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spectracommunist's reviews
372 reviews
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
3.0
3.5 stars
This was my first Rick Riordan's & I enjoyed his simple & lucid style. The story was fantastic, thrilling & also humuorous modern mythical Greek fantasy.I loved the character of Percy like always so impulsive & brave, also the characters of Annabeth & Grover were good..
The all set up was great of the mythical Greek gods,demigods,godlings & monsters action scenes were quite good.
The thing that disappointed me was that I was expecting the scene of the poster i.e. a great fight of Percy using the Lightening bolt in the Sea over a horrible enemy & creation of potential infront of a great city expect that other things were cool.It just lacked a somewhat dreadful.
But okay...
overall nice..
This was my first Rick Riordan's & I enjoyed his simple & lucid style. The story was fantastic, thrilling & also humuorous modern mythical Greek fantasy.I loved the character of Percy like always so impulsive & brave, also the characters of Annabeth & Grover were good..
The all set up was great of the mythical Greek gods,demigods,godlings & monsters action scenes were quite good.
The thing that disappointed me was that I was expecting the scene of the poster i.e. a great fight of Percy using the Lightening bolt in the Sea over a horrible enemy & creation of potential infront of a great city expect that other things were cool.It just lacked a somewhat dreadful.
But okay...
overall nice..
The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren by Gerald Brittle
4.0
You can't kill something that's existed since the beginning of time whose watchword is anonymity.
The Warrens are the couples who solved the famous cases of - The Conjuring, The Amityville, Annabelle and much more as Ed being The Demonologist and Lorraine the Clairvoyant...
I had heard much about Ed as being the only civil demonologist in America, who had solved a lot of cases of inhuman possessions and other terrific paranormal activities. This book like a must read thing to understand all the things in a horror movie or to get a lot of knowledge about human spirits, demons or devils.
This was a True Demonology. After reading this I saw 'The Exorcist' movie and I am like to understand every scene of it!
I have a strong belief in God as well as Devilic Legions and I think it's a must read to everyone as to understand anyone around possessed by any demonic forces and to find a solution fast before it's too late..
The Warrens are the couples who solved the famous cases of - The Conjuring, The Amityville, Annabelle and much more as Ed being The Demonologist and Lorraine the Clairvoyant...
I had heard much about Ed as being the only civil demonologist in America, who had solved a lot of cases of inhuman possessions and other terrific paranormal activities. This book like a must read thing to understand all the things in a horror movie or to get a lot of knowledge about human spirits, demons or devils.
This was a True Demonology. After reading this I saw 'The Exorcist' movie and I am like to understand every scene of it!
I have a strong belief in God as well as Devilic Legions and I think it's a must read to everyone as to understand anyone around possessed by any demonic forces and to find a solution fast before it's too late..
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3.0
3.5 stars
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a sweet family tale whose message rolls on human equality.Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity.
There are lots of different types of people in our environment and as a social being humans needs each other so they should respect everyone,
described in the tale as a metaphor - "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."
Boo Radley being a ridicule at the end proves to be real helpful and sweet just want to be left alone.
“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.
- Atticus Finch”
The character of Atticus was best as a father and also in the society, his excellent ways of upbringing their children, always helpful to everyone and never being rude.
The story was pretty good but I felt it eloooongated so it was somewhat boooring, but alright Scout & Jem were quite adorable..
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
'To Kill a Mockingbird' is a sweet family tale whose message rolls on human equality.Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity.
There are lots of different types of people in our environment and as a social being humans needs each other so they should respect everyone,
described in the tale as a metaphor - "Shoot all the blue jays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird."
Boo Radley being a ridicule at the end proves to be real helpful and sweet just want to be left alone.
“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.
- Atticus Finch”
The character of Atticus was best as a father and also in the society, his excellent ways of upbringing their children, always helpful to everyone and never being rude.
The story was pretty good but I felt it eloooongated so it was somewhat boooring, but alright Scout & Jem were quite adorable..
“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”
The Bed Of Procrustes: Philosophical And Practical Aphorisms by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
4.0
This was a book having a Postface instead of a Preface.. A beautiful book full of Philosophical and Practical Aphorisms.
The story of 'The Bed of Procrustes' (a Greek myth) is metaphorized in every aphorism in this book.
We humans, facing limits of knowledge, and things do not observe, the unseen and the unknown, resolve the tension by squeezing life and the world into crisp commoditized ideas, reductive categories, specific vocabularies, and prepackaged narratives, which, on the occasion, has explosive consequences.
Our minds are not good at handling non-anecdotal and tend to be swayed by vivid imagery, making the media distort our view of the world.
The book was different and great as the Aphorisms are one of the earliest literary forms, there were various various philosophies of Taleb's own and various others so there was some controversial parts.. but it's OK.
I recommend it.
The story of 'The Bed of Procrustes' (a Greek myth) is metaphorized in every aphorism in this book.
We humans, facing limits of knowledge, and things do not observe, the unseen and the unknown, resolve the tension by squeezing life and the world into crisp commoditized ideas, reductive categories, specific vocabularies, and prepackaged narratives, which, on the occasion, has explosive consequences.
Our minds are not good at handling non-anecdotal and tend to be swayed by vivid imagery, making the media distort our view of the world.
The book was different and great as the Aphorisms are one of the earliest literary forms, there were various various philosophies of Taleb's own and various others so there was some controversial parts.. but it's OK.
I recommend it.
Red Dragon by Thomas Harris
4.0
“He’s a monster. I think of him as one of those pitiful things that are born in hospitals from time to time.
They feed it, and keep it warm, but they don’t put it on the machines and it dies."
When it comes to Hannibal, my excitement rose when I saw the the 5 oscar winning 'The Silence of the Lambs' with an overwhelming performance of Anthony Hopkins as Dr.Hannibal Lecter.
All the works of Thomas Harris and the movies had made Hannibal a top pop-culture Villain. Thomas has quite a skill to blend horror in a classic mystery thriller.
Coming to characters: Will Graham was a damaged as once gutted by Dr.Lecter but certainly makes up his mind to catch the deranged serial killer 'Tooth Fairy' driven to save lives.
He has quite a vivid imagination to reconstruct the homicides in his mind, with this gift he is also cursed with an intrinsic fear.
By understanding their madness, Will can find the logic in their thinking, and it’s following that internal logic that allows Will to find the evidence they need.
He seeks the help of Hannibal behind the bars in catching the Red Dragon.
Hannibal not much shown in the book, was a powerful character,the manipulator, the most intelligent that no one can pick his brain, so monstrous but still so formal and classy in speech and acts.
The Red Dragon(i.e. Tooth Fairy) is so much creepy and tragic villain of this book who is rejected by her mother as being a deformed bastard and was raised by her granny on the sole purpose of revenge.
Which leds to much rip-offs.
The good part of the book was it's pretty realistic on how the Investigators solves the case which makes it pretty classic but it was a quite long read and I felt it elongated.
Overall, Hannibal is one my most favourite Villain I admire his style, dialogues, acts and class. I have also started watching the TV series by Bryan Fuller which is wonderful due to it's fascinating visuals, it's so artistic that almost feels like a poet!
Looking forward to 2nd and 3rd part.
They feed it, and keep it warm, but they don’t put it on the machines and it dies."
When it comes to Hannibal, my excitement rose when I saw the the 5 oscar winning 'The Silence of the Lambs' with an overwhelming performance of Anthony Hopkins as Dr.Hannibal Lecter.
All the works of Thomas Harris and the movies had made Hannibal a top pop-culture Villain. Thomas has quite a skill to blend horror in a classic mystery thriller.
Coming to characters: Will Graham was a damaged as once gutted by Dr.Lecter but certainly makes up his mind to catch the deranged serial killer 'Tooth Fairy' driven to save lives.
He has quite a vivid imagination to reconstruct the homicides in his mind, with this gift he is also cursed with an intrinsic fear.
By understanding their madness, Will can find the logic in their thinking, and it’s following that internal logic that allows Will to find the evidence they need.
He seeks the help of Hannibal behind the bars in catching the Red Dragon.
Hannibal not much shown in the book, was a powerful character,the manipulator, the most intelligent that no one can pick his brain, so monstrous but still so formal and classy in speech and acts.
The Red Dragon(i.e. Tooth Fairy) is so much creepy and tragic villain of this book who is rejected by her mother as being a deformed bastard and was raised by her granny on the sole purpose of revenge.
Which leds to much rip-offs.
The good part of the book was it's pretty realistic on how the Investigators solves the case which makes it pretty classic but it was a quite long read and I felt it elongated.
Overall, Hannibal is one my most favourite Villain I admire his style, dialogues, acts and class. I have also started watching the TV series by Bryan Fuller which is wonderful due to it's fascinating visuals, it's so artistic that almost feels like a poet!
Looking forward to 2nd and 3rd part.
Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse
5.0
First of all I really appreciate Hermann Hesse such a great poet & a magnificent Philosopher he dared & made a fascinating fiction of Buddhist mythology. I really enjoyed it's poetic style & would say it was the best of narration.
It is the essence of Buddhist philosophy of emptiness that knowledge can be shared but no wisdom it must be felt individually.Here Siddhartha (i.e. 'master of worldly senses' the meaning of the name) dejectes the act of learning as a disciple & moves forward alone in the search.He experiences all the worldly pleasure and then dejects them as the feelings of only momentarily pleasures & distancing one from the true happiness. The Truth, the wisdom lies itself in the very nature one has to feel it..Every mystery lies in our environment. And every being even things have a purpose & a roll to play. Everything is interlinked & can be understood by their relationships.
Siddhartha learned many things from many people in his life but made contradictions & then left it..that damage was an experience to him making him more wiser thus everything whether good or bad we say are the part of the cycle that runs the world...many things replace one another but they are most important in it & there isn't any other way..
The concept of time is contradicted..
And Nothing is Good Nothing is Bad, these are Relative...
It is the essence of Buddhist philosophy of emptiness that knowledge can be shared but no wisdom it must be felt individually.Here Siddhartha (i.e. 'master of worldly senses' the meaning of the name) dejectes the act of learning as a disciple & moves forward alone in the search.He experiences all the worldly pleasure and then dejects them as the feelings of only momentarily pleasures & distancing one from the true happiness. The Truth, the wisdom lies itself in the very nature one has to feel it..Every mystery lies in our environment. And every being even things have a purpose & a roll to play. Everything is interlinked & can be understood by their relationships.
Siddhartha learned many things from many people in his life but made contradictions & then left it..that damage was an experience to him making him more wiser thus everything whether good or bad we say are the part of the cycle that runs the world...many things replace one another but they are most important in it & there isn't any other way..
The concept of time is contradicted..
And Nothing is Good Nothing is Bad, these are Relative...
The Egg by Andy Weir
4.0
Quite a thought on Existentialism.
My first thoughts are Rationalism which is explained deeper in 'The Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kant.
“Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”.
A Theory can be predicted from this short story is that the world described as a school to become mature or spiritually wise and one won't pass out with bad grades. That's so perspective :D
Being a staunch supporter of Krishna consciousness and his theory of Karma, I believe that Krishna being the supreme personality of Godhead is a manifestation of Super Soul with which every individual soul is connected with certain divine 'nadis' in our body. So the almighty is a true lover, it has a feeling of love with every soul and thus everybody be it any type monster, diablo or a saintly person. So sending souls to 'Hell' is actually a great feeling of love because it is a place to eliminate all the evility and impureness in one and thus no soul is permanently in Inferno, it's there for a time being (It's just a thought! coz that surpasses the concept of time itself! ;) ).
Similarly souls reincarnate on Planets as bodies to repeat their courses to improve grades for the entry in Paradise.
So all the things happening to us are the Best to us. :)
My first thoughts are Rationalism which is explained deeper in 'The Critique of Pure Reason' by Immanuel Kant.
“Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”.
A Theory can be predicted from this short story is that the world described as a school to become mature or spiritually wise and one won't pass out with bad grades. That's so perspective :D
Being a staunch supporter of Krishna consciousness and his theory of Karma, I believe that Krishna being the supreme personality of Godhead is a manifestation of Super Soul with which every individual soul is connected with certain divine 'nadis' in our body. So the almighty is a true lover, it has a feeling of love with every soul and thus everybody be it any type monster, diablo or a saintly person. So sending souls to 'Hell' is actually a great feeling of love because it is a place to eliminate all the evility and impureness in one and thus no soul is permanently in Inferno, it's there for a time being (It's just a thought! coz that surpasses the concept of time itself! ;) ).
Similarly souls reincarnate on Planets as bodies to repeat their courses to improve grades for the entry in Paradise.
So all the things happening to us are the Best to us. :)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin
4.0
4.5 stars
I am a big fan of GRRM, as well as everyone reading this review is ;)
I haven't read the Song of Ice n Fire books but have watched GoT and it's my most favourite show.
Now coming to this book, this wasn't as fascinating as SoInF, nor much tragic; but still It was so good. This book is actually the merged version of three novellas -
1)The Hedge Knight 2)The Sworn Sword and 3)The Mystery Knight, the best one I felt is the 3rd as there's a big plot twist in it (Spoiler! ehaa).
The reason I read this book instead of the novellas is ofcourse the beautiful Illustrations by Gary Gianni.
The story is centralised on Ser Duncan the Hedge Knight (future Kingsguard) and Aegon Targaryen (future King) and their adventures across the realm.
Aegon (the Egg) is actually 8 years old and the squire of Dunk in it, he is trained by Dunk to learn all the lessons of life in their journey as a boy.
Ser Duncan is brave and loyal, thick as a Castle Wall and the tallest. The series consists of the journey of Aegon from Egg to the King and of Duncan from Hedge Knight to Kingsguard.
Along with it various historical events of Westeros are expressed such as 'the Blackfyre Rebellion' that includes lot of Houses and a large cast of characters.
I recommend it to every GRRM fan.
I am a big fan of GRRM, as well as everyone reading this review is ;)
I haven't read the Song of Ice n Fire books but have watched GoT and it's my most favourite show.
Now coming to this book, this wasn't as fascinating as SoInF, nor much tragic; but still It was so good. This book is actually the merged version of three novellas -
1)The Hedge Knight 2)The Sworn Sword and 3)The Mystery Knight, the best one I felt is the 3rd as there's a big plot twist in it (Spoiler! ehaa).
The reason I read this book instead of the novellas is ofcourse the beautiful Illustrations by Gary Gianni.
The story is centralised on Ser Duncan the Hedge Knight (future Kingsguard) and Aegon Targaryen (future King) and their adventures across the realm.
Aegon (the Egg) is actually 8 years old and the squire of Dunk in it, he is trained by Dunk to learn all the lessons of life in their journey as a boy.
Ser Duncan is brave and loyal, thick as a Castle Wall and the tallest. The series consists of the journey of Aegon from Egg to the King and of Duncan from Hedge Knight to Kingsguard.
Along with it various historical events of Westeros are expressed such as 'the Blackfyre Rebellion' that includes lot of Houses and a large cast of characters.
I recommend it to every GRRM fan.