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LucyB (47 KP) rated Dark Matter in Books

Jul 23, 2017  
Dark Matter
Dark Matter
Blake Crouch | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
The pace, the style, the whole concept (0 more)
It's pretty far-fetched (though the author carries it off well) (0 more)
Mind-bending, fast-pasted, gripping to the end
Every so often, I come across an author who is so different, it blows me away. Blake Crouch is definitely one of those authors! The storyline is so completely 'way out' that I'm amazed he pulled it off, and his style of writing (short to the point of sparse) shouldn't work, but really does!

The story is about Martin, the man who has the perfect life, the perfect wife, a lovely son...but fifteen years ago, gave up his illustrious science career to have a family. Suddenly, he's kidnapped, drugged, and (wait for it), forced into an alternate reality. I can't say anymore without spoiling the plot, but what follows is a frenetic race through alternative realities to get back to the life he once knew, at any cost.

The storyline is impressive, not least because the concept is so complex, yet Crouch handles it with ease. I'd say that this is the author's greatest gift - being able to simplify and abbreviate, without dumbing down. In fact, this book is probably the best example of 'all killer, no filler' that I've ever read.

A formidable book... I'll be looking forward to reading the Wayward Pines series next!
  
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Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post

Dec 19, 2022  
Read the first chapter from the Christian Western romance novel FINDING MY DESTYNEE by Natalie Bright & Denise F. McAllister on my blog. If you like what you read, enter the giveaway for a chance to win the full Rafter O Rancher series in eBook format!

https://alltheupsandowns.blogspot.com/2022/12/book-blog-tour-and-giveaway-finding-my.html

**BOOK SYNOPSIS**
True heart’s desire cannot be ignored.

Destynee Olsen has always done what her mother asked, but the road to stardom could mean leaving behind a piece of her heart.

Travis Olsen tries desperately to honor his vow to support his wife. Watching their son grow up without a mother is asking too much and his resentment builds. A marriage alone and single parenting is not what he signed up for.

The line has been drawn between a woman who has been told that her destiny to be a star is more important than she is and a cowboy who refuses to destroy his wife’s dream. Destynee and Travis have to decide what’s important. Can they discover the life they were meant to have at the risk of denying their own hearts?
     
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Creed II (2018) in Movies

Dec 8, 2018 (Updated Dec 8, 2018)  
Creed II (2018)
Creed II (2018)
2018 | Action, Drama, Sport
Eighth movie in the Rocky series is well-nigh miraculous, not for being a well-made sports drama (though it is that) but for revisiting some of the characters and events of Rocky IV (the silliest of these films) and still producing a credible, involving story. Donnie Creed wins the world title, but is challenged by Viktor Drago, the son of the man who killed his father umpty-tump years ago. What follows is a classical story of hubris, comeuppance, and redemption, with powerful themes of parental responsibility, legacy, and what it means to have the heart of a fighter. Plus lengthy sequences of beefy men bashing the living daylights out of each other, and the odd training montage too.

Really quite good in every department: the fights are as predictable as ever, but the storytelling really makes you feel them, and you care about the characters so much it doesn't really matter anyway. Carl Weathers must still be off somewhere muttering bitterly to himself about the fact that (one presumes) he's not making any money off these things, but Stallone does his latter-day character actor thing, Jordan carries the film well, and Tessa Thompson makes the most of a slightly underwritten part. Almost certainly the best movie in the filmography of Dolph Lundgren (this is not saying much) or Brigitte Nielson (this is probably saying even less).
  
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Merissa (12417 KP) rated The Last Son of Venus by Dion Marc in Books

Jul 4, 2022 (Updated Jul 5, 2023)  
The Last Son of Venus by Dion Marc
The Last Son of Venus by Dion Marc
Dion Marc | 2022 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
THE LAST SON OF VENUS is the first book in a new series. It is hot and dark, and leaves you wanting more!

We start off with a young anxiety-ridden Alex, on his first trip abroad and lost in London. Things start going a bit strange for him and he has no idea what's going on. What's worse is he can't get hold of his parents for their advice. Nikos has been Alex's Guardian for a while now but this is his first interaction with him directly. Add Alex and Nikos, together with Jin - a queer descendant of Hekate, against an evil sect disguising themselves as the church, and you have an action-packed story that will keep you turning the pages.

This is definitely character-led - you get the steadiness of Nikos, the quirkiness of Jin, plus the anxiety of Alex. These characters change as the story progresses. Obviously, the biggest change is Alex, but Jin changes too!

Told from varying perspectives, it allows you to see the inner workings of just what's going on. And, trust me, there's a lot. There are multiple players in this story and not all of them are black and white.

A brilliant start to a new series by a new-to-me author. I absolutely recommend this book, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

** same worded review will appear elsewhere **

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 22, 2022