Search

Search only in certain items:

TW
The Wanderers (The Wanderers, #1)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Kate Ormand takes a unique twist in <i>The Wanderers</i>, following a group of nomad shapeshifters traveling under the guise of a circus. Flo has been part of the circus ever since she was young but has always thought of what the world would be like if she were not a part of the circus. When she accidentally reveals what the circus really is to the public, shapeshifter hunters attack and take away everything she has ever known.

There aren't a lot of shapeshifter books out there – all the ones I've come across so far typically have characters that shift into wolves (<i>technically</i> werewolves are like shapeshifters. They're interchangeable). <i>The Wanderers</i>, on the other hand, don't really have wolves (I don't think there are any here). Ormand takes the concept and expands the idea of shapeshifter to include all kinds of animals – bears, seals, tigers, horses, etc. It's a breather to have all kinds of animals instead of the usual furry four-legged ones. Have I mentioned there's a shapeshifting parrot? Uber-cool.

Flo (I started imagining her as that Progressive chick) has elements of a good character – she's realistic and brave, even though she's watching her back constantly for hunters. She has a constant inner battle with a desire and curiosity to see the world outside of the circus but has no clue if she wants to take that opportunity when she's old enough to be offered a life outside. But Flo is a bit of a mystery to me, and so are most of the shifters.

<i>The Wanderers</i> feels more like a discovery book – no one aside from the "elders" know how the circus originated in the first place. Flo and the other shifters seem as though they've been there all their lives – they all have a similar past and their way to the circus are all similar. The book becomes more of a survival book after the attack and the remaining shifters work together (albeit the tolerable tension some have towards Flo) to escape the clutches of the hunters going after them. In the midst of it all, Flo discovers a disturbing plot and sets about breaking it before other shifters get hurt as well.

Ormand pulls off an ending similar to <a title="Killer of Enemies by Joseph Bruchac" href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/review-killer-of-enemies-by-joseph-bruchac/"; target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bruchac's in <i>Killer of Enemies</i></a> – there's a solid ending, but it's very open-ended and lots of things could potentially happen. The ending to <i>The Wanderers</i> feels very fitting with the story considering the title and the concept. Even though I'm not a huge fan of this book, Ormand has certainly left a mark with just the entire idea.

<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-the-wanderers-by-kate-ormand/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
  
    Snake Simulator

    Snake Simulator

    Games and Entertainment

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Enter a tropical rainforest and live the life of a poisonous Snake! Explore a lush jungle filled...

    Leap of Fate

    Leap of Fate

    Games

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    *** Minimum hardware: iPad 4, iPad mini 2, iPhone 5s. *** Leap of Fate is a furiously-paced...

    PREDATORS™

    PREDATORS™

    Games and Entertainment

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    NEW UPDATE, 67% off for a limited time! Slice and dice human prey with razor sharp Retina display...

    Shadow Land - Endless Tap

    Shadow Land - Endless Tap

    Games, Entertainment and Stickers

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    One day, the world suddenly lost its colour… All the colour in the world was taken by a monster...

40x40

Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the Xbox One version of Outlast in Video Games

Nov 7, 2020  
Outlast
Outlast
Action/Adventure
Survivor The Asylum
Outlast- is a excellent survival first person horror game set inside a asylum.

The game revolves around a freelance investigative journalist, Miles Upshur, who decides to investigate a remote psychiatric hospital named Mount Massive Asylum, located deep in the mountains of Lake County, Colorado.

Outlast, the player assumes the role of investigative journalist Miles Upshur, as he navigates a dilapidated psychiatric hospital in Leadville, Colorado that is overrun by homicidal patients. The game is played from a first-person perspective and features some stealth gameplay mechanics. The player can walk, run, crouch, jump, climb ladders and vault over objects. Unlike most games, however, the player doesn't have a visible health bar on the screen and is unable to attack enemies. The player must instead rely on stealth tactics such as hiding in lockers, sneaking past enemies, staying in the shadows and hiding behind or under things in order to survive. Alternatively, the player can attempt to outrun their pursuer. If the player dies, the game will reset to the most recent checkpoint.

Most of the hospital is unlit, and the only way for the player to see while in the dark is through the lens of a camcorder equipped with night vision. Using the night vision mode will slowly consume batteries, forcing the player to scavenge for additional batteries found throughout the asylum. Outlast makes heavy use of traditional jump scares and audio cues, which alert the player if an enemy has seen them.

GameSpot gave the game a positive review as well stating that "Outlast isn't really a game of skill, and as it turns out, that makes sense. You're not a cop or a soldier or a genetically enhanced superhero. You're just a reporter. And as a reporter, you don't possess many skills with which you can fend off the hulking brutes, knife-wielding stalkers, and other homicidal maniacs who lurk in the halls of the dilapidated Mount Massive Asylum. You can't shoot them, or punch them, or rip pipes from the walls to clobber them with. You can only run and hide".

The aslyum setting is creepy, horrorfying, scary and terrorfying.

Its a excellent survival horror game.
  
40x40

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time in Video Games

Oct 29, 2020  
Crash Bandicoot 4: It&#039;s About Time
Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time
2020 | Platform
Crash Bandicoot is back and better than ever in Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time.

This time around the lovable Crash must face his most challenge obstacles yet as he navigates various locales each with an abundance of timed precision jumps, enemies, traps, and more.

Aside from his speed, Crash can slide, jump, and spin to fight or avoid enemies and obstacles and this time around he can phase objects at certain locales which allows him to pass through them. This is often tricky as he has to phase out an object to jump but must phase it back in order land on it but cannot do so before allowing ample space to land.

Patience is required as there are frequent dangers that require precise movements to complete and nothing is more frustrating than biting it with a checkpoint in site.

The game also offers up some interesting variety not only in a plethora of level designs but by also allowing players to play as other characters in the game. Being able to zap objects to complete levels vs the traditional running and jumping does bring an interesting new dimension to the play and keeps things fresh.

The graphics are pleasing and Crash is such a fun and charming character it is easy to stick with him even when the level becomes so rage inducing you want to quit in a hailstorm of profanity.

What really makes the game great are not only the clever and creative levels but the sheer variety of them. From a junkyard with gears, fire, and shark like creatures to a frozen landscape where slipping off the ice is commonplace, the level designers combine sadism and genius to create a truly fun and challenging gaming experience.

The game is not only lots of fun but is ideal for players of all ages and offers plenty of great gaming moments. This is a great return for Crash and hopefully we will see him again soon as I would love to see a new game designed from the ground up for the Next-Generation systems.

4 stars out of 5