Cower not, fierce reader! We have a collection of fine works today, including one that likely won't trigger anyone. Let the charges commence!
Star Realms: Rescue Run by Jon Del Arroz- Yes, this is a licensed property, based on the deck building game. The author is new to the world of novels, but wrote the flavor fiction for Doomtown: Reloaded, and was quite good at that; he sent me a copy for review after getting bashed by liberals for a few days. Fighting, intrigue, corrupt corporations, and a magnetic central character. Major crime: not trusting either government 7 of 10 fell deeds.
Murphy's Law of Vampires by Declan Finn- Yeah, I know, he's put a lot out lately, and I read it all. We get more of the Honor at Stake characters, I do recommend reading Honor first(more for fun, I think it works on its own), and as there's vampires, Vatican ninjas, some decent theological points, and some great action, get on it if you haven't. Seriously. READ THIS BOOK! Major crime: So many elements that it doesn't fit nicely anywhere; oh, lots of Catholicism, too. 9 of 10 fell deeds.
'Til Death by Jason Anspach- This was Mr. Anspach's first novel, and I thought I should read it after his fine Wyrd Western short. This book has a little self-awareness to it, and that's an enjoyable touch. We've got the Cold War, Russian spies, a dead financier, and on top of it all, people come back as Returns occasionally to correct something from their lives. Major crime: I did mention we've got a fight against Commies, right? 8 of 10 fell deeds.
The Eden Plague by David VanDyke- I grabbed this due to the Castalia House announcement of their publishing print editions, as I hadn't heard of them (Somewhither was my impetus for an ebook reader). And now I have more proof of the publishing establishment being completely out of touch. This book was full of action, internal conflict, cool sf ideas, and moral dilemmas. Corporate bad guys seeking power and major government conspiracies are full in play. Major crime: An acknowledgement that we are all broken. 9 of 10 fell deeds.
Days of Future Past by John Van Stry- First, a caveat: this book has a very active love triangle, so some may wish to pass. Now: This is a nice combination of apocalyptic and fantastic fiction, with action enough to satisy, good characterizations, and a proper chunk of attitude. Mr. Van Stry did provide me with this copy, and I'm genuinely glad for having read it. Major crime: Distrust of authority, and an authority that consistently shows it can't be trusted. 8 of 10 fell deeds.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Monday, November 28, 2016
An open letter to Comic Book Companies
To the publishers of four color(or b+w, full color, etc.) adventures:
Look, I love graphic storytelling. It grants drama, tension, wonder, and more in a way that few things can really match. Movies can't do the textual depth, and books have a harder time with landscape and detailed backgrounds. You have more frame and presentation choices than either, and generally a love for your audiences.
But, I don't want to read five books, just for the ability to understand one. It's a part of why I don't get mainstream hero books these days. It's why I've avoided most Marvel properties for over a decade. I won't touch Superman or Bat-families for the same reason. And when it comes to my main point, smaller companies are bad at it, too.
Which actually brings me to the point. Crossovers. We love them when they're good, ignore them when they're bad, and hate having our books interrupted in the meantime for this four-five week(month in the case of Civil War II) monster that eats up a lot of titles. Honestly, I love the cool factor of seeing characters interact that aren't normally together. I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with your presentation.
Here's my idea, please consider it and give it a shot.
There are four or five fifth weeks in a year. These are generally dead weeks, where you ship something late, or fill with trades and one-shots. So, get your editorial butts in gear, because this will be work. Set up the books for a crossover to come to a point that puts them into the crossover, be it a story end, or a location or plot connection, and have all this happen in the issues(yes, all of them) before the fifth week. This is very important, because on the fifth week, you release it.
The entire crossover, in one trade. No issues to chase, no story interruption, no out of sequence reading. I don't even care how you tell the story that much. You can cut the page count a bit, because you don't need to reintroduce the characters each and every book. You advance the story so far, shift perspectives. Repeat. Figure out who has the best vantage on the plot twists and reveals.
Yes some folks might ignore it, but I think it'll be worth a shot. Sure there's a little less urgency. Unless of course everything step out of the trade affected by it immediately. Then your readers of EACH book need to read it to know wtf just happened. Use them to shake up the status quo of the books, but now you can be efficient about it, instead of making readers angry because they can't read an issue or three of several books until the event is actually finished. You might even cross pollinate your readerships better.
This doesn't get rid of one shots that introduce us to new heroes, villains, etc. I'm just wanting you to go for a screwdriver when you've been using a hammer for ages. Event books are cool, collections of events are better, as we aren't trying to keep it all together in order. In fact ordered collections are likely the best presentation.
As part of your audience, I don't expect you to listen to me. I'm just a guy with a wallet, who likes to read. A lot. Check out the book review tab and comics tab if you don't believe me. The book reviews are just this year.
Alfred Genesson
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Look, I love graphic storytelling. It grants drama, tension, wonder, and more in a way that few things can really match. Movies can't do the textual depth, and books have a harder time with landscape and detailed backgrounds. You have more frame and presentation choices than either, and generally a love for your audiences.
But, I don't want to read five books, just for the ability to understand one. It's a part of why I don't get mainstream hero books these days. It's why I've avoided most Marvel properties for over a decade. I won't touch Superman or Bat-families for the same reason. And when it comes to my main point, smaller companies are bad at it, too.
Which actually brings me to the point. Crossovers. We love them when they're good, ignore them when they're bad, and hate having our books interrupted in the meantime for this four-five week(month in the case of Civil War II) monster that eats up a lot of titles. Honestly, I love the cool factor of seeing characters interact that aren't normally together. I don't have a problem with that. I have a problem with your presentation.
Here's my idea, please consider it and give it a shot.
There are four or five fifth weeks in a year. These are generally dead weeks, where you ship something late, or fill with trades and one-shots. So, get your editorial butts in gear, because this will be work. Set up the books for a crossover to come to a point that puts them into the crossover, be it a story end, or a location or plot connection, and have all this happen in the issues(yes, all of them) before the fifth week. This is very important, because on the fifth week, you release it.
The entire crossover, in one trade. No issues to chase, no story interruption, no out of sequence reading. I don't even care how you tell the story that much. You can cut the page count a bit, because you don't need to reintroduce the characters each and every book. You advance the story so far, shift perspectives. Repeat. Figure out who has the best vantage on the plot twists and reveals.
Yes some folks might ignore it, but I think it'll be worth a shot. Sure there's a little less urgency. Unless of course everything step out of the trade affected by it immediately. Then your readers of EACH book need to read it to know wtf just happened. Use them to shake up the status quo of the books, but now you can be efficient about it, instead of making readers angry because they can't read an issue or three of several books until the event is actually finished. You might even cross pollinate your readerships better.
This doesn't get rid of one shots that introduce us to new heroes, villains, etc. I'm just wanting you to go for a screwdriver when you've been using a hammer for ages. Event books are cool, collections of events are better, as we aren't trying to keep it all together in order. In fact ordered collections are likely the best presentation.
As part of your audience, I don't expect you to listen to me. I'm just a guy with a wallet, who likes to read. A lot. Check out the book review tab and comics tab if you don't believe me. The book reviews are just this year.
Alfred Genesson
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Movie Night: Castro is Dead edition
Ladies and gentlemen, let us take some time to reflect upon this historic moment. Yes, the people of Cuba are still under Raul and the Communist Party. Yes, Cuba is still home to ancient automobiles, and an economy supposedly crippled by ONE nation not trading with them.
But the figure that was Fidel Castro is no more. From the keyboard of Jon Del Arroz:
Of course, many liberal figures are in mourning, especially heads of state and media members(and they wonder why we don't trust them). It must be nice to continually forget the one nation we have for decades, without pause, accepted refugees from.
Submitted for approval of the death of a tyrant, I suggest an underrated classic film, that underscored in many ways the thuggishness and depths of the evil of the world communist regimes.
Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz. Here's the trailer:
Watch it in good cheer, knowing that one source of evil has left the world. Yet another reminder:
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
But the figure that was Fidel Castro is no more. From the keyboard of Jon Del Arroz:
"I ran for congress in 2010, and I spoke in front of a large group of Cuban-Americans, many of whom either directly came from Cuba in the 1950s or were the sons and daughters of those refugees. What's interesting is it was one of the few speeches I gave where I didn't do much of the talking, but they went around and told me the dangers of socialism/liberalism and what it cost their families personally. I will never forget the one man who told me about how his family was dragged out of their own house and he and his brother watched Castro's soldiers shoot his parents. He was shot in the eye when he escaped later but survived. This man and his doctrines are pure evil. Let us never forget that. Burn in hell, Castro."
Of course, many liberal figures are in mourning, especially heads of state and media members(and they wonder why we don't trust them). It must be nice to continually forget the one nation we have for decades, without pause, accepted refugees from.
Submitted for approval of the death of a tyrant, I suggest an underrated classic film, that underscored in many ways the thuggishness and depths of the evil of the world communist regimes.
Alfred Hitchcock's Topaz. Here's the trailer:
Watch it in good cheer, knowing that one source of evil has left the world. Yet another reminder:
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Friday, November 25, 2016
Injustice Book Review: Set to Kill by Declan Finn
Cower not, fierce readers! Today we have a fine tale from Declan Finn, who graciously provided me with a copy of the book. He had actually boasted a bit about this book before launch, and that had me a bit concerned, but those were mislaid. Declan has written a very fine tale, full of crimes against the Narrative. Let the charges begin!
First, this book is an action parody of persons and events that may be familiar to the reader. If one is remotely acquainted with the Sad and Rabid Puppies groups, and the Hugo Award ceremonies of the last years, you have a background to laugh at the real and imagined versions of these actors. Mr. Tom Knighton does appear as a version of himself herein, but all the others are identifiable parody caricatures.
To expand, some sections of the book are rewritten and edited versions of entries in Declan's Sad Puppies Bite Back blog entries. While not a necessary read, I do recommend it, as well as the previous Sean Ryan material for background. The parody of the boycotted publisher is better here than the original.
Second, religion plays a fair sized role within this, though less than is customary for one of Mr. Finn's novels. Sean Ryan is a Catholic, but many of the players in the Tearful Puppies are of course White Mormon Males. And one or two also have great racks.
Third, the fictional convention, WyvernCon, is a pretty good depiction of a con getting demolished. Not actual demolition, but there's mayhem. Not having been to DragonCon, I cannot comment on the reflection of that, but there are elements definitely in common with GenCon, from the SocJus idiots to the cosplay contingent, which is heaviest on Saturday.
Ah, I'll drop the facade a little. This book hooked me harder than anything he's written yet, and I really like his previous stuff. The pacing was amazing, all the slow parts had purpose, and the action didn't let up until bodies fell. I felt like there wasn't a wasted word in this book(yes, there are a few small proof edits that could be fixed, I'm not gonna complain about those). I went and read very late when I finished, and I have to get up EARLY for work. My only minor quibble about this is that some of Sean's supporting cast don't get as rich a treatment as they have previously. Other than that, I was amazed at what Declan spun out of the cloth of Sad Puppies bite back and Sean Ryan.
Ahem.
Set to Kill is bound to trigger anyone who is a devotee of Tor books, or believes that the Hugos are still prestigious and valid in the world of sff. It not only goes against the narrative, but openly mocks it for its cronyism, othering, inconsistency, and lack of tolerance. With a good measure of over the top, but almost believable violence. Verdict: 9 of 10 fell deeds.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
First, this book is an action parody of persons and events that may be familiar to the reader. If one is remotely acquainted with the Sad and Rabid Puppies groups, and the Hugo Award ceremonies of the last years, you have a background to laugh at the real and imagined versions of these actors. Mr. Tom Knighton does appear as a version of himself herein, but all the others are identifiable parody caricatures.
To expand, some sections of the book are rewritten and edited versions of entries in Declan's Sad Puppies Bite Back blog entries. While not a necessary read, I do recommend it, as well as the previous Sean Ryan material for background. The parody of the boycotted publisher is better here than the original.
Second, religion plays a fair sized role within this, though less than is customary for one of Mr. Finn's novels. Sean Ryan is a Catholic, but many of the players in the Tearful Puppies are of course White Mormon Males. And one or two also have great racks.
Third, the fictional convention, WyvernCon, is a pretty good depiction of a con getting demolished. Not actual demolition, but there's mayhem. Not having been to DragonCon, I cannot comment on the reflection of that, but there are elements definitely in common with GenCon, from the SocJus idiots to the cosplay contingent, which is heaviest on Saturday.
Ah, I'll drop the facade a little. This book hooked me harder than anything he's written yet, and I really like his previous stuff. The pacing was amazing, all the slow parts had purpose, and the action didn't let up until bodies fell. I felt like there wasn't a wasted word in this book(yes, there are a few small proof edits that could be fixed, I'm not gonna complain about those). I went and read very late when I finished, and I have to get up EARLY for work. My only minor quibble about this is that some of Sean's supporting cast don't get as rich a treatment as they have previously. Other than that, I was amazed at what Declan spun out of the cloth of Sad Puppies bite back and Sean Ryan.
Ahem.
Set to Kill is bound to trigger anyone who is a devotee of Tor books, or believes that the Hugos are still prestigious and valid in the world of sff. It not only goes against the narrative, but openly mocks it for its cronyism, othering, inconsistency, and lack of tolerance. With a good measure of over the top, but almost believable violence. Verdict: 9 of 10 fell deeds.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Monday, November 21, 2016
A Thanksgiving Post
As this is my first Thanksgiving with this blog, I find it appropriate to post some things for which I am indeed blessed and thankful.
Fierce readers, first I wish to thank you for deigning to visit this corner of the internet. I pray I continue to entertain and inform, and beg your patience for the times when my ambitions and energies run low.
I wish to thank the authors that I review, for providing me with material worth reading, and stories worth championing. I also wish to thank some of these for their friendship, and hope this continues and grows. Declan Finn, Brian Niemeier, Dawn Witzke, Marina Fontaine, Russell and Morgon Newquist, John and Jagi Wright, Nick Cole, Jeff Duntemann, and more, I thank you much.
I wish to thank a few for giving me models of blogging, the discipline, the passion, and the craft you have presented. Bradford Walker, Peter Grant(definitely not just a blogger, but you do a lot), and likely the busiest blogger there is, Vox Day.
And of course, I am thankful for my enemies, that they are ridiculous. May they remain so; it makes things fun and interesting.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Fierce readers, first I wish to thank you for deigning to visit this corner of the internet. I pray I continue to entertain and inform, and beg your patience for the times when my ambitions and energies run low.
I wish to thank the authors that I review, for providing me with material worth reading, and stories worth championing. I also wish to thank some of these for their friendship, and hope this continues and grows. Declan Finn, Brian Niemeier, Dawn Witzke, Marina Fontaine, Russell and Morgon Newquist, John and Jagi Wright, Nick Cole, Jeff Duntemann, and more, I thank you much.
I wish to thank a few for giving me models of blogging, the discipline, the passion, and the craft you have presented. Bradford Walker, Peter Grant(definitely not just a blogger, but you do a lot), and likely the busiest blogger there is, Vox Day.
And of course, I am thankful for my enemies, that they are ridiculous. May they remain so; it makes things fun and interesting.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Music blog: Collin Raye
I like story songs, and here are some fun ones.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Anthology Review: Skelos issue 1
Cower not, fierce readers! You! In the back! Stop cowering! This is not a safe space, and if you need one, I recommend the disemvoweling sites of SFF.
Anyway, yes, I am considering Skelos as an anthology. The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy is rather sizable at 150+ pages. That's a bit much for a "magazine", though perhaps small for an anthology. I'm ok with that, there's a lot here, and some will definitely make the SocJus crowd wail.
The Dead Unicorn by Scott Cupp- This is a quick and frightful way to start the anthology. The first half of the first page of the story feels fairly normal for fantasy. Then things go horribly wrong.
The Drowned Dead Shape by Keith Taylor- Ooh. Yeah, that's the stuff. Very much a Weird Fiction tale. The old Irish culture is a nice backdrop for fear, paranoia and desperation.
Hungry by Charles Gramlich- This was unexpected. A proper weird SF tale with regret, compulsion, and resignation. The stark notes make me want more from this author.
Diary of a Sorceress by Ashley Dioses- The first poetry piece in here. Honestly, It felt like the start of something, and then an end. Decently done, it just felt incomplete to me.
The Night Maere by Scott Hannan- Gah! Courage, fierce reader! You are not the target within this tale. Well done, and enough to creep some out for days. I had to go back to work, instead.
Nameless Tribes by Jeffery Shanks- I'm not going to type the full name of this scholarly text. It's a fine paper on Robert E. Howard's worldbuilding, specifically his tribes. This is followed by the examples the paper is specifically about:
The Nameless Tribe Drafts by Robert E. Howard- This is really interesting to see the growth and changes in REH's writing via drafts. It grants me more confidence in my abilities, if I'm willing to try to find what methods work for me.
Midnight in the Ebon Rose Bower by K. A. Opperman- This second poem is likewise short, but pulled me in just enough, gave just enough images, to feel like a half glimpsed dream.
One Less Hand for the Shaping of Things- by Jason Ray Carney- This is a faerie tale of survival, dissatisfaction, and obsession. There is loss, abandonment, and an eventual embrace.
The Writer by Jason Hardy- Another poem, this one is a bit more on the tongue in cheek side of Weird Fiction.
The Casualty of the Somme by Frank Coffman- This poem has a descent to the horror side as it goes along. Well metered and written.
Grettirr and the Draugr adapted by Jeffry Shanks and Illustrated by Samuel Dillon- Illustrated Norse mythology. Yeah, it's good stuff. A collection of this would put Northlanders on watch.
From the Cosmos to the Test-Tube by Karen Joan Kohoutek- Another scholarly work, and while somewhat interesting, I honestly drift off reading about HP and Machen. That said, there is some reminder that men who were intimately aware of the Bible wrote much better than our modern version of materialist/atheist.
The Yellow Death by David Hardy- Ok, you've got me. This feels like a Edgar Allen Poe story, perhaps rewritten by Howard. The language is tight, and the narrator reminds one of that of The Cask of Amontillado.
Totem by Pat Calhoun- Yes, there's more poetry. If you don't care for it, I think you're missing out.
The Burning Messenger by Matt Sullivan- More in the Norse mythos vein. A village of warriors gets hit by something...other.
A Sword-edge Beauty as Keen as Blades by Nicole Emmelhainz- I haven't read much C.L. Moore, and that probably kept me out of this paper somewhat. Of course, the fact that it's about "gender dynamics" is likely the rest. No offense, but your topic bores me.
Dangerous Pearl by Ethan Nahte- A tale of a fierce pirate crew, and their unfortunate encounter in the fog.
Surtur by Kenneth Bykerk- A final poem of mythology, filled with alliteration, and rhyming rhythm to be read aloud.
The Bone Yard- Skelos' selection of reviews of Weird Fiction. Well written, and filled with materials previously unknown to me. I may grab the Western collection mentioned.
I enjoyed much within this volume, and I lay no fault for the parts I cared less for; scholarly work on only a few segments of fiction interest me. Either way, Skelos is a haunt-filled volume to chill the heart. I grant this volume 8 of 10 fell deeds.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
Anyway, yes, I am considering Skelos as an anthology. The Journal of Weird Fiction and Dark Fantasy is rather sizable at 150+ pages. That's a bit much for a "magazine", though perhaps small for an anthology. I'm ok with that, there's a lot here, and some will definitely make the SocJus crowd wail.
The Dead Unicorn by Scott Cupp- This is a quick and frightful way to start the anthology. The first half of the first page of the story feels fairly normal for fantasy. Then things go horribly wrong.
The Drowned Dead Shape by Keith Taylor- Ooh. Yeah, that's the stuff. Very much a Weird Fiction tale. The old Irish culture is a nice backdrop for fear, paranoia and desperation.
Hungry by Charles Gramlich- This was unexpected. A proper weird SF tale with regret, compulsion, and resignation. The stark notes make me want more from this author.
Diary of a Sorceress by Ashley Dioses- The first poetry piece in here. Honestly, It felt like the start of something, and then an end. Decently done, it just felt incomplete to me.
The Night Maere by Scott Hannan- Gah! Courage, fierce reader! You are not the target within this tale. Well done, and enough to creep some out for days. I had to go back to work, instead.
Nameless Tribes by Jeffery Shanks- I'm not going to type the full name of this scholarly text. It's a fine paper on Robert E. Howard's worldbuilding, specifically his tribes. This is followed by the examples the paper is specifically about:
The Nameless Tribe Drafts by Robert E. Howard- This is really interesting to see the growth and changes in REH's writing via drafts. It grants me more confidence in my abilities, if I'm willing to try to find what methods work for me.
Midnight in the Ebon Rose Bower by K. A. Opperman- This second poem is likewise short, but pulled me in just enough, gave just enough images, to feel like a half glimpsed dream.
One Less Hand for the Shaping of Things- by Jason Ray Carney- This is a faerie tale of survival, dissatisfaction, and obsession. There is loss, abandonment, and an eventual embrace.
The Writer by Jason Hardy- Another poem, this one is a bit more on the tongue in cheek side of Weird Fiction.
The Casualty of the Somme by Frank Coffman- This poem has a descent to the horror side as it goes along. Well metered and written.
Grettirr and the Draugr adapted by Jeffry Shanks and Illustrated by Samuel Dillon- Illustrated Norse mythology. Yeah, it's good stuff. A collection of this would put Northlanders on watch.
From the Cosmos to the Test-Tube by Karen Joan Kohoutek- Another scholarly work, and while somewhat interesting, I honestly drift off reading about HP and Machen. That said, there is some reminder that men who were intimately aware of the Bible wrote much better than our modern version of materialist/atheist.
The Yellow Death by David Hardy- Ok, you've got me. This feels like a Edgar Allen Poe story, perhaps rewritten by Howard. The language is tight, and the narrator reminds one of that of The Cask of Amontillado.
Totem by Pat Calhoun- Yes, there's more poetry. If you don't care for it, I think you're missing out.
The Burning Messenger by Matt Sullivan- More in the Norse mythos vein. A village of warriors gets hit by something...other.
A Sword-edge Beauty as Keen as Blades by Nicole Emmelhainz- I haven't read much C.L. Moore, and that probably kept me out of this paper somewhat. Of course, the fact that it's about "gender dynamics" is likely the rest. No offense, but your topic bores me.
Dangerous Pearl by Ethan Nahte- A tale of a fierce pirate crew, and their unfortunate encounter in the fog.
Surtur by Kenneth Bykerk- A final poem of mythology, filled with alliteration, and rhyming rhythm to be read aloud.
The Bone Yard- Skelos' selection of reviews of Weird Fiction. Well written, and filled with materials previously unknown to me. I may grab the Western collection mentioned.
I enjoyed much within this volume, and I lay no fault for the parts I cared less for; scholarly work on only a few segments of fiction interest me. Either way, Skelos is a haunt-filled volume to chill the heart. I grant this volume 8 of 10 fell deeds.
When you play Social Justice, the world loses.
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