Big D Finds A Dinosaur.

  So I was lounging around on Sunday afternoon pondering my plans for the day. Would I browse Youtube then have a nap or have a nap then browse Youtube. I briefly contemplated doing some hoovering but then a much better idea struck me.  "Why don't I go find that bloody dinosaur?"

Let me explain. 

Back in 2010 local art gallery Aspex installed an art piece on Southsea Common. A statue of a dinosaur. A big statue. 

Since I've always been a fan of art in the wild and also a fan of dinosaurs, naturally I loved it. 

I am always in favour of anything which makes the everyday world a little bit more interesting. This is definitely not something you'd see on most public commons, is it?

It didn't last.  

Not along afterwards the Southsea Dinosaur went up in flames.  Officially an electrical fault  but I can't help thinking a gaggle of chavs with lighters may have been involved. 

Then late last year it was announced that Aspex were installing a new Southsea dinosaur and I was rather pleased.  Every time the bus went past the common I was peering eagerly out of the windows hoping to spot the Southsea Sauropod reborn. "Weird, I thought. A big dinosaur should be easier to spot than this."

 It turns out that the new statue was more of a statuette - a small scale reproduction of the original piece. I deflated a little but still wanted to check it out, so had a couple of trips down to the Common to see if I could find it. Nope. 

 Then this Sunday I finally managed to narrow down the location, thanks to staring at the press photo trying to match up landmarks in the background. 

So here it is. 

Here's one with Sigismund to show scale. 

I still think they should have made it the same size as the original but you know what, Southsea has a little model dinosaur on the Common and how many seaside towns can say the same? 

   That's all folks. 

Been Reading: Cameron Johnston - The Maleficent Seven (2021)

 

  Forty years ago the demonologist Black Herron and her army of evil was on the verge of  conquering the world - until she walked away. 

 Now Black Herron has to save her home from a ruthless army, of religious fanatics and she is going to need her old generals back at her side.

 The Necromancer

The War God

The Pirate Queen

The Vampire Lord  

The Orc Chieftain

The Mad Alchemist

They may be able to stop an army. If they don't kill her first.

I was sold as soon as I saw the title and who wouldn't be? 

   It is an intriguing take on the old Magnificent Seven idea - seven heroes come to save a defenceless village - although as you can gather,  "Heroes" is really not the right word.  I'm not even sure if you could call them anti-heroes because Black Herron and her crew are a brutal lot. Definitely a case of fighting evil with evil.   

 Having said all that, this was an entertaining read that manages to get the entire  thing told in one decent-sized book, with space for memorable, developed characters, bloody fighting and some very, very dark humour.   

 Not for the squeamish or people who like a clear division between "Good guys" and "Bad guys" but definitely worth checking out.