The Bridge has caused a stir in TV land (in the way The Killing did) and series 2 sees this Scandinavian series go from strength to strength. Saga and Martin are on the trail of some nasty eco-terrorists, and the plot is sufficiently twisted and misleading to keep the viewer unsure whodunnit it all until the very end (or in fact, ’til there’s only one contender left!)

Sexual misconduct proves to be a motivating force behind many of the characters’ actions, but so does idealism, greed, and loneliness. While the main story is well-paced and suspenseful, it’s the in-between moments, as Saga grapples with having a live-in partner, and Martin tries to come to terms with the abominable consequences of season one and get his life back together, that really hold the emotional weight. Trying to preserve their friendship under the enormous pressures of the case and their dysfunctional personal lives is compelling viewing in itself. Saga’s Aspergers is still never openly discussed, and people around her either make allowances for her, or don’t. Martin seems to have put his womanising behind him, but the collateral damage is profound.

The unrelenting winter landscape and hauntingly prophetic theme music are the perfect backdrop to this brilliantly acted and scripted series. The weather is an involuntary character, but one who has an undeniable impact on everything about The Bridge. I could feel the bleakness seeping into my bones from the other side of screen.

It seems that Martin does not return to centre stage in series 3 (if at all). It will be sad, strange, and interesting not to have him there. I wonder who the writers will use as the bridge between Saga, the rest of her world, and us?

‘Welcome to the New Age …’ Such a magnificent music anthem!

There are a few versions of Radioactive floating around YouTube, but my favourite is definitely Imagine Dragons Live at the Joint. It’s a song that swells under the power of a live gig, complete with big drum sound and crowd energy: one of the best early ‘drops’ in a song, that I can remember.

The official video clip is interesting. Featuring a simple story of empowerment acted by a bunch of puppets, it’s probably the most improbable scenario you could come with for a video clip to accompany this kind of song.

The band are rescued from prison by a pink teddy bear, who defeats an evil puppet and puppetmaster (Lou Diamond Phillips) to save them. Alexandra Daddario plays the mysterious accomplice of the pink teddy bear. I can see the attraction to the concept but, given a choice, ‘Live at the Joint’ would be my preferred version.

Have a look and see what you think.

The song’s also been popular as a promotion tool for film and games. Wiki says: “Radioactive” was used heavily in promotion for the video game Assassin’s Creed III and the 2013 film The Host, and is included in the soundtrack for the video game MLB 13: The Show and NBA 2K14.

Official Clip

Live at the Joint

Live on SNL

and just because I think this song has rocking lyrics … Demons

reviewed by Jamie Marriage

What is reality when all people see is artificial? What is control when all people have is submission? What is truth when all people know is a lie?

Graham Storrs doesn’t answer these questions, but he touches on them and attempts to reveal the morality of all-encompassing change.

Heaven is a Place on Earth is a speculative tale constructed around the idea of artificial reality and its impacts on humanity, concepts that aren’t simple imagination for us today. An upcoming vote seeks to bring all national network content under the control of local government, giving them the power to control, edit, and remove any information they find disagreeable. Written during a time when these issues are under hot debate, Storrs brings relevance to what is, at its core, a wonderful, action-packed and philosophical story.

Divided into four parts, the novel’s third person narrative alternates between Ginny, a struggling freelance composer, Rafe, a journalist attempting to return to the media world after a traumatic experience in his last case left him scarred and paranoid, and Della, corporate powerhouse and concerned friend of Ginny, just trying to keep her safe.

When Ginny delivers a mysterious package as a favour to a flirtatious acquaintance, she is quickly drawn into a world far beyond her comfort zone. Gone are the usual tired struggles for composing contracts, family squabbles, and unsatisfactory relationships, instead replaced with the struggle to stay out of prison—and alive—in a world where her every movement is trackable and every truth is a possible fabrication.

Interwoven with plots and sub-plots, Heaven is a Place on Earth pits Ginny against an anti-technology terrorist group, the Australian police force, and a consortium of international business owners chomping at the bit to have the new network control laws put in place for their own reasons. Storrs manages this complex interplay without leaving the reader confused, which is a grand feat in the circumstances.

Heaven is a Place on Earth is not a simple book, but it is a very fun book. It is a clever mix of conspiracy theory and technological speculation, with more than enough for fans of both genres. 

Buy the book on Amazon