Loralee Evans's Blog: Loralee Evans, page 36

Treasure Island, by Robert Lewis Stevenson

Treasure Island (c) 1882
by Robert Louis StevensonTreasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson is a classic adventure story for many reasons. The plot is fun, the characters are likable (or dislikable) in fun ways, and the adventure, going after buried treasure, is fascinating for all sorts of age groups.

Jim Hawkins is the main good guy, a young man in his early teens, who first meets Billy Bones, a salty old sailor who has a secret. After old Billy Bones dies, Jim and his mother find a treasure map in his sea chest. This begins his adventure, pitting him and the other good guys against the main (and satisfyingly dislikable) bad guy, Long John Silver, and his dastardly minions.

The crew sails off together in the Hispaniola, Jim not knowing at first what John Silver and his minions have planned until he overhears their evil schemes while hiding in an apple barrel. 

Will Jim Hawkins and the other good guys be able to defeat the bad guys, or will the bad guys get them, and steal the treasure as well? Read the book and find out!

Ferdinand, Movie Review

Ferdinand (c) 2017, Blue Sky EntertainmentThe movie Ferdinand (2017) starts off with little Ferdinand, a young bull who would rather take care of flowers and be kind than fight the other little bulls, saying goodbye to his father who is about to head off to the arena to fight the matador. But when the trailer returns without his dad, Ferdinand becomes confused and frightened. A door left ajar in his barn gives little Ferdinand the chance to escape, and he runs away from the farm that raises bulls just to fight. He makes it to the countryside, and to the flower farm of little Nina and her father. They welcome him into their home, and there Ferdinand grows up in peace and tranquility. But when he becomes an adult, an innocent visit to the local town's flower festival turns things bad for Ferdinand after he has an unfortunate run in with a bee.

While things become difficult for Ferdinand, he never lets go of his principles to be peaceful and kind to others, and he uses these personal standards throughout the movie.

The 2017 version of Ferdinand is based on the children's story The Story of Ferdinand first published in 1936 by Munroe Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson.

I like this story, as well as the book upon which it is based, and the short movie Ferdinand the Bull produced by Walt Disney Productions in 1938.

I think the message of this story is an inspiring one. Ferdinand's example shows us that it is possible to have great power and yet use it wisely and in kind ways to help others, rather than to hurt them. This is a good message for children and adults, and I strongly recommend this movie as well as the book and short movie.

Ferdinand was directed by

Adventurers Wanted Book One: Slathbog's Gold by M. L. Forman

Adventurers Wanted Book One: Slathbog's Gold
(c) 2011 by M. L. FormanAdventurers Wanted Book One: Slathbog's Gold by M. L. Forman is the first book in the Adventurer's Wanted series, which follows the adventures of young Alex Taylor who sees a strange sign in the window of a bookshop he often passes. The sign reads "Adventures Wanted" he looks away, then back again, and the sign says, "Adventurers Wanted. Apply Within". Looking at the sign again, it's back to what it originally said, and naturally intrigued, the young man goes into the shop, meets Mister Clutter, and suddenly finds himself whisked away on an unexpected adventure in a strange land people with friendly elves, dwarfs, and other folk, and things much less friendly.

Will he and his friends succeed in their quest? Read the book and find out!

Young people who enjoy fantasy adventure will enjoy this book!

Mysteries of Cove: Fires of Invention by J. Scott Savage

Mysteries of Cove: Fires of Invention
(c) 2016 by J. Scott SavageOne of my favorite things to do, is listen to audiobooks when I'm driving. I just finished Mysteries of Cove:Fires of Invention the first book in the Mysteries of Cove series by J. Scott Savage. Thirteen year old Trenton Coleman lives in Cove. A city entirely enclosed in a mountain because, as the leaders say, the outside air was poisoned by too much invention. As a result, invention is outlawed. Trenton's problem is that he is a born inventor! When he crosses paths with fourteen year old Kallista Babbage, the daughter of the notorious Leo Babbage whom authorities claim accidentally killed himself and many others making an "invention", then interesting things start to happen! Finding parts and clues left behind by her father, the two friends start to build an invention in secret, and begin to realize that their safe haven may not be as safe as they once thought. And while others may not listen to what they have to say, the two friends may be the only hope Cove has for its survival!

Shantell and Macoy Young, and their Baby Boy

My sweet neighbor, Shantell Young and her baby boy whom she had been carrying for four months, passed away yesterday. My thoughts and prayers are with her good parents Heidi and Deloy Brady, and her siblings as well as Macoy, her husband, and his family. Her husband Macoy is still in serious condition in the hospital. Please consider helping with funeral and medical expenses on their GoFundMe page.

Freetown- Movie Review

Freetown, by Three Coin Productions and Go Films, is based on the true story of eight missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints who find themselves in the middle of a civil war in Liberia, and realize that they need to get out.

Freetown (c) 2015 
While there were actually eight missionaries who escaped the war in Liberia, for the purpose of simplifying things for the movie, the number of missionaries in the film was taken down to six.

The names of the eight elders were Elder Marcus Menti, Elder Joseph Myers, Elder Taylor Selli, Elder Joseph Forkpah, Elder Roverto Chanipo, Elder Dave Gonquoi,  Elder John Gaye, and Elder Prince Nyanforh. With the help of a local church leader, Phillip Abubakar, the missionaries set off on a journey to escape to the safety of Freetown in Sierra Leon. But their troubles are compounded by a rebel fighter who is intent on killing one of the missionaries simply for belonging to the Krahn tribe, a tribe with which the  rebel fighter has had bad blood.

I found myself rooting for the missionaries as they escaped the war torn country, the bunch of them crammed together in one little car. The fact that it was based on a true story is particularly moving. I thought the music was well done, and the acting fantastic.

I recommend this movie to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and also people of other faiths who enjoy inspiring stories about good people overcoming difficult and dangerous situations. If you have watched and enjoyed The Saratov Approach, or The Cokeville Miracle, you would enjoy this movie.

Far World: Water Keep by J. Scott Savage

Far World Water Keep (c) 2008 by J. Scott SavageWhile I have read Far World Water Keep  by J. Scott Savage many times, I haven't taken the opportunity to listen to it on CD until just recently. I am very glad I did! Mark Wright does a great job bringing Marcus and Kyja to life along with the other characters with whom they interact. I especially enjoy how he does Riph Raph's voice!

Marcus is a boy who has grown up on Earth, and who can't use his left arm and right leg. He needs a wheelchair to get around, though he can scoot pretty quickly when he needs to. Kyja is a girl who has grown up on FarWorld, and who can't do magic, though everyone else can!

The way these two kids work together to save both their worlds from the Dark Circle is inspiring, and teaches young people (without being too didactic) that they too can face and overcome hard things! I recommend this book, written and audible, to anyone who enjoys fantasy for young readers.

The Battle for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi

The Battle for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi is the third book in the Wondla series, preceded by The Search for Wondla and A Hero for Wondla. I have not read the first two. I found The Battle for Wondla at my library, and picked it as it looked interesting. Because of not having read the first two, and there not being a summary of what happened in the first two at the beginning of this book (or at least in the audio version, as I listened to it) I was slightly lost for a little while, but was able to piece together what was most important.
Battle for Wondla, The, (c) 2014 by Tony DiTerlizziEva Nine is working hard to stop the evil Loroc from taking over the city of Solas and the rest of the world of Orbona, but she has first to convince the Queen O-Ho that her intentions are not wicked as the Queen has been duped by Loroc into thinking that he is her ally, and wants to help, and that Eva Nine is the enemy.
The world building that DiTerlizzi does is fantastic, on par with Brandon Sanderson's world building skills. The books is clean, and written for teens and young adults. People who enjoy clean sci-fi would enjoy this book, and doubtless the two that come before it.

The Battle for Wondla by Toni DiTerlizzi

The Battle for Wondla by Tony DiTerlizzi is the third book in the Wondla series, preceded by The Search for Wondla and A Hero for Wondla. I have not read the first two. I found The Battle for Wondla at my library, and picked it as it looked interesting. Because of not having read the first two, and there not being a summary of what happened in the first two at the beginning of this book (or at least in the audio version, as I listened to it) I was slightly lost for a little while, but was able to piece together what was most important. Battle for Wondla, The, (c) 2014 by Tony DiTerlizziEva Nine is working hard to stop the evil Loroc from taking over the city of Solas and the rest of the world of Orbona, but she has first to convince the Queen O-Ho that her intentions are not wicked as the Queen has been duped by Loroc into thinking that he is her ally, and wants to help, and that Eva Nine is the enemy.
The world building that DiTerlizzi does is fantastic, on par with Brandon Sanderson's world building skills. The books is clean, and written for teens and young adults. People who enjoy clean sci-fi would enjoy this book, and doubtless the two that come before it.

1931 Dracula

Dracula (c)1931The 1931 movie version of Dracula, with the title character acted by Bela Lugosi, produced by Universal, and directed by Tod Browning is a classic movie that will probably be famous for ages to come as a wonderfully made and acted story in its genre. The story changes a little, with Renfield going to Transylvania instead of Jonathan Harker, likely done to explain Renfield's insanity later. As might be expected, Renfield's excursion to Dracula's castle doesn't go as well for him as Harker's does in the book. After this, we get an exciting story with characters recognized from the book but changed a little to adapt to the screen. We're missing Arthur and Quincey, but we still get John Seward, no longer a twenty-something young doctor, but a middle-aged man, and the apparently widowed father of Mina. He's still in charge of the same asylum as in the book, and Renfield is a patient there. Jonathan Harker is still there, as is Lucy, whose fate is the same as in the book. The heroic Van Helsing played by
I enjoy the movie every time I watch it, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys slightly scary classical movies with little blood, and no foul language.