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BookInspector (124 KP) rated Deity in Books
Jul 1, 2021
The host of this book is Scott King, an online journalist that loves raking up old graves. 😀 He chooses a case and interviews six people, that tell the reader different perspectives of the same case. This time he investigates a very controversial celebrity, that died in the fire and was accused of many things, such as abuse against young girls. I love Scott King’s style, he does not judge, he shares the stories, allowing the reader to decide what they want to believe in. All the characters are pretty unexpected and very intriguing, I just love to see the story unravelling.
The narrative of this book is extremely addictive. Every perspective brings something different and new to the overall view of the case, that is why I simply could not put down this book. There are plenty of twists and turns and the whole story is shrouded in mystery and ghosts. For me, the story had some similarities to real celebrities and some of the allegations I have read in the past. The whole story sounds so realistic, that I actually wanted to google Zach Crystal in case he was real. 😀 The topics discussed in this book are child abuse, mental illness, wish to control, mystical creatures, fanaticism, religion, the life of rich and famous, family relations, and many more.
I loved the atmosphere of this novel, it is creepy and very intriguing. The writing style is impeccable as always. The chapters are pretty long, but they are so absorbing, that the pages just fly by. The ending of this novel was phenomenal, but I still have unanswered questions about the whole story… Even though this book is fifth in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I can not wait for the next book, because this case was a really sensitive one, and I am very excited to see what Scott King will investigate next.
So, to conclude, this book has brilliant characters and a plot that always kept me guessing. I think this book was amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone. I hope you will like it as well. 🙂
The narrative of this book is extremely addictive. Every perspective brings something different and new to the overall view of the case, that is why I simply could not put down this book. There are plenty of twists and turns and the whole story is shrouded in mystery and ghosts. For me, the story had some similarities to real celebrities and some of the allegations I have read in the past. The whole story sounds so realistic, that I actually wanted to google Zach Crystal in case he was real. 😀 The topics discussed in this book are child abuse, mental illness, wish to control, mystical creatures, fanaticism, religion, the life of rich and famous, family relations, and many more.
I loved the atmosphere of this novel, it is creepy and very intriguing. The writing style is impeccable as always. The chapters are pretty long, but they are so absorbing, that the pages just fly by. The ending of this novel was phenomenal, but I still have unanswered questions about the whole story… Even though this book is fifth in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I can not wait for the next book, because this case was a really sensitive one, and I am very excited to see what Scott King will investigate next.
So, to conclude, this book has brilliant characters and a plot that always kept me guessing. I think this book was amazing, and I would recommend it to anyone. I hope you will like it as well. 🙂
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Quests: Heroes of Sorcado in Tabletop Games
May 26, 2021
I’ve mentioned before that we at Purple Phoenix Games are currently working our way through a DnD 5e campaign. For almost all of us, this has been our first foray into the world of role-playing games. It’s a lot of fun, although it’s quite a daunting task at first. But more often these days, you can find board games that serve as fun, cooperative, and easier to learn/manage versions of these popular role-playing giants. Enter Quests: Heroes of Sorcado. How does it fare in the lineup of campaign-driven board games? Let the demo adventure help you decide.
Disclaimer: For this preview, we were provided with a Tabletop Simulator file for the demo/prequel adventure. These are not the final components, since it is a digital file, but the artwork and rulebook are mostly finalized – so the gameplay is what you will get in the physical copies of the game. -L
Quests: Heroes of Sorcado is a cooperative, campaign-driven game in which 1-6 players will take on the roles of party members with the goal of completing all 8 of the included adventures. The game does come with a tutorial/prequel adventure to help introduce players to the mechanics and overall gameplay before diving in to the full game. To setup for this Adventure Zero, place the game board within reach of all players, set aside the Campaign and Adventure books, place the Boss card for this adventure face-down above the board, and sort and place Potion/Loot/Armor/Health tokens in their corresponding areas. Set the 6 required Adventurers for the prequel in a circle near the game board, and take the listed Health and Starting Equipment for each Adventurer. The prequel uses only a single Location, so set that Deck in one of the Location spaces of the board, and the game is now ready to begin!
Depending on the player count, everyone will take on the role of at least one of the Adventurers, and the game itself is wholly cooperative. Here is how Adventure Zero works. Each Adventurer, in clockwise order, will be dealt 1 face-down Location card. Then, starting from the first dealt Location card, the Adventurers will take turns revealing their card. Some cards are Events or Story Moments, and prompt players to read from the Adventure/Campaign books. These cards often describe a scenario and require the player to select one of several provided choices, either earning a reward or penalizing the group. Most cards are Monster cards and will begin a combat! Each of the Adventurers has varying values for the four Stats of the game: Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, and Wisdom. Combat in the game involves rolling a d20 and adding the appropriate Stat modifiers to the roll. You can also use Potions and Equipment to buff your rolls as well. How do you determine success or failure? Every Monster has a weakness to a specific Stat, so you will use that Stat modifier to enhance your rolls. Equal or exceed the Monster’s weakness, and it is defeated! Depending on the difficulty/level of the Monster, you will either fight with 2-6 Adventurers – adding their modifiers and abilities to your roll as well. How you setup your Adventurers is important, as adjacency is what helps determine who can be in each combat. If you defeat a Monster, collect the reward (Loot tokens, Potions, or Treasure cards), and the game continues to the next player. If you lose the fight, the Monster moves to the next Adventurer and combat begins anew. Once every Location card has been revealed and resolved, the Adventurers will reveal the Boss card and the final combat begins! Even though each combat has one primary Adventurer/player at the helm, the game is cooperative, so make sure you’ve got that teamwork mentality!
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Quests: Heroes of Sorcado. The gameplay may seem a bit involved at first, but it actually flows pretty seamlessly and effortlessly. As someone who has played a handful of other campaign-driven board games before, I have to say that this one was by far the easiest for me to learn and play. Resolve Location cards, beat Monsters, and (hopefully) defeat the final Boss. Pretty straight-forward, and I really appreciate that. One thing that helps make it so user-friendly is that the game is based on only 4 Stats, instead of every conceivable Stat used in other role-playing games. That helps keep the game uncomplicated, while still offering players options every turn. Another thing that I really like? The Campaign/Adventure books are pre-written stories, prompts, and scenarios that allow the game to be truly cooperative. No need for an all-knowing Game Master here, as everything is already laid out for you. I also really like these pre-written aspects because it helps deliver the role-playing feel without pressuring the players to create their own campaign. Yes, there are still some ‘choose your adventure’ elements to it, but it doesn’t give so many options to overwhelm players.
That being said, I do have to mention that this is a campaign-driven game, so you will know the main storyline after your first complete playthrough. Although you would know the Monsters/Events/Boss/etc. of each adventure, the shuffle and draw of the decks would allow for variability, and thus replayability. You know the all the twists in the story, but will be able to play with different hero combinations as well! All 8 adventures will take quite some time to complete though, so don’t let the fact that you’ll know the main storyline after one playthrough turn you off from the game completely! Normally, I like to talk about the components of a game. Since this was a Tabletop Simulator version of the game, I am unable to really do so. I will commend the artwork and style of the game though – it is very thematic, engaging, colorful, and fun to look at. The text and abilities are clear, I love the color-coded modifiers, and the cards are all pretty intuitive. I have no doubts that the physical copies of the game will be quality productions as well.
As I stated above, this preview only covers the demo/prequel adventure, and its real purpose is to introduce players to the gameplay. That being said, I know that the full adventures will offer players additional elements (Side Quests, trading Loot and Potions, ‘level up’ the Adventurers, etc.) that will just add to the experience. Yes, there is the ‘one and done’ aspect of a campaign-driven game, but there is so much content in the full game to keep you going for quite a long time. If you’re looking at getting into this genre of game, but are worried about complexity, I would highly recommend Quests: Heroes of Sorcado. The gameplay overall is simple and straight-forward, while still offering the epic campaign feel. This one hits Kickstarter today, so head on over and check it out for yourself!
Disclaimer: For this preview, we were provided with a Tabletop Simulator file for the demo/prequel adventure. These are not the final components, since it is a digital file, but the artwork and rulebook are mostly finalized – so the gameplay is what you will get in the physical copies of the game. -L
Quests: Heroes of Sorcado is a cooperative, campaign-driven game in which 1-6 players will take on the roles of party members with the goal of completing all 8 of the included adventures. The game does come with a tutorial/prequel adventure to help introduce players to the mechanics and overall gameplay before diving in to the full game. To setup for this Adventure Zero, place the game board within reach of all players, set aside the Campaign and Adventure books, place the Boss card for this adventure face-down above the board, and sort and place Potion/Loot/Armor/Health tokens in their corresponding areas. Set the 6 required Adventurers for the prequel in a circle near the game board, and take the listed Health and Starting Equipment for each Adventurer. The prequel uses only a single Location, so set that Deck in one of the Location spaces of the board, and the game is now ready to begin!
Depending on the player count, everyone will take on the role of at least one of the Adventurers, and the game itself is wholly cooperative. Here is how Adventure Zero works. Each Adventurer, in clockwise order, will be dealt 1 face-down Location card. Then, starting from the first dealt Location card, the Adventurers will take turns revealing their card. Some cards are Events or Story Moments, and prompt players to read from the Adventure/Campaign books. These cards often describe a scenario and require the player to select one of several provided choices, either earning a reward or penalizing the group. Most cards are Monster cards and will begin a combat! Each of the Adventurers has varying values for the four Stats of the game: Strength, Intelligence, Dexterity, and Wisdom. Combat in the game involves rolling a d20 and adding the appropriate Stat modifiers to the roll. You can also use Potions and Equipment to buff your rolls as well. How do you determine success or failure? Every Monster has a weakness to a specific Stat, so you will use that Stat modifier to enhance your rolls. Equal or exceed the Monster’s weakness, and it is defeated! Depending on the difficulty/level of the Monster, you will either fight with 2-6 Adventurers – adding their modifiers and abilities to your roll as well. How you setup your Adventurers is important, as adjacency is what helps determine who can be in each combat. If you defeat a Monster, collect the reward (Loot tokens, Potions, or Treasure cards), and the game continues to the next player. If you lose the fight, the Monster moves to the next Adventurer and combat begins anew. Once every Location card has been revealed and resolved, the Adventurers will reveal the Boss card and the final combat begins! Even though each combat has one primary Adventurer/player at the helm, the game is cooperative, so make sure you’ve got that teamwork mentality!
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by Quests: Heroes of Sorcado. The gameplay may seem a bit involved at first, but it actually flows pretty seamlessly and effortlessly. As someone who has played a handful of other campaign-driven board games before, I have to say that this one was by far the easiest for me to learn and play. Resolve Location cards, beat Monsters, and (hopefully) defeat the final Boss. Pretty straight-forward, and I really appreciate that. One thing that helps make it so user-friendly is that the game is based on only 4 Stats, instead of every conceivable Stat used in other role-playing games. That helps keep the game uncomplicated, while still offering players options every turn. Another thing that I really like? The Campaign/Adventure books are pre-written stories, prompts, and scenarios that allow the game to be truly cooperative. No need for an all-knowing Game Master here, as everything is already laid out for you. I also really like these pre-written aspects because it helps deliver the role-playing feel without pressuring the players to create their own campaign. Yes, there are still some ‘choose your adventure’ elements to it, but it doesn’t give so many options to overwhelm players.
That being said, I do have to mention that this is a campaign-driven game, so you will know the main storyline after your first complete playthrough. Although you would know the Monsters/Events/Boss/etc. of each adventure, the shuffle and draw of the decks would allow for variability, and thus replayability. You know the all the twists in the story, but will be able to play with different hero combinations as well! All 8 adventures will take quite some time to complete though, so don’t let the fact that you’ll know the main storyline after one playthrough turn you off from the game completely! Normally, I like to talk about the components of a game. Since this was a Tabletop Simulator version of the game, I am unable to really do so. I will commend the artwork and style of the game though – it is very thematic, engaging, colorful, and fun to look at. The text and abilities are clear, I love the color-coded modifiers, and the cards are all pretty intuitive. I have no doubts that the physical copies of the game will be quality productions as well.
As I stated above, this preview only covers the demo/prequel adventure, and its real purpose is to introduce players to the gameplay. That being said, I know that the full adventures will offer players additional elements (Side Quests, trading Loot and Potions, ‘level up’ the Adventurers, etc.) that will just add to the experience. Yes, there is the ‘one and done’ aspect of a campaign-driven game, but there is so much content in the full game to keep you going for quite a long time. If you’re looking at getting into this genre of game, but are worried about complexity, I would highly recommend Quests: Heroes of Sorcado. The gameplay overall is simple and straight-forward, while still offering the epic campaign feel. This one hits Kickstarter today, so head on over and check it out for yourself!
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Huntress of Thornbeck Forest (A Medieval Fairy Tale, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Danger and romance lie deep in the heart of Thornbeck Forest. Where a poacher's only desire is to feed the poor. The forester determined to catch the poacher. And a margrave who holds the future of all in his hands.
"Because love was the best reason of all!"
Odette Menkels has a burning desire to help the orphans of Thornbeck. And the forest at her doorstep has an abundance of wild game. The only problem is that the game belongs to the king. Nevertheless, Odette braves the wrath of the margrave who is responsible for the Thornbeck forest. Every night she disguises herself, hunts the deer and feeds the poor. Her life is changed in an instant when she meets Jorgen Hartman, the forester, at the Midsummer festival. Jorgen has found evidence of a poacher and would like nothing better than to bring this poacher to justice. What will he do if he finds out that Odette is the poacher? Will Odette have everything stripped from her? There will be many confessions and consequences, but not all are bad...and some may even surprise you!
This is the first book I have read by Melanie Dickerson, but it won't be the last! I already have The Golden Braid on my list to read by the end of the year. I believe that writing medieval fairy tales for adults was a stroke of genius! The thrill of the chase. The excitement of the hunt. Balls and finery, sorrow and hunger, the desire to do good and the consequences of the laws of the land. The tragic circumstances of the day were portrayed very well. Life in 1363 was rough! But we are reminded that the bonds of love and family are not to be trifled with. Enter the forest of Thornbeck and be whisked through an incredible journey.
"Because love was the best reason of all!"
Odette Menkels has a burning desire to help the orphans of Thornbeck. And the forest at her doorstep has an abundance of wild game. The only problem is that the game belongs to the king. Nevertheless, Odette braves the wrath of the margrave who is responsible for the Thornbeck forest. Every night she disguises herself, hunts the deer and feeds the poor. Her life is changed in an instant when she meets Jorgen Hartman, the forester, at the Midsummer festival. Jorgen has found evidence of a poacher and would like nothing better than to bring this poacher to justice. What will he do if he finds out that Odette is the poacher? Will Odette have everything stripped from her? There will be many confessions and consequences, but not all are bad...and some may even surprise you!
This is the first book I have read by Melanie Dickerson, but it won't be the last! I already have The Golden Braid on my list to read by the end of the year. I believe that writing medieval fairy tales for adults was a stroke of genius! The thrill of the chase. The excitement of the hunt. Balls and finery, sorrow and hunger, the desire to do good and the consequences of the laws of the land. The tragic circumstances of the day were portrayed very well. Life in 1363 was rough! But we are reminded that the bonds of love and family are not to be trifled with. Enter the forest of Thornbeck and be whisked through an incredible journey.
Ok, so I have some thoughts about this book. From the title, I had different expectations from what actually happened in the novel, and more could possibly have been made of the ending, I feel. But perhaps I’ve just exposed my rather blood thirsty side (which I’ll be honest, I hadn’t recognised until I started to want more extreme things to happen in this!)
Kash is originally from Bangladesh, and he puts this down to his love for meat in all its forms. He co-owns a restaurant in New York where they serve up exotic meat (think: Peacock or Greenland Shark). Due to the financial crash in 2010, Kash borrows a significant amount of money from a Russian loan shark and then realises that he’s not going to be able to pay it back in the way that the Russian would like (in large instalments). So he comes up with a plan with a new client, who happens to be a billionaire with a lot of billionaire friends, to make a lot of money quickly.
There’s a lot of build up in this novel, and we get to know a lot about Kash, his restaurant, his fellow investor and his girlfriend. It takes a while to actually get going, and then I felt that the dinner scene at the end was too rushed and over far too soon - and then what happens next?! Now, this surprises me, because I’m usually a fan of the build up. But I suppose I knew what was coming and I wanted more detail, maybe more than one incident, some follow up afterwards. Even the cover of the book offered more.
There are a fair few positive 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so I imagine that this is very much a marmite book - you love it or dislike it 🤷🏼♀️
Kash is originally from Bangladesh, and he puts this down to his love for meat in all its forms. He co-owns a restaurant in New York where they serve up exotic meat (think: Peacock or Greenland Shark). Due to the financial crash in 2010, Kash borrows a significant amount of money from a Russian loan shark and then realises that he’s not going to be able to pay it back in the way that the Russian would like (in large instalments). So he comes up with a plan with a new client, who happens to be a billionaire with a lot of billionaire friends, to make a lot of money quickly.
There’s a lot of build up in this novel, and we get to know a lot about Kash, his restaurant, his fellow investor and his girlfriend. It takes a while to actually get going, and then I felt that the dinner scene at the end was too rushed and over far too soon - and then what happens next?! Now, this surprises me, because I’m usually a fan of the build up. But I suppose I knew what was coming and I wanted more detail, maybe more than one incident, some follow up afterwards. Even the cover of the book offered more.
There are a fair few positive 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so I imagine that this is very much a marmite book - you love it or dislike it 🤷🏼♀️
Laura Doe (1350 KP) rated The Bridgertons: Happily Ever After (Bridgertons, #1.5-8.5; 9.5) in Books
Jan 12, 2022
This was a lovely end to a series that I have enjoyed the whole way through and I am sad to be leaving the Bridgertons behind… for now, as I’m sure I will be revisiting them time and time again.
This book is a collection of second epilogues for each of the books in the series, starting with Daphne’s story and ending with a novella about Violet’s life. It was lovely to have some questions answered, like what on earth did Gregory and Lucy call their nine children? Did Francesca and Michael ever have children? And most importantly did Hyacinth ever find the hidden diamonds in the house? All of these questions are answered in the second epilogues contained within this book. Julia Quinn also writes a little foreword at the start of each of the second epilogues which either sums up the previous book and the questions she has given or gives a little insight into what you are about to read.
As ever, Julia Quinn’s writing has been so easy to read that I have found that I have not wanted to put this last book down, wanting to find out more about this family and their lives, but I also definitely did not want to get to the end because it would be over. A very rare feeling when it comes to a book series in my opinion.
I will be looking into Julia Quinn’s other series to see if I can fall in love with her other characters as much as I have fallen in love with the Bridgerton family, and I am very much looking forward to watching it play out on screen with the next Netflix series that is going to be released this year. Hopefully it will live up to the source material!
This book is a collection of second epilogues for each of the books in the series, starting with Daphne’s story and ending with a novella about Violet’s life. It was lovely to have some questions answered, like what on earth did Gregory and Lucy call their nine children? Did Francesca and Michael ever have children? And most importantly did Hyacinth ever find the hidden diamonds in the house? All of these questions are answered in the second epilogues contained within this book. Julia Quinn also writes a little foreword at the start of each of the second epilogues which either sums up the previous book and the questions she has given or gives a little insight into what you are about to read.
As ever, Julia Quinn’s writing has been so easy to read that I have found that I have not wanted to put this last book down, wanting to find out more about this family and their lives, but I also definitely did not want to get to the end because it would be over. A very rare feeling when it comes to a book series in my opinion.
I will be looking into Julia Quinn’s other series to see if I can fall in love with her other characters as much as I have fallen in love with the Bridgerton family, and I am very much looking forward to watching it play out on screen with the next Netflix series that is going to be released this year. Hopefully it will live up to the source material!
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword (2017) in Movies
Sep 21, 2020
Pick your poison: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳 meets 𝘖𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨, 300: 𝘙𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 meets the 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 movie, or 𝘎𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘨𝘺𝘱𝘵 meets 𝘙𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘰𝘰𝘥 (2018) - you decide. Either way they all eventually mesh with 𝘙𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢, too. As stupid and trashy as it needs to be, legit some of the dumbest stuff imaginable lmfao. Pure junky spectacle with jaw-dropping visuals and neurotic editing, felt like somebody laced my drink with crack while I was watching it. God-tier Law performance right here, chews the scenery so much that legend has it his jaw dislocated. Unmistakably Ritchie in areas but unfortunately often sacrifices auteur personality for genre convention (take a shot every time you see a side character you'll remember and you'll end up totally sober - and that stupid joke about the roundtable at the end was puh-thetic). To say this frankly disgraceful excuse of a screenplay is the exact same movie as all of these other edgy historical action-remakes for high school boys would be a severe understatement. Glad it didn't turn too much into jokey blockbuster corn or yet another over-emphasized failed origin story (most of this is wisely cut to montages with like nu-gothic heavy breathing scores lol). In short, the type of movie I'm *shocked* wasn't released in 2003/2004. I feel bad for those who love King Arthur and then saw this movie - but Jude Law cuts off a guy's ear then whispers into it and Charlie Hunnam full-on does the 𝘛𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵: 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘔𝘰𝘰𝘯 angst-run through the woods. So of course I, for one, enjoyed the hell out of it.
Connor Sheffield (293 KP) rated The Crow (1994) in Movies
Apr 19, 2017
Close to the source material (2 more)
Great Cast
A powerful and emotional film
A Powerful Classic
The Crow is one of my all time favourite films as well as one of my all time favourite graphic novels.
This Gothic, fantasy action film has a tragic story that's powerful to behold as we witness what the power of revenge can do to a person. However, this isn't your typical revenge plot, because SPOILERS!
Eric Draven, portrayed by the incredible Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), is actual brought back from the dead as an avenging angel, after he and his fiance were murdered by a group of thugs on Devils Night (the night before Halloween).
If you've read the graphic novel you'll know just how great this film is, and the only downside to it is knowing it was Brandon Lee's last after an accident that happened on set.
However, the film sticks close to the source material, especially since James O'Barr, the creator of the characters and the graphic novel worked closely with the cast and crew of the film to ensure it was done correctly.
The tone of the film is, for obvious reasons, dark but there is still humour in it which lightens the mood and gives you a sense of Eric Draven's mind because let's face it, coming back from the dead with the ability to heal any wound, and the opportunity to get revenge on those who wronged you, it's enough to send a sensible man insane, and we see that shine through Brandon Lee performance with jokes and laughter, whilst still remaining eerily dark and twisted. When the bad guys realise he heals any wounds and can't die...You can see how much Eric enjoys seeing the fear grow in their faces, and as the strong unfolds we learn that the group of thugs who committed the crime, were just pawns to a bigger villain leading a crime syndicate in the city.
We see emotion as Eric tries to find out the truth of what really happened that night, and why he and his fiance lost their lives, and we see him trying to connect to his past through Sarah, a young girl that he and his fiance looked after and cared for. We also see the truth unfold through Officer Albrecht who was in charge of the investigation.
The characters are all brilliantly written, from Sarah's childhood innocence becoming a more mature sense of realising that the world can't always be a happy place, to Eric's lust for revenger and being sidetracked by emotions of his former life, trying to remain a good person whilst committing these acts of murder for revenge.
The music in the film really fits the scenes and the feel of the entire story with bands like The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots among others, its soundtrack is brilliantly dark.
Also the main aspect that you have to love is Brandon Lee in the crow makeup and clothing. He looks menacing, he looks like he has a lust for revenge, most importantly he looks badass! One of the greatest comic book characters in film that I have ever seen, and whilst I was a little wary of the talks to remake this film in 2016/2017, I would be curious to see the character brought to life again and given a fresh look but I don't know if anyone can beat Brandon Lee in that portrayal because he looks incredible.
This film is dark, powerful, moving and poetic and will remain one of my top 5 films of all time. Maybe even top 3.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a comic book movie, especially if you like movies with action and drama with a Gothic overtone.
R.I.P Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
This Gothic, fantasy action film has a tragic story that's powerful to behold as we witness what the power of revenge can do to a person. However, this isn't your typical revenge plot, because SPOILERS!
Eric Draven, portrayed by the incredible Brandon Lee (son of Bruce Lee), is actual brought back from the dead as an avenging angel, after he and his fiance were murdered by a group of thugs on Devils Night (the night before Halloween).
If you've read the graphic novel you'll know just how great this film is, and the only downside to it is knowing it was Brandon Lee's last after an accident that happened on set.
However, the film sticks close to the source material, especially since James O'Barr, the creator of the characters and the graphic novel worked closely with the cast and crew of the film to ensure it was done correctly.
The tone of the film is, for obvious reasons, dark but there is still humour in it which lightens the mood and gives you a sense of Eric Draven's mind because let's face it, coming back from the dead with the ability to heal any wound, and the opportunity to get revenge on those who wronged you, it's enough to send a sensible man insane, and we see that shine through Brandon Lee performance with jokes and laughter, whilst still remaining eerily dark and twisted. When the bad guys realise he heals any wounds and can't die...You can see how much Eric enjoys seeing the fear grow in their faces, and as the strong unfolds we learn that the group of thugs who committed the crime, were just pawns to a bigger villain leading a crime syndicate in the city.
We see emotion as Eric tries to find out the truth of what really happened that night, and why he and his fiance lost their lives, and we see him trying to connect to his past through Sarah, a young girl that he and his fiance looked after and cared for. We also see the truth unfold through Officer Albrecht who was in charge of the investigation.
The characters are all brilliantly written, from Sarah's childhood innocence becoming a more mature sense of realising that the world can't always be a happy place, to Eric's lust for revenger and being sidetracked by emotions of his former life, trying to remain a good person whilst committing these acts of murder for revenge.
The music in the film really fits the scenes and the feel of the entire story with bands like The Cure, Pantera, Rage Against The Machine and Stone Temple Pilots among others, its soundtrack is brilliantly dark.
Also the main aspect that you have to love is Brandon Lee in the crow makeup and clothing. He looks menacing, he looks like he has a lust for revenge, most importantly he looks badass! One of the greatest comic book characters in film that I have ever seen, and whilst I was a little wary of the talks to remake this film in 2016/2017, I would be curious to see the character brought to life again and given a fresh look but I don't know if anyone can beat Brandon Lee in that portrayal because he looks incredible.
This film is dark, powerful, moving and poetic and will remain one of my top 5 films of all time. Maybe even top 3.
I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a comic book movie, especially if you like movies with action and drama with a Gothic overtone.
R.I.P Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated The Lost Expedition in Tabletop Games
Jul 22, 2021
El Dorado – the lost city of gold. Many have searched for this fabled civilization, but none have prevailed… yet. Gather up your team of experts and pack your bags for the jungle – you’re headed on an adventure! Can you find the path to this lost city and get there alive? Or will the encounters of the wilderness prove to be too much to handle? Only one way to find out….
Disclaimer: The Lost Expedition can be played cooperatively, solo, or head-to-head. This review only covers the cooperative version of the game! -L
The Lost Expedition is a cooperative (in this case) game of strategy and hand management in which players are trying to traverse the jungle to reach El Dorado by carefully managing their Resources and utilizing their collective Expertise. To setup the game, choose 3 explorers to form your team, and collect 3 Ammunition and 4 Food from the supply tokens. Shuffle the adventure cards, dealing 4 to every player, placing the remainder in a face-down draw deck. Depending on the difficulty selected, place the corresponding number of Expedition cards in a row on the table (we played Normal mode, using 9 Expedition cards). Place 4 Health tokens on each explorer card, place the phase token with the Morning side up, select a starting expedition leader, and the game is ready to begin.
Each round consists of 2 phases: Morning and Evening. During the Morning phase, players will take turns playing adventure cards from their hand, one at a time, until each player has played 2 cards. This line of cards forms the path that the explorers are traveling in the morning. After all cards have been played, they will be rearranged in numerical order, from lowest to highest. Once the cards are organized, they will be resolved one at a time, from lowest to highest, until all cards have been addressed. Examples of card actions are: discarding the next card in play, swapping two cards on the path, adding a new card to the end of the path, or moving the team pawn one card closer to El Dorado. Adventure cards have different colored boxes that indicate action choices that the players must make. Some actions are mandatory and must be completed. Some cards offer 2 or more choices, one of which must be selected and performed to clear the card. And some cards have optional choices, that do not have to be completed for the card to be resolved. Certain actions will require the team to gain/spend Resources tokens or Expertise from your explorers (in the form of Health tokens). At the end of the Morning phase, the team loses 1 Food token, and play continues to the Evening phase.
During the Evening phase, the gameplay is like that of the Morning with a couple of changes. Players again will alternate playing cards, but will play until all remaining cards in their hand have been played. Cards in the Evening phase are resolved in the order that they are played, and are not organized numerically like in the Morning phase. Again, after all cards are played, they will be resolved one by one as normal, paying Resources/Expertise as required. Once the Evening phase is finished, the team loses 1 Food token, players draw a new hand of cards, select another expedition leader, and a new round begins with the Morning phase. Play continues in this fashion until either the players have reached El Dorado, all 3 of the team’s explorers have died (have no remaining Health tokens), or if the adventure card draw deck runs out 2 times during play.
Pretty straight-forward, right? Play cards, resolve cards, repeat. That is one thing I really like about The Lost Expedition – it is simple, yet so strategic. Ultimately this is a game of Resource/Expertise management. You need at least 1 explorer to make it to El Dorado alive. There is no reward without risk in this game. Couple that with the multiple action options on each card, and you’ve really got to have a strategy. Maybe you’re low on Ammunition, but in order to gain back some much-needed Health, you’ve got to spend Ammo. Or are you willing to deal damage to an explorer if it means the team can advance a card? There are so many things to consider, and so many ways in which you can strategize, and that keeps all players engaged.
That being said, players are not allowed to reveal the details of any cards in hand. So how can you best communicate with your team about what types of cards to play if you can’t tell them point-blank? That added aspect of working in a team creates some unique strategies in and of itself. Ultimately, the final decision comes down to the expedition leader for the round – but what if they choose the action you didn’t want? How can everyone help balance everyone else out? You really have to work together to be successful. The flip-side of that teamwork is that the game can be frustrating in some aspects. You never truly know what your teammates are going to play at any given time, and the card they choose could totally unravel your plan. Not being able to discuss the specifics of cards in your hand makes sense (because then why wouldn’t the team just have one collective hand of cards?), but it adds an element of randomness and luck to the game that seems counterintuitive to me. Playing the wrong card at the wrong time might just turn your team against you, and that undermines the spirit of the game.
Let’s touch briefly on components. The cards are nice, oversized, and sturdy. The artwork is colorful and thematically appropriate. All of the Resources tokens are thick cardboard, and the meeples are nice and chunky. All in all, good production quality overall.
So how do I really feel about The Lost Expedition? I think it’s ok. It is strategic and entertaining, with the added elements of teamwork and cooperation – you either win together or lose together. As a group, you’ve got to have an adaptable strategy and manage your resources as best you can. Is it a game that I love? No. But it’s one that will probably stay in my collection for a bit, before it moves on to someone who might see some hidden quality that I may have missed. If you want a nice and relatively simple team game to play, maybe check out The Lost Expedition. And if risk/reward or resource management isn’t your jam, then maybe keep looking beyond this one. Purple Phoenix Games give The Lost Expedition an eventful 6 / 12.
Disclaimer: The Lost Expedition can be played cooperatively, solo, or head-to-head. This review only covers the cooperative version of the game! -L
The Lost Expedition is a cooperative (in this case) game of strategy and hand management in which players are trying to traverse the jungle to reach El Dorado by carefully managing their Resources and utilizing their collective Expertise. To setup the game, choose 3 explorers to form your team, and collect 3 Ammunition and 4 Food from the supply tokens. Shuffle the adventure cards, dealing 4 to every player, placing the remainder in a face-down draw deck. Depending on the difficulty selected, place the corresponding number of Expedition cards in a row on the table (we played Normal mode, using 9 Expedition cards). Place 4 Health tokens on each explorer card, place the phase token with the Morning side up, select a starting expedition leader, and the game is ready to begin.
Each round consists of 2 phases: Morning and Evening. During the Morning phase, players will take turns playing adventure cards from their hand, one at a time, until each player has played 2 cards. This line of cards forms the path that the explorers are traveling in the morning. After all cards have been played, they will be rearranged in numerical order, from lowest to highest. Once the cards are organized, they will be resolved one at a time, from lowest to highest, until all cards have been addressed. Examples of card actions are: discarding the next card in play, swapping two cards on the path, adding a new card to the end of the path, or moving the team pawn one card closer to El Dorado. Adventure cards have different colored boxes that indicate action choices that the players must make. Some actions are mandatory and must be completed. Some cards offer 2 or more choices, one of which must be selected and performed to clear the card. And some cards have optional choices, that do not have to be completed for the card to be resolved. Certain actions will require the team to gain/spend Resources tokens or Expertise from your explorers (in the form of Health tokens). At the end of the Morning phase, the team loses 1 Food token, and play continues to the Evening phase.
During the Evening phase, the gameplay is like that of the Morning with a couple of changes. Players again will alternate playing cards, but will play until all remaining cards in their hand have been played. Cards in the Evening phase are resolved in the order that they are played, and are not organized numerically like in the Morning phase. Again, after all cards are played, they will be resolved one by one as normal, paying Resources/Expertise as required. Once the Evening phase is finished, the team loses 1 Food token, players draw a new hand of cards, select another expedition leader, and a new round begins with the Morning phase. Play continues in this fashion until either the players have reached El Dorado, all 3 of the team’s explorers have died (have no remaining Health tokens), or if the adventure card draw deck runs out 2 times during play.
Pretty straight-forward, right? Play cards, resolve cards, repeat. That is one thing I really like about The Lost Expedition – it is simple, yet so strategic. Ultimately this is a game of Resource/Expertise management. You need at least 1 explorer to make it to El Dorado alive. There is no reward without risk in this game. Couple that with the multiple action options on each card, and you’ve really got to have a strategy. Maybe you’re low on Ammunition, but in order to gain back some much-needed Health, you’ve got to spend Ammo. Or are you willing to deal damage to an explorer if it means the team can advance a card? There are so many things to consider, and so many ways in which you can strategize, and that keeps all players engaged.
That being said, players are not allowed to reveal the details of any cards in hand. So how can you best communicate with your team about what types of cards to play if you can’t tell them point-blank? That added aspect of working in a team creates some unique strategies in and of itself. Ultimately, the final decision comes down to the expedition leader for the round – but what if they choose the action you didn’t want? How can everyone help balance everyone else out? You really have to work together to be successful. The flip-side of that teamwork is that the game can be frustrating in some aspects. You never truly know what your teammates are going to play at any given time, and the card they choose could totally unravel your plan. Not being able to discuss the specifics of cards in your hand makes sense (because then why wouldn’t the team just have one collective hand of cards?), but it adds an element of randomness and luck to the game that seems counterintuitive to me. Playing the wrong card at the wrong time might just turn your team against you, and that undermines the spirit of the game.
Let’s touch briefly on components. The cards are nice, oversized, and sturdy. The artwork is colorful and thematically appropriate. All of the Resources tokens are thick cardboard, and the meeples are nice and chunky. All in all, good production quality overall.
So how do I really feel about The Lost Expedition? I think it’s ok. It is strategic and entertaining, with the added elements of teamwork and cooperation – you either win together or lose together. As a group, you’ve got to have an adaptable strategy and manage your resources as best you can. Is it a game that I love? No. But it’s one that will probably stay in my collection for a bit, before it moves on to someone who might see some hidden quality that I may have missed. If you want a nice and relatively simple team game to play, maybe check out The Lost Expedition. And if risk/reward or resource management isn’t your jam, then maybe keep looking beyond this one. Purple Phoenix Games give The Lost Expedition an eventful 6 / 12.
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated The First Mistake in Books
Apr 27, 2019
Predictable but Good
I love a good thriller, so I was very excited to read The First Mistake by Sandie Jones. The synopsis just sucked me in. I was so happy that this book didn't disappoint.
The plot sucked me in right away. I found myself immersed in the world that Sandie Jones had created for her characters. Alice is still grieving over her husband Tom who died years ago. However, she's now married to Nathan and has a daughter with him. Alice soon suspects that Nathan is having an affair. When Alice tries to find out if Nathan is cheating, that's when she begins to realize that no one is who they seem. I will say that while I did find the plot interesting enough, I also found it predictable. Early on, I had predicted the plot twists for this book including the major plot twist. That didn't me enjoy it any less. I kept reading to make sure I was correct in my predictions. What really irked me the most was the ending of The First Mistake. It just seemed really rushed. The truth came out, and then it was all over within a page. I don't want to go into too much detail due to spoilers, but I just felt as if the author couldn't be bothered to write anymore, so she took the easy way out. I would have liked to know what happened to everyone in a few months time instead of the book ending so suddenly.
I thought all of the characters were well written in The First Mistake. Alice was a likable character, and I found myself angry when it seemed like Nathan may have been cheating on her. However, I felt like she was cheating on Nathan in a sense as she was still grieving her dead husband almost 10 years later. Beth was an interesting character, and I enjoyed her backstory. However, I felt like she wasn't around enough in the actual present day story. We learn about her past, but we don't see her and Alice interact too much even though they are best friends. Although I had Nathan figured out, I felt he was fleshed out very well, and I loved how convincing and charming he was towards his wife and how great he was at calming her fears about him having an affair even when all the evidence that he was cheating was there. Olivia was my favorite character. She's Nathan's and Alice's daughter. I just thought she was the cutest little girl!
The pacing was done very well, and the only place I felt like it faltered was during Beth's backstory. I just felt there was too much information that was irrelevant when learning about Beth's past. Apart from that, I felt like the pacing stayed consistent throughout.
Trigger warnings for The First Mistake include sexual situations (though not graphic), drinking alcohol, profanity, violence, and death.
All in all, The First Mistake is an interesting read. Although I found it predictable, and I hated the ending, I still enjoyed this book very much. I would recommend The First Mistake by Sandie Jones to everyone aged 17+ who enjoy a good thriller. This one does not disappoint.
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(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of The First Mistake by Sandie Jones in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)
The plot sucked me in right away. I found myself immersed in the world that Sandie Jones had created for her characters. Alice is still grieving over her husband Tom who died years ago. However, she's now married to Nathan and has a daughter with him. Alice soon suspects that Nathan is having an affair. When Alice tries to find out if Nathan is cheating, that's when she begins to realize that no one is who they seem. I will say that while I did find the plot interesting enough, I also found it predictable. Early on, I had predicted the plot twists for this book including the major plot twist. That didn't me enjoy it any less. I kept reading to make sure I was correct in my predictions. What really irked me the most was the ending of The First Mistake. It just seemed really rushed. The truth came out, and then it was all over within a page. I don't want to go into too much detail due to spoilers, but I just felt as if the author couldn't be bothered to write anymore, so she took the easy way out. I would have liked to know what happened to everyone in a few months time instead of the book ending so suddenly.
I thought all of the characters were well written in The First Mistake. Alice was a likable character, and I found myself angry when it seemed like Nathan may have been cheating on her. However, I felt like she was cheating on Nathan in a sense as she was still grieving her dead husband almost 10 years later. Beth was an interesting character, and I enjoyed her backstory. However, I felt like she wasn't around enough in the actual present day story. We learn about her past, but we don't see her and Alice interact too much even though they are best friends. Although I had Nathan figured out, I felt he was fleshed out very well, and I loved how convincing and charming he was towards his wife and how great he was at calming her fears about him having an affair even when all the evidence that he was cheating was there. Olivia was my favorite character. She's Nathan's and Alice's daughter. I just thought she was the cutest little girl!
The pacing was done very well, and the only place I felt like it faltered was during Beth's backstory. I just felt there was too much information that was irrelevant when learning about Beth's past. Apart from that, I felt like the pacing stayed consistent throughout.
Trigger warnings for The First Mistake include sexual situations (though not graphic), drinking alcohol, profanity, violence, and death.
All in all, The First Mistake is an interesting read. Although I found it predictable, and I hated the ending, I still enjoyed this book very much. I would recommend The First Mistake by Sandie Jones to everyone aged 17+ who enjoy a good thriller. This one does not disappoint.
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(A special thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC paperback of The First Mistake by Sandie Jones in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)