Merry Christmas Folks!
Just a quick post as I've hardly posted any blog posts this December.
Partly due to me slowly going back to work . Also because it's Christmas time.
My favourite place to go at Christmas is York and the Christmas market. Sadly I've missed it this year. Although I did go just before the market was being set up.
I visited and explored York Minster for the first time. So enjoy the pictures and the snowy local Christmas style pictures.
Neil x
Hey Book Nerds!
Just a quick update. Not much content to put on my blog, so here's a quick post about what I'm reading.
Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. So far enjoying the novel. I will say that's it's best to read the first trilogy set in the First Law world. This starts with The Blade Itself.
Hopefully will finish this in the next 2 weeks, before Christmas. Although it is a chunky book.
What are you reading?
Put a message of what you're reading in the comments.
Neil x
Hey Folks!
The last month of 2024 has arrived. I've said it in many updates, but 2024 has flown by.
Not a big update this month as I've not done much except been off work.
November Review -
November started off well. I went to Denby Dale, a quaint village on the outskirts of Huddersfield.
A lovely village. I went to support fellow writer and Cleckheaton Writing Group leader Karen Naylor.
There was an event held for local authors, to sell their novels.
Also there was my Edge-lit werewolf friend (or fiend), Nick Stead.
I purchased their books and a crime novel. It was great to see them and catch up.
Although, as much as the event got me fired up to write again, sadly I didn't write any stories in November. Although I wrote more blog posts.
Reading wise in November I finished 77 Shadow Street and started Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie.
With being off work, to help declutter my noggin, I rearranged by book shelves.
I also hauled the last book I needed in Terry Pratchett's City Watch series. The Fifth Elephant.
In December -
My reading goal is to finish Best Served Cold. Then just before Christmas start reading a Christmas novel, say, Christmas Evie by Karen Naylor.
Writing in December may take a back seat, with Christmas coming up, my stress and anxiety being up and decision about work coming up.
With work, at the minute I'm still off with stress and have a meeting with work in a few days. Something needs to be done as my head's in a fog most of the time. Also getting less money ain't great at Christmas.
So December may be a mixed bag.
Anyway hope you're all well and getting into the Christmas spirit!
Neil x
Bookshelf 1
Hey Film Nerds!
Went and saw the new Ridley Scott film. The sequel to the 2000 original Gladiator, staring Russell Crown as Maximus.
Set 16 years after the original, this film opens with Hanno (Paul Mescal) and his wife Arishat defending their walled fortress from the attack by Romans on boats. The Roman army is led by General Marcus (Pedro Pascal).
After the battle, Hanno has lost his wife and been imprisoned by the Romans, then taken back to Rome as a slave.
Macrinus (Denzel Washington) is in charge of the gladiators and after seeing Hanno in action takes him on as his champion gladiator.
In Rome Macrinus schemes to gain power as Hanno battles in the arena.
General Marcus wants to retire from war to be with his wife Lucilla (Connie Nielson). The sister of Emperor Commodus from the first film and lover of Maximus.
The twin Emperor's of Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) are mad and want games to honour General Marcus despite their citizens being poor and hungry.
General Marcus and Lucilla plan to overthrow the Emperor twins. This is helped as Lucilla recognises Hanno. Could Hanno be her son Lucius? Who's father was Maximus, and who she had to send away for his safety. Has the rightful heir to the throne of Rome returned?
Overall - I watched the first Gladiator movie before this film for the first time in years. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it and how much I'd forgotten. If I was scoring it I would give it a 9.5/10. It has it's flaws and sadly it was Oliver Reed's last role.
Going into this sequel I thought it would over use CGI. It does in some parts and looks stupid. The CGI monkeys ain't great, but for the most part the CGI enhances the old Roman world.
The acting is great all round including Paul Mescal and Connie Nielson, who still looks stunning 24 years after the first movie.
Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger were great too. The main stand out was Denzel Washington, who is great in every film he stars in. But is he friend or foe - no spoilers!
The action scenes were good too and had plenty of gore in them. I especially liked when they filled the Colosseum with water to battle in boats.
At the start the film feels like a retread of the first Gladiator film but starts moving in a different direction about 30 minutes in.
I also chuckled as the sickly Emperor twin Caracalla looked like the sickly Prince who wants to sing, and who Lancelot saves in Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Based on some historical facts, including the fact the Emperor Twins existed. Although they weren't the same as their film counterparts, the film does a great job of bringing parts of history to the big screen. Obviously some historical accuracy is pushed aside to provide the story. I don't think newspapers existed in those times but are seen in two cafe scenes. Felt like there was a Costa in those times.
Bels Score - 9/10
My Score - 9/10
Hey Geeks!
Took my daughter to see the third in the Paddington films. I'm wondering if there's just going to be a trilogy and Paddington in Peru is the final film.
The first two Paddington films were brilliant, especially Paddington 2 with Hugh Grant as the villain.
Paddington in Peru has a lot to achieve and it just about manages it.
The film starts with Paddington (voiced again by Ben Winshaw) getting his passport. When he receives a letter from his Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton), the Brown family decide to visit her in the Bear Retirement Home in the jungle of Peru.
When they reach the Bear Retirement Home run by head Nun (Olivia Coleman), they find Aunt Lucy has gone to find the mysterious city of Eldorado.
With the help of boatman and adventurer Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) they set off to find Aunt Lucy and Eldorado. But is everyone who they say they are.
Overall - A fine addition to the Paddington series with plenty of laughs and a twisty plot. Some of the plot twists you see coming but it is fun nonetheless.
Hugh Bonneville as family head Henry Brown was the stand out in this film and had me chuckling with his risk assessments.
Emily Mortimer replaced Sally Hawkins as Mrs Brown and it isn't too noticeable and Emily took the role as her own.
Other standouts are Antonio Banderas as the handsome and haunted boatman Hunter Cabot. He also plays the ghosts of his ancestors which was quite funny to see although wasn't as good as Hugh Grant playing multiple characters in the previous films. Olivia Coleman is solid as the main Nun who is also acting suspiciously.
Unfortunately the rest of the family, the Brown children and Mrs Bird (Julie Walters) don't have as much to do in this film than previous Paddington films. Also Peter Capaldi's character is no where to be seen.
Paddington in Peru is a fun family film and a fine addition to the series. Whether there will be more films will rely on the box office takings but it also acts as a great send off for Paddington.
Bels Score - 8.5/10
My Score - 8/10
Hey Fellow Readers!
I unexpectedly read 77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz.
I started it at work whilst waiting for calls to come through. Work had some books brought in to help with mental health.
I picked 77 Shadow Street as it was the only one that appealed to me. The other books being cosy romance novels. I also hadn't read any horror in many years. I'd never read a Koontz book but had heard of him.
The novel starts out as a typical haunted house story. The residents of the Pendleton, who are in separate apartments in the building, start having different experiences. Some of the residents see ghosts from the Pendleton's past. Others see strange creatures which turn out are from the future.
What does it mean when the Pendleton shifts to a near future, taken over by AI nanotech creatures joined together as One?
Overall - A spooky read. Although there are some slow parts as we delve into characters and their back stories. There are some creepy moments too which can be scary. As it was the first horror I'd read since my late teens, I was impressed.
Some of the characters are clichéd, like contract killer Mickey Dime. Most characters are fleshed out well. Even though the story is slow to start with the residents experiencing spooky things, although this is the best part. When the house shifts you wonder what will happen but the last few pages feel slightly rushed.
Spoilers - the AI nanotech which lives as the One in the future is quite appropriate for today with a rise of all things AI. Koontz was thinking ahead when he wrote the book in 2011.
Score - 7/10
My Goodreads Score - 3.5/10
October over already! An eventful month even though I've been off work with stress!
October Review -
Near the end of October I also got to meet two great fantasy authors, RJ Barker and John Gywnne. A fabulous and insightful event which you can read about in a past blog post.
In November -
Firstly I need to manage my stress and anxiety. Hopefully getting back to work and earning money again.
November is also my birthday month and I'll be reaching the ripe old age of 48!
