Book Review – Song of Susannah by Stephen King

January 30, 2017January 13, 2018 Ryan3 Comments

Summary

Susannah Dean is possessed, her body a living vessel for the demon-mother Mia. Something is growing inside Susannah’s belly, something terrible, and soon she will give birth to Mia’s “chap.” But three unlikely allies are following them to New York City from the border of End World, hoping to prevent the unthinkable. Meanwhile, Eddie and Roland have tumbled into the state of Maine — where the author of a novel called ‘Salem’s Lot is about to meet his destiny….

Song of Susannah was an exciting change of pace for the Dark Tower series. As much as I liked Wolves of the Calla, it was a massive tome that took its time, mostly keeping the characters in a singular place for about a month over the course of the book. Song of Susannah drastically shifts the momentum of the story, propelling its characters toward the climax of their quest in a series of events that span a roughly 24 hour period. Even at a page-count of over 400, the plot felt like it breezed by in seemly no time at all.Read More »

Movie Review – John Wick

January 25, 2017January 13, 2018 Ryan1 Comment

John Wick is a 2014 neo-noir action thriller film, directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Keanu Reeves as the titular character. Having lost his wife to an unknown illness, ex-hitman John Wick receives a beagle puppy named Daisy as a surprise parting gift from her so he does not have to grieve alone. After driving around with the puppy all day, he is followed home by a group of punks led by Iosef Tarasov (Alfie Allen), who break into his house, knock John unconscious, and kill Daisy before stealing his car. This act of cruelty brings John out of retirement, unleashing a torrent of vengeance upon the men that wronged him.Read More »

Trying to get Refocused

January 18, 2017January 13, 2018 RyanLeave a comment

Lately I’ve been taking in just how much I still need to get through, not just in terms of books, but all forms of art and storytelling that have been backlogged for years now. I think part of this has to do with coming into my own both as a reader/viewer/etc. and as someone with critical aspirations. When I was in university, the material I had to learn and write about was provided for me and occupied a lot of my time. Now, I have to be the author of my own progress. The problem is, despite progress I feel I have made as a writer, I’m terrible at managing what content I get through.Read More »

Book Review – Mort by Terry Pratchett

January 12, 2017January 13, 2018 RyanLeave a comment

Summary

Death comes to us all. When he came to Mort, he offered him a job.

Henceforth, Death is no longer going to be the end, merely the means to an end. It’s an offer Mort can’t refuse. As Death’s apprentice, he’ll have free board, use of the company horse – and being dead isn’t compulsory. It’s a dream job – until he discovers that it can be a killer on his love life…

Death as a character in the Discworld series is someone who has always grabbed my attention. This dry, knowledgeable, humorously frank, and surprisingly compassionate grim reaper hung out at the fringes of the first three books, having brief yet memorable appearances. Mort is the first novel among a number that focuses specifically on Death: his concerns, his job, and his realm. This was a book I was dying to reach, held back only by my desire to read Terry Pratchett’s massive series in order.Read More »

Dissecting my Feelings on Rogue One

January 5, 2017January 13, 2018 RyanLeave a comment

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was a highly-anticipated film, and its plain to see why. It works hard to recapture the look and feel of the original trilogy, being set just before the events of A New Hope, and it promised a grittier, more war-torn take on the franchise. Force-users and the Jedi are largely absent, instead giving us a better look at everyday combatants in the Rebellion and the insurmountable tasks they had to accomplish against a vast Empire.Read More »