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Salvage Work: U.S. and Caribbean Literatures Amid the Debris of Legal Personhood
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Salvage Work examines contemporary literary responses to the law's construction of personhood in the...
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of The Evil Within 2 in Video Games
Mar 5, 2018 (Updated Mar 5, 2018)
Gameplay mechanics (2 more)
Horrifically beautiful graphics
A fantastic antagonist
Some odd voice acting (1 more)
Some duff lines of dialogue
A Gruesomely Good Time
Contains spoilers, click to show
I was a fan of the first Evil Within game, which I felt was criminally underrated. However, I must admit I slept on this game. This was due to all of the fantastic games that were released in 2017 that I was trying to catch up on at the time of this game's release.
4 months after the game's initial release, I finally got my hands on it and I loved the time I spent in this insane world.
The Evil Within 2 does what all great sequels should aim to do, which is to take the best concepts and systems from the first game and expand on them, while adding in some fresh concepts and discarding a lot of the excess fat that dragged the first game down.
This game is a much more streamlined action-horror adventure than the first entry and while it starts out with some creepy and uneasy moments, it focuses more on the action element than the horror side of things in comparison with the first game. I do however feel that the game finds a nice equal balance of horror and action, in a way that feels reminiscent of the modern classic, Resident Evil 4. Even though Shinji Mikami didn't direct this game as he did the first entry, this one actually feels more like a traditional Shinji Mikami game.
The villain that torments you for the first third of the game is brilliant, he is engaging, threatening and over the top in all of the best possible ways. The one issue I have with him is, (SPOILERS,) they kill him off far too early and replace him with a more bland, less entertaining villain.
There is also some ropey voice acting present, they changed the actor playing Kidman and the new VO artist isn't as engaging in her performance. The actor playing the protagonist's daughter Lily, is also, quite awkward and stilted sounding. There are also some strange lines of dialogue that don't feel very natural and come across a bit pantomime, but you must remember that this is a Japanese game, written in Japanese and then translated into English. I did experience some technical issues whilst playing through the final third of the game, mostly to do with the use of the radio transmitter and I experienced one slight hiccup with the in-game physics. Unfortunately, although these weren't game-breaking issues, they are still present 4 months after the game's initial release, meaning I am forced to knock a point off of my overall score.
Overall though, this is a damn good time for any horror fan out there. The fact that this game is a great deal easier than the first may bother some hardcore gamers out there, but for me it was fine as I was mostly playing for the story anyway rather than the challenge. The optional first person mode is also a nice addition and adds a cool incentive to play through the New Game Plus.
4 months after the game's initial release, I finally got my hands on it and I loved the time I spent in this insane world.
The Evil Within 2 does what all great sequels should aim to do, which is to take the best concepts and systems from the first game and expand on them, while adding in some fresh concepts and discarding a lot of the excess fat that dragged the first game down.
This game is a much more streamlined action-horror adventure than the first entry and while it starts out with some creepy and uneasy moments, it focuses more on the action element than the horror side of things in comparison with the first game. I do however feel that the game finds a nice equal balance of horror and action, in a way that feels reminiscent of the modern classic, Resident Evil 4. Even though Shinji Mikami didn't direct this game as he did the first entry, this one actually feels more like a traditional Shinji Mikami game.
The villain that torments you for the first third of the game is brilliant, he is engaging, threatening and over the top in all of the best possible ways. The one issue I have with him is, (SPOILERS,) they kill him off far too early and replace him with a more bland, less entertaining villain.
There is also some ropey voice acting present, they changed the actor playing Kidman and the new VO artist isn't as engaging in her performance. The actor playing the protagonist's daughter Lily, is also, quite awkward and stilted sounding. There are also some strange lines of dialogue that don't feel very natural and come across a bit pantomime, but you must remember that this is a Japanese game, written in Japanese and then translated into English. I did experience some technical issues whilst playing through the final third of the game, mostly to do with the use of the radio transmitter and I experienced one slight hiccup with the in-game physics. Unfortunately, although these weren't game-breaking issues, they are still present 4 months after the game's initial release, meaning I am forced to knock a point off of my overall score.
Overall though, this is a damn good time for any horror fan out there. The fact that this game is a great deal easier than the first may bother some hardcore gamers out there, but for me it was fine as I was mostly playing for the story anyway rather than the challenge. The optional first person mode is also a nice addition and adds a cool incentive to play through the New Game Plus.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated Second Chances in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>Second Chances</i> is a short story by Leigh-Ann Singh about two people who have had rather difficult pasts. Firstly there is Emily Watson who moves to Bay Brook to become the new editor of the <i>Bay Brook Times</i>. She has moved there from New York thus escaping from a bad relationship. The second person is Richard Cambridge whose family owns the newspaper. He initially appears to be a cold-hearted person until it is revealed he has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident.
The tale focuses on Emily and Richard’s relationship, which starts off on shaky ground but improves over time. During the story both characters turn to God to help them with their troubles and begin to find peace with the help of the Saviour. It is not a particularly religious book as the main emphasis is on pointing out that both characters receive the opportunity to have a second chance at life: Richard moving on from the past and returning to the present; and Emily being given the chance at new relationships and becoming “the woman God intended her to be”.
Admittedly <i>Second Chances</i> is very poorly written and ideally ought to have had a lot of editing before publication however the overall storyline is good. It is a shame that more was not done with it.
<i>Second Chances</i> is a short story by Leigh-Ann Singh about two people who have had rather difficult pasts. Firstly there is Emily Watson who moves to Bay Brook to become the new editor of the <i>Bay Brook Times</i>. She has moved there from New York thus escaping from a bad relationship. The second person is Richard Cambridge whose family owns the newspaper. He initially appears to be a cold-hearted person until it is revealed he has recently lost his wife in a tragic accident.
The tale focuses on Emily and Richard’s relationship, which starts off on shaky ground but improves over time. During the story both characters turn to God to help them with their troubles and begin to find peace with the help of the Saviour. It is not a particularly religious book as the main emphasis is on pointing out that both characters receive the opportunity to have a second chance at life: Richard moving on from the past and returning to the present; and Emily being given the chance at new relationships and becoming “the woman God intended her to be”.
Admittedly <i>Second Chances</i> is very poorly written and ideally ought to have had a lot of editing before publication however the overall storyline is good. It is a shame that more was not done with it.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Master and God in Books
Dec 21, 2018
Lindsey Davis' latest offering isn't a new Falco, but it isn't all bad news, because I thought it was a really good read! The Master & God of the title is, of course, the emperor Domitian, son of Vespasian and brother of Titus, so readers of the Falco novels will already be in familiar territory.... Domitian isn't the main narrative character in the novel though, so in some ways it's not really 'about' him. The story centres around a soldier and a hairdresser and imperial freedwoman, and it is their story and the story of the times they live through.
The book I read just before this was Kate Quinn's Daughters of Rome, which covers the Year of the Four Emperors, concluding with the accession of Vespasian, so in many ways this linked in nicely from an historical point of view. What I noticed almost straight away though, was how much better Davis' writing is; Rome and the characters really came alive for me in a way they never quite managed in Quinn's work.
Davis' sense of humour is still very much apparent, thought it doesn't come across quite so keenly as in the Falco novels; I think this may be because Falco is in the first person while Master & God is told in the third person, utilising more than one character point of view - including Musca the Fly, that I see several people have commented on!
The book I read just before this was Kate Quinn's Daughters of Rome, which covers the Year of the Four Emperors, concluding with the accession of Vespasian, so in many ways this linked in nicely from an historical point of view. What I noticed almost straight away though, was how much better Davis' writing is; Rome and the characters really came alive for me in a way they never quite managed in Quinn's work.
Davis' sense of humour is still very much apparent, thought it doesn't come across quite so keenly as in the Falco novels; I think this may be because Falco is in the first person while Master & God is told in the third person, utilising more than one character point of view - including Musca the Fly, that I see several people have commented on!
ClareR (5674 KP) rated The Memory Wood in Books
Feb 27, 2020 (Updated Feb 29, 2020)
The Memory Wood is a phenomenal book. I was on tenterhooks from the first chapter - mainly because I didn't really know what to expect. I usually avoid stories where child abductions are involved for reasons obvious to me (I know people who enjoy these themes, and are better able to detach fact from fiction than me!), but as The Pigeonhole chose it, I thought I'd give it a go - and I'm glad I did.
Elissa is abducted from outside the chess tournament that she's playing at, and wakes up manacled to the floor by a chain. Her only contact with another person is Elijah, a 12 year old boy who lives in the Memory Wood. He calls her Gretel, she calls him Hansel, and the house above the cellar she is imprisoned in is referred to as the Gingerbread House.
Meanwhile, the police have started the investigation, and are trying to locate Elissa. Detective Superintendent Mairead MacCullagh is in charge, and to be honest, Elissa couldn't have a more committed person to lead the hunt. Despite very upsetting personal circumstances, Mairead works hard and persistently to try and find Elissa.
I loved this book - it was non-stop action and so tense! I'm so glad I gave it a chance, because I'm sure it will be one of may favourite books of 2020!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Sam Lloyd for reading along with us.
Elissa is abducted from outside the chess tournament that she's playing at, and wakes up manacled to the floor by a chain. Her only contact with another person is Elijah, a 12 year old boy who lives in the Memory Wood. He calls her Gretel, she calls him Hansel, and the house above the cellar she is imprisoned in is referred to as the Gingerbread House.
Meanwhile, the police have started the investigation, and are trying to locate Elissa. Detective Superintendent Mairead MacCullagh is in charge, and to be honest, Elissa couldn't have a more committed person to lead the hunt. Despite very upsetting personal circumstances, Mairead works hard and persistently to try and find Elissa.
I loved this book - it was non-stop action and so tense! I'm so glad I gave it a chance, because I'm sure it will be one of may favourite books of 2020!
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and to Sam Lloyd for reading along with us.
Tears of an Innocent God: Conversations on Silence, Kindness, and Prayer
Book
Tears of an Innocent God invites the reader to explore the ways of the One who would have us...
dōTERRA Living Magazine
Health & Fitness and Magazines & Newspapers
6.0
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In the spring of 2008, a group of health-care and business professionals who shared profound...
dōTERRA Leadership Magazine
Health & Fitness and Magazines & Newspapers
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In the spring of 2008, a group of health-care and business professionals who shared profound...
Shattered Promises
5.5
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Book
For twenty-one year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. She knows nothing about her past and has...
paranormal romance new adult
Merissa (11950 KP) rated In the Shadow of the Bull (An Ancient Crete Mystery #1) in Books
Jul 17, 2023
IN THE SHADOW OF THE BULL is the first book in the Ancient Crete Mystery series and we start with a wedding and a murder. Martis, the fifteen-year-old sister of the victim is charged by her dead sister's ghost to find out who killed her. If she fails, she will be haunted for nine generations!
Martis is split between her duty to her sister and her need to train for bull-dancing. She is also fifteen, so her attention span isn't that good yet, and she flits from person to person, convinced each one is the killer.
I preferred the historical aspect of this story more than the mystery. For me, it wasn't so much a mystery as a when will Martis figure it out? I did like the ending, with how it tied it up, but I wanted to know more about Bais and Nuia. And what about the barbarians? Would they receive an apology or just be given permission to leave? Maybe that will happen in future books. Although it was explained to a degree, it left me wanting more.
I have no hesitation in recommending an enjoyable book with great attention to detail.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 22, 2023
Martis is split between her duty to her sister and her need to train for bull-dancing. She is also fifteen, so her attention span isn't that good yet, and she flits from person to person, convinced each one is the killer.
I preferred the historical aspect of this story more than the mystery. For me, it wasn't so much a mystery as a when will Martis figure it out? I did like the ending, with how it tied it up, but I wanted to know more about Bais and Nuia. And what about the barbarians? Would they receive an apology or just be given permission to leave? Maybe that will happen in future books. Although it was explained to a degree, it left me wanting more.
I have no hesitation in recommending an enjoyable book with great attention to detail.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 22, 2023