I was kinda surprised to find it's actually a contemporary romance, yes, I did buy this based on the title and cover alone, admitted. Isn't it a beautyI was kinda surprised to find it's actually a contemporary romance, yes, I did buy this based on the title and cover alone, admitted. Isn't it a beauty?
Really did enjoy reading the story, it's well written, with a Buffy like chosen heroine, with flow and constant changes to keep the reader guessing what's next, some fun banter between the characters, and the book handles the curse as such, an affliction the hero has to learn to control lest his dark side takes over.
It doesn't get higher marks from me, however, because some of the tropes, like the virgin heroine and an idea of purity culture, which are just not mine....more
Like of all of Clarke's work it's an entertaining read, but not his best work. For most part the story plays out like a reverse "Sands of Mars", with aLike of all of Clarke's work it's an entertaining read, but not his best work. For most part the story plays out like a reverse "Sands of Mars", with a Titan born human visiting Earth several hundred years in the future.
From a todays view Clarke's novel feels terribly dated, not just with it's oddly pre-digital future gadgets but more so with its unadultered praise of the US and their idea of democracy....more
Not really mine. Coming from the Penny Parker mysteries by Mildred A. Wirt Judy Bolton felt too timid, too married to me. Didn't enjoy reading this as Not really mine. Coming from the Penny Parker mysteries by Mildred A. Wirt Judy Bolton felt too timid, too married to me. Didn't enjoy reading this as much as I had hoped for....more
An informative read, especially in the first part where the author illustrates the interconnectedness of proselytizing movements, Hollywood's culturalAn informative read, especially in the first part where the author illustrates the interconnectedness of proselytizing movements, Hollywood's cultural imperialism, and corporate capitalism. The means of which are show on the example of making the movie "The Mark of the Hawk" in 1957 Nigeria.
The whole account reads like a manual for how coporations invade territories under farcial promises of benefits which they will never materialize, in order to exploit its work force, and environmental ressources.
It is, simply put, an advertisement for capitalist anticolonialism, a contradiction in terms whose very contrariety would be borne out by Young and his fellow market liberals, all of them openly enamored of free enterprise while happily and heavily relying on American and Nigerian state support.
The second part takes a more detailed look into the Nigerian movie market, and here I must admit having felt somewhat at a loss at times as none of the movies, apart from the ubiquitous Hollywood blockbuster, was known to me. But even given this short coming on my side it offers insights into how Hollywood et al., e.g. Netflix, still handle their business in Nigeria within the same exploitive structures of the past, including the use of punitive sanctions to keep movie operations and movie makers in line....more
Nach einem soliden Start verliert der Roman sich zunehmend in Belanglosigkeit und pseudo pilosophischen Dialogen.
Das der Autor im Nachwort der AusgabeNach einem soliden Start verliert der Roman sich zunehmend in Belanglosigkeit und pseudo pilosophischen Dialogen.
Das der Autor im Nachwort der Ausgabe das ganze als "Große Geschichte" tituliert, welche von der Schwemme amerikanischer Autoren im Nachkriegsdeutschland (der Roman erschien Erstmalig 1950) um ihren verdienten Erfolg gebracht wurde, macht einem das ganze kein Stück sympatischer. Denn vegällt hat er sich die Leserschaft doch eher wohl zum einen mit der erwähnten Belanglosigkeit, aber sicher auch damit das er seinen Hauptcharakter das Leiden der Kriegsvertriebenen und besetzten Deutschen lakonisch als aus der "Schuld ihres Tuns" erwachsen Betrachtet, was sicher mit wenig Begeisterung im avisierten deutschen Leseraum aufgenommen wurde.
Kein totalausfall, aber auch kaum Lesenswert....more
Wechselhaft amüsante Geschichten, aber die Idee eine Antholgie um eine Art "Schwarzwaldklinik" für übernatürliche Wesen zu Sammeln ist ungemein UnterhWechselhaft amüsante Geschichten, aber die Idee eine Antholgie um eine Art "Schwarzwaldklinik" für übernatürliche Wesen zu Sammeln ist ungemein Unterhaltsam zu Lesen und wie bei einer Fernsehsoap wächst einem das Klinikpersonal von Folge zu Folge mehr ans Herz....more
Der Film ist ein verdienter Klassiker, die Buchvorlage ist schlecht gealtert. Spannung kommt nur sehr kurz auf, ansonsten kommt die Geschichte über weiDer Film ist ein verdienter Klassiker, die Buchvorlage ist schlecht gealtert. Spannung kommt nur sehr kurz auf, ansonsten kommt die Geschichte über weite Teile geradlinig ohne Schnörkel oder Überraschungen daher. Die Charaktere bleiben durchweg blass und austauschbar, die Dialoge sind meist Hölzern und unrealistisch....more
Als einfache Einführung in das Thema ist es vermutlich durchaus in Ordnung. Die Art in welcher der Autor weSchwierig ein Urteil abzugeben zu dem Buch.
Als einfache Einführung in das Thema ist es vermutlich durchaus in Ordnung. Die Art in welcher der Autor wechselt zwischen mehr oder weniger faktenbezogenem Bericht und Romanartiger Erzählung funktioniert mal mehr mal weniger, unter dem Strich bleibt jedoch nicht wirklich viel Hängen von dem mehr Anekdotisch anmutenden "in diesem Jahr tat Friedrich dies, in jenem Jahr tat er das" ...
Es liest sich recht gut wenn man sich mal an die Schreibeweise gewöhnt hat, aber ist eben weder Fisch noch Fleisch....more
Looking at other reviews readers mostly seem to have enjoyed parts 2 and 3 more than the first, personally I felt that the story becomes unfortunatelyLooking at other reviews readers mostly seem to have enjoyed parts 2 and 3 more than the first, personally I felt that the story becomes unfortunately less enjoyable the further it progresses. Or not progresses, as I felt like after the first, which I quite liked, the story line takes a turn in a different direction and loses its focus.
My main gripe here with the last part is that questions thrown up in the first book don't really get answered. (view spoiler)[How is it that the conclave always is there in time to clean up each murder scene? Did they have advanced knowledge of where Charibdis was expected to strike next? After all, the Garza's were able to predict them. These are the question we're left with at the end of the first part, but no answer was forthcoming on those. We do however learn that the conclave was very aware of how Charibdis travels from host to host, yet they insist on declaring it over after only his avatar was killed, why? There seems to be a lot of story missing from that. (hide spoiler)]
A strictly personal point why I didn't find the other books as entertaining was a dire lack of Harlow, for reasons true, but still...
On the upside I do have to give the author that the characters do grow on you, even the overbearing Graeson, which kept me reading even after it became apparent that we wouldn't get a satisfying conclusion....more
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