Setting

The Blade Itself
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie Every once in a while, I pick up a book that reminds me fundamentally why I enjoy reading—a book that turns my brain off and sweeps me away to some far flung world that I can sit at any quiet moment and. . . disappear into.
By Matthew J. Frommabout a month ago in Critique
The Butcher of the Forest
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed I loved Becky Chambers’s A Psalm for the Wild-Built. It was a nice warm hug of a book that explored finding meaning in life, our relationship with nature, and how to come to terms with not knowing where a path may lead. I gave it an 89/100.
By Matthew J. Frommabout a month ago in Critique
The Fall of Arthur
The Fall of Arthur by J.R.R. Tolkien/Chris Tolkien Naturally I’d start this series with my hardest evaluation of the year. I snagged this copy from Shakespeare & Co in Paris to appropriately cap off a trip that included seeing the Bayeux Tapestry (a lecture series for a different time, but it’s so important to the fantasy genre).
By Matthew J. Frommabout a month ago in Critique
H/Jack
Introduction I will be honest, when I saw this advertised on Apple TV the only things that grabbed me were the fact Idris Elba was in it and the title "H/Jack". I have watched a lot of excellent stuff on the channel, most recently "Slow Horses" and "Down Cemetery Road", both absolute must-watch, and "Murderbot" was brilliant.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred about a month ago in Critique
Frost and Snow Mirror. Content Warning.
Just after the Winter Solstice, the first real snow fell. Beijing seemed to be wrapped in a huge, sound-absorbing blanket of cotton. At five o'clock in the morning, the sky was still pitch black, and the heating pipes in the neighborhood emitted a faint humming sound. I stood by the window, watching the lights of the convenience store downstairs still on - the 24-hour sign was blurred into a dim yellow glow in the snow curtain. Master Zhang, the owner of the store, is seventy years old. He is from Henan Province and always wears a dark blue woolen cap. At this moment, he was sweeping the snow at the entrance into a pile, and then laying a piece of hard cardboard on the steps.
By Léo Young2 months ago in Critique
Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 3— Review & Analysis
Episode 3 builds the emotional core of the season. The show focuses on vulnerable children, parents carrying old guilt, and the thin line between what is seen and what is hidden. This episode develops both the characters and the growing danger in a very balanced way.
By Ceyda Uztosun2 months ago in Critique
Man On The Inside
Introduction I was watching Netflix, and series 2 of this came up as a recommendation. I was unaware of this, but it had Ted Danson in it, so I thought I would check it out.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred - EBA2 months ago in Critique
Another Kafkaesque Facebook Situation
Introduction Two days ago, I got the above warning when posting in groups that I administer or am a moderator in. I can post on threads and on my own timeline, but that is it.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 3 months ago in Critique
Detectorists
Introduction I had watched a few episodes of Detectorists, and last week, while I was in Hebden Bridge, I decided to watch it all. If you have access to BBC iPlayer, it is free to watch here:
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 3 months ago in Critique
Capabilities of Ghosts
Reading ghost stories, I always have questions about how far the capabilities of ghosts can actually go. In reading books and short stories about ghosts, there are usually about three options for how far their reach expands:
By Seashell Harpspring 3 months ago in Critique
Fun With A Bosch Tassimo
Introduction We are all fans of convenience, the "just press a button" mentality, and when we walked into the house in Hebden Bridge we a saw a Bosch Tassimo coffee machine, which are supposed to make perfect coffee.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 3 months ago in Critique
Truth Demands Proof
I saw a post on Facebook where a man shared a letter he had sent to his elected officials calling for the impeachment of the sitting president. He claimed that the offenses were “so obvious” and “so well documented” that he did not even need to include them. That single assumption captured everything wrong with modern political thinking. When someone says “the reasons are obvious,” what they often mean is that they cannot defend them. Emotional conviction replaces evidence. The appearance of certainty replaces truth itself.
By Peter Thwing - Host of the FST Podcast4 months ago in Critique