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The Old Guard (2020)
The Old Guard (2020)
2020 | Action, Fantasy
Great lead (2 more)
Good concept
Cliffhanger
Cliffhanger (0 more)
Badass
The leading lady is so badass, the actress and/or stunt double has some serious skill in fighting in different disciplines. I like the story although I found some of it a little rushed.

The characters work well together and there are some funny bits. It also felt quite inclusive.

I want more and feel like there could be hundreds of other stories around the adventures of the old guard.
  
This collection of 13 short stories finds Phryne solving several murders as well as a few other crimes. Set in Australia in 1928, Phryne is a strong woman with lots of intelligence to solve some pretty strange puzzles.

This was my introduction to the character, and I do feel I missed some things not know more about her background and the rest of the obviously recurring characters. However, I did enjoy the stories since they provided good puzzles. Phryne is a really smart detective, and the trip back in time was fun.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/07/book-review-question-of-death.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
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Ross (3284 KP) rated Sword of Destiny in Books

Jul 26, 2018  
Sword of Destiny
Sword of Destiny
Andrzej Sapkowski, David French | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.2 (6 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is a largely well-written set of Witcher short stories, which start to piece together some of the stories in the Last Wish with the main books (which I have yet to read!).
While this time there is no over-arching story linking them together this is to the book's credit. I got annoyed with the Last Wish/Season of Storms's clumsy attempt to sew together a number of different stories - like those old episodes of a sitcom that was just a hashing together of different flashbacks. Though it does mean you could struggle with the chronology, but I think assuming the stories are after the Season of Storms is a safe bet.
All of the stories are reasonably exciting, but Sapkowski does have a tendency to start these stories with the Witcher's triumph over another creature, and focus on the aftermath - sometimes you long for the thrill of the preceding hunt.
The final story, which I feel is the main link into the first book, includes a number of sections where the Witcher is hallucinating. The segue between these isn't always clear, and while this adds to the atmosphere and feel of the Witcher being drugged, it does leave you a little confused at times (though this passes briefly).
A good set of stories and a decent translation with few clunky parts.
I would recommend these are read after the main books (i.e. in published order) - while I haven't read those, I have probably taken some characters/stories for granted and not appreciated how they feed in to the overall canon of Witcher works (without googling for spoilers).
  
A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories
A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories
Lucia Berlin | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
(0 Ratings)
Book Favorite

"This relates to my Maggie O’Farrell obsession. She recommended Lucia Berlin in an interview I read a few years ago. So, like any good stalker, I checked it out. These stories feel very contemporary. I suppose if I’ve learned anything from reading, it’s that people don’t change very much through the ages. Our personal problems and our joys are entirely relatable, whatever the era. The women Berlin writes about seem entirely real. You can feel them in the room with you. There is humor and real beauty in her words. If I was the underlining type, these books would be heaving with biro. But I’m no vandal."

Source
  
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
2019 | Horror
Good production value (0 more)
Ok scary tales film
I missed this at the cinema and caught on Amazon prime last night. I thought it was going to be an anthology of scary stories. It's more of a few mini tales set within the main plot of the whole film. I enjoyed it and at times it felt a bit like @Creepshow (1982) or @Trick 'r Treat (2007) The overall feel of the film was similar to a Stephen King short story. Only downside it isn't that scary, maybe why it got a PG-13 rating in the US. If you like ghost stories check it out but it won't give you sleepless nights.
  
Triple Frontier (2019)
Triple Frontier (2019)
2019 | Action, Adventure, Crime
Cast (2 more)
Story
Action and adventure
Pace of story (1 more)
Wasn't the strongest of stories that are like this
Good but had it's down sides
The film was adequate to what other films are out there in this general style, I loved the cast and the filming was good. However the film took a while to kick in and i found myself gorming at my phone more so than watching the film. I really enjoyed some of the story and the action scenes were okay, they could have done a lot more with the film, I feel as though it wasnt thought through as much as it could have been, but overall is a good thing to watch casually if you have the time, or even put it on in the background while you're doing something else.
  
The Care and Feeding of Griffins
The Care and Feeding of Griffins
R. Lee smith | 2010 | Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Story flows really well (2 more)
Stories within stories within stories
Each character is unique and relatable; each has a distinct voice
Book one is a great start to a wonderful, well orchestrated 4 part series
The book blurb says it all. Great adventure read. This is part of a series and although there are no cliffhangers, it still gives that 'what happens next' feel. Also, as a side note, for those of you that distaste book sets, this series seems more like one big book that has been broken up rather than several shorter novels with lot of filler chapters to extend the length like some 3 or 4 part series seem to do. Unfortunately (or fortunately, if you're me) all 4 books equals approximately 2,530 pages. And still, I was sad when it all ended... so I read the series twice (so far). It's that good.
  
I always like a good disaster book. This one really caught my eye because it is the event described in The Miseducation of Camron Post so I wanted to learn more. Unlike some disaster books written from a purely scienticfic perspective this book focused on the human element. This is really what interests me since you see the true nature of humanity during tragedy. The way the author follows the various peoples stories and intertwines them when necessary makes you feel like you are there and seeing the events happen.
  
Stories To Make You Smile
Stories To Make You Smile
Various | 2021
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Such a lovely book of short stories! Each one had a feel good factor and I found myself either stifling a giggle or smiling by the end of them.
I haven’t read anything by any of the authors except for Katie Fforde but this book has definitely made me rethink that. Every single author had me absorbed in their few pages of story within the first couple of lines.
I would recommend this as a short read for anybody who wants to read something that will make them smile. It is also one that can be picked up and put back down easily with them being such short stories.
This book does exactly what it says on the cover… makes you smile!