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Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Door (Seventh Dimenson #1) in Books
Nov 12, 2019
Shale Snyder is a troubled teenager. Her father left her mother when she was little, she has alienated almost all of the other children around her and has problems at school. Following yet another incident she is suspended and feels totally cast adrift. At this point she finds a door and hears a voice calling her to enter...
There is quite a clever concept at the heart of this book; that the Holy Land at the time of Jesus is a sort of dimensional nexus where those who are called can travel and gain spiritual help for themselves as well as the other travellers. It is a fine blending of both science fiction and Christian concepts.
There is also much of The Pilgrim's Progress about this, with Shale's journey and the characters she meets. And although she is living near Nazareth and does encounter Jesus (and other people mentioned in the bible) the religious side is not forced but comes naturally from the narrative. There is also a fair smattering of The Wizard of Oz, as the dimensional copy of the Holy Land from 2000 years ago also contains versions of people that Shale knows from home.
The result is a book that shows how even a little faith by someone as lost as Shale can give her the will to turn her life around and make herself and those around her better people. It is a very positive message, though not gained without significant trials.
There are a couple of negatives. Sometimes the narrative thread can be a little confusing, a side-effect of the dimension-hopping aspect of the story. Also some of the characters appear to serve little purpose, but perhaps as this is the first of a series they will come into play in later books. There is also one comment from her friend Daniel (another traveller from modern-day Israel) that did concern me, I hope this is due to his personal experience rather than a theme of future books.
Overall this is an engrossing read, managing to deliver a positive Christian message without labouring the point and providing a good story arc for Shale to keep the reader invested in the story
There is quite a clever concept at the heart of this book; that the Holy Land at the time of Jesus is a sort of dimensional nexus where those who are called can travel and gain spiritual help for themselves as well as the other travellers. It is a fine blending of both science fiction and Christian concepts.
There is also much of The Pilgrim's Progress about this, with Shale's journey and the characters she meets. And although she is living near Nazareth and does encounter Jesus (and other people mentioned in the bible) the religious side is not forced but comes naturally from the narrative. There is also a fair smattering of The Wizard of Oz, as the dimensional copy of the Holy Land from 2000 years ago also contains versions of people that Shale knows from home.
The result is a book that shows how even a little faith by someone as lost as Shale can give her the will to turn her life around and make herself and those around her better people. It is a very positive message, though not gained without significant trials.
There are a couple of negatives. Sometimes the narrative thread can be a little confusing, a side-effect of the dimension-hopping aspect of the story. Also some of the characters appear to serve little purpose, but perhaps as this is the first of a series they will come into play in later books. There is also one comment from her friend Daniel (another traveller from modern-day Israel) that did concern me, I hope this is due to his personal experience rather than a theme of future books.
Overall this is an engrossing read, managing to deliver a positive Christian message without labouring the point and providing a good story arc for Shale to keep the reader invested in the story
Magnetic: The Art of Attracting Business
Book
Magnetic: The Art of Attracting Business is a look at how consistently successful businesses are...
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Purge: Election Year (2016) in Movies
Aug 6, 2019
Sen Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) was the only member of her family to survive the Purge as a youth. Years later she runs on the platform of ending the Purge and exposing the various factors and rationale in its implementation and continuance. She and many others see the Purge as nothing more than a way for the powers that be and the wealthy to stay in power at the expense of the poor and people of color. As the Purge approaches, the American people are being torn as to the direction that their nation should take. The New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) see the threat that Sen. Roan poses and seek out to use the annual purge as a way to rid themselves of her and those that seek to change the system that they have put into place.
Purge: Election Year is not about mindless killing as those who are unfamiliar with the series would assume. The films are a mirror being held back on American Society to make us think about what we would do in similar situations if faced with them. The horror of the film is not in the shocking scenes, violence, or gore. What we can find to be truly scary is that many people only need to be given the option of financial gain or the removal of any repercussions in order to engage in such nefarious activity. The Purge: Election Year allows us to live vicariously through the trauma presented on-screen and the ability to leave at any time that we feel too uncomfortable with what is being presented. The films, especially this third iteration demonstrates to its audience what class warfare looks like and what happens when the populace is truly deceived by its media and politicians. It is a true dystopian reality that some people might welcome for all the wrong reasons.
The action of the film is inventive. The plot is on par with what you would expect for an action-horror film. It is the touch of reality and characters that are not limited to two dimensions that truly allows the film to create a deeper connection with the audience so they find themselves rooting for the “good guys” to not just win, but to survive the night. Viewers and fans of action, horror, political drama, and suspense will all be satisfied with The Purge: Election Year. Fans new and old of this franchise will leave theaters hoping for this to become a lasting franchise that has fresh ideas and storylines each time.
Purge: Election Year is not about mindless killing as those who are unfamiliar with the series would assume. The films are a mirror being held back on American Society to make us think about what we would do in similar situations if faced with them. The horror of the film is not in the shocking scenes, violence, or gore. What we can find to be truly scary is that many people only need to be given the option of financial gain or the removal of any repercussions in order to engage in such nefarious activity. The Purge: Election Year allows us to live vicariously through the trauma presented on-screen and the ability to leave at any time that we feel too uncomfortable with what is being presented. The films, especially this third iteration demonstrates to its audience what class warfare looks like and what happens when the populace is truly deceived by its media and politicians. It is a true dystopian reality that some people might welcome for all the wrong reasons.
The action of the film is inventive. The plot is on par with what you would expect for an action-horror film. It is the touch of reality and characters that are not limited to two dimensions that truly allows the film to create a deeper connection with the audience so they find themselves rooting for the “good guys” to not just win, but to survive the night. Viewers and fans of action, horror, political drama, and suspense will all be satisfied with The Purge: Election Year. Fans new and old of this franchise will leave theaters hoping for this to become a lasting franchise that has fresh ideas and storylines each time.
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Lifestyle and Health & Fitness
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WowApp - Earn. Share. Do Good
Social Networking
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DoULike Dating App. Chat & Date with local Singles
Entertainment and Lifestyle
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Jamie (131 KP) rated The Grave Tender in Books
Jul 30, 2017
A haunting southern gothic
The Grave Tender is a haunting and beautifully woven southern gothic about a broken family and the love that binds them together. The story starts slow as the story introduces Hadley, her friends, family, and their small town which on the surface seems idyllic. It’s the sort of town where everyone knows each other over generations, but the smiling town hides many secrets.
What I loved most about this book was how it dealt with matters of appearance. It’s easy to point fingers and blame those that look the most guilty, who are the most eccentric. It’s the folly of letting appearances dictate our perception of the people around us. Evil is committed every day by seemingly normal people, and true monsters masquerade under the guise of banality.
The book deals with some of the most horrible situations a person can go through with extreme delicacy. Not everyone has a happy ending, sometimes there are crimes that go unpunished, sometimes victims never receive justice, some wounds heal but many more never do. I cried so much while reading this book because of how close to home it hit for me, I was honestly touched.
I can’t say much more about the book because it’s really the sort of story that needs to be experienced without spoilers. I will however note that the content in this book is difficult to stomach. For a survivor of abuse it can be either cathartic or utterly horrifying, which is why I’ve added a trigger warning in the list of warnings below. I cautiously recommend this book for those ready for a poignant and unflinchingly honest exploration of domestic abuse.
What I loved most about this book was how it dealt with matters of appearance. It’s easy to point fingers and blame those that look the most guilty, who are the most eccentric. It’s the folly of letting appearances dictate our perception of the people around us. Evil is committed every day by seemingly normal people, and true monsters masquerade under the guise of banality.
The book deals with some of the most horrible situations a person can go through with extreme delicacy. Not everyone has a happy ending, sometimes there are crimes that go unpunished, sometimes victims never receive justice, some wounds heal but many more never do. I cried so much while reading this book because of how close to home it hit for me, I was honestly touched.
I can’t say much more about the book because it’s really the sort of story that needs to be experienced without spoilers. I will however note that the content in this book is difficult to stomach. For a survivor of abuse it can be either cathartic or utterly horrifying, which is why I’ve added a trigger warning in the list of warnings below. I cautiously recommend this book for those ready for a poignant and unflinchingly honest exploration of domestic abuse.
Between Two Worlds: Memoirs of a Philosopher-Scientist: 2016
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To go through the pages of the Autobiography of Mario Bunge is to accompany him through dozens of...
Here I am: The Story of Tim Hetherington, War Photographer
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Tim Hetherington (1970-2011) was one of the world's most distinguished and dedicated...