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David McK (3623 KP) rated Destiny's Way (The Doomed Earth #2) in Books
Apr 6, 2025
This is a direct sequel to Jack Campbell's earlier "In Our Stars", picking up almost directly where that finished with Lieutenant Selene Genji and Lieutenant Kayl Owen making their way back to Earth, still on a mission to stop the destruction of Earth 40 years into the future on June 12, 2180, which Selene Genji witnessed happen and was somehow thrust back in time.
From the future in which she comes, she is what is known as a Alloy: a human with alien DNA. In that future, they are feared and mistrusted.
And so do certain section of the Earth Guard, the forerunner to the Unified Fleet for which Selene works, who are doing their best to hunt down and kill Genji, believing her to be the monstrous spearhead of an alien invasion (with said First Contact happening towards the end of the previous novel).
With the way this novel ends, I think it's unlikely there will be any more in this series. Or, if there are, that it will concentrate on the same two characters.
Sometimes it's nice ending on a hopeful high note (think how much better the Terminator series would have been if it had ended with T2: Judgment Day, for example).
From the future in which she comes, she is what is known as a Alloy: a human with alien DNA. In that future, they are feared and mistrusted.
And so do certain section of the Earth Guard, the forerunner to the Unified Fleet for which Selene works, who are doing their best to hunt down and kill Genji, believing her to be the monstrous spearhead of an alien invasion (with said First Contact happening towards the end of the previous novel).
With the way this novel ends, I think it's unlikely there will be any more in this series. Or, if there are, that it will concentrate on the same two characters.
Sometimes it's nice ending on a hopeful high note (think how much better the Terminator series would have been if it had ended with T2: Judgment Day, for example).
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Hunt (2020) in Movies
Mar 25, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
I've been looking forward to this since before it was cool.
A group of strangers wake up in the middle of nowhere, gagged and confused. The last thing they remember is being home in their respective states and then waking up in a clearing with each other.
It's no mystery to some why they're there, it's the Hunt. The bored elite pick up 12 strangers to hunt for sport and now it's their turn. A box full of weapons an open field and danger in every direction. Will the prey survive?
Mindless violence like this is right up my street, usually because it's so ridiculous it's funny and shocking in the most unexpected ways. It reminds me a lot of The Condemned, although there's no amazing role for Vinnie in this.
The trailers... ugh. One gives away a lot of key points and the other misleadingly splices together a lot of footage, the latter doesn't bother me nearly as much as the first. Had they only used the international trailer it would have avoided a lot of those problems and I think it would have left a bit more surprise.
Admittedly, I probably wouldn't have noticed how many reveals there were if I hadn't gone back to find something out after seeing the film. I could not for the life of me understand why they insisted on only showing the back of Hilary Swank's head in the opening, in the plane, partially during her meeting... why? If they had kept the role a secret until a reveal at the very end of the film (I still wouldn't have understood it but) I would have kind of been okay with it... but they show her face in the trailer... so why the hidden face all the time?
We get quite a big cast here with a lot of faces to recognise, all be it very briefly at times. I'm a little impressed that they decided to knock out as many as they did so early on, and especially their choices.
We have Betty Gilpin in the lead as Crystal fighting back against her would be murderers. I've only come across Gilpin (knowingly) in Elementary where she also played a character with many quirks. There's a certain kick-assery quality to Crystal, and those bits are great, but when she gets intense and mentions she might have issues it seems odd and at times not at all clear what she might be alluding to. She seemed to handle the role well but the occasional loopy moment didn't really fit.
Hilary Swank's performance as Athena was okay but the character had a lot of different issues throughout that I personally think would have made any attempt at this role mediocre.
I'll cover some of the flaws in the movie briefly, very briefly because there are a lot of things that just don't make sense. The text message that starts the whole thing... horrendously specific and doesn't seem like a likely response in that conversation. To then cause her to rage out in her meeting and decide to have the invented rampage seems even more ridiculous. When the prey can roam anywhere, why are a big chunk of them staying in the bunker on the original drop point, and how would they have known in advance that having someone with refugees would pan out in the end? And why after being so furious about the whole thing does Athena stay in her manor? Those are some of the things to quibble about, but I'll move on.
The film appears to say a lot but honestly doesn't really say anything at all. No point is ever really followed through with and explained, so the fact I wasn't "in tune" with it I didn't take anything away from those scenes anyway. At one point they throw so many topics into a conversation that it became quite annoying. I found it interesting to read up about why the film was pulled in the first place, under the veils of some terrible incidents in America at the time when it seems that the media influence was trying to crush it even before that because of all these hot topics. I don't know why anyone would be in their case if they'd actually seen the film, but as I said, this isn't my area of expertise so I don't intend to debate on the point.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, all I can say is that that sandwich would definitely have been burnt.
There are a lot of threads to pick at in The Hunt but none of them actually made the film fall apart, it has some humour, including some of those moments that aren't really funny but they're shocking and you laugh as a defense mechanism. It has one moment in particular that is so far off course that I wondered if it would go all out spoof. Even with the issue I still enjoyed it, there's something in these films (like Bloodshot had been) that relieves the stress of having to think.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-hunt-movie-review-spoilers.html
A group of strangers wake up in the middle of nowhere, gagged and confused. The last thing they remember is being home in their respective states and then waking up in a clearing with each other.
It's no mystery to some why they're there, it's the Hunt. The bored elite pick up 12 strangers to hunt for sport and now it's their turn. A box full of weapons an open field and danger in every direction. Will the prey survive?
Mindless violence like this is right up my street, usually because it's so ridiculous it's funny and shocking in the most unexpected ways. It reminds me a lot of The Condemned, although there's no amazing role for Vinnie in this.
The trailers... ugh. One gives away a lot of key points and the other misleadingly splices together a lot of footage, the latter doesn't bother me nearly as much as the first. Had they only used the international trailer it would have avoided a lot of those problems and I think it would have left a bit more surprise.
Admittedly, I probably wouldn't have noticed how many reveals there were if I hadn't gone back to find something out after seeing the film. I could not for the life of me understand why they insisted on only showing the back of Hilary Swank's head in the opening, in the plane, partially during her meeting... why? If they had kept the role a secret until a reveal at the very end of the film (I still wouldn't have understood it but) I would have kind of been okay with it... but they show her face in the trailer... so why the hidden face all the time?
We get quite a big cast here with a lot of faces to recognise, all be it very briefly at times. I'm a little impressed that they decided to knock out as many as they did so early on, and especially their choices.
We have Betty Gilpin in the lead as Crystal fighting back against her would be murderers. I've only come across Gilpin (knowingly) in Elementary where she also played a character with many quirks. There's a certain kick-assery quality to Crystal, and those bits are great, but when she gets intense and mentions she might have issues it seems odd and at times not at all clear what she might be alluding to. She seemed to handle the role well but the occasional loopy moment didn't really fit.
Hilary Swank's performance as Athena was okay but the character had a lot of different issues throughout that I personally think would have made any attempt at this role mediocre.
I'll cover some of the flaws in the movie briefly, very briefly because there are a lot of things that just don't make sense. The text message that starts the whole thing... horrendously specific and doesn't seem like a likely response in that conversation. To then cause her to rage out in her meeting and decide to have the invented rampage seems even more ridiculous. When the prey can roam anywhere, why are a big chunk of them staying in the bunker on the original drop point, and how would they have known in advance that having someone with refugees would pan out in the end? And why after being so furious about the whole thing does Athena stay in her manor? Those are some of the things to quibble about, but I'll move on.
The film appears to say a lot but honestly doesn't really say anything at all. No point is ever really followed through with and explained, so the fact I wasn't "in tune" with it I didn't take anything away from those scenes anyway. At one point they throw so many topics into a conversation that it became quite annoying. I found it interesting to read up about why the film was pulled in the first place, under the veils of some terrible incidents in America at the time when it seems that the media influence was trying to crush it even before that because of all these hot topics. I don't know why anyone would be in their case if they'd actually seen the film, but as I said, this isn't my area of expertise so I don't intend to debate on the point.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending, all I can say is that that sandwich would definitely have been burnt.
There are a lot of threads to pick at in The Hunt but none of them actually made the film fall apart, it has some humour, including some of those moments that aren't really funny but they're shocking and you laugh as a defense mechanism. It has one moment in particular that is so far off course that I wondered if it would go all out spoof. Even with the issue I still enjoyed it, there's something in these films (like Bloodshot had been) that relieves the stress of having to think.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-hunt-movie-review-spoilers.html
Alison Pink (7 KP) rated The Perfect Death (Detective John Stallings #3) in Books
Jan 15, 2018
Let me begin by saying that this book introduced me to a wonderful author who I can not wait to read more of!! I love when I can say that about any book, especially a book that I won from First Reads!
The Perfect Death was non-stop action & suspense from page one. It truly started off to hook the reader & it worked for me! The plot felt incredibly real particularly the parts dealing with the Jacksonville Sheriffs & how police handle investigations. The fascinating part was not how the characters handled the police work, but how they interacted with each other. It seemed like a real life workplace with honest to God co-workers.
The plot itself deals with a serial killer who has been on the hunt in North Florida. He finds young, naive victims & strangles them with a cord. As the story continues you find out that he is using them to complete his "work of art." He is a glass blower & blows jars in which he traps his victims' last breaths before he proceeds to strangle them to death.
This book is a fascinating look into real police work & the mind of a serial killer. A person no one thought to take a second glance at until it was too late. I really do look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!
The Perfect Death was non-stop action & suspense from page one. It truly started off to hook the reader & it worked for me! The plot felt incredibly real particularly the parts dealing with the Jacksonville Sheriffs & how police handle investigations. The fascinating part was not how the characters handled the police work, but how they interacted with each other. It seemed like a real life workplace with honest to God co-workers.
The plot itself deals with a serial killer who has been on the hunt in North Florida. He finds young, naive victims & strangles them with a cord. As the story continues you find out that he is using them to complete his "work of art." He is a glass blower & blows jars in which he traps his victims' last breaths before he proceeds to strangle them to death.
This book is a fascinating look into real police work & the mind of a serial killer. A person no one thought to take a second glance at until it was too late. I really do look forward to reading more from this author in the future!!!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The Shell in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Nicole Fysh is a conchologist, she studies shells. When her friends send her pictures of themselves diving, she sees something in the pictures that could make history. But if this shell is really what she believes it is, she can't possibly be the only one looking for it. She hops the next flight to join her friends, and find out if this shell is exactly what she thinks.
The Shell is full of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat. I never knew that shells were such a hot commodity. This book definitely will have me taking a closer look at the shells I come across on my vacation this summer.
In Nicole's search for the shell, she comes across quite a few people who are also on the hunt. They will stop at nothing to get their hands on the rare treasure. From murder, smuggling, and purgery, nearly anything. Nicole goes on quite a journey herself, suffering along the way.
Jenni Boyd give another enjoyable mystery. This so far has been my favorite. There are twists you don't see coming and surprises around every corner. You don't know who you can trust and if the truth will ever come out. I recommend this for all looking for a great thriller this summer.
The Shell is full of twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat. I never knew that shells were such a hot commodity. This book definitely will have me taking a closer look at the shells I come across on my vacation this summer.
In Nicole's search for the shell, she comes across quite a few people who are also on the hunt. They will stop at nothing to get their hands on the rare treasure. From murder, smuggling, and purgery, nearly anything. Nicole goes on quite a journey herself, suffering along the way.
Jenni Boyd give another enjoyable mystery. This so far has been my favorite. There are twists you don't see coming and surprises around every corner. You don't know who you can trust and if the truth will ever come out. I recommend this for all looking for a great thriller this summer.
Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Hellraiser: Judgment (2017) in Movies
May 30, 2019
I like the kills (1 more)
Should get a sequel
No Doug Bradley (2 more)
Detective bits drag
Dimension still only put a film out to keep the rights.
Time to deliver judgement on the new Hellraiser.
Just finished watching this and i have to say while its not perfect, its leaps and bounds ahead of Revelations.
The main crux of the story is the hunt for a killer called "The Preceptor" who is killing his victims in line with the 10 commandments. A pair of detective brothers are trying to crack the case and are assigned a new female partner.
The Cenobites are again things macrabe beauty. The Auditor is superb and played by director Gary Tunnicliffe. The Butcher and The Surgeon deliver a wonderful kill early on. Finally theres Pinhead, he looks amazing and Paul T Taylor gives a rousing performance throughout.
The theme of judgement is carried through with an assesor and a jury. The guilty cleaned.
The detective bits drag a bit and really slow the film down. The kills are delivered with gore and gutso and this feels like a new start for the franchise.
So in final Judgement, this new outing for Pinhead should see more sequels to come but if the quality of the Cenobites in this film is maintained then we have such sights to look forward to.
Just finished watching this and i have to say while its not perfect, its leaps and bounds ahead of Revelations.
The main crux of the story is the hunt for a killer called "The Preceptor" who is killing his victims in line with the 10 commandments. A pair of detective brothers are trying to crack the case and are assigned a new female partner.
The Cenobites are again things macrabe beauty. The Auditor is superb and played by director Gary Tunnicliffe. The Butcher and The Surgeon deliver a wonderful kill early on. Finally theres Pinhead, he looks amazing and Paul T Taylor gives a rousing performance throughout.
The theme of judgement is carried through with an assesor and a jury. The guilty cleaned.
The detective bits drag a bit and really slow the film down. The kills are delivered with gore and gutso and this feels like a new start for the franchise.
So in final Judgement, this new outing for Pinhead should see more sequels to come but if the quality of the Cenobites in this film is maintained then we have such sights to look forward to.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Quantum of Solace (2008) in Movies
Mar 1, 2018 (Updated Mar 2, 2018)
Twenty-second Bond film was initially greeted like an outbreak of flatulence in a crowded train, but with the benefit of a few years it has become clear it's not quite as bad as all that. The first proper sequel in Bond history sees the commander in pursuit of the mysterious Quantum syndicate, a hunt that takes him to the Caribbean, Europe, and South America.
Still a very untypical Bond film, with an austere, bleak mood; likely to feature prominently in pub quizzes as the answer to the questions 'which is the shortest Bond movie?' and 'in which film do Bond and the Bond girl not actually do it?' You can see the influence of the Bourne series in the attempt to turn Bond into a more edgy, self-doubting figure, and the general distrust of security agencies as a whole; but these things are not really the stuff of a good Bond film, and nor is a plot revolving around a plan to topple the government of a country most viewers would struggle to find on a map.
Competently-staged fights and chases, particularly the final set-piece, but most of the jokes fall flat and, well, it's just not really fun enough to really work as a piece of Bond. Commendable attempt though, and not actively painful to watch.
Still a very untypical Bond film, with an austere, bleak mood; likely to feature prominently in pub quizzes as the answer to the questions 'which is the shortest Bond movie?' and 'in which film do Bond and the Bond girl not actually do it?' You can see the influence of the Bourne series in the attempt to turn Bond into a more edgy, self-doubting figure, and the general distrust of security agencies as a whole; but these things are not really the stuff of a good Bond film, and nor is a plot revolving around a plan to topple the government of a country most viewers would struggle to find on a map.
Competently-staged fights and chases, particularly the final set-piece, but most of the jokes fall flat and, well, it's just not really fun enough to really work as a piece of Bond. Commendable attempt though, and not actively painful to watch.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Evil Genius in TV
Jun 4, 2018
For fans of Making a Murderer
This 4-part series tells the story of the "pizza bomber", where a pizza delivery man walked into a bank with a bomb around his neck, walks off with a small amount of money, is cornered by police and eventually the bomb goes off, killing him.
This is told in great depth during the first episode, showing that "the victim" (?) appears to have been on a scavenger hunt that ended badly for him. The rest of the series then explores the people that the police and FBI linked to the crime and the evidence stacking up in the 10year case.
The series is as gripping as Making a Murderer, with as many oddball characters and unusual actions and events combining to form a very hard to solve case.
I quickly became angry that the authorities were more concerned with solving the bank robbery aspect than the murder, thereby assuming that what seemed to be a simple, mild-mannered man was involved in the crime.
A number of avenues and leads are introduced along the way (not to the same extent as Making a Murderer) and not all of these are closed off, leading to something of an anti-climax.
This is told in great depth during the first episode, showing that "the victim" (?) appears to have been on a scavenger hunt that ended badly for him. The rest of the series then explores the people that the police and FBI linked to the crime and the evidence stacking up in the 10year case.
The series is as gripping as Making a Murderer, with as many oddball characters and unusual actions and events combining to form a very hard to solve case.
I quickly became angry that the authorities were more concerned with solving the bank robbery aspect than the murder, thereby assuming that what seemed to be a simple, mild-mannered man was involved in the crime.
A number of avenues and leads are introduced along the way (not to the same extent as Making a Murderer) and not all of these are closed off, leading to something of an anti-climax.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest in Books
Dec 7, 2018
creepy, scary haunted house
Blissful beginnings for a young couple turn into a nightmare after purchasing their dream home in Wales in 1989. Their love and their resolve are torn apart by an indescribable entity that pushes paranormal activity to the limit. Haunted: Horror of Haverfordwest is the prequel to the bestselling A Most Haunted House. Dare you step inside...
Whether you are a believer in the paranormal or not you shall enjoy reading this book. This is a very well written story and it is based around the authors’ own experience he had living in a haunted house in Wales. The writer had over 20 years’ worth of evidence. There are incidents and events that still linger long after you finish reading that will keep you thinking long into the night.
This book for me is just brilliant and I love the paranormal as I grew up in a haunted house and have my own experiences as well. This book just grabs you and doesn’t let go. The atmosphere of the book is not for the faint hearted and easily scared but if you are be sure to read with all the lights on. You simply cannot go wrong if what you're looking for is an intense and spooky story.
Many thanks to John Hunt Publishing and Net Galley for an ARC.
Whether you are a believer in the paranormal or not you shall enjoy reading this book. This is a very well written story and it is based around the authors’ own experience he had living in a haunted house in Wales. The writer had over 20 years’ worth of evidence. There are incidents and events that still linger long after you finish reading that will keep you thinking long into the night.
This book for me is just brilliant and I love the paranormal as I grew up in a haunted house and have my own experiences as well. This book just grabs you and doesn’t let go. The atmosphere of the book is not for the faint hearted and easily scared but if you are be sure to read with all the lights on. You simply cannot go wrong if what you're looking for is an intense and spooky story.
Many thanks to John Hunt Publishing and Net Galley for an ARC.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Perfect Silence in Books
Oct 9, 2018 (Updated Oct 9, 2018)
Gripping and thrilling detective story
*** Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ***
This, the fourth DI Luc Callanach book, follows a familiar pattern - two crimes committed early on and parallel investigations into those cause conflict and tension, one being a more typical serial killer hunt, the other a more politically charged investigation.
Over the previous books it feels like Fields has grown bored of her French detective and has put a lot more focus into DCI Ava Turner. This is in no way a bad thing as she feels more real and likeable (less clichéd), but an odd progression for "The DI Callanach" series to have.
The action and cases in this book are quite compelling - young women being kidnapped and their mutilated bodies dumped a week later and a gruesome memento left in the locale of the next victim, with religious overtones; and a spate of drugged homeless people being branded in public places. As usual the killer leaves virtually no trace behind and it is quite some time before the detectives have any idea of who they are looking for.
I still have a few issues with the dialogue in these books, but the plot was solid here, with twists and turns along the way, with a very gripping, proper unputdownable final few chapters.
This, the fourth DI Luc Callanach book, follows a familiar pattern - two crimes committed early on and parallel investigations into those cause conflict and tension, one being a more typical serial killer hunt, the other a more politically charged investigation.
Over the previous books it feels like Fields has grown bored of her French detective and has put a lot more focus into DCI Ava Turner. This is in no way a bad thing as she feels more real and likeable (less clichéd), but an odd progression for "The DI Callanach" series to have.
The action and cases in this book are quite compelling - young women being kidnapped and their mutilated bodies dumped a week later and a gruesome memento left in the locale of the next victim, with religious overtones; and a spate of drugged homeless people being branded in public places. As usual the killer leaves virtually no trace behind and it is quite some time before the detectives have any idea of who they are looking for.
I still have a few issues with the dialogue in these books, but the plot was solid here, with twists and turns along the way, with a very gripping, proper unputdownable final few chapters.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated White Stag (Permafrost, #1) in Books
Nov 14, 2018
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review. "White Stag" introduces us to Janneke, a seventeen year old girl who is the youngest child in a family of all girls. She is raised to be the family's "male heir" and is raised as a tomboy who is taught to hunt and fight. When her village is invaded and burned down she is the only survivor. Taken captive by goblins, she must learn to live among them while struggling trying to keep hold of her humanity.
Pulled into a goblin war, Janneke must face beliefs she was taught as a child and try to fit them into her current reality. Are goblins merely monsters? Are they similar to humans? Can they feel emotions? Can they love? Can she love them? Can she love him?
While much of "White Stag" is predictable and follows the typical formula for YA books it is still entertaining and worth reading. There are a few surprises revealed along the way. Janneke is an interesting character who has to deal with growing up and falling in love with the enemy.
"White Stag" is the first novel in the Permafrost series by Kara Barbieri. No publication date is listed on Goodreads for the sequel, "Goblin King".
Pulled into a goblin war, Janneke must face beliefs she was taught as a child and try to fit them into her current reality. Are goblins merely monsters? Are they similar to humans? Can they feel emotions? Can they love? Can she love them? Can she love him?
While much of "White Stag" is predictable and follows the typical formula for YA books it is still entertaining and worth reading. There are a few surprises revealed along the way. Janneke is an interesting character who has to deal with growing up and falling in love with the enemy.
"White Stag" is the first novel in the Permafrost series by Kara Barbieri. No publication date is listed on Goodreads for the sequel, "Goblin King".