All-Round Scariness

Sphere
(Michael Crichton, 1987)

3.5 Stars

I must admit I have something of a love/hate relationship with the late great Michael Crichton. Doubtlessly, Crichton was one of the finest novelists of the twentieth century, producing not only the groundbreaking Jurassic Park and its sequel The Lost World, but also the delightful Congo, the thought-provoking NEXT (review coming soon) and also pioneering modern medical drama with ER.

So why the hate? Well, it’s simple really; Crichton’s exploits into scientific fiction are so addictive that one finds oneself ploughing through a six hundred page tome in a matter of days. Most frustrating indeed.

And so to Sphere, the first of two Crichton novels that have kept me transfixed over the last few weeks.

For those who haven’t seen the film version (of whom I must admit I am one), Sphere tells the somewhat farfetched tale of an air accident response team sent to the undersea site of what is believed to be an alien spaceship crash-landed over three hundred years ago. What they find is far more bizarre than any of the scientists could have ever imagined.

Unlike in many of his other novels, Crichton wastes no time here with character development or back story, instead plunging us 20,000 leagues within the first fifty pages, and allowing us to experience first hand the strangeness and claustrophobia of his underwater world.

The tale barrels along at speed, only slowing briefly on occasion to let both protagonist and reader recover from the terrifying exploits of the alien creature with which our heroes find themselves confronted with.

An exploration into the darkest recesses of the human psyche, and into not only the depths of the ocean, but that of human imagination, and the dangers that lie therein.

Overdue Goodness

It’s been a while since an update, what with moving from one end of the country to another, and it seems that amidst the mania of upheaval, Nestle have finally got themselves into gear with a plethora of new regionals and rarities, along with the much advertised new “regular” dark chocolate cookie KitKat.

And so, in what will hopefully be a more regular return to Silver Screen Lining, I gleefully bring you the first of two bumper editions of KitKat updates.

Much chocolaty goodness on its way.

Dark Chocolate Cookie KitKat – 3.5 Fingers

This much hyped new national is actually very much worth the attention. Coming in all three sizes; mini, “regular” and bar form, this is a delicious dark chocolate number, interspersed with little oreo-like biscuity bits. Morish, filling and all round awesome, this really is a great addition to shelves across the country.

Roasted Tea KitKat – 4 Fingers

This is perhaps the best regional variety I’ve come across. Harking from Kyoto, this is a rich and flavoursome “brown” chocolate bar, with a truly intense tea zing. Certainly worth a trip to the flowery city.


Annin Dofu KitKat – 2.5 Fingers

Upon finding this KitKat (a Yokohama speciality) I was left utterly bewildered as to exactly what “Annin Dofu” actually is. After a little research, and divulging into the candy itself, I have come to the conclusion that it’s some form of Chinese dessert that tastes pretty much exactly the same as marzipan. If white chocolate and almond sugar are you cup of tea, this is one for you. If not, I’d pass.

Apple KitKat – 3 Fingers

I must admit, the idea of chocolate and apples was not one that filled me with any form of excitement. After tasting the bar, I’m still not quite sure it is. That said, this was quite yummy, and definitely had a strong apple taste. Three fingers are for capturing the essence, rather than tastiness.

Blueberry Cheesecake KitKat – 2.5 Fingers

In the past year, we’ve had the overly feet-y Strawberry Cheesecake KitKat and the horribly Wonka Bar-like Blueberry version. Neither one tickled me the way they should have done. This I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t all too bad. Certainly not great, but not awful. Just not a patch on the real thing.