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Hazel (1853 KP) rated Window in the Wall in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>This eBook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review</i>
<i>The Window in the Wall</i> by Ginny Merritt is based upon the bible story of Rahab and the spies, and the fall of Jericho. Although most Christians will know this story well it is probably not as well known amongst children. By making the main character a young girl, Talia, Merritt makes it suitable for young readers to enjoy.
Talia lives with her parents and brother within the walls of Jericho and loves helping her father in the flax fields. An approaching army strikes fear into her heart despite reassurances that nothing can destroy the strong walls and get into the city. However Talia’s aunt, Rahab, has been told different by a couple of Israelite spies who promise her and all her family safety as a reward for helping them. As many family members that Rahab can persuade sit and wait in Rahab’s room to see what happens and hopefully be saved. Unfortunately there are a few people who refuse to believe in what Rahab is saying nor that there is a God that is Lord of all.
Those familiar with the story will know the outcome of the story, but children will race through this book eagerly wanting to discover what happens to Talia and her family.
As an adult reading <i>The Window in the Wall</i> the references to Rahab’s characteristics will make more sense whereas they will most likely go over children’s heads. Having it written from a child’s perspective will help children to learn this bible story. Talia has many questions, which adults will not answer, as will the readers!
Merritt has helpfully included a pronunciation guide at the back of the book to help readers with the tricky foreign names that they encounter in the story. As an adult these names were not particularly difficult, but this would be a great benefit to younger readers.
Adults that read this book need to keep in mind the age of the target audience. The story does not go into much depth and may not be that engaging to those familiar with their bible stories.
The story of Rahab is not an easy one to rewrite for children but Merritt has done an excellent job. Books such as <i>The Window in the Wall</i> would be a great way of teaching Christian children about their faith without boring them with sermons.
<i>The Window in the Wall</i> by Ginny Merritt is based upon the bible story of Rahab and the spies, and the fall of Jericho. Although most Christians will know this story well it is probably not as well known amongst children. By making the main character a young girl, Talia, Merritt makes it suitable for young readers to enjoy.
Talia lives with her parents and brother within the walls of Jericho and loves helping her father in the flax fields. An approaching army strikes fear into her heart despite reassurances that nothing can destroy the strong walls and get into the city. However Talia’s aunt, Rahab, has been told different by a couple of Israelite spies who promise her and all her family safety as a reward for helping them. As many family members that Rahab can persuade sit and wait in Rahab’s room to see what happens and hopefully be saved. Unfortunately there are a few people who refuse to believe in what Rahab is saying nor that there is a God that is Lord of all.
Those familiar with the story will know the outcome of the story, but children will race through this book eagerly wanting to discover what happens to Talia and her family.
As an adult reading <i>The Window in the Wall</i> the references to Rahab’s characteristics will make more sense whereas they will most likely go over children’s heads. Having it written from a child’s perspective will help children to learn this bible story. Talia has many questions, which adults will not answer, as will the readers!
Merritt has helpfully included a pronunciation guide at the back of the book to help readers with the tricky foreign names that they encounter in the story. As an adult these names were not particularly difficult, but this would be a great benefit to younger readers.
Adults that read this book need to keep in mind the age of the target audience. The story does not go into much depth and may not be that engaging to those familiar with their bible stories.
The story of Rahab is not an easy one to rewrite for children but Merritt has done an excellent job. Books such as <i>The Window in the Wall</i> would be a great way of teaching Christian children about their faith without boring them with sermons.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Twice in a Blue Moon in Books
Oct 24, 2019
Tate first fell in love on a trip to London, where she met the mysterious Sam Brandis. They shared all their deepest secrets and dreams together every night in their hotel's garden. It was a whirlwind, beautiful romance. Sam was the only person that Tate told her biggest secret: she is the daughter of one of Hollywood's biggest film stars. But their brief love story ended abruptly when Sam betrayed Tate, revealing her secret and outing her to the world. Now, fourteen years later, Tate is a famous actress herself. She's on set on her biggest project to date. The last person she's expecting to see is Sam Brandis. But here he is. Now Tate is forced to confront what happened fourteen years ago--and how it has affected her all these years later.
"What would you do if you got a second chance with your first love?"
Well, I was totally caught up in this captivating romance. I'm a real sucker for Hollywood drama, so this was right up my alley. The daughter of a Hollywood star, who abandoned her and her Mom after a messy divorce? Said daughter grows up and decides to be a film star after being outed by her first love? I'm so in.
This Christina Lauren novel is told just from Tate's point of view, so we don't get some of the back-and-forth POV that we see in some of the duo's other books. There is more drama, less witty banter, than we might see in other books. But there's still plenty of the usual lies, longing, and misunderstandings. There are also lots of sexy moments and romantic interludes, too.
Tate is a fun character; I liked the divide between young Tate and Sam and then cutting to them fourteen years later. Honestly, older Tate is a little clueless at times. It takes her a while to catch on to things that seem pretty obvious to the rest of us. As usual, some things are rather predictable and other moments are a bit overblown, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. While Sam and Tate might not have had a constant humorous dialogue going, I liked the seriousness that the book brought to their relationship, as well as the funny moments it dropped in too. Tate's family, friends, and co-stars add a lighthearted touch, too.
Overall, this is a sweet, engaging romance. I loved the Hollywood aspect and the changing dynamic between Tate and Sam. 4 stars.
"What would you do if you got a second chance with your first love?"
Well, I was totally caught up in this captivating romance. I'm a real sucker for Hollywood drama, so this was right up my alley. The daughter of a Hollywood star, who abandoned her and her Mom after a messy divorce? Said daughter grows up and decides to be a film star after being outed by her first love? I'm so in.
This Christina Lauren novel is told just from Tate's point of view, so we don't get some of the back-and-forth POV that we see in some of the duo's other books. There is more drama, less witty banter, than we might see in other books. But there's still plenty of the usual lies, longing, and misunderstandings. There are also lots of sexy moments and romantic interludes, too.
Tate is a fun character; I liked the divide between young Tate and Sam and then cutting to them fourteen years later. Honestly, older Tate is a little clueless at times. It takes her a while to catch on to things that seem pretty obvious to the rest of us. As usual, some things are rather predictable and other moments are a bit overblown, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book. While Sam and Tate might not have had a constant humorous dialogue going, I liked the seriousness that the book brought to their relationship, as well as the funny moments it dropped in too. Tate's family, friends, and co-stars add a lighthearted touch, too.
Overall, this is a sweet, engaging romance. I loved the Hollywood aspect and the changing dynamic between Tate and Sam. 4 stars.
Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Luce (2019) in Movies
Oct 26, 2019
Luce was an interesting film to watch, it shows a lot of different relationships and as such it's a very wordy sort of film. I'm not averse to wordy films but they can be a little dry to watch, luckily in this case the main cast are engaging and keep you interested.
Had we not been blessed with such a great performance from Kelvin Harrison Jr as Luce I think this would have failed to make it out of the blocks. Luce becomes something very serious in his hands and the swing in the character left me with an uneasy feeling as I watched. The one frustrating thing I found was that I could sense the insincerity in all of his responses so I was frustrated that it was only really Miss Wilson that picked up on it. I understand that it's a necessary part of the story... but still.
Octavia Spencer didn't disappoint as Harriet Wilson. She got to give a good range as she devolves after going head to head with Luce. I think she probably managed to cover every emotion and handles either end of the spectrum very well.
Tim Roth and Naomi Watts play Luce's adoptive parents. Roth is someone I love on screen but Watts is an unknown entity for me as I've only seen her in 2005's King Kong. There's obviously a certain amount of tension/conflict between the couple but even taking that into consideration I didn't feel there was much of a rapport between them. Even when you take into account the conflict in the film I couldn't quite find it in me to feel anything for the couple, good or bad. Roth as Peter was good and brought across the slightly bitter side of the character well but Watt's Amy didn't seem to have enough emotion behind her. I'd have said that Amy in particular could have stood to be a little grittier, at least a small part of her did need to be a bit of a pushover but combined with her activities in the film the character didn't feel entirely believable.
Luce was enjoyable to watch but looking back I'm less enthusiastic despite the good performances at the front of it. The good sadly didn't outway the average for me and at times it became a little confusing, but it's still a solid film.
From the full review previously posted on: http://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/10/luce-movie-review.html
Had we not been blessed with such a great performance from Kelvin Harrison Jr as Luce I think this would have failed to make it out of the blocks. Luce becomes something very serious in his hands and the swing in the character left me with an uneasy feeling as I watched. The one frustrating thing I found was that I could sense the insincerity in all of his responses so I was frustrated that it was only really Miss Wilson that picked up on it. I understand that it's a necessary part of the story... but still.
Octavia Spencer didn't disappoint as Harriet Wilson. She got to give a good range as she devolves after going head to head with Luce. I think she probably managed to cover every emotion and handles either end of the spectrum very well.
Tim Roth and Naomi Watts play Luce's adoptive parents. Roth is someone I love on screen but Watts is an unknown entity for me as I've only seen her in 2005's King Kong. There's obviously a certain amount of tension/conflict between the couple but even taking that into consideration I didn't feel there was much of a rapport between them. Even when you take into account the conflict in the film I couldn't quite find it in me to feel anything for the couple, good or bad. Roth as Peter was good and brought across the slightly bitter side of the character well but Watt's Amy didn't seem to have enough emotion behind her. I'd have said that Amy in particular could have stood to be a little grittier, at least a small part of her did need to be a bit of a pushover but combined with her activities in the film the character didn't feel entirely believable.
Luce was enjoyable to watch but looking back I'm less enthusiastic despite the good performances at the front of it. The good sadly didn't outway the average for me and at times it became a little confusing, but it's still a solid film.
From the full review previously posted on: http://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2019/10/luce-movie-review.html
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated Indelible (Grant County, #4) in Books
Jul 23, 2019
Better then the last but still not in the same league as the first couple of books in this series....
This is the fourth in the Grant County series and for a series that started so strong (I loved the first two books) I was really disappointed with this. I would recommend approaching this series in order as they do carry a lot of emotional baggage through the series.
This was the first one I listened to as an audiobook and the Southern American accents used were a bit grating for me, so I'll try to stick to the books in the future for this series (obviously a personal preference.)
With a shootout occuring in the town in the present day, we get flashbacks to an “origin” type story 12 years earlier, which sets out to give the reasoning behind the attack. It’s a pretty shocking attack and the present day part was tense.
This book is very focused on two of the main characters from the series, Medical examiner Sara Linton and her now ex husband / current boyfriend (it’s a complicated relationship) Police Chief Jeffrey. In the flashback parts of this book we see Sara and Jeffrey taking a trip to Jefferies hometown where his best friend ends up shooting someone and a body is found from Jefferies distant past. I didn’t find the investigation part here as engaging as in the previous books, with too much focus on what Jeffrey was like as a lad.
I think my main issue with this particular book is I just don’t like Jeffery and having so much dedicated to back story for him didn’t endear him any more to me. I came out of that part of the story still not liking him or really understanding why Sara is so in love with him (I suppose love is blind.)
Although I enjoyed the action packed present day shootout it still had a character issue in the form of the ever complicated Lena Adams. She is back to being a cop and this is her first day back (talk about bad timing!) I really have no idea why they are letting her back on the force she just seems to be a terrible cop (and not a particularly nice person) who is suffering from PTSD.
I feel I may be being too harsh on this book and I can fully understand people who love the characters in this series (or love to hate main characters) enjoying this book. I just prefer this series when it’s slightly more focused on a case rather than their personal lives.
This was the first one I listened to as an audiobook and the Southern American accents used were a bit grating for me, so I'll try to stick to the books in the future for this series (obviously a personal preference.)
With a shootout occuring in the town in the present day, we get flashbacks to an “origin” type story 12 years earlier, which sets out to give the reasoning behind the attack. It’s a pretty shocking attack and the present day part was tense.
This book is very focused on two of the main characters from the series, Medical examiner Sara Linton and her now ex husband / current boyfriend (it’s a complicated relationship) Police Chief Jeffrey. In the flashback parts of this book we see Sara and Jeffrey taking a trip to Jefferies hometown where his best friend ends up shooting someone and a body is found from Jefferies distant past. I didn’t find the investigation part here as engaging as in the previous books, with too much focus on what Jeffrey was like as a lad.
I think my main issue with this particular book is I just don’t like Jeffery and having so much dedicated to back story for him didn’t endear him any more to me. I came out of that part of the story still not liking him or really understanding why Sara is so in love with him (I suppose love is blind.)
Although I enjoyed the action packed present day shootout it still had a character issue in the form of the ever complicated Lena Adams. She is back to being a cop and this is her first day back (talk about bad timing!) I really have no idea why they are letting her back on the force she just seems to be a terrible cop (and not a particularly nice person) who is suffering from PTSD.
I feel I may be being too harsh on this book and I can fully understand people who love the characters in this series (or love to hate main characters) enjoying this book. I just prefer this series when it’s slightly more focused on a case rather than their personal lives.
Deborah (162 KP) rated Six Tudor Queens: Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen: Six Tudor Queens 1 in Books
Dec 19, 2018
Weir again goes from traditionalist historian to historical novelist, but she can't seem to leave the historian bit behind. Much as I dislike wholesale abandonment of historical accuracy and the flagrant sensationalism of Phillipa Gregory and her Ilk, I really found this book over long and tedious - I could quite cheerfully have done some poisoning myself just to get the book over and done with! It feels like Weir has looked up every single historical quote she could find from people in the period and tried to squeeze them into the book. I had read biographies of the period that are more enlightening that this and do more to bring the people and period to life.
During the third quarter of the book, we get a lot of Henry coming in to visit Katherine, giving us a bit of plot exposition and then having a strop and stomping out like a child having a tantrum. After about the tenth occurrence this gets rather tedious and doesn't feel altogether likely.
I was slightly weirded by the implication that Katherine on arrival quite fancied the ten year old Henry and the bit in the Tower with the 'ghost lady' and the shivers down the spine in Peterborough cathedral seemed out of place and both only really play off if you have a knowledge of the period already, in which case you really don't need to be reading this.
Finally, for all the historical stuff Weir has stuffed in there, she really does need to pay better attention to her geography. I know Ampthill isn't that far from Dunstable, but I think I little effort would inform her that it's more like 14 miles and not the 4 she has in the book!
While the writing isn't awful, it's just not engaging and the book is far too long and becomes tedious. Does Weir really believe that Katherine believed that, after everything that he had done, Henry would meekly accept the Pope's vastly overdue ruling, put Anne and Elizabeth and the change of a male heir aside along with his leadership of the Church of England? hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I find it hard to beleive that Katherine was as stupid and naive as she comes across here. She says she still loves Henry and wouldn't do anything against him, yet writes to the Pope and the Emperor with a clear intention of inciting war! I think Weir means to make her sympathetic, but I just found her exasperating. I would recommend some good non-fiction book on the period ahead of this.
During the third quarter of the book, we get a lot of Henry coming in to visit Katherine, giving us a bit of plot exposition and then having a strop and stomping out like a child having a tantrum. After about the tenth occurrence this gets rather tedious and doesn't feel altogether likely.
I was slightly weirded by the implication that Katherine on arrival quite fancied the ten year old Henry and the bit in the Tower with the 'ghost lady' and the shivers down the spine in Peterborough cathedral seemed out of place and both only really play off if you have a knowledge of the period already, in which case you really don't need to be reading this.
Finally, for all the historical stuff Weir has stuffed in there, she really does need to pay better attention to her geography. I know Ampthill isn't that far from Dunstable, but I think I little effort would inform her that it's more like 14 miles and not the 4 she has in the book!
While the writing isn't awful, it's just not engaging and the book is far too long and becomes tedious. Does Weir really believe that Katherine believed that, after everything that he had done, Henry would meekly accept the Pope's vastly overdue ruling, put Anne and Elizabeth and the change of a male heir aside along with his leadership of the Church of England? hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I find it hard to beleive that Katherine was as stupid and naive as she comes across here. She says she still loves Henry and wouldn't do anything against him, yet writes to the Pope and the Emperor with a clear intention of inciting war! I think Weir means to make her sympathetic, but I just found her exasperating. I would recommend some good non-fiction book on the period ahead of this.
Neon's Nerd Nexus (360 KP) rated Ford v Ferrari (aka Le Mans '66) (2019) in Movies
Nov 4, 2019
Ice Cream
Le mans 66 aka Ford v Ferrari (the extended cut) is a blistering thrill ride equally perfect for both petrol heads and casual car lovers alike. I wont lie I was so excited to see this movie as I cant remember the last time I saw a trully great race movie and ill tell you now Le mans 66 does not disappoint. Primarily a film about pride, jealousy, ego, power and the need to be first and while the movie handles all that stuff perfectly it still manages to pack in so much more too. The art of driving, building/manufacturing, selling and owning cars is frequently and subtley liked to both war and sex in many diffrent ways but what it mostly boils down to is beating the other guy and looking good while doing it. Power is also portrayed perfectly and seeing how essentially its the little guys putting in all the work while the big men in charge reap all the rewards, fame and profit is trully disheartening but ever so relatable too. Story is constantly intresting starting slow and methodical letting you take in all the scenery and character depth before pushing you over the edge and giving you all its got, its trully exciting stuff and the attachment you gain for the main characters this way is thrilling by its self alone. Never ever predictable the film seems to swerve every time you think you know the route it will take always keeping you on the edge of your seat. Sound design is the best ive experienced all year with every tire rip, exhaust pop, speed barrier break, and narrow miss tearing though your ears and booming in your chest really putting you inside these beast machines. Visually its so god damn clean too and I kid you not I have no idea if all the effects are cgi or practical its that slick, with transitions that are immaculate making the racing scenes feel full of tension, danger and anxiety. Matt damon is solid as usual but it christian bale that really knocks it out the park here as a talented man who only strives to impress himself who would give up everything in a heart beat just to with his family (infact I think my favorite perfomance of his). Honestly this movie blew me away its thrilling, intresting, emotional, engaging, rewarding and the main characters are layerd each with thier own drive and goals. I simply can not recomend it enough and the only fault is my own for not seeing it in imax.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Jayden's Cybermountain (The Sanctum Series #1) in Books
Nov 15, 2019
I read this book on my recent holiday and it kept me enthralled, my eReader didn't leave my side and I was always itching to read a bit more to see what happened next.
At the start of the story Jayden is 11 and due to family problems is sleeping rough. One night he is given an opportunity to turn his life around from an unexpected source. Dubious at first, Jayden accepts and is soon settling into a new life, studying at a secret school where all the pupils are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Clearly there is a purpose behind the school, but what exactly is it?
This is a hard book to review simply because it's tough to give any idea of the story without spoiling it. And really this is a story I don't want to spoil for anyone.
Although aimed at young adults (particularly around 11, the same age as Jayden) as with all the best young adult fiction it's an excellent read for anyone.
The plot is really well handled; The journey of Jayden and his friends is one aspect, the purpose of the school another and the reader is kept on their toes by regular twists and turns. Some of these are totally unexpected, others are nicely flagged for the observant reader who will feel very pleased with themselves for having spotted the clue.
The characters are all clearly drawn and the descriptions are detailed enough to sketch them out out not laboured and allow enough space for the reader's imagination to add the finishing touches. All the main characters are very positive role models for young people and many will identify with them and hopefully appreciate how they develop. The writing moves at a really good pace and it is never slow and always grabs attention.
There are moments of humour - mostly around the student's antics either trying to break the rules or playing tricks on each other. Much darker threads are wound in with skill by Cope covering topics such as drug abuse, bullying and terrorism but these are never laboured and always dealt with sympathetically and optimistically. As a parent it is great to see these topics mentioned.
My 9-going-on-10 year old read this book and said it was 'great' and could he have 'more like that'. I don't think you could get a better recommendation.
Overall this is definitely a must read, not just for its target audience but anyone who wants to read a thoughtfully constructed, engaging and thrilling story. I will definitely be reading the sequel.
At the start of the story Jayden is 11 and due to family problems is sleeping rough. One night he is given an opportunity to turn his life around from an unexpected source. Dubious at first, Jayden accepts and is soon settling into a new life, studying at a secret school where all the pupils are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Clearly there is a purpose behind the school, but what exactly is it?
This is a hard book to review simply because it's tough to give any idea of the story without spoiling it. And really this is a story I don't want to spoil for anyone.
Although aimed at young adults (particularly around 11, the same age as Jayden) as with all the best young adult fiction it's an excellent read for anyone.
The plot is really well handled; The journey of Jayden and his friends is one aspect, the purpose of the school another and the reader is kept on their toes by regular twists and turns. Some of these are totally unexpected, others are nicely flagged for the observant reader who will feel very pleased with themselves for having spotted the clue.
The characters are all clearly drawn and the descriptions are detailed enough to sketch them out out not laboured and allow enough space for the reader's imagination to add the finishing touches. All the main characters are very positive role models for young people and many will identify with them and hopefully appreciate how they develop. The writing moves at a really good pace and it is never slow and always grabs attention.
There are moments of humour - mostly around the student's antics either trying to break the rules or playing tricks on each other. Much darker threads are wound in with skill by Cope covering topics such as drug abuse, bullying and terrorism but these are never laboured and always dealt with sympathetically and optimistically. As a parent it is great to see these topics mentioned.
My 9-going-on-10 year old read this book and said it was 'great' and could he have 'more like that'. I don't think you could get a better recommendation.
Overall this is definitely a must read, not just for its target audience but anyone who wants to read a thoughtfully constructed, engaging and thrilling story. I will definitely be reading the sequel.
365Flicks (235 KP) rated Ice Guardians (2016) in Movies
Nov 20, 2019
Speaking from my own personal perspective, Ice Guardians is one of the most interesting gripping documentary’s I have watched recently. Full Disclosure first… I am a Brit, a little Englander if you will so my knowledge of Ice Hockey and the world of that sport is very limited to the Mighty Ducks movies. However I love a good personal Documentary that can engage me in something I know little about. Ice Guardians covers that for me so lets do this.
Director Brett Harvey carefully and passionately explores one of the most controversial and provocative positions in the history the National Hockey League, the Enforcer.
This movie is the Story of the most controversial positions in the world of sport, from its birth (out of little policing by the refs in the game) to today. ‘The Enforcer’ this is a position that has been talked about through the decades. Is it needed? Is it Necessary? Who the hell would take this role in a game of Ice Hockey?. Essentially the role is to be an “Ice Boxer” hit harder and faster than the guy on the opposite side, be such a menace that everyone on your team is safe because the opposition are scared Shit-less to start something because you will get them.
Of course my simplistic analysis above is that of a man before watching this movie. Watch as giants of the game and some of the hardest son of bitches in the position, strip everything back to bare all on the role they play, why they play it and the sheer scrutiny they are are faced with on a day to day basis. I will honestly say I was moved by this Documentary at times, these men are looked at like caged beasts, Unhinged if you want. However these men are exactly that ‘MEN’ with more Honor, Integrity and way more Loyalty than most Sportsmen.
Written by Harvey and Scott Dodds, the film features interviews with NFL greats such as Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, Clark Gillies and Dave Semenko.
We at 365 Highly recommend this Documentary and hope you will it a chance because it is engaging as hell and gives you a deep insight into the role of the Enforcer from the Enforcers point of view. Its not as black and white as you may think and I truly think you will take something away to think from this flick.
I want you all to watch this movie its wonderfully made and deals with a subject like this carefully and with the respect it deserves.
Director Brett Harvey carefully and passionately explores one of the most controversial and provocative positions in the history the National Hockey League, the Enforcer.
This movie is the Story of the most controversial positions in the world of sport, from its birth (out of little policing by the refs in the game) to today. ‘The Enforcer’ this is a position that has been talked about through the decades. Is it needed? Is it Necessary? Who the hell would take this role in a game of Ice Hockey?. Essentially the role is to be an “Ice Boxer” hit harder and faster than the guy on the opposite side, be such a menace that everyone on your team is safe because the opposition are scared Shit-less to start something because you will get them.
Of course my simplistic analysis above is that of a man before watching this movie. Watch as giants of the game and some of the hardest son of bitches in the position, strip everything back to bare all on the role they play, why they play it and the sheer scrutiny they are are faced with on a day to day basis. I will honestly say I was moved by this Documentary at times, these men are looked at like caged beasts, Unhinged if you want. However these men are exactly that ‘MEN’ with more Honor, Integrity and way more Loyalty than most Sportsmen.
Written by Harvey and Scott Dodds, the film features interviews with NFL greats such as Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, Clark Gillies and Dave Semenko.
We at 365 Highly recommend this Documentary and hope you will it a chance because it is engaging as hell and gives you a deep insight into the role of the Enforcer from the Enforcers point of view. Its not as black and white as you may think and I truly think you will take something away to think from this flick.
I want you all to watch this movie its wonderfully made and deals with a subject like this carefully and with the respect it deserves.
EmersonRose (320 KP) rated Hinterland Fortress (Conquest of The Evermore #1) in Books
Nov 20, 2019
“Rhyal was sitting in a wagon. She wriggled her nose. The stench awoke her from her meditation. She opened her eyes to see Ender snoring away. She sensed and knew where she was now. She peered out of the canvas covering to see the dark mountains of Grund Morr. It would be the last known feature she’d see as they passed through the Evermire swampland.”
Conquest of the Evermire: 1. Hinterland Fortress is the first book in the Conquest of the Evermire series by author Ron Smorynski, author of the series Alfred and Knight of the Dead. (See the end of this review for links to reviews of all of those books as well). The novella follows adoptive siblings Rhyal, an elf, and Ender, a human. The two are on a journey to see the world outside of the elven havens. They have heard the stories and myths connected to Evermire, of treasure and glory, and decided to see it for themselves.
The book combines together a lot of my favorite fantasy things. An exciting adventure, interesting renditions of classic magical beings, strong bonds of friendship or family, a well-built world, and a lot of fun and quirky side characters. I found myself very drawn to the connection between Rhyal and Ender, their close bond already formed at the beginning of the book is engaging. I also really appreciated that, while they are trained and talented fighters, they acknowledge the difference physically and mentally in fighting in real life vs. practice. This added some realism and made the fighting more interesting to follow. My favorite side character in the book was Ligo. He is a fun, quirky, snarky gone with very big dreams. He added the lightness that this book needed to balance the dark setting and fights to the death.
What this novella really does is serve as an exciting set-up to the adventure. The book allows us to get to know some of the characters, learn a bit about the Evermire, but perhaps most importantly plant the seeds of several intriguing questions. I know just want to learn more about Rhyal and Ender’s pasts, more about the magic system, what is really hidden in the depth of the Evermire… This was an exciting start to a fun adventure that I look forward to continuing in the sequel: Conquest of the Evermire: 2. The Church.
The book is great for young adults as it is not unnecessarily dark or gory. I thought that this book was really fun and I am excited to see where it goes next!
Conquest of the Evermire: 1. Hinterland Fortress is the first book in the Conquest of the Evermire series by author Ron Smorynski, author of the series Alfred and Knight of the Dead. (See the end of this review for links to reviews of all of those books as well). The novella follows adoptive siblings Rhyal, an elf, and Ender, a human. The two are on a journey to see the world outside of the elven havens. They have heard the stories and myths connected to Evermire, of treasure and glory, and decided to see it for themselves.
The book combines together a lot of my favorite fantasy things. An exciting adventure, interesting renditions of classic magical beings, strong bonds of friendship or family, a well-built world, and a lot of fun and quirky side characters. I found myself very drawn to the connection between Rhyal and Ender, their close bond already formed at the beginning of the book is engaging. I also really appreciated that, while they are trained and talented fighters, they acknowledge the difference physically and mentally in fighting in real life vs. practice. This added some realism and made the fighting more interesting to follow. My favorite side character in the book was Ligo. He is a fun, quirky, snarky gone with very big dreams. He added the lightness that this book needed to balance the dark setting and fights to the death.
What this novella really does is serve as an exciting set-up to the adventure. The book allows us to get to know some of the characters, learn a bit about the Evermire, but perhaps most importantly plant the seeds of several intriguing questions. I know just want to learn more about Rhyal and Ender’s pasts, more about the magic system, what is really hidden in the depth of the Evermire… This was an exciting start to a fun adventure that I look forward to continuing in the sequel: Conquest of the Evermire: 2. The Church.
The book is great for young adults as it is not unnecessarily dark or gory. I thought that this book was really fun and I am excited to see where it goes next!
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) in Movies
Dec 17, 2019
Without a shadow of doubt, The Last Jedi is the most divisive entry in the Star Wars saga. Some people absolutely loved it, others hated it with a deep rooted passion. Personally, I sit somewhere in the middle.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little dissappointed with TLJ. After the fantastic (albeit safe AF) The Force Awakens, the tone of this follow up takes a sharp turn.
A huge focus of TLJ is Luke Skywalker, and his complete disinterest in the Jedi way. I found myself struggling to accept this at times. I almost felt like that although this was an interesting avenue to explore, it didn't fit quite right with the main storyline.
Another issue I took with TLJ is some of the character arcs attributed to a few of the cast. The focal point in this regard is Kylo Ren and Rey, which is fine, but characters set up in TFA ar forced into a backseat role. An example of this is Finn. In TFA, he was interesting, existing as a defective stormtrooper. It felt fresh! Now that he is a fully fledged rebel, he just has nothing to do, and spends most of his screen time bumbling around a really out of place casino planet, a scene which plays out like an extended scene from Austin Powers.
Poe Dameron is similar, here all he seems to do is argue with a new character played by (a completely wasted) Laura Dern. It just all seems a bit loose, and it's unclear where it wants to go at time.
I absolutely respect that Rian Johnson opted to go in a different path, but it misses the mark for me more often than not.
That being said, there is still plenty to like about TLJ. I really enjoy Adam Drivers performance as Kylo Ren once again, and definitely the most engaging character here. The connection between him and Rey is explored a bit more, and it definitely provides some of the films high points, including a thrilling and incredible looking fight scene in the Supreme Leader's throne room.
The action sequences look amazing as they did in TFA, and the whole finale scene set on Crait is incredibly striking and colourful.
As I said, I left the cinema feeling a little disheartened, but I still liked The Last Jedi. It has some high highs, and some frustrating lows, but us Star Wars fans are used to that by now!
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little dissappointed with TLJ. After the fantastic (albeit safe AF) The Force Awakens, the tone of this follow up takes a sharp turn.
A huge focus of TLJ is Luke Skywalker, and his complete disinterest in the Jedi way. I found myself struggling to accept this at times. I almost felt like that although this was an interesting avenue to explore, it didn't fit quite right with the main storyline.
Another issue I took with TLJ is some of the character arcs attributed to a few of the cast. The focal point in this regard is Kylo Ren and Rey, which is fine, but characters set up in TFA ar forced into a backseat role. An example of this is Finn. In TFA, he was interesting, existing as a defective stormtrooper. It felt fresh! Now that he is a fully fledged rebel, he just has nothing to do, and spends most of his screen time bumbling around a really out of place casino planet, a scene which plays out like an extended scene from Austin Powers.
Poe Dameron is similar, here all he seems to do is argue with a new character played by (a completely wasted) Laura Dern. It just all seems a bit loose, and it's unclear where it wants to go at time.
I absolutely respect that Rian Johnson opted to go in a different path, but it misses the mark for me more often than not.
That being said, there is still plenty to like about TLJ. I really enjoy Adam Drivers performance as Kylo Ren once again, and definitely the most engaging character here. The connection between him and Rey is explored a bit more, and it definitely provides some of the films high points, including a thrilling and incredible looking fight scene in the Supreme Leader's throne room.
The action sequences look amazing as they did in TFA, and the whole finale scene set on Crait is incredibly striking and colourful.
As I said, I left the cinema feeling a little disheartened, but I still liked The Last Jedi. It has some high highs, and some frustrating lows, but us Star Wars fans are used to that by now!