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Hero in the Shadows (Drenai 9; Waylander 3)
Hero in the Shadows (Drenai 9; Waylander 3)
David Gemmell | 2000 | Fiction & Poetry
8
7.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Chronologically the third entry in David Gemmell's Drenia saga, published ninth in order, that completes the trilogy of Waylander the Slayer: a character first introduced in Waylander before being further expanded upon in Waylander II: In the Realm of the Wolf and which thus makes him of the very few characters that Gemmell returned to more than once in that series (indeed, the only other character I can think of is of Druss himself. Oh, and Skilgannon (who had two novels).

I've always found that there is an element of truth to the charge that the nations in his works reflect real-life counterparts (Nadir = Huns, Drenai = Greek), with those novel expanding to include the Kydor and the Chiatze, with the Men of Mud obviously reflecting the Terracotta army.

Oh, and the finale of the novel, in which Waylander finally finds peace?

*Chef's kiss*
  
The Silence of Scheherazade
The Silence of Scheherazade
Defne Suman | 2021 | Contemporary, Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What’s it about:
We follow four families as their lives are changed forever when the Ottoman Empire is torn apart, and the city of Smyrna is at the front and centre of the trouble and violence.
This novel covers about 17 years from 1905, and follows four families from very different backgrounds: Levantine, Greek, Turkish and Armenian.

Scheherazade is born in September 1905, and never knows her mother as she is abandoned. An Indian spy (sent from the British) is who will tie them all together.

My thoughts:
I love an epic, sprawling story, and following the lives of four families certainly gives a lot of scope for that.

It was fascinating to learn about the different cultures of the four families, and of course Smyrna was a main character in itself.

It’s a book to be immersed in, with the sights and smells beautifully described.

Just my kind of book!
  
    Blue Letter Bible

    Blue Letter Bible

    Reference and Education

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Who Let the Gods Out?
Who Let the Gods Out?
Maz Evans | 2017 | Children
8
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Eliot, the troubled boy and his anarchic, dysfunctional foster-Gods...
Eliot is a boy with problems. A mum who is suffereing from crippling depression and mental health problems, a farm that is running to ruin since his grandparents died, and a school where the teachers know nothing about any of it. Facing repossession of his home and the looming threat of Social Services and being separated from his mum Eliot needs help: what he gets is a bunch of retired Greek Gods, minor deities and Zodiac characters who have spent millennia bickering over the small print and red-tape of running the Universe , or kicking their heels in cosy retirement.

After one of the Zodiac council crash-lands in his cowshed Eliot suddenly finds himself pulled into a quest to find power stones and defeat a wicked demon. Can he succeed, and can his squabbling new friends help him save his home & family?

A really engaging read for parents and kids.
  
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018)
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (2018)
2018 | Comedy, Musical
More semi-demented glam-rock-inflected goings-on amongst the Greek islands, distinguished this time by an actual sense of self-awareness of how absurd the whole thing is, an increased focus on younger and more attractive versions of the main characters, and an advertising campaign built around a massive piece of deception (Meryl Streep is only in the film for about two minutes).

I don't know, it's jolly enough I suppose, but one of the things that made the first one so distinctive was the fact it was about randy middle-aged people murdering classic pop songs, which you don't see much of in the cinema. This one is more about randy young people, which is much more commonplace and rather less fun. Also, when I watch a Mamma Mia film I want to see Pierce Brosnan murdering a song, not just being reduced to contributing the odd chorus and standing around in the background. Fairly inoffensive all in all, and quite entertaining.
  
Hercules (1997)
Hercules (1997)
1997 | Animation, Comedy, Fantasy
8
8.2 (75 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Vibrant colours, character development, good story, fun musical numbers (0 more)
Plot was a little light (0 more)
Zero to Hero
Contains spoilers, click to show
Disney's take on the Greek mythological Hero.
 Hercules (Tate Donovan), son of Zeus, was kidnapped as a baby by minions of Hades (James Woods) and is found and raised by mortals in a superman-esque kinda way.
Now a teenager, Hercules wants to know about his real parents. Along the way he needs to perform a rite of passage on Earth to prove himself worthy of living with the gods on Mount Olympus and dealing with his first true love With help from his plucky satyr sidekick, Philoctetes (Danny DeVito), who's along for the ride, Hercules must learn how to use his strength to become the hero he's needed to be.

This movie is very light hearted and has an array of characters you can appreciate, many vibrant colours manage to draw you in, great dialogue and banter between characters with a meaningful story.

My personal favourite Disney animation.