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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Beyond the Red Mountains in Books
Nov 8, 2019
Kelvin has lived all his life in the city of Triopolis, a peaceful place between the mountains and the sea. After all there are no other towns or civilisations on the planet, not since the Dark Days when everything changed.
Kelvin's first clue that all might not be as he has been taught when he discovers an old book warning about a mysterious figure called Luther who seems to have been carefully erased from the history of Triopolis. And it is clear that he is not the only one who is aware of secrets.
Elizabeth is the princess of Westville, the centre of a civilisation that has conquered every other city in the world - there are not many. She is locked in a loveless and arranged marriage but is determined to find some way out.
When fate brings Kelvin and Elizabeth together they realise there is a lot more going on than the elders of either city would have them believe. Before long they are on the run, desperately trying to save themselves and their cities from dark forces. They have allies and enemies, but telling one from the other is only half the battle...
Beyond the Red Mountains is a fantasy novel that is of epic proportions but avoids all the tropes and cliches of 'epic' fantasy. There isn't really a great quest, there isn't a dark lord threatening all of existence. All of the characters seem very real and all have their own reasons for their actions, whether these are with or against the main protagonists.
There are many twists and turns and the story doesn't let itself get too bogged down in long conversations or descriptions, letting the story unfold to reveal the narrative and the history. Not every decision Kelvin and Elizabeth make is the right one, but it is always made with the best intentions. The characterisation really does stand out, with a lot of care taken to make the characters believable. I was particularly struck by one of the characters who are opposed to Kelvin and Elizabeth but the reader ends up feeling enormous sympathy for.
There is a (perhaps inevitable) romantic connection between Kelvin and Elizabeth but this is well played and unfolds very realistically and is never overplayed or overstated. Some of the keepers of ancient wisdom they meet are perhaps a little to forthcoming about forbidden knowledge but this means the story doesn't slow but can take the next step so this can be forgiven.
The prose is very simple, clearly aimed at a young adult audience, although some of the themes and scenes are perhaps not for the very young end of the spectrum. As an introduction to lengthy fantasy tales this works very well though. The ending is a real cliff hanger and definitely makes me want to read the sequel.
There were a few more spelling mistakes and incorrect (or plain missing) words in the eBook version I read but this wasn't really a problem, it was always clear what was intended.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to tackle a human-scale epic fantasy novel with a difference, one that cared about all of its characters, even the ones nominally pitched against the 'heroes'.
Kelvin's first clue that all might not be as he has been taught when he discovers an old book warning about a mysterious figure called Luther who seems to have been carefully erased from the history of Triopolis. And it is clear that he is not the only one who is aware of secrets.
Elizabeth is the princess of Westville, the centre of a civilisation that has conquered every other city in the world - there are not many. She is locked in a loveless and arranged marriage but is determined to find some way out.
When fate brings Kelvin and Elizabeth together they realise there is a lot more going on than the elders of either city would have them believe. Before long they are on the run, desperately trying to save themselves and their cities from dark forces. They have allies and enemies, but telling one from the other is only half the battle...
Beyond the Red Mountains is a fantasy novel that is of epic proportions but avoids all the tropes and cliches of 'epic' fantasy. There isn't really a great quest, there isn't a dark lord threatening all of existence. All of the characters seem very real and all have their own reasons for their actions, whether these are with or against the main protagonists.
There are many twists and turns and the story doesn't let itself get too bogged down in long conversations or descriptions, letting the story unfold to reveal the narrative and the history. Not every decision Kelvin and Elizabeth make is the right one, but it is always made with the best intentions. The characterisation really does stand out, with a lot of care taken to make the characters believable. I was particularly struck by one of the characters who are opposed to Kelvin and Elizabeth but the reader ends up feeling enormous sympathy for.
There is a (perhaps inevitable) romantic connection between Kelvin and Elizabeth but this is well played and unfolds very realistically and is never overplayed or overstated. Some of the keepers of ancient wisdom they meet are perhaps a little to forthcoming about forbidden knowledge but this means the story doesn't slow but can take the next step so this can be forgiven.
The prose is very simple, clearly aimed at a young adult audience, although some of the themes and scenes are perhaps not for the very young end of the spectrum. As an introduction to lengthy fantasy tales this works very well though. The ending is a real cliff hanger and definitely makes me want to read the sequel.
There were a few more spelling mistakes and incorrect (or plain missing) words in the eBook version I read but this wasn't really a problem, it was always clear what was intended.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wanted to tackle a human-scale epic fantasy novel with a difference, one that cared about all of its characters, even the ones nominally pitched against the 'heroes'.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Written (Emaneska #1) in Books
Nov 29, 2019
Ben Galley is a fantasy author and staunch defender of independent publishing. The Written is his first book, and the first in The Emaneska trilogy.
I have to say I was expecting some fairly standard sword and sorcery tale here, a bit of magic, a few fabulous beasts slain, the usual wise grey beards and prophecies. As a first book that would have definitely been the safe option, and would still have been a good read.
Needless to say this isn't what you get. You get a slew of mythical creatures - dragons (I suspect only the Pern novels exceed the sheer number in this book), werewolves and more besides. You get heroes and villains. You get magic. You get sword fights. But all of these are put together in a way that's different from the norm. Rather than trying to subvert all the fantasy tropes it is as if Galley dropped them and they smashed and in putting them back together they aren't quite the same as they were before.
The basic story concerns the theft of a spell book which, in the wrong hands, can be used to summon a mighty and powerful evil. Farden, one of the Written (a sort of magic user that has spells tattooed onto his back) has to try to prevent this happening. I won't give any more details as there are many twists and turns as the story unfolds.
Farden is a powerful mage and a tough fighter and although he is heoric he also has personal demons that could cause his mission to fail. He is a loner with little patience for others. He doubts his own abilities and judgement. As the reader you feel you want to give him a good shaking sometimes to get him to act. This makes him a very complex character, realistic and interesting to follow. The other main characters are also fully realised with their own mannerisms and momentum.
Galley takes his time describing the world and there is a feeling of real depth and history, perhaps not on the same scale as Tolkien but the comparison is apt. Clearly Galley has spent considerable time putting this world together and is rightly proud of the results.
He takes his time with descriptions, each of the many locations vividly worded and memorable. The action scenes (of which there are a fair number) crack along at a breathless pace although possibly a little overwritten at times (allowable when there is so much to try to convey to the reader I think).
As the first of a trilogy of books this obviously leaves the story open for the sequel at the end, but it is a satisfying conclusion and there is no doubt that the first part of Farden's journey is complete but that there is much more - and probably harder - to come.
Really the only criticism I have is that occasionally - at the start and then a small part about half way through - the writing perhaps isn't up to the standard of the rest, which I think is because this is a first novel. And the standard of the rest of the writing to so high this really is a niggle.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes their fantasy fast and interesting. It's a long book and a good book. And even better, it's free to download so what is stopping you?
I have to say I was expecting some fairly standard sword and sorcery tale here, a bit of magic, a few fabulous beasts slain, the usual wise grey beards and prophecies. As a first book that would have definitely been the safe option, and would still have been a good read.
Needless to say this isn't what you get. You get a slew of mythical creatures - dragons (I suspect only the Pern novels exceed the sheer number in this book), werewolves and more besides. You get heroes and villains. You get magic. You get sword fights. But all of these are put together in a way that's different from the norm. Rather than trying to subvert all the fantasy tropes it is as if Galley dropped them and they smashed and in putting them back together they aren't quite the same as they were before.
The basic story concerns the theft of a spell book which, in the wrong hands, can be used to summon a mighty and powerful evil. Farden, one of the Written (a sort of magic user that has spells tattooed onto his back) has to try to prevent this happening. I won't give any more details as there are many twists and turns as the story unfolds.
Farden is a powerful mage and a tough fighter and although he is heoric he also has personal demons that could cause his mission to fail. He is a loner with little patience for others. He doubts his own abilities and judgement. As the reader you feel you want to give him a good shaking sometimes to get him to act. This makes him a very complex character, realistic and interesting to follow. The other main characters are also fully realised with their own mannerisms and momentum.
Galley takes his time describing the world and there is a feeling of real depth and history, perhaps not on the same scale as Tolkien but the comparison is apt. Clearly Galley has spent considerable time putting this world together and is rightly proud of the results.
He takes his time with descriptions, each of the many locations vividly worded and memorable. The action scenes (of which there are a fair number) crack along at a breathless pace although possibly a little overwritten at times (allowable when there is so much to try to convey to the reader I think).
As the first of a trilogy of books this obviously leaves the story open for the sequel at the end, but it is a satisfying conclusion and there is no doubt that the first part of Farden's journey is complete but that there is much more - and probably harder - to come.
Really the only criticism I have is that occasionally - at the start and then a small part about half way through - the writing perhaps isn't up to the standard of the rest, which I think is because this is a first novel. And the standard of the rest of the writing to so high this really is a niggle.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes their fantasy fast and interesting. It's a long book and a good book. And even better, it's free to download so what is stopping you?
Darren (1599 KP) rated Black Christmas (2019) in Movies
Dec 13, 2019
Verdict: All Over the Place
Story: Black Christmas starts as we meet our sorority sisters Riley (Poots), Kris (Shannon), Marty (Donoghue), Jesse (O’Grady), Helena (Adams) and Fran (Morris) who are preparing for the Christmas break, with Riley having history with the alpha sorority, which never got dealt with by the authorities.
They decide to get revenge through song and soon find themselves getting picked of by a masked killer, where they need to find themselves fighting to survive.
Thoughts on Black Christmas
Characters – Riley is previously a victim of sexual assault by one of the rich college students, 3-years-later she is still dealing with the effects, being the big sister to the rest of the sisters and is one of the few that worries about the locations of the other girls. Kris has been on a crusade to get equality, she spends most of the time preaching about how men have it easy and mostly gets annoying. Marty is another member of the sorority and like Jesse, we don’t learn much more about any of the other girls.
Performances – Imogen Poots is a talent actress when she is given something to work with, she is the strongest of a weak story, where nobody comes off like they are giving a good acting performance.
Story – The story is meant to be following a group of sorority sisters that get picked off and attacked by a masked killer over the Christmas break. Well, where do we start to break this story down, first thing, this isn’t any sort of remake or sequel to either movie seen before, it uses the location of the house and one look at a death, don’t think this is a remake. Secondly, we spend more time trying to get the message over about men thinking they can walk all over women and the only good men in life are nervous wrecks around the women. Thirdly, this is meant to be a horror and doesn’t even know what tone to stick to. Finally, the trailer gives away everything. This is a social message that uses an existing horror franchise to try and get a point over, without using any sort of subtitle approach.
Horror/Mystery – The horror in this film is almost non-excitant, it tries to use the slow slasher traits early on, which show glimpses, only to go, ‘you know what, we want to do an action horror now’ by the end. The mystery is also poor, because we get zero potential suspects and the only person it could be is revealed in the trailer.
Settings – The college location is fine, though it is the weird college I have ever seen.
Special Effects – When it comes to the effects, we get basic horror ones, sadly, the film decides to hide away from showing any actual gore, even though the injuries are designed to show it.
Scene of the Movie – Nate grabs an axe.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The girls leave a party at what they say is midnight, we cut to one that left early and it is suddenly 10.45, seriously can people not tell the time?
Final Thoughts – This is a very bad social message horror that spends more time banging you over the head with the message, than actually giving us a coherent story or any scare.
Overall: Social Message, without a scare.
Story: Black Christmas starts as we meet our sorority sisters Riley (Poots), Kris (Shannon), Marty (Donoghue), Jesse (O’Grady), Helena (Adams) and Fran (Morris) who are preparing for the Christmas break, with Riley having history with the alpha sorority, which never got dealt with by the authorities.
They decide to get revenge through song and soon find themselves getting picked of by a masked killer, where they need to find themselves fighting to survive.
Thoughts on Black Christmas
Characters – Riley is previously a victim of sexual assault by one of the rich college students, 3-years-later she is still dealing with the effects, being the big sister to the rest of the sisters and is one of the few that worries about the locations of the other girls. Kris has been on a crusade to get equality, she spends most of the time preaching about how men have it easy and mostly gets annoying. Marty is another member of the sorority and like Jesse, we don’t learn much more about any of the other girls.
Performances – Imogen Poots is a talent actress when she is given something to work with, she is the strongest of a weak story, where nobody comes off like they are giving a good acting performance.
Story – The story is meant to be following a group of sorority sisters that get picked off and attacked by a masked killer over the Christmas break. Well, where do we start to break this story down, first thing, this isn’t any sort of remake or sequel to either movie seen before, it uses the location of the house and one look at a death, don’t think this is a remake. Secondly, we spend more time trying to get the message over about men thinking they can walk all over women and the only good men in life are nervous wrecks around the women. Thirdly, this is meant to be a horror and doesn’t even know what tone to stick to. Finally, the trailer gives away everything. This is a social message that uses an existing horror franchise to try and get a point over, without using any sort of subtitle approach.
Horror/Mystery – The horror in this film is almost non-excitant, it tries to use the slow slasher traits early on, which show glimpses, only to go, ‘you know what, we want to do an action horror now’ by the end. The mystery is also poor, because we get zero potential suspects and the only person it could be is revealed in the trailer.
Settings – The college location is fine, though it is the weird college I have ever seen.
Special Effects – When it comes to the effects, we get basic horror ones, sadly, the film decides to hide away from showing any actual gore, even though the injuries are designed to show it.
Scene of the Movie – Nate grabs an axe.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The girls leave a party at what they say is midnight, we cut to one that left early and it is suddenly 10.45, seriously can people not tell the time?
Final Thoughts – This is a very bad social message horror that spends more time banging you over the head with the message, than actually giving us a coherent story or any scare.
Overall: Social Message, without a scare.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Sky Throne in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>The author/publisher provided a free copy of the book for review purposes - thank you! Receiving a review copy does not guarantee a positive review and therefore do not affect the opinion or content of the review.</i></b>
I haven't been on a blog tour in so long, it's weirddd. How do I format things again?
Honestly, I'm starting to trust Chris Ledbetter's ideas because all of the books I've come across/read that are by him all have one thing in common: they're different, they're unique and they refreshing take on something. <b>Please don't ever let me down with bookish concepts. I'm picky now, and I'd probably cry.</b>
Ledbetter doesn't disappoint, of course. Well before the demigods of Mount Olympus and Percy Jackson existed, there were the Titans and the Olympians. "<b>WAIT, you ask. DOES THIS MEAN IF I LIKE RICK RIORDAN'S BOOKS, I MIGHT LIKE <i>THE SKY THRONE</i>."</b>
And let's be honest: the Olympians probably didn't spring into adulthood straight from birth, so they have to start somewhere, even if it starts with Hyperion attacking young Zeus and killing his best friend in the process. <b>This would be a highly tragic way for Lupe to die because she IS my best friend.</b> He is then sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory, which if we're putting two things together, all of the students who go there will later be known as the Olympians.
Considering the fact Greek mythology is vast, there is a large cast of characters - anyone who knows little to nothing about Greek mythology might end up lost keeping track of all the characters and who they are. We've got the major players: Chronos/Kronos, Rhea, Zeus, the rest of the Olympians, the Titans, etc. - most of them have nicknames that are remotely similar to their original name, but it may be difficult to keep track regardless. <b>Or maybe I'm very strange and have a shabby memory. My brain cries when I try to remember too hard.</b>
"Okay, but the Olympians and Titans usually bicker like nobody's business. Is that included and will it give me headache (aka make me want to throw the book against the wall)?" Despite the somewhat large cast of characters, Ledbetter has a great balance between what <i style="font-weight: bold;">we</i> as readers know about Greek figures depicted in media and a personality each character has of their own. The Olympians have their bickering and putting each other down sometimes, but it's a lot less bickering and more familial than what I know of, which is 10 tablespoons of bickering and 1/2 teaspoon of actually getting along. <b>Yes, Percy Jackson. I'm eyeballing you, even if I loved you in my middle school days.</b>
<i>The Sky Throne</i> brings back great middle school reading memories without trying to replace them - fans of Rick Riordan's <i>Percy Jackson and the Olympians</i> and <i>The Heroes of Olympus</i> will most likely find themselves enjoying the first book in Ledbetter's new series.
<b>
</b> And lo and behold, Ledbetter has confirmed! There is a sequel in the works! Secretly I'm dancing around. Shh.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-sky-throne-by-chris-ledbetter/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I haven't been on a blog tour in so long, it's weirddd. How do I format things again?
Honestly, I'm starting to trust Chris Ledbetter's ideas because all of the books I've come across/read that are by him all have one thing in common: they're different, they're unique and they refreshing take on something. <b>Please don't ever let me down with bookish concepts. I'm picky now, and I'd probably cry.</b>
Ledbetter doesn't disappoint, of course. Well before the demigods of Mount Olympus and Percy Jackson existed, there were the Titans and the Olympians. "<b>WAIT, you ask. DOES THIS MEAN IF I LIKE RICK RIORDAN'S BOOKS, I MIGHT LIKE <i>THE SKY THRONE</i>."</b>
And let's be honest: the Olympians probably didn't spring into adulthood straight from birth, so they have to start somewhere, even if it starts with Hyperion attacking young Zeus and killing his best friend in the process. <b>This would be a highly tragic way for Lupe to die because she IS my best friend.</b> He is then sent to Mount Olympus Preparatory, which if we're putting two things together, all of the students who go there will later be known as the Olympians.
Considering the fact Greek mythology is vast, there is a large cast of characters - anyone who knows little to nothing about Greek mythology might end up lost keeping track of all the characters and who they are. We've got the major players: Chronos/Kronos, Rhea, Zeus, the rest of the Olympians, the Titans, etc. - most of them have nicknames that are remotely similar to their original name, but it may be difficult to keep track regardless. <b>Or maybe I'm very strange and have a shabby memory. My brain cries when I try to remember too hard.</b>
"Okay, but the Olympians and Titans usually bicker like nobody's business. Is that included and will it give me headache (aka make me want to throw the book against the wall)?" Despite the somewhat large cast of characters, Ledbetter has a great balance between what <i style="font-weight: bold;">we</i> as readers know about Greek figures depicted in media and a personality each character has of their own. The Olympians have their bickering and putting each other down sometimes, but it's a lot less bickering and more familial than what I know of, which is 10 tablespoons of bickering and 1/2 teaspoon of actually getting along. <b>Yes, Percy Jackson. I'm eyeballing you, even if I loved you in my middle school days.</b>
<i>The Sky Throne</i> brings back great middle school reading memories without trying to replace them - fans of Rick Riordan's <i>Percy Jackson and the Olympians</i> and <i>The Heroes of Olympus</i> will most likely find themselves enjoying the first book in Ledbetter's new series.
<b>
</b> And lo and behold, Ledbetter has confirmed! There is a sequel in the works! Secretly I'm dancing around. Shh.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/blog-tour-sky-throne-by-chris-ledbetter/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated This Is Where It Ends in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
I don't know whether or not to applaud Marieke Nijkamp for writing about a school shooting. (I might have to – I'll honestly admit I haven't read a single book about this particular subject.)
I won't be applauding over the fact <i>This Is Where It Ends</i> is told in a span of about an hour from four different student perspectives.
Far too much is happening in the span of 1-3 minutes per chapter for the book to feel realistic in some parts. But the timing is the least of my worries, because I've never actually been a shooting (nor do I ever want to). Therefore, I don't actually know. Maybe <em>a lot</em> of things actually happen in a minute when it comes to the fight for survival. Maybe everyone does everything faster, including moving around the outside of an auditorium (large or small, it wasn't specifically mentioned, but let's go with a typically large auditorium).
But then there are texts and social media and a blog. It only makes the book feel modernized.
I also won't be applauding over the name, aside from the fact the punny side of me is in a fit of giggles the entire time. The city name – Opportunity – is one of those puns worthy of a major facepalm (but I do love horrible puns).
Anyways, to the student perspectives. All of them are related to or impacted by the shooter, Tyler, in some way.
<ul>
<li><strong>Autumn</strong> – Tyler's sister who loves to dance.</li>
<li><strong>Sylv</strong> – Raped by Tyler for liking girls.</li>
<li><strong>Claire</strong> – Tyler's ex-girlfriend (who apparently has a thing for kissing guys first).</li>
<li><strong>Tomas</strong> – Some sort of clash/feud with Tyler. Among other problemos. Oh, and Sylv's twin brother.</li>
</ul>
Then the shooter. Tyler, who apparently has a lot of problems with the above four people and many more. Who got kicked out of high school, planned to come back, and then decided to blow as many brains out as possible in the process.
I feel like I'm repeating what plenty of other reviewers have said thus far, but I have to say, I agree with them.
I want to hear from Tyler's viewpoint. I want to hear his motives that led him to this action. I don't really want to hear from four other people who may or may not know Tyler really well – they don't actually read minds and are therefore more worried about the now (read: surviving or finding help), pondering on his motives, and wondering if they should have known he was going to go blow the brains out of people.
Maybe a prequel needs to be in store.
Although <i>This Is Where It Ends</i> should have been a sequel, it's still psychologically impacting to those who had first hand experience with the topic.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-this-is-where-it-ends-by-marieke-nijkamp/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
I don't know whether or not to applaud Marieke Nijkamp for writing about a school shooting. (I might have to – I'll honestly admit I haven't read a single book about this particular subject.)
I won't be applauding over the fact <i>This Is Where It Ends</i> is told in a span of about an hour from four different student perspectives.
Far too much is happening in the span of 1-3 minutes per chapter for the book to feel realistic in some parts. But the timing is the least of my worries, because I've never actually been a shooting (nor do I ever want to). Therefore, I don't actually know. Maybe <em>a lot</em> of things actually happen in a minute when it comes to the fight for survival. Maybe everyone does everything faster, including moving around the outside of an auditorium (large or small, it wasn't specifically mentioned, but let's go with a typically large auditorium).
But then there are texts and social media and a blog. It only makes the book feel modernized.
I also won't be applauding over the name, aside from the fact the punny side of me is in a fit of giggles the entire time. The city name – Opportunity – is one of those puns worthy of a major facepalm (but I do love horrible puns).
Anyways, to the student perspectives. All of them are related to or impacted by the shooter, Tyler, in some way.
<ul>
<li><strong>Autumn</strong> – Tyler's sister who loves to dance.</li>
<li><strong>Sylv</strong> – Raped by Tyler for liking girls.</li>
<li><strong>Claire</strong> – Tyler's ex-girlfriend (who apparently has a thing for kissing guys first).</li>
<li><strong>Tomas</strong> – Some sort of clash/feud with Tyler. Among other problemos. Oh, and Sylv's twin brother.</li>
</ul>
Then the shooter. Tyler, who apparently has a lot of problems with the above four people and many more. Who got kicked out of high school, planned to come back, and then decided to blow as many brains out as possible in the process.
I feel like I'm repeating what plenty of other reviewers have said thus far, but I have to say, I agree with them.
I want to hear from Tyler's viewpoint. I want to hear his motives that led him to this action. I don't really want to hear from four other people who may or may not know Tyler really well – they don't actually read minds and are therefore more worried about the now (read: surviving or finding help), pondering on his motives, and wondering if they should have known he was going to go blow the brains out of people.
Maybe a prequel needs to be in store.
Although <i>This Is Where It Ends</i> should have been a sequel, it's still psychologically impacting to those who had first hand experience with the topic.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-this-is-where-it-ends-by-marieke-nijkamp/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Queen's Choice (Heirs of Chrior, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<i>The Queen's Choice</i> may not be my favorite faery book (it's far from being my favorite, but I didn't actually hate it), but it's definitely about time someone wrote about fairies in an entirely different way other than the usual summer and winter fairies.
Kluver has all the good things to write a fantastic book the world building is interesting, the characters are complex (for the most part), and her writing style is interesting enough that it somehow managed to keep my attention with the whopping 500 pages it has (for the most part).
On the fabulous elaborations of "for the most part," Anya and her companion (Shea, for the most part) probably spent approximately 300+ pages walking, getting attacked, and avoiding the Constabularies of the Warckum Territory. Then the cycle pretty much repeats itself no particular pattern. Anya spent approximately 100+ pages being healed before all of that walking, attacking, and avoiding began perhaps I'll even call it WAA for the fun of it all does it sound appealing? Probably not.
But somehow, in some way, Kluver managed to keep my attention, despite the fact I don't really "connect" to her writing. Maybe it's the writing style (eh... not really), or perhaps the complexity of her minor characters (Illumina and Shea are certainly complex enough that they're not entirely predictable). Maybe it's just the entire idea behind the book in the first place, though that part is most likely not true.
And then there's Anya. Anya the main character, Anya the Royal Faery of Chrior, and maybe Anya the Hopeless. Anya seems a little stereotypical or perhaps, more accurately, Anya simply makes quite a few assumptions sometimes that may be hilarious to a little human like me. Certainly not as hilarious as <i>Of Mice and Men</i>, to which I make fun of the book the entire time I'm reading it just so I'm not bored. It's no wonder why I'm called the sarcastic one among my circle of friends.
<blockquote>"Now, how do I get on this thing?" she asked, taking the reins to her mount from me.
"You don't know?"
"Nope. Not the slightest idea."
"I thought all humans knew how to ride horses."</blockquote>
You know, for a nonhuman who seems to visit the human world as often as possible, you would sort of expect them to not assume all humans can ride horses. Really, I'm not terribly sure how one can be born with a talent like riding horses. Though, oddly enough, that's probably possible. The person would then have to nurture it. But really, humans are not centaurs. For one to be a centaur, we're missing a horse's ass. Pardon my language (and the grotesque image coming soon), but no horse and certainly no human would appreciate being cut in half and glued together to become a centaur.
Grotesque image and crude comments aside, Kluver puts us at a sort of a cliffhanger with something Anya discovers about Illumina in the last couple pages in the book. Much as I'm interested in the sequel, I'm not terribly sure I want to continue reading about Anya walking and traveling constantly (and avoiding and being attacked).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-queens-choice-by-cayla-kluver/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Kluver has all the good things to write a fantastic book the world building is interesting, the characters are complex (for the most part), and her writing style is interesting enough that it somehow managed to keep my attention with the whopping 500 pages it has (for the most part).
On the fabulous elaborations of "for the most part," Anya and her companion (Shea, for the most part) probably spent approximately 300+ pages walking, getting attacked, and avoiding the Constabularies of the Warckum Territory. Then the cycle pretty much repeats itself no particular pattern. Anya spent approximately 100+ pages being healed before all of that walking, attacking, and avoiding began perhaps I'll even call it WAA for the fun of it all does it sound appealing? Probably not.
But somehow, in some way, Kluver managed to keep my attention, despite the fact I don't really "connect" to her writing. Maybe it's the writing style (eh... not really), or perhaps the complexity of her minor characters (Illumina and Shea are certainly complex enough that they're not entirely predictable). Maybe it's just the entire idea behind the book in the first place, though that part is most likely not true.
And then there's Anya. Anya the main character, Anya the Royal Faery of Chrior, and maybe Anya the Hopeless. Anya seems a little stereotypical or perhaps, more accurately, Anya simply makes quite a few assumptions sometimes that may be hilarious to a little human like me. Certainly not as hilarious as <i>Of Mice and Men</i>, to which I make fun of the book the entire time I'm reading it just so I'm not bored. It's no wonder why I'm called the sarcastic one among my circle of friends.
<blockquote>"Now, how do I get on this thing?" she asked, taking the reins to her mount from me.
"You don't know?"
"Nope. Not the slightest idea."
"I thought all humans knew how to ride horses."</blockquote>
You know, for a nonhuman who seems to visit the human world as often as possible, you would sort of expect them to not assume all humans can ride horses. Really, I'm not terribly sure how one can be born with a talent like riding horses. Though, oddly enough, that's probably possible. The person would then have to nurture it. But really, humans are not centaurs. For one to be a centaur, we're missing a horse's ass. Pardon my language (and the grotesque image coming soon), but no horse and certainly no human would appreciate being cut in half and glued together to become a centaur.
Grotesque image and crude comments aside, Kluver puts us at a sort of a cliffhanger with something Anya discovers about Illumina in the last couple pages in the book. Much as I'm interested in the sequel, I'm not terribly sure I want to continue reading about Anya walking and traveling constantly (and avoiding and being attacked).
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-queens-choice-by-cayla-kluver/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Ever After (The Faded Trilogy, Book 3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
One thing I was excited for in Ever After was the final battle between The Chosen Ones and The Forces. Ever After is the sequel to Faded and See No Evil, and is the final book in Chloe Miles' Faded Trilogy. An entire year passes between books 2 and 3.
I have a new book boyfriend. It's Ryan Landon, who we actually get to meet briefly in book 2. He plays a pretty major role in book 3, and is FULL of puns. Unfortunately, it's so sad with what happens to him in the end (how could you? O_o), but I do like how <spoiler>gives Hunter and Savannah a chance for a happy ending.</spoiler>
Throughout Ever After, we get a deeper view on Gwen as a character and how she came to be what she is instead of what we, as readers, know her to currently be. Not only that, but we also get flashbacks regarding Rose's and Oliver's demise as well, which gives them a greater depth as characters. In my opinion, this is more like a book of confessions in a way.
But the final battle between Gwen and Savannah was oh so VERY disappointing. Here's a breakdown of what goes on in that particular part of the book, and I make warning that there may or may not be spoilers lingering about:
1. Party! Everyone's happy and dancing and happy dancing! That goes on for a big part of that scene.
2. Cake time! Savannah makes a wish and blows out candles. Oh, and Gwen enters, pulling off her facade as a Blondie and has Momma Fraser as hostage. Everyone else? OMG!!! I have the perfect comic scene for this. I, as in, this reviewer. Not everyone else.
Here's what goes on afterward: they talk. And talk. And talk. And talk. Throwing threats around, and basically trying to negotiate Momma Fraser safely out. Really, the only thing interesting out of the ENTIRE scuffle was Hunter. He does something that he hasn't done before. But I call it a scuffle because the "battle" lasted for what? 30 seconds tops? Basically a ball of glowy appears in both Gwen's and Savannah's hands, and it grows brighter. And brighter. And brighter. And then they let go at the same time, there's a blinding flash, and a furious roar of NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Then it's over. <i><b>At approximately 67% of the Kindle edition.</i></b>
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dDmenRrorS8/U7tBs38qCiI/AAAAAAAADk0/w3mTLSXlQXk/s1600/I+can't+-+Stitch.gif"; border="0">
You guys have no clue how much I was so disappointed. I was expecting something absolutely spectacular, spellbinding, unforgettable battle finale. But I get something... unsurprising. I'm all, "She's dead? FABULOUS!" *swishes away in party dress* I've seen better final battles.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vNtPY-9X_d4/U7tBtg7O_WI/AAAAAAAADlA/o664aLvTcPo/s1600/Not+Good+Enough.gif"; border="0" height="180" width="320">
Now, the rest of the book didn't do too much disappointing, but Ever After seems like a very lighthearted read. It's a very happy, cheerful read very much like flying on cloud nine.
I even have a song it's called Happy.
--------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review
original rating: 3.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-ever-after-by-chloe-miles.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
I have a new book boyfriend. It's Ryan Landon, who we actually get to meet briefly in book 2. He plays a pretty major role in book 3, and is FULL of puns. Unfortunately, it's so sad with what happens to him in the end (how could you? O_o), but I do like how <spoiler>gives Hunter and Savannah a chance for a happy ending.</spoiler>
Throughout Ever After, we get a deeper view on Gwen as a character and how she came to be what she is instead of what we, as readers, know her to currently be. Not only that, but we also get flashbacks regarding Rose's and Oliver's demise as well, which gives them a greater depth as characters. In my opinion, this is more like a book of confessions in a way.
But the final battle between Gwen and Savannah was oh so VERY disappointing. Here's a breakdown of what goes on in that particular part of the book, and I make warning that there may or may not be spoilers lingering about:
1. Party! Everyone's happy and dancing and happy dancing! That goes on for a big part of that scene.
2. Cake time! Savannah makes a wish and blows out candles. Oh, and Gwen enters, pulling off her facade as a Blondie and has Momma Fraser as hostage. Everyone else? OMG!!! I have the perfect comic scene for this. I, as in, this reviewer. Not everyone else.
Here's what goes on afterward: they talk. And talk. And talk. And talk. Throwing threats around, and basically trying to negotiate Momma Fraser safely out. Really, the only thing interesting out of the ENTIRE scuffle was Hunter. He does something that he hasn't done before. But I call it a scuffle because the "battle" lasted for what? 30 seconds tops? Basically a ball of glowy appears in both Gwen's and Savannah's hands, and it grows brighter. And brighter. And brighter. And then they let go at the same time, there's a blinding flash, and a furious roar of NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Then it's over. <i><b>At approximately 67% of the Kindle edition.</i></b>
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dDmenRrorS8/U7tBs38qCiI/AAAAAAAADk0/w3mTLSXlQXk/s1600/I+can't+-+Stitch.gif"; border="0">
You guys have no clue how much I was so disappointed. I was expecting something absolutely spectacular, spellbinding, unforgettable battle finale. But I get something... unsurprising. I'm all, "She's dead? FABULOUS!" *swishes away in party dress* I've seen better final battles.
<img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vNtPY-9X_d4/U7tBtg7O_WI/AAAAAAAADlA/o664aLvTcPo/s1600/Not+Good+Enough.gif"; border="0" height="180" width="320">
Now, the rest of the book didn't do too much disappointing, but Ever After seems like a very lighthearted read. It's a very happy, cheerful read very much like flying on cloud nine.
I even have a song it's called Happy.
--------------------
Review copy provided by the author for review
original rating: 3.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-ever-after-by-chloe-miles.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Stone of Destiny in Books
Jan 23, 2020
A few confessions regarding Stone of Destiny:
~ I called this "Souls of Destiny" for quite a while. Good thing no one actually heard me say it...
~ Coincidently, I finished the prequel to Stone of Destiny, The Forgotten Ones, a few days before I got a tour invite. How could I not sign up? Oh, and no mind reading was involved. If that's the case, it's ALWAYS a coincidence. But I do love how some people think I have some sort of psychic ability and start asking about their future. *ominous voice crystal ball and all* "The future holds the unknown...."
Stone of Destiny starts right off from where The Forgotten Ones ended in fact, the last sentence in the previous book? It's the very first sentence in the sequel. If that's not starting straight off from where the last book ended, then please, feel free to correct me. But I'm pretty sure I'm in a sensible mindset.
To my delight, the pronunciation guide has been a tad bit updated. I say tad because Gaelic (Irish?) or any language really, but those with funny symbols like Chinese isn't as easy as the romantic languages is funny and there are a few terms that appear... yet they're not in the guide. One of them I was pretty much too lazy to redownload the first book just to check the pronunciation again. But hey, for those who weren't as fortunate as me aka, you recently read the book not too long ago so the terms are happily fresh in your brain and haven't read the Danaan trilogy for awhile, the pronunciation guide will be a big help!
Meanwhile, Ethan's acting strangely around Allison for awhile to which I'm not exactly happy about, but I'm sort of happy since it doesn't last too long. Plus, while Allison continues to play the "I'm going to avoid Ethan Magliaro forever" game, it's a lot less than it was back in book one even though Ethan pops out in almost every scene of the book. It's a nice change to see those pointy fences coming down to which I'm doing a happy dance. (What? Don't tell me you like pointy fences I'm sure you don't. Unless you like bleeding. Profoundly. Bad idea if you're a hemophiliac.)
Stone of Destiny focuses more on the characters in fact, a few new characters, particularly one that was mentioned back in The Forgotten Ones, make an appearance as well unraveling Aoife's plan/ritual/ceremony/whatchamacallit in Ireland. There's no particularly plot aside from continuing to add building blocks to book one, and while there's no fancy schmancy plot, it was definitely a delight to read Stone of Destiny and to go back to the world of Tir Na Nog. Thing is, Howard sort of has expectations of epic proportions to meet in the last book of the trilogy.
I'm kidding about epic proportions. That's probably reserved for someone like Stephen King, who I actually haven't read.
------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
original rating: 4.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-stone-of-destiny-by-laura-howard-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
~ I called this "Souls of Destiny" for quite a while. Good thing no one actually heard me say it...
~ Coincidently, I finished the prequel to Stone of Destiny, The Forgotten Ones, a few days before I got a tour invite. How could I not sign up? Oh, and no mind reading was involved. If that's the case, it's ALWAYS a coincidence. But I do love how some people think I have some sort of psychic ability and start asking about their future. *ominous voice crystal ball and all* "The future holds the unknown...."
Stone of Destiny starts right off from where The Forgotten Ones ended in fact, the last sentence in the previous book? It's the very first sentence in the sequel. If that's not starting straight off from where the last book ended, then please, feel free to correct me. But I'm pretty sure I'm in a sensible mindset.
To my delight, the pronunciation guide has been a tad bit updated. I say tad because Gaelic (Irish?) or any language really, but those with funny symbols like Chinese isn't as easy as the romantic languages is funny and there are a few terms that appear... yet they're not in the guide. One of them I was pretty much too lazy to redownload the first book just to check the pronunciation again. But hey, for those who weren't as fortunate as me aka, you recently read the book not too long ago so the terms are happily fresh in your brain and haven't read the Danaan trilogy for awhile, the pronunciation guide will be a big help!
Meanwhile, Ethan's acting strangely around Allison for awhile to which I'm not exactly happy about, but I'm sort of happy since it doesn't last too long. Plus, while Allison continues to play the "I'm going to avoid Ethan Magliaro forever" game, it's a lot less than it was back in book one even though Ethan pops out in almost every scene of the book. It's a nice change to see those pointy fences coming down to which I'm doing a happy dance. (What? Don't tell me you like pointy fences I'm sure you don't. Unless you like bleeding. Profoundly. Bad idea if you're a hemophiliac.)
Stone of Destiny focuses more on the characters in fact, a few new characters, particularly one that was mentioned back in The Forgotten Ones, make an appearance as well unraveling Aoife's plan/ritual/ceremony/whatchamacallit in Ireland. There's no particularly plot aside from continuing to add building blocks to book one, and while there's no fancy schmancy plot, it was definitely a delight to read Stone of Destiny and to go back to the world of Tir Na Nog. Thing is, Howard sort of has expectations of epic proportions to meet in the last book of the trilogy.
I'm kidding about epic proportions. That's probably reserved for someone like Stephen King, who I actually haven't read.
------------------
Review copy provided by the author for the blog tour
original rating: 4.5 out of 5
original review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/blog-tour-stone-of-destiny-by-laura-howard-review-and-giveaway.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated A Faerie's Secret (Creepy Hollow, #4) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
The fourth novel to the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series pretty much made me realize that <b>there were actually some loose ends left untied in the third book</b> I'm not sure if I mentioned it felt like an almost abrupt ending (I probably did).
Anyways, <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> is <b>set approximately ten years after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie War</a></i></b>. Rachel introduces us to a <b>new main character Calla Larkenwood, Ryn's little sister</b> who made a few appearances in the first three novels when Violet is the main character.
<b>Calla is definitely different from Violet she's just as kick-ass, adorable, and doesn't actually follow orders from others.</b> She's a bit bratty sometimes (within reason) and a seemingly hopeless romantic who longs for companionship. She <b>desires to be a guardian and actually trains in private</b> before something happens and her parents approve of her joining a guild. She <b>gets a crash course of all four years in a month</b> before starting as a fifth-year guardian, where a lot of her peers and her mentor believe she doesn't belong. She's <b>determined to prove everyone wrong and show that she definitely belongs with the guild.</b>
Rachel seems to have focused more on giving the series more action, which doesn't really work out too well. <b>There's an entirely different faerie world that we are introduced to, and it's different from <a title="The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">when Violet was a guardian</a></b> not just with time, but with everything that happened in the third book. The <b>author does a pretty good job with easing us into the new guild,</b> but I'm a little curious on what the new guild looks like now that everything seems to be nice and dandy.
<b>I have very little idea on what the past characters are up to a decade later.</b> I'm very up to date with what happened to Ryn and some of the characters, but I don't really know what happened to Violet, Raven, and Flint. <b>There's some cryptic dialogue that tells me something, but it's not sure.</b> (It's not exactly safe to assume.) I know they survived, and they're still good friends. I don't know if they retired from the guardian life and pursued another career or something else entirely.
I may have enjoyed <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> more than the last two books <b>there are more dangers and adventures with Calla as our new heroine.</b> I don't really know what will happen in the next book <b>I'm left with an open ending where I have some questions that I hope to be answered in the sequel.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-a-faeries-secret-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
The fourth novel to the <i>Creepy Hollow</i> series pretty much made me realize that <b>there were actually some loose ends left untied in the third book</b> I'm not sure if I mentioned it felt like an almost abrupt ending (I probably did).
Anyways, <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> is <b>set approximately ten years after the events in <i><a title="The Faerie War by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-war-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Faerie War</a></i></b>. Rachel introduces us to a <b>new main character Calla Larkenwood, Ryn's little sister</b> who made a few appearances in the first three novels when Violet is the main character.
<b>Calla is definitely different from Violet she's just as kick-ass, adorable, and doesn't actually follow orders from others.</b> She's a bit bratty sometimes (within reason) and a seemingly hopeless romantic who longs for companionship. She <b>desires to be a guardian and actually trains in private</b> before something happens and her parents approve of her joining a guild. She <b>gets a crash course of all four years in a month</b> before starting as a fifth-year guardian, where a lot of her peers and her mentor believe she doesn't belong. She's <b>determined to prove everyone wrong and show that she definitely belongs with the guild.</b>
Rachel seems to have focused more on giving the series more action, which doesn't really work out too well. <b>There's an entirely different faerie world that we are introduced to, and it's different from <a title="The Faerie Prince by Rachel Morgan" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-the-faerie-prince-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">when Violet was a guardian</a></b> not just with time, but with everything that happened in the third book. The <b>author does a pretty good job with easing us into the new guild,</b> but I'm a little curious on what the new guild looks like now that everything seems to be nice and dandy.
<b>I have very little idea on what the past characters are up to a decade later.</b> I'm very up to date with what happened to Ryn and some of the characters, but I don't really know what happened to Violet, Raven, and Flint. <b>There's some cryptic dialogue that tells me something, but it's not sure.</b> (It's not exactly safe to assume.) I know they survived, and they're still good friends. I don't know if they retired from the guardian life and pursued another career or something else entirely.
I may have enjoyed <i>A Faerie's Secret</i> more than the last two books <b>there are more dangers and adventures with Calla as our new heroine.</b> I don't really know what will happen in the next book <b>I'm left with an open ending where I have some questions that I hope to be answered in the sequel.</b>
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-a-faeries-secret-by-rachel-morgan/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997) in Movies
Feb 5, 2020
Ian Malcolm Should Have Left Them On the Island
Thoughts before watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park as a twelve-year-old in 1997: “Oh man, I can’t wait to check out all this dino action! Raptors for life!” Thoughts before watching The Lost World: Jurassic Park as a thirty-five-year-old in 2019: “Why the hell are they going back to the island? These people clearly have a death wish!” Yes, the sequel to one of the greatest movies ever made sees a return to the dinosaur madness as a special team led by Jeff Goldblum’s Ian Malcolm goes on a mission for Jurassic Park’s creator John Hammond (Richard Attenborough).
Acting: 10
Jeff Goldblum has a way of captivating any screen he’s on. He has charm, wit, and an erratic nature that’s absolutely hilarious. He has a strong cast backing him up with guys like Vince Vaughn and Julianne Moore helping to run the show.
Beginning: 10
Strong start as we see there are still idiots out there that don’t know how to stay away from these islands. The movie is immediately entertaining while also letting you know it’s going to be a different kind of movie than the first. Definitely piqued my interest.
Characters: 6
One of my biggest issues with the entire movie. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t score it lower. For the most part, I hated these characters outside of Ian Malcolm. I almost wish he had left the rest of them to stew on the island by themselves. Julianne Moore’s character Sarah Harding was obnoxious and pretty annoying. Then again, I can say that for a lot of the characters including Malcolm’s daughter Kelly Curtis (Vanessa Lee Chester). At times, it really made it hard for me to enjoy the movie.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
The dino special effects were taken to new heights in this one. I particularly love the extra work they put into the velociraptors showing off their incredible jumping ability and rogue-like stealth. I also appreciated the multitude of dinos you get in this one as well from the stegosaurus down to the tiny compies. I can’t remember their names, but my particular favorite dino was the one with the bone head. His hard skull could crash through just about anything. I enjoyed watching it wreak havoc on a number of doors and people.
What bothered me just a bit was the choice of a darker color tone throughout the movie. It was almost as if they were trying to purposefully differentiate from the first by doing this. It takes some getting used to, but ultimately didn’t kill the movie for me.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 4
Pace: 8
Plot: 4
What a stupid story. Who in their right mind after hearing all the craziness that went down at the original park would ever go back to face off against these dinos? Rescue mission my ass, not this guy! Had they followed the book, I feel it would have been a lot more believable.
Resolution: 9
Overall: 77
Let’s be honest, no way this movie was going to match the first in any way. Jurassic Park set an amazing standard that is just hard to follow. However, I will say that, while not perfect, The Lost World: Jurassic Park does have its moments that make it a decent enough watch.
Acting: 10
Jeff Goldblum has a way of captivating any screen he’s on. He has charm, wit, and an erratic nature that’s absolutely hilarious. He has a strong cast backing him up with guys like Vince Vaughn and Julianne Moore helping to run the show.
Beginning: 10
Strong start as we see there are still idiots out there that don’t know how to stay away from these islands. The movie is immediately entertaining while also letting you know it’s going to be a different kind of movie than the first. Definitely piqued my interest.
Characters: 6
One of my biggest issues with the entire movie. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t score it lower. For the most part, I hated these characters outside of Ian Malcolm. I almost wish he had left the rest of them to stew on the island by themselves. Julianne Moore’s character Sarah Harding was obnoxious and pretty annoying. Then again, I can say that for a lot of the characters including Malcolm’s daughter Kelly Curtis (Vanessa Lee Chester). At times, it really made it hard for me to enjoy the movie.
Cinematography/Visuals: 9
The dino special effects were taken to new heights in this one. I particularly love the extra work they put into the velociraptors showing off their incredible jumping ability and rogue-like stealth. I also appreciated the multitude of dinos you get in this one as well from the stegosaurus down to the tiny compies. I can’t remember their names, but my particular favorite dino was the one with the bone head. His hard skull could crash through just about anything. I enjoyed watching it wreak havoc on a number of doors and people.
What bothered me just a bit was the choice of a darker color tone throughout the movie. It was almost as if they were trying to purposefully differentiate from the first by doing this. It takes some getting used to, but ultimately didn’t kill the movie for me.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 4
Pace: 8
Plot: 4
What a stupid story. Who in their right mind after hearing all the craziness that went down at the original park would ever go back to face off against these dinos? Rescue mission my ass, not this guy! Had they followed the book, I feel it would have been a lot more believable.
Resolution: 9
Overall: 77
Let’s be honest, no way this movie was going to match the first in any way. Jurassic Park set an amazing standard that is just hard to follow. However, I will say that, while not perfect, The Lost World: Jurassic Park does have its moments that make it a decent enough watch.