The Potted Plot

Sport Psychology: A Practical Guide

Daniel — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:56:23 +0000

Just done reading this book, written by Dr Arnold LeUnes. It’s pretty interesting, and a good basic introduction to the field of sports psychology.

Click here to read my mini review on the fitness blog.

Research methods in Sport and Exercise Psychology (humankinetics.wordpress.com)
The Psychology of Youth Sports (psychologytoday.com)
The sports psychology of Tim Tebow’s faith (umanitoba.ca)
Peak Performance Driving – Lessons from Elite Race Car Drivers (coachdeanhebert.wordpress.com)

Filed under: Reading Tagged: education, fitness, Health and Sports, Psychology, reading, Social Sciences, Sport psychology

Skulduggery Pleasant short stories

Daniel — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:14:37 +0000

Found two little free short stories on Skulduggery Pleasant‘s website. They are both short and snappy, and typical of Derek Landy‘s style. My favourite is “The Lost Art of World Domination”, which has the wit and banter of Skulduggery we all love. Valkyrie is hardly featured in it, but the dialogue between Scaramouch Van Dreg and Skulduggery Pleasant is classic!

Read “The Lost Art of World Domination” here, and “Gold, Babies & the Brothers Muldoon” here.

Skulduggery Pleasant – Death Bringer (pottedplot.com)
Re-read: Skulduggery Pleasant 1-3 (pottedplot.com)
Skulduggery Pleasant – Dark Days (pottedplot.com)
FREE eBook – Skulduggery Pleasant: Scepter of the Ancients by Derek Landy (Plus short stories from Macmillian) (randomizeme.wordpress.com)
Mortal Coil totally rocks! (pottedplot.com)
Short stories during physio (pottedplot.com)

Filed under: Reading Tagged: Derek Landy, Short story, Skulduggery, Skulduggery Pleasant, Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil

Have you notified police of your run?

Daniel — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:32:22 +0000

My most recent column, a bit political, on fitness, the Peaceful Assembly Act and public policy.

For pdf, click here, html click here.

Filed under: Fitness, Legal, Published Works Tagged: fitness, Freespace, Health, law, Malaysia, Police, politics, writing

Graveyard book trailer

Daniel — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:45 +0000

In the spirit of book trailers, here’s Neil Gaiman’s “Graveyard Book” trailer!

Filed under: Reading Tagged: neil gaiman, reading

Skulduggery Pleasant – Death Bringer

Daniel — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:57:18 +0000

The sixth book in the Skulduggery Pleasant saga, “Death Bringer“, has to be the most satisfying read since the first book (and “Mortal Coil“, the fifth book). Sort of carrying on where “Mortal Coil” left off, the book begins with Meloncholia becoming the Death Bringer, and the Necromancers looking forward to ushering in the Passage.

Telling more than that is telling too much, and I’m sure some might be annoyed already with the Meloncholia spoiler (although that is revealed on the back cover so…). There are quite a few new characters introduced, albeit in a minor way, but I can imagine they’ll play a bigger role in stories to come. I can’t say there are any memorable new characters, but I love Scapegrace, especially what happens to him in the end.

Of course, the big revelation (not so big if you’ve been paying attention) and the bigger climax is truly entertaining and far darker than any of the first four books. The back of the book announces a novelette “End of the World” to be published in March 2012 in conjunction with World Book Day, and a full length novel in September 2012. And Derek Landy says on his blog that he envisages the Skulduggery Pleasant adventure to be a nine-book saga, which is good. Because at the rate the books are going, I don’t want them to end!

Skulduggery Pleasant – Dark Days (pottedplot.com)
Mortal Coil totally rocks! (pottedplot.com)
Re-read: Skulduggery Pleasant 1-3 (pottedplot.com)
Skulduggery Pleasant: Death Bringer by Derek Landy – review (guardian.co.uk)

Filed under: Reading Tagged: Book, Books, Death Bringer, Derek Landy, kl travel blog, Mortal Coil, Necromancer, Necromancy, reading, Skulduggery Pleasant, Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil

Avery Cates Trailers!

Daniel — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:47:59 +0000

Just discovered Jeff Somers on Youtube, and he has some pretty cool trailers for the Avery Cates series. Check them out!

Filed under: Reading Tagged: avery cates, digital plague, electric church, eternal prison, Jeff Somers, reading, terminal state, the final evolution

Mortal Coil totally rocks!

Daniel — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:44:11 +0000

I just finished “Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil” last night, and was excellent! By far the best book so far, this one has the Remnants escape the Midnight Hotel, ‘possessing’ almost everyone in sight and causing Ireland to go into a state of emergency!

Firstly, I have to say that I like Necromancy the best out of all the magicaldisciplines. Using darkness, shadows, energy from death etc. to whip some ass is fantastic! I don’t really understand what Adepts can do, but compared to Elemental, Necromancy rules! I don’t understand why Valkyrie Cain doesn’t just stick with it.

Secondly, the Remnants, the hired assassin Tessaract, the outcome involving Tanith, the ending with Lord Vile (sorry about that – spoiler) and the action makes this book the best so far! Darquess’ cameo was fantastic as well, very well written into the narrative.

I would love to say more, but I think I said too much as it is. Unfortunately, to get to this book, one has to go through the first four. That’s not a bad thing, so go ahead!

Click here for a video of Skulduggery dancing in a graveyard (!).

Click here for an amusing audio interview with Skulduggery.

Skulduggery Pleasant – Dark Days (pottedplot.com)
Re-read: Skulduggery Pleasant 1-3 (pottedplot.com)

Filed under: Reading Tagged: List of Skulduggery Pleasant characters, Necromancy, Skulduggery Pleasant, Skulduggery Pleasant Mortal Coil, Valkyrie Cain

The Potted Plot

Sport Psychology: A Practical Guide

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