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Becs (244 KP) rated Animal Farm in Books
Oct 2, 2019
I’ve always been a fan of the literary classics, especially ones that also have an underline meaning to do with the history of the world. George Orwell has always been a favorite of mine, I mean I have a lot of favorites but a true reader usually does! The reason why I finally picked up this book was for a job assignment. I will definitely say, I wasn’t disappointed.
Genre: Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Science-Fiction, Literature, Dystopia
Audience: High School
Reading level: Advanced Fluent
Interests: Classics, Dystopia, Science-Fiction
Style: Advanced Fluent
Point of view: Third Person
Difficulty reading: It was only difficult in the spots that were lacking plot.
Promise: Promise of history related read, it delivers
Quality: Good.
Insights: Animal Farm is a very well-written book and if you like a history-related book along with any literary classic books, you’ll love this book! I, myself, have never really been a huge history buff so to me Animal Farm was lacking an interesting plot. If I broke the book down into two sections, there would be half of the book as interesting and half being monotonous.
Ah-Ha Moment: When the animals overtook the farm and the pigs started to act like the humans.
Favorite quote: “Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.” – I really like this because it’s a great representation of humans and earth. How we lack with caring for the planet we live on and that isn’t right.
Aesthetics: The copy that I received had an awesome cartoony cover of the animals which I found quite adorable.
“Four legs good, two legs bad.”
Genre: Classic, Fantasy, Fiction, Science-Fiction, Literature, Dystopia
Audience: High School
Reading level: Advanced Fluent
Interests: Classics, Dystopia, Science-Fiction
Style: Advanced Fluent
Point of view: Third Person
Difficulty reading: It was only difficult in the spots that were lacking plot.
Promise: Promise of history related read, it delivers
Quality: Good.
Insights: Animal Farm is a very well-written book and if you like a history-related book along with any literary classic books, you’ll love this book! I, myself, have never really been a huge history buff so to me Animal Farm was lacking an interesting plot. If I broke the book down into two sections, there would be half of the book as interesting and half being monotonous.
Ah-Ha Moment: When the animals overtook the farm and the pigs started to act like the humans.
Favorite quote: “Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.” – I really like this because it’s a great representation of humans and earth. How we lack with caring for the planet we live on and that isn’t right.
Aesthetics: The copy that I received had an awesome cartoony cover of the animals which I found quite adorable.
“Four legs good, two legs bad.”
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Ninth City Burning in Books
May 16, 2018
J. Patrick Black’s debut novel, Ninth City Burning, is an incredibly intense ride alongside humanity’s bid for survival against an alien race seeking Earth’s destruction. Complete with a wide cast of unique characters with their own voices, this novel has earned its place among my favorites.
More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)
For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.
Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.
Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
More often than not, I’m wary of books with shifting first-person. In this case, readers meet seven different points of view – and every single one of those characters have their own voices. I find this impressive, considering the frequency with which Black switches between his cast. (Actually, I find myself wondering how he approached writing the different views, as they are so starkly different.)
For the most part, all but two of these characters feel real. Jax and Naomi are the exception, as they both appear extremely mature for their age. While Jax does have a military upbringing, Naomi is a bit too advanced for a child of a nomadic lifestyle. There’s also a dash of romance in this book that feels a bit too forced.
Ninth City Burning also manages to blur the line between science-fiction and epic fantasy, which is an oddly unique feeling to encounter while reading. Magic and science both play heavy roles in this novel, and I imagine the former of those two, coupled with the camaraderie between the main characters, is precisely why this book is recommended for fans of Harry Potter.
The agonizingly slow build-up to action further lends to the epic fantasy feel of this book, a feat that I remain unsure of presently. While it leads to less action and battle in the meat of the book, it also serves as an opportunity for Black to further unravel this beautiful world he has created.
Ninth City Burning is definitely a book I’ll be recommending to my friends and readers who prefer science-fiction. I would like to thank Blogging for Books for providing me with a copy of this book for the purpose of unbiased review.
Ande Thomas (69 KP) rated Abaddon's Gate (The Expanse, #3) in Books
May 30, 2019
I've said it before, I'll say it again. The Expanse is hands down the best SF series this side of Frank Herbert. The story is so tight, the characters so real, and the plot threads so engaging, it blows my mind that the show adaptation was hanging by a thread. Not that the show should have any bearing on the books. The Expanse is <i>exactly</i> what I've been wanting out of a science fiction universe for years. It hits all the buttons for me and hits them hard.
In this installment, every conflict seems dire. The villains are sinister and competent, the protomolecule is apathetically devastating, and humanity is unsurprisingly shortsighted and self-centered. What could go wrong?
All hail JSAC.
In this installment, every conflict seems dire. The villains are sinister and competent, the protomolecule is apathetically devastating, and humanity is unsurprisingly shortsighted and self-centered. What could go wrong?
All hail JSAC.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2099 KP) rated Space Case (Moon Base Alpha #1) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Dashiell Gibson is one of the first people living on the Moon colony, and he’s found life for the kids to be rather boring. All that changes when one of the residents is found dead outside the base. While everyone thinks it was an accident, Dash is certain it was murder. But can he prove it?
This is a great combination of mystery and science fiction. The setting is realistically done and really adds to the story. The target middle grade audience will love the characters and the humor. Personally, I never saw the ending coming. I can’t wait for the sequel.
You can read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-space-case-by-stuart-gibbs.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
This is a great combination of mystery and science fiction. The setting is realistically done and really adds to the story. The target middle grade audience will love the characters and the humor. Personally, I never saw the ending coming. I can’t wait for the sequel.
You can read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2014/10/book-review-space-case-by-stuart-gibbs.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Emma Ashford (10 KP) created a post
Aug 18, 2018
Tim Burton recommended War of the Gargantuas (1970) in Movies (curated)
David McK (3248 KP) rated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) in Movies
Jul 13, 2019 (Updated Apr 28, 2020)
Just about everybody's pick for their least-favourite Indiana Jones film, I personally feel the main problem with this was the move away from the religion-based relics of the previous films (The Ark of the Covenant? The Sankara Stones? The Holy Grail) towards science-fiction, with the main driver of the plot being remains recovered from Area 51.
Set in the 1950s, this no longer features Nazis as the main villains, instead moving on to the fear of the Russians ("Better Red than Dead!" as one banner says) that permeated American culture at that time, with an old flame of Indy's making a re-appearance and with Shia LaBeuof's character of Mutt all but set up to take on the role in future.
Set in the 1950s, this no longer features Nazis as the main villains, instead moving on to the fear of the Russians ("Better Red than Dead!" as one banner says) that permeated American culture at that time, with an old flame of Indy's making a re-appearance and with Shia LaBeuof's character of Mutt all but set up to take on the role in future.
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) in Movies
Oct 3, 2019
Oringal Sci-Fi classic
Close Encounters of the Third Kind- takes elements from the thing from anethor world, the war of the worlds and many other sci-fi movies and mix them all togther and the outcome is a excellent movie, directed by one of the great directors of all time- Steven Spilberg.
The Plot: Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.
This is a must watch and must see film.
The Plot: Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.
This is a must watch and must see film.
ClareR (5603 KP) rated The Galaxy and the Ground Within in Books
Feb 1, 2022
I’ve held off reading this book, even though I’ve had it since the release date, purely because I just really didn’t want the series to end. I love The Wayfarers series, and this last instalment is no different in that respect.
The Galaxy and the Ground Within is another look into the lives of a diverse group of people. Apart from a technological failure that strands the Five-Hops guests, nothing much actually happens in this novel (ok, something does happen about 3/4 of the way through, but I’m not saying what it is!), but what I really love about these books are the characters and how they’re explored and developed. The fact that they’re aliens is by-the-by. They have their own hopes and fears, cultural expectations and taboos.
Oh how i adore these books - it’s everything that I love in literature, be it science fiction, literary fiction or ANYTHING!
If you haven’t read The Wayfarers series (lucky you!), I’d say that you need to. And if you have and like me, you’ve been putting off reading the final book, it won’t disappoint you.
The Galaxy and the Ground Within is another look into the lives of a diverse group of people. Apart from a technological failure that strands the Five-Hops guests, nothing much actually happens in this novel (ok, something does happen about 3/4 of the way through, but I’m not saying what it is!), but what I really love about these books are the characters and how they’re explored and developed. The fact that they’re aliens is by-the-by. They have their own hopes and fears, cultural expectations and taboos.
Oh how i adore these books - it’s everything that I love in literature, be it science fiction, literary fiction or ANYTHING!
If you haven’t read The Wayfarers series (lucky you!), I’d say that you need to. And if you have and like me, you’ve been putting off reading the final book, it won’t disappoint you.
Peter Shephard (2821 KP) rated Terraforming Mars in Tabletop Games
May 28, 2019
Quite simply, my favourite game. Being able to play from solo, to five players, with hundreds of different technologies and businesses, means you will never have the same game twice. If I go away with work, I pack this before my clothes.
While the game can be a little difficult to play in the first game, the second, third etc games will be played much quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. Every one will be different, too. It typically takes about 90mins to 2h to play, in our experience, but there have been longer games - there is an element of luck with both the cards drawn, and what everyone else does! Holding on to a card because it needs the Temperature below -8 degrees, then seeing everyone else pumping the temperature from -12 to -6 means the card is (probably) worthless.
The science is obviously science-fiction but is based heavily in reality, albeit simplified, and very interesting on it's own right.
Expansions do add further flavours and variations, but the base game is absolutely able to stand on it's own two feet.
While the game can be a little difficult to play in the first game, the second, third etc games will be played much quicker, easier, and more enjoyable. Every one will be different, too. It typically takes about 90mins to 2h to play, in our experience, but there have been longer games - there is an element of luck with both the cards drawn, and what everyone else does! Holding on to a card because it needs the Temperature below -8 degrees, then seeing everyone else pumping the temperature from -12 to -6 means the card is (probably) worthless.
The science is obviously science-fiction but is based heavily in reality, albeit simplified, and very interesting on it's own right.
Expansions do add further flavours and variations, but the base game is absolutely able to stand on it's own two feet.