STARRING: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Devoted patriot Steve Rogers is given the opportunity to serve his country as the first of a league of super soldiers.

PROS: Excellent throwback to the 1940s, exciting action sequences, patriotic, Chris Evans' performance.

CONS: Somewhat fake sci-fi sequences, villain not fully developed, several undeveloped portions of the plot.

BOTTOM LINE: It's not perfect, but Captain America is fun and full of good times.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/captainamerica.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/captainamerica.php Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:00:00 MDT DIRECTED BY: Matthew Vaughn

STARRING: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: With the emergence of Mutants, Charles Xavier puts together a special team to end the tension between mutants and humans and end mutant aggression.

PROS: Highly entertaining, well played themes of racism and discrimintation, multiple comic references to other X-Men movies.

CONS: Moves perhaps a little too fast.

BOTTOM LINE: X-Men: First Class is perhaps the best X-Men film to be released to date.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/xmenfirstclass.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/xmenfirstclass.php Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Rand al'Thor continues alone, drawn to the one place that will prove that he really is the Dragon Reborn.

PROS: A good stopping point for those not willing to continue the series, further development of cultures, a continued build up of threat.

CONS: Marginal development of the main character, plot seems forced, some character plot-lines contain no action.

BOTTOM LINE: It's not my favorite book, but it makes a good end to one storyline and a beginning to several more.

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STARRING: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The forces of good and evil, led by Harry Potter and Voldemort, face off once and for all in this final installment of the eight-film saga.

PROS: Alan Rickman's performance, great visuals, impressive set pieces, overall a mostly satisfying conclusion to the saga.

CONS: overly emphasized action, not as emotionally compelling as it should have been.

BOTTOM LINE: it's sure good entertainment, and it will please fans of the book series, but it's still a flawed film with less emotional death than it should have had.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/harrypotter7part2.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/harrypotter7part2.php Sat, 11 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Follows the dairy of Georgia, a teenage girl dealing with the totally horrid problems of parents, boys, and...well just read it, it's good!

PROS: Very good characterization and voice; extremely hilarious and identifiable (for women)

CONS: The plot doesn't go anywhere; Feels repetitive after a while.

BOTTOM LINE: Although the voice is great and the humor rib-cracking hilarious, I'm not sure I could endure 10 of these books. What would they talk about?

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PROS: Intriguing original idea with much thought put into its development; Excellent characters and plot development.

CONS: The plot seems to focus too much on the development of the idea and less on the progression of the story.

BOTTOM LINE: Though not entirely perfect, this book is worth reading and study because of its originality and development.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A group of boys stranded on a deserted island descend into primal savagry.

PROS: Amazingly thoughtful ideas and psychology; Interesting theoretical situations. Duystopia at it's best.

CONS: A bit dark and gruesome;

BOTTOM LINE: Though some may not like this book for its content this is one of the greatest books of the 20th century, primarily because of the ideas and the way it makes you think.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A non-fiction account of Charles Darwin and his relationship with his wife Emma.

PROS: Well written for younger audiences; an interesting take on the controversy surrounding Charles Darwin.

CONS: A lack of drive;

BOTTOM LINE: Very few books will have this unique take on the story of Charles Darwin and the controversy surrounding his theories.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A non-fiction account of the voyage of Ernest Shackleton and the stunning survival story in the Antarctic.

PROS: Very engaging, a page-turner; Easily read by younger audiences; Educational; Pictures.

CONS: Perhaps more background information.

BOTTOM LINE: This is perhaps the most perfect showcase of how to write an engaging non-fiction book.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Young Jim Hawkins is led into situations that are the dreams of every young boy: ships, pirates, treasure hunting, etc.

PROS: Excellent characters; Well played to young readers.

CONS: Perhaps a bit wordy.

BOTTOM LINE: Though a bit old, this classic young adult book will still appeal to young readers today as it did in Stevenson's time.

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This walk was nice though somewhat uneventful leading past a mixture of comercial and residential districts. In London a residential area is just a string of Georgian-like architecture repeating over and over again. It is interesting to see the more quiet aspects of the city. Obviously our capital city will have residential areas, but the question is: is the city too populated or is there a lot of room. I like to think the latter, primarily because of the control-happy government who doesn't want too many people overrunning the city. Plus it's a medieval time period which means that population hasn't become a big problem and farms are still the primary location for residential housing. ]]> http://storyhobby.com/storytelling/inspirationwalks.php http://storyhobby.com/storytelling/inspirationwalks.php Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST

The interesting thing about this walk is that it takes you through the entertainment districts of London. The type of entertainment ranged from theater to shall we say, less than wholesome entertainment. So this got me thinking about what kind of entertainment people would appreciate in the Ages of Myth. Since the government will probably be the controlling type, the entertainment will probably be controlled as well resulting in "preachy" theatrical performances. A good example would be the medieval play Everyman which is an allegorical play used in small villages to teach the people to "be good." Other forms of entertainment would definitely be used as well, but most formal entertainment would be controlled by the government. ]]> http://storyhobby.com/storytelling/inspirationwalks.php http://storyhobby.com/storytelling/inspirationwalks.php Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST

I had the fortune of doing this walk in the rain. The walk starts near the Tower of London, moves through the financial center of London in a circle. This walk got me thinking about a few things completely unrelated to the walk itself. The weather made me start thinking about the weather in the capital city of Ages of Myth. I thought a perfect climate, a cold one, or a hot one, were overused and a big cliche, so I decided instead to go for something a little different, perhaps a windy environment where the wind blows constantly in one direction. This opens up a lot of possibilities in geography and culture which will be discussed later. ]]> http://storyhobby.com/storytelling/inspirationwalks.php http://storyhobby.com/storytelling/inspirationwalks.php Thurs, 9 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Follows the life of Lady Jane Grey as she inherits the throne for only nine days.

PROS: Historically accurate; Easily read by a younger audience.

CONS: A modern voice; Not enough details; A lack of connection to the main character.

BOTTOM LINE: Though it is an interesting read and suitable for young audiences it doesn't quite live up to the serious topic of Lady Jane's reign.

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Escapism can work together with reality to create a morally uplifting story. For example, Beowulf seems to go to great lengths to improve the reality of the story, despite the fantasy elements. This includes the descriptions, often extensive and detailed, which makes the story more realistic. And yet Beowulf is able to discard all of these things in order to defeat Grendel, something that does not seem humanly possible. This is an example of escapism and reality working together.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Rand al'Thor now knows he is different, and that he is a danger to his friends. However, after a Trolloc attack he is forced to go on another quest to save his friends.

PROS: Progressive unfolding of the Wheel of Time mythos; excellent development of cultures; believable characters; one of the best endings in the series.

CONS: The plot starts to get disjointed and complex.

BOTTOM LINE: If not the best book in the series, The Great Hunt is certainly close.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Rand al'Thor and his friends are caught up in events that lead them away from the comfort of their home, into the open world where many seek to destroy them.

PROS: A brilliantly fabricated tale demonstrating exceptional use of fantasy sub-creation, character development, plot progression, suspense, action, and mythos.

CONS: At this point in the series I have none.

BOTTOM LINE: This is the book that started it all. It is a classic fantasy tale for any fan or student of fantasy.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: 20 years before the events of The Eye of the World Moiraine and Siuan begin their quest to find the Dragon Reborn.

PROS: Insightful take on the events leading to the Wheel of Time series; The characters remain believable as always; Interesting background; Short.

CONS: The plot does not seem to go anywhere for a long time; The focus of the book is centered on Moiraine for almost the entire plot; A lack of suspense and action.

BOTTOM LINE: Fans of the Wheel of Time series will appreciate Robert Jordan's New Spring, but those interested in a good stand-alone novel will likely be disappointed.

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DEVELOPED BY: BioWare

PUBLISHED BY: Electronic Arts

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A mysterious race at the edges of the galaxy are linked with the disappearance of whole colonies, and it's up to Commander Shepard to stop them.

PROS: Improvements made on nearly every negative aspect of the first game; Gameplay a perfect hybrid of RPG and FPS; Amazing story; Excellent final boss fight.

CONS: Some complicated elements of the first game were simplified too much.

BOTTOM LINE: Mass Effect 2 comes close to being the best RPG I have ever played.

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This is where it all starts. You won't go anywhere until you have an idea. Ideas can come from literally anywhere, so I won't elaborate too much on how to come up with a good idea. Just be observant, use you're own experience, look at headlines, combine those ideas, etc. There is no set way to get an idea. I do, however, highly recommend that you write all of your ideas somewhere, even the bad ones.

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DIRECTED BY: Joseph Kosinski

STARRING: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Sam Flynn is drawn into the world of Tron, to find his long lost father.

PROS: Amazing visuals; Intriguing story concept; An exciting return of the franchise; Great soundtrack.

CONS: The ending totally ruins everything.

BOTTOM LINE: While it is a powerful reboot of franchise, Tron Legacy does not end with the same genius as the rest of the film.

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In addition we've also included a section on Tolkien and two more sections currently under development: "Storytelling," and "Speculation" both of which are explained in the link.

DIRECTED BY: David Carson

STARRING: Patrick Stewart, William Shatner, Malcolm McDowell

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The two captains are thrown together to stop an entire civilization from being destroyed.

PROS: More personal than past films; Picard AND Kirk; Good plot line; Excellent acting.

CONS: Not an action film; Feels like an extended episode of The Next Generation

BOTTOM LINE: Generations brilliantly hands the baton to the Next Generation, it may possibly be the best of the Next Generation films.

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CREATED BY: Gene Roddenberry

PRODUCED: Gene Roddenberry

STARRING: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: "Space. The Final Frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. It's continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations...to boldly go where no one has gone before."

PROS: Excellent choice of characters and actors; Stories are well-thought out; Some major improvements from the Original Series in the budget and design.

CONS: Some writing a little cliche; it gets a little predictable by the end.

BOTTOM LINE: The Next Generation is another genius creation to come out of the mind of Gene Roddenberry

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DIRECTED BY: Nicholas Meyer

STARRING: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Kirk and McCoy are arrested during peace talks with the Klingons for murdering the Klingon ambassador.

PROS: The story provides a fitting end to the original series; The action is better than it has been in past films; the Shakespearean edge to the antagonism is a nice touch.

CONS: Some moments seem melodramatic; a ship that can fire while cloaked?

BOTTOM LINE: The Undiscovered Country is definitely one of the best Star Trek films and a satisfying conclusion to the original crew that we have come to love.

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DIRECTED BY: William Shatner

STARRING: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The Enterprise is captured by Spock's half-brother and taken to the center of the galaxy.

PROS: The story concept is intriguing; The relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy is well played; stunning musical score.

CONS: The story is not well executed; The antagonism is weak at best.

BOTTOM LINE: The story has great potential, but very little of that potential was reached.

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DIRECTED BY: Leonard Nimoy

STARRING: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Another unidentified object approaches earth. As it vaporizes Earth's oceans, only Kirk and his crew are in any position to stop it.

PROS: Much funnier than previous films; Time travel concept well executed.

CONS: Perhaps a little too ridiculous at times;

BOTTOM LINE: Some fans go for the Shakespearean epic feel of Star Trek films like Wrath of Kahn and The Undiscovered Country, but for fans of a comical lighthearted film, The Voyage Home will always be their favorite.

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DIRECTED BY: Leonard Nimoy

STARRING: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Kirk finds out that it may be possible to bring his friend Spock back to life.

PROS: Great antagonism; Innovative storyline; Well established characters.

CONS: Christopher Lloyd?; Lack of action; Some characters remain annoying (Dr. Marcus)

BOTTOM LINE: While the film can appear a little slow at first, The Search for Spock is one of the classics of the Star Trek films.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The last remaining group of human civilization, hidden for 500 years from the outside world, is finally being forced to accept that their protective walls are fading.

PROS: Easy-going style; Quick read.

CONS: Not nearly long enough; Predictable; It doesn't give you a break.

BOTTOM LINE: Bearers of the Black Staff is definitely not one of Terry Brooks' best.

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DIRECTED BY: Michael Apted

STARRING: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Will Poulter, Ben Barnes, Liam Neeson.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Lucy, Edmund, and their cousin Eustace are pulled into Narnia to accompany Prince Caspian on his voyage aboard the Dawn Treader.

PROS: Excellent adaptation of the book; Wittingly fun and magical.

CONS: Rather episodic; Motives could have been higher.

BOTTOM LINE: Whether you're a fan of the book or not, Voyage of the Dawn Treader will light up your imagination.

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DEVELOPED BY: BioWare

PUBLISHED BY: Microsoft Games

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Commander Shepard becomes the first human Spectre in order to uncover a plot against the allied races.

PROS: Excellent story and world-building; Gameplay innovative for an RPG; Large amount of content with many places to visit.

CONS: Some areas feel too simple; The menu system is awkward and requires a steep learning curve.

BOTTOM LINE: Mass Effect marks the start of what will certainly be yet another successful video game franchise, and with good cause.

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DEVELOPED BY: Lion Head Studio

PUBLISHED BY: Microsoft Games

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: After the murder of your sister, you grow under the tutelage of gypsies to become something Albion hasn't seen in a long time, a hero.

PROS: Some major improvements on the first game; Fantasy world is rich and immersive; Engaging gameplay; Beautiful artistic design.

CONS: Armour could be better; A number of world-building elements could be improved. The story is a bit weak

BOTTOM LINE: Fable 2 does have its problems, however this game has certainly evolved for the better since its predecessor.

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DEVELOPED BY: Rocksteady Studios

PUBLISHED BY: Eidos Interactive

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: All of the inmates of Arkham Asylum are set free and it is up to Batman to set things right.

PROS: Very fun gameplay; A lot of bosses; Made as an original game, not as a movie spin-off; doesn't get repetitive (I could go on).

CONS: Use of the detective vision dominates gameplay;

BOTTOM LINE: Batman: Arkham Asylum is perhaps the best superhero game to ever sit on store shelves.

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DEVELOPED BY: Epic Games

PUBLISHED BY: Microsoft Games

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The fight against the Locust continues, and the humans have been driven back to their last remaining stronghold.

PROS: The story was improved; There is more variety to the environments; Same engaging gameplay; The swearing and blood can be switched off.

CONS: Very little difference from first game.

BOTTOM LINE: Gears of War 2 is a decent sequel to the first game, though it isn't much different.

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DEVELOPED BY: Epic Games

PUBLISHED BY: Microsoft Games

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: In the future, a group of creatures from underground have begun invading the surface.

PROS: Story is well told, though not exactly original; Engaging combat and gameplay; Very nice graphics.

CONS: Some gameplay elements a little awkward; A bit repetitive and monotone.

BOTTOM LINE: Gears of War is an excellent start to another successful video game franchise.

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DIRECTED BY: Christopher Nolan

STARRING: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A group of dream extractors are hired to do something impossible, inception.

PROS: Extremely complex and well thought out concept; Believable; Good Music; Brilliant editing; Fun designs and choreography.

CONS: A few inconsistencies; Can be a bit confusing the first time through.

BOTTOM LINE: Inception is perhaps one of the most original films to be released in many years.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Vladek, a survivor of the Holocaust tells his story to his son Arty.

Maus is indeed a classic in literature. When this graphic novel received a Pulitzer prize in 1992, it was considered controversial due to the fact that it was a comic book, generally considered juvenile. However, Maus only goes to show that a comic book can be just as important to the literary world as any other form of literature.

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DEVELOPED BY: Ubisoft

PUBLISHED BY: Ubisoft

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Desmond continues his explorations into his ancestor's past, this time with a young Italian assassin, Enzio.

PROS: Same engaging gameplay; Same intricate environments; Major improvements on almost every flaw of the first game.

CONS: Combat hasn't changed much; Unnecessary language.

BOTTOM LINE: Assassin's Creed 2 is simply a huge improvement on the first game in every way.

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DIRECTED BY: Nicholas Meyer

STARRING: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Ricardo Montalban

PROS: Excellent writing and directing. Ricardo Montalban. Redemption from the previous film, Star Trek The Motion Picture. Stunning musical score (for the 80's).

CONS: Shatner's shining moment..."KHAAAAN!" (or is that a pro?), David Marcus (Just plain annoying. Shoo.).

BOTTOM LINE: A well-made film that captures the dynamic essence of the Original Series and takes it to an all new level at the same time. In addition, it sets the stage beautfully for the five sequels that follow. It remains to this day one of the most acclaimed of the Trek movies, by critics and fans alike.

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DIRECTED BY: Robert Wise

STARRING: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: An unknown entity approaches earth with unknown intentions. Only Admiral Kirk and his crew are in a position to stop them.

PROS: Sleek sci-fi design and artwork; Good story concept.

CONS: Very slow; Overly excessive use of soon to be outdated visual effects; Really strange ending.

BOTTOM LINE: While deeply flawed, this film has one very large redeeming quality: it got the Star Trek franchise started again.

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DEVELOPED BY: Ubisoft

PUBLISHED BY: Ubisoft

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: An Assassin is stripped of his rank due to past grievances against the Assassin's Creed and forced to atone for his actions.

PROS: Extremely engaging gameplay; Well-built environments; Interesting story.

CONS: Rather repetitive; Combat a little awkward; Story sometimes hard to follow.

BOTTOM LINE: Although it has several flaws Assassin's Creed contains plenty of fun for gamers.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Paul's twin children are destined to be in very powerful positions, and some do not like this.

PROS: Idea original and unique even in the Dune franchise; Completely alien yet believable plot; Story is enjoyable while still maintaining its characteristic ideology.

CONS: Characters not as likeable or believable; The story is drawn out, with a lot of unnecessary content.

BOTTOM LINE: The story though original and exciting, is stunted by the way it is told.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/childrenofdune.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/childrenofdune.php Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Paul, after several years of rule, must deal with the drawbacks of being a galactic emperor.

PROS: Character development is excellent; A sophisticated and deep ideology; Not overly long.

CONS: Very little actually happens; Can get a little boring.

BOTTOM LINE: While the story can seem a bit stretched at times, Dune: Messiah is a fitting sequel to the epic science fiction, Dune.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/dunemessiah.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/dunemessiah.php Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:00:00 MDT

DIRECTED BY: David Yates

STARRING: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Voldemort takes control of the Ministry, and Harry must remain hidden while at the same time continuing his quest to finish Voldemort for good.

PROS: Remains faithfully true to the book; Stunning visuals; Dark and emotional.

CONS: Quite slow; Neglect of certain important elements.

BOTTOM LINE: A few flaws don't keep this film from being perhaps the best Harry Potter film yet.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/harrypotter7.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/harrypotter7.php Wed, 6 Oct 2010 09:00:00 MDT

DIRECTED BY: Zhang Yimou

STARRING: Gong Li

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A young school-girl is married to a rich master as his fourth mistress. Competition between her and the other three mistresses becomes ripe as each seeks the attention of the master.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/raisetheredlantern.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/film/raisetheredlantern.php Tue, 5 Oct 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The boy Paul Atreides, heir to House Atreides, finds himself stranded on a desert planet. He must use what resources he has to take back his kingdom and restore order to the planet.

PROS: Rich world building and attention to detail; Deep philosophical and theological themes; Compelling characters;

CONS: Many elements unreal; Bleak outlook on life;

BOTTOM LINE: Though sometimes a bit harsh and depressing, Dune holds everything that a classic book should have, a rich world, compelling characters, and a deep cultural background.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/dune.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/dune.php Mon, 4 Oct 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Harry and his friends set out on their quest to destroy the remaining Horcruxes and trigger Lord Voldemort's defeat.

As the climax of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows delves into new territory for J. K. Rowling. Unlike its predecessors the book does not take place primarily at Hogwarts but is instead driven by a linear narrative, similar to many other fantasy novels. In some areas it appears a bit slow, but since this is J. K. Rowling's first attempt at writing in this style it is understandable.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/harrypotter7.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/harrypotter7.php Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:00:00 MDT

DEVELOPED BY: Bungie

PUBLISHED BY: Microsoft Games

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The Covenant converges on humans at the planet Reach, in a devastating attack.

PROS: Impressive artwork; No Flood; Several Improvements in Gameplay and Multiplayer; Customization.

CONS: Too few levels;

BOTTOM LINE: How to end a series, where it all began. Bungie sure gave it's series a respectable departure into history.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/videogames/haloreach.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/videogames/haloreach.php Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Harry begins to learn what he must do to defeat Voldemort.

Out of all the Harry Potter books, The Half-Blood Prince is probably the most personal of all. We begin to really understand the character of Voldemort as well as Dumbledore. The book is filled with new information that we've been waiting for since the beginning.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/harrypotter6.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/harrypotter6.php Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Harry and Dumbledore try to convince the Ministry of Magic that Lord Voldemort has returned and that he is waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.

I'm not sure which Harry Potter book is my favorite but if I were forced to pick one I might pick Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The progression of the story as well as the excitement and extremely satisfying moments reach a pinnacle with this book.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A king when faced with death asks his wife, Alcestis, to die in his stead.

Euripides's Alcestis is a Greek Tragedy involving a king named Admetus who is given the chance, on the day of his death, to ask someone else to die in his stead. When the day comes he asks his father who refuses causing Admetus to turn to his wife, Alcestis, who agrees to die for him. The play then acts out his grief and his coming to terms with his own cowardice.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Harry is caught up in an international competition against two other schools, a competition he did not choose to participate in. Someone else chose for him.

As the fourth installment in the Harry Potter series, The Goblet of Fire is like the rest of the books, excellent. I would probably say that the majority of readers were starting to wonder when the action was going to pick up by the end of the third book. When would Voldemort return? And we got our answer.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Harry Potter learns more of his parent's past, and he learns that a murderer and loyal follower of Lord Voldemort has escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban to kill Harry.

Once again J. K. Rowling enfolds us in her wonderful world of wizardry. The Prisoner of Azkaban is decidedly more personal than the previous books. The only complaint I have is that there was not enough of Voldemort. Even though the Dark Lord is not the focus of this book it might have been nice to have a brief appearance reminding us that he is still out there.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts for his second year of school only to find that things are not as they should be and some monster hidden somewhere in the castle is attacking students.

As I've said before, the Harry Potter series is different than any other fantasy series I've ever read. Therefore I am omitting the pros and cons in this review because the only con I can think of is that the book is perhaps a little too simple which is really what the author intended. However, it is not too simple as to take away from the rest of us who have grown out of childhood.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A young orphan boy despised by his Aunt and Uncle suddenly discovers that he is a wizard.

I've left out the pros and cons of the Harry Potter series because, it is obvious that whether there are any negative aspects to the series at all, the majority of society doesn't care. J. K. Rowling is officially the richest author in the world, and so this review and those of the other six books are more of a tribute than a review.

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BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The Gypsy Morph known as the boy Hawk must finally fulfill the purpose of his existence and save humanity from total destruction.

PROS: A satisfying end to the world; Characters develop most in this book; A villain who has lasted since Angel Fire East, is finally confronted.

CONS: The story seems drawn out; Many parts are unoriginal.

BOTTOM LINE: While somewhat slow and drawn out, The Gypsy Morph provides a good ending to an excellent trilogy.

BOTTOM LINE: A thrilling sequel to Armageddon's Children, The Elves of Cintra brings us back to the world of Shannara with further development of Elves, Elfstones, and Magic.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/thegypsymorph.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/thegypsymorph.php Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The last remaining hope of the preservation of this world lies with a small handful of figures including a boy, a young elf, and their protectors the Knights of the Word.

PROS: Enjoyably easy to finish; More of the Shannara mystique is revealed; Plenty of opposition to overcome.

CONS: Ending a bit cliche; Largely unoriginal.

BOTTOM LINE: A thrilling sequel to Armageddon's Children, The Elves of Cintra brings us back to the world of Shannara with further development of Elves, Elfstones, and Magic.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/theelvesofcintra.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/theelvesofcintra.php Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: In a post-apocalyptic world plagued by Demons and once-men, Logan Tom is given the task to find humanity's only hope for survival.

PROS: Easy and quick to read; excellent transition from the Word and the Void to Shannara; Well achieved blend of a post-apocalyptic novel with fantasy. Large ensemble of unique characters.

CONS: A terrible cliffhanger; Not enough contact with antagonists.

BOTTOM LINE: Possibly one of Terry Brooks' best in recent years, Armageddon's Children is a brilliant transition between two epic worlds in the Terry Brooks universe.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/armageddonschildren.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/armageddonschildren.php Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A rare powerful magic is revealed, a magic that can be used either for good or evil. Can John Ross and Nest Freemark protect it from all who would use the magic for evil.

PROS: Easy and quick to read; Characters more convincing than in previous books; Villains are very villainous; Suspenseful;

CONS: Very little action until the end; A number of questions remain unanswered.

BOTTOM LINE: A thrilling climax to the Word and the Void trilogy, Angel Fire East corrects a number of problems in the first two books, while providing a splendid new story with John Ross and Nest Freemark.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/angelfireeast.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/angelfireeast.php Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: John Ross denies his power and tries to live a normal life, a dream so close yet so far.

PROS: Drags you through the pages; More personal than previous book.

CONS: Characters depressing in their abnormal lives; Motivation of the book not good enough.

BOTTOM LINE: While not as good as its predecessor, A Knight of the Word does deepen the readers relationship with the characters and is an essential part of the Word and the Void Trilogy.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/aknightoftheword.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/aknightoftheword.php Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A young teenager, Nest Freemark, must learn to cope with her own insecurities and a mysterious magic, whilst combating Demons and dark creatures in Hopewell, Illinois.

PROS: Original; The Antagonist is powerful and deadly; Likeable characters.

CONS: Perhaps more detail; Not enough at stake; A slow pace.

BOTTOM LINE: Fans of Terry Brooks, and urban fantasy alike will deem this novel a classic favorite.

Read More... ]]> http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/runningwiththedemon.php http://www.storyhobby.com/reviews/books/runningwiththedemon.php Sat, 21 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT Read More... ]]> http://storyhobby.com/tb-contactus.php http://storyhobby.com/tb-contactus.php Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 MDT We are pleased to announce the official launch of StoryHobby.com, a website dedicated to the continued critique and education of storytelling. Currently, we focus on reviews, however the future will expand the site and it will be much more than a review website. To start out we've posted 10 reviews:

• Mistborn (Novel)
• The Well of Ascension (Novel)
• The Hero of Ages (Novel)
• The Last Airbender (Film)
• Avatar (Film)
• The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Film)
• Star Trek (TV Series)
• Enterprise (TV Series)
• Halo 3 (Video Game)
• Halo 3: ODST (Video Game)

Phase 2: In the second phase we will begin providing quality education in the realm of storytelling. This will include basic instruction on how to write a short story, build a world, make a short film, comic book, or audio drama. As an example we will have an original story used to demonstrate each principle.

Phase 3: The third phase will expand the site to include news posts regarding different storytelling mediums. We will also be starting a podcast at the same time.

Phase 4: Once the website has built up enough of a following we will move on to phase four. This will include a forum for those who wish to sign in and discuss certain topics. Also we will begin to create original stories and post them on the site. In the spirit of Wikipedia anyone will be allowed to edit the story. Thus, as a creative group, all may participate in the formation of the perfect story. This story may then be adapted to different mediums, meaning if someone wants to make a film, comic, video game, or audio drama they may do so and it will be posted here.

Read More... ]]> http://storyhobby.com/tb-aboutus.php http://storyhobby.com/tb-aboutus.php