# ORCS



## HippoHead (Mar 10, 2008)

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']The book starts good, Orcs fighting in a human settlement, but it soon drags. The first problem is the battle sequences which are pretty much all the same, and each ends agonisingly with "casualties?" Jup: "Only minor injuries, we were lucky". It occurs so much that you will get vexed at the end of each battle scene praying, hoping, there will be a realistic casualty list after they have been outnumbered 5 to 1 against elite corps of the armies of men. In fact halfway through the book, you get pretty cheery when 200 or so orcs latch on to the band, just so the author can finally kill some of the good guys off without it being a main character. This shouldn't be needed though as the band has a good 20 "Grunts" (a word which appears about 4-5 times a page)which have no character whatsoever, no lines personality or actions other than follow the lead orc "Stryke". In fact he only seems to refer to them by name when in a list(in battle tactics, proclamations etc), just so you don't get too close if(heaven forbid)one of   them dies. 
  Another problem about the book is the story...I know this seems quite a big point, but it still struggles on without a good one. The problem with the story is that it’s like playing an early final fantasy game. Going to each location one by one collecting crystals, not only that but the worlds so small, you could cross the map in 3 days, which makes it difficult to picture how many of the characters in the book seem mystified by many of the locations presented(I mean if you could explore the whole world in a month, you would do it right?) You wouldn't stay under a rock, like some of the "explorers" and "veterans" must have done and been lying through their teeth), and also how some battles contain 20,000 plus troops, which takes the edge off realism. These faults shows the authors ability to keep you reading despite the fact you know you shouldn't. The main reason for this is their great portrayal of the evil characters which make the book worthwhile. The portrayal of the 5 main orcs also gives the book a sense of meaning, as you want them to complete their quest.(though id prefer them to be a lot less human, and a lot more orc-like and vulnerable). 
All in all a good read, drags in some places and makes you want to see orc blood, but it should keep your attention to the end.[/FONT]


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## HippoHead (Mar 10, 2008)

[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']  Before the release of the seventh and last book of the Harry Potter series, I re-read all the preceding volumes. Throughout, I noted how the author developed her grand theme of right versus wrong, the strong versus the weak, and the evils that stem from the misuse of power. How was Rowling to end this series? Obviously, the Apocalypse was at hand, and the heroic struggle between Harry Potter and the evil Lord Voldemort would be the climax of the series. While we waited for the last book, rumours rose. Fake spoilers floated over the internet like the soul-sucking Dementors, threatening to extinguish the enjoyment people would get from this final volume. It proves just how popular the series is. All I will say is that "Deathly Hallows" lived up to my expectations and in fact, ended pretty much as I imagined it would. Rowling keeps true to her theme right to the end and to her artistic vision as well. There is plenty of action right from the get-go. This is by far the most exciting of the seven books, with duels, battles, fights, daring escapes and amazing twists of fortune. There are plenty of surprises and also many reasons to weep. The action sometimes is non-stop, but from time to time, there are welcome respites in the action, times for moments of tenderness or friendship between surprising pairings of characters. The sub-theme of the power of love is evident in these idylls. J. K. Rowling is a master writer who has created an amazing work of art with the Harry Potter series and, as with any other master craftsman, she has chosen the perfect finish for a fine series of books. [/FONT]


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## HippoHead (Mar 10, 2008)

*Batman Begins (movie)*

Director Joel Schumacher almost single-handedly killed off the Caped Crusader with the double whammy of Batman And Robin and Batman Forever. 
[He plunged the series into the hellish realms of camp and gaudy pantomime. It was a far cry from the dark and brooding Gothic stylings of Tim Burton, who understood perfectly the terrible demons that haunted Bruce Wayne; the horrors that lurked behind the mask. 
As the title suggests, Batman Begins takes the self-appointed guardian of Gotham City back to his origins, imagining a deeply flawed hero struggling with self-destructive and negative emotions that will consume, and ultimately destroy him, if he allows them to. 
From an early age, young Bruce (Lewis) nurtures a love for Gotham City and an unshakable sense of fairness and justice from his wealthy industrialist father Thomas (Roache) and mother Martha (Stewart). 
[That belief system collapses when Bruce witnesses the senseless murder of his parents, two more victims of Gotham's crime epidemic and collapsing economy. 
Blaming himself for their deaths and consumed with a desire for vengeance, the now teenage Bruce (Bale) uses his vast inherited fortune to travel the world, searching for a means to destroy evil and restore justice to a corrupt world.
Bruce's voyage of self-discovery leads him to a remote village in the Himalayas, where a wise man called Ducard (Neeson) tutors him in physical and mental disciplines. 
The grieving heir turns out to be an excellent protege, honing his fighting skills and learning that he must channel his anger, else be ruled by it. 
When Ducard attempts to indoctrinate Bruce into a powerful vigilante group called the League of Shadows, led by the enigmatic Ra's al Ghul (Watanabe), whose goal is to destroy the evil in Gotham by razing the entire city, mentor and pupil part ways. 
Bruce heads back to the city of his birth, where rampant crime and corruption hold the city to ransom, much of it perpetrated by crime boss Carmine Falcone (Wilkinson) and his cronies.
The authorities are powerless to stop the rot: key figures in the police and justice system are on Falcone's payroll, making it virtually impossible for Bruce's childhood sweetheart, Assistant District Attorney Rachel Dawes (Holmes) to secure a conviction. 
Moreover, whenever one of Falcone's thugs is captured by the police, prominent psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Crane (Murphy) immediately delivers an insanity verdict to ensure the bad guys avoid prison and serve their time at his Gotham facility instead.

In desperation, Bruce turns to his loyal butler Alfred (Caine) and to technical genius Lucius Fox (Freeman), a key figure in the Applied Science division of Wayne Enterprises, to unleash his winged alter-ego. [/font]
[FONT='Arial','sans-serif']'People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy,' Bruce tells his valet and so Batman is born, risking everything - even the woman he loves - to banish evil once and for all. 
Possessing the same sense of menace as the graphic novels, Batman Begins is a masterful reinvention of the comic book superhero, confidently directed by Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia). 
[The film strikes a pleasing balance between eye-popping spectacle and emotional angst, expending almost an hour wading through the traumas of Bruce's childhood, and his training under Ducard, before the eponymous Caped Crusader makes his first appearance. 
[This opening chapter is arguably too laboured and pedestrian, it's a slow build to Batman spreading his wings, and a good 10 minutes could have been trimmed at the editing stage without forsaking any vital characterization. 
When Batman Begins moves up a gear, there is a plethora of thrilling action set pieces and nifty high-tech gadgetry (including a very different Batmobile) that sustains the picture to its adrenaline-pumping finale. 
The powerhouse ensemble cast serves the film well, investing the adventure with a sense of gravity and realism. 
Bale is particularly strong as the (anti)hero who threatens to lose sight of his humanity in his quest for revenge, gelling very nicely with Holmes as his fiercely idealistic friend and love interest ('What chance does Gotham have when the good people do nothing?')
Their doomed romance echoes strongly the relationship between Peter Parker and Mary-Jane in Spider-Man. 
Caine offers sporadic comic relief, berating Bruce when he strays from the path of righteousness and encouraging his young ward to fulfil his destiny. Freeman, Neeson, Wilkinson and Murphy impress in supporting roles.
Unlike the previous Batman films, the villains don't scene-steal shamelessly. Both Ra's al Ghul and the Scarecrow are tricky adversaries but hardly memorable. 
However, the closing minutes of Batman Begins suggest that the Dark Knight's nemesis in the sequel will be far more formidable.


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## valeca (Mar 10, 2008)

I have no idea what all this is, but it doesn't belong in LM.  Where would you like it moved?


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## eggo (Mar 17, 2008)

Is this maybe the New LM? 

Write segue's to join Orcs to Harry Potter to Batman.

Damn , this one will be tough.


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## Foxee (Mar 17, 2008)

Moving this to Books & Authors since the OP didn't reply.


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