Derby, Edge-lit 7 and Gemmell Awards - Derby

Hi guys

The other weekend I took the gamble of going last minute to Derby to Sci fi and fantasy author fest Edge-lit 7.  This was mainly because it hosted The Gemmell Awards.  A Fantasy awards ceremony which I have followed for years as it carries on the legacy and memory of my favourite author David Gemmell.  Although I had never been as it was normally hosted too far away.

This year is the tenth anniversary of the awards and with some persuasion from author and Chair Stan Nicholls I decided it would be the best opportunity to go plus I would meet other authors and up coming writers.

I was nervous about going on my own although when I got there quite A lot of fellow geeks were on their own too.

I stayed 2 nights at Premier Inn (Cathedral quarter) and the hotel room was lovely.

 

The first night I had a few drinks on my own and to find my feet.
By the end of Edge-lit and on the second night I had got talking to other writers and fans including author Andy Remic and his friend Steve.  Plus Simon and Kathy and Lucy and another guy called Neil (in a dress) and his wife.

On the following day feeling a little rough I decided to take a look around Derby and especially Waterstones which is one of the nicest Waterstones I've seen.

Next - Edge-lit 7

Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom - Film Review

Hi folks!

Recently went to see the sequel to Jurassic World and the fifth in the Jurassic Park series.

After Jurassic World has shut down due to the dinosaurs escaping this involves Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) talking her ex Owen (Chris Pratt) going back to the island to rescue Blue.  This is the velociraptor Owen trained from a baby and helped rescue them.
They are also going to help other dinosaurs as the islands volcano is going to destroy life on the island Isla Nublar.
John Hammonds former partner Benjamin Lockwood sends them so he can open another sanctuary for the dinosaurs to live on.
Although this is a trick to get Blue In help with experiments which is being led by Lockwoods assistant Mills.

At the beginning of the movie we are shown people collecting the Bones of Indominus Rex so they can make new dinosaurs including Indoraptor.

The plot has started to get a bit confusing although the film has some great action and effects including the exploding island but it seems like we've seen the film before. 
In particular Jurassic Park 2 - The Lost World.
Heroes go to save dinos get double crossed and left for dead - check.
Dinosaur(s) end up on mainland America - check.
The baddy ia a snivelling coward who look similar and eaten by a T-Rex  - check.

There also is the plothole bugging me about saving the dinosaurs on Isla Nublar before it blows up as characters say they will go extinct - yet in Jurassic Park 3 it is set on another island where they created dinosaurs on Isla Sorna so there should be dinosaurs there?

Overall  - not the best addition to the series as it seems like we've seen most of it before although there is plenty of action and is a big popcorn movie but like the dinosaurs after this or maybe one more film it should die off.

Score   -   7/10

Solo - A Star Wars Story - Film Review -Spoilers-

Hi guys

Went to see Solo - A Star Wars Story a few weeks ago and managed to drag my daughter Bel along although she not keen and calls Star Wars boring.

I was a bit reluctant to go myself as it had mixed reviews plus during filming there was drama with Richie Cunningham taking over directing duties.

A big thing on people's minds is that it was a Han Solo movie but Harrison Ford wasn't playing him.  Although it's a prequel movie showing the rise of Han Solo into the loveable pilot he becomes.  So Harrison was too old unless they could have CGIed him as younger. 

I thought Alden Ehrenreich (try saying that drunk) was a likable rogue and I totally bought him as Han Solo - from his stances to quips to the same easy smile.

He suckered me into a different kind of Star Wars movie - a bit fresher with less backlog to care about like the main films have to handle.  As always the CGI was fantastic and some action pieces were great. In particular the train heist done Star Wars style.

It also shows a great intro to Chewbacca and how their friendship grows plus it is fun seeing Han and Lando(Donald Glover) cheating each other over from the beginning of their meeting.

With a great supporting cast including Woody Harrelson as Hans mentor Beckett and Emilia Clarke as Hans love interest Kira it is better than The Last Jedi.

Also - spoilers - the ending has a great cameo from Darth Maul!

Yes in the movies he was last seen sliced in half by Obi Wan and falling down a shaft!

But he survived as shown in Star Wars Rebels cartoons - this poses some good questions -

• Will we see Darth Maul in another film?  If so as he survived and operating around the time of a young Darth Vader could we see a showdown?  That is one dual I would love to see as there can only be one Sith master and one apprentice. 
• If Darth Maul survived being sliced in half could that mean we haven't seen the last of Snoke who had a similar fate in Last Jedi and who is meant to be more powerful.

Overall - A different type of Star Wars film and better for it and even though Harrison Ford didn't play the main character it still felt like I was watching Han Solo.

Bels Score    -   9/10  she actually liked it!

My Score      -    8/10   excellent film.

July Already!

Hi guys

Just a quick update to let you know I'm writing again so hope to share more details soon.

Getting over my writing paranoia as last month looked at the PDF for the upcoming Cleckheaton Literature Festival Anthology which I have two stories in and read them.  They were good so encouraging me to write again.

So will be sharing a few film reviews very soon including Solo.
Plus a book review as it's took over two months to read "A Darkness at Sethanon " but nearly there.

So catch you later folks!