Kasper's Ramblings from Kasper Beaumont

All aboard for family fun watching Hotel Transylvania 3 #movies #HotelTransylvania #family

7/4/2018

Just got home with the kiddies from Hotel Transylvania 3 and we all agree it's great family entertainment. The packed cinema and recommendations from our friends would indicate that most folks concur.
For those of you have been living in a haunted mansion without electricity for the past few years, the Hotel Transylvania series are based on the vampire, Dracula and his monster family and friends.
This latest instalment introduces some new characters such as the famous Van Helsing family of vampire hunters.

Dracula's daughter Mavis wants to make the old vamp proud by booking a family holiday aboard a cruise ship in the Bermuda Triangle. Of course all the friends from the family hotel decide to come along for the fun, including a family of around 20 werewolves who seriously test the Kids Club staff.
Romance is the sub-plot with Dracula not having dated for over 100 years and getting starry-eyed when he meets the pretty ship captain. The path to true love as they say does not always run smooth.

I have to say that the Kraken stole the show for me. It is a favourite painting topic among my friends at the moment and I really enjoyed this dancing version.

Did you know that Adam Sandler is the voice of Dracula? I must confess to being surprised, but hey you never know with cartoons these days. He does a great job.
There are a host of other celebs including: Selena Gomez, Joe Jonas, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, Fran 'the Nanny' Drescher, Mel Brooks and more.

Do yourselves a favour and check out this fun flick.

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You'll either love or hate Star Wars: The Last Jedi #StarWars #review

12/16/2017

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From the day they released the name Star Wars: The Last Jedi, there has been a buzz surrounding this movie. "How can it be the last Jedi if there's another movie?" "Do they mean 'Jedi' as in plural?"
Well my family has just returned from the movie and two of us loved it, and the other two were disappointed. We're all very keen Star Wars fans, so it's not like we're new to the fan club, we just had very different takes on the movie.
Things I enjoyed about the movie:
* it was unpredictable "This is not going to go the way you think." Luke.
* There were brilliant new worlds, new creatures like the crystal fox, porgs and island people; and new loveable characters like Rose.

* The Millennium Falcon feels like a favourite character
* I like the development of the characters, particularly in the use of the Force. "Dark rises, and light to meet it." Snoke. I loved the 'will they or won't they be turned' aspects and the new ability.
* The special effects are fantastic. Gone are the days when CGIs were short and sweet; there are loads of them here, including my favourite, space battles.
* Carrie Fisher was a stand-out. A fitting tribute to our late Princess Leia.
The bits I weren't so keen on included the losses, but I don't want to include any spoilers here, so I'll leave it at that.
Go and see for yourselves and let me know your opinion of the latest blockbuster.

Check out this review from my friend Troy Stoilkovski:
Star Wars: The Last Jedi. It was well directed, cinematography shot beautifully, the storytelling though has a few plotholes (see below) and that soundtrack, well it's John Williams folks. Visual and practical effects were exceptional and Rian Johnson had a big job helming the course of the canon to here. It defines and extends the narrative set by The Force Awakens though it breaks some of those ...guidelines set before. It's an enjoyable adventure, very unpredictable even. It reaches into big movie territory. It's up there.

Carrie Fisher (RIP) gives a deep, emotional resonance here, a fitting last film. Hamill is just superb (especially Luke and Rey's interplay) but there are other avenues and storylines i believe they could've gone with, especially concerning the legendary Luke (watch it and you'll know what i mean). Cast delivered and some were exceptional, others ok, fulfilled their roles. I didn't agree with every choice in major character exposition and their outcome, actually it surprised me, but In conclusion it's the path now for the canon, and Rian has produced a movie of pivotal direction. Maybe i'm a bit nostalgic, but the original trilogy is still my favourite in terms of iconic character development and storytelling. For me Empire Strikes Back is still THE greatest Star Wars film, almost perfection. Star Wars is now heading to new horizons :) #starwars #thelastjedi #rianjohnson #disney #ohyeah #twothumbsup
Posted by Troi Stoi on Facebook and reprinted with permission

Let me know your thoughts below:

Going to Star Wars: The Last Jedi in my Rey shirt and glow in the dark skirt

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Review: Deadpool - Marvel super hero plays it for laughs and wild abandon #Deadpool #Marvel

2/15/2016

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The term 'super hero' is kind of inappropriate here, with this chemically enhanced jokester with a devil-may-care attitude not being focussed on saving people, but on revenge. But don't be deterred, there is a hell of a lot to like in the adults only movie. My partner and I laughed most of the way through, apart from the times I cringed from the violence. Warning: it's not one for the faint-hearted.

What's to like?

Pretty much everything really. The cast are really good. Ryan Reynolds (and his butt) as Deadpool; the beautiful Morena Baccarin as Vanessa; and the deliciously loathsome Ed Skrein as Ajax.
The plot is actually pretty cool (shock horror) for a comic book movie. It opens with a visually spectacular action sequence which is intercut with the obligatory backstory of how Deadpool gained his super-healing powers. Basically he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and this mutant experiment was his only hope of survival. Of course, things didn't go quite to plan and there is a dastardly villain in need of terminating.
The black humour is wickedly dark and the timing is so totally inappropriate as to be hilarious.
Extra-special effects in the action scenes are totally incredible.
There were a couple of X-men. I love the joke that the producers could only afford two.
The opening credits are seriously funny and original.
There is a beautiful love story at the heart of the movie.

What I didn't like:

The violence was a bit graphic for my tastes, but I'm sure there are many hot-blooded young men who will find it right up their alley

The verdict:

I loved it . Five stars and a round of applause from me.

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Movie review: Star Wars: the Force Awakens. A must see for fans young and old. #StarWars

12/20/2015

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Our 3 children were too young to see any of the previous movies in their original cinema releases, so it was with child-like wonder that we attended Star Wars: the Force Awakens. There is something magical about watching it with youngsters and enjoying their gasps of surprise, giggles and cheers of elation. It is not a movie I would recommend for the pre-schooler age, but our children of 14, 12 and almost 8 were delighted with it. There are a couple of scary bits in there, the usual kind of Star Wars violence and lots of awesome loud music and special effects.

As you will read in I daresay many other reviews, it is best not to talk about the plot due to spoilers. I can say that I appreciated the emotional connection to the new characters, although it did take me just a little while to get used to Luke, Han and Leia not being the lead stars. Yes, they are all there to some degree, but the story has moved on, which I think was necessary, but a little hard for the original fans to process right away.
Finn and Rey are two great new lead characters and there is a mysterious Darth Vader-like baddie (of course it wouldn't be Star Wars without the bad imperial storm troopers.) I think I'll leave it there plot-wise. Just go and see it and judge for yourself. The galaxy is kinda familiar, but so many things are new and different that we can feel that this is a new movie and the start of a new adventure. Will there be 3 or 6 movies from Disney? I don't know, but if they are of this quality, then the more the merrier for me.
Excuse me while I go and play with my lightsabre. Buzz buzz

By the way, check out the cool clip below. Such fun!

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A professor's thoughts on Elven Jewel 'Fantasy in the Grand Tradition.' @JoshuaGrasso #FSFNet #fantasy

8/29/2015

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'Kasper is a prolific writer of fantasy and a loyal supporter of other writers, so it's a pleasure to read her work here and review it. Her stories are easy to characterize but hard to put in a nutshell: that is, she writes epic fantasy in the best Tolkein tradition, and yet it's not derivative or run-of-the-mill. She excels at wide-eyed narration with beautiful, yet never effusive description, and characters who seem as familiar as your old friends, but much more powerful!

'I think she bridges the world of adult fantasy and YA fantasy quite well with this story, and it would be a great intro to a younger reader first venturing into the wilds of the fantasy genre. That said, a seasoned reader would appreciate her attention to detail and the small twists she introduces to the traditional lore. It's a fast-moving, well-written excerpt, the kind of writing you like to curl up in a bed with on a long winter's night. So glad she found her way to Inkitt!'

Overall Rating 5 star
Plot                 5 star
Writing Style   5 star
Grammar and
Punctuation    5 star

Critique by Joshua Grasso

Inkitt review: http://www.inkitt.com/stories/20964/reviews

Elven Jewel is book one of the Hunters of Reloria trilogy and has been well-received by readers from age 10 to almost 100. Please take the time to read and offer your opinions as well.

Elven Jewel on Amazon

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More 5 star reviews for 'Garass & Asher' dragon battle #ASMSG #FSFNet #dragons

6/23/2015

Recommend for anyone who loves dragon stories/fantasy!!!
By Courtney J Tetreault

I loved this! Without giving anything away, a must read for the beginnings of Asher. This is great either as a standalone read or reading in conjunction with the Hunters of Reloria series. 5 stars

Insightful Background on Asher
By C. M. Lance

This prequel provides insight into Asher's beginnings.Heartbreak, betrayal, and loss have shaped his character. The results trail through his exploits. 5 stars

Great introduction!
By MorgaineLeFay90

“The Tragedy of Garass and Asher“ was the first story written by Kasper Beaumont I read and it made me anxious for more dragon stories. It doesn’t take long and you find yourself propelled into a beautiful imaginative world. This short story is a great introduction to the “Hunters of Reloria” books, offering all a reader can ask for: suspense, emotions and tragedy.I really enjoyed “The Tragedy of Garass and Asher” and will definitely return to Reloria! 5 stars

'Garass & Asher short story is beautifully handled ... crystal clear imagery' Readers Favorite #review #ASMSG

6/7/2015

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Cover artwork by Mike Fertig and graphics by Troy Stoilkovski

'First, I love the cover. This is an author who took the time to find a great cover and get his work formatted beautifully. A reader really does notice when an author takes the extra steps and goes the extra mile to make the reading experience enjoyable. And I'm sure that the series itself is just as beautifully handled and shares the same in-depth writing style and crystal clear imagery that is exhibited here.
This is a skilled writer who is great at his craft.

Reviewed By Samantha Coville for Readers’ Favorite, 2015.

Thank you Readers' Favourite.
This is a short story prequel to the Hunters of Reloria series.
The Tragedy of Garass & Asher is available on Amazon.com

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'5 stars. Hunters' Quest is a fantasy lover's delight'

5/1/2015

'The Elf Queen' by Mei-Ling, age 15

Fantastic Fantasy, January 29, 2015 By Lorna Francis - See all my reviews
This review is from: Hunters' Quest (Hunters of Reloria trilogy Book 2) (Kindle Edition)
This action packed second novel in the Hunters of Reloria series is a Fantasy lovers delight. The development of the characters and the introduction of new magical and fantastic creatures and characters is intriguing and delightful.

We find out more about the struggles and quarrels which have led to fighting and hatred between the knights and mountain men of Reloria. We see the sadness and loss that is a result of this in the Hunters Quest. How can they put this aside and join together to save their beautiful Elven Jewel and their home land by fighting the Vergai together?
I loved reading of the The Elven Jewel Princess, Shari-Rose, who whilst being mistreated by her hateful captors now has hope and the support of the skilful huntress who has been installed and is in hiding close by.
The strength of character shown by the halflings in particular is inspiring. Kasper Beaumont has succeeded in developing her characters and grasping the readers attention whilst taking you by surprise with a fantastic ending that leaves you wanting more.

Thanks Lorna for the great review.

Amazon.com

Princess Penelope confesses she is begrudgingly becoming fond of Sir Varnon. Hunters' Quest review.

4/22/2015

Awesome cover artwork by the talented Scott Patterson and graphics by Troy Stoilkovski

'The amazing author Kasper Beaumont definitely did not let her readers down with the second book of the Hunters of Reloria trilogy-Hunter’s Quest. Just when I thought for sure she had exhausted all her creativity in the previous book, she pulled more magical and interesting characters out of her hat: adding siren like qualities to the mystical mermaids, creating an apprentice on the verge of becoming the most powerful Madge, a clan of people that live in the jungle, centaurs, and more vengeful monsters ready to fight against the amazing and oddly paired team that the author is able to hold together with the simplistic need for survival against others that want to take over.

December 20, 201 What surprised me the most about this tale was the fact that the author actually made me like Sir Varnon, the character that I despised in the first book by giving him a little more depth and compassion as well as and insight to his home life as well. She also takes her readers into the world of the Mountain men and provides the interesting backstory of Ash and why he chose to leave his colony in the first place. I found Garass to be a most fitting name for the way this particular character acted at first until he was able to see past the manipulative ways of the one he once loved. He and Ash are able to resolve the previous conflicts, and justice is rightly served to the one that created the problem in the first place.
I was also hopeful that Randir would find someone special and I was delighted when he found the charming and sweet Ennis, who is in a tough situation and I am anxious to see if the two will be able to meet again. All in all I would suggest this series to anyone looking for an exciting read and look forward to the finale!

Amazon

'Exciting prologue to a best-selling series' review by Professor Joshua Grasso @JoshuaGrasso #dragons

4/2/2015

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Image by Mike Fertig, graphics by Troy Stoilkovski

'This is a enticing short story introduction to Beaumont's world, and a nice way to sample her fantasy vision for those who haven't read her much-lauded novels. Though a very short read, the story is full of drama, passion, and a touch of humor as well. Beaumont's strength as a fantasy writer is being able to take long-lost forgotten (or never-were) worlds and translating them to the present. The dialogue and perspectives of the characters are not far removed from a modern romance novel or a scene from a romantic comedy, perhaps; and yet, this gives the fantasy world a deep humanity that belies the swords and sorcery that surrounds it.

'I believe that fantasy is a mirror for our modern world, abstracting our emotions and society through a lens of adventure and magic. The emotions here are real and keenly felt, and the characters (as I suggested earlier) can be found in any town the world over. That's what makes this story work, and why any lover of fantasy--particularly of the Young Adult variety--would eagerly snap up this tale and hunger for more.

'My only slight quibble would be that parts of it read a little too conventionally, and though beautifully written, it doesn't seem to stand up as a short story exactly. It reads more like a colorful episode in a longer work, and as a story it leaves the reader with a sense of wondering why it needed to be a stand-alone work (you sense there's something missing, or a story line that needs to continue). I imagine that this would make a fine Prologue or Interlude to a larger work, and that connective tissue would make its characters stand out in greater relief. But this is a minor issue and as long as you can read this story as part of a larger universe, rather than a stand-alone work, I think it will bring you great satisfaction (all the more so if you've read her other novels).'

Review posted on Amazon.com by Joshua Grasso

Blurb:

Every great series has a beginning. Teenage Asher discovers that he has fallen in love with his best friend's girl. Can the dragons survive the tempest of emotions that ensue? Parental guidance recommended for young readers due to sensual and violent content.

The highly acclaimed story is now available on Amazon for just 99 cents. Discover the world of Reloria today.

'Asher' by John Sparks

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All aboard for family fun watching Hotel Transylvania 3 #movies #HotelTransylvania #family

You'll either love or hate Star Wars: The Last Jedi #StarWars #review

Review: Deadpool - Marvel super hero plays it for laughs and wild abandon #Deadpool #Marvel

Movie review: Star Wars: the Force Awakens. A must see for fans young and old. #StarWars

A professor's thoughts on Elven Jewel 'Fantasy in the Grand Tradition.' @JoshuaGrasso #FSFNet #fantasy

More 5 star reviews for 'Garass & Asher' dragon battle #ASMSG #FSFNet #dragons

'Garass & Asher short story is beautifully handled ... crystal clear imagery' Readers Favorite #review #ASMSG

'5 stars. Hunters' Quest is a fantasy lover's delight'

Princess Penelope confesses she is begrudgingly becoming fond of Sir Varnon. Hunters' Quest review.

'Exciting prologue to a best-selling series' review by Professor Joshua Grasso @JoshuaGrasso #dragons

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