Obi-Wan Kenobi

After years of waiting and speculation, one of Star Wars most beloved characters has finally received his own screen story. I was excited for this and certainly wasn't disappointed. Given the way that Star Wars has definitely declined in proper storytelling in the last few years, Obi-Wan Kenobi had a mighty task to complete. And who better to accomplish that task than the man who always believed in hope?

Goodreads Review - Vampires: The Myths, Legends & Lore

Vampires: The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Aubrey Sherman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Throughout every culture there is some modicum of a vampire legend. Created by superstition, fear, madness and no small amount of lustful romance, vampires have intrigued generations for centuries. Hailing from the legends of former human brought back from the dead, feared war heroes, maniacal nobility, serial killers and of course, the brilliant story Dracula that brought the whole world to vampire mania.

The vampire has become one of the most prominent staples in supernatural lore. Probably because of their versatility. As long as they have already died in some way and ingest blood (regardless of how it's done), then the sky is the limit when it comes to spinning a good vampire story. Vampires have found their place in pop culture for over 100 years. They were featured in literature as far back as 1816 (and earlier if you count small town folktales) and then made their way onto stage and screen where they have stayed comfortably for years.

As vampires are oftentimes seen as demonic spirits cursed to live on earth, then the idea of right and wrong and the struggle to adapt in a world where they aren't wanted adds a good moral element as well. This is quite often seen in shows such as The Vampire Diaries and its spinoff The Originals . Can vampires have a soul? Can they be redeemed? Or are they no better than the millions of other human murders out in the world? Unlike other supernatural creatures, vampires have always been a controversial source of moral debate and discussion.

I wasn't surprised to find a MLL book on vampires and I wasn't disappointed at the wealth of knowledge that was gathered and compiled. A great deal of the book had to do with the vampire's legendary role in film and television and its never ending inspiration for romance, mystery and sci-fi novels. However, some of it was nothing short of disturbing as well. Especially when regarding serial killers who had the same attributes to vampires. All that set aside, I enjoyed the history of the vampire and its cultural worldwide impact that has no plans of dying anytime soon.

The Day Life Won

Today after decades of battling with both losses and victories

ROE V WADE has been overturned

Stranger Things 4

Wow! This was one hell of an intense emotional and psychological ride...and it's not even done yet!!! Season 4 started out a little unsure; as if the story didn't really know where it was going. However, by about the fourth episode (and possibly the best episode in the whole show at this point!) it really began to find its footing and all the puzzle pieces were stating to take shape.

Top Gun: Maverick

 

I had grown up knowing about the 80s cult classic film, Top Gun, but never actually watched it till 2015. Afterwards it became my favorite film of the year; I must have watched it five times! So naturally when I found out that they were making a sequel, I wasn't holding out a lot of hope. I mean, Top Gun is a good film, but it's like Dirty Dancing in many ways; it's more of the nostalgia of when the film was made that is one of the reasons why it's considered a classic. However, after reading some great reviews, I decided to give it a shot. Could this sequel live up to its towering predecessor?

Yes. It did. Above and beyond anyone's expectations.

God Save The Queen

Celebrating 70 Years 

As England's longest reigning monarch

Congratulations on your Platinum Jubilee!

God Save The Queen

by Sarah Brightman and Alfie Boe

Goodreads Reviews - Dragons: The Myths, Legends & Lore

Dragons: The Myths, Legends, and Lore by Douglas Niles

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a MLL book that I was definitely looking for! I've always loved dragons and I like to believe that they are one (if not the) most popular fantasy creature in history. I grew up watching movies and reading books that featured dragons. From Disney's Pete's Dragon to Eustace Scrubbs Christian metaphorical transformation in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader . Dragon lore populates every culture in the world. Unlike the noble unicorn or the foul tempered leprechaun, the characteristics of the dragon is wholly dependent on the culture they derive from.

Dragon lore can be traced as far back as Babylonian and Ancient Egypt history and they are oftentimes revered as symbols of wisdom and strength; yet feared for their tempers, greediness and violence. They are also portrayed as immensely charismatic in most media dating from Fafnir of Norse mythology who became the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien's Smaug the Terrible in The Hobbit .

There is a great deal about Dragon lore that can be discovered and written down. In this book the symbiology of the dragon and its origins gives a better understanding to their popularity. This is followed up by the worldwide cultural legends of the dragon through religion, communities, and of course, storytelling. Then finally dragons in popular culture, most notably in games such as Dungeons & Dragons .

Like with the rest of the MLL books, this one was just as fun and informative. The artwork that is taken from different cultures is stunning and I love the tan and red cover theme! Very fantastical and elegant. My only one complaint is that the latter part of the book seemed to drone on and on about the prominence of dragons in video games and it became very redundant. However, Dragons is a wonderful add to my growing MLL collection and any dragon lover and fantasy writer will surely benefit from its treasure trove on knowledge.