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Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated The Dragon's Thief in Books
Jul 21, 2018
4 shiny stars!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
A magpie is hired to steal from a dragon's hoard. What could possibly go wrong??
Short! So very VERY short! That's my overwhelming thought on finishing this book, I wish it were longer.
It's told mostly from Chester, the magpie's point of view, but Michal, the dragon who hires Chester, gets some say, just not enough for my liking!
It's not overly complicated, nor is it explicit nor violent. It's well told, and well delivered. Some more could have been made of the feud between Michal and his brother James.
It was just too bloody short!
BUT!!!
I DID enjoy it, spending an hour sitting out in the sun on my day off. It's the first I've read of this author, but now she is firmly on my radar, my wish list is a little longer and hopefully I'll be able to read more soon.
Because I LIKED the way she tells her tales, and I LIKED that we get a magpie shifter, because I have never read a magpie shifter! And ya'll know I love them different!
So, because I found it too short ( I did NOT know it was a short going in!) and because I wanted more Michal...
4 shiny stars (because magpies love shiny things!)
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
A magpie is hired to steal from a dragon's hoard. What could possibly go wrong??
Short! So very VERY short! That's my overwhelming thought on finishing this book, I wish it were longer.
It's told mostly from Chester, the magpie's point of view, but Michal, the dragon who hires Chester, gets some say, just not enough for my liking!
It's not overly complicated, nor is it explicit nor violent. It's well told, and well delivered. Some more could have been made of the feud between Michal and his brother James.
It was just too bloody short!
BUT!!!
I DID enjoy it, spending an hour sitting out in the sun on my day off. It's the first I've read of this author, but now she is firmly on my radar, my wish list is a little longer and hopefully I'll be able to read more soon.
Because I LIKED the way she tells her tales, and I LIKED that we get a magpie shifter, because I have never read a magpie shifter! And ya'll know I love them different!
So, because I found it too short ( I did NOT know it was a short going in!) and because I wanted more Michal...
4 shiny stars (because magpies love shiny things!)
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Deviant Warrior (Dark Warrior Alliance #5) in Books
Aug 17, 2021
133 of 250
Kindle
Deviant Warrior ( Dark warrior Alliance book 5)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Of all the Dark Warriors, Kyran Tarakesh is the most aberrant. Having witnessed the brutal murder and rape of his mother seven centuries ago, his sexual preferences are twisted and perverse. He walks the razors edge of control and he likes it that way, until he loses that balance and accidentally kills one of his lovers. As second in line to the Vampire throne, he is precariously close to losing his position, not to mention the respect of his brother and fellow warriors. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, the Goddess proves him wrong. With her wicked sense of humor, the Goddess catapults him to the dragon realm of Khoth with Mackendra Callaghan, the very human he has been lusting about for months since meeting her. Mackendra not only plunges a knife deep into his heart, she flees and fights him at every turn, inflaming his desires. The surprises keep coming when he discovers she is his Fated Mate. Every belief he has ever had about intimacy is called into question when his mate gives him a taste of true pleasure for the first time. The passion that burns between them is hot enough to burn them to cinders, but he still must dispel her prejudices about vampires and break through her barriers or lose the other half of his soul forever. Mackendra is the leader of a vigilante group that hunts and kills vampires. Sarcasm, snark and weapons of titanium are the tools of her trade, and have shielded her hardened heart. When she is rescued from her burning house by a sexy stranger, she is propelled into an unfamiliar world. Her savior turns out to be a vampire of all things, and she doesn't take kindly to being stranded with the blood-sucker, much less teaming up with him in order to return to earth. She can handle her intense sexual attraction to him, but is terrified when it turns into emotional bonding. Her greatest problem is that she doesn't know how to let go of her past to accept her future. Will she rescue the blood-sucker that is slowly winning her heart or hold fast to her mission to eliminate all vampires?
Pretty much what I have come to expect from this series now although this one had more creature and Dragons I love Dragons!! It was a nice read and would recommend it. I t always amuses me how they get flung into an unknown dimension and still find to get hot and heavy while trying to get home and escape Ogres 😂😂😂
Was a 3.5 out 5!
Kindle
Deviant Warrior ( Dark warrior Alliance book 5)
By Brenda Trim and Tami Julka
Once read a review will be written via Smashbomb and link posted in comments
Of all the Dark Warriors, Kyran Tarakesh is the most aberrant. Having witnessed the brutal murder and rape of his mother seven centuries ago, his sexual preferences are twisted and perverse. He walks the razors edge of control and he likes it that way, until he loses that balance and accidentally kills one of his lovers. As second in line to the Vampire throne, he is precariously close to losing his position, not to mention the respect of his brother and fellow warriors. Just when he thinks it can't get any worse, the Goddess proves him wrong. With her wicked sense of humor, the Goddess catapults him to the dragon realm of Khoth with Mackendra Callaghan, the very human he has been lusting about for months since meeting her. Mackendra not only plunges a knife deep into his heart, she flees and fights him at every turn, inflaming his desires. The surprises keep coming when he discovers she is his Fated Mate. Every belief he has ever had about intimacy is called into question when his mate gives him a taste of true pleasure for the first time. The passion that burns between them is hot enough to burn them to cinders, but he still must dispel her prejudices about vampires and break through her barriers or lose the other half of his soul forever. Mackendra is the leader of a vigilante group that hunts and kills vampires. Sarcasm, snark and weapons of titanium are the tools of her trade, and have shielded her hardened heart. When she is rescued from her burning house by a sexy stranger, she is propelled into an unfamiliar world. Her savior turns out to be a vampire of all things, and she doesn't take kindly to being stranded with the blood-sucker, much less teaming up with him in order to return to earth. She can handle her intense sexual attraction to him, but is terrified when it turns into emotional bonding. Her greatest problem is that she doesn't know how to let go of her past to accept her future. Will she rescue the blood-sucker that is slowly winning her heart or hold fast to her mission to eliminate all vampires?
Pretty much what I have come to expect from this series now although this one had more creature and Dragons I love Dragons!! It was a nice read and would recommend it. I t always amuses me how they get flung into an unknown dimension and still find to get hot and heavy while trying to get home and escape Ogres 😂😂😂
Was a 3.5 out 5!
Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Way of the Dragon (1972) in Movies
Jun 23, 2019
This film is a bit more lighthearted in comparison to other Bruce Lee films as there is a lot more humor and silliness than I expected during my first viewing. That's not necessarily a bad thing either. Most Bruce Lee movies have that 70s action movie cheese anyway and the weird thing is that it feels like that cheesiness is used to its maximum potential in any film Lee's a part of. Lee also doesn't actually fight in this film until about thirty minutes in, but it makes that first fight sequence and everything after so much better since you have to wait a bit for it. The payoff really doesn't get any sweeter than in this film either. Chuck Norris and Bruce Lee squaring off against each other to the death. Stop reading here if you want to avoid spoilers, but from the information gathered online Chuck Norris has only played a villain two times in his career and this is the only time his character has died. Besides where would the world be without Chuck Norris jokes? The man can blow bubbles with beef jerky, but we're getting off-topic. The Way of the Dragon is definitely worth seeing and/or owning for Bruce Lee and martial arts film fans.
Debbiereadsbook (1110 KP) rated Ready For It (MacAteer Brothers #2) in Books
Feb 3, 2021
a much more enjoyable, but darker read than book one, and I loved it!
Indepedent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 2 in the MacAteer Brothers series, and it would help to have read book one, Run With It. Not totally necessary, but I would personally recommend you do. You'll get a better feel of Melanie, and Owen and his brothers, I think.
Melanie is Bev's best friend, and looks after herself and stuff anyone else. Owen is one of Connor's younger brothers. Owen has had a bit of a crush on Mel for a long time, and when Mel is left in a difficult place, he steps up. Then the reasons WHY Mel is the way she is with men comes out, and Owen is all Alpha-Male-Protect-Whats-Mine.
I found this a much darker read, given Mel's history, but also I bloody LOVED it!
Mel has a voice in the first person, and Owen in the third. I knew this going in, and expected it, and I enjoyed reading Owen's voice so much more than Connor's. Owen is a gentle giant with a stutter and a speech impediment, that leaves him somewhat tongue tied amoung people he doesn't know, or isn't comfortable with. VERY quickly, Owen is speaking with mel in full sentences, with no sign of his problem. That should have clued him up, right quick, that somethign special was happening between them.
It takes time for Mel and Owen to fully commit, and to get together, and I LOVED being made to wait for it. I think I would have loved it even they had NOT got to the smexy times, I really do. Mel's little problem not withstanding. But once they do? OOOOEEEEE! They are committed and all in. I loved that.
Owen doesn't say much, verbally, but when we get him in his chapters, he is deep. He was hurt before, and you understand why he holds himself back some, but he loves Mel, from very early on, and it pained me when she kept friend-zoning him!
We get a bit more of Garrett, Owen's twin, and his book is next. We also meet the lady who will steal his heart. THAT book is next on my list, and given what we learn here, and reading the blurb, I think it may well be a bit darker than this one!
Billed as s spin off to the Dragon Runners series, it's not necessary to read those. I didn't like them, to be honest, but I'm loving these and I look forward to reading about the other set of twins further down the series!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 2 in the MacAteer Brothers series, and it would help to have read book one, Run With It. Not totally necessary, but I would personally recommend you do. You'll get a better feel of Melanie, and Owen and his brothers, I think.
Melanie is Bev's best friend, and looks after herself and stuff anyone else. Owen is one of Connor's younger brothers. Owen has had a bit of a crush on Mel for a long time, and when Mel is left in a difficult place, he steps up. Then the reasons WHY Mel is the way she is with men comes out, and Owen is all Alpha-Male-Protect-Whats-Mine.
I found this a much darker read, given Mel's history, but also I bloody LOVED it!
Mel has a voice in the first person, and Owen in the third. I knew this going in, and expected it, and I enjoyed reading Owen's voice so much more than Connor's. Owen is a gentle giant with a stutter and a speech impediment, that leaves him somewhat tongue tied amoung people he doesn't know, or isn't comfortable with. VERY quickly, Owen is speaking with mel in full sentences, with no sign of his problem. That should have clued him up, right quick, that somethign special was happening between them.
It takes time for Mel and Owen to fully commit, and to get together, and I LOVED being made to wait for it. I think I would have loved it even they had NOT got to the smexy times, I really do. Mel's little problem not withstanding. But once they do? OOOOEEEEE! They are committed and all in. I loved that.
Owen doesn't say much, verbally, but when we get him in his chapters, he is deep. He was hurt before, and you understand why he holds himself back some, but he loves Mel, from very early on, and it pained me when she kept friend-zoning him!
We get a bit more of Garrett, Owen's twin, and his book is next. We also meet the lady who will steal his heart. THAT book is next on my list, and given what we learn here, and reading the blurb, I think it may well be a bit darker than this one!
Billed as s spin off to the Dragon Runners series, it's not necessary to read those. I didn't like them, to be honest, but I'm loving these and I look forward to reading about the other set of twins further down the series!
5 full and shiny stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #2) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
First off, I enjoyed this book much more than the first book. I was familiar with the background, so I did not need to take time to understand everything, and I was already familiar with the main characters of the brotherhood, so I knew who I liked and wanted to know more about.
This book focused on Rhage and his love interest, Mary. Rhage is the one nicknamed "Hollywood" for both his good looks and promiscuous behavior. That, plus the violent habits of the brotherhood allow him to keep the dragon-like beast inside in check, but the appearance of Mary puts a new spin on an old curse. Just like the theme in the first book, the desire to claim Mary for his wife changes Rhage permanently - I detect a commonality throughout the series with this theme.
Rhage has a very frank and forward way of communicating, which I like, though it can sometimes throw me off in the reading. Mary sometimes got quite annoying with how low her self-image is. The way that the book ends and how the Scribe Virgin plays into Rhage and Mary's romance seemed a bit out of place and over-compensating, but it did cause things to work out well, so I won't complain.
The subplot of the lessers also progresses with the introduction of a secondary character under Mr. X, a Mr. O who seems to resent being a lesser and possesses a weakness. This, combined with a subplot dedicated to the brother, Zsadist, leads into the next book in the series, Lover Awakened.
This book focused on Rhage and his love interest, Mary. Rhage is the one nicknamed "Hollywood" for both his good looks and promiscuous behavior. That, plus the violent habits of the brotherhood allow him to keep the dragon-like beast inside in check, but the appearance of Mary puts a new spin on an old curse. Just like the theme in the first book, the desire to claim Mary for his wife changes Rhage permanently - I detect a commonality throughout the series with this theme.
Rhage has a very frank and forward way of communicating, which I like, though it can sometimes throw me off in the reading. Mary sometimes got quite annoying with how low her self-image is. The way that the book ends and how the Scribe Virgin plays into Rhage and Mary's romance seemed a bit out of place and over-compensating, but it did cause things to work out well, so I won't complain.
The subplot of the lessers also progresses with the introduction of a secondary character under Mr. X, a Mr. O who seems to resent being a lesser and possesses a weakness. This, combined with a subplot dedicated to the brother, Zsadist, leads into the next book in the series, Lover Awakened.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Life Of Pi (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
When I heard that one of my favorite books was being converted into a movie, I was a little skeptical. Add one of my favorite directors, Ang Lee, and my skepticism started to recede. As many know, Lee is renowned for his artistic vision and cinematography. I fell in love with his vision of “Sense and Sensibility,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” and “Brokeback Mountain.” To me, if there was a director who could capture the beauty and imagery of this book, it was Lee.
The movie and the book are great parallels of one another. The story revolves around a young Indian boy named Piscine (“Pool” in French) who spent much of his youth in Pondicherry, a French colony of India. Much of the book, and movie, include flash-backs of Pi’s life in India – the ridicule of his name, his father’s ownership of a zoo, etc. When Pi and his family decide to move to Canada due to political concerns (the book covers much more of this, including Pi’s exploration of various spiritualties/religions), they are chartered on a ship. En route, they encounter a fierce storm which capsizes their vessel, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.
Being the only human on board with said animals, Pi naturally fears for his welfare. He observes the hyena killing the injured zebra and then turning on the orangutan. The orangutan, as one should note, cares for Pi in a very motherly fashion (remember that Pi’s whole family had drowned in the ship), and her death was very difficult for Pi to endure. Eventually, the hyena succumbs to death by the tiger. As further explained in the movie and novel, Pi names the tiger “Richard Parker” and the two of them set out to endure their lives aboard the ship in some strange sort of symbiotic relationship.
Lee’s vision transforms this novel into a brilliant masterpiece. Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” you will be awed by the cinematography and artistic interpretation he presents. The young actors employed for the role of Pi (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon, Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan) are downright perfect and I particularly enjoyed Gerard Depardieu as the grizzled and difficult French cook (not a difficult stretch for him as one can imagine). Overall, as an avid lover of Yann Martel’s novel and Ang Lee’s work, I can say this is a beautiful movie and one many will enjoy (even if you haven’t read the novel – which you MUST do).
My only complaint is that while it is a beautiful representation of CGI technology, sometimes it looked a bit too manufactured and fantastical. Their work on the tiger, however, was downright genius (and I personally hate when they create CGI animals instead of working with the real thing – but in this instance it worked very well). The ending and symbolism of this work is what makes it truly a piece of art. If you’re a fan of “Inception” and “The Sixth Sense,” you will enjoy the twist at the end.
Overall, I think this is a lovely representation of the novel and a great movie all around. I highly suggest checking it out.
The movie and the book are great parallels of one another. The story revolves around a young Indian boy named Piscine (“Pool” in French) who spent much of his youth in Pondicherry, a French colony of India. Much of the book, and movie, include flash-backs of Pi’s life in India – the ridicule of his name, his father’s ownership of a zoo, etc. When Pi and his family decide to move to Canada due to political concerns (the book covers much more of this, including Pi’s exploration of various spiritualties/religions), they are chartered on a ship. En route, they encounter a fierce storm which capsizes their vessel, leaving Pi on a lifeboat with a Bengal tiger, a hyena, an injured zebra, and an orangutan.
Being the only human on board with said animals, Pi naturally fears for his welfare. He observes the hyena killing the injured zebra and then turning on the orangutan. The orangutan, as one should note, cares for Pi in a very motherly fashion (remember that Pi’s whole family had drowned in the ship), and her death was very difficult for Pi to endure. Eventually, the hyena succumbs to death by the tiger. As further explained in the movie and novel, Pi names the tiger “Richard Parker” and the two of them set out to endure their lives aboard the ship in some strange sort of symbiotic relationship.
Lee’s vision transforms this novel into a brilliant masterpiece. Like “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” you will be awed by the cinematography and artistic interpretation he presents. The young actors employed for the role of Pi (Gautam Belur, Ayush Tandon, Suraj Sharma & Irrfan Khan) are downright perfect and I particularly enjoyed Gerard Depardieu as the grizzled and difficult French cook (not a difficult stretch for him as one can imagine). Overall, as an avid lover of Yann Martel’s novel and Ang Lee’s work, I can say this is a beautiful movie and one many will enjoy (even if you haven’t read the novel – which you MUST do).
My only complaint is that while it is a beautiful representation of CGI technology, sometimes it looked a bit too manufactured and fantastical. Their work on the tiger, however, was downright genius (and I personally hate when they create CGI animals instead of working with the real thing – but in this instance it worked very well). The ending and symbolism of this work is what makes it truly a piece of art. If you’re a fan of “Inception” and “The Sixth Sense,” you will enjoy the twist at the end.
Overall, I think this is a lovely representation of the novel and a great movie all around. I highly suggest checking it out.
Lee (2222 KP) rated How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019) in Movies
Feb 4, 2019
Wonderful ending to the trilogy
The Hidden World picks up a year on from the events of the last movie. After gaining a parent, then losing another, Hiccup now finds himself Chief to the residents of the Isle of Berk. But it's starting to become a little bit overcrowded - as Hiccup and friends continue to carry out raids on dragon hunters, rescuing dragons and bringing them back to the safety of the island, there's not so much room for the human residents anymore. This safe haven for dragons, along with the antics of Hiccup and his dragon rescuers, draws the attentions of an infamous, and very dangerous hunter by the name of Grimmel. He comes armed with a deadly crossbow and a set of dragons the likes of which Hiccup hasn't seen before - spewing acid like liquid which burns and destroys everything it comes into contact with, and he's out to rid the world of night fury dragons. Attempts by Hiccup to outwit and capture Grimmel backfire and it quickly becomes clear that Berk, and all of it's inhabitants, are in imminent and deadly danger.
Hiccup remembers his father telling him stories when he was a young boy, recalling tales that sailors returning home from sea had told. Stories of a hidden world, beyond the horizon at the edge of the world. Legend has it that this world is the birth place of all dragons, a wonderous place where they all live in harmony, hidden away from the world of humans. Hiccup decides that before Grimmel returns to the island with an army, they must all pack up and leave in search of the hidden world, where they can rebuild their homes and all live together in safety. But Grimmel has a very special dragon in his possession, one that he plans to use in order to capture Toothless - a female night fury, white in colour and dubbed a 'Light Fury'. This Light Fury succeeds in drawing the attentions of Toothless, who up until now was thought to be the last of his kind. And while plans are also afoot for Hiccup to marry Astrid, are our heroes finally about to grow up and go their separate ways in the name of love?
One of the biggest strong points of this series of movies is just how beautiful they are to look at, and The Hidden World is no exception. As the mating ritual between the two dragons unfolds, we spend long periods of time with little or no dialogue. From an amusing but clumsy courting dance on the beach to a beautiful flight as they become more comfortable with each other, the whole thing is just wonderfully captivating. The movie benefits from some very good action scenes too and Hiccups friends continue to bring humour to it all. It's a good mix, and never manages to feel boring at all. But this is definitely a movie about old friends, growing up and growing apart. And as the closing part of the movie trilogy, it manages to tie everything together and end it all perfectly.
Hiccup remembers his father telling him stories when he was a young boy, recalling tales that sailors returning home from sea had told. Stories of a hidden world, beyond the horizon at the edge of the world. Legend has it that this world is the birth place of all dragons, a wonderous place where they all live in harmony, hidden away from the world of humans. Hiccup decides that before Grimmel returns to the island with an army, they must all pack up and leave in search of the hidden world, where they can rebuild their homes and all live together in safety. But Grimmel has a very special dragon in his possession, one that he plans to use in order to capture Toothless - a female night fury, white in colour and dubbed a 'Light Fury'. This Light Fury succeeds in drawing the attentions of Toothless, who up until now was thought to be the last of his kind. And while plans are also afoot for Hiccup to marry Astrid, are our heroes finally about to grow up and go their separate ways in the name of love?
One of the biggest strong points of this series of movies is just how beautiful they are to look at, and The Hidden World is no exception. As the mating ritual between the two dragons unfolds, we spend long periods of time with little or no dialogue. From an amusing but clumsy courting dance on the beach to a beautiful flight as they become more comfortable with each other, the whole thing is just wonderfully captivating. The movie benefits from some very good action scenes too and Hiccups friends continue to bring humour to it all. It's a good mix, and never manages to feel boring at all. But this is definitely a movie about old friends, growing up and growing apart. And as the closing part of the movie trilogy, it manages to tie everything together and end it all perfectly.
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
Following the very successful adaptation of Stieg Larssons millennium trilogy into three very successful Swedish language films, it came as no surprise when Hollywood announced that it would be making an English-language version of the series. Director David Fincher was announced to craft the first book in the series, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The new version follows very close to the original material with one fairly big exception which I will detail later in the review.
Daniel Craig stars as Mikael Blomkvist, who at the opening of the film has recently lost a court case for which he was being sued for libel by a prominent business figure. His career is in ruins and virtually all of his savings gone as a result of the trial and punitive damages. So when he is contacted by an attorney representing the wealthy and powerful Vanger family, he agrees to meet. Although highly reluctant to take a meeting, Mikael takes the four hour train ride north of Stockholm to a cold and remote island to meet with Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). Henrik wishes Mikael to investigate the disappearance of his niece some 40 years earlier, a niece vanished under the families’ very noses and not a trace of her has been discovered since. Henrik is convinced that she has met with foul play, yet every year on his birthday, he continues to receive a gift of ornate pressed flowers in an anonymous package.
Henrik believes that the killer is haunting him by sending the gifts and that a member of his family may be to blame. Although skeptical of being able to find anything 40 years later, Mikael accepts the case and soon sets up residence in a small cabin on the island and begins his investigation by combing through police reports, conducting interviews, and examining photographs and newspaper clippings. Mikael had been warned that the other members of the Vanger family may not be too thrilled with his presence as not only is the family fractured, they all have their share of secrets.
At the same time, a very Goth punk girl named Lisabeth (Rooney Mara), is fighting her own demons. Lisabeth is an extremely gifted computer and surveillance expert who specializes in gathering background information on individuals. As such, her skills have made her in high demand with her employer. Unfortunately, Lisabeth is also a deeply antisocial person who is prone to lash out violently if provoked. Much of this stems from an extremely traumatic childhood spent in institutions which resulted in Lisabeth being placed as a ward of the state, not deemed competent to care for herself. This arrangement requires her to check in on a regular basis with a representative who, unfortunately for her, has recently suffered a stroke and places her in the care of the new guardian.
The new guardian subjects Lisabeth to horrific demands just so Lisabeth can access her money. The traumatized Lisabeth does not play victim long and in a twist of fate, is assigned by Henrik’s attorney to assist Mikael since she did the background check on him prior to Mikael being approached by Henrik for the investigation. The unlikely duo combined to form a highly efficient pair as they start to piece together the clues which indicate a brutal string of murders leading back for decades. As they work together, the relationship deepens and the reserved Lisabeth starts to come out of her shell. Tension mounts as danger surrounds them in an epic race against time to solve the case that certain members of the family do not want solved.
The film runs approximately 2 hours and 45 min and does take a little while to get started as the landscape and back story of the characters is established. The film has some very dark and brutal moments, which are hard to watch, yet were not as graphic as those in the Swedish language version. Craig and Mara work very well with one another and props to Craig for being willing to put on weight and occasionally looked disheveled to enhance his character.
Mara gives a masterful performance as the complicated Lisabeth, the anti-damsel-in-distress heroine, who subtly shows the many complicated sides to the character. Noomi Rapace first portrayed the character and has gone on to prominent success in Hollywood with a slew of upcoming high profile films. I would expect nothing less for Mara with two other sequels in this series to film. I am sure this breakout performance will not go unnoticed as it is an extremely difficult and daring role that few in Hollywood would want to tackle, much less be able to pull off as convincingly as she did.
I was extremely happy to see that the character names, settings, and situations were not changed in the new version, and it was refreshing to see the film set in Sweden and not relocated to London or New York. The biggest issue I had with the film was with the ending, which deviated from the previous versions. I will not provide spoilers, suffice it to say the resolution was a bit too tidy of a Hollywood ending and in my opinion greatly undermined one of the central characters of the film. That being said the film is a bold and dynamic vision from Fincher and is a deeply dark and disturbing story that is difficult to forget.
Daniel Craig stars as Mikael Blomkvist, who at the opening of the film has recently lost a court case for which he was being sued for libel by a prominent business figure. His career is in ruins and virtually all of his savings gone as a result of the trial and punitive damages. So when he is contacted by an attorney representing the wealthy and powerful Vanger family, he agrees to meet. Although highly reluctant to take a meeting, Mikael takes the four hour train ride north of Stockholm to a cold and remote island to meet with Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer). Henrik wishes Mikael to investigate the disappearance of his niece some 40 years earlier, a niece vanished under the families’ very noses and not a trace of her has been discovered since. Henrik is convinced that she has met with foul play, yet every year on his birthday, he continues to receive a gift of ornate pressed flowers in an anonymous package.
Henrik believes that the killer is haunting him by sending the gifts and that a member of his family may be to blame. Although skeptical of being able to find anything 40 years later, Mikael accepts the case and soon sets up residence in a small cabin on the island and begins his investigation by combing through police reports, conducting interviews, and examining photographs and newspaper clippings. Mikael had been warned that the other members of the Vanger family may not be too thrilled with his presence as not only is the family fractured, they all have their share of secrets.
At the same time, a very Goth punk girl named Lisabeth (Rooney Mara), is fighting her own demons. Lisabeth is an extremely gifted computer and surveillance expert who specializes in gathering background information on individuals. As such, her skills have made her in high demand with her employer. Unfortunately, Lisabeth is also a deeply antisocial person who is prone to lash out violently if provoked. Much of this stems from an extremely traumatic childhood spent in institutions which resulted in Lisabeth being placed as a ward of the state, not deemed competent to care for herself. This arrangement requires her to check in on a regular basis with a representative who, unfortunately for her, has recently suffered a stroke and places her in the care of the new guardian.
The new guardian subjects Lisabeth to horrific demands just so Lisabeth can access her money. The traumatized Lisabeth does not play victim long and in a twist of fate, is assigned by Henrik’s attorney to assist Mikael since she did the background check on him prior to Mikael being approached by Henrik for the investigation. The unlikely duo combined to form a highly efficient pair as they start to piece together the clues which indicate a brutal string of murders leading back for decades. As they work together, the relationship deepens and the reserved Lisabeth starts to come out of her shell. Tension mounts as danger surrounds them in an epic race against time to solve the case that certain members of the family do not want solved.
The film runs approximately 2 hours and 45 min and does take a little while to get started as the landscape and back story of the characters is established. The film has some very dark and brutal moments, which are hard to watch, yet were not as graphic as those in the Swedish language version. Craig and Mara work very well with one another and props to Craig for being willing to put on weight and occasionally looked disheveled to enhance his character.
Mara gives a masterful performance as the complicated Lisabeth, the anti-damsel-in-distress heroine, who subtly shows the many complicated sides to the character. Noomi Rapace first portrayed the character and has gone on to prominent success in Hollywood with a slew of upcoming high profile films. I would expect nothing less for Mara with two other sequels in this series to film. I am sure this breakout performance will not go unnoticed as it is an extremely difficult and daring role that few in Hollywood would want to tackle, much less be able to pull off as convincingly as she did.
I was extremely happy to see that the character names, settings, and situations were not changed in the new version, and it was refreshing to see the film set in Sweden and not relocated to London or New York. The biggest issue I had with the film was with the ending, which deviated from the previous versions. I will not provide spoilers, suffice it to say the resolution was a bit too tidy of a Hollywood ending and in my opinion greatly undermined one of the central characters of the film. That being said the film is a bold and dynamic vision from Fincher and is a deeply dark and disturbing story that is difficult to forget.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Deathmaker (Dragon Blood, #2) in Books
Sep 6, 2019
I received this copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.
Im a huge fan of Lindsay Buroker so when she offered me the chance to read this, I jumped at the chance.
Its part two in her Dragon Blood series and takes place a little time after the first. This one is more like her Emperors Edge series with it being heavy on the action and light on the romance, though there is enough to make you happy. Its more subtle than that of the first, which is what I really like about the authors books.
I grew to like Tolemek/the Deathmaker early on in this, despite him being one of the bad guys, and I think Cas had the same problem. Hes unlike the rest of the pirates she ends up meeting. Tolemek doesnt like hurting women, unlike some of the others, and over time he softens towards Cas and she gets under his skin. It was all rather sweet reading.
If youre a fan of the author then you need to read this. If youve never read anything by her, why not?
Im a huge fan of Lindsay Buroker so when she offered me the chance to read this, I jumped at the chance.
Its part two in her Dragon Blood series and takes place a little time after the first. This one is more like her Emperors Edge series with it being heavy on the action and light on the romance, though there is enough to make you happy. Its more subtle than that of the first, which is what I really like about the authors books.
I grew to like Tolemek/the Deathmaker early on in this, despite him being one of the bad guys, and I think Cas had the same problem. Hes unlike the rest of the pirates she ends up meeting. Tolemek doesnt like hurting women, unlike some of the others, and over time he softens towards Cas and she gets under his skin. It was all rather sweet reading.
If youre a fan of the author then you need to read this. If youve never read anything by her, why not?
Versusyours (757 KP) rated The Karate Kid, Part III (1989) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019 (Updated Nov 7, 2019)
War on bonsai and sporting decency
Contains spoilers, click to show
I remember this film from a trip to the cinema on its release in 1989 and I recall fly kicking my way out of the cinema and into the mean Scottish streets. I am now at an age where fly kicking would be an effort in itself I decided to review it from my older and more critical eye.
It begins with a return to Part 1 to re-establish the bad blood Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and his aging sidekick Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita) have with John “I saw things in Vietnam” Kreese. This part I couldn’t let slide with me this viewing as the attempted punches by Kreese to contact Mr. Miyagi were as expected as Xmas day falling on the 25th of December each year. One failed attempt was followed by the same type of punch and the same outcome of bloody and smashed knuckles and an insurance claim for the car owners. After this we return to the present and a skulking and hobo like Kreese seeks the refuge of his ponytailed, rich and so 80s stereotyped “you know he is evil due to his involvement in toxic waste” comrade from the past Terry Silver.
Possibly due to giving him his shampoo and conditioner in Vietnam to maintain his ponytail or his heroics in battle, this remains unknown at this time.
What about Daniel and Miyagi you may ask well they are in for an unwelcome surprise when the housing complex they live in has been earmarked for redevelopment. To make matters worse unbeknown to Daniel his Uncle is ill and his mum must have been too busy with this to let Daniel know he is homeless as well as heartbroken after his holiday romance turned sour. Great use of a sentence to end a previous films love interest and subsequent relationship, one of films greatest tricks. At least he has a wad of money for college in his pocket to repair his broken heart. Spoiler alert neither the wad of money and the broken heart are the same for long.
So as it stands not much karate from Daniel but the use of Mr. Miyagi’s subtle use of Daniel as a glorified maid still exists as they branch out in the cutting world of Bonsai. Remember that college money well now its rent and utilities money after luckily realising there are no more Bonsai shops in the street and even luckier there is a pottery shop with a young lady for Daniel to obsess over and fight for her honour as he shows a propensity for in the previous films. The fact that she has a boyfriend only spurs Daniel on like the initial film in the series and makes her more desirable in his lusting eyes.
Enter the 80s Dragon it a supped up Zach Morris Karate Bad Boy, Mike Barnes who is wearing black to dictate his evil intentions. This guy could spell trouble for Daniel as he has links to Silver and thus the plot to ruin Daniels life and happiness for winning a local karate competition the year before takes seed. As someone who has played sports the format of the All Valley Karate Championship, which has been inexplicably changes to allow the defending Champion to only fight in the final where his battle wary and exhausted opponent will be easy prey for a crane kicking Daniel, makes no sense. Maybe Daniel is sick of being typecast as The Karate Kid but this area of the story annoyed me more than a grown man should as initially Daniel can’t even be bothered to sign up for this one fight but after some lying and coercion and some innocent Bonsai paying the price for The Karateless Kid.
More pressure from Barnes and his goons and more Bonsai casualties before Daniel and Mr. Miyagi are split between the tournament and after Daniel decided he will fight that 10 minutes if his life for another sweet trophy. With his training regime disguised as housework and child labour now running low, Miyagi wont train Daniel and thus pushing him into Silvers ponytailed clutches. The once meek and defensive Daniel learns that attack is more effective than Miyagi’s training and with another wooden victim (a repeating plot line in this film) being pummelled and the wax punched off it, Daniel is ready to be the badass he always threatened to be. A night out ends in a broken nose of a Silver bribed punk, Daniel questions who he has become and changes his mind about the tournament once more, only for Silver to admit his true intentions to ruin Daniel as a human being and to avenge John Kreese who is not dead as first explained but high on revenge and the smoking of broken kids karate trophies. They give the new and improved Daniel a beating until appearance of Mr. Miyagi, who may or may not be stalking Daniel, who uses his small but deadly side step and legs to defeat the 3 grown men with ease. There is nothing like a good beating to mend a relationship and together the Bonsai Brothers are back and for the umpteenth time Daniel IS going to defend his title and we all hoped that Barnes would make it through the many rounds to get to the final. Hollywood prevails and after relaxing and watching his potential opponents tiring and having their face smashed in, Daniel like and later day Elvis gets on the stage for a quick round of his greatest hits. In Karate Kid tradition Daniel is good and Cobra Kai are bad, he has honour they are sneaky, they will cheat Daniel wont. Daniel wins as usual and takes his hollow victory and Cobra Kai is no more or until the invention of YouTube at least.
Overall this film fondly remembered until I watched it again. The lack of new ideas left me disappointed and broken like the cliff Bonsai and like that tree I will heal and grow but I will be left with the scars of the better and simple life I used to live. The inclusion of Glen Medeiros on the soundtrack was almost enough to save it and keep it respectable but alas it was not to be, this film is the 80s ponytail of memories; best left cut off.
It begins with a return to Part 1 to re-establish the bad blood Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and his aging sidekick Mr Miyagi (Pat Morita) have with John “I saw things in Vietnam” Kreese. This part I couldn’t let slide with me this viewing as the attempted punches by Kreese to contact Mr. Miyagi were as expected as Xmas day falling on the 25th of December each year. One failed attempt was followed by the same type of punch and the same outcome of bloody and smashed knuckles and an insurance claim for the car owners. After this we return to the present and a skulking and hobo like Kreese seeks the refuge of his ponytailed, rich and so 80s stereotyped “you know he is evil due to his involvement in toxic waste” comrade from the past Terry Silver.
Possibly due to giving him his shampoo and conditioner in Vietnam to maintain his ponytail or his heroics in battle, this remains unknown at this time.
What about Daniel and Miyagi you may ask well they are in for an unwelcome surprise when the housing complex they live in has been earmarked for redevelopment. To make matters worse unbeknown to Daniel his Uncle is ill and his mum must have been too busy with this to let Daniel know he is homeless as well as heartbroken after his holiday romance turned sour. Great use of a sentence to end a previous films love interest and subsequent relationship, one of films greatest tricks. At least he has a wad of money for college in his pocket to repair his broken heart. Spoiler alert neither the wad of money and the broken heart are the same for long.
So as it stands not much karate from Daniel but the use of Mr. Miyagi’s subtle use of Daniel as a glorified maid still exists as they branch out in the cutting world of Bonsai. Remember that college money well now its rent and utilities money after luckily realising there are no more Bonsai shops in the street and even luckier there is a pottery shop with a young lady for Daniel to obsess over and fight for her honour as he shows a propensity for in the previous films. The fact that she has a boyfriend only spurs Daniel on like the initial film in the series and makes her more desirable in his lusting eyes.
Enter the 80s Dragon it a supped up Zach Morris Karate Bad Boy, Mike Barnes who is wearing black to dictate his evil intentions. This guy could spell trouble for Daniel as he has links to Silver and thus the plot to ruin Daniels life and happiness for winning a local karate competition the year before takes seed. As someone who has played sports the format of the All Valley Karate Championship, which has been inexplicably changes to allow the defending Champion to only fight in the final where his battle wary and exhausted opponent will be easy prey for a crane kicking Daniel, makes no sense. Maybe Daniel is sick of being typecast as The Karate Kid but this area of the story annoyed me more than a grown man should as initially Daniel can’t even be bothered to sign up for this one fight but after some lying and coercion and some innocent Bonsai paying the price for The Karateless Kid.
More pressure from Barnes and his goons and more Bonsai casualties before Daniel and Mr. Miyagi are split between the tournament and after Daniel decided he will fight that 10 minutes if his life for another sweet trophy. With his training regime disguised as housework and child labour now running low, Miyagi wont train Daniel and thus pushing him into Silvers ponytailed clutches. The once meek and defensive Daniel learns that attack is more effective than Miyagi’s training and with another wooden victim (a repeating plot line in this film) being pummelled and the wax punched off it, Daniel is ready to be the badass he always threatened to be. A night out ends in a broken nose of a Silver bribed punk, Daniel questions who he has become and changes his mind about the tournament once more, only for Silver to admit his true intentions to ruin Daniel as a human being and to avenge John Kreese who is not dead as first explained but high on revenge and the smoking of broken kids karate trophies. They give the new and improved Daniel a beating until appearance of Mr. Miyagi, who may or may not be stalking Daniel, who uses his small but deadly side step and legs to defeat the 3 grown men with ease. There is nothing like a good beating to mend a relationship and together the Bonsai Brothers are back and for the umpteenth time Daniel IS going to defend his title and we all hoped that Barnes would make it through the many rounds to get to the final. Hollywood prevails and after relaxing and watching his potential opponents tiring and having their face smashed in, Daniel like and later day Elvis gets on the stage for a quick round of his greatest hits. In Karate Kid tradition Daniel is good and Cobra Kai are bad, he has honour they are sneaky, they will cheat Daniel wont. Daniel wins as usual and takes his hollow victory and Cobra Kai is no more or until the invention of YouTube at least.
Overall this film fondly remembered until I watched it again. The lack of new ideas left me disappointed and broken like the cliff Bonsai and like that tree I will heal and grow but I will be left with the scars of the better and simple life I used to live. The inclusion of Glen Medeiros on the soundtrack was almost enough to save it and keep it respectable but alas it was not to be, this film is the 80s ponytail of memories; best left cut off.