In my country, Costa Rica, (as in many others too) when the Anime TV series of Heidi was shown, cause a social impactIconic tale!
ANIME VS BOOK
In my country, Costa Rica, (as in many others too) when the Anime TV series of Heidi was shown, cause a social impact without parallel, where still today is considered one of the most beloved adaptations of the original book.
One of the best things about the anime is that it adapts quite faithfully the whole prose novel, just adding extra moments, but the book is there, just expanded, and the main events ocurred as in the book.
One of the cool things in the book is that you find extra information about Heidi’s Grandfather backstory, how he had a brother that ruined the family money with gambling and drinking, and Heidi’s Granfather was a soldier in Naples, from where he returned with Heidi’s dad still a baby. The book also explained how Heidi’s dad met Heidi’s mom, and how they both died.
The book also has a Christianity elements absent from the Anime, like Heidi at Frankfurt she learned to read and pray with a Religious stories collected in a book that Clara’s Grandmother gave to Heidi, and also thanks to this book i show Heidi accomplished to take her grandfather again to believe in God, since he had lost faith due his son’s death.
The book is excellent, and certainly is a great choice to read to any fan of Heidi but certainly the 1974’s Anime TV series (that came to Costa Rica in the early 80s) is still the best option to experience a timeless great story.
…or this novel is one of the most visionary sci-fi stories ever written…
…OR…
…Farfetched Sci-Fi Thriller!
GENETIC MANIPULATION
One of two things…
…or this novel is one of the most visionary sci-fi stories ever written…
…OR…
…is the one most farfetched ever written.
The topic is really good and clever elected. It’s the way that it’s developed that I had serious troubles to assimilate, since some stuff is like resolved too easily or just too quick. One injection and immediate results. Maybe those things could be overwatched in a comic book where science is quite quick to happen, but in a prose sci-fi thriller novel, I don’t know, I just could accept it so easily.
Also, there is a whole lot of legal themes that since I’m not lawyer, I don’t know if those are able to happen in US Legal Courts.
There is a company BioGen, and they are after the genes of Frank Burnet that it seems that he was able to get healthy from an aggressive form of leukemia, and most of the book, he is on the run avoiding to be captured by BioGen. No problem with that.
Where I have problems is about a chimpanzee and a parrot that they are genetically manipulated and suddenly they can think and talk, even the chimpanzee is able to go to school and people truly believed that he is a human with some false genetic disease!
And those are like the main cases, since another problem with the novel is that there are just too many micro-stories, truly disturbing being able to appreciate the main story.
It’s well written since it has a good narrative form, but I think that the sci-fi elements are too quick and too farfetched presented, along with some questionable legal issues (that maybe are real and possible, but I had serious issues to accept).
It wasn't easy for me, giving so low rating, since Michael Crichton is one of my favorite authors, but honestly I just couldn't assimilate this story.
This softcover TPB recollects “Stray Dogs” Free Comic Book Day Prologue plus “Stray Dogs: Dog Days” #1-2.
Creative TeaA worthy companion anthology.
This softcover TPB recollects “Stray Dogs” Free Comic Book Day Prologue plus “Stray Dogs: Dog Days” #1-2.
Creative Team:
Creator & Writer: Toni Fleecs
Creator & Illustrator: Trish Forstner
Colorist: Brad Simpson
UNTOLD TALES
Due the huge success of Stray Dogs, it was only logical trying to capitalize in some way a little more of that success, and definitely it was wise and worthy to publish this two-parter comic book (along with the prologue promoted during the Free Comic Book Day), and in that way, telling short tales (each can be of a couple of pages, maybe four at best) but quit enough to tell how the most of th dogs in the original story came in possession of the terrible man.
It’s interesting that at least sometimes, the man wasn’t successful in his insidious attacks, or having to choose a different victim since the originally planned was able to repel the attack.
It’s not that solid as the first TPB, since it’s a recollection of very short separated stories, but still it’s a fair and relevant companion book to any reader that reads the first TPB and wanting to know how was the lives of the dogs before meeting the awful man…
…even there is a story telling events after the ending to the original story, so it’s quite important to read too.
Creator & Illustrator: TrisShocking modern masterpiece!
This softcover TPB recollects “Stray Dogs” #1-5.
Creative Team:
Creator & Writer: Toni Fleecs
Creator & Illustrator: Trish Forstner
Colorist: Brad Simpson
NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART
This can be easily, one of the darkest stories that I ever read, specially in a comic book, while I’ve read several graphic novels oriented for adults, definitely this is one that it’s not for everybody since it can be totally understandable that it can shock the sensibility of many people, even I was shocked in several moments.
The story is cleverly showing most of the most popular breeds of dogs, obviously choosing several iconic breeds used in dogs from popular media like movies and TV, therefore even if you haven’t dogs of your own, it’s impossible that you won’t click with at least one of two of the canine characters in the story, totally fitting described like…
…Silence of the Lambs meets All Dogs go to Heaven.
Warning has been made.
MEMENTO FUGIT
I don’t know how scientific supported is the element developed here that dogs have problems with the short-term memory, therefore, they depend of routine to keep in mind what is happening around, but if something dramatically changed, they can soon enough to forget who was their previous owner and accepted the new owner as the only owner that they ever had.
However, it’s something that you have to accept in this story since it’s the key of how the narrative works.
MAN ISN’T DOG’S BEST FRIEND
This very dark story, drawn with a very cute style (giving even more shocking impact to the darkness of events here), a man has a lot of dogs, and they thought that they been rescued from streets and therefore they are grateful with their owner, since he always is giving them food and shelter.
Sophie, a new dog is trying to get used to the new environment, and she doesn’t have recollection of her previous life before being in the man’s house. Rusty, one of the many dogs in the house is self-appointed to tell her how things works in the house. Eveything is working until…
…Sophie finds a red scarf that she at once remembers as property of her true female owner…
…therefore, since that moment, you know that something really bad happened…
…and the worst of all is that Sophie’s past isn’t unique…
…but an insidous serial pattern to be feared…
…and brace yourself since not everybody will survive this story!
Don’t be confused due the cuteness of the artwork, this is without a doubt a horror story, and definitely something not easily to digest.
But definitely a daring and bold masterpiece of modern graphic novels.
This is the first novel of “The Light-Whisperers of Kalevala” book series
SPECIAL BOOK
This is a Once you get to Pohjola, you won’t wanna leave!
This is the first novel of “The Light-Whisperers of Kalevala” book series
SPECIAL BOOK
This is a very special book to me, since it’s the first published novel by author Grace E. Robinson, and certainly I was thrilled to read it and even more of having it in my hands, since I ordered the paperback edition.
You can find this wonderful book in Amazon in its paperback form, but also you can buy it as e-book on several sites: Kindle, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Everand, Thalia, Smashwords, Angus & Robertson, Vivlio and Palace Marketplace.
You can contact her (here on Goodreads or in Facebook as “Grace E. Robinson – StorytellerGirl” and she’ll be delighted to tell you the options and links to buy the book.
You will enjoy the reading experience, I can assure you.
This novel is an outstanding epic adventure using the Finnish and Sami cultures, that they are wonderful and rich cultures, but not much known outside of Finland, so, this is a great opportunity of having an epic adventure that it doesn’t have anything to envy to popular sagas like Narnia or Lord of the Rings.
Another cool thing is that while the book is part of a series, the story in this novel is self-contained having a proper closure, in that way you can read it and later to decide if you wish to continue with the series.
The book includes maps of Finland and the magical land of Pohjola, along with an appendix explaining terms of Finnish and Sami cultures, including pronunciation (and I recommend to read the appendix before engaging with the story).
AWESOME ADVENTURE
In this adventure, you’ll travel not only to the farthest frozen regions of Finland, but also to the magical land of Pohjola, meeting wonderful characters, honorable heroes and ruthless villains.
One hundred and thirty of reindeer have dissappeared and the local authorities have no clue, therefore, they call for help of capital police, where Detective Lyylia Niiranen will manage the case, once there contacting American scientist Shaun Abernathy, part of a research post studying the northern lights, and also the owner of the missing herd of reindeer, Ávgos Heikkilä…
…but they never imagined that a police investigation will take them to a magical land, full of mythical creatures, good and evil…
…where Lyylia’s sister and Ávgos’ cousing will follow their trail, finding themselves in dangerous regions of Pohjola…
…but they won’t be exactly totally strangers to Pohjola’s people, since Earth is known there as Kalevala, and they will find out that magic isn’t totally strange to them!
Meet wise Queen Kuu, sorceress ruler of the good lands of Pohjola, populated by the noble Menninkäinen and the Gentle Beasts…
…opposite to the vicious King Hiisi-Hiisi, regent of Ice-Dark, the evil regions full of hissi and Näkki…
…but you will meet a lot of more great characters in thie epic aventure…
...where you will sing and dance along with the lights and...
…where the greatest mystery is what happened to the reindeer and why....more
This is a tie-in novel of the numbered books from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” prose novel seriesThe first steps to develop a great character!
This is a tie-in novel of the numbered books from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” prose novel series.
Captain’s Log:
The USS Enterprise-D is ordered to send First Officer Commander William Riker to an away mission to the planet known as “Paradise” due his familiarity with a scientist family assigned there and that they need assistance with a problem of dangerous animals. This coincides with the ordered posting of Commander Quintin Stone as temporary first officer, since he is a loose cannon, with disrespect to authority and no other starship captain is willing to take him.
Senior Staff:
Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Commanding Officer)
Cmdr. Quintin Stone (Temporary First Officer)
Cmdr. William Riker (away on a mission)
Lt. Cmdr. Data (Operations Manager & Second Officer)
Lt. Worf (Chief Security Officer)
Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge (Chief Engineering Officer)
Dr. Beverly Crusher (Chief Medical Officer)
Wesley Crusher (Acting Ensign & Helmsman)
BEFORE MACKENZIE, THERE WAS QUINTIN
I wanted to read this novel since I was curious about the character of Quintin Stone since it’s clear that he was a prototype of the eventual Captain Mackenzie Calhoun of Star Trek: New Frontier, also created by Peter David.
And without a doubt, Quintin Stone was the first draft to the better defined and better developed Mackenzie Calhoun, even both have facial scars!
But, thankfully, Peter David did a better job with Calhoun, since Stone is interesting to read, I like better Calhoun.
FAIR ADVENTURE BUT NOT A GREAT MISSION
The book is a fair reading but nothing too awesome.
You have the Enterprise-D dealing with the reckless personality of Quintin Stone, and even sometimes I feel odd that the crew was so hostile to him keeping saying him in his face how good is Riker and how he would do the things better than Stone. I don’t think that the civilized and respectful crew of The Next Generation would act like that.
The other part of the story is Riker travelling to “Paradise” planet where a scientist family that he knows from his home at Alaska, and discovering that they were experimenting creating wild animals that become a menace to the research lab.
So, it’s well written (Peter David is my favorite Star Trek authot) but in this novel, there isn’t much exciting or epic challenges, resulting in a fair reading but nothing much spectacular.
Still, definitely it’s a relevant book, since it’s obvious that it was key to Peter David to play with the idea of the character and making the right adjustments for making it to work perfectly as Mackenzie Calhoun.
First of all, this book is called “light novel” since it’s a Fame can be deathly!
This is a prose Japanese “light novel”.
NOT SO LIGHT AFTER ALL
First of all, this book is called “light novel” since it’s a common format used on Japan to prose novels under 300 pages even can be under 200 pages in some cases, usually portraiting manga-style drawn covers but with very few illustrations inside, therefore they must not be confused with a manga book, and they are normally targeting young audiences.
However, in this particular case, it’s a light novel using very a adult tone, appearing elements of sexual relationships and gore violence.
Therefore, this “light novel” isn’t for the faint of heart.
FROM A GOOD BOOK TO A PERFECT MOVIE
While I am fan of the anime movie since many years, until recently I found out that the film was based on a prose light novel, so I became interested to read it, and while the book is really good, the anime movie still is a superior product, showing more imagination and depth to the story.
Perfect Blue, directed by the late Satoshi Kon (Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Millenium Actress), is easily my personal number one favorite Japanese anime film (even above of the awesome Studio Ghibli films) since it’s quite adult and shocking and it shouldn’t be a surprise about it, since I found out that the movie was supposed to be a live-action project but due limitations of budget, it was transformed into an anime product, definitely the movie isn’t for the faint of heart either, since it shows too graphic sexual abuse and gore violence…
…BUT…
…if you see beyond of those polemic elements, you’ll be able to appreciate an astonishing artistic story, using psychological images where not always is easy to know what it’s real and what is imagined by some of the characters in the story.
Also, the anime script has an amazing twist at the climax (no, I won’t spoil it) that makes more interesting and powerful the anime version than the book where is very straight-forward about how the narrative is developed.
The director Satoshi Kon was given green light to change the original book as much as he’d wanted as long he’d keep the basic concepts of a young adult Idol being stalked by a psychopath, and thankfully Satoshi Kon did an awesome job turning an already good prose book into a perfect anime movie.
Perfect Blue, the Japanese anime movie made in 1997 cause such impact that it’s not wonder that it was the inspiration for various following American live-action films such as Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan, but even you can find recent inspired projects such as the way popular new Japanese anime series Oshi No Ko.
IT’S NOT EASY TO BE AN IDOL
Mima Kirigoe is a Japanese young adult woman that she was being a popular idol in Japan, which in said country is a female role, in the entertainment industry, given to teenagers able to sing and dance using colorful costumes where it’s common that even adult people are fans of mentioned idols. It’s common practice by the talent agencies managing those idols to prohibit them of having boyfriends to keep a public image of virginity and innocence (along with very bad paid salaries) but it’s very often that Japanese girls wanting to be idols as an easy way to gain fame and a first step to a possible career in acting once become adults (while it’s common knowledge that very few idols are casted as serious actresses by filming companies).
It’s not easy to be an idol.
In the book, it seems that Mima is a single idol (while in the movie was part of a trio (which is more normal for idols of being part of a group (usually two, three, even five or seven members but there are exceptional cases like AKB48 having 48 active members all the time (“graduating” the members that became adults and recruiting new teenagers continuously)). One difference in the book is that Mima has an idol rival (not appearing in the movie) that she’s trying to ruin Mima’s career.
Mima wanted to leave behind her idol image of innocence and looking for acting jobs, but first she accepted to make a photo book (a booklet with original pictures) with a very sexy tone. (In the book it’s managed kinda less impactful but in the movie, Mima suffered of serious shocking incidents while doing that provocking intense psychological trauma).
There is a fan that he doesn’t like this change in Mima’s career and he decides that he will do anything to keep Mima Kirigoe as the innocent idol girl that he admires (that is kinda similar in the movie, the character exists and while he isn’t as dangerous psychotic in the movie, there is a lot more happening beyond that in the movie making more shocking and interesting).
Therefore, I already mentioned some of this, but I want to say again that I find quite entertaining the book, and even quite shocking in some scenes, however the narrative is quite straight-forward where there are few surprises of how the story is developing, and that’s why I highly recommend the movie over the book, but definitely both formats aren’t for the faint of heart....more
This softcover TPB edition collects “Alice Ever After” #1-5.
Creative Team:
Writer: Dan Panosian
Illustrators:
Dan PanosiA too dark tale about Alice!
This softcover TPB edition collects “Alice Ever After” #1-5.
Creative Team:
Writer: Dan Panosian
Illustrators:
Dan Panosian (Wonderland scenes)
Giorgio Spalletta with Cyril Glerum (London scenes)
Colors: Fabiana Mascolo
Lettering: Jeff Eckleberry
CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER
I found out about this comic book miniseries too late, so instead of getting it in single issues, I got the TPB edition but luckily I was able to get the issue #1 with variant art by J. Scott Campbell.
This graphic novel is a sequel to the events of the original book where Alice is already a grown-up woman in her twenties (I believe). She is addicted to drugs (some pills and liquid heroine) that she employs to go back to Wonderland, and once she is back to a very dark and grimm reality you can find that several “real life” characters have their Wonderland counterparts. That’s not that inspired since this is like taking Wizard of Oz and the sequel film Back to Oz merging those mentioned elements to the story of Alice in Wonderland, even you can think about Bridge to Terabithia since here Wonderland isn’t real and the story have a very sad ending.
Alice is addicted to drugs but you’ll find out that she isn’t guitly by herself for her condition since there is a very dark family secret that Alice was unlucky to find out and now she is suffering because of that.
All that said, I enjoyed the development since it was quite creative how all those new elements were used to tell this extension of the story of Alice, however I didn’t like at all how the story ends (no, I won’t spoil it, but be warned).
Maybe the ending isn’t that sad taking in account the inner desires of Alice, but if the graphic novel would have a different closure, certainly I’d give it 5 stars without thinking, but since it wasn’t the case, I thought that the fairest thing to do was taking out a star, even I was considering to give it only 3 stars, but at the end I decided not to punish it that much since only the ending was what I didn't enjoy, the rest of the story is quite an interesting experience.
I want to mention (that I think it can be considered as part of my problems with the ending) that I don’t like that taking in account that the story have a lot of villains, not single one pays for their crimes, and I don’t find that fair, maybe real life isn’t fair but this isn’t a real life story, this is a book (actually a comic book) therefore I would like to see the criminals to be accountable for their sins and the victims to find justice.
Still, the comic book is quite well written and wonderfully illustrated, so if you’re fan of Wonderland stuff, you might find worthy to take a look to this graphic novel.
I read the Jane Austen novels in separate books but I choose this editiLove is in the air, dear fellow readers!
JANE AUSTEN, SYNONYM OF ROMANCE
I read the Jane Austen novels in separate books but I choose this edition to have a focused item to show in my “favorites” shelf, since I didn’t want to leave some of her core six finished novels out of the selection. I could choose Sense and Sensibility as my option to show in the “favorites” shelf, but I still wasn’t comfortable leaving out the other five books, since I believe that each one of her core six completed works is a relevant and significant part of her soul and each one is as worthy to be read as the rest.
Jane Austen’s work is key in the genre of romance, but also in the field of Victorian novels since she lived there and she was brave to show without any regard how was life at England in that particular age of history, how men behave and how women was treated by society.
Therefore, I felt that it was relevant to put them in my “favorites” shelf that I didn’t want to expand more of ten books or series, since obviously I have loved many more books, but I think that it was useful to reduce to ten my options there, selecting like the best examples of each of my favorite book genres.
I watched the anime and live-action adaptations of Kakegurui before ofLet’s gamble like crazy!
This 1st volume covers chapters 1-4.
ADAPTATIONS
I watched the anime and live-action adaptations of Kakegurui before of engaging with the manga, and since I already watched all anime and live-action entries, including tv series, movies and the spin-off Kakegurui Twin that have been made so far, surely it will continue in the near future, but meanwhile I’ll read the manga.
The anime is really good BUT I got hooked to the series with the live-action adaptation that while it’s quite similar to the anime, they add a certain degree of humor that helps to accept the reality of the series without affecting the intensity of the story.
So, in my humble opinion if you are curious about the adaptations of this manga, while the anime is quite enjoyable, I highly recommend to engage the live-action adaptation that so far (February 2023) is two seasons of Kakegurui main series, a couple of theatrical movies and one season of the spin-off Kakegurui Twin (set one year before of the events of the main series).
A SCHOOL LIKE NO OTHER
Kakegurui isn’t a real Japanese word but a combination of two words and usually is accepted to be translated as “Compulsive Gambler”, since the series revolves around gambling in a high school for rich people.
Hyakkaou Private Academy is a respected high school where the children of powerful and influential business people assist and where everything is dealt with some kind of gambling, it can be cards or dice invented games but even some can use dangerous items like guns and blades. Every gambing den is supervised by the Student Council and each gambling den pays a tribute to be able of operating, and students who lose their gambles and they aren’t able to cover the money loses, they became “pets” losing all respect as human beings and having to endure all kind of humiliations.
The President of the fearsome Student Council is Kirari Momobami, a female student that got her position as president in a gambling game against the previous president.
ENTER: YUMEKO JABAMI
Yumeko Jabami, a female student, enters into the Hyakkaou Private Academy and at once she became of person of interest to the Student Council.
Yumeko became fast friend of Ryota Suzui, a male student who is suffering the status of “pet” at the beginning of story due losing a gamble to the influential gambler Mary Saotome (she will be the main character in the spin-off Kakegurui Twn).
Yumeko plays a rock-paper-scissor card type game with Mary.
Later she will be challenged by a junior member of the Student Council, First Year female student, Itsuki Sumeragi, in a double memory card type game.
And so far in this volume, Yumeko engages in a “life or death” game using a casino roulette, by the Traditional Research Club President Yuriko Nishinotoin, a female student well respected and member of the Student Council.
Sometimes winning, sometimes losing, but Yumeko always sees through the cheating practices of her challengers, becoming a shattering element to the status quo of the so far fearsome Student Council.
This review is bilingual. You will find first the review in English and after that, you will find the review in Spanish.
Esta críGotta read it all!
This review is bilingual. You will find first the review in English and after that, you will find the review in Spanish.
Esta crítica es bilingüe. Usted encontrará primero la crítica en Inglés y luego de esta, usted encontrará la crítica en Español.
REVIEW IN ENGLISH
I've watched all the Pokemon movies but I haven't managed to watch all the seasons of the TV series, so I found this guide to be a great option to learn details about the TV series that I hadn't been able to watch.
The encyclopedia is totally full color illustrated and printed in prestige paper, it covers from the beginning of the TV series in the Kanto region to the Galar region, which is the season that was broadcast in 2021 (according to the United States), so only the season known as "Ultimate Journeys" would be missing (2022), of course without counting the present miniseries "Aim to Become a Pokemon Master" that is currently starting in Japan (2023) to cover the entire saga of Ash Ketchum and his pokemon friend Pikachu. However, it is the most updated option that you will be able to find at the moment and although I thought about waiting for another update of the book covering the rest of Ash Ketchum’s journey, I did not want to risk that it wouldn’t be another updated edition and being left with nothing.
The encyclopedia shows you the visual evolution of Ash Ketchum's character, from how he looked like in the first seasons to the most recent ones, all the pokemon he managed to catch, and a tour that takes you from region to region, showing the friends he met, the duels he did, as well as which pokemon are seen in each region, including legendary pokemon that were only seen in movies, but they do not go into detail about the events of the films, but for me that is not a problem, since it is the TV series from which I require the most information and the book manages to give it in plenty.
I think the only detail to mention is that since it is a book translated in Spain, it turns out that in that country, the first three seasons of the series kept the names of the characters as they were named in the American version (and that is how they were used in Latin America too) but from the fourth season they started to change some names (including one region) which is a bit confusing.
But overall, definitely, this "encyclopedia" is easily the most comprehensive option you can find on the "Pokemon" TV series.
CRITICA EN ESPAÑOL
He visto todas las películas de Pokemon pero no he logrado ver todas las temporadas de la serie de televisión, por lo que encontré que esta guía era una excelente opción para enterarme de detalles sobre la serie de televisión que no había logrado ver.
La enciclopedia es totalmente ilustrada a color e impresa en papel prestige, la cual cubre desde el inicio de la serie en la región de Kanto hasta la región de Galar, que es la temporada que se transmitió en 2021 (de acuerdo a Estados Unidos), por lo que solo faltaría la temporada conocida como “Ultimate Journeys” (2022), claro sin contar la presente miniserie “Aim to Become a Pokemon Master” que actualmente está iniciando en Japón (2023) para cubrir toda la saga de Ash Ketchum y su amigo pokemón Pikachu. Sin embargo es lo más actualizado que van a poder encontrar en estos momentos y aunque medité en esperarme a una actualización del libro cubriendo el resto del viaje de Ash Ketchum, no quise arriesgarme que no sacaron una nueva edición actualizada y quedarme sin nada.
La enciclopedia te muestra la evolución visual del personaje de Ash Ketchum, de cómo lucía en las primeras temporadas hasta las más recientes, todos los pokemón que logró atrapar, y un recorrido que te lleva de región en región, mostrando los amigos que fue conociendo, los duelos que hizo, así como cuales pokemón son vistos en cada región, incluyendo pokemón legendarios que sólo se vieron en películas, pero no profundizan en detalle sobre los eventos de los filmes, pero para mí eso no es problema, ya que es la serie de televisión de la que requiero la mayor información y el libro logra darla en amplitud.
Creo que el único detalle a mencionar es que como es un libro traducido en España, resulta que en dicho país, las primeras tres temporadas de la serie mantuvieron los nombres de los personajes como fueron nombrados en la versión Estadounidense (y es como en Latinoamérica se hizo también) pero a partir de la cuarta temporada empezaron a cambiar algunos nombres (incluyendo una región) lo cual resulta un poco confuso.
Pero en general, definitivamente, esta “enciclopedia” es fácilmente la opción más completa que pueden encontrar sobre la serie de televisión de “Pokemón”....more
This is the screenplay of the film of the same title, which is the third entry in the saga.
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY THE BOOK
I willCould be better!
This is the screenplay of the film of the same title, which is the third entry in the saga.
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY THE BOOK
I will saying kinda several elements from the movie since after all, this isn’t a novelization of the story but basically the screenplay of the film.
I wasn’t sure to buy the book since the movie didn’t impress me much but since it isn’t clear if Fantastic Beasts will continue as film saga and this could be the last entry of it, well, I already had all the previous books of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, it could be odd to miss the very last book. I really do hope that the saga would go on, but if not, at least I have all the books so far.
I had to wait quite a bit to buy it since at least in my country, Costa Rica, the book didn’t arrive until several months after its release, and even so, the Spanish translated edition arrived first, and I had to wait a lot that the English edition would be available here (since I have on English all the previous books).
I am grateful that at least this screeplay includes some additional value having several sketches of costumes, scenarios and props of the movie, along with insight comments from key people of the production like David Heyman, David Yates, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, etc…
...therefore I am not just reading the dialogues of a movie that I already watched but having interesting information giving some extra context to the story and characters.
ELECTED BY AN ANIMAL?
I think that something that mainly bothers me about the story was that while there is an election with votes by people, at the end, the preference of an animal would be recognized to appoint the new leader of the whole wizarding world community.
It’s illogical that a race that even practice slavery (domestic elves) would respect that an animal would know the kind of leader that he or she would rule over them.
I understand that since this second saga of the Wizarding World is about Fantastic Beasts, J.K. Rowling need to include animals on relevants roles in the story, but having one “electing” the leader of all the magical world is indeed absurd.
Even more absurd if you think that that animal almost “elected” a character that he’s one of the most popular characters in the whole franchise, but hardly I’d think that he is pure of heart, since he has done questionable things here and there, maybe for the good reasons but still I don’t think that he is pure of heart, but…
…I do think that he could be a great world leader, so that helps me to question if a person pure of heart can be the best choice to be a leader, since obviously can’t be a malignant character but the leader of many people will have to make hard choices here and there, so I don’t know if a person of true pure of heart would be able to make those hard choices.
In any case, that “electing system” of the wizarding world doesn’t work, at least from my point of view.
THE SAGA IS ON FREE FALLING
It doesn’t help to the story that Newt Scamander doesn’t have at hand his case, therefore, he only has two fantastic beasts with him (already too exposed in the two previous movies) during the most of the plot.
The first movie was really good but it’s clear that it was like a stand-alone experiment without expecting to be expanded into a multiple entries saga, and while the second one wasn’t that good, at least I was entertained a lot and even I understood that J.K. Rowling needed that second movie to make the foundation to be developed in the rest of the second saga, but here, when I was expecting more content, more evolution, the story is quite simple and even absurd, where…
…isn’t helping the big loss of Tina Goldstein in the story (I don’t know if there was some agenda problem with the actress but I don’t care, I needed Tina in the movie) for not saying the change of casting in Grindelwald (don’t get me wrong, I like Mads Mikkelsen and he did a good job but I didn’t like the re-cast was only because Warner was afraid that the legal problems at the moment with Johnny Depp would alienate the audience (that at the end resulted in positive light to him) (even more illogical since it seems that Warner still plans to premiere The Flash with Ezra Miller who is still a lot more polemic).
However, not matter the recast of someone and the missing of another, still the story isn’t that good and the saga seems to be drowing at the point that there isn’t any clear plans to make a fourth entry, which I found sad and losing the opportunity of watching the wizarding world involved in WWII and the rise of Voldemort, just to mention a couple of cool things to explore…
…for not saying that I was hoping that Jacob Kowalski and Queenie Goldstein could be resulting past relatives of some character of the original saga.
BUT…
…in a positive light I can say that new characters like Lally and having more exposition of Bunty was something that I enjoyed a lot, since certainly J.K. Rowling knows how to create charming characters that helps to balance the lack of a better solid story.
This is a charming book by J.K. Rowling that it’s kinda mix of Alice in Wonderland and the Island of Misfit Toys fromMerry Xmas!
SAVING DUR PIG
This is a charming book by J.K. Rowling that it’s kinda mix of Alice in Wonderland and the Island of Misfit Toys from Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Jack is a child that while dealing with a new combined family, specially a new stepsister who is having troubles to accept the new family, he meets a magical pig who will help him to find his old pig toy in a magical realms made of several places where all lost things went.
I liked it a lot, since it’s told from the perspective of the kid and it’s quite realistic his way of analizing things and seeing life.
I believe that this story could make a wonderful stop-motion xmas TV special like those of 70s, even a movie since you got a lot of strange and cool places inside of the magical realm, therefore there is enough material to make a whole film, and while CGI is kinda the most usual way to make animated movies nowadays, I still think that a stop-motion option could be a wonderful way to present it.
I think that we, readers, have at least one of those books…
…those books that we found in a shelf of a bookIt was about time!
ONE OF THOSE BOOKS
I think that we, readers, have at least one of those books…
…those books that we found in a shelf of a bookstore, we had it in the hands, we considered to buy it…
…but…
…for some reason, we didn’t buy it…
…BUT…
…that book stuck in our minds since then, we remember the cover, we remember the title, we never forget the book and we kinda regret not getting it and wonder if it was any good.
Well…
…this book was my example of those books. I had it in my hands and considered to buy it but at the end I didn’t and since then I never forget it.
And since 1993, this book stuck in my mind.
Luckily, I was able to get it recently and since Quantum Leap is trending again thanks to the sequel TV series, I thought that it was a perfect…
…time…
…to leap and vanish into reading it.
QUANTUM READ
In this story, Dr. Sam Beckett leaps into a person too close for confort of a little younger version of Admiral Al Calavicci, before of his involvement in the Quantum Leap project and the interaction with this Al can be put into danger the very project causing a paradox of grave consequences.
The mission of the leap isn’t that exciting since it didn’t involve the “past” Al but a person around that Sam needs to avoid her participation in a robbery.
Still, it was a cool reading since you get a lot of conversations of Sam and Al (the “present” Al) and Al and Ziggy (the Quantum Leap project computer) analyzing and explaining how the Quantum Leap project works and its implications in the flux of time, and everything discussed is consistent to the exposed along the run of the original TV series.
So, I am glad of finally “un-stuck” this book from my mind and being able to read it.
I didn’t realize until I had the book in my hands…
…that I had it once before!
I think and think where I watched An engaging reading
FATE READING
I didn’t realize until I had the book in my hands…
…that I had it once before!
I think and think where I watched that cover before and…
…back then, in 1994, I visited some magazine store, where besides, obviously selling magazines, you could find pocket novels of recent release, there I bought Star Wars: The Courtship of Princess Leia (my very first Star Wars novel) and it was published in 1994, the same year of the release of The Midnight Club…
…so I am convinced that I had that very pocket novel in my hands but I opted to buy the Star Wars novel (since I hadn’t money for both!) and later I forget about it.
However, due the Netflix premiere of the TV adaptation of the novel, I chose to read the book, without knowing that I almost read it back then.
But it seems that it was fate for me to read this novel.
ARE YOU AFRAID OR HAVING GOOSEBUMPS TO READ THIS NOVEL?
In this novel, you have a group of teenagers, all having terminal illnesses, that as a type of support therapy, they decided to share spooky stories at night, calling themselves “The Midnight Club”.
Christopher Pike admited that he was inspired with the TV series Are You Afraid of the Dark? where there is a “Midnight Society” doing the same, a group of teenagers sharing spooky stories late at night, but without the element of terminal illnesses.
Moreover, I found curious that some months later of the publication of The Midnight Club, the author R.L. Stine published The Thrill Club where a group of teenagers are involved with spooky stories ((only I think that only one girl there is telling the stories but later they became real) I am planning to read real soon that book too), that I guess that Stine wasn’t too thrilled about competition in the genre of young adult horror literature, and he wanted to keep clear who was boss in the genre.
Without reading it, I believe that I will enjoy a lot more The Thrill Club than this novel, not because it was bad written, actually it possess a great narrative style and interesting characters with flaws, but because at the end, I was expecting a horror novel (just like the TV adaptation is giving me) and it wasn’t the case.
But, don’t get me mistaken, the book is really good, the stories are compelling (curiously, there is one very much like City of Angels movie released 4 years later BUT there is a German film from 1987 with the same storyline so…) and the whole deal of terminal illnesses is managed in a powerful way, making a good drama novel.
I just wasn’t prepared for this kind of book, while expecting a horror novel, but definitely I recommend it....more
This is a prose novel translated to English from its original Japanese language.
BOOK VS MOVIE
I am not of the credo of tNon-stop action-packed!
This is a prose novel translated to English from its original Japanese language.
BOOK VS MOVIE
I am not of the credo of that book always is better than the movie, since I met enough cases where the film adaptation is far superior than its original book source, in the same way of the opposite, so each case should be analyzed individually, and…
…in this case, I am quite glad to say that…
…BOTH…
…formats are equally good, some presents something better than the other, but in general both experiences for my humble opinion is that you’d enjoy watching the movie and reading the book in the same general way.
About whitewashing characters, I understand that if the production is America, they will tend to favoritize placing actors of American ethnics, but since I am huge fan of Asian films and TV series, obviously I’d love to watch a Japanese cast, but then what I don’t understand is why not some Japanese film company invested in producing a full Japanese movie (I don’t think that it would that expensive) from this Japanese book, if they didn’t want to change the ethnics of the characters.
About the gender-swap change of The Prince character, I have not complain about it except keeping then the name of “The Prince”, if they’d change the character from a boy to a girl, I’d prefer refering to her as “The Princess”, honestly I don’t think she would be any less lethal or dangerous naming herself as “The Princess”, but it’s my personal opinion in the matter.
An interesting change in the novel is the route used in the stories, since in the movie they travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, while in the book is from Tokyo to Morioka, I need to check on a map, and I found amusing that this change implies that in the movie they move south, while in the book is to the north. I think that it’s like a metaphysic decision to declare that each story will have changes. I am a huge fan of the movie, and I placed it in my personal Top10 favorite movies of last year (2022) and I am truly glad to say that I enjoyed in the same way the book.
TRAIN FULL OF BULLETS
In the same bullet train, a whole bunch of professional assassins boarded for different reasons and their different agendas will collide several times during the traveling route from Tokyo to Morioka.
Kimura, a former hitman; Nanao aka Ladybug, a bad luck cursed hitman; Tangerine & Lemon, an odd hitmen couple; and The Prince, a psychopath teenage boy (by far the most dangerous of the bunch). Along with them there is Maria (who gives name to the original Japanese title of the book Maria Beetle) who is Ladybug’s handler keeping in contact with him through comms.
This is an intense reading full of action but also good humor and amusing situation, and you can choose any format (book and/or movie) to enjoy about this story.
The author contacted me and sent me a digital edition of the novel in exchange of a honest review.
BACK TO REVIEW
I’ve been away from Goodreads for The author contacted me and sent me a digital edition of the novel in exchange of a honest review.
BACK TO REVIEW
I’ve been away from Goodreads for several months, along with reading anything in general, therefore, when Vani contacted me to make a review of her new book, I was hesitant, since I’ve been busy with familiar matters, but at the end I decided to read the book and I am truly glad of it, since I thought that it will be a cliche romantic tale but I was mistaken founding a very dark romantic story. which I found refreshing.
MISSING TWIST
Initially, when I read the prologue I expected a Gillian Flynn-like book, since I expected some twist since I think that the prologue is quite spoiling about how the book ends. Oddly enough, it wasn’t the case, since while the development is quite engaging and entertaining, what you may get from the prologue, it’s pretty much what you’ll get at the final cllimax. In my humble opinion I’d leave out the prologue.
ROMANTIC TRIANGLE… OF FOUR SIDES
You have the complex love story of Nikki, a rising TV personality; Cyrus, her boss; Sameer, an obsessive fan; and…
…Ali, yet another obsessive fan.
I think that one obsessive fan was enough and certainly Sameer is the interesting one. Sameer is an intriguing antagonist, with several layers to read about.
Don’t be mistaken, the angle of Ali is interesting enough but I think that two fans with dangerous tones in the same book is overkilling (kinda pun intended), leaving in a very dark light the fandom of a media personality. Having fans is an element of a media personality and certainly there must be some dangerous fans but I think that there must be a lot more positive ones than negative ones, but in the book you only get to know about two fans of the Nikki character and both are male and dangerous.
The romantic narrative involving Nikki, Cyrus and Sameer is quite good showing a rollercoaster of emotions, exposing very real characters where you don’t have cliche good or bad characters but real people able to take different decisions and having to find a way to live out of those decisions.
FATHER’S DAY
Fathers is the hightlight in this book, since Nikki’s dad, Cyrus’ dad and Sameer’s dad, all of them play key moments in the story.
Nikki, Cyrus and Sameer may not think high about their dads, and even it wouldn’t seem that they could be relevant in the general story but you can trust that it’s not about the quantity of time but the quality and how they are there in key moments in the lives of the three main characters, not pampering but showing the right path even if Nikki, Cyrus or Sameer aren’t able to realice that their fathers want the best for them.
So… …while I have my observations about the book, I enjoyed the time while reading it and I recommend it a lot to all of you.
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