Search
Search results
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Neptune's Tears (Timedance, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Original Review posted on <a title="Neptune's Tears by Susan Waggoner" href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2013/05/arc-review-neptunes-tears-by-susan-waggoner.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>.
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is not influenced in any way.</i>
In a futuristic London, England, seventeen-year-old Zee McAdams is an empath a psychic healer working at the Royal London Hospital. As an empath, she can't afford distractions getting in the way of her career, such as falling in love or even reading (oh, wait, reading? *squeak of horror*). But then she meets a cute patient who pretty much breaks down her wall of calm that she has earned throughout her career. During that time of anarchist bombings, Zee is also experiencing other psychic abilities relating to the bombings.
As soon as the word "alien" appeared, I pretty much freaked out. I assumed it was going to be another I Am Number Four type of alien story where a mortal girl falls in love with super hot alien dude and it's forbidden but the alien dude hasn't told her the truth yet until something totally out of the ordinary happens and he has to tell her the truth (that was a mouthful... I think). Then when she finds out the truth, she doesn't freak out. It's pretty much, "Oh. Okay. You're an alien. Cool. I still like you, and we'll fight to the end, side by side." Not that I mind, really, but it's just the very fact that the mortal doesn't even have the slightest bit of panic.
In this case, it's not exactly that type of alien story. It finally (FINALLY!) happens that someone actually seemed to panic and run off freaking out (er, more like a what-just-happened-I-don't-think-I-heard-right type of way) about an alien race merging with us fellow Earthlings. I was so happy to read that, having a slice of Dauntless cake right then and there would have been perfect timing.
Zee's friend, Rani, is a fashionista, and a romantic. I find her to be a caring and supportive friend to Zee when she needs it. I also find that she's caring due to what she does for Zee near the end. I find it really sad, since Rani is actually one of my favorite characters in Neptune's Tears.
Waggoner creates an amazingly exciting futuristic world with a lot of new technologies. The very fact that email is being used with a stick and that there's an interactive theater along with many others is truly amazing. I would love to live in that type of world and experience it one day.
Note: Formatting is lost due to copy and paste.
<i><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is not influenced in any way.</i>
In a futuristic London, England, seventeen-year-old Zee McAdams is an empath a psychic healer working at the Royal London Hospital. As an empath, she can't afford distractions getting in the way of her career, such as falling in love or even reading (oh, wait, reading? *squeak of horror*). But then she meets a cute patient who pretty much breaks down her wall of calm that she has earned throughout her career. During that time of anarchist bombings, Zee is also experiencing other psychic abilities relating to the bombings.
As soon as the word "alien" appeared, I pretty much freaked out. I assumed it was going to be another I Am Number Four type of alien story where a mortal girl falls in love with super hot alien dude and it's forbidden but the alien dude hasn't told her the truth yet until something totally out of the ordinary happens and he has to tell her the truth (that was a mouthful... I think). Then when she finds out the truth, she doesn't freak out. It's pretty much, "Oh. Okay. You're an alien. Cool. I still like you, and we'll fight to the end, side by side." Not that I mind, really, but it's just the very fact that the mortal doesn't even have the slightest bit of panic.
In this case, it's not exactly that type of alien story. It finally (FINALLY!) happens that someone actually seemed to panic and run off freaking out (er, more like a what-just-happened-I-don't-think-I-heard-right type of way) about an alien race merging with us fellow Earthlings. I was so happy to read that, having a slice of Dauntless cake right then and there would have been perfect timing.
Zee's friend, Rani, is a fashionista, and a romantic. I find her to be a caring and supportive friend to Zee when she needs it. I also find that she's caring due to what she does for Zee near the end. I find it really sad, since Rani is actually one of my favorite characters in Neptune's Tears.
Waggoner creates an amazingly exciting futuristic world with a lot of new technologies. The very fact that email is being used with a stick and that there's an interactive theater along with many others is truly amazing. I would love to live in that type of world and experience it one day.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Alien: Covenant (2017) in Movies
Dec 18, 2017
Didn't feel like an Alien film (no suspense) (1 more)
Doesn't repair the bad feelings left by Prometheus
Where Prometheus came kind of close to explaining the origins of the aliens from the original films, it just fell short (see all the well documented plot holes and inconsistencies). Here, Ridley Scott had a chance to remedy that, but instead seems to have decided to keep digging and has promised we'll eventually get there and all will be revealed.
We are led to believe android David has been beavering away, having killed a planet full of Engineers, developing the greatest living being - the xenomorph. So we are led to believe that after killing all the life on the planet he has somehow been implanting these alien embryos into a living host. Erm ... How?
Also, if the classic xenomorph has only now started to develop after being incubated in a human host, how come they were clearly depicted in ancient cave drawings in Alien vs Predator?
Also also, if the facehugger is apparently a more efficient delivery method than air-borne (I don't think it is) how come it takes so much longer in the original films - John Hurt lying with a facehugger on for hours before hatching, where here the whole gestation seems to be minutes, or an hour as the pace of the film requires. The evolution seems to have slowed down between here and Alien. Also the chestburster becomes an instant killing machine rather than being a weak little snake needing to hide out and eat.
The trademark Alien suspense was completely lacking. Nowhere was there the edge of the seat, dark corridors, pipes coming alive or anything. It was more of an action film with little horror aspect in it.
Overall, this film felt like even more of an insult to the original films than Prometheus did. It could well be that this becomes a small part of a masterpiece but it seems very unlikely and feels like a very long way round and poorly delivered.
We are led to believe android David has been beavering away, having killed a planet full of Engineers, developing the greatest living being - the xenomorph. So we are led to believe that after killing all the life on the planet he has somehow been implanting these alien embryos into a living host. Erm ... How?
Also, if the classic xenomorph has only now started to develop after being incubated in a human host, how come they were clearly depicted in ancient cave drawings in Alien vs Predator?
Also also, if the facehugger is apparently a more efficient delivery method than air-borne (I don't think it is) how come it takes so much longer in the original films - John Hurt lying with a facehugger on for hours before hatching, where here the whole gestation seems to be minutes, or an hour as the pace of the film requires. The evolution seems to have slowed down between here and Alien. Also the chestburster becomes an instant killing machine rather than being a weak little snake needing to hide out and eat.
The trademark Alien suspense was completely lacking. Nowhere was there the edge of the seat, dark corridors, pipes coming alive or anything. It was more of an action film with little horror aspect in it.
Overall, this film felt like even more of an insult to the original films than Prometheus did. It could well be that this becomes a small part of a masterpiece but it seems very unlikely and feels like a very long way round and poorly delivered.
Steven Sklansky (231 KP) rated Life (2017) in Movies
Jan 8, 2018
Who knew finding an alien life form on another planet wasn't going to end badly. Well I would think everyone. I like that they also told the whole world that they found it too, and they gave it a name. If you know anything about finding an animal, once you give it a name its harder to let it go. The other problem is if it does get to earth an cause chaos now you know who to blame.
This movie was just like every other alien movie out there. I don't think I saw one surprise the whole time. The end was sort of, but you could have seen it coming. The one thing that I did like was the alien itself. How it grew, how it fed and how smart it was. Usually you don't get that from a alien movie. Its mostly seek and destroy.
The acting was just ok. For the cast that was chosen I think it could have been better. Also I thought there should have been a love story with a couple crew members, it would have added a little more drama. I also think if you send a team to space they really should have all been on the same page with firewalls.
I liked the graphics and the CGI. The way it was filmed was cool too. Being able to film the whole movie with it looking like they were in space was great. I thought you could totally believe they were floating around.
I think this movie could totally have a sequel if they do it correctly. Because they include the Earth at the beginning of the movie, I think it would be cool to find out what happened.
As far as alien movies go, it wasn't the worst. It was entertaining. I would say if you are looking for something sci-fi to watch or you just like the cast, go for it. As always, enjoy the show.
This movie was just like every other alien movie out there. I don't think I saw one surprise the whole time. The end was sort of, but you could have seen it coming. The one thing that I did like was the alien itself. How it grew, how it fed and how smart it was. Usually you don't get that from a alien movie. Its mostly seek and destroy.
The acting was just ok. For the cast that was chosen I think it could have been better. Also I thought there should have been a love story with a couple crew members, it would have added a little more drama. I also think if you send a team to space they really should have all been on the same page with firewalls.
I liked the graphics and the CGI. The way it was filmed was cool too. Being able to film the whole movie with it looking like they were in space was great. I thought you could totally believe they were floating around.
I think this movie could totally have a sequel if they do it correctly. Because they include the Earth at the beginning of the movie, I think it would be cool to find out what happened.
As far as alien movies go, it wasn't the worst. It was entertaining. I would say if you are looking for something sci-fi to watch or you just like the cast, go for it. As always, enjoy the show.
Returner 77
Games
App Watch
Returner 77 is a cinematic sci-fi mystery puzzle game. You are in a giant alien spaceship hovering...
games
The final novel published in John Wyndham's lifetime is something of a return to form, offering a very different and understated take on the theme of first contact with alien life. The Gores are an utterly ordinary middle-class family until twelve-year-old Matthew acquires what seems to be a very strange imaginary friend - Chocky, who keeps asking all kinds of strange questions about life on Earth. As Chocky's influence over Matthew grows, vested terrestrial interests take an interest in this strange situation...
The thing that makes Chocky work so well - the overwhelming ordinariness of most of the characters and settings, contrasted with the always-at-a-remove alien presence of Chocky - is also the thing that will probably pose the biggest barrier for modern audiences. Wyndham was writing SF that would be acceptable to mainstream sixties readers, and his dry, reserved, conventional narrative voice may have done the job back then, but it feels rather dated now. Nevertheless this is a strong story, very capably told, touching upon some interesting ideas about communication with a truly alien intelligence. Not quite like anything else I've ever read; possibly a minor classic.
The thing that makes Chocky work so well - the overwhelming ordinariness of most of the characters and settings, contrasted with the always-at-a-remove alien presence of Chocky - is also the thing that will probably pose the biggest barrier for modern audiences. Wyndham was writing SF that would be acceptable to mainstream sixties readers, and his dry, reserved, conventional narrative voice may have done the job back then, but it feels rather dated now. Nevertheless this is a strong story, very capably told, touching upon some interesting ideas about communication with a truly alien intelligence. Not quite like anything else I've ever read; possibly a minor classic.
Neptune Crossing (Chaos Chronicles, #1)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Two unlikely heroes... Survey pilot John Bandicut is ready for the worst when he sets out across...
Power Rangers (2017)
6.4
Rate It
Movie Watch
Five high school teenagers are imbued with superpowers, and they join up as the Power Rangers to...
Zords Superheroes Saban's Power Rangers
Arrival (2016)
7.9
Rate It
Movie Watch
When twelve mysterious spacecraft appear around the world, linguistics professor Louise Banks is...
The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
7.5
Rate It
Movie Watch
An alien must pose as a human to save his dying planet, but a woman and greed of other men create...