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Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2436 KP) rated Mrs. Roosevelt’s Confidante (Maggie Hope Mystery, #5) in Books
Mar 9, 2018
Maggie Hope has returned to the US. She’s come back as part of Prime Minster Churchill’s staff during his historic meeting with President Roosevelt during December 1941. They’ve hardly arrived when Maggie gets pulled into a case involving the First Lady. Mrs. Roosevelt’s personal secretary is dead from an apparent suicide, but something seems off, and there is a clue that points to the First Lady. A scandal could derail this new alliance. Can Maggie find the truth before the lies come out?
I’ve enjoyed the previous books in this series, so I was looking forward to this one. Sadly, it is extremely weak. The mystery took a back seat to watching history unfold and sub-plots that involved supporting characters. All the characters felt weak, and one devolved into someone I didn’t like. But my real problem were the lectures on everything from race to imperialism and capital punishment, which again slowed things down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-mrs-roosevelts-confidante.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
I’ve enjoyed the previous books in this series, so I was looking forward to this one. Sadly, it is extremely weak. The mystery took a back seat to watching history unfold and sub-plots that involved supporting characters. All the characters felt weak, and one devolved into someone I didn’t like. But my real problem were the lectures on everything from race to imperialism and capital punishment, which again slowed things down.
Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/12/book-review-mrs-roosevelts-confidante.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Asphyx (1972) in Movies
Jun 14, 2018
Early 70s British costume-drama horror movie, so you know roughly what to expect - scientist consumed with hubris decides to play God, learns the hard way he doesn't have the full set of qualifications for the gig. But this is really a rather morbid Victorian melodrama, an impression which is only heightened by how primitive some of the special effects are (the asphyx puppet in particular is a bit of an eye-popper).
At a time when the average Hammer horror was brazenly carnal and exploitative, and Amicus' line of portmanteaus was recycling the same jokey twist endings, The Asphyx takes itself wholly seriously and is positively bleak throughout - the whole movie is about death and despair, and the effects this can have on people. (At one point the plot boils down to a race between two characters to see which one of them can commit suicide first.) The intensity of the telling (good performances from the leads) makes it somewhat mesmerising to watch, even if it's a slightly chilly and unsettling experience.
At a time when the average Hammer horror was brazenly carnal and exploitative, and Amicus' line of portmanteaus was recycling the same jokey twist endings, The Asphyx takes itself wholly seriously and is positively bleak throughout - the whole movie is about death and despair, and the effects this can have on people. (At one point the plot boils down to a race between two characters to see which one of them can commit suicide first.) The intensity of the telling (good performances from the leads) makes it somewhat mesmerising to watch, even if it's a slightly chilly and unsettling experience.
Kawaii Doodle Class by Zainab Khan is an illustrated step-by-step resource guide on how to draw smiley lumps that look like food, animals, objects, holiday themes, and monsters. As down-putting as that may sound, it’s really quite useful, dainty, and, yes, cute.
The book starts with a list of tools and essentials what you can use to have a go with but so long as you have at least a pen or pencil with some paper to hand you can try some sketches from the off. The book pages are set with cute borders alike clouds, in pastel and deeper blue against the plain white background on which the drawing tips and demonstration step by step images sit on.
You don’t need to be an amazing artist to be able to use this book as everything is super simple to follow, I personally loved the flower designs best and there’s a handy way to draw a rose I found useful!
I received this Quarto Publishing Group and Race Point Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book starts with a list of tools and essentials what you can use to have a go with but so long as you have at least a pen or pencil with some paper to hand you can try some sketches from the off. The book pages are set with cute borders alike clouds, in pastel and deeper blue against the plain white background on which the drawing tips and demonstration step by step images sit on.
You don’t need to be an amazing artist to be able to use this book as everything is super simple to follow, I personally loved the flower designs best and there’s a handy way to draw a rose I found useful!
I received this Quarto Publishing Group and Race Point Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Infinity: Volume 1 in Books
Sep 17, 2018
Warning - not a Thanos-heavy book as described
The builders, a race of beings who created the universe, have decided they want a change and have begun to destroy it and start again. And there are numerous species that decide to try and stop them for obvious reasons. And there are other things with pointy things on their heads and no clothes on and there is Thanos being Thanos and there is sexual tension between Namor and Black Panther and .... just so much going on.
The scope of this story is epic, as you might expect given the recent Infinity Wars part 1. However, it really is not very accessible - there is a lot of gobbledigook and pseudoscience trotted out. And most of the action takes place in space, or inter-planetary politics.
Some parts of this neverending book were excellent, but they were few and far between.
To cut a long story short, I never truly felt like I had much of an idea of what was happening, and only enjoyed the final few issues to any great extent. Some decent artwork.
The scope of this story is epic, as you might expect given the recent Infinity Wars part 1. However, it really is not very accessible - there is a lot of gobbledigook and pseudoscience trotted out. And most of the action takes place in space, or inter-planetary politics.
Some parts of this neverending book were excellent, but they were few and far between.
To cut a long story short, I never truly felt like I had much of an idea of what was happening, and only enjoyed the final few issues to any great extent. Some decent artwork.
Irene M (130 KP) rated Galaxy of Empires (Merchant Wars, #1) in Books
Dec 7, 2018
"There will be no such thing as lesser evils because they will all be vanquished by the greatest evil... ME," - Evella Noctu
This is a story about a snake-woman merchant in the Reptilian Conglomerate Empire. She has strong telepathic abilities which she uses to dispatch of her enemies, a handy skill when assassination is a commonplace method to move up the corporate ladder.
This is only one book set in a far wider ‘universe’. It is short enough for a quick escapist read, and if you can ignore some minor grammar errors it is very enjoyable. I did think a couple of sections felt a bit rushed, as if the author put the basic idea down and missed expanding them on a rewrite.
Most of the characters are very bloodthirsty and cruel ... but I would guess in a cut-throat reptilian world that could be normal. I would be interested in reading other ‘races’ in the authors universe to see if this is his character style, or the nature he has decided for this race alone.
This is a story about a snake-woman merchant in the Reptilian Conglomerate Empire. She has strong telepathic abilities which she uses to dispatch of her enemies, a handy skill when assassination is a commonplace method to move up the corporate ladder.
This is only one book set in a far wider ‘universe’. It is short enough for a quick escapist read, and if you can ignore some minor grammar errors it is very enjoyable. I did think a couple of sections felt a bit rushed, as if the author put the basic idea down and missed expanding them on a rewrite.
Most of the characters are very bloodthirsty and cruel ... but I would guess in a cut-throat reptilian world that could be normal. I would be interested in reading other ‘races’ in the authors universe to see if this is his character style, or the nature he has decided for this race alone.
Lenard (726 KP) rated The Current War (2017) in Movies
Nov 7, 2019
The Current War is the true story of the race to give incandescent light to the people of America. After Thomas Edison patented the lightbulb, he gave a demonstration on how to light a 20-block radius using direct current. On the way home from securing funding from his benefactor JP Morgan in Washington, he spurned a dinner with George Westinghouse, a famous industrialist. That evening, Westinghouse came up with a plan to give electricity to cities around the country using the alternating current which unlike direct current can use power lines built above ground. Nikola Tesla also plays a part in the battle between Westinghouse and Edison as the pioneer of AC who worked for Edison to develop new ideas. The battle led to the formation of General Electric when Edison could no longer compete against the affordability and ingenuity of alternating current. The story is sort of interesting, but it does not really carry a feature film. The performances are okay, but the drama is not worthy of the talents. There is no flash of directorial skill just workmanship.
JT (287 KP) rated The Book of Eli (2010) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
A solid effort from the Hughes Brothers as they take on a post apocalyptic style western. Denzel Washington plays Eli a lone traveler who is following a path with a destination only he knows about. In his possession a book, so valuable to the resurrection of the human race that he’ll stop at nothing to protect it.
A story based around religion is not always going to be for everyone but if anything the cast is a shining light in an otherwise scrappy film.
Gary Oldman plays the true archetypal villain, looking like a cowboy but sounding like a biblical reverend, he truly knows how to play the bad guy. Washington gives an equally decent performance but is some way off his best.
The cinematography is stunning and the desolate landscape depicts a true reflection of the aftermath of nuclear war. It’s grainy and gritty but needed to pack more of a punch. The brief action and fight scenes are well choreographed and the twist in tale at the end should be enough raise a few questions in the car park.
A story based around religion is not always going to be for everyone but if anything the cast is a shining light in an otherwise scrappy film.
Gary Oldman plays the true archetypal villain, looking like a cowboy but sounding like a biblical reverend, he truly knows how to play the bad guy. Washington gives an equally decent performance but is some way off his best.
The cinematography is stunning and the desolate landscape depicts a true reflection of the aftermath of nuclear war. It’s grainy and gritty but needed to pack more of a punch. The brief action and fight scenes are well choreographed and the twist in tale at the end should be enough raise a few questions in the car park.
Awix (3310 KP) rated The Magic Christian (1969) in Movies
Apr 11, 2020
Laborious satire proves that no matter how good your cast is, it can't save a film with a lousy script. Subversive multi-millionaire Guy Grand (Sellers) and his adopted son (Ringo) embark on a series of lavish practical jokes to demonstrate the venality of western society. Basically a series of too-contrived-to-be-funny sketches clumsily making fun of the sacred cows of British society in particular.
Some people (Paul Merton for one) would have you suggest that The Magic Christian has a reputation as a bad movie because it ridicules things the establishment holds dear (the boat race, high art, grouse shooting, etc). This is not true: it has a reputation as a bad movie because it is a bad movie, clumsy, smug, and not nearly as insightful as it seems to think it is. The main reason for watching is the cast list, which is eye-opening, although how well the various cameoing stars emerge tends to be in inverse proportion to the size of their role. One of those films that proves the swinging sixties weren't all that great.
Some people (Paul Merton for one) would have you suggest that The Magic Christian has a reputation as a bad movie because it ridicules things the establishment holds dear (the boat race, high art, grouse shooting, etc). This is not true: it has a reputation as a bad movie because it is a bad movie, clumsy, smug, and not nearly as insightful as it seems to think it is. The main reason for watching is the cast list, which is eye-opening, although how well the various cameoing stars emerge tends to be in inverse proportion to the size of their role. One of those films that proves the swinging sixties weren't all that great.
Shiny Ski Resort
Games and Entertainment
App
Your story starts with a small hotel on a snowy mountain. Develop land to build a spectacular ski...
The Presidents Fact Book: The Achievements, Campaigns, Events, Triumphs, and Legacies of Every President
Roger Matuz, Bill Harris and Thomas J. Craughwell
Book
The Presidents Fact Book is a complete compendium of all things presidential and a sweeping survey...