Year: 2014

Trip to London!

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

I went into London for the day on Monday to meet my parents. Since I’m at university it had been a few weeks since I had seen them so it was really nice to meet up with them. I went to Harrods with Mum to have a look around. The Christmas Shop was really disappointing though, there wasn’t much there and there wasn’t even Christmas music playing! Then we met Dad at Covent Garden and had dinner at Maxwell’s Bar and Grill. The meal was very nice and the service was good too. As the Christmas lights were turned on the night before we had a wonder around, looking at the lights around Covent Garden.

IMG_7815IMG_7828

Then we went to Victoria Coach Station to go on a night bus tour with Golden Tours. It was an open top so it was good for taking photographs, though it was very cold! The route was good, it went past a lot of landmarks and we went over the river several times so there were lots of opportunities to take pictures of the Thames. The tour was an hour and a half in total which was a nice length and the tour guide had a lot of interesting things to talk about. I’d never really fancied going on a bus tour before because I thought it sounded boring, but going at night was great because the city looks so different. I would definitely recommend it.

IMG_7918IMG_8095IMG_7971

(all images used in this post are (c) me 2014)

Writing Corner: What to Write?

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

So you’ve decided you want to write a book, but you’re not sure what to write. Maybe you have a few ideas and you’re not sure which to pick. Hopefully this short guide will give you a few things to think about.

Firstly, why are you writing? Are you writing for fun? Do you hope to one day be published? There are many ways to approach what to write. You could come from the direction that you want to pick something that is highly publishable in the current market. I, personally, dislike this view and think that you should write whatever you want! Just because something isn’t popular now, doesn’t mean it won’t be a few years down the line.

If you hope to finish writing your book you need to pick a project you love and will enjoy writing. You need to pick an idea that makes you excited and passionate. Writing about something you really care about will produce the best results.

If you have several ideas and aren’t sure which one to work on set them side by side (physically or in your head) and consider: how original is the plot, do I like the characters, does the idea excite me? If you’re really not sure you could put them in a hat and pick one at random!

Or, you want to write a book, but you don’t really know what to write about. Don’t force any ideas, let them come naturally. Immerse yourself in music, films, games, books, art, anything that you could draw inspiration from.

Whatever you do, just remember to actually get to the writing part!

 

–

Ideas suggested in Writing Corner are just that, suggestions, and may not suit every writer.

Film Review: Interstellar

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Release date: 7th November 2014

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine, Jessica Chastain

Runtime: 169 minutes

Genre: Science-Fiction, Drama

Watched in: 2D

Star rating: 4/5

 

Interstellar tells the story of a group of explorers’ journey through space to save humanity from extinction. The protagonist, Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), is persuaded by a scientist (Michael Caine) to embark on the mission, which means leaving behind his two children. They must travel through a wormhole in space in an attempt to find habitable planets in another galaxy.

This is a very long film, and at first it was quite slow to get going. The descriptions and trailer don’t give much away about the plot so I wasn’t sure what to expect, and wasn’t sure where it was going at first. Despite a slow start it does pick up fairly quickly. The visuals are stunning and the amount of detail used makes it incredibly real to watch. The end of the world aspect of the plot isn’t all that original, but the story is very well executed. There are a lot of twists and turns in the plot which means you never know what will happen next.

As well as being a stunning science-fiction film, Interstellar also deals with family relationships and conflicts. The aspect of the story of Cooper having to leave behind his children runs through the whole film, and you wonder the whole way through ‘will he ever see them again?’. The portrayal of the family relationships is done very well and gives the film a lot of depth that meaning science-fiction films lack in their attempt to provide a visually stunning thrill ride. This film, however, balances action and drama very well.

The acting in the film is excellent. Matthew McConaughey is excellent as Cooper, portraying the ups and downs of the mission very well. Anne Hathaway and the rest of the cast also play their roles well, showing how different characters deal with the situations presented to them.

At times the plot was very confusing, and perhaps would have been understood better with more scientific knowledge. That said, even though I don’t know much about science I still got what was going on. At times the scientific jargon was a little confusing though. I think, like with Inception, it will take at least another viewing to fully understand everything.

I would definitely recommend seeing this if you are a fan of science-fiction, and even if you are not, the family drama makes it likeable for a mixture of viewers. Do bear in mind that it is a very long film, and you will need to think a bit to understand what is happening. It is very much worth a watch and is probably one of those films that needs to be seen in the cinema.

Coming Up This November!

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

Once again this November is going to be a busy one! NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is happening again this year. The idea is to attempt to write 50,000 words in one month. It is quite a challenge but even if you don’t reach 50k it is still great for motivating you to write.

The NaNoWriMo website: http://nanowrimo.org/

Also this November is the second year of REUTS independent YA/NA publisher’s short story project and competition Project REUTSway. Every week there is a new prompt for which you have to write a short story. This year’s theme is World Mythology, focusing on Egyptian, Celtic, Asian and Eastern European cultures. The best stories will be selected for an anthology.

For official rules see here: http://blog.reuts.com/project-reutsway-official-rules/

More information can also be found in their other blog posts.

These are some great opportunities to get you writing this coming November!

Book Review: Under the Trees by Ashley Maker

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the Left1 Comment

Under the Trees by Ashley Maker

Genre: Young Adult, Historical, Fantasy, Romance

Publishing Info: September 15th 2015, Cliffhanger Press; kindle edition

Star Rating: 5/5

 

 

Back Cover Summary:

Desperate to prevent an abusive arranged marriage, Princess Araya flees to a neighboring kingdom, only to land at the mercy of the impulsive Crown Prince Thoredmund, who provides refuge in a secluded forest and teaches her survival skills. Her surprise at the unexpected hold the prince has on her heart mirrors his shock at falling for the one girl he can’t have.

As the young couple’s feelings for each other grow, the fragile alliance between the two kingdoms threatens to break apart. With a vengeful duke and an enraged king fast on their trail, Thor and Araya must decide how much they’re willing to risk for love.

Even if staying together means starting a war.

 

Under the Trees is an enchanting read that captured me from the very beginning. The opening is one of the very best I have read; it starts right in the action, immediately grabbing your attention. I also felt immediately connected to Araya because her fear and emotions come through so well in the first chapter.

The style of writing is excellent which helps the story flow very well. The book is written in the alternating first person perspectives of Araya and Thoredmund. This can be very tricky and was handled very well by the author. The characters voices were distinctive and it is interesting to see how the two characters viewed the unfolding events.

The two main characters are very strong and well thought out. I like how Araya is very strong, yet at times she can also be quite timid which I think is a very interesting presentation and also quite realistic. Her determination is an admirable trait which makes her likable. I also like how she isn’t just a damsel in distress, she also has the ability to stand her own ground. Thoredmund is very tentative and kind, and instantly likeable. I find it interesting how the other characters – especially his father – perceptions of him change as the book progresses. I really felt connected to the characters and definitely cared about what would happen to them. Another good point is that the romance isn’t forced and develops in a very natural way.

The minor characters in Under the Trees are as well thought-out as the two main characters. All of the characters have depth which is great to see. Often authors focus so much on their main characters that they forget to develop the others, but that is not the case here.

The world building is fairly good but Maker doesn’t go into too much detail, which isn’t really a problem as it isn’t essential to the plot. She alludes to different traditions in the different kingdoms which is a nice touch. The tensions between the kingdoms is well written and there is actually a reason for it which is explained.

Although the plot is simple, it is good and captivating. The fast-paced nature of the novel keeps the interest of the reader without glazing over the characters development. The story was certainly not predictable and there were a few twists that left me stunned. It has a satisfying ending, but not in a cliché way.

Overall, Under the Trees is quite a fast, easy read with very likable characters and a plot which will keep you hooked. There is just something about this book which I absolutely love and which made me give it five stars. Even if you are not usually interested in this kind of genre I would definitely give this gem a read.

Book Review: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

M.T.Wilson @ The Last Book on the LeftLeave a comment

The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Fairies

Publishing Info: February 1st 2010 by Harlequin Teen

Pages: 363

Star Rating: 3.5/5

 

Back Cover Summary:

Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan’s life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she’s known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth – that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she’ll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil, no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

 

The Iron King is the first book in Julie Kagawa’s urban fantasy series which brings fairies into the modern age. The main reason I picked up this book was the recommendations of my friends. The paranormal genre is one I’ve begun to stay away from after many disappointing reads, however, I thought I would give this a go as dark fairies sounded different to vampires and werewolves and the like.

My first impression was a negative one. The writing style doesn’t really do anything for me. Sometimes the wording doesn’t always flow and Meghan’s voice in the narrative feels quite immature at times. It took me a while to ‘get into’ the story, it was at least halfway through before I started to enjoy it and want to keep reading.

In terms of characters I found most of them to be quite weak. Meghan always seems to have to be rescued by others, frequently playing the ‘damsel in distress’ role and very rarely being able to use her brain. It takes until the last few chapters of the book before she is able to act on her own and fight for herself. The redeeming part of her characterisation is her determination to get her brother back no matter the consequences. Puck is a good character, always having a good line to add some humour. I didn’t connect with Ash much, though he grew on me as the book went on. Kagawa did a good job of presenting him as cold and unemotional. Grimalkin steals the show for me for most of the book, despite not being one of the three main characters. Grim’s characterisation is best of all the characters.

The changeling plot isn’t all that original and as the world of the fey is very much based on actual myths and legends there isn’t much room for Kagawa’s own world building (apart from a particular part of the world which is entirely her own creation but no spoilers). It didn’t take too long to establish the plot which I thought was good, Kagawa gets to the point quite quickly but once the ‘saving the brother’ storyline is established it takes ages for anything much to happen. I like the element of adventure the book has as a lot of similar YA books focus on romance and nothing much happens in them. Thankfully, the romance doesn’t dominate the story which is one of its saving points.

Overall, this book is much better than many paranormal YA novels and for once the romance is a side plot that hardly crops up rather than being the focus of the plot. I liked that there was adventure and some events were unexpected (though I wouldn’t say it was full of twists and turns, more of a sprinkling). The minor characters (especially Grimalkin) steal the show with Meghan being a very mediocre and at times annoying main character. I’ll be reading the next one at least because I bought the books together since they were on offer. I’ve heard they get better as they go along so hopefully I will enjoy the next one more.

Now I have to take a moment to compare this to Poison by Chris Wooding. This book is about a female main character called Poison who has to rescue her sister who has been swapped for a fairy changeling. These books have the same premise but Chris Wooding pulls it off a million times better. Poison is dark, adventurous, compelling, exciting, and void of irritating, whiny main characters. If you want to read a YA book about fairies pick this up. It is leagues superior to The Iron King.