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Vienna: A Cultural and Literary History
Book
From border garrison of the Roman Empire to magnificent Baroque seat of the Habsburgs, Vienna's...
TP
The Painted Man
Peter V. Brett and Dominik Broniek
Book
The stunning debut fantasy novel from author Peter V. Brett. The Painted Man, book one of the Demon...
The Painted Man (the Demon Cycle, Book 1)
7.4
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Book
The stunning debut fantasy novel from author Peter V. Brett. The Painted Man, book one of the Demon...
The Witchfinder's Sister
9.0
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Book
'VIVID AND TERRIFYING' Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train 'At once a feminist parable...
Amy Norman (1048 KP) rated The Boy on the Bridge in Books
Jul 6, 2020
Before reading this I had watched 'The Girl with All the Gifts', so I had a good grasp of the 'world/universe' this was set in.
I would not recommend reading 'The Boy on the Bridge' without having first read, or watched 'The Girl with All the Gifts', as I felt this book relies on you having some knowledge of the current situation.
I believe watching 'The Girl with All the Gifts' gave an added depth, that helped me with visualising the surrounding world.
However, counterintuitively, I believe the author does like to drop his readers blind into completely new situations, where nothing can be assumed as normal, adding to twists/discoveries, and assumes you are intelligent enough to catch up.
This book is also a prequel of sorts, so some may find reading them in reverse order a better experience, the choice is yours!
The book follows a small science expedition, with a miltary escort, through a few narrators.
The characters perspectives are distinctly different, it is a joy to revel in just how different, and well written, they are.
The story itself unfolds with high impact stakes slowly building, and culminating in a fast paced battle for survival, as you would expect from any post apocalyptic zombie story, but perhaps not in the way you would think.
I absolutely raced through this book, it kept me gripped the whole time but it isn't full of action, and deals with the genre, in what I believe, is a fairly fresh way.
I would like to see more books in this setting, but perhaps centered around other parts of the world, and how they have dealt with the situation.
I would highly recommend the series, as they are well written and gratifying in that sense. I enjoyed the variance of characters, and the science was not overwhelming or detracting.
I look forward to reading some of M. R. Carey's books in other genres.
I would not recommend reading 'The Boy on the Bridge' without having first read, or watched 'The Girl with All the Gifts', as I felt this book relies on you having some knowledge of the current situation.
I believe watching 'The Girl with All the Gifts' gave an added depth, that helped me with visualising the surrounding world.
However, counterintuitively, I believe the author does like to drop his readers blind into completely new situations, where nothing can be assumed as normal, adding to twists/discoveries, and assumes you are intelligent enough to catch up.
This book is also a prequel of sorts, so some may find reading them in reverse order a better experience, the choice is yours!
The book follows a small science expedition, with a miltary escort, through a few narrators.
The characters perspectives are distinctly different, it is a joy to revel in just how different, and well written, they are.
The story itself unfolds with high impact stakes slowly building, and culminating in a fast paced battle for survival, as you would expect from any post apocalyptic zombie story, but perhaps not in the way you would think.
I absolutely raced through this book, it kept me gripped the whole time but it isn't full of action, and deals with the genre, in what I believe, is a fairly fresh way.
I would like to see more books in this setting, but perhaps centered around other parts of the world, and how they have dealt with the situation.
I would highly recommend the series, as they are well written and gratifying in that sense. I enjoyed the variance of characters, and the science was not overwhelming or detracting.
I look forward to reading some of M. R. Carey's books in other genres.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Ready or Not (2019) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020
Bloody Good Fun
Ready Or Not is a 2019 black comedy/horror movie directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olphin and Tyler Gillett from a screenplay by Gus Busick and R. Christopher Murphy. Producers on the film included Tripp Vinson, James Vanderbilt, Willem Sherak, and Bradley J. Fischer. It was produced by Fox Searchlight Pictures, Mythology Entertainment, Vinson Films and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The film stars Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Mark O'Brien, Henry Czerny and Andie MacDowell.
Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one catch -- at midnight on the wedding night, the wealthy Le Domas family hosts a generations long tradition of playing a game with each new addition to the family. Tony, her new father-in-law explains that Grace must participate in a session where she must draw a card from a mysterious wooden box and play the game to be a full-fledged member of the family. She must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in-laws hunt her down with guns, crossbows, and other weapons s she desperately tries to survive the night,
This movie was great. I liked it quite a bit. It was a fresh take on one of my favorite genres. The movie was also pretty funny and had a good way of mixing the horror with comedy. The acting was also really good with Samara Weaving doing a great job and a solid performance from Adam Brody too. The script and plot could have been a little more solid but it's a enjoyable ride. There were some inconsistencies with the plot and some humor that fell flat but overall a good mashup of genres and fresh take on some stereotypes and cliches. I give this movie a 8/10. Not necessarily a horror movie but more aligned with survival horror, I recommend it for people who like movies like that.
Grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. There's just one catch -- at midnight on the wedding night, the wealthy Le Domas family hosts a generations long tradition of playing a game with each new addition to the family. Tony, her new father-in-law explains that Grace must participate in a session where she must draw a card from a mysterious wooden box and play the game to be a full-fledged member of the family. She must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in-laws hunt her down with guns, crossbows, and other weapons s she desperately tries to survive the night,
This movie was great. I liked it quite a bit. It was a fresh take on one of my favorite genres. The movie was also pretty funny and had a good way of mixing the horror with comedy. The acting was also really good with Samara Weaving doing a great job and a solid performance from Adam Brody too. The script and plot could have been a little more solid but it's a enjoyable ride. There were some inconsistencies with the plot and some humor that fell flat but overall a good mashup of genres and fresh take on some stereotypes and cliches. I give this movie a 8/10. Not necessarily a horror movie but more aligned with survival horror, I recommend it for people who like movies like that.
The Mindbody Self: How Longevity is Culturally Learned and the Causes of Health are Inherited
Book
In these turbulent times, just about every solution you can think of has been put forth by someone,...
Damned Nation: Hell in America from the Revolution to Reconstruction
Book
Among the pressing concerns of Americans in the first century of nationhood were day-to-day...
Matthew Krueger (10051 KP) rated the PlayStation version of Twisted Metal 2: World Tour in Video Games
Feb 5, 2021
Let The Cars Hit The Floor 2
Twisted metal 2- is a good as the first one. I love this franchise, playing it as young child, i remember just having fun, destorying cars.
The Gameplay: In concept, Twisted Metal 2 is a demolition derby which permits the usage of ballistic projectiles. Players choose a vehicle and an arena—or a series of arenas in the story mode—to engage in battle with opposing drivers. A variety of weapons are obtainable by pick-ups scattered throughout the stage. The objective of the game is to be the last remaining player. Two player duel mode makes a return from the first Twisted Metal, and a co-operative mode allows players to fight through tournament mode with a teammate. However, there is no ending if the game is completed in co-operative mode.
The plot: In 2006, Los Angeles is in ruins and its citizens left to struggle for survival after the conclusion of Twisted Metal, a brutal contest held by Calypso, exactly one year earlier on Christmas Eve. Aboard his airship (running the ticker "CALYPSO RULER OF THE EARTH") in the skies over the destroyed City of Angels, Calypso wonders where the next Twisted Metal will take place; fourteen of the world's best drivers are already assembled to compete for whatever prize they desire. Ultimately, Calypso decides that the world itself shall serve as a battleground. In addition to the remains of Los Angeles, drivers will also battle in Moscow, Paris, Amazonia, New York City, Antarctica, Holland, and Hong Kong.
After defeating all the opponents in Amazonia, the player must face Minion before proceeding to New York City. The Dark Tooth boss fight takes place after the player defeats all the opponents in Hong Kong; once Dark Tooth (and his flaming head) is defeated, the driver meets with Calypso in New York to receive their prize.
Sweet Tooth is my favorite.
The Gameplay: In concept, Twisted Metal 2 is a demolition derby which permits the usage of ballistic projectiles. Players choose a vehicle and an arena—or a series of arenas in the story mode—to engage in battle with opposing drivers. A variety of weapons are obtainable by pick-ups scattered throughout the stage. The objective of the game is to be the last remaining player. Two player duel mode makes a return from the first Twisted Metal, and a co-operative mode allows players to fight through tournament mode with a teammate. However, there is no ending if the game is completed in co-operative mode.
The plot: In 2006, Los Angeles is in ruins and its citizens left to struggle for survival after the conclusion of Twisted Metal, a brutal contest held by Calypso, exactly one year earlier on Christmas Eve. Aboard his airship (running the ticker "CALYPSO RULER OF THE EARTH") in the skies over the destroyed City of Angels, Calypso wonders where the next Twisted Metal will take place; fourteen of the world's best drivers are already assembled to compete for whatever prize they desire. Ultimately, Calypso decides that the world itself shall serve as a battleground. In addition to the remains of Los Angeles, drivers will also battle in Moscow, Paris, Amazonia, New York City, Antarctica, Holland, and Hong Kong.
After defeating all the opponents in Amazonia, the player must face Minion before proceeding to New York City. The Dark Tooth boss fight takes place after the player defeats all the opponents in Hong Kong; once Dark Tooth (and his flaming head) is defeated, the driver meets with Calypso in New York to receive their prize.
Sweet Tooth is my favorite.
Jesters_folly (230 KP) rated Cloverfield (2008) in Movies
Oct 5, 2020
Cloverfield is, at heart a found footage Kaiju movie with the twist that you don't see much of the main monster until the end of the film. Unlike Kaiju films like Godzilla or even Pacific rim, Cloverfield does not concentrate on the monster but on the people affected by it's rampage and the found footage aspect of the film helps bring us in close with a small group of survivors as they try to work out what is happening and try to find their friends.
I knew some one who absolutely hated this film for the very fact that the monster is rarely seen, although he clamed that you never actually saw the monster, which isn't true so I don't think he watched all the way to the end. He had a point though, if you want to watch a film where monsters fight it out amongst themselves then this probably won't be for you.
The monster is really nothing more than a plot device and the fact that it is only revealed in parts and not fully seen until the end helps to keep the film centred on the people and helps add a touch of reality to the film, after all if you lived in Japan during a Kaiju attack you would be more interested in saving your own life than weather you were about to be eaten by Godzilla or Ghidorah.
Being a found footage film, Cloverfield suffers slightly from the usual shaky camera work and occasional low sound but these are kept to a minimum. The film also manages to avoid relying on night vision or infra red so the footage is, for the most part, much clearer than other films of this style and doesn't keep switching formats which make the film less distracting than others.
Over all Cloverfield is a good monster/survival film which leaves some questions to be answered in the sequels (or not )
I knew some one who absolutely hated this film for the very fact that the monster is rarely seen, although he clamed that you never actually saw the monster, which isn't true so I don't think he watched all the way to the end. He had a point though, if you want to watch a film where monsters fight it out amongst themselves then this probably won't be for you.
The monster is really nothing more than a plot device and the fact that it is only revealed in parts and not fully seen until the end helps to keep the film centred on the people and helps add a touch of reality to the film, after all if you lived in Japan during a Kaiju attack you would be more interested in saving your own life than weather you were about to be eaten by Godzilla or Ghidorah.
Being a found footage film, Cloverfield suffers slightly from the usual shaky camera work and occasional low sound but these are kept to a minimum. The film also manages to avoid relying on night vision or infra red so the footage is, for the most part, much clearer than other films of this style and doesn't keep switching formats which make the film less distracting than others.
Over all Cloverfield is a good monster/survival film which leaves some questions to be answered in the sequels (or not )