Walkabout Thoughts

Movie:  April and the Extraordinary World. Genere: Animation, Steampunk, SciFi. Synopsis: The story is about an alt-history earth in which the technology has not passed the 18th century in steam-powered engineering. After Napoilon the 3rd is killed in an acident, the worlds leading minds are abucted. As such that there was no progress in technology, France still under Napolionic rule started aresting scientest and forcing them to work on weapons of war. Cut to the 1930s and you have April the daughter a family of chemist working on the ultimet serum that could help end sickness and even death. Add in some talking lizards, a talking cat and lots of chasing and crashes. With the lovable animation stlye close to (but not the same as) Tintin and you got your self a wonderful adventure for the whole family. Style: Western animation style, is not a lost art here. As most have at one point assimulated the Japanese Anime style for a time then had a change and went with more of...

Movie: The Girl Without Hands Genere: Folklore, Fairy Tales Review: This is very much an artistic approach to film, with the watercolor looks and abstract feel from this masterpiece. Just to be forward and honest I have never read or heard of this tale from the Brothers Grim. That being said, I have never been so disappointed in my self for not knowing.  The story is about a girl who's father unknowingly sold her to the devil for riches. Since the devil could not have her, he had her father cut her hands off with an ax. She then wandered around until she met a river spirit that helped her get a prince. With the devil is without his due, he plays tricks on them as the prince is at war and the girl is with a child. As not to spoil it any further go watch this movie, even in French it is such a cautionary tale. Be careful what you wish for, the price may be more than you expect. Style: Just stunning the visuals and how it is presented is very unique and I have y...

Works in Progress: #SPQ: SFF novel set in the current era, a bit like the last starfighter, star wars and hitchhikers guide to the galaxy. With a mix of StarCraft, Warhammer 40k and Star Trek for added flavor. Empowering Darkness: Fantasy novel set in a post-renaissance world of Magic. VR: Death.exe: SFF Noir set in the near future where entertainment is done in Virtual Reality, where murder can be down to 1's and 0's, also will have interaction with QR codes and sites to visit for more exposition to solve this who done it. Ember: A platforming game in the spirit of Mega Man X, with magic. Play as Ember the Apprentice of a great Sorceress. Unnamed SRPG: An app where you can make your own merc town. Build, craft, recruit friends and set off on an adventure. In the spirit of X-com, Fire Emblem, and Final Fantasy Tactics. So I really need your help to get these off to the press for my books and off of the Design Documents and into your hands. To see ...

Hello, Fellow wanders, Just an update for you all on what is going on. First off I got a new Job working nights so reviews will be off, for now, I will still try to get at least 2 a week. Upcoming Reviews: Books: Terminal Alliance By Jim V Hines, Dark Intelligence by Neal Asher. Movies: The Girl without Hands, Valerian and the city of a thousand planets, April and the Extraordinary World. Remember if you want to see them a day before please subscribe to my Patron .

Books: House of Shattered Wings, House of Binding Thorns. Author: Aliette De Bodard Genere: Historical Fantasy, Gothic. Synopsis: House of Shattered Wings: In this introduction to the Dominion of the Fallen series we are introduced to a Paris filled with ruin, due to a war between the houses. These houses are ruled by fallen angels, who have a great attitude and power in magick. The house known as Silverspires lost their leader Morningstar (Lucifer) some time ago. While rummaging through the trap-laden ruins in Paris, Phillipe and his fellow vagabonds stumble on a newly Fallen Angel. This leads him to painful memories and his own history as well. In the end, he overcomes it and sets on his own path once again. Phillipe is a great character, not a native of Paris but from Vietnam, and is written with such care that the history and culture were represented by him as a strong character. Not to mention the wise aunts did bring some humor to the book. Hosue of Bindin...

Movie: In this Corner of the World Directed by: Katabuchi, Sunao Based on the works of Kouno, Fumiyo Genere: Anime, Historical Fiction Synopsis: This anime starts in Hiroshima of the life of a girl named Suzu. At the age of 18 gets married to a man from her past (who she hardly remembers) and is living with his family in Kure during WWII and it takes a look at the effect it had on the people of Japan at that time and what hardships those who where caught up in this conflict had to deal with. It is touching and heartwarming and very sad at points in this film. It shows another side of the coin on how the war took its toll of every one, both Allies and Axis. With the struggles of rationing and getting clever on how to cook when you don't have much to use. RATING: Watch it, collect it.

Movie: The Hitman's Bodyguard. Starring: Ryan Reynold, Samuel L Jackson, Gary Oldman, Selma Hayek. Genere: Action Comedy This is one of those movies that you would watch over and over again. Like Space Balls, Pulp Fiction, good movies that you love and enjoy to watch. Synopsis: By the book bodyguard (Ryan) was the best money could by that is until a fateful day when a client was assassinated. Just to say his life has been less than stellar would be an understatement, more so when an ex-girlfriend calls in a favor to protect a high priority witness that would bring down an evil dictator. Ironically it is an assassin (Samuel) who has tried to kill him (Ryan) several times. This was like a road trip movie with the banter between Ryan and Samuel was some of the best I have seen in a LONG time. The action was set at the best pace, not giving too much calm between action scenes and witty banter scenes. Is this a good movie to rent, well yes, though better to own it so y...

Interview on 5/28/2018 US 5/29/2018 UK This is was my first interview in such a long time, that I should have asked and had a recording of the interview. So this will not be a verbatim more or less on the notes I took from the said interview with Jeannette Ng. The main influences in her book Under the Pendulum Sun  are the works of V.C. Andrews the author of  Flowers in the Attic . In the way, she would describe a piece of architecture making the place and the objects within the narrative their own characters. She went into a quote on what she meant by this "The bead was like a swan with its wings stretched out". Jeannette went into detail about how gothic writing tends to highlight the buildings and objects within were as most would go into detail on a scene or emotion. One set example is from her novel, there is a scene that describes a hallway during the night when the light of the moon hit it and the how she made the garden in the book be more ...