jessculley's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
davidwright's review
5.0
Okay, I confess, I have the hots for Modesty Blaise. One doesn t have to be a fan of Bond or given to retro-superspy kitsch (among the best is Forrest DeVoe Jr s Into the Volcano, with its proto-jetski chases and giant hardboiled-human slicer), to become similarly smitten. Blaise is more hip, fun, sexy and mysterious than Bond, and has a more generous, upbeat worldview. With her astonishing gifts of mind and body control, she doesn t need an armory of gadgets, but delights in using a panoply of exotic hand-held weapons, as does her cockney sidekick Willie Garvin, master of the throwing knife a great sardonic tomcat. In this, her seventh title, she appears to have met her match in Mr. Sexton, the world s greatest martial artist, but inspiration strikes as she preps for their death match in a cave in the Pyrenees. Modesty strips down and applies grease to every inch of her lovely body, resulting in one of the most memorable fight sequences ever.
omnibozo22's review
5.0
Perhaps a coincidence or two too far, but the series continues to entertain me.
Willie used a term I don't remember coming across before "dactyliomancist." Dactyla is fingers, in Greek. Willie does go on and explain what it was, though the connection to fingers is a bit of a stretch. That's a person who uses a finger ring on a chain, hung over a drawing of a cross inside a circle, to tell fortunes. Most perfomers/seers today just call it a pendulum. Shut eye readers love 'em.
One other note on British English. Lately I've seen this construction frequently: "I'll catch you up." In American English we would say, "I'll catch up with you." Also, in American English, "I'll catch you up," means that I will help you with information you missed while sick, or out of class, or other situations like that.
English≠English!
Willie used a term I don't remember coming across before "dactyliomancist." Dactyla is fingers, in Greek. Willie does go on and explain what it was, though the connection to fingers is a bit of a stretch. That's a person who uses a finger ring on a chain, hung over a drawing of a cross inside a circle, to tell fortunes. Most perfomers/seers today just call it a pendulum. Shut eye readers love 'em.
One other note on British English. Lately I've seen this construction frequently: "I'll catch you up." In American English we would say, "I'll catch up with you." Also, in American English, "I'll catch you up," means that I will help you with information you missed while sick, or out of class, or other situations like that.
English≠English!
lnatal's review
4.0
From BBC Radio 4: 15 minute drama:
Beautiful, intelligent and the catsuit wearing queen of hand-to-hand combat, Modesty Blaise was once the head of an international crime operation. Now, having given up her nefarious ways, Modesty and her faithful side-kick, Willie Garvin, offer their services for more respectable causes.
In this new adventure, adapted from Peter O'Donnell's novel by Stef Penney, Modesty invites Sir Gerald Tarrant of British Intelligence to join her for a holiday at the Gorges du Tarn in the South of France. But, after stopping on the cliff road to help two nuns who have broken down, Sir Gerald's car is found smashed to pieces at the bottom of the ravine.
With music by Will Gregory, arranged by Ian Gardiner and performed by the National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Ben Foster.
Sound by David Thomas.
Directed by Kate McAll
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08dn2gl
Beautiful, intelligent and the catsuit wearing queen of hand-to-hand combat, Modesty Blaise was once the head of an international crime operation. Now, having given up her nefarious ways, Modesty and her faithful side-kick, Willie Garvin, offer their services for more respectable causes.
In this new adventure, adapted from Peter O'Donnell's novel by Stef Penney, Modesty invites Sir Gerald Tarrant of British Intelligence to join her for a holiday at the Gorges du Tarn in the South of France. But, after stopping on the cliff road to help two nuns who have broken down, Sir Gerald's car is found smashed to pieces at the bottom of the ravine.
With music by Will Gregory, arranged by Ian Gardiner and performed by the National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Ben Foster.
Sound by David Thomas.
Directed by Kate McAll
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08dn2gl
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