The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug directed by Peter Jackson Genres: Epic Fantasy Format: Cinema release Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellan Length: 2 hours 49 minutes The Desolation of Smaug is the second in Peter Jackson’s trilogy based on J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit and stars Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Ian McKellen and continues the story of our party of dwarves accompanied by Bilbo the titular hobbit and Gandalf. It follows them through Mirkwood and their encounter with Thranduil’s woodland elves and finally to the goal of their quest, the Lonely Mountain. However, they still have a lot of work to do before they can reclaim their homeland and all the gold it contains. Check back at a theatre near you Christmas 2014 to find out what happens. There are spoilers here so please check back after the cut
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug directed by Peter Jackson Genres: Epic Fantasy Format: Cinema release Starring: Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Ian McKellan Length: 2 hours 49 minutes The Desolation of Smaug is the second in Peter Jackson’s trilogy based on J.R.R Tolkien’s The Hobbit and stars Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Ian McKellen and continues the story of our party of dwarves accompanied by Bilbo the titular hobbit and Gandalf. It follows them through Mirkwood and their encounter with Thranduil’s woodland elves and finally to the goal of their quest, the Lonely Mountain. However, they still have a lot of work to do before they can reclaim their homeland and all the gold it contains. Check back at a theatre near you Christmas 2014 to find out what happens. There are spoilers here so please check back after the cut
One book I added to my library recently was The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith. This is the book on which the movie Philomena is based; it’s the story of a middle aged Irish woman who is looking for her son having been forced to give him up for adoption as a teenager. The film stars Judi Dench and Steve Coogan and is excellent. Indeed, Dench has been nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Screen Actor’s Guild award for her role as the titular Philomena. For me though, the real surprise was Coogan – who not only starred in the movie as but co-wrote the screenplay. In Philomena, Coogan plays Sixsmith, the journalist who helps Philomena trace what happened to her son. In general, I’m not a fan of Coogan in comic mode, but he played excellently against Judi Dench and their growing friendship was one of the real highlights of the movie. Although I’ve not read the book, the first few chapters I have read were very interesting and well written. That is hardly surprising as Sixsmith is a former BBC journalist. As I’m starting three weeks of nightshifts next week I have been…
One book I added to my library recently was The Lost Child of Philomena Lee by Martin Sixsmith. This is the book on which the movie Philomena is based; it’s the story of a middle aged Irish woman who is looking for her son having been forced to give him up for adoption as a teenager. The film stars Judi Dench and Steve Coogan and is excellent. Indeed, Dench has been nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Screen Actor’s Guild award for her role as the titular Philomena. For me though, the real surprise was Coogan – who not only starred in the movie as but co-wrote the screenplay. In Philomena, Coogan plays Sixsmith, the journalist who helps Philomena trace what happened to her son. In general, I’m not a fan of Coogan in comic mode, but he played excellently against Judi Dench and their growing friendship was one of the real highlights of the movie. Although I’ve not read the book, the first few chapters I have read were very interesting and well written. That is hardly surprising as Sixsmith is a former BBC journalist. As I’m starting three weeks of nightshifts next week I have been…
Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a YA sci-fi novel and is the first in a series of four books based on classic fairytales. This first one is based on Perrault’s Cinderella. Many elements of the original are incorporated: the persecuted heroine, the wicked stepmother and stepsisters, Prince Charming, a ball at the palace, the protagonist’s desire to attend thwarted by her stepmother, the pumpkin turned coach, footwear left on the palace step. Cinderella is an interesting choice for the basis of a YA novel. Generally speaking, YA heroines tend to be strong, proactive heroines (we’ll try to forget Bella Swan for a moment). This fairytale princess is the epitome of a passive character. In part, that is why the tale is so beloved. The idea that a fairy godmother could suddenly whisk you away from your humdrum existence to a life of luxury and privilege is very appealing to many people. it’s the ultimate rags to riches story. As a character though Cinderella is, well, boring. She does very little to earn her happy ending other than to be generally nice. Fortunately, that is one aspect that Meyer did change for her novel. Her Cinder is strong, assertive and willing…
Cinder by Marissa Meyer is a YA sci-fi novel and is the first in a series of four books based on classic fairytales. This first one is based on Perrault’s Cinderella. Many elements of the original are incorporated: the persecuted heroine, the wicked stepmother and stepsisters, Prince Charming, a ball at the palace, the protagonist’s desire to attend thwarted by her stepmother, the pumpkin turned coach, footwear left on the palace step. Cinderella is an interesting choice for the basis of a YA novel. Generally speaking, YA heroines tend to be strong, proactive heroines (we’ll try to forget Bella Swan for a moment). This fairytale princess is the epitome of a passive character. In part, that is why the tale is so beloved. The idea that a fairy godmother could suddenly whisk you away from your humdrum existence to a life of luxury and privilege is very appealing to many people. it’s the ultimate rags to riches story. As a character though Cinderella is, well, boring. She does very little to earn her happy ending other than to be generally nice. Fortunately, that is one aspect that Meyer did change for her novel. Her Cinder is strong, assertive and willing…
My review of Pawn by Aimee Carter buy from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, Audible
Pawn by Aimee Carter is a YA dystopian novel that tells the story of Kitty Doe a young woman whose similarity in looks to the niece of the Prime Minister catapults her into a dangerous game of politics. I absolutely loved this book and breezed through it so quickly. What I liked The setting. Carter has done a wonderful job in creating the setting for Pawn. Kitty lives in a society in which every member sits a test on his or her seventeenth birthday which determines his or her worth to society and therefore his or her caste. In Kitty’s world, as in ours, a formal test isn’t always a true indicator of a person’s intelligence and Kitty’s dyslexia means she is assigned a lower ranking than she’d hoped and that her intelligence deserves. She is clearly very smart, but not in a way that can be reflected in a written exam. Kitty’s rank is tattooed on her neck, implying that once a rank is assigned there is no way of improving one’s status in life in Kitty’s world. Those who are judged to be able to provide no value to society are banished to “Elsewhere’ and one of the…
As most of my regular readers will know, I have a tendency to keep up to date with my eReading devices. I currently use a Kindle Paperwhite second gen, Kindle Fire HDX and a Kobo Aura. This means that I have a bundle of perfectly good older models just sitting on my bedside table, so it’s time I sold them on to good homes. I have: Kindle Paperwhite First Generation WiFi version Amazon’s first gen eInk eReader with front lighting technology. Comes with original box and USB cable. Used, but in excellent condition. $40 Kobo Touch WiFi Original Kobo Touch non front lit device. No original packing, comes with USB cable Used but in excellent condition Lilac backing $15 Kobo Glo WiFi front lit reader Kobo Glo WiFi eReader with comfort light Comes with original box and USB cable Comes with grey cover Used but in excellent condition $30 Kindle Touch Wifi Non Frontlit eReader Amazon’s Kindle Touch non front lit eReader WiFi version Comes with original box and USB cable Used, but in excellent condition Provided: Amazon burgundy leather cover – cover scratched. $25 I will be posting these on eBay, Craig’s List and Kijjiji shortly. However, I’d love…
As most of my regular readers will know, I have a tendency to keep up to date with my eReading devices. I currently use a Kindle Paperwhite second gen, Kindle Fire HDX and a Kobo Aura. This means that I have a bundle of perfectly good older models just sitting on my bedside table, so it’s time I sold them on to good homes. I have: Kindle Paperwhite First Generation WiFi version Amazon’s first gen eInk eReader with front lighting technology. Comes with original box and USB cable. Used, but in excellent condition. $40 Kobo Touch WiFi Original Kobo Touch non front lit device. No original packing, comes with USB cable Used but in excellent condition Lilac backing $15 Kobo Glo WiFi front lit reader Kobo Glo WiFi eReader with comfort light Comes with original box and USB cable Comes with grey cover Used but in excellent condition $30 Kindle Touch Wifi Non Frontlit eReader Amazon’s Kindle Touch non front lit eReader WiFi version Comes with original box and USB cable Used, but in excellent condition Provided: Amazon burgundy leather cover – cover scratched. $25 I will be posting these on eBay, Craig’s List and Kijjiji shortly. However, I’d love…