Angels and Demons
Greetings, Angels and Demons is a novel by the author Dan Brown, who wrote the DaVinci code. I believe it is written before the events of the DaVinci code and follows the character Robert Langdon, an American Symbologist. It is a fairly complicated plot which starts off with the theft of a recent discovery of anti-matter. The anti-matter is a powerful force that can destroy a large area if it comes into contact with anything, particles of it were isolated and suspended in a device by two scientists at CERN.
One of the scientists was killed during the action of stealing it, leaving the other which is his daughter in a difficult position. This is because the device which had captured the anti-matter can only hold it for several hours before its battery life dies causing the particles to fall into contact with the case. The scientist who was murdered was branded with an ancient symbol belonging to a group who were thought to have disappeared long ago. The organisation named Iluminati contained scientist who had a long grudge against the Church over centuries due to being prosecuted by them.
Robert Langdon is called in to help discover the truth by the Director of CERN, Maximillian Kholer. Langdon and the dead scientist’s daughter, Vittoria are sent to Vatican City to uncover the Illuminati path to the anti-matter. To add to the situation, the Pope’s successor is being chosen and the four favourites have been kidnapped will inside the country. Langdon and Vittoria work with the head of the Swiss Guard and the Carmalengo, the Pope’s secretary, to find the anti-matter before time runs out. Overall this is a fast paced and enjoyable adventure, it is also a film if you are interested. I have read one of Brown’s books before named the Digital Fortress, which is also a good novel. The wording is quite easy to follow and an atmosphere of excitement. The seventh episode of the third series of the adventures of Fletch and Roman is up in Warehouse 17.
Plot=9/10
Characters=8/10
Wording=8/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
You just fulfilled the first rule of law enforcement: Make sure when your shift is over, you go home alive.
Jim Malone
The Untouchables
Assassin's Creed 1 and 2
Greetings, Assassin’s Creed is a game series currently holding four games of which I have played the first two. The original starts with Desmond Myles being captured by an organisation who attach him to a machine named the Animus, the equipment allows Desmond to remember the thoughts of his ancestors. He is taken back to an Assassin called Altiar in the days of the Holy war who faces the enemies of the Assassin’s Creed, the Templars. Altiar’s killings uncover a powerful weapon, through the memories the organisation, who are the modern Templars, hopes to find out the location of it that the Assassin’s and Templars are fighting over. The game play is quite repetitive but is still enjoyable, for instance the hidden blade is a unique element.
Assassin’s Creed 2 is set in the 15th Century, a few centuries from the originals events. At the beginning stages of the game, Desmond is smuggled out of his location to an Assassin’s hideout by an ally called Lucy. They have their own Animus in which Myles is attached to as the Creed is losing the war and is in need of new recruits. The machine will teach Myles how to fight from the memories of his Italian ancestor, Ezio. At the beginning Ezio is not an Assassin but becomes one when his father and two brothers are falsely accused of a crime and executed. Ezio seeks revenge but discovers that his family were set up and so through his connections finds that the Templars are behind it, searching for the weapon.
The game play and graphics are similar to the first but I found Assassin’s Creed 2 more confusing due to all the different characters, some of which are well known. The series is brilliant and should continue to be so, I would encourage you to play it. The other two games look as if they will be good. The sixth episode of the adventures of Fletch and Roman series three is up in Warehouse 17.
Plot=9/10
Characters=8/10
Graphics=8/10
Overall=9/10
Quote of the day
We're at the end of the universe. Okay?! Right at the edge of knowledge itself! And you're busy... blogging!
The Doctor
Doctor Who
Moon
Greetings, Moon is a recent film situated on a base of the company lunar. It has a small cast and focuses on the three main characters for the duration of the movie. The only actor I knew in it was Kevin Spacey, who provides the voice of the robot Gerty but the others preformed quite well. The story is about Sam Bell who had signed up for a three year contract with Lunar to monitor their progress on the moon, the only company he has is Gerty along with a few transmissions from earth.
At the beginning of the film, it is revealed Sam has only two weeks left until he returns home. Bell starts having a mental breakdown, seeing images of his wife and it starts distracting him. The main character goes to check on a machine outside of the base, he then collides into the vehicle as more images influence his concentration. During another scene Gerty wakes Sam up, stating he was in an accident and informs Bell that rest is important. After a while, Sam manages to leave the base to find the broken down vehicles where he crashed. He opens it to find an unconscious version of himself in the transporter, it is then revealed that they are both clones and try to discover what Lunar is trying to accomplish.
This is a brilliant film, if not followed closely it could lead to problems but I like it. The special effects are great and I would encourage individuals interested in Science fiction to watch it. The fifth episode of the adventures of Fletch and Roman is up in Warehouse 17.
Plot= 9/10
Characters=8/10
Special effects=8/10
Overall=9/10
Quote of the day
And I think calling him that is an insult to the psychotic low-life community.
Mal Reynolds
Firefly
The Desert Spear
Greetings, the Desert Spear is a novel written by Peter V Brett and a sequel to the painted man. It like the original is set in a world where demons rise at night to hunt their human pray. The only way humanity can protect itself is surrounding its settlements in magical symbols called wards, during the course of the first book the main character Arlen found an ancient weapon in the desert ruins. It was a spear covered in these wards that had been lost centuries ago, the weapon proved a powerful method of destroying the demons. Unfortunately, Arlen was tricked by an old friend in the deserts who sought the weapon for himself. His name was Jardir and he left Arlen to die in the empty lands, this is where the Painted man came into existence as Arlen painted the wards on himself in order to live.
In the second novel, Jardir has created a powerful army to defeat the corelings, which are also called demons. Jardir becomes to believe that he is the chosen one to deliver the people from the demons as it was prophesised but word of the Painted man proves to be a challenge to his beliefs, and so he plans to be rid of him. The army from the desert led by Jardir attack the north to turn its civilians into soldiers to fight the demons, the Painted man in retaliation attempts to join the northern forces together but the ruler’s relationships are strained. Two demon princes prepare to kill Jardir and Arlen as the influence they have is a threat to the demon’s livelihood . The Painted man’s allies, Roger who can hypnotise corelings with his flute and Leesha, the town herbalist of Deliverer’s Hollow soon find themselves in trouble with Jardir’s plans.
This is a well written book like the first one and is easy to read. It is just as enjoyable as its predecessor and I would encourage individual who are interested in fantasy to read it. The fourth episode of the adventures of Fletch and Roman series three is up in Warehouse 17.
Plot=8/10
Characters=8/10
Wording=9/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
It's weird — I think I'm having a spasm. The muscles in my face keep pulling at my mouth. Oh! I think I'm happy!
Malcolm
Malcolm in the middle
Firefly
Greetings, Firefly is an early Noughties television programme set in a mix between a western and science fiction created by Joss Whedon. It lasted for one series and a movie named Serenity, which I have yet to watch. The main character is Captain Malcolm Reynolds, a soldier who fought on the losing side in the civil war, he becomes a thief fighting against the victorious Alliance. Other characters include Zoe, another soldier who had become an ally of Malcolm’s, her husband is named Wash, the pilot of the ship Serenity. Kalyee is the ship’s engineer and Jayne is the man obsessed with fighting.
In the pilot episode, Malcolm intends to transport individuals to their destination for money. The passengers consist of a young doctor called Simon, a preacher Simon and Inara. It becomes apparent the doctor is smuggling cargo and it is revealed he had hidden his sister in a state of hibernation from the Alliance. His sister named River is highly intelligible and has been tortured by the government. So the team have to survive while hiding from the authorities and the mad men called Reavers. I thought this a good series apart from one episode that I didn’t really like, over all it was acted brilliantly and had a good story line. The setting was also quite nice. I would encourage you to watch it. The third series of the adventure of Fletch and Roman series three is up in Warehouse 17.
Plot=8/10
Characters=8/10
Special effects= 7/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
Have you ever been hit on the head with a welding mallet? No? Well, shut up, then.
Rimmer
Red Dwarf
Dead to rights Retribution
Greetings, Dead to rights retribution is the 2010 remake of Dead to rights. It has some of the same characters which revolves around Jack Slate and Shadow, although their attitudes, occupations and names may have changed. This is quite a good remake although I did prefer the original, the reason for Frank Slate’s death, Jack’s father, on which the story was based on has changed. The plot is situated in Grant city, where corruption is rife and the physical environment is falling apart. It starts with a group of armed union workers attacking Temple Tower and taking hostages, it is a television studio belonging to Julian Temple.
Jack Slate and Shadow force their way into the building with much opposition from the police who are trying to resolve the position peacefully. However the negotiations fail as the Union start killing hostages. Jack and Shadow fight their way to the leader, Riggs, who is threatening Julian. Riggs flees the scene and manages to escape on a heavily armed aircraft, at the sight of the jet, Jack realises this was the plan was too well executed to be the work of the Union. Later on, Jack, Shadow and Frank hunt down Riggs to the abandoned docks in which they are attacked by more armed workers. Other police members including the leader of the elite units, Redwater tracks them and helps fight off the threat. The two Slates break up to find Riggs, eventually Jack finds a colleague of his and walks back to find his father dying. Despite the paramedics effort Frank dies meaning Jack and Shadow seek revenge and the answer to why his father died, following the trail of Riggs.
The graphics are great as they indicate the level of Grant city’s decay, it also shows quite a lot of violence in the fight scenes. In this game, the player can take control of Shadow which was not possible in the first one. I like the game but I think the original is better. The second episode of the adventures of Fletch and Roman series three is up in Warehouse 17.
Plot=7/10
Characters=8/10
Graphics=9/10
Overall=8/10
Quote of the day
You sure you want to get Grandpa's cuckoo clock back? That thing nearly put my eye out.
Randy
My name is Earl
