Busy April

Hi guys

Sorry haven't written a proper blog for a while other than a couple of Film and Book reviews but been busy reading and watching films ha ha.

This month will be a busy month as I'm close to finishing Book Three of The Belgariad by David Eddings - Magicians Gambit.   Then will be straight onto book Four of this classic series.

As well as reading I want to write at least 5000 words of my crime novel Blood Shores for Camp Nano which I have joined again this year.  I also want to enter it into the Richard and Judy Novel competition which has a deadline of 31st May.

I will also be going to see Fantasy author Joe Abercrombie on Wednesday 27 April at 1pm in Waterstones Leeds which I'm looking forward to .

I hope to be going to the gym this month ready for a wedding on Saturday30th April.

Also I'm helping blog and steward 2016 Cleckheaton Literature Festival which will see a return of authors from last year as well as some new faces.
See below :

LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FESTIVAL IN 2016
Cleckheaton Literature Festival 2016
21 April – 1 May 2016

Literature and Live Arts for All Ages.

From established to local authors, the festival continues to a second year of success and includes creative writing and poetry workshops, authors’ talks and readings and live performances.

Established in 2015, this festival is for everyone who enjoys the power of words and storytelling in the local area and region.
We look forward to welcome everyone who came in 2015 and newcomers in 2016.

For event information and to book tickets, visithttp://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cleckheatonliteraturefestival

Well guys book your tickets above and chat later.

Neil

Batman Vs Superman - 3D Film Review *Spoilers*

Went to see Batman V Superman the other night in 3D at the newly refurbished Showcase cinema at Birstall.  I've got to say it's a vast improvement to the cinema and with it being cheaper than Vue at Halifax the comfy leather recliner chairs got a big thumbs up.

Anyway to the film in question Batman V Superman is a follow up/ continuation of the world set up in Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent.  Even the beginning of the film is set in the final battle in Metropolis between Superman and Zod following Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne/Batman as he goes to rescue workers in his building.

Because of this and the power Superman has he sees him as a threat to humanity that needs to be kept in check.  As the film goes on his paranoia and dislike grows stronger.

The story starts properly 18 months after the events of Man of Steel where Superman saves Louis Lane played by Amy Adams from terrorists although this isn't all it seems.  

Superman is set up by Lex Luthor played by Jesse  Eisenberg and people start turning against him.  This causes Bruce Waynes obsession even worse.  Also Clark is wanting to delve into Gothams Batman sightings which are leaving criminals almost dead.

Eventually Lex Luthor learns everything from the Krypronian ship left in Metropolis and creates Doomsday from the body of Zod.

Lex uses the information from the ship to find out who Superman is and sets him off to kill Batman who as stolen a Krypton rock he had.

After a great fight with Batman who gets the upper hand with the Kyrptonite, Superman asks for help and with the destruction Doomsday is creating they also team up with Wonder Woman played by Gal Gadot to fight Doomsday.

I thought the 3D was good and enhanced the effects and the action is amazing particular the fight scenes with Batman.

This Batman is more brutal and bitter and Ben Affleck is excellent as both Bruce Wayne and Batman despite objections when he first landed the role.   He could do with more dialogue but it's functional and the dialogue of the film could be expanded but it's fine.

Henry Cavill has improved in his role as Superman although we don't get enough of him as Clark.

It is obvious the film is taken from some of the classic graphic novels/animation including "Death of Superman" storyline which has him fighting Doomsday.  "The Dark Knight Returns" which sees a older Batman fighting Superman, and even "All Star Superman" which sees Superman nuked and using the Sun to recover but takes in too much.  There was a great scene from this in the film.

All in all the movie is very good and starts setting up the Justice League film with glimpses of Flash and Aquaman, but as Wonder Woman is in the film more she could have been in longer and her reason for being there could have been clearer.

Also Jesse Eisenbergs performance of Lex Luthor is good as he's crazy but can be slightly annoying.

Also side characters aren't in enough and some big stars are reduced to cameos including Laurence Fishburnes Perry White and Jeremy Irons as Alfred.

The main bug bare for me was how close Metropolis and Gotham are.  They are only over a river from each other and for two big cities to be so close doesn't make sense or ring true to me.

Overall  - a great film and historic one as it brings Superman and Batman on film together for the first time and opens up a wider DC world which I look forward to seeing.  Plus Ben Affleck's Batman is my favourite yet.

Score      9/10

Zootropolis - Film Review

Took my daughter to see Zootropolis and we both enjoyed it.  For a children's animation it is quite different as it takes the form of a buddy cop movie.

It focuses on farm bunny Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) who lives on a farm with her parents and about 200 brothers and sisters.  She dreams of being a cop which everyone laughs at because she's a small Rabbit.

Eventually she goes to police academy and passes and moves to the huge animal city of Zootropolis which is spilt into four sections including jungle and Iceland.

When there her enthusiasm drains as she moves into a tiny room and her boss Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) puts her on traffic duty and the rest of ghe animals are sent looking for missing mammals.

Whilst on duty Judy meets a sly fox who is running an ice lolly scam by the name of Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman).
Together they get embroiled in a conspiracy to turn the predators of Zootropolis back to there original state and killers.

I thought it was a great film with some excellent animation and voiceovers with a message as well.  Later on in the film the Prey animals are scared to be near predator animals like tigers ect due to a few going savage and I saw a contrast with what's happening in the real world and the terrorist attacks.  It was saying don't tarn everyone with the same brush.

It had some great and funny scenes including Mr Big a crime boss shrew and Flash the Sloth.

Overall a great film for the kids and subtle message for adults as well.

Bels score   -  9/10

My score  -     9/10

Book Review -Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

Book two of the Belgariad - Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings is an improvement on book one - Pawn of Prophecy (7/10 - slow starting adventure setting up the characters. )

In this second outing for Garion who in book one was a humble farm boy,  Sorceress Polgara and her father Belgareth.  Plus an assortment of friends to help along the way we see more of the world and there is more action  including more fights, snake people and magic.

The characters are well drawn particular Garion who has magic growing inside of him which he doesn't want.  Also the Princess Ce'Nedra who has run away from home.

Without giving too much away I really enjoyed this second book in the Belgariad series and wish I had read it way back some twenty years ago when I first got the series from the Fantasy and Sci-fi Book Club.  Now I am going to steam ahead with the third book - Magicians Gambit.

Score  8/10 - a great fantasy (road trip) book with plenty of adventure. 

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