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Debbiereadsbook (1783 KP) rated Black Sky Morning (Mind + Machine #3) in Books
Aug 14, 2019
doesn't quite hit THAT spot!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book 3 in the Mind + Machine series, and it's not totally necessary to read the other two books first, but I personally think it would give you a bigger better picture of Jonathan, and his work.
I LOVED books one adn two, this one though, did not quite hit THAT spot, you know? And it pains me, deeply, when I cannot figure out why!
Jonathan is Rylan's brother (book one, Metal Machine Magic) and Xin pops up on both previous books (I think!) they just haven't crossed paths just yet. Not til Jonathan enlists Xin in a mission that goes a bit wrong. But then Xin enlists Jonathan in a mission of his own and the pair end up stranded on a distant planet, faced with possible death. They have to work together to get free. Neither is used to trusting though.
I liked the way the story developed, at an even pace, fast enough to keep up but not so fast you miss something. I liked that there wasn't rally any attraction brewing between them (at least I didn't pick it up!) until Xin brings up a possible physical relationship to get them through their predicament. I liked the way that things crept up on them both.
It's well told, from both Jonathan and Xin's point of view, in the third person. Each voice is clear and distinctive, given their very different upbringings.
I liked the way their story unfolded. I just didn't LOVE it like the other two!
So, gonna leave it with this, a good solid sci-fi read, that I did read in one sitting!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book 3 in the Mind + Machine series, and it's not totally necessary to read the other two books first, but I personally think it would give you a bigger better picture of Jonathan, and his work.
I LOVED books one adn two, this one though, did not quite hit THAT spot, you know? And it pains me, deeply, when I cannot figure out why!
Jonathan is Rylan's brother (book one, Metal Machine Magic) and Xin pops up on both previous books (I think!) they just haven't crossed paths just yet. Not til Jonathan enlists Xin in a mission that goes a bit wrong. But then Xin enlists Jonathan in a mission of his own and the pair end up stranded on a distant planet, faced with possible death. They have to work together to get free. Neither is used to trusting though.
I liked the way the story developed, at an even pace, fast enough to keep up but not so fast you miss something. I liked that there wasn't rally any attraction brewing between them (at least I didn't pick it up!) until Xin brings up a possible physical relationship to get them through their predicament. I liked the way that things crept up on them both.
It's well told, from both Jonathan and Xin's point of view, in the third person. Each voice is clear and distinctive, given their very different upbringings.
I liked the way their story unfolded. I just didn't LOVE it like the other two!
So, gonna leave it with this, a good solid sci-fi read, that I did read in one sitting!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) in Movies
Nov 18, 2019
A True Classic
Not that we don’t already know what E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is about but: A young boy finds himself in trouble with special agents when he befriends a stranded alien.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Steven Spielberg does a wonderful job with achieving more with less. He doesn’t shoot for break-your-neck special effects, rather he gives it to you in glimpses. We see the lights from E.T.’s spaceship, but we only see the actual spaceship flying for a second or two. E.T.’s ability to make things take flight is never overdone and always used in necessary circumstances. Outside of the special effects, there are a number of touches here and there, again small nuances, that make this film great. One of my favorites occurs when E.T. sees a kid in Yoda costume and starts following him.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
These scenes have been recounted and retold in a number of different ways. This movie set the precedent on how we see and interact with life outside of Earth. The relationship between Elliott and E.T. is unforgettable.
Pace: 10
Spielberg is a true master of storytelling as he aces pacing yet again. There are no dull moments and the few lulls are there for a reason. Exposition and character development are handled within the context of the moving story itself as it should be.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 100
I had someone tell me once that not only was E.T. not that great, but it was pretty terrible in retrospect. My reply: What crack are you smoking? This movie is not only great, but it’s one of the all-time greats. Believe it.
Acting: 10
Beginning: 10
Characters: 10
Cinematography/Visuals: 10
Steven Spielberg does a wonderful job with achieving more with less. He doesn’t shoot for break-your-neck special effects, rather he gives it to you in glimpses. We see the lights from E.T.’s spaceship, but we only see the actual spaceship flying for a second or two. E.T.’s ability to make things take flight is never overdone and always used in necessary circumstances. Outside of the special effects, there are a number of touches here and there, again small nuances, that make this film great. One of my favorites occurs when E.T. sees a kid in Yoda costume and starts following him.
Conflict: 10
Entertainment Value: 10
Memorability: 10
These scenes have been recounted and retold in a number of different ways. This movie set the precedent on how we see and interact with life outside of Earth. The relationship between Elliott and E.T. is unforgettable.
Pace: 10
Spielberg is a true master of storytelling as he aces pacing yet again. There are no dull moments and the few lulls are there for a reason. Exposition and character development are handled within the context of the moving story itself as it should be.
Plot: 10
Resolution: 10
Overall: 100
I had someone tell me once that not only was E.T. not that great, but it was pretty terrible in retrospect. My reply: What crack are you smoking? This movie is not only great, but it’s one of the all-time greats. Believe it.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Life, the Universe and Everything in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Originally there were the two series of the radio show which Adams rewrote and reorganised into two books. And for a long time that was it, that was all there was of the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
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.
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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Book
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
Book
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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Book
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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Book
Since it was first published in 1954, William Golding's classic debut novel has remained a stark...
This is the fourteenth book in my #atozchallenge! I'm challenging myself to read a book from my shelves that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Let's clear those shelves and delve into that backlist!
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.
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
Dr. Ben Bass and photojournalist Alex Martin are stranded in Boise Airport when their flight is cancelled due to a storm. In an attempt to get home Alex hires a local pilot to fly them back so they can both make their appointments. The three of them, plus the pilot's dog, take off for home in Baltimore, Maryland. But mid-flight Walter the pilot suffers a stroke.
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.
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.