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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Fandom of the Operator in Books
Nov 13, 2019
I like Rankin's work a lot. Some of his works are just amazingly inventive, incredibly humorous and reliably off-the-wall.
Unfortunately this really isn't quite up to his normal standards, although the plot has all his usual hallmarks - essentially someone discovers it is possible to phone the dead, which ends up with potentially terrible consequences for the living.
This sounds like quite a slight premise to hang a whole book of of, and I think that is the heart of the problem here. Some of the writing and twists are amongst the very best. We follow the main character through his life and although we know he's pretty unpleasant, the shock when he is asked how many people he has murdered, and is response, is pure Rankin cleverness.
Unfortunately such moments are too few and the plot too slow moving for this to be counted as a good Rankin novel. One for the completists but certainly not one that demonstrates his true ability.
Unfortunately this really isn't quite up to his normal standards, although the plot has all his usual hallmarks - essentially someone discovers it is possible to phone the dead, which ends up with potentially terrible consequences for the living.
This sounds like quite a slight premise to hang a whole book of of, and I think that is the heart of the problem here. Some of the writing and twists are amongst the very best. We follow the main character through his life and although we know he's pretty unpleasant, the shock when he is asked how many people he has murdered, and is response, is pure Rankin cleverness.
Unfortunately such moments are too few and the plot too slow moving for this to be counted as a good Rankin novel. One for the completists but certainly not one that demonstrates his true ability.
Ride Like Hell and You'll Get There: Detours into Mayhem
Book
ATTEMPTING 300KPH on an untested experimental motorcycle could be considered a perfect way to kill...
How to Think Like Bill Gates
Book
Be inspired by Bill Gates and learn how to think big, manage a vast company, compete with the best...
Chris Parnell recommended Annie Hall (1977) in Movies (curated)
David McK (3731 KP) rated Biggles: The Camels Are Coming in Books
Jan 3, 2021
Technically, I'm too old for these books.
Thankfully, Amazon doesn't know (or care).
I've just re-read this for the first time in something like 30 odd years, and it's amazing how well it actually holds together all those years later.
Like 'Biggles Learns To Fly' (which I also re-read recently), this is more a collection of short stories with little in the real way of any over-arching plot: vignettes which, if the author is to be believed (and I've no reason not to) are all based on true stories that either happened to him or that he heard about during his earliest flying days in the latter stages of World War One.
While the character of Biggles may not be as popular or as well-known today as during the years in which the stories were written (the 1930 through to the 1990s), there's a reason why they have endured as long as they have ...
Thankfully, Amazon doesn't know (or care).
I've just re-read this for the first time in something like 30 odd years, and it's amazing how well it actually holds together all those years later.
Like 'Biggles Learns To Fly' (which I also re-read recently), this is more a collection of short stories with little in the real way of any over-arching plot: vignettes which, if the author is to be believed (and I've no reason not to) are all based on true stories that either happened to him or that he heard about during his earliest flying days in the latter stages of World War One.
While the character of Biggles may not be as popular or as well-known today as during the years in which the stories were written (the 1930 through to the 1990s), there's a reason why they have endured as long as they have ...
Liberty Boston (93 KP) rated A Werewolf in Riverdale (Archie Horror #1) in Books
Mar 15, 2021
Wow.
Just, wow!
A Werewolf In Riverdale did not disappoint.
The book is split into three parts:
In Sheep's Clothing.
The Beast Must Die!
New Moon.
For me, this book was outside my normal fare of sweet YA and fairy Tale retellings but genre-hopping is okay now and then. Truthfully the only reason I wanted to read this one so badly is the fact that I'm a rabid Riverdale fan and with the book's darker, broody atmosphere I said “Why Not?”
Like I said before, I wasn't disappointed! Despite its monstrous villain, this book wasn't all blood and gore.
Though, it did have its moments I won't lie.
It was more like, “I know I should do this but it could be someone I know and I don't want to do it”. That was Betty and Archie's constant struggle while Jughead had to fight his instincts.
In all I totally would recommend it!
Just, wow!
A Werewolf In Riverdale did not disappoint.
The book is split into three parts:
In Sheep's Clothing.
The Beast Must Die!
New Moon.
For me, this book was outside my normal fare of sweet YA and fairy Tale retellings but genre-hopping is okay now and then. Truthfully the only reason I wanted to read this one so badly is the fact that I'm a rabid Riverdale fan and with the book's darker, broody atmosphere I said “Why Not?”
Like I said before, I wasn't disappointed! Despite its monstrous villain, this book wasn't all blood and gore.
Though, it did have its moments I won't lie.
It was more like, “I know I should do this but it could be someone I know and I don't want to do it”. That was Betty and Archie's constant struggle while Jughead had to fight his instincts.
In all I totally would recommend it!
Aurora recommended track Suzanne by Leonard Cohen in Back in the Motherland by Leonard Cohen in Music (curated)
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Joey Santiago recommended Low by David Bowie in Music (curated)
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Fifteen Shades of Gay (For Pay) in Books
Jan 12, 2021
Probably a 3.5 rating because of the Paresh and Sven stuff. I'm not quite sure what that had to do with anything other than Andrew being an escort for them.
As for Cormac, I really, really liked him. From right at the beginning when they met and went to the Irish bar and drank Guinness :S I loved reading about their budding romance though at times I would have liked to have read more of them getting together whether they lived on opposite coasts or not, I'm just soppy like that. He drove me mad at one bit, when he was more or less ambushed at the airport but he did the right thing in the end, so I'm not holding too much of a grudge against him.
Marie... *sigh* Poor Marie. One tear escaped me near the end. You were fun and I can imagine what you'd have been like healthy.
I liked it and would be interested in reading more books by the author.
As for Cormac, I really, really liked him. From right at the beginning when they met and went to the Irish bar and drank Guinness :S I loved reading about their budding romance though at times I would have liked to have read more of them getting together whether they lived on opposite coasts or not, I'm just soppy like that. He drove me mad at one bit, when he was more or less ambushed at the airport but he did the right thing in the end, so I'm not holding too much of a grudge against him.
Marie... *sigh* Poor Marie. One tear escaped me near the end. You were fun and I can imagine what you'd have been like healthy.
I liked it and would be interested in reading more books by the author.
Veronica Pena (690 KP) rated Four Christmases (2008) in Movies
Jan 16, 2021
Easily Forgettable
I honestly can't tell you how many times I've seen this movie. Not because it's good, but because I keep forgetting whether or not I've watched it. I literally watched it earlier today and I don't think I could recall the details of it.
I'm a sucker for Reese Witherspoon. She is one of my favorite actresses and probably always will be. But I feel like this is just not the type of role she should be playing. I feel like she is so high caliber and often times underestimated. She's capable of a lot more than this.
Vince Vaughn on the other hand? Typical movie for him. Nothing stand out, and isn't much of a main character, despite literally being a main character. I think that he settled into his niche and does what works for him, not a bad thing, but not anything that makes him worth remembering in most of his work.
I'm a sucker for Reese Witherspoon. She is one of my favorite actresses and probably always will be. But I feel like this is just not the type of role she should be playing. I feel like she is so high caliber and often times underestimated. She's capable of a lot more than this.
Vince Vaughn on the other hand? Typical movie for him. Nothing stand out, and isn't much of a main character, despite literally being a main character. I think that he settled into his niche and does what works for him, not a bad thing, but not anything that makes him worth remembering in most of his work.