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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Extraction in Video Games
Jan 26, 2022
The latest game in the immensely popular Rainbow Six series has arrived with Rainbow Six: Extraction.
The series features intense squad-based action as players form teams to infiltrate, extract, eliminate, and survive various missions.
Using stealth, tech, weapons, and patience; players have to find the best way to enter a location, avoid or eliminate enemies, and complete objectives while working as a cohesive unit.
This time around the enemy is a parasitic alien race and players must form three-person squads or venture through the locales solo or with a single partner.
Players will select an operative; each with a primary and secondary weapon and two tactical devices such as grenades, mines, revive shots, armor, and drones. As time goes on and players level up; new technology can be researched and used as having the right loadout is essential. Players will also have unique skilsl ranging from gun emplacements, medical, cloaking, and more which can be used in a limited situation and must be replenished as the missions unfolds.
Missions are set in three zones such as New York, San Francisco, Alaska, and more become available as players reach a certain level and naturally they become progressively harder and more intense.
Each zone has random missions and when players select a locale, difficulty level, and their operative; they will encounter missions ranging from elimination, extraction, scanning, and targeting specific strategic locales.
The enemy is very cunning and ruthless and can cloak, shape-shift, and explode amongst their myriad of hostile actions, and players must attack, evade, and work with one another to complete the missions and survive. At the end of a level; players can opt to enter an airlock and move to the next segment or return to an exfiltration zone to end the mission.
This is where the real tactics of the game come into play as health is limited as can be ammunition so players who encounter a difficult mission where they sustain damage or lose a player have to make a hard choice. Players do not die in the game as they are enveloped with a stasis foam should they sustain enough damage.
As such the remaining team must decide to carry the downed player to an Extraction Pod or leave them behind so they can carry on or they can flee to safety. This is not always an easy decision as seeing your team decimated and barely making it to safety with only a small amount of health makes even the most determined player think twice about venturing back in.
Should a player be lost; their experience is deducted from the player and will remain deducted until the character is rescued on a future mission. Seeing your roster of skilled Operatives reduced to a couple of unproven newbies is very humbling and thankfully the maps are very detailed and engaging as players will get very used to playing in the locales frequently before new areas are made available to them.
The action of the game is intense as players can use stealth or run and gun depending on the mission and the variety of enemies and missions is good.
I do wish the Quick Play would allow players to select the skill level they would like to play in and that there was a server list to select from; that being said; at $39.99 and available on Game Pass; Rainbow Six Extraction is a great deal as the cross-play enabled game ensures plenty of players to venture into danger with but like the best games of the series; having the right group of players is essential as I have lost many players due to wild cards not following mission objectives.
Intense, engaging, and deeply entertaining; Rainbow Six Extraction delivers even if it does differ from what fans have come to expect.
4 stars out of 5
The series features intense squad-based action as players form teams to infiltrate, extract, eliminate, and survive various missions.
Using stealth, tech, weapons, and patience; players have to find the best way to enter a location, avoid or eliminate enemies, and complete objectives while working as a cohesive unit.
This time around the enemy is a parasitic alien race and players must form three-person squads or venture through the locales solo or with a single partner.
Players will select an operative; each with a primary and secondary weapon and two tactical devices such as grenades, mines, revive shots, armor, and drones. As time goes on and players level up; new technology can be researched and used as having the right loadout is essential. Players will also have unique skilsl ranging from gun emplacements, medical, cloaking, and more which can be used in a limited situation and must be replenished as the missions unfolds.
Missions are set in three zones such as New York, San Francisco, Alaska, and more become available as players reach a certain level and naturally they become progressively harder and more intense.
Each zone has random missions and when players select a locale, difficulty level, and their operative; they will encounter missions ranging from elimination, extraction, scanning, and targeting specific strategic locales.
The enemy is very cunning and ruthless and can cloak, shape-shift, and explode amongst their myriad of hostile actions, and players must attack, evade, and work with one another to complete the missions and survive. At the end of a level; players can opt to enter an airlock and move to the next segment or return to an exfiltration zone to end the mission.
This is where the real tactics of the game come into play as health is limited as can be ammunition so players who encounter a difficult mission where they sustain damage or lose a player have to make a hard choice. Players do not die in the game as they are enveloped with a stasis foam should they sustain enough damage.
As such the remaining team must decide to carry the downed player to an Extraction Pod or leave them behind so they can carry on or they can flee to safety. This is not always an easy decision as seeing your team decimated and barely making it to safety with only a small amount of health makes even the most determined player think twice about venturing back in.
Should a player be lost; their experience is deducted from the player and will remain deducted until the character is rescued on a future mission. Seeing your roster of skilled Operatives reduced to a couple of unproven newbies is very humbling and thankfully the maps are very detailed and engaging as players will get very used to playing in the locales frequently before new areas are made available to them.
The action of the game is intense as players can use stealth or run and gun depending on the mission and the variety of enemies and missions is good.
I do wish the Quick Play would allow players to select the skill level they would like to play in and that there was a server list to select from; that being said; at $39.99 and available on Game Pass; Rainbow Six Extraction is a great deal as the cross-play enabled game ensures plenty of players to venture into danger with but like the best games of the series; having the right group of players is essential as I have lost many players due to wild cards not following mission objectives.
Intense, engaging, and deeply entertaining; Rainbow Six Extraction delivers even if it does differ from what fans have come to expect.
4 stars out of 5
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Alien: Romulus (2024) in Movies
Sep 2, 2024
The latest film in the “Alien” franchise has arrived and “Alien: Romulus” is the most engaging and enjoyable entry in the series since “Aliens”.
The film is the first in the series since Disney purchased Twentieth Century Fox and they turned to Director and Co-writer Fede Alvarez to develop a story he had shared with Producer Ridley Scott years prior.
The movie was originally intended to debut on Hulu similar to how “Prey” was released but it was decided to go with a theatrical release early in production.
Cailee Spaeny stars as Rain; an orphan living on a dark planet with her Android “Brother” Andy (David Jonsson). The mining colony is filled with despair and disease from the mine and Rain is eager to immigrate to a colony that offers the sun and a better life having completed the terms of her service agreement with the Company.
Her request is denied and she is told that due to a labor shortage, she has to work five years in the mines before she is eligible to be considered again. Knowing the Mines are for many deaths waiting to happen, Rain is asked by a group of friends to join them for a mission.
Her friends pilot a hauler used to ferry cargo and say that they have found an object drifting through the system which will crash into their planetary rings in about 47 hours. They plot to go up and salvage some Cryopods which will enable them to head to the desired colony which is a nine-year journey.
Without options and knowing that Andy is the key to gaining access, the group enters the station and sets about their tasks.
Unfortunately, their actions rouse the dark and deadly secret of the station and they soon find themselves facing deadly Aliens in a tense and pitched fight for survival and escape.
The movie does a very good job at filling in areas of the overall mythos and delivering fan service which does not feel like pandering and also helps create a pathway for new stories that do not directly impact the film “Aliens” which is set 37 years after the events of this film.
The movie also connects to the Prequel films as well as the original “Alien” in some clever ways which helps the continuity but still leaves plenty of mystery and questions even when this one fills in a few of the gray areas slightly.
The movie takes its time to set up the premise and get to the action but it never drags and is engaging from start to finish. Alvarez has done a masterful job capturing not only the look of the earlier films but also creating an intense thriller that gives audiences what they want and more as use of physical effects was very effective.
The cast was strong and Spaeny and Jonsson have a great chemistry with one another which helps in the face of the growing danger and tensions in the film.
I found myself not only loving the nostalgic touches but also the way that elements of the Company are explained and how much they truly knew which adds new dimensions to the first two films in the series but raises all sorts of possibilities for future films in the series.
“Alien: Romulus” was a true joy from start to finish for me and as a fan who has enjoyed the franchise since I was a small child; it delivered what I wanted and for me was the most enjoyable and satisfying entry in the series since “Aliens” and Alvarez and the cast are to be commended for creating a film that invigorates the franchise and delivers.
The film is the first in the series since Disney purchased Twentieth Century Fox and they turned to Director and Co-writer Fede Alvarez to develop a story he had shared with Producer Ridley Scott years prior.
The movie was originally intended to debut on Hulu similar to how “Prey” was released but it was decided to go with a theatrical release early in production.
Cailee Spaeny stars as Rain; an orphan living on a dark planet with her Android “Brother” Andy (David Jonsson). The mining colony is filled with despair and disease from the mine and Rain is eager to immigrate to a colony that offers the sun and a better life having completed the terms of her service agreement with the Company.
Her request is denied and she is told that due to a labor shortage, she has to work five years in the mines before she is eligible to be considered again. Knowing the Mines are for many deaths waiting to happen, Rain is asked by a group of friends to join them for a mission.
Her friends pilot a hauler used to ferry cargo and say that they have found an object drifting through the system which will crash into their planetary rings in about 47 hours. They plot to go up and salvage some Cryopods which will enable them to head to the desired colony which is a nine-year journey.
Without options and knowing that Andy is the key to gaining access, the group enters the station and sets about their tasks.
Unfortunately, their actions rouse the dark and deadly secret of the station and they soon find themselves facing deadly Aliens in a tense and pitched fight for survival and escape.
The movie does a very good job at filling in areas of the overall mythos and delivering fan service which does not feel like pandering and also helps create a pathway for new stories that do not directly impact the film “Aliens” which is set 37 years after the events of this film.
The movie also connects to the Prequel films as well as the original “Alien” in some clever ways which helps the continuity but still leaves plenty of mystery and questions even when this one fills in a few of the gray areas slightly.
The movie takes its time to set up the premise and get to the action but it never drags and is engaging from start to finish. Alvarez has done a masterful job capturing not only the look of the earlier films but also creating an intense thriller that gives audiences what they want and more as use of physical effects was very effective.
The cast was strong and Spaeny and Jonsson have a great chemistry with one another which helps in the face of the growing danger and tensions in the film.
I found myself not only loving the nostalgic touches but also the way that elements of the Company are explained and how much they truly knew which adds new dimensions to the first two films in the series but raises all sorts of possibilities for future films in the series.
“Alien: Romulus” was a true joy from start to finish for me and as a fan who has enjoyed the franchise since I was a small child; it delivered what I wanted and for me was the most enjoyable and satisfying entry in the series since “Aliens” and Alvarez and the cast are to be commended for creating a film that invigorates the franchise and delivers.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Until Dawn in Video Games
Jul 21, 2017
Cast (1 more)
Graphics
A Bloody Good Time
This game by all accounts, should have been a flop. The fact that it was a cliché teen horror story, the fact that it started out as a move game for the ps3 and has had a long, unsteady development cycle and the fact that it was coming out in August, a time of year that is known as the stealth zone, as it is after the summer blockbuster season, but before the big fall line up drops. Yet, Supermassive games have managed to produce an engaging, genuinely scary story that plays on your expectations of this genre and succeeds in keeping the player engaged for a 10-12 hour story that follows the teens trying to survive through a horrific night of terror. I have been a gamer for the vast majority of my time on this earth and while I am very proud of that fact, I do realise that it may cloud my judgement somewhat and I could lose sight somewhat of what really makes a game special, which is why I will always greatly value an outsider’s opinion. I have been with my girlfriend for the past 3 years and before meeting me she was a casual gamer at best, playing Wii games and mobile games, I do believe she owned a PS1 when she was young but she definitely isn’t a gamer like I am. So, when I get a game and she watches me playing it and has a reaction more than just, ‘is this all you do?’ I know that it is something a bit more special than any old game. It happened with season 1 of Telltale’s Walking Dead, it happened with The Last Of Us and it happened a few nights ago with Until Dawn. As soon as I put the disc in and we played the first chapter, we were both hooked and dying to find out what happens next. This game is very well written, with an intriguing, engaging narrative coupled with purposefully written bad cheesy dialogue creating many memorable moments. The cast is very talented also, the facial capture in this game is very good and when playing you can see each tiny expression of fear or anger on the actor’s faces and the VO work is also pretty impeccable. Hayden Pannietre and Rami Malek stand out, as does Peter Stromare and the actor who plays Mike. The first quarter of the game is full of ‘mock’ scares that the group are seen pranking each other with, however not to an annoying extent. The scares that follow are very real with the next part of the game being reminiscent of a 70’s slasher movie. The atmosphere is built very well, with well timed audio cues and the use of a fixed camera working both as a homage to classic ps1 era horror games and as to give the player a feeling they are constantly being watched. Some camera angles are unsettling and the tracking shots can be particularly creepy, especially when you could have sworn that you saw something move in the far corner of the screen. The game then delves more into supernatural horror, which I will talk about more in the spoiler section of the review. Really though, there isn’t anything to spoil in this game in the respect that you can beat the game with everyone alive, or everybody dead. The only thing to spoil is how the characters die, which can be in a few different but increasingly gruesome ways which I won’t spoil here.
That’s not to say that everything that this game has to offer is positive, several of the big twists can be seen coming from a mile away, for example my better half guessed who the killer was going to be within the first hour of our playthrough, but other than that I am struggling to find any real criticisms in this game. It is just a fun experience that I would recommend to anyone, whether you are a horror fan or not.
Okay, spoiler time.
The twists in the game are fairly obvious. From very early on in the game it is clear that the ‘therapy’ sessions with Peter Stromare are a hallucination, probably a hallucination of the psycho in the clown mask and that psycho is probably Josh. All of these things come to pass, which means when they are revealed to be true the shock value is pretty much lost. It is also fairly obvious that there is something after the group besides the psycho, something that is more than likely to be supernatural. The only twist is finding out what that is and when it’s revealed to be the Gollum-like Wendigos, I was somewhat disappointed. The creatures are pretty cool in how they move, as they very twitchy and quick, but they are fairly generic and not all that scary once you know what they look like. The character deaths are quite well done, but half of the characters have fake ‘deaths,’ before their actual death scenes which makes the actual death scenes less impactful and somewhat fall flat.
Overall, Until Dawn is an engaging, entertaining experience that doesn’t really have any major flaws. For the most part the humour and the scares are well executed and while not all of the characters are likeable, they are all well written horror stereotypes that are played very well by their real life counterparts. This game was unexpectedly great by a number of people, and is seen as a surprise hit and likewise for me, it exceeded my expectations and served as a very pleasant and welcome addition to the modern horror genre.
That’s not to say that everything that this game has to offer is positive, several of the big twists can be seen coming from a mile away, for example my better half guessed who the killer was going to be within the first hour of our playthrough, but other than that I am struggling to find any real criticisms in this game. It is just a fun experience that I would recommend to anyone, whether you are a horror fan or not.
Okay, spoiler time.
The twists in the game are fairly obvious. From very early on in the game it is clear that the ‘therapy’ sessions with Peter Stromare are a hallucination, probably a hallucination of the psycho in the clown mask and that psycho is probably Josh. All of these things come to pass, which means when they are revealed to be true the shock value is pretty much lost. It is also fairly obvious that there is something after the group besides the psycho, something that is more than likely to be supernatural. The only twist is finding out what that is and when it’s revealed to be the Gollum-like Wendigos, I was somewhat disappointed. The creatures are pretty cool in how they move, as they very twitchy and quick, but they are fairly generic and not all that scary once you know what they look like. The character deaths are quite well done, but half of the characters have fake ‘deaths,’ before their actual death scenes which makes the actual death scenes less impactful and somewhat fall flat.
Overall, Until Dawn is an engaging, entertaining experience that doesn’t really have any major flaws. For the most part the humour and the scares are well executed and while not all of the characters are likeable, they are all well written horror stereotypes that are played very well by their real life counterparts. This game was unexpectedly great by a number of people, and is seen as a surprise hit and likewise for me, it exceeded my expectations and served as a very pleasant and welcome addition to the modern horror genre.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated Wind River (2017) in Movies
Sep 28, 2017
Brilliant performances (1 more)
Very well written and directed
A Satisfying Thriller
Taylor Sheridan has written two of my favourite movies over the last few years, Sicario and Hell or Highwater. This is only Sheridan's second time in the directors chair though and he proves that he is more than capable when put in charge of an entire film's production.
This is a fairly slow burn that focuses mostly on building character arcs and relationships rather than fast paced action. The structure that the movie follows to give the audience context and the backstory of the movie's respective characters though, is extremely effective and well crafted. The movie doesn't treat it's audience like idiots, nor does it act too smart for it's own good.
Renner and Olsen are both fantastic in the two lead roles and are able to make scenes that are purely dialogue focused, engaging and entertaining. I like Jeremy Renner, but when he stars in blockbuster movies like Bourne or Avengers or Mission Impossible, it is easy to forget how good of an actor he really is, in this performance, he does a good job of reminding you of his ability as a performer.
Slight spoilers follow, nothing major, but some might rather not know anything going in, so if that's you stop reading now. Jon Bernthal's cameo towards the end of the movie was such a delight, he is only in the movie for a just shy of ten minutes, but he was fantastic as he always is. That guy is quickly turning into one of my favourite character actors working in Hollywood.
I won't spoil the end of the movie, but I will say that it is extremely satisfying and makes the slow burn leading up to that point totally worth it.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers and gripping dramatic performances, then go and see this film.
This is a fairly slow burn that focuses mostly on building character arcs and relationships rather than fast paced action. The structure that the movie follows to give the audience context and the backstory of the movie's respective characters though, is extremely effective and well crafted. The movie doesn't treat it's audience like idiots, nor does it act too smart for it's own good.
Renner and Olsen are both fantastic in the two lead roles and are able to make scenes that are purely dialogue focused, engaging and entertaining. I like Jeremy Renner, but when he stars in blockbuster movies like Bourne or Avengers or Mission Impossible, it is easy to forget how good of an actor he really is, in this performance, he does a good job of reminding you of his ability as a performer.
Slight spoilers follow, nothing major, but some might rather not know anything going in, so if that's you stop reading now. Jon Bernthal's cameo towards the end of the movie was such a delight, he is only in the movie for a just shy of ten minutes, but he was fantastic as he always is. That guy is quickly turning into one of my favourite character actors working in Hollywood.
I won't spoil the end of the movie, but I will say that it is extremely satisfying and makes the slow burn leading up to that point totally worth it.
If you are a fan of mystery thrillers and gripping dramatic performances, then go and see this film.
Beckie Shelton (40 KP) rated Close To Me in Books
Oct 6, 2017 (Updated Oct 31, 2017)
Really enjoyed Close To Me by Amanda Reynolds, wasn't sure what to expect this being a debut author but I certainly wasn't disappointed.
Close To Me tells the story of Jo Harding after she falls down stairs hitting her head and losing her memory of the past year.
On coming home things feel different and disjointed, Jo feels there is an undercurrent of deceit, secrets being kept from her by her husband and children and as she unravels the mysteries of the past year things escalate to a shocking conclusion.
So this was a great psychological read, it kept my interest and pulled me in, the writing was superb, and the storyline very easy to follow.
Close to me is told in two parts, real-time and snippets of the past year, though it has a slow build this is not a bad thing as you get to understand Jo's life and how she is the person she is.
The characters here felt real and human, some you could sympathise with others not so much.
If I had to pick my least favourite person in this, it would have to be the daughter I found her very self-centred and immature, but she's a product of her overindulged upbringing.
I myself have grown up children there is no way on this planet I would be paying for their accommodation.
what a right spoilt brat Sash is.
Close to me delves into the dynamics of family and the resulting aftermath when things ultimately implode.
I did kind of guess where this was going but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment reading this.
Would I recommend this? Hell Yeah!!!
It was an engaging read.
Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of Close to me
This is my own honest unbiased opinion.
Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
Close To Me tells the story of Jo Harding after she falls down stairs hitting her head and losing her memory of the past year.
On coming home things feel different and disjointed, Jo feels there is an undercurrent of deceit, secrets being kept from her by her husband and children and as she unravels the mysteries of the past year things escalate to a shocking conclusion.
So this was a great psychological read, it kept my interest and pulled me in, the writing was superb, and the storyline very easy to follow.
Close to me is told in two parts, real-time and snippets of the past year, though it has a slow build this is not a bad thing as you get to understand Jo's life and how she is the person she is.
The characters here felt real and human, some you could sympathise with others not so much.
If I had to pick my least favourite person in this, it would have to be the daughter I found her very self-centred and immature, but she's a product of her overindulged upbringing.
I myself have grown up children there is no way on this planet I would be paying for their accommodation.
what a right spoilt brat Sash is.
Close to me delves into the dynamics of family and the resulting aftermath when things ultimately implode.
I did kind of guess where this was going but it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment reading this.
Would I recommend this? Hell Yeah!!!
It was an engaging read.
Thank you to NetGalley, publisher and the author for providing me with an arc of Close to me
This is my own honest unbiased opinion.
Arc Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.beckiebookworm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9460945-bex-beckie-bookworm
Debbiereadsbook (1434 KP) rated Choose Me (Banger Trilogy #1) in Books
Jan 7, 2018
Awesome 5 star read
This is book ONE in the Banger trilogy, which was previously released as 7 part books. I was going to buy them, all 7 books, once they were all out, but life got in the way and I totally forgot about getting. Until I saw they were being rebranded and rereleased as a trilogy. They were released on Jan 1st 2018 and I purchased all three in one.
And let me ya!! You NEED all three before you start!! Seriosuly, DO NOT attempt these books til you have all three (book one is currently free Jan 6th 2018)
Because this will GRAB you and not let you go! Took me about 90 minutes, to read all 233 pages and I did not move for those 90 minutes!
And you know what?? I did not notice, it did not even occur to me til I was over half way through about something about the way this book is written
First Person
Multi Point of View
AND!
Present Tense!
So there I was, merrily reading away, about Katherine and her hunt, about Greyson and his personal affliction and about them doing naughty unexpected things to each other and it hits me! Like a freaking sledgehammer to the face! It hit me that this book, that grabbed me so well, is written in the PRESENT FLIPPING TENSE! For me to get way past half way, for that penny to drop, just shows you how engaging I found Katherine and Greyson.
It is explicit, it's down and dirty. It makes no apologies for being so either! It is, in places, emotional. Not quite the bawl your eyes out, more the kind I wanna stab Katherine's ex's eye out with a blunt pencil, but I have a feeling the bawling is to come. Oh yes, I know its-a-coming!
I Love Ms Lynne's work, and this is an excellent addition to her library.
Off to read book 2, Covet Me now.
5 full and sexy stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
And let me ya!! You NEED all three before you start!! Seriosuly, DO NOT attempt these books til you have all three (book one is currently free Jan 6th 2018)
Because this will GRAB you and not let you go! Took me about 90 minutes, to read all 233 pages and I did not move for those 90 minutes!
And you know what?? I did not notice, it did not even occur to me til I was over half way through about something about the way this book is written
First Person
Multi Point of View
AND!
Present Tense!
So there I was, merrily reading away, about Katherine and her hunt, about Greyson and his personal affliction and about them doing naughty unexpected things to each other and it hits me! Like a freaking sledgehammer to the face! It hit me that this book, that grabbed me so well, is written in the PRESENT FLIPPING TENSE! For me to get way past half way, for that penny to drop, just shows you how engaging I found Katherine and Greyson.
It is explicit, it's down and dirty. It makes no apologies for being so either! It is, in places, emotional. Not quite the bawl your eyes out, more the kind I wanna stab Katherine's ex's eye out with a blunt pencil, but I have a feeling the bawling is to come. Oh yes, I know its-a-coming!
I Love Ms Lynne's work, and this is an excellent addition to her library.
Off to read book 2, Covet Me now.
5 full and sexy stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Adam Colclough (3 KP) rated The January Man: A Year of Walking Britain in Books
Apr 19, 2018
The Long and Winding Road
The relationship between fathers and sons is contested ground. An emotional boxing match with incomprehension at golden opportunities wasted in one corner, and frustration at being held to impossible standards in the other.
The sometimes awkward, but always close, relationship between journalist Christopher Somerville and his war hero father is at the heart of this hugely engaging mix of memoir and nature writing. Their shared love of walking was the bond that united two very different characters in a story that unfolds against a backdrop of profound social change.
The quiet stoicism that saw a generation of men through the war giving way to rebellion born of affluence, then morphing into the busy atomisation of twenty first century life. This could make for a maudlin exercise in chin stroking, but is saved from it by Somerville’s good humour and inherent optimism.
Added to this is a deep love of nature and the English countryside and the people who have painted, written about or made their living from it over the centuries. Somerville is able to translate this into nature writing that carries the message that we should value what we’ve got without being either sentimental or didactic.
As a memoirist, he has an eye for the eccentricities of family life and a welcome sense of empathy with the experience of his parent’s generation and how it shaped their outlook. Being reserved is not the same thing as being distant, love strong enough to last a lifetime doesn’t need to announce itself with flowers and candy hearts; it manifests in the little acts that make up a life.
This is also a resolutely practical book, something Somerville senior would have approved of, with several associated walks that can be downloaded. Even if the journey from the bookcase to your easy chair is the closest you get to hiking, it is still worth reading.
The sometimes awkward, but always close, relationship between journalist Christopher Somerville and his war hero father is at the heart of this hugely engaging mix of memoir and nature writing. Their shared love of walking was the bond that united two very different characters in a story that unfolds against a backdrop of profound social change.
The quiet stoicism that saw a generation of men through the war giving way to rebellion born of affluence, then morphing into the busy atomisation of twenty first century life. This could make for a maudlin exercise in chin stroking, but is saved from it by Somerville’s good humour and inherent optimism.
Added to this is a deep love of nature and the English countryside and the people who have painted, written about or made their living from it over the centuries. Somerville is able to translate this into nature writing that carries the message that we should value what we’ve got without being either sentimental or didactic.
As a memoirist, he has an eye for the eccentricities of family life and a welcome sense of empathy with the experience of his parent’s generation and how it shaped their outlook. Being reserved is not the same thing as being distant, love strong enough to last a lifetime doesn’t need to announce itself with flowers and candy hearts; it manifests in the little acts that make up a life.
This is also a resolutely practical book, something Somerville senior would have approved of, with several associated walks that can be downloaded. Even if the journey from the bookcase to your easy chair is the closest you get to hiking, it is still worth reading.
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated the PC version of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden in Video Games
Feb 8, 2019
Hard Game But Core Fans May Like it.
Fans of turn based combat will likely enjoy the latest game in the genre Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden. The game has a Post-Apocalypse setting where players take control of two mutants, a Duck and a Boar, as they explore, battle, and salvage in a hostile environment.
There is a base of operations which is fairly safe for players to enjoy as they can not only gain new missions; but they can upgrade their loadout to better survive the tasks ahead.
The early missions were fairly routine as using my allotted number of moves per turn I was able to move, take cover, heal, reload, fire, and even throw a grenade.
The problem comes when the enemy has numbers as an early mission involved taking on 5 enemies of the same or higher skill level.
The enemies were able to flank players and call in help which only increased their superior advantage.
Hiding and waiting for them to pass, hit and run, and direct assaults did no good and added to the frustrations.
Considering players would have to take a turn to reload and enemies did not, plus the sheer numbers made it a frustrating undertaking.
In many ways it is a microcosm of the game itself as there are challenges and then there are challenges which are a bit too much for gamers who are not hardcore and are looking for a simple escape.
Casual players are likely to enjoy the premise and some of the gameplay but will become frustrated with the excessive challenge and combat mechanics required on some of the missions.
The game has decent graphics and sound and the characters are engaging and likeable but in the end the game becomes a tedious series of turn based battles that can grow old and frustrating after a while.
3.5 stars out of 5
There is a base of operations which is fairly safe for players to enjoy as they can not only gain new missions; but they can upgrade their loadout to better survive the tasks ahead.
The early missions were fairly routine as using my allotted number of moves per turn I was able to move, take cover, heal, reload, fire, and even throw a grenade.
The problem comes when the enemy has numbers as an early mission involved taking on 5 enemies of the same or higher skill level.
The enemies were able to flank players and call in help which only increased their superior advantage.
Hiding and waiting for them to pass, hit and run, and direct assaults did no good and added to the frustrations.
Considering players would have to take a turn to reload and enemies did not, plus the sheer numbers made it a frustrating undertaking.
In many ways it is a microcosm of the game itself as there are challenges and then there are challenges which are a bit too much for gamers who are not hardcore and are looking for a simple escape.
Casual players are likely to enjoy the premise and some of the gameplay but will become frustrated with the excessive challenge and combat mechanics required on some of the missions.
The game has decent graphics and sound and the characters are engaging and likeable but in the end the game becomes a tedious series of turn based battles that can grow old and frustrating after a while.
3.5 stars out of 5
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Seance (Harrison Investigation, #5) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
<b>4.5 stars</b>
<b>The Seance</b> was one of those books that I just could not put down! Addictive, fast-paced, thrilling, and thoroughly fun, it had everything I wanted to read - mystery/suspense, romance, paranormal - and reminded me of R.L. Stine for adults. Of course it's not 'serious' fiction, who wants that when picking up a book that looks like this? It's fun brain candy, plain and simple, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I haven't had an easy time finding books to read because my concentration level has taken a nosedive, but this book had me hooked from the back synopsis - and kept me hooked throughout. Yes, there are some editing issues, coincidences, red-heads seem to be the main populace, redundancies (e.g. victims are attractive red-heads, beautiful red-heads, gorgeous red-heads, and did I mention Christina's a beautiful, attractive, gorgeous red-head also? Argh, it was annoying! I got it the first time; I don't need it repeated ten million times.), and I figured out who was behind everything in the first-seventh of the book, which could have used more of an explanation for the why at the end, but my problems are eclipsed by the engaging plot.
After Christina called Gen, I wondered if there was a previous book with her, Thor, and Adam, and there is called [b:The Vision|731809|The Vision (Harrison Investigation, #3)|Heather Graham|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308964367s/731809.jpg|717999], and I've already ordered it from the library - I can't wait to read it! I'm thinking Heather Graham's romantic suspense novels might just be the key that'll keep me reading all the way to the end of a book. :) So, overall, I liked the characters, the story was great, and even though it isn't even close to Hallowe'en, I would still recommend it for a thrilling good read.
<b>The Seance</b> was one of those books that I just could not put down! Addictive, fast-paced, thrilling, and thoroughly fun, it had everything I wanted to read - mystery/suspense, romance, paranormal - and reminded me of R.L. Stine for adults. Of course it's not 'serious' fiction, who wants that when picking up a book that looks like this? It's fun brain candy, plain and simple, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I haven't had an easy time finding books to read because my concentration level has taken a nosedive, but this book had me hooked from the back synopsis - and kept me hooked throughout. Yes, there are some editing issues, coincidences, red-heads seem to be the main populace, redundancies (e.g. victims are attractive red-heads, beautiful red-heads, gorgeous red-heads, and did I mention Christina's a beautiful, attractive, gorgeous red-head also? Argh, it was annoying! I got it the first time; I don't need it repeated ten million times.), and I figured out who was behind everything in the first-seventh of the book, which could have used more of an explanation for the why at the end, but my problems are eclipsed by the engaging plot.
After Christina called Gen, I wondered if there was a previous book with her, Thor, and Adam, and there is called [b:The Vision|731809|The Vision (Harrison Investigation, #3)|Heather Graham|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1308964367s/731809.jpg|717999], and I've already ordered it from the library - I can't wait to read it! I'm thinking Heather Graham's romantic suspense novels might just be the key that'll keep me reading all the way to the end of a book. :) So, overall, I liked the characters, the story was great, and even though it isn't even close to Hallowe'en, I would still recommend it for a thrilling good read.
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated The Bronze Horseman in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Well, the Bronze Horseman started off well enough. The love story between Tatiana and Alexander was beautifully written and engaging for the first two parts of the book. Then in the third part, entitled Lazarevo, the book fell apart. Barely any plot, I could have skipped it and not missed much at all. Not to mention Alexander took a turn for the worse. He always was a bit short-tempered before, but he was ten times worse and became way too possessive of Tatiana for me to consider this romantic at all. Truthfully, it didn't feel like it belonged in this book and nearly made me abandon the book altogether. Nevertheless, I trudged through the 157 pages and got to the fourth part. Finally. After reading the first page, the writing and story already appeared better, more like how the book started, but it didn't really catch my interest again until the last sixty pages. That was the turning point and now, after thinking I wouldn't, I probably will pick up the next installment of their story.
As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.
As far as the characters and plot, Tatiana will not be for everyone, she's pretty much a saint throughout the whole book. I mostly liked her, and yeah, sure she was a pushover, but hey, different time, different culture, I could accept that. What I had a hard time with was how Alexander kept seeing her (selfish, irredeemable) sister. What the heck? Why couldn't he have just broken it off with her? I never understood that, as it didn't seem to be a cultural thing, and it just ended up being a weak plot device. The war-time scenes were very good though and I could feel their hunger, their numbness, their fear, all of it was well done. So, as I said, I will read the next book and hope it continues with all the good this book had and very little of the bad.