‘By The Light Of The Moon’ tells the story of Dylan O’Conner, his autistic brother Shepherd (Shep), and a comedian named Jillian Jackson.
Dylan and Jillian are targeted by a doctor who takes them, seperately, hostage and injects them with an undisclosed liquid while they are staying at a motel.
While the two characters are unaware of each other they bump into one another shortly after escaping their bonds and are faced outside by a number of unmarked SUV’s. They manage to get away with Shep in tow and so begins a wonderful game of cat and mouse.
This book has plenty of great twists and is really well written. You got a great feel for the characters and while there is a supernatural element to proceedings, everything is well grounded.
I read recently that ‘By The Light Of The Moon’ is the most requested book by Koontz’s fans to receive a sequel. I have to say it’s not a surprise – whether it’s because the book is genuinely great or perhaps because of the unexpected turns it takes – this is probably the best Dean Koontz novel I’ve read.
Well it’s that time of year again and 2010 has seen some immense games roll around – as well as continued support via DLC for some of 2009 biggest titles.
Sadly I didn’t have time to play every game that was released so if I’ve missed anything worth checking out shout me in the comments and if it’s not already in my ‘to play’ pile I’ll get it added.
Right, let’s go!
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BEST GAME INNOVATION
WINNER: Destruction 2.0 (Battlefield Bad Company 2)
This was a tough one to call this year but I definitely think Destruction 2.0 is something that has helped put Battlefield head and shoulders above most other shooters out there. Enemy hiding in a house? Just blow the wall up in front of them and it’ll leave a nice big hole to shoot them through. Or just blow the building up completely and have it crush them to death.
No question of the winner here – with around 6 hours of single player and the fantastic Undead Overrun & Land Grab online modes, Undead Nightmare packs a lot of bang for your buck. This is one of the more comprehensive DLC packs out there and if you liked Red Dead Redemption then this is a must have. Props to Uncharted and Battlefield though – two strong modes added there but Undead takes this one.
RUNNERS UP:
Heavy Rain: The Taxidermist
Uncharted 2 Seige
Battlefield: Onslaught
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DOWNLOADABLE GAME OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Dead Nation
I honestly didn’t see anything taking this award away from the excellent Joe Danger and then Housemarque’s Dead Nation arrived at the beginning of December. Dripping in HD visuals comes a twin stick shooter that makes you think about your every move. When to use the SMG and how much Shotgun ammo to conserve become regular questions. Your score gets added to total score for your country and you can keep a tab on which country is the best at fighting the Zombie invasion. Very cool indeed.
RUNNERS UP:
Joe Danger
Shank
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
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MOST ANTICIPATED GAME OF 2011
WINNER: Killzone 3
Wow, this was a tough call – it had to be Killzone 3 or Uncharted 3. I’m sure Uncharted 3 will be awesome but having played Killzone 3 I can’t wait for this to arrive in February. Continuing the story from the second game and adding substantially to the multiplayer, I think this could be a game of the year contender.
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BEST GAME TRAILER
WINNER: L.A Noire
The standard of trailers has been so high this year I’ve decided to pop the runners up on here as well for you to have a look at. L.A Noire takes the crown though and man, those Rockstar guys know how to make a trailer! Another contender for most anticipated, L.A Noire sees you take on the role of Cole Phelps, a detective in 1940’s America. Great stuff and the trailer really captures that feeling of the time.
RUNNERS UP:
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
Spec Ops The Line
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 – Vietnam
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PSP GAME OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to pick up God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta yet so that hasn’t made the cut. I’m sure it would’ve been a close call regardless as Metal Gear also oozes quality and is such a deep game that there is always something different to do. Whether it’s going on missions or recruiting more soldiers for your army, Peace Walker will keep you entertained for hours. My play through clocked in at 16 hrs, which puts a fair few PS3 titles to shame.
RUNNER UP:
Half Minute Hero
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BEST SPORTS GAME
WINNER: FIFA 11
FIFA 11 is more of a refinement than anything else but it’s amazing the difference the changes make. While FIFA continues to dominate it’s interesting that PES gets a nomination this year – it shows that the series has made great strides this year to try and close the gap.
RUNNERS UP:
Formula 1 2010
Modnation Racers
Pro Evolution Soccer 2011
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BEST GRAPHICS
WINNER: Heavy Rain
No doubt on this one as Quantic Dream’s stunning thriller has some of the best motion capture and facial animation ever seen in a game. Whether it was evading masked men as Madison, talking down a robber in a shop with Shelby or shouting ‘JASON!’ repeatedly in a mall as Ethan, Heavy Rain looked gorgeous. Gran Turismo 5 certainly deserves a heads up in this category as when it all comes together it looks stunning however Heavy Rain was far more consistent.
RUNNERS UP:
God Of War 3
Red Dead Redemption
Gran Turismo 5
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BEST STORYLINE
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
Unexpected. Not a word you’ll often type when talking about the story of a game but that’s what you get with Red Dead. John Marston’s story of gunslinger gone good who is brought in by the government against his will to track down his old gang trundles along at a pace and has plenty of stand out moments but it’s the final third of the game that stands out as some of the best I’ve played in a game. Not to mention the ending, which is one of the most impressive I’ve ever experienced in a game. Genius. 😎
RUNNERS UP:
God of War III
Mafia II
Heavy Rain
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BEST SOUNDTRACK (SCORE)
WINNER: God Of War III
The final part of Kratos’ epic trilogy hit PS3 owners with everything it had back in March and as usual Gerard K Marino’s score didn’t disappoint. Dipping and soaring in the right places this was the perfect accompaniment to the on screen carnage. The score really does push the story on and is definitely well suited to Kratos’ character.
RUNNERS UP:
Heavy Rain
Red Dead Redemption
Bioshock 2
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BEST SOUNDTRACK (LICENSED)
WINNER: Mafia II
The music in Mafia II is a huge part of what makes you feel like you are actually back in that era. I remember the first car I got into had “At The Hop” by Danny and The Juniors playing. It was one of the coolest things I’d had happen in a game for ages. A wonderful selection of old tracks that are well worth checking out in their own right but that combined with gameplay help make for a memorable experience.
RUNNERS UP:
Bioshock 2
FIFA 11
Call Of Duty: Black Ops
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BEST VOICE ACTING
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar usually deliver on the voice front with the GTA titles and Red Dead Redemption certainly doesn’t disappoint. Every character feels well rounded and has a voice to suit them perfectly. Even the supporting cast: Bonnie McFarland, Seth, Irish and, of course, West Dickens. This was a strong category this year with Mafia II in particular impressing but with such strength in depth it has to be Red Dead Redemption.
RUNNERS UP:
God Of War III
Mafia II
Heavy Rain
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SINGLE PLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead Redemption tells a well crafted story in a beautifully rendered environment. There is so much to do and see that I still don’t feel like I have fully explored the world of the wild west. Rockstar have created a varied and expansive playground with enough going on to keep even the most hardcore of gamers entertained for hours and hours.
RUNNERS UP:
Heavy Rain
Mafia II
Alpha Protocol
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MULTIPLAYER GAME OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Battlefield: Bad Company 2
It was nice for me personally that my most anticipated game of 2010 lived up to expectations and Battlefield: Bad Company 2 nailed team based multiplayer like no other game I’ve ever played. The sense of satisfaction at winning a tense round of Rush and the feeling of being part of a bigger team is hard to beat. With the upcoming Vietnam expansion pack this game will only get better and better.
RUNNERS UP:
Modnation Racers
Red Dead Redemption
Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood
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GAME OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Red Dead Redemption
There could really only be one choice this year, with Rockstar’s Western epic taking the title of Game Of The Year. With a brilliant single player campaign and an ever improving multiplayer mode, Red Dead Redemption is a title that will keep you entertained and provide you with plenty of value for money. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 comes a close second as that has been my most played multiplayer title but overall Red Dead pips it.
RUNNERS UP:
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Heavy Rain
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood
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So there we go. Another year of gaming done and dusted with Red Dead Redemption taking home an unprecedented FIVE awards!
Some great games didn’t even make the nominations – that’s how tough it’s been to make decisions.
The likes of MAG, Bayonetta, Just Cause 2 and Vanquish unfortunately didn’t make the grade but goes to show how strong the line up of game releases has been in 2010.
So what games would you guys have given awards this year?
I spent months at the back end of last year and early this year moaning that there is nothing good on TV anymore.
Well that changed (thankfully) as 2010 went on and I spent the year with loads of great shows to watch.
There were a few disappointments (Ghost Whisperer didn’t get going until the last two or three episodes) but on the whole it’s been a great year for me on TV stuff.
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BEST NEW SHOW
WINNER: The Walking Dead
There were plenty of contenders for this one but the show that blew me away was The Walking Dead. A zombie show that’s not immediately about finding a cure but about finding your loved ones. Strong acting and a sense of tension throughout make this a must watch. In the wrong hands this could’ve been a flashy ‘McG-style’ affair but it’s under played and subtle – which makes it a lot more powerful.
RUNNERS UP:
Haven
The Middle
Nikita
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BEST COMEDY SHOW
WINNER: The Middle
The Middle came out of nowhere for me as I’d heard nothing about it but it’s become a real favourite over the last few months. The madcap tales of the Heck family are in the same vein as Malcolm In The Middle and the characterisation is superb. Each with their own little traits as a group there is a great chemistry. If it wasn’t for this show I wouldn’t spend so much time whispering Brick-style down to my chest. *whispers* To my chest. 😆
RUNNERS UP:
Miranda
Raising Hope
The Trip
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BEST FACTUAL SHOW
WINNER: An Idiot Abroad
How much of it was staged we’ll never know but regardless Karl Pilkington’s trips to the seven wonders of the World were priceless. Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant really did send him to the lesser seen side of the wonders. Apart from the comedy genius that gave us it was really interesting to actually see that type of thing. The stuff they don’t show you usually. Like him being at the Taj Mahal and saying ‘look it’s beautiful but just over there they are burning dead bodies.’ A nice insight into the areas surrounding the seven wonders.
RUNNERS UP:
E Edible Adventure
Hairy Bikers Cook Off
The Football League Show
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BEST SOUNDTRACK
WINNER: Glee
Whether you love it or hate it, Glee has brought some innovative music uses onto our screens and has given Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ a new lease of life with a younger generation. Some of the mash ups on the show work really well and obviously the guys & girls are talented singers so Glee gets this years soundtrack award.
RUNNERS UP:
Castle
The Middle
Raising Hope
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Actor Of The Year
WINNER: Philip Glenister – ‘DCI Gene Hunt’ (Ashes To Ashes)
Philip Glenister takes Actor of The Year for a second successive year and if you want to know why watch the finale of the last series of Ashes To Ashes. The moment *that* truth is revealed his acting is second to none. Any of the runners up could’ve won this on a different year but Glenister set the bar very high indeed.
RUNNERS UP:
Andrew Lincoln – ‘Rick Grimes’ (Walking Dead)
Nathan Fillion – ‘Richard Castle’ (Castle)
Stephen Moyer – ‘Bill Compton’ (True Blood)
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Actress Of The Year
WINNER: Jane Lynch – ‘Sue Sylvester’ (Glee)
The runners up for this award are all amazing actresses who do a great job week in week out. But Jane Lynch almost single-handedly carries Glee every episode. Her vitriolic outbursts as Sue Sylvester are television gold. Sylvester is a poisonous, horrible character but Lynch gives her the smallest of chinks in her armour and that is enough to give her some likeability.
RUNNERS UP:
Joanna Kelly – ‘Myka Bering’ (Warehouse 13)
Stana Katic – ‘Kate Beckett’ (Castle)
Maggie Q – ‘Nikita’ (Nikita)
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TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
WINNER: Warehouse 13
This was a two way fight between Castle and Warehouse 13, with the latter just about taking it. Warehouse 13’s kooky kind of comedy/drama is a refreshing change to the serious dramas around and the dynamic of the characters relationship took on the look of a family which really helped develop things. A few stand out epsiodes (‘Around The Bend’ and ‘Reset’ in particular) made sure I stayed hooked and by the end of the season I was left wanted more.
RUNNERS UP:
Castle
Walking Dead
Glee
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Hopefully 2011 will be just as good. With a guilty pleasure of mine, Primeval, returning and with new seasons of Warehouse 13, Castle and The Middle guaranteed I’m pretty optimistic.
I was actually quite surprised by the lack of films I’ve seen this year but having a baby (and another small child) means time is limited and a lot of it goes into games and TV.
However I have seen a few great films, some of which were on DVD but obviously didn’t get mentioned last year by me.
So here you go my recommended films from the ones I got to check out:
Machete
Monsters
Kick Ass
Toy Story 3
West Is West
The Hurt Locker (DVD)
Inglourious Basterds (DVD)
Anvil (DVD)
Sherlock Holmes (DVD)
Green Zone (DVD)
Plenty of great stuff in there but my film of the year has to be Kick Ass. What a great film featuring some wonderful performances from it’s actors, with Nicolas Cage and Chloe Moretz impressing.
Of course Machete makes the grade and if you liked the ‘fake’ Grindhouse you’ll love this one – Danny Trejo is at his best as the machete wielding Mexican.
Monsters was a fantastic small budget film. Shot for about £250k it’s a love story set against the backdrop of an alien invasion – it’s not as stupid as it sounds.
If you’re into music you should definitely check out Anvil – it’s the touching story of an old metal band still looking for that elusive breakthrough. There were plenty of war films this year with two of the better ones I saw being Green Zone and The Hurt Locker. The Hurt Locker in particular showed a different side to the conflict and the struggles of the soldiers on the ground.
Close runner up for film of the year was Inglourious Basterds, with some brilliant performances and a return to form for Quentin Tarantino.
Sherlock Holmes was throwaway fun and for the kids (and the grown ups) Toy Story 3 rounded out the trilogy superbly.
So there we go – there were lots of films I wanted to see but never got a chance to (Scott Pilgrim, The Expendables and The Town to name but a few) so let me know what you guys would recommend in the comments.
So it’s time for the musical instalment of my look back at the year.
I’ve broken this down into tracks and albums, with recommendations for each – in no particular order:
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ALBUMS
Ellie Goulding – ‘Lights’
Laura Marling – ‘I Speak Because I Can’
Kanye West – ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’
The Courteeners – ‘Falcon’
Johnny Flynn – ‘Been Listening’
Red Dead Redemption OST
Mumford And Sons – ‘Sigh No More’
Detroit Social Club – ‘Existence’
Lots of great albums this year, with Laura Marling and Ellie Goulding being stand outs for me – along of course with the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack. Kanye West makes a late appearance with what could be, in my opinion, his best album yet ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.’ The Courteenersand Detroit Social Clubbring a little UK swagger to proceedings, it’s been a great year for UK music overall.
TRACKS
Katy B – ‘Katy On A Mission’
Eminem Feat. Pink – ‘Won’t Back Down’
Jose Gonzalez – ‘Far Away’
B.o.B Feat. Hayley Williams – ‘Airplanes’
Blood Red Shoes – ‘Don’t Ask’
Ellie Goulding – ‘Starry Eyed’ (Jakwob Remix)
Taio Cruz – ‘Dynamite’
Jamie Woon – ‘Night Air’
Metric – ‘Help, I’m Alive’
Mumford And Sons – ‘Little Lion Man’
Fan Death – ‘Phantom Sensation’
Interpol – ‘Barricade’
Crystal Castles Feat. Robert Smith – ‘Not In Love’
Johnny Flynn – ‘Barnacled Warship’
Chase and Status Feat. Liam Bailey – ‘Blind Faith’
Detroit Social Club – ‘Kiss The Sun’
Again some great stuff out this year but my track of the year has to be Katy B ‘Katy On A Mission.’ Totally reminds me of my younger days listening to dance music and this track presses all the right buttons for me. I’m a Paramore fan anyway so with Hayley Williams featuring on B.o.B’s ‘Airplanes‘ I was always likely to give that a spin.
Eminem was back on form and his track ‘Won’t Back Down’ with Pink was the highlight of his album for me.
Best remix has to go to Jakwob for his huge mix on Ellie Goulding’s ‘Starry Eyed.’ Incidentally Ellie was the best gig I’ve seen this year – at Shepherd’s Bush Empire she put on a great show.
Taio Cruz wouldn’t normally be my first choice but ‘Dynamite’ is a great tune. I know I’m late on Metric as that was last year but I heard it in 2010 and if you haven’t heard any of their stuff check them out – a vastly underated band.
Fan Death could be one to watch, ‘Phantom Sensation’ is a brilliant little track. A touch of genius from Crystal Cstles to get Robert Smith involved – consequently ‘Not In Love’ comes off as a stunning tune.
‘Blind Faith’ by Chase and Status, with the vocal talents of Liam Bailey, is a haunting track with a great sound and likewise ‘Night Air’ by Jamie Woon delivers something different.
Overall a strong mix of genres and tracks have meant 2010 has been another brilliant year for music.
I’ve put together as many of these tracks as possible on Spotify, so if you have that then head over HERE to have a listen through.
Roll on 2011!
So there we go some tunes for you to check out, as usual throw any recommendations you have my way in the comments.
I decided to structure things a little differently this year with regards to my end of year round ups.
Games and TV will be getting the full awards treatment but for Books, Films and Music I think an overall list of my favourites would be better suited as, unfortunately, I haven’t had the time to dedicate to them as much as I’d have liked.
So to kick off the awards season here are ten books, in no particular order, I’d recommend that I read this year:
Zombie Survival Guide – Max Brooks
Max Brooks brings us this handbook to help out in the event of a Zombie apocalypse. It’s written as a serious guide, which lends it a surreal but fairly scary feel.
Playing through Dead Nation and watching The Walking Dead have made me glad I own a copy of this… y’know just in case 😉
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Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Outliers is the latest book from New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell. Gladwell here puts forward a compelling argument for children born at the ‘wrong’ time of year being overlooked as less intelligent than their counterparts, when really it’s a lack of maturity that is the problem.
He discusses the knock on effect this can have. Interesting stuff.
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Homicide: A Year On The Streets – David Simon
This is one hell of a book, both in terms of size and tone.
The ficitonalised account of a real life journalist’s year as part of the Baltimore Police Department’s homicide unit. Harrowing and depressing at times – the life of a murder detective has never been so laid bare. One of the best books I’ve ever read. A must read.
The book begins with a plane landing at JFK Airport then shutting down completely on the runway and this is a novel that doesn’t let up from the start.
Upon investigation every passenger is dead with no sign of struggle. Creepy much?
The book follows Dr. Eph Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) as he tries to work out what the hell is going on.
The story of an African and a German, both Jewish, who are road travelling bandits around the year 950AD stands alone in both tone and good old fashioned story telling.
Gentlemen Of The Road is the kind of book I’d expect my father or grandfather to have read as a child – it’s written in a very traditional style and this certainly lends some character to the proceedings.
Set in Sweden and telling the story of Mikael Blomkvist, a publisher at Millenium magazine, and Lisbeth Salander, a private investigator, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a great piece of storytelling.
The pacing is superb and Stieg Larsson creates some wonderfully believable characters. Not just the main characters either – the entire supporting cast seems to be very well thought out.
There is plenty going on here alongside the good old fashioned murder mystery. Once this book got going I could not put it down.
I’m a big fan of Dean Koontz and for me this supernatural thriller is up there with his best work.
Telling the story of Dylan O’Conner and his brother Shep, Koontz explores an interesting path of deception and intrigue. The characters are thrown in at the deep end along with the reader and it’s great to be along for the ride.
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Dead Space Martyr – B.K Evenson
A prequel to the video game Dead Space was something I was always likely to pick up having loved the game.
This didn’t disappoint as Evenson immersed us in the world of Dead Space and created a great set of characters around an existing universe. In fact some of the characters come direct from the game’s folklore.
If you liked the game you should pick this up, definitely a great read and Evenson does a brilliant job of giving everything that Dead Space ‘feel.’
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The Way Of Shadows – Brent Weeks
I stumbled across this in the bookstore and thought it looked quite cool. I think it helped that I was fresh off the back of playing Assassin’s Creed II so was in the right frame of mind.
I finally got round to reading it earlier in the year and thoroughly enjoyed it. The origin story of a young street rat who is desperate to train as an assassin and the tale of what happens when he gets what he wished for.
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So there you go – a few recommendations for you.
Let me know what you’ve read this year in the comments, I’m always looking for new books to read!
GregHorrorShow 
