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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Hostage Three in Books
Dec 17, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
<i>Hostage Three</i> is the second literary thriller by Carnegie Shortlisted Nick Lake. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about reading this book after having read Lake’s first literary thriller, <i>In Darkness</i>, which, although well written, was rather hard going and, at times, boring. However I really enjoyed <i>Hostage Three</i>. Maybe it helped having a narrator I could relate to more, or maybe it was because the narrative was not shared between two major different time periods as <i>In Darkness</i> was. Whatever the reason, it was good.
The narrative jumps straight in to something happening in 2008 on the coast of Eyl, Puntland, Somalia. Seventeen-year-old Amy Fields is on a yacht, there are pirates; it appears someone is about to be killed. End of part one. What has happened? What is going to happen? Begin part two, three and a half months earlier. From this moment on Amy narrates what has happened in the lead up to the initial insight given and what happened afterwards. The reader learns more about Amy, her father and his wife, Sarah, who Amy constantly refers to as ‘the stepmother’, which gives an indication of their tense relationship. Throughout the book there are also flashbacks to what happened to Amy’s real mother, a sufferer of severe OCD, and the events that caused Amy to become the rebellious teenager she is portrayed as at the beginning of the novel.
Amy and her family end up travelling the world on a private yacht only to get taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean. To begin with it is clear that the Fields family and yacht crew are the goodies and the pirates the baddies, however Amy begins to develop a complicated, secret relationship with one of the pirates, Farouz. The reader discovers the pirates’ motives, well at least Farouz’s motives, behind the hostage situation. Things begin to look less black and white, less good versus bad. And everything, of course, becomes more complex once romance is thrown into the mix.
<i>Hostage Three</i> is well worth a read. Lake writes really well and keeps the reader engaged. It is as if Amy is talking to the reader the entire time. Once you get used to the unconventional use of punctuation (no speech marks) it will become fast paced and you will be torn between wanting to read it all in one go and wanting to slow down to prevent it from ending too soon!
<i>Hostage Three</i> is the second literary thriller by Carnegie Shortlisted Nick Lake. I must admit that I was a little apprehensive about reading this book after having read Lake’s first literary thriller, <i>In Darkness</i>, which, although well written, was rather hard going and, at times, boring. However I really enjoyed <i>Hostage Three</i>. Maybe it helped having a narrator I could relate to more, or maybe it was because the narrative was not shared between two major different time periods as <i>In Darkness</i> was. Whatever the reason, it was good.
The narrative jumps straight in to something happening in 2008 on the coast of Eyl, Puntland, Somalia. Seventeen-year-old Amy Fields is on a yacht, there are pirates; it appears someone is about to be killed. End of part one. What has happened? What is going to happen? Begin part two, three and a half months earlier. From this moment on Amy narrates what has happened in the lead up to the initial insight given and what happened afterwards. The reader learns more about Amy, her father and his wife, Sarah, who Amy constantly refers to as ‘the stepmother’, which gives an indication of their tense relationship. Throughout the book there are also flashbacks to what happened to Amy’s real mother, a sufferer of severe OCD, and the events that caused Amy to become the rebellious teenager she is portrayed as at the beginning of the novel.
Amy and her family end up travelling the world on a private yacht only to get taken hostage by pirates in the Indian Ocean. To begin with it is clear that the Fields family and yacht crew are the goodies and the pirates the baddies, however Amy begins to develop a complicated, secret relationship with one of the pirates, Farouz. The reader discovers the pirates’ motives, well at least Farouz’s motives, behind the hostage situation. Things begin to look less black and white, less good versus bad. And everything, of course, becomes more complex once romance is thrown into the mix.
<i>Hostage Three</i> is well worth a read. Lake writes really well and keeps the reader engaged. It is as if Amy is talking to the reader the entire time. Once you get used to the unconventional use of punctuation (no speech marks) it will become fast paced and you will be torn between wanting to read it all in one go and wanting to slow down to prevent it from ending too soon!
Victoria Green (34 KP) rated Dragon's baby in Books
Jun 8, 2019
Inspirational
Contains spoilers, click to show
A story about a woman Calista and her friends as they are attacked by space pirates and crash land on a planet that is killing them. But that's where things get 'hot'.
She meets the beings on the planet and... Well... You know... I don't want to ruin the story.
But the plot is amazing. The description. Is. Amazing.
I am going to finish the series sooner than i realised cause it is highly addictive.
She meets the beings on the planet and... Well... You know... I don't want to ruin the story.
But the plot is amazing. The description. Is. Amazing.
I am going to finish the series sooner than i realised cause it is highly addictive.
Ckings (13 KP) rated The Princess Bride (1987) in Movies
Jan 29, 2019
Pure escapism
Contains spoilers, click to show
I had to review this one of my all time favourite films.
There's nothing complicated and if you explained the movie to someone I think they would say sounds stupid, but it is just pure fun to watch.
The characters are all larger than life with some amazing quotes.
“My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!”
To name just one.
There's princesses, pirates, giants and swordfights what more do you need .
There's nothing complicated and if you explained the movie to someone I think they would say sounds stupid, but it is just pure fun to watch.
The characters are all larger than life with some amazing quotes.
“My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!”
To name just one.
There's princesses, pirates, giants and swordfights what more do you need .
ClareR (5577 KP) rated After the Flood in Books
Oct 25, 2021
After the Flood is set in a world after the sea levels have risen as a result of Climate Change.
Myra and her daughter Pearl, live on a boat, a precarious life, reliant on the fish they catch. When Myra discovers that her eldest daughter, the daughter that her husband took with him when he left her, may still be alive, she is determined to find her.
This is a pretty bleak book: people live in fear of illness, starvation, storms and pirates. These pirates kill for people’s possessions, take slaves, run ‘breeding ships’ - and they want to build their own territories on dry land.
This is reminiscent of the film Water World in some places - the promise of a better, dry place to live, the strong preying on the weak. It’s also a book about sacrifice and the lengths a mother will go to to protect her children.
This won’t be the book for you if you like a happy ending, but if you enjoy a book that’s beautifully descriptive, both in emotion and seascape, you’ll love this.
Myra and her daughter Pearl, live on a boat, a precarious life, reliant on the fish they catch. When Myra discovers that her eldest daughter, the daughter that her husband took with him when he left her, may still be alive, she is determined to find her.
This is a pretty bleak book: people live in fear of illness, starvation, storms and pirates. These pirates kill for people’s possessions, take slaves, run ‘breeding ships’ - and they want to build their own territories on dry land.
This is reminiscent of the film Water World in some places - the promise of a better, dry place to live, the strong preying on the weak. It’s also a book about sacrifice and the lengths a mother will go to to protect her children.
This won’t be the book for you if you like a happy ending, but if you enjoy a book that’s beautifully descriptive, both in emotion and seascape, you’ll love this.
David McK (3191 KP) rated Iron Fist (Star Wars: X-Wing, #6) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
hmmm ...
Having dealth with the creation of Wraith Squadron and their subsequent first mission in the previous installment of the X-Wing series, <i>Iron Fist</i> continues to tell the story of Wraith Squadron, and of the hunt for Warlord Zsinj.
This time, the members of that X-Wing fighter unit must pose as pirates in order to infiltrate the warlord's fleet. Cue more scenes of space dog-fighting, inter-pilot conflict, and the requisite loose ends for the sequel ...
Having dealth with the creation of Wraith Squadron and their subsequent first mission in the previous installment of the X-Wing series, <i>Iron Fist</i> continues to tell the story of Wraith Squadron, and of the hunt for Warlord Zsinj.
This time, the members of that X-Wing fighter unit must pose as pirates in order to infiltrate the warlord's fleet. Cue more scenes of space dog-fighting, inter-pilot conflict, and the requisite loose ends for the sequel ...
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas (Baal's Heart, #1) in Books
Jan 6, 2021
2.5 stars.
This wasn't really, in my opinion, a romance. I don't know. There was so much going on. Lies, abuse, killings... typical pirates, I guess, but I struggled to get into it. I didn't understand the allure of the captain, really, but he managed to get two guys wanting him and having him. I was intrigued by the story but I didn't entirely get it. What was with the heart thing?
I dont think I'll be reading the rest of the series.
This wasn't really, in my opinion, a romance. I don't know. There was so much going on. Lies, abuse, killings... typical pirates, I guess, but I struggled to get into it. I didn't understand the allure of the captain, really, but he managed to get two guys wanting him and having him. I was intrigued by the story but I didn't entirely get it. What was with the heart thing?
I dont think I'll be reading the rest of the series.
Kevin Phillipson (9946 KP) rated Doctor Who: Meglos in TV
Apr 27, 2020
Tom baker (1 more)
Jacqueline hill
Okay not the best 4 doctor story made but it's saved by Tom baker giving two performances one as the doctor and meglos the monster of the story also brings back Jacqueline hill who played one of the doctors first companions in a different role. And less said about the gataks the comedy space pirates terrible even one of the names is an anagram of bad actor anyway giving this story a high rating just for hi definition picture quality
b.Young (97 KP) rated Butterfly Islands (Chronicles of the Twenty-One Butterflies Book 1) in Books
May 8, 2018
Girl pirates (4 more)
Magic
Quests
Amazing setting
Action & Adventure
Girl Pirates, Treasure, Sword Fights, and Adventure! Yes, please!!!
I read this book because the Kindle version was offered for free on Amazon.
I didn't know what to expect and I honestly thought it was going to be a failed version of some of my most loved pirate stories. But because it featured female pirates, I knew I HAD to read it! And, girl, am I glad I did!
This is the first of a series of 5 books and it did not disappoint! This book had action, adventure, life changing decisions, sword fights, a treasure hunt, pirate ships, and even a couple villains that I ended up truly hating.
The story begins with 15-year-old Casey fleeing her marriage to a much older, very cruel man, which was arranged by her abusive step-father. Casey struggles with leaving because she knows what horrible fate awaits her mother at the hands of her step-father.
As Casey makes her escape, in her wedding dress, she is easily trailed by the very sadists that insist she make good on her step-father's arrangement. Casey runs deeper into the jungle and is rescued by the Twenty-One Butterflies just as the dogs are loosed on her.
Once she observes the ways and learns the values of the group of women that are the Twenty-One Butterflies, Casey makes yet another life-altering decision to join them.
Adventure, danger, training, sword fights, and sisterhood ensue as Casey embarks on her journey to become a Twenty-One Butterfly.
I fully intend to continue the series and discover Casey's fate as well as the fates of the rest of the Twenty-One Butterflies!
I didn't know what to expect and I honestly thought it was going to be a failed version of some of my most loved pirate stories. But because it featured female pirates, I knew I HAD to read it! And, girl, am I glad I did!
This is the first of a series of 5 books and it did not disappoint! This book had action, adventure, life changing decisions, sword fights, a treasure hunt, pirate ships, and even a couple villains that I ended up truly hating.
The story begins with 15-year-old Casey fleeing her marriage to a much older, very cruel man, which was arranged by her abusive step-father. Casey struggles with leaving because she knows what horrible fate awaits her mother at the hands of her step-father.
As Casey makes her escape, in her wedding dress, she is easily trailed by the very sadists that insist she make good on her step-father's arrangement. Casey runs deeper into the jungle and is rescued by the Twenty-One Butterflies just as the dogs are loosed on her.
Once she observes the ways and learns the values of the group of women that are the Twenty-One Butterflies, Casey makes yet another life-altering decision to join them.
Adventure, danger, training, sword fights, and sisterhood ensue as Casey embarks on her journey to become a Twenty-One Butterfly.
I fully intend to continue the series and discover Casey's fate as well as the fates of the rest of the Twenty-One Butterflies!
Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated The Pirates! Band of Misfits (2012) in Movies
Aug 7, 2019
The Movie begins with two pirates fighting in the dining hall, then enters the not so famous Captain Pirate with his long wavy beard filled with curls. The pirates were fighting over what the best part of being a pirate was, the looting, no the booty, no Captain Pirate says its ” HAM NIGHT” followed by a cherry song! Captain Pirate is a friendly man of the sea with his crew filled of pirates just as friendly and a “parrot” named Polly.
The Captain decides to enter the Pirate of the Year contest and docks at port to sign up. With voices of Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven as his main competitors to be the one with the most treasure, the Captain must up his game if he wants to get more booty to win the Pirate of the year award so the Captain sets sail on a quest to take over ships and get his treasure. Running in to nothing but disappointment along the way he finally comes upon the ship of the scientist Charles Darwin on a quest of his own. Charles wants to find the most rarest of creatures to bring back to Queen Victoria for the top scientist to have a private audience with the Queen.
When he meets the Captain Pirate he sees that Polly is not a parrot but a dodo bird, the rarest find of all. The Captain goes back with Charles to enter the contest in hopes of winning and getting the biggest treasure.
Filled with surprises, catchy songs and a monkey that speaks through cards this movie is not only fun for the whole family but well worth seeing in 3D The colors pop on screen and guarantee laughs. Good Family Fun.
The Captain decides to enter the Pirate of the Year contest and docks at port to sign up. With voices of Salma Hayek and Jeremy Piven as his main competitors to be the one with the most treasure, the Captain must up his game if he wants to get more booty to win the Pirate of the year award so the Captain sets sail on a quest to take over ships and get his treasure. Running in to nothing but disappointment along the way he finally comes upon the ship of the scientist Charles Darwin on a quest of his own. Charles wants to find the most rarest of creatures to bring back to Queen Victoria for the top scientist to have a private audience with the Queen.
When he meets the Captain Pirate he sees that Polly is not a parrot but a dodo bird, the rarest find of all. The Captain goes back with Charles to enter the contest in hopes of winning and getting the biggest treasure.
Filled with surprises, catchy songs and a monkey that speaks through cards this movie is not only fun for the whole family but well worth seeing in 3D The colors pop on screen and guarantee laughs. Good Family Fun.