Book Log 31/2011 - Gary Russell: The Twilight Streets

Gary Russell: The Twilight Streets – Torchwood 6

Ah, I should have known better.  I am invariably disappointed by TV and movie tie ins because I expect and hope for something which adds depth to the on-screen story. Of course, invariably the very nature of what they are means that there's little change in the characters at the end, regardless of what's happened. Press reset to exit book.

But I keep hoping that I'll find something great – like Karen Traviss' Republic Commando Star Wars books – and I remind myself that I've yet to read Una McCormack's The Way Through the Woods – and I like her writing a lot.

This one, however, was not the one. It promised some additional Captain Jack background, so I weakened and bought it. It wasn't bad, but it was a bit bland and didn't really fulfil the promise of more in-depth character revelations. You're bound to lose story tension when you know they can't put the characters into convincing life-or-death situations because - well - you've already seen the next season's episodes on TV and they're all still running around.

Anyhow, the story... There's a part of Cardiff which is... a bit odd. No one likes living there. The ones who try it don't stay long. Jack can't go anywhere near it as it makes him physically ill. So when a renovation project is launched with street parties and entertainers all is not what it seems. It's got wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff in it and delivers the Captain Jack background via time jumps/flashbacks, Bilis Manger is at his sneaky, manipulative best.

One good thing is that this revisits the original Torchwood team, Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Tosh and Owen. Gary Russell nails the character voices pretty well.

Book Log 31/2011 - Gary Russell: The Twilight Streets

Gary Russell: The Twilight Streets – Torchwood 6

Ah, I should have known better.  I am invariably disappointed by TV and movie tie ins because I expect and hope for something which adds depth to the on-screen story. Of course, invariably the very nature of what they are means that there's little change in the characters at the end, regardless of what's happened. Press reset to exit book.

But I keep hoping that I'll find something great – like Karen Traviss' Republic Commando Star Wars books – and I remind myself that I've yet to read Una McCormack's The Way Through the Woods – and I like her writing a lot.

This one, however, was not the one. It promised some additional Captain Jack background, so I weakened and bought it. It wasn't bad, but it was a bit bland and didn't really fulfil the promise of more in-depth character revelations. You're bound to lose story tension when you know they can't put the characters into convincing life-or-death situations because - well - you've already seen the next season's episodes on TV and they're all still running around.

Anyhow, the story... There's a part of Cardiff which is... a bit odd. No one likes living there. The ones who try it don't stay long. Jack can't go anywhere near it as it makes him physically ill. So when a renovation project is launched with street parties and entertainers all is not what it seems. It's got wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff in it and delivers the Captain Jack background via time jumps/flashbacks, Bilis Manger is at his sneaky, manipulative best.

One good thing is that this revisits the original Torchwood team, Jack, Gwen, Ianto, Tosh and Owen. Gary Russell nails the character voices pretty well.

Orange Twofers: Real Steel 26/10/11

I'd read a couple of half hearted reviews before going to see this,  so my expectations weren't enormously high. But I figured Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly (Lost) - what's not to like? Well;, OK, that's Hugh Jackman in a father-and-son movie centred around giant boxing robots who have replaced humans in the ring. And these guys don't wear gloves, it's machines fighting to destruction.

The real star of this movie is Dakota Goyo, already with 16 film and TV credits listed on IMDB at the age of 11. This kid is seriously good and I hope he continues to grow as an actor. He'll be a fearsome talent if he does.

OK, the plot was predictable. Feckless absentee father down on his uppers, eking a living by 'driving' a boxing robot suddenly discovers his 11 year old son needs a dad. It takes a while for the penny to drop, but it all finally comes together without too much sentimentality. Evangeline Lilly is lovely as the more-than-friend and the only stability in Jackman's chaotic life.

Father and son eventually come together to rebuild and train a scrap heap robot boxer, Atom, and take him through various rounds to a championship fight. Rocky meets Iron Man? Mahybe, but it kept attention. And if there were slug-it-out robot fights at least there weren't any car chases. That's a win in itself.

Of course it was half-term, so the cinema was not only full of kids, but it was full of incontinent kids (and adults). I wish I had a shiny penny for everyone who dashed out to the loo while the movie was playing. (Grumble - grumble - grump!)

Movie 7/10. Audience 2/10.

Orange Twofers: Real Steel 26/10/11

I'd read a couple of half hearted reviews before going to see this,  so my expectations weren't enormously high. But I figured Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly (Lost) - what's not to like? Well;, OK, that's Hugh Jackman in a father-and-son movie centred around giant boxing robots who have replaced humans in the ring. And these guys don't wear gloves, it's machines fighting to destruction.

The real star of this movie is Dakota Goyo, already with 16 film and TV credits listed on IMDB at the age of 11. This kid is seriously good and I hope he continues to grow as an actor. He'll be a fearsome talent if he does.

OK, the plot was predictable. Feckless absentee father down on his uppers, eking a living by 'driving' a boxing robot suddenly discovers his 11 year old son needs a dad. It takes a while for the penny to drop, but it all finally comes together without too much sentimentality. Evangeline Lilly is lovely as the more-than-friend and the only stability in Jackman's chaotic life.

Father and son eventually come together to rebuild and train a scrap heap robot boxer, Atom, and take him through various rounds to a championship fight. Rocky meets Iron Man? Mahybe, but it kept attention. And if there were slug-it-out robot fights at least there weren't any car chases. That's a win in itself.

Of course it was half-term, so the cinema was not only full of kids, but it was full of incontinent kids (and adults). I wish I had a shiny penny for everyone who dashed out to the loo while the movie was playing. (Grumble - grumble - grump!)

Movie 7/10. Audience 2/10.

Book Log 32/2011 - Linnea Sinclair: Shades of Dark

Linnea Sinclair: Shades of Dark – Dock Five 2

A science fiction romance, six packs and sex in space. The second story about Chaz Bregren and her lover, former monk, mercenary and telepath Gabriel (Sully) Sullivan. In the first book, Gabriel's Ghost, Sully, Chaz and Sully's crew, with the help of Chaz's ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and her brother, Thad, take out a lab breeding vicious and highly illegal Jukors. Shades of Dark takes up where Gabriel's Ghost left off. Chaz and Sully are out amongst the stars hunting Hayden Burke, Sully's cousin, and the owner of the Jukor lab.  He's got a lab on a space ship and Sully and Chaz need to close it down. But a simple operation doesn't stay simple once politics comes into the equation. Chaz's brother Thad is accused of treason and forced to betray her and Sully, leaving the way open for Burke to expose Sully's telepathic powers to the universe. Sully's not a normal telepath, either, he's Kyi-Ragkiril, able to control not only other minds, but to manipulate pure energy, though he's largely untrained and not in full control of his abilities.

Things get complicated when they take Del on board, another Kyi-Ragkiril who trains Sully, but brings cultural dissonance that threatens to wreck Chaz and Sully's relationship completely. Del might be an ally, but he's not a friend.

The ending leaves an opening for further novels about Chas and Sully, though Sinclair's next outing in this universe features Philip Guthrie.

Book Log 32/2011 - Linnea Sinclair: Shades of Dark

Linnea Sinclair: Shades of Dark – Dock Five 2

A science fiction romance, six packs and sex in space. The second story about Chaz Bregren and her lover, former monk, mercenary and telepath Gabriel (Sully) Sullivan. In the first book, Gabriel's Ghost, Sully, Chaz and Sully's crew, with the help of Chaz's ex-husband, Admiral Philip Guthrie, and her brother, Thad, take out a lab breeding vicious and highly illegal Jukors. Shades of Dark takes up where Gabriel's Ghost left off. Chaz and Sully are out amongst the stars hunting Hayden Burke, Sully's cousin, and the owner of the Jukor lab.  He's got a lab on a space ship and Sully and Chaz need to close it down. But a simple operation doesn't stay simple once politics comes into the equation. Chaz's brother Thad is accused of treason and forced to betray her and Sully, leaving the way open for Burke to expose Sully's telepathic powers to the universe. Sully's not a normal telepath, either, he's Kyi-Ragkiril, able to control not only other minds, but to manipulate pure energy, though he's largely untrained and not in full control of his abilities.

Things get complicated when they take Del on board, another Kyi-Ragkiril who trains Sully, but brings cultural dissonance that threatens to wreck Chaz and Sully's relationship completely. Del might be an ally, but he's not a friend.

The ending leaves an opening for further novels about Chas and Sully, though Sinclair's next outing in this universe features Philip Guthrie.