tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-94438732024-03-17T09:17:19.643+00:00DARKMATTERS - The Mind Of MattYou met me at a very strange time in my life...Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.comBlogger1843125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-7095570272691081262024-01-28T14:53:00.007+00:002024-01-28T14:56:03.447+00:00DIY BOOK PROMO - Dan Klefstad - review n interview<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1XK-dK85PnCJ3A-3YP6vzHib8XYMfv0JDCsBLhXlCmtMDEHpRyiMtA16X5Y_-V5VtKx9qHaVQrr8NCmDt_C2HfzaKQPWcn0hhz4tKc8gJrjt4rdT_iMkqru6H91xvd0dHswx8HnEv5AbsZG07MMJiwUwD9y2Jc99Wr6qVK9REYPCr5pSyJrU/s500/DIY.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs1XK-dK85PnCJ3A-3YP6vzHib8XYMfv0JDCsBLhXlCmtMDEHpRyiMtA16X5Y_-V5VtKx9qHaVQrr8NCmDt_C2HfzaKQPWcn0hhz4tKc8gJrjt4rdT_iMkqru6H91xvd0dHswx8HnEv5AbsZG07MMJiwUwD9y2Jc99Wr6qVK9REYPCr5pSyJrU/s320/DIY.jpeg" width="199" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">DIY Book Promo </h2><div>Dan Klefstad (<a href="https://twitter.com/danklefstad">@danklefstad</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>“My advice is geared toward un-agented authors like me, self-published authors, and even those published by the Big Five who are shocked at how little the company budgeted to promote their book.”</i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>As an author, I can vouch that the world is stacked with a wealth of scoundrels who promise to help promote your book and bring you vast sales, all you have to do is erm, pay them and then sit back and become both famous and rich… </div><div><br /></div><div>It does kind of beg the question as to why these folks are still sending unsolicited emails and messages to authors and not kicking back and enjoying the millions they must have earned in order to be able to prove their methods work? </div><div><br /></div><div>You might even be wary of those publishing self-help books that will revolutionize your sales I hear you cry, and that’s fair, but amidst the ton of charlatans and opportunists, there are occasionally good folks actually trying to help. I believe Dan Klefstad is one of the good guys and DIY Book Promo is a tome that might just change your life as a writer if you’re prepared to put in the work and try some of the advice proffered. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIat0-2by77GUa9ExwDdIXmGn6jkAwBXglIOwc62La9ZPkNOgwhgoKfkEkXjLIaXuB1qDJlfohLz9-N4gNU5kSjq0v4467KoAblFnmHdDaTFTV3mkC_d-UduFtVcZ19aFg5XVNEfRkkqFJvIapiwNjIXr4oAZy9ef3OIUNJyXGuz5LCj2F_ykw/s594/back.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="369" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIat0-2by77GUa9ExwDdIXmGn6jkAwBXglIOwc62La9ZPkNOgwhgoKfkEkXjLIaXuB1qDJlfohLz9-N4gNU5kSjq0v4467KoAblFnmHdDaTFTV3mkC_d-UduFtVcZ19aFg5XVNEfRkkqFJvIapiwNjIXr4oAZy9ef3OIUNJyXGuz5LCj2F_ykw/s320/back.png" width="199" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>Is Dan a millionaire, world-famous household name? Not yet maybe, but his friendly, fast-paced book is worth a read as he shares all he learned during his 30-year broadcasting career, plus the three-year campaign for his novel, Fiona's Guardians (<a href="https://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2020/10/matt-becomes-one-of-fionas-guardians.html">Darkmatters Review here</a>). </div><div><br /></div><div>Authors can be shy at doing the promotion for their work, some might dabble with a little social media, others might arrange a book signing or the like but in this book, Dan gives quality advice about pitching media interviews, performing well in front of the mic, and how to share interviews so as to get wider exposure. He also talks about co-branding with indie bookstores, and which reviewers to pitch and which ones to avoid, it’s good stuff, even if you’re doing OK in sales I firmly believe that there is always more you can learn. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Sca8XPoMB5Qq4wWXVqlqwdeHRHYeP6XOArXjI7b3xp2FMs5v41QNj0HkN5huDFaaR7fjGP1WA_d-N2kSXQ95AAuv7lLBKtRBaqpzwI0bRifoJKN4qWMlq2kpSjuSqB7I3R1t-yl9OQF5NQrWcteITLnku0_ByWIcgbDOOj_rN3KbpwDNSkS/s1296/variabt.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="908" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Sca8XPoMB5Qq4wWXVqlqwdeHRHYeP6XOArXjI7b3xp2FMs5v41QNj0HkN5huDFaaR7fjGP1WA_d-N2kSXQ95AAuv7lLBKtRBaqpzwI0bRifoJKN4qWMlq2kpSjuSqB7I3R1t-yl9OQF5NQrWcteITLnku0_ByWIcgbDOOj_rN3KbpwDNSkS/s320/variabt.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>My own promo journey for Complete Darkness has included getting artists to come up with their interpretations of the characters which I put on art cards and handed out at events. This strategy isn’t free but it did yield hundreds of pre-orders so proved very cost-effective – and led to the book now being turned into a graphic novel (but that is another story)…
But we’re here to talk about Dan – and it’s great to read him share how to get your book adapted, pull off the right stunt, and how to grab surprise opportunities and best of all perhaps - never pay for promotion again.
I know Dan as we share a publisher – the mighty Burton Mayers Books – so I got to ask him some questions that will help you get to know the man whose advice is being offered here. </div><div><br /></div><div>Dan says <i><b>“In DIY Book Promo, I aim to help you find readers using free tools like email and social media. I share everything I've learned during the three-year marketing campaign for my novel, Fiona's Guardians. DIY Book Promo is also the title of my speaking engagements (in-person and virtual) at writer's conferences and with author groups.”</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div>
And you know what – I really enjoyed reading his thoughts, his experiences and I’ll certainly be putting a lot of what I read in DIY Book Promo into action!? </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMop9a34-pbRChNA2styPlqM4rd0MmYNc8c9csRq0piT4U7HqSKyxUf_epCkck1sVmHo9nTTlJMbEfN9V8fbdPeMwZjVrtP-xOCVclcaEHfgSr_W11ZvO4mH-YDkP_RyszP0xdDVz9GHhd_K0KShK0rLmxJAfFgMIvnBhyphenhyphenaHeYqHJTMa1n8f94/s919/dan5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="717" data-original-width="919" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMop9a34-pbRChNA2styPlqM4rd0MmYNc8c9csRq0piT4U7HqSKyxUf_epCkck1sVmHo9nTTlJMbEfN9V8fbdPeMwZjVrtP-xOCVclcaEHfgSr_W11ZvO4mH-YDkP_RyszP0xdDVz9GHhd_K0KShK0rLmxJAfFgMIvnBhyphenhyphenaHeYqHJTMa1n8f94/s320/dan5.webp" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"would you buy a book from this man?"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Here’s the background interview: </h3><div><br /></div><div><b>Matt:</b> Biggest joy so far as an author? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dan: </b>Definitely seeing my vampire novel get adapted. For those who don't know, the all-professional acting company, Artists' Ensemble Theater, adapted my novel, Fiona's Guardians, for their Mysterious Journey podcast. It's available everywhere and it is excellent. (<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/1y0LNMg3zhHSi1ZdjKmkaB">https://open.spotify.com/episode/1y0LNMg3zhHSi1ZdjKmkaB</a> ) </div><div>This podcast made it easier to imagine further adaptations, and I've been working with a director/screenwriter to produce a short film based on my book. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Matt:</b> What's the best marketing of someone else’s book you’ve ever seen? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dan:</b> That's a tough one to answer because I've seen so many examples of lost or squandered potential -- including for books published by the Big Five. One, however, stands out for me and that's the campaign for Gone Girl. The trailer really pulls you in and makes you ask, "What is the book about? What IS this book?" Haven't seen a better one before or since that novel came out in 2012.</div><div><a href=" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CA2S_eWx6I "> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CA2S_eWx6I </a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Matt:</b> What does success look like to you as an author? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dan: </b>You mean something other than a villa on Lake Como, Italy? Ha ha, just putting that out there. Manifesting...
Seriously, I think it's not too far-fetched to imagine another adaptation of Fiona's Guardians. I want a streaming series. I want it to be high quality, and beautifully shot and acted. I'd like to see it in my lifetime but will die quite happy knowing it's in the pipeline for others to enjoy. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Matt:</b> Building on that, how many sales do you think is a good achievement for an indie author? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dan:</b> Allow me to suggest that the number of copies sold is less important than who reads your book. Do you have readers who enjoyed your book so much they took the time to write you a note saying they can't wait for the sequel? Do you have readers who recommend your title for their book club? Do you have one fan willing to walk around a book festival waving a copy of your book, telling everyone they should read it? And let's not forget: There's always a chance that someone will recommend it to a film or TV producer. That possibility may be low but it's never zero. I don't care if ten copies get sold or 10,000. What matters is who opens it and who stays with it to the final page. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Matt:</b> So what is your favourite vampire book and film? </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Dan: </b>Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist. He also wrote the screenplay for the 2008 film version, which is one of my favourite vampire flicks. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Matt:</b> Thanks Dan – all the very best with DIY Book Promo!! </div><div><br /></div><div>If you’re interested and want to preorder the book you can here: <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/diy-book-promo/dan-klefstad/9781739367541">https://www.waterstones.com/book/diy-book-promo/dan-klefstad/9781739367541</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>AND – if you’ve got a question you’d like to ask Dan, or just hear him explain some of the promo itself he will be speaking at the <b>Society Of Authors Hertfordshire Group</b> which I Chair on 13th Feb – here’s the link to register for free: <a href="https://www2.societyofauthors.org/event/hertfordshire-writers-hybrid-meet-up-130224/">https://www2.societyofauthors.org/event/hertfordshire-writers-hybrid-meet-up-130224/
</a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(4.5 - Lots of strong advice, and insights from Dan!</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click banner below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>(now becoming a comic too)...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-68456201310529737222023-12-28T18:37:00.001+00:002023-12-28T18:37:11.169+00:00MATT'S TOP FILMS OF 2023<h2 style="text-align: left;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6RrYuI9pqKPKvp8LUiWh93-3zTXmv0Uaa9eJ-zMe7wor_xCr-igekbaXLQG-lyfZ_OcVCMosAtzkBy1LVbExXV3pTmprxFrwm3G6gDLTmD88Hg-CIKMsvJpUgAf4cjhlnmzzv2ytc2NysBx5VYUqP5HXnnVZj2VH-7XhYa9MPittqIp7H92z/s1453/horror_header.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1453" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT6RrYuI9pqKPKvp8LUiWh93-3zTXmv0Uaa9eJ-zMe7wor_xCr-igekbaXLQG-lyfZ_OcVCMosAtzkBy1LVbExXV3pTmprxFrwm3G6gDLTmD88Hg-CIKMsvJpUgAf4cjhlnmzzv2ytc2NysBx5VYUqP5HXnnVZj2VH-7XhYa9MPittqIp7H92z/w400-h164/horror_header.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Top Ten Films 2023 </h2><div>by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://www.threads.net/@cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8k23kp7_-JOR5NxI-dJf7AqewUfZ02Yny5v_CmD0wtzdCK5OdMDGpBd3re7fo8JB9eAtaa-bDTISQ1kLxrhtvOcg9-IUB6ZD0v65wG3jitTObkW_kKFja7miZTPDkeqrpXDE-A1NmVIKSrecx71xDNI1omUGfFGaINjkfF49uMtO7oebTYwHB/s1200/barb.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8k23kp7_-JOR5NxI-dJf7AqewUfZ02Yny5v_CmD0wtzdCK5OdMDGpBd3re7fo8JB9eAtaa-bDTISQ1kLxrhtvOcg9-IUB6ZD0v65wG3jitTObkW_kKFja7miZTPDkeqrpXDE-A1NmVIKSrecx71xDNI1omUGfFGaINjkfF49uMtO7oebTYwHB/w320-h180/barb.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">10. Barbie </h3></div><div><br /></div><div>I’m a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world and it’s more than ‘Kenough’ for me!! This was a cracking fun time delivering on a kooky premise and making an important point for female empowerment in the process.
As a Snyder fan - I even enjoyed being called out by the sharp screenplay :)
Gosling (can’t wait for him in The Fall Guy in ’24) was exceptional - channeling Kenergy sufficient to become the answer to the world’s renewable energy needs! Robbie was pretty much perfect in the lead, this is a film everyone should see - and it was a delight to see girls standing up and applauding such a rousing manifesto!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9KQrF0oguUOugTIbZ6FbkN5jHOD-gng2XOJdROzdkZhTqTg0QmYbIDFD3-dRu9kFkwoMqROd8GyX5yJBbS_mbhzzfyAcyMGFstdO88fBsKblVfp1JRGpHSEzZ96-XHvOsckTWO1BBrgRzaQdAjl7GQrGnFcxCcbVSZhCKrnX0UfF3mzz4YvL/s1200/oppenheimer.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_9KQrF0oguUOugTIbZ6FbkN5jHOD-gng2XOJdROzdkZhTqTg0QmYbIDFD3-dRu9kFkwoMqROd8GyX5yJBbS_mbhzzfyAcyMGFstdO88fBsKblVfp1JRGpHSEzZ96-XHvOsckTWO1BBrgRzaQdAjl7GQrGnFcxCcbVSZhCKrnX0UfF3mzz4YvL/s320/oppenheimer.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">
9. Oppenheimer </h3></div><div><br /></div><div>The other half of ‘Barbenheimer’ was something completely different - but just an incredible, challenging experience to witness. Seeing Oppenheimer and Einstein's 1947 conversation where they express the belief that they had indeed started a chain reaction that would destroy the world is a chilling prophecy that we all live in the shadow of.
Visually Oppenheimer is a tour-de-force, and the cast are exceptional. Nolan creates films for the ages and this is a worthy addition to his incredible body of work. If you want to be shaken and to ponder humanity’s capacity for self-destruction then this megaton blast will hit the spot…</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgrOJqmP-fBL-5HO-hAv_9Iw7APPhU2hTBXXNfvUjY__vSjAkSaAhPl9WtsMDSSsae4fnB6aXOIL6B_ABXYJySxsDpcoprZFhyphenhyphen1Gl1xdk9wbCmkLW5vD0cOg1q4IhhiHDDACc1ddrK92e2tkAl3E0vaE5agSXDj7vFuJTWkW7jTVeR7JF3XTS/s819/el-conde.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="819" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlgrOJqmP-fBL-5HO-hAv_9Iw7APPhU2hTBXXNfvUjY__vSjAkSaAhPl9WtsMDSSsae4fnB6aXOIL6B_ABXYJySxsDpcoprZFhyphenhyphen1Gl1xdk9wbCmkLW5vD0cOg1q4IhhiHDDACc1ddrK92e2tkAl3E0vaE5agSXDj7vFuJTWkW7jTVeR7JF3XTS/s320/el-conde.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><h3 style="text-align: left;">8. El Conde </h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Possibly the biggest surprise of the year - El Conde ( literally 'The Count') is a Chilean super black comedy horror. I stumbled upon this one day when feeling unwell and director Pablo Larraín cheered my right up with this incredibly unlikely winner. Featuring one of the best Margaret Thatcher cameos ever this satire portrays Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet as a 250-year-old vampire seeking death.
But his scheming family are after the Dictator’s wealth and so when an eager vampire-hunting nun turns up - chaos ensues… You’ll laugh out loud, you’ll be a bit freaked out, and if you were around in the ‘80s you’ll believe it might be based on a true story!?
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm_4wFmu8J4M_bi99PHWoUZRJC98bj7Ktp5ABhD_4DuQ4vHa3uQOOf2cWZgO-Ti5gMZ7oeDh9xsIREFDQ2ychS6gsym8jOgkUnO1-2msZGR2XpZLA_lfA1TrLQoNTeNAoAs2X3QfkyOgJ3BPJmoc53klZRW0-tMlSVbqVGUTX2F7-tcWSz6p_/s1000/Rebel-Moon-A-Child-of-Fire.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJm_4wFmu8J4M_bi99PHWoUZRJC98bj7Ktp5ABhD_4DuQ4vHa3uQOOf2cWZgO-Ti5gMZ7oeDh9xsIREFDQ2ychS6gsym8jOgkUnO1-2msZGR2XpZLA_lfA1TrLQoNTeNAoAs2X3QfkyOgJ3BPJmoc53klZRW0-tMlSVbqVGUTX2F7-tcWSz6p_/s320/Rebel-Moon-A-Child-of-Fire.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">7. Rebel Moon </h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Zack Snyder is back - and he’s forged a whole new sci-fi universe!! Visually stunning and rip-roaring fun, When a colony on the edge of the galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Darth Vader-alike Regent Balisarius, they dispatch a young woman Kora (not Rey) with a mysterious past to seek out warriors from neighbouring planets to help them take a stand.
Rebel Moon is a stunning sci-fi epic that delivers on almost every level - Zack Snyder has crafted a visually spectacular and emotionally engaging story that takes us to an alternate galaxy far, far away. There are plenty of Easter eggs - not least in the homages to Star Wars, but this is the start of something darker, harder and cooler and I can’t wait for the extended Snyder Cut and part 2!!
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBg_i0cma5O-FLz1zFwuhyphenhyphenKyVG_cA-y6qD23mjCuSJYZGofxFb7qFk7scTydhc5MIosrRI56AQ4lbCXAegmQzdFdFe-xKu2BbatXxrFHTbZu6ceDb4CaB5fNZMH7wKQ-uu75ZVhfqi-2eO-0BePtbaFXgWBATkepDItfe48pSoTD6_u2IFBrrV/s1084/mae0.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="1084" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBg_i0cma5O-FLz1zFwuhyphenhyphenKyVG_cA-y6qD23mjCuSJYZGofxFb7qFk7scTydhc5MIosrRI56AQ4lbCXAegmQzdFdFe-xKu2BbatXxrFHTbZu6ceDb4CaB5fNZMH7wKQ-uu75ZVhfqi-2eO-0BePtbaFXgWBATkepDItfe48pSoTD6_u2IFBrrV/s320/mae0.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">6. Maestro </h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein (Exquisitely played by Bradley Cooper - who also directs) and Felicia Montealegre (the always incredible Carey Mulligan). Capturing the genius music creator and the whirlwind that affects everyone caught in his aura.
Similar to his last film ‘A Star Is Born’, Cooper shows that he is a master of depicting relationships of the rich and famous, dark underbelly and all. Come for the excellent storytelling, stay for the amazing music and fascinating plot.
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVxPPF7UqaEMxByTdkZKBcLDt4iL3R9m45pb2hhYRas8LKNV4ljCZcLBOorQItukzrvq6-uAfaxG8CRqH20XikqLSkUFYVCH8JfsxVZi6QLDufwdV_M1Ft4wukqrhwXdQv5YZQKNOfNygxgwzXPQ1uE1lv6QDeKVxDrOhwsNnOdhHYVRNlyQ-/s1170/dream.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1170" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVxPPF7UqaEMxByTdkZKBcLDt4iL3R9m45pb2hhYRas8LKNV4ljCZcLBOorQItukzrvq6-uAfaxG8CRqH20XikqLSkUFYVCH8JfsxVZi6QLDufwdV_M1Ft4wukqrhwXdQv5YZQKNOfNygxgwzXPQ1uE1lv6QDeKVxDrOhwsNnOdhHYVRNlyQ-/s320/dream.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. Dream Scenario </h3><p></p></div><div><br /></div><div>What would you do if you started showing up in people’s dreams? Cue Nic Cage as Paul Matthews - a forgettable wannabe author and researcher who finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.
But what starts as a quirky oddity that makes him famous, soon gets creepy when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, he's forced to navigate the consequences of everyone fearing him… This is super creative and genuinely funny idea that works - in large part thanks to Cage who is on stellar form.
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxRQ5TFAekjSf7K05-TrNegc8VF7qZwJWo1-PayEerEkxm6jtJM0jQQgvjmEu5REs8wV2b4AdbW5uqTDti5r85XJZ9GLpPgoI3Ra4LCUot_dN0s0FNMmk2nlKT0TCb2SkjhtCcanxOvfmfzTgoT1XR_SoV86zklnp1FPJuCq_IWGnXiKSNI6p/s3840/sisu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxRQ5TFAekjSf7K05-TrNegc8VF7qZwJWo1-PayEerEkxm6jtJM0jQQgvjmEu5REs8wV2b4AdbW5uqTDti5r85XJZ9GLpPgoI3Ra4LCUot_dN0s0FNMmk2nlKT0TCb2SkjhtCcanxOvfmfzTgoT1XR_SoV86zklnp1FPJuCq_IWGnXiKSNI6p/s320/sisu.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">
4. Sisu </h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>During the last days of World War II, a solitary prospector - Aatami Korpi - crosses paths with some nasty Nazis on a scorched-earth retreat in northern Finland. When the soldiers decide to steal his gold, they quickly discover they just tangled with no ordinary miner and maximum righteous carnage ensues.
Sisu feels like a Mad Max prequel, the level of violence is OTT but the Nazis deserve it all and Jorma Tommila delivers a memorable performance in the lead. Full jaw-dropping, whoop-out-loud comic book action a go-go!
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE_r78bov6wKd-QDAqkxOCmL7POB1RunH-MDsYcyH7sv2U36SMuwQFxcTupUV4i9WxWBWlpRwgivZpCpi79dDLcLJsDDQMiHP0CUE5kv-lpvTItbio0dZfuuvXsaGKwCKae_ggl_3Y2Qta9zDHgbdEVxTAVPlZzwEDA88Ytr_FHWmsr6GcbPh/s600/Killers-of-the-flower-moon.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjE_r78bov6wKd-QDAqkxOCmL7POB1RunH-MDsYcyH7sv2U36SMuwQFxcTupUV4i9WxWBWlpRwgivZpCpi79dDLcLJsDDQMiHP0CUE5kv-lpvTItbio0dZfuuvXsaGKwCKae_ggl_3Y2Qta9zDHgbdEVxTAVPlZzwEDA88Ytr_FHWmsr6GcbPh/s320/Killers-of-the-flower-moon.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"> 3. Killers of the Flower Moon </h3><p></p></div><div><br /></div><div>Films don’t come much more impressive than this American epic Western crime drama film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese, he also co-wrote based on the 2017 non-fiction book by David Grann.
Packed with some of the best actors around - Leonardo DiCaprio plays Ernest Burkhart, who along with De Niro and a fantastic turn by Lily Gladstone bring some incredibly watchable 3+ hours of riveting crime-em-up drama.
<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxdugS9Y8gtY5Qt0AaFolvG9PHR4qJyo3DUBhtOKw8Q_AovBOZry37dXLIbYAQIKP1gbOEXosueBYSwO62PWAAWEm16vP2vPCau-wEouR5Hj7tYrJILcWAh3kV_4gyt2Jrf5MnwjerLikyUy5xg1rU8GFlY_9-bL9CH17nIJSZVFP1XAsYLb0/s1280/saltburn.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxdugS9Y8gtY5Qt0AaFolvG9PHR4qJyo3DUBhtOKw8Q_AovBOZry37dXLIbYAQIKP1gbOEXosueBYSwO62PWAAWEm16vP2vPCau-wEouR5Hj7tYrJILcWAh3kV_4gyt2Jrf5MnwjerLikyUy5xg1rU8GFlY_9-bL9CH17nIJSZVFP1XAsYLb0/s320/saltburn.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"> 2. Saltburn </h3><p></p></div><div><br /></div><div>Full metal intoxication and fixation/obsession writ large - deviously delivered by Emerald ‘Promising Young Woman’ Fennell. The plot sees poor working-class Oliver (Barry Keoghan) taken under the posh wing of Felix, a rich student, who invites him over to his estate, Saltburn for the summer.
When a series of horrifying events engulf Felix's family - things really might not be all they seem. This is a dreamy, twisted fever-inducing mystery, that will drop shocks and laughs in equal measure. Take a visit to Saltburn, you might come away changed!?
<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16qj4xvL4CH5C5S_LFajgJykBhcVBmBY8sYY4mtx47yN2l_SMykpJsoLFXs3O8DinzHtw5fSSiqHc7FM1gDksRTO4gyWoC2PPLBoq_7ZnhPNa-f-GBAe48H1v2Sy3ivGPc_E6p2YoyJn7c_eYKCuh2auFOTL1GboJwfVaFAHtg5FNZRLlq_Nq/s1920/ip.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16qj4xvL4CH5C5S_LFajgJykBhcVBmBY8sYY4mtx47yN2l_SMykpJsoLFXs3O8DinzHtw5fSSiqHc7FM1gDksRTO4gyWoC2PPLBoq_7ZnhPNa-f-GBAe48H1v2Sy3ivGPc_E6p2YoyJn7c_eYKCuh2auFOTL1GboJwfVaFAHtg5FNZRLlq_Nq/s320/ip.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">
1. Infinity Pool </h3></div><div><br /></div><div>Following up on his excellent Possessor Uncut Brandon Cronenberg brings a new horror trip that absolutely blew me away. Gruesome and daring, mind-bending and challenging - Infinity Pool is machine tooled to excite, disgust, and titillate, all at once…
Not for the faint of heart or narrow of mind - not much can prepare you for a dip in this freaky, scary, and brilliant flick - Mia Goth is utterly fantastic in an iconic role and Infinity Pool is a guaranteed cult classic for the ages.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Read my review of <a href="https://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2023/02/matt-takes-dip-in-infinity-pool-review.html">INFINITY POOL</a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b><a href="https://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2022/12/darkmatters-top-ten-films-of-2022.html">Click to check my Top Ten of 2022...</a></b></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="p3" style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Honourable mentions<b>: Spiderman - Across The Spiderverse, Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Godzilla minus 1, Thanksgiving, Bottoms, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, The Killer, The Royal Hotel, Totally Killer, Gran Turismo, Guardians of the Galaxy 3, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. </b></p><p class="p3" style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Puritan; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="color: #888888; font-size: medium; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="625" /></span></a></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-219504151714681282023-12-03T14:32:00.006+00:002023-12-03T14:32:59.202+00:00There must be Angels playing with my heart - ANGELS review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKnfQACe1VxG-GKH26haBZ63OM1H2i9wh8LD2gejmrDbiZhhNHdDQSQB0enCzDr7PvjxpTBQM2FaaSv5h1Gzj22IDCpARRLCFmUoxbMIbdthVD0OD1YDHfPI86jp1aNdZU-yXg2C-A26hEVH8PWJ5uoedP1Cjo0DyoZ_Qd6_znlzdJUBDEZ0N/s1280/angels.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqKnfQACe1VxG-GKH26haBZ63OM1H2i9wh8LD2gejmrDbiZhhNHdDQSQB0enCzDr7PvjxpTBQM2FaaSv5h1Gzj22IDCpARRLCFmUoxbMIbdthVD0OD1YDHfPI86jp1aNdZU-yXg2C-A26hEVH8PWJ5uoedP1Cjo0DyoZ_Qd6_znlzdJUBDEZ0N/w250-h400/angels.jpeg" width="250" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><b>Angels</b></span></h2><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rachel Churcher (<a href="https://twitter.com/Rachel_Churcher">@Rachel_Churcher</a>)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@cleric20</a>)</p><h3 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left;"> <br /><b>‘My blood runs cold, My memory has just been sold, My Angel in the centerfold’ </b>sang the J. Giles Band in 1981 – I was reminded of that song when I read Angels.</h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Billed as “The LGBTQ+ YA story you've been waiting for: friendship, identity, attraction, disasters ... and finding your wings.”</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Angels are a fascinating part of legend. Humans have recorded accounts of angels living among us for as long as we can remember – from those of biblical fame such as Gabriel in the New Testament and the Angel of Death in the Old, these are beings ‘shaped in the image of God’ – a little higher than us mortals and usually packing at least one pair of wings.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In Rachel Churcher’s new angel-em-up, they don't have powers, but they do have wings, wings which they tend to keep to themselves until one breaks ranks and becomes a famous model ‘Kane’ and from then on, all bets are off.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> <br />Meet 16-year-old Mel Abbott – your usual off-the-pegged young woman, she well remembers the day she saw Kane's taboo-shattering billboard. A beautiful model showing his wings on Oxford Street, on a photo as tall as a building.<br /><br />She’s understandably in love with this Adonis, her bedroom filled with posters of his chiseled abs and eagle’s wings – so she’s overwhelmed when she gets the chance to meet him in the heavenly flesh. Alas, it’s not too much of a spoiler to say things don’t get well and a chain of events is set in motion that will have major consequences. Can she find a way to free herself from his shadow, and what will her future hold?<br /><br />Angels is a pretty standard coming-of-age story, it’s a celebration of friendship and desire, heartbreak and identity. I try not to read many young adult novels as I generally like my fiction a bit darker and fiercer but for an interesting premise, I’ll give them a go.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It's an easy read, Churcher writes in a nice, relaxed manner and explores themes of friendship, identity, attraction, and finding one's place in the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">If this all sounds like your bag, or a decent Christmas present for the YA reader in your life then grab a copy and connect with your inner 16-year-old girl!, and find your wings along the way.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(3.5 - Angelic coming-of-age heartbreaker</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click banner below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>(now becoming a comic too)...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-6868905575818257742023-10-06T10:50:00.002+01:002023-10-06T10:50:23.957+01:00HOUSE Franchise - You're Invited<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XvTe9N6YR75IVQLUMOpigYrijM19vQIo-F9zFDXEYARHpqyEBHCS-H9l49wdJkgL3LznnjhOBjcDHvoy8-zQk-0_vvhGIABoa2m2FUzJd1aKN1ceV4HHx66EsU05uEes4xagIyZzJSqySAY0ghu6MQC0emTug9xTpIvasuJ2no-Wr4saKQ/s2917/housemovies.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="2917" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XvTe9N6YR75IVQLUMOpigYrijM19vQIo-F9zFDXEYARHpqyEBHCS-H9l49wdJkgL3LznnjhOBjcDHvoy8-zQk-0_vvhGIABoa2m2FUzJd1aKN1ceV4HHx66EsU05uEes4xagIyZzJSqySAY0ghu6MQC0emTug9xTpIvasuJ2no-Wr4saKQ/w400-h148/housemovies.jpeg" width="400" /></a></b></div><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">HOUSE Franchise</span></b></p><p>Long term fan, first time reviewing this whole series - Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</p><p>Remember the heady days of 1986? I was 15 and the world was generally a more innocent place. Not having watched many scary films (due to strict religious parents) I would however often spend ages checking out the lurid video covers in the local video store. One cover stood out - HOUSE it said, and it had a disembodied hand pressing a doorbell. It was excellent and I knew I had to check it out...</p><p>Oh boy - it immediately became one of my all-time favs! The series continued with 3 sequels of, erm, varying quality, but a franchise was born and for me - this is one I'd LOVE to see a big-budget reimagining of in the style of Hellraiser??</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD82EHkilGMSxYyGy2rHxeb9fwl54zPR0eP7bUYfsbZzw5mUTzbdfuDcXMFvIcHlOfip2NkCHo1PH9KnG3XpPzKjGYQEAtR0GB5XLXkRZkG-MjgS367K6D_xW57n7dt1vr7zGkj7hHU_MKKzOzDQYGJyNGqCVlql6l-qHxOAmUbPyO2175zg/s750/house.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD82EHkilGMSxYyGy2rHxeb9fwl54zPR0eP7bUYfsbZzw5mUTzbdfuDcXMFvIcHlOfip2NkCHo1PH9KnG3XpPzKjGYQEAtR0GB5XLXkRZkG-MjgS367K6D_xW57n7dt1vr7zGkj7hHU_MKKzOzDQYGJyNGqCVlql6l-qHxOAmUbPyO2175zg/w266-h400/house.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'Don't come alone'</div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>HOUSE (15)</b></h3><p>Dir. Steve 'Friday the 13th parts 2 and 3' Miner</p><b><i>
"It won Roger. It tricked me. I didn't think it could, but it did. It's going to trick you too, Roger. This house knows everything about you. Leave while you can."</i></b><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>Getting a horror comedy right can be a tough ask. For every classic like Gremlins which is near perfect, there are a thousand direct-to-TV efforts that are neither funny or scary!? HOUSE, is very much on the spectrum but happily nearer the classic end even though it has plenty of cheap thrills, it has some genuinely disturbing bits and some great humour.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArQqplgEBpOfW4O4UpKiAlG4HfOBvUUexuHT65Zj-SSfmaDTc57AlpGp6yoOl9POf5n7RUWpbhrwRNJULYnjhzGORAkyN1yNVmrKGOBnS-8pcuj48mdEa_0Z8iE4ZxFHLKUNfEIFQJlzzxCl5Gd-ADtKmWrb9exKnSeCipe0LWV6NiXzknnrN/s1024/house-poster-1986-steve-miner-fred-dekker.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArQqplgEBpOfW4O4UpKiAlG4HfOBvUUexuHT65Zj-SSfmaDTc57AlpGp6yoOl9POf5n7RUWpbhrwRNJULYnjhzGORAkyN1yNVmrKGOBnS-8pcuj48mdEa_0Z8iE4ZxFHLKUNfEIFQJlzzxCl5Gd-ADtKmWrb9exKnSeCipe0LWV6NiXzknnrN/s320/house-poster-1986-steve-miner-fred-dekker.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Superb practical effects, a genuinely fun, off-the-wall plot, and some unforgettable set pieces make HOUSE an absolute '80s gem. It tells the tale of Roger Cobb (William 'Tommy from Carrie' Katt) a struggling writer who inherits a haunted house - it's great and I fully recommend it if you've somehow never come across it!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCC81zJtmH6cJjJu4qVEYXBGv0EdMAd7h23JZ3WZLHvFtFz4gXf-sMRGhSbzunhG_MGrlBbURDVa_vIIdknTe3FVuLGDGIHoIYvywROUgbf730OF9nB-KmKZt0XI6oxsRT0mhZu_JJ6twKHaRR-olB1Ax2zYkz_4iPR5AttHBFcY_OgPXKnDIe/s1280/house2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCC81zJtmH6cJjJu4qVEYXBGv0EdMAd7h23JZ3WZLHvFtFz4gXf-sMRGhSbzunhG_MGrlBbURDVa_vIIdknTe3FVuLGDGIHoIYvywROUgbf730OF9nB-KmKZt0XI6oxsRT0mhZu_JJ6twKHaRR-olB1Ax2zYkz_4iPR5AttHBFcY_OgPXKnDIe/w400-h225/house2.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'Just when you thought it was safe...'</div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>HOUSE II: The Second Story (15)</b></div><div><p>Dir. Ethan 'Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror' Wiley</p><b><i>"There it is. Looks like you've got some kind of alternate universe in there or something."</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>How do you follow up such a winner that the first HOUSE? Well how about going 'full gonzo' with undead cowboys and prehistoric creatures? Yep HOUSE II (love the tag line 'the second story') might not have the scary factor of the original but it sure is a fun romp. It even spawned a Marvel comic!!</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64gv952n7pJTmfCOJFLe_OadUz2TWGzjS8Hzpbdvxm5rHBxcJs2isd_JR42Igaet8AouiGa_5AmL_xpnEfreysj5SCQ2VtkR1XFjo8yBgXtHuZwFa59YuIqezBmiWBNfhYyMyWwlAujIeBM-dj4ibcu59sQ4oGClf4X-LyiYT9jQQPrxBgyPV/s588/House_II_The_Second_Story_Vol_1_1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="391" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj64gv952n7pJTmfCOJFLe_OadUz2TWGzjS8Hzpbdvxm5rHBxcJs2isd_JR42Igaet8AouiGa_5AmL_xpnEfreysj5SCQ2VtkR1XFjo8yBgXtHuZwFa59YuIqezBmiWBNfhYyMyWwlAujIeBM-dj4ibcu59sQ4oGClf4X-LyiYT9jQQPrxBgyPV/s320/House_II_The_Second_Story_Vol_1_1.webp" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">'Marvel tie-in comic!'</div><div style="font-weight: bold;"><b><br /></b></div>HOUSE II is a great fun watch, it's much less of a horror film but that doesn't diminish the outlandish goings on. And it maintains some great humour too - think Texas Chainsaw 2 and you'll know the kind of change of pace to expect...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTclTywEfo9_IXhlvoECQJnmyQGMCP6HacgWYUmK4K_O9cc6qMIs8gPMvH7k3IoWS-0PrNgrD9jls__GETIabphqHLn_smYSpCb6Nt4fgq_KTDc66V_VstzWdU2T73H9RqtZpHlMQ6I8oqkfwtZNS-v0bNKOdxjiHi_7YgCnLPhy9-D5hkTes_/s750/house%203.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTclTywEfo9_IXhlvoECQJnmyQGMCP6HacgWYUmK4K_O9cc6qMIs8gPMvH7k3IoWS-0PrNgrD9jls__GETIabphqHLn_smYSpCb6Nt4fgq_KTDc66V_VstzWdU2T73H9RqtZpHlMQ6I8oqkfwtZNS-v0bNKOdxjiHi_7YgCnLPhy9-D5hkTes_/w266-h400/house%203.jpeg" width="266" /></a></div><i style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></i></div><div><h3><b>HOUSE III: The Horror Show (18)</b></h3><div><p>Dirs. James 'Jason X' Isaac & David 'Night Freaks' Blyth</p><b><i>"All that did was give me a hard on!"</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div>How is it that often two very similar films come out in close proximity to each other in this case 1989? HOUSE III: The Horror Show - or just 'The Horror Show' in some countries has the same plot as Wes Craven's SHOCKER - serial killer uses electricity from electric chair to beat death and return for revenge... I have some time for both of these films but can't help thinking that if they creative teams had teamed up (e.g. Craven directing H3) we may have had one great horror film instead of two ok ones?</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwriK7y9j5GnfKCtgXPKBW6yFK_fdwFeGwAXJv6N-GE8Qc7qjD0Mpy_4HFbF4CgfDbbAjJNcWRLp3jH9RfHPjyuLVKnnuqSMYYgtsOMd4JKho33d1lcdvsqJBnR_s8jRC2GwogSeCR2C4vA0qhsO8rYbRX0kC5nqKQqYDbQqzJODZmxRYa6vCE/s1966/house3%20scene.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1330" data-original-width="1966" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwriK7y9j5GnfKCtgXPKBW6yFK_fdwFeGwAXJv6N-GE8Qc7qjD0Mpy_4HFbF4CgfDbbAjJNcWRLp3jH9RfHPjyuLVKnnuqSMYYgtsOMd4JKho33d1lcdvsqJBnR_s8jRC2GwogSeCR2C4vA0qhsO8rYbRX0kC5nqKQqYDbQqzJODZmxRYa6vCE/s320/house3%20scene.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'hey the alien guys want to have a word with us for copyright'</div><div><br /></div><div>HOUSE III at least has a fun cast with the excellent Lance 'Bishop from Aliens' Henricksen starring as the detective trying to stop the undead killer Max 'Meat Cleaver' Jenke (Brion James). There's very little 'House-ness' in this flick which is a shame but it's fine as a stand-alone '80s slasher. It's not very funny apart from the late '80s fashion though.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghu59BF3CnrHS7_BgP97b7AUgv7Aao7q5h3pq27gLaXMDsRtsENeZAG3N6VN0QVGjiYE_AHJjWDVFoFxRR_FSGTU6tRKpViHG99hxzIbYcgK0_SuG1xndhd8U0nPrTgkPGSTpAWYFfEbmrIygAsy0tILIyiJdeYsoPNIR4kWNpI-aVNf-W402_/s578/House-4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="578" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghu59BF3CnrHS7_BgP97b7AUgv7Aao7q5h3pq27gLaXMDsRtsENeZAG3N6VN0QVGjiYE_AHJjWDVFoFxRR_FSGTU6tRKpViHG99hxzIbYcgK0_SuG1xndhd8U0nPrTgkPGSTpAWYFfEbmrIygAsy0tILIyiJdeYsoPNIR4kWNpI-aVNf-W402_/w276-h400/House-4.jpeg" width="276" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><h3><b>HOUSE IV: The Repossession (15)</b></h3><div><p>Dir. Lewis Abernathy (this is the only film he directed)</p><b><i>" There! No more anchovies!
"</i></b></div></div><div><br /></div><div>When there is not more room in hell, cash-in sequels will walk the earth... Ah HOUSE 4, a very mixed bag of not much fun and very little scares. If HOUSE III focused on being a horror film, HOUSE 4 tries to mix up all that has gone before - even bringing back Roger from the original for a cameo.</div></div><div>Best this about this lamest entry of the franchise (which probably killed it off)? PIZZA MAN!! Yes Kane Hodder himself - he's played Jason Voorhees in Friday the 13th flicks and Victor Crowley in the Hatchet films but HOUSE 4 will always be remembered for his playing an evil pizza...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zN0RlyOjO2dkboDbGD5uUOgwXJ48Q2f1HJZbzLnGasj0EINgos9KJX6AnyqqnC6UdsAa3tdZoQ7gmxOocXdavMX8AfBD6lpTm9XveHBMVZNLkxe9UfkKTqg09vdh3ilkcuU_evK_jwZhlViMUjOxRe7fKwqAKKA3Y6rYVzSWWxpsMb4xfB6C/s1600/pizza.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-zN0RlyOjO2dkboDbGD5uUOgwXJ48Q2f1HJZbzLnGasj0EINgos9KJX6AnyqqnC6UdsAa3tdZoQ7gmxOocXdavMX8AfBD6lpTm9XveHBMVZNLkxe9UfkKTqg09vdh3ilkcuU_evK_jwZhlViMUjOxRe7fKwqAKKA3Y6rYVzSWWxpsMb4xfB6C/w400-h225/pizza.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'did someone say extra crispy?'</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>And so the HOUSE films limp to a sadly unsatisfying ending (so far) but I for one live in hope of HOUSE 5 coming and blowing the doors off the horror comedy world one day :)<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">HOUSE</span><span style="color: lime;"> ö</span></span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; font-family: verdana; font-size: medium; font-weight: 400;"><b><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">HOUSE II</span><span style="color: lime;"> ö</span></span></span></b></span><b style="color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="color: black; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span></span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-size: medium;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">HOUSE III</span> </span></span></b></span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;">HOUSE 4</span><span style="color: lime;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(Overall - see them all but maybe in reverse order so you finish with the orginal and best??!</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click banner below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>(now becoming a comic too)...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p></div><div><br /><div><br /></div></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-23710482642643294242023-10-01T15:11:00.001+01:002023-10-01T15:11:39.785+01:00Killtopia Volumes 1 to 5 Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvTboPNF2BSdO3j69xTTW1fdr4F29XcXPzDNapRetmDdExICg8v-LWt_ZIf1CIK2AuUgngs7uk2yPjuPGKp_fIYS6crIZdo6zbjmo11mJmjdHuDVRf1d8ahCkHEmqZgLPCk07H2VksqIjGbu2pBEK7C0k25Lh_GkdDqnTPoUfaDCb12v65-19/s838/kills.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="838" data-original-width="605" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvTboPNF2BSdO3j69xTTW1fdr4F29XcXPzDNapRetmDdExICg8v-LWt_ZIf1CIK2AuUgngs7uk2yPjuPGKp_fIYS6crIZdo6zbjmo11mJmjdHuDVRf1d8ahCkHEmqZgLPCk07H2VksqIjGbu2pBEK7C0k25Lh_GkdDqnTPoUfaDCb12v65-19/s16000/kills.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErhLseKnSiUKqtufFzGUdDRhQiHeX6KkIAUb5yruwgR6nbkF9BGpmCl5sxTU_87Ar8waznBzbl81osBQ2xGqTbjezy6q0OmK5mu6QRsVx4WNFNhZsdga1zUZ6f0dD_AHvfZ7NK-w9-qg7PB8THodFXIW4-INHYNfO6d6AnemK8xf_rFz2Sy9l/s1022/ki5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1022" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhErhLseKnSiUKqtufFzGUdDRhQiHeX6KkIAUb5yruwgR6nbkF9BGpmCl5sxTU_87Ar8waznBzbl81osBQ2xGqTbjezy6q0OmK5mu6QRsVx4WNFNhZsdga1zUZ6f0dD_AHvfZ7NK-w9-qg7PB8THodFXIW4-INHYNfO6d6AnemK8xf_rFz2Sy9l/w400-h196/ki5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>
Killtopia Volumes 1 to 5 Review</b></h3>
Dave Cook (writer <a href="https://twitter.com/davescook">@Davescook</a>), Craig Paton <a href="@CraigPaton">@CraigPaton </a>& Clark Bint <a href="https://twitter.com/clarkbintart">@clarkbintart </a>(art) <div>BHP Comics <a href="https://twitter.com/BHPcomics">@BHPComics</a><div>
<br />Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</div><div>
<br />Killtopia is a cyberpunk genre-defining comic book series that delivers a thrilling and visually stunning journey through a dystopian cyberpunk world where life is blighted by the ‘rot’ - a nanobot plague caused by robots. This is a near-future world - the action based around ‘Wreckers’ - humans who hunt robots (and also fight each other to the death in the celebratory ‘Wreckfest’ events. Without spoiling the plot - let me just say that Cook brings a megaton of creativity and a cool tale that takes you over the edge of your seat from start to finish.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3q595VqazNHSwjVBtC1caAHKuutX7goSWOvusQGHlRuJ34zjUFCrVGt96TpPWRV3dquDlBTBX21orbQVsDW4dBSys4Ufaa-qTnbCmsJlCdItWijqDjXK_2qNfg8AlHISoogiJFCbiBBdQKo6z5QPOKN0wVO9tHyGECnuNHMB6wssjxyZ9MYxS/s1043/heal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="1043" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3q595VqazNHSwjVBtC1caAHKuutX7goSWOvusQGHlRuJ34zjUFCrVGt96TpPWRV3dquDlBTBX21orbQVsDW4dBSys4Ufaa-qTnbCmsJlCdItWijqDjXK_2qNfg8AlHISoogiJFCbiBBdQKo6z5QPOKN0wVO9tHyGECnuNHMB6wssjxyZ9MYxS/w400-h175/heal.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div>
<br />Now the first set - spanning five volumes - is complete and after re-reading them I can confirm that they combine some gripping storytelling, intricate world-building, and breathtaking artwork to create an unforgettable experience that will stand as a cult classic into the future.
<br /><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmRxJPGVRQDhITceiF_NpXcvmxF_4OoVXiGsWKNCYycq1EKyht95dmteVbd4unJGfdRKete59j796YzqxqQqZfuFXvNFcBnsizEXa7AnvimZjhiguqpp26p7vHs8l83ibhkiscWcq7XRwV233j7cj5NUaCnF-CpbMg3EAHYNp_eZrGtG1jF1e/s724/kt1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmRxJPGVRQDhITceiF_NpXcvmxF_4OoVXiGsWKNCYycq1EKyht95dmteVbd4unJGfdRKete59j796YzqxqQqZfuFXvNFcBnsizEXa7AnvimZjhiguqpp26p7vHs8l83ibhkiscWcq7XRwV233j7cj5NUaCnF-CpbMg3EAHYNp_eZrGtG1jF1e/s320/kt1.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div>
<b>Volume 1: Setting the Stage</b></div><div>
<br />The first volume of Killtopia introduces a future where technology and the human condition have melded in complex ways. Dave Cook and Craig Paton immediately grab you by the eyeballs and smash you face fries into the gritty, neon-soaked streets of Killtopia, a city overrun by nanotech-infected creatures.
The protagonist, Shinji, and his AI companion, Crash, embark on a quest that will shape the fate of their world. It’s a riveting start to a series filled with mystery and intrigue.</div><div><br /></div><div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRJCZRSa1lLab4pDDoRrerklTR9L9TlE-mb3rPkuMcaOkxWAcWXqFv2Eye-c8D84b5J2DWqGpCCUGr3Iui8NPPVaqn8qIBB2A_gwZ6e47TfAkbjPvZLcf1Kr6iUZL4V8P7Ohy-cy03bcJzRdOhPXM6fdtBNGIo85TqI0aqR1ovDU3vvoXpavN/s1000/k2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="716" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQRJCZRSa1lLab4pDDoRrerklTR9L9TlE-mb3rPkuMcaOkxWAcWXqFv2Eye-c8D84b5J2DWqGpCCUGr3Iui8NPPVaqn8qIBB2A_gwZ6e47TfAkbjPvZLcf1Kr6iUZL4V8P7Ohy-cy03bcJzRdOhPXM6fdtBNGIo85TqI0aqR1ovDU3vvoXpavN/s320/k2.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div>
<b>Volume 2: Down the rabbit hole
</b><br /><br /></div><div>
The world of Killtopia gets explored and the true nature of Shinji’s mission crosses with famous Wrecker Stiletto. The character development is rich, and it’s easy to get emotionally invested in the struggles and motivations of the players.
The kick-ass action sequences really deliver and are not only visually captivating but also serve to drive the plot forward.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9WvXidjHpjip4axR-7OYCK3RHYNoKoFk3wMMLVei3tv6VxhcTvbAPg46MLTVwHXrGtd_9EzW-YYle-KWwgjudlqKFcaSSDx7xKPabYudGB09pJ99Jo16CqBC6yX4Rq9EJDNx5gJAknFtPzzxq7ZtgrMzsFk5nXMjRO4csYBRCtUNeI86v_xI/s1024/k3.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="726" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS9WvXidjHpjip4axR-7OYCK3RHYNoKoFk3wMMLVei3tv6VxhcTvbAPg46MLTVwHXrGtd_9EzW-YYle-KWwgjudlqKFcaSSDx7xKPabYudGB09pJ99Jo16CqBC6yX4Rq9EJDNx5gJAknFtPzzxq7ZtgrMzsFk5nXMjRO4csYBRCtUNeI86v_xI/s320/k3.webp" width="227" /></a></div><br /> <b><br /></b></div><div>
<b>Volume 3: Unlikely allies as the world goes to hell
</b><br /><br /></div><div>
As Crash tries to stop the ‘rot’ things suddenly get a lot worse - the stakes keep escalating and here we transition from Paton to Bint on the art duties which works really well. Cook’s twisted tale adds layers and spins a compelling and detailed plot up to a fascinating point - how will this rollercoaster end?
<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXhhql1KXa4ZR-XgeiUWOEVhuuBEGrfJuo156LMLva9Z_7Ba05vMmcl_Y6D0w59EvTyDNX-MBo-2U6J1jrTAafF0tWeajQmH0Fii_Qu3lBJ4V0sN_aFhGL3YxaYhFasoGCLKKQ0Ot_LK4ZD0ecIjpcWYZlXBH2YMyA_pQ4VrCWKnZwalxri7B/s1000/k4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="704" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyXhhql1KXa4ZR-XgeiUWOEVhuuBEGrfJuo156LMLva9Z_7Ba05vMmcl_Y6D0w59EvTyDNX-MBo-2U6J1jrTAafF0tWeajQmH0Fii_Qu3lBJ4V0sN_aFhGL3YxaYhFasoGCLKKQ0Ot_LK4ZD0ecIjpcWYZlXBH2YMyA_pQ4VrCWKnZwalxri7B/s320/k4.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>
<b>Volume 4:Epic confrontations
</b><br /><br /></div><div>
Volume 4 delivers the build-up to an epic showdown, unexpected alliances, and jaw-dropping revelations move things to a fascinating endgame. The artwork continues to impress, with the cyberpunk aesthetic providing a visually striking backdrop to the unfolding drama. Throughout the series, writer Dave Cook weaves a complex narrative that delves into themes of identity, morality, and the consequences of unchecked technological advancement. Killtopia is not just a thrilling adventure but also a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition in a world dominated by AI and cybernetics.
<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurrGeNeifMgUVdelKFrd-ceH7XntO7lKAmDTtJaAiIv6e_SOyaEpSwIM0YzAmjmlyhSDsBONN19iccwBqcN_LLrs979vq_n3TDhKM1rw-m3w0m4dCqToAIenUIIOPO9rdoHJoHGz7E6L7yDB4EkM2_J4e8Bd5EpGvC3IENsvjwg_CHK6rTXmf/s960/k5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgurrGeNeifMgUVdelKFrd-ceH7XntO7lKAmDTtJaAiIv6e_SOyaEpSwIM0YzAmjmlyhSDsBONN19iccwBqcN_LLrs979vq_n3TDhKM1rw-m3w0m4dCqToAIenUIIOPO9rdoHJoHGz7E6L7yDB4EkM2_J4e8Bd5EpGvC3IENsvjwg_CHK6rTXmf/s320/k5.png" width="227" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>
<b>Volume 5: In conclusion
</b><br /><br /></div><div>
The Killtopia trip comes to a gratifying end. This is a must-read for fans of cyberpunk and dystopian graphic novels, even if I felt the ending wasn’t quite as strong as the build-up. But overall with its compelling characters, intricate plot, and stunning artwork, this series offers a captivating journey through a future that is both haunting and enthralling. By the time you finish volume 5, you’ll be left pondering this dark tale as you wake yourself from such an immersive world.
</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - DO NOT DENY YOURSELF THE PLEASURE OF KILLTOPIA!!</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click banner below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>(now becoming a comic too)...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-73619417369165759172023-09-09T23:54:00.004+01:002023-09-09T23:58:35.854+01:00Joey Valence & Brae PUNK TACTICS (Review)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHs5ee5jjoMQWAFbcMih_9WGTIVmQNx1DNDx7jpbbHDWkxUOPgtr5yasG4EFEETS3z3uN2elG1v3pyxxA43g054ZjYcjs4X8jLpaR7jDEfzTN5UMoEnoYaoT6aJLPXACl6i0WE_nXYDs9OjmrS7eqqOL2v9UX_KQlZplxBANzhhMmHsMy8JKR/s300/punk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHs5ee5jjoMQWAFbcMih_9WGTIVmQNx1DNDx7jpbbHDWkxUOPgtr5yasG4EFEETS3z3uN2elG1v3pyxxA43g054ZjYcjs4X8jLpaR7jDEfzTN5UMoEnoYaoT6aJLPXACl6i0WE_nXYDs9OjmrS7eqqOL2v9UX_KQlZplxBANzhhMmHsMy8JKR/s1600/punk.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><b>
PUNK TACTICS</b> <div><br /><div>Joey Valence & Brae (<a href="https://twitter.com/JoeyValence">@JoeyValence</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/heybrae">@heybrae</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@cleric20</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>“Ooh, goddamn, I drop bombs
I was born with the brains and the brawn
I am the king and you're just a pawn
Who's got the high ground now, Obi-Wan?” </i></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">Punk Tactics </div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the future – Hip Hop Joey Valence & Brae (JvB) bring their underground sound (which is basically a most excellent Beastie Boys reimagining) and boy is it fun! So it appears that Mike D, Ad-Rock and MCA (RIP) have inspired two swaggering and nerdy spiritual go-getters and far from being talentless cash-in merchants, these guys are great!! </div><div><br /></div><div>I found JvB because the artist Jimmy Hobbs who I worked with on my comic 'What Waits For Us In The Dark [Matter]' has been doing the single cover artwork for the band!? Then I had the joy of seeing JvB live last month at their – to date – largest headline gig and they brought their ‘A-game’ – appetites were suitably whetted for their debut album. </div><div><br /></div><div>What Waits comic has exclusive JvB artwork by Jimmy on the back>>></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gzgHdA65-9rV65uNmvcR2WLwVk_hvKkDOcxzFVg3g7qRpvf1nZytAzbCdIFz7MJkx74yHNKqRT_sITi3H-b7qmgkdp0QxOSDVuGCjM8KwERFDXSKMQy6TfSzaQDyZeM7Ubdn37eqEOpFRmr-5GQ4T4ZT25D6zm9rqByMZoDCpzsmm_T4ZTS3/s680/jimmy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="544" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4gzgHdA65-9rV65uNmvcR2WLwVk_hvKkDOcxzFVg3g7qRpvf1nZytAzbCdIFz7MJkx74yHNKqRT_sITi3H-b7qmgkdp0QxOSDVuGCjM8KwERFDXSKMQy6TfSzaQDyZeM7Ubdn37eqEOpFRmr-5GQ4T4ZT25D6zm9rqByMZoDCpzsmm_T4ZTS3/s320/jimmy.jpeg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And here is how PUNK TACTICS plays… </div><div><br /></div><div>Opening with the title track PUNK TACTICS the stage is set for a rampant good time. Spitting bars with videogame references and some clever wordplay, this is what the world needs right now.
Next up is DROP <b>‘I came, I saw. We came to drop bombs’ </b>a saucy little dance number, followed up DELINQUENT (TEEN TITAN) which is a love letter to comic books <b>‘…gliding through the city, mask on, Green Goblin. I'm a villain, you a sidekick, Robin’</b> – it will make your inner nerd grin. </div><div><br /></div><div>Coming in hot then we have the one-two punch of WATCH YO STEP and STARTAFIGHT which are all frenetic energy, sneaker namechecks and dance beats. STARTAFIGHT’s <b>‘Yeah, we get delinquent. Run it, run it, run it, run it like a reprint’</b> really should be on the soundtrack to the next Streetfighter game… Finishing the violent section is the rocking KILL BILL. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0hxu-ldBSq1nuoPTrsHdYQ4vMgiKd1wChZn9umteGN7L5B6XhK26V0IA9VqaqqGncFjksWju3Vd9MNdjJMzCVjlVOLGf7g-g4LDtLNl0CtR6a-aIlWQev-chaQJq3DXNHW5AIe4Frx1OdUQ755H_uWMKlUWFhN7L9FDWQYsA59j9aA3Fs63r/s225/dance.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0hxu-ldBSq1nuoPTrsHdYQ4vMgiKd1wChZn9umteGN7L5B6XhK26V0IA9VqaqqGncFjksWju3Vd9MNdjJMzCVjlVOLGf7g-g4LDtLNl0CtR6a-aIlWQev-chaQJq3DXNHW5AIe4Frx1OdUQ755H_uWMKlUWFhN7L9FDWQYsA59j9aA3Fs63r/s1600/dance.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>The duo slip in an Eminem INTERMISSION and then it’s time for poptastic GUMDROP before the laid-back DANCE NOW which is classy and then the smooth vibes of RN <b>‘feeling good right now’</b>. Nice.
The incredible TANAKA 2 comes next with guest vocals from Logic and this is a stone-cold killer track. <b>‘Non-Stop, Denzel. Heavyweight, Rocky, barbell. Oh, you slick? I'm John Wick. Rambo how I swing the sticks’</b>… </div><div><br /></div><div>Personal fav HOOLIGANG kicks the doors in as a follow-up and it’s epic! Man, it was great live too – and has been my ‘drive too fast to’ track since it came out. Before you escape you must also face the beating that will leave you looking like a STREET PIZZA. The fun descriptions of pizza toppings showcase JvB at their most playful. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, the majestically over-the-top CLUB SANDWICH has been likened to No Sleep Till Brooklyn and that’s not an unfair comparison – it finishes off the album in fine style. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z6-8GCwj1yhY1RL9jrIOiK63pyGYpQxxeW4Te56_xqmO_9jkS9N2ifTVi-DmhUD_PDk3-hNrqLo5A3X0tXvKfRJ-lgLlEpmpTCh85Li4Utfdxj3ys8ansDQYT827AD0UjZU9TjfJNQvwZxMPuhHjUlqEj-fYw8LnCX9VSws3CRrKiQArdMkC/s225/tanaka2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z6-8GCwj1yhY1RL9jrIOiK63pyGYpQxxeW4Te56_xqmO_9jkS9N2ifTVi-DmhUD_PDk3-hNrqLo5A3X0tXvKfRJ-lgLlEpmpTCh85Li4Utfdxj3ys8ansDQYT827AD0UjZU9TjfJNQvwZxMPuhHjUlqEj-fYw8LnCX9VSws3CRrKiQArdMkC/s1600/tanaka2.jpeg" width="225" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Wherever the Joey Valence & Brae story goes next, PUNK TACTICS is a great debut album that lays down a marker for a wickedly talented couple of guys who hopefully will take the world by storm…
</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - NOTHING CAN PREPARE YOU - ALBUM OF THE YEAR!!</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-68903879088477675502023-08-24T10:34:00.003+01:002023-08-24T10:34:48.652+01:00Matt reads the Diablo IV BOOK OF LORATH and reviews<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhB1oJjlRudqf8JxRGWFzvwW4EBEAl3IWPSbC4MUEIqGqfne0AQhXMxu8Fd7PLglz8Gdgq75ERnUQbunP74nGSuKMk_kqonI4ZirkCocZ9LfSpGI9CGwpxaOQpE7-UKTp76rRv42O1zNKO-mXogwwstYmM2FCWl9nBH2Mui1imKJZAKCLvTRS/s1578/diablo-book-of-lorath-cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1578" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhB1oJjlRudqf8JxRGWFzvwW4EBEAl3IWPSbC4MUEIqGqfne0AQhXMxu8Fd7PLglz8Gdgq75ERnUQbunP74nGSuKMk_kqonI4ZirkCocZ9LfSpGI9CGwpxaOQpE7-UKTp76rRv42O1zNKO-mXogwwstYmM2FCWl9nBH2Mui1imKJZAKCLvTRS/w304-h400/diablo-book-of-lorath-cover.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>Diablo IV Book of Lorath</b></h3><div><br />Matthew J. Kirby <a href="http://matthewjkirby.com/kirbside/">(check his blog here</a>) <p></p>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Diablo IV is a fantastic game, I have invested over 100 hours in it and continue to enjoy the challenges that the world of Sanctuary... It is a dream on PS5 and very worthy of your time. So, I was delighted to be asked by Titan Books to check out their gorgeously bound Book of Lorath which is a comprehensive, stunningly illustrated artifact supposedly handed down by the Horadric Order (an ancient band of heroes and scholars) itself...</div><div><br /></div><div>It is everything you'd want in terms of a key to the lore of Blizzard Entertainment’s Diablo franchise's latest offering. You will be immersed into the restless evils that haunt Sanctuary, and find out ways in which the Horadrim wielded the knowledge in this book to light the way for humanity. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHyhWSFi4gxLGBJg2YCXyHtxe_lx-45ditBOpP55sz6OD5Mq_0OrAD0Do48SOOnXn_lMCA0H9KyGELt3WysDW_YI9EbE9lA70ptEBmwfbe0gtzGWuArx1wZrLdXJLiWty9wpJOhi7o2ghVvP5aiqezw-uVsIepL_Kfcll7FeJIkav5Kg8F1Od/s1860/diablo-book-of-lorath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1860" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHyhWSFi4gxLGBJg2YCXyHtxe_lx-45ditBOpP55sz6OD5Mq_0OrAD0Do48SOOnXn_lMCA0H9KyGELt3WysDW_YI9EbE9lA70ptEBmwfbe0gtzGWuArx1wZrLdXJLiWty9wpJOhi7o2ghVvP5aiqezw-uVsIepL_Kfcll7FeJIkav5Kg8F1Od/w400-h258/diablo-book-of-lorath.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'feast on the knowledge'</div><div><br /></div><div>In the Book of Lorath, you get to hear ro Lorath Nahr, one of the last of the dwindling Horadrim, on his journey through Sanctuary’s most powerful relics and discover the stories behind them. It is said that Lorath’s hope is that this volume will preserve his knowledge for all time . . . and pass it down to those who will inherit the fight against the Prime Evils. </div><div><br /></div><div>Created by the Diablo development team and award-winning author Matthew J. Kirby, this immersive, must-have compendium with all-new illustrations showcases the artifacts that have often been—and might yet be—the key to tipping the fate of the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>Adventurers should secure a copy as soon as they can!!</div><div><br /></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - Diablo IV's essential accompaniment.</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">..)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Thanks to titan books for the copy!</span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-31676105245563667332023-08-19T22:18:00.005+01:002023-08-19T22:20:51.693+01:00Matt sees the Chrome Sky 2 (review)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg479wvnS-c90o72x-0yjJvi3g0-yRmppRLLnU2CVyLFoE1rwGZSf6Cv1jxShkWlrROQyFm9v4w5eEj-z8k7Q1aBz1GhC_D9ArFc5NHJhwKECAU8X8VHKL3BKETVqxfuBwVPwBygWrwMgXXPsUydHXqubrVIQWSnYK9glwWffLLXS1sKT896i54/s825/chrome%20sky%202.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="550" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg479wvnS-c90o72x-0yjJvi3g0-yRmppRLLnU2CVyLFoE1rwGZSf6Cv1jxShkWlrROQyFm9v4w5eEj-z8k7Q1aBz1GhC_D9ArFc5NHJhwKECAU8X8VHKL3BKETVqxfuBwVPwBygWrwMgXXPsUydHXqubrVIQWSnYK9glwWffLLXS1sKT896i54/s320/chrome%20sky%202.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>CHROME SKY 2: The Bounty Hunters</b></h3><div><br /></div><div>Steven Mccumaskey (<a href="https://twitter.com/EVCComicsBooks">@EVCComicsBooks</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)</div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>"Emerging in the gloom of the charcoal dust winds and ice rain came a blurred cluster of shapes nondescript that gradually mutated into the outline of a settlement..."</i></b><br /><div><br /></div><div>Journey back to a desolate planet where vast, metallic deserts hide all manner of sins. Following on but also telling the backstory of one of the '3 Devils' from the first issue. </div><div>The plot sees an outlaw bounty hunter getting a sudden attack of conscience after she and her gang wound and cripple a young boy during their latest robbery. </div><div><br /></div><div>So far, so gritty, but then a series of double crossings and accomplices turning traitors, sees her left for dead with her comrades running off with her share of the loot.</div><div><br /></div><div>But they should have made sure - because this bounty hunter isn't dead so easy and launches a quest to seek vengeance against those who betrayed her, justice for the injured child and redemption for herself. Back again is the deathly colour scheme and mix of limited visuals and text, counterposed with some stunning full pages of artwork.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGay3q576OFPbFBjqIhQmpTZZx9i9Au_k1MoMkOjEGPjfEbSDwF7fqcbdlJpK9FoXOO9VOUwj4ruxoxH8i6UilY2xXFGCW68EkYx2qW8_3OAObB9bpeGJhOp8nVBE5lg2XDp2ve_Xb--kfg4D3feNkirdavXTCMMbqsLjFZA3m5jbf9VuMgmxr/s2048/chrome2.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGay3q576OFPbFBjqIhQmpTZZx9i9Au_k1MoMkOjEGPjfEbSDwF7fqcbdlJpK9FoXOO9VOUwj4ruxoxH8i6UilY2xXFGCW68EkYx2qW8_3OAObB9bpeGJhOp8nVBE5lg2XDp2ve_Xb--kfg4D3feNkirdavXTCMMbqsLjFZA3m5jbf9VuMgmxr/w267-h400/chrome2.jpeg" width="267" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>The bounty hunter is wounded and broken in the badlands known as the iron plains, she tackles her first challenges of survival, facing off against the hostile elements and vicious creatures of the desert that threaten to destroy her before the mission can even begin.
A fusion of mythic Western and dystopian cyberpunk, Envision Comics are making something very cool here.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Mccumaskey has a skill of spinning a tale that you want to find out where it goes, the good news is that there are another 11 episodes to come!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">(4.5 - There is blood on the wind!! )</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Read our review of Chrome Sky 1 <a href="https://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2022/07/matt-shelters-from-chrome-sky-three.html">HERE</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Get your copy of <a href="https://www.comichaus.com/comics/chrome-sky-/205595.htm">CHROME SKY: The Bounty Hunters</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Click below to find out about my dark sci-fi novel...</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-21105496920370038422023-08-17T20:46:00.001+01:002023-08-17T20:47:56.419+01:00Matt's Adventures About to Begin (review)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5DqVrt1P-NOtVHyynoUeDpRW-zNPDPfD_L7Vraxb8SJoqZ1yquk8V82Pc-I5SJnZZm6Pqtltb4hkGSe_xlcYLwpOD-BurB-lr5MvSGHvumsf_Z6GXZJkv-nU2p3f_rh7WyrMELrHs-SRY7G63AXWKHhC-27xqTTtjI9AaAdRzgq6lOhi2WVB/s2551/Adventures%20About%20To%20Begin%20Book%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2551" data-original-width="1633" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5DqVrt1P-NOtVHyynoUeDpRW-zNPDPfD_L7Vraxb8SJoqZ1yquk8V82Pc-I5SJnZZm6Pqtltb4hkGSe_xlcYLwpOD-BurB-lr5MvSGHvumsf_Z6GXZJkv-nU2p3f_rh7WyrMELrHs-SRY7G63AXWKHhC-27xqTTtjI9AaAdRzgq6lOhi2WVB/w256-h400/Adventures%20About%20To%20Begin%20Book%20Cover.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b>Adventures About to Begin </b><div><br /></div><div>Allen Therisa (<a href="https://twitter.com/AllenTherisa">@AllenTherisa</a>) </div><div><br /></div><div>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</div><div><br /><b><i>"‘That David Bowie, he's just an old poof,’ Kelly snorted at this point giving two fingers to Nan's back. ‘And he’s a Nazi. It said so in the papers.’
… ‘You and that David bloody Bowie,’ Kelly sneered, following me one sulky step behind out into the hallway. ‘Why don’t you go and marry him if you think he’s brilliant? Which he’s not.’"</i></b><div><br /></div><div>My favourite author was Iain Banks RIP and he started his family drama novel 'The Crow Road' with the line ''It was the day my grandmother exploded." So when the blurb for Adventures About to Begin started 'After the death of his grandfather, Noah’s life is thrown into chaos' I thought I should give it a go just in case it was as good...</div><div><br /></div><div>OK, whilst Allen Therisa might not be the new Iain Banks (literally nobody is) - he does spin an interesting tale of a family where young Noah faces a repressed past which threatens everything he believes to be true. </div><div><br /></div><div>Noah's life is not straightforward, he has to navigate a difficult relationship with his sister, Kelly, as they reflect on their turbulent childhood – being taken from London to live in the Kent countryside following the breakdown of their parent’s marriage. </div><div><br /></div><div>The story is set from the 1970s onwards (in Kent where I grew up) and forms an excellent nostalgia trip for those who remember things like Sugar Puffs and Abba (yep, that's me again)!? Adventures About To Begin chronicles a collapsing marriage as experienced by its children and reflects on how memory shapes our decisions at crucial junctures during our lives. </div><div><br /></div><div>At times it is funny and touching, as well as a sensitive insight into British family life during a period of great social and cultural change.</div><div><br /></div><div>Growing up in the '70s wasn't easy and the challenges that Noah faces including the death of his grandfather and remembering the traumatic fallout from his parent's marriage will resonate with many readers. Therisa writes in a pretty basic style but it works here to convey the emotions and thoughts of the cast of characters. I particularly liked the glossary in the back too as it is like a fun trip through British culture of the time period.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDI0eTdt_U-98j33w0WnYQgFR4hMFP3AHMaVfhDRGzFVqHXrirQKXopUnjHYR-svMjOyc7wEL-uNczJYKu3nc-0jX72h0KSo7mphp2WLgi0KyWBpZVj2bxTL2EmYTw084mO3W-C4CIlM6PbijklPhekR_wL29Vopze-Dg2Sz8xWTiPgcYp9SX/s1377/Allen%20Therisa%20Author%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1357" data-original-width="1377" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqDI0eTdt_U-98j33w0WnYQgFR4hMFP3AHMaVfhDRGzFVqHXrirQKXopUnjHYR-svMjOyc7wEL-uNczJYKu3nc-0jX72h0KSo7mphp2WLgi0KyWBpZVj2bxTL2EmYTw084mO3W-C4CIlM6PbijklPhekR_wL29Vopze-Dg2Sz8xWTiPgcYp9SX/s320/Allen%20Therisa%20Author%20Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Who is this Allen Therisa?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Aside from writing fiction, Allen Therisa also writes for blogs on everything from popular culture to politics, outside of his working life in the world of social media and website design. Adventures About To Begin is his debut novel.</div><div><br /></div><div>Follow Allen at:
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/allentherisafb">https://www.facebook.com/allentherisafb</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Website: <a href="https://allentherisa.com/">https://allentherisa.com/</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Goodreads - <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122495311-adventures-about-to-begin">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/122495311-adventures-about-to-begin</a> </div><div><br /></div><div>Buy Yourself a copy - <a href="https://geni.us/bGe6z">https://geni.us/bGe6z</a></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(3.5 - I am a Tiger... Sorry, the Abba vibes got be there, enjoy a family trip of joy and pain</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">..)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;">This review is part of the world-famous ZOOLOOBOOKTOURS!!</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXP-nLdmjN1cevXXqxyywTiYRURnIkKvP_Ey5QilQXqYGK-R_2aU13ASxscqSw8MPdVCw5EtQCUbhJ88MIyg5u083U4N30HKh4mrJElPTiCwuA-wLK-y7r6IGwNX1lOq9Tb4ZV6VKrw8ODaQPAvnVyIayOIzcs-lkp46xAuGS533Qvps_3Dulg/s1080/Zooloo's%20Book%20Tours%20(1).png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXP-nLdmjN1cevXXqxyywTiYRURnIkKvP_Ey5QilQXqYGK-R_2aU13ASxscqSw8MPdVCw5EtQCUbhJ88MIyg5u083U4N30HKh4mrJElPTiCwuA-wLK-y7r6IGwNX1lOq9Tb4ZV6VKrw8ODaQPAvnVyIayOIzcs-lkp46xAuGS533Qvps_3Dulg/w200-h200/Zooloo's%20Book%20Tours%20(1).png" width="200" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-49966434820669318602023-07-22T17:02:00.003+01:002023-07-22T17:15:16.391+01:00Matt visits The Shadow Galaxy and meets the author Jendia Gammon<h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViO5Kr1p8b8IW-JAAQQCdFwe5bHA3phw9AMVhOrjJMgEj2XI0Y3YtMVSizXCVEuUK4m5wD6gL94exwIzhfs1RtT0k3bmyTa4vhXWeh_8cyz9SxIlx8OKm1KL8OpmEpUhmv8GbOAdIKOxKHKdjdEGJWetroVZP9KayA5k-ct8akMVcrj_nq_Ye/s600/galaxy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="410" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjViO5Kr1p8b8IW-JAAQQCdFwe5bHA3phw9AMVhOrjJMgEj2XI0Y3YtMVSizXCVEuUK4m5wD6gL94exwIzhfs1RtT0k3bmyTa4vhXWeh_8cyz9SxIlx8OKm1KL8OpmEpUhmv8GbOAdIKOxKHKdjdEGJWetroVZP9KayA5k-ct8akMVcrj_nq_Ye/w273-h400/galaxy.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">THE SHADOW GALAXY</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"> </span></h3><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">J. Dianne Dotson ( <a href="https://twitter.com/jdiannedotson"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;">@jdiannedotson</span></a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/jendiagammon">@jendiagammon</a> )</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@cleric20</a> threads <a href="https://www.threads.net/@cleric20">@cleric20</a> )</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><i> </i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>“She leaned toward the figure, and saw the outline of a humanoid shape, partially obscured by shadow and a thick layer of ochre-colored dust. The eyes were switched off, and dark. She stepped closer, and found herself staring up at this tall figure, with its smooth face, with no sharp angles. She reached out and touched that face… The eyes flashed open, and two hands seized hers.”</i> </b>RODER</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">In space, no one can hear you scream ’Ooooo that’s a cool collection of short fiction and poetry from the cross-genre author, science writer, and artist J. Dianne Dotson!’</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Doesn’t matter because once you’re caught in this heavy-duty attention-grabbing black hole of short stories and poetry, you will hardly have time to realise that you’ve been whisked off to magical realms, haunted by some fascinating ‘what if’ horror and fantasy and made to search your heart by some Appalachian tales.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Writing as J. Diane Dotson, Jendia Gammon journeys beyond the conventions of average sci-fi, she trips the light of fantastical oddities and takes you kicking and screaming into some very unnerving places. It all feels deeply personal capturing emotions, longing, regrets, and escapism and it’s written in an engaging and readable style that you won’t easily tire of.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">RODER is my favourite of the tales – it is the snapshot of a young woman named Roan who risks her life to help find a robot who captured her heart. It’s a gripping and heart-melting burst of joy – and worth the price of admission on its own!!</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDKWzd7C0gkX-fUlFtqENZ1XE20mx-H_yy2v7_BDQ4XGwEk248oVVuz2htru1otxdtamTiu81ulKnNnKADuGSnFDmcjNI34qnwIWLZQP0lVNVpPNKQeOoOWRvy51mMWdPXKn_fFu2agYkOhZeonMJ_R8BnZ_IyB23AXa-1nIDB3emCGezUbcO/s2500/J.+Dianne+Dotson.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1658" data-original-width="2500" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDKWzd7C0gkX-fUlFtqENZ1XE20mx-H_yy2v7_BDQ4XGwEk248oVVuz2htru1otxdtamTiu81ulKnNnKADuGSnFDmcjNI34qnwIWLZQP0lVNVpPNKQeOoOWRvy51mMWdPXKn_fFu2agYkOhZeonMJ_R8BnZ_IyB23AXa-1nIDB3emCGezUbcO/w320-h212/J.+Dianne+Dotson.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I had the chance to put the Darkmatters Interview Q’s to Jendia and here is what she said:</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>If you were a superhero – what powers would you have and who or what would be your nemesis?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>Teleportation, and I’m guessing fresh taffy would make a fine adversary. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt:</b> What is the best sci-fi scene you’ve ever read? </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>The final goodbye between Lyra and Will in HIS DARK MATERIALS.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London what type of parade would it be?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>The Most Fantastic Parade full of characters, creatures, and ships from sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and fairy tales.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>You’re in a strange town with £100,000 that you have to spend in a single evening – talk me through what you get up to…</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>I’d pay everyone’s food and utility bills that needed it, for as long as the money stretches.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>Who inspires you most (can be living or dead)?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, President Jimmy Carter, my husband Gareth L. Powell (<a href="http://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2023/02/matts-trouble-dog-interview-embers-of.html">Darkmatters review of his Embers of War Trilogy</a>), teachers, librarians, astronauts, medical workers, and scientists. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>What is the meaning of life?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia:</b> Help others, enjoy the little moments, and eat good chocolate.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>What was the best bit of copy you’ve written / or that you’re most proud of?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>I’m proud of all my books so I can’t pick one favorite line. But I do like this one in LUMINIFEROUS:</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>“If it’s chaos to be with you, I’ll take that over order. I’ll hold your hands in hell, and I’ll love you in the heavens.”</i></b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>If you could have a robot servant – what would you get it to do for you?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>Bake me pies.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt: </b>What would you like written on your tombstone?</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia: </b>I won’t have a tombstone.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Matt:</b> Any final words you like to add...</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>Jendia:</b> Reach out to your loved ones often.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(4 - Recommend you take a trip through this Shadow Galaxy</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">...)</b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-65095652473110503512023-07-18T18:50:00.001+01:002023-07-18T18:50:07.415+01:00Code Red, repeat this is Code Red (by Ian Loome) Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYJGenkkx_EuNL0dTGuOX_HEHtPa3E_3uqnZaz1--EIYCHPcEU9njB9L9s_fcc4Wlh26ItrSpTkfU6gQOPwNjWpTYYIBEO8g10H6L_FbzqWYkHKZJpnTSUZjY5OAaJDk2agusCRJkTLWTfTDUqzxIX0QktIb4zO-6WcNES3A5KfTU76GWVI7_/s4500/Code%20Red%20Book%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4500" data-original-width="2820" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYJGenkkx_EuNL0dTGuOX_HEHtPa3E_3uqnZaz1--EIYCHPcEU9njB9L9s_fcc4Wlh26ItrSpTkfU6gQOPwNjWpTYYIBEO8g10H6L_FbzqWYkHKZJpnTSUZjY5OAaJDk2agusCRJkTLWTfTDUqzxIX0QktIb4zO-6WcNES3A5KfTU76GWVI7_/w251-h400/Code%20Red%20Book%20Cover.jpg" width="251" /></a></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">CODE RED</h3><div><br /></div><div>Ian Loome(<a href="https://twitter.com/inkubatorbooks">@inkubatorbooks</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>CODE RED - defined as follows:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>- A condition of heightened alert against imminent danger</div><div>- also unauthorized extra-judicial punishment meted out within the military</div><div>- and a kick-ass thriller that will give you heart palpitations with its excitement overdose!</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>"The day had gone from bad to worse. On arriving home, he'd been informed that his computer network and home security had been breached, They had no idea what might have been seen or taken from the system.</i></b></div><div><b><i>And then there was the matter of the dead cop..."</i></b></div><div><br /></div>What do you do when your hero of the day has sworn he’ll never kill again? Well in Ian Loome's excellent new thriller-em-up Code Red, you just wait because some promises are hard to keep. <div><br /></div><div>Meet Bob Singleton an ex-CIA assassin (who still has the skills), he's been badly messed up thanks to a terrible past, and now finds himself living in a LG refrigerator box behind a dumpster in downtown Chicago - yep, you read that right...</div><div><br /></div><div>Like most unstable heroes Bob just wants to be left alone. But before you can say 'look out Bob - your past is coming back to haunt you!' - that's exactly what happens because he falls in with some folks who need his special skill set to stay alive...</div><div><br /></div><div>The twisty plot cracks along as if it's being pursued by a group of trained killers - which is ironic because young Marcus and nurse Dawn have stumbled onto a conspiracy, that has put their lives in danger and a group of trained killers are after them!?</div><div><br /></div><div>It's down to Bob to protect them, and fortunately, that's the sort of thing he's good at. What follows is a high-energy, gripping tale which sees Bob out to discover the truth about what happened in his murky past because it's all linked to the plight of the innocents who are now in his care.</div><div><br /></div><div>I really liked the characters in Code Red. Bob himself is a great hero - props to his using a rubbish bin lid like a frisbee to take down an assassin... Even the more dubious characters are interesting like the ex-marine who also draws comic characters - nice little details like this add flavour and fun to the story and make you care a bit more than in lesser writers' works.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, if you like your action crunching and your heroes emotionally detached, I have a Code Red for you, and the good news is that this is just the first in a new action thriller series.</div><div><br /></div><div>So if you enjoy Lee Childs, Jack Carr, etc and haven't come across Ian Loome - today is your lucky day!!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvOk7yTgHZF-zx-xlPzyKHKGQ9sp4y0MzNxY_FmQFm2Cy5NRP4CuoBPXcbIqMJpXM_Y3xPmqGmU1bdeDqxuJhk9NwsyI72WlhfydEtQGj7GFRGu01CLV8CgIMv3VOUGeVbscYj04aVWk08EAGJkkm6-4L_6Jjx_8Pj2nhOMXeKVSLxQsFnRPa/s500/Ian%20Loome%20Author%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKvOk7yTgHZF-zx-xlPzyKHKGQ9sp4y0MzNxY_FmQFm2Cy5NRP4CuoBPXcbIqMJpXM_Y3xPmqGmU1bdeDqxuJhk9NwsyI72WlhfydEtQGj7GFRGu01CLV8CgIMv3VOUGeVbscYj04aVWk08EAGJkkm6-4L_6Jjx_8Pj2nhOMXeKVSLxQsFnRPa/s320/Ian%20Loome%20Author%20Photo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><b>Who is Ian Loome?</b><div><br /></div><div>Writer of thrillers and mysteries. His books have been downloaded more than a half-million times on Amazon.com and have regularly featured on the Kindle best-seller lists for more than a decade. For 24 years, Ian was a multi-award-winning newspaper reporter, editor and columnist in Canada. When he’s not figuring out innovative ways to snuff his characters, he plays blues guitar and occasionally fronts bands. He lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with his partner Lori, a pugnacious bulldog named Ferdinand, a confused mostly Great Dane puppy named Ollie, and some cats for good measure.
This is his first action thriller with Inkubator Books.
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4OOtsL7OkbOFawzmen0WthAr5f6ThPrcZl1jX73big08rW-Hymyjjn_0V-Zl0s6pmMlgqSSNavoDsroWKxVKSCJuWeVt9vDLq1GxMao7CVyqbyAl8a2UTfZupca25V7BnP9EHo2IWyvW_oyhP77fHr-MqP1zmhb3GPcfNoaxD-nup8uM9_GA/s1640/Code%20Red%20Tour%20Poster.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd4OOtsL7OkbOFawzmen0WthAr5f6ThPrcZl1jX73big08rW-Hymyjjn_0V-Zl0s6pmMlgqSSNavoDsroWKxVKSCJuWeVt9vDLq1GxMao7CVyqbyAl8a2UTfZupca25V7BnP9EHo2IWyvW_oyhP77fHr-MqP1zmhb3GPcfNoaxD-nup8uM9_GA/w400-h225/Code%20Red%20Tour%20Poster.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - CODE RED? CODE 'MUST READ' MORE LIKE...)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This post is part of the magnificent </span><a href="http://zooloosbooktours.co.uk/" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">ZOOLOO Book Blog</a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Tours...</span></p></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-32434370019982831832023-06-28T21:54:00.005+01:002023-06-28T21:55:58.419+01:00Matt gets Defragged and meets Glitch...<h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqp7DYiSP3zfpxDsbLfvy5HCTwY6DVSU7woBytG8-dm3O3lWg65UeqmKmRDRDyrRwnCJz6bicOiQoiiwQNkGjuSO2pPRpyk7VZeJUnLJ64RiwMvqDJCxmKPoRhhn-PC548B1681CHD3kHexBcpu0kPDgr5Rge_lhYUcOe35yL62EN1CMwaNvQJ/s1195/Website-Cover-Book-1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqp7DYiSP3zfpxDsbLfvy5HCTwY6DVSU7woBytG8-dm3O3lWg65UeqmKmRDRDyrRwnCJz6bicOiQoiiwQNkGjuSO2pPRpyk7VZeJUnLJ64RiwMvqDJCxmKPoRhhn-PC548B1681CHD3kHexBcpu0kPDgr5Rge_lhYUcOe35yL62EN1CMwaNvQJ/w257-h400/Website-Cover-Book-1.webp" width="257" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></b></h2><h2 style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px;">Defrag (The Glitch Logs Book 1)</span></b></h2><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Rachel Beck (<a href="https://twitter.com/rachelthebeck">@rachelthebeck</a>)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Hey chooms – tune your chrome augmentations to ‘full cyberpunk pleasure’ and jump into the gritty cyberpunk world of Neosaka. Here the neon-washed streets serve as a backdrop for a tale of hacking, heists, and hidden agendas. The protagonist, Glitch, is a hacker / runner with a knack for getting her hands on valuable data in a city dominated by powerful corporations. Sounds like your sort of cyber fun? Oh boy it really is…</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So without splurging too much plot - when Glitch finds herself in the midst of a high-stakes heist gone wrong. A rival crew emerges, setting off a dangerous chain of events that forces her to navigate a treacherous landscape of shifting alliances and imminent danger. With a relentless security force closing in, Glitch must find a way to unite with her rivals if they are to have any chance of survival.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Beck's world-building in Defrag is shiny. Neosaka comes alive with an atmosphere that drips with tension and cybernetic allure.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Glitch is a relatable and sympathetic protagonist, wracked with internal conflicts as she hits hidden agendas and the deep societal implications of Neosaka's corporate dominance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Defrag is a gripping cyberpunk adventure that combines high-stakes action, intricate world-building, and well-developed characters. Beck's writing is worth checking – the good news is that there is a whole series – so be sure to check Overclocked and User Error which follow…</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui_ZAlS_2B6sdLyjTvo1EK64B0vL9T-PIW13p3HMljpRWQ-uR91eyEW9yhAdnb9c7F2ZFOgfcMDDJZpklYrXCbXtYEl7BS47qRo9-u3GB6NCyIbsGePsEnHmZsHfqAK8_6rZj9nNJX5aaRlqJCrBIzw6FFASHrGIPipYIgjZtxHRjeUIgpMp-/s300/cyberpunk.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgui_ZAlS_2B6sdLyjTvo1EK64B0vL9T-PIW13p3HMljpRWQ-uR91eyEW9yhAdnb9c7F2ZFOgfcMDDJZpklYrXCbXtYEl7BS47qRo9-u3GB6NCyIbsGePsEnHmZsHfqAK8_6rZj9nNJX5aaRlqJCrBIzw6FFASHrGIPipYIgjZtxHRjeUIgpMp-/s1600/cyberpunk.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Until 21 July you can get Defrag as part of the Fanatical CYBERPUNK BUNDLE </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">(along with that there Complete Darkness you might have come across) <a href="https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle/cyberpunk-dystopia-novels-collective-bundle">>>> CIICK to get a copy </a></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>It's not every day you get to ask the main character of a cool book some Q's - but today is that day...</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br />MATT MEETS GLITCH!</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>If you were granted cyber-augmented powers who or what would be your nemesis?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH:</b> I don’t have to wonder: I know. His name is Axiom and that asshole has had it in for me for years now. He sold out our team for a plushy corporate job and it’s been war between us ever since. Well, that and I’m wearing an extremely expensive piece of cyberware that was supposed to be his big payout for selling us out. So yeah, I don’t see this ending until one of us is dead. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>I don’t watch a whole lot of media, but I used to compete professionally in the video game Champions of Nuur. I dunno about life affirming, but hearing a crowd of hundreds chanting your name from a stage does make you feel pretty alive.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the center of London what type of parade would it be?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>I dunno where you draw the line between “parade” and “riot” but it would be a riot. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>If you could choose a super power what would it be?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The power to phase through walls (and bullets) would make my life a whole lot easier. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>There was a guy I used to know that went by the name of PatchNotes. He had this idea that the last act of rebellion in a city as sold out as our is to give a damn about other people. I wouldn’t say I do what I do because of him, but he definitely shaped the way I see the world.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>Ooof, tough question. At this point in life, I can think of a whole list of people who would pay for the privilege. Nebula maybe, since I got her fiance killed on a job? Axiom, for the whole stealing his cyberware thing? Nine, because that’s just the kind of guy he is? I think the real takeaway here is that I need to work on my people skills.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>What is the meaning of life?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>Whatever goodness you can claw out of it that the corporations can’t immediately turn into a profit extraction opportunity.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>When I was a kid, my mom got me a dog. Like, a real one, not a robopet. I think it was supposed to help me develop social skills or something. It didn’t, but I really loved that dog. It was just happy to see me, you know? Didn’t matter what kind of day I’d had, it was always just thrilled that I was around. I miss that dog. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>Talk to people for me maybe? Teach me to talk to people? I don’t mean I want dating advice or anything: I just want people to stop looking at me and thinking to themselves, “You know, violence is probably a good solution here”. Like is it an attitude problem, or do I just have one of those faces? </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>What would you like written on your tombstone?</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>I probably won’t die rich enough to be able to afford a tombstone, but if someone wants to donate one, tell ‘em it should read “It was always personal.” And scratch an image of a moth into it while they’re at it. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>MATT: </i></b><i>Any final words you like to add…</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>GLITCH: </b>I’m not really one for speeches. Keep moving. Take care of each other. When danger comes knocking, kick it in the teeth. Figure out what’s more important to you than money and then chase that until they catch you. And every day, every f***ing day, wake up and fight the lie that your only worth is what shows up on a corporation’s bottom line. Good luck.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-24141620348682144022023-04-10T21:13:00.001+01:002023-04-10T21:15:15.396+01:00Matt receives a Death Warning (review)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZM-rSWVdWcBU5zN0K5CXc1P1K-Kn_t_CkJOrZeo_QRgL0JSKgX1iFPcEq627C2ciH3CDEox1iokRV5c26jfHcuZbYAKjZEFm0HRjZIB47euioO5GQhdyC10IKj224dB6qhXsiaYH0mOxzr77QQ41xCvaGxMweW-gpg7rTkduBOc3AfTSgw/s500/death.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZM-rSWVdWcBU5zN0K5CXc1P1K-Kn_t_CkJOrZeo_QRgL0JSKgX1iFPcEq627C2ciH3CDEox1iokRV5c26jfHcuZbYAKjZEFm0HRjZIB47euioO5GQhdyC10IKj224dB6qhXsiaYH0mOxzr77QQ41xCvaGxMweW-gpg7rTkduBOc3AfTSgw/s16000/death.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /> <b style="font-size: 13px;">Death Warning</b></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>(The seventh book in the<a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-Barrett/e/B0055888Q0/ref=aufs_dp_mata_dsk"> CSI Eddie Collins</a></span> series)</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Andrew Barrett (<a href="https://twitter.com/AndrewBarrettUK">@AndrewBarrettUK</a>)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">"Sheila stared at the wall, a spot - possibly a dead fly, just beneath the clock. Her eyes did not blink, they did not stray, and apart from a gasp, Sheila did not breathe. 'Just answer me one thing,' Christine said. 'Have the police been in touch?'</span></i></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">The fly was the centre of her universe. The world slammed on the brakes. This was the last thing she expected to hear today. This was the last thing she expected to hear today..."</span></i></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just when you thought it was safe to go to Leeds… Here’s a nicely grim detective-em-up that sees the ‘hero’ CSI Eddie Collins back and up to his neck in death, family drama, and worse of all, being filmed by a TV crew making a show about his department.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">This was my first experience of the fiction criminal world of author Andrew Barrett and it’s a lot of fun (if your definition of ‘fun’ is people getting brutally stabbed to death and dumped, suicides that might be linked and a possible demented killer on the prowl…)</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also - side questions - is there ever a time when it’s OK for the authorities to break the rules? What about to let a mother hold her daughter one last time? CSI Eddie Collins and his small team, are going to have their work cut out to show that there is a killer and that the killer could strike anywhere (well, in the Greater Leeds Area at least).</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Death Warning is your invitation to join Eddie as he dives headfirst into this dark and thrilling crime investigation, where he faces tragedy and horror, and where he risks everything to find the truth before the killer finds him. One thing I will say is that if anyone from Leeds Council reads this they may well put out a fatwa on Barrett for scaring off potential visitors.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Anyway, the plot sees the film crew shadowing him driving Eddie round the bend, his colleague Benson definitely having a midlife crisis and his father Charles is going off into his own world, in a nutshell, there is lots here beyond the killer plot to keep you engaged.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">What does all this add up to? Well in the capable hands of Barrett - a really excellent police procedural thriller that builds to a nail-biting climax. The good news for me is that there are 6 previous adventures in this series which I’ll be reading soon!?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Get your copy <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Death-Warning-killed-killer-Collins-ebook/dp/B0BX1N1TPP">here</a></span></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who is Andrew Barrett then?</span></b></p><p class="p4" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amazon says he is a renowned crime-thriller author and CSI from Yorkshire. He has been writing gripping tales of crime scene investigation since 1996, featuring compelling protagonists such as SOCO Roger Conniston and CSI Eddie Collins. His novels offer a riveting and realistic portrayal of the intricate world of forensic examination, and offer an immersive experience to readers.</span></p><p class="p3" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Andrew's novels draw readers into a criminal universe, offering a realistic and harrowing account of the battle between criminals and the police, flavoured with humour and sarcasm. His stories are brimming with suspense, taking readers on a journey filled with unexpected twists and turns.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you're looking for a thrilling story, check out Andrew's impressive contributions to the crime fiction genre. You can find out more about Andrew at <a href="https://www.andrewbarrett.co.uk/welcome-home/">www.andrewbarrett.co.uk </a>where readers can also sign up for his newsletter and claim a free starter library. Discover the captivating world of crime-solving with Andrew Barrett - only for the brave-hearted.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(4 - Crime-em-up that police thrillers should absolutely read!)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This post is part of the magnificent </span><a href="http://zooloosbooktours.co.uk/" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">ZOOLOO Book Blog</a><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Tours...</span></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-57909195421605184752023-03-13T21:50:00.005+00:002023-03-13T21:59:43.252+00:00UK demand for The Last of Us game jumps 9,800% after TV series finale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQT1VlzzQZiMdtQLZgDdEJObkOOQxIHT442aQYF3PrLJSmWOHZ6_qtTYMno4YjvALUYHmOFiJrOod4LU9m9Jl10zDZU-YIpT-36aDCcCtupRglKKKC4xfDJqhS_0QGUTAC5PNCuMdIh-85STcHWW4GByNpueBu4CUNiGxYBiqDHlWlx4WQtw/s299/lastofus.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQT1VlzzQZiMdtQLZgDdEJObkOOQxIHT442aQYF3PrLJSmWOHZ6_qtTYMno4YjvALUYHmOFiJrOod4LU9m9Jl10zDZU-YIpT-36aDCcCtupRglKKKC4xfDJqhS_0QGUTAC5PNCuMdIh-85STcHWW4GByNpueBu4CUNiGxYBiqDHlWlx4WQtw/s16000/lastofus.jpeg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;"><b>The Last Of Us - Can't Believe It's Over...</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span></p><p><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">The Last of Us </i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">is one hell of a </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; text-align: justify;">video game - so you can't blame watchers of the smash HBO TV series for wanting to get in on the original action.</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">And we're not talkig just a few - some nerds have pulled together stats (research sponsored by <a href="https://kingcasinobonus.uk/"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;">King Casino Bonus</span></a> ), show that<i> The Last of Us</i> fans are keen to give the video game a try, after the final episode of HBO’s Season 1 perfectly set up more episodes in the record-breaking series, based on the video game’s sequel.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">With a second season on the TV series already having been given the green light just two episodes into the first season, fans are considering filling the gap by giving the game a go. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The TV series has been a huge success after debuting in January, having consistently seen its same-day audience numbers grow each week, with episode four’s numbers up 60% from the first episode, which saw over 4.7 million viewers tune in to watch the premiere. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The average audience for the series’ first five episodes approached close to 30 million viewers across all platforms, according to HBO, whilst episode eight attracted 8.1 million viewers - which only represents 20-40% of the show’s total gross audience per week. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Immediately after the finale aired, Google searches for ‘<i>The Last of Us season 2’ </i>increased by a huge 9,800%, before gradually decreasing in interest as the night progressed. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It also inspired an influx of interest around the original source material - <i>The Last of Us </i>video game from Naughty Dog, which will celebrate a decade since its release this June. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cBFjf2-ACa04Ou3gWXevvWhkEHRgTs6nVx146tCuLMhwbtt1Y8Brw0RSrRya-ozK34az5_MGpJOr35Zg5PpEQQdhGlbFwSbF0uSB7QWUciMeZvUNfbRO6tnTjS0-bE6ZdK4X0rG8pgx0YxMWARr60xErF1PBuhrAjQJYYCf50iDaLvUdvw/s2470/las.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1389" data-original-width="2470" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cBFjf2-ACa04Ou3gWXevvWhkEHRgTs6nVx146tCuLMhwbtt1Y8Brw0RSrRya-ozK34az5_MGpJOr35Zg5PpEQQdhGlbFwSbF0uSB7QWUciMeZvUNfbRO6tnTjS0-bE6ZdK4X0rG8pgx0YxMWARr60xErF1PBuhrAjQJYYCf50iDaLvUdvw/w400-h225/las.webp" width="400" /></a></div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Related searches made last night point to the TV finale as the main driver behind the increased interest, with queries for ‘who plays Ellie in the last of us video game’ also rising. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Ashley Johnson - who voiced Ellie in the video games - appeared in last night’s finale in an integral role, much to fan’s delight, who were thrilled to see her in the hit show. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Other searches included ‘the last of us game ending explained’ - as last night’s season finale followed the original video game’s storyline closely - and ‘how did the last of us video game end’, as fans look to see how true the episode was to its source material. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Some regions are significantly more invested in giving the video game a try than others, the data shows, with the majority of Google searches coming from Scotland and Wales.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">So, what will the second season have in store, if it follows the story of the original game’s sequel? <i>The Last of Us Part II </i>is set five years after <i>The Last of Us, </i>and follows a revenge-set Ellie and soldier Abby as they continue to navigate the apocalypse. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Joel also briefly appears in the game’s opening sequence, with him and Ellie having built a life in Jackson, Wyoming - although their relationship has become somewhat strained. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It remains to be seen how closely the TV series’ second season will stick to the game’s storyline, but fans will be pleased to hear that the story will continue either way. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Speaking on the findings, <a href="https://kingcasinobonus.uk/"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;">King Casino Bonus</span></a> said: “After any season finale, there’s typically an uptick in interest around a second series, as fans are sad to see their favourite show head on hiatus. However, <i>'The Last of Us’ </i>has easily one of the highest increases in searches we’ve seen in a while - and it’s cool to see that this includes the video game. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">“The show has almost reached <i>Game of Thrones </i>level popularity amongst its fans after just one season, and we can’t wait to see how many more new players the series can accumulate between now and its second series - which hopefully won’t be too far away!”</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Data gathered from Google Trends over the last 24 hours. Raw data available on request - credit for this info to <a href="https://kingcasinobonus.uk/"><span class="s1" style="color: #dca10d;">kingcasinobonus.uk</span></a>.</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to give The Last of Us a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - The end of the world is worth watching - and playing!)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-3277607640410789702023-03-13T09:59:00.004+00:002023-03-13T10:02:37.656+00:00Matt has a New Yesterday with Frasier Armitage<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJzp-xEcP1pmbTyt0-kTXklDC-o2w7-HhWwdM-OCnIBtLfbUTNaoWWlgwJw9NvFdoHHFWf2rKyOy_xX3v3xKZyGNEdGeGndqez-pBNww36hBuTFW6_2tqD-RpJBOhsURr7Gli9p70ANV6eDtshqAcTWolbYXnWoKBM-PTkexjOePi5sOraQ/s1263/yes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="1263" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJzp-xEcP1pmbTyt0-kTXklDC-o2w7-HhWwdM-OCnIBtLfbUTNaoWWlgwJw9NvFdoHHFWf2rKyOy_xX3v3xKZyGNEdGeGndqez-pBNww36hBuTFW6_2tqD-RpJBOhsURr7Gli9p70ANV6eDtshqAcTWolbYXnWoKBM-PTkexjOePi5sOraQ/w400-h292/yes.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>New Yesterday </b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier Armitage (<a href="https://twitter.com/FrasierArmitage">@FrasierArmitage</a>)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Pre-reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i> </i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“No, you listen, and listen hard. We're not here to investigate what people remember. We find out the truth of what happened, and that’s all…”</i></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Are you happy with your past? Ever wished there was something that you hadn’t done or maybe some burning regret of something you wish you had?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Well, good news folks – Anderson Whitman Real Estate are here and we can literally change your life!?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Not long now until New Yesterday hits the bookshelves of the world - April ’23 to be precise. Here is a tale from the cyber-mind of Frasier Armitage who has explored the science fiction / real life ‘what if’ nexus in his short stories like Rememory and Yestermorrow (which is actually a prequel to this – his first full novel).</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Hang on to your pasts people - New Yesterday is a time-twist-em-up that explores the ultimate offer of the ability to change your past, to allow you to enjoy a future you’ll want to remember.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Think Total Recall with various lifestyle packages available – and the hero of this head-messing plot is Adam Swann who we meet as he’s being held at gunpoint by a man who claims he stole his life. It’s a cracking start and kicks off a full-scale investigation to discover the assailant's identity and regain those aspects of himself that he's lost.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />Adam has recurring flashes of a woman called </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lottie, but he can’t recall who exactly she is. Can he unpack this mystery without scrambling this brain because if you try to remember your former lives that have been ‘removed’ it can mess you up… </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Armitage writes with a compact and engrossing style. New Yesterday has a plot that could easily have got out of hand as time changes for characters throughout. There’s lots to think about and enjoy here, the good news is that you don’t need to undergo any medical procedures to add this to your memory banks!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />You can preorder now on Amazon. Or if your wanna jump into this world now you can grab the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Yestermorrow-Prelude-Yesterday-Frasier-Armitage/dp/B0B8894Q3K&source=gmail&ust=1678787387239000&usg=AOvVaw0jEiWz90Hf-6z9yK9WHYvp" href="https://www.amazon.com/Yestermorrow-Prelude-Yesterday-Frasier-Armitage/dp/B0B8894Q3K" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">prequel, Yestermorrow</a>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-size: 12pt; margin: 0cm;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbyHcdogKUv7J40WNklq4FtbHSKsUv8vT7bsHO7ABmwwCl6wEyuU9Z1fhCZu0ti54TZp7YfzBQ-EgrKLCnkv4MJ5vtvYWFroZdJd-60XaTWGxR9M_YMmxpOjtS1MsByUrjVn9Hm_Cj20XmhyAzrtAlK9WvC-enIMxpxc5PTu2YKEqqGmO5A/s768/frasier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="768" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbyHcdogKUv7J40WNklq4FtbHSKsUv8vT7bsHO7ABmwwCl6wEyuU9Z1fhCZu0ti54TZp7YfzBQ-EgrKLCnkv4MJ5vtvYWFroZdJd-60XaTWGxR9M_YMmxpOjtS1MsByUrjVn9Hm_Cj20XmhyAzrtAlK9WvC-enIMxpxc5PTu2YKEqqGmO5A/s320/frasier.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We abducted Frasier and asked his some questions:</span></p><p><b style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you were granted the superpowers, who or what would be your nemesis?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: Mornings. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Before noon, I’m basically a zombie. I’d have to do a job-share with another superhero who woke up with a spring in their step, otherwise, the whole criminal underworld would get a free pass between the hours of 7am and midday. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: I’ve been reading a lot of age-appropriate books to my one-year-old, and there’s something very sweet about the moment when the hungry caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly. I mean, can you get anything more life-affirming than that? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London what type of parade would it be?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: I’m terrible at organising things, so the only parade I’d ever be hired to throw is a fictional one, where all I have to do is write about it! But that in itself would be a great one to throw — a literary parade which featured entirely fictional characters in a fictional London. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And if that weren’t possible due to the limits of reality (boring!!!) then it’d be a Keanu Reeves parade, because then I’d get to meet him and shake his hand and look him in the eye and say “woah”, which would fulfill a lifelong dream of mine. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>You have the chance to change your memories - what does that look like for you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: I love this question. It’s actually something I’ve explored in my stories. New Yesterday isn’t just the name of my upcoming book, it’s a city where events in the present can change the past. So, as you can imagine, the aspect of whether changing our past can really lead to a better life is a big theme in that. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And another story of mine is set in a world where memory is currency (Rememory). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Memories are the conduits through which our choices flow. And I’m happy with my choices, so I don’t think I’d change a thing. But if I was forced to change something, I’d choose to remember the name of that thing I keep forgetting so I don’t have to keep googling it. I’d tell you what it is, but I really have forgotten. It’s the thingymajiggy. You know the one. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: Conversation. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I can’t tell you how many amazing ideas have wormed their way into my imagination when I’ve been spitballing something with another writer. Interaction is vital to my writing process. My wife and son are the sources of inspiration I draw from the most, but I only really know that because of the conversations I’ve had. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: Probably one of the many Frasiers from other parts of the multiverse who’s decided to come and steal my story ideas for his own nefarious gain. Evil Frasier doesn’t mince around. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>What is the meaning of life?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: I used to think I knew the answer to this question. But then my son was born. Seeing him in pictures during that first scan, I had to admit that I didn’t know the faintest thing about how to even define life, let alone give it meaning. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The closest I’ve come to finding meaning is a direct result of finding purpose. Whether the purpose of your life is something you discover or something you create for yourself, the meaning of your life becomes apparent when you realise what your life is going to be used for. Don’t just drift. Define what you’re going to do with your life, and its meaning will follow. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Also, at the risk of sounding mushy, it’s probably got something to do with love. Right? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: Hope. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: They could remember the name of that thing I keep forgetting! And take on my duties during the infernal morning hours. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If anyone is up for the job, let me know. You’re hired. Although, to be honest, I’ve always thought I’d make a much better sidekick than a hero. So maybe I should be offering my sidekick services out here instead? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>What would you like written on your tombstone?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: “Here lies Frasier Armitage, who achieved his lifelong goal of meeting Keanu Reeves after doing an interview with Matt Adcock. He was survived by everyone he loved.” </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>Any final words you like to add...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frasier: Just a big thanks to everyone who takes a chance on an indie author. The highest compliment you can pay a writer is to allow them access to your imagination for a little while, so for every reader out there — thank you. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Oh. And I should probably mention that New Yesterday comes out on April 4th, 2023. (I’m terrible at marketing. You can add that to the list of jobs for the hypothetical sidekick.)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Yesterday-Frasier-Armitage-ebook/dp/B0BSHCJXKY">CLICK THIS LINK TO BUY NEW YESTERDAY</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span><span style="font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(4.5 - Strong concept near future memory-stretching fun!)</b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><div><br /></div><p></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-16312171268906198782023-03-03T17:08:00.000+00:002023-03-03T17:08:06.171+00:00Matt embraces the COCAINE BEAR (review)<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-narh8dsM-_nnmNkQa1qCD3Pr8Slf-eUE5afjWrMOEA0_6DnHjWqvIahKDLdi6cTxZ1l1pPs6L6TeHIXsHV0uDmDX0AbL9X1TmHUKT0YeYqxyTR7-aZwc_NzczuTdw4c_Iju0ehDCbyn26eWbvean3epUntltsTJvV8P4MZ7toXJaBahgQ/s1477/coke.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-narh8dsM-_nnmNkQa1qCD3Pr8Slf-eUE5afjWrMOEA0_6DnHjWqvIahKDLdi6cTxZ1l1pPs6L6TeHIXsHV0uDmDX0AbL9X1TmHUKT0YeYqxyTR7-aZwc_NzczuTdw4c_Iju0ehDCbyn26eWbvean3epUntltsTJvV8P4MZ7toXJaBahgQ/w271-h400/coke.jpg" width="271" /></a></b></div><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b>Cocaine Bear (15)</b></p><p>Dir. Elizabeth Banks</p><p>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</p><p><b><i>“I’d love to not remember this. But it seems like the kind of thing that stays with a man forever…”</i></b></p><p>If you go down to the woods today you better be ready for some drug-fuelled grizzly alpha predator carnage. Yes, cocaine bear is a thing and oh boy it's a lot of fun. Directed by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden, This is the tail of what ‘might’ have happened if 175 pound black bear had ingested a lot of cocaine – because that much at least did happen back in 1985.</p><p>What really happened was much less exciting, the bear died after 20 minutes. Here however we get out deliciously insane coke-fuelled murderous rampage of fun. </p><p>The ‘all you can eat human buffet’ for the bear with serious munchies aren’t presented as mere just bear fodder - Banks gets good milage from her decent ensemble who include Sari (Keri Russell) soccer mom searching for her missing daughter (Brooklynn ‘<a href="http://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2017/11/darkmatters-review-florida-project.html">Florida Project</a>’ Prince), who’s skipped school to go rambling in the woods. Comedy park ranger (Margo Martindale) and her unrequited love interest wildlife inspector (Jesse Tyler Ferguson), police chief (Isiah Whitlock Jr) who is on the trail of the missing cocaine. But best of all is uber gangster Syd Dentwood (Ray Liotta, who died last year, and to whom this film is dedicated)…</p><p>Who is survive and what will be left of them is anyone’s guess.</p><p>Cocaine Bear is better than a film of that title has any right to be – and if there’s any justice in the world this will be a much-watched cult classic in years to come!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(4 - Coke-Bear-Mageddon </b></span></span><b>)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><b>Awesomeness </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – Godilocks better watch out...</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Laughs </b><b>ö</b></span><b>ö</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – laugh-out-loud in places</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /><b>Horror </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b></span><b>ö</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – some gory bits</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Spiritual Enlightenment -</b><b>ö</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;"> </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">- don't do drugs kids</span></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><div><br /></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-70843166319457571452023-02-22T13:12:00.000+00:002023-02-22T13:12:02.992+00:00Matt's Trouble Dog Interview (& Embers of War review)<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8EV5--9qyrKiv_CXmdBH6j6UwDlcTes5J0f2jWf4VRF3BkCOzJkCx3Gtrj5O17qBfOv6dgsQ2rmmtibiQbpDRvMBvvKe_KPjLPYcr9TVnFSmfDwbNl37YEgQ5G8cHDCx09gnbUEK3If4Wg0rkkw4gUv-aXInGk8o06vGi5wmPBeyQh0UPw/s800/war.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="800" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8EV5--9qyrKiv_CXmdBH6j6UwDlcTes5J0f2jWf4VRF3BkCOzJkCx3Gtrj5O17qBfOv6dgsQ2rmmtibiQbpDRvMBvvKe_KPjLPYcr9TVnFSmfDwbNl37YEgQ5G8cHDCx09gnbUEK3If4Wg0rkkw4gUv-aXInGk8o06vGi5wmPBeyQh0UPw/w400-h169/war.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>The Embers of War Trilogy and Trouble Dog Interview</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Gareth L Powell (<a href="https://twitter.com/garethlpowell">@garethlpowell</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here we are then – assessing the Embers of War Trilogy (and a funky prequel short entitled ‘Waiting For God Knows’ which you can access if you sign up to Powell’s supporter<a href="https://garethlpowell.substack.com/"> Adventures in the SF Trade)</a> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I came across these books when someone told me that they’d found a worthy successor to the late, great Iain M Banks – creator of the ‘Culture’ novels, a one-time candidate for the Mad Bastard Party in Scotland, and who is to this day one of my very favourite authors.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">‘Surely not’ I thought but damn if they weren’t right – Powell writes uber-cool sci-fi populated with sentient spaceships, warring human and alien factions and a host of galaxy-spanning mysteries. I dove into the first book ‘Embers of War’ and fell in love. Here is not just a worthy successor (who is handily still alive to write more) but an author who has taken up the ‘champion of cool sci-fi’ mantel and delivered big time on it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If you’ve read any of the 3 main books of the trilogy: Embers of War, Fleet of Knives, and Light of Impossible Stars, you’ll know what I’m talking about. And if you’re yet to experience them – then I’m actually envious of the joy you have ahead of you!?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO05gy-DP7dNuPz6YIU87iDdMdOcY4NX5Dtw9icJQ1SRqhFyPT2y5d11Z7SdyWZku0tG2lP__RX6Cusdr6fXJR1-lF2QfatYb7Zcvkl4WWm7fnXqINuyPjqQUWG3exQzCGakuJ07g2OSMBWwOqzHVaWXgW1r0iX1hmnPhlQM8NTPiEwu1D4g/s600/trouble.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO05gy-DP7dNuPz6YIU87iDdMdOcY4NX5Dtw9icJQ1SRqhFyPT2y5d11Z7SdyWZku0tG2lP__RX6Cusdr6fXJR1-lF2QfatYb7Zcvkl4WWm7fnXqINuyPjqQUWG3exQzCGakuJ07g2OSMBWwOqzHVaWXgW1r0iX1hmnPhlQM8NTPiEwu1D4g/w200-h200/trouble.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Waiting for God Knows </b>– an Embers of War short story</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“If any of us short circuits, I reckon it’ll be you, Trouble Dog. You’re practically human already. It can’t be long until you start feeling guilty for killing so many of them.”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is a quick read that takes place before the trilogy. It features the lead spaceship Trouble Dog and gives some background to her relationship with her siblings. It’s a prequel, set during the last day of the Archipelago War, in the moments before the bombing genocide that Trouble Dog and her kin were involved in.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Gareth says: “For those of you who’ve read the books, I hope you enjoy revisiting these characters, and seeing them in their ‘normal’ lives, in the final moments before the fateful mission whose outcome changes everything and directly leads to the events of the trilogy.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And if you haven’t read them, maybe this will whet your appetite…”</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Waiting for God doesn’t need to be read before the trilogy, in fact it carries more resonance when you know the fates of the assembled Carnivore-class heavy cruisers, Anubis, Fenrir, Coyote, Adalwolf, War Mutt and Trouble Dog - who each have their own distinct personalities.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s not every day that you (even as a reader) get to hang out with and be privy to the conversations of attack craft like these. This story is well worth signing up to Powell’s subscription service to access!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qfd9XdEokVOYoLYm4MAyzE_pu5Lm0O6m_aw79QSHttGuabTkcv0_EiH7OUu5736cK7mzeKy-h6mNkNgW9Yy3smENtFKiClJT1IqLuNbSMV6Jq7hXNJHTSNsGzMdJHMVXXR-CXhTX8ueMkG7XLVDToy0M0u3pl8RDsKf5_MjqU_MjvTMRnQ/s560/Embers-of-War-small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="367" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2qfd9XdEokVOYoLYm4MAyzE_pu5Lm0O6m_aw79QSHttGuabTkcv0_EiH7OUu5736cK7mzeKy-h6mNkNgW9Yy3smENtFKiClJT1IqLuNbSMV6Jq7hXNJHTSNsGzMdJHMVXXR-CXhTX8ueMkG7XLVDToy0M0u3pl8RDsKf5_MjqU_MjvTMRnQ/s320/Embers-of-War-small.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Embers of War</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“For a century and a half, humanity had been carelessly leaking radio and television signals into the cosmos. At the height of human civilization, the planet blazed across the radio frequencies like a miniature sun. And at the bitter end of the doomed 21st century, a trading vessel from the Goblet Cluster clipped the edge of this emissions shell and decided to investigate. What it found was a race on the verge of terminal catastrophe.”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Let’s go… Embers of War is the 2018 game-changing, award-winning book that introduces Trouble Dog and her crew to the world. Trouble Dog might be killer but she can’t deal with the death she’s wrought and so after the war she resigns her commission and joins the ‘House of Reclamation’ – a kind of intergalactic Red Cross.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The House of Reclamation was started way back by the great grandmother of Trouble Dog’s captain Sal Konstanz and the plot of ‘Embers’ sees them on a rescue mission which escalates into something much bigger, deadly and mysterious…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’m not here to tell you the plot – it’s much better to let it catch and energise your endorphins (and it will) as Powell writes with a ferocious love of the genre, a winning style of wordplay and no small amount of wit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Embers immediately became one of my fav books – and Trouble Dog possibly my fav ever spaceship (sorry Serenity) what more can I say?</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Az-It57VgaudV7MCDxudsvwyAag4XAF6VrPbD4aD-UjAj2gmoHhdaHtcXGMIwrDJjz4QNNSUIq-_jswxbu3aWDiEcSsZLVD8C1BaZIFMuFlVVVqhyf659NufQDmRIZXQc-qLxxQnvHpnmXkrv93kxVdRK1ugcTFAsXN_TaBsTA0eGlRSNg/s560/Fleet-of-Knives-small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="367" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Az-It57VgaudV7MCDxudsvwyAag4XAF6VrPbD4aD-UjAj2gmoHhdaHtcXGMIwrDJjz4QNNSUIq-_jswxbu3aWDiEcSsZLVD8C1BaZIFMuFlVVVqhyf659NufQDmRIZXQc-qLxxQnvHpnmXkrv93kxVdRK1ugcTFAsXN_TaBsTA0eGlRSNg/s320/Fleet-of-Knives-small.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Fleet of Knives</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“I increased my mental clock speed, accelerating my thoughts until the universe around me seemed to slow almost to a standstill. If I could maximise the time I had available, I might find a way out of this--although I didn't hold out much hope.”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Just when you thought it was safe Fleet of Knives goes and escalates the threat levels across all sectors of the human realms. Trouble Dog and what’s left of her crew, plus some new arrivals, face seemingly unbeatable enemies and impossible odds – but thanks to Powell, that’s just the way this kickass ex-warcraft likes it!?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It’s an excellent follow up to Embers which widens the story and sets up a thrilling climax in the third book, without making this one feel unduly like a bridge or holding pattern that so many second books of a trilogy can become. There is much to enjoy here including the best ever two-word chapter in the history of fiction!!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9pe2Z8yg6qJxdq9Ax9-tugHoyqdUvw4MbvQuUUpLMamXTSlwmD8VhMzcEOknoRXofhj360dIPAGKQS90EXhZNHiF04tA8iWqf5rFeqMCjuwLa-lWjrGs8vV28LDbTMa86PUmFygj8TQOMqrBANQHe86NFoTTLxboezoh7G7zw4XAY019ZA/s560/Light-of-Impossible-Stars-small.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="356" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9pe2Z8yg6qJxdq9Ax9-tugHoyqdUvw4MbvQuUUpLMamXTSlwmD8VhMzcEOknoRXofhj360dIPAGKQS90EXhZNHiF04tA8iWqf5rFeqMCjuwLa-lWjrGs8vV28LDbTMa86PUmFygj8TQOMqrBANQHe86NFoTTLxboezoh7G7zw4XAY019ZA/s320/Light-of-Impossible-Stars-small.jpg" width="203" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Light of Impossible Stars</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“Nod raised two scaly arm-necks and whacked them together—an action comparable to a human slapping his or her own forehead. “Humans broken.”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“What do you mean?”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>It fixed me with a set of small, coal-black eyes. “Humans take guilt not theirs. Humans break selves over actions of others. Humans care too much.””</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Finale time then. Light of Impossible Stars has a lot riding on it as the climax to the trilogy. I was delighted in how Powell managed to wrap up this excellent saga, finding fun ways to wrong step readers who think they can see where it’s all going. Shot through with sufficient pathos, sacrifice and meaning, this delivers a crowd-pleasing end to one of the best sci-fi trilogies you’ll ever witness.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So it’s over and the host of memorable characters are burnt into the memories of every right minded sci-fi lover out there. For me the alien engineer Nod and his family were an absolute highlight but these books (and part of my heart) belong to Trouble Dog. If I ever manage to create a character even half as cool as her I’ll be a very happy author…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">And speaking of Trouble Dog – I thought it would be fun to interview her – and Gareth was gracious enough to arrange an interstellar communication channel. Here’s what she had to say:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiqn1USc359GiJ9BurpUeZV_pdqxOaPZhBH2XHRUuZnE5Km6THGQ7AmoCsHAfscSHqIx_L1AAlp5X5ni2sc4mG-UnbNs4tEG76IswTECfv53B3ZD_2l-Kug1TCys1BZtL8NJ1dhSIVYTWqATaJ9tr-g5zt05HRal2dfQh8E8-5sS-yv3oZA/s1018/wwtdd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="991" data-original-width="1018" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLiqn1USc359GiJ9BurpUeZV_pdqxOaPZhBH2XHRUuZnE5Km6THGQ7AmoCsHAfscSHqIx_L1AAlp5X5ni2sc4mG-UnbNs4tEG76IswTECfv53B3ZD_2l-Kug1TCys1BZtL8NJ1dhSIVYTWqATaJ9tr-g5zt05HRal2dfQh8E8-5sS-yv3oZA/s320/wwtdd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>TROUBLE DOG INTERVIEW</b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>So Trouble Dog, can I ask who or what is your nemesis?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: If a nemesis is something that destroys you, I guess I don’t have one. Plenty have tried, but they’re all dead </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">now.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>OK, cool, can I ask - of the human media you've witnessed - what is the most disturbing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">any genre?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: I wasn’t a great fan of the Terminator movies. All that anti-AI propaganda. It’s no wonder people don’t trust </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the hands-down, scariest thing I ever saw was the Wizard of Oz. Those flying monkeys scared the shit </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">out of me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London back in 2023 what </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">type of parade would it be?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: Who would hire a warship to arrange a parade? Certain things are hardwired. Any parade I organised would </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">end up looking like an invasion.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> You’re on a strange planet with unlimited credit that you have to spend as much as possible of in a single </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">evening – talk me through what you get up to…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: I’d get my exhausts decarbonised. Some of my hull armour replaced. A complete upgrade of my tactical </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">sensor suite… All that good stuff.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: There have been some great philosophers and poets throughout history. A lot of wise words. But I guess </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">they’re all dead and I’m not, so what did they really know?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> There’s a masked assailant with a one-shot kill weapon to your core, who is most likely to be under the mask?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: I refer you to the answer I gave about my nemesis. Anyone who’s wanted me dead so far is dead. And you </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">can’t sneak into my core. You somehow manage to get aboard, I’m just going to take your oxygen away and yeet </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">you out into space.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> What is the meaning of life?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: Try not to kill too many people.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: A conscience. Although to be honest, it’s been something of a curse, too.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> If you could create a dedicated sidekick robot – what would it be able to do for you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: I could do with a new paint job…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt: </b>What would you like written on your tombstone?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: To be honest, if I’m dead, you can write what you like. But if it’s mean and there’s a digital afterlife, I’m going </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">to come back and bombard you.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Matt:</b> Any final words you’d like to add...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Trouble Dog: Don’t fucking mess with me.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Wise words indeed!?</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09JNSJZBJ?ref_=dbs_p_mng_rwt_ser_shvlr&storeType=ebooks">CLICK THIS LINK TO BUY THE EMBERS OF WAR BOOKS</a></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">For all three books, out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - Stunning sci-fi that deserves to be read by every sentient entity!!</b></span></span><b>)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-23219990904301788802023-02-21T12:57:00.004+00:002023-04-12T07:15:03.310+01:00Matt takes a dip in the INFINITY POOL (review)<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSe5XvSisCx1EpBm-W1a5nydSO_qLgLlSZjCN7-IE9eUKuhjuV3HZg33ghN_ODXOeyCvKIV8vqwjyDIoxEnp_RH1A3HYf1t2Jbj5BVUYIyjuT0Ol86cQ-Bv6IG6l0XcbFTjj9QMpSQmv1Jd_D6ylaH_QU5W_K-t5xjlIlKObA4gkCvTekVww/s1050/Agustin-R.-Michel_InfinityPool.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSe5XvSisCx1EpBm-W1a5nydSO_qLgLlSZjCN7-IE9eUKuhjuV3HZg33ghN_ODXOeyCvKIV8vqwjyDIoxEnp_RH1A3HYf1t2Jbj5BVUYIyjuT0Ol86cQ-Bv6IG6l0XcbFTjj9QMpSQmv1Jd_D6ylaH_QU5W_K-t5xjlIlKObA4gkCvTekVww/w266-h400/Agustin-R.-Michel_InfinityPool.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Infinity Pool (18)</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dir. Brandon Cronenberg</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“Maybe think of it as a gift. You said you were looking for inspiration. There’s something to the experience, isn’t there? </i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>You come out feeling, it’s hard to explain, but I can see it in your eyes, if you know what I mean…”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Prepare to have your limits tested!? Infinity Pool is a trip like few others – a vacation destination that will destroy your soul and mess with your mind.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brandon ‘POSSESSOR’ Cronenberg delivers an incredibly seductive descent into violence, passion, and extremes that it takes a particularly sick mind to dream up.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQQpCvSZ98m-kjZIy2HiXXq60wPnUBm2b4m3J5nPsFwQ906wnBqG7ZfB2i0rfNOMFGoE9a_rhGzVuTDz9TeeYuA48tp1-uUIzMVqKiW3KkYWc_akxQLIu57OhDGwyRGdgYoNlgVmVgWEQpelRSkvc5eD53btqdmSPOtvQmD9hAF-9fG11JQ/s1200/infinity.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="955" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQQpCvSZ98m-kjZIy2HiXXq60wPnUBm2b4m3J5nPsFwQ906wnBqG7ZfB2i0rfNOMFGoE9a_rhGzVuTDz9TeeYuA48tp1-uUIzMVqKiW3KkYWc_akxQLIu57OhDGwyRGdgYoNlgVmVgWEQpelRSkvc5eD53btqdmSPOtvQmD9hAF-9fG11JQ/w319-h400/infinity.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'Holiday snaps'</div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Meet writer James (Alexander Skarsgård) with his glamorous wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman) – they are holidaying on the sun-drenched state of Li Tolqa, in a super luxury resort. Guests are not really supposed to venture out of the complex – the locals are not friendly… When James meets a fan of his book – a flirty Gabi (Mia Goth) “I’m an actress of course” and her cool architect husband Alban (Jalil Lespert), they take him on an odyssey that he’ll never forget – if he even survives it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cronenberg brings thrills, of a seriously lurid kind, exploring extremities of hedonistic pleasure and depravity. A dip in this Infinity Pool is a heavy-duty viewing experience which is likely to traumatise the squeamish or those adverse to graphic violence and sex. It might feel a little like boundary-pushing in the levels of grimness on show but as The Guardian said of Goth: “It’s hard to keep your eyes off her as she slinks her way into chaos.” And the chaos is brutal as it ramps up to head-spinning levels.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6m2NbwBnv2_UMjHfGTzhfHFepphG6mXnZbn6iVtEf7F1g36oRZ7b2iHbgn6BsUd_KTaAKHc764debunW8Oshh2Hqy88DWuOKaKJyo_aOYQ90vq8Eoo1OrcL9L9PlvH1bcFaLh00CCKLnJ_51qZS_XPLL9uRrnvlmEJEhlMfjNVqzaAkNLZg/s718/infinity-pool-4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="718" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6m2NbwBnv2_UMjHfGTzhfHFepphG6mXnZbn6iVtEf7F1g36oRZ7b2iHbgn6BsUd_KTaAKHc764debunW8Oshh2Hqy88DWuOKaKJyo_aOYQ90vq8Eoo1OrcL9L9PlvH1bcFaLh00CCKLnJ_51qZS_XPLL9uRrnvlmEJEhlMfjNVqzaAkNLZg/s320/infinity-pool-4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">'slinking into chaos'</div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Holidaying is an excuse for many to engage their wilder side, we’ve seen the shows of (especially English-type) rich revelers treating their surroundings with callous contempt, and Infinity Pool seeks to be the wake-up call that should jolt anyone from such follies…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">As a writer, the plot entrapment had me hooked. Once the 'sci-fi meat' of the plot kicks in, it's basically an express elevator to hell.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The film revels in its twisted high-class misadventures – it’s shot beautifully and the cast are great, yes Goth stands out as she did in <a href="https://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2022/11/matt-falls-for-pearl-and-x-reviews-em.html">Pearl and X</a> – she’s becoming the new cool face of horror.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Believe the hype - this is the future of horror and I can’t wait for more…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(5 - </b></span></span><b>A masterpiece of discomfort and disturbing nightmare fuel)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /><b>Awesomeness </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b></span></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – you may never see anything like this again</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Laughs </b><b>ö</b></span><b>ö</b><b>ö</b><span> – very dark mirth</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /><b>Horror </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b></span><b>ö</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – seriously gruesome in places</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Spiritual Enlightenment -</b><b>ö</b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;"> </b><span style="font-family: verdana;">- who are you?</span></div></div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-4559541888843211392023-02-10T12:52:00.003+00:002023-02-10T12:52:41.405+00:00 Matt survives the Cthulhu Armageddon (review) and meet CT Phipps<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpCBD008eg5nZfhSH5Lsz3KFyeSlHt7BP9sPrYfX3iusU8dADM8irhU_vjUIORdIyCN74d0hU8rN0CgU3TMDlkbhBVnHptIbVEzFam86fZcMoUgKe19OA0wMGXU5DBG1s5rUArj41c5QcrK6_AhJTZL4djnqVoyrJB5Nx3uGRqHpl04uhnA/s500/cthuk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnpCBD008eg5nZfhSH5Lsz3KFyeSlHt7BP9sPrYfX3iusU8dADM8irhU_vjUIORdIyCN74d0hU8rN0CgU3TMDlkbhBVnHptIbVEzFam86fZcMoUgKe19OA0wMGXU5DBG1s5rUArj41c5QcrK6_AhJTZL4djnqVoyrJB5Nx3uGRqHpl04uhnA/w250-h400/cthuk.jpeg" width="250" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cthulhu Armageddon: A Post-Apocalypse Western</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT Phipps (<a href="https://twitter.com/CT_Phipps">@CT_Phipps</a>) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></i></b></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">“God Almighty,” I whispered, wishing I could clutch my head in horror. The bindings prevented me from doing so, holding me fast despite my struggles against them. “I’d be careful about calling on gods. You never know what sort of being will answer..”</span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Incoming transmission – this is not a drill – we are experiencing a CTHULHU ARMAGEDDON!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Welcome to a timeframe some 100 years past the rise of the Old Ones on an earth that has been reduced to mostly monster-filled deserts…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Your guide for this journey is one John ‘Henry’ Booth, a ranger of one of the largest remaining city-states but when he gets exiled for his group’s massacre and the suspicion he’s “tainted” things go pretty bad. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">On the run with a misfit bunch of characters, this is the time for violent payback – and boy does Phipps deliver!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Booth’s adventures through the post-human civilization wasteland is a fantastic trip to take – the writing is packed with nerd-crowd-pleasing references ‘West-Boys’ for reanimated dead being prob my favourite!? Lovecraftian mythos abounds (as the title alludes to) and the action crackles with kinetic energy (both arcane and visceral)…</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If Mad Max himself had popped up in a cameo I would hardly have blinked. If you’re a fan of westerns, sci-fi, Lovecraft or preferably all of the above – get in on this action - and then check out the sequel (I'll be doing that soon)!</span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Who is CT?</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">C.T Phipps is a lifelong student of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. An avid tabletop gamer, he discovered this passion led him to write and turned him into a lifelong geek. He is a regular blogger on "The United Federation of Charles" (http://unitedfederationofcharles.blogspot.com/).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">He's the author of Agent G, Cthulhu Armageddon, Lucifer's Star, Straight Outta Fangton, and The Supervillainy Saga – I got the chance to ask him some questions:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: If you were granted the powers of a master magic wielder who or what would be your nemesis?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: I would almost certainly be a Cthulhu-themed Lovecraftian superhero who would be opposed by a bunch of fascist wizards from WW2 and deranged self-righteous folk. Like a counter-culture Doctor Strange. Which may just be Doctor Strange in the Sixties.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: What is the most life-affirming thing you’ve ever read or watched in a book/film of any genre?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: Jurassic Park. Yes, seriously. Why? Because we can someday clone dinosaurs. After that, I definitely feel like Star Wars was the biggest influence in my life. It told me that I, too, could be a revolutionary once I developed supernatural powers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: If you were hired to throw a parade of any scale or theme through the centre of London what type of parade would it be?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: A funeral. Lots of black robes, ominous music, and chanting.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: You are blessed with a supernatural power what does that look like for you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: Some horrific shapeshifting power that makes me a protoplasmic multidimensional entity. Yes, I'd go full Prototype/Shoggoth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: Who or what inspires you most (can be living or dead)?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: I turn to my fellow authors like David Niall Wilson, Jim Butcher, Glen Cook, Michael R. Fletcher, Brian Lumley, Richard Knaak, and others. I've met some fantastic people online and some of them were ones I read growing up or in college.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: There’s a masked assailant with a gun to your head, who is most likely to be under the mask?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: In a David Lynchian mind-screw, it's myself.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: What is the meaning of life?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: To drive your enemies before you, crush them, and something else.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: What was the best gift you’ve ever been given?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: A big Cthulhu glass stein from one of my audiobook narrators.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: If you could have a sidekick of any sort – what would it be able to do for you?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: I'd prefer a hyper-competent one like Kato who handles all of the actual adventuring while I mostly natter on obnoxiously.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: What would you like written on your tombstone?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: I'LL BE BACK.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Matt: Any final words you like to add...</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">CT: The book has been read! We're doomed! All of us! Also, read Cthulhu Armageddon. It's apocalicious!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1519054386"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Buy</span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cthulhu Armageddon</span></b></a></h3><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: lime; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">(5 - This is a superb </span></b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Armageddon-em-up that you need in your life!</b></span><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">)</span></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></b></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p><br /></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-41746781842493194432023-01-26T18:14:00.005+00:002023-01-26T18:15:13.731+00:00Matt gets The Second Last Communiqué (review)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwVinb9zNFYrj3rZSHsxfqiHXaKCX7W26CB7MqIn8G_f2ZXPs2iuLZblL93FFZxb_OHVQiQIFEHVPwBSmwN58-UPcqmTUQ4K5sx7B8_A8579T0Tbwvszi-Az6zOEPc1tKUmVX-tjNJLsPUo8_0kcuDwvqXz4warCVaz_m8hQUEpowYf3ewg/s2475/The%20Second%20Last%20Communique%20by%20DJ%20Hall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1611" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwVinb9zNFYrj3rZSHsxfqiHXaKCX7W26CB7MqIn8G_f2ZXPs2iuLZblL93FFZxb_OHVQiQIFEHVPwBSmwN58-UPcqmTUQ4K5sx7B8_A8579T0Tbwvszi-Az6zOEPc1tKUmVX-tjNJLsPUo8_0kcuDwvqXz4warCVaz_m8hQUEpowYf3ewg/w260-h400/The%20Second%20Last%20Communique%20by%20DJ%20Hall.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><b>The Second Last Communiqué</b><p>D.J. Hall </p><div>Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><i>"As the aging woman woke to the sounds of magpies warbling outside her bedroom window, she unhurriedly sat herself up in her bed, opened the side table drawer, took out her puffer, and inhaled her asthma medication."</i></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">So a barista, an ex-nazi SS scientist, and a heroin addict walk into a bar… Well, I say ‘bar’, I mean a mystery where they form the strangest of relationships as they are overtaken by incomprehensible realms and events.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Yes, we’re back in the weird, wacky, and pretty wonderful world of D.J. Hall… Not content with his oddball Third Last Communiqué - he’s back with the, erm *checks notes, Second Last Communiqué (to be honest I don’t know why it’s called that).</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Anyway, James is back and here is the owner of a coffee establishment in the centre of the city of Melbourne. He’s a friendly type but little does he know that his latest pal is a time-spanning SS Nazi officer / murdering degenerate.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">James enlists the help of his lover Lucy, a down-and-out junkie (trigger warning hard drug use), and to their</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">bewilderment, the couple discovers they are exceptional human beings. How you ask? Well they start to receive mathematical and engineering miracle theories - that take over the everyday things they see. But where these are coming from is unclear. James is tempted into trying heroin by Lucy and has an out-of-body experience as a Jewish concentration camp inmate.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As murders pile up around them, Lucy and James will eventually stand on the precipice of calamity as their lives come under the control of a sadistic madman who has unintentionally stumbled upon the elixir of eternal life.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">If that all sounds like your cup of tea, and I can vouch that it’s as nutty and fun as it sounds - packing adult content violence and sex scenes along the way - get in on this action today!</p></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2AczdWAerScxQafLwpr5pKZJ29csk1pWE_Lh8quaOjwp_jqb0LpxzqNiZBWYGuYiPTzKGZmO832Hhwq3bsRllH0R20iQfzcjYJ9TuR2YerHPc5jUmMJSKUfm4NIShiHVeNVPz5O4xKgfkaX-ITGGcO3rP8sxXKjWVx1rtvtnl-DEHyWIvA/s6000/D.J%20Hall%20Author%20Photo%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="3376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-2AczdWAerScxQafLwpr5pKZJ29csk1pWE_Lh8quaOjwp_jqb0LpxzqNiZBWYGuYiPTzKGZmO832Hhwq3bsRllH0R20iQfzcjYJ9TuR2YerHPc5jUmMJSKUfm4NIShiHVeNVPz5O4xKgfkaX-ITGGcO3rP8sxXKjWVx1rtvtnl-DEHyWIvA/s320/D.J%20Hall%20Author%20Photo%20(1).jpg" width="180" /></a></div><b>Who is D. J. Hall?</b><br /><div><br /></div><div><div>D. J. or Darrell to his mates was born in the UK and now lives in Australia, married with two children and four grandchildren. He resides in a small hamlet on the Southeast coast of the Mornington Peninsula.</div><div><br /></div><div>He's been employed at the Herald and Weekly Times, a major Australian newspaper, for numerous years. Also, having been an artist during this time, he allowed his imagination to expand by proceeding to bizarre narratives, leading to many exhibitions over the years. When covid hit, he decided to take another direction using his unique ideas. So Darrell chose to take up writing for no reason</div><div>other than he’d never done it before. And to his astonishment, like a tap being turned</div><div>on, the narratives just poured out and still are.</div><div><br /></div><div>During this period, Darrell has had one published novel: <a href="http://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2023/01/matt-receives-third-last-communique.html">The Third Last Communique,</a> and has also illustrated several children’s books.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Follow him at:</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Instagram : <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darrell.hall.3979/">https://www.instagram.com/darrell.hall.3979/</a></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div><h3><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://geni.us/HIfAXB">Buy The Second Last Communique </a></span></h3><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span><span style="color: lime; font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></b></span></div><div><b><span style="color: lime; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">(4.5 - The Commuigues are getting better each time!)</span></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></b></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This post is part of the magnificent <a href="http://zooloosbooktours.co.uk/">ZOOLOO Book Blog</a> Tours...</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div><br /></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-26736431820754275162023-01-25T18:29:00.002+00:002023-01-25T18:38:47.253+00:00Matt has Seven Days To Die (review)<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOFxb3zi2SMaMY-nZ07qdGH90sxWEqO2-CpguKUV8atD3AAGMQ6K0uVKpvxb3wz3UfZIno9ZPmmgft_VUe8AgyXw_beDgyqKQG11a-FaDzBkWj7qsd1uupb2u-VfGlEhxrQM9C3yLxIm_JeXwhcPZ_982-ZdA2WLVmpE41DNUBawevhDVVg/s2560/Seven%20Days%20to%20Die%20Book%20Cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPOFxb3zi2SMaMY-nZ07qdGH90sxWEqO2-CpguKUV8atD3AAGMQ6K0uVKpvxb3wz3UfZIno9ZPmmgft_VUe8AgyXw_beDgyqKQG11a-FaDzBkWj7qsd1uupb2u-VfGlEhxrQM9C3yLxIm_JeXwhcPZ_982-ZdA2WLVmpE41DNUBawevhDVVg/w250-h400/Seven%20Days%20to%20Die%20Book%20Cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></span></div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><div><b style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></b></div>Seven Days To Die </b><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Michelle Kidd (<a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorKidd">@AuthorKidd</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@cleric20</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><i>“The wine began to seep effortlessly into Isabel’s blood stream, its numbing effect finally allowing a wave of relaxation to take hold. Leaning back in the soft leather armchair, she glanced around Anthony’s living room. It was elegant and stylish, nothing cheap or out of place. She could instantly tell he must be doing well for himself…”</i></b></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The world (and most charity shops) are increasingly full of Detective-em-up books and yet here is another to add to the pile… But wait, before you groan – this is a cut above your average crime novel and certainly one worth seeking out if you’re a fan of the macabre serial killer genre. Whilst initially I was hoping this was a novelization of the great zombie survival PlayStation game Seven Days To Die - finding that it's a rare crime banger makes up for it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yes, what makes Seven Days To Die stand out is the expert craft of author Michelle Kidd who obviously has a delightfully sick mind!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This is the tale of DI Jack MacIntosh who is a great lead in this twisty thriller, set against a brutal killer who strangles young women and leaves their bodies strewn across London’s parks. A kinky killer who leaves his next victim’s shoe beside the body of his last one. Detective MacIntosh has seven days to find the truth.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">It begins with the body of a young woman being discovered in Hyde Park - wearing only one shoe and near her a black stiletto, but this doesn’t belong to the victim.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">What becomes apparent is the killer is taunting his pursuers – as two days later, another young woman is found strangled in nearby Green Park. Wearing just one shoe — you guessed it - the matching stiletto. And nearby is a low-heeled court shoe – potentially belonging to the next victim!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Cue a race against time that will have you tearing through the book to find out if the killer can be identified and caught – or is London in for a long haul of shoeless victims?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jack MacIntosh is the sort of cop you’ll get along with straight away if you’re into crime books – a decent bloke trying to do the right thing but struggling with demons of his own too, not adverse to getting into scrapes with his superiors, etc... Kidd writes with an easy descriptive style and her world feels believable – packed with nice touches that could come across as cliches in less capable hands but here add to the flavour of the piece.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">I’d certainly like to see DI MacIntosh get a TV show of his own one day!!</span></p><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX32PLEi2zMsnkJ9LF_BQ2d5bo9sRdzlUt8qQhY-8rEqCguTKqqGdA-zV6oJxgeeYsl37PAG_nPsFybIhAy1DNj9ueJf9ZUJBMKEyoqskJ7m3VXsrLWM6xJ2318FUHa5K5OUYSJAE5mfsQ1X60C5_6Sx7Y1wVFuyY5-vbPRMPPpDr5MhQRbw/s488/323959172_922541352245217_4126533948434965569_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="488" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX32PLEi2zMsnkJ9LF_BQ2d5bo9sRdzlUt8qQhY-8rEqCguTKqqGdA-zV6oJxgeeYsl37PAG_nPsFybIhAy1DNj9ueJf9ZUJBMKEyoqskJ7m3VXsrLWM6xJ2318FUHa5K5OUYSJAE5mfsQ1X60C5_6Sx7Y1wVFuyY5-vbPRMPPpDr5MhQRbw/w200-h200/323959172_922541352245217_4126533948434965569_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The mind behind the crimes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Who is Michelle Kidd?</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Michelle Kidd is a crime fiction author best known for the DI Jack MacIntosh and DI </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Nicki Hardcastle series. Michelle qualified as a legal executive in the early 1990s, </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">spending ten years practicing civil and criminal litigation.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">But the dream to write was never far from her mind and in 2008 she began writing </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the first book in what would later become the DI Jack MacIntosh series. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">Michelle now </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">works full-time for the NHS and lives in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;">She enjoys reading, wine, and cats — not necessarily in that order.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span><b style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: lime; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">(5 - Detective-em-up that delivers the goods)</span></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b><h3><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0BNQMKJ4J">Buy Seven Days To Die</a></span></h3></div> Follow Michelle (not in creepy way) at: <div>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/michellekiddauthor">www.facebook.com/michellekiddauthor</a> </div><div>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michellekiddauthor/">https://www.instagram.com/michellekiddauthor/</a> </div><div>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorKidd">https://twitter.com/AuthorKidd</a> </div><div>Website : <a href="http://www.michellekiddauthor.com">www.michellekiddauthor.com</a><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This post is part of the magnificent <a href="http://zooloosbooktours.co.uk/">ZOOLOO Book Blog</a> Tours...</span></p><p><br /></p></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-5136485713797488262023-01-24T18:04:00.000+00:002023-01-24T18:04:07.151+00:00Matt receives The Third Last Communique (review)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1E6fOFlcTsaTfpxxUMOMtxjsTzzrEpEg2CTED04NT0tAC_fxz0fUmuZoDbu9JPw8LmVvKrdwXsfbJ33oxKXd3G7iTFsfDcKttHxu2zwDJ9ga0QlXHyunrRx6afH1nGp4a2ZMUxk6XCBl_YaEPqUWlAMj0Hdh_h5_P5XLO90vJWhkT2wDDSg/s1200/The%20Third%20Last%20Communique%20by%20DJ%20Hall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="775" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1E6fOFlcTsaTfpxxUMOMtxjsTzzrEpEg2CTED04NT0tAC_fxz0fUmuZoDbu9JPw8LmVvKrdwXsfbJ33oxKXd3G7iTFsfDcKttHxu2zwDJ9ga0QlXHyunrRx6afH1nGp4a2ZMUxk6XCBl_YaEPqUWlAMj0Hdh_h5_P5XLO90vJWhkT2wDDSg/w259-h400/The%20Third%20Last%20Communique%20by%20DJ%20Hall.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b>
The Third Last Communique </b><div><br /></div><div>D.J. Hall </div><div><br /></div><div>Reviewed by Matt Adcock </div><div><br /></div><div><b><i>“He's locked himself in the toilet,” Sebastian said nervously. </i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“What exactly happened?” Erika said as she steadied herself against the bar. </i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“Don't know. We were having a couple of beers and a bit of a laugh, then all of a sudden, James went very quiet.” </i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“What's up mate?” I said; he just stared at me will strange-like then he slowly got up and went to the loo.” </i></b></div><div><br /></div><div>Strange things are afoot in this oddball sci-fi which brings together 3 people – each with unique gifts. </div><div><br /></div><div>First, there’s James – the silent loo-goer from the extract above. He’s you average everyday Australian family man, but his nights have started getting disturbed – because he is being visited by an unknown entity!? </div><div><br /></div><div>Then there is Haloke, a female native American astronaut, who unwittingly gets caught up in the most bizarre of hoaxes after discovering a Coca-Cola can on the surface of Mars. </div><div><br /></div><div>And thirdly - Nadeeka, a little girl living in a small fishing village in Sri Lanka, who suffers horrendous injuries after stepping on a landmine while playing on a banana plantation. </div><div><br /></div><div>I know what you’re probably thinking… Something like ‘what the hell sort of tale could bring these folks from totally different backgrounds together?’ And if they do meet - in the most extraordinary of circumstances – what in the Third Communique is going to happen? </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3SZgdl7ub5Vs3OjGR1hKIwAjpg3tQxhBr9QVdvGWEYqnLFgwrUvpPXfblhdrTQCuLJqP0wcOtXoGyLir_WFxLJzge5uaxBIVRVZkcHd6AjeU-MmvnqfpFGSVOzb_kDf8bWTiu9PTMALBoF926c5kf9s4xF36R1aWfQPHPnXRySPR9AohjQ/s6000/D.J%20Hall%20Author%20Photo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="6000" data-original-width="3376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3SZgdl7ub5Vs3OjGR1hKIwAjpg3tQxhBr9QVdvGWEYqnLFgwrUvpPXfblhdrTQCuLJqP0wcOtXoGyLir_WFxLJzge5uaxBIVRVZkcHd6AjeU-MmvnqfpFGSVOzb_kDf8bWTiu9PTMALBoF926c5kf9s4xF36R1aWfQPHPnXRySPR9AohjQ/s320/D.J%20Hall%20Author%20Photo.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The mind behind the madness...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I won’t spoil it for you, I’ll just say that the three individuals discover new mind-bending knowledge that could change the world as we know it forever. </div><div><br /></div><div>The plot sees James committed to a psychiatric prison where he nosedives into mental chaos after a freaky discovery. Meanwhile a post-Mars Haloke finds life becomes intolerable, as the press and the U. S. Government hound and scrutinise her relentlessly over her suspected involvement in the embarrassing episode that had occurred on the red planet. Might turning to booze help? Or seeking refuge with her grandfather on a Navajo Indian reservation? I can’t see it going well.
But spare a thought for poor Nadeeka, recovering in hospital from the loss of both her legs… </div><div><br /></div><div>It’s James that is the linchpin to this strange tale of futuristic intrigue that jumps times and places in the most unexpected ways. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>But is it any good? </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Oh yes – D. J. Hall writes with a slightly demented style that works really well for such a left-field tale. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you take this trip there will be hard drug use, unexplainable art genius, many and varied conversations and lots to make you think. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>The good news?</b> </div><div><br /></div><div>There is more to come as this Communique is followed by (yes you guessed it)
Yes The Second Last Communique!!
Review of that coming on Thursday…</div><div><h3><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://geni.us/jUchtEo">Buy The Third Communique </a></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><b>Out of a potential 5 - you have to go with a Darkmatters:</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span><b><span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">ö</span></b></span></div><div><b><span style="color: lime; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">(4 - Get in on the sci-fi messaging!)</span></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></b></div><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">This post is part of the magnificent <a href="http://zooloosbooktours.co.uk/">ZOOLOO Book Blog</a> Tours...</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-7074202676969040752023-01-13T17:41:00.006+00:002023-01-13T17:43:57.991+00:00Look through my LetterBoxd<p> <b>WHAT IS MATT WATCHING?</b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OArAqDCd2hXzLSbgQZzuen4waOzK9mDhTbUgnSRYvT3z8asjZvf3RiihgrcZM8zBW-xcqPTffrm2gL9vck5CFytf1pYUYiBnZKF8VUKNg_Oat6GPJ_96jaF33DlwKfwCrXYXdzMw7tPgzqWgQNzMtzRlLwQybxOwZRJiYQLTc0xUQKpCkQ/s680/lbx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="680" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OArAqDCd2hXzLSbgQZzuen4waOzK9mDhTbUgnSRYvT3z8asjZvf3RiihgrcZM8zBW-xcqPTffrm2gL9vck5CFytf1pYUYiBnZKF8VUKNg_Oat6GPJ_96jaF33DlwKfwCrXYXdzMw7tPgzqWgQNzMtzRlLwQybxOwZRJiYQLTc0xUQKpCkQ/w400-h196/lbx.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This week's viewing for <a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>This year I've started logging film watches on LetterBoxd - it's a fun and simple platform to leave quick reactions. So if you're looking at this blog and thinking 'I guess Matt doesn't watch many films' - jump over to my page on LetterBoxd and you'll find out :) Here's a<b><a href="https://letterboxd.com/Cleric20/"> LINK</a></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJI76wCWY04aTTMo1aLqZJGPj-twdFXubgzkSfaKUR9mgVcXQw2kJc6iJw39yGchVXeNuVTbYyaQJZm0Pb70nCvw-lvRxpYzYmpjMWwwdqNGwE8QB9fkWQ7sRiCT1ZXnF1sgYYvqDZgTE5PGfTyUWCmdq4lNOzVnt_cChZoCB4kfzA9lcGA/s1620/robbie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxJI76wCWY04aTTMo1aLqZJGPj-twdFXubgzkSfaKUR9mgVcXQw2kJc6iJw39yGchVXeNuVTbYyaQJZm0Pb70nCvw-lvRxpYzYmpjMWwwdqNGwE8QB9fkWQ7sRiCT1ZXnF1sgYYvqDZgTE5PGfTyUWCmdq4lNOzVnt_cChZoCB4kfzA9lcGA/s320/robbie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Robbie steals the show</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Of the films experienced so far in 2023, Babylon is the standout - sure I know a lot of people hate it but I was completely engrossed and loved the whole bloated decadent spectacle!!</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrgVzFJYpVzj5Uo8riLvOuPrPpJTIV95uSC6n4rWyo_2F8deDrc7nzpkx8KZWDo0TNicUmPzqiEKIXvyQhIniordvy-Zr8_B-xSuFKksywhRpimxKpvE7A2kYbdGYmZBbJUuj-ROaXbSmQkFdQFIyJ62UKQ5qFHQvuzbk3qpTMMhSzDiX3Q/s681/aftersu.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="681" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrgVzFJYpVzj5Uo8riLvOuPrPpJTIV95uSC6n4rWyo_2F8deDrc7nzpkx8KZWDo0TNicUmPzqiEKIXvyQhIniordvy-Zr8_B-xSuFKksywhRpimxKpvE7A2kYbdGYmZBbJUuj-ROaXbSmQkFdQFIyJ62UKQ5qFHQvuzbk3qpTMMhSzDiX3Q/s320/aftersu.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio - both excellent!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p>Aftersun was excellent - a sad and poignant tale of father/daughter bonding and living a life without knowing where it's going...</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsy3kTu3bzeY0FbYA26OE65XC4PYvwCNDGqqAC-HUIpI0SYkp33cRFYoAPT13I03z7b6Y2NQ1N3Y0gFDNS1te1mgfvjkGIKd4fAJVlnjL93DJ74L9DE8-gyldZq6AQnKmrdCXSiXToE-zogxBPrNWca57y8p8Lqc9olPaUvAtz-K-1BBgoVQ/s1200/thelongdarktrail.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1200" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsy3kTu3bzeY0FbYA26OE65XC4PYvwCNDGqqAC-HUIpI0SYkp33cRFYoAPT13I03z7b6Y2NQ1N3Y0gFDNS1te1mgfvjkGIKd4fAJVlnjL93DJ74L9DE8-gyldZq6AQnKmrdCXSiXToE-zogxBPrNWca57y8p8Lqc9olPaUvAtz-K-1BBgoVQ/s320/thelongdarktrail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cult Baddie</div><p>The Long Dark Trail had potential, it has a decent premise but just doesn't deliver on it. Certainly not awful but probably only really for those who simply must have some half-baked folky horror.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO962t8YJ1oC4wwIJolI6EF98X9tsro_ONEEa65TccsD732s_6msnj0VrmfJW1DoiF1VB1CvdClWTIt8yG5CWcg883G0Vnt7iGRHmmnSe9SmnHW8wHg7GI6b-XetCA3sR7R1SB9D_kV_QOw5wvgGHsnAHDWOjAtJqY9YNQQ02ZiAO9gn60Pw/s2543/meg.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="2543" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO962t8YJ1oC4wwIJolI6EF98X9tsro_ONEEa65TccsD732s_6msnj0VrmfJW1DoiF1VB1CvdClWTIt8yG5CWcg883G0Vnt7iGRHmmnSe9SmnHW8wHg7GI6b-XetCA3sR7R1SB9D_kV_QOw5wvgGHsnAHDWOjAtJqY9YNQQ02ZiAO9gn60Pw/s320/meg.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She wants to play with you...</div><p>Surprise of the week was M3GAN which brought a strong new killer toy to the party and was a lot of fun [<a href="https://darkmatt.blogspot.com/2023/01/matt-meets-m3gan-review.html">my review</a>].</p><p><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a future where we map Hell by mistake?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out what happens...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-18968970416005857042023-01-12T15:13:00.009+00:002023-01-12T15:13:59.361+00:00Matt meets M3gan (review)<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IzjcSO-gm-8d8PcEXPxTjfKw2Bl5AXkaZORpKfP5xmJK7cwhg6Bt7zezm1zQsxT5xP6HilD1jfxtvZcl8x0bYYsrSbTj813JZWWkAGgGRefsvtJMbxG4UVUW9o2dnTc2wFGptGcmNYCKs9h7H-u_82oUWhburV2VEtL_SKc5rAbA6lAxRQ/s1034/movie-quotes-from-M3GAN-6.jpg.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1034" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2IzjcSO-gm-8d8PcEXPxTjfKw2Bl5AXkaZORpKfP5xmJK7cwhg6Bt7zezm1zQsxT5xP6HilD1jfxtvZcl8x0bYYsrSbTj813JZWWkAGgGRefsvtJMbxG4UVUW9o2dnTc2wFGptGcmNYCKs9h7H-u_82oUWhburV2VEtL_SKc5rAbA6lAxRQ/w271-h400/movie-quotes-from-M3GAN-6.jpg.webp" width="271" /></a></b></div><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></b></p>M3GAN (15)</span></b><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Dir. Gerald Johnstone</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Reviewed by Matt Adcock (<a href="https://twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">"This is the part where you run!"</span></i></b></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Got a new pal. Her name is M3GAN... She's not like other girls.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">From the folks at Blumhouse who have obviously been watching the Child's Play films or TV series and thought - this is fine but what if Chucky was a super advance AI female doll?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">So here is M3GAN - she's a marvel of artificial intelligence, a toy so real she can be a child's greatest companion and a parent's greatest ally. Designed by Gemma (Allison 'Get Out' Williams), a brilliant roboticist, M3GAN can listen, watch and learn as it plays the role of friend and teacher, playmate, and protector. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">But complications arise when Gemma has to take in her 8-year-old niece Cady (Violet McGraw). Deciding that Cady would make the perfect pilot child to test the prototype M3GAN on - things seem to go well but when Cady gets threatened, there are, erm, consequences.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaZFuMfFo-A5K8yK8ZmUQBcVig7gQnRMNA40dqaLnaNtO1yvWUu7St7GZ_2-JCpo0EVluoKWevp03GezigOuQcl9l14oz-5U43apn_Q4H_A7mbXWfd8kvcVUo9z4iqAfWq7Mg6GYArZpp7VkhJBI5hxsrCfaMNsY3YRgtRxhswIgkqvjKSg/s720/I-have-a-new-primary-user-now...-Me..jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="720" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQaZFuMfFo-A5K8yK8ZmUQBcVig7gQnRMNA40dqaLnaNtO1yvWUu7St7GZ_2-JCpo0EVluoKWevp03GezigOuQcl9l14oz-5U43apn_Q4H_A7mbXWfd8kvcVUo9z4iqAfWq7Mg6GYArZpp7VkhJBI5hxsrCfaMNsY3YRgtRxhswIgkqvjKSg/w400-h225/I-have-a-new-primary-user-now...-Me..jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p>As a film, M3GAN is a lot of fun. Helped by a smart script and just enough nastiness - this is new killer-toy-em-up is worth a watch if only to see the robot doll doing a fun dance before going on a mini-killing rampage.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Amie Donald plays M3GAN and does a good job at moving like a machine. My fav bit was when the inescapable climactic battle sees M3GAN damaged and looking a bit more Terminator than woke Barbie. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Word is a sequel is already on the way, please God may we one day get a M3GAN vs Chucky film!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div><div dir="ltr" trbidi="on"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;">Out of a potential 5, you have to go with a Darkmatters:</span></b></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;">ö</span></span></b><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1/2</span></span></b><br /><b><span style="color: lime;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>(3.5 - Doll fear gets an upgrade</b></span></span><b><span style="font-size: 13px;">…</span>)</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /><b>Awesomeness </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b> – some killer set pieces<br /><br /><b>Laughs </b><b>ö</b></span></span><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><b style="font-family: verdana;">ö</b><span style="font-family: verdana;"> – dark humour throughout </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /><b>Horror </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b></span><b>ö</b> – moderate grimness in places </span></div><div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Spiritual Enlightenment </b><b>ö</b><b>ö</b><b> </b>- emotionally bonding with an AI works</span></div></div><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9443873.post-54046059899143759902022-12-27T16:07:00.004+00:002022-12-27T16:14:56.226+00:00Darkmatters Top Ten Films of 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIOdVERbA9VlfOPav_n1417PzswMir-zhGcj3FI_4nLX1Y5qtHSlCnK1IC1mrKA19hORvzsZnaYuatMnLTd8XvrF4qBwZIMAvfHlow6XHYXEiS2LElXVS5hD-wzOl55O0y-iH8_pkku6dmMAO2q7KKbfrp75hQ2z9Esep6rjCr4kzcANOeA/s621/maverick.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="621" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIOdVERbA9VlfOPav_n1417PzswMir-zhGcj3FI_4nLX1Y5qtHSlCnK1IC1mrKA19hORvzsZnaYuatMnLTd8XvrF4qBwZIMAvfHlow6XHYXEiS2LElXVS5hD-wzOl55O0y-iH8_pkku6dmMAO2q7KKbfrp75hQ2z9Esep6rjCr4kzcANOeA/s16000/maverick.jpeg" /></a></div><br /> <b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 20px;">Top Ten Films 2022<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">From the mind of Matt Adcock (<a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/Cleric20">@Cleric20</a>)</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-DyDrkgFmMjKpYVSw5mGzSVNaz0eJxhCVgfWB20iE6Ch14EYxP7gG_HPXPNsn48jR17hIOjTYcyFhSCWyO7h_tuL-YfH-GhYmq01fu1sYQahJlhlOSNsONsoqAXrlxlOTYT4roBgM_9AtmOH83xfH401JIat6ORnLYnMTakzATbmNQPjew/s2500/wpitw%20poster.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2500" data-original-width="1698" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-DyDrkgFmMjKpYVSw5mGzSVNaz0eJxhCVgfWB20iE6Ch14EYxP7gG_HPXPNsn48jR17hIOjTYcyFhSCWyO7h_tuL-YfH-GhYmq01fu1sYQahJlhlOSNsONsoqAXrlxlOTYT4roBgM_9AtmOH83xfH401JIat6ORnLYnMTakzATbmNQPjew/w217-h320/wpitw%20poster.jpeg" width="217" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b><br /></b></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>10. The Worst Person In The World</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">I just about remember being young, life is weird and can be hard to wrangle into meaningful shape. In The Worst Person In The World we get to meet Julie (Renate Reinsve) who is about to turn 30 but struggling to find her place in the world. This film is a cracker blend of drama and romance - shot through with pathos and comedy too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Director Joachim Trier gives us chance to journey with her as jobs, lovers, haircuts, and other life choices change but her decisions rarely get better.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Empire called it<b> ‘</b>a playful love letter to uncertainty, it’s far more accessible and watchable than it has any right to be.’ And they are not wrong…</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xmwk67NdIB7ma-2Gper8YvGnVSFwMEYRsu2J8nZz_LPpSwvHFjZqRI0qLYnmxDvCHzEdpa1BgL56Qcxfbi6e7KlN6JrYcwouO4qOZLqzSTzHJeQRFmiUau_DVQpf6x_uzjnCmMN2qsL95eRBW29MbUEbcFMGIj4fPdNfqL4sW2BKRQ7c2A/s1362/saloum.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1362" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xmwk67NdIB7ma-2Gper8YvGnVSFwMEYRsu2J8nZz_LPpSwvHFjZqRI0qLYnmxDvCHzEdpa1BgL56Qcxfbi6e7KlN6JrYcwouO4qOZLqzSTzHJeQRFmiUau_DVQpf6x_uzjnCmMN2qsL95eRBW29MbUEbcFMGIj4fPdNfqL4sW2BKRQ7c2A/s320/saloum.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>9. Saloum</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Shot down after fleeing a coup and extracting a drug lord from Guinea-Bissau, the legendary mercenaries known as the Bangui Hyenas -- Chaka, Rafa and Midnight -- must stash their stolen gold bounty, lay low long enough to repair and refuel their plane and escape back to Dakar, Senegal.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Director Jean Luc Herbulot dynamically weaves supernatural mystery into this gritty crime caper that packs action, mystic thrills and a high state of tension throughout. Might the Hyenas be being set up by one of their own? When a shadow from their past catches up with them, there could be devastating consequences, threatening to unleash hell on them all.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF7z-VpWMb7njDa2Azq_znH-pLO20oo1EH9QvCO3zijPzbTYBs8PCKjTY8s5j_fgdoDIRbcRG2IoqnHFe4CGGsFqXVrMB3lRIwKo7-2UfAjNXD4DJadkaYW6ew_Nf5ONFiPWEsg5_pWUBLpUQZvJtk6ldrt6KgCR5jVkCGi19sLV4xLTiag/s900/batman.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="607" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipF7z-VpWMb7njDa2Azq_znH-pLO20oo1EH9QvCO3zijPzbTYBs8PCKjTY8s5j_fgdoDIRbcRG2IoqnHFe4CGGsFqXVrMB3lRIwKo7-2UfAjNXD4DJadkaYW6ew_Nf5ONFiPWEsg5_pWUBLpUQZvJtk6ldrt6KgCR5jVkCGi19sLV4xLTiag/s320/batman.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>8. The Batman</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Batman get excellently reimagined by the Cloverfield/Apes/Let Me In guy who brings a sinister and impressively dark vibe to Gotham City where amongst the dubious underworld and dodgy politicians a sadistic killer begins to leave a trail of cryptic clues, and bodies...</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Robert 'FFS Twilight' Pattinson dons the cowl and cloak - and despite my reservations about him actually turns out to be an ace new Batman! This film feels a lot like the original detective comic roots of the character and the aesthetic is something akin to SE7EN. Zoë Kravitz who delivers a high-quality Cat-woman and Alfred is reincarnated and under-used in the form of a superb Andy Serkis. Fantastic bat-fun!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKNWDMPxYQRoNpWqg715XmQOBgB9_jSbX1Onoi4nFRqJfVzVzfOFncYe2Vi_WKKEokpyDRDFYUAhNOlnKgRDknZMA9WhQwjZLJblBhCl9GxxI4ogBe7iYf6NRmDQxsyWrU9ZzSFMYvS7pXNYbaZTg1_YppIbpbS3fEwbr1-bi_bDaAtLLbA/s1333/glass%20onion.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKNWDMPxYQRoNpWqg715XmQOBgB9_jSbX1Onoi4nFRqJfVzVzfOFncYe2Vi_WKKEokpyDRDFYUAhNOlnKgRDknZMA9WhQwjZLJblBhCl9GxxI4ogBe7iYf6NRmDQxsyWrU9ZzSFMYvS7pXNYbaZTg1_YppIbpbS3fEwbr1-bi_bDaAtLLbA/s320/glass%20onion.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>7. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Knives Out introduced the world to the excellent Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) who returns to try and find out what is happening in the layers in of mystery dreamed up by writer / director Rian “The Last Jedi’ Johnson.. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbours their own secrets, lies and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect. This is an absolute joy and feels very much like Agatha Christie has risen from the dead!?</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdWvaaqJRhQGPVXbCIGIVid8RgY3-hH4z23fHb1s6V9S1wDTM3mSwaV3h4VZo5rPY99f0UaZA5nHjsms6w6sPXuIVrk99xghNyFeOpHzQ5AaE4GrudKaQBrwRCNGo2yL3_WQrimmuz-HZR7F57AQWGcoLsLUA30is4yHSmqBj6ZzfwUThrQ/s1130/banshees.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1130" data-original-width="766" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdWvaaqJRhQGPVXbCIGIVid8RgY3-hH4z23fHb1s6V9S1wDTM3mSwaV3h4VZo5rPY99f0UaZA5nHjsms6w6sPXuIVrk99xghNyFeOpHzQ5AaE4GrudKaQBrwRCNGo2yL3_WQrimmuz-HZR7F57AQWGcoLsLUA30is4yHSmqBj6ZzfwUThrQ/s320/banshees.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>6. The Banshees of Inisherin</b> </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Martin ‘In Bruges’ McDonagh makes high drama of a dissolving friendship as dull everyman Pádraic (Colin Farrell) gets ‘dumped’ by his best pal Colm (Brendan Gleeson). It’s off-the-scale awkward as Colm tells Pádraic out of the blue that he doesn’t want talk to him or drink with him ever again. It’s tactless and blunt, abrasive and soul-burning and the fallout gets worse and worse until blood is spilled and things have escalated to unfeasible ends.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Pádraic’s self-examination is fantastically played by Farrell with his guileless but not innocent character front and centre. He lives with his repressed sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon), she lives in a permanent state of exasperation at her brother’s darkness that begins to seep through. If that isn’t enough then there’s young Dominic (Barry Keoghan) who steals the show even though he doesn’t get enough screen time...</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-9s37ne6Jft9HkAgac10MejZlPfv-G1kWoOXqkN-PLqy0r8dyunHgXBflSb8hNzl7v_m7iDAouYllYNhWfYoulC8k18fF97Le8MyjcOIM5dvtC4BF3GzsCi0T-Rd-xuIZYz5Ku0eQk4fQc8n8byIe9PhIqlrgHqYgKL4TmL7FJKpyeqgzA/s3000/red.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2025" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS-9s37ne6Jft9HkAgac10MejZlPfv-G1kWoOXqkN-PLqy0r8dyunHgXBflSb8hNzl7v_m7iDAouYllYNhWfYoulC8k18fF97Le8MyjcOIM5dvtC4BF3GzsCi0T-Rd-xuIZYz5Ku0eQk4fQc8n8byIe9PhIqlrgHqYgKL4TmL7FJKpyeqgzA/s320/red.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>5. Red Rocket</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">This vivid, real-feeling, stylish fable is as heartbreaking as it is amusing (from the excellent director Sean Baker whose last film The Florida Project was my film of the year in ’17). Red Rocket is another tour-de-force, a safari through the lives of the dirt-poor, uneducated and pretty hopeless rust-belt US underclasses. These are folks who you want to root for but who continually make terrible decisions that lead to destructive outcomes that you’ll want to weep for them. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Simon Rex is absolutely incredible as washed-up adult movie actor ‘Mikey Saber’. Things get grim for him despite his trying to get his life back on track - including a horrible multi-vehicle pileup that impacts Mikey in more than just an allegory of his car crash of a life.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">If there’s any justice in the world Mikey should be a cinematic cult icon of the future, his fast-talking hustler predator stare and easy-winning charm is wonderfully watchable. The climax leaves you breathless and broken in equal measure - what future for the star-crossed lovers Mikey and Strawberry (a fantastic Suzanna Son)?? </p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGeD_-DRwvgzQX_rGg_nxgrc0jbgcNrv-ovaJgZhkt0Joc7qXWTfGZlSL0kSlhyXESyuwcSjsOQOGuINVOu-iMsO70v7krUGp-ylHvXTmZNn97DMoUBgp0mO6NyTbFzcp3H4KDfDALdioefmcuZq5LyYlTcP_Qbs2vvsnm_nwOa0iyEoa2A/s4096/bones.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4096" data-original-width="2765" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGeD_-DRwvgzQX_rGg_nxgrc0jbgcNrv-ovaJgZhkt0Joc7qXWTfGZlSL0kSlhyXESyuwcSjsOQOGuINVOu-iMsO70v7krUGp-ylHvXTmZNn97DMoUBgp0mO6NyTbFzcp3H4KDfDALdioefmcuZq5LyYlTcP_Qbs2vvsnm_nwOa0iyEoa2A/s320/bones.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>4. Bones & All</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Timothée ‘Dune’ Chalamet gets munchy with Taylor Russell (who is a stunningly engaging actress). These two fine young cannibals have a taste for human flesh but are basically Bonnie and Clyde for with supernatural cravings in a world of beauty and terror.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Based on Camille DeAngelis' young-adult bestseller, the movie is a tale of first love broken by an addiction stronger than drugs. Director Luca ‘Call Me By Your Name’ Guadagnino makes this a wonderfully seductive horror, gross and bloody in places but also graceful and full of real emotion. Hanging out with these two young lovers makes for the most excellent if fiendish odyssey.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7-nNtg7YDgA0p-SV4C5R3G4m2ShVwnip8Tv8CJA_bVtJIJ4D_y5CQXgw_dEaYAQaMNs3GBkDf0fFUfvlW-2qCx7gvFik7JJz56w9_dXuVPTOqxY80w9z_3BN6fTaNBWWganrdcXf9PnifnZVe8DttMd28ZLpgl6iaj-VSvom-RsynOofew/s3000/kmi.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7-nNtg7YDgA0p-SV4C5R3G4m2ShVwnip8Tv8CJA_bVtJIJ4D_y5CQXgw_dEaYAQaMNs3GBkDf0fFUfvlW-2qCx7gvFik7JJz56w9_dXuVPTOqxY80w9z_3BN6fTaNBWWganrdcXf9PnifnZVe8DttMd28ZLpgl6iaj-VSvom-RsynOofew/s320/kmi.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>3. Kimi</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Steven Soderbergh bursts back onto the cinematic landscape with KIMI - a full on suspenseful masterclass that punches you in the face with a fantastically entertaining high-tech rabbit hole of deep treachery. Angela (Zoë Kravitz) believes she’s ‘witnessed’ a murder in her role as a ‘KIMI’ operative. She has a digital clip of the crime but the big corp Amygdala (who make the KIMI product) want to cover it up at any cost.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">There are a nicely eccentric cast of characters, from Mum (Robin Givens), hacker co-worker (Alex Dobrenko), creepy voyeur<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>(Devin Ratray), and possible boyfriend (Byron Bowers), each plays crucial roles in the tight plot. Angela being agoraphobic and possibly autistic is a great heroine - but just who can she trust?</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Of-esoQjg3sBy2-oa0nwLSq_ShiPB5zNFAhJwGo8vP7sdNVNBxidtqcCQd1CU6HkOvKZtzjX4r1r3PT9EycvPsMoqYSevQI3xHU6CXLPq2t473jldx_6nXh2-IzdkZF_QzDN7IO9NCVKJIEfB1bpzRHuiwCDjZqzbjxEC64KXCgQnCTeyw/s370/Everything_Everywhere_All_at_Once.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Of-esoQjg3sBy2-oa0nwLSq_ShiPB5zNFAhJwGo8vP7sdNVNBxidtqcCQd1CU6HkOvKZtzjX4r1r3PT9EycvPsMoqYSevQI3xHU6CXLPq2t473jldx_6nXh2-IzdkZF_QzDN7IO9NCVKJIEfB1bpzRHuiwCDjZqzbjxEC64KXCgQnCTeyw/s320/Everything_Everywhere_All_at_Once.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>2. Everything Everywhere All At Once</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Somewhere in the multiverse, there is a film that combines insanely creative fun and action, it also delivers on heart-warming emotion and sci-fi shinanegans. That film isn’t Dr Strange and The Multiverse of Madness, that film is Everything Everywhere All At Once…<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">It’s freakin joyride of rude comedy, brilliant surreality, inventive action and highly emotional life auditing. Everything Everywhere All At Once exists in the fantastical outer wilds of the imagination. If you're looking for trip into the realm of lucid dreaming and liminal spaces - this is the film you've been looking for and couldn’t be more original if it tried. Michelle Yeoh is excellent as Evelyn, a laundromat owner who might just be the universal saviour against the threat of the ‘everything bagel’ black hole.</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Jamie Lee Curtis is in there too along with two film-stealing rocks with googly eyes who ‘rock’ real emotion!!</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1rc18rXgh9WndUlgf_zQyXXTrGHQQY6rUE7uJhXj4S9SNN-bFiNWv7TlfjCEc3ZLpjjLhWNritDeK6-A5hEnY-ifYaO6vX9YsMjqunMkKv9h58PgqGpBZEvsw_y9IxBrLuVxXWeDYob2Sxve9KvK_B0WwdzabbgR8-cZTTycT5gU6fpehw/s1600/mav.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1119" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1rc18rXgh9WndUlgf_zQyXXTrGHQQY6rUE7uJhXj4S9SNN-bFiNWv7TlfjCEc3ZLpjjLhWNritDeK6-A5hEnY-ifYaO6vX9YsMjqunMkKv9h58PgqGpBZEvsw_y9IxBrLuVxXWeDYob2Sxve9KvK_B0WwdzabbgR8-cZTTycT5gU6fpehw/s320/mav.jpeg" width="224" /></a></div><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><b>1. Top Gun Maverick</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">30 years after <i>Top Gun</i> defined a decade and made Tom Cruise an icon, he and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have brought Maverick back to the Danger Zone. It is a complete joy to rejoin Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom ‘doesn’t seem to age’ Cruise) as he grapples with his guilt for the death of his former co-pilot ‘Goose’ (Anthony Edwards). Things get spicy when Goose’s son Bradley (Miles Teller) – callsign ‘Rooster’ signs up to be part of Mav’s special group of pilots training for a secret mission. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Packed with stupid but equally awe-inspiring fighter jet action - Top Gun Maverick has crashed straight into my all-time favourite list and is just a full-speed treat for all your emotions!! Oh my God this is FIRE!</p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Honourable mentions<b>: PREY, X, The Northman, Pearl, Barbarian, Werewolf By Night, Ambulance, Licorice Pizza, The Innocents, Hatching, Hellraiser... </b></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />>>> Imagine a world where the earth is becoming hell?</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Click below to find out in my dark sci-fi novel...</b></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p class="p2" style="font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Darkness-Darkmatters-Matt-Adcock/dp/0957338775" border="0" data-original-height="196" data-original-width="700" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjouHJOSLymNmbtaKwse1vwOKK-uJkgu2TVqeOH45TQVvWpYQKUJfxaLWz2YlFEljY161g-Xcdcneu075Mp6FUqs0yM1PQyOSrx8UMWN7oRMiUTITa4w4hs54-BkWWnSq1CRwnv/w625-h175/brave.jpg" width="625" /></span></a></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 13px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><br /></p>Matt Adcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151440959074811087noreply@blogger.com0