggs and secrets are hidden deep within these pages and make it a joy to read again, theorise about and delve deep into.
J.K is famous for her world building, creating something of epic scale that feels real despite how crazy it sounds. While avoiding spoilers in this review, it is important that I emphasise the importance of this book with the addition of The Order of the Phoenix. an addition that creates a thrilling new plot line that develops characters masterfully. We see the golden trio grow more than ever before, and it is a joy to experience.
Read Harry Potter, you won't regret it, and you will be a part of the biggest book series since records began. The one that defines this generation of teens, and inspired some of the greatest creators since.
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