Reviews

GAMES with RUSS BRAVO

Hours of educational fun

Wordblind - new family board game at £29.95. Check out www.wordblind.com

How good are you at defining words? You'll soon find out with this intriguing new board game for two to six players.

Billed as for age 12 upwards, it's a game of skill and chance with a twist - the board. Essentially, cards are drawn for each person in turn. Each carries four definitions of a word, starting with the hardest and getting progressively easier.

If you correctly guess the word from definition four, you can take four cards from the board box and lay them out. If only definition three, you take three and so on. So the board is laid as you play, and can take all manner of twists and turns, depending on the surface you play on.

Included in the board cards are special cards that give you extra rewards, or allow you to scupper your opponents. It's a deceptively simple game that really has many hidden depths.

With thousands of words to define, and more than one million possible board layouts, the possibilities are endless!

We found it fun, and best played in teams when children are involved (one adult and one child to a team). Some of the words are fairly simple, others much more difficult.

You'll have fun - and you'll learn that some words mean much more than you think! Highly recommended!

Order from the website (free delivery) or look out for it in toy shops in the run up to Christmas.

BOOKS with JOHN WOODS

Passionate story

The Heart Must Break by James Mawdsley (Random House), £17.99

James Mawdsley became an instant household name during his extended stay in a Burmese jail. This book is quite literally a blow-by-blow account of his experiences there. The story begins with an explanation of how the author’s interest in Burma was born and describes his early attempts at raising the profile of democracy in Burma.

These public protests lead to spells in prison and expulsion from the country. Not that this is enough to keep a motivated activist down! Initially James Mawdsley comes over as a keen but clueless headcase – hardly a candidate for international diplomacy.

His final protest leads to over a year in prison and the second half of the book relates the experiences of that period. As the story unfolds, we are drawn into a fascinating tale of a young man who is changed by his experience as a prisoner of conscience. This is an account of human endurance, reflective political action and a journey into a robust, albeit unorthodox, Christian faith!

Here is an answer to all those who think that the “younger generation is spineless and lacking in conviction!” This passionate book cannot fail to move the reader. Perhaps it needs to be read with the prayer that the passion that motivates James Mawdsley might captivate us. If we are not careful such zeal might change the world!

John Woods is pastor of Lancing Tabernacle in West Sussex

MUSIC with PETER DILLEY

Brits go USA

All Around The World, featuring Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Paul Oakley, Neil Wilson. Sparrow/Survivor Records, CD £14.99/Cassette £9.99

The best of British youth worship (US remix) would be the simplest description for this. Ten songs performed by Soul Survivor worship leaders Redman and Hughes, Paul Oakley (NFI), and Neil Wilson (vocalist with NGM rockers Steve) have all been reworked as full-blown American studio tracks.

Ex-Sonic Flood members Jason Halbert and Dwayne Larring have masterminded the project, throwing in everything from screaming guitars (Jesus, You Alone and Because of You) to string arrangements (Beautiful Saviour and Lord, Let Your Glory Fall), to loops and sequences (Once Again). Paul Oakley even has the dubious privilege of vocoder treatment on the title cut.

For lead vocals a mix-and-match approach was adopted – Tim and Paul duet on each other’s songs, Matt pairs up with Neil for Lord, Let Your Glory Fall and with Tim on Once Again. Bonus track Can A Nation Be Changed? provides a real contrast – something special too. Matt, Paul and Tim together, and only Matt’s acoustic guitar for accompaniment, yet there’s such passion in that song that it’s a clear case of less being more.

Although it was originally produced for the American market, I imagine that many here will also be itching to get hold of a copy.

Transantlantic collaboration

Friends, by Robin Mark, Stuart Townend, Gary Sadler, John Hartley. Kingway Music, CD £14.99

An Irishman, a Scot, an American and an Englishman went into a recording studio ... That probably sounds like the first line of a rather weak joke, but that in essence is what the Friends album is all about. Four gifted, but quite different songwriters and worship leaders have met up for the first time, bounced some songs around, got some fresh ideas, and tried them out together.

Writing and lead vocals credits for the ten tracks are split almost evenly, and new material is interspersed with a few more familiar tunes. John Hartley (formerly the latter half of Phil and John) has struck up a fruitful writing partnership with Gary Sadler – Where Truth And Mercy Meet, The Way It Is and How Matchless Is Your Love were all co-written by the pair.

Stuart Townend pitches in with the opener Lord Of Every Heart, Christmas song When Love Came Down, plus the prayerful finale How Long, and Robin Mark’s contributions include Take Us To The River and Every Day.

As you’d expect of an album recorded in the States, the production quality is immaculate, but it definitely hasn’t been overdone. I’d rate this as another highly successful and worthwhile Transatlantic collaboration.

Peter Dilley works with the charity InterAct as a mentor for young people, and plays bass guitar

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		GAMES with RUSS BRAVO Hours of educational fun Wordblind - new family board game at £29.95. Check out www.wordblind.com How good are you at defining words? You'll soon find out with this intriguing new board game for two to six players. Billed as for age 12 upwards, it's a game of skill and chance with a twist - the board. Essentially, cards are drawn for each person in turn. Each carries four definitions of a word, starting with the hardest and getting progressively easier. If you correctly guess the word from definition four, you can take four cards from the board box and lay them out. If only definition three, you take three and so on. So the board is laid as you play, and can take all manner of twists and turns, depending on the surface you play on. Included in the board cards are special cards that give you extra rewards, or allow you to scupper your opponents. It's a deceptively simple game that really has many hidden depths. With thousands of words to define, and more than one million possible board layouts, the possibilities are endless! We found it fun, and best played in teams when children are involved (one adult and one child to a team). Some of the words are fairly simple, others much more difficult. You'll have fun - and you'll learn that some words mean much more than you think! Highly recommended! Order from the website (free delivery) or look out for it in toy shops in the run up to Christmas. BOOKS with JOHN WOODS Passionate story The Heart Must Break by James Mawdsley (Random House), £17.99 James Mawdsley became an instant household name during his extended stay in a Burmese jail. This book is quite literally a blow-by-blow account of his experiences there. The story begins with an explanation of how the author’s interest in Burma was born and describes his early attempts at raising the profile of democracy in Burma. These public protests lead to spells in prison and expulsion from the country. Not that this is enough to keep a motivated activist down! Initially James Mawdsley comes over as a keen but clueless headcase – hardly a candidate for international diplomacy. His final protest leads to over a year in prison and the second half of the book relates the experiences of that period. As the story unfolds, we are drawn into a fascinating tale of a young man who is changed by his experience as a prisoner of conscience. This is an account of human endurance, reflective political action and a journey into a robust, albeit unorthodox, Christian faith! Here is an answer to all those who think that the “younger generation is spineless and lacking in conviction!” This passionate book cannot fail to move the reader. Perhaps it needs to be read with the prayer that the passion that motivates James Mawdsley might captivate us. If we are not careful such zeal might change the world! John Woods is pastor of Lancing Tabernacle in West Sussex MUSIC with PETER DILLEY Brits go USA All Around The World, featuring Matt Redman, Tim Hughes, Paul Oakley, Neil Wilson. Sparrow/Survivor Records, CD £14.99/Cassette £9.99 The best of British youth worship (US remix) would be the simplest description for this. Ten songs performed by Soul Survivor worship leaders Redman and Hughes, Paul Oakley (NFI), and Neil Wilson (vocalist with NGM rockers Steve) have all been reworked as full-blown American studio tracks. Ex-Sonic Flood members Jason Halbert and Dwayne Larring have masterminded the project, throwing in everything from screaming guitars (Jesus, You Alone and Because of You) to string arrangements (Beautiful Saviour and Lord, Let Your Glory Fall), to loops and sequences (Once Again). Paul Oakley even has the dubious privilege of vocoder treatment on the title cut. For lead vocals a mix-and-match approach was adopted – Tim and Paul duet on each other’s songs, Matt pairs up with Neil for Lord, Let Your Glory Fall and with Tim on Once Again. Bonus track Can A Nation Be Changed? provides a real contrast – something special too. Matt, Paul and Tim together, and only Matt’s acoustic guitar for accompaniment, yet there’s such passion in that song that it’s a clear case of less being more. Although it was originally produced for the American market, I imagine that many here will also be itching to get hold of a copy. Transantlantic collaboration Friends, by Robin Mark, Stuart Townend, Gary Sadler, John Hartley. Kingway Music, CD £14.99 An Irishman, a Scot, an American and an Englishman went into a recording studio ... That probably sounds like the first line of a rather weak joke, but that in essence is what the Friends album is all about. Four gifted, but quite different songwriters and worship leaders have met up for the first time, bounced some songs around, got some fresh ideas, and tried them out together. Writing and lead vocals credits for the ten tracks are split almost evenly, and new material is interspersed with a few more familiar tunes. John Hartley (formerly the latter half of Phil and John) has struck up a fruitful writing partnership with Gary Sadler – Where Truth And Mercy Meet, The Way It Is and How Matchless Is Your Love were all co-written by the pair. Stuart Townend pitches in with the opener Lord Of Every Heart, Christmas song When Love Came Down, plus the prayerful finale How Long, and Robin Mark’s contributions include Take Us To The River and Every Day. As you’d expect of an album recorded in the States, the production quality is immaculate, but it definitely hasn’t been overdone. I’d rate this as another highly successful and worthwhile Transatlantic collaboration. Peter Dilley works with the charity InterAct as a mentor for young people, and plays bass guitar © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.