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Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Wicked And Wilde (Immortal Vegas, #4) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
Hmm...if i could remove the middle bit, the bits in Hell, where i was getting equally confused and bored by all the weird stuff hapenning then this would have been a four star read. I loved the beginning bit with the sky kraken thing and the end bit where the Magician is acting all kinds of bad-arse as he learns what else he can now do but the middle bit? Yeah, i was bored and skipping chunks.
Nevertheless i am eager to see what happens next with this group.
Nevertheless i am eager to see what happens next with this group.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Wilde Card (Immortal Vegas, #2) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
3.5 stars.
I got a little lost in the middle but this series is all action, action, action. From pretty much the first page Sara is on a hunt that turns quite entertaining and it didn't stop there.
I am enjoying this series, the whole tarot card thing is different to normal and though I know nothing of it, I'm learning little bits here and there.
Looking forward to reading more of Sara and the Magician, and whatever is currently blooming between them.
Off to start the last book in the trilogy boxset.
I got a little lost in the middle but this series is all action, action, action. From pretty much the first page Sara is on a hunt that turns quite entertaining and it didn't stop there.
I am enjoying this series, the whole tarot card thing is different to normal and though I know nothing of it, I'm learning little bits here and there.
Looking forward to reading more of Sara and the Magician, and whatever is currently blooming between them.
Off to start the last book in the trilogy boxset.
Alyson (2 KP) rated The Paper Magician (The Paper Magician Trilogy, #1) in Books
May 10, 2018
Characterizations (2 more)
Setting
Descriptions
Contains spoilers, click to show
This book does a lot of great things. The descriptions of the characters, settings, and the actions of the characters are very well done. There is a lot to each character.
There is a point while Ceony is within Magician Thane's heart that becomes a little hard to follow; sometimes I had to reread sentences or paragraphs. But I think it was done intentionally and effectively. It works for the story. Ceony is new to magic. She's not prepared for what she gets herself into, so those small bits of confusion actually helped my understand her perspective better.
There is a point while Ceony is within Magician Thane's heart that becomes a little hard to follow; sometimes I had to reread sentences or paragraphs. But I think it was done intentionally and effectively. It works for the story. Ceony is new to magic. She's not prepared for what she gets herself into, so those small bits of confusion actually helped my understand her perspective better.
Arlie (10 KP) created a post in Magic Beyond Belief
Jun 17, 2018
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Born To Be Wilde (Immortal Vegas, #3) in Books
Jan 7, 2021
*Read as part of the 1-3 boxset*
I was more into this than the previous ones, the series is now starting to progress at speed, with more players coming into the game in relation to the tarot cards and their representatives. Very interesting concept, although I admit I know nothing about it at all, so Sara's explanation when she reveals her picks are rather interesting.
The thing that started in book 1 with Sara and the Magician progressed quite a lot in this one, and I have to say I was excited for it happening.
Cannot wait to read book 4.
I was more into this than the previous ones, the series is now starting to progress at speed, with more players coming into the game in relation to the tarot cards and their representatives. Very interesting concept, although I admit I know nothing about it at all, so Sara's explanation when she reveals her picks are rather interesting.
The thing that started in book 1 with Sara and the Magician progressed quite a lot in this one, and I have to say I was excited for it happening.
Cannot wait to read book 4.
David McK (3185 KP) rated Now You See Me (2013) in Movies
Feb 6, 2022
Twisty turny mystery thriller about a quartet of stage magicians, who use their skills and talents to perform a trio of impressive and highly publicised crimes (robbing a bank, draining the account of corrupt individuals etc and redistributing their targets wealth), all the time being chased by both an FBI agent and a magician debunker (ummm ... two separate people, just to be clear).
It's flashy stuff, with little in the way of substance, however, and an ending you can see coming from about a 1/3rd of the way through.
Still might watch the sequel, though!
It's flashy stuff, with little in the way of substance, however, and an ending you can see coming from about a 1/3rd of the way through.
Still might watch the sequel, though!
David McK (3185 KP) rated The Magician's Nephew (Chronicles of Narnia, #6) in Books
Jan 28, 2019
Chronologically the first Narnia book, this was actually the last book written in the series, and goes back to how the magical land of Narnia (going by publication date, first visited in [b: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe|100915|The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Chronicles of Narnia, #1)|C.S. Lewis|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1353029077s/100915.jpg|4790821]) came to be.
As such, who says that the concept of prequels is a new invention??
Personally, I think I approached this from the wrong perspective: when I hear the word 'magician' mentioned (as in the title of the book) I tend to think either of the likes of Paul Daniels, or (going by literature) of Gandalf the Grey/White.
That, however, is not how the magician is portrayed here: rather than a benevolent, kindly old character, we instead have a selfish, greedy older man, who is responsible for sending the two children protagonists (Digory and Polly) into the magical woods between the worlds, and eventually into the land that will become Narnia.
If I'm honest, it's also not a story that I was overly familiar with: sure, I'd read (as a kid) that more famous previously mentioned entry and (more recently) have even watched a few of the movies, but this one? Not so much.
As such, who says that the concept of prequels is a new invention??
Personally, I think I approached this from the wrong perspective: when I hear the word 'magician' mentioned (as in the title of the book) I tend to think either of the likes of Paul Daniels, or (going by literature) of Gandalf the Grey/White.
That, however, is not how the magician is portrayed here: rather than a benevolent, kindly old character, we instead have a selfish, greedy older man, who is responsible for sending the two children protagonists (Digory and Polly) into the magical woods between the worlds, and eventually into the land that will become Narnia.
If I'm honest, it's also not a story that I was overly familiar with: sure, I'd read (as a kid) that more famous previously mentioned entry and (more recently) have even watched a few of the movies, but this one? Not so much.
Melissa C (0 KP) rated An Unkindness of Magicians in Books
Jun 1, 2018
This book was framed very oddly in the way you jumped into the story without any background. This makes roughly half of the book difficult to follow. Once the character and situational background is revealed piece by piece you begin to understand the story. I get that I only truly understood the book over the course of the last chapter.
The story follows a female magician as she tries to find her way in the Unseen World. Along the way she encounters murder, manipulation and betrayal. Will she be able to escape her painful past? Will she survive the challenges ahead of her? Where does she belong?
The story follows a female magician as she tries to find her way in the Unseen World. Along the way she encounters murder, manipulation and betrayal. Will she be able to escape her painful past? Will she survive the challenges ahead of her? Where does she belong?
Tracy Letts recommended Cries and Whispers (1972) in Movies (curated)
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Now You See Me (2013) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
When you were little and you saw your very first magic show, you were probably amazed just by the simple action of a magician waving his magic wand and pulling a rabbit out of his hat. The only explanation you needed was that it was magic.
Not knowing that “the closer you look, the less you see as you become older you become less and less convinced that magic exists.
From French director Louis Leterrier who has brought us films like “The Transporter” and ” Unleashed” comes an “Ocean’s Eleven” style film about four magicians who pull off one of the biggest heists the world has ever seen by using magic.
Calling themselves The Four Horseman, four magicians with very different abilities come together as one to pull off something no other magician has ever attempted.
The leader of the pack is J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), who is a master at sleight-of-hand and blatant arrogance. A mentalist who specializes in hypnosis and is no stranger to being devious himself is Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson). The very talented pickpocket Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) not only steals the audience’s hearts but also can pick a lock blindfolded if he had to.
Last but by no means least is Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), the sexy escape artist who can even escape a tank full of piranhas without a scratch.
The story follows The Four Horseman embarking on a journey of teleporting and robbing a Parisian bank and reining it over the cheering Las Vegas audience at their first venue.
They don’t stop there. There show takes them from Vegas to the renewed city of New Orleans and then to New York where the grand finally takes place whilst spreading the wealth of their heists to the deserving audience members in grand Robin Hood fashion.
This film is excellent! It doesn’t leave you hanging and answers all your questions. The elaborate tricks performed proved to be very entertaining and exciting!
A neat touch was adding a woman to the mix as you don’t really see any women magicians out there other than the assistants who get sawed in half.
The cast was great and had great chemistry however I would have liked to see a bit more of character backstory. Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Mark Ruffalo are also a part of the seemingly big cast. The special effects were not only entertaining but extremely appealing to the eye.
Though the storyline is a little scatterbrained it is anything but a bore and leaves you wanting to experience more. After seeing the film, I had an overwhelming need to watch other magician movies like “The Great Houdini”, “The Prestige”, and “The Illusionist”. It also brought back those same feelings I had as a child experiencing the magic and mystery a true magician can provide. This film left me wanting to see it for a second time.
Not knowing that “the closer you look, the less you see as you become older you become less and less convinced that magic exists.
From French director Louis Leterrier who has brought us films like “The Transporter” and ” Unleashed” comes an “Ocean’s Eleven” style film about four magicians who pull off one of the biggest heists the world has ever seen by using magic.
Calling themselves The Four Horseman, four magicians with very different abilities come together as one to pull off something no other magician has ever attempted.
The leader of the pack is J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), who is a master at sleight-of-hand and blatant arrogance. A mentalist who specializes in hypnosis and is no stranger to being devious himself is Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson). The very talented pickpocket Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) not only steals the audience’s hearts but also can pick a lock blindfolded if he had to.
Last but by no means least is Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), the sexy escape artist who can even escape a tank full of piranhas without a scratch.
The story follows The Four Horseman embarking on a journey of teleporting and robbing a Parisian bank and reining it over the cheering Las Vegas audience at their first venue.
They don’t stop there. There show takes them from Vegas to the renewed city of New Orleans and then to New York where the grand finally takes place whilst spreading the wealth of their heists to the deserving audience members in grand Robin Hood fashion.
This film is excellent! It doesn’t leave you hanging and answers all your questions. The elaborate tricks performed proved to be very entertaining and exciting!
A neat touch was adding a woman to the mix as you don’t really see any women magicians out there other than the assistants who get sawed in half.
The cast was great and had great chemistry however I would have liked to see a bit more of character backstory. Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and Mark Ruffalo are also a part of the seemingly big cast. The special effects were not only entertaining but extremely appealing to the eye.
Though the storyline is a little scatterbrained it is anything but a bore and leaves you wanting to experience more. After seeing the film, I had an overwhelming need to watch other magician movies like “The Great Houdini”, “The Prestige”, and “The Illusionist”. It also brought back those same feelings I had as a child experiencing the magic and mystery a true magician can provide. This film left me wanting to see it for a second time.