The Writer Muses

My thoughts and ideas on Film, TV, Books, Games and Life in General

This blog reviews everything from film and tv to video and board games. My reviews are generally from a narrative perspective. Storytelling is something that unites us across the world. I believe that great stories have the ability to change us and raise interesting and new ideas.

My Novels

Film & TV

Gladiator

By Colin Parton / 2 November, 2024

The ridiculousness begins immediately when we are asked to believe Marshall and Gooding Jr. are in high school.

The Racket

By Colin Parton / 25 October, 2024

All of the main story beats are missing. The reason for this is that there is no hero.

Of Mice And Men

By Colin Parton / 19 October, 2024

Of course, this story is great: it's Steinbeck. That might be why we do an adaptation every few years.

The Oscars 2005

By Colin Parton / 12 October, 2024

There were two excellent films; one good but not great; and two poor films nominated this year.

The Oscars 1997

By Colin Parton / 6 October, 2024

Titanic won and looking back I don't know how they made such a bad decision.

Starship Troopers

By Colin Parton / 17 November, 2024

This is an internal look at how a collective dictatorship remains in power through coercive control.

Where The Crawdads Sing

By Colin Parton / 1 August, 2024

I love the way this narrative is told. We are delivered small bites of chapters that you can just devour.

The Underground Railroad

By Colin Parton / 8 June, 2024

Overall this is a boring story. When nothing is happening with the characters nothing is happening at all.

Mythical Beasts

By Colin Parton / 12 May, 2024

This interesting book is a cross between a bestiary and something else altogether.

Retribution

By Colin Parton / 6 April, 2024

This murder-mystery thriller opens with the main character getting murdered. But she survives.

Overcooked 2

By Colin Parton / 9 November, 2024

This game is one of the best co-op games I have ever played. You have to work as a team...

Circadians: First Light

By Colin Parton / 11 August, 2024

'Worker' placement game where the workers are the dice you roll each turn.

Stone Age

By Colin Parton / 13 July, 2024

This is a typical worker placement game that focuses on probability for resource collection.

Betrayal At Baldur’s Gate

By Colin Parton / 14 January, 2024

This game is a reskin of Betrayal at House on the Hill. The reskin works fine and game play is...

Skyrim

By Colin Parton / 18 October, 2023

Reflecting back on the game as a whole I must say that overall I found it good, great even in...

A Story About A Girl – 10 Years In The Making

By Colin Parton / 31 January, 2021

Myra: The Gathering, Part 1. - By Colin Parton (Me) Before you stick up your nose and leave this is...

How To Review A Story

By Colin Parton / 17 June, 2019

When you are looking at narratives the way in which a story is told can be quantified and becomes much...

Can Women Be Heroes

By Colin Parton / 2 June, 2019

When I say women I mean specifically female characters in any medium. When I say heroes I mean The Hero...

Magic In The Middle Ages

By Colin Parton / 23 May, 2019

Review of Magic in the Middle Ages - A Coursera Course

Romeo, Juliet And A Drug War.

By Colin Parton / 19 May, 2019

Writing and developing a film script.