Tag: Reviews
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Heir to the Jedi—Review of a Star Wars Novel
Heir to the Jedi is the first Star Wars book that I’ve read since Disney bought the universe and rebooted the novels with a fresh continuity. I had hoped that Disney would do a good job protecting their property, but they should have exercised more quality control with this book. Heir to the Jedi takes place…
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Derek Webb Admits He Was Wrong
Today Derek Webb released the first video off his upcoming album, I Was Wrong, I’m Sorry, & I Love You. This song looks back over his ten-year solo career, and fans will enjoy hearing Derek’s thoughts on his earlier work. The song takes a confessional turn, containing transparent lines about how he’s learned to sell his…
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J K Rowling’s Undercover Detective Novel: A Review of The Cuckoo’s Calling
As soon as the world discovered that J. K. Rowling had written a detective novel, I hopped down to the local library to grab a copy before the queue formed. I have read every other book that Rowling published, so I figured I might as well keep my streak alive, even though this one is…
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Looking for Joy in a Broken World: Review of Stephen King’s Joyland
One of my goals for the summer was to read an “it” book, a new bestseller that’s getting a lot of hype. I decided that my “it” book for this summer would be Joyland by Stephen King. King had announced that he’d only be releasing the book in hardcopy, which intrigued me. The retro cover…
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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Peter Jackson
Warner Brothers just released its first trailer for the second The Hobbit movie. I think this trailer gives us some important information about the movie. At the 50 second mark, Radagast shouts at Gandalf, “What if it’s a trap?” Gandalf replies, “It’s undoubtedly a trap.” Yeah, this movie’s definitely going to be a trap. It’ll have…
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Iron Man Grows Up
Robert Downey Jr. is back as Tony Stark in Iron Man 3. I found his performance every bit as delightful as previous installments. Though still witty, Tony Stark has lost some of his brashness in this movie. His encounter with aliens in The Avengers has left him shaken and prone to anxiety. He’s asking himself how he can…
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Catching Up on the Reading List: Ender’s Game
I read Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card this weekend. Earlier in the spring, I made my list of must-see summer blockbusters, and I noticed that a movie adaptation of Ender’s Game comes out later this year. I decided that I’d better put the book on my reading list. Ender’s Game had always been on…
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We Live in a Magical World: a review of The Night Circus
I just finished reading Erin Morgenstern’s debut novel, The Night Circus, and I enjoyed it quite a bit. The book was my spring break diversion. I don’t read much contemporary fiction, usually opting for early-twentieth-century British novels when I have the time, and The Night Circus was a nice change of pace. The novel is about a magicians’…
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Downton Abbey and the Perils of Writing for Television
Last night I watched the final installment of Downton Abbey‘s third season. After watching the first episode of the third season, I referred to Downton as “my favorite soap opera.” This latest episode has confirmed my feelings regarding its soapishness. Dan Stevens, the actor who played Matthew, wanted out, but everyone else will carry on. In a…