Kristopher McClanahan's Blog

WITH A SINGLE SPELLLegends Of Ethshar, Book Two
By Lawrence Watt-Evans1987, 206 pgs, fantasy, Paperback 
Re: Tobas is not much of a wizard. Apprenticed too late, his teacher dead, he's out in the world to try and make his fortune with one single, simple spell. Good luck, Tobas.

Outstanding: Another great book. Some touches of humor, really unusual situations, and Tobas is a distinctive main character. He's a bit selfish and naive and he's never been away from the small village where he grew up. 

Unacceptable: The ending seems to come a bit quickly - some fun stuff happens between the last chapter and the epilogue.

Summary: Another of my favorite books, the second Ethshar novel is a wholly unusual take on the standard "Young man seeks his fortune" genre of fantasy. While it wouldn't really be spoiling anything to say more, you should just track this down and read it instead. It's a genuinely enjoyable novel.

5/5

Notes: As I start working on my children's novel again (The sequel to Whispering Ferns) I've started re-reading the Ethshar series of novels and will review them as I go.  

Now Reading - THE UNWILLING WARLORD by Lawrence Watt-Evans

THE MISENCHANTED SWORD
Legends Of Ethshar, Book OneBy Lawrence Watt-Evans1985, 228pgs, fantasy, Paperback 
Re: Valder, a scout trapped behind enemy lines, stumbles across an old hermit living in the marshlands. The hermit, annoyed by his unexpected arrival, enchants his sword to get him safely back home. But the sword, though magical and valuable now, has a bit of a catch attached as well...

Outstanding: This book is a delight. There are a lot of original ideas, all taking place in a beautifully realized fantasy world with dragons, magicians, battle, castles, etc. The main character is very likeable and realistic and the misenchanted sword itself is totally clever. A great read.

Unacceptable: Nothing really.

Summary: Confession - this was one of the first "Adult" books I read in my youth, picking it up on a librarian's recommendation when I was in second or third grade, so I may have an unusually high amount of love for this book, but I've given copies to many people over the years and they too fall in love. Watt-Evans has created a great world starting with this novel and it may be one of the best light fantasy novels around. Period. 

5/5

Notes: As I start working on my children's novel again (The sequel to Whispering Ferns) I've started re-reading the Ethshar series of novels and will review them as I go.

Now Reading - The Unwilling Warlord by Lawrence Watt-Evans

MAD MAX: FURY ROADDirected by George Miller
Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron2015 - [R] - Post-Apocalyptic Adventure 
Re: Max, still wandering the post apocalyptic wasteland, gets mixed up in a plan to assist a cyborg  in the escape of five winsome lasses from their mutant husband. There are two car chases.

Outstanding: Pretty much anything and everything. I wanted to enjoy this flick and ended up loving it. The world is fully realized, with unique little details I would never have expected. The chase scenes, which encompass the bulk of the movie are unrelenting, nearly all practical effects and stunning. I seriously can't say enough good about this movie. There is enough eye candy amongst the various cars, tribes of mutants and set pieces that I could watch it a dozen times and still spot cool little details.


Unacceptable: If you are expecting the slow burn sax lounge scene from the first Mad Max, or the Feral Boomerang child that spoke in animal sound clips from Road Warrior, Or Tina Turner in a glam wig, or if you are just generally a curmudgeonly hipster that refuses to believe a sequel to a classic can ever be good, you may be disappointed.

Summary: Seriously one of the most enjoyably batshit insane and beautiful movies I have ever seen. 

5/5

Notes: My brother and I saw this in 3D and I can honestly say it was one of the better 3D movies I've seen. In a lot of movies, the 3D effect comes off as a little fake - like there's a 2D person here, a 2D person three feet beyond and a flat background, with some cool stuff floating between. The 3D in Fury Road was subtle and added a real sense of depth to the landscape and chases and during the more intense sequences, of which there were many, I actually found myself jumping as things came towards me.

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. 

Number seven - a childhood classic from the eighties...that would never have been made today without parental outrage.  
5 Things I learned while watching....

MONSTER SQUAD


1- Wolfman does indeed have nards, and a silver bullet is the way to go.

2- When finding oneself under attack by monsters, wait until they are within a few feet shoot three times, then attack with the billy club!
3-  Dracula may not be the most refined demolitions expert, but he does love blowing shit up.
4- The late eighties were a pervy time - creepy pedophiles, voyeurism, little girl virgins, all sorts of inappropriate innuendo, blackmail, mummies lurking in small children's closets...
5- No one cares if the black cop partner gets blown to smithereens by dracula.
3/5 

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. 

Number six - The popular remake of Ringu.

5 Things I learned while watching....

THE RING

1- Man, Naomi Watts is pretty.

2- Everything in Washington looks like it's being filmed through a blue filter, but it's actually that color in real life. Honest.

3-  Even spooky prescient kids can look adorable in dinosaur footie PJ's.

4- I can't quite figure out what Brian Cox is working on if he doesn't have horses anymore. It's too rainy and blue to grow a garden.

5- Oh yeah, and generally speaking, ghost girls that were creepy before they spent years in a well are probably gonna be creepy after too.
4/5 

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. 

Movie number five is the space horror, Event Horizon, which is a fun watch, despite going a bit daffy at the end.

5 Things I learned while watching....

EVENT HORIZON

1- Just as Alien before showed us, Space Underpants are awkward.

2- Sam Neil has a great voice.

3- Space travel - Like being in jail with no yard time, but the same pin-ups.

4- The engine room in the Event Horizon is especially cool.

5- The ending kind of goes awry and loses the slow burn space madness it had built up previously. Apparently all sci fi horror has to end with explosions and decompression mayhem!
4/5 

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. 

Our fourth flick is a middling zombie/evil little kids movie about a haunted mine in Pennsylvania. 


5 Things I learned while watching....

WICKED LITTLE THINGS

1- Chloe Grace Moretz is a pretty good actress, even when she's a cute little kid with no sense of responsibility.

2- Oddly, this movie manages to make tragically murdered miner children zombies boring.

3-  One of the men has a pet pig. I enjoyed this.

4- I really wish my spouse had a huge spooky home hanging out somewhere for us to live in when things get tough and we need a fresh start.

5- I'm glad I don't have daughters. They are a hassle.
2/5 

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. 

#2 is Roger Corman's Wasp Woman, but the audio on it was so bad that I'll have to revisit it later. 

Here's #3 - A surprisingly enjoyable made for TV movie from 1972. The werewolf itself features for roughly 3 minutes.

5 Things I learned while watching....
MOON OF THE WOLF
1- Backwoods Louisiana in the seventies was pretty fantastic.

2- Law enforcement in those days had a uniform consisting of pants, gun and thin cotton shirt, open to the navel.

3-Particularly if the officer had an especially nice mat of chest hair going on there.

4- Oddly, it seems customary to fasten one button more than usual on that shirt when meeting attractive women.

5-It's always the rich, cultured brother and sister with secrets. 
3/5 

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. Up first, the classic Joe Dante werewolf flick....
5 Things I learned while watching....

THE HOWLING
1- 80's TV station technology is a poor choice when trusting someone to keep a watchful eye on you while dealing with a serial murderer.2- "The Colony" Sounds shady... probably is.3- Nymphomaniacs in the 80's were smokin'.4-When a man is changing into a werewolf, sit back and enjoy the extremely slow process. Why run? These are some quality effects going on, they are meant to be savored.5- Never order food from the bar at the end of this classic film. The cook is a TERRIBLE cook.
4/5 

For the month of October, we're going to be revisiting some classic and not so classic genre films as well as trying to catch up on all of the new stuff - lots of monsters, gore, suspense and horror coming our way! Instead of writing a full review of each, We'll post five things we learned while watching the movies. Up first, the classic Joe Dante werewolf flick....
5 Things I learned while watching....

THE HOWLING
1- 80's TV station technology is a poor choice when trusting someone to keep a watchful eye on you while dealing with a serial murderer. 2- "The Colony" Sounds shady... probably is. 3- Nymphomaniacs in the 80's were smokin'. 4-When a man is changing into a werewolf, sit back and enjoy the extremely slow process. Why run? These are some quality effects going on, they are meant to be savored. 5- Never order food from the bar at the end of this classic film. The cook is a TERRIBLE cook.
4/5