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"From out of the dark"

From Out Of The Dark

From out of the dark is a collection of 6 songs finished during the infamous Covid lockdown of 2020, drawing musical influences from many different genres and based on different themes close to my heart.

Some with a narrative, others about how I felt a particular junction in life, playing music, writing and recording songs has been a great outlet for me and helped me deal with and express myself in a productive fashion.

With no single genre over the six songs I decided to put them out as From out of the dark, to show how something good can come from the darkness. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed making them.

I appreciate so much all the friends and family who have helped critique these tracks ready for public consumption. Thanks also to my younger sister, Hannah, for providing her vocal talents and lyric writing on two of the songs.

Please listen below and follow me on all of my social networks using the links above.

Matt x

#StarWars The Cestus Deception Novel Mini Review


It's a time of war, and Cestus Cybernetics on the Insectoid Hive planet of Ord Cestus are manufacturing advanced security droids embedded with living material from a force sensitive eel native to the planet. This makes the droids extremely skilled in combat, and under the brand of security droid it's all perfectly legal for them to be sold to whomever they wish, including the dreaded Separatists.

The republic has learned of this, and that the separatists plan on modifying the security droids to make them into battle droids; an army of force sensitive battle droids does not bode well for the republic and by association, the Jedi.

Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kit Fitsu are deployed by Senator Palptine as the first plan of action. Obi-Wan is to use diplomacy and politics with the help of his molluscan friend and paper work aficionado, Doolb Snoil. In parallel, Kit Fisto with a small band of clone troopers employs and trains a local militia to make strikes and key locations around the planet to disrupt the manufacturing process. Full scale war is not beneficial for anyone, though should the Jedi fail the republic will strike... 

The Jedi stage a plan to deceive the five families in charge of Ord Cestus, posing as Separatist terrorists who kidnap the leading members of the families. The Separatists are one step ahead, and Dooku has deployed Asaaj Ventress to stir things up and ultimately reveals the Jedi's deception to the families. They gravity ever closer to dealing with the Separatists and a republic strike is ordered.

Events advance, and thanks to the work of one slightly unique clone trooper (I heard it) the Jedi may after all be able to avoid full scale war on Or Cestus... But at what cost?

The Cestus Deception is an intriguing plot and one that kept be absorbed throughout with it's interesting characters and good pace. Obi-Wan is portrayed just as I would've hoped; calm, collected, slightly worried about the path he is being forced to follow in his new found military and diplomatic capacities. Kit Fisto however seems more dark than I would've liked after seeing his character portrayed in the Clone Wars animation. Both however are written well.

There are many plots and sub plots within the story; varying developing relationships and a particularly exciting action sequence atop a train which make for a definite page turner, and one I would recommend for any Star Wars fan and in particular fans of the Clone Wars sequence of events. The relations between the clone troopers, especially our unique Nate who contrary to his conditioning, begins to develop attachment to the ex of a certain bounty hunter... The relationship between Obi-Wan and the planet's leader, G'Mai Duris seems genuinely tested at times and feels a little bit like Kenobi's relationship with Duchess Satine.

The book is also ace value, and if you buy a later copy you're also treated to the very exhilarating story 'The Hive' which was previously an eBook only release, in which Obi-Wan is tasked with retrieving some X'Ting (the race native to Ord Cestus) eggs of the royal heritage that have been locked away deep within the planet... The tension in this story really vamps and I found myself wanting to read this immediately after finishing Deception. Excellent Stuff.



Episode 2: #AttackOfTheClones #StarWars novel mini review


R.A.Salvatore has done an excellent job of telling the story of the film Attack Of The Clones in his Star Wars novel. I have a hard time not enjoying novels from the Star Wars universe, but I really was hard pressed to put this one down.

As in the film, the story tells of how the republic, struggling as more and more systems succeed to the separatist movement, grant supreme chancellor Palpatine emergency powers in the Senate who then immediately sanctions the use of an army of the republic; utlizing a clone army conveniently commissioned in secret for the republic by an old Jedi master 10 years dead...

Prior to this, Senator Amidala is leading the debate against the creation of an army for the republic. Her life is in immediate danger by those who would see the motion carried, and the task dutifully falls upon Obi-Wan and his padowan Anakin Skywalker.

Anakin, in this novel was so well portrayed; much better than in the movie. I actually find myself empathizing with him instead of just finding him annoying. He's really struggling here with his unrequited love for Padme and his attachment to his mother; plagued by visions or dreams that tug at his emotions. He knows he's being uncharacteristic for one of the Jedi order but can not contain his himself.

Actually, everything in the film I found annoying I now find myself enjoying in written form. Even Jar Jar Binks comes across as an honest simpleton just trying to do the best he can in Senator Amidala's absence... I even enjoyed the bumbling Threepio scenes as he confusedly wanders around the droid factory on Geonosis...

So we reach the climax on Geonosis, and Padme, Anakin and Obi-Wan presented for execution. The detailed descriptions of the three beasts employed to bring about their demise makes them muvh more scary than their CGI counterparts. They're of course saved in rather timely fashion by Mace Windu and a small army of Jedi, who are subsequently saved by the even more timely arrival of Yoda and the now legal clone army... Okay, so Salvatore can't change the pitfalls of the original story, but what he does with the material feels much less rushed and entirely more detailed, adding to the excitement all the time; the action sequences are so well described and felt genuinely exciting, despite knowing what's around every corner from the film. Dooku is one of my favorite bad guys, and this novel enforces that. The battle at the end when Yoda steps in is so thrilling to read and is more satisfying creating the scene in your minds eye than having it displayed in dated over  I really enjoyed myself up until the end.

Movie to novel adaptations are usually a bit ropy, but if anything I enjoyed this one more than the film (though, the gravity of this achievement depends on your stance on the prequel trilogy...). Definitely recommended for any Star Wars fans, and if you've read any of the other novels in the lead up to this you'll find it follows on superbly. A very entertaining read!