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Sarah (7800 KP) rated CSI: Crime Scene Investigation in TV
Nov 27, 2018
Hugely entertaining, with a bit of artistic license
I’ve just started watching the original series of CSI again from the start, and like the many times I’ve seen it before, I absolutely love it. From the opening title sequence set to The Who’s ‘Who Are You’ and the numerous sweeping panoramas of the bright lights of Vegas, CSI for me was always one of the better crime shows out there. And instead of focusing on dashing detectives, for a change it instead chooses to look at the science behind the crimes. It has engaging and well developed characters, and even the less prominent lab characters are more than just two dimensional extras, even developing into some of the main stars in later series. The crimes are a little bit bonkers, filled with equal parts of blood and gore and humour, and there are some very thrilling multi-episode serial killers thrown in across the many seasons.
It is a little bit far fetched, but you’d be bored if it actual stuck to reality. The forensics are very advanced and not entirely realistic (I studied forensics at uni, not quite as flashy as it appears on screen), but again, it’s nothing more than a bit of artistic license. My only criticism is that I mich preferred this series with the original cast. It was never quite the same after Grissom left.
It is a little bit far fetched, but you’d be bored if it actual stuck to reality. The forensics are very advanced and not entirely realistic (I studied forensics at uni, not quite as flashy as it appears on screen), but again, it’s nothing more than a bit of artistic license. My only criticism is that I mich preferred this series with the original cast. It was never quite the same after Grissom left.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Courageous (Valiant Hearts, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I loved the first two books in the Valiant Hearts Series. Exciting and engaging. However, the final book in the series fell very short of my expectations. It was fun to revisit characters from the first two books, I love how the storylines cross over. The epilogue provided a satisfying conclusion to the series. But Courageous just could not hold my attention. The first half of the book is very slow and lacking in action. There was some discrepancy regarding dates in the beginning of the book, it may just have been a typo, but it made things very confusing for a bit. I enjoyed Randel and Rosalind's characters and their journey of growth, healing and courage. I highly recommend the first two books in the series: Dauntless and Chivalrous. You may enjoy Courageous more than I did, it just wasn't for me. Keep in mind that it has a very different feel and approach. I recommend reading this series in order. There are characters and circumstances that I don't believe can be fully appreciated unless you read the first books first.
I received a free copy of Courageous from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
My Rating
★★☆☆☆ - She is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.
I received a free copy of Courageous from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
My Rating
★★☆☆☆ - She is tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me.
David McK (3562 KP) rated Brothers in Blood (Eagles of the Empire 13) in Books
Jan 30, 2019
13. Unlucky for some?
The reason I bring that up is because this is the 13th entry in the Cato and Macro series that began way back in 2001 with [b: Under the Eagle|578428|Under the Eagle (Eagle, #1)|Simon Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1315349321s/578428.jpg|565359] and, by now, you pretty much know what to expect!
Taking place not long after [b: The Blood Crows|18484220|The Blood Crows (Eagle, #12)|Simon Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1380275584s/18484220.jpg|25144364], this is also set back in Brittania, with the culmination (?) of the campaign against Caratacus.
Somehow, however, I found this to be 'flatter' than the previous novels; just not as engaging as before. I don't know whether this is to do with the change in the circumstances between Cato and Macro or in the fact that I've been reading quite a few historical fiction novels recently or what, but this (I felt) was just not as good as the earlier entries in the series.
(Oh, and as an aside: my version came with a short story 'The Red Sail' included, with that story having two endings. All in all, I think I actually preferred the alternative ending - every hero, after all, needs his nemesis. Batman has the Joker, Superman has Lex Luthor, Sherlock Holmes had Moriarity .. )
The reason I bring that up is because this is the 13th entry in the Cato and Macro series that began way back in 2001 with [b: Under the Eagle|578428|Under the Eagle (Eagle, #1)|Simon Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1315349321s/578428.jpg|565359] and, by now, you pretty much know what to expect!
Taking place not long after [b: The Blood Crows|18484220|The Blood Crows (Eagle, #12)|Simon Scarrow|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1380275584s/18484220.jpg|25144364], this is also set back in Brittania, with the culmination (?) of the campaign against Caratacus.
Somehow, however, I found this to be 'flatter' than the previous novels; just not as engaging as before. I don't know whether this is to do with the change in the circumstances between Cato and Macro or in the fact that I've been reading quite a few historical fiction novels recently or what, but this (I felt) was just not as good as the earlier entries in the series.
(Oh, and as an aside: my version came with a short story 'The Red Sail' included, with that story having two endings. All in all, I think I actually preferred the alternative ending - every hero, after all, needs his nemesis. Batman has the Joker, Superman has Lex Luthor, Sherlock Holmes had Moriarity .. )
Christine A. (965 KP) rated Lost and Found in Books
Jan 27, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite books. Being offered the opportunity to read his latest, Lost and Found, is an honor and privilege. I know I am supposed to be unbiased when doing reviews but it was difficult in this case.
Lost and Found is not long, less than 300 pages, and flows wells so it is a quick read. In it, we are introduced to Ezekiel Blast who has a gift for finding lost items. He feels compelled to return his finds. Instead of being thanked, people accuse him of taking the items in the first place. He is friendless and an outcast until a girl walks up to him and asks "Are you really a thief?
This story is charming and engaging. The well-developed characters are endearing. It is being marketed as SciFi and Fantasy as well as Teen and Young Adult. I agree it is a Teen/YA book but, if anything, it is light SciFi and Fantasy. People who do not usually read SciFi and Fantasy will enjoy this story.
I believe I gave an unbiased opinion on this story especially since it is not a typical SciFi and Fantasy book.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/27/20.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite books. Being offered the opportunity to read his latest, Lost and Found, is an honor and privilege. I know I am supposed to be unbiased when doing reviews but it was difficult in this case.
Lost and Found is not long, less than 300 pages, and flows wells so it is a quick read. In it, we are introduced to Ezekiel Blast who has a gift for finding lost items. He feels compelled to return his finds. Instead of being thanked, people accuse him of taking the items in the first place. He is friendless and an outcast until a girl walks up to him and asks "Are you really a thief?
This story is charming and engaging. The well-developed characters are endearing. It is being marketed as SciFi and Fantasy as well as Teen and Young Adult. I agree it is a Teen/YA book but, if anything, it is light SciFi and Fantasy. People who do not usually read SciFi and Fantasy will enjoy this story.
I believe I gave an unbiased opinion on this story especially since it is not a typical SciFi and Fantasy book.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 1/27/20.
Christine A. (965 KP) rated The Familiar Dark in Books
Apr 7, 2020
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book so I could give an honest review.
Amy Engel is known for her previous works, The Roanoke Girls and The Book of Ivy series. Her latest, The Familiar Dark, is the first of her books I have read. It will not be her last.
In The Familiar Dark, Eve Taggert's daughter is killed. She wants answers. When Junie was born, Eve turned away from her mother and the life her mother lives. When Junie is murdered, Eve is forced to go back to what she knew in her childhood, the dark side of life. Eve must decide how far will she go to get justice.
Engel could have written a typical "mom seeking revenge for her daughter" book. She does not. To find out the truth, Eve has to turn back to the dark side she never let and never wanted Junie to see.
Eve's childhood was one of poverty, fear, and neglect. The two constants in her life were her brother Cal and her drug-dealing abusive mother. Engel could have written a typical "pity the character because of how she was raised" book. She does not.
Amy Engel creates an engaging story that starts with a murder and ends....well, read it to see how it ends.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/6/20.
Amy Engel is known for her previous works, The Roanoke Girls and The Book of Ivy series. Her latest, The Familiar Dark, is the first of her books I have read. It will not be her last.
In The Familiar Dark, Eve Taggert's daughter is killed. She wants answers. When Junie was born, Eve turned away from her mother and the life her mother lives. When Junie is murdered, Eve is forced to go back to what she knew in her childhood, the dark side of life. Eve must decide how far will she go to get justice.
Engel could have written a typical "mom seeking revenge for her daughter" book. She does not. To find out the truth, Eve has to turn back to the dark side she never let and never wanted Junie to see.
Eve's childhood was one of poverty, fear, and neglect. The two constants in her life were her brother Cal and her drug-dealing abusive mother. Engel could have written a typical "pity the character because of how she was raised" book. She does not.
Amy Engel creates an engaging story that starts with a murder and ends....well, read it to see how it ends.
This 200-word review was published on Philomathinphila.com on 4/6/20.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Third Reich Victorious: Alternate Decisions of World War II in Books
Feb 24, 2020
There's been a certain tension when it comes to military history, pretty much since not long after the Second World War ended: pretty much everyone agrees that the Nazi Party was as close to evil incarnate as we will hopefully ever see, but many academics (amongst others) still harbour a sneaking admiration for the quality of the German war machine and its leadership. That tension is basically at the heart of this book; it's telling that several of the German victory scenarios outlines here are predicated on Hitler either being replaced or being markedly less of a genocidal bigot.
The what-ifs vary: what if Hitler served in the navy in the First World war, what if the Russians pre-empted Barbarossa and attacked Germany first, what if Turkey joined the Axis, what if the Germans got the atom bomb in 1944, what if Rommel defeated the D-day landings, deposed Hitler, and the war devolved into a one-front struggle with the Soviets? Most of these are interesting and seem to have been written with the general reader in mind; a few do suffer from getting bogged down with detail. On the whole it is engaging stuff, if recent military history is your thing, and you do come away with an improved awareness that the Second World War was a closer-run thing than most people realise nowadays.
The what-ifs vary: what if Hitler served in the navy in the First World war, what if the Russians pre-empted Barbarossa and attacked Germany first, what if Turkey joined the Axis, what if the Germans got the atom bomb in 1944, what if Rommel defeated the D-day landings, deposed Hitler, and the war devolved into a one-front struggle with the Soviets? Most of these are interesting and seem to have been written with the general reader in mind; a few do suffer from getting bogged down with detail. On the whole it is engaging stuff, if recent military history is your thing, and you do come away with an improved awareness that the Second World War was a closer-run thing than most people realise nowadays.
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