“The Sting – Part Two” is another straightforward supense episode as Russell and Delondre do their best to swap the New World Historian’s book with copies of Russell’s Journal.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
Fate and free will. Two sides of a coin that has “constantly” flipped throughout the entire series of Lost. At one moment, the series heavily advocates the ideas of destiny while, at others, the notion of personal choice plays a prominent role in deciding events. “The Variable” is the first episode in some time to take such an extended and explicit look at these concepts – and the answers are, unsurprisingly, a bit ambiguous. Even so, the episode is, once again, thoroughly entertaining and engrossing. The character interconnections are even further deepened. And there’s just enough shoot’em-up action to give everything a kick.
Topics: Sci-Fi, TV Reviews
Filed under: Lost | No Comments »
“The Sting” is a straightforward action and suspense episode, detailing the beginning of the confrontation between Russ and the New World Historians.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
“Kaleidoscope” is the kind of story to make you think a bit harder about the individual moments, like tiny rivulets, that blend and mesh and meld together forming a stream of memories, and memories, like tributaries, which gather to form the river of life. This is Ray Bradbury’s haunting and brutally honest tale of what happens when someone knows, with certainty, that they have just hours of life left – and nothing to do in that time but think, and maybe converse with a few acquaintances. What would you say? What would you think? How would you feel?
Most importantly: What meaning is there in such final moments, indeed, in all of the moments of life leading up to the moment of death?
Topics: Literature Reviews, Sci-Fi
Filed under: Ray Bradbury | No Comments »
“On The Record” is an episode that continues the importance of finding a destiny — or at least meaningful purpose in what you do. Aside from that, it sets up what should prove to be a fateful series of events for Russ and the New World Historians.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
Atherton – The House of Power is the first book in a trilogy detailing the perilous and exciting events on the mysterious and wondrous world of Atherton. The story itself is fairly straightforward, following the exploits of the downtrodden boy named Edgar. But the real value and interest in Atherton comes from the explorations readers can make after the fact. Author Patrick Carman uses the internet to provide some background information and insights into Atherton and its creator, Dr. Harding. These additional layers add more texture to the story. And going a bit further, there’s some skillful social and philosophical commentary, as well as several direct connections between Dr. Harding and another famous mad scientist: Dr. Frankenstein.
Not bad for a book aimed for adolescents.
Topics: Book Review, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Filed under: Atherton | No Comments »
“First Edition” establishes the conflict that Russell faces: How do you fight deception? Do you simply stop people from speaking (or in this case distributing) propoganda? The answer is to combat lies with The Truth.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
“Mirror” is a hopelessly awkward and clumsy affair which alternates between whimsy and wimpy, between forceful and farcical. There are a few entertaining and humorous moments, however, pacing doesn’t help the episode and, ultimately, the plot never really builds any sustainable momentum. The result is slightly below average – there are just enough good moments to pull the episode out of the muck, but not enough to make this a truly enjoyable installment.
Topics: Fantasy, TV Reviews
Filed under: Legend of the Seeker | No Comments »
“The Shipment” begins yet another confrontation between Russ and the New World Historians. This time, though, Russell’s intention and prospects seem much clearer. The episode itself does a good job of reconnecting to a familiar theme for Afterworld: finding and choosing your destiny.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
Disneynature’s Earth is, essentially, a “remix” of BBC’s Planet Earth documentary series. But for anyone who might be attracted to the Disney label and the G-rating: Beware. This documentary is, for the most part, an honest and graphic representation of life on earth – and that means the sometimes emotionally wrenching visuals of predators stalking (and killing) their prey. So if you’re expecting an overly Disney-fied documentary, filled from start to finish with “feel good” moments, you will likely be surprised. Put simply: Parents, watch this before taking your children to see it.
Topics: Documentary
Filed under: Planet Earth | No Comments »
“Treasure Island” is an episode that is designed to move the plot forward and position Russell and Delondre for the next phase of the series: a confrontation with the New World Historians.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
“Progress” is an episode that starts with a very typical, predictable story and manages to throw a few gut-wrenching twists into the telling. It’s not a flawless outing, but there are a number of moments which are both memorable and compelling. The subplot is intended to be a lighthearted counterpoint to the tension of the main story, but its rather juvenile approach doesn’t mesh with the rest of the episode and it becomes more of an anchor than providing true balance. Even so, the episode is still a worthwhile installment, filled with enough conflicting situations to stir the heart and the mind.
Filed under: Star Trek | Comments Off
“A Little Help From My Friends” is a fast-moving installment which brings Russ from the Sierra Forest into the heart of San Francisco — a trip that was anything but ordinary.
Topics: Sci-Fi, Web Reviews
Filed under: Afterworld | No Comments »
The History Channel’s latest documentary series, titled Life After People begins with the episode called “The Bodies Left Behind.” The series is an exploration of what will happen to our planet – should the catastrophic happen and we all suddenly disappear a week from next Tuesday. As a concept, it’s thoroughly intriguing (at least to me) and the first episode certainly does a good job of teasing the audience with enough visuals and hypotheticals. But there’s a catch to it all. There’s a new aesthetic to documentaries – one which focuses on flashy transitions and quick-hit facts which tends to emphasize breadth, rather than depth. That is precisely the impact of this episode – which, unfortunately, doesn’t serve the overall concept as well as it might have otherwise.
Topics: Documentary
Filed under: Life After People | No Comments »
Like many worlds, Andira has its own “underworld” — which, at this point, is named the Otherworld. My vision of this place actually came about through a nightmare I had recently. What I’m providing here is, simply, as descriptive a passage as possible about what I saw (and felt) during the dream. It is unlikely that, in the story itself, the Otherworld will be portrayed exactly as it is here. But even so, I thought it would be interesting to share — particularly because the vision is so much darker than much of Andira’s panoramic vistas.
The greasy, slippery seas washed and frothed against The Shores of Despair. The beach (if it could be called that) was comprised of shale — soot-grey rocks with razor edges, slick with oil and decay, which sank with each footstep, filling with water, making the walk along the shore difficult. The shale also bore the impression of much larger footprints, evidence of the twisted and malevolent giants who were the caretakers of this loathsome realm.
The shoreline was littered with carcasses in various states of decay. The foul air was biting and frigid and the stench mingled with the oily fume of the water to make the air nearly un-breathable. Many of these wretched remains belonged to the immense sea snakes which writhed and wriggled in the noxious waters, occasionally venturing close enough to shore to feed by peeling off bits of rotting flesh.
Thrown and piled high upon the shale were formations that, upon first sight, appeared to be large glaciers or blocks of ice. But they were neither ice nor rock, and were more of a leathery and blubbery substance. They were, in fact, the long, slow accumulation of rotting death and decay.
Everywhere, the haunted spirits of the departed filled the mind with their screams of anguish, pain and anger. Their presence was overwhelming and could easily consume one’s soul, leaving yet another carcass to rot on the beach.
Further up the shoreline a black, dying Night-Whale lay gasping its final breaths. Its maw moved slowly and carrion had already begun plundering its still-living body. Nearby, between the immense mounds, bones shot upward from the shale like twisted trees.
The shale and decay, the haunted spirits and the noxious fumes, dominated the shores up to a high cliff from which a plateau jutted outward. The top of the plateau ran about a hundred feet back to sheer cliffs, the Backbone of the World, whose tops ended in obscurity among the clouds. Cracks in the Backbone led, through treacherous passes, to various realms in Andira. It was through these passages that the forsaken traveled and found their final damnation on the Shores of Despair.
Filed under: Dauntlessmedia | Comments Off
Copyright © 2007 - 2010 DauntlessMedia.net | All Rights Reserved
DauntlessMedia.net
is powered by WordPress
Back To Top
Loading ... |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
 |  |  |  | ||
| By N2H | |||||
