Kasper's Ramblings from Kasper Beaumont - Hunters of Reloria

Hunters of Reloria

Movie review: Captain Marvel. The latest Marvel comic hero to score a movie. #superhero #CaptainMarvel

3/17/2019

Hubby and I headed off to the cinema yesterday for the latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Captain Marvel. The opening credits are dedicated to the late Stan Lee, which we thought a fitting and somewhat emotional touch. It is always special to see Stan's cameos in the movies and he will be missed.
Captain Marvel is one that even my comic fan of a husband hasn't read, so it was nice to go into it with no pre-conceived ideas. On a scale of Wonderwoman (my fave super hero movie ) down to Iron Man 2 (one of the worst for me), I would put Captain Marvel somewhere in the middle on the ranking pack.
It sits somewhere for me between the Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy science fantasy realms. It was pretty good, but not amazing.

Are we becoming desensitised to these kind of movies? Quite possibly. Several super hero movies are being released each year to saturate the market. Stay tuned for the Avengers: Endgame next month, followed yet another Spiderman movie due out in July. Seriously, I couldn't even tell you how many Spiderman movies there have been.

Was Captain Marvel made to ride off the coat tails of Wonderwoman (the hugely popular female superhero movie that broke records? Seems too much of a coincidence to say no.

Did I enjoy Captain Marvel? You bet your Nelly I did. She's independent, has to work through some major trust issues with her boss and she has a mysterious past which is uncovered through the course of the movie. I like the space scenes and rubber faces aliens (yeah, one has a cool British accent of course). This is where my Trekkie fangirl side was in heaven. There's plenty to love, including some fight scenes with cool music tracks as homage to Guardians of the Galaxy.

Is Captain Marvel overpowered? Hmm...maybe. We only get a glimpsed of her full powers, but they are pretty awesome.
It will be interesting to see what she gets up to in Avengers: Endgame. I have heard a rumour that she gets Thor, but let's wait and see on that one. Colour scheme-wise, she looks like the perfect partner for Captain America and they're both captains. Back to her with Thor, I quite like Natalie Portman's Jane Foster, so maybe a love triangle could be on the cards. BTW: don't I get my Loki fix in Endgame? He is half the reason I watch these movies. ... But I digress ... Captain Marvel, go and see it for yourself. 4 stars from me.

Time to watch The House With a Clock it its Walls #magic #adventure #movie

9/16/2018

School holidays are on the way here in Australia and that means one thing: Kids' Movies. Some are good, some are bad and many are just OK. Luckily this one we saw today was in the good category.

The Housde With a Clock in its Walls
Big names (and personalities) Jack Black and Cate Blanchett guide budding child star Owen Vaccaro as Lewis in the main role. Lewis's parents are killed in a tragic accident and he goes to live with his Uncle Jonathon (Black) in a spooky haunted house. As the plot progresses, Lewis discovers a world of magic and mysterious creatures, with a clock in the walls counting down to doomsday. The boy uncovers his own magical powers just in time as trouble is brewing.
Owen Vaccaro is a breath of fresh air in the role. While the plot is a little predictable, we all found lots to like and engaged with the 3 main characters. Sunny Suljic as class bully Tarby is also a highlight.

I took Miss 10 and Mr 15 who enjoyed the show and found it very entertaining.
4 and a half stars from the Beaumont clan

Two for the price of one. Meet the Dragon Authors @DragonAuthors #FSFNet #interview

7/14/2017

Always introduced as Erin and Steven, so I'm turning the tables and introducing Steven Brown and Erin Michelle Sky to you. Together this talented writing duo is known as the Dragon Authors and they have popped in to say Hi.
Erin confesses to being a keen fan of llamas and Anne McCaffrey.  Steven began writing at a young age when his supply of books to read ran out. A love of writing and illustration was born.

The other day I interviewed this dynamic duo for the Fantasy Sci Fi Network.
Here are a few of my fave snippets:
*   They have a new book called The Intuitives available for order
*   They work on something until they have agreement. Kudos to their patience.
*   Their next work sounds like a very exciting and creative piece of fan fiction
*   They do book reviews with a twist: video stick figure reviews
*   I love Steven's idea of writing music
*   Ice cream comes in neon colours - wow!

For all these cool insights and a whole lot more, check out the full interview on the FSFN website.

New release: The Intuitives
Genre: YA contemporary fantasy
Publisher: Trash Dogs Media LLC
Release Date: July 25, 2017

IMAGINATION JUST BECAME OUR GREATEST WEAPON.In Egypt, an archaeological team discovers the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. Seven years later, every public school student in America takes a strange new test, but only six are chosen to attend a summer program at the mysterious Institute for the Cultivation of Intuitive Cognition, where nothing is as it appears to be, including the students themselves.

Review: Wonder Woman. The best super hero movie for a long time #WonderWoman #movie #review

6/18/2017

So much has been said about a female super hero lead and a female director, girl power yada yada. Seriously folks, who cares? I sure don't. A good movie is a good movie and I reckon this one is mighty fine. Sure it has some world-building plot and character development which may seem a little slow in places to the adrenaline junkies, but I found it well done.
There is plenty of eye candy for all with gorgeous Gal Gadot and hunky Chris Pine wearing nothing but a few drops of water. The scenery and cinematography are visually splendid.
I went with my 15 year-old comic reading son and he said it was regrettable how much they differed from the comics, especially with the Gods and Chris Pine's character. He thought her powers weren't quite true to the comics, such as her forcefield or telekinetic powers. He also said that the action scenes were awesome, so I'm pleased he came along with me and enjoyed it. I also saw it with hubby who said much the same thing.

For me, it was a great all-rounder with lots of heart, relatable characters and really cool action. I found the backstory of Diana (Gadot) growing up with the Amazons on the hidden isle of Themyscira (I hope I spelled that correctly) all quite wonderful and it brought a cool fantasy edge to the movie for me. I guess she's a bit like a female version of Thor. I'll just step back and let the DC and Marvels fans argue that one out LOL.
I've been a Gadot fan for years from the Fast & Furious movies. I was pleasantly surprised at her emotional depth in the role and such a lovely chemistry with Chris Pine.
Also the battle scenes and horsing riding action were fantastic. The lasso work was well done. 5 stars from me.

Gee..I hope you all get this meme. It's a good one

Until next time, happy days, from Kasper :)

Book review: Trust a Few by exciting sci-fi author E.M. Swift-Hook @emswifthook #scifi

5/31/2017

Snubs in the air for the evil boogeyman!
Trust a Few is a great novel by E.M. Swift-Hook
Review: Avilon Revid was the 'bogeyman of ultimate evil,' Gee, I love that description.
He was, but now he isn't. Avilon is a shell of his former evil greatness. I think I would enjoy the preceding books to find out how his demise came about, for it isn't explained here, and it sounds intriguing. I'm betting his was a badass evil genius. That said, this is quite a well-rounded stand alone.
Avilon is discharged from the special military forces, just after his mentor, Jazatar Baldrik, and seeks to find his friend.

Along the way he meets other dangerous characters including Shame Cullen; murderous twins Foss and Faust, as well as Durban Chola who is more than he first appears. One character who stood out to me amid all the violence and dark scheming was Charis, who trusts Avilon and whom I found to be the most relatable character in the story. I found it difficult to connect with many of the blunt, no-nonsense fighters, but I sense that Charis will be the heart of this series. That said, I could be wrong, for I have idea where this grand space adventure will lead.
What's to like: the world-building is well done and you can almost see the snub guns, A.I. mechs, holofacade wall and picture the brain-linked data port. The characters are complex, flawed and well described. The writing style is good and easy to follow.
The downsides: I found it a bit slow in places, where so much back story, talking and character thoughts took place that the action seemed a bit slow. I would also like to have felt more of an emotional connection to the characters.
Trust a Few is the perfect name for an interesting novel. I recommend it for fans of dystopian sci-fi.
I bought this novel on the recommendation of a friend.

Review of the exciting 'Suffrage' scifi adventure by Julian Green @jsagreenauthor #scifi

5/7/2017

My review of Suffrage: 5 stars. A brilliant debut novel
From the very first page, I was hooked in by the tale of young Jay with her superhuman powers being rescued from a laboratory-type prison.
The setting is modern-day Earth, but the characters come from an alternative reality, where the utopian lifestyle for some comes at a harsh price for others. Our group of alternative-reality heroes wake up with amnesia in a present day air-force base. They slowly come to realise that their mission is to find a hidden world key in our reality, which can grant the wielder great powers. Unfortunately for Jay and her friends, a huge spaceship full of angry pursuers is hot on their trail and eager to destroy them.

Suffrage is very well written and edited, with a perfect balance of action and character development. At the heart of the story is the core group of friends on their mission to find the key. Each character is unique and has a part to play in the team. There are dozens of other characters introduced and I did find it overwhelming at the start, but it all comes across well as the story progresses. On character named Stanford seemed important at first, but then disappears and left me wondering why.
The author uses tension and pace very well in this multi-focal story. There are a lot of characters with differing motives and agendas. I would have liked more defined chapters and less points of view, but overall it works pretty well.
For me the standout point of the story is the harmonic time-travelling device used by the character named Snake. It shows great originality and creativity from the author.
I'll definitely read this again and eagerly await the next instalment in the World Key Chronicles.
I purchased the paperback version and posted the review on Amazon.

Suffrage's Blurb:
There is something hidden on Earth. A secret so immense it's worth killing for. In a race against time, five travellers arrive, hunting a key that will change the balance of power in their world.

Jay's birth father is a monster. He destroyed half her world and established a twisted version of utopia from the ashes, ruled by the Five Monarchs. But his blood flows in her veins, giving her power beyond any human. She has to prove that she's not him; that she's better. With the help of her teammates, she has to stop him from destroying her adoptive family and her world by finding the one thing that can make her his equal. But will the world key make her a monster, too?
Dr Stanford Ellis, an American scientist, is tasked with understanding these travellers. What does their arrival mean, for his country and the world? He must unravel the mystery before it’s too late.

Little do the travellers know, they were followed to our Earth. The Walker King has come seeking the rebels, and will let nothing stand in the way of his revenge. Freedom comes at a price.

Julian's avatar

Author interview with fellow Aussie: Jeanette O'Hagan @JeanetteOHagan #FSFNet #fantasy #interview

4/16/2017

I enjoyed reading Heart of the Mountain by Jeanette O'Hagan. Luckily for me, I had a chance to interview the author herself.
Book blurb:
Twins Delvina and Retza’s greatest desire is to be accepted as prentices by their parents’ old crew when they stumble across a stranger. Trapped under the mountain, young Zadeki’s only thought is to escape home to his kin. Peril awaits all three youngsters. Will they pull apart or work together to save the underground realm?

Jeanette is a fellow member of the Intricate Worlds writing group and I'm stoked she has followed me over to the FSFNet.
We did an interview for the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network, and you can read it all here.

These are some of the highlights:
* Jeanette began the world-building of Nardva when she was just 9 years old.
* An interesting fact not in our interview is that she studied in script writing at university and helped me with my first script at a recent writers' critique meeting.
* I like the fact that her story title has a double meaning
* I'm getting the feeling that Jeanette may be a bit of a Whovian

Make sure you check out the full interview here

Title: Heart of the Mountain: A short novella
Author: Jeanette O'Hagan
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: By the Light Books
Release Date: August 2016

Heart of the Mountain is YA Fantasy Adventure in the lost realm under the mountain.

A book for fans of the Da Vinci Code: The King's Spy by Andrew Swanston #historical #mystery

3/19/2017

The King's Spy: Synopsis
Summer, 1643
England is at war with itself. King Charles I has fled London, his negotiations with Parliament in tatters. The country is consumed by bloodshed.
For Thomas Hill, a man of letters quietly running a bookshop in the rural town of Romsey, knowledge of the war is limited to the rumours that reach the local inn.

When a stranger knocks on his door one night and informs him that the king's cryptographer has died, everything changes. Aware of Thomas's background as a mathematician and his expertise in codes and ciphers, the king has summoned him to his court in Oxford.
On arrival, Thomas soon discovers that nothing at court is straightforward. There is evidence of a traitor in their midst. Brutal murder follows brutal murder. And when a vital message encrypted with a notoriously unbreakable code is intercepted, he must decipher it to reveal the king's betrayer and prevent the violent death that failure will surely bring.
My review:

Well written and great tension

The author had me hooked from the beginning to end, with the mysterious plot and clever cryptology. It's exactly the type of book I love to get lost it. The historical imagery was well done and I really enjoyed the read. I'll have to check out other works by this...

Magic and dragon mythology make for a roller-coaster adventure by Dianne Astle @bendragonborn #dragons #fantasy #FSFNet

3/19/2017

Ben and the Watcher of Zargon
Synopsis: Grade ten isn’t turning out the way Ben hoped. Ben’s best friend is no longer his roommate, but has been replaced by a strange boy who follows Ben everywhere. Jealousy awakens the dragon fire within Ben when the girl he likes returns to school with a boyfriend. That fire and the scales peeking out from under his shirtsleeves are making it increasingly difficult for Ben to keep his secret. Ben needs to go to his mother’s home world to learn how to transform into a dragon. Meanwhile Ben is changing and if the training comes too late he is in danger of becoming something that is neither human nor dragon.

After reading Ben the Dragonborn (book 1), I was hooked. I bought the sequel the very next day. Ben and the Watcher of Zargon book has a lovely familiar feel to the start, as we again open in the paranormal school where Ben studies with his friends. He is starting to show obvious signs of turning into a dragon, so the principal decides he must go immediately to the dragon world to learn how to be a dragon. Things don't go quite to plan, with unexpected companions and a dragon world on the brink of civil war.
As with book 1, Ben must learn quickly to develop and use his talents to assist the local populace. There a new characters, but a similar theme of teamwork and camaraderie in their mission to save the day.
What I liked: dragons, of course. There are plenty in this book. I also like the characters and their mission. One new character is a delightful surprise. I also found the author's style and craft had much improved in this book. It was really enjoyable.
What I didn't like: the names really did my head in. Everyone in the entire world has a name beginning with Z. There are only so many Z names in existence, and I found it difficult to keep track of which character was which. Thanks goodness for 'Ben.'
I'm looking forward to Ben's next adventure.

Book review: Morphids by K. Alexander-Hall #FSFNet A new fantasy classic

12/14/2016

A new favourite fantasy story
Is Morphids really the author's first novel? I was so impressed with the intricate plot weaving and world-building. This book has everything: action, adventures, surprises, twist and turns, multiple storylines and relatable characters. Hey, I can't reveal any of Morphids secrets here, but safe to say that I was laughing, crying and reading late into the night as I eagerly devoured this exciting tome. It's a sizable tale of George R.R. Martin proportions, which might explain why there's only one so far. I have contacted the author and am reassured there are more works in progress. Yay!

My favourite characters are Atesh the female warrior, and also Ciaran, the dragonelle who is her companion. I really enjoyed their relationship and can't wait to hear what will happen in the next instalment.
Well done to Kerry Alexander-Hall for this fantastic new addition to the fantasy genre.

Morphids was published in December, 2016
Book blurb: The Prophet Lailoken sighed. This would be his last vision to share. The last words he would speak. The vice like grip tightened around his heart. Wait a little longer, they must know; remember and prepare. On the world of Cerahya, nature’s harmonious balances and checks have been disturbed; interfered with. She rails against such abhorrent intrusions and struggles to regain order. Unfortunately re-establishing control unleashes deadly, calamitous events on the island continent of Sofala, catching the inhabitants of the western kingdom unaware. The High King, Gareth Beaumont calls for assistance from the Ashmourne Academy of Magic. They respond by sending their infamous 'Pace Alastriona Knights', led by Commander Atesh and Captain Ballard. Their first battalion of magic-enhanced, ale-swilling, knuckle-busting, gag-pulling, sword-dancing, fierce warrior misfits join forces with the King's personal regiment. Together with mystical allies, they race to reduce the fallout to life, love and liberty upon their homeland. As they search for the source behind the malevolent machinations at work, they uncover truths so repugnant, it will send them reeling. Will interpreting the strange riddles and finding the ancient prophecy hold the key to the game of life; playing out before their eyes?