Search
Search results
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Magicians' Guild (Black Magician Trilogy, #1) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
Trudi Canavan has been on my 'to read' list for a long time (far too long really). I finally found the time to read The Magicians' Guild - book one of the Black Magician trilogy.
The story revolves around Sonea, a girl living amongst the poor and near-poor of Imardin. The city is home to the titular guild, where the greatest magicians in the world learn and teach.
Those showing magical talent only come from the ruling classes. But Sonea has magical talent so the guild need to either break tradition and train her or block her powers as unless she is trained they will unleash themselves and kill her. The problem is that Sonea (along with the rest of the less privileged city dwellers) distrusts and fears the guild.
The book is in two parts - the first involves Sonea hiding from the guild and their attempts to find her. This is quite a clever strategy from a story telling point of view since the world and characters can be gradually introduced. We meet Sonea and her friends, and also the Thieves that control the slums. On the magicians' side we find some are sympathetic towards Sonea while others are outraged at the thought of training a slum girl - some for more personal reasons than others.
The second half involves Sonea's initial training at the guild. I do try not to give away major plot direction in these reviews, but I don't think it's much of a spoiler that she does end up in the guild, given the name of the book. In this part we find out more about magic and the guild, plus the plot that forms the core of this book moves forward and is resolved in a satisfactory - and dramatic - style.
Canavan's writing is focused firmly on character, although the world around them is fully realised, with the slums suitably dingy and grubby and the guild grand and opulent. The characters are allowed to develop through the pages. I found the start a little slow going, but I think that was mostly because the previous book I read was for more action based. There is also very little dramatic tension about Sonea ending up in the guild, but I don't think that is the purpose of the first half of the book anyway.
This story is clearly there to set up the characters for the trilogy as a whole - and as the plot progresses Sonea discovers some things that are clearly going to be important in her future. The way the ending is left is therefore very finely balanced between the resolution of the main plot and leaving the threads for the next book, and Canavan is spot on in delivering this.
Overall I really liked this book and will read the other installments as time allows without hesitation. If you are looking for some brutal anti-hero cutting a swathe of destruction through his enemies this is not the book for you. If you want some careful characterisation and a personality driven and human-scale plot, pick up this book. It is also refreshing to have a female main protagonist in the traditionally macho world of fantasy. Recommended.
The story revolves around Sonea, a girl living amongst the poor and near-poor of Imardin. The city is home to the titular guild, where the greatest magicians in the world learn and teach.
Those showing magical talent only come from the ruling classes. But Sonea has magical talent so the guild need to either break tradition and train her or block her powers as unless she is trained they will unleash themselves and kill her. The problem is that Sonea (along with the rest of the less privileged city dwellers) distrusts and fears the guild.
The book is in two parts - the first involves Sonea hiding from the guild and their attempts to find her. This is quite a clever strategy from a story telling point of view since the world and characters can be gradually introduced. We meet Sonea and her friends, and also the Thieves that control the slums. On the magicians' side we find some are sympathetic towards Sonea while others are outraged at the thought of training a slum girl - some for more personal reasons than others.
The second half involves Sonea's initial training at the guild. I do try not to give away major plot direction in these reviews, but I don't think it's much of a spoiler that she does end up in the guild, given the name of the book. In this part we find out more about magic and the guild, plus the plot that forms the core of this book moves forward and is resolved in a satisfactory - and dramatic - style.
Canavan's writing is focused firmly on character, although the world around them is fully realised, with the slums suitably dingy and grubby and the guild grand and opulent. The characters are allowed to develop through the pages. I found the start a little slow going, but I think that was mostly because the previous book I read was for more action based. There is also very little dramatic tension about Sonea ending up in the guild, but I don't think that is the purpose of the first half of the book anyway.
This story is clearly there to set up the characters for the trilogy as a whole - and as the plot progresses Sonea discovers some things that are clearly going to be important in her future. The way the ending is left is therefore very finely balanced between the resolution of the main plot and leaving the threads for the next book, and Canavan is spot on in delivering this.
Overall I really liked this book and will read the other installments as time allows without hesitation. If you are looking for some brutal anti-hero cutting a swathe of destruction through his enemies this is not the book for you. If you want some careful characterisation and a personality driven and human-scale plot, pick up this book. It is also refreshing to have a female main protagonist in the traditionally macho world of fantasy. Recommended.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated The Pilgrims (Pendulum #1) in Books
Nov 25, 2019
The Pilgrims is the second book by Will Elliott and the first in the Pendulum trilogy. It follows Eric (a down on his luck journalist) and Case (an old vagrant that Eric befriends) who discover that a small door under a bridge leads to a different world.
The story follows them as they travel across this new land of Levaal and encounters various inhabitants - human and other races. There has been a war simmering between The Castle - ruled by the (not to beat about the bush) insane Vous - and a coalition of still-free cities governed by their respective mayors. Eric and Case arrive just as the war is about to become a full battle, and it's clear that this is not a coincidence.
I'm always wary of fantasy books where people cross from this world into the world of the writer's imagination, it always seems like a bit of a fanboy's wet dream and sometimes it isn't handled well and leaves a lot of holes. Elliott does adequately well in addressing these - Eric (at least) does not cross by accident, the magic that brings them to the world allows them to speak the correct language and so on. Elliott also wisely immediately plunges the antagonists into action, revealing the wonders of Levaal rather than letting them frolic on some untouched green hillside.
The other notable deviation from this being any sort of wish fulfillment fantasy is that Levaal actually isn't very.... nice. Danger, intrigue and double dealing abound. Vous could be nominally labelled as the 'bad guy' but it's clearly described that he is doing what are bad things for what he considers the right reasons. There are no 'dark lords' here and by the same token the 'good guys' really aren't particularly good.
Eric and Case are not spared from this. Neither is a paragon of virtue, Eric has some distinct character flaws, which are made very clear to him by other characters and perhaps at least some of the arc of the trilogy will be Eric becoming a 'better' person. Case has served time in prison for murder and is an alcoholic, the latter fact makes him behave erratically at best.
The inhabitants of Levaal do not deviate far from stock fantasy races, but all are unique and the world does seem to fit together and work quite well as a 'real' place, I did like the mechanism of how the magic worked and its limitations. Elliott has really put some thought into this.
The writing is hard to find fault with; the descriptive passages have real atmosphere, the dialogue is sharp and always in keeping with the characters, which in themselves are complex and nobody is represented as a cipher or standard trope. The story is engaging and moves at a terrific pace, covering a lot of ground (both metaphorically and across Levaal).
The ending is a real cliff hanger with a sting in the tail and it will be interesting to see where the story goes in the next volume, Shadow.
Highly recommended, though not for younger readers due to explicit sexual references.
The story follows them as they travel across this new land of Levaal and encounters various inhabitants - human and other races. There has been a war simmering between The Castle - ruled by the (not to beat about the bush) insane Vous - and a coalition of still-free cities governed by their respective mayors. Eric and Case arrive just as the war is about to become a full battle, and it's clear that this is not a coincidence.
I'm always wary of fantasy books where people cross from this world into the world of the writer's imagination, it always seems like a bit of a fanboy's wet dream and sometimes it isn't handled well and leaves a lot of holes. Elliott does adequately well in addressing these - Eric (at least) does not cross by accident, the magic that brings them to the world allows them to speak the correct language and so on. Elliott also wisely immediately plunges the antagonists into action, revealing the wonders of Levaal rather than letting them frolic on some untouched green hillside.
The other notable deviation from this being any sort of wish fulfillment fantasy is that Levaal actually isn't very.... nice. Danger, intrigue and double dealing abound. Vous could be nominally labelled as the 'bad guy' but it's clearly described that he is doing what are bad things for what he considers the right reasons. There are no 'dark lords' here and by the same token the 'good guys' really aren't particularly good.
Eric and Case are not spared from this. Neither is a paragon of virtue, Eric has some distinct character flaws, which are made very clear to him by other characters and perhaps at least some of the arc of the trilogy will be Eric becoming a 'better' person. Case has served time in prison for murder and is an alcoholic, the latter fact makes him behave erratically at best.
The inhabitants of Levaal do not deviate far from stock fantasy races, but all are unique and the world does seem to fit together and work quite well as a 'real' place, I did like the mechanism of how the magic worked and its limitations. Elliott has really put some thought into this.
The writing is hard to find fault with; the descriptive passages have real atmosphere, the dialogue is sharp and always in keeping with the characters, which in themselves are complex and nobody is represented as a cipher or standard trope. The story is engaging and moves at a terrific pace, covering a lot of ground (both metaphorically and across Levaal).
The ending is a real cliff hanger with a sting in the tail and it will be interesting to see where the story goes in the next volume, Shadow.
Highly recommended, though not for younger readers due to explicit sexual references.
Erika (17788 KP) rated Shadow and Bone - Season 1 in TV
Jul 16, 2021
Shadow and Bone is based upon the popular Young Adult series, The Grisha Trilogy, which takes place in a steampunk-ish, Russian fantasy world at war. The story’s main character is Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an orphan who discovers she has some magical powers when she journeys into something called the Fold with her childhood friend Malyen, “Mal” (Archie Renaux), for short. The witches in this fantasy world are called Grisha and are trained to help with military operations for some king. The General of this witch army is Kirigan, played by Ben Barnes. There are also two other storylines, this group of kidnappers, and a Grisha that’s enslaved.
This series wasn’t really made for a general audience, it was made for the fans of the book trilogy. The series starts, and the watcher is immediately thrust into this fantasy world that doesn’t really make much sense with no prior knowledge. If you couldn’t tell from the series description, I wasn’t really into it. It took me two months to watch all eight of the episodes. I almost didn’t keep watching after the first two episodes, but my boss encouraged me to keep going.
The storyline is your standard YA novel, a girl who didn’t know her powers, some lame love triangle, and for some reason, the girl is the only one that can save the world. Nothing new to see here. My interest was only piqued by Barnes’ character Kirigan, and Barnes was the main reason I actually kept watching the show. The seventh episode, which features Kirigan’s backstory, was the most interesting.
The whole kidnapping crew storyline wasn’t really all that interesting. The leader, Kaz (Freddy Carter) is a kingpin-type character with an unexplained limp, or I missed the explanation. The crew also had an assassin-type character, Inej (Amita Suman), who might not really have been an assassin, again, missed that explanation. The best member of this crew was Jesper (Kit Young), who was the charmer, expert trick shooter, and the second most interesting character in the series.
The subplot with the whole kidnapping Alina thing was neither here nor there, I don’t even remember the characters’ names that were involved in this subplot. Maybe it meant something to the readers of the novels, or it’ll make sense in the next season, but it certainly didn’t mean anything to me. I think I fast-forwarded through those portions in the last episode.
I think I started liking it after the seventh episode, but two interesting episodes does not make an interesting series. It’s been about a week since I finished it, and I honestly had to look up all the characters’ names. I probably seem flippant about explaining the different plots, but it’s legitimately all I remember. This series also didn’t leave me with a hankering to read the book series, nor would I care to watch any further seasons. I’m sure if you’re a fan of the book series, you’d probably love this, but it was not for me.
This series wasn’t really made for a general audience, it was made for the fans of the book trilogy. The series starts, and the watcher is immediately thrust into this fantasy world that doesn’t really make much sense with no prior knowledge. If you couldn’t tell from the series description, I wasn’t really into it. It took me two months to watch all eight of the episodes. I almost didn’t keep watching after the first two episodes, but my boss encouraged me to keep going.
The storyline is your standard YA novel, a girl who didn’t know her powers, some lame love triangle, and for some reason, the girl is the only one that can save the world. Nothing new to see here. My interest was only piqued by Barnes’ character Kirigan, and Barnes was the main reason I actually kept watching the show. The seventh episode, which features Kirigan’s backstory, was the most interesting.
The whole kidnapping crew storyline wasn’t really all that interesting. The leader, Kaz (Freddy Carter) is a kingpin-type character with an unexplained limp, or I missed the explanation. The crew also had an assassin-type character, Inej (Amita Suman), who might not really have been an assassin, again, missed that explanation. The best member of this crew was Jesper (Kit Young), who was the charmer, expert trick shooter, and the second most interesting character in the series.
The subplot with the whole kidnapping Alina thing was neither here nor there, I don’t even remember the characters’ names that were involved in this subplot. Maybe it meant something to the readers of the novels, or it’ll make sense in the next season, but it certainly didn’t mean anything to me. I think I fast-forwarded through those portions in the last episode.
I think I started liking it after the seventh episode, but two interesting episodes does not make an interesting series. It’s been about a week since I finished it, and I honestly had to look up all the characters’ names. I probably seem flippant about explaining the different plots, but it’s legitimately all I remember. This series also didn’t leave me with a hankering to read the book series, nor would I care to watch any further seasons. I’m sure if you’re a fan of the book series, you’d probably love this, but it was not for me.
Debbiereadsbook (1202 KP) rated Restrained Desires (Rehoboth Pact #3) in Books
Apr 9, 2022
Saved the best for last!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is the final book in the Rehoboth Pact trilogy. It CAN be read as a stand alone, however I STRONGLY recommend you read the other two books first. It will give you a better picture of Kyle and how, up to now, she has been kind of in the background. Confined got 4 stars, Opposed crept up to 4.5 stars.
But this one? Knocked it out the park, baby, and it gets the full and shiny 5 star rating! Saving the best for last was the right thing to do!
Chelsea is Aubrey's sister (from Opposed) and is newly divorced from her husband. Kyle is, well, at best, plodding along. Her mother (and I use the term very loosely!) pushes Kyle to say she is bringing a date to the family gathering and then panics because she doesn't have one. Chelsea, being all single, steps up to the plate to help Kyle. And there follows a journey of self discovery, and learning to love yourself, and that found families can be so much more than blood families.
Kyle. . .oh! i wanted to wrap her up and give her a big cuddle cos that parental female unit was not a nice person! Wanted to punch the b*tch a time or two! But Chelsea? She really SEES Kyle, and Kyle does struggle a bit with that, at first. Once she and Chelsea take their fake relationship up a notch, Kyle really benefits for having someone in her corner. And Chelsea? She's different to Aubs, but not less a force to be reckoned with. Once she gets her hands on Kyle, there was no going back.
Til someone does something stoopid and then there is a fight to be had.
Aubs nearly got a punch, here, along with that parental unit. She didn't take too well to Chelsea and Kyle getting together and deals with it badly. She DOES redeem herself, giving Chelsea the means to win the fight for Kyle, but still.
It is again, HEAVY on the emotional aspect, but for Kyle dealing with that parental unit b*tch and feelings of inadequacy, and Chelsea, dealing with her divorce, but her father's betrayal cuts deep. He does come out the other side, but faced with losing both his daughters will make anyone turnaround rapidly!
The smexy stuff? Oh! My! Days! steamiest of the three. Mostly because Kyle pushes every single button of Chelsea's and then some. And Chelsea pushes buttons in Kyle she never knew she needed pushing!
Obviously, Aubs and Selina play a part here, but also Mia and Sky, and it was lovely to catch up with them all.
I again commend Ms McIntyre on her writing skills. Switching from MF, to MM and then to FF can't be easy, but McIntyre NAILS it with the final book in this trilogy. Keep 'em coming, please!
As I said . .
5 full and shiny stars!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
This is the final book in the Rehoboth Pact trilogy. It CAN be read as a stand alone, however I STRONGLY recommend you read the other two books first. It will give you a better picture of Kyle and how, up to now, she has been kind of in the background. Confined got 4 stars, Opposed crept up to 4.5 stars.
But this one? Knocked it out the park, baby, and it gets the full and shiny 5 star rating! Saving the best for last was the right thing to do!
Chelsea is Aubrey's sister (from Opposed) and is newly divorced from her husband. Kyle is, well, at best, plodding along. Her mother (and I use the term very loosely!) pushes Kyle to say she is bringing a date to the family gathering and then panics because she doesn't have one. Chelsea, being all single, steps up to the plate to help Kyle. And there follows a journey of self discovery, and learning to love yourself, and that found families can be so much more than blood families.
Kyle. . .oh! i wanted to wrap her up and give her a big cuddle cos that parental female unit was not a nice person! Wanted to punch the b*tch a time or two! But Chelsea? She really SEES Kyle, and Kyle does struggle a bit with that, at first. Once she and Chelsea take their fake relationship up a notch, Kyle really benefits for having someone in her corner. And Chelsea? She's different to Aubs, but not less a force to be reckoned with. Once she gets her hands on Kyle, there was no going back.
Til someone does something stoopid and then there is a fight to be had.
Aubs nearly got a punch, here, along with that parental unit. She didn't take too well to Chelsea and Kyle getting together and deals with it badly. She DOES redeem herself, giving Chelsea the means to win the fight for Kyle, but still.
It is again, HEAVY on the emotional aspect, but for Kyle dealing with that parental unit b*tch and feelings of inadequacy, and Chelsea, dealing with her divorce, but her father's betrayal cuts deep. He does come out the other side, but faced with losing both his daughters will make anyone turnaround rapidly!
The smexy stuff? Oh! My! Days! steamiest of the three. Mostly because Kyle pushes every single button of Chelsea's and then some. And Chelsea pushes buttons in Kyle she never knew she needed pushing!
Obviously, Aubs and Selina play a part here, but also Mia and Sky, and it was lovely to catch up with them all.
I again commend Ms McIntyre on her writing skills. Switching from MF, to MM and then to FF can't be easy, but McIntyre NAILS it with the final book in this trilogy. Keep 'em coming, please!
As I said . .
5 full and shiny stars!
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Hit the Ground Running in Books
May 10, 2018
Eric Bakker has just received a cryptic message from his brother, Michael, about the disappearance of their parents. Now Michael is also missing, but who can Eric trust to help him with all of this. Michael says to trust no one. Eric is away at boarding school and hasn't made too many friends. What is he going to do to find his family?
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Hit the Ground Running had me hooked from the start. I read almost 1/2 the book on the first day. This is a faced paced novel that leaves you wanting more. Imagine your parents dumping you in a boarding school in Canada for no good reason and uprooting you from the home you've always known. Eric isn't sure why his family made the move to Canada or why he has to go to this school. He tries to stick to himself as much as possible. But when he needs help to find his family, who can he trust to help him. While contemplating his situation, he runs into Tess another student from the school, and she thinks she may have a way to help him. Can he trust her? Will he be able to find his brother and his parents before it's too late?
This is the first book in a trilogy. The end leaves you hanging so you will want to read the next book. I can't wait for it to be released.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Moon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Hit the Ground Running had me hooked from the start. I read almost 1/2 the book on the first day. This is a faced paced novel that leaves you wanting more. Imagine your parents dumping you in a boarding school in Canada for no good reason and uprooting you from the home you've always known. Eric isn't sure why his family made the move to Canada or why he has to go to this school. He tries to stick to himself as much as possible. But when he needs help to find his family, who can he trust to help him. While contemplating his situation, he runs into Tess another student from the school, and she thinks she may have a way to help him. Can he trust her? Will he be able to find his brother and his parents before it's too late?
This is the first book in a trilogy. The end leaves you hanging so you will want to read the next book. I can't wait for it to be released.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Extras (Uglies, #4) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
I enjoyed this book as an epilogue to the Ugly Trilogy. It resolved the one aspect that I thought was left hanging in Specials, the fate of the planet Earth itself in regards to how the current human race treated it, as opposed to how the Rusties were notorious for destroying it. I liked that I got to see how Tally and the other Cutters were viewed from an outsider with the viewpoint of Aya Fuse. In addition, the reputation economy that Aya lived in was unnervingly familiar to our own Western society of blogging, social networking, computer and television-centered lifestyles. Of the four books, I found this one the most enlightening and original, in the same genre as other dystopian literature. It seeks to reveal the truth through a piece of fiction, or as one character in the book proclaims, "I guess you sometimes have to lie to find the truth."
I did find the resolution that the Extras came up with regarding the protection of the wild to be a bit far-fetched and lacking detail and explanation - it takes much, much more to train for life in outer space than just floating around on zero-gravity attachments. The lightness with which this topic is approached in the novel does not do it justice by any means, but I had to remind myself that this is still a Young Adult novel. At the same time, this concept opens up a whole new plotline that Westerfeld could pursue in the Ugly series, should he want to, which I do appreciate.
I did find the resolution that the Extras came up with regarding the protection of the wild to be a bit far-fetched and lacking detail and explanation - it takes much, much more to train for life in outer space than just floating around on zero-gravity attachments. The lightness with which this topic is approached in the novel does not do it justice by any means, but I had to remind myself that this is still a Young Adult novel. At the same time, this concept opens up a whole new plotline that Westerfeld could pursue in the Ugly series, should he want to, which I do appreciate.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Storm Glass (Glass, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
It's been awhile since I read Maria V. Snyder's first trilogy, but this book follows right on its heels, explaining how Opal Cowen connects to Yelena, while leading into Opal's life of glass-making. The whole process is intricately described throughout the book, but without burdening the plot with too much detail.
Despite the part that Opal played and her great contribution to Sitia, she does not consider her magical abilities to be anything worth boasting about and struggles with low self-esteem for most of the book. All the while, her abilities grow and blossom in the face of suspense and danger. Her specific talents keep her busy solving one magical dilemma after another, introducing her to new characters along the way, as well as bringing in familiar faces - some welcome and some not.
The romantic aspects to the book involve her being torn between two men, Kale of the Stormdance clan, and Ulrick, a fellow glass-maker. While Opal shares qualities with both young men, I prefer her chemistry with the moody, quiet Kale over the self-absorbed Ulrick.
One of the more interesting characters in the book aside from Opal is her school nemesis, who also happens to be in the running for becoming a Master Magician. Their interactions teach Opal a few things about herself, both magical and psychological, and they develop into unlikely allies. Theirs is one of several loose ends left in the book that will likely be continued in the next book, Sea Glass.
Despite the part that Opal played and her great contribution to Sitia, she does not consider her magical abilities to be anything worth boasting about and struggles with low self-esteem for most of the book. All the while, her abilities grow and blossom in the face of suspense and danger. Her specific talents keep her busy solving one magical dilemma after another, introducing her to new characters along the way, as well as bringing in familiar faces - some welcome and some not.
The romantic aspects to the book involve her being torn between two men, Kale of the Stormdance clan, and Ulrick, a fellow glass-maker. While Opal shares qualities with both young men, I prefer her chemistry with the moody, quiet Kale over the self-absorbed Ulrick.
One of the more interesting characters in the book aside from Opal is her school nemesis, who also happens to be in the running for becoming a Master Magician. Their interactions teach Opal a few things about herself, both magical and psychological, and they develop into unlikely allies. Theirs is one of several loose ends left in the book that will likely be continued in the next book, Sea Glass.
Goddess in the Stacks (553 KP) rated The Bear and the Nightingale in Books
Feb 1, 2018
Beautiful descriptions (1 more)
Nice worldbuilding
Good but overhyped
So I finally got around to reading this one - people have been raving about it all year long. And honestly - I don't see what the fuss is about. It's good, sure. But it's not Girls Made of Snow and Glass, or The Crown's Game, or Uprooted. It's not The Golem and the Jinni. I enjoyed it, but I think the hype is a little undeserved. I am, however, always a sucker for Russian-themed fairytales. (Probably why I liked The Crown's Game and The Crown's Fate so much.) And I am looking forward to the sequel, The Girl in the Tower, which just came out. (I have a hold requested on it from my library.) The third book in the Winternight Trilogy appears to be The Winter of the Witch, and is scheduled to be published in August.
The Bear and the Nightingale is set in Rus - a Russia-like country, but with magic, of course. Vasilisa/Vasya is a granddaughter of a witch, and has some abilities herself. Mostly just the ability to see things that other can't, and to talk to them. Through the course of the book, she avoids an arranged marriage, saves a priest, fights a priest, and tries like hell to save her village from the demons of winter. I loved her tenacity, and her love for the old spirits. The description of The Winter King and his home was absolutely enchanting. Overall a good book, but a bit overhyped.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
The Bear and the Nightingale is set in Rus - a Russia-like country, but with magic, of course. Vasilisa/Vasya is a granddaughter of a witch, and has some abilities herself. Mostly just the ability to see things that other can't, and to talk to them. Through the course of the book, she avoids an arranged marriage, saves a priest, fights a priest, and tries like hell to save her village from the demons of winter. I loved her tenacity, and her love for the old spirits. The description of The Winter King and his home was absolutely enchanting. Overall a good book, but a bit overhyped.
You can find all my reviews at http://goddessinthestacks.wordpress.com
David McK (3425 KP) rated Star Wars: Alphabet Squadron (Alphabet Squadron #1) in Books
Dec 23, 2019
During the mid-to-late 90s (prior to even the Prequels), there was an explosion of Star Wars Expanded Universe novels.
Most of those novels concentrated on Han, Luke, Leia and co.
Most, but not all.
Alongside those, there was also two separate series of books, initially taking Wedge Antilles as a key character, concentrating instead on the fighter pilots of (initially) Rogue Squadron and (later) Wraith Squadron, taking inspiration for the X-Wing and TIE fighter computer games of the time.
And those novels themselves - now considered 'Legends' i.e. no longer canon - could very well have provided inspiration for this, the first of a spin-off trilogy (I think) from a series of graphic novels.
Whereas Rogue and Wraith squadron both had their pilots flying the same type of fighter craft, and both were very cinematic in their presentation, this novel - definitely in the first half (which, I felt, dragged somewhat) - concentrates more on its members psychology, with the so-called Alphabet squadron headed up by an ex-Imperial keen to prove her loyalty to the New Republic. And why is it called Alphabet Squadron? Because the pilots fly a mix of starfighter, from an A-Wing (i.e. that which crashes into the Star Destroyer bridge in Return of the Jedi) to a B Wing (the cross-shaped bomber glimpsed in flight), to an X-Wing (the type Luke Skywalker flies) to a U-Wing (The personnel carrier introduced in Rogue One) to a Y-Wing (the initial bombing run on the Death Star).
Most of those novels concentrated on Han, Luke, Leia and co.
Most, but not all.
Alongside those, there was also two separate series of books, initially taking Wedge Antilles as a key character, concentrating instead on the fighter pilots of (initially) Rogue Squadron and (later) Wraith Squadron, taking inspiration for the X-Wing and TIE fighter computer games of the time.
And those novels themselves - now considered 'Legends' i.e. no longer canon - could very well have provided inspiration for this, the first of a spin-off trilogy (I think) from a series of graphic novels.
Whereas Rogue and Wraith squadron both had their pilots flying the same type of fighter craft, and both were very cinematic in their presentation, this novel - definitely in the first half (which, I felt, dragged somewhat) - concentrates more on its members psychology, with the so-called Alphabet squadron headed up by an ex-Imperial keen to prove her loyalty to the New Republic. And why is it called Alphabet Squadron? Because the pilots fly a mix of starfighter, from an A-Wing (i.e. that which crashes into the Star Destroyer bridge in Return of the Jedi) to a B Wing (the cross-shaped bomber glimpsed in flight), to an X-Wing (the type Luke Skywalker flies) to a U-Wing (The personnel carrier introduced in Rogue One) to a Y-Wing (the initial bombing run on the Death Star).
Erika (17788 KP) rated Glass (2019) in Movies
Jan 19, 2019 (Updated Jan 19, 2019)
Bruce Willis is just collecting a paycheck at this point in his career. (1 more)
Foreshadowing makes everything completely obvious.
A completely polarizing film
Disclaimer: I've now seen this film twice, and I'm fully prepared to finally write this review. I may be a partial M. Night apologist, so, warning, that's where I'm coming from. Side Note: Avatar: The Last Airbender is never a film I'll defend, it sucked.
This is probably not the movie people were expecting. This film was purposely the antithesis of the standard superhero film, and it was completely on purpose. Yes, the end was anti-climactic, however, for these characters, it made complete sense.
My issue was that the heavy-handed foreshadowing made the story line completely obvious. Again, I watch a lot of films and read a lot of books, so I am rarely surprised by twists. One of the twists was foreshadowed by Split itself, and the lineage of a certain character was kind of obvious once it was revealed Unbreakable was connected.
I also feel like Bruce Willis is just collecting a paycheck, he was mostly just moody Dunn. Which, was fine for the character, but it's almost all of his characters now.
I absolutely adored James McAvoy in the film, his performance made the film worth watching, hence, why I went again. Also, I want all of Casey's (Anya Taylor-Joy) clothing worn throughout the film.
Again, this is a polarizing film, and I'm sure a ton of people will disagree with me. But, it was the perfect ending to the trilogy.
This is probably not the movie people were expecting. This film was purposely the antithesis of the standard superhero film, and it was completely on purpose. Yes, the end was anti-climactic, however, for these characters, it made complete sense.
My issue was that the heavy-handed foreshadowing made the story line completely obvious. Again, I watch a lot of films and read a lot of books, so I am rarely surprised by twists. One of the twists was foreshadowed by Split itself, and the lineage of a certain character was kind of obvious once it was revealed Unbreakable was connected.
I also feel like Bruce Willis is just collecting a paycheck, he was mostly just moody Dunn. Which, was fine for the character, but it's almost all of his characters now.
I absolutely adored James McAvoy in the film, his performance made the film worth watching, hence, why I went again. Also, I want all of Casey's (Anya Taylor-Joy) clothing worn throughout the film.
Again, this is a polarizing film, and I'm sure a ton of people will disagree with me. But, it was the perfect ending to the trilogy.