Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Life, the Universe and Everything in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Then one day I was in a bookshop when there it was: A new Hitch Hiker's book by Douglas Adams, black cover with an old-fashioned ring pull on the cover (the ones that detached from the can to cause maximum environmental damage).
Having essentially completed what appeared to be the story arc in the first two books, what was going to be next for our heroes? Arthur and Ford were last seen stranded on prehistoric Earth and Zaphod and Trillian were missing after teleporting from Hotblack Desiato's stunt ship. Would this be a tired and cynical cash in, retreading old ground but failing to capture the magic of the originals?
Needless to say, Adams didn't disappoint, creating a plot around an alien race creating a weapon capable of destroying the universe, and it is up to Arthur, Ford, Zaphod and Trillian to save the day, along with Slartibartfast who had to be co-opted in to make the plot work since the other four would far rather have been at a party getting drunk (or in Arthur's case drinking some proper tea).
Yet more footnotes and extracts from 'The Book' ensue with Adams' imagination creating a number of new comic inventions - Agrajag, how to fly, Wowbagger the Infinitely Prolonged. All of it moves with pace and brio as if the characters are enjoying the freedom of a new book, even if there is a universe to save and only one party.
The Continent: The Continent Book 1
Book
"Have we really come so far, when a tour of the Continent is so desirable a thing? We've traded our...
science fiction fantasy young adult
Let it Snow
John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle
6.9
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Three wonderful holiday romances by three of America's bestselling authors, including John Green -...
Robot Programming: A Guide to Controlling Autonomous Robots
Cameron Hughes and Tracey Hughes
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Start programming robots NOW! Learn hands-on, through easy examples, visuals, and code This is a...
Star Wars: Lords of the Sith
8.0
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When the Emperor and his notorious apprentice, Darth Vader, find themselves stranded in the middle...
Lord of the Flies: With an Introduction by Stephen King
Stephen King and William Golding
8.0
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Since it was first published in 1954, William Golding's classic debut novel has remained a stark...
Driving home to Utah to see her dying mother, college student Darby Thorne gets stuck in a terrible snowstorm. It forces her to stop at a rest area in Colorado. There she finds four other strangers stranded as well. When going back out to her car to try to get a cell signal, Darby makes a horrible discovery: in the van next to her vehicle, there's a little girl locked in a crate. Darby has no cell signal, there's no phone at the rest stop, and no way of knowing which of the four strangers has abducted this child. She's trapped and must find a way to rescue the kid. But how?
When I first picked up this book, I found it a little slow. Honestly, I think it's just because it stressed me out completely. One young college student trapped in the snow, trying to save a kid. It's a lot. I will say that Darby Thorne is a total badass (much like my hero, Darby Shaw, of The Pelican Brief).
This book is basically just a horror show, filled with violence, terror, and suspense. You don't know who Darby can trust, or what on earth will happen next. Adams packs a lot of tension into a book set in a rest area, and into a story that spans over less than half a day. It's pretty impressive.
Overall, while I can't say I completely enjoyed this book, because I was constantly worried, it's very well-done and suspenseful. 3.5 stars, rounded to 4 here.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated The Mountain Between Us (2017) in Movies
Sep 25, 2019
The plane loses control and crashes on a mountain top, leaving Alex unconscious, and Ben and the dog to fend for themselves. While Alex recovers, Ben tends to her wounds, buries Walter in the snow, and turns the wreck of the plane into a shelter.
When Alex wakes up she's a realist, there was no flight plan, the tracker was in the plane's tail which is missing, and they've been there a long time without someone already finding them. She wants to leave the safety of the plane but after Ben makes an unsuccessful search he doesn't want to risk it. While he sleeps she sneaks out of the plane with the dog and heads out into the snowy hills.
The movie certainly got me in the feels, just as well I had the screen all to myself really! I'm not sure that I'd be desperate to see it again, but it was an enjoyable way to pass the time. My only real issue is that it was a very predictable story line. Oh... and the fact that they kept the dog on a leash while trekking across the mountains.
It's currently sitting around the 50% mark on Rotten Tomatoes for both critics and us regular plebs. (Slightly lower for the critics, obviously.) That seems about right, nice film but I don't think I'd need to see it again.
Shoot Hunter-Gun Killer
Games
8.0
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One Man. One War. Now You Are The Best Sniper Killer. *There you play the game was the fantastic 3D...
Frontline Commando
Games and Entertainment
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ONE MAN. ONE WAR. YOU ARE THE FRONTLINE COMMANDO. As the sole surviving Commando of a renegade...