Category Archives: Review

All the King’s Men

By terje | Published: July 18, 2009
This is one of the most realistic portrayals of politics I believe I have ever seen. Sean Penn stars as a populist politician who goes at the corrupt Louisiana state elite, and once elected state governor turns out to be ruthless in his pursuit of his idealist agenda.
Also posted in American stuff, Annoyance, Goosebumps!, History, Movies, Recommendations | 2 Comments

The Fog Of War

By terje | Published: July 18, 2009
Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara.
Also posted in American stuff, Awe, History, Movies, Politics, Recommendations | 5 Comments

A piteous handful of movies, January to June 2009

By terje | Published: July 13, 2009
So, I summed up the books I’ve read so far this year in the previous post; now the turn has come to the movies. Same concept, same execution, only this time I’ll skip a hell of a lot more than I did with the novels. Oh, and for those who might wonder, no, Watchmen isn’t [...]
Also posted in Lists, Movies | 3 Comments

The books of 2009, so far

By terje | Published: July 13, 2009
As I’ve been fairly absent from my blog in the past six months, to say the least, I thought I’d post a quick summary of any recommendable books — and not only novels this time – I’ve read since I was last observed round this neck o’ the woods. Also, I’ll include some not-so-recommendable books, [...]
Also posted in History, Impressions, Lists, Literature, Opinions, Recommendations, Roman stuff, Speculative fiction | 20 Comments

Arms of Nemesis by Steven Saylor

By terje | Published: March 31, 2009
430 pages. Robinson paperback. 1992. 72 BCE: While Spartacus is ravaging the countryside of Southern Italy and making all good Romans distrust their slaves, Goridanus the Finder is brought to Baiae on the Cup, what today is known as the Bay of Naples, to find a killer. Lucius Licinius, the cousin of Marcus Crassus, has been found murdered [...]
Also posted in Literature, Roman stuff | 4 Comments

Stranger than Fiction

By terje | Published: March 30, 2009
Watched Stranger than Fiction again tonight, and I was happy to discover that it was as good on the second viewing and in company as it was on the first and alone. The plot is a bit hard to describe without ruining it all, as discovering what the hell is going on is one of the [...]
Also posted in A Moistening of the Eyes, A Praise Chorus, Art, Awe, Bliss, Glee, Goosebumps!, Love, Movies, Pimping, Pleasant surprises, Recommendations, Speculative fiction, Television stuff, Yay! | 9 Comments

Roman Blood by Steven Saylor

By terje | Published: March 27, 2009
565 pages. Robinson paperback. 1991. First installation of the series Roma Sub Rosa. Roman Blood sends us back in time to 80 BCE, to the final weeks of the dictatorship of Lucius Cornelius Sulla. The relatively young and unknown advocate Marcus Tullius Cicero seeks the help of Gordianus the Finder in unearthing evidence to help him defend his friend’s [...]
Also posted in Literature, Roman stuff | 6 Comments

The First Book of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber

By terje | Published: March 24, 2009
Containing the four short-story collections “Swords & Deviltry”, “Swords against Death”, “Swords in the Mist” and “Swords against Wizardry”, The First Book of Lankhmar is a must-read for any serious lover of Fantasy. Fritz Leiber’s Sword & Sorcery has to be counted among the many who created the clichés of the genre, especially as Leiber [...]
Also posted in Literature, Speculative fiction | 1 Comment

Sky of Swords by Dave Duncan

By terje | Published: January 20, 2009
450 pages. Eos Fantasy paperback. 2000. Third published novel in the Tales of the King’s Blades trilogy. So. Denouement, eh? After having spent Lord of the Fire Lands setting up pretty much an alternative plotline to the one told in The Gilded Chain, Dave Duncan endeavours to straighten things out again in Sky of Swords. Obviously, any such an [...]
Also posted in Ambiguity, Annoyance, Boredom, Disappointment, Discomfort, Great Expectations, Literature, Rant, Speculative fiction, meh. | 6 Comments

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

By terje | Published: December 30, 2008
The first Elizabeth movie is one of my all-time favourites, so I had rather high hopes for Elizabeth: the Golden Age when I watched it a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, they were not fulfilled. Where I had expected more political drama, the focus was all on Elizabeth’s love life, and her struggles to be a woman [...]
Also posted in Disappointment, Great Expectations, Movies, meh. | 12 Comments