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David McK (3600 KP) rated A Dance of Cloaks (Shadowdance, #1) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
Hmmm ... I'm not really sure what to make of this one.
It is a fantasy novel, and so has your usual fantasy stereotypes of merchants, thieves (and assassins) and magical beings/clerics, with the main protagonists of this falling into the middle of those categories.
This is set primarily in and around one city, which has
been suffering under a clandestine war between the various thieves' guilds and the wealthy merchants of it, and mainly follows Aaron Felhorn, who has been groomed from birth to be the heir to his father Thren - the leader of one such thieves guild. It doesn't focus solely on him , also including the daughter of one such wealthy merchant: if I'm honest, at one stage I thought it was going to turn into a Romeo and Juliet scenario (it didn't).
I also wasn't aware until I read the authors note at the very end that this was actually the second edition of an earlier story: a 'tidied up' and improved version, as it were. I also wasn't aware that this was also meant to be the back-story to a character previously introduced in another series (kinda like the Star Wars prequels in that respect!), so perhaps suffers from having to create a story to explain how the character becomes who he becomes - kinda like the Star Wars prequels had to explain how Darth Vader came to be!
Based on this novel alone, I'm not sure if I would have picked up any of the sequels, but with that knowledge in mind I may yet change my mind.
It is a fantasy novel, and so has your usual fantasy stereotypes of merchants, thieves (and assassins) and magical beings/clerics, with the main protagonists of this falling into the middle of those categories.
This is set primarily in and around one city, which has
been suffering under a clandestine war between the various thieves' guilds and the wealthy merchants of it, and mainly follows Aaron Felhorn, who has been groomed from birth to be the heir to his father Thren - the leader of one such thieves guild. It doesn't focus solely on him , also including the daughter of one such wealthy merchant: if I'm honest, at one stage I thought it was going to turn into a Romeo and Juliet scenario (it didn't).
I also wasn't aware until I read the authors note at the very end that this was actually the second edition of an earlier story: a 'tidied up' and improved version, as it were. I also wasn't aware that this was also meant to be the back-story to a character previously introduced in another series (kinda like the Star Wars prequels in that respect!), so perhaps suffers from having to create a story to explain how the character becomes who he becomes - kinda like the Star Wars prequels had to explain how Darth Vader came to be!
Based on this novel alone, I'm not sure if I would have picked up any of the sequels, but with that knowledge in mind I may yet change my mind.
ClareR (5950 KP) rated Last Request in Books
Oct 28, 2019
I had a mixed experience reading Last Request on The Pigeonhole app. I liked the storyline, but the main character Nikita (Nikki) Patel wasn’t particularly likeable. She’s very involved in her job which seems to take precedence over everything, including her family. I get that she has her mum, sister and the father of two of her three children to look after them, and I doubt I’d think twice if she was a man, but there is a pivotal part in the story where she really needed to talk to her eldest daughter, and she seemed to do everything in her power to avoid her. Not good.
Aside from that, I quite liked the other characters. Her work partner, Sajid, and his actual partner are great: very supportive of Nikki, and they go above and beyond their work roles where she’s concerned.
The action was non-stop, with the bones of murder victims turning up all over the place, and a drug dealer causing problems. I don’t think Nikki sleeps for most of the book (which might explain her mood).
This kept me guessing up to the end - although I did guess who did it before the big reveal (most unusual for me!). It did take me a while though, and indicative of how we were drip fed the evidence, just as the police were.
I would be interested to read the next in the series, especially if it’s going to go the way I think it might!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Liz Mistry for reading along!
Aside from that, I quite liked the other characters. Her work partner, Sajid, and his actual partner are great: very supportive of Nikki, and they go above and beyond their work roles where she’s concerned.
The action was non-stop, with the bones of murder victims turning up all over the place, and a drug dealer causing problems. I don’t think Nikki sleeps for most of the book (which might explain her mood).
This kept me guessing up to the end - although I did guess who did it before the big reveal (most unusual for me!). It did take me a while though, and indicative of how we were drip fed the evidence, just as the police were.
I would be interested to read the next in the series, especially if it’s going to go the way I think it might!
Thanks to The Pigeonhole for serialising this book, and to Liz Mistry for reading along!
The Murders at White House Farm: Jeremy Bamber and the Killing of His Family. the Definitive Investigation
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On 7 August 1985, Nevill and June Bamber, their daughter Sheila and her two young sons Nicholas and...
The Burgoyne Diaries: The First Winter at Ypres with the Royal Irish Rifles
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These are the diaries of Gerald Achilles Burgoyne, wrote from the trenches just south of Ypres while...
Rocking Kin (The Lucy & Harris Novella Series Book 3)
10.0
Rate It
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With one promise her life was changed… Saying goodbye to my mother also meant saying goodbye to...
romance rocker series
Song of the Lion
Book
New York Times Bestseller A deadly bombing takes Navajo Tribal cops Bernadette Manuelito, Jim Chee,...
Girl Unknown
Book
'Full of intrigue and incident and keeps us guessing until the very last tragic page' Liz Nugent,...
Adam White (32 KP) rated Mean Dreams (2016) in Movies
Jun 22, 2020
A new Bonnie and Clyde Feel
Well, let me start by saying this took me a few years to watch this and it wasn't because of the mixed reviews it was because I knew this was one of Bill Paxton last movie rolls. With that being said, I should have watched this years ago, as it was not a let down. Bill Paxton will be truly missed.
This movie is a caring, passionate, modern love story. At some points during the movie It had a Bonnie and Clyde feel to it, which was okay. A lot less killing but you will get the drift if you watch it.
Wayne Caraway (Bill Paxton) plays an over controlling father/policeman with a major hatred towards his daughter Casey Caraway (Sophie Nélisse) new found crush Jonas Ford (Josh Wiggins).
The movie starts off slow but speeds up very quickly, which for me is the only downfall of the movie. You learn about the characters quickly, but I wish we had more backstory and also a future of things to come, by the end you are left wondering what will take place next.
Now with only having about 8 total characters and a dog in the movie, it draws you into each person a lot faster, which I enjoyed too.
All and all it's a good movie, even if you have mixed feelings you should watch it for Bill Paxton, a true legend in the movie world.
Blaise
This movie is a caring, passionate, modern love story. At some points during the movie It had a Bonnie and Clyde feel to it, which was okay. A lot less killing but you will get the drift if you watch it.
Wayne Caraway (Bill Paxton) plays an over controlling father/policeman with a major hatred towards his daughter Casey Caraway (Sophie Nélisse) new found crush Jonas Ford (Josh Wiggins).
The movie starts off slow but speeds up very quickly, which for me is the only downfall of the movie. You learn about the characters quickly, but I wish we had more backstory and also a future of things to come, by the end you are left wondering what will take place next.
Now with only having about 8 total characters and a dog in the movie, it draws you into each person a lot faster, which I enjoyed too.
All and all it's a good movie, even if you have mixed feelings you should watch it for Bill Paxton, a true legend in the movie world.
Blaise
Graeme Clark: The Man Who Invented the Bionic Ear
Book
As a young man, Graeme Clark read about Louis Pasteur, Marie Curie and other great scientists,...
TravelersWife4Life (31 KP) rated Freedom in the Mountain Wind (Call of the Rockies, #1) in Books
Feb 23, 2021
Where do I start with this book?
Misty M. Beller wrote a beautiful story of adventure, love and exploring the great frontier. I believe that this is the first book in a series and let me tell you I will be reading the rest of the books in this series (Can I pre-pre- order it somewhere I wonder?). This book was so good, it is one of those books that feels like you are right there with the characters. Probably something to do with the psychology of the characters that touches something inside of you, and wow did this one work that for me.
The characters in this book were very well developed and had a clear sense of purpose right from the beginning. Misty M. Beller gives us some great father-daughter interactions as well as giving us French, Spanish, Southern and Native Americans all together to make some great moments around the campfire. The main characters in this book have things to work through, some together and separately and Misty M. Beller makes them do it quite believably. One of my favorite things about the book is the way Misty M. Beller shares the gospel throughout this book. She even worked in underlying themes of grace, forgiveness, grief over loss, and perseverance.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the plotline, the cool adventures the characters go on (I mean who hasn’t imagine going along Lewis & Clark’s trip up the Mississippi river?), and for grabbing hold of my emotions right from the start.
Misty M. Beller wrote a beautiful story of adventure, love and exploring the great frontier. I believe that this is the first book in a series and let me tell you I will be reading the rest of the books in this series (Can I pre-pre- order it somewhere I wonder?). This book was so good, it is one of those books that feels like you are right there with the characters. Probably something to do with the psychology of the characters that touches something inside of you, and wow did this one work that for me.
The characters in this book were very well developed and had a clear sense of purpose right from the beginning. Misty M. Beller gives us some great father-daughter interactions as well as giving us French, Spanish, Southern and Native Americans all together to make some great moments around the campfire. The main characters in this book have things to work through, some together and separately and Misty M. Beller makes them do it quite believably. One of my favorite things about the book is the way Misty M. Beller shares the gospel throughout this book. She even worked in underlying themes of grace, forgiveness, grief over loss, and perseverance.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the plotline, the cool adventures the characters go on (I mean who hasn’t imagine going along Lewis & Clark’s trip up the Mississippi river?), and for grabbing hold of my emotions right from the start.