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Ki's Redemption (An Alien Exchange Trilogy #3)
10.0
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Sexy Aliens/Sassy Dragons Earth’s fate rests in the hands of shape-shifting dragons, studly...
Science Fiction Romance Dragons Aliens
A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters
8.0
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Book
A Cold Christmas and the Darkest of Winters is a collection of Christmas- and winter-themed short...
Dark Fantasy Horror
Garbage (The SPARK Files, #1)
10.0
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Evan isn’t brave. But when he hears a group of Human Firsters attacking a garbage collection...
MM Science Fiction Romance Hurt/Comfort
Otway93 (580 KP) rated Night of the Living Dead (1968) in Movies
Oct 1, 2022
Acting (4 more)
Soundtrack
Characters
Ending
Genuinely Frightening
Almost the perfect horror movie!
This film is basically a horror masterpiece, with it's only downside being some of the worst movie punches I've ever seen near the ending. These are barely worth mentioning but this is the only downside I could find apart from all the clichés, which this movie invented anyway, so you can hardly count that against it!
The story is of course typical, but with a little bit of a science-fiction element I wasn't aware of, so that was a nice surprise! But it is worth mentioning the small, enclosed setting which makes the film all that much scarier and makes it a genuinely frightening movie.
All of the actors played their parts to perfection, and the perfect blend of different character traits among the 6 main characters provides the film with another layer of horror.
The soundtrack is beautiful. An unusual score consisting of strings, horns and synthesisers, all at different times. It is reminiscent of 1950s and early 1960s Kaiju films.
Finally, the ending. The ending is a masterpiece, and certainly not the typical zombie ending. I'll leave it there to leave the "surprise" intact.
Overall, apart from the aforementioned punches, a total masterpiece, and I can't wait to watch Dawn of the Dead when it arrives!
P.S. The original quality of the film is quite poor, but the 4K remaster is stunning, so I definitely recommend the Criterion Collection 4K remaster as the film quality is dramatically improved.
The story is of course typical, but with a little bit of a science-fiction element I wasn't aware of, so that was a nice surprise! But it is worth mentioning the small, enclosed setting which makes the film all that much scarier and makes it a genuinely frightening movie.
All of the actors played their parts to perfection, and the perfect blend of different character traits among the 6 main characters provides the film with another layer of horror.
The soundtrack is beautiful. An unusual score consisting of strings, horns and synthesisers, all at different times. It is reminiscent of 1950s and early 1960s Kaiju films.
Finally, the ending. The ending is a masterpiece, and certainly not the typical zombie ending. I'll leave it there to leave the "surprise" intact.
Overall, apart from the aforementioned punches, a total masterpiece, and I can't wait to watch Dawn of the Dead when it arrives!
P.S. The original quality of the film is quite poor, but the 4K remaster is stunning, so I definitely recommend the Criterion Collection 4K remaster as the film quality is dramatically improved.
Elpie Erectus
Book
On the verge of being murdered, a child vanishes, and her tormentors, arrested for her...
science fiction
Becs (244 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Slow Bullets in Books
Nov 25, 2019
I have been a fan of Alastair Reynolds since I picked up a copy of Revelation Space when it was first published. He is the master of telling stories that span solar systems while still maintaining a human perspective via his characters.
The set up is interesting and simple, at least in summary. A ship carrying soldiers, mostly war criminals of one sort or another, following a ceasefire malfunctions and they are awoken from hibernation much later than they expected. Almost immediately the the rivalries from the war become apparent again and it is up to Scur to put herself in the position of ensuring that they can at least survive without killing each other for a war long since finished.
The story is told from Scur's point of view as she effectively writes her memoir - and confessional - as she comes to the end of her life. Reynolds entwines several threads effortlessly producing some good dramatic moments and plot twists. The changes of direction are not so much surprising as they occur but the direction they go in.
Apart from the expected divisions between the different sides of the army and the civilians on the ship Scur needs to worry about where the advanced civilization that existed before the war has gone, the slow deterioration of the ship, the potential for a religious war and a war criminal which she would very much like to exact revenge upon, all played out in the pressure cooker environment of the ship.
The result is a tight story with plenty of action interspersed with serious considerations about society, justice and religion and how they interplay. Like any of Reynold's work the particular universe this story inhabits - as far as can be discerned this is not related to any other novel or short story - arrives fully formed and with perceptible depth and history, hinting at other stories that might be told elsewhere.
For one of Reynolds' stories there isn't much science and it doesn't stick to physical limits - faster than light travel and communications are both possible but not really explored in detail. But the focus is entirely on the individuals involved with the setting just a backdrop for them to play out the story in front of.
Overall a thoroughly good read and one I would recommend to anyone who likes their science fiction up close and personal.
Rating: Some violent scenes and bad language
The set up is interesting and simple, at least in summary. A ship carrying soldiers, mostly war criminals of one sort or another, following a ceasefire malfunctions and they are awoken from hibernation much later than they expected. Almost immediately the the rivalries from the war become apparent again and it is up to Scur to put herself in the position of ensuring that they can at least survive without killing each other for a war long since finished.
The story is told from Scur's point of view as she effectively writes her memoir - and confessional - as she comes to the end of her life. Reynolds entwines several threads effortlessly producing some good dramatic moments and plot twists. The changes of direction are not so much surprising as they occur but the direction they go in.
Apart from the expected divisions between the different sides of the army and the civilians on the ship Scur needs to worry about where the advanced civilization that existed before the war has gone, the slow deterioration of the ship, the potential for a religious war and a war criminal which she would very much like to exact revenge upon, all played out in the pressure cooker environment of the ship.
The result is a tight story with plenty of action interspersed with serious considerations about society, justice and religion and how they interplay. Like any of Reynold's work the particular universe this story inhabits - as far as can be discerned this is not related to any other novel or short story - arrives fully formed and with perceptible depth and history, hinting at other stories that might be told elsewhere.
For one of Reynolds' stories there isn't much science and it doesn't stick to physical limits - faster than light travel and communications are both possible but not really explored in detail. But the focus is entirely on the individuals involved with the setting just a backdrop for them to play out the story in front of.
Overall a thoroughly good read and one I would recommend to anyone who likes their science fiction up close and personal.
Rating: Some violent scenes and bad language
StarTracker Lite-Mobile SkyMap
Reference and Education
App
Hey, get outdoor with your friends and start star gazing! Let StarTracker guide you to explore the...
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated The Fly (1958) in Movies
Feb 20, 2019
As the wife (Patricia Owens) of "murdered" scientist played by Al (David) Hedison, is maniacally hunting for a fly with a white head, both the police and his brother (Vincent Price) are trying to uncover the truth behind his death, which seems by all accounts to be the work of his wife.
But as she recounts the tale of how they both ended up embroiled in the hydraulic press, one under it and one at the controls, the plot thickens and a Sci Fi classic is born. Hedison's scientist has invented the teleporter and during one of his human tests on himself, a fly enters the chamber with him and the pair are fused: The fly's head and left arm are now a part of Hedison, whilst his head and arm are buzzing around as part of a common house fly.
The film makes an effort to offer some real science, though be it toned down and simplified by today's standards, but it is easy to feel that this is a naive movie at face value, if you forget that in 1958, teleportation was a fantastical concept, but mid 60's science fiction such as Star Trek would make this much more matter of fact and play around with science more freely.
But by the time of the remake in 1986, David Cronenberg was gifted with an audience who understood these ideas and offered a more comprehensive take on what might have happened, in this case, gene splicing and DNA replication, with the cells using the corrupted hybrid DNA code as a basic every time the cells replicate, a process which would eventually turn Jeff Goldblum's man in to a man/fly hybrid monster!
But here, whilst almost all of this is present, it is simplified for an audience unprepared and unarmed with the scientific knowledge with would be more common in the 1980's, thanks to films like this. Here, Hedison's man/fly is changing mentally into a fly the longer he has the mutation, leading him to commit assisted suicide in order to prevent his work from been replicated, fearing the consequences.
This is ground breaking stuff. A Sci-Fi classic which spends most of its running time building an intriguing, intelligent suspenseful thriller, with little time given over to the eponymous Fly itself, but it is omnipresent, chilling as is the reveal of the scientist's deformation in the final act, the change in personality and loving relationship with his tragic wife.
And that penultimate scene in which the white-headed fly is revealed to us with Hedison's head and arm as it/he is about to be devoured by a spider in his web, must be one of the most chilling scene's of the genre. Simple, effective and not for the special effects or gore, but for the concept, one which leaves you thinking and considering what you have just witnessed.
What would you do if you saw a fly with a human head? A human with a fly's head? Creepy...
But as she recounts the tale of how they both ended up embroiled in the hydraulic press, one under it and one at the controls, the plot thickens and a Sci Fi classic is born. Hedison's scientist has invented the teleporter and during one of his human tests on himself, a fly enters the chamber with him and the pair are fused: The fly's head and left arm are now a part of Hedison, whilst his head and arm are buzzing around as part of a common house fly.
The film makes an effort to offer some real science, though be it toned down and simplified by today's standards, but it is easy to feel that this is a naive movie at face value, if you forget that in 1958, teleportation was a fantastical concept, but mid 60's science fiction such as Star Trek would make this much more matter of fact and play around with science more freely.
But by the time of the remake in 1986, David Cronenberg was gifted with an audience who understood these ideas and offered a more comprehensive take on what might have happened, in this case, gene splicing and DNA replication, with the cells using the corrupted hybrid DNA code as a basic every time the cells replicate, a process which would eventually turn Jeff Goldblum's man in to a man/fly hybrid monster!
But here, whilst almost all of this is present, it is simplified for an audience unprepared and unarmed with the scientific knowledge with would be more common in the 1980's, thanks to films like this. Here, Hedison's man/fly is changing mentally into a fly the longer he has the mutation, leading him to commit assisted suicide in order to prevent his work from been replicated, fearing the consequences.
This is ground breaking stuff. A Sci-Fi classic which spends most of its running time building an intriguing, intelligent suspenseful thriller, with little time given over to the eponymous Fly itself, but it is omnipresent, chilling as is the reveal of the scientist's deformation in the final act, the change in personality and loving relationship with his tragic wife.
And that penultimate scene in which the white-headed fly is revealed to us with Hedison's head and arm as it/he is about to be devoured by a spider in his web, must be one of the most chilling scene's of the genre. Simple, effective and not for the special effects or gore, but for the concept, one which leaves you thinking and considering what you have just witnessed.
What would you do if you saw a fly with a human head? A human with a fly's head? Creepy...
Re-Read Update:
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.
I am in love with this series, all over again. I have been wanting to re-read this series for a while and my recent-ish read of Wires and Nerve reignited my love of this series. It had been a while since I was in the world and I had forgotten how much I loved these books.
I love fairytales and Marissa Meyer’s retellings of the classic tales we’ve all grown up with are fantastic. She turns the mousey girl from the original fairytale into a relatable character that we fall in love with. Cinderella is not one of my favourite fairytales because I prefer my heroines to have a little more spunk and backbone, but Cinder is just perfect.
Kai is one of those characters that is just so good. He is incredibly kind to Cinder, even when he believes that she is just a mechanic with a grease mark on her forehead, despite his station in life generally lending itself to an air of superiority. Prince Kai only wants what is best for his people and the Commonwealth, willing to sacrifice himself for their well-being if need be. He is definitely one of my favourite male characters, although if I’m being honest I probably have a lot of those.
Most importantly, we meet Iko the droid with the faulty personality chip that we couldn’t fall in love with more. Her loyalty and pure desire to just be a person are heartwarming. (And also sad, because she is a droid and not treated like a person by anyone but Cinder.)
We don’t see much of the world that Cinder lives in beyond New Beijing aside from small, throwaway comments. The world building that is done though is vivid and allows the reader to see the city grow in their mind. As this is a re-read, I am also aware that the world building is expanded extensively over the course of the novels and can understand the more rudimentary foundation being laid here.
I appreciated the effortless melding of elements from the classic fairytale into this unique science fiction world. It is wonderfully done and the story is well written. I would highly recommend this series to young adult/teen readers who enjoy fairytale retellings, science fiction, and intricate, interconnected stories.
_
This is one of the books that I saw on display at my local library and completely judged the book by its cover. I didn't know what it was about, but it looked interesting and I put it on my mental TBR list. Many years later, I have finally gotten a chance to read it (and the rest of the series.) This book was completely worth the wait. As a fan of fairytale retellings, like Beastly by Alex Flinn, I had high hopes for this book. It gave the reader wonderful little homages to the classic fairytale while weaving the story through a world and characters all its own.
The world building in this novel, while not expansive was wonderfully done. As a reader, I could imagine Cinder meandering down the dingy, packed streets of New Beijing while Kai fretted over his father in the ornate, sprawling palace. There were a number of important characters and none of them were overlooked. You were able to learn about their personalities, histories, or relationships in a way that gave each depth.
Recommended for anyone who liked YA, romance, fairytales, sci-fi, or good books.