Hartley has created a terrific character in Anglet Sutonga
581280
This novel crosses several genres - steampunk, detective fiction, urban fantasy - in interesting and unique ways. Hartley has created a terrific character in Anglet Sutonga. I was impressed by his ability to write exciting, vivid action sequences (Ang's rooftop chases are superbly realised), and his introduction of complex issues of race and class. "Steeplejack" is a great adventure . . . I highly recommend it!
223301
Tarrant is one of the most interesting characters I've had the pleasure to read about.  I liked him when he was a nasty killer, and I liked him when he was a not-so-nasty killer.  His arrogance and intellect and vanity are the perfect mix for a new type of evil anti-hero.  All three books were very enjoyable, and I've kept an eye on the "new fiction" rack for these past two years, hoping to see that there is another generation of Tarrant.
2898150
Set in the 18th century and based on Samuel Richardson's novel from the same period, Clarissa is a superb 1991 four-part British production (with 50-minute episodes) about a wealthy but lustful, vile rogue's attempt to conquer a pure and virtuous woman; or, on a more basic level, it is the attempt of vice to conquer virtue.  Clarissa, our beautiful heroine, is a good, dutiful and pious woman who, for her kindness and virtue, has, as the story opens, become the heir to her grandfather's fortune--to the exclusion and envy of her spiteful brother and sister, her parents, and her uncle, all of whom have conspired to take their revenge by attempting to force Clarissa into marriage with an intolerable, ugly, fopish idiot.  The irony is that Clarissa really does not want her grandfather's money; certainly she does not desire marriage.

Coincident with the reading of her grandfather's will, Clarissa has become the latest object of desire of Robert Lovelace (Sean Bean--Sharpe, Essex Boys, Bravo Two Zero, Extremely Dangerous, Fool's Gold)  a rake and a scoundrel who lives for the hunt--in all its incarnations.  His view of women is no different from his view of the birds he shoots from the sky--both exist for his sport.  He's a man who enjoys a challenge and savours the deflowering of chaste young women--whether by fair means or foul.

Clarissa is no fool.  Lovelace's reputation precedes him, and Clarissa wants nothing to do with him.  Tragically, however, the intolerable position she is put in by her family forces her to turn to Lovelace for help.  For Lovelace, it is all a game, and one's blood runs cold when his kind words to Clarissa are juxtaposed with his pub talk--talk which reveals a calculating mind, a cold heart, and a cruel inhumanity.  Lovelace is vice personified.  He is immoral and deceitful, full of trickery and treachery; most frightening of all, however, is that he is amoral, with no discernable concept of what's right from wrong.  Whilst the game is innocent enough at the start (from Lovelace's perspective!), it soon spirals out of control and Lovelace himself becomes a victim of his own trap, ensnared by his own growing obsession.

Noteworthy DVD extras include a few brief outtakes, Bean's and Wickham's screen tests, and text-based (but very interesting) production notes.

In conclusion, this is an outstanding period drama--one which I found to be very satisfying.  It is an engrossing, captivating tale peppered with an abundance of beautifully rich, witty dialogue.  The acting is impeccable; indeed, of all the villains Sean Bean has portrayed, I can think of none so vile, so utterly loathesome as that of Robert Lovelace.  Yet for all that, Lovelace is a complex character, and there are moments, however brief, when something akin to goodness attempts to break through.

Mandatory viewing for fans of Sean Bean, and highly recommended to all fans of quality, intelligent British productions--or indeed to anyone who enjoys period productions in general.
1079152
I really loved Simon and Declan's story. Simon, the narrator, is an arty guy, he's been out for a while and he is sometimes snarky and sometimes cynical. His best friend Roger and his wife Fran are the only people he's very close to. He shares an insane passion for Australian football with Roger and one night, at a party he didn't want to attend in the first place, he defends Declan Tyler, a god of football, without realizing that the guy is listening to him.

The beginning of the story shows Simon as a single young man who seems to keep everybody at a distance. He keeps dismissing the things he's most sensitive about in part because he wants to deal with them at his own terms and in part because he probably doesn't want complications. He is self-deprecating and it's probably a way to protect himself, as if he's trying to warn people not to expect too much from him or to expect to be disappointed by him. There were moments I wanted to hug him and moments I wanted to slap him.

Declan is the star footballer and he is in the closet, not even his family knows about it. We don't see the story from his point of view and I don't know if we can trust Simon - who is somewhat self-absorbed - but Declan seems a bit lonely and Simon is for him like a breath of fresh air. Simon doesn't tip-toe around Dec's celebrity persona, he respects Dec's decision not to come out and he tries to make the best out of it. Declan is a very sweet guy and it's clear that he struggles to be right for Simon.

I liked reading of them as a couple and watching the development of their relationship through its ups and downs. They have big misunderstandings, they are both impulsive - Simon more so - and I thought their reactions were believable, especially because they were living a very stressful moment. I appreciated the way they both grew as partners and persons in the arc of the story.

Roger and Fran - Simon's best friends - are secondary characters but they were wonderful and they provided a lot of funny moments, because they nailed Simon's flaws but at the same time they were always there for him. Simon's family is a bit weird and it was evident that in their own way they were trying to do the right thing by Simon, even if they didn't fully succeed. I think most of Simon's relationship with his family remained unwritten, but the awkwardness came through. Even if his family was supportive, it wasn't perfect or politically correct and it was a nice change if compared to the stereotyped super-supportive or stereotyped gay-bashing families of some books.

I'd recommend this story to romantic readers who like to hold the hands of their heroes as they go through difficult times to earn their deserved happy ending.
3134859
In the fifth outing of Anthony Bidulka's Russell Quant series, there is more action, more bullets, and more wild animals than I would have ever imagined. With that said, I imagine the globe-trotting Bidulka informed his writing of Russell's adventures through his own travels in Africa -- but upped the adventure with a giant jolt of steroids. Bidulka's descriptions of the sights, smells, and scenes are gorgeous. I felt that I was there. And, this book is good. Bidulka is a gifted storyteller. My problem, and this problem is not the author's fault, was that I couldn't connect with the Matthew Ridge/Moxley character. It was not until near the very end that I came to care about Matthew at all. What Bidulka did in this story that was stunningly brilliant, was tell a cautionary tale about the horrors of bullying, homophobia, and self-hatred.  Kudos, Mr. Bidulka. Kudos.  And thank you, sincerely, for introducing me to the beautiful notion of ubuntu. My country, the U.S., really, seriously needs a big dose of ubuntu at present.
2636322
Given the years I have spent in the Caribbean, the contextual themes presented by this gifted storyteller are genuine, and the characters oddly familiar.  Within this tiny tropical island world replete with the melding of the island-reared with the island-adoptee, one finds a highly eccentric central character doing battle against a more familiar cast of recently transplanted con men out to make a fortune from the beauty and lure of the landscape. This more personal story brings the novel to life. In my favorite character I found confidence wrapped with uncertainty, and fearlessness clothed in vulnerability.  I did not expect to gain new insights into a rapidly changing social milieu.  This novel is a very special find for me personally. I enjoyed it immensely. I recommend it highly to a broad audience.
3222642
This film has not made it onto the shelves of our personal library.  It seems to reside near the television where it gets popped into the player about once a month.  There is much to recommend this film--the exotic location and the outstanding cast for a start.  Dev Patel is outrageous, funny, thoughtful, conflicted and delivers an outstanding performance.  Like Moonstruck, Bread and Tulips, Tortilla Soup, Love Actually, Strictly Ballroom, Barefoot in the Park, Sunday in New York, etc., this is a film that is full of likeable characters and is both poignant and visually stunning.  It is rumored that there is a sequel.
4024966
The Amazon and the subject of untamed tribes has fascinated me since my early teens and therefore this book was a fanatic's must-read. A had already read some very good work written on this subject (for instance French writer Robert Gaillard's marvelous novel "La foret les devora") and therefore started off with some high expectations. And I wasn't disappointed. Scott Wallace's Unconquered not only surprised with its documentary approach and intrinsic value borne out of it, but also showed some remarkable literary skill, especially considering this is a documentary novel which allows little room for literary show-off. As an example I would mention the great skill through which character Sydney Possuelo is slowly and realistically revealed to the reader. Neither hero or villain, good intentioned yet in many ways flawed at the same time, Possuelo is embossed in the pages in a manner characteristic to a great writers: the description belongs to the writer; the final judgment solely to the reader.

I full-heartedly recommend this book to any person that cares about nature and people possessing love for adventure and discovery; in short, to anyone interested in what's happening in that great big world outside their living-rooms.
440081
I bought this book from the author at Origins Game Fair 2017.

He seems like a great guy. He not only signed my copy but also drew a sketch of the character on the inside cover .

I love pulp stories , superhero stories, and comic books. This novel has touches of all of the above.

Pussy Katnip is an old pulp character that has  been ressurected by Brooks. He has a lot of passion for this character and it shows through in his writing.

The story is well-paced and plotted. The characters are unique and distinct (no small feat in anthropomorphic tales).

I thoroughly enjoyed this story in all of its pulpy glory.

One last comment before I leave to read another Pussy Katnip story. I really love the character of Detective Lila Ringtail. So much subtle social commentary wrapped up in an excellent character skin. By far my favorite character from these stories. And has entered my top fifty favorite fictional character list.
2321051
This book had two main draws for me: the main characters, who both have unusual gifts, histories and personalities; and the world building which skillfully blends corporation planet grab- and psycorp- themes. The female lead is especially intriguing because she's much more physically dangerous than the male lead. She also has other stereotypically masculine traits, such as not talking much, lacking people skills and being largely blind to social interactions and emotions. Meanwhile Van Natta gives Luka the stereotypically feminine traits of emotional perception and honesty, willingness to talk about his needs, and extreme sensitivity. It makes for a very interesting, rich and uncommon relationship between them. Van Natta is very evenhanded in the roles women and men play in her story. In no case does a character's sex define that person's job, competence, capacities or hero/villain role, and that's astonishing,especially since it isn't that Van Natta has just reversed the roles and expectations either. Many authors have done that much, but I can't think of another author who's managed to make biological-cultural male/female so completely beside the point. So that's a real treat and the story is really good too. I'm glad I bought the series and look foward to reading the rest of these books.
4339291
Savage tells two stories. In the "Now" sections, we follow a wild young man as he battles dinosaurs and hunters across an island jungle. In the "Then" sections, we're introduced to a famous soccer player, his beautiful wife, and their infant son, all trying to survive on an island after their private plane crashes just off the coast. As can be expected, these two storylines eventually intersect. At times, the writing in this graphic novel is fairly sparse, but that doesn't matter because the artwork is absolutely stunning and carries the story all by itself. The plot is an interesting spin on the "stranded on a desert island" trope, and the characters easily break out of the stereotypes usually assigned in graphic novels, especially to female characters.
85063
So I am four episodes into Broadchurch and I love it so far. David Tennant of Doctor Who fame, with his natural Scottish accent, is wonderful as the brooding distant DI Alec Hardy. He is an outsider to Broadchurch, getting the job of DI over DS Elly Miller, a town resident. They play off each other quite well as they investigate the murder of eleven year old Danny Latimer, a shocking occurrence anywhere, more so in this small ocean side town where every one knows each other and crime is low. But everyone has secrets and the start to unravel and mistrust begins to build among the residents. If the next half of the series is as great, I will be very happy. Highly recommend this fantastic crime show.
1499677
Candorville is truly amazing. At first it is funny, but then when you think about the story and the issues it is not funny. Darrin Bell got a really good scope on the urban 20 to 30 something part of society by selecting his main characters. You've got the no good thug/bum Clyde who quick to blame everyone else for his situation but never blames himself. Then you've got Lemont - a smart and talented writer with low self-esteem and constant fears of rejection. Lemont knows better but his own insecurity stops him from doing better. Lemont seems to voice the opinion of the author. I think Lemont's character represents Darrin Bell. Lemont and his thoughts are the source of all critical questions asked in this book. And of course, you've got Susan Garcia. Susan is a progressive young woman who wants to grow professionally but is often torn by dilemmas in her workplace. Susan's character is Darrin's wife, who also happens to be latina. This assumption becomes evident as the story in the book develops.

The characters grow with every strip and eventually will evolve to be as complex as normal human beings.

But enough criticism, Candorville is awesome and a great read with your morning coffee.
2804430
Jonathan Roper is a detective with a distinct advantage in his endeavors to fight the worst sort of criminals.  That professional advantage is also a social disadvantage.  His unique abilities are due to his placement on the autism spectrum.
Aside from the well-developed storyline and characters, I was captivated by the author's integration and balance of Roper's autistic behavior.  The diversity of talents found in the main character make him an invaluable asset to the highest levels of law enforcement and governmental security.
Despite (and in most cases because of) his qualities, I'd want Roper on my team any day.
176127
This is by far the best thing to ever come out of Nickelodeon (not really a fan).  This show is brilliant, well written, and it's so amazing to watch the characters grow in both strength and personality.  These characters have depth to them, unlike the vast majority of TV characters (animated or not).

This season is by far the best season as well.  You can't really watch and enjoy it without seeing the first two, but it has some of the best moments (Azula and gang at Ember Island is one of the funniest things I've seen, as well as the Ember Island Players).  Also, the final showdown doesn't disappoint in any sense.  It has one of the most gratifying endings.
974696
A 5-star rating for Pukawiss the Outcast by Jay Jordan Hawke. It's obvious that the author enjoys his characters and I would suspect that he has a great deal of enjoyment in creating them and has care and respect for them as they face incredible challenges in life.

As most of us who are gay, bullied and have felt like an outcast. Jay Jordan Hawke has captured the essence of this experience in Joshua. Taking it all in, Joshua is faced with the challenge of what to do with his life. It seems that when he has two take three steps back, he then gets two steps forward into a better life than he could imagine. As he finds that that there is far more about himself that he didn't know than he did, he is challenged, like most of us, with making the world make sense again.  That is not an easy time and can be dangerous for most anyone coming to grips with accepting themselves and finding their place within the greater community.

I really enjoyed the inclusion of the Native American theme within this book. This is a topic I also share great interest in exploring. With the added historical perspective of Ojibwe culture, history, dance and language, I found that I wanted to learn even more about what we don't get exposed to within history courses taught in schools as they are written from the white man's perspective.

I recommend this book for those readers that enjoy great character development and coming of age stories were conflict is balanced with support, love and encouragement.  This is an enjoyable read and keeps the reader engaged as the plot has it's twist and turns keeping the reader's interest. The addition of the Ojibwe culture is a big plus.

Personally, I loved the book and this is the second book that I have read by this author. I highly recommend both of his books.
1864071
Shamini Flint has created a series that I love to read. The character of Inspector Singh is the perfect blend of humor and intelligence, and there's the added bonus of following him from case to case throughout Southeast Asia. In many ways this series is comparable to Tarquin Hall's which is set in India and features private investigator Vish Puri. Both give Westerners insight into incredibly rich cultures so very different from their own.

A Curious Indian Cadaver begins with an emotional blockbuster of a scene set in 1984 immediately after the assassination of Indira Gandhi. When the news spread that she was killed by her Sikh bodyguards, it led to massive reprisals against anyone of that religious faith. This scene casts a long shadow of foreboding over the entire book. Any reader will know that what happens will never be forgotten. There will be consequences.

This fifth book in the series lets us see much more of the dreaded Mrs. Singh, a woman of the strongest opinions who is the main reason why the inspector loves to be constantly on the job. (She's a marvelous cook, so he does like to be home at meal time however.) Readers get to see how this odd couple fits in with their relatives in Mumbai-- those family connections which are so all-important in India-- and it gives Mrs. Singh a chance to see her husband in action... even to put herself in his shoes for a second or two. After being in her company for such an extended period, the inspector begins to see his wife in a different light as well. Will they get along better in future? Only time will tell.

The powerful opening scene that I mentioned earlier in many ways weakened the mystery for me. I knew that "payment" was due for 1984, and that made certain aspects of the plot rather predictable. But as I've stated in other reviews, the best crime fiction isn't merely about crime. It's also about characters, setting, and motivations. A Curious Indian Cadaver brought India to life for me and gave me a greater appreciation of its culture. I thought about how some people never seem to realize that two wrongs don't make a right, as tired as that phrase may be. It also allowed me to spend time with one of my favorite characters. Inspector Singh never ever disappoints!