Partida Rol por web

To celebrate the return of the hit TV series Game of Thrones, the task for July was going to be something related to this show. Basically a review of an episode or book, but then I thought it would be better to extend it so it can be a review of any TV show (a single episode or the entire show), or a book or a film.

So, what is a REVIEW? A Review is usually written for a magazine, newspaper, website or blog. The main purpose is to describe and express a personal opinion about something which the writer has experienced and to give the reader a clear impression of what the item discussed is like. Description and explanation are key functions for this task, and a review will normally include a recommendation to the reader.

A review should…

– use interesting vocabulary.
– try to catch the reader’s interest.
– be clearly organized.

What should you do before you start review writing…
– be sure about what you are reviewing and its purpose
– decide what style you will use for your review.
– be careful not to follow a report style.

Useful language

1. introduction: say what you are reviewing.
– The (film, book…etc) I would like to review is…..
– The last Film I saw / book I read was…….

2. explain: give details of what you reviewing.
– It’s set in……….
– The story is based on (a book..) …..
– It’s about…..
– There are many memorable characters including ….
– The main theme of the film is…..
– What the film is saying is…..

3. opinion: give your own opinion of what you are reviewing.
– I would recommend this film to anyone.
– Although I enjoyed it, I would not recommend it for….
– It’s one of the best (shows) I’ve ever seen.
– Although I am not normally keen on (musicals), I am glad that I decided to go.
– The (film) lifts you out of your everyday life.

DO`s

– DO say what it is about, but not in too much detail.
– DO remember to mention important or memorable characters, but DON`T spend too much time just describing them.
– DO try to use a range of interesting vocabulary to bring the film to life for the reader.
– DO remember to link ideas clearly, and to link paragraphs together.
– DO remember to give your opinion clearly, as this is the purpose of a review, but not until the end.

A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan a realistic portrayal of the struggles of the pioneer women in the field of natural science. It is, too, a fantasy story about dragons in a world similar to our XIX century. A Natural History of Dragons is the first novel in the Memoirs of Lady Trent series. The narrator and protagonist is Isabella, Lady Trent, a famous scientist that has studied dragons all over the world. Now an old woman, she is writing her memoirs about her life and work. The book is a fantasy book with not a lot of elements of fantasy. Besides some weird names for the version of the different countries and the existence of dragons, the world is very similar to ours and the science and methods of study of the dragons are remarcable realistic, even if the anatomic descriptions are of species that have never existed.

It is an interesting book, with a bit of adventure and a bit of social comentary, characters that are human and and not heros and competently written. It is not the ultimate fantasy book or the next Nobel prize winner, but if you like fantasy  it is a fresh take in the use of dragons as a theme in literature.

                                                            Prima lezione di paleografia

This is a interesting book whose main topic is given a general view about palaeography; the
study of historical handwriting can give answer about what, when, where, how and who about a
historical document.
Armando Petrucci explain the formation of our communication´s method, specially the
evolution of handwriting in column and verticality, also emphasize how save the documents, the
perfect example were Rome and their registers.
Maybe the difference types of historical handwriting dependence of knowledge and place
where studying the document, can see the different´s in style, vocabulary and material.
A great example for explain this different´s could search in an administration´s book by
Maddalena Grattalori a merchant who help her nephew, in this book exist 202 writers different´s
because Maddalena was illiterate for this reason were the buyers wrote in this book , this 202 person
show the multi-cultural clime of Tiber area.
Always should think that the handwriting is the most important method for conservation the
ideas, philosophical, knowledge against the speak´s culture; this idea is value like to show the
democracy athens, they thought that reading and writing with equality between the people and
enlarge the ideas to improve the responsibility in their government, of course this idea was very
specific for their politic system.
During the XV century existed two moments what give a new features, the press and on the
other hand the inquisition...a progress to handwriting inside a unprogress, nevertheless the
inquisition didn´t prevent the expansion of alphabetic up to the nowadays, later arrived a new
options to make easy reading the latin language, the translation.
The person who want learn about the study of handwriting, should understand the stage or
society through the compression of material and practise of saying type writing according to
Petrucci teach, also evaluate the communication´s value of this society’s.
A worse of moment for the palaeography according to Petrucci what to agree with the
majority of historical scientist was the period time between Roman Empire up to full Middle Age
with a exception, this is exception are the register of Novgorod in the nowadays Russia for the high
merchant level.
The documents can have two targets, the first target is been written in his age while that the
second is being re-writing later his age; on the other hand we have saved documents with the two
targets because this documents try that be read in his age and following.

The last part of this interesting book explain the important thing outcome of the document
and spread around the different´s areas, even though we don´t should forget that existed literature
culture what have disappearanced, in this case always we must search which were the causes of this
phenomenon; this show that the handwriting need three skills for still:
1: Composition: Material used for the document, style of handwriting and the use of
language in her context.
2: Transmission: How this document was spreading in his age through knowledge reading
expansion and copy of this document, if existed copy, all documents wouldn´t be copy.
3: Preservation: The most important thing for the palaeography and the continuation of the
literature culture and her legacy.
The resume of this book is explain the reader, which is the target of the palaeography, her
history and how evolution the writing language in our world.
 

El guardián invisible.

"When the body of a young girl is found at the Batzan riverside in Elizondo, Amaia Salazar, a police inspector, is asigned at the case. As soon as she discovers that  Ainhoa Elizasu, the girl, is not the first but the second girl murdered, another dead girl appears. Always the same, teenagers girls, hers clothes torns, hers pubis shaved with a cake left on top and hers hands placed like a virgen image. Now, while the rumor that a myth of legend is murdering girls, Amaia Salazar has to find a real monster."

This book is the second Dolores Redondo wrote. But it is the book that gave her credit as a writer. El guardián invisible is the first book of a trilogy.

Dolores Redondo is a writer that write in a fluid and interesting way. The dialogues are natural and the characters are real and close. When you are reading is easy to identify Montes, Ros... with someone you know.

There is only one thing that I don't like. The book is filled with explanations and descriptions about Elizondo, the forest... They are interesting descriptions and they are very well wrote but I don't like finding pages and pages of explanations about something that it isn't the core of the argument.

Westworld - soul inside metal

I admit, I like HBO shows. The Soprano, Deadwood, Game of Thrones... Whenever I see the screen go fuzzy with snow and these three letters appear, I feel like I am about to experience something special. Great stories, funny dialogue, gritty atmosphere, epic characters... The full package.

Recently, I started watching Westworld. The series is about a futuristic Wild West theme park, where robots entertain and guide the wealthy visitors in a sort of real-life MMORPG. However, these machines that look and talk like humans, have started developing a consciousness. And feelings. More importantly, they start to question their very existence. In essence, it is "Wild West meets Blade Runner". And boy, do I love it!

Great cast includes the likes of Sir Anthony Hopkins, and a host of new and familiar faces. I have to highlight Ed Harris in probably one of his best performances to date. And that is something.

The show is just starting, and I have not finished watching Season 1 yet. But I can recommend this one. From the first piano notes of the spectacular intro of the very first episode, you will be hooked.