Joseph Baneth Allen's Blog, page 34
July 12, 2024
The Olympian Affair
Just finished reading "The Olympian Affair - The Cinder Spires Book Two" by Jim Butcher, released by ACE Books.
Okay, confession time, the only other book I have read by Butcher is "The Aeronaut's Windlass," his first book in his Cinder Spires series when it was released back in 2014. I may pick up the first book in his Dresden Files series. I may not. With the sole exception of Andre Norton, I have not read every book written by my favorite authors and it's unlikely that I ever will since I have hundreds of unread books waiting patiently me for me in my tsundoku - my antilibrary.
Butcher continues his wonderful world of the Cinder Spires which is an intriguing mix of old school world building that incorporates the best of swashbuckling adventure, political intrigue, and steam-punk fantasy with science fiction elements combined as old fashioned sword duels may determine the outcome of shifting political alliances while one spire plots to destroy the world as everyone knows it.
Great Old School Fun!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Olympian-Affai...
Okay, confession time, the only other book I have read by Butcher is "The Aeronaut's Windlass," his first book in his Cinder Spires series when it was released back in 2014. I may pick up the first book in his Dresden Files series. I may not. With the sole exception of Andre Norton, I have not read every book written by my favorite authors and it's unlikely that I ever will since I have hundreds of unread books waiting patiently me for me in my tsundoku - my antilibrary.
Butcher continues his wonderful world of the Cinder Spires which is an intriguing mix of old school world building that incorporates the best of swashbuckling adventure, political intrigue, and steam-punk fantasy with science fiction elements combined as old fashioned sword duels may determine the outcome of shifting political alliances while one spire plots to destroy the world as everyone knows it.
Great Old School Fun!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Olympian-Affai...
Ancient Aliens - Season 19
Just finished watching "Ancient Aliens - Season 19" released by Prometheus Entertainment for the History Channel.
It's kind of sad to see a once amusing and popular television show run out of steam. After all, how may times can you do top ten lists until you just keep repeating past top ten lists? At least for the first six episodes of Season 19 where bits and pieces of full length episodes of past seasons are hobbled together in an attempt to cut down on production costs, and even the four original episodes of this season of "Ancient Aliens" feels like retreads of already presented material.
Die hard fans of the series may not enjoy this season too much, but I guess it's fun to see and hear Giorgio A. Tsoukalos say "I'm not saying it's aliens, but it's aliens" at least for the memes it invokes.
Still with the UFO craze still in full swing, look for "Ancient Aliens" to have a few more seasons left in it before it gets "abducted" into syndication.
Sadly Not Recommended!
One Star!
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Aliens...
It's kind of sad to see a once amusing and popular television show run out of steam. After all, how may times can you do top ten lists until you just keep repeating past top ten lists? At least for the first six episodes of Season 19 where bits and pieces of full length episodes of past seasons are hobbled together in an attempt to cut down on production costs, and even the four original episodes of this season of "Ancient Aliens" feels like retreads of already presented material.
Die hard fans of the series may not enjoy this season too much, but I guess it's fun to see and hear Giorgio A. Tsoukalos say "I'm not saying it's aliens, but it's aliens" at least for the memes it invokes.
Still with the UFO craze still in full swing, look for "Ancient Aliens" to have a few more seasons left in it before it gets "abducted" into syndication.
Sadly Not Recommended!
One Star!
https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Aliens...
DOOR
Just finished reading "DOOR" by JiHyeon Lee, published by Chronicle Books.
Without a single word of text, Lee has created a delightful portal fantasy where a young boy follows finds a key left behind by a flying red bug which he picks up before following the bug to a garden gate door that is covered in cobwebs. The unnamed boy pauses only a moment before he unlocks the door and steps inside a world populated by wonderful creatures who befriend him and lead him on an adventure in their world which also has many other portals leading into it. It's a wonderful adventure that evokes a sense of wonder of the world and imagination.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Door-Jihyeon-L...
Without a single word of text, Lee has created a delightful portal fantasy where a young boy follows finds a key left behind by a flying red bug which he picks up before following the bug to a garden gate door that is covered in cobwebs. The unnamed boy pauses only a moment before he unlocks the door and steps inside a world populated by wonderful creatures who befriend him and lead him on an adventure in their world which also has many other portals leading into it. It's a wonderful adventure that evokes a sense of wonder of the world and imagination.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Door-Jihyeon-L...
June 26, 2024
A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks
Just finished reading "A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks" by David Gibbins, published by St.Martin's Press.
Gibbins takes the reader on a tour through the centuries, starting in the bronze age and ending up in World War 2. The concept of the book (and it's a neat one) is that ship wrecks from various periods of history are used as jumping off points to lay out the political, cultural, and especially economical networks shaping a given period. This makes a lot of sense since ships are the technology that humanity has used to engage in migration, colonization, warfare, and, most of all, trade, establishing material and cultural links among distinct populations around the globe. This expansive, globalist outlook on history makes for a much more interesting and satisfying presentation of historical events, compared to one in which authors focus on particular events in particular places (like a single person, war or revolution)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/History-World-...
Gibbins takes the reader on a tour through the centuries, starting in the bronze age and ending up in World War 2. The concept of the book (and it's a neat one) is that ship wrecks from various periods of history are used as jumping off points to lay out the political, cultural, and especially economical networks shaping a given period. This makes a lot of sense since ships are the technology that humanity has used to engage in migration, colonization, warfare, and, most of all, trade, establishing material and cultural links among distinct populations around the globe. This expansive, globalist outlook on history makes for a much more interesting and satisfying presentation of historical events, compared to one in which authors focus on particular events in particular places (like a single person, war or revolution)
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/History-World-...
June 25, 2024
Fortress of Ice
Just finished reading "Fortress of Ice" by C.J. Cherryh, published by Harper Collins under their EOS Books line back in 2006.
Yes, "Fortress of Ice" was ever-so patiently waiting for me in my tsundoku, my antilibrary for 18 years before I finally got around to reading it. Cherryh's "Fortress" series consists of five books, consisting of "Fortress In The Eye of Time," that was first published back in 1996, and concluding with "Fortress of Ice" in 2006. While referred to as her "Fortress" novels, these novels make up her "Galasien" fantasy series.
I do have and eidetic memory, so it was easy for me to read this last book in the series without having to go back and re-read the previous four books.
The "Fortress" series of Tristen, who, initiated by a magician, must find out who and what he is, and his friendship with Prince Cefwyn and the politics and intrigue both must overcome. Here Cefwyn, who is now king, has decided to bring his illegitimate son Elfwyn into his family at court and the novel focuses on his struggles to fit in and adapt to his new family, all the while his mother, an imprisoned sorceress, is seeking to turn him into a tool to destroy his father.
A great Arthurian fantasy.
Highly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Ice-B...
Yes, "Fortress of Ice" was ever-so patiently waiting for me in my tsundoku, my antilibrary for 18 years before I finally got around to reading it. Cherryh's "Fortress" series consists of five books, consisting of "Fortress In The Eye of Time," that was first published back in 1996, and concluding with "Fortress of Ice" in 2006. While referred to as her "Fortress" novels, these novels make up her "Galasien" fantasy series.
I do have and eidetic memory, so it was easy for me to read this last book in the series without having to go back and re-read the previous four books.
The "Fortress" series of Tristen, who, initiated by a magician, must find out who and what he is, and his friendship with Prince Cefwyn and the politics and intrigue both must overcome. Here Cefwyn, who is now king, has decided to bring his illegitimate son Elfwyn into his family at court and the novel focuses on his struggles to fit in and adapt to his new family, all the while his mother, an imprisoned sorceress, is seeking to turn him into a tool to destroy his father.
A great Arthurian fantasy.
Highly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Fortress-Ice-B...
June 21, 2024
Lift
Just finished watching "Lift" that was released on Netflix.
Now "Lift" was another streaming service only movie that I wanted to see and unfortunately here in America movies originally made for streaming services rarely, if ever, get released on blu-ray and/or DVD. But they do get legally released in China as region free blu-rays that you can buy brand new on eBay. Yes, I am taking a big leap of faith in believing that eBay does not knowingly allow the sale of bootleg and counterfeit products, but these releases are aimed at the American and Chinese markets and if these are bootleg copies, they are some of the slickest and well produced bootleg copies I have even seen, complete with extra menus, leading me to believe that these are licensed releases for the overseas market.
"Lift" is an buddy-heist movie that harkens back to the good old days of the original rat-pack, where a bunch of professional thieves are tasked by Interpol to pull off a nearly impossible heist in mid-air to avoid going to prison. It's just simple goofy fun and it's not meant to be taken seriously.
Highly enjoyable and I wouldn't mind seeing another adventure with the team of globe-trotting thieves.
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285856552549...
Now "Lift" was another streaming service only movie that I wanted to see and unfortunately here in America movies originally made for streaming services rarely, if ever, get released on blu-ray and/or DVD. But they do get legally released in China as region free blu-rays that you can buy brand new on eBay. Yes, I am taking a big leap of faith in believing that eBay does not knowingly allow the sale of bootleg and counterfeit products, but these releases are aimed at the American and Chinese markets and if these are bootleg copies, they are some of the slickest and well produced bootleg copies I have even seen, complete with extra menus, leading me to believe that these are licensed releases for the overseas market.
"Lift" is an buddy-heist movie that harkens back to the good old days of the original rat-pack, where a bunch of professional thieves are tasked by Interpol to pull off a nearly impossible heist in mid-air to avoid going to prison. It's just simple goofy fun and it's not meant to be taken seriously.
Highly enjoyable and I wouldn't mind seeing another adventure with the team of globe-trotting thieves.
Highly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/285856552549...
The Tomorrow War
Just finished watching "The Tomorrow War" released by Paramount.
"The Tomorrow War" was originally slated for release on the silver screen before the advent of Covid-19 caused social distancing and theater closings caused a paradigm shift in how movies are released and "The Tomorrow War" was released on Amazon's streaming service.
Now I wanted see "The Tomorrow War" but I don't have any subscriptions to any type of streaming service and movies that air on streaming services rarely get released on blu-ray. It's actually a bit hard to believe that Jeff of the 20th Century has subscriptions to streaming services and I don't.
Now confession time, I used to get onto Dad when he would buy bootleg copies of movies at the Beach Boulevard Flea Market. He got me to quit getting onto him when he point out that Mom wouldn't go to movie theaters anymore and it was the only way that she would see first run movies. So when I discovered that "The Tomorrow War" was available as region free blu-ray from China, I hesitated in buying because I thought I was being hypocritical, but I don't think that eBay would allow for counterfeit products.
"The Tomorrow Way" is solid science fiction movie about desperate soldiers from the future coming back the present/past to recruit soldiers in a war against alien invaders that humanity is desperately loosing. Iraqi veteran and family man Dan Forester is recruited as a soldier into this war against the White Spikes for one week. He will be returned to his time automatically if he manages to survive his week long tour of duty. Yet there is one hope, if humanity can discover a biological toxin against the White Spikes, they can send it into the past and prevent the invasion from ever happening. Yet will those in charge in the present take advantage of the opportunity to prevent the alien invasion from happening?
Great Old Fashioned Military Science Fiction Fun!
Five Stars!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/355773500329...
"The Tomorrow War" was originally slated for release on the silver screen before the advent of Covid-19 caused social distancing and theater closings caused a paradigm shift in how movies are released and "The Tomorrow War" was released on Amazon's streaming service.
Now I wanted see "The Tomorrow War" but I don't have any subscriptions to any type of streaming service and movies that air on streaming services rarely get released on blu-ray. It's actually a bit hard to believe that Jeff of the 20th Century has subscriptions to streaming services and I don't.
Now confession time, I used to get onto Dad when he would buy bootleg copies of movies at the Beach Boulevard Flea Market. He got me to quit getting onto him when he point out that Mom wouldn't go to movie theaters anymore and it was the only way that she would see first run movies. So when I discovered that "The Tomorrow War" was available as region free blu-ray from China, I hesitated in buying because I thought I was being hypocritical, but I don't think that eBay would allow for counterfeit products.
"The Tomorrow Way" is solid science fiction movie about desperate soldiers from the future coming back the present/past to recruit soldiers in a war against alien invaders that humanity is desperately loosing. Iraqi veteran and family man Dan Forester is recruited as a soldier into this war against the White Spikes for one week. He will be returned to his time automatically if he manages to survive his week long tour of duty. Yet there is one hope, if humanity can discover a biological toxin against the White Spikes, they can send it into the past and prevent the invasion from ever happening. Yet will those in charge in the present take advantage of the opportunity to prevent the alien invasion from happening?
Great Old Fashioned Military Science Fiction Fun!
Five Stars!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/355773500329...
June 19, 2024
Caprice
Just finished watching "Caprice" released by 20th Century Fox.
One of the biggest movie trends of the 1960s and 1970s by Hollywood Studios was to release comedy/mystery/drama spy thrillers starring big name stars and "Caprice" was not exception to this rule because it has the unlikely paring Doris Day and Richard Harris, along with the weird conceit of being a movie inside of a movie - Doris Day walks into a movie theater showing "Caprice" and she can be heard singing the theme song of the movie as it starts on the silver screen.
Doris Day plays Patricia Fowler who works undercover for a cosmetics company while trying get a secret formula for a new product. Meanwhile, she bumps in fellow agent Christopher White (Richard Harris), and there's mystery, intrigue and espionage along the way.
Doris Day was not stranger to comedy spy films. What makes "Caprice" different is that it presented her in a dramatically different atmosphere of espionage and danger which her previous film "The Glass Bottom Boat" merely hinted at. In "Glass Bottom Boat", her Jennifer Nelson is humorously accused of being a "spy" - while in "Caprice", Patricia Foster actually IS a spy - an indomitable and determined heroine who - amid all the duplicity and artificiality surrounding her - remains independent and true to herself in her quest to avenge her father's murder.
"Caprice" bombed critically and financially when it first came out, but over the years, it has gained a curious reputation as being a better movie than the Austin Powers movies.
I disagree with that assessment. I think that "Caprice" is a solid spy-counter spay movie with some 1960s spy comedy overtones.
Strongly Recommended.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Caprice-Doris-...
One of the biggest movie trends of the 1960s and 1970s by Hollywood Studios was to release comedy/mystery/drama spy thrillers starring big name stars and "Caprice" was not exception to this rule because it has the unlikely paring Doris Day and Richard Harris, along with the weird conceit of being a movie inside of a movie - Doris Day walks into a movie theater showing "Caprice" and she can be heard singing the theme song of the movie as it starts on the silver screen.
Doris Day plays Patricia Fowler who works undercover for a cosmetics company while trying get a secret formula for a new product. Meanwhile, she bumps in fellow agent Christopher White (Richard Harris), and there's mystery, intrigue and espionage along the way.
Doris Day was not stranger to comedy spy films. What makes "Caprice" different is that it presented her in a dramatically different atmosphere of espionage and danger which her previous film "The Glass Bottom Boat" merely hinted at. In "Glass Bottom Boat", her Jennifer Nelson is humorously accused of being a "spy" - while in "Caprice", Patricia Foster actually IS a spy - an indomitable and determined heroine who - amid all the duplicity and artificiality surrounding her - remains independent and true to herself in her quest to avenge her father's murder.
"Caprice" bombed critically and financially when it first came out, but over the years, it has gained a curious reputation as being a better movie than the Austin Powers movies.
I disagree with that assessment. I think that "Caprice" is a solid spy-counter spay movie with some 1960s spy comedy overtones.
Strongly Recommended.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Caprice-Doris-...
Death Note/Death Note - The Last Name Double Feature
Just finished watching "Death Note/Death Note - The Last Name Double Feature" released by Warner Brothers and Funimation.
Disney was actually following following in the well established tradition of anime when they began releasing live action versions of their popular animated movies.
Now I have to do a little bit of a public service announcement for Minion Number One - Zack - who is a big fan of Death Note -even going as far as dressing up as Light one year for Halloween and his older brother dressing up as Ruyuk - Light's God of Death. I changed the locks on the house a few years back, and I haven't gotten around to giving your mother the new key yet, so you won't be able to sneak in and "borrow" this DVD or any other DVDs like Gilligan's Island that you've been itching to "borrow". LOL :)
While these two live action movies do encompass the story line of the original anime, they are not 100% faithful adaptations and they do make some significant changes of how the Death Note ends up in Light's possession and how L finally outwits and reveals him to be Kira.
Recommended for Death Note fans.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Note-Dou...
Disney was actually following following in the well established tradition of anime when they began releasing live action versions of their popular animated movies.
Now I have to do a little bit of a public service announcement for Minion Number One - Zack - who is a big fan of Death Note -even going as far as dressing up as Light one year for Halloween and his older brother dressing up as Ruyuk - Light's God of Death. I changed the locks on the house a few years back, and I haven't gotten around to giving your mother the new key yet, so you won't be able to sneak in and "borrow" this DVD or any other DVDs like Gilligan's Island that you've been itching to "borrow". LOL :)
While these two live action movies do encompass the story line of the original anime, they are not 100% faithful adaptations and they do make some significant changes of how the Death Note ends up in Light's possession and how L finally outwits and reveals him to be Kira.
Recommended for Death Note fans.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Death-Note-Dou...
Jack Benny - All's Welles
Just finished listening to "Jack Benny - All's Welles" released by Radio Spirits.
Before the widespread advent of antibiotics in the early 20th Century, anyone who developed pneumonia back in the early 1930s and 1940s was either immediately hospitalized or treated with sulfa medications at home. So when the much beloved Jack Benny caught pneumonia during a stateside USO tour he was traveling in to entertain American troops, it required extremely creative and strategic thinking to find a guest host to step in and temporarily take over duties as the show's star and front man.
George Burns and Gracie Allen filled in for one week, and then the Golden Child - at the time - of Stage and Screen Orson Wells - who was the original actor who brought the role of The Shadow first to life on the airwaves and who was responsible for the worst panic in radio's broadcasting history at that time, i.e. the Wars of the Worlds broadcast - stepped in to take over from the recuperating Jack Benny and it works because Orson Wells gladly made fun of himself with gleeful abandon.
On a side note; Mom once told me how her relatives berated her as a child because she caught pneumonia and Grandfather and Grandmother had to spend a lot of money on her treatment. I told her that she should look at it as Grandfather and Grandmother being grateful that they had the money to save her life and that since they never complained once about doing so, why listen to relatives who are assholes whose opinions aren't worth their wasted breathes. Mom brightened up when she heard that and never mentioned it again. Note to my Baneth cousins: I've never forgotten or forgiven your unkindness to my parents, my sister, and my family. And not, I'm not deluding myself that you actually give a damn about what I think of you because believe me, the feeling is mutual. [Why yes, I'm as petty as Grandfather Baneth and Grandfather Allen were and perhaps even more so when it comes to protecting those I love.]
My favorite tracks in this collection are: "Hosts: George Burns and Gracie Allen," "Orson Wells Takes Cast To His Movie Lot," "Murder At Midnight," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Jack Returns After Illness," and "Renting Eddie Cantor's House."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://store.radiospirits.com/jack-b...
Before the widespread advent of antibiotics in the early 20th Century, anyone who developed pneumonia back in the early 1930s and 1940s was either immediately hospitalized or treated with sulfa medications at home. So when the much beloved Jack Benny caught pneumonia during a stateside USO tour he was traveling in to entertain American troops, it required extremely creative and strategic thinking to find a guest host to step in and temporarily take over duties as the show's star and front man.
George Burns and Gracie Allen filled in for one week, and then the Golden Child - at the time - of Stage and Screen Orson Wells - who was the original actor who brought the role of The Shadow first to life on the airwaves and who was responsible for the worst panic in radio's broadcasting history at that time, i.e. the Wars of the Worlds broadcast - stepped in to take over from the recuperating Jack Benny and it works because Orson Wells gladly made fun of himself with gleeful abandon.
On a side note; Mom once told me how her relatives berated her as a child because she caught pneumonia and Grandfather and Grandmother had to spend a lot of money on her treatment. I told her that she should look at it as Grandfather and Grandmother being grateful that they had the money to save her life and that since they never complained once about doing so, why listen to relatives who are assholes whose opinions aren't worth their wasted breathes. Mom brightened up when she heard that and never mentioned it again. Note to my Baneth cousins: I've never forgotten or forgiven your unkindness to my parents, my sister, and my family. And not, I'm not deluding myself that you actually give a damn about what I think of you because believe me, the feeling is mutual. [Why yes, I'm as petty as Grandfather Baneth and Grandfather Allen were and perhaps even more so when it comes to protecting those I love.]
My favorite tracks in this collection are: "Hosts: George Burns and Gracie Allen," "Orson Wells Takes Cast To His Movie Lot," "Murder At Midnight," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Jack Returns After Illness," and "Renting Eddie Cantor's House."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://store.radiospirits.com/jack-b...
