Neil Gaiman's 'Neverwhere' is a ripping read for a modern reader. Richard Mayhew stops to help a strange girl whose bleeding on a London pavement. His life is changed ever after as he discovers a fantastic Subterranean World that exists just below London.
He finally tracks down the girl, aptly called Door, at a Floating Market. Along with the pirate like Marquis, the female Amazonian bodyguard Hunter, they try to discover the story behind the murder of Door's parents.
The beauty about Gaiman is that although it is dark, it is still fun. It is really like a great escape to a world where people still have daily adventures and meet the unexpected. Richard can be frustrating and lost at times but that just adds to the comical part of the story.
'Neverwhere' is full of adventure, colourful characters and mystery. It's also far better than the TV series it's based on.
Rating: 7.2/10
Friday, 20 April 2012
Sunday, 15 April 2012
Movie Review, The Hunger Games
We went to Glenelg on Saturday and had the usual icecream and stroll along the waterfront. Then we kept on driving and in the late afternoon my husband and daughter went fishing. Not my thing - which meant I read, read and read, while they were eaten by mozies and claimed they had a good catch - which meant a few scrawny fish.
On Sunday I took my daughter to (drum roll please) The Hunger Games.
So to the film. Lots of pimply kids gushing and gooing and screaming. Basically a post apocalyptic film where kids are chosen from poorer sectors at random by an elite ruling class to be put in the wilderness where only one can survive.
Katniss bravely goes in place of place of her younger sibling. She feigns falling in love with the baker boy Peeta that's also from her home sector and they form a formidable friendship, but her heart is still with an old flame and family friend back home.
Anyhow, it's about class distinction and friendship and politics. It' fun and pacy and has that whole Jacob -Edward- Twilight thing which girls just love and then there's some kickarse action too.
I thought it a bit slow at the start and a bit cheesy later on. My daughter gave it a ten and already wants to see it again. It hasn't made me want to read the books but I'm sure my daughter will and that can only be a good thing.
I think if I was in my teens or maybe even my twenties, I'd love it too.
Still, good flick. 7/10
On Sunday I took my daughter to (drum roll please) The Hunger Games.
So to the film. Lots of pimply kids gushing and gooing and screaming. Basically a post apocalyptic film where kids are chosen from poorer sectors at random by an elite ruling class to be put in the wilderness where only one can survive.
Katniss bravely goes in place of place of her younger sibling. She feigns falling in love with the baker boy Peeta that's also from her home sector and they form a formidable friendship, but her heart is still with an old flame and family friend back home.
Anyhow, it's about class distinction and friendship and politics. It' fun and pacy and has that whole Jacob -Edward- Twilight thing which girls just love and then there's some kickarse action too.
I thought it a bit slow at the start and a bit cheesy later on. My daughter gave it a ten and already wants to see it again. It hasn't made me want to read the books but I'm sure my daughter will and that can only be a good thing.
I think if I was in my teens or maybe even my twenties, I'd love it too.
Still, good flick. 7/10
Aurealis Fantasy Short Story Award 2011
It's been a fab year for Australian spec-fic writers - who are some of the best in the business. Just take a look at some of the names published this year in the Aurealis Fantasy Short Story category alone (sorry if I've missed any): Joanne Anderton (2), Peter M Ball (5), Lee Battersby, Lynn Battersby, Alan Baxter (3), Deborah Biancotti (5), Sara Douglas (2 - one with Angela Slatter), Felicity Dowker (2), Terry Dowling, Thoraia Dyer (2), Lisa L Hannett (12), Shona Husk (2), Patty Jansen, Margo Lanagan (2), Ian McHugh (2), Andrew J McKiernan, Nicole Murphy, Garth Nix (3), Tansy Rayner Roberts (4), Angela Slatter (3), Cat Sparks (2), Lucy Sussex (2), Kaaron Warren.
I'm sure you'll recognise more than a few (not all listed). Stories are apparently ranked out of ten and then averaged by three judges (may be wrong - read it off a blog) and the 4 finalist authors for the Aurealis Short Story Award 2011 are: Anthony Panegyres (or Panegyris?), Margo Lanagan (twice for our wonder girl), DC White and another fave of mine Thoraiya Dyer.
Thoughts. Well I just love Margo Lanagan. 'Tender Morsels' was incredible and Thoraia Dyer (whose won it before) is also a great story teller. DC White I can't comment on as I haven't read him but I'm sure it's a great story if Ticonderoga published it.
But my pick is 'Reading Coffee' - I fell in love with this mix of history and folklore and it's so beautifully written. It's at a good pace but not overly racey and the language is divine. It may be because I have a daughter but I just loved this one.
I think that Margo Lanagan will eventually win over a newbie. And I don't mind if she does. So Anthony Panegyres for me but I won't be surprised if Margo Lanagan pips him.
I think our fantasy writers - all of them- are winners in the end. And thanks to the Aurealis Awards for giving Australian speculative fiction readers a guide.
I'm sure you'll recognise more than a few (not all listed). Stories are apparently ranked out of ten and then averaged by three judges (may be wrong - read it off a blog) and the 4 finalist authors for the Aurealis Short Story Award 2011 are: Anthony Panegyres (or Panegyris?), Margo Lanagan (twice for our wonder girl), DC White and another fave of mine Thoraiya Dyer.
Thoughts. Well I just love Margo Lanagan. 'Tender Morsels' was incredible and Thoraia Dyer (whose won it before) is also a great story teller. DC White I can't comment on as I haven't read him but I'm sure it's a great story if Ticonderoga published it.
But my pick is 'Reading Coffee' - I fell in love with this mix of history and folklore and it's so beautifully written. It's at a good pace but not overly racey and the language is divine. It may be because I have a daughter but I just loved this one.
I think that Margo Lanagan will eventually win over a newbie. And I don't mind if she does. So Anthony Panegyres for me but I won't be surprised if Margo Lanagan pips him.
I think our fantasy writers - all of them- are winners in the end. And thanks to the Aurealis Awards for giving Australian speculative fiction readers a guide.
Monday, 9 April 2012
About Me and First Review
I'm a lawyer, married to B and I have a ten year old daughter, P. I love French pastries and have a weakness for croissants. I leave the sport to B and prefer to read and watch science fiction and fantasy but I'm also a literature fan so you'll get a little of everything.
Why reviews? Because I work with dry papers all day (law is duller than you think) and my escape afterwards is the rainbow world of fantasy reading and cinema so I thought I'd keep track of them all here and guide a few readers on the way. So keep watching this space.
My reviews will be quick and sharp - with a rating out of 10.
Book Review #1
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Told in letters and journal entries (epistolary) This is a great and easy read. Victorian gothic horror at it's best. There's romance, horror, action and mystery all in the one book. Basically, it's like Francis Ford Coppola's film but unfortunately there's no smouldering Gary Oldman romance, which was disappointing but I could live with it.
8/10
Why reviews? Because I work with dry papers all day (law is duller than you think) and my escape afterwards is the rainbow world of fantasy reading and cinema so I thought I'd keep track of them all here and guide a few readers on the way. So keep watching this space.
My reviews will be quick and sharp - with a rating out of 10.
Book Review #1
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Told in letters and journal entries (epistolary) This is a great and easy read. Victorian gothic horror at it's best. There's romance, horror, action and mystery all in the one book. Basically, it's like Francis Ford Coppola's film but unfortunately there's no smouldering Gary Oldman romance, which was disappointing but I could live with it.
8/10
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