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Emissary (Emissary Quintet #1)
Book
Two Worlds. One Future. Ewan O’Meara is no stranger to death: in recent months, he’s found...
Science Fiction Game-Lit Adventure
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2165 KP) rated A Murder Most French in Books
Apr 25, 2024 (Updated Apr 25, 2024)
Murder Most Rare
When this book opens, Julia Child is excited about a demonstration that a famous chef is going to be doing that afternoon at Le Cordon Bleu, and she insists that her friend and neighbor, Tabitha Knight, go with her. However, the demonstration ends abruptly when the chef dies after taking a sip of a rare and expensive wine he’d received just before the event started. Despite vowing to stay out of it, Tabitha can’t help but wonder what is going on. Can she figure it out?
As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but wonder why the characters, who are speaking French, are throwing French words into every line of dialogue. But that writing quirk aside, this was another great book. I loved getting to visit the characters again, and Tabitha was just as smart and resourceful as in the first book. Meanwhile, the new characters lead us on a merry chase in a well-constructed mystery. I was satisfied when everything was explained. As with the first book, there is a smattering of foul language. Once again, Paris in post the World War II era came to life, and I enjoyed this look at the time period. Don’t read this book hungry since all the talk of food will make your mouth water. I enjoyed getting to spend more time with Tabitha and Julia and look forward to their next adventure.
As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but wonder why the characters, who are speaking French, are throwing French words into every line of dialogue. But that writing quirk aside, this was another great book. I loved getting to visit the characters again, and Tabitha was just as smart and resourceful as in the first book. Meanwhile, the new characters lead us on a merry chase in a well-constructed mystery. I was satisfied when everything was explained. As with the first book, there is a smattering of foul language. Once again, Paris in post the World War II era came to life, and I enjoyed this look at the time period. Don’t read this book hungry since all the talk of food will make your mouth water. I enjoyed getting to spend more time with Tabitha and Julia and look forward to their next adventure.
JT (287 KP) rated 1917 (2020) in Movies
Mar 3, 2020
Brilliant cinematography (2 more)
Great score
Fantastic central characters
A stunning film which hits hard both physically and emotionally
particular emphasis on cinematography. The World War I film is made to look like one continuous shot by director Sam Mendes whose one-shot opening of Spectre gave us a taste of things to come.
The film swept awards season with the film winning Best Drama Motion Picture at the Golden Globes, not to mention cleaning up at the BAFTAs. This was a strong indication that Mendes might have a hand on a couple of Oscars.
1917 tells the story of two Lance Corporals, Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) who are tasked with hand-delivering a message to another battalion who are inadvertently walking into a trap – Blake’s brother among them. If they fail then 1,600 men will lose their lives.
Blake and Schofield have been through a lot. When we first meet them they are relaxing beneath a tree, taking a break trying to enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Without so much as a thought the pair salute General Erinmore (Colin Firth) and start the first part of their harrowing journey crossing no man’s land. The film is gripping in every sense of the word and you feel as if you are making the treacherous journey with them.
The scenery is devastatingly realistic, particularly the trip across no man’s land where charred bodies are buried deep in bombed-out craters of mud, their faces starring out in a look of shock.
The cast is limited to a few big-name cameos which aren’t blink and you miss them. Joining Firth is Andrew Scott, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch who make a significant impression in key scenes. The film flows incredibly well and never takes a back step, quite literally.
This is a journey that rivals Saving Private Ryan for it’s impactfulness, and why the memories of those who fought in the great war should always be forever remembered as true heroes.
The film swept awards season with the film winning Best Drama Motion Picture at the Golden Globes, not to mention cleaning up at the BAFTAs. This was a strong indication that Mendes might have a hand on a couple of Oscars.
1917 tells the story of two Lance Corporals, Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George MacKay) who are tasked with hand-delivering a message to another battalion who are inadvertently walking into a trap – Blake’s brother among them. If they fail then 1,600 men will lose their lives.
Blake and Schofield have been through a lot. When we first meet them they are relaxing beneath a tree, taking a break trying to enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
Without so much as a thought the pair salute General Erinmore (Colin Firth) and start the first part of their harrowing journey crossing no man’s land. The film is gripping in every sense of the word and you feel as if you are making the treacherous journey with them.
The scenery is devastatingly realistic, particularly the trip across no man’s land where charred bodies are buried deep in bombed-out craters of mud, their faces starring out in a look of shock.
The cast is limited to a few big-name cameos which aren’t blink and you miss them. Joining Firth is Andrew Scott, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch who make a significant impression in key scenes. The film flows incredibly well and never takes a back step, quite literally.
This is a journey that rivals Saving Private Ryan for it’s impactfulness, and why the memories of those who fought in the great war should always be forever remembered as true heroes.
Priestley's Progress: The Life of Sir Raymond Priestley, Antarctic Explorer, Scientist, Soldier, Academician
Book
This first biography of Sir Raymond Priestley is well overdue, and its absence can only be explained...
The Great Escaper: The Life and Death of Roger Bushell - Love, Betrayal, Big x and the Great Escape
Book
Roger Bushell was 'Big X', mastermind of the mass breakout from Stalag Luft III in March 1944,...
We are Afghan Women: Voices of Hope
Laura Bush and George W. Bush Institute
Book
Afghanistan has been described as "the worst nation in the world to be a woman." More than fifty...
Therese Desqueyroux
Francois Mauriac and Gerard Hopkins
Book
Nobel-prize winner Francois Mauriac's masterpiece is Therese Desqueyroux, the story of a complex...
The Sabotage Diaries: The True Story of a Daring Band of Allied Special Forces and Their Covert Operations in Nazi-Occupied Greece
Book
Based on the wartime diaries of Allied soldier and saboteur Tom Barnes, this account of thrilling...
The Wretched of the Earth
Jean-Paul Sartre, Frantz Fanon and Constance Farrington
Book
Frantz Fanon's seminal work on the trauma of colonization, The Wretched of the Earth made him the...
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Wrath of Siren (The Truth Teller #2) in Books
Nov 29, 2019
Following her adventures in The Truth Teller where Charlotte discovered she could travel to another realm inhabited by elves and dwarves, she has settled back into her normal life and dismissed it all as a bad dream. That is until the elf Elderfield travels to our world to find her to warn her that it is too dangerous to return.
The evil druid Siren has unleashed his Troll army and is laying the other realm to waste leaving the elves and dwarves to make a last desperate stand. But what they really need is the Truth Teller, will she ignore the warnings and come to help?
This second book in the series carried on Chambers' tale to entice younger readers into reading fantasy stories. This installment is a little darker in tone, as might be expected as war sweeps across the land, but as usual there are touches of humour to lighten the tone. Charlotte's usage of neologisms and idioms to her bemused companions from the other world are always good ('It's doing my head in' and 'this is well creepy' for example). Plus we have the bonus of Elderfield seeing our world (and the chaos that ensues).
Siren makes a fairly convincing opponent, suitable nasty without becoming too pantomime. He's nasty work but not irrational, simply wanting to take over his world and if that involves a little death and destruction so much the better.
The tone is probably a shade darker than the first book, simply because there is a war rather than an individual journey and so a lot more people are threatened. But this is still firmly on the light side of fantasy with nothing particularly distressing.
My only negative point (and the only thing stopping this getting 5 stars) is that Siren's defeat is never really explained, it just happens. This is disappointing only from the point of view that it would perhaps have been nice to have a bit of closure. It has to be said that classic fantasy has its fair share of 'with one bound the heroes win against the odds' endings - look at The Lord of the Rings or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In the end the story is what matters, not what is in the end of the story and this is still a fantastic read.
Once again Chambers has set out to produce a modern day introduction to fantasy for young adult eyes and once again he has achieved this and in spades. Very much looking forward to the next book in the series.
The evil druid Siren has unleashed his Troll army and is laying the other realm to waste leaving the elves and dwarves to make a last desperate stand. But what they really need is the Truth Teller, will she ignore the warnings and come to help?
This second book in the series carried on Chambers' tale to entice younger readers into reading fantasy stories. This installment is a little darker in tone, as might be expected as war sweeps across the land, but as usual there are touches of humour to lighten the tone. Charlotte's usage of neologisms and idioms to her bemused companions from the other world are always good ('It's doing my head in' and 'this is well creepy' for example). Plus we have the bonus of Elderfield seeing our world (and the chaos that ensues).
Siren makes a fairly convincing opponent, suitable nasty without becoming too pantomime. He's nasty work but not irrational, simply wanting to take over his world and if that involves a little death and destruction so much the better.
The tone is probably a shade darker than the first book, simply because there is a war rather than an individual journey and so a lot more people are threatened. But this is still firmly on the light side of fantasy with nothing particularly distressing.
My only negative point (and the only thing stopping this getting 5 stars) is that Siren's defeat is never really explained, it just happens. This is disappointing only from the point of view that it would perhaps have been nice to have a bit of closure. It has to be said that classic fantasy has its fair share of 'with one bound the heroes win against the odds' endings - look at The Lord of the Rings or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In the end the story is what matters, not what is in the end of the story and this is still a fantastic read.
Once again Chambers has set out to produce a modern day introduction to fantasy for young adult eyes and once again he has achieved this and in spades. Very much looking forward to the next book in the series.