DVD Description
This next instalment of The Twilight Saga sees Bella Swan devastated by the abrupt departure of her vampire love, Edward Cullen, but her spirit is rekindled by her growing friendship with Jacob Black. Suddenly she finds herself drawn into the world of werewolves, the ancestral enemies of the vampires, and finds her loyalties tested.
With more of the passion, action and suspense that made Twilight a smash hit, The Twilight Saga: New Moon is a spellbinding follow-up to the international box office phenomenon.
What the critics say:
"Superb. This is the moment that the Twilight saga comes of age” News of the World
“Breathtaking” New!
“Unmissable, our pulses are still racing” Company
5 stars from Look, Now Magazine and New!
4 stars from Heat, Grazia, the Sunday Mirror and News of the World
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Napoleon: Total War (PC DVD) - Sega
Manufacturer's Description
The Napoleonic era was a time of political unrest and epic battles played out on an unprecedented scale. It revolutionized the organization and size of European armies through the use of levée en masse (mass conscription). But the strength of an army finds its roots within every soldier’s individual skills.
Grand Battery of the Convention:
With twice as many guns as an ordinary artillery unit, the Grand Battery is an exceptionally strong unit. Its cannons have both a long range and tremendous killing power.
Napoleon: Total War Pre-order Elite unit Information:
This exclusive elite unit is only available when you pre-order Napoleon: Total War, delivering a new and powerful strategic option to deploy in the name of your faction. Once the game is installed and verified by Steam, you can enter a unique code and unlock your elite unit, which will then appear in single player and multiplayer games. In order to play Napoleon: Total War and unlock your exclusive unit you must connect to the internet to verify your game and code once during installation.
Product Description
Napoleon: Total War Pre-order Elite unit--This exclusive elite unit is only available when you pre-order Napoleon: Total War, delivering a new and powerful strategic option to deploy in the name of your faction. Once the game is installed and verified by Steam, you can enter a unique code and unlock your elite unit, which will then appear in single player and multiplayer games. In order to play Napoleon: Total War and unlock your exclusive unit you must connect to the internet to verify your game and code once during installation. Pre-order unit--Grand Battery of the Convention: With twice as many guns as an ordinary artillery unit, the Grand Battery is an exceptionally strong unit. Its cannons have both a long range and tremendous killing power.
The Napoleonic era was a time of political unrest and epic battles played out on an unprecedented scale. It revolutionized the organization and size of European armies through the use of levée en masse (mass conscription). But the strength of an army finds its roots within every soldier’s individual skills.
Grand Battery of the Convention:
With twice as many guns as an ordinary artillery unit, the Grand Battery is an exceptionally strong unit. Its cannons have both a long range and tremendous killing power.
Napoleon: Total War Pre-order Elite unit Information:
This exclusive elite unit is only available when you pre-order Napoleon: Total War, delivering a new and powerful strategic option to deploy in the name of your faction. Once the game is installed and verified by Steam, you can enter a unique code and unlock your elite unit, which will then appear in single player and multiplayer games. In order to play Napoleon: Total War and unlock your exclusive unit you must connect to the internet to verify your game and code once during installation.
Product Description
Napoleon: Total War Pre-order Elite unit--This exclusive elite unit is only available when you pre-order Napoleon: Total War, delivering a new and powerful strategic option to deploy in the name of your faction. Once the game is installed and verified by Steam, you can enter a unique code and unlock your elite unit, which will then appear in single player and multiplayer games. In order to play Napoleon: Total War and unlock your exclusive unit you must connect to the internet to verify your game and code once during installation. Pre-order unit--Grand Battery of the Convention: With twice as many guns as an ordinary artillery unit, the Grand Battery is an exceptionally strong unit. Its cannons have both a long range and tremendous killing power.
Final Fantasy XIII - Collectors Edition (PS3) - Square Enix
Manufacturer's Description
A tale of souls from a futuristic civilization illuminated by the Light of the Crystal, the newest addition to the Final Fantasy series is worthy of the title "next generation." Developed by Square Enix, the eagerly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII features the latest in cutting-edge technology and provides tangible, intuitive controls while delivering seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and stunning in-game cinematics.
Take Part in a Gaming Experience that Sets New Standards – The first in the series developed for a simultaneous release on multiple high-definition consoles, FINAL FANTASY XIII pushes new boundaries in cinematic presentation, sound and gameplay.; Experience the Unity of Speed and Strategy with the Ultimate Active Time Battle system – The familiar system has evolved, granting players the freedom of executing numerous commands in a single turn with the multi-slot ATB gauge. Whether inputting singular commands in each slot for consecutive attacks, or expending multiple slots at once to activate a devastating blow, it’s up to the players to respond effectively to the battle conditions at hand.; Adapt to the Ever-Changing Tide of Battle with Paradigms – A brand-new game mechanic enabling players to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, shifting between combat paradigms. Consisting of various combinations of the game's six roles, ranging from Commando, the offensive specialist, to Medic, the quintessential healer, paradigms allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.; Witness the Battle Scene Transform with an All-New Summon System – Introducing Gestalt Mode, a powerful dimension of the summon system that elevates the action to a whole new level. In Gestalt Mode, characters and their transformed Eidolons fight as one, dealing massive damage to enemies through simple button commands.; Delve into an Emotional Experience – An immersive storyline connects players to an intriguing cast of characters. Will they have the strength to confront their cursed fates, or will destiny prevail over all that they believe in?
From the creative minds behind FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY X comes the latest installment in the critically acclaimed series. As FINAL FANTASY VII was for PlayStation, and FINAL FANTASY X for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the first numbered FINAL FANTASY title for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360, and will look to once again reestablish the series as the RPG brand. Players will follow Lightning, Snow, and the other heroes who are dealt a hand of fate by the god-like fal'Cie. Cursed and regarded as enemies of society, they have the world against them and nobody to rely on but each other. Will they find the strength within themselves to break free of their curse and determine their own fates, or will they succumb to this higher power? With a story that is sure to connect with players' hearts, diverse new characters from world-renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura, and exciting new gameplay features centered around an evolved Active Time Battle system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the pinnacle in gaming experiences.
A tale of souls from a futuristic civilization illuminated by the Light of the Crystal, the newest addition to the Final Fantasy series is worthy of the title "next generation." Developed by Square Enix, the eagerly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII features the latest in cutting-edge technology and provides tangible, intuitive controls while delivering seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and stunning in-game cinematics.
Take Part in a Gaming Experience that Sets New Standards – The first in the series developed for a simultaneous release on multiple high-definition consoles, FINAL FANTASY XIII pushes new boundaries in cinematic presentation, sound and gameplay.; Experience the Unity of Speed and Strategy with the Ultimate Active Time Battle system – The familiar system has evolved, granting players the freedom of executing numerous commands in a single turn with the multi-slot ATB gauge. Whether inputting singular commands in each slot for consecutive attacks, or expending multiple slots at once to activate a devastating blow, it’s up to the players to respond effectively to the battle conditions at hand.; Adapt to the Ever-Changing Tide of Battle with Paradigms – A brand-new game mechanic enabling players to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, shifting between combat paradigms. Consisting of various combinations of the game's six roles, ranging from Commando, the offensive specialist, to Medic, the quintessential healer, paradigms allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.; Witness the Battle Scene Transform with an All-New Summon System – Introducing Gestalt Mode, a powerful dimension of the summon system that elevates the action to a whole new level. In Gestalt Mode, characters and their transformed Eidolons fight as one, dealing massive damage to enemies through simple button commands.; Delve into an Emotional Experience – An immersive storyline connects players to an intriguing cast of characters. Will they have the strength to confront their cursed fates, or will destiny prevail over all that they believe in?
From the creative minds behind FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY X comes the latest installment in the critically acclaimed series. As FINAL FANTASY VII was for PlayStation, and FINAL FANTASY X for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the first numbered FINAL FANTASY title for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360, and will look to once again reestablish the series as the RPG brand. Players will follow Lightning, Snow, and the other heroes who are dealt a hand of fate by the god-like fal'Cie. Cursed and regarded as enemies of society, they have the world against them and nobody to rely on but each other. Will they find the strength within themselves to break free of their curse and determine their own fates, or will they succumb to this higher power? With a story that is sure to connect with players' hearts, diverse new characters from world-renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura, and exciting new gameplay features centered around an evolved Active Time Battle system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the pinnacle in gaming experiences.
The Book Thief (Paperback) - Markus Zusak
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak was the best-selling debut literary novel of the year 2007, selling over 400,000 copies. The author is a prize-winning writer of children's books, and this, his first novel for adults, proved to be a triumphant success. The book is extraordinary on many levels: moving, yet restrained, angry yet balanced -- and written with the kind of elegance found all too rarely in fiction these days. The book's narrator is nothing less than Death itself, regaling us with a remarkable tale of book burnings, treachery and theft. The book never forgets the primary purpose of compelling the reader's attention, yet which nevertheless is able to impart a cogent message about the importance of words, particularly in those societies which regard the word as dangerous (the book is set during the Nazi regime, but this message is all too relevant in many places in the world today).
Nine-year-old Liesel lives with her foster family on Himmel Street during the dark days of the Third Reich. Her Communist parents have been transported to a concentration camp, and during the funeral for her brother, she manages to steal a macabre book: it is, in fact, a gravediggers’ instruction manual. This is the first of many books which will pass through her hands as the carnage of the Second World War begins to hungrily claim lives. Both Liesel and her fellow inhabitants of Himmel Street will find themselves changed by both words on the printed page and the horrendous events happening around them.
Despite its grim narrator, The Book Thief is, in fact, a life-affirming book, celebrating the power of words and their ability to provide sustenance to the soul. Interestingly, the Second World War setting of the novel does not limit its relevance: in the 20th century, totalitarian censorship throughout the world is as keen as ever at suppressing books (notably in countries where the suppression of human beings is also par for the course) and that other assault on words represented by the increasing dumbing-down of Western society as cheap celebrity replaces the appeal of books for many people, ensures that the message of Marcus Zusak’s book could not be more timely. It is, in fact, required reading -- or should be in any civilised country. --Barry Forshaw
The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak was the best-selling debut literary novel of the year 2007, selling over 400,000 copies. The author is a prize-winning writer of children's books, and this, his first novel for adults, proved to be a triumphant success. The book is extraordinary on many levels: moving, yet restrained, angry yet balanced -- and written with the kind of elegance found all too rarely in fiction these days. The book's narrator is nothing less than Death itself, regaling us with a remarkable tale of book burnings, treachery and theft. The book never forgets the primary purpose of compelling the reader's attention, yet which nevertheless is able to impart a cogent message about the importance of words, particularly in those societies which regard the word as dangerous (the book is set during the Nazi regime, but this message is all too relevant in many places in the world today).
Nine-year-old Liesel lives with her foster family on Himmel Street during the dark days of the Third Reich. Her Communist parents have been transported to a concentration camp, and during the funeral for her brother, she manages to steal a macabre book: it is, in fact, a gravediggers’ instruction manual. This is the first of many books which will pass through her hands as the carnage of the Second World War begins to hungrily claim lives. Both Liesel and her fellow inhabitants of Himmel Street will find themselves changed by both words on the printed page and the horrendous events happening around them.
Despite its grim narrator, The Book Thief is, in fact, a life-affirming book, celebrating the power of words and their ability to provide sustenance to the soul. Interestingly, the Second World War setting of the novel does not limit its relevance: in the 20th century, totalitarian censorship throughout the world is as keen as ever at suppressing books (notably in countries where the suppression of human beings is also par for the course) and that other assault on words represented by the increasing dumbing-down of Western society as cheap celebrity replaces the appeal of books for many people, ensures that the message of Marcus Zusak’s book could not be more timely. It is, in fact, required reading -- or should be in any civilised country. --Barry Forshaw
Operation Mincemeat (Hardcover) - Ben Macintyre
Product Description
One April morning in 1943, a sardine fisherman spotted the corpse of a British soldier floating in the sea off the coast of Spain and set in train a course of events that would change the course of the Second World War. Operation Mincemeat was the most successful wartime deception ever attempted, and certainly the strangest. It hoodwinked the Nazi espionage chiefs, sent German troops hurtling in the wrong direction, and saved thousands of lives by deploying a secret agent who was different, in one crucial respect, from any spy before or since: he was dead. His mission: to convince the Germans that instead of attacking Sicily, the Allied armies planned to invade Greece. The brainchild of an eccentric RAF officer and a brilliant Jewish barrister, the great hoax involved an extraordinary cast of characters including a famous forensic pathologist, a gold-prospector, an inventor, a beautiful secret service secretary, a submarine captain, three novelists, a transvestite English spymaster, an irascible admiral who loved fly-fishing, and a dead Welsh tramp. Using fraud, imagination and seduction, Churchill's team of spies spun a web of deceit so elaborate and so convincing that they began to believe it themselves. The deception started in a windowless basement beneath Whitehall. It travelled from London to Scotland to Spain to Germany. And it ended up on Hitler's desk. Ben Macintyre, bestselling author of "Agent Zigzag", weaves together private documents, photographs, memories, letters and diaries, as well as newly released material from the intelligence files of MI5 and Naval Intelligence, to tell for the first time the full story of Operation Mincemeat.
One April morning in 1943, a sardine fisherman spotted the corpse of a British soldier floating in the sea off the coast of Spain and set in train a course of events that would change the course of the Second World War. Operation Mincemeat was the most successful wartime deception ever attempted, and certainly the strangest. It hoodwinked the Nazi espionage chiefs, sent German troops hurtling in the wrong direction, and saved thousands of lives by deploying a secret agent who was different, in one crucial respect, from any spy before or since: he was dead. His mission: to convince the Germans that instead of attacking Sicily, the Allied armies planned to invade Greece. The brainchild of an eccentric RAF officer and a brilliant Jewish barrister, the great hoax involved an extraordinary cast of characters including a famous forensic pathologist, a gold-prospector, an inventor, a beautiful secret service secretary, a submarine captain, three novelists, a transvestite English spymaster, an irascible admiral who loved fly-fishing, and a dead Welsh tramp. Using fraud, imagination and seduction, Churchill's team of spies spun a web of deceit so elaborate and so convincing that they began to believe it themselves. The deception started in a windowless basement beneath Whitehall. It travelled from London to Scotland to Spain to Germany. And it ended up on Hitler's desk. Ben Macintyre, bestselling author of "Agent Zigzag", weaves together private documents, photographs, memories, letters and diaries, as well as newly released material from the intelligence files of MI5 and Naval Intelligence, to tell for the first time the full story of Operation Mincemeat.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Aliens Vs Predator - Sega
Product Description
Developed at Rebellion by the team responsible for the original 1999 classic, in the all-new Aliens vs. Predator players have the chance to take the role of the three infamous species; the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien.
Each of the three species has its very own distinct story-driven single-player campaign mode that interweaves with the campaigns of the other two species. Aliens vs. Predator will also feature unique 3-way online multiplayer, allowing gamers to pit the three species against each other in the ultimate battle for survival and for the right to be crowned the deadliest species.
On planet BG-386 a colonist mining group discovers an ancient pyramid containing a dark and horrible secret. Across the stars a race of warriors is alerted to the discovery of their pyramid and a hunting party is dispatched to ensure that it remains sealed at all costs, whilst deep inside the ruined pyramid a malevolent intelligence awakes from centuries of dormancy.
The Marine’s story is an incredible fight against the odds, and the horrors lurking in the dark. Beset on all sides yet armed to the teeth, the Colonial Marine represents humanity’s last stand with the firepower to fight back.
As the Alien, players will discover what it’s like to be the most murderous and lethal creature in the universe, with the ability to traverse any surface with awesome agility in order to get close enough to unleash its deadly teeth and claws.
A master of the hunt, the Predator grants the player a suite of exotic weaponry and equipment with which to stalk its unknowing prey. Earn the greatest honour by ambushing prey up-close and butchering them for a gory trophy kill.
Product Description
In the all-new Aliens vs. Predator players will have the chance to take the role of the three infamous species; the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien.
Developed at Rebellion by the team responsible for the original 1999 classic, in the all-new Aliens vs. Predator players have the chance to take the role of the three infamous species; the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien.
Each of the three species has its very own distinct story-driven single-player campaign mode that interweaves with the campaigns of the other two species. Aliens vs. Predator will also feature unique 3-way online multiplayer, allowing gamers to pit the three species against each other in the ultimate battle for survival and for the right to be crowned the deadliest species.
On planet BG-386 a colonist mining group discovers an ancient pyramid containing a dark and horrible secret. Across the stars a race of warriors is alerted to the discovery of their pyramid and a hunting party is dispatched to ensure that it remains sealed at all costs, whilst deep inside the ruined pyramid a malevolent intelligence awakes from centuries of dormancy.
The Marine’s story is an incredible fight against the odds, and the horrors lurking in the dark. Beset on all sides yet armed to the teeth, the Colonial Marine represents humanity’s last stand with the firepower to fight back.
As the Alien, players will discover what it’s like to be the most murderous and lethal creature in the universe, with the ability to traverse any surface with awesome agility in order to get close enough to unleash its deadly teeth and claws.
A master of the hunt, the Predator grants the player a suite of exotic weaponry and equipment with which to stalk its unknowing prey. Earn the greatest honour by ambushing prey up-close and butchering them for a gory trophy kill.
Product Description
In the all-new Aliens vs. Predator players will have the chance to take the role of the three infamous species; the Colonial Marine, the Predator and the Alien.
The Children's Book (Paperback) - A.S. Byatt
Review
`Easily the best novel Byatt has written since Possession ... displays enormous reach and tremendous grip' --Sunday Times
`wonderfully enjoyable' --The Times
`enjoyable' --Irish Times
`Byatt's first book for seven years takes on the artistic themes of the day in exhilarating detail'
--Observer
'magnificent, intricate novel... Byatt is an enchanter' --Daily Telegraph
`Easily the best novel Byatt has written since Possession ... displays enormous reach and tremendous grip' --Sunday Times
`wonderfully enjoyable' --The Times
`enjoyable' --Irish Times
`Byatt's first book for seven years takes on the artistic themes of the day in exhilarating detail'
--Observer
'magnificent, intricate novel... Byatt is an enchanter' --Daily Telegraph
The Five Greatest Warriors (Hardcover) - Matthew Reilly
Product Description
This brilliant sequel to SIX SACRED STONES picks up the action at a terrifying juncture. Captain West and his small team of elite misfits are on the trail of the six ancient pillars that can prevent the arrival of the 'dark star' a deadly celestial event that could bathe the globe in lethal radiation. But not only have the Ancients have hidden their secrets well, but also the huge potential to whomever locates and uses the pillars has attracted the attentions of the powerful all around the world. Jack West must now fight off crack mercenaries and special forces soldiers whilst preserving his entire team to figure out the secrets of the past...
About the Author
Matthew Reilly wrote his first book, CONTEST, in 1994 whilst attending the University of New South Wales. It was rejected by every major publishing company. This caused Reilly to self-publish 1,000 copies using money borrowed from his family. One copy was read by Pan Macmillan, who immediately signed Reilly up to write ICE STATION, which became an international bestseller. Since then, he has been published in more than 15 countries. His latest work is a novel called THE SIX SACRED STONES, the sequel to SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS.
This brilliant sequel to SIX SACRED STONES picks up the action at a terrifying juncture. Captain West and his small team of elite misfits are on the trail of the six ancient pillars that can prevent the arrival of the 'dark star' a deadly celestial event that could bathe the globe in lethal radiation. But not only have the Ancients have hidden their secrets well, but also the huge potential to whomever locates and uses the pillars has attracted the attentions of the powerful all around the world. Jack West must now fight off crack mercenaries and special forces soldiers whilst preserving his entire team to figure out the secrets of the past...
About the Author
Matthew Reilly wrote his first book, CONTEST, in 1994 whilst attending the University of New South Wales. It was rejected by every major publishing company. This caused Reilly to self-publish 1,000 copies using money borrowed from his family. One copy was read by Pan Macmillan, who immediately signed Reilly up to write ICE STATION, which became an international bestseller. Since then, he has been published in more than 15 countries. His latest work is a novel called THE SIX SACRED STONES, the sequel to SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Gran Turismo 5 (PS3) - Sony
Manufacturer's Description
This is no demo or spin-off, this is the game every car enthusiast has been waiting for as the legendary real driving simulator finally rolls off the production line. The result of four years work by a team of hundreds, this is the game the PlayStation 3 was made for.
It goes without saying that the new game looks astonishing - far better even than Gran Turismo 5 Prologue - but as ever the beauty of Gran Turismo is that it drives as realistically as it looks. With the 950 different cars modelled to a higher degree of accuracy than ever before this also features more manufacturers than any other game - including, for the first time ever, Lamborghini and Bugatti.
Other fan demands that have finally been met too, including fully realistic damage-modelling, a 16-player online mode, dynamic weather changes and night racing. Any more realistic than this and you'd be knocked out by the petrol fumes.
Key Features
* Real simulator - The definitive version of the most realistic driving game ever finally hits the PlayStation 3 with more cars, tracks and features than ever before.
* Virtual showroom - Photorealistic graphics simulate hundreds of cars in exacting detail - from the smallest nuts and bolts to the unique handling of every model.
* Stig friendly - New official licenses include Ferrari, WRC and NASCAR - as well as the test track from the BBC's Top Gear show.
* Damage control - For the first time new damage modelling lets you see the damage your car - and your opponents' - endures throughout the race.
* Gran Turismo Live - Race online with fans around the world in the brand new 16-player multiplayer mode.
About the Developer: Polyphony Digital
One of Sony's most important in-house developers, this studio is run almost as a separate company after the huge success of the Gran Tursimo driving simulator. They've made few other games but did find time for motorbike spin-off Tourist Trophy and shoot 'em-up Omega Boost.
This is no demo or spin-off, this is the game every car enthusiast has been waiting for as the legendary real driving simulator finally rolls off the production line. The result of four years work by a team of hundreds, this is the game the PlayStation 3 was made for.
It goes without saying that the new game looks astonishing - far better even than Gran Turismo 5 Prologue - but as ever the beauty of Gran Turismo is that it drives as realistically as it looks. With the 950 different cars modelled to a higher degree of accuracy than ever before this also features more manufacturers than any other game - including, for the first time ever, Lamborghini and Bugatti.
Other fan demands that have finally been met too, including fully realistic damage-modelling, a 16-player online mode, dynamic weather changes and night racing. Any more realistic than this and you'd be knocked out by the petrol fumes.
Key Features
* Real simulator - The definitive version of the most realistic driving game ever finally hits the PlayStation 3 with more cars, tracks and features than ever before.
* Virtual showroom - Photorealistic graphics simulate hundreds of cars in exacting detail - from the smallest nuts and bolts to the unique handling of every model.
* Stig friendly - New official licenses include Ferrari, WRC and NASCAR - as well as the test track from the BBC's Top Gear show.
* Damage control - For the first time new damage modelling lets you see the damage your car - and your opponents' - endures throughout the race.
* Gran Turismo Live - Race online with fans around the world in the brand new 16-player multiplayer mode.
About the Developer: Polyphony Digital
One of Sony's most important in-house developers, this studio is run almost as a separate company after the huge success of the Gran Tursimo driving simulator. They've made few other games but did find time for motorbike spin-off Tourist Trophy and shoot 'em-up Omega Boost.
Twenties Girl (Paperback) - Sophie Kinsella
Review
Sophie's latest tome is a wise, funny ghost story that will have you gripped from the first page. Perfect summer reading. Heat Best read with a cold glass of wine at sunset (with tissues). The Times Wonderfully witty tale...You'll love this quirky read - it's just as girly, exciting and fabulously funny as Sophie's other gems ***** Heat This is Kinsella at her quirkiest and best, and Lara's gradual appreciation of the fact that there's a bright young thing trapped inside every ageing body adds real pathos to this otherwise light-hearted and sweetly comic novel Daily Telegraph Kinsella's latest offering is a classic chick-lit read: light, entertaining and often funny too. This is essential reading for anyone looking for a dose of escapism this summer. Sunday Express
Product Description
Lara has always had an overactive imagination. Now she wonders if she is losing her mind. Normal twenty-something girls just don't get visited by ghosts! But inexplicably, the spirit of Lara's great aunt Sadie - in the form of a bold, demanding Charleston-dancing girl - has appeared to make one last request: Lara must track down a missing necklace Sadie simply can't rest without. Lara's got enough problems of her own. Her start-up company is floundering, her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, and she's just been dumped by the love of her life. But as Lara spends time with Sadie, life becomes more glamorous and their treasure hunt turns into something intriguing and romantic. Could Sadie's ghost be the answer to Lara's problems and can two girls from different times end up learning something special from each other?
Sophie's latest tome is a wise, funny ghost story that will have you gripped from the first page. Perfect summer reading. Heat Best read with a cold glass of wine at sunset (with tissues). The Times Wonderfully witty tale...You'll love this quirky read - it's just as girly, exciting and fabulously funny as Sophie's other gems ***** Heat This is Kinsella at her quirkiest and best, and Lara's gradual appreciation of the fact that there's a bright young thing trapped inside every ageing body adds real pathos to this otherwise light-hearted and sweetly comic novel Daily Telegraph Kinsella's latest offering is a classic chick-lit read: light, entertaining and often funny too. This is essential reading for anyone looking for a dose of escapism this summer. Sunday Express
Product Description
Lara has always had an overactive imagination. Now she wonders if she is losing her mind. Normal twenty-something girls just don't get visited by ghosts! But inexplicably, the spirit of Lara's great aunt Sadie - in the form of a bold, demanding Charleston-dancing girl - has appeared to make one last request: Lara must track down a missing necklace Sadie simply can't rest without. Lara's got enough problems of her own. Her start-up company is floundering, her best friend and business partner has run off to Goa, and she's just been dumped by the love of her life. But as Lara spends time with Sadie, life becomes more glamorous and their treasure hunt turns into something intriguing and romantic. Could Sadie's ghost be the answer to Lara's problems and can two girls from different times end up learning something special from each other?
Juliet, Naked (Paperback) - Nick Hornby
Product Description
Nick Hornby returns to his roots - music and messy relationships - in this funny and touching new novel which thoughtfully and sympathetically looks at how lives can be wasted but how they are never beyond redemption. Annie lives in a dull town on England's bleak east coast and is in a relationship with Duncan which mirrors the place; Tucker was once a brilliant songwriter and performer, who's gone into seclusion in rural America - or at least that's what his fans think. Duncan is obsessed with Tucker's work, to the point of derangement, and when Annie dares to go public on her dislike of his latest album, there are quite unexpected, life-changing consequences for all three. Nick Hornby uses this intriguing canvas to explore why it is we so often let the early promise of relationships, ambition and indeed life evaporate. And he comes to some surprisingly optimistic conclusions.
About the Author
Nick Hornby was born in 1957. He has written five previous novels (including the YA novel Slam), two of which have been made into highly successful films - About a Boy and High Fidelity, and three works of non-fiction including the classic Fever Pitch. He recently scripted the immemsely successful film An Education
Nick Hornby returns to his roots - music and messy relationships - in this funny and touching new novel which thoughtfully and sympathetically looks at how lives can be wasted but how they are never beyond redemption. Annie lives in a dull town on England's bleak east coast and is in a relationship with Duncan which mirrors the place; Tucker was once a brilliant songwriter and performer, who's gone into seclusion in rural America - or at least that's what his fans think. Duncan is obsessed with Tucker's work, to the point of derangement, and when Annie dares to go public on her dislike of his latest album, there are quite unexpected, life-changing consequences for all three. Nick Hornby uses this intriguing canvas to explore why it is we so often let the early promise of relationships, ambition and indeed life evaporate. And he comes to some surprisingly optimistic conclusions.
About the Author
Nick Hornby was born in 1957. He has written five previous novels (including the YA novel Slam), two of which have been made into highly successful films - About a Boy and High Fidelity, and three works of non-fiction including the classic Fever Pitch. He recently scripted the immemsely successful film An Education
The Time Traveler's Wife (Paperback) - Audrey Niffenegger
Some reviews from Amazon.co.uk
Brilliant, moving, original
Bought this after browsing through people's book lists on this site (a great place to find new books!) and finally started reading it yesterday. And finished reading it. It's a massive book so that should give an indication of how much I enjoyed it!
Reading other reviews here should have already given you an idea of the story's content, so I suggest you do what I did and just buy it. I tried not to let myself be too influenced by the reviews here, other than by being convinced that I would enjoy it - and I was right. I really, really enjoyed it and read it on the outward and return journeys on the train (3 hours each way).
The story is highly original and told from the points of view of Clare and Henry at different points in their lives. This is quite confusing at times but you soon get used to it. What's different and intricate is that you're reading the story out of synch, because Henry can exist in different times as he time travels through his own history. This in itself makes for an intriguing read.
But for me - the crux of the story is about love. Call me an old (young actually) romantic but I just loved this aspect of the story. Before you assume anything, I'm not your typical chick-lit reader - in fact I avoid it like the plague - but this is not typical chick-lit. It's so moving and beautifully told that I had to try not to cry on the train, and spent a long time thinking about it after I'd finished.
I know this review doesn't really say much about the plot but that's because I really think you should buy it and read it with an open mind. Prepare to be entertained - you'll laugh, wonder, and probably cry.
One of the best books I've read in ages
By "e_bruton"
This review is from: The Time Traveler's Wife (Hardcover)
At first glance, this book might seem like a gimmick book - the idea of a man who time travels to various parts of his own, his wife's, and other's lifetimes seems like a plot gimmick that won't hold up beyond the first chapter, but it's not! In fact, the whole time-travelling thing is just a vehicle for one of the most moving, tragic love stories I have read in quite a while.
The Time Traveler's Wife tells the intruiging story of Clare and Henry, who meet when Claire is 6 and Henry is 36 but marry when Claire is 20 and Henry 28. It describes in dramatic detail, their unusual meeting, and their lives together and not. Their story is full of up and downs - Clare can never be sure when Henry will disappear next, where to, or when he will come back. This adds a certain fleetingness and intensity to their relationship, particularily the earlier parts. As the book continues, it adds more flesh and detail to the two central characters; their friends, family, and relationships before and after they met each other. This ensures that the characters are well developed and described - not just reflections of each other.
This book is beautifully written, poignant and incredibly moving - I would recommend it highly.
Brilliant, moving, original
Bought this after browsing through people's book lists on this site (a great place to find new books!) and finally started reading it yesterday. And finished reading it. It's a massive book so that should give an indication of how much I enjoyed it!
Reading other reviews here should have already given you an idea of the story's content, so I suggest you do what I did and just buy it. I tried not to let myself be too influenced by the reviews here, other than by being convinced that I would enjoy it - and I was right. I really, really enjoyed it and read it on the outward and return journeys on the train (3 hours each way).
The story is highly original and told from the points of view of Clare and Henry at different points in their lives. This is quite confusing at times but you soon get used to it. What's different and intricate is that you're reading the story out of synch, because Henry can exist in different times as he time travels through his own history. This in itself makes for an intriguing read.
But for me - the crux of the story is about love. Call me an old (young actually) romantic but I just loved this aspect of the story. Before you assume anything, I'm not your typical chick-lit reader - in fact I avoid it like the plague - but this is not typical chick-lit. It's so moving and beautifully told that I had to try not to cry on the train, and spent a long time thinking about it after I'd finished.
I know this review doesn't really say much about the plot but that's because I really think you should buy it and read it with an open mind. Prepare to be entertained - you'll laugh, wonder, and probably cry.
One of the best books I've read in ages
By "e_bruton"
This review is from: The Time Traveler's Wife (Hardcover)
At first glance, this book might seem like a gimmick book - the idea of a man who time travels to various parts of his own, his wife's, and other's lifetimes seems like a plot gimmick that won't hold up beyond the first chapter, but it's not! In fact, the whole time-travelling thing is just a vehicle for one of the most moving, tragic love stories I have read in quite a while.
The Time Traveler's Wife tells the intruiging story of Clare and Henry, who meet when Claire is 6 and Henry is 36 but marry when Claire is 20 and Henry 28. It describes in dramatic detail, their unusual meeting, and their lives together and not. Their story is full of up and downs - Clare can never be sure when Henry will disappear next, where to, or when he will come back. This adds a certain fleetingness and intensity to their relationship, particularily the earlier parts. As the book continues, it adds more flesh and detail to the two central characters; their friends, family, and relationships before and after they met each other. This ensures that the characters are well developed and described - not just reflections of each other.
This book is beautifully written, poignant and incredibly moving - I would recommend it highly.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything (Paperback) - Elizabeth Gilbert
Review
'It's what I'm giving all my girl friends' Julia Roberts 'Every woman should read it' Elle Macpherson 'I adore it' Sophie Dahl 'I loved it ... I could understand her wanting to write the book and her desire to heal' Meg Ryan
New York Times
`If a more likable writer than Gilbert is currently in print, I
haven't found him or her ... irresistible'
'It's what I'm giving all my girl friends' Julia Roberts 'Every woman should read it' Elle Macpherson 'I adore it' Sophie Dahl 'I loved it ... I could understand her wanting to write the book and her desire to heal' Meg Ryan
New York Times
`If a more likable writer than Gilbert is currently in print, I
haven't found him or her ... irresistible'
The Little Stranger (Paperback) - Sarah Waters
Review
'It's a gripping story, with beguiling characters ... As well as being a supernatural tale, it is a meditation on the nature of the British and class, and how things are rarely what they seem. Chilling' Kate Mosse, The Times, Summer Read 'Waters writes with a firm, confident hand, deftly building an atmosphere that begins in a still, hot summer and gradually darkens and tightens until we are as gripped by the escalating horror as the Ayres are. She is particularly good at depicting Hundreds, the dilapidated Georgian pile that dazzles ... Waters' persistent picking apart of class is fascinating' Tracy Chevalier, Observer 'By now readers must be confident of her mastery of storytelling ... While at one turn, the novel looks to be a ghost story, the next it is a psychological drama ... But it is also a brilliantly observed story, verging on the comedy, about Britain on the cusp of modern age ... The writing is subtle and poised' Joy lo Dico, Independent on Sunday 'Displaying her remarkable flair for period evocation, Waters recreates backwater Britain just after the Second World War with atmospheric immediacy ... Acute and absorbing' Peter Kemp, Sunday Times 'Waters is often described as a brilliant storyteller, and so she is. But she is also an artist compelled to experiment ... Waters gives herself a sort of handicap with the dull doctor's narration. This indirectness, which in cruder hands might have led to yawning insurrection in the reader, becomes essential to the novels unsettling power' Claudia Fitzherbert, Daily Telegraph 'It would be unfair to reveal very much about The Little Stranger: enough to say that this reader, left along one night in her boxy Seventies ex-council house ? about as unspooky a place as you can image ? had to stop reading for fright. This is an effective, gripping book. Sarah Waters' ability to evoke the 1940s shows the same mastery she displaying in The Night Watch, and her descriptive powers are nearly unparalleled ... Waters has sat herself down in front of a roaring fire and determined to scare the pants off her rightly devoted audience. In that she succeeds unequivocally. You'll want to sleep with the light on' Erica Wagner, The Times 'Alongside episodes of memorable horror, class is the most interesting element of The Little Stranger ... Waters stages a superb depiction of the menace of inanimate objects ... Ambitious and original' Sean O'Brien, TLS 'The horrors are brilliantly orchestrated, and rise effortlessly in scale and explicitness ... Waters knows what she is about, and the novels interests are only partly in the supernatural and the ghost story ... Waters has used the formal and conventional tactics of fiction ? the stiffer, the better ? to examine a read human situation ...The fascination of The Little Stranger lies in its unnerving evocation of place and time. It is a beautiful and expert divertissement' Philip Hensher, Spectator 'Water serves up a truly frightening scene in the deserted nursery ... As I lay in bed after finishing reading it, running the various elements through my mind, a fox screamed outside my window and I nearly had a heart attack' Suzi Feay, Literary Review 'Sarah Waters has, quite singlehandedly, at this late date, renewed the whole genre of the spooky gothic novel. Quite a feat' David Sexton, Evening Standard 'The knowledge that something nasty is around the corner lends the narrative a compelling sense of unease. At the same time, the richness of Waters' writing ensures that the air of thickening dread is very thick indeed ... Waters is a brave writer. The Little Stranger is an engrossing, hugely enjoyable read with set pieces guaranteed to make anyone with a pulse gibber in fright' John Preston, Sunday Telegraph 'Sarah Waters' masterly novel is a perverse hymn to decay, to the corrosive power of class resentment as well as the damage wrought by war ... (Waters has) a perfect understanding of her period ... She deploys the vigour and cunning one finds in Margaret Atwood's fiction, the same narrative ease and expansiveness, and the same knack of twisting the tension tighter and tighter within an individual scene ... The Little Stranger operates in the queasy borderlands between the supernatural and the psychopathological, and it is territory in which Waters moves with an air of supreme ease ... It is gripping, confident, unnerving and supremely entertaining ... Its allusions, its implications softly gather and fold themselves into the space in the mind that the book has made for itself, falling into place with a soft hiss, a rustle like phantom silks' Hilary Mantel, Guardian 'A spine-tingler ... Waters skilfully ratchets up the suspense as events at Hundreds grow ever more highly charged ? even downright chilling' Amber Pearson, Daily Mail 'This is more than a detective and/or ghost story. It is also a study of post-war Britain ... Social document; intriguing detective yarn; chilling ghost story, romance or thriller, The Little Stranger is a marvellous read on so very many levels' Christine Dwyer Hickey, Irish Times
'It's a gripping story, with beguiling characters ... As well as being a supernatural tale, it is a meditation on the nature of the British and class, and how things are rarely what they seem. Chilling' Kate Mosse, The Times, Summer Read 'Waters writes with a firm, confident hand, deftly building an atmosphere that begins in a still, hot summer and gradually darkens and tightens until we are as gripped by the escalating horror as the Ayres are. She is particularly good at depicting Hundreds, the dilapidated Georgian pile that dazzles ... Waters' persistent picking apart of class is fascinating' Tracy Chevalier, Observer 'By now readers must be confident of her mastery of storytelling ... While at one turn, the novel looks to be a ghost story, the next it is a psychological drama ... But it is also a brilliantly observed story, verging on the comedy, about Britain on the cusp of modern age ... The writing is subtle and poised' Joy lo Dico, Independent on Sunday 'Displaying her remarkable flair for period evocation, Waters recreates backwater Britain just after the Second World War with atmospheric immediacy ... Acute and absorbing' Peter Kemp, Sunday Times 'Waters is often described as a brilliant storyteller, and so she is. But she is also an artist compelled to experiment ... Waters gives herself a sort of handicap with the dull doctor's narration. This indirectness, which in cruder hands might have led to yawning insurrection in the reader, becomes essential to the novels unsettling power' Claudia Fitzherbert, Daily Telegraph 'It would be unfair to reveal very much about The Little Stranger: enough to say that this reader, left along one night in her boxy Seventies ex-council house ? about as unspooky a place as you can image ? had to stop reading for fright. This is an effective, gripping book. Sarah Waters' ability to evoke the 1940s shows the same mastery she displaying in The Night Watch, and her descriptive powers are nearly unparalleled ... Waters has sat herself down in front of a roaring fire and determined to scare the pants off her rightly devoted audience. In that she succeeds unequivocally. You'll want to sleep with the light on' Erica Wagner, The Times 'Alongside episodes of memorable horror, class is the most interesting element of The Little Stranger ... Waters stages a superb depiction of the menace of inanimate objects ... Ambitious and original' Sean O'Brien, TLS 'The horrors are brilliantly orchestrated, and rise effortlessly in scale and explicitness ... Waters knows what she is about, and the novels interests are only partly in the supernatural and the ghost story ... Waters has used the formal and conventional tactics of fiction ? the stiffer, the better ? to examine a read human situation ...The fascination of The Little Stranger lies in its unnerving evocation of place and time. It is a beautiful and expert divertissement' Philip Hensher, Spectator 'Water serves up a truly frightening scene in the deserted nursery ... As I lay in bed after finishing reading it, running the various elements through my mind, a fox screamed outside my window and I nearly had a heart attack' Suzi Feay, Literary Review 'Sarah Waters has, quite singlehandedly, at this late date, renewed the whole genre of the spooky gothic novel. Quite a feat' David Sexton, Evening Standard 'The knowledge that something nasty is around the corner lends the narrative a compelling sense of unease. At the same time, the richness of Waters' writing ensures that the air of thickening dread is very thick indeed ... Waters is a brave writer. The Little Stranger is an engrossing, hugely enjoyable read with set pieces guaranteed to make anyone with a pulse gibber in fright' John Preston, Sunday Telegraph 'Sarah Waters' masterly novel is a perverse hymn to decay, to the corrosive power of class resentment as well as the damage wrought by war ... (Waters has) a perfect understanding of her period ... She deploys the vigour and cunning one finds in Margaret Atwood's fiction, the same narrative ease and expansiveness, and the same knack of twisting the tension tighter and tighter within an individual scene ... The Little Stranger operates in the queasy borderlands between the supernatural and the psychopathological, and it is territory in which Waters moves with an air of supreme ease ... It is gripping, confident, unnerving and supremely entertaining ... Its allusions, its implications softly gather and fold themselves into the space in the mind that the book has made for itself, falling into place with a soft hiss, a rustle like phantom silks' Hilary Mantel, Guardian 'A spine-tingler ... Waters skilfully ratchets up the suspense as events at Hundreds grow ever more highly charged ? even downright chilling' Amber Pearson, Daily Mail 'This is more than a detective and/or ghost story. It is also a study of post-war Britain ... Social document; intriguing detective yarn; chilling ghost story, romance or thriller, The Little Stranger is a marvellous read on so very many levels' Christine Dwyer Hickey, Irish Times
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Bioshock 2 - Take 2 Interactive
Amazon.co.uk Review
The original shocked the video gaming world by not only being a great first person shooter, but also an intelligent one. Now one of the greatest stories in interactive fiction is getting another chapter, with a sequel set ten years later.
You play the original Big Daddy - a more independently minded prototype to the giant deep sea divers from the first game. The undersea world of Rapture has been taken over by the mysterious Big Sister, who has begun to kidnap children from coastal cities around the world.
A much larger range of plasmid powers are now available, as well as more standard weapons and the Big Daddy's iconic rivet gun and drill. The game's real conflict is emotional though, as you are once again forced to make a decision between sacrificing Little Sisters or protecting them and making your task even harder. Bioshock 2 will make you think, and not just about tactics.
Key Features
* Atlas shrugged: The award-winning story-telling of Bioshock continues with a new hero and a new threat in the underwater dystopia of Rapture.
* Evolve yourself: New plasmids, including new dual-wielded attacks, let you unleash amazing powers but at the cost of your humanity.
* Cry Little Sister: As the first Big Daddy you are far faster than the other lumbering giants, but equipped with the same weapons and the ability to venture onto the ocean floor.
* Big boss: Defend yourself against the constant attacks of Big Sister by setting up traps and ambushes, but always making sure you have an escape route!
* Separate lives: For the first time Bioshock has its own multiplayer mode - featuring a completely different story and created by developer Digital Extremes (Unreal Tournament 2004).
About the Developer: 2K Marin
Although founded in 2007 specifically to create new, original games the first release from this Californian developer will be Bioshock 2. The studio is relatively small and designed to work with Take-Two's other developers, such as 2K Boston and 2K Australia in the case of Bioshock.
The original shocked the video gaming world by not only being a great first person shooter, but also an intelligent one. Now one of the greatest stories in interactive fiction is getting another chapter, with a sequel set ten years later.
You play the original Big Daddy - a more independently minded prototype to the giant deep sea divers from the first game. The undersea world of Rapture has been taken over by the mysterious Big Sister, who has begun to kidnap children from coastal cities around the world.
A much larger range of plasmid powers are now available, as well as more standard weapons and the Big Daddy's iconic rivet gun and drill. The game's real conflict is emotional though, as you are once again forced to make a decision between sacrificing Little Sisters or protecting them and making your task even harder. Bioshock 2 will make you think, and not just about tactics.
Key Features
* Atlas shrugged: The award-winning story-telling of Bioshock continues with a new hero and a new threat in the underwater dystopia of Rapture.
* Evolve yourself: New plasmids, including new dual-wielded attacks, let you unleash amazing powers but at the cost of your humanity.
* Cry Little Sister: As the first Big Daddy you are far faster than the other lumbering giants, but equipped with the same weapons and the ability to venture onto the ocean floor.
* Big boss: Defend yourself against the constant attacks of Big Sister by setting up traps and ambushes, but always making sure you have an escape route!
* Separate lives: For the first time Bioshock has its own multiplayer mode - featuring a completely different story and created by developer Digital Extremes (Unreal Tournament 2004).
About the Developer: 2K Marin
Although founded in 2007 specifically to create new, original games the first release from this Californian developer will be Bioshock 2. The studio is relatively small and designed to work with Take-Two's other developers, such as 2K Boston and 2K Australia in the case of Bioshock.
Forever Vienna [CD+DVD] - Andre Rieu
Some reviews from Amazon.co.uk
Andre the Virtuoso - Fantastic!, 30 Dec 2009
By Martin Belcher (Hampshire, United Kingdom)
I saw Andre being interviewed on BBC Breakfast over the Christmas holiday and I couldn't wait to go out and buy his album! I have a passion for anything Strauss and I confess that The Blue Danube by Strauss is one of my all time favourite pieces and never fails to motivate me. Andre Rieu's version is just amazing, passionate and enchanting.
The whole album is gorgeous, filled with uplifting music. Even if you're not a big fan of classical, buy this album, its a CD to cure those winter blues and better than an anti-depressant! Andre you are a brilliant, well done!
PS: It comes with disc two which is a DVD of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London - magnificent!
Why so narrow-minded?
By D. H. Johnson (Newcastle upon Tyne UK)
Please do not be put off by biased, narrow-minded criticism of Andre Rieu's music by members of the "establishment" There should be room in music for all tastes and while I myself occasionally enjoy traditional classical music by established orchestras that doesn't mean to say that no-one else has a right to listen to whatever music they wish. Strauss himself played what at the time was popular music for the masses and while I can understand (and would defend) the wish of the "classic purists" for each note to be lovingly preserved, others have a right to disagree. Also is it so bad for the members of the orchestra to be seen to be enjoying their performance rather than sitting like black and white zombies?
I am unashamedly an Andre Rieu fan and very much look forward to the day when he and his orchestra perform at venues around the UK as they do in Europe and the rest of the world.
Andre the Virtuoso - Fantastic!, 30 Dec 2009
By Martin Belcher (Hampshire, United Kingdom)
I saw Andre being interviewed on BBC Breakfast over the Christmas holiday and I couldn't wait to go out and buy his album! I have a passion for anything Strauss and I confess that The Blue Danube by Strauss is one of my all time favourite pieces and never fails to motivate me. Andre Rieu's version is just amazing, passionate and enchanting.
The whole album is gorgeous, filled with uplifting music. Even if you're not a big fan of classical, buy this album, its a CD to cure those winter blues and better than an anti-depressant! Andre you are a brilliant, well done!
PS: It comes with disc two which is a DVD of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London - magnificent!
Why so narrow-minded?
By D. H. Johnson (Newcastle upon Tyne UK)
Please do not be put off by biased, narrow-minded criticism of Andre Rieu's music by members of the "establishment" There should be room in music for all tastes and while I myself occasionally enjoy traditional classical music by established orchestras that doesn't mean to say that no-one else has a right to listen to whatever music they wish. Strauss himself played what at the time was popular music for the masses and while I can understand (and would defend) the wish of the "classic purists" for each note to be lovingly preserved, others have a right to disagree. Also is it so bad for the members of the orchestra to be seen to be enjoying their performance rather than sitting like black and white zombies?
I am unashamedly an Andre Rieu fan and very much look forward to the day when he and his orchestra perform at venues around the UK as they do in Europe and the rest of the world.
Do You Want The Truth Or Something Beautiful [CD] - Paloma Faith
CD Description
Hackney-born 25-year-old singer Paloma Faith has been collecting critical acclaim throughout 2009, and it’s easy to see why. Her songs shine with soulful pop perfection and the unmistakable stamp of her inimitable persona. She draws on influences as diverse as Billie Holiday, Etta James, P J Harvey and Edith Piaf. Like her music, Paloma’s story never fails to thrill. In the lead up to her becoming a singer, she has been a magician’s assistant, trained contemporary dancer, St. Martin’s alumni with an MA in theatre direction, a performer in burlesque shows, and an actress. Paloma wrote her debut album in the UK, Sweden and America and recorded it entirely in London. The album features writing collaborations with Ed Harcourt, Jodi Marr (Mika), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie), Steve Robson (Take That) and Jorgen Elofsson.
Hackney-born 25-year-old singer Paloma Faith has been collecting critical acclaim throughout 2009, and it’s easy to see why. Her songs shine with soulful pop perfection and the unmistakable stamp of her inimitable persona. She draws on influences as diverse as Billie Holiday, Etta James, P J Harvey and Edith Piaf. Like her music, Paloma’s story never fails to thrill. In the lead up to her becoming a singer, she has been a magician’s assistant, trained contemporary dancer, St. Martin’s alumni with an MA in theatre direction, a performer in burlesque shows, and an actress. Paloma wrote her debut album in the UK, Sweden and America and recorded it entirely in London. The album features writing collaborations with Ed Harcourt, Jodi Marr (Mika), Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie), Steve Robson (Take That) and Jorgen Elofsson.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Contra - Vampire Weekend
CD Description
New York City's Vampire Weekend made a huge impact on the indie music scene in early 2008 with the release of their self-titled debut album. Seamlessly blending afro-pop with indie rock, they return with 'Contra', a record bursting with a refreshing enthusiasm for experimentation, forward thinking and, above all, talent. Surf guitar is scattered around the record, while single 'Cousins' shows off the bands liking for up-tempo quirkiness and clever lyrics.
New York City's Vampire Weekend made a huge impact on the indie music scene in early 2008 with the release of their self-titled debut album. Seamlessly blending afro-pop with indie rock, they return with 'Contra', a record bursting with a refreshing enthusiasm for experimentation, forward thinking and, above all, talent. Surf guitar is scattered around the record, while single 'Cousins' shows off the bands liking for up-tempo quirkiness and clever lyrics.
The Fame Monster (UK Deluxe Edition) [Deluxe Edition] - Lady Gaga
CD Description
The Fame Monster is a double CD expanded version of Lady Gaga's phenomenal debut album The Fame. Disc one of this UK Deluxe Edition version of the album features eight brand new tracks, including the single "Bad Romance". Also included is the full UK version of The Fame, which includes the smash hits "Paparazzi", "Poker Face", "LoveGame" and "Just Dance", along with two additional bonus tracks.
The Fame Monster is a double CD expanded version of Lady Gaga's phenomenal debut album The Fame. Disc one of this UK Deluxe Edition version of the album features eight brand new tracks, including the single "Bad Romance". Also included is the full UK version of The Fame, which includes the smash hits "Paparazzi", "Poker Face", "LoveGame" and "Just Dance", along with two additional bonus tracks.
Heavy Rain (PS3) - Sony
Manufacturer's Description
Heavy Rain is a dark, immersive and emotionally-engaging experience; one that expands upon the innovative ideas of 2005's acclaimed Fahrenheit to create a noir-thriller where decisions are charged with importance and actions can have drastic and unforseen consequences.
In Heavy Rain you don't watch the story – you play it. The dynamic narrative unfolds through the players actions - not cut scenes - and every action has a consequence. The choices you make and the way you interact with other characters have repercussions throughout the storyline. With unprecedented responsibility over the fates of the game's characters, Heavy Rain is an emotional experience unlike any other as a mature game for a new world of adult gamers.
From the team behind the critically-acclaimed Fahrenheit comes an even darker and more adult thriller, set to test the boundaries of video game storytelling. The story revolves around the hunt for a serial killer called The Origami Killer by four very different people: a FBI profiler, a private detective, an architect and a journalist.
If one of them dies the fact is simple incorporated into the story and you carry on playing with the remaining characters until either the killer is caught or the game ends in failure.
Although the story and characters are paramount the game still feature plenty of action, many playing out via quick time event sequences similar to Fahrenheit - where you have to press the buttons indicated on screen within a time limit. The game aims to be the most cinematic and emotional video game ever made - could this be the start of the game noir genre?
Key Features
* Heavy plotting: A dark, adult-themed thriller with believable characters and a captivating plot full of love, violence and sacrifice.
* Virtual luvvies: Breakthrough facial animation features the most realistic virtual actors ever seen, each capable of mimicking real and varied emotions.
* Consequences: If a character dies they stay dead - no extra lives or continues, just an organic plotline with multiple different endings.
* Quick Time: Intense action sequences that anyone can play, with simple controls and fast-paced against-the-clock challenges.
* Conscious action: Unique control system lets you see what your character is thinking as they explore the world - and then act on it with a press of a button.
About the Developer: Quantic Dream
Always pushing the boundaries of cinematic presentation, the first game from this French developer was David Bowie vehicle The Nomad Soul. Their first big hit though was Farenheit (aka Indigo Prophecy), a very adult adventure that paved the way for "interactive drama" Heavy Rain.
Heavy Rain is a dark, immersive and emotionally-engaging experience; one that expands upon the innovative ideas of 2005's acclaimed Fahrenheit to create a noir-thriller where decisions are charged with importance and actions can have drastic and unforseen consequences.
In Heavy Rain you don't watch the story – you play it. The dynamic narrative unfolds through the players actions - not cut scenes - and every action has a consequence. The choices you make and the way you interact with other characters have repercussions throughout the storyline. With unprecedented responsibility over the fates of the game's characters, Heavy Rain is an emotional experience unlike any other as a mature game for a new world of adult gamers.
From the team behind the critically-acclaimed Fahrenheit comes an even darker and more adult thriller, set to test the boundaries of video game storytelling. The story revolves around the hunt for a serial killer called The Origami Killer by four very different people: a FBI profiler, a private detective, an architect and a journalist.
If one of them dies the fact is simple incorporated into the story and you carry on playing with the remaining characters until either the killer is caught or the game ends in failure.
Although the story and characters are paramount the game still feature plenty of action, many playing out via quick time event sequences similar to Fahrenheit - where you have to press the buttons indicated on screen within a time limit. The game aims to be the most cinematic and emotional video game ever made - could this be the start of the game noir genre?
Key Features
* Heavy plotting: A dark, adult-themed thriller with believable characters and a captivating plot full of love, violence and sacrifice.
* Virtual luvvies: Breakthrough facial animation features the most realistic virtual actors ever seen, each capable of mimicking real and varied emotions.
* Consequences: If a character dies they stay dead - no extra lives or continues, just an organic plotline with multiple different endings.
* Quick Time: Intense action sequences that anyone can play, with simple controls and fast-paced against-the-clock challenges.
* Conscious action: Unique control system lets you see what your character is thinking as they explore the world - and then act on it with a press of a button.
About the Developer: Quantic Dream
Always pushing the boundaries of cinematic presentation, the first game from this French developer was David Bowie vehicle The Nomad Soul. Their first big hit though was Farenheit (aka Indigo Prophecy), a very adult adventure that paved the way for "interactive drama" Heavy Rain.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Gruffalo's Child [Illustrated] (Paperback) - Julia Donaldson
Books for Keeps, November 2004
Donaldson's rhyming text reads aloud like a dream... cleverly laid visual cues... Altogether a spine-tingling, mock-scary delight... --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Product Description
One dark night the Gruffalo's child disobeys her father’s warnings and ventures out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist . . . does he?
Donaldson's rhyming text reads aloud like a dream... cleverly laid visual cues... Altogether a spine-tingling, mock-scary delight... --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Product Description
One dark night the Gruffalo's child disobeys her father’s warnings and ventures out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist . . . does he?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Confessions of a Shopaholic [DVD] [2009]
Amazon.co.uk Review
It’s way past time that Isla Fisher bagged herself a leading role, after solid supporting turns in the likes of Wedding Crashers and Definitely, Maybe and finally, in Confessions Of A Shopaholic, the ex-soap star gets her chance.
She seizes it quite well, too. Based on the Sophie Kinsella book of the same name, Confessions Of A Shopaholic is a fairly conventional romantic comedy, but it’s still a very enjoyable one. It’s directed by PJ Hogan, who previously gave us the excellent double bill of Muriel’s Wedding and My Best Friend’s Wedding, and it follows Fisher’s character Rebecca as she tries to cover up her dedication to shopping, while yearning for a job on a fashion magazine.
The plot goes through the fairly standard shenanigans of the genre, but there are one or two things that lift Confessions Of A Shopaholic above the norm. Firstly, it’s breezy and very good fun. Secondly, PJ Hogan knows this genre better than most, and fashions (no pun intended) a quite tight movie. And thirdly there’s Fisher. It may not be a role that makes her an outright movie star, but there’s compelling evidence here that she’s got the talent to be a leading lady in her own right. This, her first stab at headlining such a film, works really quite well, and her charm and enthusiasm is the best thing in it. Worth taking a look at. –-Jon Foster
It’s way past time that Isla Fisher bagged herself a leading role, after solid supporting turns in the likes of Wedding Crashers and Definitely, Maybe and finally, in Confessions Of A Shopaholic, the ex-soap star gets her chance.
She seizes it quite well, too. Based on the Sophie Kinsella book of the same name, Confessions Of A Shopaholic is a fairly conventional romantic comedy, but it’s still a very enjoyable one. It’s directed by PJ Hogan, who previously gave us the excellent double bill of Muriel’s Wedding and My Best Friend’s Wedding, and it follows Fisher’s character Rebecca as she tries to cover up her dedication to shopping, while yearning for a job on a fashion magazine.
The plot goes through the fairly standard shenanigans of the genre, but there are one or two things that lift Confessions Of A Shopaholic above the norm. Firstly, it’s breezy and very good fun. Secondly, PJ Hogan knows this genre better than most, and fashions (no pun intended) a quite tight movie. And thirdly there’s Fisher. It may not be a role that makes her an outright movie star, but there’s compelling evidence here that she’s got the talent to be a leading lady in her own right. This, her first stab at headlining such a film, works really quite well, and her charm and enthusiasm is the best thing in it. Worth taking a look at. –-Jon Foster
The Proposal [DVD] [2009]
Amazon.co.uk Review
Rom-com favourite Sandra Bullock and the affably charming Ryan Reynolds’s superb chemistry turn The Proposal from otherwise standard romantic-comedy fare to one that is entertaining and sure to garner laughs. Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is a workaholic, tyrannical book editor (reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada) who suddenly finds her career in jeopardy as she faces deportation back to Canada. Her solution is to simply fake an engagement to her unsuspecting assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who in turn blackmails her for a promotion. However, when Margaret is forced to head to Alaska with Andrew to visit his family in an effort to make their story believable to the deportation officers, they soon realise that their plan may not be so simple after all. The supporting cast of Dad (Craig T. Nelson), Mum (Mary Steenburgen), and kooky Grandma (Betty White, still a scene-stealer at 87) is great casting that makes for many amusing scenes. Bottom line: witty Reynolds and Bullock are perfect sparring partners for each other and not half bad to look at either. --Lisanne Chastain
Rom-com favourite Sandra Bullock and the affably charming Ryan Reynolds’s superb chemistry turn The Proposal from otherwise standard romantic-comedy fare to one that is entertaining and sure to garner laughs. Margaret (Sandra Bullock) is a workaholic, tyrannical book editor (reminiscent of The Devil Wears Prada) who suddenly finds her career in jeopardy as she faces deportation back to Canada. Her solution is to simply fake an engagement to her unsuspecting assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds), who in turn blackmails her for a promotion. However, when Margaret is forced to head to Alaska with Andrew to visit his family in an effort to make their story believable to the deportation officers, they soon realise that their plan may not be so simple after all. The supporting cast of Dad (Craig T. Nelson), Mum (Mary Steenburgen), and kooky Grandma (Betty White, still a scene-stealer at 87) is great casting that makes for many amusing scenes. Bottom line: witty Reynolds and Bullock are perfect sparring partners for each other and not half bad to look at either. --Lisanne Chastain
The Hangover [DVD] [2009]
Amazon.co.uk Review
If you like your humour broadside up, hold the subtlety, you'll want to nurse this Hangover with your best mates. The ensemble cast meshes perfectly--it's like a super-R-rated episode of Friends: silly, slapstick, and completely in the viewer's face. When four pals go to Vegas to celebrate the imminent nuptials of one of them, they partake in a rooftop toast to "a night we'll never forget." But they're in for a big surprise: their celebration drinks were laced with date-rape drugs, so when they awake in their hotel room 12 hours later, not only are they hung over, but they can't remember what they did all night long. Oh, and they're missing the groom-to-be.
The film is so cheerfully raunchy, so fiercely crude, that the humour becomes as intoxicating as the mind-altering substances. The standout in the ensemble is Zach Galifianakis, who is alternately creepy and hilarious. Ed Helm (The Office), in addition to his memory, loses a tooth in uncomfortably realistic fashion, and Bradley Cooper (He's Just Not That into You) has deadpan comic timing that whips along at the speed of light. "Ma'am, you have an incredible rack," he blares to a pedestrian from the squad car the guys have "borrowed." "I should have been a [bleeping] cop," he tells himself approvingly.
Director Todd Phillips brings back his deft handling of the actors and the dude humour that worked so well in Old School, as well as the unctuous Dan Finnerty, memorable as a lounge/wedding singer in both films. But it's the nonstop volley of jokes--most cheerily politically incorrect--that grabs the audience and thrashes it around the hotel room. Just watch out for the tiger in the bathroom. --A.T. Hurley
If you like your humour broadside up, hold the subtlety, you'll want to nurse this Hangover with your best mates. The ensemble cast meshes perfectly--it's like a super-R-rated episode of Friends: silly, slapstick, and completely in the viewer's face. When four pals go to Vegas to celebrate the imminent nuptials of one of them, they partake in a rooftop toast to "a night we'll never forget." But they're in for a big surprise: their celebration drinks were laced with date-rape drugs, so when they awake in their hotel room 12 hours later, not only are they hung over, but they can't remember what they did all night long. Oh, and they're missing the groom-to-be.
The film is so cheerfully raunchy, so fiercely crude, that the humour becomes as intoxicating as the mind-altering substances. The standout in the ensemble is Zach Galifianakis, who is alternately creepy and hilarious. Ed Helm (The Office), in addition to his memory, loses a tooth in uncomfortably realistic fashion, and Bradley Cooper (He's Just Not That into You) has deadpan comic timing that whips along at the speed of light. "Ma'am, you have an incredible rack," he blares to a pedestrian from the squad car the guys have "borrowed." "I should have been a [bleeping] cop," he tells himself approvingly.
Director Todd Phillips brings back his deft handling of the actors and the dude humour that worked so well in Old School, as well as the unctuous Dan Finnerty, memorable as a lounge/wedding singer in both films. But it's the nonstop volley of jokes--most cheerily politically incorrect--that grabs the audience and thrashes it around the hotel room. Just watch out for the tiger in the bathroom. --A.T. Hurley
Slumdog Millionaire [DVD] [2008]
Amazon.co.uk Review
Danny Boyle (Sunshine) directed this wildly energetic, Dickensian drama about the desultory life and times of an Indian boy whose bleak, formative experiences lead to an appearance on his country's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Jamal (played as a young man by Dev Patel) and his brother are orphaned as children, raising themselves in various slums and crime-ridden neighorhoods and falling in, for a while, with a monstrous gang exploiting children as beggars and prostitutes. Driven by his love for Latika (Freida Pinto), Jamal, while a teen, later goes on a journey to rescue her from the gang's clutches, only to lose her again to another oppressive fate as the lover of a notorious gangster.
Running parallel with this dark yet irresistible adventure, told in flashback vignettes, is the almost inexplicable sight of Jamal winning every challenge on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," a strong showing that leads to a vicious police interrogation. As Jamal explains how he knows the answer to every question on the show as the result of harsh events in his knockabout life, the chaos of his existence gains shape, perspective and soulfulness. The film's violence is offset by a mesmerizing exotica shot and edited with a great whoosh of vitality. Boyle successfully sells the story's most unlikely elements with nods to literary and cinematic conventions that touch an audience's heart more than its head. --Tom Keogh
Danny Boyle (Sunshine) directed this wildly energetic, Dickensian drama about the desultory life and times of an Indian boy whose bleak, formative experiences lead to an appearance on his country's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Jamal (played as a young man by Dev Patel) and his brother are orphaned as children, raising themselves in various slums and crime-ridden neighorhoods and falling in, for a while, with a monstrous gang exploiting children as beggars and prostitutes. Driven by his love for Latika (Freida Pinto), Jamal, while a teen, later goes on a journey to rescue her from the gang's clutches, only to lose her again to another oppressive fate as the lover of a notorious gangster.
Running parallel with this dark yet irresistible adventure, told in flashback vignettes, is the almost inexplicable sight of Jamal winning every challenge on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?," a strong showing that leads to a vicious police interrogation. As Jamal explains how he knows the answer to every question on the show as the result of harsh events in his knockabout life, the chaos of his existence gains shape, perspective and soulfulness. The film's violence is offset by a mesmerizing exotica shot and edited with a great whoosh of vitality. Boyle successfully sells the story's most unlikely elements with nods to literary and cinematic conventions that touch an audience's heart more than its head. --Tom Keogh
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Hits - Will Young
CD Description
The only British male artist of the 2000’s to have four consecutive platinum albums, Will Young’s first compilation ‘The Hits’ is a celebration of his extraordinary career so far. Containing singles from his four studio albums – From Now On (2002), Friday’s Child (2003), Keep On (2005), and Let It Go (2008) The Hits will also feature two exclusive bonus tracks. Ever since his debut single "Evergreen" became the fastest selling debut of all time, Will Young has been redefining the parameters of pop stardom. From "Leave Right Now" and its groundbreaking one-take video, the Brit award winning "Your Game", the timeless ballad "All Time Love" and 2008’s incredible airplay hit "Changes", Will Young has been responsible for a catalogue of classic pop songs, now available together on one album for the first time.
Will has received an astonishing ten Brit nominations, receiving two awards, and has twice been voted the UK’s favourite artist of all time.
The only British male artist of the 2000’s to have four consecutive platinum albums, Will Young’s first compilation ‘The Hits’ is a celebration of his extraordinary career so far. Containing singles from his four studio albums – From Now On (2002), Friday’s Child (2003), Keep On (2005), and Let It Go (2008) The Hits will also feature two exclusive bonus tracks. Ever since his debut single "Evergreen" became the fastest selling debut of all time, Will Young has been redefining the parameters of pop stardom. From "Leave Right Now" and its groundbreaking one-take video, the Brit award winning "Your Game", the timeless ballad "All Time Love" and 2008’s incredible airplay hit "Changes", Will Young has been responsible for a catalogue of classic pop songs, now available together on one album for the first time.
Will has received an astonishing ten Brit nominations, receiving two awards, and has twice been voted the UK’s favourite artist of all time.
61 Hours (Hardcover) - Lee Child
Product Description
Winter in South Dakota. Blowing snow, icy roads, a tired driver. A bus skids and crashes and is stranded in a gathering storm. There's a small town twenty miles away, where a vulnerable witness is guarded around the clock. There's a strange stone building five miles further on, all alone on the prairie. There's a ruthless man who controls everything from the warmth of Mexico. Jack Reacher hitched a ride in the back of the bus. A life without baggage has many advantages. And crucial disadvantages too, when it means facing the arctic cold without a coat. But he's equipped for the rest of his task. He doesn't want to put the world to rights. He just doesn't like people who put it to wrongs.
Winter in South Dakota. Blowing snow, icy roads, a tired driver. A bus skids and crashes and is stranded in a gathering storm. There's a small town twenty miles away, where a vulnerable witness is guarded around the clock. There's a strange stone building five miles further on, all alone on the prairie. There's a ruthless man who controls everything from the warmth of Mexico. Jack Reacher hitched a ride in the back of the bus. A life without baggage has many advantages. And crucial disadvantages too, when it means facing the arctic cold without a coat. But he's equipped for the rest of his task. He doesn't want to put the world to rights. He just doesn't like people who put it to wrongs.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest (Paperback) - Stieg Larsson
Amazon.co.uk Review
A young girl lies in a hospital room, her tattooed body very close to death -- there is a bullet lodged in her brain. Several rooms away is the man who tried to kill her, his own body grievously wounded from axe blows inflicted by the girl he has tried to kill. She is Lisbeth Salander, computer hacker and investigator, and the man is her father, a murderous Russian gangster. If Salander recovers from her injuries, she is more than likely to be put on trial for three murders -- the authorities regard her as a dangerous individual. But she won't see the inside of a courtroom if her father manages to kill her first.
This is the high-tension opening premise of the third book in Stieg Larsson’s phenomenally successful trilogy of crime novels which the late author (a crusading journalist) delivered to his publisher just before his death. But does it match up to its two electrifying predecessors, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire? The success of Larsson’s remarkable sequence of books is, to some degree, unprecedented. Crime fiction in translation has, of course, made a mark before (notably with Peter Hoeg’s Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, published, in fact, by Larsson's British publisher, Christopher MacLehose). But even the success of that book gave no hint of the juggernauts that the Salander books would be (the late author's secondary hero is the journalist Blomqvist -- who bears more than a passing resemblance to Stieg Larsson himself).
There are two overriding reasons for the hold that this massive trilogy has attained on the public: machine-tooled plotting which juggles the various narrative elements with a master's touch and (above all) the vividly realised character of Lisbeth Salander herself. She is something of a unique creation in the field of crime and thriller fiction: emotionally damaged, vulnerable and sociopathic (all of this concealed behind a forbidding Goth appearance), but she is also the ultimate survivor, somehow managing to stay alive despite the machinations of some deeply unpleasant villains (and the new book has a slew of those) as well as the hostility of often stupid establishment figures, who want her out of the picture quite as passionately as the bad guys. She is, of course, aided by the protective journalist Blomqvist, despite the fact that she had dumped him as a lover. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest brings together all the elements that have made the previous books of the sequence so successful. Its relentless pace may be a bit exhausting for some readers, but most will be happy to strap themselves in for the ride. It's just a shame that this will be the final book in the sequence (though conspiracy theorists are hinting that Larsson began another manuscript before his untimely death…) --Barry Forshaw
A young girl lies in a hospital room, her tattooed body very close to death -- there is a bullet lodged in her brain. Several rooms away is the man who tried to kill her, his own body grievously wounded from axe blows inflicted by the girl he has tried to kill. She is Lisbeth Salander, computer hacker and investigator, and the man is her father, a murderous Russian gangster. If Salander recovers from her injuries, she is more than likely to be put on trial for three murders -- the authorities regard her as a dangerous individual. But she won't see the inside of a courtroom if her father manages to kill her first.
This is the high-tension opening premise of the third book in Stieg Larsson’s phenomenally successful trilogy of crime novels which the late author (a crusading journalist) delivered to his publisher just before his death. But does it match up to its two electrifying predecessors, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Girl who Played with Fire? The success of Larsson’s remarkable sequence of books is, to some degree, unprecedented. Crime fiction in translation has, of course, made a mark before (notably with Peter Hoeg’s Miss Smilla’s Feeling for Snow, published, in fact, by Larsson's British publisher, Christopher MacLehose). But even the success of that book gave no hint of the juggernauts that the Salander books would be (the late author's secondary hero is the journalist Blomqvist -- who bears more than a passing resemblance to Stieg Larsson himself).
There are two overriding reasons for the hold that this massive trilogy has attained on the public: machine-tooled plotting which juggles the various narrative elements with a master's touch and (above all) the vividly realised character of Lisbeth Salander herself. She is something of a unique creation in the field of crime and thriller fiction: emotionally damaged, vulnerable and sociopathic (all of this concealed behind a forbidding Goth appearance), but she is also the ultimate survivor, somehow managing to stay alive despite the machinations of some deeply unpleasant villains (and the new book has a slew of those) as well as the hostility of often stupid establishment figures, who want her out of the picture quite as passionately as the bad guys. She is, of course, aided by the protective journalist Blomqvist, despite the fact that she had dumped him as a lover. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest brings together all the elements that have made the previous books of the sequence so successful. Its relentless pace may be a bit exhausting for some readers, but most will be happy to strap themselves in for the ride. It's just a shame that this will be the final book in the sequence (though conspiracy theorists are hinting that Larsson began another manuscript before his untimely death…) --Barry Forshaw
Star Wars - The Original Trilogy [DVD] [1977]
Synopsis
One of the most exhilarating and influential trilogies in the history of motion pictures, George Lucas's sci-fi spectacular continues to capture the hearts and minds of individuals throughout the world. This release features the original STAR WARS trilogy (episodes IV-VI) in one glorious package. Contains both the original theatrical version of each film and the digitally restored and remastered versions.
First up is STAR WARS; George Lucas's stunning sci-fi masterpiece, and arguably one of the most inventive and entertaining films ever made. As the adventure begins, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), an impulsive but good-hearted young man who lives on the dusty planet of Tatooine with his aunt and uncle, longs for the exciting life of a Rebel soldier. The Rebels, led by the headstrong Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), are fighting against the evil Empire, which has set about destroying planets inhabited by innocent citizens with the Death Star, a fearsome planet like craft commanded by Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) and the eternally frightful Darth Vader (David Prowse, with the voice of James Earl Jones). When Luke's aunt and uncle are murdered by the Empire's imperial storm troopers and he mysteriously finds a distress message from Princess Leia in one of his androids, R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), he must set out to find Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), a mysterious old hermit with incredible powers. On his journey, Luke is aided by the roguish, sarcastic mercenary Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his towering furry sidekick Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) as they run into a host of perilous situations while trying to rescue the princess and the entire galaxy.
Considered the most morally and emotionally complex of the original Star Wars trilogy, THE EMPIRE STRIKE BACK continues creator George Lucas's epic saga where STAR WARS left off. The Rebel Forces which include young adventurer Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), rogue pilot Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the beautiful but seemingly humourless Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) have been successful in destroying the Evil Empire's Death Star. However, the Empire's top commander, the terrifying Lord Darth Vader (played by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), is scanning the galaxy for the Rebels' secret location. After a visually stunning showdown on the ice planet Hoth, the Rebels are forced to flee, and Luke separates from Han and Leia. Masterful storytelling weaves multiple, archetypal plotlines that pit Vader against Han and Leia as he desperately attempts to capture Luke for political and, secretly, personal reasons. Luke, meanwhile, finds himself under the tutelage of the tiny but powerful old Jedi Master Yoda, who teaches him the ways of the Force and warns the impatient but talented student against the threat of the Dark Side. Greek tragedy meets a philosophical hero's journey in EMPIRE, a remarkable sci-fi epic in which the performances are as powerful as the spectacular special effects.
The third and final chapter in the wondrous STAR WARS saga is RETURN OF THE JEDI. Luke (Mark Hamill) must save Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from the clutches of the monstrous Jabba the Hut, and bring down the newly reconstructed and even more powerful Death Star. With Solo imprisoned, Luke accompanies his faithful droids R2D2 (Kenny Baker) and C3PO (Anthony Daniels) in a rescue bid, with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) also lending a hand. After they valiantly disentangle their friends from Jabba's clutches, Luke returns to his Jedi Knight training with Yoda. Meanwhile, the Rebel Troops amass in an attempt to see off the impending threat from Darth Vader (played by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) and his new Death Star, with the operation being lead by Han Solo. But Luke must face Vader himself if he is to become a true Jedi Knight, and as he enters into a spirited battle with his light saber-wielding enemy, some surprising revelations await the young warrior.
One of the most exhilarating and influential trilogies in the history of motion pictures, George Lucas's sci-fi spectacular continues to capture the hearts and minds of individuals throughout the world. This release features the original STAR WARS trilogy (episodes IV-VI) in one glorious package. Contains both the original theatrical version of each film and the digitally restored and remastered versions.
First up is STAR WARS; George Lucas's stunning sci-fi masterpiece, and arguably one of the most inventive and entertaining films ever made. As the adventure begins, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), an impulsive but good-hearted young man who lives on the dusty planet of Tatooine with his aunt and uncle, longs for the exciting life of a Rebel soldier. The Rebels, led by the headstrong Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), are fighting against the evil Empire, which has set about destroying planets inhabited by innocent citizens with the Death Star, a fearsome planet like craft commanded by Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) and the eternally frightful Darth Vader (David Prowse, with the voice of James Earl Jones). When Luke's aunt and uncle are murdered by the Empire's imperial storm troopers and he mysteriously finds a distress message from Princess Leia in one of his androids, R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), he must set out to find Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), a mysterious old hermit with incredible powers. On his journey, Luke is aided by the roguish, sarcastic mercenary Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his towering furry sidekick Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) as they run into a host of perilous situations while trying to rescue the princess and the entire galaxy.
Considered the most morally and emotionally complex of the original Star Wars trilogy, THE EMPIRE STRIKE BACK continues creator George Lucas's epic saga where STAR WARS left off. The Rebel Forces which include young adventurer Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), rogue pilot Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and the beautiful but seemingly humourless Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) have been successful in destroying the Evil Empire's Death Star. However, the Empire's top commander, the terrifying Lord Darth Vader (played by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones), is scanning the galaxy for the Rebels' secret location. After a visually stunning showdown on the ice planet Hoth, the Rebels are forced to flee, and Luke separates from Han and Leia. Masterful storytelling weaves multiple, archetypal plotlines that pit Vader against Han and Leia as he desperately attempts to capture Luke for political and, secretly, personal reasons. Luke, meanwhile, finds himself under the tutelage of the tiny but powerful old Jedi Master Yoda, who teaches him the ways of the Force and warns the impatient but talented student against the threat of the Dark Side. Greek tragedy meets a philosophical hero's journey in EMPIRE, a remarkable sci-fi epic in which the performances are as powerful as the spectacular special effects.
The third and final chapter in the wondrous STAR WARS saga is RETURN OF THE JEDI. Luke (Mark Hamill) must save Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from the clutches of the monstrous Jabba the Hut, and bring down the newly reconstructed and even more powerful Death Star. With Solo imprisoned, Luke accompanies his faithful droids R2D2 (Kenny Baker) and C3PO (Anthony Daniels) in a rescue bid, with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) also lending a hand. After they valiantly disentangle their friends from Jabba's clutches, Luke returns to his Jedi Knight training with Yoda. Meanwhile, the Rebel Troops amass in an attempt to see off the impending threat from Darth Vader (played by David Prowse, voiced by James Earl Jones) and his new Death Star, with the operation being lead by Han Solo. But Luke must face Vader himself if he is to become a true Jedi Knight, and as he enters into a spirited battle with his light saber-wielding enemy, some surprising revelations await the young warrior.
Astro Boy Volumes 1 & 2: v. 1 & 2 (Paperback) - Osamu Tezuka
Product Description
Dark Horse proudly presents one of the crown jewels of manga - Astro Boy! Created by the late Osamu Tezuka, a revered animator and cartoonist (who created over 150,000 pages of comics in his career!) considered the Walt Disney of Japan, Astro Boy was the first manga series to be adapted to animation and became a worldwide phenomenon, making Astro Boy the Mickey Mouse of anime - a jet-powered, super-strong, evil-robot-bashing, alien-invasion-smashing Mickey Mouse, that is! Exciting, whimsical, and touching, Astro Boy hearkens back to the classic era of comics and animation, featuring stories that readers young and old will enjoy.
Dark Horse proudly presents one of the crown jewels of manga - Astro Boy! Created by the late Osamu Tezuka, a revered animator and cartoonist (who created over 150,000 pages of comics in his career!) considered the Walt Disney of Japan, Astro Boy was the first manga series to be adapted to animation and became a worldwide phenomenon, making Astro Boy the Mickey Mouse of anime - a jet-powered, super-strong, evil-robot-bashing, alien-invasion-smashing Mickey Mouse, that is! Exciting, whimsical, and touching, Astro Boy hearkens back to the classic era of comics and animation, featuring stories that readers young and old will enjoy.
Football Manager 2010 (PC/MAC DVD) - Sega
Product Description
Football Manager 2010 sees the return of the famous football management game for the new season, fresh with new signings, tools and features. With a new Tactics Creator and the introduction of touchline shouts and quick tactic changes, you'll always be able to react to the ebb and flow of the game from the dugout. Working with coaches from various levels of football, the game now has an extensive array of pre-set tactical options allowing the user to select a detailed role for a player in the team (such as ball winning midfielder or deep lying playmaker). Feedback from matches has been improved to give better insight into where your team is going wrong or doing it right. A new Match Analysis tool gives you the power to see where shots, passes, crosses, headers, tackles, fouls and interceptions have been made on the field for all players on the pitch. Viewable both live in-game and post match, pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of both your team and the opposition and mastermind your route to victory accordingly. Football Manager 2010 features a brand new User Interface, with the side bar navigation of previous years replaced by an intuitive tab system at the top of the screen, making Football Manager's famed depth easier to navigate for new managers. A brand new Data Editor allows the addition of new divisions to existing leagues and of entirely new leagues as well as making it easier than ever to keep the game up to date, and do so for free. For even more information, a new look News Centre allows you to receive an in-game subscription based newspaper with only the news that you want about the football world. Following the debut of a 3D match view in Football Manager 2009, this year's release sees a revamp with improved AI, over 100 new animations for the 3D pitch view, new stadiums, crowds, realistic pitch degradation and better lighting, creating an even more realistic match experience.
Football Manager 2010 sees the return of the famous football management game for the new season, fresh with new signings, tools and features. With a new Tactics Creator and the introduction of touchline shouts and quick tactic changes, you'll always be able to react to the ebb and flow of the game from the dugout. Working with coaches from various levels of football, the game now has an extensive array of pre-set tactical options allowing the user to select a detailed role for a player in the team (such as ball winning midfielder or deep lying playmaker). Feedback from matches has been improved to give better insight into where your team is going wrong or doing it right. A new Match Analysis tool gives you the power to see where shots, passes, crosses, headers, tackles, fouls and interceptions have been made on the field for all players on the pitch. Viewable both live in-game and post match, pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of both your team and the opposition and mastermind your route to victory accordingly. Football Manager 2010 features a brand new User Interface, with the side bar navigation of previous years replaced by an intuitive tab system at the top of the screen, making Football Manager's famed depth easier to navigate for new managers. A brand new Data Editor allows the addition of new divisions to existing leagues and of entirely new leagues as well as making it easier than ever to keep the game up to date, and do so for free. For even more information, a new look News Centre allows you to receive an in-game subscription based newspaper with only the news that you want about the football world. Following the debut of a 3D match view in Football Manager 2009, this year's release sees a revamp with improved AI, over 100 new animations for the 3D pitch view, new stadiums, crowds, realistic pitch degradation and better lighting, creating an even more realistic match experience.
The Road (Paperback) - Cormac McCarthy
Product Description
By the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007, this is the story of a father and son walking alone through burned America, heading through the ravaged landscape to the coast. It has been hailed as 'the first great masterpiece of the globally warmed generation. Here is an American classic which, at a stroke, makes McCarthy a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature . . . An absolutely wonderful book that people will be reading for generations' Andrew O’Hagan
Harvey Weinstein's film is to be released in the UK on 8 January 2010 with an all-star cast including Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall, and introducing major new young talent, Kodi Smit McPhee, with a soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.
‘A work of such terrible beauty that you will struggle to look away’ Tom Gatti, The Times
‘So good that it will devour you, in parts. It is incandescent’ Niall Griffiths, Daily Telegraph
‘You will read on, absolutely convinced, thrilled, mesmerised. All the modern novel can do is done here’ Alan Warner, Guardian
By the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2007, this is the story of a father and son walking alone through burned America, heading through the ravaged landscape to the coast. It has been hailed as 'the first great masterpiece of the globally warmed generation. Here is an American classic which, at a stroke, makes McCarthy a contender for the Nobel Prize for Literature . . . An absolutely wonderful book that people will be reading for generations' Andrew O’Hagan
Harvey Weinstein's film is to be released in the UK on 8 January 2010 with an all-star cast including Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Robert Duvall, and introducing major new young talent, Kodi Smit McPhee, with a soundtrack by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis.
‘A work of such terrible beauty that you will struggle to look away’ Tom Gatti, The Times
‘So good that it will devour you, in parts. It is incandescent’ Niall Griffiths, Daily Telegraph
‘You will read on, absolutely convinced, thrilled, mesmerised. All the modern novel can do is done here’ Alan Warner, Guardian
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
X-Men Origins: Wolverine [DVD] [2009]
Amazon.co.uk Review
Wolverine, fan favourite of the X-Men universe in both comic books and film, gets his own movie vehicle with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a tale that reaches way, way back into the hairy mutant's story. Somewhere in the wilds of northwest Canada in the early 1800s, two boys grow up amid violence: half-brothers with very special powers. Eventually they will become the near-indestructible warriors (and victims of a super-secret government program) known as Wolverine and Sabretooth, played respectively by Hugh Jackman (returning to his role) and Liev Schreiber (new to the scene). It helps enormously to have Schreiber, an actor of brawny skills, as the showiest villain; the guy can put genuine menace into a vocal inflection or a shift of the eyes. Danny Huston is the sinister government operative whose experiments keep pulling Wolverine back in, Lynn Collins is the woman who shares a peaceful Canadian co-existence with our hero when he tries to drop out of the program, and Ryan Reynolds adds needed humour, at least for a while.
The fast-paced early reels give an entertaining kick-off to the Wolverine saga, only to slow down when a proper plot must be put together--but isn't that perpetually the problem with origin stories? And despite a cool setting, the grand finale is a little hemmed in by certain plot essentials that must be in place for the sequels, which may be why characters do nonsensical things. So, this one is fun while it lasts, if you're not looking for a masterpiece, or an explanation for Wolverine's facial grooming. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com
Wolverine, fan favourite of the X-Men universe in both comic books and film, gets his own movie vehicle with X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a tale that reaches way, way back into the hairy mutant's story. Somewhere in the wilds of northwest Canada in the early 1800s, two boys grow up amid violence: half-brothers with very special powers. Eventually they will become the near-indestructible warriors (and victims of a super-secret government program) known as Wolverine and Sabretooth, played respectively by Hugh Jackman (returning to his role) and Liev Schreiber (new to the scene). It helps enormously to have Schreiber, an actor of brawny skills, as the showiest villain; the guy can put genuine menace into a vocal inflection or a shift of the eyes. Danny Huston is the sinister government operative whose experiments keep pulling Wolverine back in, Lynn Collins is the woman who shares a peaceful Canadian co-existence with our hero when he tries to drop out of the program, and Ryan Reynolds adds needed humour, at least for a while.
The fast-paced early reels give an entertaining kick-off to the Wolverine saga, only to slow down when a proper plot must be put together--but isn't that perpetually the problem with origin stories? And despite a cool setting, the grand finale is a little hemmed in by certain plot essentials that must be in place for the sequels, which may be why characters do nonsensical things. So, this one is fun while it lasts, if you're not looking for a masterpiece, or an explanation for Wolverine's facial grooming. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com
The Resistance - Muse
Amazon.co.uk Review
It's not really about the music anymore, is it. It's about the breadth and height of everything Muse do. It's about leaving a jet-stream in the sky. Any tune with a trajectory lower than the cosmos is presumably discarded, with arrangements generally sounding as expensive as battleships (intergalactic battleships, that is). Of course the music is not exactly incidental either; Muse's full-on fifth album The Resistance is packed hard with virtuoso musicianship, rigorous instrumental freak-outs and harmonies beamed between dimensions. It's simply what they do now, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Long gone are the days of the feisty yet formal English post-grunge band with a falsetto bolt-on. So let the madness commence; "Uprising" gives the Dr Who theme tune a stomping glam makeover, "Undisclosed Desires" is like a prog-rock Justin Timberlake, "Guiding Light" is the sound of Elvis' "Can't Help Falling In Love" being jettisoned into the ether in an escape pod and "Exogenesis Symphony Part 1 (Overture)" is ambitious equal parts 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Flaming Lips and a belting Brian May style guitar solo sent straight from the roof of Buckingham Palace. They've not moved on enormously from the grandiosity of Black Holes & Revelations, not that it matters--they've found the place where they're most comfortable. That place just happens to be balanced on the precipice, travelling at light speed in expensive space-suits. --James Berry
It's not really about the music anymore, is it. It's about the breadth and height of everything Muse do. It's about leaving a jet-stream in the sky. Any tune with a trajectory lower than the cosmos is presumably discarded, with arrangements generally sounding as expensive as battleships (intergalactic battleships, that is). Of course the music is not exactly incidental either; Muse's full-on fifth album The Resistance is packed hard with virtuoso musicianship, rigorous instrumental freak-outs and harmonies beamed between dimensions. It's simply what they do now, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. Long gone are the days of the feisty yet formal English post-grunge band with a falsetto bolt-on. So let the madness commence; "Uprising" gives the Dr Who theme tune a stomping glam makeover, "Undisclosed Desires" is like a prog-rock Justin Timberlake, "Guiding Light" is the sound of Elvis' "Can't Help Falling In Love" being jettisoned into the ether in an escape pod and "Exogenesis Symphony Part 1 (Overture)" is ambitious equal parts 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Flaming Lips and a belting Brian May style guitar solo sent straight from the roof of Buckingham Palace. They've not moved on enormously from the grandiosity of Black Holes & Revelations, not that it matters--they've found the place where they're most comfortable. That place just happens to be balanced on the precipice, travelling at light speed in expensive space-suits. --James Berry
Sigh No More - Mumford & Sons
Some reviews at Amazon.co.uk
Outstanding metaphysical folk rock
Roger Boon (Dundee, UK)
I have been buying rock music for over fifty years and this is definitely amongst my top five albums of all time. Could even be the best.Very hard to believe it is a first album! The music seems to be a fusion of rock,folk,and bluegrass and has echoes of the early Strawbs album,[[ASIN:B00000B96Q From The Witchwood] I loved the light and shade of tone, the changes of rhythm and pace,and the passionate, spiritual lyrics with their encouragement to identify with what it is like to be fully human in a flawed, but God made world. I can give no greater compliment to Marcus Mumford other than to say that if John Donne and the other metaphysical poets were alive today, they would be writing lyrics like these.Marcus is clearly very mature and talented and has gathered a tight and gifted band around him whose performance is enhanced by a superb production.They deserve to have success "rain down" on them, yet when I saw them interviewed on YouTube,] they seemed to be refreshingly modest and content to let the music speak eloquently for them. And it really does! I can't wait to see a gig of theirs. Go out and buy this. You won't regret it. You might even "Sigh no More".
Mumford and Sons - a hearty serving of euphoric folk rock, bluegrass, country et al, 9 Dec 2009
Red on Black (Cardiff)
I am so late discovering "Sigh no more" I almost feel embarrassed by the fact. A friend burned me an alternative Christmas album a few days ago (thankfully no Slade!) and on it was the track "Winter Winds" by the Mumfords. It is a roaring joy of a track, a brassy, processional pop song full of banjos and horns. It's wintry in a "Fairytale of New York" way and lead singer Marcus Mumford delivers better than Parcel force. As such I quickly rushed out to buy their wonderful debut and checked out the excellent and rave reviews on Amazon. It comes with a health warning, "Sigh no More" is so addictive that you become a total bore amongst your friends because of frequent rants about its wonders.
Who are the Mumfords? The NME tells us with pinpoint accuracy that the band was "Formed in late 2007 through a shared love of country, bluegrass and folk, the Mumford's belong to a clique that's already scaled grand artistic peaks; performers such as Laura Marling and Noah And The Whale taking the shambling, confessional style of the New York anti-folk scene and fleshing it out for broader commercial appeal".
Check out the many clips on you tube and you will see a band of fresh faced folkies, decked out in waistcoats and beards having the time of their life. To the acts above you could also add a Pogues influence, a bit of the Macabees and in Marcus's voice is the passion heard in Sam Duckworths "Get Cape Wear Cape Fly debut album "Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager" (which we hope he recaptures) or even sometimes a young Peter Gabriel.
The songs are all very strong but to single out a few for your attention the lovely ballad "After the storm" is achingly beautiful and what a mature work for such a young band. Similarly the single "Little Lion Man" is a banjo driven foot tapper but with superb lyrics and story. Other standouts include the initially soothing "I gave you all" which is a slow burner that builds to an excellent and powerful crescendo. Mention in dispatches should also go to Waterboys "Fisherman blues" era stomp "Roll away your stone" and the excellent high tempo folk of "Thistle and Weeds" and the sheer passion of "White Blank Page". I have in candour not yet found a real duffer on this album which is hugely impressive and with the "The Cave" they have recorded one of the songs of 2009. I have recently heard Mumfords songs not on this album including "Sister" available free from their website, "Liar" and a corking cover of version of Calvin Harris's "Im not alone". There is clearly strength in depth with this band and talent to spare.
It's great to see that Jo Whiley, Zane Lowe and Greg James from Radio 1 have enthused and championed this album all year. I have seen some reviews of "Sigh no More" suggesting that it is too angst ridden or alternatively (and in contradiction) it's a bunch of posh kids discovering that folk can be fun. Its not perfect(it comes close) but for a debut oozes huge potential and places a hefty weight of lofty expectation on a precociously and massively talented new band.
Outstanding metaphysical folk rock
Roger Boon (Dundee, UK)
I have been buying rock music for over fifty years and this is definitely amongst my top five albums of all time. Could even be the best.Very hard to believe it is a first album! The music seems to be a fusion of rock,folk,and bluegrass and has echoes of the early Strawbs album,[[ASIN:B00000B96Q From The Witchwood] I loved the light and shade of tone, the changes of rhythm and pace,and the passionate, spiritual lyrics with their encouragement to identify with what it is like to be fully human in a flawed, but God made world. I can give no greater compliment to Marcus Mumford other than to say that if John Donne and the other metaphysical poets were alive today, they would be writing lyrics like these.Marcus is clearly very mature and talented and has gathered a tight and gifted band around him whose performance is enhanced by a superb production.They deserve to have success "rain down" on them, yet when I saw them interviewed on YouTube,] they seemed to be refreshingly modest and content to let the music speak eloquently for them. And it really does! I can't wait to see a gig of theirs. Go out and buy this. You won't regret it. You might even "Sigh no More".
Mumford and Sons - a hearty serving of euphoric folk rock, bluegrass, country et al, 9 Dec 2009
Red on Black (Cardiff)
I am so late discovering "Sigh no more" I almost feel embarrassed by the fact. A friend burned me an alternative Christmas album a few days ago (thankfully no Slade!) and on it was the track "Winter Winds" by the Mumfords. It is a roaring joy of a track, a brassy, processional pop song full of banjos and horns. It's wintry in a "Fairytale of New York" way and lead singer Marcus Mumford delivers better than Parcel force. As such I quickly rushed out to buy their wonderful debut and checked out the excellent and rave reviews on Amazon. It comes with a health warning, "Sigh no More" is so addictive that you become a total bore amongst your friends because of frequent rants about its wonders.
Who are the Mumfords? The NME tells us with pinpoint accuracy that the band was "Formed in late 2007 through a shared love of country, bluegrass and folk, the Mumford's belong to a clique that's already scaled grand artistic peaks; performers such as Laura Marling and Noah And The Whale taking the shambling, confessional style of the New York anti-folk scene and fleshing it out for broader commercial appeal".
Check out the many clips on you tube and you will see a band of fresh faced folkies, decked out in waistcoats and beards having the time of their life. To the acts above you could also add a Pogues influence, a bit of the Macabees and in Marcus's voice is the passion heard in Sam Duckworths "Get Cape Wear Cape Fly debut album "Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager" (which we hope he recaptures) or even sometimes a young Peter Gabriel.
The songs are all very strong but to single out a few for your attention the lovely ballad "After the storm" is achingly beautiful and what a mature work for such a young band. Similarly the single "Little Lion Man" is a banjo driven foot tapper but with superb lyrics and story. Other standouts include the initially soothing "I gave you all" which is a slow burner that builds to an excellent and powerful crescendo. Mention in dispatches should also go to Waterboys "Fisherman blues" era stomp "Roll away your stone" and the excellent high tempo folk of "Thistle and Weeds" and the sheer passion of "White Blank Page". I have in candour not yet found a real duffer on this album which is hugely impressive and with the "The Cave" they have recorded one of the songs of 2009. I have recently heard Mumfords songs not on this album including "Sister" available free from their website, "Liar" and a corking cover of version of Calvin Harris's "Im not alone". There is clearly strength in depth with this band and talent to spare.
It's great to see that Jo Whiley, Zane Lowe and Greg James from Radio 1 have enthused and championed this album all year. I have seen some reviews of "Sigh no More" suggesting that it is too angst ridden or alternatively (and in contradiction) it's a bunch of posh kids discovering that folk can be fun. Its not perfect(it comes close) but for a debut oozes huge potential and places a hefty weight of lofty expectation on a precociously and massively talented new band.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Gavin And Stacey - Series 1-3 And 2008 Christmas Special [DVD] [2007]
DVD Description
"… It’s a gem.”--Daily Mail
“…very rude, very funny…”--London Evening Standard
”…there’s almost an embarrassment of riches here. Sweet, and studded with moments of cheerful filth…”--Daily Mirror
“Superb”--Daily Telegraph
Gavin is an ordinary boy from Billericay, and Stacey an ordinary girl from Barry. After speaking on the phone to each other every day at work - they finally meet and fall in love... I won't lie to you, life is never quite that simple. For a start there are Gavin’s parents, Stacey’s mum and Uncle Bryn and best mates Nessa and Smithy to consider, as well as the small matter of living in different countries separated by a long bridge and a toll gate.
Winner of two Baftas and four British Comedy awards, Gavin & Stacey is poignant, genuine and hilarious – one of the stand-out comedy series of the 21st Century.
Synopsis
Sitcom featuring an English guy and a girl from Wales. After speaking on the phone at work every day, Gavin and Stacey meet and soon discover that despite their obvious differences, they share a lot in common. Contains all the episodes from the first three series of the show plus the 2008 Christmas special
"… It’s a gem.”--Daily Mail
“…very rude, very funny…”--London Evening Standard
”…there’s almost an embarrassment of riches here. Sweet, and studded with moments of cheerful filth…”--Daily Mirror
“Superb”--Daily Telegraph
Gavin is an ordinary boy from Billericay, and Stacey an ordinary girl from Barry. After speaking on the phone to each other every day at work - they finally meet and fall in love... I won't lie to you, life is never quite that simple. For a start there are Gavin’s parents, Stacey’s mum and Uncle Bryn and best mates Nessa and Smithy to consider, as well as the small matter of living in different countries separated by a long bridge and a toll gate.
Winner of two Baftas and four British Comedy awards, Gavin & Stacey is poignant, genuine and hilarious – one of the stand-out comedy series of the 21st Century.
Synopsis
Sitcom featuring an English guy and a girl from Wales. After speaking on the phone at work every day, Gavin and Stacey meet and soon discover that despite their obvious differences, they share a lot in common. Contains all the episodes from the first three series of the show plus the 2008 Christmas special
Michael McIntyre Live 2009 [DVD]
DVD Description
Michael McIntyre, the comedy sensation of 2009, is back. Michael McIntyre’s meteoric rise to fame took the comedy world by storm last year. He sold out over 100 tour dates around the UK and his first DVD release Michael McIntyre Live & Laughing became the fastest selling debut stand up DVD of all time. Michael sets off on his biggest tour to date taking his new show to arenas around the UK. To be recorded at Wembley Arena later this year, Michael McIntyre – Hello Wembley! will feature 90 minutes of brand new material from the man who has been hailed by both audiences and critics as the best new stand up to emerge in a decade.
More about Michael McIntyre:
Michael McIntyre doesn’t hang about; he can take claim for having the fastest selling debut stand-up DVD ever with Live & Laughing, along with being the quickest-selling comedian at the Edinburgh Festival packing out 26 consecutive nights. Now he’s started, there appears to be no stopping London-born Michael, who is the rising star of British comedy. His brilliantly engaging delivery and effortless rapport with the audience have led to him to be hailed by audiences and critics as one of the best-stand-up talents currently performing in the UK. Michael observed the world unpaid until 2003 when he began his stand-up comedy journey and was nominated for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Festival. Since then he has sold out theatres across the country, become a regular face on television and has been nominated for a whole host of prestigious awards. Michael’s ever-increasing fan base has grown via word-of-mouth popularity rather than from a regular weekly TV slot. Michael says: “I don't really do jokes. I just talk about things that I find funny. I tend to laugh at them myself as well because I find them funny. I don't do gags, just observational comedy. I just collect all these stories and try then out and if people laugh I do them again and make them better.”
In 2008, Michael won Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards and was nominated in the same category the previous year. Michael proved he’d earned his place as one of the country’s most popular comedians when he was nominated in the Best Live Stand-Up Performer category alongside Alan Carr and Russell Brand.
Michael has twice hosted the popular BBC show Live at the Apollo and performed for Prince Charles on his 60th Birthday on ITV’s We Are Most Amused as well as well as the Royal Variety Performance. Consequently, he’s now on first name terms with his Royal Highness, Prince Charles.
During the past year Michael’s meteoric rise to fame has seen him play just under 100 sold-out dates throughout the UK including five sell-out nights at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. In June, 2009, Michael hosted the BBC prime-time show Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. In September, 2009, Michael started his arena tour across the UK including three nights at the 02 in London.
Michael McIntyre, the comedy sensation of 2009, is back. Michael McIntyre’s meteoric rise to fame took the comedy world by storm last year. He sold out over 100 tour dates around the UK and his first DVD release Michael McIntyre Live & Laughing became the fastest selling debut stand up DVD of all time. Michael sets off on his biggest tour to date taking his new show to arenas around the UK. To be recorded at Wembley Arena later this year, Michael McIntyre – Hello Wembley! will feature 90 minutes of brand new material from the man who has been hailed by both audiences and critics as the best new stand up to emerge in a decade.
More about Michael McIntyre:
Michael McIntyre doesn’t hang about; he can take claim for having the fastest selling debut stand-up DVD ever with Live & Laughing, along with being the quickest-selling comedian at the Edinburgh Festival packing out 26 consecutive nights. Now he’s started, there appears to be no stopping London-born Michael, who is the rising star of British comedy. His brilliantly engaging delivery and effortless rapport with the audience have led to him to be hailed by audiences and critics as one of the best-stand-up talents currently performing in the UK. Michael observed the world unpaid until 2003 when he began his stand-up comedy journey and was nominated for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Festival. Since then he has sold out theatres across the country, become a regular face on television and has been nominated for a whole host of prestigious awards. Michael’s ever-increasing fan base has grown via word-of-mouth popularity rather than from a regular weekly TV slot. Michael says: “I don't really do jokes. I just talk about things that I find funny. I tend to laugh at them myself as well because I find them funny. I don't do gags, just observational comedy. I just collect all these stories and try then out and if people laugh I do them again and make them better.”
In 2008, Michael won Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards and was nominated in the same category the previous year. Michael proved he’d earned his place as one of the country’s most popular comedians when he was nominated in the Best Live Stand-Up Performer category alongside Alan Carr and Russell Brand.
Michael has twice hosted the popular BBC show Live at the Apollo and performed for Prince Charles on his 60th Birthday on ITV’s We Are Most Amused as well as well as the Royal Variety Performance. Consequently, he’s now on first name terms with his Royal Highness, Prince Charles.
During the past year Michael’s meteoric rise to fame has seen him play just under 100 sold-out dates throughout the UK including five sell-out nights at London’s Hammersmith Apollo. In June, 2009, Michael hosted the BBC prime-time show Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow. In September, 2009, Michael started his arena tour across the UK including three nights at the 02 in London.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Just Dance (Wii) - Ubisoft
Manufacturer's Description
The best dance contest ever comes to your own living room!
Just Dance gives you the opportunity to perform all the iconic dance moves to your favourite songs that you always wanted to perform. Grab the Wiimote and dance to an impressive track list full of famous and unforgettable hits. Just Dance gives you the opportunity to perform all the iconic dance moves to your favourite songs that you always wanted to perform. Grab the Wiimote and dance to an impressive track list full of famous and unforgettable hits.
With around 30 famous tracks available from many different genres such as contemporary 80’s, 90’s, Disco, rock, pop, r ‘n’ b and more.
Choose your music from some of the following massive hits:
-Katy Perry – Hot ‘n’ Cold
-MC Hammer – U can’t touch this;-Fame – in the style of Irene Cara (cover)
-Deee-Lite – Groove is in the heart
-Technotronic – Pump up the jam
-Cyndi Lauper – Girls just wanna have fun
-Trashmen – Surfin Bird
-Blur – Girls & Boys
The best dance contest ever comes to your own living room!
Just Dance gives you the opportunity to perform all the iconic dance moves to your favourite songs that you always wanted to perform. Grab the Wiimote and dance to an impressive track list full of famous and unforgettable hits. Just Dance gives you the opportunity to perform all the iconic dance moves to your favourite songs that you always wanted to perform. Grab the Wiimote and dance to an impressive track list full of famous and unforgettable hits.
With around 30 famous tracks available from many different genres such as contemporary 80’s, 90’s, Disco, rock, pop, r ‘n’ b and more.
Choose your music from some of the following massive hits:
-Katy Perry – Hot ‘n’ Cold
-MC Hammer – U can’t touch this;-Fame – in the style of Irene Cara (cover)
-Deee-Lite – Groove is in the heart
-Technotronic – Pump up the jam
-Cyndi Lauper – Girls just wanna have fun
-Trashmen – Surfin Bird
-Blur – Girls & Boys
Final Fantasy XIII - Square Enix
Manufacturer's Description
A tale of souls from a futuristic civilization illuminated by the Light of the Crystal, the newest addition to the Final Fantasy series is worthy of the title "next generation." Developed by Square Enix, the eagerly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII features the latest in cutting-edge technology and provides tangible, intuitive controls while delivering seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and stunning in-game cinematics.
Take Part in a Gaming Experience that Sets New Standards – The first in the series developed for a simultaneous release on multiple high-definition consoles, FINAL FANTASY XIII pushes new boundaries in cinematic presentation, sound and gameplay.; Experience the Unity of Speed and Strategy with the Ultimate Active Time Battle system – The familiar system has evolved, granting players the freedom of executing numerous commands in a single turn with the multi-slot ATB gauge. Whether inputting singular commands in each slot for consecutive attacks, or expending multiple slots at once to activate a devastating blow, it’s up to the players to respond effectively to the battle conditions at hand.; Adapt to the Ever-Changing Tide of Battle with Paradigms – A brand-new game mechanic enabling players to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, shifting between combat paradigms. Consisting of various combinations of the game's six roles, ranging from Commando, the offensive specialist, to Medic, the quintessential healer, paradigms allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.; Witness the Battle Scene Transform with an All-New Summon System – Introducing Gestalt Mode, a powerful dimension of the summon system that elevates the action to a whole new level. In Gestalt Mode, characters and their transformed Eidolons fight as one, dealing massive damage to enemies through simple button commands.; Delve into an Emotional Experience – An immersive storyline connects players to an intriguing cast of characters. Will they have the strength to confront their cursed fates, or will destiny prevail over all that they believe in?
From the creative minds behind FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY X comes the latest installment in the critically acclaimed series. As FINAL FANTASY VII was for PlayStation, and FINAL FANTASY X for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the first numbered FINAL FANTASY title for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360, and will look to once again reestablish the series as the RPG brand. Players will follow Lightning, Snow, and the other heroes who are dealt a hand of fate by the god-like fal'Cie. Cursed and regarded as enemies of society, they have the world against them and nobody to rely on but each other. Will they find the strength within themselves to break free of their curse and determine their own fates, or will they succumb to this higher power? With a story that is sure to connect with players' hearts, diverse new characters from world-renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura, and exciting new gameplay features centered around an evolved Active Time Battle system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the pinnacle in gaming experiences.
A tale of souls from a futuristic civilization illuminated by the Light of the Crystal, the newest addition to the Final Fantasy series is worthy of the title "next generation." Developed by Square Enix, the eagerly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII features the latest in cutting-edge technology and provides tangible, intuitive controls while delivering seamless transitions between real-time gameplay and stunning in-game cinematics.
Take Part in a Gaming Experience that Sets New Standards – The first in the series developed for a simultaneous release on multiple high-definition consoles, FINAL FANTASY XIII pushes new boundaries in cinematic presentation, sound and gameplay.; Experience the Unity of Speed and Strategy with the Ultimate Active Time Battle system – The familiar system has evolved, granting players the freedom of executing numerous commands in a single turn with the multi-slot ATB gauge. Whether inputting singular commands in each slot for consecutive attacks, or expending multiple slots at once to activate a devastating blow, it’s up to the players to respond effectively to the battle conditions at hand.; Adapt to the Ever-Changing Tide of Battle with Paradigms – A brand-new game mechanic enabling players to assign roles to their party members at any time during battle, shifting between combat paradigms. Consisting of various combinations of the game's six roles, ranging from Commando, the offensive specialist, to Medic, the quintessential healer, paradigms allow players to respond and adapt instantly to any given situation to turn the tide and seize victory.; Witness the Battle Scene Transform with an All-New Summon System – Introducing Gestalt Mode, a powerful dimension of the summon system that elevates the action to a whole new level. In Gestalt Mode, characters and their transformed Eidolons fight as one, dealing massive damage to enemies through simple button commands.; Delve into an Emotional Experience – An immersive storyline connects players to an intriguing cast of characters. Will they have the strength to confront their cursed fates, or will destiny prevail over all that they believe in?
From the creative minds behind FINAL FANTASY VII and FINAL FANTASY X comes the latest installment in the critically acclaimed series. As FINAL FANTASY VII was for PlayStation, and FINAL FANTASY X for PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the first numbered FINAL FANTASY title for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Xbox 360, and will look to once again reestablish the series as the RPG brand. Players will follow Lightning, Snow, and the other heroes who are dealt a hand of fate by the god-like fal'Cie. Cursed and regarded as enemies of society, they have the world against them and nobody to rely on but each other. Will they find the strength within themselves to break free of their curse and determine their own fates, or will they succumb to this higher power? With a story that is sure to connect with players' hearts, diverse new characters from world-renowned creator and character designer Tetsuya Nomura, and exciting new gameplay features centered around an evolved Active Time Battle system, FINAL FANTASY XIII will be the pinnacle in gaming experiences.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Mass Effect 2 (PC DVD) - Electronic Arts
Amazon.co.uk Review
The sci-fi role-playing epic continues, as the Mass Effect story delves into darker territory and the fate of Commander Shepard, his crew and the entire galaxy.
A streamlined combat system makes the game even more action-packed than before, with a new regenerating health system that means you spend less time fiddling with menus and more time shooting enemies. You can also direct teammates individually with a simple press of a button, giving you greater tactical control over every encounter.
The number of planets you can explore, and the complexity of the sub quests you find on them, has been greatly expanded from the first game - giving you a whole galaxy to explore at will. The original game was the most cohesive mix yet of action game and role-player and this sequel goes even further in combing both genres into one giant space opera.
Key Features
* Episode Two: Commander Shepard returns as the award-winning action role-player offers up even more intense storytelling and a whole new threat to humanity.
* All action: All-new combat options make the game even more action-packed, with more versatile controls, more weapons and better management of allies.
* Age of discovery: Even more exploration options than before, with more detailed side quests and many more developed planets to visit.
* Good talker: Revamped conversation system is more dynamic than ever, with faster, more realistic dialogue and a new cinematic camera.
* Ongoing story: If you have a save file from the first Mass Effect then the decisions you made will have an effect on the new game and old characters will remember you.
About the Developer: BioWare Corp.
This Canadian developer has become one of the most renowned makers of Western style role-playing games, with titles such as Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire and Mass Effect. Star Wars: The Old Republic will be their first massively multiplayer online game.
The sci-fi role-playing epic continues, as the Mass Effect story delves into darker territory and the fate of Commander Shepard, his crew and the entire galaxy.
A streamlined combat system makes the game even more action-packed than before, with a new regenerating health system that means you spend less time fiddling with menus and more time shooting enemies. You can also direct teammates individually with a simple press of a button, giving you greater tactical control over every encounter.
The number of planets you can explore, and the complexity of the sub quests you find on them, has been greatly expanded from the first game - giving you a whole galaxy to explore at will. The original game was the most cohesive mix yet of action game and role-player and this sequel goes even further in combing both genres into one giant space opera.
Key Features
* Episode Two: Commander Shepard returns as the award-winning action role-player offers up even more intense storytelling and a whole new threat to humanity.
* All action: All-new combat options make the game even more action-packed, with more versatile controls, more weapons and better management of allies.
* Age of discovery: Even more exploration options than before, with more detailed side quests and many more developed planets to visit.
* Good talker: Revamped conversation system is more dynamic than ever, with faster, more realistic dialogue and a new cinematic camera.
* Ongoing story: If you have a save file from the first Mass Effect then the decisions you made will have an effect on the new game and old characters will remember you.
About the Developer: BioWare Corp.
This Canadian developer has become one of the most renowned makers of Western style role-playing games, with titles such as Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire and Mass Effect. Star Wars: The Old Republic will be their first massively multiplayer online game.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 - Electronic Arts
Manufacturer's Description
Get ready for the most spectacular FPS multiplayer experience ever! Battlefield Bad Company 2 brings the spectacular Battlefield gameplay to the forefront of next-gen consoles and PC - featuring best-in-class vehicular combat set across 8 huge sandbox maps each with a different tactical focus. New vehicles like the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and the UH-60 transport helicopter allow for all-new multiplayer tactics in the warzone, extensive tuning ensures that this will be the most satisfying vehicle combat experience to date. Tactical destruction is taken to new heights with the updated DICE ‘Frostbite’ engine. Players can now take down entire buildings or create their own fire points by blasting holes through cover, thereby delivering a unique experience in every match
Players can also compete in 4-player teams in 2 exclusive squad-only game modes, fighting together to unlock exclusive team awards and achievements. Spawn on your squad to get straight into the action, and use gadgets such as the tracer dart in-conjunction with the RPG to devastating effect. Excellence in the battlefield is rewarded with an extensive range of pins, insignias and stars to unlock along with 50 dedicated ranks to achieve. Variety also extends into the range of customisable kits weapons and vehicles available. With 4 distinct character classes, 46 weapons, 15 gadgets, 13 character specializations and over 15000 kit variations to discover and master players will be able to fine-tune their preferred fighting style to give them the edge in combat.
All of these features combine to deliver spectacular and unpredictable action moments found nowhere else in the genre. Battlefield Bad Company 2 is all-out multiplayer warfare at its absolute finest!
The modern battlefield is evolving and once again "B" Company are caught on the front line. Already one of the most popular online shooters ever, this latest game adds greater variety and greater destruction than ever seen before.
For the first time you will be able to raze buildings to the ground, with almost every object on the map being completely destructible. It's not just the scenery that takes damage more realistically though, as this is the first Battlefield game since Vietnam to feature blood wounds.
Despite all the new vehicles, weapons and specialist equipment though the game is more accessible than ever with preset equipment kits that let you choose a basic style of play (assault, engineer, recon or medic) and immediately get started. With an improved single player and story mode too this is ready to take its place as one of the definitive online shooters of modern times.
Key Features
* Modern warfare: More destruction, more weapons, more vehicles and more variety await in the biggest and most complete Battlefield experience so far.
* Total annihilation: New Destruction 2.0 technology allows you to level buildings and engage in "micro-destruction" by chipping away at an enemy's cover.
* Packing heat: More than 46 different weapons which can be customised to create 200 different firearms and over 15,000 possible kit variations.
* Army transport: Take control of 15 different vehicles on land, air and sea - from the new UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to boats, tanks and armoured cars of every description.
* See the world: The biggest variety in locations ever for a Battlefield game, from icy mountaintops, to dense jungles, arid deserts and dusty villages.
About the Developer: Digital Illusions CE
Better known simply as DICE, this Swedish developer started life making the Pinball Dreams series on the Amiga. Their big break was the ground-breaking Battlefield 1942 and its many spin-offs and sequels. They were bought by EA in 2006, for who they made first person platformer Mirror's Edge.
Get ready for the most spectacular FPS multiplayer experience ever! Battlefield Bad Company 2 brings the spectacular Battlefield gameplay to the forefront of next-gen consoles and PC - featuring best-in-class vehicular combat set across 8 huge sandbox maps each with a different tactical focus. New vehicles like the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) and the UH-60 transport helicopter allow for all-new multiplayer tactics in the warzone, extensive tuning ensures that this will be the most satisfying vehicle combat experience to date. Tactical destruction is taken to new heights with the updated DICE ‘Frostbite’ engine. Players can now take down entire buildings or create their own fire points by blasting holes through cover, thereby delivering a unique experience in every match
Players can also compete in 4-player teams in 2 exclusive squad-only game modes, fighting together to unlock exclusive team awards and achievements. Spawn on your squad to get straight into the action, and use gadgets such as the tracer dart in-conjunction with the RPG to devastating effect. Excellence in the battlefield is rewarded with an extensive range of pins, insignias and stars to unlock along with 50 dedicated ranks to achieve. Variety also extends into the range of customisable kits weapons and vehicles available. With 4 distinct character classes, 46 weapons, 15 gadgets, 13 character specializations and over 15000 kit variations to discover and master players will be able to fine-tune their preferred fighting style to give them the edge in combat.
All of these features combine to deliver spectacular and unpredictable action moments found nowhere else in the genre. Battlefield Bad Company 2 is all-out multiplayer warfare at its absolute finest!
The modern battlefield is evolving and once again "B" Company are caught on the front line. Already one of the most popular online shooters ever, this latest game adds greater variety and greater destruction than ever seen before.
For the first time you will be able to raze buildings to the ground, with almost every object on the map being completely destructible. It's not just the scenery that takes damage more realistically though, as this is the first Battlefield game since Vietnam to feature blood wounds.
Despite all the new vehicles, weapons and specialist equipment though the game is more accessible than ever with preset equipment kits that let you choose a basic style of play (assault, engineer, recon or medic) and immediately get started. With an improved single player and story mode too this is ready to take its place as one of the definitive online shooters of modern times.
Key Features
* Modern warfare: More destruction, more weapons, more vehicles and more variety await in the biggest and most complete Battlefield experience so far.
* Total annihilation: New Destruction 2.0 technology allows you to level buildings and engage in "micro-destruction" by chipping away at an enemy's cover.
* Packing heat: More than 46 different weapons which can be customised to create 200 different firearms and over 15,000 possible kit variations.
* Army transport: Take control of 15 different vehicles on land, air and sea - from the new UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter to boats, tanks and armoured cars of every description.
* See the world: The biggest variety in locations ever for a Battlefield game, from icy mountaintops, to dense jungles, arid deserts and dusty villages.
About the Developer: Digital Illusions CE
Better known simply as DICE, this Swedish developer started life making the Pinball Dreams series on the Amiga. Their big break was the ground-breaking Battlefield 1942 and its many spin-offs and sequels. They were bought by EA in 2006, for who they made first person platformer Mirror's Edge.
The Lovely Bones (Paperback) - Alice Sebold
Amazon.co.uk Review
On her way home from school on a snowy December day, 14-year-old Susie Salmon is lured into a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case.
As Sebold fashions it, everyone has his or her own version of heaven. Susie's resembles the athletic fields and landscape of a suburban high school: a heaven of her "simplest dreams", where "there were no teachers... We never had to go inside except for art class... The boys did not pinch our backsides or tell us we smelled; our textbooks were Seventeen and Glamour and Vogue".
The Lovely Bones works as an odd yet affecting coming-of-age story. Susie struggles to accept her death while still clinging to the lost world of the living, following her family's dramas over the years. Her family disintegrates in their grief: her father becomes determined to find her killer, her mother withdraws, her little brother Buckley attempts to make sense of the new hole in his family and her younger sister Lindsey moves through the milestone events of her teenage and young adult years with Susie riding spiritual shotgun. Random acts and missed opportunities run throughout the book--Susie recalls her sole kiss with a boy on earth as "like an accident--a beautiful gasoline rainbow".
Though sentimental at times, The Lovely Bones is a moving exploration of loss and mourning that ultimately puts its faith in the living and that is made even more powerful by a cast of convincing characters. Sebold orchestrates a big finish and though things tend to wrap up a little too well for everyone in the end, one can only imagine (or hope) that heaven is indeed a place filled with such happy endings. --Brad Thomas Parsons, Amazon.com
On her way home from school on a snowy December day, 14-year-old Susie Salmon is lured into a cornfield and brutally raped and murdered, the latest victim of a serial killer. The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold's haunting and heartbreaking debut novel, unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and where Susie narrates and keeps watch over her grieving family and friends, as well as her brazen killer and the sad detective working on her case.
As Sebold fashions it, everyone has his or her own version of heaven. Susie's resembles the athletic fields and landscape of a suburban high school: a heaven of her "simplest dreams", where "there were no teachers... We never had to go inside except for art class... The boys did not pinch our backsides or tell us we smelled; our textbooks were Seventeen and Glamour and Vogue".
The Lovely Bones works as an odd yet affecting coming-of-age story. Susie struggles to accept her death while still clinging to the lost world of the living, following her family's dramas over the years. Her family disintegrates in their grief: her father becomes determined to find her killer, her mother withdraws, her little brother Buckley attempts to make sense of the new hole in his family and her younger sister Lindsey moves through the milestone events of her teenage and young adult years with Susie riding spiritual shotgun. Random acts and missed opportunities run throughout the book--Susie recalls her sole kiss with a boy on earth as "like an accident--a beautiful gasoline rainbow".
Though sentimental at times, The Lovely Bones is a moving exploration of loss and mourning that ultimately puts its faith in the living and that is made even more powerful by a cast of convincing characters. Sebold orchestrates a big finish and though things tend to wrap up a little too well for everyone in the end, one can only imagine (or hope) that heaven is indeed a place filled with such happy endings. --Brad Thomas Parsons, Amazon.com
The Brightest Star in the Sky (Hardcover) - Marian Keyes
Product Description
At 66, Star Street in Dublin, someone is watching over the lives of the people living in its flats. But no one is aware of it – yet... One of them is ready to take the plunge and fall in love; another is torn between two very different lovers. For some, secrets they want to stay buried will come to light and for others, the unveiling of those secrets will have tragic consequences. Fate is on its way to Star Street, bringing with it love and tragedy, friendship and heartbreak, and the power to change their lives in the most unexpected of ways…
About the Author
Marian Keyes' international bestselling novels include RachelÂ’s Holiday, Last Chance Saloon, Sushi for Beginners, Angels, The Other Side of the Story, Anybody Out There and This Charming Man. Two collections of her journalism, Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, are also available from Penguin. Marian lives in Dublin with her husband.
At 66, Star Street in Dublin, someone is watching over the lives of the people living in its flats. But no one is aware of it – yet... One of them is ready to take the plunge and fall in love; another is torn between two very different lovers. For some, secrets they want to stay buried will come to light and for others, the unveiling of those secrets will have tragic consequences. Fate is on its way to Star Street, bringing with it love and tragedy, friendship and heartbreak, and the power to change their lives in the most unexpected of ways…
About the Author
Marian Keyes' international bestselling novels include RachelÂ’s Holiday, Last Chance Saloon, Sushi for Beginners, Angels, The Other Side of the Story, Anybody Out There and This Charming Man. Two collections of her journalism, Under the Duvet and Further Under the Duvet, are also available from Penguin. Marian lives in Dublin with her husband.
The Host (Paperback) - Stephenie Meyer
Review
Stephenie Meyer is an amazing phenomenon. Out of the brightness of her mind and spirit comes the illuminated darkness of her stories. For no matter how much pain her characters suffer, Meyer infuses the tales with light and hope. -- Orson Scott Card, author of The Ender Saga
Stephenie Meyer is an amazing phenomenon. Out of the brightness of her mind and spirit comes the illuminated darkness of her stories. For no matter how much pain her characters suffer, Meyer infuses the tales with light and hope. -- Orson Scott Card, author of The Ender Saga
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Mafia Wars Strategy Guide
If you're sick and tired of having to beg people to join your mafia while continually getting your butt kicked by other mafias, this information is for you.
You've probably always wondered how these other players can build up Godfather points and grow their mafias so fast.
I used to wonder the same thing. I thought,
"What, do these guys have some God-given mafia leadership skills?"
"Are they constantly annoying their friends by sending out a million invitations?"
"What are they doing?"
So I set out to spy on all the successful players I could find to see just what they did to grow their mafias with the top mafia members so fast.
I spent months using stealth tactics to "track" high level players across the Internet to figure out just how they moved to the top of the game so quickly.
I discovered just what it was they were doing to build the strongest mafias and then improved upon their methods myself and even created some amazingly effective new ones.
They never suspected a thing, that is, until my mafia started destroying theirs...If they found out that I spied on them- they would hate me even more!
Click Here!
You've probably always wondered how these other players can build up Godfather points and grow their mafias so fast.
I used to wonder the same thing. I thought,
"What, do these guys have some God-given mafia leadership skills?"
"Are they constantly annoying their friends by sending out a million invitations?"
"What are they doing?"
So I set out to spy on all the successful players I could find to see just what they did to grow their mafias with the top mafia members so fast.
I spent months using stealth tactics to "track" high level players across the Internet to figure out just how they moved to the top of the game so quickly.
I discovered just what it was they were doing to build the strongest mafias and then improved upon their methods myself and even created some amazingly effective new ones.
They never suspected a thing, that is, until my mafia started destroying theirs...If they found out that I spied on them- they would hate me even more!
Click Here!
007 Lifestyle - Living Like James Bond.
Dating, Seduction, Attraction, Travel, Pickup, Fashion E-Book Package On Designing The Ultimate Lifestyle.
Want To Live, Travel, & Seduce Women Like James Bond?
You'll Learn And Put To Use The Exact Steps Needed To Have This Amazing Lifestyle
This is not a joke. This isn't some cutesy book about buying James Bond memorabilia and walking around with a fake Walther PPK.
This is a definitive guide to living a kick-ass, real lifestyle just like James Bond's. I'm going to share with you the essential ingredients of how I live the ultimate 007 lifestyle.
Follow this guide and you will feel like 007. Your friends will be jealous as they watch you travel the world with ease and take control of women's hearts effortlessly.
You will be able to design a lifestyle that rocks your boat. You will have more options and freedom to pursue your goals and ambitions. You will become a positive influence on others to live happy and fulfilling lives.
Buy It Now
007 Lifestyle: Living Like James Bond is delivered instantly in PDF e-book format. The whole package including the bonuses is valued at $144.
Click Here!
Want To Live, Travel, & Seduce Women Like James Bond?
You'll Learn And Put To Use The Exact Steps Needed To Have This Amazing Lifestyle
This is not a joke. This isn't some cutesy book about buying James Bond memorabilia and walking around with a fake Walther PPK.
This is a definitive guide to living a kick-ass, real lifestyle just like James Bond's. I'm going to share with you the essential ingredients of how I live the ultimate 007 lifestyle.
Follow this guide and you will feel like 007. Your friends will be jealous as they watch you travel the world with ease and take control of women's hearts effortlessly.
You will be able to design a lifestyle that rocks your boat. You will have more options and freedom to pursue your goals and ambitions. You will become a positive influence on others to live happy and fulfilling lives.
Buy It Now
007 Lifestyle: Living Like James Bond is delivered instantly in PDF e-book format. The whole package including the bonuses is valued at $144.
Click Here!
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) - Sony
Manufacturer's Description
Nathan Drake is back, as gaming's most charismatic hero tries to solve the mystery of Marco Polo's last voyage (and earn himself a fortune in treasure at the same time). The original was one of the first games to really prove the power of the PS3, but this sequel is another huge leap forward.
The first game already mixed intense gunplay with precarious platform action, but this adds in new stealth elements and more flexible parkour style climbing controls. Your enemies have been upgraded as well, with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence that makes them just as agile and resourceful as you.
Always known for its stunning graphics, this sequel not only looks better but it's now much more dynamic, with fully destructible scenery in every level. Add-in all-new co-operative and competitive multiplayer and you've got one of the most exciting action adventures of the year.
Key Features
* Cinematic action: Amazing third person action that genuinely feels like you're in your own action film, with gunfights, treasure hunting and even romance!
* New tactics: Use new stealth and parkour based tactics to tackle the newly enhanced artificial intelligence, with bad guys so realistic they even have simulated peripheral vision.
* 100% efficiency: Developer Naughty Dog claim the first game only used 30% of the PS3's power. With destructible environments and huge levels this is aims to max the console out.
* Friends reunited: For the first time you and two friends (as Sully and Chloe) can play together in the same game, with the brand new co-op mode.
* Uncharted territory: Also new is the competitive multiplayer, where you can play as either the heroes or villains in deathmatch and capture the flag games.
About the Developer: Naughty Dog
Not only did this Sony-owned studio create the original Crash Bandicoot games, but they also made all of the core Jak and Daxter games and the Uncharted series. They also have a long history of co-operation with Ratchet & Clank makers Insomniac Games, after the two shared offices together.
Nathan Drake is back, as gaming's most charismatic hero tries to solve the mystery of Marco Polo's last voyage (and earn himself a fortune in treasure at the same time). The original was one of the first games to really prove the power of the PS3, but this sequel is another huge leap forward.
The first game already mixed intense gunplay with precarious platform action, but this adds in new stealth elements and more flexible parkour style climbing controls. Your enemies have been upgraded as well, with state-of-the-art artificial intelligence that makes them just as agile and resourceful as you.
Always known for its stunning graphics, this sequel not only looks better but it's now much more dynamic, with fully destructible scenery in every level. Add-in all-new co-operative and competitive multiplayer and you've got one of the most exciting action adventures of the year.
Key Features
* Cinematic action: Amazing third person action that genuinely feels like you're in your own action film, with gunfights, treasure hunting and even romance!
* New tactics: Use new stealth and parkour based tactics to tackle the newly enhanced artificial intelligence, with bad guys so realistic they even have simulated peripheral vision.
* 100% efficiency: Developer Naughty Dog claim the first game only used 30% of the PS3's power. With destructible environments and huge levels this is aims to max the console out.
* Friends reunited: For the first time you and two friends (as Sully and Chloe) can play together in the same game, with the brand new co-op mode.
* Uncharted territory: Also new is the competitive multiplayer, where you can play as either the heroes or villains in deathmatch and capture the flag games.
About the Developer: Naughty Dog
Not only did this Sony-owned studio create the original Crash Bandicoot games, but they also made all of the core Jak and Daxter games and the Uncharted series. They also have a long history of co-operation with Ratchet & Clank makers Insomniac Games, after the two shared offices together.
Assassin's Creed II [PS3] - Ubisoft
Amazon.co.uk Review
Renaissance Italy isn't the usual sort of setting for a video game, but then Assassin's Creed isn't one to play by the rules. Ezio Auditore di Firenze is yet another ancestor of modern day Desmond Miles - a nobleman out to avenge the death of his family in the guise of a shadowy assassin.
Like the last game you're given total freedom to explore multiple cities, but with greatly improved parkour skills and the new ability to swim. There's also a lot more variety in the missions you undertake - the main complaint with the original game- so you'll never feel you're just doing the same tasks over and over again.
Combat has also been completely overhauled, with dozens of different weapons and a new health system. With no less than Leonardo da Vinci acting as your very own Q style gadget master this stunning sequel improves on every element of the original.
Key Features
* Renaissance man: Play as an all-new character in 15th century Italy, with new abilities, new weapons and a whole new world to explore.
* The spice of life: Massively improved mission variety, with new freeform mission structures and many more random events.
* Tools of the trade: All-new combat system lets you steal weapons from your opponents, use dual hidden blades and even an early form of pistol.
* Real history: Meet historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli and Lorenzo de' Medici, all of whom can offer you their own unique brand of aid.
* Tourist spots: Explore real world locations including Rome, Venice, Florence and Tuscany, as well as specific landmarks such as the Grand Canal and St Mark's Basilica.
About the Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft's huge development studio in Canada has created many of the French publisher's biggest hits, including the Splinter Cell series, the modern Prince of Persia games, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Assassin's Creed, Naruto: Rise of a Ninja and the Far Cry sequels and spin-offs.
Renaissance Italy isn't the usual sort of setting for a video game, but then Assassin's Creed isn't one to play by the rules. Ezio Auditore di Firenze is yet another ancestor of modern day Desmond Miles - a nobleman out to avenge the death of his family in the guise of a shadowy assassin.
Like the last game you're given total freedom to explore multiple cities, but with greatly improved parkour skills and the new ability to swim. There's also a lot more variety in the missions you undertake - the main complaint with the original game- so you'll never feel you're just doing the same tasks over and over again.
Combat has also been completely overhauled, with dozens of different weapons and a new health system. With no less than Leonardo da Vinci acting as your very own Q style gadget master this stunning sequel improves on every element of the original.
Key Features
* Renaissance man: Play as an all-new character in 15th century Italy, with new abilities, new weapons and a whole new world to explore.
* The spice of life: Massively improved mission variety, with new freeform mission structures and many more random events.
* Tools of the trade: All-new combat system lets you steal weapons from your opponents, use dual hidden blades and even an early form of pistol.
* Real history: Meet historical figures such as Leonardo da Vinci, Niccolò Machiavelli and Lorenzo de' Medici, all of whom can offer you their own unique brand of aid.
* Tourist spots: Explore real world locations including Rome, Venice, Florence and Tuscany, as well as specific landmarks such as the Grand Canal and St Mark's Basilica.
About the Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Ubisoft's huge development studio in Canada has created many of the French publisher's biggest hits, including the Splinter Cell series, the modern Prince of Persia games, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Assassin's Creed, Naruto: Rise of a Ninja and the Far Cry sequels and spin-offs.
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