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Ross (3282 KP) rated Cold Iron (Masters & Mages #1) in Books
Jan 22, 2019
Elaborate prose and an unsettling amount of "wait and see" damaged my enjoyment
This book feels like your standard coming-of-age fantasy - young man from a simple village finds himself in the big city destined for greatness and surrounds himself with strong watchers while he grows into his potential. It is that and it is so much more.
The story that is told is how Aranthur, this young man (selected from his village to attend the big city university) finds himself in the midst of conflict and significant events in the empire's changing status. The idea of fate dictating that this one man would be at the centre of things (see Wheel of Time) is not one that is explored here. While it is hinted at (he is frequently told off for ending up in unusual circumstances), it isn't overly laboured. Nobody tells him he was chosen or anything like that. Instead he gradually learns that he has found himself at the centre of political intrigue, plotting, counter-plotting, conspiracies and war.
This book is not about Aranthur. He is just the focal point of the book, the story is so much bigger than him. This meant it did at times become a little hard to take that he always just happened to meet the right person, go to the right place at the right time in order to witness or participate in a number of significant plot events. In hindsight, this is largely all explained as some hidden agenda and him being put in those places to make those decisions but at the time it was a little jarring.
The narrative is more akin to Robert Jordan than many contemporary writers - so much overly elaborate description of people, places, clothes, horses, weapons etc. At times this adds to the reading experience but I found it over-used and made the book feel like a much longer read (I was shocked when I found out it was just under 450 pages - it reads like around 700). Also, so much of the narrative is in either italics (to show it is a magic/majick/magik delete as appropriate) or is in some odd variation of French ("gonne" for gun, "quaveh" for coffee etc) to become irritating. At times the book is more like a decent fantasy tale or conspiracy and intrigue which has been edited by a historical re-enactment nut. Given this is fictional and the world is the author's to do with as he wishes, forcing some historical accuracy at the expense of reader enjoyment seemed an odd decision to make.
The magical system seems fairly standard fantasy fayre, albeit it is not described or explored in any detail, people just suddenly do things which haven't previously been mentioned. A large aspect of the book is Aranthur's being chosen to translate an ancient text to decode the magical secrets hidden there. I think in all he decodes three of these, and uses them, but there is no mention of them until he has to use them in a fight. It could just be that I have been reading a lot of LitRPG recently, where every spell is described in intimate detail and its uses are discussed way in advance of being needed in combat, but I felt like it was something of an afterthought or rescue from a plot dead-end ("oh sod it, say he done a magic").
While I did enjoy this book on the whole, the narrative style and the focus being on clothes rather than describing the interesting aspects of the world were to its detriment. Also, the book is written as two "books" (chapters), the first "book" covers around 80% and all in one long chapter without breaks. To my mind, ending there would have sufficed. The final 20% in "book 2" felt like part epilogue, part sequel and should maybe have been split as such.
My advice to anyone reading this, is to suspend disbelief that little bit further and trust that things do largely get explained satisfactorily before the end.
The story that is told is how Aranthur, this young man (selected from his village to attend the big city university) finds himself in the midst of conflict and significant events in the empire's changing status. The idea of fate dictating that this one man would be at the centre of things (see Wheel of Time) is not one that is explored here. While it is hinted at (he is frequently told off for ending up in unusual circumstances), it isn't overly laboured. Nobody tells him he was chosen or anything like that. Instead he gradually learns that he has found himself at the centre of political intrigue, plotting, counter-plotting, conspiracies and war.
This book is not about Aranthur. He is just the focal point of the book, the story is so much bigger than him. This meant it did at times become a little hard to take that he always just happened to meet the right person, go to the right place at the right time in order to witness or participate in a number of significant plot events. In hindsight, this is largely all explained as some hidden agenda and him being put in those places to make those decisions but at the time it was a little jarring.
The narrative is more akin to Robert Jordan than many contemporary writers - so much overly elaborate description of people, places, clothes, horses, weapons etc. At times this adds to the reading experience but I found it over-used and made the book feel like a much longer read (I was shocked when I found out it was just under 450 pages - it reads like around 700). Also, so much of the narrative is in either italics (to show it is a magic/majick/magik delete as appropriate) or is in some odd variation of French ("gonne" for gun, "quaveh" for coffee etc) to become irritating. At times the book is more like a decent fantasy tale or conspiracy and intrigue which has been edited by a historical re-enactment nut. Given this is fictional and the world is the author's to do with as he wishes, forcing some historical accuracy at the expense of reader enjoyment seemed an odd decision to make.
The magical system seems fairly standard fantasy fayre, albeit it is not described or explored in any detail, people just suddenly do things which haven't previously been mentioned. A large aspect of the book is Aranthur's being chosen to translate an ancient text to decode the magical secrets hidden there. I think in all he decodes three of these, and uses them, but there is no mention of them until he has to use them in a fight. It could just be that I have been reading a lot of LitRPG recently, where every spell is described in intimate detail and its uses are discussed way in advance of being needed in combat, but I felt like it was something of an afterthought or rescue from a plot dead-end ("oh sod it, say he done a magic").
While I did enjoy this book on the whole, the narrative style and the focus being on clothes rather than describing the interesting aspects of the world were to its detriment. Also, the book is written as two "books" (chapters), the first "book" covers around 80% and all in one long chapter without breaks. To my mind, ending there would have sufficed. The final 20% in "book 2" felt like part epilogue, part sequel and should maybe have been split as such.
My advice to anyone reading this, is to suspend disbelief that little bit further and trust that things do largely get explained satisfactorily before the end.
Ross (3282 KP) rated House of Sacrifice in Books
Aug 14, 2019
Style over substance in a long grind of a conclusion
* I received an advance copy of this book from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *
Anna Smith Spark broke onto the scene with The Court of Broken Knives (which always annoyed me because the place in the book is named the Court of the Broken Knife), a truly dark and gritty fantasy tale mixing magic, ambition, political intrigue and good old fashion hacking limbs off with blunted swords. Her narrative tone made her debut stand out, being much more lyrical and poetic than the rest of the genre. While this took time to get used to, it added to the immersion of the story and made the reader feel like they were experiencing the conflict themselves. The lyrical prose added to the underlying story. This continued into the second book, where Marith's journey to taking over/destroying the world continued, as did the turmoil in the heart of the empire.
Here, however, the story seems to have been put on the back-burner in favour of more literary prose. A whole lot of not a lot happens. While a large chunk of this is in favour of some character development, it is laboured and a real slog. I hated the first quarter of the book, and while I could see that what little was happening would be important in telling Marith's story, it really did take forever and was so utterly rammed home that I found it frustrating. So much so that I had to put the book aside so that my mood didn't ruin my family holiday.
The book serves as something of a conclusion to the trilogy with a lot of wrongs righted and paths ended. However, so much of it is simply gratuitous war for the sake of war (which I get as part of Marith's character but I grasped that after the first couple of unnecessary towns were razed).
However, with less of import happening, the reader starts to focus on the world-building, and I certainly started to realise how little of the "magic" in the world was explained or even described. So many instances of "shadowbeasts" just appearing and I cannot remember them being introduced in any detail at all. I really couldn't remember what was so special about Marith after all.
And the ending was so much of a damp squib I just had to laugh. After everything Marith had been through, for that to be the ending was ludicrous. While I appreciated the circularity of it, I didn't like it.
A disappointing case of style over substance in this dragged out ending to a series that could easily have squeezed into two book.
Anna Smith Spark broke onto the scene with The Court of Broken Knives (which always annoyed me because the place in the book is named the Court of the Broken Knife), a truly dark and gritty fantasy tale mixing magic, ambition, political intrigue and good old fashion hacking limbs off with blunted swords. Her narrative tone made her debut stand out, being much more lyrical and poetic than the rest of the genre. While this took time to get used to, it added to the immersion of the story and made the reader feel like they were experiencing the conflict themselves. The lyrical prose added to the underlying story. This continued into the second book, where Marith's journey to taking over/destroying the world continued, as did the turmoil in the heart of the empire.
Here, however, the story seems to have been put on the back-burner in favour of more literary prose. A whole lot of not a lot happens. While a large chunk of this is in favour of some character development, it is laboured and a real slog. I hated the first quarter of the book, and while I could see that what little was happening would be important in telling Marith's story, it really did take forever and was so utterly rammed home that I found it frustrating. So much so that I had to put the book aside so that my mood didn't ruin my family holiday.
The book serves as something of a conclusion to the trilogy with a lot of wrongs righted and paths ended. However, so much of it is simply gratuitous war for the sake of war (which I get as part of Marith's character but I grasped that after the first couple of unnecessary towns were razed).
However, with less of import happening, the reader starts to focus on the world-building, and I certainly started to realise how little of the "magic" in the world was explained or even described. So many instances of "shadowbeasts" just appearing and I cannot remember them being introduced in any detail at all. I really couldn't remember what was so special about Marith after all.
And the ending was so much of a damp squib I just had to laugh. After everything Marith had been through, for that to be the ending was ludicrous. While I appreciated the circularity of it, I didn't like it.
A disappointing case of style over substance in this dragged out ending to a series that could easily have squeezed into two book.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated Inherit the Stars (Inherit the Stars #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
<b><i>I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.</i></b>
Elwoods debut novel focuses on three royal kingdoms (known as Houses) set in space: Fane, Galton, and Westlet. As the youngest daughter of Fane, Asa hopes to solve her familys (and the Houses) problems and save her oldest sister from death by posing as her sister in a marriage to the heir of Westlet.
Much as the romance is completely unrealistic, at least I have a fondness for <i>Inherit the Stars</i>. The heir of Westlet has scars. Legit scars. Half of his face scarred. And that resonates with me because of all the love interests Ive read (and thats a lot)?
None of them had scars. <em>None</em>, much less half their face. (Okay, occasionally theres a scar or two, but none of them are major enough to send most girls running away to side two of a love triangle, if any exists.) I think my only major problem with this ship is dear Eagle and Asa avoid each other like they have the plague. Being sociably close means theyll make their plagues worse than it is. One minute theyre avoiding each other, the next they accidentally get close, and the next? I love you is thrown.
Not to be overly blunt and crude, but tell me they wont get <em>extremely</em> close (like really, really close) in the next minute. Now if the ILYs mean, I think I love you, but I have to know you better before I finalize that, then maybe Im okay. <em>Maybe</em>.
But Eagle has SCARS. I'm okay with this. VERY okay.
<em>Anyways</em>, awkwardness aside, <i>Inherit the Stars</i> reminds me of Victoria Aveyards <i>Red Queen</i>, especially when it comes to Lady Westlet. Shes a little cold, indifferent, and cares about power, but shes a warm character who cares just a little about Asa as well as the good of her House. Lady Westlet isnt black and white she has a gray area about her that I really like.
For the most part, Elwood focuses a good part of the book on the political intrigue between the three Houses and the romance between Asa and Eagle. But while Im not a fan of politics or books with heavy romance, I may stick around for the sequel.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-inherit-the-stars-by-tessa-elwood/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Elwoods debut novel focuses on three royal kingdoms (known as Houses) set in space: Fane, Galton, and Westlet. As the youngest daughter of Fane, Asa hopes to solve her familys (and the Houses) problems and save her oldest sister from death by posing as her sister in a marriage to the heir of Westlet.
Much as the romance is completely unrealistic, at least I have a fondness for <i>Inherit the Stars</i>. The heir of Westlet has scars. Legit scars. Half of his face scarred. And that resonates with me because of all the love interests Ive read (and thats a lot)?
None of them had scars. <em>None</em>, much less half their face. (Okay, occasionally theres a scar or two, but none of them are major enough to send most girls running away to side two of a love triangle, if any exists.) I think my only major problem with this ship is dear Eagle and Asa avoid each other like they have the plague. Being sociably close means theyll make their plagues worse than it is. One minute theyre avoiding each other, the next they accidentally get close, and the next? I love you is thrown.
Not to be overly blunt and crude, but tell me they wont get <em>extremely</em> close (like really, really close) in the next minute. Now if the ILYs mean, I think I love you, but I have to know you better before I finalize that, then maybe Im okay. <em>Maybe</em>.
But Eagle has SCARS. I'm okay with this. VERY okay.
<em>Anyways</em>, awkwardness aside, <i>Inherit the Stars</i> reminds me of Victoria Aveyards <i>Red Queen</i>, especially when it comes to Lady Westlet. Shes a little cold, indifferent, and cares about power, but shes a warm character who cares just a little about Asa as well as the good of her House. Lady Westlet isnt black and white she has a gray area about her that I really like.
For the most part, Elwood focuses a good part of the book on the political intrigue between the three Houses and the romance between Asa and Eagle. But while Im not a fan of politics or books with heavy romance, I may stick around for the sequel.
<a href="https://bookwyrmingthoughts.com/arc-review-inherit-the-stars-by-tessa-elwood/"; target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
Pope Francis: Untying the Knots: The Struggle for the Soul of Catholicism
Book
For the past two years Pope Francis has enchanted and bewildered the world in equal measure with his...
Gareth von Kallenbach (971 KP) rated Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
After three long years of waiting, countless internet rumors, and high expectations, the final big screen Star Wars film, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith has arrived to the delight of millions of fans worldwide.
The lavish and dark film chronicles the fall of the Republic, the demise of the Jedi Knights, and the creation of Darth Vader amongst several plotlines that complete the Prequel Trilogy.
While many critics and fans had mixed reactions to the previous films in the Prequel Trilogy, the rumors of a much darker more mature Star Wars had even the most jaded curious to see just how dark creator George Lucas was willing to go.
The film opens with the familiar main theme by John Williams and the scrolling text that updates the viewers that the Clone Wars that started at the end of the last film are still raging, and that the Separatist movement under the leadership of Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), have kidnapped the Chancellor of the Republic (Ian Mc Diarmid), and a desperate battle over the capitol planet of Coruscant has ensued.
In a dazzling blend of colors, action, and motion, two fighters piloted by Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), weave in and around countless fighters and capitol ships engaged in deadly combat. To say that it is an overwhelming visual display would be an understatement, as it is simply jaw dropping to see the detail that the magicians at Industrial Light and Magic have crafted.
Obi Wan and Anakin are spearheading the rescue effort that eventually puts them not only against Dooku, but the new villain, the deadly cyborg General Grevious and this is all within the first 15 minutes of the film.
Upon returning the Chancellor to Coruscant, Anakin is greeted by his wife in secret, Padme, (Natalie Portman), who informs him that she is expecting their baby.
Overjoyed by the news, and to be home after many long months away fighting, Anakin as if in a true Shakespearean tragedy proclaims that he has never been happier in his life.
Anakin’s peace is soon disrupted as he begins to have visions of his wife dying in childbirth, since these are the same type of visions Anakin had shortly before the death of his mother years earlier, he becomes obsessed with protecting his wife.
As further political intrigue unfolds, Chancellor Palpatine appoints Anakin to be his representative on the Jedi Council in a move that does nor sit well with the Jedi Elite, especially Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson), who begrudgingly accepts the appointment but does not bestow the title of Master upon Anakin causing further friction for the emotional Anakin.
It seems that the Jedi do not trust Palpatine and are convinced he is up to something, and will not relinquish his emergency powers that were granted to him during the war.. Towards this end, The Jedi Council tasks Anakin to spy on his friend the Chancellor and report what he has learned to the council.
This in turn causes much conflict in Anakin as he is torn between his duty as a Jedi and his friendship with the Chancellor. Since Obi Wan has been dispatched to hunt down General Grevious, Anakin is without his usually confidant and mentor leaving Palpatine to influence Anakin and turn him toward fateful decisions that will eventually change the course of the galaxy.
While filled with plenty of political intrigue, and dazzling action sequences, what drives this film is the gripping, human drama of the characters. While the viewers know what is to become of Anakin, seeing the path he takes is what makes this film a true tragedy as he does what he does for noble reasons. In a true Faustian tale, the devil does not reveal himself nor his true intentions until it is already well past the point of no return.
Lucas is careful to show Anakin as a sympathetic and loving person, who has matured from the spoiled character that he was in the last film. While at times the dialogue of the film may seem to some to be very basic, the tragic turn of events in the film helps to underscore the central themes of love, friendship, and betrayal.
The supporting work in the film is solid, especially the emotionally packed work of Mc Gregor and the maniacal performance of Mc Diarmid. My only real regret is that Portman did not have a larger role or more for her character to do, that being said, the film works on all levels.
Visually the film is amazing as the exotic locales, action, and computer generated characters such as Yoda and Grevious are a marvel to behold. It is amazing how much technology has advanced since the last film, but once again, Lucas has set the bar very high for others to follow.
Lucas has taken in my opinion some very undeserved criticism for the Prequel Trilogy, and Sith should dispel those who said that his best work was behind him and that he should have turned the directing duties over to another as this film once again underscores that he is one of the most gifted visionaries ever, and has created the ultimate saga for the ages that is second to none, and one that has and will stand the test of time.
Sith is a riveting and emotional film, that holds nothing back, it is the darkest Star Wars yet and is easily the best of the Prequel trilogy and on par with any of the classic originals, and is a true masterpiece that will delight fans old and new.
The lavish and dark film chronicles the fall of the Republic, the demise of the Jedi Knights, and the creation of Darth Vader amongst several plotlines that complete the Prequel Trilogy.
While many critics and fans had mixed reactions to the previous films in the Prequel Trilogy, the rumors of a much darker more mature Star Wars had even the most jaded curious to see just how dark creator George Lucas was willing to go.
The film opens with the familiar main theme by John Williams and the scrolling text that updates the viewers that the Clone Wars that started at the end of the last film are still raging, and that the Separatist movement under the leadership of Count Dooku (Christopher Lee), have kidnapped the Chancellor of the Republic (Ian Mc Diarmid), and a desperate battle over the capitol planet of Coruscant has ensued.
In a dazzling blend of colors, action, and motion, two fighters piloted by Obi Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), weave in and around countless fighters and capitol ships engaged in deadly combat. To say that it is an overwhelming visual display would be an understatement, as it is simply jaw dropping to see the detail that the magicians at Industrial Light and Magic have crafted.
Obi Wan and Anakin are spearheading the rescue effort that eventually puts them not only against Dooku, but the new villain, the deadly cyborg General Grevious and this is all within the first 15 minutes of the film.
Upon returning the Chancellor to Coruscant, Anakin is greeted by his wife in secret, Padme, (Natalie Portman), who informs him that she is expecting their baby.
Overjoyed by the news, and to be home after many long months away fighting, Anakin as if in a true Shakespearean tragedy proclaims that he has never been happier in his life.
Anakin’s peace is soon disrupted as he begins to have visions of his wife dying in childbirth, since these are the same type of visions Anakin had shortly before the death of his mother years earlier, he becomes obsessed with protecting his wife.
As further political intrigue unfolds, Chancellor Palpatine appoints Anakin to be his representative on the Jedi Council in a move that does nor sit well with the Jedi Elite, especially Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson), who begrudgingly accepts the appointment but does not bestow the title of Master upon Anakin causing further friction for the emotional Anakin.
It seems that the Jedi do not trust Palpatine and are convinced he is up to something, and will not relinquish his emergency powers that were granted to him during the war.. Towards this end, The Jedi Council tasks Anakin to spy on his friend the Chancellor and report what he has learned to the council.
This in turn causes much conflict in Anakin as he is torn between his duty as a Jedi and his friendship with the Chancellor. Since Obi Wan has been dispatched to hunt down General Grevious, Anakin is without his usually confidant and mentor leaving Palpatine to influence Anakin and turn him toward fateful decisions that will eventually change the course of the galaxy.
While filled with plenty of political intrigue, and dazzling action sequences, what drives this film is the gripping, human drama of the characters. While the viewers know what is to become of Anakin, seeing the path he takes is what makes this film a true tragedy as he does what he does for noble reasons. In a true Faustian tale, the devil does not reveal himself nor his true intentions until it is already well past the point of no return.
Lucas is careful to show Anakin as a sympathetic and loving person, who has matured from the spoiled character that he was in the last film. While at times the dialogue of the film may seem to some to be very basic, the tragic turn of events in the film helps to underscore the central themes of love, friendship, and betrayal.
The supporting work in the film is solid, especially the emotionally packed work of Mc Gregor and the maniacal performance of Mc Diarmid. My only real regret is that Portman did not have a larger role or more for her character to do, that being said, the film works on all levels.
Visually the film is amazing as the exotic locales, action, and computer generated characters such as Yoda and Grevious are a marvel to behold. It is amazing how much technology has advanced since the last film, but once again, Lucas has set the bar very high for others to follow.
Lucas has taken in my opinion some very undeserved criticism for the Prequel Trilogy, and Sith should dispel those who said that his best work was behind him and that he should have turned the directing duties over to another as this film once again underscores that he is one of the most gifted visionaries ever, and has created the ultimate saga for the ages that is second to none, and one that has and will stand the test of time.
Sith is a riveting and emotional film, that holds nothing back, it is the darkest Star Wars yet and is easily the best of the Prequel trilogy and on par with any of the classic originals, and is a true masterpiece that will delight fans old and new.
Ryan Hill (152 KP) rated Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) in Movies
May 10, 2019
Chris Evan as Steve Rogers/Captain America
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Sebastian stan as Bucky Barnes/The winter soldier
The rest of the cast
Fury's car chase
The elevator scene (1 more)
The highway fight scene
Cap and Bucky's final fight
Cap and Bucky's relationship
The political intrigue
Antony Mackie as Falcon
"i'm with you till the end of the line"
Man 2014 sure was a fantastic year for Marvel! Not only did we get Guardians of the Galaxy, but also Captain America the Winter Soldier, a film that I honestly didn’t really appreciate all that much when I first saw it, as back then I wasn’t all that interested in the plots of these films more then I was just seeing the cool characters and fight scenes. But upon rewatching this I was legitimately blown away by how jaw dropping good this was, because not only is this an amazing movie that completely surpasses the first film on every level with it’s excellent story and standout action sequences, but also serves as a great action thriller, and surprisingly, a political satire that reflects the corruption that lies in our very own government. And sure Jon Favreau and Joss Whedon did great jobs with their inclusions in the franchise, but the Russo brothers just absolutely nailed it with this film.
And what makes Winter Soldier so good and entertaining, is it’s extremely captivating story. I was so invested in it that I couldn’t take my eyes off of the screen, I focused and paid attention to every line of dialogue that was said by these characters, as well as every easter egg and reference, which trust me, there are a lot of! This film also features a ton of different twists and turns which on my first viewing way back in 2014, really had me shocked, and though rewatching it five years later doesn’t at all have the same impact on me that it once did, it still is highly entertaining, and some scenes do actually still hold that element of surprise with their abrupt sequences. And while technically they’re not in that jump scare category, the were some parts of the movie that really caught me off guard and made my heart stop for a moment. One aspect about this movie that I thought was very interesting and added a sense of realism to the plot, was the political satire that was excellently interwoven into the storyline of the movie, and like I said, really made the film feel very grounded because it reflects all of the corruption lying within our very own government, and for Captain America to want to expose that and put a stop to it really when you think about it lines up perfectly with Steve’s very patriotic attitude and outlook. I mean he’s Captain America for crying out loud!
All of the performances in this film are absolutely phenomenal! Chris Evans, Scarlet Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, as well as Anthony Mackie. And if that’s not good enough we’ve got freaking Samuel L. Jackson reprising he role as Nick Fury. What more could you possibly ask for in terms of casting, I mean seriously! There is not a single bad or bland performance, and everyone gets to shine with their own great and memorable moments. But for me the standout of this movie is Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier. Holy crap! This is the definition of a badass villain, and he owns every scene he is in. Whenever he shows up on screen and starts taking down guys your heart just starts beating faster and faster, and I was on the edge of my seat when watching the nail biting action scenes he shows up in. So gold star to the Russo brothers for not giving us another two dimensional baddie just there to be evil, as well as being a typical MCU villain. Yeah I’m looking at you Darren Cross! Overall just fantastic performances.
The action scenes in this movie are amazing, and you can really tell that the filmmakers as well as the Russos really put a lot of effort in these sequences, as they are choreographed and shot so well, and the way the directors move the camera really adds a whole other intense and exhilarating edge to these already intense scenes. The highway scene in particular is probably one of, if not the best part of the movie, I mean it’s just perfection, and that’s mainly because of the excellent choreography and directing, that Joe and Anthony Russo definitely put a lot of time into getting just right. And they not only did it right, they did it masterfully! Henry Jackman’s score for the film is so good as well, and it may just be in my top ten favorite soundtracks of all time. And the Winter Soldier’s theme is just downright fantastic as well as absolutely terrifying!
So that’s my review. This is a film that really surpassed my low expectations when rewatching this for the first time in a few years. And with it’s great storyline and characters, as well as it’s amazing performances and action sequences, which kept me enthralled and entertained the entire time, Winter Soldier proves that it is not just a great Captain America movie, or MCU addition, and that it is just an amazing film in general.
And what makes Winter Soldier so good and entertaining, is it’s extremely captivating story. I was so invested in it that I couldn’t take my eyes off of the screen, I focused and paid attention to every line of dialogue that was said by these characters, as well as every easter egg and reference, which trust me, there are a lot of! This film also features a ton of different twists and turns which on my first viewing way back in 2014, really had me shocked, and though rewatching it five years later doesn’t at all have the same impact on me that it once did, it still is highly entertaining, and some scenes do actually still hold that element of surprise with their abrupt sequences. And while technically they’re not in that jump scare category, the were some parts of the movie that really caught me off guard and made my heart stop for a moment. One aspect about this movie that I thought was very interesting and added a sense of realism to the plot, was the political satire that was excellently interwoven into the storyline of the movie, and like I said, really made the film feel very grounded because it reflects all of the corruption lying within our very own government, and for Captain America to want to expose that and put a stop to it really when you think about it lines up perfectly with Steve’s very patriotic attitude and outlook. I mean he’s Captain America for crying out loud!
All of the performances in this film are absolutely phenomenal! Chris Evans, Scarlet Johansson, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, as well as Anthony Mackie. And if that’s not good enough we’ve got freaking Samuel L. Jackson reprising he role as Nick Fury. What more could you possibly ask for in terms of casting, I mean seriously! There is not a single bad or bland performance, and everyone gets to shine with their own great and memorable moments. But for me the standout of this movie is Sebastian Stan as the Winter Soldier. Holy crap! This is the definition of a badass villain, and he owns every scene he is in. Whenever he shows up on screen and starts taking down guys your heart just starts beating faster and faster, and I was on the edge of my seat when watching the nail biting action scenes he shows up in. So gold star to the Russo brothers for not giving us another two dimensional baddie just there to be evil, as well as being a typical MCU villain. Yeah I’m looking at you Darren Cross! Overall just fantastic performances.
The action scenes in this movie are amazing, and you can really tell that the filmmakers as well as the Russos really put a lot of effort in these sequences, as they are choreographed and shot so well, and the way the directors move the camera really adds a whole other intense and exhilarating edge to these already intense scenes. The highway scene in particular is probably one of, if not the best part of the movie, I mean it’s just perfection, and that’s mainly because of the excellent choreography and directing, that Joe and Anthony Russo definitely put a lot of time into getting just right. And they not only did it right, they did it masterfully! Henry Jackman’s score for the film is so good as well, and it may just be in my top ten favorite soundtracks of all time. And the Winter Soldier’s theme is just downright fantastic as well as absolutely terrifying!
So that’s my review. This is a film that really surpassed my low expectations when rewatching this for the first time in a few years. And with it’s great storyline and characters, as well as it’s amazing performances and action sequences, which kept me enthralled and entertained the entire time, Winter Soldier proves that it is not just a great Captain America movie, or MCU addition, and that it is just an amazing film in general.
Bob Mann (459 KP) rated Miss Sloane (2016) in Movies
Sep 29, 2021
“I never know where the line is”.
In a roller-coaster year for political intrigue on both sides of the Atlantic, and with all hell breaking loose again between Trump and ‘The Hill’, here comes “Miss Sloane”.
Jessica Chastain ( “The Martian“, “Interstellar“) plays the titular heroine (I use the term loosely): a pill-popping insomniac who is working herself into an early grave as a top-Washington lobbyist. The game of lobbying is, as she describes, staying one step of the competition and “playing your trump card just after your opponent has played theirs”. But all is not going well for Elizabeth Sloane. For the film opens with her being on trial for corruption in front of a congressional hearing, chaired by Senator Sperling (John Lithgow, “The Accountant“).
Through flashback we see how she got to that point, moving from one firm headed by George Dupont (Sam Waterston, “The Killing Fields”) to another headed by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong, “Kick Ass”, “Kingsman: The Secret Service“) against the backdrop of the high-stakes lobbying around a new gun-control bill. Her fanatical drive to ‘win at all costs’, and the trail of destruction, through her cutthroat work ethic, that she leaves behind her, digs her an ever-deeper hole as the political and legal net closes in around her.
Jessica Chastain has played strong and decisive women before, most notably in “Zero Dark Thirty”, but probably never to this extreme degree. Here she is like Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada”, but not played for laughs. Miss Sloane is an emotionally and physically damaged woman, but a formidable one who takes charge both in the boardroom and in the bedroom, through the unashamed use of male escorts (in the well-muscled form of Jake Lacy, “Their Finest“). As such her character is not remotely likable, but one the I could certainly relate to from past business dealings I’ve had. (And no, I don’t mean as a male prostitute!)
I found Sloane to be one of the more fascinating characters in this year’s releases: I was never being sure whether her actions are being powered from a background of strong moral conviction (fuelled by a devastating childhood incident perhaps?) or through pure greed and lust for power. I thought Chastain excelled in the role, but for balance the illustrious Mrs Mann thought she rather overplayed her hand at times.
Outside of Chastain’s central performance though, this is a very strong ensemble cast. Mark Strong – not with an English accent for once and not playing a heavy – is great as the frustrated boss, as is the seldom-seen Sam Waterston (who, by the way, is the father of Katherine Waterston of current “Alien: Covenant” fame). Christine Baranski (so good in “The Good Wife” and now “The Good Fight”) pops up in a cameo as a flinty Senator. But the outstanding turn for me was Oxford-born Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“Belle”, “Beauty and the Beast” – and yes, I’m aware of the irony in this pairing!). Playing Sloane’s colleague Esme Manucharian – both a lady with a secret in her past as well as possessing a great name – Mbatha-Raw is just riveting and deserving of a Supporting Actress nomination in my book.
What binds the whole two hours together is an extraordinarily skillful script by debut writer Jonathan Perera, which has both a gripping and ever-twisting story as well as a host of quotable lines. Ladies and gentlemen, we may have a new Aaron Sorkin on the block! It’s a brave script, dealing as it does with 2nd amendment issues, since there seems to be nothing that stirs up American comment like gun-control. For those living in the UK (where gun deaths are over 50 times less per capita than in the US) the whole topic is both fascinating and perplexing and there were a lot of nodding heads during Sloane’s TV rant about it being an archaic ‘Wild West’ throwback that should no longer be set in stone. (But it’s not our country any more, so you Americans can do what you like!)
The marvelous Cinematography is by Sebastian Blenkov – the second time this gentleman has come to my attention within a month (the first time being “Their Finest“).
The director is Portsmouth-born Brit John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”) and he does a great job in sustaining the tension and energy throughout the running time. This all makes it a great shame that the film has not done well at the US box office, perhaps because ( the film was released in December 2016) the public had more than their fill of politics after a bruising and divisive election. (I’m not sure the UK release date now – just before our own General Election – is wise either).
But for me, this was a memorable film, and come the end of the year it might well be up there in my top 10 for the year. I’m a sucker for a good political thriller with “All the President’s Men” and “Primary Colors” in my personal list as some of my favourite ever films. If you like those films, “House of Cards” or remember fondly TV series like “The West Wing” or (for those with even longer memories) “Washington Behind Closed Doors” then I would strongly recommend you get out and watch this.
Jessica Chastain ( “The Martian“, “Interstellar“) plays the titular heroine (I use the term loosely): a pill-popping insomniac who is working herself into an early grave as a top-Washington lobbyist. The game of lobbying is, as she describes, staying one step of the competition and “playing your trump card just after your opponent has played theirs”. But all is not going well for Elizabeth Sloane. For the film opens with her being on trial for corruption in front of a congressional hearing, chaired by Senator Sperling (John Lithgow, “The Accountant“).
Through flashback we see how she got to that point, moving from one firm headed by George Dupont (Sam Waterston, “The Killing Fields”) to another headed by Rodolfo Schmidt (Mark Strong, “Kick Ass”, “Kingsman: The Secret Service“) against the backdrop of the high-stakes lobbying around a new gun-control bill. Her fanatical drive to ‘win at all costs’, and the trail of destruction, through her cutthroat work ethic, that she leaves behind her, digs her an ever-deeper hole as the political and legal net closes in around her.
Jessica Chastain has played strong and decisive women before, most notably in “Zero Dark Thirty”, but probably never to this extreme degree. Here she is like Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada”, but not played for laughs. Miss Sloane is an emotionally and physically damaged woman, but a formidable one who takes charge both in the boardroom and in the bedroom, through the unashamed use of male escorts (in the well-muscled form of Jake Lacy, “Their Finest“). As such her character is not remotely likable, but one the I could certainly relate to from past business dealings I’ve had. (And no, I don’t mean as a male prostitute!)
I found Sloane to be one of the more fascinating characters in this year’s releases: I was never being sure whether her actions are being powered from a background of strong moral conviction (fuelled by a devastating childhood incident perhaps?) or through pure greed and lust for power. I thought Chastain excelled in the role, but for balance the illustrious Mrs Mann thought she rather overplayed her hand at times.
Outside of Chastain’s central performance though, this is a very strong ensemble cast. Mark Strong – not with an English accent for once and not playing a heavy – is great as the frustrated boss, as is the seldom-seen Sam Waterston (who, by the way, is the father of Katherine Waterston of current “Alien: Covenant” fame). Christine Baranski (so good in “The Good Wife” and now “The Good Fight”) pops up in a cameo as a flinty Senator. But the outstanding turn for me was Oxford-born Gugu Mbatha-Raw (“Belle”, “Beauty and the Beast” – and yes, I’m aware of the irony in this pairing!). Playing Sloane’s colleague Esme Manucharian – both a lady with a secret in her past as well as possessing a great name – Mbatha-Raw is just riveting and deserving of a Supporting Actress nomination in my book.
What binds the whole two hours together is an extraordinarily skillful script by debut writer Jonathan Perera, which has both a gripping and ever-twisting story as well as a host of quotable lines. Ladies and gentlemen, we may have a new Aaron Sorkin on the block! It’s a brave script, dealing as it does with 2nd amendment issues, since there seems to be nothing that stirs up American comment like gun-control. For those living in the UK (where gun deaths are over 50 times less per capita than in the US) the whole topic is both fascinating and perplexing and there were a lot of nodding heads during Sloane’s TV rant about it being an archaic ‘Wild West’ throwback that should no longer be set in stone. (But it’s not our country any more, so you Americans can do what you like!)
The marvelous Cinematography is by Sebastian Blenkov – the second time this gentleman has come to my attention within a month (the first time being “Their Finest“).
The director is Portsmouth-born Brit John Madden (“Shakespeare in Love”, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”) and he does a great job in sustaining the tension and energy throughout the running time. This all makes it a great shame that the film has not done well at the US box office, perhaps because ( the film was released in December 2016) the public had more than their fill of politics after a bruising and divisive election. (I’m not sure the UK release date now – just before our own General Election – is wise either).
But for me, this was a memorable film, and come the end of the year it might well be up there in my top 10 for the year. I’m a sucker for a good political thriller with “All the President’s Men” and “Primary Colors” in my personal list as some of my favourite ever films. If you like those films, “House of Cards” or remember fondly TV series like “The West Wing” or (for those with even longer memories) “Washington Behind Closed Doors” then I would strongly recommend you get out and watch this.
Chris Hooker (419 KP) rated No Way Home (A Science Fiction Anthology) in Books
Jan 12, 2018
I received [No Way Home] from author [Harry Manners] in exchange for a honest review. This collection of short stories with the theme of being stranded, in one way or another, was a thought provoking read.
[To Sing of Chaos and Eternal Night] by [Lucas Bale] took me a few days to get past the beginning. The concept of a soldier who has lost all being and is just thought sent to robotic bodies and told to fight the enemy was interesting. As I stated, unfortunately, it was a slow start but the ending was worth the read.
[XE, or People Are Strange] by [S. Elliot Brandis]gave a new meaning to getting away from it all. The main character, Bradley, volunteers to be put in a shuttle to find a new habitable plant. His mission is one way and he is to send a signal back to Earth if it is a safe place. Apparently, though, he is not the first, or only, person on the new planet. I really liked the twist in this story.
[Grist] by [J.S. Collyer] is a futuristic view where one entity has taken control and all others are forced to work for them, often underground. Wyatt was not born into this so he remembers fresh air and sun. He wants to escape and be free again. Just daring to think this way can be deadly and he must know who to trust. The question this story had me asking was what is life worth?
[Merely A Madness] by [S.W. Fairbrother] was one I was really excited to see in this collection because I had read [The Secret Dead] and loved it. [Merely A Madness] did not disappoint in anyway. Earth has become a hostile place but most people have escaped off planet. Hannah loves old earth and Mullen sets up a holiday because he aims to please. This would be like current day people going to a wild west ranch, real but not too real. Things go horribly wrong and Mullen must make a hard choice. This story was one of my favorites by far.
[Revolver] by [Michael Patrick Hicks] was the most overtly political and also one of the most enjoyable. The concept of reality TV and politics preying on the unfortunates is so scary because it is not far from our current reality. I really loved the statement made in this one.
[The Happy Place] by [Harry Manners] was a story of a dream gone horribly wrong. Michael has always dreamed of going to the stars and with his wife this dream becomes a reality as he is chosen to colonize Mars. Years later he realizes his dream may be a nightmare as he begins to lose everything he loves. The only thing that keeps him going is 'the Happy Place', a virtual reality of his memories from Earth, but keeping this secret from those he loves may cost him even more. This is the third work I have read from [Harry Manners] and I love how he handles loneliness and making hard decisions. His characters are always deeper than they first appear.
[Renata] by [Nadine Matheson] is a futuristic spy story wrapped in a mob hit with political intrigue. Yes, I enjoyed this one as well. Kaoru is an assassin who gets his assignments from his brother. His latest target is in the past. This is the assignment that may just kill him.
[Cold Witness] by [A.S. Sinclair] was a mental thriller. John Marshall is sent to check out an abandoned military complex that he is told little about. When he arrives there he hears rumors of strange things involving the final project at the base. Upon arrival he begins hallucinating and his memories begin to meld with others. The question of what is reality is constant throughout.
All the stories were well written and enjoyable. I also liked how each author wrote an "Afterword" that explained a little of how they came up with the concept they did. I recommend this to any fan of futuristic and science fiction.
[To Sing of Chaos and Eternal Night] by [Lucas Bale] took me a few days to get past the beginning. The concept of a soldier who has lost all being and is just thought sent to robotic bodies and told to fight the enemy was interesting. As I stated, unfortunately, it was a slow start but the ending was worth the read.
[XE, or People Are Strange] by [S. Elliot Brandis]gave a new meaning to getting away from it all. The main character, Bradley, volunteers to be put in a shuttle to find a new habitable plant. His mission is one way and he is to send a signal back to Earth if it is a safe place. Apparently, though, he is not the first, or only, person on the new planet. I really liked the twist in this story.
[Grist] by [J.S. Collyer] is a futuristic view where one entity has taken control and all others are forced to work for them, often underground. Wyatt was not born into this so he remembers fresh air and sun. He wants to escape and be free again. Just daring to think this way can be deadly and he must know who to trust. The question this story had me asking was what is life worth?
[Merely A Madness] by [S.W. Fairbrother] was one I was really excited to see in this collection because I had read [The Secret Dead] and loved it. [Merely A Madness] did not disappoint in anyway. Earth has become a hostile place but most people have escaped off planet. Hannah loves old earth and Mullen sets up a holiday because he aims to please. This would be like current day people going to a wild west ranch, real but not too real. Things go horribly wrong and Mullen must make a hard choice. This story was one of my favorites by far.
[Revolver] by [Michael Patrick Hicks] was the most overtly political and also one of the most enjoyable. The concept of reality TV and politics preying on the unfortunates is so scary because it is not far from our current reality. I really loved the statement made in this one.
[The Happy Place] by [Harry Manners] was a story of a dream gone horribly wrong. Michael has always dreamed of going to the stars and with his wife this dream becomes a reality as he is chosen to colonize Mars. Years later he realizes his dream may be a nightmare as he begins to lose everything he loves. The only thing that keeps him going is 'the Happy Place', a virtual reality of his memories from Earth, but keeping this secret from those he loves may cost him even more. This is the third work I have read from [Harry Manners] and I love how he handles loneliness and making hard decisions. His characters are always deeper than they first appear.
[Renata] by [Nadine Matheson] is a futuristic spy story wrapped in a mob hit with political intrigue. Yes, I enjoyed this one as well. Kaoru is an assassin who gets his assignments from his brother. His latest target is in the past. This is the assignment that may just kill him.
[Cold Witness] by [A.S. Sinclair] was a mental thriller. John Marshall is sent to check out an abandoned military complex that he is told little about. When he arrives there he hears rumors of strange things involving the final project at the base. Upon arrival he begins hallucinating and his memories begin to meld with others. The question of what is reality is constant throughout.
All the stories were well written and enjoyable. I also liked how each author wrote an "Afterword" that explained a little of how they came up with the concept they did. I recommend this to any fan of futuristic and science fiction.
Ross (3282 KP) rated The Tower of Living and Dying in Books
Aug 14, 2018
The Empire (of Dust) Strikes Back
*** I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This is that review ***
The follow-up to the epic Court of Broken Knives seamlessly the story.
This time the focus of the action stays in the same place for large chunks of the book (7 parts I think), rather than chapters jumping around from one to another. This allowed a slightly greater focus on the plot than in the first book, but the difficulty with that is keeping the momentum on both parallel stories. This wasn't an issue here, as the narrative flows so smoothly that even when the PoV is a character you care less about, the writing is still a joy to read.
Most of the action follows "King" Marith's plight to rule over all of Irlast's kingdoms, using all the evil creatures and tricks he has to hand, regardless of the cost in human lives. Here the story is told by splitting between Tobias, Landra, Marith and Thalia's points of view, so you get a real feel for what is going on and the impacts of events.
The rest of the book stays in Sorlost, the capital of the Empire, still reeling from the assassination attempt and with political intrigue aplenty. These were my less favourite parts of the book but were still enjoyable, compelling and vital. Again, the PoV is split between characters in these sections, giving more of a feel of the general populace than was present in the first book.
Again Smith Spark's lyrical narrative takes centre stage here, but at no point does it detract from the story and somehow acts to accentuate the grittiness of the action unfolding and adds so much emotion.
For me, this book took the grimdark quotient up several notches from the first instalment, as chapter after chapter sees bad things done by utter shit-bags, and they get away with it.
Characters develop aplenty here, Thalia starts to wake up to the reality of what she has married into and while torn about doing the right thing, seems resigned to her fate. Marith becomes the anti-Rand al'Thor as he tries to do everything himself and explores his powers, but he has a great time doing it. Finally we see great powerful war leaders celebrating the successful campaign by getting absolutely shit-faced and high and spewing everywhere (rather than sulky debriefs and mourning the loss of life). Tobias, so clever, cunning and powerful in the first book, here takes a back seat and almost becomes comic relief - his attempts to end Marith's tyrannical reign just go so badly. And everything is starting to go wrong for Orhan, the Lord of Sorlost, who looked to have manoeuvred himself into real power in the city.
A real page-turner and frankly an awesome story told exceptionally well.
The follow-up to the epic Court of Broken Knives seamlessly the story.
This time the focus of the action stays in the same place for large chunks of the book (7 parts I think), rather than chapters jumping around from one to another. This allowed a slightly greater focus on the plot than in the first book, but the difficulty with that is keeping the momentum on both parallel stories. This wasn't an issue here, as the narrative flows so smoothly that even when the PoV is a character you care less about, the writing is still a joy to read.
Most of the action follows "King" Marith's plight to rule over all of Irlast's kingdoms, using all the evil creatures and tricks he has to hand, regardless of the cost in human lives. Here the story is told by splitting between Tobias, Landra, Marith and Thalia's points of view, so you get a real feel for what is going on and the impacts of events.
The rest of the book stays in Sorlost, the capital of the Empire, still reeling from the assassination attempt and with political intrigue aplenty. These were my less favourite parts of the book but were still enjoyable, compelling and vital. Again, the PoV is split between characters in these sections, giving more of a feel of the general populace than was present in the first book.
Again Smith Spark's lyrical narrative takes centre stage here, but at no point does it detract from the story and somehow acts to accentuate the grittiness of the action unfolding and adds so much emotion.
For me, this book took the grimdark quotient up several notches from the first instalment, as chapter after chapter sees bad things done by utter shit-bags, and they get away with it.
Characters develop aplenty here, Thalia starts to wake up to the reality of what she has married into and while torn about doing the right thing, seems resigned to her fate. Marith becomes the anti-Rand al'Thor as he tries to do everything himself and explores his powers, but he has a great time doing it. Finally we see great powerful war leaders celebrating the successful campaign by getting absolutely shit-faced and high and spewing everywhere (rather than sulky debriefs and mourning the loss of life). Tobias, so clever, cunning and powerful in the first book, here takes a back seat and almost becomes comic relief - his attempts to end Marith's tyrannical reign just go so badly. And everything is starting to go wrong for Orhan, the Lord of Sorlost, who looked to have manoeuvred himself into real power in the city.
A real page-turner and frankly an awesome story told exceptionally well.
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