Movie Review: Man of Steel

Image courtesy of LA Times

***WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD***

I’ve appreciated Superman all of my life, but he was never my favorite superhero. The George Reeves version was really enjoyable and Lois and Clark was my jam. It was a fantastic show. I did like Smallville, but I admit that I didn't watch past the first couple of seasons. I confess that I’ve never actually never seen the 2006 venture. It never actually appealed to me and I’m glad to understand that I’m not missing anything. When they announced that they were doing a new Superman movie, Man of Steel, and it was going to be produced by Christopher Nolan and directed by Zack Snyder I thought it should be good. I’d been following it and Henry Cavill seemed like a good actor. I was excited for the addition of (Kentuckian!) Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, and Diane Lane. I hadn’t planned on seeing it opening weekend. Now, I’ve seen it twice, first on opening night in 2D, and even with all of the action, I felt that it was very flat. It made the CGI look way over done. Seeing it in 3D, the CGI looked very well done, and it did look very realistic, with debris, flying things. I would definitely suggest to go see it in 3D.

Movie Review: The Internship

Let me begin by saying that I was quite apprehensive about this movie. I'm not generally a fan of this kind of goofball humor, The Hangover and 21 and Over (which I reviewed earlier this year) being the exception. I've enjoyed movies like Not Another Teen Movie and the original Scary Movie, which parodied their respective genera, but no movies like Wedding Crashers or Old School have ever really jumped out at me. So, when the opportunity to see The Internship presented itself this week, I went in with a great deal of timidity.

Book Review: Vampires Don't Sparkle edited by Michael West

Vampires Don't Sparkle by Michael West

Softcover | Website | Goodreads | Kindle

Publisher: Seventh Star Press, LLC

Pages: 246 (Paperback)

Published: March 12, 2013

Source: Mobi
Disclaimer: Blogger received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was awarded.
ISBN-13: 978-1937929602
Genre: Horror
Author: Twitter | Website | Facebook

Synopsis: What would you do if you had unlimited power and eternal life?

Would you…go back to high school? Attend the same classes year after year, going through the pomp and circumstance of one graduation after another, until you found the perfect date to take to prom? Would you…spend your days moping and brooding, finding your only joy in a game of baseball on a stormy day? Or would you…do something else? Anything else?
The authors of this collection have a few ideas; some fanciful, some humorous, and some as dark as an endless night. Join us, and discover what it truly means to be “vampyre.”

Edited by Michael West
Foreword by Michael West
“A New Life” by J. F. Gonzalez
“What Once was Flesh” by Tim Waggoner
“The Darkton Circus Mystery” by Elizabeth Massie
“Robot Vampire” by R. J. Sullivan
“Beneath a Templar Cross” by Gord Rollo
“The Weapon of Memory” by Kyle S. Johnson
“The Excavation” by Stephen Zimmer
“Skraeling” by Joel A. Sutherland
“Dreams of Winter” by Bob Freeman
“Dracula’s Winkee: Bloodsucker Blues” by Gregory L. Hall
“I Fuck Your Sunshine” by Lucy A. Snyder
“A Soldier’s Story” by Maurice Broaddus
“Rattenkönig
” by Douglas F. Warrick
“Vampire Nation” by Jerry Gordon
“Curtain Call” by Gary A. Braunbeck

I've had the esteem pleasure of being on the Seventh Star Press Blog Tour for Vampires Don't Sparkle a new anthology edited by Michael West. In a world which has become oversaturated by creatures of the night, this anthology brings the topic of conversation back to the monster, back to the old-fashioned vampire of lore. The vampires in this collection are meant to be terrifying, to cause suspense, to enthrall you rather than make you squee like a teenage Twihard. There are no vegetarian vampires in this book.

There are fifteen stories in this Vampires Don't Sparkle and each piece of this collection adds a new layer to the vampire mythos. Whether its by reimagining old tales or looking toward the future, these stories fit together in a brilliant tapestry with the common thread of the classic, fearsome vampire. I think that the stories flowed together quite well and I liked to see different themes within the book including the vampire hunter, which in my opinion is a very important part of the vampire mythology. Where there is a creature of the night there will (most likely) be someone who wants to figure out what makes them work and put an end to the terror.

For the purposes of this review, I wanted to briefly touch on two stories in the collection which stood out as my personal favorites: Robot Vampire by R. J. Sullivan and Beneath a Templar Cross by Gordo Rollo. Firstly, I think that Robot Vampire was a truly unique idea. There was a quick pace to the story, but the different parts were brought together so well that everything fit together nicely. The author presented us with a short prologue which linked very well to the main story. Sullivan even presents us with a good villain. It's easily my favorite of the collection.

I really enjoyed Beneath a Templar Cross as well. It's a unique origin story with an interesting twist. Though brief, I did very much like the characters. The 1870 setting was quite brilliant and a reimagining of the Knights Templar was inventive. The story was told using letters and flashbacks with flashforwards to the present time. I was a bit confused about the timeline at first, but I caught on to what Rollo was doing to build the story. In the end I was extremely satisfied. I would love to see both of these stories continue on as a longer novella or full-length novel. I was definitely able to see both of the stories playing out in my head and I was easily able to imagine the characters, which I think is a mark of great storytelling.

That is definitely what this anthology is. Great storytelling, plain and simple. If you're a fan of horror and vampires in general, this is the collection for you.

Many thanks to Seventh Star Press, Stephen Zimmer, and Tomorrow Comes Media for allowing me to be a part of the blog tour for Vampires Sparkle. Check the blog for my involvement in upcoming tours!

Here is the remainder of the Vampires Don't Sparkle tour!


Vampires Don’t Sparkle! Tour Segment:
May 16  MikesFilmTalk       Guest Post
May 17 Come Selahway With Me    Guest Post
May 18  A Girl and Her Kindle   Review
May 20  Laurie’s Paranormal Thoughts and Reviews   Interview
May 21   Kentucky Geek Girl   Review
May 22 Strange Amusements   Promo/Spotlight
May 23  Book Den  Guest Post
May 24  Beagle Book Space  Promo/Spotlight
May 26 Armand Rosamilla, Horror Author   Review
May 27  Bookishly Me    Review
May 30  The Cabin Goddess Review
May 31  WTF Are You Reading?   Review
June 3  Book in the Bag   Review
June 4  The Dan O’Brien Project  Guest Post
June 7  Bee’s Knees Reviews   Review
June 11 Darlene’s Book Nook  Guest Post
June 16  Jess Resides Here   Top Ten’s List
June 17  The Witchy Contessa   Review
June 19  My Seryniti   Review

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Review: COMICS: Saturday Night Live!

Comics: Saturday Night Live
Written by Chad Lambert
Art by Patricio Carbajal
Colors by Michael Langdale
Letters by Jaymes Reed
Cover by Rovel Yumul
Bluewater Productions
Release date: April 11, 2012
Cover Price: $3.99
Paperback | Digital

Like many pop culture fanatics, I was raised on television. An only child with few friends in my neighborhood, I watched a lot of TV. I was especially fond of late night television, even when I was just hearing the highlights from my mom talking about it with her friends. At church on Sunday mornings, I would hear the adults dish about Saturday Night Live, which aired the night before. Since then, anytime I get emotional about a given situation, I say, “I’m getting verklempt. Tawlk amongst yourselves.” SNL has not only been an institution in American television, but for me it’s been a teaching tool about humor, political commentary, and popular culture.

Doctor Who - The Bells of St. John Reactions and Review

SPOILERS, SWEETIE! This post contains spoilers for Doctor Who Season 7 Episode 7 "The Bells of St. John." If you haven't seen it, don't read!

Not having cable sucks sometimes, y'all. I've grown accustomed to watching things on Hulu, though, so you get used to it. I'm home this weekend at my family's house in Flatwoods for the Easter holiday and while they have cable, they have not subscribed to BBC America. I think my mom would love it, honestly. She watches Copper and Ripper Street on On Demand, but it's been terribly unreliable as of late. I think they should just bite the bullet and add BBC America to their package.

Book Review: Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Geek Girl by Holly Smale

Amazon UK (Paperback Only) | Website | Goodreads

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Pages: 378 (Paperback)
Published: February 28, 2013
Source: ARC from Publisher (spiral bound paperback)
ISBN-13: 0007489447
Genre: YA
Author: Twitter | Blog

First Sentence: My name is Harriet Manners, and I am a geek.


Harriet Manners knows a lot of things. 

She knows that a cat has 32 muscles in each ear, a "jiffy" lasts 1/100th of a second, and the average person laughs 15 times per day. What she isn't quite so sure about is why nobody at school seems to like her very much. So when she's spotted by a top model agent, Harriet grabs the chance to reinvent herself. Even if it means stealing her Best Friend's dream, incurring the wrath of her arch enemy Alexa, and repeatedly humiliating herself in front of the impossibly handsome supermodel Nick. Even if it means lying to the people she loves. 

As Harriet veers from one couture disaster to the next with the help of her overly enthusiastic father and her uber-geeky stalker, Toby, she begins to realise that the world of fashion doesn't seem to like her any more than the real world did. 

And as her old life starts to fall apart, the question is: will Harriet be able to transform herself before she ruins everything?



Goodreads Overview
Geek Girl was an endearing story of Harriet Manners who is a proud geek. When she's spotted by a modeling agency, her life turns upside down and she tries to remain true to her geek roots while being glammed up. I thought this was a great debut from Holly Smale and really did like the character of Harriet, who was kind of a cross between Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory and Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries.

Movie Review: Snitch

There didn’t seem to be much hype about Snitch, the newest movie from Dwayne Johnson (née The Rock) and this film appears to be a bit different than what we have seen of him thus far. In it, Johnson plays John Matthews, a middle-class businessman whose life is suddenly thrust into the seedy world of the drug culture in the United States. When his son his implicated for drug trafficking and arrested, Matthews goes undercover to infiltrate a drug cartel and bring down as many as he can to clear his son’s name.

According to the opening titles, the film is based on a true events. While no real person named John Matthews probably undercover to save his son, the film's concept was based on a Frontline documentary. Recent changes to Federal drug laws has made snitching on accomplices appealing, as it will reduce the sentencing for an incarcerated individual. No doubt, many people have taken advantage of this.

Book Review: Elegantly Wasted by C. Elizabeth Vescio

Elegantly Wasted by C. Elizabeth Vescio

Amazon | Website | Goodreads | Paperback

Publisher: Luna Station Press

Pages: 322 (Paperback)
Published: July 30, 2012

Source: Purchased (Kindle edition)
ISBN-13: 9781938697
Genre: Action
Series: Wasted Series
Author: Twitter | Blog

First Sentence: All the events of my life had boiled down to a single choice.

Favorite Line: "There is no spoon, motherfucker."

“Just because I kill people, doesn’t mean I’m a bad person...”

On the eve of her high school graduation, proper socialite Francesca “Frankie” Fairholm rebelled against her elitist and controlling family to pursue the dark lifestyle of a contract killer for the enigmatic Osiris Corporation. Years later, with her training complete, she believes she's doomed to the life of a sociopathic lone gun until a botched hit brings two unlikely allies, her cousins Addison and Katharine.

Using Katharine’s etiquette school, Elegance, Inc., as a front, the trio weave through Frankie’s dark underworld, carrying out contracts, drinking too much wine, and trying not to get each other killed.

Trouble follows the team home when the death of the cruel Fairholm matriarch reveals more than they ever wanted to know about their family. As the funeral preparations play out, the trio begin to realize there is much more to their employer than meets the eye and their family connections run deeper than they ever imagined.


Goodreads Overview

An inventive story with characters you can relate to. Great character development - was able to watch the story unfold in my mind. Very nice first book from Cara Vescio.

Book Review: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Amazon | Goodreads 

Publisher: Atria

Pages: 256 (Paperback)
Published: April 2011

Series: Warm Bodies
Source: Gift (Kindle edition)
ISBN-13: 978-1476717463
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies, Horror, Romance
Author: Twitter | Blog

First Sentence: I am dead, but it's not so bad.

R is having a no-life crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he is a little different from his fellow Dead. He may occasionally eat people, but he’d rather be riding abandoned airport escalators, listening to Sinatra in the cozy 747 he calls home, or collecting souvenirs from the ruins of civilization.

And then he meets a girl.

First as his captive, then his reluctant house guest, Julie is a blast of living color in R’s gray landscape, and something inside him begins to bloom. He doesn’t want to eat this girl—although she looks delicious—he wants to protect her. But their unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and their hopeless world won’t change without a fight.

Goodreads Overview

Warm Bodies was inventive, fun, and at times dramatic. I enjoyed the first person perspective of "R" as he breaks away from the mundane existence of being one of the walking dead.

Movie Review: Warm Bodies

Before I begin my review, I want to give a shout out to Cincinnati Free Movies and Gofobo for allowing me the chance to see an advanced screening of  Warm Bodies this week at AMC 20 Newport on the Levee. It was a great experience and I look forward to many more advanced screenings. I, like the hundreds in attendance, was given a free pass through Gofobo's RSVP system which allows you to claim a ticket to an advanced screening. Check out Gofobo for screenings in your area!

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Warm Bodies isn't your typical zombie movie. Certainly, there is the tried and true tale of zombies versus humans, but this movie transcends that. In the end, it's about connection with family, lovers, friends, and even yourself. When we meet R, played by Nicholas Hoult, he is questioning his reason for being. His zombie hive has taken up residence in an airport, which positioned near the ruins of what was probably a huge city, puts it in the perfect spot for hunting. However, R has grown tired of this existence and he longs for something more fulfilling. He does have a best friend,  M, played by Rob Corddry, with whom he shares "almost conversations," but this just doesn't seem enough for him.

The film is narrated by R and it allows us to get inside of his zombified brain. This really gives a lot of depth to what would otherwise be a fairly shallow plot since there's not a lot dialogue coming out of most zombies. This all changes, though, when R comes into contact with Julie with his hunting party. Instead of eating her brain, which is the status quo for the corpse set, he saves her and takes her back to his hive. Is it possible for a zombie and a human to make a connection so deep that it could change the world? This is the plot of Warm Bodies and it's a fun ride from start to finish.

Movie Review: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters

I went into this movie with a fair amount of trepidation. Having not been truly convinced by the previews that this movie would be a worthwhile option for viewing, I decided to bite the bullet and choose the new film starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as my weekly movie outing. The movie, which was originally scheduled for a March 2012 released date, was delayed to capitalize on the success of Renner’s big year in 2012, though Bourne Legacy turned out to be a bit disappointing. I’m not sure if the delay was also for the 3D conversion, as was the case for G.I. Joe: Retaliation.  3D movies have continually failed to impress me, but I opted with the 3D since its showing was at the best time.  Actually, I was pleasantly surprised at the technology that was used. It didn't seem to be simply post-production conversion. It seemed as if there were shots that were crafted specifically for 3D and it was utilized, in my opinion, in a good way. From witches flying through the air, to Gretel’s crossbow bolts there are plenty of shots that allowed the production team to work their collective 3D mojo.

The film seems like it’s probably set in the 1600s, considering that the 17^th century was rife with witch hunts across Europe, which eventually bled into the American colonies. However, there’s not definitive date in which the film is set. The town of Augsburg is referenced several times throughout the movie, which gives the audience a sense of place. Augsburg, as it turns out, is Germany’s third oldest city. Of course, if this movie is set when I assume it is, Germany actually didn't exist. That, however, is a history lesson for another day.

We begin the movie with the back story of Hansel and Gretel. Surely, we know the tale by now. In this movie, we don’t have any pebbles or breadcrumbs, none of that “finding your way back home” business. (Or do we? *ominous laughter*) Rather, at the beginning of the film, Hansel and Gretel’s father drops the siblings off in the woods in the dark of night. Where they wander upon a (gingerbread?) house covered in candy and sweets, which is the part of the story that we’re accustomed to. What follows is safely along the tradition, but what after the siblings vanquish the wicked witch, the next chapter of Hansel and Gretel’s story unfolds.

Most synopses about the movie state that the film picks up 15 years after the events of their childhood, though the film itself says “many years later.” Regardless, the duo has made a name for themselves as hunters of witches, slaying all that practice magicks. The audience catches up with them in Augsburg, at the scene of a witch trial. Without revealing too much of the plot, Hansel and Gretel must defeat a growing evil which may hold a clue to the truth behind their parents’ disappearance and reveal more about their destiny. The movie’s climax during the Blood Moon (not a spoiler, it’s in the official synopsis) is an action-filled gorefest.

Renner seemed very stiff at the beginning of the movie and was not a very commanding star, but by the end of the film, seemed to lighten up a bit. I was glad to see Arterton back on the big screen and in a leading role, after seeing her last in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. I think that the two stars made a very good team and seemed to play off of each other well.  To be honest, I didn't know that Famke Janssen was in the movie, so that was actually quite the pleasant surprise; I absolutely adore her. Finnish actress Pihla Viitala appears as Mina, a supporting character whose intentions are questionable throughout the film. Rounding out the cast is newcomer Thomas Mann, whose character Ben has a few scene stealing moments. You do find yourself cheering for H&G and the two have some great one-liners.  In addition to the obvious villains of the film, the witches, there is also opposition from various townspeople in Augsburg who want no part of the witch threat, including Berringer, the town’s sheriff. He’s a vile, loathsome creature that gets his comeuppance on multiple occasions.  Though not an ensemble piece, I do feel that the cast worked very well together with the exception of the two witch minions of the big bad, who were utterly forgettable.

I really do not have too many gripes about the movie. It did seem short. At a running time of 88 minutes, Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters does seem to be the shortest movie that I've seen in quite some time. I remember an eight year old me complaining about the length of Pocahontas when it came out in 1995, but H&G does beat the Disney animated feature by seven minutes. Though the movie is on the short side, there are several truly action-packed moments. It’s pretty common for films set in European countries to have everyone speak in a British accent. Apparently director Tommy Wirkola didn't get that memo. Hansel, Gretel, and Ben all speak American accents. Really, it’s as if Renner is just using his normal speaking voice.  There are muddled British accents, some German, and though I admit that I’m not an expert on Finnish, Viitala seemed like she was probably speaking in her native accent. That was one issue that threw things off just a tad.

Even as a historian I really had no problem with the anachronisms, because at the heart of it this is really not a period piece. You cannot really categorize this aspect of the film as steampunk, but what you see is distinctly out of place. The pictures of missing children affixed to the sides of milk bottles gave me a good chuckle. I really liked the weaponry that Hansel and Gretel used.  Over the years, the pair had not only developed their own techniques for killing witches, they could probably write a tome on it. I loved Gretel's crossbow and Hansel's gun was very THIS IS MY BOOMSTICK. Clothing was a bit wonky. Their witch hunting outfits do seem to have a bit of period essence about them. The shoulders are formed a bit like full-plate spaulders, though the ensemble is made of leather. Unique twists regarding Hansel and Gretel individually bring new element to the fairytale mythos.

Was Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters a spectacular movie? Not really, but it was a fun, albeit short, take on the classic fairytale. I completely appreciate the fact that it was given an R rating by the MPAA. Let’s face it, I don’t think that a treatment of the story in this manner could have withstood a rating any more family friendly. The film has its dark moments, due to the way that witches are portrayed as truly disgusting and inhuman, an aspect of the movie that I really liked. The makeup was really great. Most of the special effects were done in CGI, but it wasn't very poorly done CGI, in my opinion. The movie even had a great score with some nice Goth rock moments.  

Don’t expect Academy Award winning performances from anyone, I don’t think it’s deserving of its 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. Apparently enough people were intrigued by it, because H&G has taken the top spot this weekend with $19 million, beating out Movie 43 and Parker. If you go into it with low enough expectations, you won’t be disappointed.

Images from Latino Review, HanselandGretelMovie.com, 

Movie Review: The Amazing Spider-Man

I'm not going to lie, July 3 absolutely snuck up on me. I fully realized that The Amazing Spider-Man was being released the day before Independence Day, but I still somehow let it creep up. So, on a whim, I decided to attend the midnight premiere of the film and boy am I glad that I did. Let met first say, and I am definitely sure that I am echoing the thoughts of others when I say that Marc Webb's take on Spider-Man is extremely detatched from the Sam Raimi venture which began a decade ago. (Digression: Wow, it came out the Spring of my Freshman year of high school. I saw it at the drive-in and it was awesome. Now, back to the regularly scheduled review.)

Guest Post: Anime Review: Another

As I have come to acknowledge that there was a severe lack of anime on Kentucky Geek Girl, I have asked one of the biggest anime fans I know (who just happens to be an awesome geek) to write a series of anime reviews. I may do some myself, but I will freely admit that I'm still starting to get into anime, though I love them all the same. Huge thanks to Heather for being up for this undertaking. I sincerely welcome her contribution to Kentucky Geek Girl!

Heather Jayne is a 25 year old geek of all trades, games, comics, science fiction, anime, you name it. When she was 8 she was given her first anime to watch, recorded on a VHS tape, it was an anime older than her called Galaxy Railway 999 and a movie special to the series featuring her favorite character, Pirate Queen Emeraldas. After watching the series her love for anime boomed. Her favorite entertainment genres are action/adventure, horror, science fiction and mystery. Usually you'll find Heather watching anime on her Macbook Pro, reading comic books or obsessing over anything related to the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Contact her via Twitter @HeatherMonstar.

“Do you know Misaki? Misaki, from Class 3 of Year Three? The story about Misaki?”

Movie Review: The Avengers

About The Avengers, a friend said, "First time ever I've gone to a movie with ridiculously high expectations and not only had them met, but exceeded." Let me say, that I fully agree with this statement. You see, I saw this movie not because I had read the comics, but as a fan of comic book movies. I knew just enough about the characters from those films to make me care about them and want to see how they all fit together, this group of exceptional people... The Avengers, brought together by Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

We are thrown head-first into the action from minute one, where we see the plot begin to take shape. Loki, Norse god and brother of Thor, is back for revenge and the sibling rivalry helps drive the action between these two characters. Loki has rightly gone mad, his thirst for power and the acceptance from Odin that he never received causes him to seek an alliance with beings outside of both Earth and Asgard. This alliance, coupled with Loki's hunger for domination, brings the fight onto the doorstep of the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. But would they actually step up to the plate? What is it that they are fighting for? Each member of the team has to look deep down, and that is an element that Sir Joss Whedon brought to this film. If there is something that Joss Whedon can do, it is create a strong character, and a strong ensemble. He did it with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, he did it with Firefly, and he has done it with The Avengers.

Movie Review: The Raven

The Raven puts me in a bit of a predicament. I want to be cynical and say that it was a terrible movie and not worth your ticket cost, but I will confess my ticket was free so I am not out any money. That being said, there are interesting things going on with The Raven; it is not a horrible movie nor by any means is it a terrific film. While not coming close to James McTeigue's V for Vendetta, the movie does present an interesting hypothetical situation regarding the last days of Edgar Allen Poe. Be prepared for somewhat of a dissection of this film.

Five Plot Points That Should Have Stayed in the 'Hunger Games' Movie

This is actually a response to a comment that I received on my review for The Hunger Games, which you can find here at KGG and at Word of the Nerd Online.
 It contains spoilers for both the book and the film.

Movie Review: The Hunger Games

After having read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins a few months ago, I began to eagerly await the movie along with everyone else. I was drawn to the narrative that Collins had created and the way readers are able to empathize with Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, as she navigates her way through her life as a citizen of Panem: from District 12, to the Capitol, and finally into the Arena. Panem, the former North America, has fallen into a post-nuclear, dystopian society in which a totalitarian government has replaced the democracy that once existed. The Capitol is surrounded by twelve outlying districts, each of which provides material goods which are in turn used by the Capitol to maintain its standing as a marvel of technological and cultural wonder. In order to keep stability and prevent uprisings in the districts, 74 years before the action of the book/movie takes place, a treaty was signed which instituted a "pageant" that would ultimately prove that The Capitol is still superior to the districts in every way: each district would send two young people into an arena to fight to the death in The Hunger Games. A total of 24 teenagers enter the arena, but only one will emerge victorious.

Book Review: The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Goodreads | Amazon

Publisher: Scholastic (September 14, 2008)
Age Group: Young Adult
Series: The Hunger Games (Book 1)
Source: E-book/Kindle Fire
ISBN-13: 9780439023481
Genre: Dystopia

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

I will be the first person to admit that I put off reading this book. When I first heard about it earlier last year, I kind of dismissed it, but I was definitely judging the book before I even read the synopsis. I knew that it was popular and I knew that everyone liked it, but I had to see for myself exactly why. I was able to download the lending copy of this book onto my Kindle Fire and actually the digital edition was quite good. The book was a very fast read and I quickly found myself in the dystopian world that Suzanne Collins had created. One of the reasons that I liked the book so much was that she was able to take North America and completely wear it down into the new country of Panem, where the Capitol exploits its citizens and the 12 Districts provide the materials needed for the Capitol to maintain its luxurious lifestyle. While denizens of the Capitol enjoy haute-couture and parties, those in the districts are mostly living in poverty. That's especially the case in District 12, where we find Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist of the story.

By now, we've all seen in the trailer that Katniss announces that she'll volunteer in The Reaping, where the two district entrants for the Hunger Games are chosen. With this introduction to Katniss, we immediately see that she is extremely protective of her family.  She has largely become the provider for them, going out to hunt with her closest friend Gale. We learn that her father died in an accident at the coal mine, leaving Katniss, Primrose (Prim), and their mother to provide for themselves. Through trading her wild game in the Hob, Katniss is able to obtain the meager provisions that help her family to sustain themselves. She also takes out the tesserae, which provides    enough oil and grain for her family for a month. That also puts her name in for The Reaping more times than normal. Her self-sacrifice allows her family to hang on and when she volunteers for The Hunger Games, in the forefront of her mind is the prospect of her family being well taken care of if she wins.

Collins presents Katniss as a character who is both completely unsure of herself and incredibly strong at the same time. She acts on instinct most of the time, and while it may seem to her mentors that she is hopeless, Katniss begins to emerge as a figure who can completely change the system. And it becomes clear that her fellow tribute, Peeta, has his own opinions of the Capitol and asserts that he wants to still be himself even with the horrific and brutal fighting of the Games. It's hard for her to discern his true feelings, and she struggles with her emotions toward both Peeta and Gale. Peeta is, however, incredibly calculating and he knows exactly how to play the Games. Both of the male protagonists come to play an important role in her life and their love triangle isn't simply a plot device, rather it actually drives the story and drives her motivation to win.

I really enjoyed this book and was very glad to have finally read it. There really is no minor character in this book. Each is given their own distinct personality and I am eager to see how the film adaptation captures the eccentricities of the characters. She captures each of the Districts and the Capitol with vivid descriptions, though it's obvious that life in District 12 is bleak. The pacing of the story was great and I found myself having devoured the book quickly. Though the movie premieres in just two days, I highly recommend everyone reading the book.

Rating: 5/5

Movie Review: The Muppets

I'm 24 years old and programming from The Jim Henson Company has been a part of my entire life. I remember when Henson died in 1990, ten days before my third birthday. I watched "Fraggle Rock" and "Muppet Babies" and had Muppet sheets, which I still sleep on, by the way. "Dinosaurs" was required weekly viewing. I watched "The Dark Crystal" in elementary school, though I've still not seen Labyrinth. The Muppets, and all that comes with them, are a part of my identity. So, when I heard that a new Muppet movie was in development, I was apprehensive. I was afraid that this "reboot" would sully the good name of Kermit and Gonzo. Granted, I know that things weren't quite as good after Jim Henson died, but I loved everything that his legacy produced. (Also, my mind was blown when I learned Frank Oz did the voice for both Miss Piggy AND Yoda.) More muppety goodness after the break!

Documentary Review: The Raid

When I heard that a feature-length documentary on World of Warcraft was being produced. I was very intrigued. Last summer, I watched a documentary called “The Dungeon Masters” which chronicled the lives of several Dungeons and Dragons players in a year following Gen Con, one of the largest gaming conventions in the world. In the documentary, we met the players and learned about their lives inside and out including how they started gaming and why, what obstacles they have overcome in their lives related to gaming, and so on. I was very impressed. So, when I set out to watch The Raid, I was expecting something comparable. I feel that while there many positive things about The Raid, there were several points which detracted from the film.

The documentary premiered on Gamebreaker.tv in conjunction with Typefrag and Curse Gaming. Over 19,000 viewers experienced the premiere along with Gary Gannon, Mike B aka Fony and the creator of the film Kevin Michael Johnson. The opening sequence features several people who are leaving their day-to-day lives to come home and get on their computers. From that, the documentary jumps right in to explanation of what World of Warcraft is and why many people participate in it. The viewer is introduced to three figures: Jesse Schell, CEO of Schell Games, Edward Castronova, Professor of Telecommunications, Indiana University, and Bonnie Nardi, Anthropologist and author of "My Life as a Night Elf Priest". Their comments provide context and enhance the discussion.