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Doom 02. Hell on Earth: Basiertauf Doom TM von Id Software - Dafydd ab Hugh
by Burning_Darkness
Now this definitely wasnt what I was expecting.
I've never read the original Doom novel, but I have played both games to death and beyond, so I figured I'd be able to pick up the highly cerebral storyline of the second novel without much of a problem. Demons from hell invade Earth and turn most of the population into ... bloodthirsty, gun-toting zombies, and only a lone spare marine and several million rounds of ammunition can put things right.
Whilst it was never going to be high literature, there was actually a lot of scope for a good, entertaining sci-fi/horror novel here, given the cyberpunk/occult/apocalyptic themes served up by the brilliant Doom 2 computer game.
The novel is indeed centered around a lone space marine, who teams up with two female companions who set about defeating the unholy menace that has taken over the Earth. There are a few decent scenes of ultraviolence to be found, with zombies/demons/cyborg-mutants being blown to pieces most satisfactorily, plus a notable Dawn of the Dead-style section in which the protagonists smother themselves in offal so that they can wander around a monster-filled supermarket in plain view, but the writing and characterisation are generally pretty poor overall.
This could be forgiven, but what makes the book irredeemable is the fact that so much of it (say 30-40%) is given up to endless Mormon propaganda. No, I didnt see that coming either. The protagonists hot-tail it to Salt Lake City, Utah, finding shelter with the Mormon community that has managed to survive there, and the book suddenly starts to read like an extended recruitment leaflet:
"Gee Tommy, those Demonic Cyber-Mutants sure are nasty! We really lucked out finding this Mormon Settlement. But just who are the Mormons anyway, and what do they believe?"
"Well Billy, it all started back in the year 1800 and ........"
Something like that anyway. Now I don't mean to be rude to Mormons here. I'm sure there's a place for Mormon literature, and that place is inside a Mormon church, or in the 'religion' section of your local library/bookshop. But not in a video-game adaptation novel about chaingunning CyberDemons to death.
Oh, and the novel has the weakest, silliest cop-out ending of any story I've ever read. The book is a crushing disappointment from beginning to end really. All I was hoping for was repeated vivid depictions of unholy hellspawn being splattered into oblivion against a cataclysmic backdrop. Instead I got dull, drawn-out conversations on theistic doctrine. Not ideal.
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Collins German Dictionary
by rackerss
I always loved learning German at school and decided to take it on as an A-Level subject. Before this I'd used Collins pocket German dictionary and looked any other words up online - which is a big no-no according to every language teacher. So the summer before I began my A-Levels I invested in the complete and unabridged dictionary by ... Collins. It cost about £15 online, but I think amazon is now selling it cheaper.
It's a whopping 2103 pages and incredibly bulky and heavy. It's definitely not a portable dictionary which is why it's always useful to have a pocket dictionary to take on the move. This was, however, always open on my desk for completing essays and other work at home. It has so far never failed me; I've always been able to find everything I've needed for both social and academic German.
=THE FEATURES=
Bot German-English and English-German sections
A comprehensive appendix with a list of irregular verbs which came in useful countless times - anyone who has studied German can understand the importance of a clear irregular verb table. The appendix also has a great section on Numerals, weights, measures, time and dates; these kind of subjects are often assumed when in a German lesson so it's useful to have them in a separate easy-to-access section.
An introduction which tells you how to use the dictionary, introduces the spelling reform and basic rules for adjectives, adverbs and the genitive case and a section on pronunciation.
Extensive grammar section in the middle which I left fairly unexplored, but if you have the time it's got some excellent tips and tricks for speaking high standard German (and English)
=MY THOUGHTS=
What I love about this dictionary is the amount of information for every word. It doesn't just give you the literal translation, but includes any idioms associated. Idioms are so hard to translate word by word and the dictionary makes it a thousand times easier when reading a piece of German text. It also includes any irregularities for the word - for instance irregular verbs - to stop you making silly mistakes. There are a lot of slang words included for both languages which makes it very current.
The dictionary would be ideal for both an English person learning German or vice versa as everything is included in both languages; grammar, appendix included.
The book is a lifesaver for anyone who is learning German, or who has learnt German previously, but needs a good dictionary for the home. I used it a lot over my two year course and still use it now and it has become a bit worn. The spine has become very damaged and the cover is creased - it definitely needs looking after. I found it quite hard sometimes to keep hold of as it is quite heavy so it has fallen on the floor a fair few times which has contributed to these damages. The pages are very thin which make them susceptible to creases and also if you have a damp house the pages can curl. These features would be true of any large dictionary or encyclopaedia so it's not a reason to not buy it; just take care of it!
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French for Beginners - Angela Wilkes
by elysia2003
~~~ Usborne Internet-Linked French for Beginners ~~~
I had originally purchased this book as my youngest daughter, aged around 7 at the time, as she had shown an interest in different languages. Eager to encourage her, I purchased this book, along with a Portuguese, Spanish and Italian version. I'm not a pushy mum, honest. ... There are several version of this book - just the basic book, the internet linked one that I am reviewing, and one with a CD.
~~~ The Book ~~~
What you receive is a soft backed book which is approximately an A4 size. There are attractive, colourful cartoons on the cover, which give it a child friendly appearance. There are speech bubbles of conversation, in which there is French text. The pictures are nicely drawn and correspond to the text so well, that you almost don't have to read the speech to be able to figure out what they are saying to each other.
Inside we are told that going abroad on holiday is so much more fun if you can actually speak a little of the language. It shows us that learning another language is much easier than we might think. This book is perfect for teaching conversations that would be useful for everyday situations but kids this age would most probably only ever use their French on holiday, which is a shame really.
The bright colourful, cartoon picture strips show what to say in each situation. You need to read the speech bubbles and see how much you can understand by yourself (the pictures really aid you in this). You are then told to look up the words that you do not know. There are lists of the relevant words used in both English and French at the side of each page for ease of reference. What I like is that on each page, that phrases are used over and over again, so you can easily recognise and start to remember them. The Book starts of really easily, and gradually increases in difficulty.
All new words or phrases that are introduced on each page are marked with an asterisk at the side. This means there is note about that word at the bottom of the page. This note might give you some advice on pronunciation, grammar, or even - more suggestions are on page so and so. I like this, because it's easy to cross reference subjects; i.e.: nouns and adjectives, so rather than learning just about food, such as I like... or I don't like..., you can switch around what you learn with your child to make it more varied and interesting. You could learn a whole section of negative words instead - To make a verb a negative in French you need to put 'ne' immediately before the verb, and 'pas' immediately after it. Je 'ne' parle 'pas' francais (I do not speak French). Learning about one thing, often leads you to explaining about something else, but they are all interlinked, and all are relevant.
~~~ Things we learn ~~~
* About you: here we talk about age and brothers and sisters, and verbs - to have, and to be.
*Taking about family and descriptions, and my and your, in singular (female and male) and plurals
* Looking for things - underneath, inside, behind, in front of etc.
* Food not only learns the names for food (fromage for cheese etc) but also by looking at the pictures - you are eating, we are eating, they are eating. Reinforcing what you have already learned.
* Table conversation - will you pass me...? Would you like some more...? Dinner is ready.
* Hobbies - including the verbs faire (to make or do) and jouer (play).
* Telling the time - and also the times of day, breakfast dejeuner, what time is it? and also the verb aller (to go)
I won't list any more, but I could go on. All the subjects go along these lines. Each next double paged spread reinforces what has been learned before, but also introduces something new.
~~~ Internet Links ~~~
Inside the front cover, we are informed of the Usborne quicklinks website where you can listen to French phrases and conversations so that you are able to pick up and practise the correct French pronunciation. Also on the site you are able to watch video clips of everyday conversations so that you can actually act these scenes out, and put what you've learned into practise. Along with all of these activities, there are lots of fun things for kids to do, all to enforce the French language upon them - such as word searches (to help understand the written word, rather than the verbal one), and there are matching games - English to French, and French to English.
Sometimes extra links are added to the site, if Usborne things they are useful, and all links are regularly reviewed and updated to make sure the child gets the best possible learning experience. My daughter loves this part - this is so more interesting than studying a book. It's more interactive and more fun. She still likes going on the site despite doing quite well and picking up the French language quite well in the year or so we've owned this. I actively encourage this as not only does she pick up something new every time she signs in, it also reinforces what she has already learned. Her pronunciation has come on leaps and bounds, just by practising. As I child, I could get the pronunciation quite well (despite being a brummie, and having a broad Irish French teacher), but I struggled with the written word, actively supervising my daughter's use of this internet site has also helped me.
~~~ My Thoughts ~~~
Admittedly, kids aren't going to pick up French just by reading the book; they are definitely going to need adult assistance, but even if the adult doesn't speak French, with the addition of the internet-linked learning you will both succeed. I do think this is the perfect start in introducing languages to your child from a young age. They do say that under the age of five is this best age to introduce languages. I can say hand on heart, that this book is much too advanced for a child under five years old. This is perfect for 7 and overs with adult assistance, and probably 9 or 10 working solo.
This has given my daughter a wonderful head start with her language lessons at school. I do feel she is more confident, simply because she has practised at home. She can't speak fluent French, and she will never get that from this book; but at least her love of language has been nurtured and hopefully with a little bit of encouragement, she will go further on with her studies when she's older. I feel safe in the knowledge that if ever we did go to France on holiday, she knows enough French to get her by if she gets separated from us, and at 8 years old, that's all she really needs isn't it?
~~~ Other Information ~~~
ISBN: 0746005822
RRP: £9.99
Available new on Amazon: £6.59
Available from WHS: £8.51
Highly recommended, so it gets five shiny stars from us - (but you need to use both the book and the suggested internet sites to get the best from it)
Thanks for reading my review.
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