Search
Search results
Ross (3284 KP) rated Priest of Lies in Books
Jun 26, 2019
Fantastically grim, gritty sequel
*I received a free advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review*
Priest of Bones was one of my favourite books of last year. I loved the narrative style, the dark tone and the simple yet thrilling storyline. The returning conscripts using their newly learned military tactics to take back their streets and run their gangland empires was a clever, honest and hard-hitting story. It really was "peaky blinders with swords".
The follow-up continues in that vein, the Pious Men gang have consolidated their hold in Ellinburg and are now at full-on gang war. However, as they returned from war, so does a large number of other former gangsters, and a number of new/revived gangs compete for territory.
The fantasy tone is still used here, despite being the mystical, noble pursuit we are used to. I seriously love Mclean's narrative voice, his action scenes and his overall pace of writing.
I was thrilled to see in the Q&A at the end of the book that I was right in thinking Ellinburg was based loosely on Edinburgh.
The feel of this book is very much a grim and nasty version of Terry Pratchett's Guards series, with characterisation and scene setting to rival Pratchett at his best.
A truly immersive compelling read that I loved from start to finish.
Priest of Bones was one of my favourite books of last year. I loved the narrative style, the dark tone and the simple yet thrilling storyline. The returning conscripts using their newly learned military tactics to take back their streets and run their gangland empires was a clever, honest and hard-hitting story. It really was "peaky blinders with swords".
The follow-up continues in that vein, the Pious Men gang have consolidated their hold in Ellinburg and are now at full-on gang war. However, as they returned from war, so does a large number of other former gangsters, and a number of new/revived gangs compete for territory.
The fantasy tone is still used here, despite being the mystical, noble pursuit we are used to. I seriously love Mclean's narrative voice, his action scenes and his overall pace of writing.
I was thrilled to see in the Q&A at the end of the book that I was right in thinking Ellinburg was based loosely on Edinburgh.
The feel of this book is very much a grim and nasty version of Terry Pratchett's Guards series, with characterisation and scene setting to rival Pratchett at his best.
A truly immersive compelling read that I loved from start to finish.
Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away, Vol 1: Aliens
6.5
Rate It
Book
The worlds of Star Wars are full of countless alien species, each stranger and more fascinating than...
Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated House of Thieves in Books
Feb 21, 2018
How far would you go to save the life of a loved one? Thats the question that architect John Cross is forced to ask himself after being confronted with evidence of his sons gambling problem and subsequent debt. The amount is more than his son, or he himself, could ever hope to repay. To keep his son from being killed by the gang holding the debt, John uses his specialized knowledge of local buildings to help the gang plan burglaries, with the understanding that with each job, some of the debt will be forgiven.
I admit that I was expecting a little more of a mystery element after reading the blurb, but even without the mystery this book takes you on an enjoyable trip to the past. The story takes place in New York, 1886, and is rich with descriptions of society life, rat baiting, etiquette, gambling dens, and almost anything else you might want to know about the time period. I did like the way that almost every member of Johns family, without his knowledge, flaunted tradition and expectations to pursue happiness in their own way, even though to be found out would have meant their ruin and social outcast. It was hard not to root for them even when you knew they were doing wrong.
If you are a fan of historical fiction (or if you enjoyed the movie Gangs of New York), then I highly recommend this one.
Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I admit that I was expecting a little more of a mystery element after reading the blurb, but even without the mystery this book takes you on an enjoyable trip to the past. The story takes place in New York, 1886, and is rich with descriptions of society life, rat baiting, etiquette, gambling dens, and almost anything else you might want to know about the time period. I did like the way that almost every member of Johns family, without his knowledge, flaunted tradition and expectations to pursue happiness in their own way, even though to be found out would have meant their ruin and social outcast. It was hard not to root for them even when you knew they were doing wrong.
If you are a fan of historical fiction (or if you enjoyed the movie Gangs of New York), then I highly recommend this one.
Note: I was provided with a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Violated: A Shocking and Harrowing Survival Story from the Notorious Rotherham Abuse Scandal
Book
The shocking first true account from one of the young girls who lived through and survived the...
Bumper: The Life and Times of Frank 'Bumper' Farrell
Book
The sprawling saga of legendary Australian cop, Bumper Farrell, the most feared and revered...
Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World
Book
In 1982, at the age of just twenty-three and halfway through her architecture studies, Elspeth Beard...
TS
The Second Amendment and Gun Control: Freedom, Fear, and the American Constitution
Book
The Second Amendment, by far the most controversial amendment to the US Constitution, will soon...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Black Widow ( Annie Carter book 2) in Books
Jun 1, 2022
97 of 230
Book
Black Widow ( Annie Carter book 2)
By Jessie Keane
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Dirty Game, Annie Bailey was an East End Madam. In Black Widow she's queen of the gangs and trying to save her daughter's life! Annie Bailey had done it all; Madam, mistress and Gangster's moll. Now she's Annie Carter, and she taking over the East End. Annie knew that it wouldn't last. Everything was going so well; she was living in Majorca, had Max Carter - the head of the Carter firm by her side, and had given him a beautiful daughter, Layla. But if there was one thing life had taught her, it was that everything could change in the blink of an eye. One minute she's lying by the pool, the next she's out cold. When she comes round Max and Layla are gone. It's not long before she gets the demands. They want money or she'll be getting her little girl back in pieces! There's only one thing Annie can do, she heads back to the East End of London and gathers the Carter firm together. Someone has snatched her husband and child. Now there's a score to settle, and it's being settled Annie Carter style!
Loved it!! I couldn’t put it down or stop thinking about it! This is the second book and this time they mess with her child. From start to finish it had me on edge. I really like this writer. We see that hard faced Annie almost crumble and I do say almost!
Book
Black Widow ( Annie Carter book 2)
By Jessie Keane
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In Dirty Game, Annie Bailey was an East End Madam. In Black Widow she's queen of the gangs and trying to save her daughter's life! Annie Bailey had done it all; Madam, mistress and Gangster's moll. Now she's Annie Carter, and she taking over the East End. Annie knew that it wouldn't last. Everything was going so well; she was living in Majorca, had Max Carter - the head of the Carter firm by her side, and had given him a beautiful daughter, Layla. But if there was one thing life had taught her, it was that everything could change in the blink of an eye. One minute she's lying by the pool, the next she's out cold. When she comes round Max and Layla are gone. It's not long before she gets the demands. They want money or she'll be getting her little girl back in pieces! There's only one thing Annie can do, she heads back to the East End of London and gathers the Carter firm together. Someone has snatched her husband and child. Now there's a score to settle, and it's being settled Annie Carter style!
Loved it!! I couldn’t put it down or stop thinking about it! This is the second book and this time they mess with her child. From start to finish it had me on edge. I really like this writer. We see that hard faced Annie almost crumble and I do say almost!
Darren (1599 KP) rated Anti-Social (2015) in Movies
Jul 2, 2019
Story: Anti-Social starts as we meet street artist Dee (Sulkin), his model girlfriend Kirsten (Markle) and his armed robber brother Marcus (Myers) who has been making the headlines for all the wrong reasons now. Dee is about to be given motivation from Philip (Berkel) who sees his potential as an artist, while Marcus is getting deeper into the world of crime.
Dee is given the chance to escape the rough streets of crime, only to find himself being caught in the middle of the drug war his brother has started in the streets of London.
Thoughts on Anti-Social
Characters – Dee is a street artist in London, think of him like the Banksy of the local era. His art work has grabbed the attention of many with his big opportunity coming his way, when his brother gets into trouble, he is forced to balance his own future for his brother’s. Marcus is part of an armed robbery gang that are terrorising London, he has rivals from both sides of the law which has put him in the middle of a drug war, he never asks his brother to help him. Kirsten is the model girlfriend of Dee’s, she is an American that isn’t used to the world Dee is from, she doesn’t do much else other than support Dee. Philip is the man from the art world that could easily make Dee’s life better and is willing to make this happen.
Performances – Gregg Sulkin in the leading role is solid enough, we see his difficult life decision being made well enough, though he does lack that true charisma for a leading role. Meghan Markle is the biggest draw for this film now because of her royal status, only she is completely wasted here, given next to nothing to do. Josh Myers gives us a character which only leaves us hating his character, this is something you will see from nearly all of the criminal side of this film.
Story – The story here follows two brothers whose lives are going in very different directions only for the one that is about to escape, needing to return to criminal world where he must make up for his brother’s error. The way this story is told feels very messy, the idea that the street artist getting a bring break is simple and effective along with the idea that he could be made to make a decision about his future. It is the time spent with the criminal brother, we gain no sympathy for him or his crew, we learn nothing about why they are committing these crimes doesn’t help. The number of gangs also isn’t shown in anyway to make us truly understand the world we are living in and while the final act does have tension, it seems to come from the wrong reasoning.
Crime – The crime world we enter in this film is gangs and robbers, we focus on one young man about to leave this world, who gets dragged back into it after his brother’s action, it shows how in London people are willing to just commit crimes for the fun of it.
Settings – The film is set in London and shows us just where the criminals will act to try and make a living from hurting other people.
Scene of the Movie – The airport.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – No sympathy for the criminals.
Final Thoughts – This is a messy crime movie which only ends up making you not care about the characters like it should.
Overall: Messy and drags along.
Dee is given the chance to escape the rough streets of crime, only to find himself being caught in the middle of the drug war his brother has started in the streets of London.
Thoughts on Anti-Social
Characters – Dee is a street artist in London, think of him like the Banksy of the local era. His art work has grabbed the attention of many with his big opportunity coming his way, when his brother gets into trouble, he is forced to balance his own future for his brother’s. Marcus is part of an armed robbery gang that are terrorising London, he has rivals from both sides of the law which has put him in the middle of a drug war, he never asks his brother to help him. Kirsten is the model girlfriend of Dee’s, she is an American that isn’t used to the world Dee is from, she doesn’t do much else other than support Dee. Philip is the man from the art world that could easily make Dee’s life better and is willing to make this happen.
Performances – Gregg Sulkin in the leading role is solid enough, we see his difficult life decision being made well enough, though he does lack that true charisma for a leading role. Meghan Markle is the biggest draw for this film now because of her royal status, only she is completely wasted here, given next to nothing to do. Josh Myers gives us a character which only leaves us hating his character, this is something you will see from nearly all of the criminal side of this film.
Story – The story here follows two brothers whose lives are going in very different directions only for the one that is about to escape, needing to return to criminal world where he must make up for his brother’s error. The way this story is told feels very messy, the idea that the street artist getting a bring break is simple and effective along with the idea that he could be made to make a decision about his future. It is the time spent with the criminal brother, we gain no sympathy for him or his crew, we learn nothing about why they are committing these crimes doesn’t help. The number of gangs also isn’t shown in anyway to make us truly understand the world we are living in and while the final act does have tension, it seems to come from the wrong reasoning.
Crime – The crime world we enter in this film is gangs and robbers, we focus on one young man about to leave this world, who gets dragged back into it after his brother’s action, it shows how in London people are willing to just commit crimes for the fun of it.
Settings – The film is set in London and shows us just where the criminals will act to try and make a living from hurting other people.
Scene of the Movie – The airport.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – No sympathy for the criminals.
Final Thoughts – This is a messy crime movie which only ends up making you not care about the characters like it should.
Overall: Messy and drags along.