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The Fog of Peace: How to Prevent War
Gabrielle Rifkind and Giandomenico Picco
Book
Institutions do not decide whom to destroy or to kill, whether to make peace or war; those decisions...
Conflict Landscapes and Archaeology from Above
Birger Stichelbaut, David Cowley, Nicholas J. Saunders and Paul Cornish
Book
The study of conflict archaeology has developed rapidly over the last decade, fuelled in equal...
Erased: Vanishing Traces of Jewish Galicia in Present-Day Ukraine
Book
In Erased, Omer Bartov uncovers the rapidly disappearing vestiges of the Jews of western Ukraine,...
Christina Haynes (148 KP) rated A Court of Frost and Starlight: Court of Thorns and Roses in Books
May 16, 2018 (Updated May 16, 2018)
A Court of Frost and Starlight ✨
A Court of Frost and Starlight is a book that is the in-between of what happened after a Court of Mist and Fury and what’s going to happen in the next books.
It talks about the gap in between of how the inner circle, Feyre and her sisters and also Lucien are coping with the aftermath of the war. We even see how Tamlin is getting along and I might add it’s not very well.
This book discovers the emotions that the characters are facing and how they are recovering. Some of the characters are not quite over what’s happened, where is the others keep quiet about it or are just getting on with.
We have Nester who is pretty much exactly the same, whereas Elaine is slowly embracing what is around her – although she still doesn’t seem too keen on Lucien. Azriel is still the silent type, Cassian is still boyish but with feelings, Amren is still Amren. Mor is still hurt from the decisions that were made in the war. Tamlin like I said is not coping, Feyre and Rhys are trying.
Although Feyre and Rhys have got close to being over the aftermath of the war, they’re still trying to make sure that their friends and families are coping. Along with their people… As they have lost a lot as well.
This book is very different to the previous three, not just because it’s short but because of what’s in it. This is the first time that Feyre really is apart of the Night Court.
Although she was the High Lady in the previous books and played a big role, this is the first time that she can walk around and actually have duties that she needs to fulfill. She sees the effect of the war on her people and what has happened and how they are brave and they continue to live their lives. She realises the Winter Solstice is not just a festive time with presents, it’s something that is normal for their people, a tradition, a way to be with their loved ones and their families and have a day or so where they can forget all they have been through and be normal.
I really enjoyed this book because I was so desperate to get back into the world of a Court of Thorns and Roses and not having to worry about any enemies, about what characters are going to appear next. Just being able to be apart of that family again it was truly lovely to get back into it.
There was spoilers for the next books, there was a few questions that were answered from the previous ones. But there was still a lot that needs to be explained, which I hope will be explained in the next books that Sarah J Mass will hopefully released soon.
5 ☕ – AMAZING / ? – LOVED IT
Love, Christina ?
It talks about the gap in between of how the inner circle, Feyre and her sisters and also Lucien are coping with the aftermath of the war. We even see how Tamlin is getting along and I might add it’s not very well.
This book discovers the emotions that the characters are facing and how they are recovering. Some of the characters are not quite over what’s happened, where is the others keep quiet about it or are just getting on with.
We have Nester who is pretty much exactly the same, whereas Elaine is slowly embracing what is around her – although she still doesn’t seem too keen on Lucien. Azriel is still the silent type, Cassian is still boyish but with feelings, Amren is still Amren. Mor is still hurt from the decisions that were made in the war. Tamlin like I said is not coping, Feyre and Rhys are trying.
Although Feyre and Rhys have got close to being over the aftermath of the war, they’re still trying to make sure that their friends and families are coping. Along with their people… As they have lost a lot as well.
This book is very different to the previous three, not just because it’s short but because of what’s in it. This is the first time that Feyre really is apart of the Night Court.
Although she was the High Lady in the previous books and played a big role, this is the first time that she can walk around and actually have duties that she needs to fulfill. She sees the effect of the war on her people and what has happened and how they are brave and they continue to live their lives. She realises the Winter Solstice is not just a festive time with presents, it’s something that is normal for their people, a tradition, a way to be with their loved ones and their families and have a day or so where they can forget all they have been through and be normal.
I really enjoyed this book because I was so desperate to get back into the world of a Court of Thorns and Roses and not having to worry about any enemies, about what characters are going to appear next. Just being able to be apart of that family again it was truly lovely to get back into it.
There was spoilers for the next books, there was a few questions that were answered from the previous ones. But there was still a lot that needs to be explained, which I hope will be explained in the next books that Sarah J Mass will hopefully released soon.
5 ☕ – AMAZING / ? – LOVED IT
Love, Christina ?
Darren (1599 KP) rated 12 Strong (2018) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Story: 12 Strong starts on the day of 9/11, Captain Mitch Nelson (Hemsworth) witnesses the horrors of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, returning to his military base, he wants to lead her unit into battle against the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Once receiving permission and earning the right, Mitch is joined by Hal Spencer (Shannon) and his 10 other trusted soldiers that head into Afghanistan to work with the Afghan Warlord General Dostum (Negahban) as they unleashes the first attack in retaliation after the 9/11 attack.
Thoughts on 12 Strong
Characters – These soldiers are real people, Mitch Nelson is the unexperienced combat Captain that takes his driven man into battle, he must use his own smarts to be given the opportunity to be the first in the retaliation, he uses his knowledge to work with General Dostum as the two different cultures and ideas must come together for the battle. Hal Spencer is the second in command of the unit, he is older and offers the advice he soldier needs to get himself to the right answers. The rest of the unit all have their moments through the story and by the end you will believe you are watching a real unit.
Performances – Chris Hemsworth in the leading role is fantastic, he keeps himself looking like the star even though he needs to work with a unit to get the right answers, showing he can handle the serious roles once again. Michael Shannon in the supporting role shines even though it is strange seeing him in a good guy role after his recent run as a villain. The rest of the cast are great, they all have wonderful chemistry which the unit needs to pull this off.
Story – The day of 9/11 shocked the world, America the most and this shows the plan to retaliate after the attacks, the first men to go into combat against the Taliban as they risked everything to get a strike back and prevent what was believed to be another big attack. This is a true story, this could easily have been a fictional story because after the mission starts, you are pulled into seeing just what the men will do to get the job done and of course it is an against the odd style mission.
Action/History/War – The action sequences are shot in a brutal style that doesn’t hold back with what happens, we are left shocked by certain moments and on the edge of our seats the next because of the war time battle sequences.
Settings – The settings look the part, we are mostly just in and around caves and canyons which is where the Taliban would be hiding and preparing.
Special Effects – The effects for the battle sequences are flawless, looking brutal and the stunt team need praise for the work they have put into this movie.
Scene of the Movie – The final surge, wonderfully shot moment.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is ‘we are America, we are great’
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best war movies or recent years, it shows the brutally of the war, the thin line between good and evil between the Afghan units and just how bringing together two cultures can unit for a same enemy.
Overall: Must watch action movie.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/27/12-strong-2018/
Once receiving permission and earning the right, Mitch is joined by Hal Spencer (Shannon) and his 10 other trusted soldiers that head into Afghanistan to work with the Afghan Warlord General Dostum (Negahban) as they unleashes the first attack in retaliation after the 9/11 attack.
Thoughts on 12 Strong
Characters – These soldiers are real people, Mitch Nelson is the unexperienced combat Captain that takes his driven man into battle, he must use his own smarts to be given the opportunity to be the first in the retaliation, he uses his knowledge to work with General Dostum as the two different cultures and ideas must come together for the battle. Hal Spencer is the second in command of the unit, he is older and offers the advice he soldier needs to get himself to the right answers. The rest of the unit all have their moments through the story and by the end you will believe you are watching a real unit.
Performances – Chris Hemsworth in the leading role is fantastic, he keeps himself looking like the star even though he needs to work with a unit to get the right answers, showing he can handle the serious roles once again. Michael Shannon in the supporting role shines even though it is strange seeing him in a good guy role after his recent run as a villain. The rest of the cast are great, they all have wonderful chemistry which the unit needs to pull this off.
Story – The day of 9/11 shocked the world, America the most and this shows the plan to retaliate after the attacks, the first men to go into combat against the Taliban as they risked everything to get a strike back and prevent what was believed to be another big attack. This is a true story, this could easily have been a fictional story because after the mission starts, you are pulled into seeing just what the men will do to get the job done and of course it is an against the odd style mission.
Action/History/War – The action sequences are shot in a brutal style that doesn’t hold back with what happens, we are left shocked by certain moments and on the edge of our seats the next because of the war time battle sequences.
Settings – The settings look the part, we are mostly just in and around caves and canyons which is where the Taliban would be hiding and preparing.
Special Effects – The effects for the battle sequences are flawless, looking brutal and the stunt team need praise for the work they have put into this movie.
Scene of the Movie – The final surge, wonderfully shot moment.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – It is ‘we are America, we are great’
Final Thoughts – This is one of the best war movies or recent years, it shows the brutally of the war, the thin line between good and evil between the Afghan units and just how bringing together two cultures can unit for a same enemy.
Overall: Must watch action movie.
https://moviesreview101.com/2018/01/27/12-strong-2018/
Churchill and Empire
Book
A genuinely new biography of Churchill, focusing on his contradictory and lifelong relationship with...
The Oxford Handbook of the History of International Law
Bardo Fassbender, Anne Peters, Simone Peter and Daniel Hogger
Book
The Oxford Handbook of the History of International Law provides an authoritative and original...
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Desert Spear in Books
Nov 12, 2019
The Desert Spear is the second book in the Demon Cycle by Peter V Brett. The first book is The Painted Man which introduces a world where demons rise at night and try to kill people, the only protection from them being to draw 'wards' which the demons are unable to cross.
I approached this second book in two minds. I liked the first book, the concept is excellent and well imagined. The main protagonist is interesting and the directions taken are unexpected. The only let down for me was that apart from the Painted Main himself, I found the other 'main' characters a little less interesting. Leesha's story was interesting and gave insights into Brett's world. However Rojer's story left me cold to be honest, he didn't seem to add very much to the book. I was a little concerned that this second book might be the same for me.
I needn't have worried. The first third of the book concerns the back story of Jardir, a desert warrior prince who appears as a second tier (though instrumental) character in the first book. In this book he is definitely a leading character. He has declared himself the Deliverer and is determined to unite all of humanity under his banner to fight the demons, as has been long foretold. He is determined and quite prepared to take cities by force if required. The back story explains what drives him and also the reasons for his actions in the first book.
Meanwhile the Painted Man is being called the Deliverer by the free peoples of the North, something he strenuously denies. But there can only be one Deliverer and as Jardir encroaches on the North their worlds will come into conflict.
This is a long book - the paperback I read ended on page 750 - and there is a lot to read. Brett is all about character development and there are a lot of characters in this book, some new some returning ones. Rojer is a much better character in this book, possibly because he is not required to carry the storyline but instead can provide a different point of view on events. Leesha is once again a main character and of course the Painted Man plays his part, fighting demons both physical and his own mental demons. There is a lot of dialogue as the story and plot are very much personality driven. There are of course scenes of demon fights large and small but they in no way make up the bulk of the book.
There is another plot strand that I won't give away here but adds more dimension to the demon threat and provides some excellent moments.
The writing is excellent and the characterisation outstanding. This is one of those books which makes you wonder why there is such snobbery in the wider fiction community for 'niche' genres such as fantasy. I would hold the writing and characters from this book against any established classic.
Despite my reluctance to pick this book up, I really enjoyed it and am very much looking forward to the third installment - The Daylight War. It promises to be an absolute corker.
If you liked the first book just for the demon fights and skimmed all the talking and character development in the middle then this is not for you. However if you found at least one character from the first book interesting and worth following, read this book.
I approached this second book in two minds. I liked the first book, the concept is excellent and well imagined. The main protagonist is interesting and the directions taken are unexpected. The only let down for me was that apart from the Painted Main himself, I found the other 'main' characters a little less interesting. Leesha's story was interesting and gave insights into Brett's world. However Rojer's story left me cold to be honest, he didn't seem to add very much to the book. I was a little concerned that this second book might be the same for me.
I needn't have worried. The first third of the book concerns the back story of Jardir, a desert warrior prince who appears as a second tier (though instrumental) character in the first book. In this book he is definitely a leading character. He has declared himself the Deliverer and is determined to unite all of humanity under his banner to fight the demons, as has been long foretold. He is determined and quite prepared to take cities by force if required. The back story explains what drives him and also the reasons for his actions in the first book.
Meanwhile the Painted Man is being called the Deliverer by the free peoples of the North, something he strenuously denies. But there can only be one Deliverer and as Jardir encroaches on the North their worlds will come into conflict.
This is a long book - the paperback I read ended on page 750 - and there is a lot to read. Brett is all about character development and there are a lot of characters in this book, some new some returning ones. Rojer is a much better character in this book, possibly because he is not required to carry the storyline but instead can provide a different point of view on events. Leesha is once again a main character and of course the Painted Man plays his part, fighting demons both physical and his own mental demons. There is a lot of dialogue as the story and plot are very much personality driven. There are of course scenes of demon fights large and small but they in no way make up the bulk of the book.
There is another plot strand that I won't give away here but adds more dimension to the demon threat and provides some excellent moments.
The writing is excellent and the characterisation outstanding. This is one of those books which makes you wonder why there is such snobbery in the wider fiction community for 'niche' genres such as fantasy. I would hold the writing and characters from this book against any established classic.
Despite my reluctance to pick this book up, I really enjoyed it and am very much looking forward to the third installment - The Daylight War. It promises to be an absolute corker.
If you liked the first book just for the demon fights and skimmed all the talking and character development in the middle then this is not for you. However if you found at least one character from the first book interesting and worth following, read this book.
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Captain America: Civil War (2016) in Movies
Jun 10, 2019
Mini Avengers, Assemble
Is anyone else getting bored of superhero films? Nope? Just me then. We’re not even halfway through 2016 and there have been three of them. In February, there was Deadpool, a film that despite all the odds, turned out to be smashing – despite its generic finale.
Then, DC tried to compete with Marvel in March with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It was fine, if far too long and lacking in any real drama. Now, Marvel is back with Captain America: Civil War. But can it break the superhero tedium that has started to settle in?
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is back and he is not happy. The titular hero, and the rest of our beloved Avengers clan, are asked to sign up to a UN treaty, designed to reign in their unsupervised power after a dramatic and deadly battle against terrorists in Nigeria. It turns out the Avengers lost the PR war and countries across the globe want blood – well them to back off a little at least.
Most of the fan favourites return in Civil War, with Robert Downey Jr proving once again why he was cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man all those years ago. He is a commanding presence and brings to the table some of the best one-liners outside a fully-fledged Iron Man film.
Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Paul Bettany (Vision) all return and despite the increasing number of characters all make their presence felt throughout the course of the film – something Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to do.
However, the film belongs to the characters that join the film and the Marvel Universe. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes a truly exceptional appearance and features in Civil War’s most memorable scene – a brilliantly choreographed battle between two sides in a deserted airport.
And, the long-awaited “homecoming” of Spider-Man to the MCU is thankfully worth the wait. He’s been teased in the trailers and I’m pleased to say his screen-time is far greater than anyone could have imagined. Young Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker may need some time to settle in, we have a Spider-Man reboot to look forward to in 2018, but he makes a cracking first impression.
So, with all those characters it’s fair to say that Civil War should be renamed “Mini Avengers Assemble” as there’s far more at stake here than a simple Captain America movie. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have created the film that Age of Ultron should have been and it’s a slight disservice to their incredible work that the film isn’t labelled as a full Avengers feature, despite the lack of Thor and Hulk.
The action is beautifully filmed and the locations are fabulous. From Africa to America and from Germany to London, nearly every inch of the world is touched upon in some way – yet it doesn’t feel disjointed.
But what makes Civil War stand out from all the rest is its human side. This isn’t a superhero movie that ends in a climactic battle against a faceless army, it explores the human impact of our characters’ actions and the emotion radiates from its heart.
Yes, it’s 20 minutes too long but apart from that, I can’t think of a bad word to say. It has reinvigorated a genre that was starting to turn a little stale. Bringing together a set of characters that against all the odds gel together so well makes it feel as fresh as Iron Man did way back in 2008.
If this is the magic the Russo brothers can work at Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War should be something truly special indeed. X-Men: Apocalypse, you have your work cut out.
Oh, and wait right up until the end credits for something very special indeed.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/05/01/mini-avengers-assemble-captain-america-civil-war-review/
Then, DC tried to compete with Marvel in March with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. It was fine, if far too long and lacking in any real drama. Now, Marvel is back with Captain America: Civil War. But can it break the superhero tedium that has started to settle in?
Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is back and he is not happy. The titular hero, and the rest of our beloved Avengers clan, are asked to sign up to a UN treaty, designed to reign in their unsupervised power after a dramatic and deadly battle against terrorists in Nigeria. It turns out the Avengers lost the PR war and countries across the globe want blood – well them to back off a little at least.
Most of the fan favourites return in Civil War, with Robert Downey Jr proving once again why he was cast as Tony Stark/Iron Man all those years ago. He is a commanding presence and brings to the table some of the best one-liners outside a fully-fledged Iron Man film.
Elsewhere, Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Elizabeth Olsen (Scarlet Witch) and Paul Bettany (Vision) all return and despite the increasing number of characters all make their presence felt throughout the course of the film – something Avengers: Age of Ultron failed to do.
However, the film belongs to the characters that join the film and the Marvel Universe. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man makes a truly exceptional appearance and features in Civil War’s most memorable scene – a brilliantly choreographed battle between two sides in a deserted airport.
And, the long-awaited “homecoming” of Spider-Man to the MCU is thankfully worth the wait. He’s been teased in the trailers and I’m pleased to say his screen-time is far greater than anyone could have imagined. Young Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker may need some time to settle in, we have a Spider-Man reboot to look forward to in 2018, but he makes a cracking first impression.
So, with all those characters it’s fair to say that Civil War should be renamed “Mini Avengers Assemble” as there’s far more at stake here than a simple Captain America movie. Directors Joe and Anthony Russo have created the film that Age of Ultron should have been and it’s a slight disservice to their incredible work that the film isn’t labelled as a full Avengers feature, despite the lack of Thor and Hulk.
The action is beautifully filmed and the locations are fabulous. From Africa to America and from Germany to London, nearly every inch of the world is touched upon in some way – yet it doesn’t feel disjointed.
But what makes Civil War stand out from all the rest is its human side. This isn’t a superhero movie that ends in a climactic battle against a faceless army, it explores the human impact of our characters’ actions and the emotion radiates from its heart.
Yes, it’s 20 minutes too long but apart from that, I can’t think of a bad word to say. It has reinvigorated a genre that was starting to turn a little stale. Bringing together a set of characters that against all the odds gel together so well makes it feel as fresh as Iron Man did way back in 2008.
If this is the magic the Russo brothers can work at Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War should be something truly special indeed. X-Men: Apocalypse, you have your work cut out.
Oh, and wait right up until the end credits for something very special indeed.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/05/01/mini-avengers-assemble-captain-america-civil-war-review/
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018) in Movies
Jun 21, 2019
Please stop now
Contains spoilers, click to show
Where to begin...
Fallen Kingdom is full to the brim with stupid.
It sort of imitates The Lost World - first half set on an island, second half set within human population - but it just falls on its face, especially in that second half.
We have a typical evil guy, with a ludicrous plan to use dinosaurs in modern war scenarios (again - for some absurd reason), we have a new "crazy" hybrid lab created dinosaur on the rampage (again!), And to top it all off, the writers decided to throw in a side plot about a little girl who actually a clone? What? Why?
There's also a bit with a velociraptor diving through a window, away from an explosion, like a dinosaur John McClane - we are so far away from the first movie now, is there any point in carrying on?
The first half of the film fairs slightly better, (the opening scene is a highlight for me) and the CGI is pretty solid throughout, but as soon as they leave the island, it's nosedives in spectacular fashion.
Bruce Dallas-Howard and Chris Pratt - again, both fine actors, bit here they are just there, not really adding or taking away from the whole experience.
And just like Jurassic World, it's full of silly plot points that I try not to think too hard about, bit in the end can't help myself such as:
Why is Claire not incarcerated for the events of the first film - she's definitely responsible for a lot of civilians being mailed by rampant dinosaurs.
How does the old guy have absolutely no idea that there is a massive lab/dinosaur prison below his house.
How did they get the T-Rex onto the boat into containment in the few minutes between the main characters jumping into the ocean to getting to the boat themselves?
Why does the Indoraptor happily eat everyone in sight, but then sneak up on the little girl... It's a kind of cool shit but still.
When the film reaches it's conclusion with dinosaurs roaming our everyday lives, you realise that most of the trailer is in the last minute of the film, and this was maybe all filler to reach the inevitable sequel, but to be honest, my interest is low at this point.
On a final note, I love Jeff Goldblum but what was the point of his appearance here? He literally says the name of the film out loud, and that's it. Jesus.
Fallen Kingdom is full to the brim with stupid.
It sort of imitates The Lost World - first half set on an island, second half set within human population - but it just falls on its face, especially in that second half.
We have a typical evil guy, with a ludicrous plan to use dinosaurs in modern war scenarios (again - for some absurd reason), we have a new "crazy" hybrid lab created dinosaur on the rampage (again!), And to top it all off, the writers decided to throw in a side plot about a little girl who actually a clone? What? Why?
There's also a bit with a velociraptor diving through a window, away from an explosion, like a dinosaur John McClane - we are so far away from the first movie now, is there any point in carrying on?
The first half of the film fairs slightly better, (the opening scene is a highlight for me) and the CGI is pretty solid throughout, but as soon as they leave the island, it's nosedives in spectacular fashion.
Bruce Dallas-Howard and Chris Pratt - again, both fine actors, bit here they are just there, not really adding or taking away from the whole experience.
And just like Jurassic World, it's full of silly plot points that I try not to think too hard about, bit in the end can't help myself such as:
Why is Claire not incarcerated for the events of the first film - she's definitely responsible for a lot of civilians being mailed by rampant dinosaurs.
How does the old guy have absolutely no idea that there is a massive lab/dinosaur prison below his house.
How did they get the T-Rex onto the boat into containment in the few minutes between the main characters jumping into the ocean to getting to the boat themselves?
Why does the Indoraptor happily eat everyone in sight, but then sneak up on the little girl... It's a kind of cool shit but still.
When the film reaches it's conclusion with dinosaurs roaming our everyday lives, you realise that most of the trailer is in the last minute of the film, and this was maybe all filler to reach the inevitable sequel, but to be honest, my interest is low at this point.
On a final note, I love Jeff Goldblum but what was the point of his appearance here? He literally says the name of the film out loud, and that's it. Jesus.