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Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Mars Room: A Novel in Books

May 6, 2019

Rambling and unclear

I really struggled reading this book. It isn't an extraordinarily long book, but it feels like it as the entire thing drags on and rambles on far too much. You know if someone tells you a story in real life and they go into far too much detail and you're just begging for them to shut up and get to the point? That's pretty much how this book is. It rambles off into completely irrelevant and unnecessary stories about the characters, but then doesn't bother later down the line to let us find out what happened to some of them. For a book that has chapters from the point of view of numerous different characters it really does not do a good job in tying any of these up. There is even one character who has very short, disturbing chapters who I'm pretty sure is never named, and having finished the book I still havent got a clue who this is meant to be. It's all very confused.

This had potential with the plot, but sadly it was very poorly executed. I really had to force myself to finish this one and the only satisfaction I got at the end was that it was finally finished.

Kudos

Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018) in Movies

Jun 19, 2019

Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)

2018 | Action, Thriller

4.9

(13 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Following up “Escape Plan”; Lionsgate and Sylvester Stallone have teamed up for “Escape Plan 2: Hades”. This time around Dave Bautista is teamed with Stallone as security expert Ray Breslin (Stallone), is trying to find a locale known as “HADES” where one of his top operatives Shu Ren (Xiaoming Huang), has become an inmate.

Life in the high-tech Hades is harsh as inmates are matches up to fight one another and the place appears to be escape proof.

In a race against time, Breslin must find out all he can about HADES and find a way into the prison in order to break out with his man before it is too late.

The film has good production values for a home video release. It may not have the grand scope of the previous film but it does have enough elements to entertain. I would have liked a bit more screen time for Bautista and Stallone but with a third film already reportedly shot, it would be great to see where the series goes next.

For now, the film despite some flaws is entertaining enough for fans of the original and does make for some decent viewing at home as long as you set reasonable expectations.

http://sknr.net/2018/07/05/escape-plan-2-hades/

Kudos

Merissa (13495 KP) rated Outrageous Offer (The Double O Saga #1) in Books

Dec 17, 2018

I received this book from Totally Bound Publishing in return for a fair and honest review.

This is a short but steamy tale of the old West, when men were men and women did what they were told. Hyacinth has been left high and dry by the two men she was supposed to marry, left in a town in the middle of nowhere and no-one will help her. Only one person will help but his offer comes with conditions.

In spite of this, he is her only chance of not working in a saloon so she accepts. Things very quickly heat up between them. The more time the spend together, the more they fit. Life doesn't have a way of running smoothly though and Offer and Hyacinth have their own hurdles to cross.

This was very well-written and moves at a very swift pace. My only concern is that it finishes quite abruptly, even though it is an 'ending' and not a cliffhanger. The characters are all relateable, whether you're supposed to like them or not, you follow the author's lead.

For a swift read about the Wild West, I can recommend this book.

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!

Kudos

Eilidh G Clark (177 KP) rated Chocky in Books

Jul 2, 2019

Chocky

John Wyndham | 2009 | Fiction & Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy

7.5

(2 Ratings)

Book Rating

The story is weirdly good and disturbing (0 more)

Sometime a bit dated in style (0 more)

Weird and a bit dated

Contains spoilers, click to show

I picked this book up at work a few days ago and had never heard of it. Seeing as I was looking for filler fiction while I work on university assignments I am delighted I found it. It is well written from the first person perspective of Mathews father. Matthew is an eleven year old boy with an imaginary friend. When his adopted parent become concerned as to the irregularities of Mathews interests and in the way he talks they seek help. As it turns out Chocky is real. An intelligent life form sent to earth to explore the planet to see if it worthy of habitation. Okay, this might sound like a, been there, done that kind of novel but Chocky delves into parental worries about psychological issues. In addition, the character of Chocky looks at Earth from an outsiders point of view and what he/she finds is interesting and worth thinking about. It sheds a light on the way we consume power, on the way we pollute the environment and on greed and corruption. Very cleverly done and nicely concluded.