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Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Dinner Lady Detectives in Books
Oct 24, 2021
This is, in my humble opinion, a very successful debut and definitely a series that I am looking forward to keeping up with. It is described as "a delightful, quintessentially British cosy mystery" and that's exactly what you get.
Margery and Clementine are dinner ladies, or to give them their official title 'Education Centre Nourishment Consultants' (really? is that what they're called now?!?!?!), and they are an absolute blast. Their relationship absolutely shines through from start to finish, it's beautiful and very authentic feeling.
Margery and Clementine smell a rat when one of their colleagues is found dead in the walk-in freezer of the school kitchen and so begins their unorthodox investigation into her death which results in all manner of escapades. There are some very funny moments (the suspended school ceiling being a particular highlight for me š¤£š¤£) amongst a great and engaging plot with excellent characters throughout.
I raced through this book desperate to find out what happened and how it was all going to come together and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest and I am pleased to read on the publisher website that they have acquired the rights to a three-book deal. I think someone needs to snap this up and make a television series - I can so see Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as Margery and Clem, in fact, that's who I was seeing in my head as I was reading it!
Highly recommended for those of you who want a break from all the doom, gloom and violence in many crime fiction books and who don't mind a bit of dark humour.
Thank you so much Canelo and NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Margery and Clementine are dinner ladies, or to give them their official title 'Education Centre Nourishment Consultants' (really? is that what they're called now?!?!?!), and they are an absolute blast. Their relationship absolutely shines through from start to finish, it's beautiful and very authentic feeling.
Margery and Clementine smell a rat when one of their colleagues is found dead in the walk-in freezer of the school kitchen and so begins their unorthodox investigation into her death which results in all manner of escapades. There are some very funny moments (the suspended school ceiling being a particular highlight for me š¤£š¤£) amongst a great and engaging plot with excellent characters throughout.
I raced through this book desperate to find out what happened and how it was all going to come together and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest and I am pleased to read on the publisher website that they have acquired the rights to a three-book deal. I think someone needs to snap this up and make a television series - I can so see Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as Margery and Clem, in fact, that's who I was seeing in my head as I was reading it!
Highly recommended for those of you who want a break from all the doom, gloom and violence in many crime fiction books and who don't mind a bit of dark humour.
Thank you so much Canelo and NetGalley for my advance copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Hazel (2934 KP) rated The Hidden Village (Wartime Holland Book 1) [Audiobook] in Books
Jan 16, 2022
![The Hidden Village (Wartime Holland Book 1) [Audiobook]](/uploads/profile_image/0c0/c99b7ae5-3878-4d10-b5f0-d71634e510c0.jpg?m=1642341418)
This is an engaging and compelling story of what life was like in a small village in Holland during World War II. It is a fictional story but is based on real events.
There is a palpable sense of tension throughout; you really get a sense of the fear amongst a village population trying to keep their fellow human beings, who just happen to be Jewish and the odd downed airman, safe from the clutches of the Nazis whilst putting their own lives and the lives of their families at significant risk.
The story is told through the eyes of various villages of different ages and of Dutch and Jewish perspectives. This really helps to provide a full picture of what life was like for each of the individuals at this horrendous time; the bravery of them all astounds me. Amongst all this, is a look into "normal" life and the trials and tribulations of trying to survive in occupied and war-torn Holland.
The story moves on at a fairly good pace. I listened to the audio version of this book and realised that I was on tenterhooks all the time knowing that something could happen at any moment but not knowing what. I must applaud the narrator; there are quite a few characters, male and female, young and old, but she did a great job.
If I have one gripe it's that I felt it ended rather suddenly and, I feel, left some things unfinished - maybe there is a Book 2 to come? If so, I would be interested in reading/listening to find out more.
My thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
There is a palpable sense of tension throughout; you really get a sense of the fear amongst a village population trying to keep their fellow human beings, who just happen to be Jewish and the odd downed airman, safe from the clutches of the Nazis whilst putting their own lives and the lives of their families at significant risk.
The story is told through the eyes of various villages of different ages and of Dutch and Jewish perspectives. This really helps to provide a full picture of what life was like for each of the individuals at this horrendous time; the bravery of them all astounds me. Amongst all this, is a look into "normal" life and the trials and tribulations of trying to survive in occupied and war-torn Holland.
The story moves on at a fairly good pace. I listened to the audio version of this book and realised that I was on tenterhooks all the time knowing that something could happen at any moment but not knowing what. I must applaud the narrator; there are quite a few characters, male and female, young and old, but she did a great job.
If I have one gripe it's that I felt it ended rather suddenly and, I feel, left some things unfinished - maybe there is a Book 2 to come? If so, I would be interested in reading/listening to find out more.
My thanks must go to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing my copy in return for an honest, unbiased and unedited review.
Flight of the Wren
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āThe Arcane Order of Carpet Flyers! The Sublime Society of Scudders! Didnāt you read the...
Young Adult Urban Fantasy
Warriorborn (The Cinder Spires 1.5)
6.0
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From the #1 New York Times ābestselling author of the Dresden Files comes an all-new,...
Dr Dystopian (526 KP) rated The Horus Heresy - Book 1: Horus Rising in Books
Jan 8, 2018
Brilliant intro to the characters (3 more)
Well written
Difficult to put down!
Great story arch that leads into the next books
Outstanding entry book to the series
Contains spoilers, click to show
The book is divided into 3 distinct sections with parts 1 & 3 focusing on the XVI Legion, The Luna Wolves (who are later renamed The Sons of Horus), and part 2 focusing on the III Legion, The Emperors Children.
The 1st section of the book nicely introduces the main characters of the Sons of Horus consisting of Horus Lupercal, who has recently taken over as the Warmaster of Imperium of Man's Great Crusade, and his Mournival of 1st Captain Abaddon, 2nd Captain Torgaddon, 4th Captain Sejanus and 5th Captain Little Horus. With the death of Sejanus in the opening pages of the book we are introduced to the main protagonist of this book (and the following 2) in 10th Captain Loken along with some more supporting characters such as remembrancers, the Warmaster equerry Maloghurst and various other space marines.
The book follows Loken and the Sons of Horus as they, and the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet, bring world Sixty Three Ninteen to compliance and Lokens doubts about his role within the mournival and the morality of their campaign. Towards the end of section one Loken is faced with a fellow space marine who has been corrupted by chaos and attempts to kill him. This is Lokens first experience with chaos and, as such, he is unfamiliar with what has corrupted is Astartes comrade and subsequently forced to cover it up by the rest of the mournival and Horus himself.
Part 2 brings in the III Legion, The Emperors Children, and introduces Lord Commander Eidolon, 10th Captian Tarvitz and 13th Captain Lucius who have received a distress signal from the Blood Angels legion currently engaged against Megarachnids on the world Murder.
Whilst the 63rd expedition moves to join the Emperors Children at Murder, Loken discovers the existence of forbidden warrior lodges and that a number of the crew, and indeed the rest of the mournival, are part of. This leads Loken to further question his place within the legion. This part of the book also provides the first evidence of people worshipping the emperor as a deity in opposition to Imperial Truth. The section ends with the Sons of Horus aiding the Emperors Children with their campaign on Murder before being relieved by Blood Angels reenforcements and provides a brief introduction to their Primarch, Sanguinius.
Finally the 3rd part of the book see the Sons of Horus encounter the Interex, a Human civilisation that have incorporated certain aliens and alien customs into their society which is in direct opposition to the Imperium of Man who view xenos as inferior and to be exterminated. The Interex warn Loken of the existance of Kaos however it is clear that this is unknown to Loken which the Interex find uncomfortable. During negotiations between the Interex and Horus things come to a head when the Sons of Horus are accused of stealing an anathame, a semi sentient weapon created by one of the Interex's alien subject races, and war breaks out which leads to the eventual destruction of the Interex. The book ends with the Word Bearers Legion Chaplin, Erebus, having taken the anathame for study and the 63rd fleet moving on to the moon of Davin at his request.
All in all this book is very well written and highly engaging. It was one of those books that i didn't want to stop reading until it ended and have since read twice more.
Anyone wanting to get into the lore of Warhammer 40k, the background of how the 40k universe became as it now is or simply an engaging sci fi book cannot go wrong with this one.
The only negative i can find is that it ended however this is book 1 of a trilogy !
The 1st section of the book nicely introduces the main characters of the Sons of Horus consisting of Horus Lupercal, who has recently taken over as the Warmaster of Imperium of Man's Great Crusade, and his Mournival of 1st Captain Abaddon, 2nd Captain Torgaddon, 4th Captain Sejanus and 5th Captain Little Horus. With the death of Sejanus in the opening pages of the book we are introduced to the main protagonist of this book (and the following 2) in 10th Captain Loken along with some more supporting characters such as remembrancers, the Warmaster equerry Maloghurst and various other space marines.
The book follows Loken and the Sons of Horus as they, and the 63rd Expeditionary Fleet, bring world Sixty Three Ninteen to compliance and Lokens doubts about his role within the mournival and the morality of their campaign. Towards the end of section one Loken is faced with a fellow space marine who has been corrupted by chaos and attempts to kill him. This is Lokens first experience with chaos and, as such, he is unfamiliar with what has corrupted is Astartes comrade and subsequently forced to cover it up by the rest of the mournival and Horus himself.
Part 2 brings in the III Legion, The Emperors Children, and introduces Lord Commander Eidolon, 10th Captian Tarvitz and 13th Captain Lucius who have received a distress signal from the Blood Angels legion currently engaged against Megarachnids on the world Murder.
Whilst the 63rd expedition moves to join the Emperors Children at Murder, Loken discovers the existence of forbidden warrior lodges and that a number of the crew, and indeed the rest of the mournival, are part of. This leads Loken to further question his place within the legion. This part of the book also provides the first evidence of people worshipping the emperor as a deity in opposition to Imperial Truth. The section ends with the Sons of Horus aiding the Emperors Children with their campaign on Murder before being relieved by Blood Angels reenforcements and provides a brief introduction to their Primarch, Sanguinius.
Finally the 3rd part of the book see the Sons of Horus encounter the Interex, a Human civilisation that have incorporated certain aliens and alien customs into their society which is in direct opposition to the Imperium of Man who view xenos as inferior and to be exterminated. The Interex warn Loken of the existance of Kaos however it is clear that this is unknown to Loken which the Interex find uncomfortable. During negotiations between the Interex and Horus things come to a head when the Sons of Horus are accused of stealing an anathame, a semi sentient weapon created by one of the Interex's alien subject races, and war breaks out which leads to the eventual destruction of the Interex. The book ends with the Word Bearers Legion Chaplin, Erebus, having taken the anathame for study and the 63rd fleet moving on to the moon of Davin at his request.
All in all this book is very well written and highly engaging. It was one of those books that i didn't want to stop reading until it ended and have since read twice more.
Anyone wanting to get into the lore of Warhammer 40k, the background of how the 40k universe became as it now is or simply an engaging sci fi book cannot go wrong with this one.
The only negative i can find is that it ended however this is book 1 of a trilogy !
Fun & engaging read
Allison and her family move to New York City from Dallas for her husband, Michael's, job. At first, Allison is excited--ready for the glitz and glamour of the city. Instead, she finds herself and her family (including her three children) living in a cramped small apartment within a high-rise building. She has no friends and no one to confide in and shortly after moving, she loses her job. Things go from bad to worse when she hits an empty parked car outside her son Jack's school--right in front of the judgemental eyes of all the other mothers. The note Allison leaves leads her to a fancy penthouse, which she finds occupied by young pop star, Carter Reid. Allison doesn't see Carter as a pop star, however: she sees an abandoned kid, friendless, without parents, and about to ruin his career by backing out of the Broadway musical in which he agreed to star. Somehow, Allison becomes involved in Carter's life and as she does, she finally finds a reason to embrace New York.
This was such a fun book and such an engaging read. Now, at first, Allison is adrift in New York and in the beginning of the book, I was so frustrated with the abuse she took from Carter that I was a bit annoyed with the story. But Poeppel gets you past that pretty quick. The entire book is humorous, as it's filled with funny moments with Allison, her family, and the cast of supporting characters. Howard, a security guard Allison helps tutor, particularly shines, as does Owen, Carter's butler. Poeppel is very adept at capturing the individual voice of each of her characters. I loved Allison's kids, too. I fell for her eldest daughter, Charlotte, because I could have been her 20 years ago (geez I'm old), but teenage Megan and funny, quirky Jack were awesome too. The characters truly become like family.
Even if Allison frustrated me at times, with her coddling of Carter, I certainly found her relatable. The fact that she wasn't a morning person, her love for her children yet inability to always know what was happening in their lives, and her closeness with her own mom. She comes across as a real person, and I was incredibly impressed at how well she handled Carter and the celebrity world. The theme of family runs across the book--not just Allison's family, but how the disparate characters in the novel become their own family, and you really find yourself rooting for Carter because of it.
And, indeed, the magic of the book is how it transforms Carter. In the beginning, I couldn't believe anyone would like this kid, but as you read on... well, let's just say you will be rooting for Carter Reid. Poeppel captures Carter so precisely--his mannerisms, his dialect, his voice--it's amazing. It's easy to picture him, and he grows on you, for sure. By the end of the novel, you may feel a little misty. Sure, it's sometimes easy to see where things may be going, but that's OK, because it is such a rather enjoyable ride to be on. Plus, you never know exactly what wrench Carter is going to throw in Allison's carefully laid plans.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It started off a little slow, and I was initially frustrated with Carter's behavior (and Allison's acceptance of it). However, the book then takes off, and I was quickly immersed in the well-written characters and the arc of the story. It's such a fun book in so many ways--and touching too--plus there's a celebrity aspect that gives it an enjoyable twist, and you often feel like you're in NYC on a Broadway set. Definitely an enjoyable read.
This was such a fun book and such an engaging read. Now, at first, Allison is adrift in New York and in the beginning of the book, I was so frustrated with the abuse she took from Carter that I was a bit annoyed with the story. But Poeppel gets you past that pretty quick. The entire book is humorous, as it's filled with funny moments with Allison, her family, and the cast of supporting characters. Howard, a security guard Allison helps tutor, particularly shines, as does Owen, Carter's butler. Poeppel is very adept at capturing the individual voice of each of her characters. I loved Allison's kids, too. I fell for her eldest daughter, Charlotte, because I could have been her 20 years ago (geez I'm old), but teenage Megan and funny, quirky Jack were awesome too. The characters truly become like family.
Even if Allison frustrated me at times, with her coddling of Carter, I certainly found her relatable. The fact that she wasn't a morning person, her love for her children yet inability to always know what was happening in their lives, and her closeness with her own mom. She comes across as a real person, and I was incredibly impressed at how well she handled Carter and the celebrity world. The theme of family runs across the book--not just Allison's family, but how the disparate characters in the novel become their own family, and you really find yourself rooting for Carter because of it.
And, indeed, the magic of the book is how it transforms Carter. In the beginning, I couldn't believe anyone would like this kid, but as you read on... well, let's just say you will be rooting for Carter Reid. Poeppel captures Carter so precisely--his mannerisms, his dialect, his voice--it's amazing. It's easy to picture him, and he grows on you, for sure. By the end of the novel, you may feel a little misty. Sure, it's sometimes easy to see where things may be going, but that's OK, because it is such a rather enjoyable ride to be on. Plus, you never know exactly what wrench Carter is going to throw in Allison's carefully laid plans.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It started off a little slow, and I was initially frustrated with Carter's behavior (and Allison's acceptance of it). However, the book then takes off, and I was quickly immersed in the well-written characters and the arc of the story. It's such a fun book in so many ways--and touching too--plus there's a celebrity aspect that gives it an enjoyable twist, and you often feel like you're in NYC on a Broadway set. Definitely an enjoyable read.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Far Cry: New Dawn in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019 (Updated Jun 19, 2019)
Ubisoft certainly surprised the gaming community when they announced Far Cry: New Dawn and released it only a few weeks later. The fact that another Far Cry game was coming was certainly not a huge shock as the series has been phenomenally popular. However since the prior game had just completed its third and final DLC; many were caught aback by the announcement that this would be a direct follow-up to Far Cry 5.
The previous core series have been unrelated to each other in terms of storyline so the fact that this one takes place after the events of the prior game is a bit of a departure. Combined with the fact that the new release is $39.99 compared to the usual $59.99 price for new game; many had expected essentially glorified DLC versus an entire new game.
While the gameplay mechanics, combat, crafting, travel, resource gathering, and other aspects of the game are similar to how they were in the prior game; the storyline features a very engaging mix of new and old characters in a unique setting that easily captures your attention and expands on the story of the previous game although it is not necessary for you to have played it in order to appreciate this release.
I found that I had logged in over 16 hours of gameplay to complete New Dawn and this was sticking mainly to the core stories and only doing a few treasure hunts when needed as well as excursions.
The ability to hunt and fish remains in game and there is an abundance of ways to upgrade your vehicles, weapons, perks, and attire so players can find a look and style that best meets their needs.
Missions were actually quite engaging and had quite a bit of variety in them; and I especially liked the ones where I had to take part in races or a Demo Derby. I also loved flying my crafted helicopter over the vast map area to see the vast scope of the gameplay area.
Graphically the game looks very much like the previous game in that it has solid graphics and the detail level of the countryside of Hope County is abundant. My biggest issue is with the audio which dropped out frequently during the game at cut scenes but thankfully the captions allowed me to follow what was going on without having to retrace any of my steps.
The abundance of weapons and wildlife definitely creates plenty of opportunities for players to find their own comfort level and the enemies are plentiful which allows for some incredibly graphic but ultimately satisfying takedowns. I loved the saw blade launchers which literally cut an enemy down to size and had a Boomerang effect which was ideal for multiple targets.
The main enemies of the game are an interesting foe in that you have a pair of twins who are every bit as psychotic and dangerous is the best villains from the series. While they will not surpass Vaas in Far Cry 3; they are worthy adversaries.
While I would not say the game will bring new fans to the series; it does present a very satisfying extension to the Far Cry 5 storyline and as such; definitely kept my interest throughout.
Players do have the option to play the game in a Co-Op mode or to select various characters they encounter along the way to provide assistance when needed.
Far Cry: New Dawn is a satisfying entry in the series which should tide fans over until the next release and I cannot wait to see what they come up with next.
http://sknr.net/2019/03/10/far-cry-new-dawn/
The previous core series have been unrelated to each other in terms of storyline so the fact that this one takes place after the events of the prior game is a bit of a departure. Combined with the fact that the new release is $39.99 compared to the usual $59.99 price for new game; many had expected essentially glorified DLC versus an entire new game.
While the gameplay mechanics, combat, crafting, travel, resource gathering, and other aspects of the game are similar to how they were in the prior game; the storyline features a very engaging mix of new and old characters in a unique setting that easily captures your attention and expands on the story of the previous game although it is not necessary for you to have played it in order to appreciate this release.
I found that I had logged in over 16 hours of gameplay to complete New Dawn and this was sticking mainly to the core stories and only doing a few treasure hunts when needed as well as excursions.
The ability to hunt and fish remains in game and there is an abundance of ways to upgrade your vehicles, weapons, perks, and attire so players can find a look and style that best meets their needs.
Missions were actually quite engaging and had quite a bit of variety in them; and I especially liked the ones where I had to take part in races or a Demo Derby. I also loved flying my crafted helicopter over the vast map area to see the vast scope of the gameplay area.
Graphically the game looks very much like the previous game in that it has solid graphics and the detail level of the countryside of Hope County is abundant. My biggest issue is with the audio which dropped out frequently during the game at cut scenes but thankfully the captions allowed me to follow what was going on without having to retrace any of my steps.
The abundance of weapons and wildlife definitely creates plenty of opportunities for players to find their own comfort level and the enemies are plentiful which allows for some incredibly graphic but ultimately satisfying takedowns. I loved the saw blade launchers which literally cut an enemy down to size and had a Boomerang effect which was ideal for multiple targets.
The main enemies of the game are an interesting foe in that you have a pair of twins who are every bit as psychotic and dangerous is the best villains from the series. While they will not surpass Vaas in Far Cry 3; they are worthy adversaries.
While I would not say the game will bring new fans to the series; it does present a very satisfying extension to the Far Cry 5 storyline and as such; definitely kept my interest throughout.
Players do have the option to play the game in a Co-Op mode or to select various characters they encounter along the way to provide assistance when needed.
Far Cry: New Dawn is a satisfying entry in the series which should tide fans over until the next release and I cannot wait to see what they come up with next.
http://sknr.net/2019/03/10/far-cry-new-dawn/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Prey: MoonCrash in Video Games
Jun 19, 2019
During their E3 Showcase, Bethesda announced that PREY would be getting a free update with new features as well as a paid DLC called MoonCrash. The DLC was released shortly after the showcase and while covering E3, I got to play a level of the new content which was very engaging.
I have been playing the full DLC for a while now and have to say it is engaging and streamlines the PREY experience into smaller runs without compromising the experience and challenge.
Playing as an operator who must remotely control five different characters, players will be tasked with escaping the base through a variety of means and surviving the Mimics who infest the base. Players will gain points for various tasks and defeating enemies, and they can use those points to buy gear to start each level. While there are opportunities to get new weapons, ammunition, and other gear on the levels, the smaller gameplay area makes planning ahead key as you do not have a massive space station to run through this time around.
The goal is to get all five players out without dying but this is not as easy as it sounds as the maps change over time. I managed to get two players out and while getting a third to a goal, I discovered that a staircase I needed to get to my objective was now destroyed and high level creatures were now guarding the area.
Adding to the challenge is a corruption feature which can cause your weapons and gear to malfunction. Imagine having a pistol with plenty of ammunition and the gun becomes corrupted. Instead of being able to quickly unload a clip into an enemy, you are forced to fire a single shot and then do a clear and load action before you can fire another shot. In the time you used to fire multiple shots, you can now fire two shots which does not help when faced with some of the baddies in the game.
Although set in a Lunar Base, players will recognize items from the prior game such as Mods, food, crafting items, and such which will greatly help increase the chances of survival.
The escape options are varied as you can do things like take an Escape Pod, pilot a shuttle, or other creative ways like using a portal or uploading your conscious. However this is not always as easy as it sounds as changing conditions may cause you to rethink your plans. Rushing to a computer terminal may find the stairs gone, trying to use a portal requires a repair that your character is not able to do with their current skill set. One mission required me to locate a Neuromod and program in piloting skills to my character so I could operate the shuttle.
After using the Escape Pod to get one player to safety, I decided to use another pod to help another character escape after my planned option was no longer viable. I made my way to the pod and as I prepared to launch, learned the unit needed a Navigation Chip which was in another part of the lab and of course; surrounded by all sorts of undesirable enemies.
MoonCrash does not have the story depth of the original game or the multitude of side quests that players had with the first game. It does give players a challenging and fun experience that does still allow for creative and diverse ways to accomplish their goals.
The graphics of the game are in keeping with the first game and the sounds of the game do a fantastic job of adding to the immersion.
MoonCrash is a very enjoyable addition to the game and is a must for fans of the original game.
http://sknr.net/2018/06/25/mooncrash-prey-dlc-review/
I have been playing the full DLC for a while now and have to say it is engaging and streamlines the PREY experience into smaller runs without compromising the experience and challenge.
Playing as an operator who must remotely control five different characters, players will be tasked with escaping the base through a variety of means and surviving the Mimics who infest the base. Players will gain points for various tasks and defeating enemies, and they can use those points to buy gear to start each level. While there are opportunities to get new weapons, ammunition, and other gear on the levels, the smaller gameplay area makes planning ahead key as you do not have a massive space station to run through this time around.
The goal is to get all five players out without dying but this is not as easy as it sounds as the maps change over time. I managed to get two players out and while getting a third to a goal, I discovered that a staircase I needed to get to my objective was now destroyed and high level creatures were now guarding the area.
Adding to the challenge is a corruption feature which can cause your weapons and gear to malfunction. Imagine having a pistol with plenty of ammunition and the gun becomes corrupted. Instead of being able to quickly unload a clip into an enemy, you are forced to fire a single shot and then do a clear and load action before you can fire another shot. In the time you used to fire multiple shots, you can now fire two shots which does not help when faced with some of the baddies in the game.
Although set in a Lunar Base, players will recognize items from the prior game such as Mods, food, crafting items, and such which will greatly help increase the chances of survival.
The escape options are varied as you can do things like take an Escape Pod, pilot a shuttle, or other creative ways like using a portal or uploading your conscious. However this is not always as easy as it sounds as changing conditions may cause you to rethink your plans. Rushing to a computer terminal may find the stairs gone, trying to use a portal requires a repair that your character is not able to do with their current skill set. One mission required me to locate a Neuromod and program in piloting skills to my character so I could operate the shuttle.
After using the Escape Pod to get one player to safety, I decided to use another pod to help another character escape after my planned option was no longer viable. I made my way to the pod and as I prepared to launch, learned the unit needed a Navigation Chip which was in another part of the lab and of course; surrounded by all sorts of undesirable enemies.
MoonCrash does not have the story depth of the original game or the multitude of side quests that players had with the first game. It does give players a challenging and fun experience that does still allow for creative and diverse ways to accomplish their goals.
The graphics of the game are in keeping with the first game and the sounds of the game do a fantastic job of adding to the immersion.
MoonCrash is a very enjoyable addition to the game and is a must for fans of the original game.
http://sknr.net/2018/06/25/mooncrash-prey-dlc-review/
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Thor: Ragnarok (2017) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
One of the biggest challenges with an ongoing series is crafting a story that is on par or better than the prior offering and that the characters continue to grow so audiences do not get a rehash of what they have seen before.
With āThor Ragnarokā Chris Hemsworth has returned for his third solo outing, and fifth outing overall as the heroic Asgardian warrior Thor.
This time out Thor is on his quest to track down the Infinity Stones and finds himself plagued by visions of Ragnarok: a legend detailing the fiery destruction of his home of Asgard.
With an action laden opening, Thor believes he has ended the threat and returns home to find his father Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), has been sent to Earth and his evil brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) assuming his place.
Thor ventures to Earth with his brother which sets a series of events into motion, the result of which unleashes the long imprisoned Hela (Cate Blanchett), who plans the subjugation of Thor and Asgard. Naturally Thor is not going to put up with this, but finds himself mid battle knocked out of his transit home and on a remote world called Sakaar.
As if being stranded far from home is not enough of a challenge, Thor is forced to become a gladiator for the erratic Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), whom Loki has managed to charm and become a part of his inner circle.
As fate has it, Thor becomes matched with The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and must find a way to survive and make his way home before Hella can destroy all that he holds precious.
The film is the best of the Thor films and it is engaging from start to finish. There is a significant amount of humor in the film but it does not feel forced and is very appropriate to many of the scenes. The film also has plenty of action and the blend between comedy and action is deftly handed by Director TaiKa Waititi who never lets the film become a parody of itself nor take itself too seriously at times. He knows when there is a time to laugh and when there is a time to be deathly serious.
This allows for a deeper and more enjoyable and engaging Thor than has been previously seen. He is not as one-dimensional as he has been in the past as the strong, quick to anger muscle that I would love to see explored in further outings.
I had worried from the trailers that the movie might be more of a video game as it seemed heavily dependent on retro style CGI and camp humor which made it seem like something out of the 80s. While there are elements of that, the film mixes the old and new to create one of the most authentic and enjoyable comic adaptations seen to date. It continues the winning formula of Marvel Studios and of course, sets up the next outing for Thor in āAvengers: Infinity Warā as well as the larger Marvel Universe as we a whole. The film also has some great cameos and I am curious to see how the addition of the newly introduced characters will be explored down the road. The return of Hiddleston was also a real treat as he is so good as the mercurial but always sly and dangerous Loki that he commands your complete attention every time he appears on screen.
Marvel has once again set very high standards for comic based movies and has again delivered another winner that you will not want to miss.
http://sknr.net/2017/11/01/thor-ragnarok-2/
With āThor Ragnarokā Chris Hemsworth has returned for his third solo outing, and fifth outing overall as the heroic Asgardian warrior Thor.
This time out Thor is on his quest to track down the Infinity Stones and finds himself plagued by visions of Ragnarok: a legend detailing the fiery destruction of his home of Asgard.
With an action laden opening, Thor believes he has ended the threat and returns home to find his father Odin (Sir Anthony Hopkins), has been sent to Earth and his evil brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) assuming his place.
Thor ventures to Earth with his brother which sets a series of events into motion, the result of which unleashes the long imprisoned Hela (Cate Blanchett), who plans the subjugation of Thor and Asgard. Naturally Thor is not going to put up with this, but finds himself mid battle knocked out of his transit home and on a remote world called Sakaar.
As if being stranded far from home is not enough of a challenge, Thor is forced to become a gladiator for the erratic Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum), whom Loki has managed to charm and become a part of his inner circle.
As fate has it, Thor becomes matched with The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and must find a way to survive and make his way home before Hella can destroy all that he holds precious.
The film is the best of the Thor films and it is engaging from start to finish. There is a significant amount of humor in the film but it does not feel forced and is very appropriate to many of the scenes. The film also has plenty of action and the blend between comedy and action is deftly handed by Director TaiKa Waititi who never lets the film become a parody of itself nor take itself too seriously at times. He knows when there is a time to laugh and when there is a time to be deathly serious.
This allows for a deeper and more enjoyable and engaging Thor than has been previously seen. He is not as one-dimensional as he has been in the past as the strong, quick to anger muscle that I would love to see explored in further outings.
I had worried from the trailers that the movie might be more of a video game as it seemed heavily dependent on retro style CGI and camp humor which made it seem like something out of the 80s. While there are elements of that, the film mixes the old and new to create one of the most authentic and enjoyable comic adaptations seen to date. It continues the winning formula of Marvel Studios and of course, sets up the next outing for Thor in āAvengers: Infinity Warā as well as the larger Marvel Universe as we a whole. The film also has some great cameos and I am curious to see how the addition of the newly introduced characters will be explored down the road. The return of Hiddleston was also a real treat as he is so good as the mercurial but always sly and dangerous Loki that he commands your complete attention every time he appears on screen.
Marvel has once again set very high standards for comic based movies and has again delivered another winner that you will not want to miss.
http://sknr.net/2017/11/01/thor-ragnarok-2/
Lucy Buglass (45 KP) rated Shazam! (2019) in Movies
Jun 20, 2019
Not as bad as I was expecting
I have to admit, when I first saw the trailer for Shazam!, I felt pretty underwhelmed. It didnāt seem like the kind of film Iād enjoy. I often get tired of cringey, over the top humour, which is basically what the trailer was packed full of. Having said all of this, I ended up being pleasantly surprised by the film after agreeing to go to a Limitless screening. I actually donāt think the trailer did it justice, if Iām perfectly honest.
The plot of Shazam! is completely bonkers, but letās face it, what did you expect from a superhero film? Most origin stories are implausible, but thatās the beauty of the genre for me. The film follows 14-year-old Billy Batson, after he is gifted superpowers by a wizard and is able to transform into the adult āShazamā simply by shouting his name. At first, it is a little weird seeing him transform from a kid into an adult and back again, but you do get used to it. I loved the performances by Zachary Levi and Asher Angel throughout, and they did a great job of mirroring each other.
The filmās antagonist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) gets his powers from the seven deadly sins; a group of terrifying, demonic spirits who lead him down a dark path. Heās full of anger, and wants to lash out at the world and the family who berated him his entire life. As far as antagonists go, heās fairly standard, but fun to watch. Heās nothing revolutionary, but I enjoyed watching him fight Shazam at least. When Sivana is on screen, the film does take a much darker turn, so I would add a viewer discretion for any young children out there. I was even caught out by a pretty effective jump scare at one point.
Annoyingly the pacing is a little off in the third act, and the final fight scene between Sivana and Shazam couldāve easily been trimmed down by 15 minutes or so. I found myself getting a little restless here, which was disappointing given how much fun I had with the rest of the film. Having this sluggish scene follow so many hilarious, genuinely engaging moments was a shame. Donāt let that put you off though, the rest of the film works well. The relationship between Billy and his foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) is hilarious, and got the most laughs from me. Even when heās in his adult form, Billy still acts like Billy, so thereās lots of teenage boy bickering throughout as you may expect.
I was also surprised at the emotional themes that run through the film. On the surface, itās a goofy, laugh out loud superhero film, but it also deals with difficult scenarios. As a foster child, Billy has desperately been searching for his birth mother, and Dr. Sivana has loathed his own family ever since he was a child. Both are struggling with the concept of family, and there are frequent references to this throughout. Billyās most recent foster family are delightful to watch, and I was impressed by the child actors in the film. Theyāre definitely the most engaging characters, who would go out of their way to help Billy and their other foster siblings.
Shazam! is not a brilliant film, but itās also way better than I was expecting. The tone is all over the place, some of the jokes are stupid, and itās super goofy. But itās a perfect film to watch for a bit of escapism, if you donāt want to think too hard about what youāre watching. I was surprised at just how much fun I had.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2019/03/29/not-as-bad-as-i-was-expecting-my-thoughts-on-shazam/
The plot of Shazam! is completely bonkers, but letās face it, what did you expect from a superhero film? Most origin stories are implausible, but thatās the beauty of the genre for me. The film follows 14-year-old Billy Batson, after he is gifted superpowers by a wizard and is able to transform into the adult āShazamā simply by shouting his name. At first, it is a little weird seeing him transform from a kid into an adult and back again, but you do get used to it. I loved the performances by Zachary Levi and Asher Angel throughout, and they did a great job of mirroring each other.
The filmās antagonist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) gets his powers from the seven deadly sins; a group of terrifying, demonic spirits who lead him down a dark path. Heās full of anger, and wants to lash out at the world and the family who berated him his entire life. As far as antagonists go, heās fairly standard, but fun to watch. Heās nothing revolutionary, but I enjoyed watching him fight Shazam at least. When Sivana is on screen, the film does take a much darker turn, so I would add a viewer discretion for any young children out there. I was even caught out by a pretty effective jump scare at one point.
Annoyingly the pacing is a little off in the third act, and the final fight scene between Sivana and Shazam couldāve easily been trimmed down by 15 minutes or so. I found myself getting a little restless here, which was disappointing given how much fun I had with the rest of the film. Having this sluggish scene follow so many hilarious, genuinely engaging moments was a shame. Donāt let that put you off though, the rest of the film works well. The relationship between Billy and his foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) is hilarious, and got the most laughs from me. Even when heās in his adult form, Billy still acts like Billy, so thereās lots of teenage boy bickering throughout as you may expect.
I was also surprised at the emotional themes that run through the film. On the surface, itās a goofy, laugh out loud superhero film, but it also deals with difficult scenarios. As a foster child, Billy has desperately been searching for his birth mother, and Dr. Sivana has loathed his own family ever since he was a child. Both are struggling with the concept of family, and there are frequent references to this throughout. Billyās most recent foster family are delightful to watch, and I was impressed by the child actors in the film. Theyāre definitely the most engaging characters, who would go out of their way to help Billy and their other foster siblings.
Shazam! is not a brilliant film, but itās also way better than I was expecting. The tone is all over the place, some of the jokes are stupid, and itās super goofy. But itās a perfect film to watch for a bit of escapism, if you donāt want to think too hard about what youāre watching. I was surprised at just how much fun I had.
https://lucygoestohollywood.com/2019/03/29/not-as-bad-as-i-was-expecting-my-thoughts-on-shazam/