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The Years of Rice and Salt
The Years of Rice and Salt
Kim Stanley Robinson | 2002 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a stunning, epic tale. A collection of lives, a group of souls described as a jati, wending their way across the centuries of an alternate history.
What if the western / European world was wiped out completely in the 14th century instead of only 1/3rd of the population? Kim Stanley Robinson vividly imagines the stages of life and consequences to the world. The rise and spread of Islam instead of Christianity. The different minds who would awaken to the natural sciences. The empire building of China into the New World. The continuation of Native American cultures through their cooperation and shared values.
Dystopian historical science fiction with serious questions of religion, philosophy, and sociopolitical theories expertly woven together.
  
Based on a True Story
Based on a True Story
Delphine de Vigan | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A clever psychological thriller
How many books do you trust to be actually based on reality and are non fiction books completely factual? These are some of the questions that arise in this descriptive, slick psychological thriller. It follows the journey of a novelist with writer's block who seems to have been befriended by a woman who takes a lot of interest in her. The woman is enigmatic and secretive and who knows how much of her is real. It is written in the perspective of the writer and so it shows in detail how her mind unravels and is manipulated.

It leaves you pondering whether the protagonist actually imagined the entire thing?
  
The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale
Margaret Atwood | 1998 | Essays
9
8.3 (112 Ratings)
Book Rating
An Important Read
I am not sure how I feel about the ending. Not because it's ambiguous in what happened to our narrator, but the impersonal feel of the weird lecture hall explanation of everything in the end. Discussing it without feeling. I generally dislike this view of history and think it's important to have emotions connected to the actions of the past. I do understand that the shockingly clinical look for the last ten or so pages is a stark contrast to the emotional mix we felt while listening to Offred tell the story. Also, if they had to go clinical in the end, I would have liked a few more questions answered.
  
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Becca Major (96 KP) rated Habitica in Apps

Apr 12, 2018  
Habitica
Habitica
Games, Lifestyle, Productivity
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
App Rating
Ability to keep player engaged (4 more)
Lots of cute pets/mounts
Cute and entertaining quests
Tavern Chat to hide from your dailies, or to ask questions
Parties and Challenges
Server delays (1 more)
I wish the app were as user friendly as the website. It usually takes a few extra minutes.
Great way to Level Up!
Habitica is great at keeping a player/person on top of their To-Do List. Completing tasks awards you experience points and gold. There's a rush to hearing that level up ding, and getting to buy new armor or new quests is very entertaining.

In terms of apps that help me stay on track and actually get stuff done, Habitica does it best.
  
The Unauthorised Biography
The Unauthorised Biography
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved this! I got so excited when I saw the thirteen questions about Lemony Snicket that were being asked, and I loved it even more when I discovered that they were being answered in the typical Snicket way – cryptic and nonsensical.

The book is made up of multiple letters, newspaper clippings and diary entries that explain everything and nothing at the same time.

It did give a few of the characters some more background which I enjoyed, and it explained the relationship between the characters a lot more than the book series does.

It never tells you the exact truth. I stared at the Snicket family tree for ages trying to work out the initials!
  
The Belko Experiment (2017)
The Belko Experiment (2017)
2017 | Action, Horror, Mystery
The beginning (0 more)
The ending descends into nothing special (0 more)
Work can be killer
Starring:
John Gallagher, Goldwyn and Adria Arjona

Director: Greg McLean

Plot: 80 employees of Belko are locked in an office building. With instructions provided by a voice over the intercom, a game of death begins.

Result: This has a phenomenal 1st and 2nd act which pushes boundaries and raise great questions about the value of life and integrity. Tense and hugley entertaining. The third act starts the trend of generic survival horror but even then, it felt fresh and at no point was the film dull.
If you love Battle Royal or survival horror then this is an absolute must watch!
  
FC
First Contact: Conversations with an ET
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
The information presented in this book provides insight into the universe, the other beings that inhabit it, and our role as humans. The format is different from a regular book. These are compiled channeled conversations Tom had, mostly with a Sirian. As such some questions are covered more than once, often to ensure clarity since channeling can be unclear at times.

This book does not explain everything because we have no frame of reference for them. Nor are we allowed spoilers. But the information presented will leave plenty for your imagination to play with.

Read this book with an open mind for both the content and format and expand your wonder of the Universe.
  
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Dean (6927 KP) rated Kill List (2012) in Movies

Feb 11, 2018  
Kill List (2012)
Kill List (2012)
2012 | Horror, Mystery
6
6.3 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Brutal
A very good film...in the end and a bit odd as well. The first 20mins I found very slow and dull. I was worried this could be a low budget shocker that was over hyped. Once the film got going though it is pretty relentless until the end. The violence is very brutal, gritty and disturbing. For once in a film it was quite realistic. The only down side was the twist towards the end which left many questions unanswered. Maybe a film that needs to be watched more than once to get a better understanding of it. Overall a good British thriller that will last long in the memory after viewing.
  
Authority (Southern Reach #2)
Authority (Southern Reach #2)
Jeff VanderMeer | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
'Ok' is a perfect word to describe the second installment in the Southern Reach Trilogy. I was expecting something a lot like Annihilation. But, this novel was office-based and kind of boring. The last part of the book was the most exciting, after slogging through the first parts. This novel is about the Southern Reach itself, and it's impending collapse. Is the border advancing? What is Area X? Welp, this book still wasn't sure about these questions. The only reason I'm going to complete the series is that I want to know what Area X is.
At least in this installment, they finally use the term 'alien', it only took a book and a half.
  
Tag (2015)
Tag (2015)
2015 | Horror, International
6
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Confusing Gorefest
I saw the first five minutes of this on a facebook post and was intrigued by the very suddenly bloody start so I figured I'd give it a chance. Being a fan of horror, I was excited about it. The beginning feeds the promise of gore and progresses quickly, leaving you confused at each turn. Instead of really coming to a conclusion, I feel that the movie left more questions than answers. As the storyline progressed towards the end, it gave off not so subtle Donnie Darko vibes. Where the aforementioned movie gave way with answers and a satisfactory conclusion, Tag seemed to miss the mark in that category. Still would probably watch again.