Welcome to Gaia! ::

Welcome, reviewers. As currently the only full-time reviewer, I thought I'd add a little welcome area, with advice, information, etc.

First off, whether you intend to do this monthly or merely every so often, I recommend you make your own, seperate thread to house your reviews and ramblings. I have my own, here, and I have it organized to my liking, with lists of future projects, completed projects, and updates. How you organize it is up to you, but i recommend you work on your roughs of reviews there. At the end of the month, you can post which ever review you want to use in here, so Serieve can get to it easily. She or I will keep some running list of which reviews are here, when they were published, etc.

Now, before you run of to begin your reviews, I suggest you scroll down the Author Index to make sure you aren't repeating a movie/book/etc which has already been reviewed. If you're nervious about your choice, or just want pointers, feel free to email me, or post your questions here. I'd also like this to be an area where we reviewers can discuss what we're working on, what changes we'd like to make, etc.

Silent Hill
Directed By Christophe Gans



This movie has been long anticipated by fans of the games. Although I've only played some of the 4th game (which, I'm told, while a good game, is not very "typical" of the series), I went in with a few specific expectations. For the most part, I left satisfied.

Plot wise, Silent Hill follows Rose, whose daughter Sharon is haunted by nightmares and sleep walking. A search for the cause of her repressed memories leads Rose toe Silent Hill, the town which may be Sharon's birth place. With Dad left behind and uninformed, Rose takes Sharon on a car trip to try to get to the bottom of her past. After a car crash and the disappearance of Sharon, Rose teams up with a sexy police woman named Cybil as they try to survive the abandoned city and find her daughter.

I'm not a big fan of horror, and I always prefer psychological thrillers to blood and gut horror. Most of the movie was the former, but a few scenes delved needlessly into the latter. There were some obvious fan-pleasers, and some cg which will definitely not stand up to the test of time.

The end was horribly disappointing, or at least the climax was. The actual note the movie leaves off on, however, gains it back some of the points it lost for cheesy special effects and unnecessary gore in the latter half of the movie.


4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -characters
3- ninja ninja ninja -storyline
2- ninja ninja -style
2- ninja ninja -substance
3- ninja ninja ninja -overall

Got a bone to pick with the reviewer? Want to suggest a work for review? Dying to hear about a new media or genre? Contact Rushifa with your questions and comments.

Book Review: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
Written by Susanna Clarke
Review by Elizabeth Sparrow



If Jane Austen ever had decided to write fantasy, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is what she would've wrote.

That is the best way to sum up this monster of a novel. Every ounce of its eight-hundred pages drips with the social commentary, humour, and writing style that you would expect from a book written by Austen.

And this certainly isn't a bad thing.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a book that centers around two magicians and the people who are close to them. Mr. Norrell is the first magician you meet; a stuffy and stiff man who is the last person you would ever think of to be a magician. He is paranoid, egotistical, and a hoarder of books. Yet he is the first magician that England has produced in many years, coming out of a time when it seemed like no more magic was left in the country at all.

Jonathan Strange is Mr. Norrell's pupil. He is a little narcisstic and quirky, and ever so much more the magician than Norrell. He may be the more likeable of the two, but is certainly not without his faults.

These two men are charged with bringing magic back to England. On their way they have to deal with fairies, dishonest human beings, magical troubles, and a whole cast of human characters that are incredibly believable. Among the rest of the cast is Childermass, Norrell's very cynical and intelligent manservant who is probably the most striking character in the novel. You also meet Vinculus- a street sorcerer with an unsavoury reputation who may not really be as unmagical as he seems.

In the course of this novel people are brought back from the dead, abducted to fairy realms, and cloaked in never-ending night. Some inflict insanity upon themselves, visit kings, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the ever elusive Raven King, the mysterious black-haired man who is credited with originally bringing magic to England. There is betrayal, murder, love, war, and magic (of course).

But beware, ladies and gentlemen- Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is not all action and suspense. It has large sections which focus on the society of the time and particular characters, where not much seems to happen at all. If you're not one for major character development, this book may not be for you. This story does not move very rapidly until the last fifty pages or so, where suddenly everything falls together, with an ending that leaves us begging for a sequel.

All together, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is an excellent book, and I highly recommend running out to your local bookstore/library/whatnot right now to grab a copy.

5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -Characters
4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -Storyline
5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -Style
4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -Substance
5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -Overall

If you want to argue and/or discuss the subject matter reviewed with the reviewer, feel free to PM her at any time. She might even reply, if she isn't being lazy.

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest
Directed By Gore Verbinski
Review By Rushifa


Now really, who doesn't love a pirate movie?

If you liked the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, you definitely shouldn't miss the second. Although it has a few problems common to sequels, it's overall a hilarious and well done movie.

Unfortunately, Dead Man's Chest starts out overdramatic and, frankly, boring. In fact, the first 20 minutes of the movie were dull, discouraging, and useless. It was obviously trying to pick up where the first one left off, but it simply didn't work. Although, perhaps that's because I've never been fond of William (Orlando Bloom) or Elizabeth (Keira Knightlyy). However, once they get to the island, it's all up from there. Keep your eyes open for Jack (Johnny Depp)'s awesome face paint, although it's pretty hard to miss.

Beware of old lines. The were wonderful and memorable the first time, but if we wanted to hear them again, we'd have watched them in their original context. Reusing old hit lines is a very common trait of sequels, but in most cases it comes of feeling forced. There are only about 3 instances where an old line is reused in a new and entertaining way. The upside is that all the new, original material lives up to the first movie's standards.

Length-wise, well, be sure to pace yourself with your drink. And look forward to a third movie. We'd heard rumors, but it's pretty much been confirmed by now; there will indeed be at least one more movie. Oh, and make sure to wait until the end of the credits, for a special look into a side character's fate.

4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -characters
4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -storyline
3- ninja ninja ninja -style
3- ninja ninja ninja -substance
4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -overall

Got a bone to pick with the reviewer? Want to suggest a work for review? Dying to hear about a new media or genre? Contact Rushifa with your questions and comments.

Book Review: Wicked, The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
By Gregory Maguire, 1995
Review by Rushifa



When this book was first recommended to me, I didn't actually expect it to be good. I expected it to be funny, certainly; a lively parody and an entertaining read. But I certainly never expected to be captivated by it.

I've never been a big fan of the Wizard of Oz. Sure, I liked the movie well enough, and recently read the book, and have always enjoyed it, but I was never terribly attatched. Well, now I can never look at it the same way again.

Wicked doesn't change the events of the original book, at least not very much; it merely adds context to the events which simply wasn't there before. I'll admit, I've never read beyond the first book, so I can't say how much of the mythos was already established, but Maquire throws in demensions of politics, romance, betrayal, religion, racism, and maturity which I'm sure were not a part of the original childrens book.

As its title suggested, Wicked follows the life of the woman known to us as the Wicked Witch of the West. It sets up her birth, her family, her school days, her friends, her lovers, and her history, all while making her a character we identify with and love. He doesn't simply change her personality, he simply weaves everything together so her eventual meeting with Dorothy is understandable and sad.

The book itself is very well written. The author, although male, proves able to write both genders superbly, and allows each character to shine in their own vividly real ways. Despite being set in a fantastical land, the book feels very real. The writing is discriptive and entertaining, and the structure and connections are all very subte and well done.

5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -characters
5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -storyline
4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -style
4- ninja ninja ninja ninja -substance
5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -overall

Wicked at Amazon.com
Wicked, the musical

Book Review: Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing
Written By David Morrell
Review By Rushifa





In the world of writing, especually creative writing, there are many hurdles to overcome. Some of them are relatively simple, while others are hard, life-changing experiences. And the worst thing is, it differs from person to person. There is so easy formula, no magic spell, and no sure thing. However, as David Morrell shows us, the desperate writer is not alone, and certainlly not hopeless.

I've read a number of books on writing in my time, all though perhaps not as many as I should have, and David Morrell's Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing has been by far the best so far. He doesn't give you little exerpises, which can be found in some other wonderful books, but he goes step by step through the chanlenges writer's face, and helps you really get to know them. It's very readable, entertaining, and inspiring.

Some of the most valuable things Morrell goes over include Plot, Research, First Person, Beginings, and Getting Published. He is a must-have for all aspiring writers, up there with William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White's The Elements of Style.

With Nanowrimo 2006 having just ended, this is a wonderful time for writers everywhere to embrace their craft, and I think Morrell's book is a wonderful start to that. Go forth, everyone, and write!

5- ninja ninja ninja ninja ninja -overall

Got a bone to pick with the reviewer? Want to suggest a work for review? Dying to hear about a new media or genre? Contact Rushifa with your questions and comments.

Movie Review: Eragon
Directed by Stefen Fangmeier
Novel by Christopher Paolini
Review by Rushifa




I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt, and assume that Eragon made for a better book than a movie. I can see where 500 pages of actual character and plot development could make it a passingly interesting book. In book form, it would also be blissfully easy to escape when the "plot" got to you, or throw against a wall when you simply couldn't take the predictability any more. But I digress. This review is on the movie, not the book, so I will save all personal comments on Paolini's intelligence until I've actually given it a good read.

So. The movie. If you value your sanity, intelligence, and free time, don't waste $5+ on Eragon. If you must see it, at least wait for it to come out on video. And make sure to have some alcohol handy (or some sugar, or sleep deprivation, for you young'ens out there).

The characters of Eragon are boring at best. The acting is too bad to really let you connect with any of the characters, and certainly not the title character. Besides that, they're all people you've seen before. Eragon is an insignificant farming boy, dealing with all those pesky drama's of being 17. You also have The Master, The Elf, The Evil Henchman, the Evil Lord, etc ad nasium.

And then there's the plot. If you're a fan of Harry Potter, play dnd, and are familiar with the Lord of the Rings movies at least, then you'll probably enjoy Eragon (if you can get passed the characters). However, if you've actually read Lord of the Rings, and are familiar with other major fantasy novels (namely the Earthsea Series, the Pern Series, and any children's book involving having your very own dragon), you'll be rolling your eyes before the movie even picks up steam. I found nothing original about the plot. On a basic level, it follows Star Wars: A New Hope. Only Eragon lacks all the novelty and 70s charm which made the original Star Wars movies popular. There's a down-and-out farmer's nephew, a princess in distress, a de-bunked old master, an evil lord, a rebel force, etc, etc. I can't wait for Yoda.

The only saving grace to the movie is that, somehow, they actual spent money on it. Not in hiring actors, mind you, but in graphics. The dragon looks pretty good, and down right adorable in her first appearance, and the flying and battle scenes are interesting if dizzying. The pleasing scenery also improves the viewing experience a bit, but, in my opinion, it’s too little, too later. If you must go, bring a few friends so at least you can make witty commentary to keep yourself from falling asleep.

2- ninja ninja -characters
1- ninja -storyline
3- ninja ninja ninja -style
1- ninja -substance
2- ninja ninja -overall

Eragon, the novel, at Amazon.com

Got a bone to pick with the reviewer? Want to suggest a work for review? Dying to hear about a new media or genre? Contact Rushifa with your questions and comments.