I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

This was a selection for bookclub that I found myself thinking, ok, I’d never have picked it up myself, but I’ll give it a go. Generally speaking, vampire books don’t excite me and I’d seen the most recent movie so I wasn’t over enthusiastic about reading the book.

However, I’ve now learned that whoever made the movie must have read the blurb on the back of the book, thought ‘Great premise, I’m going to make a movie now’ and gone and written something completely different and called it the same title as the book. Unfair to the book if you ask me. As far as adaptations go, the film is appalling. Sure, it’s watchable if you’re in the mood for putting up with Will Smith basking in his ‘Will Smith-ness’ for much of it, but the book is an entirely different experience.

Robert Neville lives alone, trying to survive the nightly attacks from a seemingly endless supply of vampires. Could he be the last living human on the planet? Routine stifles despair, but loneliness is unceasing.

For a book that in effect has one character, I Am Legend is mightily engaging. It knows when to use an action sequence to draw you in, or develop the emotional story to make you feel more. It knows when to skip forward or back in time so weeks, months, years, don’t feel at all tedious. And the ending (which I will not spoil for you) is fascinating and makes you think about all you’ve read and what you would feel in the same situation. Don’t believe the movie version; it’s ridiculous Hollywood slop compared to what (I think) Matheson was trying to say with his book.

If you like anything vaguely apocalyptical then you'll like this one. It’s an enjoyable read that might make you think too. Nice choice for bookclub, particularly if like us, you watch the film adaptations afterwards to discuss further. 

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness & Siobhan Dowd

A Novel by Patrick Ness from an Original idea by Siobhan Dowd

The ‘Chaos Walking’ trilogy quickly and firmly established Patrick Ness as one of the authors that inspires me the most.

Therefore, I was more than excited to hear about his new work ‘A Monster Calls' and could not wait until I had read it. So much so, that when I had my hands on a copy, all other reading (regardless of how important – uni and work – were laid aside).

This particular book was born in the mind of Siobhan Dowd who, tragically, died before she could write it. In Patrick’s words: “She had the characters, a detailed premise, and a beginning. What she didn’t have, unfortunately, was time.”

So, in being invited to use Siobhan’s idea, Patrick let it grow, in the wild way of stories. Then he ran with it and made trouble.

And I for one am thrilled that he did. The story that these two have come up with is fantastic and one to be appreciated on any number of levels.

For me, it reads like a beautifully crafted modern fairy tale, full of modern sensibilities and psychologies. What I mean by this can easily be explained with a quote from the book:

“There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere inbetween.”

Mix that with the idea that not all stories have a happy ending and you get a brilliantly written tale of a boy’s struggle with his mother’s illness and a visit from a Monster as old as the earth who wants only one thing: the truth, spoken from Coner’s lips.

While the idea was Siobhan’s and the words Patrick’s, it would be unfair to review this book without reference to Jim Kay’s illustrations which perfectly capture the flickering, messy, darkness that would be conjured by one’s imagination were this tale read aloud by a dancing fireplace. Some illustrated novels seem like two works clumsily thrust together, the illustrations adding nothing, sometimes detracting from the written text. Jim Kay’s art adds to the snowball effect that began with the text, built in your imagination, was complemented by the artwork and had me glancing at the window to make sure that there was no such Monster peering in.

Moving, dark, and real, A Monster Calls can be devoured in one sitting and leaves you asking yourself: “What is my truth?”

5 Gold Stars

Find it on Goodreads

The Troll Hunter [Trolljegeren]

The opening minutes of this film had me concerned: text describing how the ‘footage’ was obtained, then how it was examined and found to be “genuine”. It then begins with student reporters tracking down a story about some bear shootings and all the footage is done with a hand-held camera.

‘Oh no,’ I thought, ‘could this be a Norwegian ‘Blair Witch’?’

Maybe, in it’s original appearance, but it is so much more than whiny teenagers getting lost and freaked out in the woods.

The bear shootings, we soon find out, are all part of a “larger” problem: Trolls. These university reporters eventually find their way to a strange man who is very evasive at first, but then concedes to have them tag along as long as they do exactly what he says, when he says. It turns out that he is a Troll Hunter (hence the title) that is hired by the government to control the troll population of Norway.

What does all this add up to?

FUN!

I loved the whole thing! Such unpretentious fantasy is so refreshing! I’m rather concerned that Hollywood will find this one and remove its charm in the process of remaking it for an “American Audience”.

Troll Lore is worked in well, including the usual “you can’t believe what you hear in fairytales” that seems to make an appearance in all modern retellings of anything originating in folklore.

The CGI is convincing as well, particularly considering the ‘poor’ quality of the hand-held footage. You could almost believe what you were seeing, which works in a strange positive way for Tourism Norway. I know I want to go to see the trolls, if not the amazing scenery.

Love it!

Monsters

I went into this movie expecting something entirely different to what I got, and that doesn't mean I was disappointed.

The trailer led me to believe this was the next big action monster movie with lots of strange creatures and army troops fighting them. Almost as if this was a sequel to Cloverfield.

In reality, this was a thoughtful film, that was more about relationships than anything else. On top of exploring the complicated relationships of and between the two main characters, questions are raised about the relationship between humans and this "creatures". The everyday citizens of Mexico that this pair come across on their journey home are all grieving the loss of someone or something and even go so far as to say that the creatures won't bother you if you don't bother them and it's only when the Americans fly over and bomb them that the attacks happen and people lose their lives.

For a film called "Monsters" there are surprisingly few of them in it. Other than a seemingly constant news feed on every TV we pass playing what appears to be the same footage of a recent attack, we don't have an encounter with one at all for at least 45 minutes to an hour. I think if I had been expecting this lack of "action" then I would have enjoyed it much more as it too me 3/4 of the movie to work out that it wasn't the next Cloverfield, or Alien, I couldn't help feeling a little miffed. That said, the approach to the concept of how people would cope with the idea/presence of these creatures was well executed and By then end I had decided I loved the movie. This is very much the 'monster' movie for those who don't really enjoy mindless shooting at giant aliens. All in all it was a very refreshing addition the the monster movie genre.

Particularly when you think about how low budget this film was (comparatively) only spending around $200,000, shot with a crew of 2 entirely on location. It certainly didn't have that feel to it.

Both of the main actors, Whitney Able and Scoot McNairy, appear the be entirely new to the world of movies (according to their IMDb page at least) and both did a great job. I would be happy to see either of them again.

in summary, I give it 4 out of 5 and recommend it to anyone who likes the sound of an interesting, well thought out monster movie.