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David McK (3372 KP) rated Warriors of the Storm in Books

Jan 28, 2019

Warriors of the Storm

Bernard Cornwell | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry

6.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Ninth(1) book in [a: Bernard Cornwell|12542|Bernard Cornwell|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1240500522p2/12542.jpg]'s Warrior Chronicles (or Saxon Stories, if you live in the U.S) series about the founding of England.

I don't think I'm giving anything away when I say that we're now (well) past the death of Alfred (the only English monarch to ever be given the epitaph 'the Great'), with Uhtred now in late middle-age (for us), and still eager to reclaim his ownership of Bebbanburg.

The novel, however, concerns itself more with raids made by Ragnall Iverson, with his motives initially unclear: does he come to rape and pillage? To attack Chester? To take control of the Danish kingdom of Northumbria?

Ragnall, however, is related to Uhtred through marriage, so his loyalties remain in doubt to the rulers of the land, with Uhtred eventually disobeying orders and sailing to Ireland (and back), for reasons that become clear in the plot.

Another strong entry in the series; perhaps not the strongest, but still pretty good.

Kudos

Dianne Robbins (1738 KP) rated Finding your feet (2018) in Movies

Jan 30, 2019

Finding your feet (2018)

2018 | Comedy, Drama, Romance

6.6

(5 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Delightful

Contains spoilers, click to show

Finding Your Feet is a sweet movie with endearing characters. The stellar cast consists of Celie Imrie, Imelda Staunton, Joanna Lumley, Timothy Spall, and David Haymen. Staunton plays an up middle-class snob, who after finding her husband in the arms of another woman, moves in with her bohemian sister, Imrie, who lives in a council house and who occupies herself with dancing with other seniors. Her sister convinces her to join the class; she had previously been a dancer but gave it up for marriage and motherhood, and slowly, the snobbery gives way to living her best life and having fun, making new friends, and finding romance and adventure. It's a feel-good, hopeful movie, full of laughter and dance.

What I love about the Brits is that unlike Hollywood, actors are allowed to look like the average person on the street in both face and figure, with gray hair, wrinkles, moles, and a paunch. It's about talent and acting, not whether or not they look like gods and goddesses. It's so refreshing.

Kudos

David McK (3372 KP) rated The Commodore in Books

Apr 27, 2020

The Commodore

CS Forester | 2020 | Fiction & Poetry

8.0

(1 Ratings)

Book Rating

Fourth published but chronologically the ninth of CS Forester's Hornblower series of novels, this is the one that is set mainly in and around the Baltic, starting with Hornblower's investiture as Lord of the Manor alongside his second wife, lady Barbara (nee) Wellesley - yes, of that Wellesley name - and with his sole surviving toddler son from his first marriage.

Finding shore life stifling, dull and tedious, Hornblower is (secretly) relieved when he receives a summons from the Admiralty, and is sent off to the Baltic to shore up Britain's interests and (hopefully) stop further French incursion into Sweden and Russia.

As such, this is thus set before Napoleon's disastrous (for the French!) Russian campaign, with the starts of that campaign occurring in the latter pars of this novel: a novel which takes in court intrigue (even meeting the Russian Tsar), sea battles, unusual sailing vessels (the bomb ketches) and land battles before its denouement - a denouement that will see Hornblower return back to Blighty before his next mission.