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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Surrogates (2009) in Movies
Aug 9, 2019
Imagine if “IRobot”, “Die Hard”, and Joss Whedon’s television show “Dollhouse” had a child, the result would be akin to “Surrogates”. In the not to distant future technology is developed which gives us the ability to control customizable robots, called surrogates, with our minds. As a result, people rarely leave the house and interact directly with each other as surrogates. This robot filled thriller tells the story of FBI agent, Tom Greer (Bruce Willis), sent to investigate sudden deaths occurring when people are operating their surrogates.
In addition to Willis’s captivating acting, the film shines in part due to well-executed details, from the surrogate’s not quite human enough demeanor, to the underlying bias against people who don’t use the technology. “Surrogates” is a film that will make you reconsider the issue of advancing technology from both sides.
The least impressive aspect of this scifi/thriller based on a popular graphic novel is the fundamentally preposterous premise. One of the film’s main assumptions is that the use of surrogates has eliminated violence and racism. Believing that people, who are in essence operating a real world version of Second Life, would spend no time committing crimes, seems more than a little irrational.
Still, the film is engaging and much more thought provoking than I had expected. “Surrogates” fulfills both sci-fi and Bruce Willis fan requirements and is a visually enticing film. You will see a variety of locations common to a robot filled world, from a surrogate beauty salon complete with drills to the inner sanctum of the robot production line.
Touching on human, technological, and futuristic themes “Surrogates” is a fun film filled with visual effects and a truly engaging plot that is if you can overcome the plot holes that fracture the initial premise.
In addition to Willis’s captivating acting, the film shines in part due to well-executed details, from the surrogate’s not quite human enough demeanor, to the underlying bias against people who don’t use the technology. “Surrogates” is a film that will make you reconsider the issue of advancing technology from both sides.
The least impressive aspect of this scifi/thriller based on a popular graphic novel is the fundamentally preposterous premise. One of the film’s main assumptions is that the use of surrogates has eliminated violence and racism. Believing that people, who are in essence operating a real world version of Second Life, would spend no time committing crimes, seems more than a little irrational.
Still, the film is engaging and much more thought provoking than I had expected. “Surrogates” fulfills both sci-fi and Bruce Willis fan requirements and is a visually enticing film. You will see a variety of locations common to a robot filled world, from a surrogate beauty salon complete with drills to the inner sanctum of the robot production line.
Touching on human, technological, and futuristic themes “Surrogates” is a fun film filled with visual effects and a truly engaging plot that is if you can overcome the plot holes that fracture the initial premise.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2318 KP) rated The Silent Second in Books
Jan 16, 2020
Good, but Not the Tone I Was Expecting
Chuck Restic has spent twenty years in HR, and he’s good at his job – making sure employees get along so they don’t sue each other or, more importantly, the company. That’s how he first meets Ed, who has had a complaint filed against him. Ed seems like a nice guy, and their meeting goes well, but then Ed disappears a couple of days later. A plea from Ed’s family to figure out what happened to him intrigues Chuck. He’s recently separated from his wife, and he wants to do something to fill his time away from work, so he uses his boredom as an excuse to start poking around. The trail quickly leads to real estate around Los Angeles, but how could that have led to Ed’s disappearance?
I’d seen the author speak at a library event a while ago, and I thought this book sounded like fun. While I certainly enjoyed it, I found the book to be darker in tone than I was expecting. There were a few laughs when Chuck was in HR mode, but for the most part, this felt more like a hard-boiled book. But that’s my only complaint with the book. I really did like Chuck – in fact, I could identify with him a bit too much. (Maybe that was part of my problem.) The rest of the cast are just as strong and become well-rounded people as we learn most about them. The plot was great with plenty of twists and an ending I didn’t see coming. The book was light on foul language and didn’t get too graphic with the violence or sex, which I most definitely appreciated. This is a solid debut, but pick it up when you are in the mood for something on the darker side.
I’d seen the author speak at a library event a while ago, and I thought this book sounded like fun. While I certainly enjoyed it, I found the book to be darker in tone than I was expecting. There were a few laughs when Chuck was in HR mode, but for the most part, this felt more like a hard-boiled book. But that’s my only complaint with the book. I really did like Chuck – in fact, I could identify with him a bit too much. (Maybe that was part of my problem.) The rest of the cast are just as strong and become well-rounded people as we learn most about them. The plot was great with plenty of twists and an ending I didn’t see coming. The book was light on foul language and didn’t get too graphic with the violence or sex, which I most definitely appreciated. This is a solid debut, but pick it up when you are in the mood for something on the darker side.
Shelle Perry (66 KP) rated The House on Crow Mountain in Books
Sep 1, 2021
Mystery Thriller, Cozy Rules
The House on Crow Mountain is probably the most uncozy-like cozy I have ever read. Don’t get me wrong it totally adheres to all the cozy rules; no graphic language, sex, or violence. It also follows the popular cozy tropes; a small town, a broken-hearted woman who returns home to make a new start, clever pets, etc. It is just I consider cozy to be a light afternoon read. More fluff than serious. I mean no disrespect to the books and authors I have read to date, some are among my all-time favorites.
This book from the first sentence to the last pulled me into a hard mystery thriller that just happened to follow cozy rules. It has everything; gripping suspense, a leading lady wracked with grief and guilt, and a possible love interest trying to redeem himself from a tragic mistake, or was it? There are far-reaching family secrets, menacing red herrings, and a sinister plot. There was no guessing whodunnit before the reveal. I really (I mean really) did not like the person, but there were so many other people to not like, to suspect, to think about that it barely registered. I could not put this book down as the story unfolded and the floating, maybe relevant plotlines merged bringing the story to its climax.
I seriously hope for this to be a series as there are characters that I would love to learn more about, but I tell you, I would be okay with this being a one-off. The story as it stands has mostly been told and it is that good.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This book from the first sentence to the last pulled me into a hard mystery thriller that just happened to follow cozy rules. It has everything; gripping suspense, a leading lady wracked with grief and guilt, and a possible love interest trying to redeem himself from a tragic mistake, or was it? There are far-reaching family secrets, menacing red herrings, and a sinister plot. There was no guessing whodunnit before the reveal. I really (I mean really) did not like the person, but there were so many other people to not like, to suspect, to think about that it barely registered. I could not put this book down as the story unfolded and the floating, maybe relevant plotlines merged bringing the story to its climax.
I seriously hope for this to be a series as there are characters that I would love to learn more about, but I tell you, I would be okay with this being a one-off. The story as it stands has mostly been told and it is that good.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
I received an advance review copy for free through Great Escapes Virtual Book Tours, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Ben (Assassin's To Order #2)
JP Sayle and Lisa Oliver
9.5
Rate It
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Has Fate taken science and shown it who’s boss, when everything about Nico and Teilo is not what...
MMM Paranormal Romance
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Werewolf By Night (2022) in Movies
Oct 6, 2022
The latest offering from Marvel Studios has arrived and it is a change of pace for the studio as it delves into the darker side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Werewolf By Night is a visually appealing tale that lovingly plays homage to the classic Black and White horror movies of old yet infuses modern content and a touch of humor.
When a group of Monster Hunters is assembled at Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader, the assembled guests are tasked to compete against one another to find a relic and oh yes, content with a deadly monster in the maze as well.
The hunters are informed that they are fair game for one another and the combination of competition and survival promises danger and deadly encounters along the way.
Things are not as they seem as one of the hunters named Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) has a dark secret or two and when he ends up working with Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), things get very interesting and deadly.
The show is deeply-enjoyable and makes me wish that this was a series versus a special but I would think that audiences will see some of the characters again in the future. There is a bit more violence than one might expect from the MCU but due to the Black and White filming, it is not as graphic as it could be but still might be more than some younger fans would expect.
Composer Michael Giacchino has done an amazing job with the show as the pacing is solid, the characters are interesting, and the visuals capture the enduring nostalgia of the bygone classics.
I enjoyed the special from start to finish and should be an enjoyable experience not only for Marvel fans but for horror fans everywhere.
Look for it on Disney+ on December 7th.
Werewolf By Night is a visually appealing tale that lovingly plays homage to the classic Black and White horror movies of old yet infuses modern content and a touch of humor.
When a group of Monster Hunters is assembled at Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader, the assembled guests are tasked to compete against one another to find a relic and oh yes, content with a deadly monster in the maze as well.
The hunters are informed that they are fair game for one another and the combination of competition and survival promises danger and deadly encounters along the way.
Things are not as they seem as one of the hunters named Jack Russell (Gael Garcia Bernal) has a dark secret or two and when he ends up working with Elsa Bloodstone (Laura Donnelly), things get very interesting and deadly.
The show is deeply-enjoyable and makes me wish that this was a series versus a special but I would think that audiences will see some of the characters again in the future. There is a bit more violence than one might expect from the MCU but due to the Black and White filming, it is not as graphic as it could be but still might be more than some younger fans would expect.
Composer Michael Giacchino has done an amazing job with the show as the pacing is solid, the characters are interesting, and the visuals capture the enduring nostalgia of the bygone classics.
I enjoyed the special from start to finish and should be an enjoyable experience not only for Marvel fans but for horror fans everywhere.
Look for it on Disney+ on December 7th.
Heart of Outcasts
10.0
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Change is coming to the Autumn County werewolves, and someone would kill to keep it from...
MM Urban Fantasy Romance
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Good Daughter in Books
Dec 24, 2017
spell-binding (2 more)
shocking
fascinating
Charlie and Sam grew up in Pikeville, Georgia, with anything but an idyllic childhood. When the girls were teens, they were part of a brutal assault at their family's farmhouse. The attack left their mother, "Gamma," dead and profoundly affected their father, a prominent local attorney. Years later, Charlie remains in Pikeville, a lawyer like her father, and trying to keep the past behind her. All that changes when the town witnesses violence yet again--and Charlie is right in the thick of it. Suddenly, she's forced to confront so many of the emotions she's buried for years and to fully deal with exactly what happened to her family so many years ago.
Slaughter's latest novel starts quickly out of the gate--with a brutal, graphic, and spell-binding description of the assault and attack on Charlie, Sam, and Gamma--and it never lets up from there. Seriously, this book never lets you take a breath or a break: it's just constant action and second guessing.
Told from the points of view of both Charlie and Sam, including their varying memories of the incident at the farmhouse, we are forced to see all the events and violence through the eyes of the two sisters alone. As I mentioned, this keeps you guessing--and reading. I completely put down the other novel I was reading at the time (FINAL GIRLS) to read this: I had to know how it ended.
All the characters in this book are entwined, and Slaughter does a great job of depicting the small town of Pikeville. It's a mystery at its core, sure, but it also goes deeper with commentary on race, class, and how modern society deals with mass tragedy. The characters are well-drawn: I immediately found myself intrigued by Sam, Charlie, their father (Rusty), the descriptions of Gamma, and by a slew of small-town folk, including Rusty's secretary Lenore, and Charlie's estranged husband, Ben. Slaughter is excellent with the details.
Indeed, she's great at doling out those "whoa" moments. The plot never lets down; in fact, it continues to pick up as the novel continues on. I truly gasped a couple of times and found myself going "wow"! That's not easy to do once, let alone consistently.
This is a beautiful book at times--the way the plot and characters weave together. It even makes you laugh at moments, despite some truly somber subject matter. I found myself a bit irked at times by Charlie and Sam's fighting (I've read a lot of books with sisters fighting as of late), but if that's my only nitpick, that's not bad at all.
Overall, a great mystery that keeps you guessing and surprised to the very end. Excellent, fascinating, and deep characters. Definitely worth a read.
Slaughter's latest novel starts quickly out of the gate--with a brutal, graphic, and spell-binding description of the assault and attack on Charlie, Sam, and Gamma--and it never lets up from there. Seriously, this book never lets you take a breath or a break: it's just constant action and second guessing.
Told from the points of view of both Charlie and Sam, including their varying memories of the incident at the farmhouse, we are forced to see all the events and violence through the eyes of the two sisters alone. As I mentioned, this keeps you guessing--and reading. I completely put down the other novel I was reading at the time (FINAL GIRLS) to read this: I had to know how it ended.
All the characters in this book are entwined, and Slaughter does a great job of depicting the small town of Pikeville. It's a mystery at its core, sure, but it also goes deeper with commentary on race, class, and how modern society deals with mass tragedy. The characters are well-drawn: I immediately found myself intrigued by Sam, Charlie, their father (Rusty), the descriptions of Gamma, and by a slew of small-town folk, including Rusty's secretary Lenore, and Charlie's estranged husband, Ben. Slaughter is excellent with the details.
Indeed, she's great at doling out those "whoa" moments. The plot never lets down; in fact, it continues to pick up as the novel continues on. I truly gasped a couple of times and found myself going "wow"! That's not easy to do once, let alone consistently.
This is a beautiful book at times--the way the plot and characters weave together. It even makes you laugh at moments, despite some truly somber subject matter. I found myself a bit irked at times by Charlie and Sam's fighting (I've read a lot of books with sisters fighting as of late), but if that's my only nitpick, that's not bad at all.
Overall, a great mystery that keeps you guessing and surprised to the very end. Excellent, fascinating, and deep characters. Definitely worth a read.
Debbiereadsbook (1410 KP) rated Tristan (The Hawks, #1) in Books
Mar 26, 2021
This book, right? This book is bloody AMAZING!!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book, right? This book is bloody AMAZING!!
I mean, this is the author's first book, that I can see, and it blew me away, it really did.
It's told from Nim and Tristan's point of view, with two others getting a say for a short time. They have clear and concise voices, and you get the setting of this world in dribs and drabs. You do NOT get everything all at once, and I really loved being able to process every little bit as and when it came at me.
And you can process it, just in time for the next bit to be thrown at you. And I really LOVED getting thrown at! I can't tell you how much I love being able to take steps into a new world a bit at a time, I really can't.
There is something much bigger going on here, that is revealed, I'm sure. The clues are there, I think, but I'm not sure I put it all together in the way it's meant to be put together. I mean, SOME things are totally clear, but it's the other bits and pieces that are a little fuzzy and I love that they are, cos I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED the next book to make things unclear!
Tristan and Nim's story is dark and deadly, and somewhat graphic in it's violence in places, but it really is needed, for you to get what has happens to the Blues since the ambush and death of their king. There is passion and love here, but it's not especially explicit, but as much as the violence IS needed, the sex is NOT. You get all you need between Nim and Tristan with what is here.
The people in this world are varied and different, with their own skills and powers and traits unique to their race. Some hints about dragons and Nephilim. Wings for Nim, her brother Val and a couple of Tristan's men. Those things are just *there*, you know? You don't get a big long winded explanation, just Nim stretched her wings. And I loved that!
Like I said, I bloody LOVED this book, and if this really IS this author's first book, she nailed it! Absolutely NAILED it and I cannot wait to see what comes next. I know that Val is next, Nim's brother, and given what happens to him in this book, I think that one might be a much more difficult read.
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This book, right? This book is bloody AMAZING!!
I mean, this is the author's first book, that I can see, and it blew me away, it really did.
It's told from Nim and Tristan's point of view, with two others getting a say for a short time. They have clear and concise voices, and you get the setting of this world in dribs and drabs. You do NOT get everything all at once, and I really loved being able to process every little bit as and when it came at me.
And you can process it, just in time for the next bit to be thrown at you. And I really LOVED getting thrown at! I can't tell you how much I love being able to take steps into a new world a bit at a time, I really can't.
There is something much bigger going on here, that is revealed, I'm sure. The clues are there, I think, but I'm not sure I put it all together in the way it's meant to be put together. I mean, SOME things are totally clear, but it's the other bits and pieces that are a little fuzzy and I love that they are, cos I NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED the next book to make things unclear!
Tristan and Nim's story is dark and deadly, and somewhat graphic in it's violence in places, but it really is needed, for you to get what has happens to the Blues since the ambush and death of their king. There is passion and love here, but it's not especially explicit, but as much as the violence IS needed, the sex is NOT. You get all you need between Nim and Tristan with what is here.
The people in this world are varied and different, with their own skills and powers and traits unique to their race. Some hints about dragons and Nephilim. Wings for Nim, her brother Val and a couple of Tristan's men. Those things are just *there*, you know? You don't get a big long winded explanation, just Nim stretched her wings. And I loved that!
Like I said, I bloody LOVED this book, and if this really IS this author's first book, she nailed it! Absolutely NAILED it and I cannot wait to see what comes next. I know that Val is next, Nim's brother, and given what happens to him in this book, I think that one might be a much more difficult read.
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated A Kiss of Madness in Books
Jan 14, 2019
Too much smut (3 more)
Unbelievable plot
Underdeveloped and unlikable characters
Book is confused about the plot
Reads More Like a Rough Draft
I love reading books about mental illness, and even more so if they take place inside an asylum. When I saw A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones, it seemed like the perfect read for me. Unfortunately, I was left very disappointed.
The synopsis for A Kiss of Madness sounded very interesting. It could have been a very interesting book except there's too much going on in the story. Lydia gets sent to Brocker's Center for the Criminally Insane after having a vision and throwing a chair through a window as well as attacking an innocent bystander. She could have chose jail time or to voluntarily commit herself to Brocker's. She chose the latter. While there, she gets feelings about people and doesn't feel like she belongs. She meets three guys who are patients with their own issues. However, she ends up thinking they're hot, and they also think she's hot. The guys all agree to be her boyfriends and end up following her everywhere. When one of the other female patients goes missing, Lydia tries to uncover what really happened putting herself in grave danger. I was confused if A Kiss of Madness was trying to be more of a romance novel, a mystery/crime novel, or a paranormal novel. I got the insane asylum vibe for a few chapters, but soon this book lost its whole mental illness vibe. I felt like the insane asylum setting was just thrown in there to make this book sound more interesting than it actually was. It soon turned more into an erotic novel which made me like the book even less. There was just too much pointless fairly graphic sex for my liking. I feel like all the fairly graphic sex and sexual references really took away from the story. I also didn't like the ending. It just felt too rushed. Actually, the whole story just felt really rushed. I also didn't understand how one character who had a violent past could have such a great job. I won't go into further details because it's a spoiler.
I started out liking Lydia and was on her side for the first few chapters or so. However, I found myself losing the connection I felt with her the more I read. She just came across as being very irresponsible and immature. I didn't really care for Pierce, Emmett, or Mason/Jason either. None of the characters in A Kiss of Madness were fleshed out enough to be likable or believable.
The pacing starts out great in A Kiss of Madness. However, it soon slows down once the sex scenes come into play. Then it slows down and becomes more of a smut novel instead of a decent read. Luckily this is a short read or I would have given up on it when I got to the sex parts.
Trigger warnings for A Kiss of Madness include violence, murder, mental illness, attempted sexual assault, fairly graphic sex scenes, sexual references, and profanities.
Overall, A Kiss of Madness started out great. However, it soon went downhill close to halfway through the book. I feel like this book feels more like a rough draft on what could be a decent read. It just needs a lot more work to be good. Get rid of a lot of the pointless sex scenes and references, bulk up the story and characters a bit, decide on what angle to go with, and give this book some guts! At this time, I would not recommend A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones.
The synopsis for A Kiss of Madness sounded very interesting. It could have been a very interesting book except there's too much going on in the story. Lydia gets sent to Brocker's Center for the Criminally Insane after having a vision and throwing a chair through a window as well as attacking an innocent bystander. She could have chose jail time or to voluntarily commit herself to Brocker's. She chose the latter. While there, she gets feelings about people and doesn't feel like she belongs. She meets three guys who are patients with their own issues. However, she ends up thinking they're hot, and they also think she's hot. The guys all agree to be her boyfriends and end up following her everywhere. When one of the other female patients goes missing, Lydia tries to uncover what really happened putting herself in grave danger. I was confused if A Kiss of Madness was trying to be more of a romance novel, a mystery/crime novel, or a paranormal novel. I got the insane asylum vibe for a few chapters, but soon this book lost its whole mental illness vibe. I felt like the insane asylum setting was just thrown in there to make this book sound more interesting than it actually was. It soon turned more into an erotic novel which made me like the book even less. There was just too much pointless fairly graphic sex for my liking. I feel like all the fairly graphic sex and sexual references really took away from the story. I also didn't like the ending. It just felt too rushed. Actually, the whole story just felt really rushed. I also didn't understand how one character who had a violent past could have such a great job. I won't go into further details because it's a spoiler.
I started out liking Lydia and was on her side for the first few chapters or so. However, I found myself losing the connection I felt with her the more I read. She just came across as being very irresponsible and immature. I didn't really care for Pierce, Emmett, or Mason/Jason either. None of the characters in A Kiss of Madness were fleshed out enough to be likable or believable.
The pacing starts out great in A Kiss of Madness. However, it soon slows down once the sex scenes come into play. Then it slows down and becomes more of a smut novel instead of a decent read. Luckily this is a short read or I would have given up on it when I got to the sex parts.
Trigger warnings for A Kiss of Madness include violence, murder, mental illness, attempted sexual assault, fairly graphic sex scenes, sexual references, and profanities.
Overall, A Kiss of Madness started out great. However, it soon went downhill close to halfway through the book. I feel like this book feels more like a rough draft on what could be a decent read. It just needs a lot more work to be good. Get rid of a lot of the pointless sex scenes and references, bulk up the story and characters a bit, decide on what angle to go with, and give this book some guts! At this time, I would not recommend A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones.