The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (HFR Imax)

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was a film I've been looking forward to all year. I am a huge fan of the book, and The Lord of the Rings books as well. The films, while I have some problems with, are good representations of the books overall and I had high hopes for this film, the first of three based on The Hobbit.

Therein lays my first problem. All three books in The Lord of the Rings trilogy are massive and can easily be a film each, if not more. The prequel is much smaller and I could not understand how three films could be made of it. However, having some of the appendix items included and extended lore of Middle Earth seemed to make sense and this was apparent in the film.

Content wise, I can’t complain at what I saw. The story was well paced and the different story lines didn't interfere with the main story very much at all. If I hadn't read the book, I’d almost be convinced that all of what I saw in the film was in the book.

I found this film to be much more in line with an action film, such as Indiana Jones, than an epic fantasy visualisation, which is what I always called The Lord of the Rings films. It was an amazingly long film and it was comforting to once again immerse myself in Middle Earth but the pace was so quick I couldn't take a breath in any one scene. Some people will like that, and others won’t. I don’t dislike it but I was hoping for more of a feel like the last three films.

Radagast is a character I was looking forward to seeing on screen and I was not disappointed. Some of my colleagues at work were not overly impressed but for me, the tone was perfect and I had no problem in accepting him. As a writer, I find some characters can be very flat or hard to accept but not this time. The rabbits that pulled his sled looked awful but his mannerism and personality hit home for me.

I watched the film in High Frame Rate Imax. A lot has been made of this and I was excited to see what this would do to the film. Quite simply, it’s faster. It took about twenty minutes for my eyes to fully adjust and then I never noticed the difference. It is designed to be closer to the speed our eyes see things in reality and so after that initial adjustment; it didn't look weird or stand out at all. Interestingly, I noticed some of the music was faster as well but others did not seem to notice so if you watch this version, keep an ear open and let me know what you think on that!

Some of CGI was amazing. Absolutely stunning. The first view of Rivendell is one of my favourite shots of the entire film, and being able to see Erebor is also magnificent. On the other hand, the high frame rate does show some of the problems with some CGI shots. In particular, one scene where the company has left Rivendell and the backdrop of mountains looks so fake that it’s almost childish. There are several instances of this throughout the film and I hope it improves for the latter films in the trilogy.

This brings me to my last point, and biggest gripe about the film. With most of the Orcs and creatures and surroundings being computer generated, the film loses the realness that The Lord of the Rings films had. Scenery and items to the side of the main action were unruffled by movements of trolls or the actions of the characters. Combat especially, was very fake. There was no friction or contact with any strikes or blocks, making it very easy and effortless. There’s little sustained combat and I just felt disillusioned by this, especially in comparison with the last films. I understand it’s hard to fake a sword cutting through something that isn’t there, but with the time, effort and money being put into Middle Earth, I expected more. Cartoon style violence and combat should be in cartoons, not in films like this.

However, this is a fantastic film and while I plan to watch it in 2D, standard frame rate, I have no regrets about seeing it in HFR Imax. I recommend to anyone who hasn't seen this format to do so, just for the experience. It is a real eye opener and this is a great film to watch.

Keeping an Eye on: Kingdom Hearts HD, Iron Man 3 and Star Trek: Into Darkness

It’s been a while! I’ve been busy at work recently, and with the release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey this week, it’s going to be even busier for me! Expect a fopcused post on that film as soon as I see it, however, there are a few things I’ve been keeping an eye on recently and will continue to do so.

Also, I hope to have one more book/author review done before Christmas. The Dark Tower series post will be up in the New Year. It is already massive, so I’m working on condensing it right now!

Kingdom Hearts HD Collection

When I first encountered Kingdom Hearts, I wasn’t particularly enthused. I was in that awkward stage where Disney wasn’t cool but I loved Final Fantasy. Now that I’m older (and I like to think wiser), Disney is cool again and the announcement of a HD collection for this series excited me greatly, possibly more than any other gaming announcement I’ve heard this year – yes, even that of Guild Wars 2’s launch!

The game, a fusion of Final Fantasy style RPG and Disney characters was much better than I thought. It was a game with depth and the story was well crafted. There were things to do beside the story, and while it seemed too young for me then, the sequel was much darker and seemed to grow as the gamer did. I loved every minute of playing it, even on replays.

The collection, called Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 ReMIX, is set for release on the PlayStation 3 in Japan only, but it won’t be long before it travels to other regions too, such is the popularity of the series. This collection will include Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days cutscenes. The 1.5 in the title implies a second collection will be released with the second game, and I hope Birth By Sleep!

I can only hope it lives up to the expectations we all seem to have. Now, if we can get a Final Fantasy VII remake, I’ll be even happier!

Movies in May

May 2013 should be a good one, if nothing else but for two films: Iron Man 3 and Star Trek: Into Darkness. Both appear to have taken a very dark tone, inspired by The Dark Knight Trilogy, I reckon. 

I am a fan of the Marvel franchise – Disney has done a superb job in the “parental” role and I hope this continues as the films keep going. The Iron Man films are my favourites (other than the crossover film, but I was always going to love that one!) and I have very high hopes for the third instalment. Talking to some colleagues at work has made me think about the casting choice for Mandarin, but it is not as big of an issue for me. It is done and I can’t say it’ll be good or bad until I see it…six months from now! 

When Star Trek was released in 2009, it was one of the few films I was prepared to pay to see in a cinema. I’m a bit spoiled in that, having worked in a cinema for so many years, I hate paying to go to one. In the end, I blagged my way in and enjoyed it for free! I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn’t have told you what I expected but it surpassed anything I could have expected. Zachary Quinto as Spock was probably the best choice in my opinion. I was probably biased from his role in Heroes, but he made the character his own. Simon Pegg as Scotty was also a brilliant choice, and the inclusion of Leonard Nimoy as the original Spock gave the continuity that the film was lacking, even though it’s a reboot.  

I suspect that closer to the time, I’ll go into more detail about each of these but I am already overly excited. Six months is a long time to wait and it’s been even longer since I was this excited about a film, let alone two coming out in the same month!

The Resurrection of 007

If you haven’t seen Skyfall yet, then don’t read this article. There are spoilers. You have been warned.

I won’t say I’m the biggest 007 fan around – I’m definitely not but I do enjoy the franchise. To the end of Pierce Brosnan’s stint as Bond, I was feeling a little put off. The films were fine as a standard action adventure flick, but it didn’t seem very Bond. There was too much emphasis on the stunts and explosions and gadgets and not enough to do with the story and the events around these aspects.

Casino Royale was the reset button and it was done brilliantly. Say what you will about Daniel Craig, he had this gritty and rough character down perfectly and as this was the beginning of 007’s career, it was an interesting way to see a much loved character.

Quantum of Solace destroyed that for me. There was a loose story that was going nowhere and I don’t consider it a Bond film. If I had the power to go back in time and stop it from happening altogether, I’d seriously consider it. As a result, I was sceptical of Skyfall and what it would bring. There was a lot of hype around it and that only put me off it even more, as if it was trying too hard to not be Quantum of Solace and that was just how it was going to end up.

How wrong I was.

This film was everything I wanted in a Bond film and more. There was a story relevant to the real world and a character that was still growing and developing to become the Bond we knew from past films. There are a lot of one-liners and inside jokes that fans of the franchise will know and appreciate while new viewers to Bond will appreciate the tone and context of the jokes within the film. No one is singled out here.

I did find some things that bothered me, though; a few paradoxes that, as a writer, I can’t help noticing. They don’t detract too much from the film and if you simply want to enjoy a Bond film, then they probably won’t bother you at all. I did find them interesting though.

 

M

 

I think Judi Dench has done brilliant job as M, and I am little disappointed that her time in the role is finished but not surprised. This film was a bit of a shakeup to what’s been done before and her story, while it could have been developed more, was finished. There is no sensing in forcing an issue like this.

Her role as M brings me to the first paradox. This character was seen during Brosnan’s time as Bond, which is the end of the loose timeline we have. So how can she then appear as M again, years before she entered the franchise? These films are set before all other Bond films and there is no indication the character is a different M. Just M. She also has the attachment to the character. There was a little distance in Casino Royale but not enough for me to separate her into two different M’s.

The Aston Martin

I love how the car returned. It was a real piece of Bond history for us to relive. I’d have loved more to see a car chase with it and I was more than a little heart-broken at the damage and destruction it suffered.

It is the second paradox, though. Bond didn’t drive this car until the film Goldfinger. Franchise fans know this and while it’s great to see it again, the context is wrong. Bond didn’t own the car, as he mentions that company cars can be tracked, so why choose this one? He did win a DB5 in Casino Royale but there were no special gadgets involved and at no time has he shown competent enough to be able create and install such gadgets himself. It’s a fun and quirky idea but it didn’t work for me in terms of story.

Identity and History

As a kid, I never questioned that Bond’s appearance changed so much. He is meant to be the same person throughout, and that’s fine. It works for books but not so much for films when they take place over such a long time. As I got older, my natural reaction (helped by being a writer, I reckon) was to consider them all as James Bond but as different people who stepped into that role. It became an alias for me, that when one James Bond died, another agent stepped in to assume that identity.

This is thrown out of the window in Skyfall, where we are shown Bond’s childhood home and the grave of his parents. This gives him a history and identity beyond being 007. A set up for the future, I’m sure, but what spy would use their real name, knowing there is a link to the past no matter how small or vague. I could be reading too deeply into this, but that’s my nature as a writer.

Overall, it is a great film and brings to life the Bond franchise again. It’s undoubtedly worth watching and an Imax experience is also recommended if you can get to one!

NaNoWriMo, F1 in Abu Dhabi and Disney Conquering Star Wars

It’s been a while since my last review. I have a few more planned before I get into the Dark Tower series, which will be an epic post, but there’s some things I’m still getting to grips with from that series. Between that, working Skyfall’s release, job hunting and NaNoWriMo, it’s a busy time right now!

NaNoWriMo

Well, it’s November and that means it’s another National Novel Writing Month. I’ve done this many times in the past but I’ve never been able to complete it. In 2010, I finally completed it and still had more to write. After a break last year because of my dissertation, I’m back on it this year – but trailing far behind already!

The goal is to write at least 50,000 words (either as a novel or part of one) in the 30 days of November. It’s quite a feat, even if it is only to be a first draft. It is completely up to you how far you want to get involved. I used to sign up every year but now I just do it on my own. It suits me better. There are a lot of events all over the place to meet other participants and have some fun while you’re at it.

This year, I’m writing the sequel to the project from two years ago. I will try to post some extracts throughout the month!

F1 – Raikkonen Returns to the Top Step

I am a big fan of Kimi Raikkonen in F1. One of the ‘coolest’ drivers and I say that because he is very cold at times. It’s just his nature, and Mika Hakkinen was much the same. Kimi was almost gifted the race by another failure from the McLaren team as Lewis Hamilton dropped out.

It made the race much more exciting. Sebastian Vettel produced a brilliant drive, and with a bit of luck with the safety car, made it onto the podium himself alongside the predictable Fernando Alonso.

One of the highlights was Kimi’s race messages. He doesn’t like a lot of information and it showed this time. Many would say he snapped at his race engineer but it was the focus of his driving. The message was clear both times – ‘leave me alone; I know what I’m doing!’ I’m paraphrasing but I’m sure the radio messages can be found on Youtube if you want a laugh!

 

The only thing that was disappointing was the language by both Raikkonen and Vettel. These are world class drivers and the heat of the moment does not quite excuse those slips. Slips happen but they are an example to younger viewers and it was a shame this happened. That said, there are two very exciting races to go and the fight between Vettel and Alonso is nowhere near over.

Star Wars and Disney; A fairy-tale in the making…

The news that Disney has bought Star Wars rocked me. I thought that the films were done and that Star Wars would live on through the Expanded Universe, of which I am a fan. So many authors on one story and the same characters – it gives you a brilliant insight into how each writer thinks and writes. I find that fascinating and the stories are pretty good too!

I am dubious about what Disney will do in these new films, with the first release slated for 2015. I have hope because of what they’ve done with the Marvel films but I see two main options for them to take.

The first is to take the story in their own direction and the second is to follow the Expanded Universe and tell the stories already written down, creative license allowing. The first, I feel, has more chance of alienating current fans even more than the Prequel films did, and the franchise will not find that easy to survive. The second option will see a form of continuity and, if done correctly, bring those fans wandering away back into the fold. I hope for the second option.

Stories have surfaced that Lucas had plans for twelve films in total. Bearing in mind that he has controlled the majority of the Expanded Universe since its creation, these later six would logically fall into a story arc within that creation. If Disney takes that route, it will appeal the widest range of fans possible. Or so I feel.

It’s an interesting situation, as is who will star in the new films. Only time will tell us but I remain hopeful.

Play Expo 2012

On the 13^th and 14^th of October 2012, Play Expo took place for the first time in Event City, Manchester, moving from Blackpool Taking place over two days, there was plenty to see and do and the event was split into four sections; Now.play, Re.play, Pro.play and Cos.play. It is the first two sections I will be focusing on here, although the Pro.play was interesting to look at and evidence of the Cos.play arena could be seen throughout the day and was definitely worth a look.

Now.play

This arena was one of the most intriguing areas to explore. There were some big stands to look at, including Nintendo with the Wii-U, EA with Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Konami with Metal Gear Uprising: Revengeance and more.

The Wii-U was one of the biggest stand there and it is obvious as to why. The Wii was a great system when first launched and the innovative controls took gaming in a completely new direction. Personally, I don’t think the system lived up to its expectations. There was a lot they could have done to further that but that’s a story for another day. While the Motion Plus controllers will be compatible with the Wii-U, it’s the table I was interested in seeing. When the Xbox was first released, the controllers were bulky, heavy and not comfortable to use. I had concerns about the tablet too.

The tablet controller is very light and the screen of a very high quality. In Rayman: Legends, it is the multiplayer aspect which grabbed my attention. One player would use a controller to control one character and the tablet would be used to aid that character by attacking enemies and interacting with the game in ways the controller could not. It was fun and took some getting used to but I enjoyed the cooperative element of the game. The Wii-U version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 was less successful, in my opinion. The touch screen holds a list of combos and skills to use but selecting them would be hard and could cost you the battle. The new Mario game acts in much the same way as Rayman: Legends. The more adventure based RPG’s used the touch screen to primarily to show the inventory, removing the need to pause and go through menus to find what you want as it right there. It still means you must divert your attention from the main screen and this could be costly. Other functions involve using the screen as a device in the game for various functions.

It’s a clever idea but seems more suited to multiple player games and party games at the moment. It is very light and easy to hold, even for younger gamers or people with smaller hands but with time and practise, it will be very playable. I still haven’t decided whether it’s a system I would enjoy playing much, however.

The Konami stand had demos of Metal Gear Uprising: Revengeance. I’ve always enjoyed the Metal Gear games and this one looks stunning. How it would play was the more important part. The key combat feature was the Blade mode. By holding down the L1 button (PS3 controls), you could move the right analog stick slice your blade in every direction in that rotation. I was unsure about this and whether it was a full 360 degree control but was surprised to find they had cut no corners on this element. The game itsel was actually fairly easily. As long as you could move and continue to press the two primary attack buttons, you could beat almost every opponent and this disappointed me. In the demo there was little tactical skill involved and I hope this is added later. Otherwise, it’s not a game I’ll buy as it will be too easy to complete. It was only the second time the demo had been available to play so I’m hopeful for a bit more to come from this game yet.

There was a stand for Halo 4 as well. I enjoy the Halo games but it has never been able to make me buy an Xbox (or the 360). The stand let you play a 12-person game for five minutes so you don’t get a complete overview of the game and as I’m not an expert on Halo, it didn’t feel overly different to the others. It was a smooth trial and a game I would thoroughly enjoy playing it if I had an Xbox 360.

The EA stand had two games to play. Medal of Honor: Warfighter continued the series of games but did nothing to impress me over the previous instalments. Honestly, I haven’t enjoyed that series as much as other FPS games and this is one that I will avoid too. The other game was a bit more fun.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted has the option of both single and multiple player modes. The idea is to become the most wanted driver while beating the opposition and this involves crashing into other cars and taking them out. An intriguing idea but more often than not at this stage, take downs of other cars also take out your own car. This wastes time and gives you no points. The details are realistic, including the speeds and damage done but the only take downs I could manage in the demo were luck and no amount of effort spent recreating the events worked out. Very enjoyable but I don’t see men enjoying it in a long session, with or without others, if every take down, as they emphasised as important in most modes, could not be done successfully. It could just take more time to get used to but I’m not convinced on this year either. It is one to watch out for, though.

Re.play

One of the biggest things that appealed to me about this event was the Re.play arena. Here, you would come across row upon row of retro game consoles with a variety of games to play. There was no charge for this, just find a seat and play a game that some people will have grown up with and others will be experiencing for the first time. The nostalgia in this arena was enormous. It doesn’t matter if the graphics aren’t as good, or the controls aren’t as sensitive as the modern gamer is used to. This is a trip down memory lane to see how we have arrived at the current level of gaming technology.

To one side of this arena were the multiplayer stations, featuring the original Halo on the Xbox and Super Mario Kart on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). There were free competitions of these games on both days that sparked an intense and fierce level of competition. The prize; pride. There might have been a few goodies thrown in their too, but it was pride that drove these guys forward. I can’t say I blame them; it was great to watch these guys show us that there is still a place for retro gaming and anyone who says otherwise should not be trusted! Other stations had Mario Kart on the N64, Unreal Tournament on Xbox, and many others.

The highlight for me, and many others, was GoldenEye on the N64. This game sparked a huge interested in multiplayer First Person Shooters and it is impossible not to figure out why. The station was hugely popular all weekend and the difficult controls took nothing away from the experience. If anything, it added to it. It became a testament to who could adapt to the luxurious controls of today’s games and seeing who would triumph as at times impossible to tell. I loved every minute of it.

Beyond the retro gaming stations was something that caught my attention and had me hooked for a lot of the weekend; Pinball machines. I have always been a big fan of these and it is no surprise why they are so popular. These addictive games could be found throughout the country (and probably still can in places) but here they were stacked in rows for you to play to your heart’s desire! An even bigger bonus was they were all free – otherwise it would have turned into a very expensive weekend for everyone unable to resist the lure to go back to a very popular pastime. I, for one, definitely could not have resisted.

To refresh myself after a stand or watching a competition, I would come here to relax and unwind for a few minutes, trying the different machines available. I could easily have spent the whole weekend in this small area but I would have missed out on so much more!

Pro.play

If I thought the free tournaments were competitive, then I was in for surprise when I had a look at the pro gamers! The tension created by the various games and competitions was incredible. I think of myself as a gamer, but I am under no illusions that I could keep up with these guys without serious practise. That was just on the Saturday – it got a whole lot tougher on the Sunday. I never could have imagined that, and I pride myself on an active imagination! I think it was much safer for me to observe and enjoy watching the precision with which these professional gamers performed.

Cos.play

On the other side of the Re.play arena was the Cos.play arena. Smaller in size but there was a lot of people who had come in the guise of their favourite game or anime characters and they had no fear of showing it to everyone at the event! Nor should they, some of the outfits were fantastic in their detail. It was clear that a lot of time and effort had gone into them and whenever I saw them, they were always happy to have pictures taken with anyone at the event. I have to admit, it’s not something I had considered doing but it was an interesting experience and the courage to do it, especially going to and from the event, is something I lack compared to these guys!

Overall

 

I have to say it was a great weekend. The atmosphere was incredible and the location easy to find. There was so much to see and do that it was impossible to get bored at any particular part. Queuing is unavoidable at an event like this, especially in the Now.play arena but not once did I hear any complaints about it and that just shows how keen gamers are to make the most of every opportunity they have.

The one thing that was a bit of a shame was on the Saturday. There was a delay in opening the event and no information was given to those waiting outside. It was a particularly chilly day and the queue structure wasn’t very organised. It would help if people were around to make sure things were organised and people were informed but that is the same of any large scale event and once inside, it quickly fell into the background as the wonders of Play Expo 2012 came to life.

It’s an event I would wholeheartedly recommend to any game fan of any level. Even for one day, the atmosphere you will find is incredible and I am already looking forward to next year!

A bit of motorsport!

British touring Cars Championship at Silverstone

So this weekend just gone, my dad and sister took me to the Silverstone round of the BTCC. All of our birthdays are within two weeks of each other so it became a joint birthday outing for us. I have never really gotten into Touring Cars before, mostly due to a lack of time and it always takes a backseat to F1 for me, but they like it and insisted I would too. In any case, it was something new and it got me away from the mundane cycle of work and job hunting for two days.

On the Saturday, we had brilliant weather. Sunday was colder but it was dry for the most part and the sheltered stand helped with the wind chill a little. Our seats were at the end of the track, through the Luffield corners and onto the old start/finish line, although it was that start/finish line being used for this event. The races at this event were on a shortened version of the track, just over half the length used for the F1 race. The races for this series are also much shorter, and this keeps the cars closer together and produces more action in the races. To make up for the shorter laps and races, there are three races for the Touring Cars alone on the Sunday, following the practise and qualifying sessions on Saturday. Add in the three support categories that go with the BTCC circuit and their races, qualifying and practise sessions, then you are in for a full weekend of racing!

The good thing about the Touring Cars is you can see the names on each car, meaning you know where they are in the field for the most part. Penalties can complicate matters but there are screens with the current positions at various points around the track. The starting grid for the first race is determined by the qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. The second race by the results from the first and the final race will have a mixed grid due to a lottery in the top ten from the second race. Add to this, the additional weight for winning the previous race and it keeps the field very close together. These cars are very sturdy and not afraid to give each other a nudge if they won’t get out of the way, as happened often in front of our stand. To the credit of the drivers, most can recover or keep their car going and re-join the race once the field has passed the incident.

One thing that astonished me was in the third race. Plato, one of the more well-known and established racers, came from the back of the grid having suffered an engine failure in the second race to win in a stunning drive. The sheer determination and precision in his driving allowed him to be at the front of the pack at the half way point before building a lead that could only be beaten by another mechanical failure. It wasn’t to be this time and he took his second win of the day. The MG team is new to the sport this year and they have a very powerful car and it leaves the championship at a very close point. There is one more circuit in this year’s championship and 75 points to be won from the three races.

I’d advise any motor sport fan to have a look on the 19^th October on ITV4 for the final stage of the championship. I am eagerly awaiting this programme.

Alonso’s bad luck

Fernando Alonso has undoubtedly been driving his greatest season so far. The Ferrari was so off the pace at the beginning of the season that it was impossible to imagine them leading either of the F1 championships. In 2 of the last 4 races, Alonso has not finished, due to no fault of his own that I can tell. He was taken out by Romain Grosjean and at this weekend’s race in Suzuka, Japan, by the second lotus of Kimi Raikkonen.

 

This allowed Sebastian Vettel to close within 4 points of the Ferrari driver. I have no doubt that Vettel will continue on from a strong result in the next races and could win his third successive championship. A remarkable feat, but there is still a chance for McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton and Raikkonen, should they win in the next few races.

At 42 points behind Alonso, it is still possible to win from there but he must start winning again to cut that lead down. After already announcing his move to Mercedes for next season, this could be his last chance for the next few years to realistically see himself winning the drivers’ championship. It it is the final quarter of the season but already it feels like we are coming to the end of one of the greatest season in recent years.

It is a shame, again, to hear about Schumacher’s retirement. The time is right, but I wish he had a bit more success and less bad luck. Some of the accidents have been down to him, yes, but others haven’t and this was certainly his best season in his return. He is still one of the greatest drivers of all time, in my opinion and I’m glad we got to see him race again. There are many questions about how good he is, and whether it was because of the team and equipment around him but the statistics still show a 7 time world champion and that will never be forgotten.

Kelley Armstrong

Unlike previous posts where I have looked at a specific series of books by an author, regardless of whether they have done more or not, this time I want to look at the author and the books and you'll see why as you read on. Armstrong’s main series so far is the Women of the Otherworld, with two trilogies and two more adventure novels which could expand into a series in the future.

The Women of the Otherworld series is what first alerted me to a terrific author who hadn’t seem to hit the mainstream market yet. When Bitten, the first book, was released it was put under the fantasy genre and sometimes moved into the horror genre. It wasn’t until sometime later when a new genre, Dark Fantasy, was recognised and Armstrong, along with many other authors, found a more suitable home for their tales.

One of the greatest lures about this series is that we are not constantly following one character. We are introduced to Elena first and through her we meet Paige, and then Eve and so on. Elena is probably the most popular character and makes a return as the protagonist multiple times as well as a supporting character even more. It is even possible to say that the whole series could have focused around her and her life as a werewolf but to fully comprehend this world Armstrong created, I cannot think of a better way than to move from character to character in a logical way. This is done brilliantly.

All of her stories have been done in the first person narrative, to completely immerse the reader in the story and surroundings. That all her protagonists are female is not as big a deterrent as it may seem. There is obviously some bias but not in a derogatory way, it is simply what Armstrong feels most comfortable doing. There are several short stories from the point of view of male characters that deepen the depth of this series.

They are compelling reads and once you start the series, it will be extremely difficult to stop reading. I have had to wait for each release and each time it seems to get longer between each book whereas now the whole series is available for future readers to enjoy whenever they are ready.

The world is realistic enough but much of the focus lies on the underground world of supernatural beings. It is a very dark, gritty and daunting setting that we are exposed to right from the start of the series and each novel in turn. There are some strong images and feelings but little in the way of strong language or swearing. I will point out that there are some explicit scenes in the books. I admit that it was unexpected but on reflection and further reading it seems to add another layer to the characters and tensions that run throughout each story. These could be left out but without a replacement of equal emotional value, something would be missing from the stories and it could change what genre readers would put it under.

The adventure books focus on Nadia, an ex-cop turned assassin and her relationship with her mentor, Jack. There is a distance between them and everything they do with an underlying urge to bridge that gap and explore what could happen in a more intimate and evolved setting. The conflict of their jobs and adventures prevents this and we are left rooting for something that by the characters own logic, could never happen. While the two books stand-alone right now, there is still potential for more in these series and I would greet these eagerly.

It is interesting that so much of Armstrong’s books focus on characters and relationships. With a background in Psychology, it is obvious why this would appeal to her in her writing and why the characters feel so real, even in a fantasy setting but the seamless blend of this with plot and setting is fantastic and anyone who reads her books will be left wondering why this author has not become as popular as J. K. Rowling or even Stephen King. Unfortunately, the niche genre she writers in still has a representatively small following. This is growing everyday but it will take some time to get close to science-fiction and fantasy genres.

On another note, I had the incredible pleasure of meeting Kelley Armstrong a couple of years ago and it is amazing how little ego she has! My time at university taught me that a good number of writers have massive egos, most likely to help them prepare for the huge number of rejections they face in trying to publish a book. Much like Philip Pullman, it is the opposite with Armstrong and she took so much time in talking and engaging with each fan that came to see her that is a huge inspiration for how to act despite doing something you love every day. It was a fantastic night and one of my fondest memories.