Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: The Complete Series

 

Bates Motel is partly a prequel to, and mostly a reboot of, the Psycho franchise, which began with the iconic 1960s Horror film by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Anthony Perkins. The series ran for five seasons on A&E from 2013 to 2017, producing 50 episodes. The main cast throughout the series includes Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell, with Nicola Peltz appearing as a regular early in the show and Kenny Johnson being brought back as a series regular in later seasons. The supporting and recurring cast across the seasons is large, featuring Mike Vogel, Keegan Connor Tracy, Jere Burns, Michael O'Neill, Michael Eklund, Paloma Kwiatkowski, Michael Vartan, Kathleen Robertson, Kevin Rahm, Joshua Leonard, Ryan Hurst, Wilson Bethel, Tracy Spiridakos, Damon Gupton, Marshall Allman, Isabelle McNally, Austin Nichols, and pop star Rihanna. 

The series tells the story of a young Norman Bates, who moves with his mother, Norma, from Arizona to White Pine Bay, Oregon, where she has purchased a property with a house and hotel out of bankruptcy after the death of Norman's father. Throughout the series, we learn more about Norma and Norman's past, Norman's escalating mental health issues and his descent into the character from the movies, and that the town and its residents have many secrets.

The 10-episode seasons work well for this show because they let the writers tell a specific portion of the story without things getting stale, leaving viewers wanting more by the end of each season. The early seasons introduce and develop the characters and largely revolve around the town's massive drug operation. As the series moves along, the focus turns to Norman's dissociative identity disorder being discovered by people outside the family, and his time being treated at the Pineview institution. The final stretch definitely incorporates elements from the original film and pays homage to it, but the writers put their own distinct spin on the established lore. For example, the final season introduces Marion Crane but significantly expands her backstory, and the ending will likely surprise many people who expected the series to conclude exactly where the 1960 film begins.

The Blu-ray set is a 10-disc set that packages the five individual season releases into a decorative outer box. Each season is a two-disc set packaged in its own individual keep case inside the box, so the content of the discs is exactly the same as the single-season releases, and you do not get anything different if you already own those. The A/V quality is excellent and remains very good across all fifty episodes, ensuring the show looks and sounds great in HD on a home setup. The bonus features are on the discs for each respective season, though they do get a bit lighter in the middle seasons. There are deleted scenes included on the discs for every single season, a 45-minute cast and creator interview from season one, the "Bates Motel After Hours" episodes for season two, a featurette on Norman's psychotic break for season three, and a gag reel alongside retrospective featurettes looking back at the show's legacy on the final season discs.

Overall, the series is well-written and very well-acted from the first season to the last. Because it is set in the modern day rather than being a pure prequel, the writers have more creative license to tell their own story, drawing inspiration from atmospheric shows like Twin Peaks and The Killing. While Freddie Highmore's Norman Bates has elements of Perkins' Norman Bates, he doesn't try to copy him, and he does a lot of heavy lifting as the show goes on. Vera Farmiga is the absolute standout, playing Norma as a mix of concerned, overprotective, and creepy, and doing a fantastic job transitioning into "Mother," the internalized version of Norma that Norman interacts with as his alternate identity. The other actors do a wonderful job with their characters, and the writers balance the ensemble well, giving actors like Thieriot, Cooke, Carbonell, and Johnson great material to work with. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the Psycho franchise or serial dramas that include many different elements, the series is absolutely worth watching, and this set makes a perfect conclusion to your physical media collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 5

 

The 10-episode fifth and final season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2017. All of the main cast members returned for the final stretch, including Vera Farmiga, despite her character, Norma, dying at the end of the previous season. The guest and recurring cast includes Kenny Johnson and Ryan Hurst, who reprise their roles as Caleb and Chick, respectively. New additions to the cast include Isabelle McNally, Austin Nichols, and pop star Rihanna, who guest-starred after the series creators discovered she was a massive fan of the show. Series creator Carlton Cuse also makes a brief cameo appearance in one of the episodes.

Most of the season focuses on wrapping up the overall story, though it does so in a much different way than many viewers might expect. The narrative definitely incorporates elements from the original film and pays homage to it, but the writers put their own distinct spin on the established lore. For example, the season introduces iconic character Marion Crane but significantly expands her backstory beyond what was seen in the movie. The ending will likely surprise many people, especially those who expected the series to conclude exactly where the 1960 film begins.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete series release. The discs are packaged in their own keep case. The A/V quality continues to be extremely good, ensuring the episodes look and sound great in HD. The bonus features are a bit more robust for the final season, including deleted scenes for every episode and a gag reel spanning the entire five-season run of the series. There are also a couple of featurettes that serve as series retrospectives, featuring interviews with cast members and creators looking back on the show's legacy, fandom, and more.

The series continues to be very well written and very well acted in its final year. Everyone does a great job in their respective roles, but Vera Farmiga is the absolute standout of the season. She does a great job transitioning from playing the living Norma Bates to playing "Mother," the internalized version of Norma that Norman interacts with as his alternate identity. Freddie Highmore does a lot of heavy lifting as well. Several scenes transition between Highmore and Farmiga acting as "Mother," so they had to coordinate their performances to look seamless (which you see a bit of in the bonus material). The writers do a fantastic job of keeping the suspense high while delivering a satisfying conclusion to this modern-day reimagining. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the series, you absolutely have to watch the final season to see how it all ends, and it makes a perfect conclusion to your physical media collection.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 4

 

The 10-episode fourth season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2016. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell all returned as series regulars. The big additions to the cast in recurring roles this season were Damon Gupton, who plays a psychiatrist who starts treating Norman, and Marshall Allman as Julian, another patient at the Pineview institution where Norman is being treated.

Most of the season focuses on Norman coming closer to the person he is in the original film. His dissociative identity disorder is discovered (to those outside of the family), but it is still not widely known, and the series gives a backstory for why he developed it in the first place. The most consequential death in the series so far occurs this season, setting up different threads for how exactly the final season could play out. Obviously, we know what the ultimate outcome will be, which also hints at the fates of at least some of the characters, but we do not know how the writers will get there.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete series release. The discs are packaged in their own keep case. The A/V quality remains very good, and the episodes look and sound great in HD. The bonus features are lighter this season, with the only extras being deleted scenes included on each disc. There are about 15 minutes of deleted scenes on disc one and a little over 17 minutes on disc two.

The series continues to be well-written and very well acted, with all of the actors doing a great job in their roles. Obviously, however, as the series gets closer to where the movie would pick up, Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore have to do most of the heavy lifting. Nestor Carbonell's role continues to increase this season, and he is great in the role. The writers do a great job of keeping the material engaging and balanced for the cast members. Ultimately, it is a wonderful season that is absolutely worth watching and makes a great addition to your collection.

Book Review: Choke Point (Scot Harvath Series #25)

 

Choke Point, published in 2026, is the 25th novel in Brad Thor's long-running series of action-adventure thrillers centered around the character of Scot Harvath. The main storyline in this book is mostly set in Thailand, where Harvath is working alongside the CIA to track down a freelance bomber who used to be a Navy SEAL. The book opens with a series of bombings in Thailand and a US team sent to help investigate. Harvath and his elite team attempt to track down the dangerous bomber without tipping him off, and the narrative quickly turns into a tense, high-stakes cat-and-mouse chase through the region. Running parallel to this is a secondary storyline set in the United States that involves a separate set of events.

The hardcover version of the book is a moderate length, coming in at exactly 353 pages long. The pacing and the plot of the overall book are good, and the style and tone remain very consistent with the prior entries in the series. While the main plot in Thailand is highly engaging, the secondary storyline set in the United States is unfortunately a bit harder to get into. This side plot introduces several new characters who have not really been developed yet, making it feel very much like a distraction where you are just waiting to finish those chapters and get back to the main storyline. The secondary story likely would have been better if Thor had involved Scot's wife, Solvi, but she is only mentioned in passing and does not actually appear in the book.

Overall, despite the slower secondary plotline, the novel tells a very good story and maintains the great blend of action and suspense that fans have come to expect from the series. You can follow the primary action of the book fairly well on its own, but having the background knowledge from the prior novels definitely enriches the experience since Thor relies on those past books to establish his recurring characters. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the action-thriller genre, or especially if you have enjoyed the prior books in the series, you will very much like this book, and it is worth reading.

Blu-Ray/TV Series Review: Bates Motel: Season 3

 

The 10-episode third season of Bates Motel aired during the spring of 2015. Vera Farmiga, Freddie Highmore, Max Thieriot, Olivia Cooke, and Nestor Carbonell all returned as series regulars. Kenny Johnson, who plays Norma's brother, Caleb, was also brought back and promoted to a series regular this season. Kevin Rahm was added as a recurring character, serving as the main villain of the season. Joshua Leonard and Ryan Hurst were also brought on as recurring characters, and both Nicola Peltz and Keegan Connor Tracy made appearances reprising their roles as Bradley Martin and Miss Watson, respectively. Wilson Bethel and Tracy Spiridakos also had guest roles in the season.

This was another strong season for the series, and it brought the character of Norman much closer to who he was in the original movie. That progression required excellent performances by both Freddie Highmore and Vera Farmiga, and both delivered completely. The individual story arcs throughout the season are very well handled. The storylines involving Caleb and Dylan's relationship, Caleb trying to reconcile with and apologize to Norma, and Norman and Emma's relationship were all strong. The main storyline involving Norma, Alex Romero, and Kevin Rahm's character, Bob Paris, was also very good. The 10-episode seasons work very well for this show because they allow the writers to tell a specific portion of the story without things ever getting stale, leaving viewers wanting more by the end of the season.

The blu-ray set is a two-disc set that can be purchased individually or as part of the complete series release. The discs are packaged in their own keep case. The A/V quality remains very good, ensuring the show looks and sounds great on a home setup. The bonus features are a bit lighter this season than in previous years. There are deleted scenes included on each disc, with at least one deleted scene available for each episode of the season. There is also a featurette that focuses on Norman's psychotic break and essentially being taken over by a version of Norma.

The writers do a great job giving the entire cast good material to work with, and the series continues to be well-written and very well acted. All the actors step up to the material, and the writers do a great job of leaving viewers wondering how the fates of the various characters will play out to the point where the events of the original film pick up. Ultimately, if you enjoyed the first two seasons of the show, this one is absolutely worth watching and makes a great addition to your collection.

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: Everly

 

Everly is a 2014 genre-mixing film that combines action, drama, horror, and suspense.  It was directed by Joe Lynch and adapted from a story that Lynch wrote with the screenwriter, Yale Hannon. It stars Salma Hayek, Akie Kotabe, Laura Cepeda, Jennifer Blanc, Hiroyuki Wanatabe, Togo Igawa, Gabriella Wright, Masashi Fujimoto, and Aisha Ayamah. In it, Hayek's character, Everly, who has been forced into working as a prostitute for a Yakuza overlord named Taiko (played by Wanatabe), is attacked in the high-end apartment where she is kept prisoner in a building owned by Taiko, when Taiko discovers that she has been working with the police to take him down. Everly manages to kill her attackers with a gun she had hidden, and resolves to try to get to her mother and daughter to get them the money she has stolen from Taiko so they can disappear. She discovers she is trapped in the building as more people come to try to collect a bounty on her head.

The blu-ray is a single-disc release. The movie looks and sounds good in HD, but since it was a low-budget film, it did not get an extremely high-quality transfer. The bonus content includes two commentary tracks. The first is a feature commentary by Lynch, producer Brett Hedblom, and editor Evan Schiff. The second is a technical commentary featuring Lynch and the cinematographer, Steve Gainer. Also included is a music video for the version of Silent Night by Raya Yarborough and Bear McCreary featured in the film. 

The first thing to note is that the film is extremely violent (in a very over-the-top way), with a lot of blood and guts. So if that is not your thing, you should absolutely skip it. There is also a lot of swearing and very brief nudity.  There are easy comparisons to films like Kill Bill and Die Hard, but it is not nearly as good as either of those movies. Hayek does a good job in the role. She is the only person in the movie with any real name recognition, and she absolutely carries it. If you listen to the commentary, you will discover that Kate Hudson originally signed on to play Everly but eventually had to drop out and was replaced by Hayek. It would have been interesting to see what she would have done with the role, as her performance would probably have been quite different from Hayek's. 

Ultimately, it is not a film that will appeal to everyone. The movie is a bit unique in that it is an action film set almost exclusively in a single location, Everly's apartment. Nothing in the film is remotely realistic, so you definitely have to suspend your disbelief and just go with it. If you can do that, it is worth watching, but it is not a must-see.

Book Review: Denied Access (Mitch Rapp Series #24)

 

Denied Access, published in 2025, is the 24th book in the prolific Mitch Rapp series of novels created by Vince Flynn. It is the second book written by Don Bentley, after he took over the series from Kyle Mills, who continued the series after Flynn's death. If you read the books in chronological order, it is now the third in the series, creating a trilogy of novels (along with American Assassin and Kill Shot) detailing Rapp's early days after joining the CIA. The events in the novel (save for the prologue) are set in the early 1990s, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In it, Rapp finds himself caught in a conflict between the American and Russian Intelligence services, focused on protecting Greta, whose life has been threatened in the process. 

The hardcover version of the book is just over 400 pages long. It reads fairly quickly, and Bentley mirrors Flynn's overall style and tone for the characters while making the story his own. Because this is set during Rapp's early days, characters like Thomas Stansfield and Stan Hurley are heavily featured, and we learn more about Irene's career in the agency. Obviously, as Bentley indicates in the Author's Note, we will never know where Vince Flynn would have taken the story after the novel Kill Shot, had he continued young Rapp's story, but Bentley does a great job concluding that portion of the story. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the series, this is worth reading.

Book Review: Edge of Honor (Scot Harvath Series #24)

 

Edge of Honor, published in 2025, is the 24th book in the long-running series of action thrillers centered around the character of Scot Harvath by author Brad Thor. Unlike most of the other novels in the series, the events in this book are set in the United States. In it, Harvath and his wife, Solvi, are thrust into the middle of what appears to be a terrorist attack near the Norwegian embassy, but it is quickly determined to be more than meets the eye. A series of interconnected attacks reveals a political conspiracy involving government officials that threatens to bring down the new President.

The hardcover version of the book is just over 320 pages. The style and tone are the same as the other novels in the series, so it will read as quickly or as slowly as those do (assuming you have read some or all of the prior books). The storyline in this book is mostly self-contained, so you can follow what is going on even if you haven't read the prior novels. However, it does help to have read the earlier books because by this point, the author does not rehash the backstories of the main characters; he just assumes readers know who everyone is. Ultimately, if you have enjoyed the prior books in the series or just enjoy the action-thriller/spy novel genre, this is worth reading.  

4k-UHD/Movie Review: Don't Worry Darling

 

Don't Worry Darling is a 2022 film starring Florence Pugh, Olivia Wilde, Harry Styles, and Chris Pine in the leading roles, and a supporting cast featuring Sydney Chandler, Nick Kroll, Gemma Chan, Kiki Layne, and Dita Von Teese. Olivia Wilde also directed and was one of the producers of the film. It is a hard movie to classify, as it blends genres, specifically thriller, mystery, drama, suspense, and sci-fi. Pugh and Styles play Alice and Jack Chambers, who live in a 1950s desert "company town" run by Pine's character, Frank. Each morning, all the men go off to work at a secretive compound called Victory Headquarters in the middle of the desert, and are not allowed to discuss what they are working on, while the women are all homemakers who spend their days shopping and gossiping. It is implied that the men are working on some kind of national security project akin to the Manhattan Project, but as the movie progresses, we learn that not everything is as it seems. It is hard to fully describe the film without giving too much away, but if you combine bits of The Stepford Wives, The Matrix, Inception, The Truman Show, and The Astronaut Wives Club, you would get something like this.

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray. The A/V quality of the UHD disc is outstanding. The movie looks and sounds wonderful in UHD, with both audio and video near reference-quality. The bonus content, however, is very sparse. It is just on the standard blu-ray disc and consists of just a making-of featurette that runs just over 17 minutes and one deleted scene. The movie is well-written and very well-acted. Pugh's character is the centerpiece of the movie, and she does an excellent job in the leading role, but the entire cast does a great job in their respective roles. The writers do an excellent job of not giving away too much too soon. While you know very early on that something is off about the town and its people, they do a good job of not making everything obvious. Ultimately, it is an excellent film that is absolutely worth the time to watch. 

Book Review: Shadow of Doubt (Scot Harvath Series #23)

 

Shadow of Doubt, published in 2024, is the 23rd book in the series of action-thriller/spy novels by Brad Thor centered around the character Scot Harvath. The storyline in this one ties into the storyline of Harvath's revenge against the Russians and its fallout, which has carried over into several novels. In this one, a high-ranking Russian defector goes to Norway, where Harvath's fiancée, Solvi, becomes his handler. The CIA learns of the defection and puts pressure on Harvath to pass them information. Harvath learns that there was another Russian operative responsible for the death of his wife, and the defector is willing to provide the identity of the person, but wants something in return. There are a few side stories as well that tie into the main storyline, including a Russian conspiracy in France and the risk of nuclear weapons being used in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

The hardcover version of the book is a little over 350 pages. Thor manages the storylines fairly well. My only fundamental critique is that he inconsistently jumps between them; sometimes a new chapter is a different storyline, and sometimes one storyline gets multiple chapters before switching to another. That can make things a bit hard to follow, but thankfully, the chapters are relatively short (most are five pages or less), so the storylines are not impossible to follow. The book has a good blend of action and suspense. While many of the books in the series are stand-alone and do not require reading the prior books to know what is going on, it does help to have read the novels from Spymaster onward. Ultimately, if you are a fan of action thrillers, spy novels, and/or the prior books in the series, this one is worth reading.

Book Review: Never Flinch

 

Never Flinch, published in 2025, is a novel by Stephen King, set in Ohio, featuring the character of Holly Gibney. This is one of King's crime dramas/thrillers, rather than one of the supernatural horror stories he is known for. There are two storylines in this novel that mostly remain parallel until the end, when they intersect. In the first, Holly Gibney, the private investigator first introduced in the book Mr. Mercedes, is assisting a detective who is investigating a killer who threatens to kill 14 people, 13 innocents and one guilty, after an innocent man who was tried and convicted for a murder he did not commit is killed in prison. In the second, Gibney is hired to act as a bodyguard for a celebrity women's rights activist who is being stalked during a speaking tour.

The hardcover version of the book is a little over 430 pages. It reads pretty quickly, much like King's more recent novels, Holly, Fairy Tale, and Billy Summers. While the two storylines are mostly separate, King does a great job alternating between the two of them, so it is easy to keep track of what is going on in each one. While King does insert his political and social opinions into the book, I did not find it all that preachy (although people who disagree with his viewpoints probably will). As with many of King's books, there are a couple of twists in each storyline that are revealed over the course of the book. Ultimately, it is an entertaining book that is absolutely worth reading, especially if you are a fan of King's more "reality-based" novels or crime thrillers in general.

Book Review: Dead Fall (Scot Harvath Series #22)

 

Dead Fall, published in 2023, is the 22nd book in the series of action-adventure/spy novels by Brad Thor set around the character of Scot Harvath. As in many of his prior novels in the series, Thor blends real-world and fictional elements into the storyline. The bulk of the story in this book is set in Ukraine and involves its ongoing war with Russia. In it, Harvath is sent to Ukraine to track down a group of mercenaries who have been ravaging the towns and villages, including killing American aid workers. He is tasked with saving a kidnapped aid worker and taking out the group of mercenaries with little to no help or backup.

The hardcover version of the book is just over 330 pages. It has a similar style and tone as the other novels in the series, so if you have read any of the others, it will read as fast or as slow as those. While the Ukraine storyline is the main one, Thor includes some ancillary storylines that may or may not extend into subsequent novels (including adding more political elements than he has in the past) and introduces some new characters. Ultimately, if you enjoy action-thrillers, spy novels, and/or the other books in the series, you will probably like or love this one. It has a good balance of action and suspense and is absolutely worth reading. 

Book Review: Rising Tiger (Scot Harvath Series #21)

 

Rising Tiger, published in 2022, is the twenty-first book in the long-running series of action-adventure/spy novels by Brad Thor. As with many of the books in the series, Thor blends fictional elements with real-world events. Most of the events in the book are set in India, where Harvath is tracking the people responsible for the death of an American operative and friend. There are a few other storylines that intersect with that one, including a fictional Chinese weapon that is responsible for the real-life Havana Syndrome that affected US Intelligence agents. There are a few new characters in the book that could make appearances in subsequent novels, and several of the regular side-characters from the series appear. The most significant character omission is Solvi, Harvath's fiancée, who is mentioned but is not directly involved in any of the storylines.

The hardcover version of the book is 320 pages long (with a few additional pages of thank-yous and notes that Thor includes at the end of every book). It reads very much like his prior novels, so if you have read previous novels, this one will read as quickly or as slowly as those did. The storyline in this book is mostly self-contained. Thor does refer to events from prior books, but nothing so critical that you would not be able to follow the story in this book if you have not read the others. The only thing that you would miss is the development of the established characters. Ultimately, the book tells a good story with a nice blend of action and suspense, while incorporating some drama and humor along the way. It is absolutely worth the time to read.

DVD/TV Series Review: The Killing: Season 3

 

The 12-episode third season of the series The Killing aired during the summer of 2013. It is set one year after the events of the Rosie Larsen case, which was the focus of Seasons 1 and 2, and is tied to a case that Linden (played by the returning Mireille Enos) had referred to during the Larsen case. At the beginning of the season, Linden had left the police department and was working for the transit authority. When Holder (played by the returning Joel Kinnaman) and his new partner discover a string of murders involving runaway teenagers, which points to Linden's prior case and brings into doubt the guilt of the man she arrested, Ray Seward (played by Peter Sarsgaard), who is on death row. The rest of the cast includes Elias Koteas, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Aaron Douglas, Jewel Staite, Ben Cotton, and Gregg Henry. 

The DVD set is a very bare-bones three-disc set. It just includes the episodes. There are no bonus features, and the episodes are not captioned. The actual episodes are very good. It is well-written and very well acted. It is a serial drama in which the storyline builds throughout the season. It does not have much action, but it does have some psychological thriller elements. The series maintains the gritty, real-world tone that the first two seasons had. Like the first two seasons, this one has its share of twists and turns, but the mystery is ultimately resolved by the end of the season, and it does not carry over into the fourth season (although the fallout from the season finale's events certainly does). It does contain some swearing, violence, and sexual content, so it is not appropriate for young kids. While events from the prior seasons are mentioned, you do not need to have watched the first two seasons to follow what is going on in this season. Ultimately, if you are a fan of murder mysteries, especially if you watched and enjoyed the first two seasons of the series, this one is worth watching.

Book Review: Black Ice (Scot Harvath Series #20)

 

Black Ice, published in 2021, is the 20th book in the series of action-thriller/spy novels featuring the character Scot Harvath written by Brad Thor. At the beginning of the story, Harvath is in a helicopter that is about to crash in the Arctic. Then, it flashes back 72 hours to tell the story leading up to that point. We discover that while spending time in Norway with Solvi, introduced in the previous novel, Near Dark, Harvath sees a Chinese spy whom he believed he had killed years ago while walking around Oslo. From there, the story involves a plot involving China and Russia and control of the Arctic Circle. 

The hardcover version of the book is 320 pages long. If you have read any of the other novels in the series, the story has a similar flow and feel. As such, the book will probably read as quickly or as slowly as the others have. Like the prior novels, this one has a good blend of action, suspense, and drama (with a bit of humor and romance sprinkled in). Thor does refer to some real-world events in the book, but for the most part, the book steers clear of real-life events and politics (for example, COVID-19 is not mentioned at all). Thor does sprinkle in a bit of political intrigue, but his books are not overtly political. While this is the 20th book in the series, you do not really need to have read the prior novels to follow what is going on; however, it does help to have done so because there are several established characters in the book that Thor assumes people already know and does not spend much time setting them up. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the action-thriller or spy novel genre, this is worth reading.

Book Review: Near Dark (Scot Harvath Series #19)

 

Near Dark, published in 2020, is the 19th book in the series of action-thriller/spy novels by Brad Thor centered around the character of Scot Harvath. This novel continues the storylines from the prior two novels, Spymaster and Backlash, which resulted in many people close to Harvath being killed after his actions against Russia. In this one, a 100-million-dollar bounty is placed on Harvath's head, to be paid to whoever can get to him first. As a result, Harvath needs to avoid assassins coming after him, while also trying to track down the assassin who killed his wife and Reed Carleton. He teams up with a Norwegian intelligence operative named Solvi Kolstad, who has her own troubled past.

The hardcover version of the book is around 330 pages. It reads pretty similarly to the prior novels in the series, so it will read as quickly or as slowly as the other books. The action is not nonstop throughout, but Thor does a good job balancing the action sequences with the rest of the story. This book does not end on a cliffhanger but does hint at a possible direction that the subsequent novels will go. You don't need to have read all the novels in the series to follow what is going on in this book; however, you should read Spymaster and Backlash at the very least. Ultimately, if you are a fan of the genre and/or the Harvath series, this is worth reading.

Book Review: Backlash (Scot Harvath Series #18)

 

Backlash, published in 2019, is the 18th novel in Brad Thor's series of action thrillers centered around the character of Scot Harvath. The story picks up after the events of the cliffhanger ending to the prior book, Spymaster. We learn that Harvath is kidnapped by the Russians after taking out the Russian cell in Sweden, and while he is trying to escape from Russia, the US government and the Carleton group are working on a plan to get him out. 

The hardcover version of the book is moderately long, coming in at just under 375 pages. It reads pretty quickly, however. Thor includes many of the "regular" ancillary characters and introduces several new characters. While this novel is a continuation of the prior book, you can mostly follow the events in it even if you have not read Spymaster. Although if you haven't read the previous book, some things in this one will not make as much sense as they will if you have. Ultimately, it is a good action thriller that has quite a few suspenseful moments. If you are a fan of the genre, especially if you have enjoyed the prior books in the series, this is worth reading. 

Blu-Ray/Movie Review: The Cloverfield Paradox

 

The Cloverfield Paradox is a 2018 horror/sci-fi/thriller in the Cloverfield movie franchise. It is the third film in the franchise and, as of this writing, the most recent movie, following 2008's Cloverfield and 2016's 10 Cloverfield Lane. It was produced by J.J. Abrams and Lindsey Weber and directed by Julius Onah. It stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris O'Dowd, David Oyelowo, Zhang Ziyi, Daniel Bruhl, and Aksel Hennie. Donal Logue has a cameo appearance, and Simon Pegg and Greg Grunberg make voice appearances. 

The film is set in 2028, when Earth is at the peak of an energy crisis that threatens the entire human race. As a result, several countries have come together to build and test a particle accelerator aboard the Cloverfield space station that, if it works, can solve the world's energy crisis. After the test, the astronauts aboard the station discover that Earth has seemingly vanished and must figure out a way to get back. There are several twists and turns in the story, and it is primarily a thriller more than it is a monster movie (somewhat like 10 Cloverfield Lane). It does have subtle ties to the other films and does provide an explanation for the appearances of the monsters in those movies, even though the events of this movie are set in the future.

The A/V quality of the blu-ray is outstanding, and the movie looks and sounds great in the HD format. There is about half an hour of making-of and behind-the-scenes content, but unlike the prior film, there is no commentary track on this one. 

Ultimately, the movie is good, but if you are expecting a direct sequel to the other two movies that wraps everything up in a nice bow, or if you are expecting a bunch of monsters, this is not it. That said, if you are a fan of sci-fi thrillers and enjoy the other films in the Cloverfield universe, this is worth watching.

4k-UHD/Movie Review: 10 Cloverfield Lane

 

10 Cloverfield Lane is a 2016 thriller/horror movie. It stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, and John Gallagher Jr. It was directed by Dan Trachtenberg and produced by J.J. Abrams. It is set in the same universe as the original 2008 film, Cloverfield, but it is a stand-alone film and not a direct sequel to the first movie. In it, a woman named Michelle (Winstead) is shown leaving her fiancé (voiced by Bradley Cooper). As she is heading out of town, her car is hit by a truck, and she wakes up in a room chained to a wall. She is told by a man named Howard, who is a doomsday prepper, that there has been an attack of some kind outside and that the air outside his bunker is uninhabitable. Most of the rest of the movie involves Michelle, Howard, and a man named Emmitt's (played by Gallagher) life in the bunker while Michelle tries to find out what is going on outside. The final act of the story becomes a monster movie, much like the original film. 

The 4k set is a two-disc set containing a UHD disc and a standard blu-ray disc. The UHD disc has the movie, and the regular blu-ray disc has the movie and the bonus content. The bonus content includes several featurettes that can be played simultaneously or individually. The total run time for the bonus content is just under 35 minutes, and the featurettes include interviews with the cast and crew members, touching on topics such as the movie's production, score, and special effects.

The movie is a good entry in the Cloverfield universe. Again, it is not a direct sequel to the first movie. It is set in Louisiana and only tangentially references an attack on the East Coast. It is never made clear if that is the same attack that we saw in the original film. This one is primarily a psychological thriller and does not have as much action as the first movie does, although it does have some action. Goodman plays a character who is somewhat unusual and may or may not be mentally unstable and possibly evil. It is a very different role for Goodman, who is mainly known for his comedic roles. Winstead and Gallagher are also wonderful in their respective roles, but Goodman really carries the film. The fact that most of the movie is set in a very confined space actually adds to the suspense. The ending was somewhat controversial when the movie was released, but it was actually foreshadowed throughout the film. While I cannot say that everyone who liked the original movie will like or love this one, if you are a fan of the horror and/or thriller genres, you will probably enjoy this one. It is well-written and very well-acted, and is absolutely worth the time to watch.

Book Review: Spymaster (Scot Harvath Series #17)

 

Spymaster, published in 2018, is the 17th novel in the series of action-thrillers centered around the character of Scot Harvath, written by Brad Thor. The setting for this novel is in Europe, where several high-ranking NATO officials have been killed. Also, American vehicle convoys have been attacked, and parts for banned missiles have been stolen. Evidence points to Russia's involvement, and Harvath must go after a Russian cell in Sweden without igniting an all-out war that would invoke Article 5. 

The hardcover version of the book is similar in length to Thor's other novels, coming in at just over 320 pages. Many of the regular characters from the prior novels return in this one, and there are also new team members. While the book does not focus on character development, Thor does continue to develop the characters to keep them fresh. Much of the story is wrapped up by the time the novel ends, but a cliffhanger ending will go into the next book. Ultimately, if you liked the previous novels in the series, you will probably like this one. Thor uses the same style and tone that has worked for years, yet still keeps the challenges and adversaries for Harvath fresh. So, if you are a fan of the series, this is worth reading.