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Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated The Immortal Throne (Into the Dark, #3) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
Wow... It's been so long, I didn't even think I would remember this series.
Yet here we are, finally, <i>FINALLY</i>, getting to see the fates of Daphne, Haden and all the others, even after the doors to EgmontUSA closed years ago.
<h2><b>Let's chat about </b><i><b>The Immortal Throne</b></i><b>, shall we?</b></h2>
<b>Let me make it clear early on: I wasn't a fan of the first, and the second was better but not OMG I LOVE THIS SERIES.</b>
But I did want to find out what happened because <b>there was a cliffhanger and even if it's been years, I need that satisfaction. </b>#inthecornercurious
<h3><b>We've got a refresher.</b></h3>
Most people would reread the entire series (or at least skim it), but Despain gave the run down in book two and I was expecting her to do so with book three.
She does exactly that early on, and this makes forgetful me very happy. (Plus there are SO. MANY. BOOKS?! How do I keep track of the deets?)
<h3><b>We're jumping right in after the events in </b><i><b>The Eternity Key.</b></i></h3>
So not only do we get a refresher, but we also get things going on right at the moment, right after everything that happened in the second book. I highly recommend at least skimming the first two novels to get a sense if its been awhile (dont be like me, learn from my mistakes).
<h3><b>The ending is very satisfying.</b></h3>
Honestly Im just happy Daphne and Haden got an end to their story (BECAUSE WHAT IF IT DIDNT HAPPEN AND NO ONE PICKED UP THE LAST BOOK) and theres room for more if Despain so chooses to extend it (I think its fine though).
<h2><i><b>The Immortal Throne</b></i><b> is probably my favorite of the three - there are more risks at stake as we try to find out if the story will end horribly or if itll be a happily ever after.</b></h2>
(Secretly I wanted tragedy but Im evil.)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-immortal-throne-by-bree-despain/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Yet here we are, finally, <i>FINALLY</i>, getting to see the fates of Daphne, Haden and all the others, even after the doors to EgmontUSA closed years ago.
<h2><b>Let's chat about </b><i><b>The Immortal Throne</b></i><b>, shall we?</b></h2>
<b>Let me make it clear early on: I wasn't a fan of the first, and the second was better but not OMG I LOVE THIS SERIES.</b>
But I did want to find out what happened because <b>there was a cliffhanger and even if it's been years, I need that satisfaction. </b>#inthecornercurious
<h3><b>We've got a refresher.</b></h3>
Most people would reread the entire series (or at least skim it), but Despain gave the run down in book two and I was expecting her to do so with book three.
She does exactly that early on, and this makes forgetful me very happy. (Plus there are SO. MANY. BOOKS?! How do I keep track of the deets?)
<h3><b>We're jumping right in after the events in </b><i><b>The Eternity Key.</b></i></h3>
So not only do we get a refresher, but we also get things going on right at the moment, right after everything that happened in the second book. I highly recommend at least skimming the first two novels to get a sense if its been awhile (dont be like me, learn from my mistakes).
<h3><b>The ending is very satisfying.</b></h3>
Honestly Im just happy Daphne and Haden got an end to their story (BECAUSE WHAT IF IT DIDNT HAPPEN AND NO ONE PICKED UP THE LAST BOOK) and theres room for more if Despain so chooses to extend it (I think its fine though).
<h2><i><b>The Immortal Throne</b></i><b> is probably my favorite of the three - there are more risks at stake as we try to find out if the story will end horribly or if itll be a happily ever after.</b></h2>
(Secretly I wanted tragedy but Im evil.)
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/the-immortal-throne-by-bree-despain/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Eleanor (1463 KP) rated The Priory of the Orange Tree in Books
Jan 14, 2020
Strong female characters (2 more)
No filler
Deep history and lore
Compelling Fantasy
Wanting to try and branch out from just reading mainly thrillers this year I decided to get back on the fantasy track and picked this up at the library. I’m really glad I did it’s a great fantasy adventure set in a lore and history-rich world. I did have to get the ebook as well, as my wrists couldn’t cope with long reading sessions of the hardback copy and I didn’t want to put it down…..
It’s not an overly complicated fantasy tale and despite its 800+ pages, I found I was breezing through it at pace. It easily kept my interest and didn’t get too bogged down at any point. We have a tale of ancient evil rising, and a divided world will need to find a way to work together to defeat it.
Brimmed full of strong female characters we meet Ead hiding in the royal household of Inys under the guise of a maid-in-waiting but really is a kick-ass slayer/mage type, trying to protect the Queen. Meanwhile, on the other side of the great Abyss (big continent dividing ocean), we have Tane who has spent most of her life training to be a fearless dragon-riding warrior. The story is told from 4 different POVs but those two are the most engaging.
We have some romance (sigh lovey-dovey stuff - gross) but we don’t get bogged down in it and it feels entirely part of the story (not just tits and arse for the sake of it).
None of this book felt like unnecessary filler, despite epic journey's, we didn't have to read about every breakfast and lunch eaten (cough...). If anything some of the coincidences in characters meeting felt like it could of had more embellishment but I’m not really complaining it kept the story moving at a good clip. I felt the world that was built deserved a bit more of a complicated/nuanced tale but appreciate not having to slog through many years of sequels to get a conclusion. I didn’t feel the battles lived up to the overall size of the story but that may just be me watching too much TV...
Overall just what I needed to get me to want to keep branching out and reading a more diverse selection of genres - Go libraries!!!.
It’s not an overly complicated fantasy tale and despite its 800+ pages, I found I was breezing through it at pace. It easily kept my interest and didn’t get too bogged down at any point. We have a tale of ancient evil rising, and a divided world will need to find a way to work together to defeat it.
Brimmed full of strong female characters we meet Ead hiding in the royal household of Inys under the guise of a maid-in-waiting but really is a kick-ass slayer/mage type, trying to protect the Queen. Meanwhile, on the other side of the great Abyss (big continent dividing ocean), we have Tane who has spent most of her life training to be a fearless dragon-riding warrior. The story is told from 4 different POVs but those two are the most engaging.
We have some romance (sigh lovey-dovey stuff - gross) but we don’t get bogged down in it and it feels entirely part of the story (not just tits and arse for the sake of it).
None of this book felt like unnecessary filler, despite epic journey's, we didn't have to read about every breakfast and lunch eaten (cough...). If anything some of the coincidences in characters meeting felt like it could of had more embellishment but I’m not really complaining it kept the story moving at a good clip. I felt the world that was built deserved a bit more of a complicated/nuanced tale but appreciate not having to slog through many years of sequels to get a conclusion. I didn’t feel the battles lived up to the overall size of the story but that may just be me watching too much TV...
Overall just what I needed to get me to want to keep branching out and reading a more diverse selection of genres - Go libraries!!!.
Kirk Bage (1775 KP) rated Conversations With A Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes in TV
Mar 3, 2020
The third of these was the most powerful for me. It was Confessions of a killer: the Ted Bundy tapes. I mean… I had no idea. His name was in my imagination somewhere as a candidate for pure evil, but I had no notion of the level of media hype and drama behind and before this. Which is why I recommend this absolutely comprehensive 4 part series as the best in this dubious category I have yet to see.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
With the benefit of at least some hindsight, we can see in this case the epitome of such terms as “serial killer” and “sociopath”. Looking at it in pure terms of an idea worthy of dramatic exploration, then this is it! And, interestingly, to this date, besides the Zac Efron misfire, it is a story beyond worthy of correct telling, the basis of which should be the real footage. Because nothing is more bizarre than the real man and what he not only attempted to do, but actually did.
Take the basic idea that one individual is capable of murdering 30 plus women and girls over a period of two decades… then accept that he systematically went back to the corpses and committed acts of necropholia and decapitation without ever skipping a beat in what he perceived as his true persona as a competent lawyer in his own right, and you have the stuff of true nightmare. Add to that the fact that he escaped custody twice, and defended himself in court to such a charming extent that the judge himself admitted an affinity with him, and you have the recipe for something that transcends fact and becomes myth. Don’t believe me? Watch for yourself.
Do I agree with these cases being shown as entertainment? No, I don’t. Essentially. Because they are rarely told from the victim’s point of view. We have a fascination with an unsolved mystery and grim death that is undeniably curious. The cult of personality pervades, and we should be wary of why we get involved with this stuff. As addictive TV it is undeniably going to continue. Please be careful of the line between understanding and entertainment. God forbid I would give these shows a rating, as if it were a thing worthy of encouragement. It is the most undeniable yet horrific side effect of our media growth imaginable. Watch at your peril. But watch discerningly with interest.
JT (287 KP) rated Green Lantern (2011) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
You feel that had The Green Lantern arrived on the scene in 2011 not competing with a host of other super hero films, such as Thor, X-Men: First Class and Captain America, it might have had a better welcome.
For me the super hero genre really is bordering a mass overkill, what with this years upcoming Avengers getting so much press its hard to turn a corner without seing one of Iron Man, Hulk or Thor adoring a billboard or poster somewhere.
So it’s a shame then that Hollywood’s Mr. Nice guy, Ryan Reynolds, was given a role so bland and pointless it was almost insulting.
Director Martin Campbell’s previous outings Casino Royale and Edge if Darkness were deep gritty affairs and he really should have carried that over into this, there was so much flamboyant colour you wondered if Joel Schumacher had some how been a part of it.
That isn’t to say that during some stages the film was not enjoyable. Test pilot Hal Jordan is given the power bestowed on him by a mysterious ring with a back story shoe horned into an opening five minute monologue, if you’re not paying attention its going to be a little confusing.
The action and special effects are very good, with the Green Lantern able to concoct a wide range of objects from his mind ranging from missile launchers, swords and even a necklace, all transferred through the power and energy of the ring.
The less so, well Reynolds is surrounded by characters that only really dip their toe into the water of the film. With thousands of Green Lanterns we only really here from two, Tomar-Re and Kilowog voiced by Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan respectively.
Mark Strong as Sinestro on first glance has the look of someone bound to step over to the evil side, and maybe that is to come if a sequel is due at some point.
Peter Sarsgaard’s large headed villain only serves as an entrée before Hal has to tackle the large bellowing cloud that is Parallax, an entity that thrives on sucking out the fear of its victims.
The film has its moments, but it never really has the energy that so many other super hero films have. Perhaps that fact that the back story of Hal is not nearly as exciting as say Spider-man, Batman or any of the Avengers for that matter.
For me the super hero genre really is bordering a mass overkill, what with this years upcoming Avengers getting so much press its hard to turn a corner without seing one of Iron Man, Hulk or Thor adoring a billboard or poster somewhere.
So it’s a shame then that Hollywood’s Mr. Nice guy, Ryan Reynolds, was given a role so bland and pointless it was almost insulting.
Director Martin Campbell’s previous outings Casino Royale and Edge if Darkness were deep gritty affairs and he really should have carried that over into this, there was so much flamboyant colour you wondered if Joel Schumacher had some how been a part of it.
That isn’t to say that during some stages the film was not enjoyable. Test pilot Hal Jordan is given the power bestowed on him by a mysterious ring with a back story shoe horned into an opening five minute monologue, if you’re not paying attention its going to be a little confusing.
The action and special effects are very good, with the Green Lantern able to concoct a wide range of objects from his mind ranging from missile launchers, swords and even a necklace, all transferred through the power and energy of the ring.
The less so, well Reynolds is surrounded by characters that only really dip their toe into the water of the film. With thousands of Green Lanterns we only really here from two, Tomar-Re and Kilowog voiced by Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan respectively.
Mark Strong as Sinestro on first glance has the look of someone bound to step over to the evil side, and maybe that is to come if a sequel is due at some point.
Peter Sarsgaard’s large headed villain only serves as an entrée before Hal has to tackle the large bellowing cloud that is Parallax, an entity that thrives on sucking out the fear of its victims.
The film has its moments, but it never really has the energy that so many other super hero films have. Perhaps that fact that the back story of Hal is not nearly as exciting as say Spider-man, Batman or any of the Avengers for that matter.
JT (287 KP) rated Don't Breathe (2016) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Building suspense is considered a difficult task. Alfred Hitchcock was a master of this. You need look no further than the shower scene in Psycho for an example of his work. When a film delivers on suspense it can sometimes take the emphasis off a predictable twist ending. If the audience leaves the screening visibly shaken then a director has done his job.
Don’t Breathe, directed by Fede Alvarez, follows three amatuer burglers, Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and the aptly named Money (Daniel Zovatto), who are looking for a big pay day. When they hear about a retired blind war veteran who lives alone, and who may have $300,000 in cash, the trio decide he would make easy prey – how wrong they were.
Rocky is the more cautious of the three, but having grown up in an abusive family she is looking for an escape plan and to take her sister Diddy (Emma Bercovici) to safety with her. This job is a means to an end for that scenario to happen.
If the audience leaves the screening visibly shaken then a director has done his job.
The opening doesn’t offer much other than setting the scene but once the doors are bolted and windows locked it’s game on. Alvarez has a solid understanding of this genre, no matter what you thought of his bloodthirsty Evil Dead remake? In the confines of this house of horrors he is able to let The Blind Man (Stephen Lang) run riot as he attempts to put a stop to the break-in.
There is a sense that Alvarez is toying with his audience, in a bid to starve off the ending. He’s having too much fun. The atmosphere is excruciatingly tense, particularly when The Blind Man levels the playing field in the basement by turning off all the lights. A neat twist in the story tries to create empathy, but it’s a little too late for that and the final act ramps up the suspense to Hitchcockian levels.
Any other person would have dropped the money and looked for a way out as quickly as possible. That is not the case here as each opportunity to escape is met with a roadblock that send the burglars back down a different path. The home invasion horror has been around for a while but done right it can be incredibly effective and in this case Don’t Breathe gets it spot on.
Don’t Breathe, directed by Fede Alvarez, follows three amatuer burglers, Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and the aptly named Money (Daniel Zovatto), who are looking for a big pay day. When they hear about a retired blind war veteran who lives alone, and who may have $300,000 in cash, the trio decide he would make easy prey – how wrong they were.
Rocky is the more cautious of the three, but having grown up in an abusive family she is looking for an escape plan and to take her sister Diddy (Emma Bercovici) to safety with her. This job is a means to an end for that scenario to happen.
If the audience leaves the screening visibly shaken then a director has done his job.
The opening doesn’t offer much other than setting the scene but once the doors are bolted and windows locked it’s game on. Alvarez has a solid understanding of this genre, no matter what you thought of his bloodthirsty Evil Dead remake? In the confines of this house of horrors he is able to let The Blind Man (Stephen Lang) run riot as he attempts to put a stop to the break-in.
There is a sense that Alvarez is toying with his audience, in a bid to starve off the ending. He’s having too much fun. The atmosphere is excruciatingly tense, particularly when The Blind Man levels the playing field in the basement by turning off all the lights. A neat twist in the story tries to create empathy, but it’s a little too late for that and the final act ramps up the suspense to Hitchcockian levels.
Any other person would have dropped the money and looked for a way out as quickly as possible. That is not the case here as each opportunity to escape is met with a roadblock that send the burglars back down a different path. The home invasion horror has been around for a while but done right it can be incredibly effective and in this case Don’t Breathe gets it spot on.
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Mediocre sequel
I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Shorefall picks up around three years after the events of Foundryside, when a small crew stand up against the mighty, powerful families of the city, stop their evil plotting and strike out on their own. They have set up their own, independent scriving house, making magical machinery, and helping others to do the same. A bit like BrewDog, but without the financially dubious shareholder arrangements.
In this world, magic comes in the form of scriving - bending reality to make objects behave in a certain way (persuading a door it cannot open without a specific person being present, convincing an arrow it is falling, so must accelerate accordingly, albeit in a straight line, etc). Most of the book's plot and action centre around this, and it becomes quite draining, and a stretch at times. I forgave the first book quite a lot in this regard, because it was world-building, but this much world-building in a second book seems wrong. And the mechanics of it are so much like coding that that is all you can think of. At times it is like watching an episode of 24, but instead of following Jack Bauer's thrilling escapades, you are watching Chloe coding a macro to speed up her timesheets while being vaguely aware that something exciting is happening.
The book starts very strongly, we are in the company of Sancia and Orso as they appear to be down on their luck and having to sell their work to make ends meet. Cue: exciting espionage scenes as Sancia sneaks off to steal.
Sadly, this opening chapter in which we had no idea what was happening was the best one. So many times throughout the book the crew were on some mission or other for some reason, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what or why, and nor did I particularly care. The plot just seemed to be in a backseat with the world-building driving with no sat-nav. And so was character development, as all the main characters just completely plateaud and didn't change in the slightest.
In short, I found the book very dull and drawn out and the second half was a real chore.
Shorefall picks up around three years after the events of Foundryside, when a small crew stand up against the mighty, powerful families of the city, stop their evil plotting and strike out on their own. They have set up their own, independent scriving house, making magical machinery, and helping others to do the same. A bit like BrewDog, but without the financially dubious shareholder arrangements.
In this world, magic comes in the form of scriving - bending reality to make objects behave in a certain way (persuading a door it cannot open without a specific person being present, convincing an arrow it is falling, so must accelerate accordingly, albeit in a straight line, etc). Most of the book's plot and action centre around this, and it becomes quite draining, and a stretch at times. I forgave the first book quite a lot in this regard, because it was world-building, but this much world-building in a second book seems wrong. And the mechanics of it are so much like coding that that is all you can think of. At times it is like watching an episode of 24, but instead of following Jack Bauer's thrilling escapades, you are watching Chloe coding a macro to speed up her timesheets while being vaguely aware that something exciting is happening.
The book starts very strongly, we are in the company of Sancia and Orso as they appear to be down on their luck and having to sell their work to make ends meet. Cue: exciting espionage scenes as Sancia sneaks off to steal.
Sadly, this opening chapter in which we had no idea what was happening was the best one. So many times throughout the book the crew were on some mission or other for some reason, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what or why, and nor did I particularly care. The plot just seemed to be in a backseat with the world-building driving with no sat-nav. And so was character development, as all the main characters just completely plateaud and didn't change in the slightest.
In short, I found the book very dull and drawn out and the second half was a real chore.