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Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated Fierce Kingdom in Books
Mar 15, 2018
Have you ever read a book thats brought out emotions in you that you werent even aware of? Because that is what happened to me when reading this book. I had no idea that I had innate maternal feelings, Ive never felt broody or motherly at any point in my life, but something about the writing in this book pulled all the right strings, and I suddenly had motherly emotions. Phillips writing is superb and if youre lucky enough to have a day off to read this, you will certainly get through it within a few hours.
This book is definitely a thriller, but because of the topics in it, all the would I have done that? questions running through your head, you can get completely lost in the moment of this story, only remembering Joan & Lincoln are hiding from gunmen when its mentioned in Joans narrative.
The characterisation in this is so good its hard to explain how good it is. Phillips is a mother herself so she is clearly writing from her own heart here. Joan is exactly the way I imagine being a mother feels, Lincoln is a little bundle of joy throughout the darkness of the book, and Robby is a tragic and sociopathic killer.
I cant tell you that this book is perfect, because its not. The writing, for me, pretty much was perfect, but the plot lacked a little, especially at the end when I was left wanting more. More explanation, or a more rounded conclusion.
Overall, this was a seriously emotive and beautiful novel. It will bring out some seriously strong emotions in you and it will thrill you. This gets a very strong 4/4.5 stars from me.
<i>Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for sending me an ARC copy of this book. And also to Netgalley for my eARC copy. (I was sent the physical ARC after the Netgalley approval, I wasnt being greedy!)</i>
This book is definitely a thriller, but because of the topics in it, all the would I have done that? questions running through your head, you can get completely lost in the moment of this story, only remembering Joan & Lincoln are hiding from gunmen when its mentioned in Joans narrative.
The characterisation in this is so good its hard to explain how good it is. Phillips is a mother herself so she is clearly writing from her own heart here. Joan is exactly the way I imagine being a mother feels, Lincoln is a little bundle of joy throughout the darkness of the book, and Robby is a tragic and sociopathic killer.
I cant tell you that this book is perfect, because its not. The writing, for me, pretty much was perfect, but the plot lacked a little, especially at the end when I was left wanting more. More explanation, or a more rounded conclusion.
Overall, this was a seriously emotive and beautiful novel. It will bring out some seriously strong emotions in you and it will thrill you. This gets a very strong 4/4.5 stars from me.
<i>Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for sending me an ARC copy of this book. And also to Netgalley for my eARC copy. (I was sent the physical ARC after the Netgalley approval, I wasnt being greedy!)</i>
Debbiereadsbook (1536 KP) rated Escape You (Cole Brothers #3) in Books
Jan 14, 2020
good but myabe not for me
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Tyler finds out his amazing one night stand is the mark for the next ATF raid. Then he finds himself on the opposite side of the fence, as her fiancee. Mia knows she has no choice to this union of Mafia branches, but she doesn't have to like it. Finding out there really IS a way out of it, is great, just not who Tyler really is. Can they really be together when it all goes down?
This is book 3 in the Cole Brothers series, and I have not read the others. I don't feel I missed out on anything by not doing, but this book gives me enough hints to THOSE books, that I would LIKE to go back and read them, because I want to, not because I need to.
And I really am NOT sure how I feel about THIS book! And ya'll know I'm ALL about my book feelings. Its just I don't seem to have any about this book and I cannot for the life of me, figure out what doesn't work for me.
I liked that both Mia and Tyler have a say, it is in the first person, but each change is headed as the chapter changes. I liked that Tyler's deception discovered late in the day, not by Mia, cos Tyler tells her, but by the other major players.
I liked that there is a much bigger picture here, with ALL the Cole brothers involved, and that picture is what makes me want to go back and read the other books. Maybe THIS one will fit in better then, I don't know.
A *for a Mafia book* Nice book, and as much I as hate using that word for a book, it's the ONLY one I can muster.
3 solid GOOD stars, just maybe not for me.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Tyler finds out his amazing one night stand is the mark for the next ATF raid. Then he finds himself on the opposite side of the fence, as her fiancee. Mia knows she has no choice to this union of Mafia branches, but she doesn't have to like it. Finding out there really IS a way out of it, is great, just not who Tyler really is. Can they really be together when it all goes down?
This is book 3 in the Cole Brothers series, and I have not read the others. I don't feel I missed out on anything by not doing, but this book gives me enough hints to THOSE books, that I would LIKE to go back and read them, because I want to, not because I need to.
And I really am NOT sure how I feel about THIS book! And ya'll know I'm ALL about my book feelings. Its just I don't seem to have any about this book and I cannot for the life of me, figure out what doesn't work for me.
I liked that both Mia and Tyler have a say, it is in the first person, but each change is headed as the chapter changes. I liked that Tyler's deception discovered late in the day, not by Mia, cos Tyler tells her, but by the other major players.
I liked that there is a much bigger picture here, with ALL the Cole brothers involved, and that picture is what makes me want to go back and read the other books. Maybe THIS one will fit in better then, I don't know.
A *for a Mafia book* Nice book, and as much I as hate using that word for a book, it's the ONLY one I can muster.
3 solid GOOD stars, just maybe not for me.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Emily Post's Etiquette: Manners for Today
Anna Post, Lizzie Post, Peggy Post and Daniel Post Senning
Book
Completely revised and updated with a focus on civility and inclusion, the 19th edition of Emily...
Sir Apropos of Nothing
10.0
Rate It
Book
They were dark and stormy knights...and when they had their way with a helpless tavern wench one...
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Hanks Radio ( Haunted Collection book 4) in Books
Apr 2, 2022
58 of 230
Kindle
Hanks Radio ( Haunted Collection 4)
By Ron Ripley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A man's seductive voice emanates from an antique radio, luring women into his murderous embrace....
It's business as usual for Stefan Korzh as he continues to send haunted antiques onto unsuspecting buyers. Despite going into hiding, his desire to punish the universe for his own misfortune remains unchecked.
Victor Daniels, now more than ever, is focused on grabbing Korzh by the neck and making him feel the full extent of his pain and suffering. But plans change when a suave ghost from the 1940s leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake. Hank, a sly and charming specter, uses a mahogany-colored radio to reach his victims...lonely, elderly women in nursing homes who find him hard to resist.
Meanwhile, Tom Crane is slowly adjusting to the life of a home-schooled student, spending his days immersed in books from the local library. But brewing underneath his scholarly demeanor is his insatiable thirst for revenge. With Victor occupied, Tom embarks on a dangerous mission to confront the man behind his misery.
The lives of Stefan, Victor, and Tom become more and more intertwined as they continue to play the blood-riddled sport. When old friends - and enemies - reveal themselves, they discover that anything is possible in a game filled with ghosts and vengeance.
Even the hunter can become the hunted....
I really enjoy these books and the character development. We pick up with Victor And Tom in this one and how they are dealing with Jeremy’s death and there continued search for Korzh. They get split up and things go a little haywire. These are so good and they involve a different vengeful spirit each time. This on also brought back the doll Anne that thing really gives me the bloody creeps. Recommended if you enjoy a good ghost story.
Kindle
Hanks Radio ( Haunted Collection 4)
By Ron Ripley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A man's seductive voice emanates from an antique radio, luring women into his murderous embrace....
It's business as usual for Stefan Korzh as he continues to send haunted antiques onto unsuspecting buyers. Despite going into hiding, his desire to punish the universe for his own misfortune remains unchecked.
Victor Daniels, now more than ever, is focused on grabbing Korzh by the neck and making him feel the full extent of his pain and suffering. But plans change when a suave ghost from the 1940s leaves a trail of dead bodies in his wake. Hank, a sly and charming specter, uses a mahogany-colored radio to reach his victims...lonely, elderly women in nursing homes who find him hard to resist.
Meanwhile, Tom Crane is slowly adjusting to the life of a home-schooled student, spending his days immersed in books from the local library. But brewing underneath his scholarly demeanor is his insatiable thirst for revenge. With Victor occupied, Tom embarks on a dangerous mission to confront the man behind his misery.
The lives of Stefan, Victor, and Tom become more and more intertwined as they continue to play the blood-riddled sport. When old friends - and enemies - reveal themselves, they discover that anything is possible in a game filled with ghosts and vengeance.
Even the hunter can become the hunted....
I really enjoy these books and the character development. We pick up with Victor And Tom in this one and how they are dealing with Jeremy’s death and there continued search for Korzh. They get split up and things go a little haywire. These are so good and they involve a different vengeful spirit each time. This on also brought back the doll Anne that thing really gives me the bloody creeps. Recommended if you enjoy a good ghost story.
ClareR (5991 KP) rated Amazing Grace Adams in Books
Feb 27, 2023
Grace Adams has had enough, and frankly I don’t blame her. She’s gone from being “Polyglot of the Year”, to the mother of a 16 year old who won’t speak to her, and her husband (Ben) has just served her with divorce papers. She feels like she’s losing her mind.
As she rushes to get her daughters very expensive and very tiny birthday cake to her ex’s house (where she’s living), she abandons her car in a traffic jam and decides to walk there - and it’s a very hot day.
The story alternates between the present day, and the events leading up to when she met Ben and back to the present day. Within these flashbacks are the reasons why Grace is struggling with her life. None of these events are helped by the fact that she’s clearly not medically in a good place. Peri-menopause has a large part to play in her interactions with others, and how she’s coping at work and home. And other factors are revealed along the way.
Grace isn’t having an easy time of it, and all those things that could go wrong, have. I seriously felt like dragging her along to the chemist, forcing her to wait for her prescription (she has got one!), and slapping that HRT patch on for her myself! Not a solution, but a big help!
It’s so good to see more women being represented in literature in their mid to late forties now. And talking about the fun and games that is the perimenopause! Grace’s complete loss of self-confidence could be put down to it - although all the things going on with her daughter and husband could also be contributing factors!
I rather liked Grace, and I did a silent cheer every time she stood up to someone who deserved it! There are some really funny bits in amongst the more sombre parts.
This book is well worth a read!!
As she rushes to get her daughters very expensive and very tiny birthday cake to her ex’s house (where she’s living), she abandons her car in a traffic jam and decides to walk there - and it’s a very hot day.
The story alternates between the present day, and the events leading up to when she met Ben and back to the present day. Within these flashbacks are the reasons why Grace is struggling with her life. None of these events are helped by the fact that she’s clearly not medically in a good place. Peri-menopause has a large part to play in her interactions with others, and how she’s coping at work and home. And other factors are revealed along the way.
Grace isn’t having an easy time of it, and all those things that could go wrong, have. I seriously felt like dragging her along to the chemist, forcing her to wait for her prescription (she has got one!), and slapping that HRT patch on for her myself! Not a solution, but a big help!
It’s so good to see more women being represented in literature in their mid to late forties now. And talking about the fun and games that is the perimenopause! Grace’s complete loss of self-confidence could be put down to it - although all the things going on with her daughter and husband could also be contributing factors!
I rather liked Grace, and I did a silent cheer every time she stood up to someone who deserved it! There are some really funny bits in amongst the more sombre parts.
This book is well worth a read!!
Acanthea Grimscythe (300 KP) rated Red Queen in Books
May 16, 2018
Earlier today, I finished listening to the audiobook of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and I absolutely loved it. Amanda Dolan is also an excellent narrator, with a pleasant voice and a perfect pace.
Red Queen takes place in the country of Norta, one of many lands where every day people like Mare Barrow (humans, like us) face oppression from the elite. In a story that echoes the fight for equality, readers are carried along for the ride as Mare, whose blood is red, strives to bring equality to her people when a mishap and mutation put her in the lap of good fortune. The Silvers, or the elite, rule the Reds, and though they look much the same as a normal human, their blood is silver and they have special abilities. It is because of these abilities that they hold themselves superior to the far weaker Reds, forcing them into a life of submission and servitude.
With her new responsibilities, Mare finds herself caught up in a revolution – one where you can expect betrayal at any point. Aveyard’s characters are written in such a believable way that it is difficult to pinpoint their true natures. In the same manner that one might say beauty is only skin deep, the characters of Red Queen all wear masks – or do they?
Many books lose me when there is a lull in the plot. Oftentimes if I feel like I have to force-feed myself several pages, I am far less likely to finish the book. I am also more likely to be lost if the major plot is romance oriented, rather than conflict. While Red Queen does have some elements of romance, there’s never any definite answer as to who gets the girl (I suppose that’s something we’ll see in the later books), and that’s because Mare’s focus is solely on herself, her loved ones, and the cause for which she serves. The main function of the book is to tell the story of the Reds rising up against the Silvers, rather than focus on a forbidden romance, like many of the young adult books I’ve read have done.
I can’t wait for it to be my turn with Glass Sword, the second book in the series. Red Queen has also been optioned for a film, so here’s to hoping it’s at least somewhat as good as the book.
Red Queen takes place in the country of Norta, one of many lands where every day people like Mare Barrow (humans, like us) face oppression from the elite. In a story that echoes the fight for equality, readers are carried along for the ride as Mare, whose blood is red, strives to bring equality to her people when a mishap and mutation put her in the lap of good fortune. The Silvers, or the elite, rule the Reds, and though they look much the same as a normal human, their blood is silver and they have special abilities. It is because of these abilities that they hold themselves superior to the far weaker Reds, forcing them into a life of submission and servitude.
With her new responsibilities, Mare finds herself caught up in a revolution – one where you can expect betrayal at any point. Aveyard’s characters are written in such a believable way that it is difficult to pinpoint their true natures. In the same manner that one might say beauty is only skin deep, the characters of Red Queen all wear masks – or do they?
Many books lose me when there is a lull in the plot. Oftentimes if I feel like I have to force-feed myself several pages, I am far less likely to finish the book. I am also more likely to be lost if the major plot is romance oriented, rather than conflict. While Red Queen does have some elements of romance, there’s never any definite answer as to who gets the girl (I suppose that’s something we’ll see in the later books), and that’s because Mare’s focus is solely on herself, her loved ones, and the cause for which she serves. The main function of the book is to tell the story of the Reds rising up against the Silvers, rather than focus on a forbidden romance, like many of the young adult books I’ve read have done.
I can’t wait for it to be my turn with Glass Sword, the second book in the series. Red Queen has also been optioned for a film, so here’s to hoping it’s at least somewhat as good as the book.
RəX Regent (349 KP) rated Night of the Living Dead (1968) in Movies
Feb 19, 2019
Iconic, influential and ground-breaking. All words to describe George A. Romero’s inaugural zombie horror, but what sets this apart from its contemporaries and the endless variations in the genre in which this Indie movie helped spawn?
Well to begin with, this is far from a simple zombie thriller. The real villains here are the collection of damaged human characters who all find themselves trapped together in an old farmhouse, barricaded within its fragile wooden walls, fighting not only the onslaught of zombie without, but the angst and fear from within.
At times they work together but unlike most films like this, the group rarely work at all, with conflicted views on how to survive, blinding them to the fact that if they only worked together they may just do so.
Instead, they all end up dead, with our leading man, a strong, smart black character, which at the time was a bold choice, being murdered by the redneck police posse, who mistake him for a zombie. But the metaphor, though hard to ignore, of a black man being gunned down without the white men bothering to ensure that he was zombie, may just be a coincidence, but the irony that he, Ben (Duane Jones) manages to survive until the end only be to gunned down in the final moments, is a tragedy that sums up this film’s tone.
With a killer child, a nude female zombie, a dysfunctional couple and the first named victim displaying a complacent contempt for God and the church, this group are real, though the acting standards are variable, the writing and direction are constantly very good, with a sense or gritty realism permeating throughout. Maintained by good pacing and gruesome cannibalistic action, this raised the bar of the genre, both now and then.
Even the zombies get a reasonable, yet none definitive explanation, as told through the radio and TV news. Radiation bringing the dead back to life, well, it may be the trope of 1960’s sci fi but it was well explained and the news reports were well composed, feeling more realistic than most movie news broadcasts.
Romero may have gone on to milk this franchise for all it is worth in the decades since but this opening low budget gem is a real piece of work; A complex moral drama set on one chaotic night in which the dead become living again.
Well to begin with, this is far from a simple zombie thriller. The real villains here are the collection of damaged human characters who all find themselves trapped together in an old farmhouse, barricaded within its fragile wooden walls, fighting not only the onslaught of zombie without, but the angst and fear from within.
At times they work together but unlike most films like this, the group rarely work at all, with conflicted views on how to survive, blinding them to the fact that if they only worked together they may just do so.
Instead, they all end up dead, with our leading man, a strong, smart black character, which at the time was a bold choice, being murdered by the redneck police posse, who mistake him for a zombie. But the metaphor, though hard to ignore, of a black man being gunned down without the white men bothering to ensure that he was zombie, may just be a coincidence, but the irony that he, Ben (Duane Jones) manages to survive until the end only be to gunned down in the final moments, is a tragedy that sums up this film’s tone.
With a killer child, a nude female zombie, a dysfunctional couple and the first named victim displaying a complacent contempt for God and the church, this group are real, though the acting standards are variable, the writing and direction are constantly very good, with a sense or gritty realism permeating throughout. Maintained by good pacing and gruesome cannibalistic action, this raised the bar of the genre, both now and then.
Even the zombies get a reasonable, yet none definitive explanation, as told through the radio and TV news. Radiation bringing the dead back to life, well, it may be the trope of 1960’s sci fi but it was well explained and the news reports were well composed, feeling more realistic than most movie news broadcasts.
Romero may have gone on to milk this franchise for all it is worth in the decades since but this opening low budget gem is a real piece of work; A complex moral drama set on one chaotic night in which the dead become living again.
Phil Leader (619 KP) rated Slow Bullets in Books
Nov 25, 2019
I have been a fan of Alastair Reynolds since I picked up a copy of Revelation Space when it was first published. He is the master of telling stories that span solar systems while still maintaining a human perspective via his characters.
The set up is interesting and simple, at least in summary. A ship carrying soldiers, mostly war criminals of one sort or another, following a ceasefire malfunctions and they are awoken from hibernation much later than they expected. Almost immediately the the rivalries from the war become apparent again and it is up to Scur to put herself in the position of ensuring that they can at least survive without killing each other for a war long since finished.
The story is told from Scur's point of view as she effectively writes her memoir - and confessional - as she comes to the end of her life. Reynolds entwines several threads effortlessly producing some good dramatic moments and plot twists. The changes of direction are not so much surprising as they occur but the direction they go in.
Apart from the expected divisions between the different sides of the army and the civilians on the ship Scur needs to worry about where the advanced civilization that existed before the war has gone, the slow deterioration of the ship, the potential for a religious war and a war criminal which she would very much like to exact revenge upon, all played out in the pressure cooker environment of the ship.
The result is a tight story with plenty of action interspersed with serious considerations about society, justice and religion and how they interplay. Like any of Reynold's work the particular universe this story inhabits - as far as can be discerned this is not related to any other novel or short story - arrives fully formed and with perceptible depth and history, hinting at other stories that might be told elsewhere.
For one of Reynolds' stories there isn't much science and it doesn't stick to physical limits - faster than light travel and communications are both possible but not really explored in detail. But the focus is entirely on the individuals involved with the setting just a backdrop for them to play out the story in front of.
Overall a thoroughly good read and one I would recommend to anyone who likes their science fiction up close and personal.
Rating: Some violent scenes and bad language
The set up is interesting and simple, at least in summary. A ship carrying soldiers, mostly war criminals of one sort or another, following a ceasefire malfunctions and they are awoken from hibernation much later than they expected. Almost immediately the the rivalries from the war become apparent again and it is up to Scur to put herself in the position of ensuring that they can at least survive without killing each other for a war long since finished.
The story is told from Scur's point of view as she effectively writes her memoir - and confessional - as she comes to the end of her life. Reynolds entwines several threads effortlessly producing some good dramatic moments and plot twists. The changes of direction are not so much surprising as they occur but the direction they go in.
Apart from the expected divisions between the different sides of the army and the civilians on the ship Scur needs to worry about where the advanced civilization that existed before the war has gone, the slow deterioration of the ship, the potential for a religious war and a war criminal which she would very much like to exact revenge upon, all played out in the pressure cooker environment of the ship.
The result is a tight story with plenty of action interspersed with serious considerations about society, justice and religion and how they interplay. Like any of Reynold's work the particular universe this story inhabits - as far as can be discerned this is not related to any other novel or short story - arrives fully formed and with perceptible depth and history, hinting at other stories that might be told elsewhere.
For one of Reynolds' stories there isn't much science and it doesn't stick to physical limits - faster than light travel and communications are both possible but not really explored in detail. But the focus is entirely on the individuals involved with the setting just a backdrop for them to play out the story in front of.
Overall a thoroughly good read and one I would recommend to anyone who likes their science fiction up close and personal.
Rating: Some violent scenes and bad language
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Friday Night Lights (2004) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
For many small towns in America, the rituals surrounding football season have become so ingrained into the fabric of local society that all aspects of life revolve around the game each Friday.
One prime example of this is in the town of Odessa Texas, where every fall young men embrace the rituals of football as their ticket to bigger and better things in life, and where local merchants close their shops less than miss a single moment of the biggest show in town, the Perriman Panthers.
In the new film &”Friday Night Lights”, audiences get a firsthand look at the trials and tribulations that the team endured during its 1988 season that had previously been covered in the book of the same name by H.G. Bissinger which centered much like the film on the racial and economic overtones of the community.
The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as Coach Gary Gaines a man who despite a string of winning seasons and State Championships to his credit is under pressure to deliver not only a championship team, but an undefeated season as well. The players feel the pressure to, as every person they encounter on the eve of their season is quick to remind them to win it all and go undefeated.
While the first game starts as an enjoyable romp for Perriman and fans it soon becomes tragic when all everything running back Boobie Miles (Derick Luke), injures his knee and as a result the team is routed in it’s next start causing the world to fall in around the coach as disgruntled local fans go so far as to clutter his home with for sale signs following a single loss.
Undaunted the team picks itself up and finds a way to get back to its winning ways and make a run for the state tournament. Along the way the players will be saddled with the standard issues including but not limited to injuries, self-doubt, an abusive father, a sick parent, and local pressure from rabid fans that will not accept anything short of an undefeated season.
While the game scenes of the fill are well done, as Director Peter Berg mixes footage of the 2003 Perriman team with recreated scenes to create a dynamic and engrossing recreation of the game that is perhaps one of the best ever captured on film. Sadly, the game sequences are the only good part of the film as when the story deviates from the actual games, it becomes bogged down in boring sentiment and sports film stereotypes that are so over used, the film has little tension or surprises as I was easily able to see what was coming.
As if this was not bad enough, Thornton is mostly wasted as aside from a few good one-liners, he is reduced to the stern coach with the heart of gold. We know his character loves his family and his team but we do not know what drives and motivates the man. Worse yet, the team is made up of generally bland and unremarkable individuals who do not gain much sympathy from the audience as they are so bland I found myself caring little as to their outcomes.
The more I watched the film, the more I kept being reminded of “Varsity Blues” which compared to “Lights”, is a much better film in almost every aspect. My advice, save this one for a rental.
One prime example of this is in the town of Odessa Texas, where every fall young men embrace the rituals of football as their ticket to bigger and better things in life, and where local merchants close their shops less than miss a single moment of the biggest show in town, the Perriman Panthers.
In the new film &”Friday Night Lights”, audiences get a firsthand look at the trials and tribulations that the team endured during its 1988 season that had previously been covered in the book of the same name by H.G. Bissinger which centered much like the film on the racial and economic overtones of the community.
The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as Coach Gary Gaines a man who despite a string of winning seasons and State Championships to his credit is under pressure to deliver not only a championship team, but an undefeated season as well. The players feel the pressure to, as every person they encounter on the eve of their season is quick to remind them to win it all and go undefeated.
While the first game starts as an enjoyable romp for Perriman and fans it soon becomes tragic when all everything running back Boobie Miles (Derick Luke), injures his knee and as a result the team is routed in it’s next start causing the world to fall in around the coach as disgruntled local fans go so far as to clutter his home with for sale signs following a single loss.
Undaunted the team picks itself up and finds a way to get back to its winning ways and make a run for the state tournament. Along the way the players will be saddled with the standard issues including but not limited to injuries, self-doubt, an abusive father, a sick parent, and local pressure from rabid fans that will not accept anything short of an undefeated season.
While the game scenes of the fill are well done, as Director Peter Berg mixes footage of the 2003 Perriman team with recreated scenes to create a dynamic and engrossing recreation of the game that is perhaps one of the best ever captured on film. Sadly, the game sequences are the only good part of the film as when the story deviates from the actual games, it becomes bogged down in boring sentiment and sports film stereotypes that are so over used, the film has little tension or surprises as I was easily able to see what was coming.
As if this was not bad enough, Thornton is mostly wasted as aside from a few good one-liners, he is reduced to the stern coach with the heart of gold. We know his character loves his family and his team but we do not know what drives and motivates the man. Worse yet, the team is made up of generally bland and unremarkable individuals who do not gain much sympathy from the audience as they are so bland I found myself caring little as to their outcomes.
The more I watched the film, the more I kept being reminded of “Varsity Blues” which compared to “Lights”, is a much better film in almost every aspect. My advice, save this one for a rental.