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Full of the usual de Bernieres charm.
A really charming, quirky story. A young boy goes to live on a farming station in the Outback (Australia) after his mother has a nervous breakdown in response to the death of his father. It's clear he misses both of his parents, but he loves his grandpa (who, incidentally does an excellent job of caring for him) and loves the Outback. After a cyclone hits, he finds a little red puppy in the destruction and names him Blue.
I loved the descriptions of the Outback, particularly the cyclone and it's aftermath. Hopefully this is the closest I'll ever get to such a phenomenon! I'm very much a dog person, so anything involving a dog is on to a winner for me (but I've never been a fan of the anthropomorphised type of story since reaching adulthood - although Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, Watership Down etc were firm favourites as a child).
I've read Red Dog, which is the follow up to this novel, so there was a bittersweet element to this book, as I know how the next one ends.
Top marks for the story and just to de Bernieres' style. I'm a fan.
I loved the descriptions of the Outback, particularly the cyclone and it's aftermath. Hopefully this is the closest I'll ever get to such a phenomenon! I'm very much a dog person, so anything involving a dog is on to a winner for me (but I've never been a fan of the anthropomorphised type of story since reaching adulthood - although Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, Watership Down etc were firm favourites as a child).
I've read Red Dog, which is the follow up to this novel, so there was a bittersweet element to this book, as I know how the next one ends.
Top marks for the story and just to de Bernieres' style. I'm a fan.
LeftSideCut (3778 KP) rated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) in Movies
Jul 16, 2019
An absolute joy from start to finish
Into the Spider-Verse is nothing short of excellent.
The animation style is beautiful, quirky, packed with colour, and doesn't let go of your attention until the credits have finished rolling.
The assembled voice cast are all great, and compliment the emotion and humour felt throughout.
The humour in question is flawless...every joke and humourous beat land perfectly. It's a funny movie, as well as carrying along a powerful message about growing up, and realising that you're not alone.
The storyline is pretty crazy, and as it deals with multiple dimensions, there's a chance to pull in some fun characters from the comic world, including Peni Parker, Spider-Ham, Spider Gwen, and Spider-Man Noir (hilarious btw). It's definitely out there, but it works very well.
Miles' universe, where the movie takes place, is a setting that allows the writers to take free reign, tinkering with classic villains we know and love, making this a Spider-Man movie worth seeing for fans old and new.
Possibly the best Spider-Man movie yet (maybe in a par with Far From Home).
End note - the post credit scene is just the best thing ever.
The animation style is beautiful, quirky, packed with colour, and doesn't let go of your attention until the credits have finished rolling.
The assembled voice cast are all great, and compliment the emotion and humour felt throughout.
The humour in question is flawless...every joke and humourous beat land perfectly. It's a funny movie, as well as carrying along a powerful message about growing up, and realising that you're not alone.
The storyline is pretty crazy, and as it deals with multiple dimensions, there's a chance to pull in some fun characters from the comic world, including Peni Parker, Spider-Ham, Spider Gwen, and Spider-Man Noir (hilarious btw). It's definitely out there, but it works very well.
Miles' universe, where the movie takes place, is a setting that allows the writers to take free reign, tinkering with classic villains we know and love, making this a Spider-Man movie worth seeing for fans old and new.
Possibly the best Spider-Man movie yet (maybe in a par with Far From Home).
End note - the post credit scene is just the best thing ever.
Jake (52 KP) rated Sky Raiders (Five Kingdoms, #1) in Books
Jul 25, 2019
Really fun kids adventure book. I had a hard time explaining it to my wife but ultimately I realized it reminded me a lot of Harry Potter in that:
1. The main character is basically a kid (although a mature one so that he can be relatable to more age groups)
2. There is magic
3. A lot of the story focuses on Friendship during some kind of trial
4. Set in a fantastical, sometimes quirky world with fun, interesting, and sometimes spooky characters
5. Interesting story and fun premise
I really enjoy the aspects of friendship and worldbuilding: Brandon Mull did a great job of interweaving different characters and their personalities into a complex world with an interesting plotline.
Rarely does the book get boring or slow and rarely could I put it down. Sure, maybe the book was in the 12-year old section of the library but to be honest I haven't had this much fun in a series for a long time. If you're into those 5 bullet points I mentioned above and you enjoyed Harry Potter, I would strongly recommend this series. Still waiting for the 5th book to come out in late 2017 so that will definitely be a book I pick up! Enjoy!
1. The main character is basically a kid (although a mature one so that he can be relatable to more age groups)
2. There is magic
3. A lot of the story focuses on Friendship during some kind of trial
4. Set in a fantastical, sometimes quirky world with fun, interesting, and sometimes spooky characters
5. Interesting story and fun premise
I really enjoy the aspects of friendship and worldbuilding: Brandon Mull did a great job of interweaving different characters and their personalities into a complex world with an interesting plotline.
Rarely does the book get boring or slow and rarely could I put it down. Sure, maybe the book was in the 12-year old section of the library but to be honest I haven't had this much fun in a series for a long time. If you're into those 5 bullet points I mentioned above and you enjoyed Harry Potter, I would strongly recommend this series. Still waiting for the 5th book to come out in late 2017 so that will definitely be a book I pick up! Enjoy!
Phil Maxwell (25 KP) rated Seinfeld - Season 1 in TV
Apr 9, 2020 (Updated Apr 9, 2020)
Painfully short (2 more)
Hadn't really found it's way in the beginning
Seemed like a Pilot in 5 parts
Slow To Start
So... I have recently started binging Seinfeld from the beginning, after not having watched it for years.
I probably should've started from Season 2, though really, as, had I been watching it on television when it first aired, I'd have probably not paid Seinfeld too much mind.
Aside from being painfully short (with a run of only 5 episodes), I find in retrospect that the storylines were incredibly banal and didn't really serve to make any of the characters have any lasting affect on the viewer.
Jerry, his ex Elaine, his friend George and Cosmo Kramer, the quirky presumptuous neighbour, all had an opportunity to make an impression in Season 1, yet none of them really hit the nail on the head.
It seemed, to me at least, like all 5 episodes were basically a Pilot broken up into pieces, and it really showed. I am thankful I stayed with it, though, as when the show progressed past that everyone seemed to find their niche that little bit more, and the storylines became more rich with it.
I probably should've started from Season 2, though really, as, had I been watching it on television when it first aired, I'd have probably not paid Seinfeld too much mind.
Aside from being painfully short (with a run of only 5 episodes), I find in retrospect that the storylines were incredibly banal and didn't really serve to make any of the characters have any lasting affect on the viewer.
Jerry, his ex Elaine, his friend George and Cosmo Kramer, the quirky presumptuous neighbour, all had an opportunity to make an impression in Season 1, yet none of them really hit the nail on the head.
It seemed, to me at least, like all 5 episodes were basically a Pilot broken up into pieces, and it really showed. I am thankful I stayed with it, though, as when the show progressed past that everyone seemed to find their niche that little bit more, and the storylines became more rich with it.
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