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Sean Farrell (9 KP) rated A Clash of Kings (Reissue) in Books

Mar 15, 2018

An excellent continuation to the saga. So far it is proving to be quite an experience to follow the lives of all these characters as they journey through Westeros, both shaping the country's history and having their histories shaped by the events raging around them. Despite containing an increasingly large amount of fantasy elements it's hard not to find the story anything but believable and one can't help but be pulled into the tales of even the most contemptible characters, and believe me there are quite a few that are very worthy of contempt. Perhaps most important of all though, is the very real feeling that at no point does one ever really know exactly where any one of these paths is leading the person or people involved. Thanks to Martin's deft plotting and smart twists, no one's fate ever feels secure, which only adds to the story's momentum. This is completely worthy of all the praise that has been heaped upon the series and serves to leave one very hungry for the next installment.

Kudos

Erika Kehlet (21 KP) rated Forsaken (Shadow Cove Saga #1) in Books

Feb 21, 2018

***NOTE: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

Forsaken is a book partially based on characters and events from the Salem witch trials. Some of these events find their way into the latest novel by best-selling novelist Thad McAlister.

Throughout the story, the author allows you glimpses into the past via excerpts from Clayton Stone's journal, showing you important events that happened in 1692. These journal entries give you just enough information to keep you guessing and add to the suspense when you are reading about the present. There were some good twists and a nice salute to Stephen King (one of my favorites) that made this even more fun to read. This was a great stay-up-all-night-reading type of spooky story, and I recommend this book to any fans of horror novels, witches, or things that go bump in the night. I will also be on the lookout for book #2 of the Shadow Cove Saga, to find out what happens to Ashley and Rachael!

Kudos

Andy K (10821 KP) rated Phantasm: Ravager (2016) in Movies

Jul 15, 2018

Great end to the Phantasm saga!

The final Phantasm film focuses mostly on everyone's favorite former ice cream man ,Reggie, and takes place through multi dimensions..

He keeps shifting through time and locations and is desperately trying to figure out which is real and how he can stop the Tall Man and his death spheres one final time.

The film find of reminded me of the final episode of Star Trek TNG when Captain Picard was kind of doing the same thing. It made the story interesting and not just more of the same. It also was mostly a continuation of the same story with some nostalgia since there had been almost twenty years since the last Phantasm film was made. I liked the continuity, but attempt to make something original.

The make up and special effects ranged from pretty good to almost Sharknado bad, so that was a little distracting.

I enjoyed watching and had a fun time with the Phantasm films in general. Generally speaking a cut above the normal generics horror schlock.

Kudos

David McK (3369 KP) rated The Magic of Recluce (The Saga of Recluce #1) in Books

Jan 30, 2019

If ever there was an argument for Goodreads to expand beyond a 5-star rating system, this is it: better than some other books I've rated 1 star, but not as good as some others I've rated as 2 stars.

The first book in what has become known as The Saga of Recluce, I found this to be quite unusual in that (in this world world), it equates the White Wizards with evil (or chaos) and Black Wizards with good (or order). In many respects, this is also a coming-of-age tale, with the central protaganist maturing throughout the course of the story: a story that, I felt, could have been told in about 1/2 the number of pages if the author didn't insist on detailing each and every little iota of noise - who wants to read about (roughly, and all told) a page or two per chapter of Wheee-urrrggg (stomach noises) or caw-caw (bird noises) or thrum-thrum-thrum (hoof-beats)?!?

Kudos

Deborah (162 KP) rated Hungry Hill in Books

Dec 21, 2018

I really got stuck into this family saga from Daphne du Maruier, following five generations of a family and their relationship with the mine at Hungry Hill. With du Maurier you know there's going to be tragedy in there somewhere and there are senseless deaths and senseless happenings a plenty. Despite being beautifully written, I felt somewhat depressed at the end of the novel because I didn't feel it was concluded very well and a lot of very bad things happened to people who frankly didn't deserve it! I feel John-Henry's story wasn't properly tied up and he was just left almost hanging there. The Donovans also seem to come out of things rather well despite their atrocious, murdering behaviour! I think I'm one who likes a good bit of poetic justice in my reading as real life is so unfair to some people!

So, brilliantly written, but I'm not sure I'd want to put myself through reading it again, with all the agonies and the ending which I found unsatisfactory.