Scattered stones in an old quarry All the good stuff has been taken Hacked out, hauled away Leaving the scraps, the offcuts The good-for-nothing leftovers Not fit for purpose Yet the builders’ rejects Are lifted up and dusted off Shaped and polished and made ready To become cornerstones of new creations A new builder sees…
This is the first Stephen King novel I have read. (I have seen the movie adaptation of this, which I enjoyed very much.) I have to say, I was wondering initially why it is considered a scary book, even though I was enjoying it. I was waiting for the scares, and they just weren’t happening…
Ever used a compass Finding your way by the trembling point of a tiny needle That you can barely see Or you could be lost Wandering aimlessly in the wilderness No food, no water, no hope Life doesn’t come with a map Leaving you in the desert without guidance (Why isn’t there a map?) You…
There are a lot of debates about the definition of science fiction. There are many different opinions on good and bad movies, and a million ‘best of’ list articles on the internet. I won’t presume to call this a list of best films. This will be a list of science fiction films I have seen…
It started as a dream The ladder made real Climbing so high Ascending to the sky The ladder from earth To the throne of God Angels wait to take your hand And help you make the journey step by step Earth is in darkness War and strife and suffering But still the ladder waits as…
The ghosts of writers past haunt me They speak in my mind They flow through my fingers Shakespeare wrote a new sonnet last night Though he objected to the keyboard And demanded pen and paper I don’t think they really understand I can’t go out and say Well, I was speaking to Steinbeck the other…
In reading and watching a great many fantasy-based stories, something that often comes up is the usefulness of silver as a protection and a weapon against dark forces and evil creatures. I started to wonder why: why silver? What made that so magical in the eyes of ancient peoples? I decided to see what the…
We’re all equal, the people shout Buzz and wave their banners about Sure, says the spider with a toothy grin My parlour is open, come right in We’re all the same, the people say No one can take our freedom away Sure, says the boss who tries not to gloat Do as I say or…
When I was a kid I loved fairy-tales, fantasy, myths and legends. Movies that told fantastical adventures were watched and re-watched, and I was especially enthralled with the monsters and other fantastical creatures that appeared. I loved any stories which included magic and fantasy. A lot of these old movies would be shown on tv…
“Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte” is a psychological thriller surrounding a murder that happened many years before. It is directed by Robert Aldrich, and stars Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, and Joseph Cotten. The murder, in the end, becomes a side issue to the events of the film. The story starts in the 20s, at the…
Eclectic Assemblage 