King of the Jungle – KS Silkwood

King of the Jungle is the first part in KS Silkwood’s satirical trilogy regarding the British art scene, and Online Books Editor Rory Morgan takes a quizzical look at how effective the novel is in critiquing London’s art world…

The first in the trilogy, Silkwood’s novel follows a mid thirties park keeper in voluntary exile from the art world. From a first hand account we are given an insight into both the humdrum nature of a repetitive job and the vantage point of keeping on the fringes of the London art scene.

This narrative voice of a bitter but gifted man can at times be overtly direct to the reader, and unfortunately this feature can at times be slightly irritating in the first two parts of the novel. At times it feels as if you are reading the diary of a grumpy teenager rather than the thoughts of man in his thirties. Considering these moments, it could be said that Silkwood slightly overdoes it at times in trying to convey the immaturity of his protagonist. In the third part however, the narrative becomes fascinating as Silkwood slowly discloses the downward spiral of alcoholism of the park keeper. It is a shame that the same skill does not seem to resonate throughout the entirety of the novel.

Much of the novel’s plot focus also centres on the day-to-day occurrences of working in a public park. Although this does allow many entertaining characters in the form of the various drunk tramps and colleagues that occupy the park, at times this focus feels slightly unbalanced and I often found myself wanting more of the scenes involving the art world. These scenes are cleverly interjected with the humorous life in the park, but a few more of them would have been a welcomed addition.

It is perhaps this lack of focus that leads to the slightly melodramatic and predictable ending. As so little focus is given to the art world and those in it, small occurrences stick out like a sore thumb and remove the presumably intended shock value ending. The lack of time devoted to supporting characters, most notably Andrei, further makes the ending of the novel slightly inconceivable and over the top.

Silkwood does however have a true saving grace in his pacing of the novel. The slow reveal of the protagonists doomed love and the fact he becomes just like one of the drunks he ridicules does make this novel worth reading. It is shame however, that the first two thirds of the book do not entirely display more than just superficial wit.

Rory Morgan, Online Books Editor

A New Transformers Trilogy

Last Wednesday, Michael Bay, the infamous director, revealed the exciting news that Transformers 4 will see the beginning of a new Transformers Trilogy. He also announced that Jack Reynor (What Richard Did, Dollhouse) will star in the lead role, alongside Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter, Ted).

Picture Courtesy of ScrapeTV.com

Referring to Reynor, Bay described him as something of a success story: “… he is an Irish kid that came to America with 30 bucks in his pocket. Pretty ballsy. Seriously, who does that?… This kid is the real deal”. Obviously, Bay thinks rather highly of this young actor, and believes that he will provide a convincing role in the new trilogy. Of course, his remarks reveal something of the concept of the American dream, where anyone can achieve fame, fortune and success in this free country if they have the ambition, drive and talent to do so. Linking Reynor with this long-held ideal is rather flattering, suggesting that Bay thinks highly of Reynor’s acting abilities, but it also implies that Reynor must now live up to these expectations if he is truly to be regarded as the next big thing in American cinema.

The new film will, according to Bay, occur four years after the events of Transformers: Dark of the Moon and, because of the new trilogy, the new film will feel very different in comparison with its predecessors – tantalising details for hardcore Transformers fans. Bay has not yet confirmed the rest of the cast, although rumours have suggested that Nicola Peltz (The Last Airbender, Deck the Halls) will play the female lead as Reynor’s love interest and Wahlberg’s daughter.

According to other information, Transformers 4 will be released in the United Kingdom on 27 June 2014. Many may question the validity of a new trilogy, given the success of the previous films and the fact that, perhaps, these films have dragged on for too long and have, subsequently, alienated some audiences. However, given the phenomenal success of the Transformers films, Bay’s decision to direct a new trilogy can be applauded, particularly since these intense and exciting action films are likely to keep enthusiastic audiences returning to cinemas across the world.

Arguably, this new trilogy would generate both more publicity and excitement were the leading roles to be given to more famous actors. Of course, this doesn’t suggest that lesser known actors shouldn’t be given lucrative roles in order to gradually develop their career, but the films might, in the long term, achieve more success globally if they had high-profile stars. I would suggest, in view of this, that Bay was impressed by Reynor’s talent and Wahlberg’s credentials, despite the fact that neither are perhaps the best-known actors in global cinema today. Nonetheless, news of a new trilogy looks like an exciting prospect which many people are likely to embrace wholeheartedly.

Conor Byrne

Review: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Image credit: New Line Cinema

“Bilbo Baggins, I am looking for someone to share in an adventure with…”

With this soon to be iconic line, the adventure of The Hobbit begins. The Hobbit proves that Peter Jackson really is the only man who should do Middle Earth. Guillermo Del Toro flirted with directing and that was interesting but when it finally went back to Jackson, I knew it was in good hands.

My faith well placed and having wondered if lightning could ever possibly strike twice, I found out that it really can. And it can be something special by its own right, separate from its older sibling that people still swoon over today. Despite LOTR being the epic behemoth that it is, The Hobbit feels like quite a different beast completely. LOTR was very much a story of a difficult quest, where the stakes were much higher and the tone decidedly darker. The Hobbit feels much more like classic fantasy, in that it takes you on a magical adventure. That is where the film’s strength lies: in its ability to transport you to Middle Earth much like LOTR did but with a different mood and tone.

As with LOTR, the scale is quite magnificent. The beautiful surroundings of New Zealand perfectly capture the fantastical setting of Middle Earth, from the rolling hills of the Shire to the endless mountain ranges of the Misty Mountains. This helps enhance the experience as the reliance on photography makes the experience feel both real yet magical.

One part of the visual experience that struck me was the colour. In The Hobbit, colour is incredibly vibrant, the mixtures of green and oranges enhance the feeling of magic making Middle Earth seem even more mythical. This vibrancy often contrasts with the darker tones and more serious matter of the LOTR saga.

The basic premise is that Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, is invited on an adventure by the wizard Gandalf and thirteen dwarves to reclaim their homeland from the evil dragon Smaug. Jackson, however, makes it much deeper than that by delving into not only the original book but also other elements of Tolkein lore. This is a make or break decision as if this is not done well it could ruin the entire storyline. Fear not, the story is woven seamlessly into the rest of Tolkein’s world, providing you with a much more detailed adventure into the world of Middle Earth.

Martin Freeman is superb as Bilbo. The journey from the simple Hobbit of the Shire to the brave adventurer is managed wonderfully. He provides subtle humour and inspirational courage. However, the real fun of the film comes from the Dwarves. Thirteen separate Dwarves each with their own unique personality provide the true soul to the film. Only a third of the way through the trilogy, I have already developed a real attachment to the characters, similar to the love fans have for the Fellowship in LOTR. You will laugh, shout and cry as you feel for these characters as they fight for their home.

Of course, the returning characters are on top form. Ian McKellen, Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving are just as memorable in reprising their classic roles. As with LOTR, Jackson has been meticulous with choosing the right actors to play the right roles. Each actor portrays their character uniquely creating a whole mixture of personalities that add warmth to the film.

Obviously, there are still some potential knocks in the road. There is much scope for the trilogy to go off course. Unlike LOTR, this film will not please all. There will be some who, like I do, find it to be a true adventure where the film much like the book grabs you by the hand and takes you to a completely new world. However, some people may prefer the greater seriousness of LOTR and may dislike the comparison.

Before you go into the film, the best thing you can do is forget LOTR and get lost once more into the world of Middle Earth. It’s filled with memorable moments that had me as overwhelmed as LOTR did. It’s an adventure that you should not miss out on!

My Rating: 4.5/5

Rotten Tomatoes Critics’ Average: 3.2/5

Alex Phelps, Online Games Editor