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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019) in Movies
Aug 11, 2019 (Updated Aug 11, 2019)
The monsters. (1 more)
Special effects - blend of CG and practical.
The Pale Lady. (2 more)
Basic rinse and repeat horror formula.
No emotional attachment to characters.
Fishing for Turds
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is probably considered the introduction to horror fiction for anyone who was in middle school in the mid to late 1990s. I distinctly remember checking out at least one of the books before I was a teenager, but the story that has stuck with me multiple decades later has and always will be, “The Red Spot.” The thing about the Scary Stories books is that they were just these random collections of creepy tales meant to make the reader anxious, uneasy, or even frightened, so the fact that somebody attempted to make a coherent film out of a jumbled mix of stories from all three books is kind of incredible.
The horror film directed by André Øvredal (Trollhunter, The Autopsy of Jane Doe) follows a group of teenagers in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania during Halloween in 1968. Stella (Zoe Colletti) is a die-hard fan of the horror genre, Auggie (Gabriel Rush) is a bit too infatuated with girls for his own good, and Chuck (Austin Zajur) lives on candy and pranks when he’s not driving his older sister Ruth (Natalie Ganzhorn) insane. They cross paths with a mysterious drifter named Ramon (Michael Garza) who joins the group seemingly out of boredom.
They initially use trick or treating as a front for revenge against local jock and full-time bully Tommy (Austin Abrams), which leads them to a condemned and rumored to be haunted house of the Bellows family. Sarah Bellows lived in isolation and dramatically killed herself because of her family. Sarah turned her devastating life into inspiration for a series of terrifying stories. After Stella discovers the book Sarah wrote her stories in, strange things begin happening in Mill Valley and everyone in the Bellows house from that night becomes a target.
The monsters of the film attempt to be as explicitly accurate as possible to Stephen Gammell’s original illustrations from the Scary Stories books. This typically pays off, especially with Harold the Scarecrow and The Toe Monster but it seems to backfire with The Pale Lady. While she does still look like a living incarnation of Gammell’s artwork, the story has the weakest conclusion of the entire film. Scary Stories makes up for this by introducing The Jangly Man, who is seriously worth the price of admission alone even if you typically can’t understand a word that he says. The Jangly Man contorts his body in the most inhuman of ways, can separate all of his limbs from his torso, and has this bloodcurdling voice that rattles your insides.
There’s been an emphasis on the lack of a narrative in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. That may be true, but the film is based on a trilogy of books that is close to thirty years old and is supposed to be aimed at younger readers. The film adapts the stories in a way that isn’t totally successful, but it is surprisingly great at times. Despite some recognizable names in the supporting cast such as Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Gil Bellows (The Shawshank Redemption), and Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black), the main cast is mostly filled with unknowns. Some reviews claim that the acting isn’t up to par, but I was pleasantly surprised. Austin Zajur can be annoying as the mischievous Chuck, but he was also rather humorous the majority of the time. Zoe Colletti goes a little overboard when she cries, but she’s also solid when she gushes over horror. Austin Abrams is seriously nasty as Tommy. He is always sweaty and has no remorse for anyone. He takes bullying to frightening heights.
I guess I expected the film to be corny (pun intended) with lame PG-13 kills and a cast that had no idea what they were doing. The film managed to make me a fan during the Harold segment. That surround sound in the cornfield is masterful with the wind blowing through corn stalks in every direction and the rusty creaking of the scarecrow as he tries to walk. How these teenagers are terrorized manages to transcend what movie ratings typically mean for a given film; this would be unsettling regardless of what it’s rated or how old the viewer is.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is not a perfect horror anthology since it’s extremely simple in concept. A monster shows up, a kid disappears, and then it’s rinse and repeat for an hour and 47 minutes. At the same time though, it’s probably the scariest film of the summer and could potentially become the next big horror franchise. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark could easily take over where the Final Destination films left off or even be this generation’s answer to that. The practical effects mixed with just the right amount of CGI for the monsters are what really sell the film. Despite being as disjointed and unnatural as The Jangly Man, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is way more amusing and eerie than it has any right to be.
The horror film directed by André Øvredal (Trollhunter, The Autopsy of Jane Doe) follows a group of teenagers in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania during Halloween in 1968. Stella (Zoe Colletti) is a die-hard fan of the horror genre, Auggie (Gabriel Rush) is a bit too infatuated with girls for his own good, and Chuck (Austin Zajur) lives on candy and pranks when he’s not driving his older sister Ruth (Natalie Ganzhorn) insane. They cross paths with a mysterious drifter named Ramon (Michael Garza) who joins the group seemingly out of boredom.
They initially use trick or treating as a front for revenge against local jock and full-time bully Tommy (Austin Abrams), which leads them to a condemned and rumored to be haunted house of the Bellows family. Sarah Bellows lived in isolation and dramatically killed herself because of her family. Sarah turned her devastating life into inspiration for a series of terrifying stories. After Stella discovers the book Sarah wrote her stories in, strange things begin happening in Mill Valley and everyone in the Bellows house from that night becomes a target.
The monsters of the film attempt to be as explicitly accurate as possible to Stephen Gammell’s original illustrations from the Scary Stories books. This typically pays off, especially with Harold the Scarecrow and The Toe Monster but it seems to backfire with The Pale Lady. While she does still look like a living incarnation of Gammell’s artwork, the story has the weakest conclusion of the entire film. Scary Stories makes up for this by introducing The Jangly Man, who is seriously worth the price of admission alone even if you typically can’t understand a word that he says. The Jangly Man contorts his body in the most inhuman of ways, can separate all of his limbs from his torso, and has this bloodcurdling voice that rattles your insides.
There’s been an emphasis on the lack of a narrative in Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. That may be true, but the film is based on a trilogy of books that is close to thirty years old and is supposed to be aimed at younger readers. The film adapts the stories in a way that isn’t totally successful, but it is surprisingly great at times. Despite some recognizable names in the supporting cast such as Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Gil Bellows (The Shawshank Redemption), and Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black), the main cast is mostly filled with unknowns. Some reviews claim that the acting isn’t up to par, but I was pleasantly surprised. Austin Zajur can be annoying as the mischievous Chuck, but he was also rather humorous the majority of the time. Zoe Colletti goes a little overboard when she cries, but she’s also solid when she gushes over horror. Austin Abrams is seriously nasty as Tommy. He is always sweaty and has no remorse for anyone. He takes bullying to frightening heights.
I guess I expected the film to be corny (pun intended) with lame PG-13 kills and a cast that had no idea what they were doing. The film managed to make me a fan during the Harold segment. That surround sound in the cornfield is masterful with the wind blowing through corn stalks in every direction and the rusty creaking of the scarecrow as he tries to walk. How these teenagers are terrorized manages to transcend what movie ratings typically mean for a given film; this would be unsettling regardless of what it’s rated or how old the viewer is.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is not a perfect horror anthology since it’s extremely simple in concept. A monster shows up, a kid disappears, and then it’s rinse and repeat for an hour and 47 minutes. At the same time though, it’s probably the scariest film of the summer and could potentially become the next big horror franchise. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark could easily take over where the Final Destination films left off or even be this generation’s answer to that. The practical effects mixed with just the right amount of CGI for the monsters are what really sell the film. Despite being as disjointed and unnatural as The Jangly Man, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is way more amusing and eerie than it has any right to be.
Rachel King (13 KP) rated The Hunger Games in Books
Feb 11, 2019
Right away this book captures my attention with a quick introduction to Katniss's survival skills followed by the District 12 Hunger Games lottery, a grim holiday that nobody wants to celebrate, but is still mandatory. It does not take long for the reader to feel sympathetic towards Katniss and the hardship she struggles with everyday just to survive.
Every detail leading up to the actual event of the Hunger Games has a surreal feel, as Katniss is primped and paraded like a beauty pageant contestant, as if everyone is ignoring the fact that these are children, with all but one facing imminent death. This is reality television meets the ancient gladiator games of Rome, combined with the sick irony of using a nation's most precious commodity -- its children. As a mother of three, I can not even fathom living in a country that tolerated this year after year. These Hunger Games are the country's way of preventing rebellion in its citizens through fear, brainwashing, and desensitization, as it is mandatory for every citizen to watch. In some districts, this is so successful that children are routinely trained specifically for the Hunger Games, volunteering to face murder and death for a chance at fame and fortune.
The love triangle is obvious early on, though the conflict can't come into play until the second book in the series. Peeta is the one in the spotlight, the one that humanizes Katniss for the viewers and makes her likable due to his own romantic feelings for her. Unfortunately, Katniss is too busy staying alive to be certain of her true feelings, even though she can pretend well enough to convince even Peeta. Peeta is self-sacrificing, while Katniss is observant and resourceful. Katniss is able to avoid becoming a cold-hearted murderer only because of Peeta's presence.
Regarding the actual Game, those that run it operate to keep the entertainment value up, adding to the danger of the contestants still alive, handing out gifts to give one an edge over another, forcing contestants into battle to increase bloodshed and drama, and generally treating the twenty-four as actors and actresses in any other fictional television drama. What Katniss keeps returning to is how "normal" these people of the Capitol see of the deaths of these children. It occurred to me while reading this that it would be better to be one of those that died in the Games, rather than live with being the monster responsible for the deaths of twenty-three other children purely for the entertainment of the shallow and self-absorbed.
This book is both shocking and heart-rending, and I look forward to the next installment, Catching Fire.
Every detail leading up to the actual event of the Hunger Games has a surreal feel, as Katniss is primped and paraded like a beauty pageant contestant, as if everyone is ignoring the fact that these are children, with all but one facing imminent death. This is reality television meets the ancient gladiator games of Rome, combined with the sick irony of using a nation's most precious commodity -- its children. As a mother of three, I can not even fathom living in a country that tolerated this year after year. These Hunger Games are the country's way of preventing rebellion in its citizens through fear, brainwashing, and desensitization, as it is mandatory for every citizen to watch. In some districts, this is so successful that children are routinely trained specifically for the Hunger Games, volunteering to face murder and death for a chance at fame and fortune.
The love triangle is obvious early on, though the conflict can't come into play until the second book in the series. Peeta is the one in the spotlight, the one that humanizes Katniss for the viewers and makes her likable due to his own romantic feelings for her. Unfortunately, Katniss is too busy staying alive to be certain of her true feelings, even though she can pretend well enough to convince even Peeta. Peeta is self-sacrificing, while Katniss is observant and resourceful. Katniss is able to avoid becoming a cold-hearted murderer only because of Peeta's presence.
Regarding the actual Game, those that run it operate to keep the entertainment value up, adding to the danger of the contestants still alive, handing out gifts to give one an edge over another, forcing contestants into battle to increase bloodshed and drama, and generally treating the twenty-four as actors and actresses in any other fictional television drama. What Katniss keeps returning to is how "normal" these people of the Capitol see of the deaths of these children. It occurred to me while reading this that it would be better to be one of those that died in the Games, rather than live with being the monster responsible for the deaths of twenty-three other children purely for the entertainment of the shallow and self-absorbed.
This book is both shocking and heart-rending, and I look forward to the next installment, Catching Fire.
Debbiereadsbook (1197 KP) rated For Fox Sake (Fetish Alley #1) in Books
Mar 7, 2019
fantastic start to a new series
I was gifted my copy of this book direct from the author, that I write a review was not required.
We met Tate and Clay properly in their book, Feat of Clay, in the Men of London series. This is the first in their own spin off series. It would probably help for you to read that book before this one. It will give you a better understanding of what both Tate and Clay went through before this book. That book for me is a brilliant 5 star read.
As is this one!
Granted, this is a much lighter read, with some very funny laugh out loud moments, particularly between Tate and the club owner, Relio. The fact that he is Clay's ex brings out the green eyed monster in Tate and he knows it, but he can't help himself!
The dead customer of Relio's club is why he called Clay, along with Tate, to partake of their investigations business. Clearly, the people involved were hiding something, they just need to figure out what.
Enter, if you will, Fetish Alley. Relio's club is at the end of the alley that caters to all things fetish. Some you'll have heard of, some not. A collection of shops selling all manner of naughty things await those who enter. But there is still a possible murder to solve, and Tate and Clay need to get to the bottom of it.
I loved the little one or two liners at the beginning of each chapter, which look like text messages between Tate and Clay. They proper made me chuckle! Loved the "old man" digs that Clay gets since he turns 40 during the course of the book. LOVED the pop up by Draven, Jax and Dare from the other books in the Men of London series.
And I absolutely need more of Tomas and Relio! I've no idea what happened between them here, but clearly SOMETHING did. And THEIR book (please let them have their own book, PLEASE!) is gonna be fun!
Considering where the book is set around, I didn't find it as explicit as some of Ms Mac Nicol's book but it IS sexy and hot. The fact that Tate and Clay are a well established couple makes a huge difference. Yes, there are sex scenes, but mostly you got shut down at the good bits! Loved that though!
A fantastic new series, I look forward to following what happens next, both in the Alley, the club and with Tate and Clay.
5 stars, that are still speckled with paint!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
We met Tate and Clay properly in their book, Feat of Clay, in the Men of London series. This is the first in their own spin off series. It would probably help for you to read that book before this one. It will give you a better understanding of what both Tate and Clay went through before this book. That book for me is a brilliant 5 star read.
As is this one!
Granted, this is a much lighter read, with some very funny laugh out loud moments, particularly between Tate and the club owner, Relio. The fact that he is Clay's ex brings out the green eyed monster in Tate and he knows it, but he can't help himself!
The dead customer of Relio's club is why he called Clay, along with Tate, to partake of their investigations business. Clearly, the people involved were hiding something, they just need to figure out what.
Enter, if you will, Fetish Alley. Relio's club is at the end of the alley that caters to all things fetish. Some you'll have heard of, some not. A collection of shops selling all manner of naughty things await those who enter. But there is still a possible murder to solve, and Tate and Clay need to get to the bottom of it.
I loved the little one or two liners at the beginning of each chapter, which look like text messages between Tate and Clay. They proper made me chuckle! Loved the "old man" digs that Clay gets since he turns 40 during the course of the book. LOVED the pop up by Draven, Jax and Dare from the other books in the Men of London series.
And I absolutely need more of Tomas and Relio! I've no idea what happened between them here, but clearly SOMETHING did. And THEIR book (please let them have their own book, PLEASE!) is gonna be fun!
Considering where the book is set around, I didn't find it as explicit as some of Ms Mac Nicol's book but it IS sexy and hot. The fact that Tate and Clay are a well established couple makes a huge difference. Yes, there are sex scenes, but mostly you got shut down at the good bits! Loved that though!
A fantastic new series, I look forward to following what happens next, both in the Alley, the club and with Tate and Clay.
5 stars, that are still speckled with paint!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Purple Phoenix Games (2266 KP) rated Valeria: Card Kingdoms in Tabletop Games
Jun 12, 2019
Imagine yourself a Duke/Duchess. You have land that needs to be developed. You have paltry starting resources and access to a Farmer to produce goods and a Knight to protect them. You need to build the greatest Dukedom/Duchy to prosper for generations and fend off the impending monster attack. In typical RPG fashion I ask you, “What. Do. You. Do?”
DISCLAIMER!! This review is for vanilla Valeria: Card Kingdoms. We have plans to add in the expansions in the near future. Once we do, we will add that information to this review or to a new review and link to it from here. -T
Okay, I have to admit, I Kickstarted Villages of Valeria (VoV) and Quests of Valeria (QoV) before picking up Valeria: Card Kingdoms (VCK). Why? Well, because I was wary of shared universe games at the time, so I tried one: Villages of Valeria. Dude, it’s a great game (review to come). When I Kickstart something I usually tend to go all-in. So I have the good stuff. Same with Quest for Valeria (review to come). I simply missed the boat on the first installment because I was late to the game.
Fast forward to me actually buying the game and trying it out. The mechanics felt very familiar (thanks Machi Koro), and the iconography was very familiar too (thanks VoV and QoV). But VCK excelled and rocked my world so much that I just cannot get enough of it.
Without paraphrasing the rulebook and teaching the entire game here, I’ll give a quick rules synopsis. You roll 2d6 on your turn and activate cards based on what you roll. Rolled a 3 and a 5? Ok, activate the 3 card. Also the 5 card. So far it sounds just like Machi Koro right? Here’s where it improves on MK. You also activate the 8 card (because 3+5=8). BUT ALSO EVERYONE ELSE ACTIVATES THEIR 3, 5, and 8 CARDS. Then you take two actions, which could be recruiting more citizen cards to activate when rolled, getting resources, defeating monsters, adding buildings to your Dukedom/Duchy. Most VP at the end of the game wins.
Roll dice, activate cards, take actions, win the game. It’s so simple, but yet so so so much fun. The game looks incredible when setup, there are a ton of card areas, monsters, the dice are big and chunky, game play is super fast, and you are always involved – even on your opponents’ turns. What more could you ask for? I’ll tell you: a super positive Purple Phoenix Games score of 22 / 24. It’s my favorite game of all time, after all.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/valeria-card-kingdoms-review/
DISCLAIMER!! This review is for vanilla Valeria: Card Kingdoms. We have plans to add in the expansions in the near future. Once we do, we will add that information to this review or to a new review and link to it from here. -T
Okay, I have to admit, I Kickstarted Villages of Valeria (VoV) and Quests of Valeria (QoV) before picking up Valeria: Card Kingdoms (VCK). Why? Well, because I was wary of shared universe games at the time, so I tried one: Villages of Valeria. Dude, it’s a great game (review to come). When I Kickstart something I usually tend to go all-in. So I have the good stuff. Same with Quest for Valeria (review to come). I simply missed the boat on the first installment because I was late to the game.
Fast forward to me actually buying the game and trying it out. The mechanics felt very familiar (thanks Machi Koro), and the iconography was very familiar too (thanks VoV and QoV). But VCK excelled and rocked my world so much that I just cannot get enough of it.
Without paraphrasing the rulebook and teaching the entire game here, I’ll give a quick rules synopsis. You roll 2d6 on your turn and activate cards based on what you roll. Rolled a 3 and a 5? Ok, activate the 3 card. Also the 5 card. So far it sounds just like Machi Koro right? Here’s where it improves on MK. You also activate the 8 card (because 3+5=8). BUT ALSO EVERYONE ELSE ACTIVATES THEIR 3, 5, and 8 CARDS. Then you take two actions, which could be recruiting more citizen cards to activate when rolled, getting resources, defeating monsters, adding buildings to your Dukedom/Duchy. Most VP at the end of the game wins.
Roll dice, activate cards, take actions, win the game. It’s so simple, but yet so so so much fun. The game looks incredible when setup, there are a ton of card areas, monsters, the dice are big and chunky, game play is super fast, and you are always involved – even on your opponents’ turns. What more could you ask for? I’ll tell you: a super positive Purple Phoenix Games score of 22 / 24. It’s my favorite game of all time, after all.
https://purplephoenixgames.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/valeria-card-kingdoms-review/
Kyera (8 KP) rated This Savage Song (Monsters of Verity, #1) in Books
Feb 1, 2018
The first few chapters can be a bit slow to get into, but the story does find its path fairly quickly and immediately became a favourite. I originally read the first five chapters via Epic Reads was intrigued by the premise although nothing much happened at the beginning. I finally got a chance to read the entire book and the idea of it is just fantastic. Our main characters live in a world in which sins and crimes beget monsters - creatures that terrorize the city and force the people to choose between two ways of life. In one half of the City, the leader lets the monsters roam freely but puts them under his control to a degree and sells his protection to the people for a high price. In the other half of the City, the leader has a militia-like group that keeps the City safe but not everyone wants to help out.
Our two main characters are Kate and August, although they are from opposite sides of Verity. Kate is the daughter of the leader of the north half of the City and wants to prove herself. She is strong and smart, but puts on a tougher front than she would have naturally because of who and where she is. August is different. August is a monster, a Sunai, a creature that can feed off you, your soul and your energy with just a few strains of music. But August is not all he appears and he is definitely my favourite character in the book.
There are three different types of monsters: Sunai, Malchai, and Corsai. Each is well developed and unique in the world that the author built. I think that the horror that she evokes in the reader makes the plight of the main characters that much more harrowing. You, of course, experience stress and fear as Kate and August fight for their lives. The world building continues as you experience life on each side of the city through the eyes of our main characters. I do hope to see further development in the second novel of the characters now that the foundation of the world and its players have been created.
The story was beautifully written and I was completely entranced. I was happily surprised by the lack of romance in this novel, as one could easily expect our two main characters to fall in love over the course of their harrowing journey (as happens in many YA novels.)
I would highly recommend it to young adult/teen readers who are fans of fantasy, dystopian, horror and any of V.E. Schwab's other work (despite them being in the adult age range and this being a young adult series.)
Our two main characters are Kate and August, although they are from opposite sides of Verity. Kate is the daughter of the leader of the north half of the City and wants to prove herself. She is strong and smart, but puts on a tougher front than she would have naturally because of who and where she is. August is different. August is a monster, a Sunai, a creature that can feed off you, your soul and your energy with just a few strains of music. But August is not all he appears and he is definitely my favourite character in the book.
There are three different types of monsters: Sunai, Malchai, and Corsai. Each is well developed and unique in the world that the author built. I think that the horror that she evokes in the reader makes the plight of the main characters that much more harrowing. You, of course, experience stress and fear as Kate and August fight for their lives. The world building continues as you experience life on each side of the city through the eyes of our main characters. I do hope to see further development in the second novel of the characters now that the foundation of the world and its players have been created.
The story was beautifully written and I was completely entranced. I was happily surprised by the lack of romance in this novel, as one could easily expect our two main characters to fall in love over the course of their harrowing journey (as happens in many YA novels.)
I would highly recommend it to young adult/teen readers who are fans of fantasy, dystopian, horror and any of V.E. Schwab's other work (despite them being in the adult age range and this being a young adult series.)
Louise (64 KP) rated Izombie: Volume 1: Dead to the World in Books
Jul 2, 2018
I first heard about this book from Elena reads books and was instantly intrigued!This book sounded fun, I haven’t read much about zombies and also just wanted to read more comics/graphic novels. It was totally fascinating from the start and definitely different.
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
Gwen appears to be you average everyday person at the start, other than working as a gravedigger she is normal, except she’s not! She is a zombie! but not your stereotypical zombie – she doesn’t walk around groaning, her face and body are not decaying. As long as she eats one brain per month she will not turn full zombie. However eating brains comes at a cost, first of all the brain has to be pretty fresh (hence being a gravedigger), she obviously can’t get caught, they taste bad….oh and she gets stuck with the deceased’s memories for a period of time. The last brain she ate was from a young family man who was killed by a serial killer. Gwen takes it upon herself to investigate why the man was murdered. Also there are a group of female vampires who don’t kill their victims they just feed little and often from men that attend paint balling in the woods. However there is always one that can’t play by the rules and is starting to attract attention from these ancient monster hunters.
There were so many different types of character/monsters in this book, we had zombies (obvs)Ghosts, Vampires and even a WereTerrier which I thought was kind of cute. This is a more of a fluffy zombie book and totally different from the walking dead. I liked all the individual characters but there wasn’t a lot of development and I think this was because there was too much trying to happen in one volume. We had the story of Gwen, it would then jump to the Vampires and then to the hunters, which made the plot line a bit disjointed. Some of the characters….Mainly Dixie was portrayed as being self-centred, all she thinks about is herself and Gwen is unable to rely on her even though she is her best friend. All the females in the book all seemed to have perfect bodies… I wish they just made some females different shapes and sizes. I really liked the art style and colours that were used to set the tone of the book. This was a great introduction to the story and I will be continuing on with the second volume.
Also there is a series on Netflix adaptation that is loosely based on the comic, I might start watching it as my partner has watched it and said it’s alright. Have you watched izombie? whats your thoughts on it?
Overall I rated this 3.75 out of 5 stars
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A City Dreaming in Books
Dec 14, 2018
My rating: 2.5
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“The city never sleeps, but it’s always dreaming.” And, by dreaming, Daniel Polansky clearly means nightmares. <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, for the lack of a better term, an urban fantasy novel. Embracing elements of dystopia and steampunk universes, it is difficult to determine the time period in which it is set. What can be established is that, wherever you are in the world, you are never far away from a monster.
<i>A City Dreaming</i> revolves around a semi-anonymous character known as M. M appears to be some form of magician who wishes he could spend his days listlessly staring into the bottom of his beer glass. Yet with misbehaving creatures and warring goddess living in the city of New York, peace is a rare phenomenon in M’s life. From demons to murders and mind-boggling situations, there is never a dull moment.
Each chapter of <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, in some way, an individual story. Apart from the occasional recurring character, no scenario is ever continued after the chapter concludes. This is initially a cause for confusion. With no clear direction or purpose, it is hard to remain engaged with the author’s imagination.
Readers familiar with contemporary fantasy writers, such as Neil Gaiman, may understand Polansky’s vision – think <i>Neverwhere</i> and <i>American Gods</i> combined, but weirder. M spends the majority of his time either inebriated or on drugs, and, to be frank, it would not be surprising to learn the author was on drugs at the time of writing. Imagine Neil Gaiman on drugs; that is how bizarre this book is.
Despite his penchant for recreational drugs, M is an intelligent character that can humorously talk himself out of impossible situations. However it is often a hopeless ordeal to fathom the process of his intoxicated mind. As a result, <i>A City Dreaming</i> loses its thrill and excitement.
As this is the first Daniel Polansky novel that I have read, I do not know whether this is his usual style of writing or whether it was an attempt at something new. What I did observe was the intelligence hidden behind the excess of expletives and lewd content. Polansky writes with certain aptitude, almost as if he has swallowed a thesaurus.
Fans of Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson may enjoy <i>A City Dreaming</i> more than new readers, since they will already be familiar with the style of bemusing narration. <i>A City Dreaming</i> does not live up to the definition of a novel, however as short, connecting stories it provides the intended entertainment. Almost certainly, this book will be received with mixed reviews; nonetheless it will undoubtedly eventually find its fan base.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
“The city never sleeps, but it’s always dreaming.” And, by dreaming, Daniel Polansky clearly means nightmares. <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, for the lack of a better term, an urban fantasy novel. Embracing elements of dystopia and steampunk universes, it is difficult to determine the time period in which it is set. What can be established is that, wherever you are in the world, you are never far away from a monster.
<i>A City Dreaming</i> revolves around a semi-anonymous character known as M. M appears to be some form of magician who wishes he could spend his days listlessly staring into the bottom of his beer glass. Yet with misbehaving creatures and warring goddess living in the city of New York, peace is a rare phenomenon in M’s life. From demons to murders and mind-boggling situations, there is never a dull moment.
Each chapter of <i>A City Dreaming</i> is, in some way, an individual story. Apart from the occasional recurring character, no scenario is ever continued after the chapter concludes. This is initially a cause for confusion. With no clear direction or purpose, it is hard to remain engaged with the author’s imagination.
Readers familiar with contemporary fantasy writers, such as Neil Gaiman, may understand Polansky’s vision – think <i>Neverwhere</i> and <i>American Gods</i> combined, but weirder. M spends the majority of his time either inebriated or on drugs, and, to be frank, it would not be surprising to learn the author was on drugs at the time of writing. Imagine Neil Gaiman on drugs; that is how bizarre this book is.
Despite his penchant for recreational drugs, M is an intelligent character that can humorously talk himself out of impossible situations. However it is often a hopeless ordeal to fathom the process of his intoxicated mind. As a result, <i>A City Dreaming</i> loses its thrill and excitement.
As this is the first Daniel Polansky novel that I have read, I do not know whether this is his usual style of writing or whether it was an attempt at something new. What I did observe was the intelligence hidden behind the excess of expletives and lewd content. Polansky writes with certain aptitude, almost as if he has swallowed a thesaurus.
Fans of Neil Gaiman and Brandon Sanderson may enjoy <i>A City Dreaming</i> more than new readers, since they will already be familiar with the style of bemusing narration. <i>A City Dreaming</i> does not live up to the definition of a novel, however as short, connecting stories it provides the intended entertainment. Almost certainly, this book will be received with mixed reviews; nonetheless it will undoubtedly eventually find its fan base.
Darren (1599 KP) rated Pumpkinhead (1988) in Movies
Oct 24, 2019
Characters – Ed Harley is a hardworking shop keeper and single father, he gets on well with the community and enjoys the quiet life. His life is turned upside down when his son is killed in an accident, which pushes him to turn to the dark arts to avenge his son’s death, only he didn’t plan for what would be expected from him. Chris is one of the teenagers that wants to do the right thing after the accident, much like the rest of the teenagers they all blend into one, except for the one that caused the accident, who only wants to look after himself.
Performances – Lance Henriksen is the star of the film, he is easily the best performer as his character goes through the biggest trauma and shows the desperation for revenge and regret for his decision. When it comes to the rest of the cast, they are performed to the level most slasher films reached.
Story – The story here follows a man that will do anything to get vengeance for his son’s death, which sees him summon the evil Pumpkinhead to kill the people that took his son, he soon learns the errors of his choice and must figure out how to stop the killing machine. For a monster creature feature slasher this is a simple story, we don’t get twists, we don’t need much character development as we are more interested in seeing the effects being used. It is nice have a story that remains simple in the horror genre at times too.
Fantasy/Horror – The fantasy elements of this film comes from the figure of Pumpkinhead that gets summoned to do revenge for people that believe they have been wronged, which plays hand in hand with the horror side of the film which is slasher elements which show just how deadly this figure will be.
Settings – The film is set in a small town where we don’t have many people with the ones living their knowing each other and anyone coming from the outside being frowned upon.
Special Effects – The effects are the highlight of the film, Stan Winston was known for his ability to create some of the most memorable creatures in film history and with him directing he brings us another terrifying creation.
Scene of the Movie – The first imagine of Pumpkinhead.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The teenagers are stupid for how they acted for the accident to happen in the first place.
Final Thoughts – This is a slasher that can be enjoyed by the horror community, it offers everything needed to just let us enjoy ourselves without challenging us like other horrors.
Overall: Simple, effective and fun horror.
Performances – Lance Henriksen is the star of the film, he is easily the best performer as his character goes through the biggest trauma and shows the desperation for revenge and regret for his decision. When it comes to the rest of the cast, they are performed to the level most slasher films reached.
Story – The story here follows a man that will do anything to get vengeance for his son’s death, which sees him summon the evil Pumpkinhead to kill the people that took his son, he soon learns the errors of his choice and must figure out how to stop the killing machine. For a monster creature feature slasher this is a simple story, we don’t get twists, we don’t need much character development as we are more interested in seeing the effects being used. It is nice have a story that remains simple in the horror genre at times too.
Fantasy/Horror – The fantasy elements of this film comes from the figure of Pumpkinhead that gets summoned to do revenge for people that believe they have been wronged, which plays hand in hand with the horror side of the film which is slasher elements which show just how deadly this figure will be.
Settings – The film is set in a small town where we don’t have many people with the ones living their knowing each other and anyone coming from the outside being frowned upon.
Special Effects – The effects are the highlight of the film, Stan Winston was known for his ability to create some of the most memorable creatures in film history and with him directing he brings us another terrifying creation.
Scene of the Movie – The first imagine of Pumpkinhead.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The teenagers are stupid for how they acted for the accident to happen in the first place.
Final Thoughts – This is a slasher that can be enjoyed by the horror community, it offers everything needed to just let us enjoy ourselves without challenging us like other horrors.
Overall: Simple, effective and fun horror.
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Creature in Books
Jan 18, 2019
Creature by Hunter Shea may begin slowly, but it quickly coalesces into a heartrending, terrifying bid for survival against a monster far deadlier than those I’ve read in other books. Shea weaves a masterful tale that is nothing short of stark reality: and for that, I am grateful in the saddest of ways. For some readers, Creature will hit close to home, and for others it will be an eye-opening experience.
Kate Woodson suffers from several auto-immune diseases that leave her crippled and unable to take care of herself. Fortunately, she has a supportive and loving husband, Andrew, that takes care of her, and a loving pup named Buttons. In a desperate attempt to make her feel better, Andrew takes her on a trip to a secluded cottage in Maine, but that is where things quickly turn horrifying for something lurks in the shadows.
Creature is not action-packed. At least, not early on. The first chunk of the novel focuses on Kate and Andrew’s relationship, and while that might sound dull and boring, in this instance it’s anything but that. In fact, I found it heartwarming and entirely necessary. It allows readers to truly get a grasp on the disastrous effects of auto-immune diseases–not only on the afflicted, but on their loved ones as well. The time Shea spends on these two also allows for an astronomical amount of character development: I became attached to Kate and Andrew, to their love for one another, to their hardships.
I also found myself relating to Kate more than I expected, which is where Shea really hooked me in as a reader–those that have followed The Ghastly Grimoire for any amount of time know that I suffer from two auto-immune diseases myself. This is actually the first book where I read the afterword, and there I learned that his accurate portrayal has a source: his wife.
When the book does pick up, it’s fast-paced and edge-of your seat action. As in, I read the final 110 pages in one sitting because I couldn’t put the book down. I’d love to go into detail about the symbolism threaded throughout the latter half of the book, but that, unfortunately, would also be a major spoiler. I can say this, however: Shea managed to make me gag in revulsion and cry.
That said, Creature is a wonderful, enlightening read. It’s rare that a book draws deep emotions from me, and even more so that a horror book truly gets under my skin. Shea did both of these things, and I definitely look forward to reading more of his work.
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Kate Woodson suffers from several auto-immune diseases that leave her crippled and unable to take care of herself. Fortunately, she has a supportive and loving husband, Andrew, that takes care of her, and a loving pup named Buttons. In a desperate attempt to make her feel better, Andrew takes her on a trip to a secluded cottage in Maine, but that is where things quickly turn horrifying for something lurks in the shadows.
Creature is not action-packed. At least, not early on. The first chunk of the novel focuses on Kate and Andrew’s relationship, and while that might sound dull and boring, in this instance it’s anything but that. In fact, I found it heartwarming and entirely necessary. It allows readers to truly get a grasp on the disastrous effects of auto-immune diseases–not only on the afflicted, but on their loved ones as well. The time Shea spends on these two also allows for an astronomical amount of character development: I became attached to Kate and Andrew, to their love for one another, to their hardships.
I also found myself relating to Kate more than I expected, which is where Shea really hooked me in as a reader–those that have followed The Ghastly Grimoire for any amount of time know that I suffer from two auto-immune diseases myself. This is actually the first book where I read the afterword, and there I learned that his accurate portrayal has a source: his wife.
When the book does pick up, it’s fast-paced and edge-of your seat action. As in, I read the final 110 pages in one sitting because I couldn’t put the book down. I’d love to go into detail about the symbolism threaded throughout the latter half of the book, but that, unfortunately, would also be a major spoiler. I can say this, however: Shea managed to make me gag in revulsion and cry.
That said, Creature is a wonderful, enlightening read. It’s rare that a book draws deep emotions from me, and even more so that a horror book truly gets under my skin. Shea did both of these things, and I definitely look forward to reading more of his work.
This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated The Incredible Hulk (2008) in Movies
Feb 11, 2020 (Updated Apr 7, 2020)
The second entry into the ever expanding MCU has it's flaws, but it's still an entertaining enough monster movie featuring one of Marvel Comics most beloved characters.
Edward Norton is a fantastic actor, and his involvement here as Bruce Banner is an inspired choice. It's a shame that behind the scenes politics resulted in him leaving the franchise so soon, even though I love Mark Ruffalo!
He plays Banner as a fairly broody individual, but with an awkward edge, a man who's constantly in fear if what he can turn into.
Liv Tyler plays Betty Ross, and she's pretty much just Liv Tyler throughout. She's actually pretty charming as the character and it would be nice to see her turn up in future MCU films (hey, if they can get Natalie Portman involved again then surely it's a possibility!)
Tim Roth and William Hurt play the antagonists to Banner, and are both enjoyable in the more villainous roles, even if Roth is more or less relegated to spouting out cheesy one liners. Hurt has of course reprised his role in later films and is a welcome main stay in the franchise.
We also have Tim Blake Nelson and Ty Burrell, set up as future characters (The Leader and Doc Samson respectively), but neither of these have yet to come to fruition, so as it stands, both feel like wasted opportunities.
The narrative is pretty straightforward as Banner is pursued across the planet, but it gets the job done, ending in a big showdown between Hulk and Abomination in the middle of Harlem.
One of my main criticisms stems from this scene actually, with the film climaxing in a big CGI fight, between the hero, and an evil version of the hero, exactly like in Iron Man, and unfortunately, in a fair few MCU films further down the line (Iron Man 2, Black Panther, Ant Man). The CGI, whilst still good enough, doesn't hold up anywhere near as well as Iron Man however (which came out in the same year), and the green/grey colour scheme of both characters, and the night-time setting, gives the whole scene a dull edge, even if Hulk does tear a car in half and use both halves as boxing gloves...
The Incredible Hulk is a mostly decent film, but it shows signs of a franchise still finding its feet, and these signs grow in obviousness the older it gets, which is a big contrast when compared to the confident nature of Iron Man.
It also feels a bit stuck in the "look at this cool shot" superhero formula that became rampant during the 2000s.
It's still a fun film however, and deserves it's place in a Marvel movie marathon.
Edward Norton is a fantastic actor, and his involvement here as Bruce Banner is an inspired choice. It's a shame that behind the scenes politics resulted in him leaving the franchise so soon, even though I love Mark Ruffalo!
He plays Banner as a fairly broody individual, but with an awkward edge, a man who's constantly in fear if what he can turn into.
Liv Tyler plays Betty Ross, and she's pretty much just Liv Tyler throughout. She's actually pretty charming as the character and it would be nice to see her turn up in future MCU films (hey, if they can get Natalie Portman involved again then surely it's a possibility!)
Tim Roth and William Hurt play the antagonists to Banner, and are both enjoyable in the more villainous roles, even if Roth is more or less relegated to spouting out cheesy one liners. Hurt has of course reprised his role in later films and is a welcome main stay in the franchise.
We also have Tim Blake Nelson and Ty Burrell, set up as future characters (The Leader and Doc Samson respectively), but neither of these have yet to come to fruition, so as it stands, both feel like wasted opportunities.
The narrative is pretty straightforward as Banner is pursued across the planet, but it gets the job done, ending in a big showdown between Hulk and Abomination in the middle of Harlem.
One of my main criticisms stems from this scene actually, with the film climaxing in a big CGI fight, between the hero, and an evil version of the hero, exactly like in Iron Man, and unfortunately, in a fair few MCU films further down the line (Iron Man 2, Black Panther, Ant Man). The CGI, whilst still good enough, doesn't hold up anywhere near as well as Iron Man however (which came out in the same year), and the green/grey colour scheme of both characters, and the night-time setting, gives the whole scene a dull edge, even if Hulk does tear a car in half and use both halves as boxing gloves...
The Incredible Hulk is a mostly decent film, but it shows signs of a franchise still finding its feet, and these signs grow in obviousness the older it gets, which is a big contrast when compared to the confident nature of Iron Man.
It also feels a bit stuck in the "look at this cool shot" superhero formula that became rampant during the 2000s.
It's still a fun film however, and deserves it's place in a Marvel movie marathon.