Feb 2016 update and Sun Storm

Hi guys

Hope everyone is alright and busy reading or writing or both.

So far this year I've written a couple of pieces - mainly for competitions and sent them off.  I want to write alot more this year though as 2015 was a poor year - I only wrote about two short stories,  a poem and started a novel, although I did blog more for Cleckheaton Literature Festival.

This year I want to finish that novel and by 31st March send 5000 words of it to Good Housekeeping magazine.
I've also sent a poem to Writing Magazine on the theme of the Northern Lights to win a trip to see them though I didn't win.  I wrote it last minute again so wasn't great - ha.
I also entered the Writers and Artists site competition on the theme of age - fingers crossed!

Anyway as the poem didn't win here it is - Sun Storm - enjoy!

Sun Storm

There is a storm a coming
The most powerful one
This Storm is coming
From a million miles gone
The storm is coming from our Sun

There is a storm a coming
It is all around
Invisible to the eye
Except in the northern sky
Yet you can see it from the ground

There is a storm a coming
Such a beautiful sight
The Northern Lights that shine so bright
The green, purple and reds
There is a storm a coming

Deadpool - Film Review

Hi guys

Went to see Deadpool film last night and have to admit it's the funniest and crudest Superhero movie that's come out so far.

It's even funnier than Ant-Man which had good gags in yet this goes beyond that with gags about other superhero movies including Wolverine, the X Men films (which this is now part of thanks to the time travelling shenanigans of Days of Future Past.)  Plus Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds own films including taking the piss out of his stint as Green Lantern as he asks the guys who are going to awaken his mutant genes not to put him in an animated green suit.

The film starts taking fun at the superhero genre right at the beginning with the titles including 'English man as the villain'.

It also starts with a great action scene on the motorway with plenty of gags and plenty of violence  (some bit cartoony) and has two X Men join Deadpool to try recruit him - these are Colossus - now all metal CGI and older than the character was in the X Men films plus now with a Russian accent and new mutant Negasonic Teenage Warhead.  

At this point one of my favourite gags is said as Colossus trys to get Deadpool to Professor X, Deadpool says "is it Stewart or McAvoy?".

Here the film goes back to tell how Wade Wilson  (Ryan Reynolds) became Deadpool and meets his girlfriend  Vanessa played by the sexy Morena  Baccarin  (Gotham).

After dating her for a year he proposes but collapses.  After being diagnosed with terminal cancer he accepts an offer from a sinister "Agent Smith" type that can cure his cancer.

He leaves Vanessa to join this secret treatment and told he will become super human.  He meets Ajax  and Angel Dust - two mutants and bad guys who inject him with a mutant serum and torture him to get the gene working.

As Wade near death it works and he develops healing abilities but is greatly scarred by the procedure.  Ajax informs him will be a super slave and if works for him can get his looks back.

To cut a long story short Deadpool goes after Ajax to get his looks back so he can see Vanessa again but after the highway pursuit Ajax kidnaps her which leads to a fun packed show down.

Overall   -  A great tongue in cheek film with loads of Easter Eggs and gags about other movies as well as some gory action and a maximum effort performance from Ryan Reynolds and the rest of the crew.

Go see it!

Score  -  9/10

The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend by David Gemmell - Book Review

Hi folks.   Sorry I haven't blogged for about a month but have had my head in the above book - David Gemmell's First Chronicles of Druss the Legend which has been a fantastic read and now my favourite David Gemmell novel although I have a few more to read.

David Gemmell is still my favourite author and I had the privilege of seeing him in Leeds Waterstones back in 2006 shortly before his premature death.  This is a shame as I would have liked more books about his most famous character Druss.

Druss first featured in David Gemmell's debut novel Legend  (score 9/10).

Here this book tells the tale of Druss earlier live from a simple young farm man in love with his wife Rowena to a hardened warrior and legend he becomes.

The novel is split into four novellas which made it easier to read.  The first two are about his search for Rowena after she is taken by slavers and his training into a warrior and his relationship with his grandfather's old cursed axe - Snaga.
The third novella is set a few years later when he has lost his axe Snaga and tells of his search and struggles getting it back and (SPOILERS) his wife.
The forth story is set years later as Druss is in his forty fifth year and getting weary and old, now living with Rowena who is in borrowed time and tells of his last call to battle.

The characters are well written in particular Druss as you can see his change through the novellas from a young hot headed man to a battle hardy and wiser warrior.  His wife Rowena is well drawn too who struggles with her talent.  Druss close friends Sieben the Saga master and Bodesen are good too and one even ends up on the opposite side.

I love David Gemmell's novels as there are no simple black and white characters and there are large shades of grey - Gorben the Emperor is good at the beginning but power corrupted him and he becomes the enemy in the last novella.

This and other novels of David Gemmell's have plenty of action,  bloodshed, gore, fantastic characters and a few creatures to whip the reader along at a quick pace.  Plus there is plenty of romance and redemption in there too.

The only fault with this novel is that it is too short and I want more Druss and Drenai novels.  I think I may write some Drenai fan fiction soon!

Overall  - a rip roaring page turner and now (for the time being) my favourite David Gemmell novel.

Score  -  10/10