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Paul Chesworth (3 KP) created a post
Feb 20, 2018
Uptown Oracle (24 KP) rated Moroda in Books
Jun 30, 2017
A Great Debut Fantasy Novel!
As we traipse the countries and cities of Linaria following a band of unlikely comrades, we're introduced to magic, dragons, and a foe leading a trail of destruction in his wake. Moroda and her allies must find a way to save Linaria before the war destroys them and everything around them.
One of my favourite parts of the book is that there's multiple wonderful characters. We have our main character, Moroda and her sister Eryn, two former Goldstones trying to survive after their fathers death. There's Morgen an Imperial Guard from Corhaven, who's unsure as to whether life in the Guard is for him. Amarah, a brusk sky pirate who cares more for money and treasure. Palom and Anahrik, two Ittallan traders who want to get back to their homeland before war hits. Sapora, a Varkain who also wants to return to his homeland, away from the prejudice against his kind. And Kohl, an exiled Arillian who can control wind and lightening. Groups are often used within the fantasy genre but Moroda doesn't confuse you with multitudes of characters.
The world of Linaria has different prejudices and stereotypes against races and the inclusion of these races allows to get a much better, unbiased opinion. Each of our characters has their own thoughts, motivations, backgrounds and histories. Despite preconceived views of each other, the characters are all individual. There's also strong character growth, especially for Moroda throughout the book. There was definitely the risk of falling into common female fantasy tropes with Moroda, but McNeil manages to miss each of these skillfully.
The only criticism is the antagonist, Aciel. Being told by other characters what Aciel was doing and how, is very different to be able to see it. There was a lost connection that I personally like having with the villains. We meet him and he does speak a little bit, but there's definitely that lack of attachment. This criticism is also very personal, as I know a lot of people wouldn't mind this at all.
As with any fantasy novel, you need a wonderful fantasy land. There's exploration of multiple cities, and also some comparisons by the characters themselves. Each place has it's own background and vivid descriptions. I'm really looking forward to more exploration of Sereth, the Varkain capital. There's also undertones of myth, lore and legend within Linaria. Which although not explored completely within this book will be fantastic to build upon in later books.
Moroda is romance free which I loved. I've read so many books recently where the romantic subplot overshadows the real plot, and this was so refreshing. The focus was on the friendships being made over the journey, and the sisterly bond between Moroda and Eryn.
Overall I loved Moroda. Perfect to go into reading more over summer as I've finally finished exams!
One of my favourite parts of the book is that there's multiple wonderful characters. We have our main character, Moroda and her sister Eryn, two former Goldstones trying to survive after their fathers death. There's Morgen an Imperial Guard from Corhaven, who's unsure as to whether life in the Guard is for him. Amarah, a brusk sky pirate who cares more for money and treasure. Palom and Anahrik, two Ittallan traders who want to get back to their homeland before war hits. Sapora, a Varkain who also wants to return to his homeland, away from the prejudice against his kind. And Kohl, an exiled Arillian who can control wind and lightening. Groups are often used within the fantasy genre but Moroda doesn't confuse you with multitudes of characters.
The world of Linaria has different prejudices and stereotypes against races and the inclusion of these races allows to get a much better, unbiased opinion. Each of our characters has their own thoughts, motivations, backgrounds and histories. Despite preconceived views of each other, the characters are all individual. There's also strong character growth, especially for Moroda throughout the book. There was definitely the risk of falling into common female fantasy tropes with Moroda, but McNeil manages to miss each of these skillfully.
The only criticism is the antagonist, Aciel. Being told by other characters what Aciel was doing and how, is very different to be able to see it. There was a lost connection that I personally like having with the villains. We meet him and he does speak a little bit, but there's definitely that lack of attachment. This criticism is also very personal, as I know a lot of people wouldn't mind this at all.
As with any fantasy novel, you need a wonderful fantasy land. There's exploration of multiple cities, and also some comparisons by the characters themselves. Each place has it's own background and vivid descriptions. I'm really looking forward to more exploration of Sereth, the Varkain capital. There's also undertones of myth, lore and legend within Linaria. Which although not explored completely within this book will be fantastic to build upon in later books.
Moroda is romance free which I loved. I've read so many books recently where the romantic subplot overshadows the real plot, and this was so refreshing. The focus was on the friendships being made over the journey, and the sisterly bond between Moroda and Eryn.
Overall I loved Moroda. Perfect to go into reading more over summer as I've finally finished exams!
Hazel (1853 KP) rated To Kill a Kingdom in Books
Apr 9, 2018
A princess must have her prince but perhaps not in the usual happy-ever-after fairytale way. With sirens, princes, pirates, mermaids and magic, To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo is a dark fantasy novel perfect for those who grew up with Peter Pan and The Little Mermaid. But, as with most traditional fairy tales, this book is riddled with trickery and lies, making it a heart-stopping adventure.
Lira is a siren princess who is nearing her eighteenth birthday. In order to celebrate the life of their goddess Keto and get revenge for her death at the hands of the humans, each siren must kill and remove the heart of a human victim. Lira has always targeted princes and aims to steal the heart of Prince Elian of Midasan, however, her mother, the sea queen, has different ideas.
As punishment for disobeying her orders, the evil queen temporarily turns Lira into a human, stripping her of her siren power. In order to return, she must kill Prince Elian and return to the sea with his heart. However, things get complicated when Prince Elian saves Lira from drowning and takes her aboard his ship.
Elian is a prince-cum-pirate who has no wish to be the heir of the golden kingdom of Midasan. He spends his days as the captain of his ship, hunting and killing sirens. Not realising Lira is the siren he most wishes to destroy, he gradually gets used to her presence and believes she will be useful to him on his quest to find a crystal that will destroy the sea queen forever. Lira agrees to help, however, she has an ulterior motive – perhaps she can help Elian find the crystal then kill him and destroy her mother …
It takes a while for this dark, romantic young adult novel to get going; there is a lot of introduction to characters and the way their fantasy world operates. With different customs to get familiar with, particularly in the case of the sirens, it is a little monotonous for the first few chapters. However, once Lira and Elian meet, events become far more interesting.
The banter and insults hurled between Elian, Lira and the rest of the crew is a humorous addition to the storyline and makes the prince and princesses growing relationship all the more exciting. With the sea queen lurking in the shadows, the story builds up to a fateful conclusion, however, maybe Lira can steal the prince’s heart a different way.
Once the story is well underway it becomes an engrossing piece of literature that is difficult to put down. With romance, danger and a cataclysmic ending, it has everything that a young adult fantasy fan wishes for. To Kill a Kingdom is Christo’s debut and it is exciting to find out what she will write next.
Lira is a siren princess who is nearing her eighteenth birthday. In order to celebrate the life of their goddess Keto and get revenge for her death at the hands of the humans, each siren must kill and remove the heart of a human victim. Lira has always targeted princes and aims to steal the heart of Prince Elian of Midasan, however, her mother, the sea queen, has different ideas.
As punishment for disobeying her orders, the evil queen temporarily turns Lira into a human, stripping her of her siren power. In order to return, she must kill Prince Elian and return to the sea with his heart. However, things get complicated when Prince Elian saves Lira from drowning and takes her aboard his ship.
Elian is a prince-cum-pirate who has no wish to be the heir of the golden kingdom of Midasan. He spends his days as the captain of his ship, hunting and killing sirens. Not realising Lira is the siren he most wishes to destroy, he gradually gets used to her presence and believes she will be useful to him on his quest to find a crystal that will destroy the sea queen forever. Lira agrees to help, however, she has an ulterior motive – perhaps she can help Elian find the crystal then kill him and destroy her mother …
It takes a while for this dark, romantic young adult novel to get going; there is a lot of introduction to characters and the way their fantasy world operates. With different customs to get familiar with, particularly in the case of the sirens, it is a little monotonous for the first few chapters. However, once Lira and Elian meet, events become far more interesting.
The banter and insults hurled between Elian, Lira and the rest of the crew is a humorous addition to the storyline and makes the prince and princesses growing relationship all the more exciting. With the sea queen lurking in the shadows, the story builds up to a fateful conclusion, however, maybe Lira can steal the prince’s heart a different way.
Once the story is well underway it becomes an engrossing piece of literature that is difficult to put down. With romance, danger and a cataclysmic ending, it has everything that a young adult fantasy fan wishes for. To Kill a Kingdom is Christo’s debut and it is exciting to find out what she will write next.
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Darkslayer: Wrath of the Royals in Books
Feb 5, 2019
Strong debut novel, deeper than expected
Wrath of the Royals, the first in the 16 book Darkslayer series following Venir, the Darkslayer (an axe-wielding barbarian) and his companion Melagal (the cowardly "rogue") as they run from the titular wrath of one of the royal families. Venir tends to get himself into bets, as alpha male types just seem attracted to him, and one such bet ends him in the bad books with one of the most powerful, and twisted, royal families.
This leads to the pair going on the run to escape the inevitable wrath. However, little do they know that the Underlings (those twisted, evil humanoids Venir is driven to hunt) are after Venir from different angles - one due to his relentless genocide of their race, and another due to being hired to hunt him down by the royals.
On the surface, I expected this to be a basic sword and sorcery tale; the barbarian wandering the wilds hacking down the Underlings. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly well told tale with different layers and a more intricate plot than I had expected.
Halloran's prose is decent, with a good knack for getting the balance between over-narration and concise descriptions. There is enough description of the world without it being laboured. There are some odd choices for phrases or wording here or there (eg "Impending pain was on its way"), and the book could do with a decent thorough edit, but for a first book it is a good effort.
The world of Bish turns out to be something of an experiment on the part of a God, seeing if she can design a world that will remain in permanent conflict for eternity, good and evil constantly vying but neither side ever truly winning. While this could be seen as literally setting up for "deus ex machina" whenever the author chooses, this didn't really come to the fore in this book.
Venir is a reasonably well-crafted character, albeit a stupid brute and something like Logen Ninefingers from Joe Abercrombie's First Law (when he puts on his magical helmet (yes I know!) he becomes more driven to destruction, somewhat akin to the emergence of The Bloody Nine). Numerous times he just gets up in the night and wanders off searching for the conflict he has sensed, the helmet guiding him onwards. But his actions play well off those of his travelling companions, which has now become something like the fellowship of the ring, but without a ring.
The book ends with an extended epilogue giving an idea of Venir's life before he found his magical axe, shield and mind-controlling helmet.
A good self-contained book, which concludes well and could be read on its own, without continuing the series, though I plan to (ideally before my Kindle Unlimited period runs out!).
This leads to the pair going on the run to escape the inevitable wrath. However, little do they know that the Underlings (those twisted, evil humanoids Venir is driven to hunt) are after Venir from different angles - one due to his relentless genocide of their race, and another due to being hired to hunt him down by the royals.
On the surface, I expected this to be a basic sword and sorcery tale; the barbarian wandering the wilds hacking down the Underlings. I was pleasantly surprised to find a fairly well told tale with different layers and a more intricate plot than I had expected.
Halloran's prose is decent, with a good knack for getting the balance between over-narration and concise descriptions. There is enough description of the world without it being laboured. There are some odd choices for phrases or wording here or there (eg "Impending pain was on its way"), and the book could do with a decent thorough edit, but for a first book it is a good effort.
The world of Bish turns out to be something of an experiment on the part of a God, seeing if she can design a world that will remain in permanent conflict for eternity, good and evil constantly vying but neither side ever truly winning. While this could be seen as literally setting up for "deus ex machina" whenever the author chooses, this didn't really come to the fore in this book.
Venir is a reasonably well-crafted character, albeit a stupid brute and something like Logen Ninefingers from Joe Abercrombie's First Law (when he puts on his magical helmet (yes I know!) he becomes more driven to destruction, somewhat akin to the emergence of The Bloody Nine). Numerous times he just gets up in the night and wanders off searching for the conflict he has sensed, the helmet guiding him onwards. But his actions play well off those of his travelling companions, which has now become something like the fellowship of the ring, but without a ring.
The book ends with an extended epilogue giving an idea of Venir's life before he found his magical axe, shield and mind-controlling helmet.
A good self-contained book, which concludes well and could be read on its own, without continuing the series, though I plan to (ideally before my Kindle Unlimited period runs out!).
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Us (2019) in Movies
Mar 25, 2019
Jordan Peele does it again
2 years ago at this time, the comedian known as Jordan Peele was all the talk as his feature film Directorial debut, GET OUT was scaring mainstream audiences. This was quite the accomplishment for a first time African-American Director with a film that was, predominantly, cast with African American actors.
Director/Writer Peele is at it again with the horror film (predominantly filled with African-American actors )US - and audiences, I'm sure, are going to go back in to the theater hoping that they will get scared again. And they will, but they will also get something else - a truly unique film.
I see a lot of movies, so for me to be (1) scared and (2) completely surprised by what is going on in a film is a rarity, indeed. And Jordan Peele has done both of these things with US - he has scared and surprised me, and I mean this in a a good way.
US stars Lupito Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson, a young mother who had a traumatic experience at the beach as a child. Now, as 30-ish mother of two who is visiting that same beach with her husband and 2 children, the traumatic experience comes rushing back. To tell anymore of the story would be to spoil it and to spoil this film for anyone would be a shame, for the fun in this film is trying to figure out what will happen next. Even when you think you know what's going to happen, something else happens instead and you are kept guessing throughout the film.
As far as the acting goes, Nyong'o shows that she can carry a film. I was beginning to fear that she would be one of those former Oscar winners (for 12 YEARS A SLAVE) who fade into obscurity, but this film puts her right back - front and center - on the map, a map that she deserves to be on. She carries this film - and she carries it well. Winston Duke (M'Baku in BLACK PANTHER) ably plays her husband, but is reserved (for the most part) as needed comic relief. I am always concerned when a heavy part of a film falls into the hands of unknown child actors, but Evan Alex (as their son) and - especially - Shahadi Wright Joseph (as their daughter) pull off the acting they need to do.
Credit for all this falls on Jordan Peele who's direction and script shows that GET OUT was no fluke. As I said before, this is a truly ORIGINAL film in plot and content and Peele keeps the action moving forward in interesting ways.
This is a film that needs to be seen more than once. I, for one, can't wait to go back into the theater and check out US again.
Letter Grade A- (but it might move to an A after a 2nd viewing)
8 out of 10 stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Director/Writer Peele is at it again with the horror film (predominantly filled with African-American actors )US - and audiences, I'm sure, are going to go back in to the theater hoping that they will get scared again. And they will, but they will also get something else - a truly unique film.
I see a lot of movies, so for me to be (1) scared and (2) completely surprised by what is going on in a film is a rarity, indeed. And Jordan Peele has done both of these things with US - he has scared and surprised me, and I mean this in a a good way.
US stars Lupito Nyong'o as Adelaide Wilson, a young mother who had a traumatic experience at the beach as a child. Now, as 30-ish mother of two who is visiting that same beach with her husband and 2 children, the traumatic experience comes rushing back. To tell anymore of the story would be to spoil it and to spoil this film for anyone would be a shame, for the fun in this film is trying to figure out what will happen next. Even when you think you know what's going to happen, something else happens instead and you are kept guessing throughout the film.
As far as the acting goes, Nyong'o shows that she can carry a film. I was beginning to fear that she would be one of those former Oscar winners (for 12 YEARS A SLAVE) who fade into obscurity, but this film puts her right back - front and center - on the map, a map that she deserves to be on. She carries this film - and she carries it well. Winston Duke (M'Baku in BLACK PANTHER) ably plays her husband, but is reserved (for the most part) as needed comic relief. I am always concerned when a heavy part of a film falls into the hands of unknown child actors, but Evan Alex (as their son) and - especially - Shahadi Wright Joseph (as their daughter) pull off the acting they need to do.
Credit for all this falls on Jordan Peele who's direction and script shows that GET OUT was no fluke. As I said before, this is a truly ORIGINAL film in plot and content and Peele keeps the action moving forward in interesting ways.
This is a film that needs to be seen more than once. I, for one, can't wait to go back into the theater and check out US again.
Letter Grade A- (but it might move to an A after a 2nd viewing)
8 out of 10 stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated She Lies in Wait (DCI Jonah Sheens, #1) in Books
Apr 8, 2019
Interesting mystery, with a detailed plot and characters
Aurora Jackson disappeared thirty years ago at age fourteen. She went camping with her sister, Topaz, and five of Topaz's friends. Topaz reluctantly let her kid sister tag along. No one ever saw Aurora again. Thirty years later, a body is found. DCI Jonah Sheens and DC Hanson are called to the scene, but Jonah already knows that it's Aurora. He's been waiting for this discovery for years. During the original investigation, all six friends maintained their stories and their innocence. But now Jonah is determined to find out what really happened to Aurora.
"It was where seven kids had bedded down thirty years ago, but only six of them had got up in the morning."
This was one of the ARCs that I requested simply because the story sounded interesting, and it really was. I couldn't shake the feeling while I was reading that the storyline felt somewhat familiar, but that didn't detract from what was a pretty strong police procedural, especially for an author debut. The book is fairly long--there is a lot of buildup to our ending--but I thought it was all well-done. Jonah is an intriguing character; it's made known early on that he had a small role in the first investigation when Aurora disappeared, and he clearly is hiding something, which isn't revealed for quite some time. But he's a good investigator, too, and it was sort of fun wondering if you could fully trust him (with Hanson, the newbie, as his foil).
"He found it impossible not to remember this place as it had been back then. The car park had all been bark and mud, but it had been just as overrun by police. The haircuts different; the faces somehow the same."
The way the story is told--snippets of the past (including from her point of view), plus Jonah and Hanson investigating in the present--is interesting and moves the story along. It certainly keeps you wondering as things unravel. While the limited number of characters (especially at the camp ground thirty years ago) lowers our amount of suspects, it's easy to speculate about each one.
Plus, all the characters in this one are detailed. I found it a little complicated to keep track of everyone at first--especially all the boys at the campground--but they were strong characters and knowing so much about them made figuring out who killed Aurora all the more compelling. Aurora herself is a lovely character, and I felt for her. When our suspect was revealed, it all ended a little crazily yet easily, but this was still a good read for me.
Overall, this was an interesting mystery, with a detailed plot and characters. I look forward to Lodge's next book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
"It was where seven kids had bedded down thirty years ago, but only six of them had got up in the morning."
This was one of the ARCs that I requested simply because the story sounded interesting, and it really was. I couldn't shake the feeling while I was reading that the storyline felt somewhat familiar, but that didn't detract from what was a pretty strong police procedural, especially for an author debut. The book is fairly long--there is a lot of buildup to our ending--but I thought it was all well-done. Jonah is an intriguing character; it's made known early on that he had a small role in the first investigation when Aurora disappeared, and he clearly is hiding something, which isn't revealed for quite some time. But he's a good investigator, too, and it was sort of fun wondering if you could fully trust him (with Hanson, the newbie, as his foil).
"He found it impossible not to remember this place as it had been back then. The car park had all been bark and mud, but it had been just as overrun by police. The haircuts different; the faces somehow the same."
The way the story is told--snippets of the past (including from her point of view), plus Jonah and Hanson investigating in the present--is interesting and moves the story along. It certainly keeps you wondering as things unravel. While the limited number of characters (especially at the camp ground thirty years ago) lowers our amount of suspects, it's easy to speculate about each one.
Plus, all the characters in this one are detailed. I found it a little complicated to keep track of everyone at first--especially all the boys at the campground--but they were strong characters and knowing so much about them made figuring out who killed Aurora all the more compelling. Aurora herself is a lovely character, and I felt for her. When our suspect was revealed, it all ended a little crazily yet easily, but this was still a good read for me.
Overall, this was an interesting mystery, with a detailed plot and characters. I look forward to Lodge's next book.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
Kaz (232 KP) rated White Teeth in Books
May 15, 2019
A Disappointing Read
What the 'blurb' says:
'One of the most talked about debut novels of all time, White Teeth is a funny, generous, big-hearted novel, adored by critics and readers alike. Dealing - among many other things - with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle, it is a life-affirming, riotous must-read of a book.'
My Thoughts:
This novel has had quite a lot of attention over the past few years, particularly on BookTube. So when I saw it in my local charity shop, I decided to give it a go. I have to admit that upon starting it, I had very high expectations of it, so I was quite disappointed by the end.
First, the positives. This is had some very good writing within it.. The way in which Zadie Smith writes, is funny and the characters were very believable.
But the plot itself, was the main problem I had with this book. At the beginning, certain characters had a lot of attention and their stories seemed to be developing nicely and some of the things that happened to them, were really intense. But then suddenly, all of the focus of this story was completely shifted, onto another character and those who initially seemed important, became secondary characters, who were hardly mentioned in the rest of the book. Then, more and more characters were added, without fully focusing on any one person. This meant that, by the end of the book, even though they believeable, I really didn't feel like I knew any of them
Partly due to this, and the fact that every chapter felt like an individual short story, this made the flow of the plot stop and start all of the time, and, although some chapters were really enjoyable, for me, they didn't link together well.
Randomly also, there were almost essay-like chapters, which talked about the ideas of identity and race within a multicultural society. Even though these were really interesting and thought provoking, they didn't seem to belong within the story itself. So for me, the organization of the plot was really weak.
The most disappointing thing for me, was the end. The different strands of story did kind of come together towards the end. It was all building up to something that I thought, would make a powerful ending.
However, it felt like Zadie Smith had run out of energy by the end and couldn't be bothered to gives us readers a plausible and realistic conclusion. For some characters, they didn't really have any resolution at all. This made me feel frustrated about investing time on this book.
I think this book had some interesting ideas and the style of writing was really good, but the plot was terrible. This is shame, because this could have been brilliant..
My Rating ***
'One of the most talked about debut novels of all time, White Teeth is a funny, generous, big-hearted novel, adored by critics and readers alike. Dealing - among many other things - with friendship, love, war, three cultures and three families over three generations, one brown mouse, and the tricky way the past has of coming back and biting you on the ankle, it is a life-affirming, riotous must-read of a book.'
My Thoughts:
This novel has had quite a lot of attention over the past few years, particularly on BookTube. So when I saw it in my local charity shop, I decided to give it a go. I have to admit that upon starting it, I had very high expectations of it, so I was quite disappointed by the end.
First, the positives. This is had some very good writing within it.. The way in which Zadie Smith writes, is funny and the characters were very believable.
But the plot itself, was the main problem I had with this book. At the beginning, certain characters had a lot of attention and their stories seemed to be developing nicely and some of the things that happened to them, were really intense. But then suddenly, all of the focus of this story was completely shifted, onto another character and those who initially seemed important, became secondary characters, who were hardly mentioned in the rest of the book. Then, more and more characters were added, without fully focusing on any one person. This meant that, by the end of the book, even though they believeable, I really didn't feel like I knew any of them
Partly due to this, and the fact that every chapter felt like an individual short story, this made the flow of the plot stop and start all of the time, and, although some chapters were really enjoyable, for me, they didn't link together well.
Randomly also, there were almost essay-like chapters, which talked about the ideas of identity and race within a multicultural society. Even though these were really interesting and thought provoking, they didn't seem to belong within the story itself. So for me, the organization of the plot was really weak.
The most disappointing thing for me, was the end. The different strands of story did kind of come together towards the end. It was all building up to something that I thought, would make a powerful ending.
However, it felt like Zadie Smith had run out of energy by the end and couldn't be bothered to gives us readers a plausible and realistic conclusion. For some characters, they didn't really have any resolution at all. This made me feel frustrated about investing time on this book.
I think this book had some interesting ideas and the style of writing was really good, but the plot was terrible. This is shame, because this could have been brilliant..
My Rating ***
Becs (244 KP) rated Restorations in Books
May 22, 2019
Rather interesting and intriguing read
I received a copy of Restorations by Charles Strickler to read and review from Smith Publicity. Everything I say is one hundred percent my own opinions.
I'm generally not a fan of Historical Fictions but my attention was gripped by this intriguing novel. Charles Strickler's writing style is very informative and it doesn't have that "boring history" tone to it. It was rather light and flowed like water. You can also tell that Charles Strickler did a ton of research prior to writing Restorations and it honestly shows.
Restorations follows Miles' journey in recovering a 1928 Stutz Black Hawk Boat Tail Roadster he bought from an auction. There is a mysterious aura around the Black Hawk and Miles is set on getting answers. This journey he takes includes a pretty woman, a few near death experiences, the mafia, and surprisingly loads of action. You're not going to want to miss this!!
"Stop living in your father's shadow."
Characters:
Miles West - the main character who buys the Black Hawk. Nothing overall special that needs to be pointed out about him.
Bramley Ann Fairchild - the auctioneer who sold Miles the car. She ends up helping him figure out the mystery behind the Black Hawk.
Ms. Gardner - basically the mother figure for Miles and she is dead set on trying to get Miles and Bramley together.
Mr. Howe - the lawyer of Carlo Bello. He seems to be absolutely terrified of Bello.
Carlo Bello - a mob leader who will do anything to get what he wants. He's trying to get the Black Hawk from Miles.
Maximilian "Lefty" Webber - the original owner of the Black Hawk that Miles purchased, deceased.
Wil - the repair man.
Reasons why I rated it 4 stars:
1. The plot:
The plot flowed pretty smoothly, minus a few bumps and turns. I did notice a few spots where the plot jumped and there wasn't story/ character development. But overall, it wasn't the worst thing I've read.
2. My enjoyment:
I really enjoyed reading Restorations and would most defiantly reread. I actually sent the review copy I received to a good friend as she is a fan of the mafia and this style of books. (Fingers crossed she enjoys it as well)
3. Character and story development:
There were a few parts where the reader could have used a bit more character and story development/ background, as it lacked. But it really was a great debut novel, especially for it being in Historical Fiction!
4. Grammar and spelling:
Charles Strickler is a great writer and I did not notice any major grammatical or spelling errors. I did find a few that are usually overlooked but they didn't take away from the overall story.
5. The overall story:
I rather enjoyed reading Restorations and would reread. I just wish the parts that seemed to be lacking where able to be added too.
"Accidents happen all the time."
I'm generally not a fan of Historical Fictions but my attention was gripped by this intriguing novel. Charles Strickler's writing style is very informative and it doesn't have that "boring history" tone to it. It was rather light and flowed like water. You can also tell that Charles Strickler did a ton of research prior to writing Restorations and it honestly shows.
Restorations follows Miles' journey in recovering a 1928 Stutz Black Hawk Boat Tail Roadster he bought from an auction. There is a mysterious aura around the Black Hawk and Miles is set on getting answers. This journey he takes includes a pretty woman, a few near death experiences, the mafia, and surprisingly loads of action. You're not going to want to miss this!!
"Stop living in your father's shadow."
Characters:
Miles West - the main character who buys the Black Hawk. Nothing overall special that needs to be pointed out about him.
Bramley Ann Fairchild - the auctioneer who sold Miles the car. She ends up helping him figure out the mystery behind the Black Hawk.
Ms. Gardner - basically the mother figure for Miles and she is dead set on trying to get Miles and Bramley together.
Mr. Howe - the lawyer of Carlo Bello. He seems to be absolutely terrified of Bello.
Carlo Bello - a mob leader who will do anything to get what he wants. He's trying to get the Black Hawk from Miles.
Maximilian "Lefty" Webber - the original owner of the Black Hawk that Miles purchased, deceased.
Wil - the repair man.
Reasons why I rated it 4 stars:
1. The plot:
The plot flowed pretty smoothly, minus a few bumps and turns. I did notice a few spots where the plot jumped and there wasn't story/ character development. But overall, it wasn't the worst thing I've read.
2. My enjoyment:
I really enjoyed reading Restorations and would most defiantly reread. I actually sent the review copy I received to a good friend as she is a fan of the mafia and this style of books. (Fingers crossed she enjoys it as well)
3. Character and story development:
There were a few parts where the reader could have used a bit more character and story development/ background, as it lacked. But it really was a great debut novel, especially for it being in Historical Fiction!
4. Grammar and spelling:
Charles Strickler is a great writer and I did not notice any major grammatical or spelling errors. I did find a few that are usually overlooked but they didn't take away from the overall story.
5. The overall story:
I rather enjoyed reading Restorations and would reread. I just wish the parts that seemed to be lacking where able to be added too.
"Accidents happen all the time."
Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) in Movies
Jun 11, 2019
Somewhat misleading but thrilling nonetheless
It’s best to start off this review as honest as possible. If you’re expecting a fully-fledged sequel or even a prequel to Matt Reeves’ brilliant monster horror, Cloverfield in 10 Cloverfield Lane, you’ll be very disappointed.
But, if you’re expecting a superbly written, well-acted and claustrophobic thriller, then this is definitely the film for you. Dan Trachtenberg, who makes his directorial debut with this feature, has crafted a taut film that has no real connection with the 2008 hit. So is it as good?
10 Cloverfield Lane follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she embarks on a new chapter in her life after a break-up. Unfortunately, a car crash leaves her seriously injured and unconscious. After waking up in an underground bunker, she meets her saviour in Howard (John Goodman), and as the story progresses, Michelle and fellow resident Emmett, try to make a bid for freedom.
The performances by the cast of three are terrific with Winstead coming on leaps and bounds since her role in Final Destination 3 and John Goodman is absolutely incredible. Cloverfield utilised its monster very well, but Goodman is more than a match with a simple shaking of his fists – his booming voice and burly frame mean he was a perfect casting choice and a human as psychotic as Howard is infinitely more terrifying to me than any monster.
It’s all very Hitchcockian, claustrophobic and exceptionally tense. Director Dan Trachtenberg has a real eye for the smaller details and the underground bunker setting is the perfect location to craft this kind of film. The use of jagged camera angles and low shots help aid the enclosed feeling and you can’t help but become panicked with Michelle, as she desperately tries to figure out a way to freedom.
After the bloated mess of London Has Fallen and the overlong Allegiant, it’s nice to see a film that doesn’t dwell more than it needs to. At 103 minutes, 10 Cloverfield Lane is relatively short and all the better for it. Despite only having three characters and being confined to a few small rooms for the majority of the running time, it never drags or becomes dull.
Unfortunately, the final third unravels a little of this good work, coming across like the ending to a completely different film; but Trachtenberg’s ideas and reasoning behind the finale are clear throughout, despite the lack of connection to the two acts that preceded it.
Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a smart and well-thought out thriller that is related to Cloverfield in name only. That’s no bad thing, as the film we are left with is one of the best directorial debuts in years, even though its muddled ending leaves somewhat of a sour taste.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/03/20/somewhat-misleading-but-thrilling-nonetheless-10-cloverfield-lane-review/
But, if you’re expecting a superbly written, well-acted and claustrophobic thriller, then this is definitely the film for you. Dan Trachtenberg, who makes his directorial debut with this feature, has crafted a taut film that has no real connection with the 2008 hit. So is it as good?
10 Cloverfield Lane follows Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) as she embarks on a new chapter in her life after a break-up. Unfortunately, a car crash leaves her seriously injured and unconscious. After waking up in an underground bunker, she meets her saviour in Howard (John Goodman), and as the story progresses, Michelle and fellow resident Emmett, try to make a bid for freedom.
The performances by the cast of three are terrific with Winstead coming on leaps and bounds since her role in Final Destination 3 and John Goodman is absolutely incredible. Cloverfield utilised its monster very well, but Goodman is more than a match with a simple shaking of his fists – his booming voice and burly frame mean he was a perfect casting choice and a human as psychotic as Howard is infinitely more terrifying to me than any monster.
It’s all very Hitchcockian, claustrophobic and exceptionally tense. Director Dan Trachtenberg has a real eye for the smaller details and the underground bunker setting is the perfect location to craft this kind of film. The use of jagged camera angles and low shots help aid the enclosed feeling and you can’t help but become panicked with Michelle, as she desperately tries to figure out a way to freedom.
After the bloated mess of London Has Fallen and the overlong Allegiant, it’s nice to see a film that doesn’t dwell more than it needs to. At 103 minutes, 10 Cloverfield Lane is relatively short and all the better for it. Despite only having three characters and being confined to a few small rooms for the majority of the running time, it never drags or becomes dull.
Unfortunately, the final third unravels a little of this good work, coming across like the ending to a completely different film; but Trachtenberg’s ideas and reasoning behind the finale are clear throughout, despite the lack of connection to the two acts that preceded it.
Overall, 10 Cloverfield Lane is a smart and well-thought out thriller that is related to Cloverfield in name only. That’s no bad thing, as the film we are left with is one of the best directorial debuts in years, even though its muddled ending leaves somewhat of a sour taste.
https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/03/20/somewhat-misleading-but-thrilling-nonetheless-10-cloverfield-lane-review/
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated The Debut (2000) in Movies
Jan 18, 2018
Must See
Bottom Line: You need to watch The Debut. It's not the best movie out there, but I think it's absolutely necessary as we strive to understand race and our place in the world. No, the acting isn't out-of-this-world and the film is a bit cheesy in spots. The beauty of it all is that it still manages to deliver a powerful message in spite of its shortcomings.
The story revolves around Ben Mercado (Dante Basco). Ben is trying to find himself. He's torn between the lines of his Filipino culture and the rest of the majority world. Racism is tackled head-on, self-racism being one of the most central focuses. When you come from a strong, influential culture, it's not unreal to be scrutinized by others within that culture because you don't confine to the norm. There's power in seeing it unfold in front of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into the Filipino culture and their traditions. As different as cultures and races can be, it's very interesting to see the similarities that bind us. The birthday party that was thrown for Ben's sister had a familiar feel to the cookouts my mom used to host growing up. At the same time, the differences are also glaring. There is a scene where Ben hits up a party with his friends and he's the only minority there. While he was with people he knew, he still felt out of place. Been there. Interestingly enough, he felt most comfortable around the family and culture he spent part of his life running from, even when there was heavy tension afoot. If that's not real life, I don't know what is.
Director Gene Cajayon made it pretty easy for you to become invested in Ben. You've got everyone trying to decide his life for him while he puts his heart and soul into a passion that no one respects. His father wants him to go to medical school and follow in his own footsteps, but Ben has other plans. Everything comes to a head at his sister's birthday party where the story primarily takes place.
I do wish there were subtitles during the scenes were they were speaking Filipino, however I understand the director's choice to keep that barrier up. At the same time, I felt it lessened the impact of what was being said. It was awkward in spots, but awkwardly real.
The film reinforces one thing among many: We still struggle with race issues today and, unfortunately, it's hard for people on the other side of the coin to properly address those issues. Progress is slow, but as long as there is progress of some sort, it's the only way we can really hope to get better as a society.
So glad this film randomly found its way onto my Movies 365 list. I give it a 73.
The story revolves around Ben Mercado (Dante Basco). Ben is trying to find himself. He's torn between the lines of his Filipino culture and the rest of the majority world. Racism is tackled head-on, self-racism being one of the most central focuses. When you come from a strong, influential culture, it's not unreal to be scrutinized by others within that culture because you don't confine to the norm. There's power in seeing it unfold in front of you.
I thoroughly enjoyed the insight into the Filipino culture and their traditions. As different as cultures and races can be, it's very interesting to see the similarities that bind us. The birthday party that was thrown for Ben's sister had a familiar feel to the cookouts my mom used to host growing up. At the same time, the differences are also glaring. There is a scene where Ben hits up a party with his friends and he's the only minority there. While he was with people he knew, he still felt out of place. Been there. Interestingly enough, he felt most comfortable around the family and culture he spent part of his life running from, even when there was heavy tension afoot. If that's not real life, I don't know what is.
Director Gene Cajayon made it pretty easy for you to become invested in Ben. You've got everyone trying to decide his life for him while he puts his heart and soul into a passion that no one respects. His father wants him to go to medical school and follow in his own footsteps, but Ben has other plans. Everything comes to a head at his sister's birthday party where the story primarily takes place.
I do wish there were subtitles during the scenes were they were speaking Filipino, however I understand the director's choice to keep that barrier up. At the same time, I felt it lessened the impact of what was being said. It was awkward in spots, but awkwardly real.
The film reinforces one thing among many: We still struggle with race issues today and, unfortunately, it's hard for people on the other side of the coin to properly address those issues. Progress is slow, but as long as there is progress of some sort, it's the only way we can really hope to get better as a society.
So glad this film randomly found its way onto my Movies 365 list. I give it a 73.