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Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Ascent of the Aliomemti in Books

Jul 24, 2019

A good solid start to a series

Contains spoilers, click to show

The Aliomenti village is in ruins, destroyed by one of their own, its population nearly eliminated in the calamity. From the ruins, the Aliomenti rise to international prominence, influencing buyers and sellers, warriors and bureaucrats, as they patiently and invisibly expand their empire.

Will Stark serves as the driving force loop behind that expansion. Whether he's directly creating their innovations or offering subtle hints to others, few of their revolutionary progressions are made without his influence.

But Will is dealing with his own private heartache. Even as he watches his fellow Aliomenti ascend to heights few of them imagined possible, his long journey becomes one he'll make very much alone. He's also haunted by the knowledge that what enables him to make that journey will also prevent him from seeing his most important mission to its completion.

Will must persevere, fighting through his own gloom, an organization that threatens to tear itself apart, and a reunion with old friends at a most inopportune time. And he'll come to realize that his own decisions, his own inability to understand even those he knows not to trust, have enabled a tyrant to seize control of the Aliomenti in the aftermath of an explosive crisis.

Having gotten to book 3 I'm a confused still as to whether it's sci-fi or supernatural or maybe a little bit of both. I'm enjoying this serious either way I love the dynamic of all the characters we come across. Watching Will jump Through so much to save his family while still helping to build the one thing he ultimately wants to destroy. All 3 books flow nicely into each other and I'm looking forward to finding out what has happened to Eve and what will become of the villages now Will has been kicked out! Also as will and Hope sail into the distance where their journey will lead.

Recommended!!

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Cabin in the Woods (2012) in Movies

Aug 7, 2019

Joss Whedon (of Buffy/Firefly/Avengers fame) has written one of the most interestingly confusing scripts in recent history (with the help of co-writer Drew Goddard, who also directed the film). Starring Chris Hemsworth (Thor) as “the jock,” and a cast of other young folk, The Cabin in the Woods tackles what’s best described as an entirely new genre of filmmaking. This became obvious to me immediately after experiencing the last 30 seconds of the film.

The movie starts off with two disjointed storylines. In one plot thread, you have five college kids heading out for a weekend at a cabin on a lake. In the other, you have two professionally dressed desk jockeys going to work in what seems to be a mission control center. It becomes evident very early on that the organization for which these two men work is tracking the five vacationers.

The college group is comprised of the usual roles: the Jock, the Stoner, the Attractive Nerd, the Other Attractive Nerd, and the Slut. The five find themselves in a stereotypical horror film cabin. As the plot thickens, confusion sets in, and it becomes evident that their actions and fates are being controlled to some degree.

The most important observation I can share with you is that this movie was nothing like what I expected. It kept getting stranger and more unique the longer it went. Aside from the cheesy use of word graphics when the title was displayed, the cinematography is great. The acting is only decent, but the writing is entertaining. The film didn’t follow the normal conventions of a horror movie, but instead seemed to be an amalgamation of fantasy, horror and comedy; it was strongly reminiscent of the Evil Dead series.

I recommend watching The Cabin in the Woods purely for its unique and interesting take on a familiar story. You will be entertained.