Search
Search results
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness in TV
Mar 31, 2020 (Updated Mar 31, 2020)
Tiger King is a true story. That in itself is an absurd thought. The story of Joe Exotic and his self built zoo, housing no less than 227 live tigers is something I never knew I wanted to hear until it was too late.
This well put together documentary took approximately 15 minutes to draw me in, and before I knew it, I had watched the whole thing.
The story in question revolves around Joe's constant rivalry and back-and-forth lawsuits with Carole Baskin, and her Big Cat Rescue sanctuary. It doesn't take long for everything to escalate to dangerous silliness, and the show documents Joe's eventual incarceration, where he is still residing currently.
This deep look into this cult like practice is fascinating to say the least. Some, including me, will argue that wild animals bred in captivity purely for profit is cruel, but it's genuinely difficult to see Joe Exotic as a bad person. His heart seems in the right place, and its sad to see him get so caught up in the money side of things, to the point where his intentions start to stray.
On the flip side, Carole Baskin on the surface doesn't agree with these kind of zoos and aims to rescue these animals, but in reality, she is still turning profit and her sanctuary is arguably just as bad.
These characters that we meet throughout all have layers and secrets, and ensures that the narrative being told through archive footage and interviews never stops throwing curve balls, as what starts as an animal park feud, devolves into embezzlement, attempted murder, suicide, missing persons, million-dollar legal battles... It's honestly hectic.
I'm incredibly interested to see what happens as a result of this series, and I personally don't think Joe will be incarcerated for too much longer.
The limited series could have benefited from losing an episode I feel, as it did drag a little towards the end, but overall, Tiger King is a fantastic documentary that's edited and put together to draw you in, and not let go.
This well put together documentary took approximately 15 minutes to draw me in, and before I knew it, I had watched the whole thing.
The story in question revolves around Joe's constant rivalry and back-and-forth lawsuits with Carole Baskin, and her Big Cat Rescue sanctuary. It doesn't take long for everything to escalate to dangerous silliness, and the show documents Joe's eventual incarceration, where he is still residing currently.
This deep look into this cult like practice is fascinating to say the least. Some, including me, will argue that wild animals bred in captivity purely for profit is cruel, but it's genuinely difficult to see Joe Exotic as a bad person. His heart seems in the right place, and its sad to see him get so caught up in the money side of things, to the point where his intentions start to stray.
On the flip side, Carole Baskin on the surface doesn't agree with these kind of zoos and aims to rescue these animals, but in reality, she is still turning profit and her sanctuary is arguably just as bad.
These characters that we meet throughout all have layers and secrets, and ensures that the narrative being told through archive footage and interviews never stops throwing curve balls, as what starts as an animal park feud, devolves into embezzlement, attempted murder, suicide, missing persons, million-dollar legal battles... It's honestly hectic.
I'm incredibly interested to see what happens as a result of this series, and I personally don't think Joe will be incarcerated for too much longer.
The limited series could have benefited from losing an episode I feel, as it did drag a little towards the end, but overall, Tiger King is a fantastic documentary that's edited and put together to draw you in, and not let go.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Rasputin, the Mad Monk (1966) in Movies
Nov 10, 2020
Mad Monk
Rasputin, The Mad Monk- is a entertaining horror film.
The story is largely fictionalized, although some of the events leading up to Rasputin's assassination are very loosely based on Prince Yusupov's account of the story. For legal reasons (Yusupov was still alive when the film was released), the character of Yusupov was replaced by Ivan (Matthews).
Christopher Lee play as Grigori Rasputin, the Russian peasant-mystic who gained great influence with the Tsars prior to the Russian Revolution.
The emphasis is on Rasputin's terrifying powers both to work magic and to seduce women.
Rasputin the Mad Monk was filmed back-to-back in 1965 with Dracula: Prince of Darkness, using the same sets at Hammer's Bray Studios. Lee, Matthews, Shelley and Farmer appeared in both films. In some markets, it was released on a double feature with The Reptile.
It was the third collaboration between Christopher Lee and Don Sharp, following The Devil Ship Pirates and The Face of Fu Manchu.
Lee later said, "The only way you can present him is the way he was historically described. He was a lecher and a drunk, and definitely had healing powers. So he was a saint and a sinner... There were very few good sides to him. Rasputin is one of the best things I’ve done. "
"I think it's the best thing Chris Lee's ever done," said Sharp in 1992. "Rasputin was supposed to have had this ability to hypnotise people.
The original ending had the lifeless Rasputin lying on the ice with his hands held up to his forehead in benediction. However, it was considered controversial for religious reasons, and was removed. Stills of the original ending still exist.
Sharp says the final fight scene between Francis Matthews and Christopher Lee was greatly cut by Tony Keys when Sharp had to leave the film during editing. Sharp had greatly enjoyed the experience of making his first two Hammer films - Kiss of the Vampire and Devil Ship Pirates - but not Rasputin.
As a child in the 1920s, Lee had actually met Rasputin's killer, Felix Yusupov. In later life Lee met Rasputin's daughter Maria.
Its a good horror film.
The story is largely fictionalized, although some of the events leading up to Rasputin's assassination are very loosely based on Prince Yusupov's account of the story. For legal reasons (Yusupov was still alive when the film was released), the character of Yusupov was replaced by Ivan (Matthews).
Christopher Lee play as Grigori Rasputin, the Russian peasant-mystic who gained great influence with the Tsars prior to the Russian Revolution.
The emphasis is on Rasputin's terrifying powers both to work magic and to seduce women.
Rasputin the Mad Monk was filmed back-to-back in 1965 with Dracula: Prince of Darkness, using the same sets at Hammer's Bray Studios. Lee, Matthews, Shelley and Farmer appeared in both films. In some markets, it was released on a double feature with The Reptile.
It was the third collaboration between Christopher Lee and Don Sharp, following The Devil Ship Pirates and The Face of Fu Manchu.
Lee later said, "The only way you can present him is the way he was historically described. He was a lecher and a drunk, and definitely had healing powers. So he was a saint and a sinner... There were very few good sides to him. Rasputin is one of the best things I’ve done. "
"I think it's the best thing Chris Lee's ever done," said Sharp in 1992. "Rasputin was supposed to have had this ability to hypnotise people.
The original ending had the lifeless Rasputin lying on the ice with his hands held up to his forehead in benediction. However, it was considered controversial for religious reasons, and was removed. Stills of the original ending still exist.
Sharp says the final fight scene between Francis Matthews and Christopher Lee was greatly cut by Tony Keys when Sharp had to leave the film during editing. Sharp had greatly enjoyed the experience of making his first two Hammer films - Kiss of the Vampire and Devil Ship Pirates - but not Rasputin.
As a child in the 1920s, Lee had actually met Rasputin's killer, Felix Yusupov. In later life Lee met Rasputin's daughter Maria.
Its a good horror film.
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Sheriff of Nottingham in Tabletop Games
Nov 16, 2021
One neat thing about the board gaming hobby is how many new games are designed/created daily. So much innovation, creativity, and hype surrounds new releases and helps keep us gamers hooked! That being said, what happens to older games as time goes on? Can they still hold their own over the years? Do they still feel new and novel to first-time players who are getting to them late? The latter describes me with Sheriff of Nottingham. I only received it for Christmas two years ago, and it has sadly been sitting on my Shelf of Shame until recently. So now that I’ve finally gotten it to the table, how does it hold up? Keep reading to find out!
Disclaimer: I have the first edition of this game, so the pictures below do not reflect the art/component changes brought in the recently released second edition. -L
Sheriff of Nottingham is a party game of bluffing, negotiation, and set collection in which players are trying to earn the most money by bringing their goods (Legal or Contraband!) to market. However, before those goods can get to your merchant stand, they must be cleared to pass by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Are you honest in your declarations, or are you trying to sneak something past the town authority? Bluff, bribe, or negotiate your way to victory and collect the most gold!
To setup for a game of Sheriff of Nottingham, each player receives a merchant stand board and bag in their chosen color, 20 starting gold, and 6 Goods cards. The remaining Goods cards are placed in a draw pile, with 2 adjacent discard piles. Turn over 5 cards to each discard pile, select a starting Sheriff, and the game is ready to begin! Sheriff of Nottingham is played over a series of rounds, and each round is broken down into 5 phases: Market, Load Merchant Bag, Declaration, Inspection, and End of Round. Important note – the player acting as Sheriff for the round will only act in the Inspection phase of a round. During the Market phase, players have the opportunity to discard unwanted Goods from their hand in order to draw cards from the draw pile or either discard pile. New cards are drawn one at a time, and you will draw as many cards as you have chosen to discard. The cards you discard will be placed in either discard pile, in whatever order you choose.
The next phase, Load Merchant Bag, is pretty self-explanatory. All merchant players will select up to 5 cards from their hand to place in their merchant bag. Snap it closed, and place it in front of you for the next phase, Declaration. In this phase, players will take turns declaring what good they are bringing to market. You must say exactly how many cards you are bringing, and you may only declare 1 type of Legal good! Even if your bag has multiple types of goods, you must declare only 1 type. Here is where your bluffing skills come into play! Once all players have made their declarations, the game moves to the Inspection phase, and it is now time for the Sheriff to act! In this phase, the Sheriff will get to decide if they wish to inspect any of the merchant bags, and merchants will have the opportunity to negotiate or bribe the Sheriff to not inspect their bag, or to inspect an opponent’s bag instead. If you make a deal with the Sheriff, you must hold up your end of the agreement!
Once the Sheriff has made their decision, they will either inspect bags or allow them to pass. If you are allowed to pass, you will take back your bag, open it, and add all goods to your merchant stand in their corresponding locations. Legal goods are known to all players, but Contraband goods are kept face-down. If the Sheriff chose to inspect your bag, they will open it and reveal the cards inside. If you were in fact telling the truth, and the cards inside are exactly what you declared, you add them to your merchant stand and the Sheriff will pay you a penalty for each Good card in your bag. If you were lying, a few things happen. First, any goods that were truthfully declared will go to your merchant stand as normal. Any goods that you lied about are confiscated by the Sheriff, and placed onto either discard pile. You then will pay the Sheriff a penalty fee for each confiscated good! The final phase, End of Round, has all players draw back up to 6 cards in hand, and the Sheriff title passes to the next player. The game continues in this fashion until all players have been the Sheriff twice (or three times in a 3-player game). Points are counted up – from your goods in your merchant stand, any gold coins you possess, and any bonus points for majority of Legal goods compared to opponents. Once all points have been tallied, the player with the highest score wins!
I know that I have said before that I generally don’t like bluffing games, but I think that Sheriff of Nottingham might be an exception. Yes, in some cases you will have to bluff about the contents of your merchant bag, but the ability to bribe/negotiate with the Sheriff takes some focus off the actual bluffing part. Can you convince the Sheriff to inspect another player’s bag just because you are trying to hinder that player? Or do you try to get the Sheriff to inspect your own bag, because then they will have to pay you a penalty fee for your honesty (this round, at least). It feels like there is more strategic gameplay here than simple bluffing, and I like the opportunity to strategize instead of relying solely on my (admittedly horrendous) poker-face.
Another thing that I really like about Sheriff of Nottingham is that it can technically be categorized as a party game, but it doesn’t feel like a typical party game to me. It takes strategy to play, and doesn’t just rely on crude/adult humor for laughs. This game really engages all players at all times, as you’re constantly watching your opponents, keeping track of what goods they seem to be collecting, and trying to catch them in a lie. The gameplay itself is pretty streamlined and straightforward, and that just helps to make it flow naturally and logically. The playing time is listed as 60 minutes, but it doesn’t feel like a long game to me at all. It’s just a light, fun, and entertaining game for really any type of game night.
Let’s talk components for a minute. Again, I have the first edition of the game, so I cannot speak as to any component changes in the second edition. But overall, the quality of the first edition is pretty nice! The merchant stand boards are nice, thick cardboard, and are colorful and clear. Perhaps my favorite part of the boards is they each have a turn order reference on them. Not that the gameplay is that complicated, but it’s nice to just have that quick guide. The Goods cards are good quality and feel nice in hand. The artwork is mostly pretty simple, but I like that, since the crux of the gameplay is in the player interactions. The cardboard coins are chunky, and the insert doubles as a draw/discard pile organizer – which to me is a lifesaver! Nothing bothers me more than unruly stacks of cards. The merchant bags are nice and mostly functional. My biggest issue with them is that sometimes the snaps are a little hard to open, and it feels like you might tear the bag if you pull on them too hard. To alleviate that, I just don’t have players actually close the snap, instead just folding over the flap, and that works just as well! Great production quality in my opinion.
So if I seem to like this game, why did I only give it a 4 out of 6? The simple answer to that is that I do like the game, but I don’t love it. It’s fun and serves its purpose well, but it’s not a game that I am dying to pull out every game night. It’s one that will stay in my collection for sure, because there are some occasions that are just perfect for it. But it’s not one that will ever make its way to my Top 10. All in all, it holds up well for being an ‘older’ game, but it doesn’t exactly have me jumping up and down to play. That’s why Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an 11 / 18.
Disclaimer: I have the first edition of this game, so the pictures below do not reflect the art/component changes brought in the recently released second edition. -L
Sheriff of Nottingham is a party game of bluffing, negotiation, and set collection in which players are trying to earn the most money by bringing their goods (Legal or Contraband!) to market. However, before those goods can get to your merchant stand, they must be cleared to pass by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Are you honest in your declarations, or are you trying to sneak something past the town authority? Bluff, bribe, or negotiate your way to victory and collect the most gold!
To setup for a game of Sheriff of Nottingham, each player receives a merchant stand board and bag in their chosen color, 20 starting gold, and 6 Goods cards. The remaining Goods cards are placed in a draw pile, with 2 adjacent discard piles. Turn over 5 cards to each discard pile, select a starting Sheriff, and the game is ready to begin! Sheriff of Nottingham is played over a series of rounds, and each round is broken down into 5 phases: Market, Load Merchant Bag, Declaration, Inspection, and End of Round. Important note – the player acting as Sheriff for the round will only act in the Inspection phase of a round. During the Market phase, players have the opportunity to discard unwanted Goods from their hand in order to draw cards from the draw pile or either discard pile. New cards are drawn one at a time, and you will draw as many cards as you have chosen to discard. The cards you discard will be placed in either discard pile, in whatever order you choose.
The next phase, Load Merchant Bag, is pretty self-explanatory. All merchant players will select up to 5 cards from their hand to place in their merchant bag. Snap it closed, and place it in front of you for the next phase, Declaration. In this phase, players will take turns declaring what good they are bringing to market. You must say exactly how many cards you are bringing, and you may only declare 1 type of Legal good! Even if your bag has multiple types of goods, you must declare only 1 type. Here is where your bluffing skills come into play! Once all players have made their declarations, the game moves to the Inspection phase, and it is now time for the Sheriff to act! In this phase, the Sheriff will get to decide if they wish to inspect any of the merchant bags, and merchants will have the opportunity to negotiate or bribe the Sheriff to not inspect their bag, or to inspect an opponent’s bag instead. If you make a deal with the Sheriff, you must hold up your end of the agreement!
Once the Sheriff has made their decision, they will either inspect bags or allow them to pass. If you are allowed to pass, you will take back your bag, open it, and add all goods to your merchant stand in their corresponding locations. Legal goods are known to all players, but Contraband goods are kept face-down. If the Sheriff chose to inspect your bag, they will open it and reveal the cards inside. If you were in fact telling the truth, and the cards inside are exactly what you declared, you add them to your merchant stand and the Sheriff will pay you a penalty for each Good card in your bag. If you were lying, a few things happen. First, any goods that were truthfully declared will go to your merchant stand as normal. Any goods that you lied about are confiscated by the Sheriff, and placed onto either discard pile. You then will pay the Sheriff a penalty fee for each confiscated good! The final phase, End of Round, has all players draw back up to 6 cards in hand, and the Sheriff title passes to the next player. The game continues in this fashion until all players have been the Sheriff twice (or three times in a 3-player game). Points are counted up – from your goods in your merchant stand, any gold coins you possess, and any bonus points for majority of Legal goods compared to opponents. Once all points have been tallied, the player with the highest score wins!
I know that I have said before that I generally don’t like bluffing games, but I think that Sheriff of Nottingham might be an exception. Yes, in some cases you will have to bluff about the contents of your merchant bag, but the ability to bribe/negotiate with the Sheriff takes some focus off the actual bluffing part. Can you convince the Sheriff to inspect another player’s bag just because you are trying to hinder that player? Or do you try to get the Sheriff to inspect your own bag, because then they will have to pay you a penalty fee for your honesty (this round, at least). It feels like there is more strategic gameplay here than simple bluffing, and I like the opportunity to strategize instead of relying solely on my (admittedly horrendous) poker-face.
Another thing that I really like about Sheriff of Nottingham is that it can technically be categorized as a party game, but it doesn’t feel like a typical party game to me. It takes strategy to play, and doesn’t just rely on crude/adult humor for laughs. This game really engages all players at all times, as you’re constantly watching your opponents, keeping track of what goods they seem to be collecting, and trying to catch them in a lie. The gameplay itself is pretty streamlined and straightforward, and that just helps to make it flow naturally and logically. The playing time is listed as 60 minutes, but it doesn’t feel like a long game to me at all. It’s just a light, fun, and entertaining game for really any type of game night.
Let’s talk components for a minute. Again, I have the first edition of the game, so I cannot speak as to any component changes in the second edition. But overall, the quality of the first edition is pretty nice! The merchant stand boards are nice, thick cardboard, and are colorful and clear. Perhaps my favorite part of the boards is they each have a turn order reference on them. Not that the gameplay is that complicated, but it’s nice to just have that quick guide. The Goods cards are good quality and feel nice in hand. The artwork is mostly pretty simple, but I like that, since the crux of the gameplay is in the player interactions. The cardboard coins are chunky, and the insert doubles as a draw/discard pile organizer – which to me is a lifesaver! Nothing bothers me more than unruly stacks of cards. The merchant bags are nice and mostly functional. My biggest issue with them is that sometimes the snaps are a little hard to open, and it feels like you might tear the bag if you pull on them too hard. To alleviate that, I just don’t have players actually close the snap, instead just folding over the flap, and that works just as well! Great production quality in my opinion.
So if I seem to like this game, why did I only give it a 4 out of 6? The simple answer to that is that I do like the game, but I don’t love it. It’s fun and serves its purpose well, but it’s not a game that I am dying to pull out every game night. It’s one that will stay in my collection for sure, because there are some occasions that are just perfect for it. But it’s not one that will ever make its way to my Top 10. All in all, it holds up well for being an ‘older’ game, but it doesn’t exactly have me jumping up and down to play. That’s why Purple Phoenix Games gives this one an 11 / 18.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Gray Mountain in Books
May 10, 2018
Samantha Kofer is a real estate attorney working for a huge law firm in New York City. When all of the banks go belly up so does Samantha's job. She was given the option to being furloughed for one year and during that year, she is encouraged to volunteer during this year off at a non-profit that the firm has chosen.
Trying to find the right place to volunteer has been difficult since there are so many out of work lawyers who are all going through the same thing. She found "The Mountain Legal Aid Clinic[who]ran its low-budget operations from an abandoned hardware store on Main Street in Brady, Virginia, population twenty-two hundred and declining with each census Brady, was in southwest, Virginia, Appalachia, coal country."
In Brady, Samantha works with Mattie and Annette and meets many of their clients who are poor people in need of everything from simple divorces and wills to black lung disease claims Mattie's nephew, Donovan, is also in Brady and his firm fights coal companies tooth and nail for the people of coal country who have been destroyed by their illegal practices. There are a lot of things that happen that help to shape Samantha into a more respectable lawyer, but they don't come without great loss.
John Grisham likes to get the heart of the matter, he likes to grip at your heartstrings so that you can feel the characters that he is portraying. For a big New York City attorney, though, Samantha is not really a character I got to enjoy as much as I thought I would. She seemed a bit of a wimp in some instances. Whining about never setting foot in a courtroom or drafting a will. I wanted to jump in the book and smack her one good time. Whether or not you have done these things, you are a lawyer, and is this not in your job description? This is one of the worse John Grisham books I have read. It didn't have the same go getter attitude that the other books have.
Overall, the book kept me interested and wanting to know what was going to happen next. There were parts that had me on the edge of my seat. I'm wondering if there is going to be more from Samantha Kofer, because the story seemed unfinished.
First title in Take Control of Your TBR 2015!
Trying to find the right place to volunteer has been difficult since there are so many out of work lawyers who are all going through the same thing. She found "The Mountain Legal Aid Clinic[who]ran its low-budget operations from an abandoned hardware store on Main Street in Brady, Virginia, population twenty-two hundred and declining with each census Brady, was in southwest, Virginia, Appalachia, coal country."
In Brady, Samantha works with Mattie and Annette and meets many of their clients who are poor people in need of everything from simple divorces and wills to black lung disease claims Mattie's nephew, Donovan, is also in Brady and his firm fights coal companies tooth and nail for the people of coal country who have been destroyed by their illegal practices. There are a lot of things that happen that help to shape Samantha into a more respectable lawyer, but they don't come without great loss.
John Grisham likes to get the heart of the matter, he likes to grip at your heartstrings so that you can feel the characters that he is portraying. For a big New York City attorney, though, Samantha is not really a character I got to enjoy as much as I thought I would. She seemed a bit of a wimp in some instances. Whining about never setting foot in a courtroom or drafting a will. I wanted to jump in the book and smack her one good time. Whether or not you have done these things, you are a lawyer, and is this not in your job description? This is one of the worse John Grisham books I have read. It didn't have the same go getter attitude that the other books have.
Overall, the book kept me interested and wanting to know what was going to happen next. There were parts that had me on the edge of my seat. I'm wondering if there is going to be more from Samantha Kofer, because the story seemed unfinished.
First title in Take Control of Your TBR 2015!
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Mayhem, Murder and Marijuana in Books
Apr 9, 2019
Adam Copland is the master when it comes to the legal marijuana business in Los Angeles, California. But not everyone in the business plays nicely. Adam has to deal with the good, the bad and the ugly of this industry. The book focuses on Adam expanding his business to other parts of California as well as other parts of the country. There are a lot of highs and lows he experiences with this expansion. His wife is not happy with the business he is in although it makes him lots of money. Will Adam be able to continue to live and survive being in the marijuana industry?
Thank you to NetGalley and BookBaby/Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I was excited to read this book because I have an interest in the marijuana industry and how it has changed so much over the past few years. Being legalized in many states for medical as well as recreational purposes. The overall story was interesting and filled with characters I loved to hate, but there were some issues with the writing that made me give the book three stars.
First off, we're introduced to several characters all at once with similar names(Jamal, Jam) and I had to go back to make sure I was with the right person. Then all throughout the book, the main character would go by different names in the same sentence and paragraph. His name is Adam Copland, sometimes it was just Adam, sometimes Copland and sometimes AC. And there never seemed to be any rhyme or reason as to why it was this way. I'm used to a name shift when a person has a title(eg. Dr. Jones, friends may call him/her by the first name or a detective), but not for an average person. At first this left me very confused because I wasn't sure if they were talking about the same person or different people. Other than that, I had to find out what was going to happen.
This is the first book in the series, I'm not sure how many books there will be all together, but I want to know what is going to happen next, because this book left us with a bit of a cliffhanger.
Thank you to NetGalley and BookBaby/Independent Book Publishers Association for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I was excited to read this book because I have an interest in the marijuana industry and how it has changed so much over the past few years. Being legalized in many states for medical as well as recreational purposes. The overall story was interesting and filled with characters I loved to hate, but there were some issues with the writing that made me give the book three stars.
First off, we're introduced to several characters all at once with similar names(Jamal, Jam) and I had to go back to make sure I was with the right person. Then all throughout the book, the main character would go by different names in the same sentence and paragraph. His name is Adam Copland, sometimes it was just Adam, sometimes Copland and sometimes AC. And there never seemed to be any rhyme or reason as to why it was this way. I'm used to a name shift when a person has a title(eg. Dr. Jones, friends may call him/her by the first name or a detective), but not for an average person. At first this left me very confused because I wasn't sure if they were talking about the same person or different people. Other than that, I had to find out what was going to happen.
This is the first book in the series, I'm not sure how many books there will be all together, but I want to know what is going to happen next, because this book left us with a bit of a cliffhanger.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Every Fifteen Minutes in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Dr. Eric Parrish is a busy psychiatrist juggling his work as Chief at a hospital unit, as well as his own private practice. He is also reeling from his recent separation from his wife and the subsequent time he must spend away from his daughter, Hannah, who is only seven-years-old. One day, Eric is called to treat an elderly woman who is dying from cancer, but it quickly becomes clear the real patient is her grandson Max, who, at 17, is having difficulty dealing with his grandmother's impending death. Eric quickly discovers that Max is depressed, struggling with OCD, and having violent thoughts about a girl he knows from his job. However, as Eric treats Max, he suddenly finds his own life breaking apart around him. There is a murder, a violent incident, problems with his wife and daughter, issues at work, and much more.
I never really got "into" this book. To me, Eric is not a likeable character. Throughout the course of the novel he seems to make a remarkable number of questionable decisions, even if his life is somewhat spiraling out of control. For instance, as he goes through the divorce with Caitlin, Eric is constantly lamenting about Hannah and the effects of the divorce on her. So much so that he comes by the house unasked, calls his wife and daughter at all hours, completely ignores the advice of his lawyer, etc. He seems to lack knowledge of any basic divorce or legal protocol - not to mention common sense.
The lack of common sense prevails throughout the book. So much of the plot is supposedly driven by what Eric knows about Max, this teenage kid he meets at the hospital, but really they have two sessions together before things go awry. It seems insane that he would have learned so much about his patient in this time. So much of the plot just seemed implausible and annoying. We hear constant talk about Eric's past anxiety and how he overcame it. OK - so what?
Overall, I just found myself irritated by Eric and annoyed by his decisions. Parts of the book seem completely improbable and the plot is so thinly constructed that once you figure out how everything comes together, it seems barely possible. Then Scottoline throws in another twist that seems completely unnecessary. Overall, rather disappointing read.
I never really got "into" this book. To me, Eric is not a likeable character. Throughout the course of the novel he seems to make a remarkable number of questionable decisions, even if his life is somewhat spiraling out of control. For instance, as he goes through the divorce with Caitlin, Eric is constantly lamenting about Hannah and the effects of the divorce on her. So much so that he comes by the house unasked, calls his wife and daughter at all hours, completely ignores the advice of his lawyer, etc. He seems to lack knowledge of any basic divorce or legal protocol - not to mention common sense.
The lack of common sense prevails throughout the book. So much of the plot is supposedly driven by what Eric knows about Max, this teenage kid he meets at the hospital, but really they have two sessions together before things go awry. It seems insane that he would have learned so much about his patient in this time. So much of the plot just seemed implausible and annoying. We hear constant talk about Eric's past anxiety and how he overcame it. OK - so what?
Overall, I just found myself irritated by Eric and annoyed by his decisions. Parts of the book seem completely improbable and the plot is so thinly constructed that once you figure out how everything comes together, it seems barely possible. Then Scottoline throws in another twist that seems completely unnecessary. Overall, rather disappointing read.
Kelly (279 KP) rated Babylon Berlin in TV
Dec 16, 2018
Realistic portal of post Great War Berlin (1 more)
Not your usual boy meets girl story
Gritty, thrilling, engaging... need I go on?!
I have not found a series in some while that I was so attached, as Babylon Berlin. I confess, I watched the subtitles version, as my knowledge of German is pretty poor, but even this did not detach from the enjoyment of the series.
Babylon Berlin follows Gereon Rath, a detective struggling to deal with the aftermath of the Great War. He is supported at times in his cases by Charlotte Ritter, an administrator by day who supplements her families income through prostitution at night. I found myself routing for both characters throughout both series 1 and 2 of Babylon Berlin, even knowing Charlottes less than legal background, which is never hidden from the viewer. There was/ is a clear attraction between the two characters, which frustratingly is never fulfilled. Both characters are played by incredibly strong actors and are fully believable throughout.
What grasped my attention from the start was the clear portrayal of poverty that people lived in post war Berlin. Despite knowing some of the issues in living standards, I was drawn to the accuracy of the portrayal, many other stories set in this era would seek to romanticise the period at the end of the Weimar’s golden era, however the stark reality of degradation, sickness, depression and crime is always at the forefront of the story, and the political complexity of the time is covered well. This makes the the series very dark at times.
I was also surprised by the lack of Nazi input there is across season 1 and 2. We see lots about involvement of communists within the political system in the series, but there are only a small handful of references to the brown shirts - this is in stark contrast to what we are taught in schools, where the impression is given that by the late 1920s, Nazi involment is promenant in German society. This actually challenged my thinking on the subject, allowing me to realise that this is still a period, where, although the Nazis are known, they are not yet that popular.
I cannot wait until season 3 is released in order to find out what is next in store for Gereon and Charlotte. This truly is German production at its best.
Babylon Berlin follows Gereon Rath, a detective struggling to deal with the aftermath of the Great War. He is supported at times in his cases by Charlotte Ritter, an administrator by day who supplements her families income through prostitution at night. I found myself routing for both characters throughout both series 1 and 2 of Babylon Berlin, even knowing Charlottes less than legal background, which is never hidden from the viewer. There was/ is a clear attraction between the two characters, which frustratingly is never fulfilled. Both characters are played by incredibly strong actors and are fully believable throughout.
What grasped my attention from the start was the clear portrayal of poverty that people lived in post war Berlin. Despite knowing some of the issues in living standards, I was drawn to the accuracy of the portrayal, many other stories set in this era would seek to romanticise the period at the end of the Weimar’s golden era, however the stark reality of degradation, sickness, depression and crime is always at the forefront of the story, and the political complexity of the time is covered well. This makes the the series very dark at times.
I was also surprised by the lack of Nazi input there is across season 1 and 2. We see lots about involvement of communists within the political system in the series, but there are only a small handful of references to the brown shirts - this is in stark contrast to what we are taught in schools, where the impression is given that by the late 1920s, Nazi involment is promenant in German society. This actually challenged my thinking on the subject, allowing me to realise that this is still a period, where, although the Nazis are known, they are not yet that popular.
I cannot wait until season 3 is released in order to find out what is next in store for Gereon and Charlotte. This truly is German production at its best.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Professor (McMurtrie and Drake Legal Thrillers #1) in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>The Professor</i>, a legal thriller by American author Robert Bailey, is a well-written novel about an investigation into a fatal car crash. A collision between a speeding truck and a family car resulted in the death of all four people in the vehicles. The mother of one of the deceased is determined to find out the truth about what happened and so enlists the help of an old friend, Thomas McMurtrie, the Professor.
Although everything revolves around the upcoming trial, the story is really focused on two people in particular. One is the aforementioned Professor and the other is an ex-student of his, Rick Drake. Tom used to be a lawyer but after persuasion from Coach Paul Bryant he took up a position at the University of Alabama teaching law. Now at 68 years old he is forced into retirement. Rick Drake, on the other hand, is a young and struggling lawyer, who after punching Tom due to his hot headedness is finding it difficult to pick up work. Putting aside their differences, the two of the come together to try and win this court case. The opposition, however, seem determined to make that impossible by using any means possible.
The prologue initially misled me. It explains how Tom became a professor in 1969 by detailing his meeting with Coach Paul Bryant who is more often referred to as the Man. This title, as well as the capitalization, led me to believe that he would be a sinister, untrustworthy character in this story. That turned out not to be the case – nor was he even in it, having long passed away. He was known as the Man in the same way that Tom is known as the Professor, due to respect and admiration.
There were times when I did not like what was happening in the novel, particularly the murders of Rick’s key witnesses, but once the trial actually began it got really exciting with the pace picking up as I hoped that everything would resolve itself.
For those who love crime novels this is a definite read. I cannot be entirely sure but the caption on the back cover “The First McMurtrie & Drake Investigation” implies that this could become a series rather than a standalone story; in which case it would be interesting to discover what the pair do next.
<i>The Professor</i>, a legal thriller by American author Robert Bailey, is a well-written novel about an investigation into a fatal car crash. A collision between a speeding truck and a family car resulted in the death of all four people in the vehicles. The mother of one of the deceased is determined to find out the truth about what happened and so enlists the help of an old friend, Thomas McMurtrie, the Professor.
Although everything revolves around the upcoming trial, the story is really focused on two people in particular. One is the aforementioned Professor and the other is an ex-student of his, Rick Drake. Tom used to be a lawyer but after persuasion from Coach Paul Bryant he took up a position at the University of Alabama teaching law. Now at 68 years old he is forced into retirement. Rick Drake, on the other hand, is a young and struggling lawyer, who after punching Tom due to his hot headedness is finding it difficult to pick up work. Putting aside their differences, the two of the come together to try and win this court case. The opposition, however, seem determined to make that impossible by using any means possible.
The prologue initially misled me. It explains how Tom became a professor in 1969 by detailing his meeting with Coach Paul Bryant who is more often referred to as the Man. This title, as well as the capitalization, led me to believe that he would be a sinister, untrustworthy character in this story. That turned out not to be the case – nor was he even in it, having long passed away. He was known as the Man in the same way that Tom is known as the Professor, due to respect and admiration.
There were times when I did not like what was happening in the novel, particularly the murders of Rick’s key witnesses, but once the trial actually began it got really exciting with the pace picking up as I hoped that everything would resolve itself.
For those who love crime novels this is a definite read. I cannot be entirely sure but the caption on the back cover “The First McMurtrie & Drake Investigation” implies that this could become a series rather than a standalone story; in which case it would be interesting to discover what the pair do next.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Out of the Furnace (2013) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
The holiday season is upon us and with that the end of the movie season for 2013. This is the point where studios release
The last blockbusters of the year. It’s also the time when they release what I like to call ‘hidden gems’ of the year. The ones you never see coming or fly under the radar and don’t get the credit they deserve.
Today’s selection for your consideration, definitely qualifies as one of those films the ‘flies under the radar’ but is definitely one worthy of recognition and more than worthy to be seen.
The thriller “Out Of The Furnace” will hit theaters on Friday December 6th. Starring Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard and directed by Scoot Cooper ‘Out Of The Furnace’ tells the story of Russell Blaze (Bale) and Rodney (Affleck).
Two blue collar brothers from Pennsylvania who, along with their Uncle Red (Shepard), care for their sick father. Russell works at the local steel mill until an impossible string of random events sends him to prison. Meanwhile, Rodney, a recently returned Iraqi war veteran unable to find work is lured into less than legal means of earning income in order to help provide for the family. Upon his release, Russell’s life takes an even more dramatic turn as he is forced to choose between justice for his brother or his freedom.
‘Out Of The Furnace’ is not exactly a holiday film. It’s a tale of revenge. It’s a story that follows a hard-working American family who by no fault of their own, were overcome come by outside elements that they could not be prepared for or never anticipate.
It’s a tragedy reminiscent of Shakespeare combined with a powerful cast.
It’s methodical, shocking, and heartbreaking. Not for the faint of heart. It shows that even in the end, no matter what choices you have standing in the shoes of Russell Blaze you can still lose. The movie starts off slow and certain aspects like the fate of Uncle Red get lost in the mix but all in all I’d say this movie is definitely one worth seeing and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it doesn’t get talked up for a few awards.
The last blockbusters of the year. It’s also the time when they release what I like to call ‘hidden gems’ of the year. The ones you never see coming or fly under the radar and don’t get the credit they deserve.
Today’s selection for your consideration, definitely qualifies as one of those films the ‘flies under the radar’ but is definitely one worthy of recognition and more than worthy to be seen.
The thriller “Out Of The Furnace” will hit theaters on Friday December 6th. Starring Christian Bale, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Willem Dafoe, Forrest Whitaker, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard and directed by Scoot Cooper ‘Out Of The Furnace’ tells the story of Russell Blaze (Bale) and Rodney (Affleck).
Two blue collar brothers from Pennsylvania who, along with their Uncle Red (Shepard), care for their sick father. Russell works at the local steel mill until an impossible string of random events sends him to prison. Meanwhile, Rodney, a recently returned Iraqi war veteran unable to find work is lured into less than legal means of earning income in order to help provide for the family. Upon his release, Russell’s life takes an even more dramatic turn as he is forced to choose between justice for his brother or his freedom.
‘Out Of The Furnace’ is not exactly a holiday film. It’s a tale of revenge. It’s a story that follows a hard-working American family who by no fault of their own, were overcome come by outside elements that they could not be prepared for or never anticipate.
It’s a tragedy reminiscent of Shakespeare combined with a powerful cast.
It’s methodical, shocking, and heartbreaking. Not for the faint of heart. It shows that even in the end, no matter what choices you have standing in the shoes of Russell Blaze you can still lose. The movie starts off slow and certain aspects like the fate of Uncle Red get lost in the mix but all in all I’d say this movie is definitely one worth seeing and I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if it doesn’t get talked up for a few awards.
BookInspector (124 KP) rated An Engineered Injustice (Philadelphia Legal, #2) in Books
Sep 24, 2020
More reviews at https://bbookinspector.wordpress.com
Wow, it felt like watching one of those court TV series, which sucks you in, and you want to binge watch all the seasons at once. 😀
The protagonist in this novel was Vaughn, most probably not a very likable person by the society, because he is a defense lawyer. I really liked him in this book though, he sounded like a hero to me 😀 There were a wide variety of characters to choose from, and all of them were quite diverse and very intriguing personalities. Even though there were so many characters, I didn’t get lost in who was who, the author described them all pretty well, I think. I really enjoyed, that author used multiple perspectives to tell the story, it allowed me, as a reader, to understand the characters way better.
I really like trains and somehow this story felt close to my heart. I loved the narrative of this book, and I really enjoyed all the twists and turns, which author had to offer. The villains were given away throughout the book, and there was no surprise effect there, but the whole finding out process and proving Eddy’s innocence was what kept me glued to this book. It was very amusing to read a book, where author’s confidence and experience just shines through. There is plenty of legal terms in this novel, but for me it was a plus, just showed that author knows what he was talking about.
I personally think that Mr. Myers is a very gifted writer, and I loved his writing style in this book, it seems difficult, but for me, it was pretty understandable and easy to read. I really enjoyed the structure of the chapters, it didn’t drag to me, wasn’t too long and was divided into smaller parts. I really liked the setting of this book as well, it has this American spirit about it, and I really loved that. The ending of this novel rounded the whole story very nicely and I loved the outcome. So to conclude, if you like to watch court dramas, do give this book a try, it has very amusing and interesting characters and quite twisty and unexpected narrative. I do hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 😀
Wow, it felt like watching one of those court TV series, which sucks you in, and you want to binge watch all the seasons at once. 😀
The protagonist in this novel was Vaughn, most probably not a very likable person by the society, because he is a defense lawyer. I really liked him in this book though, he sounded like a hero to me 😀 There were a wide variety of characters to choose from, and all of them were quite diverse and very intriguing personalities. Even though there were so many characters, I didn’t get lost in who was who, the author described them all pretty well, I think. I really enjoyed, that author used multiple perspectives to tell the story, it allowed me, as a reader, to understand the characters way better.
I really like trains and somehow this story felt close to my heart. I loved the narrative of this book, and I really enjoyed all the twists and turns, which author had to offer. The villains were given away throughout the book, and there was no surprise effect there, but the whole finding out process and proving Eddy’s innocence was what kept me glued to this book. It was very amusing to read a book, where author’s confidence and experience just shines through. There is plenty of legal terms in this novel, but for me it was a plus, just showed that author knows what he was talking about.
I personally think that Mr. Myers is a very gifted writer, and I loved his writing style in this book, it seems difficult, but for me, it was pretty understandable and easy to read. I really enjoyed the structure of the chapters, it didn’t drag to me, wasn’t too long and was divided into smaller parts. I really liked the setting of this book as well, it has this American spirit about it, and I really loved that. The ending of this novel rounded the whole story very nicely and I loved the outcome. So to conclude, if you like to watch court dramas, do give this book a try, it has very amusing and interesting characters and quite twisty and unexpected narrative. I do hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. 😀