Smashbomb

This book was recommended to me by a friend who has read all of the books in the series and this, is the first. I thought because I had watched the film version of this novel, that I knew what the story was going to be about, but the book is very different from the adaptation.

At first, I found this extremely difficult to get into. After about 100 pages I actually put this book down, because I found the maritime vocabulary, impossible to follow. However, I decided to pick it back up again and actually, when the character Stephen Maturin, the ship's doctor, comes into the story, I found that, because he was a novice with ships, he was asking questions about the different mechanisms etc of the ship and that helped me to feel that I had some idea of what it was all about.

I also found some of the battle scene a little bit static and difficult to visualize.

Even though this was a challenging book, I really like the relationship between Stephen and Jack Aubrey, the ship's captain. The writing was very humorous at times and I also liked how some of this book featured places in the Mediterranean that I'm really familiar with.

Being the first in the series, I'm sure as the novels progress, I might find this easier to get into. I won't be rushing out to read any more at the moment, I think you need to be in the right mood to read them. However, I may read more of this series in the future.

My Rating ***

Kudos

Mayhawke (97 KP) rated Apollo 13 (1995) in Movies

Feb 7, 2018

Apollo 13 (1995)

1995 | Action, Drama, History

8.5

(38 Ratings)

Movie Rating Watch

On a scale of 1 - 5 this film is an easy 6

No matter how many times I see this film (and I have seen it quite a few times by now) I never fail to be moved by the amazing story being told and the excellence of Ron Howard's film-making.

The staggeringly good cast centres about Hanks, Bacon, Sinise, Paxton and Harris. Never once do any of these disappoint in their performance.

Their spot-on delivery of such simple yet evocative lines as: 'We just lost the moon' and 'I prefer to think of this as our finest hour' presenta wealth of emotions, whilst underscoring the strength and resilience of the human character; at the same time and with equal simplicity 'Christopher Columbus, Charles Lindberg and Alan Armstrong!' expresses one ordinary man's amazement at his friend's new-found place in the history books. The simple efficiency of the writing in this script has resulted in one of the best screenplays Hollywood has ever produced. The first-class direction and acting have ensured a powerful and convincing transfer from paper to celluloid.

Although this is not a 'Special Effects' film, there are a considerable number of effects in the film. Downplayed and used as such effects truly should be (as a technical enhancement to, rather than the object of the film) they convincingly and chillingly impart the sense of isolation felt by the Astronauts.

This 'aloneness'; their captivity in a the tiny LEM; the lack of action available to them is succinctly counter-balanced by the numerous ground crew, unfettered in thier movements as they rush round NASA desperatly, and with unending ingenuity, trying to solve one problem after another before time, power and oxygen run out for the three men in space.

Kudos

Micky Barnard (542 KP) rated Artemis in Books

Oct 6, 2018

Artemis

Andy Weir | 2017 | Science Fiction/Fantasy

7.6

(35 Ratings)

Book Rating

Lunar escapades

The opportunity for an early read of ARTEMIS was an easy decision considering my love for The Martian. The similarities in context are there in terms of genre and setting. ARTEMIS is set on the moon and the moon of the future is a large city, corrupt and problematic, but home for many.

Jasmine (Jazz) Bashara is the protagonist for ARTEMIS and I can now say that Andy Weir writes a female lead with ease and natural ability. I liked her, her little criminal heart and all her dealings. She was the epitome of a strong female. I championed her ambitions and loved finding out about her culture and upbringing. Moon culture was something of a diverse melting pot of people, with guilds that separated the cultures and trades. It was just fascinating reading, that painted colour and interest in my imagination.

The moon was an interesting read but at about 30%, the story just went BAM! The plot was gripping but complex, you need to concentrate and like The Martian, ARTEMIS requires some patience with the technical speak but I didn’t get lost on the whole. Whilst Jazz was front and centre of this story, I enjoyed other characters, her father, Rudy, also Trond and Svoboda (he’s still waiting for her to test that condom).

I’m really thrilled that Andy Weir was able to follow up The Martian with something solid, different but still with the same thrills, tension and characterisation. I now know that I’m going to jump on any release he has. I recommend to Sci-fi fans and open minded readers alike because I don’t think you need to be a staunch sci-fi fan to appreciate ARTEMIS.