David McK (3649 KP) rated Monstrous Regiment: (Discworld Novel 31) in Books
Mar 31, 2023
I wonder how this was affected by Pratchett's 'embuggerance'?
Original 2011 review
Not one of the strongest of Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld books, this is only loosely - even more so than normal - connected to any of his other books in the series. Loosely connected, but not to the level of ""Small Gods"" (which is set centuries before the rest of the series), or "Pyramids".
In "Monstrous Regiment", Pratchett introduces a whole host of new characters - none of who have yet, been heard of again - as well as some new nations, with Commander Sam Vimes (from the City Watch books) and William De Worde (from "the Truth") only really having cameos in the story. He also exaggerates, to comic effect, the famous stories of women secretly joining the army, with this providing the basis for his plot.
As I said at the top, this is not one of the best of Pratchetts works, but even a below-par Pratchett is miles above any other author in the same genre
Gingerdead Man
9.0
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When Santa is sleighed by a poison gingerbread cookie at a holiday party, Val Deniston's reputation...
The Oath (The Druid Chronicles, #1) by A.M. Linden
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When the last of members of a secretive Druid cult are forced to abandon their hidden sanct-uary,...
Historical Fiction Medieval
For the Strange and Surprising: Where the Mongrels Are (Where They Are #1)
8.0
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I’m a catastrophe waiting to happen—I always have been. When a waterspout drops me on the...
Adult Reverse Harem Science Fiction Romance
Hazel (2934 KP) rated What His Wife Knew in Books
Feb 20, 2022
Oscar is found dead by his brother at the bottom of Cloud Drop; a note is found which just says "sorry" and his wedding ring in his car - a slam bunk you might say but his wife, Beth, is having none of it and the more she delves, the more she realises her husband is not who she thought he was but neither are those around her.
This was proper good! The story was compelling with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing and although I guessed the main twist, it didn't ruin the story for me at all as it was great getting there. The main characters are excellent and well developed and the pace is good.
All in all, a great psychological/domestic thriller and one which I would recommend to lovers of this genre.
Thank you Penguin Random House UK and NetGalley for my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Kaden (The Hawks #0)
10.0
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He has to leave. He can’t take her with him. And he needs to go now. Kaden has always kept his...
FREE to Newsletter Subscribers Adult Fantasy Romance Prequel Novella
David McK (3649 KP) rated Blood and Honour (Forest Kingdom #2) in Books
Aug 21, 2022
I struggle to put my hand on what that something is, though.
In this, a down on his luck actor - 'The Great Jordan' - is hired to impersonate Price Victor, one of the three claimants to the throne of Redhart following the mysterious death of its former incumbent, and after the chaos of The Demon War, which is really only mentioned in passing, with a few cameos from characters from said war.
None of the three claimants, however, are particularly nice characters ...
Cue a mix of magic and mayhem, with an outsiders view of the politics played in the courts of those high in the land, a few twists and turns - some of which you can see coming a mile and a half off, but others of which you (or, at least, I) didn't the first time around.
Then again, I was in my early teens that first time around ...
Daughter of Belial
Book
Some Family Trees Should Be Burned. . . Greer Girls are special. Greer Girls are rare. Greer...
Psychological Thriller
David McK (3649 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies
Apr 17, 2019 (Updated Jul 14, 2024)
I was also quite surprised by how dark/scary parts of this were for a child-friendly film, with it really only lightening up once the 14 year old Billy Batson gets his powers and transforms into Zachary Levis's adult superhero (but still with his child's mind).
With a subplot concerning family - one strand of which could probably have been handled better - and Levi knocking it out of the park (I'll admit, the TV series Chuck in which he starred is one of my favourites) as Shazam, this is one of the better entries in DC growing catalogue of movies.
