Early Morning Onwards - Barclay James Harvest

Advantages: deep characters, non-stop action
Disadvantages: slightly simplistic in comparison to other authors

...Ever since my early teens i have always been fascinated by fantasy novels, I read the hobbit and Lord of the Rings in my early teens and have slowly worked my way through the world of fantasy fiction. Eventually i was recommended James Barclay by a friend so went out and bought Dawnthief and with it dissapeared three days of my life. To say this book is addictive is to underestimate how good it really is. It is gripping, character driven, fantasy action at its very finest. The plot revolves around an aging mercenary party known as the Raven who found themselves thrown reluctantly into saving the realm of Balaia from the evil Wytch lords and with it get entagled in the petty politics of the colleges of magic. The characters are well put together and even from the very start you feel a connection to the characters that drives you to see... Read review

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Advantages: Four very good tracks
Disadvantages: Last BJH album where pros may outweigh cons

...Barclay James Harvest sought success through a mixture of progressive pomp and pastoral melodies. Their investment in tours with a full orchestra and the mystifying lack of success had meant a gradual shift of styles in search of a hit. The band even recorded a single under a pseudonym but anyone who heard the B side would have known whodunit. By the time XII came along the band were clearly at a crossroads. Their search for success meant a move towards recording shorter, punchier songs. This was the last record featuring keyboard maestro Woolly Wolstenholme.His departure changed the musical outlook of the group, and led to a hybrid of pomp and disco which gave them some success in Germany and other parts of the continent but made their old fans groan with dismay. The album kicks off with "Loving Is Easy". It's a promising... Read review

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Advantages: free salad, good value food, family friendly
Disadvantages: can be noisy, sometimes a long wait for a table

...children's portions. It is a family friendly restaurant, usually with a large number of children around, and also quite a lot of 'background noise' (not one for a romantic occasion or if you want to get some peace and quiet!). They also offer an early bird deal if you are seated before 6 o'clock, where you can take advantage of lower prices. The food I have experienced has generally been of decent standard. It's not spectacular, but you're not paying spectacular prices, so settling for edible seems reasonable! I have experienced slightly burned ribs on one occasion, but other than that I've not had any under or over cooked food. The thing that I most like about the Harvester is that everybody gets a free trip to the salad bar. This, for me, is the main reason that I keep going back. It encourages you to be healthy, but also means that... Read review

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