Nephite Blood, Spartan Heart

Books Read Lately

2012-02-01T14:36:00.000-07:00

I've fallen way behind with books I'm supposed to read for friends and reviews etc, I have yet to catch up with technology. I can't read ebooks at work like I can the typical paperback, so here is what I have caught up on for the moment...

Among Thieves, by Douglas Hulick

I think I first heard about this from Keith West at the Adventures Fantastic and it looked interesting. I liked the premise of fantasy gangsters (I've mentioned I'm doing something along those lines).

Told in the first person POV (very popular these days) we follow Drothe, a Nose=an information gatherer for the Kin = the fantasy mafia, as he uncovers a series of strange events, coincidences and murders relating to an ancient book. A book rumored to contain unspeakable magic that can threaten the very foundations of the empire, and everyone wants it.

We meet a great cast of characters and the action and intrigue never let up. Hulick pulls off a grand tale in a standalone novel, though we are supposed to get a trilogy. We never get bogged down in world building or a unintelligible magic system (man, I hate those). I'll be on the lookout for Hulick's next book.

Hellboy 11: The Bride of Hell and others, by Mike Mignola and others

This book like the Chained Coffin, Strange Places and the Crooked Man, is a collection of unrelated tales across of a variety of time and place-and while it IS good, especially the title tale, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed and anxious-because the regular linear? time line of Hellboy is reaching such a powerful conclusion and while I wait for that big confrontation, I get a handful of tales outside that ever growing whirlpool of destruction. So yes I'm angsty.
That said, most of these shorts are wonderful, the last being in my opinion the weakest-Buster Oakley gets his Wish. If only because it makes light of a serious situation-granted this a Hellboy comic, but still, just my opinion.

In conclusion, its good, but perhaps not as good as the previous Hellboy shorts.

Conan Chronicles vol 18. Isle of the Dead and others, by Bruce Jones, John Buscema and more

I took a long time to pick up another of these reprint collections of Marvel's heyday Conan's after #17 The Creation Quest proved to be such a disappointment. So giving another go, I find myself not caring about any of these particular Conan adventures-I started pondering that these were exactly the type of tales where the public at large gets it so wrong about Conan.
At one point not only is Conan getting drunk to "deal" with the horror of some monster, a bar fight breaks out and somebody knocks Conan's ale over and his response-you ready? "Sweet Mitra! My ale."

Give me a break, does Conan ever lament in his cup over some monster? Does he ever lament over spilt ale? This was so weak and I blame Jones for not giving us a valid reason to put Conan to work in these tales. The one high point for the book was Buscema's work was at the top of his game. I have the next Conan 19 cued but glancing at it it is also a Jones, so it moves way down my priority list of reading material.

Full Black, by Brad Thor

I heard about this last summer, when I listened to a radio interview with Brad Thor and the interviewer said the book scared him. It is a current events thriller that fictionally ties together a number of likely scenarios-fictional characters are obviously real people-the main bad guy James Standing is obviously George Soros. But did anyone involved go Full Black? not really.

This was my first time reading Thor and while it does what it is supposed to - be a military thriller, I kept expecting something bigger, something more sinister ~ YES, there are terrorist bombings on U.S. soil, multiple attacks and lots of people die in the book.

BUT

the ending was too simple, too easy.

The good guys for a private intelligence group partly contracted by the CIA and NSA (this is plausible enough) figures out who is behind everything and take care of him-WAY too easily. IF things were this simple we wouldn't be in the state of affairs we are in at all.

And make no mistake we are.

My problem is things wrapped up too well-this book despite what are scores of true (yet fictionalized) military intelligence ops just lets the good guys win and ride off into the sunset.

This was not Full Black this was Warm Afterglow.

And I say that after actually enjoying the book as a whole-but the interviewer saying this book scared him?

Come on, I had all kinds of terrifying visions of things to come...that never did-so many things I envisioned that would lay open the maddening immensities of night, guess I'll have to write that book.

the GREY man passes

2012-01-29T04:03:00.002-07:00

I saw The GREY with a bunch of people for work yesterday and I was the only that came away from it who liked it and I'll tell you why.

Aside from a few typical movie goofs and what to me was an erroneous zoological fallacy (the relentless wolf pack) it is a brutally simple movie that hits home. It is artistic and has a soul that so many movies miss these days. The opening narration supplied by Ottway (Liam Neeson) let you know exactly what was going on without giving you too much-it was spartan, but anymore would have been reaching into overkill-the simplicity is what won me over.

That and the dark humor.

Flying back to Fairbanks Alaska from whatever northern refinery Ottway was employed (to keep men safe and kill things) he dreams of his wife-who is gone for whatever reason, later revealed.......*(I realized as I posted this Neeson is also a widower-HE IS the perfect man to play this role and I suspect it must have been very intense and emotional for him)

The plane ices up and goes down. A handful of survivors struggle to survive the bitter cold and onslaught of a ravenous pack of wolves. Having read Farley Mowat's Never Cry Wolf multiple times as a child and later Of Wolves and Men by a ??? Lopez, I don't buy a pack of wolves going after a group of men-who can fight back-especially not when there is the easier pickings of the dead-so let that part run into the realm of fantasy and picture Frazetta's wolves for the sake of enjoying the movie.

There was a scene as the men were holed up beside the false safety of a fire that they could hear a challenge to the alpha male wolf-and then hear it savagely put down. In a similitude, one of the survivors challenges Ottway and is equally-though mercifully put down. Also the darkness hiding the wolves yet their breath in the frosty air being visible-wonderfully creepy.

Also as they sat beside the fire and discussed why they wanted to go on living, Ottway recites a poem his father had written. It gave a little something to the film, that soul I mentioned earlier.

Without spoiling too much-you know they are in a terrible place, you know death surrounds them at every turn and as Ottway (Neeson) cries out to God, a number of pleas' and expletives, and is met only with silence he responds with, "Fuck it , I'll do it myself."

Now the audience laughed at that, I didn't and its not because I'm a spiritual person who won't curse God but because all I could think was-You CAN still do it yourself. We know he is capable, he doesn't need a miracle-a 'God in the machine' ending or even a Man vs. Wild scenario of a cabin or well traveled road right around the corner, these would only take away from and weaken the STORY and we are here to discuss stories not happy endings.

Ultimately we do have our climax and here is where I suspect most of my fellow movie goers had a problem~I don't wish to spoil anything-it is worth seeing, but it is a "You figure it out" ending.

I loved that as he prepared for his confrontation with The GREY? alpha wolf, he recited his fathers poem yet again...

Once more into the fray.
Into the last good fight I'll ever know.
Live and die on this day.
Live and die on this day

Strange Sights of the Week

2012-01-24T02:57:00.000-07:00

A Glass Raised: Robert E. Howard

2012-01-22T03:43:00.000-07:00

The Phoenix on the Sword

What do I know of cultured ways,

the gilt, the craft and the lie?

I, who was born in a naked land

and bred in the open sky.

The subtle tongue, the sophist guile,

they fail when the broadsword sing;

Rush in and die dogs-

I was a man before I was a king.

Robert E. Howard

January 22, 1906 – June 11, 1936

FREE the HEROES

2012-01-19T01:15:00.002-07:00

For the next 5 days Heroes of the Fallen is a free e-book.

Well, whats it about?

A great civilization teeters on the brink of devastating war. Amaron of the elite guardsmen must embark on a quest to protect the fate of two nations. Nations whose destruction is being orchestrated by the greatest evil the land has ever known. Who will rise to become the heroes of the fallen?

OK, but is it free?
Yes, it is.
And for how long?
Five days.
And it is free?
Yes, it is.
Is this one of those indie books you're just giving away because no one ever read it?
No, people have read it and here's what they had to say-ever so briefly.

"brutal, gory, and depressing---But make no mistake, West is a talented writer, and whether a reader ordinarily picks up fictionalized scripture novels or science fiction once embarked on this novel readers will find it nearly impossible to put down." Jennie Hansen reviewer for Meridian Magazine

"Heroes of the Fallen is a Book of Mormon historical that reads like an epic fantasy. It's not often that the LDS market sees something truly new, but West's debut novel really is different. It was refreshing. A breath of fresh air--and a lot of fun." Rob Wells, author of Variant

"it’s very nice when you find an original vision at work. I’ve found one of those in David J. West, whose Heroes of the Fallen has imagination in spades. The world created by West is fully realized and backed up by both firm historical knowledge and a good feel for mythology. If imagination is the engine for Heroic Fantasy, fine prose is the fuel. Here, too, West achieves--" Charles Gramlich, author of Bitter Steel, Cold in the Light, and the Talera Cycle trilogy

"its a great read..." Wayne May publisher of Ancient American magazine

"Heroes of the Fallen is well researched, with an extensive cast of characters and lots of political intrigue. This is the first in a series. The sequel, Blood of our Fathers, arrives next year. Recommended." Bruce Durham author of The Marsh God

“David J. West has created a story line filled with excitement, archaeology, treasure and real history. This is a must-read not only for entertainment but also to open new doors and vistas of possibility for the mind." Bruce H. Porter Ph.D. Brigham Young University religion professor

"When I first learned that someone was writing a book based on the last events of the Book of Mormon. I thought, "Good. It's good to read those types of books." No, no, no! It is not simply good! And good is the wrong word! It is intrigue, fascination. Power. Obsession." - M. Gray

So check it out if you will ~ and Thank You

*semi-cross posted (possibly better) with the Man Cave Author Blog

Preparing to Blitz

2012-01-17T13:29:00.000-07:00

Beginning of the year and time to map and or lament on my goals. I always end up biting off more than I can chew. Still, the blitz is coming.

There are a half dozen short story anthologies I 'd love to be included in with deadlines looming shortly. Would love to do these but I probably ought to pick my battles with the ones I want the most and forget the rest rather than having the dozen beginnings and no endings I have sitting in the files right now. I always wondered why Robert E. Howard had so many great tales that weren't finished and now I understand that a little better.

I have my sequel to Heroes of the Fallen needing to be polished up- people even call my Mom wanting to know if they can get a rough draft-(not gonna happen) Really need to do that-I never, ever, meant to take so long finishing an already finished book.

I also need to polish and decide what I want to do with my exiled Spartan novel Bless the Child, I should have sent it to a copy editor friend months ago but I wanted to clean it up even more before I passed it on-still haven't done it. Really need to do that.

Recently submitted my second chapter of Midnight Sons to UGEEK Magazine-the story went an interesting direction that I never foresaw-but I am happy with it-I think the stuff I had planned on will be coming up in the next chapter-any E-friends who are interested drop me a line I'll send the pdf for the first issue-since it was a local Utah-centric mag. I moved away from Utah right as it went to print so I don't even have any copies of my pulpness-that and I saw that I missed the local CON where the premier issue debuted-with a few interesting guests like comic veteran Wendy Pini (of Elf Quest fame) In my mind she still looks like Red Sonja from Savage Sword of Conan in '76.

My hopes and prayers for Jason Waltz at Rogue Blades Entertainment-that things will get sorted out and the magnificent books Roar of the Crowd and Challenge: Discovery that are waiting in the wings will be released in 2012.

More of my weird western short stories with Porter Rockwell are coming, though I'm not sure on any release dates with those anthologies. Same with the Dagan Books antho of weird sci-fi IN-SITU my tale The Dig is coming some time soon this year.

I meant to get most of my S&S gangster fantasy Gods & Robbers done last year and I didn't-we'll go for this year on that account.

And finally a bit of non-fiction (that reads like very exciting/frightening fiction) is absolutely coming but I can't say more on that just yet. But you could check out my friend Douglas Dietrich's site. Just saying.

Ye Olde Ones of R'Lyeh in Crayone

2012-01-12T03:51:00.001-07:00

My oldest son has yet to read any Lovecraft-(he has watched Lil Cthulhu) but that hasn't stopped him from dreaming up and visualizing his own brand of the Old Ones-I told him I'd post 'em so Behold!

I think my favorite of his latest Kadathian batch, is this last one-truly bizarre.

Strange Sights of the Week

2012-01-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

One of my wife's favorite movies, but I still prefer the David Lynch version.

I was surprised to find that my blog ranked highly in the Google search for Stormtrooper Babes, so I thought I ought to oblige. Disturbing as it is to the Force.

I guess the Batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker got away...you know the rest.

For my wife who always comments on his crazy hair.

The Least Interesting Man in Westeros

Happy Little Spartans

British Gangsters Saved My Life

2012-01-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

Posting this because (I haven't posted anything all year) and I do like Vinnie Jones, reminds me how much I still want to finish "Gods & Robbers" this year, my British gangster inspired fantasy- think maybe a Sword & Sorcery SNATCH type thing.

Retrospecticus 2011

2011-12-30T13:47:00.000-07:00

Ahhh 2011 ...where to begin???

The gifted Jeff Jones passed away this year. I broke my favorite "battle ready" sword, and I didn't finish my sequel.

I glanced back over the blog and pondered what I had posted here.

Writing-wise I have sold quite a few stories that I thought would see print this year...and are waiting to be printed next year. But Fistful of Tengu, Curse the Child, The Hand of Fate, Fangs of the Dragon and the first chapter in my dark fantasy serial Midnight Sons in the local Utah UGeek Magazine, were all released. Perhaps the other stories I am waiting on will build up and make it look like 2012 finds me a supremely prolific writer.

I am still way behind on the rewrites for my second novel, Blood of our Fathers, the sequel to Heroes of the Fallen. But I'm working on it and hope to get it turned back into my editor soon.

Life can be topsy turvy, so between a big move and numerous personal and family health issues sometimes you just can't get things done that at one time seemed so simple. But the battle continues.

A number of other mostly finished projects will only help it appear that 2012 is my super year.

Looking over my reviews I read more books than I remembered off the top of my head-most of them were pretty good, lot of indies. But my standout favorites would be Mike Mignola's Hellboy graphic novels. I am in the midst of the latest installment - vol.11 The Bride of Hell

I read a lot of history books (usually rereads) that I didn't bother to blog about but when it comes to non-fiction I think my favorite read this year was - The Book of Werewolves by Sabine Baring-Gould, the guy who also wrote the hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers'. Though this might sound like fiction it was a collection of the strange and true horrifying things men do/did-much of it borders on people who thought they were werewolves and or vampires, and then there was always that hint that there may be things that just have no rational explanation and may be supernatural.

I also read a lot of books by folks that I count as friends, practically too many to list off the top of my head and not forget names-and I still have a number of others to catch up on.

I blogged more about movies this year than I ever bothered to previously and following the trend my favorites were the indies- like Ironclad, Kill the Irishman, and 13 Assassins. I sincerely hope this quality storytelling continues.

So summing up, I have very high hopes for our new year, lot of writing to be done, things waiting to be published and lots of things I have yet to turn in or am able to blog about yet. Made some good new friends, and am living where I grew up-I'm excited to able to share that with my kids-jagged mountains, dark forests, vicious wild animals, don't worry Honey, etc etc. I actually hate resolutions but I am gonna try harder to be better than I was before-gotta turn that try into a 'Did'.

Hope the New Year finds you well-have a good one.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-12-28T01:05:00.000-07:00

This one from my brothers, might be my favorite Christmas gift-a rare photograph of Sean Connery signed by Daniel Craig.

Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year

2011-12-24T03:26:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas and here's to a New Year, friends new and old, fresh beginnings and the renewing of old goals. Remembering the victories and defeats that we might make this next one shine all the brighter.

Read Just Lately

2011-12-21T03:42:00.000-07:00

The Arabian Nightmare, by Robert Irwin

Is a dizzying trip through 14th century Cairo beside an insomniac Christian spy named Balian.

Yes, this novel predates Ridley Scott's The Kingdom of Heaven by quite some time.

Full of great characters and intertwining short stories that all weave together, at times confusing even infuriating this is still a book that I greatly enjoyed. Hints of magic and intrigue abound as plotters utilize different talents and pawns all leading to a surprising twist ending. I admit the final lines did frustrate me, yet at the same time it was almost what you expected.

Granting splendid views into a sprawling city like Cairo in a post-crusades world Irwin's writing is magical and verbose, he is above all an entertainer but with something to say. The Arabian Nightmare has a lot to offer in seeing an exotic fantasy city for those of you who like a lot of detail-yet it flows in the stories as if it too is a character. One of the better books I have read this year. This also gives a great background (even if chronologically later) to another book I have just started Desert of Souls by Howard Andrew Jones.

Report from Iron Mountain, (On the Possibility and Desirability of Peace) by John Doe

I've really been getting into listening to Douglas Dietrich on a variety of radio programs, and while he would be regarded as quite conspiratorial and subversive, I have yet to hear him say much of anything I found too outlandish-but he doesn't have any books out yet-I know I've been haranguing him about this dilemma, and so I went back and looked over the library for some of my own rare and unusual military type books-probably should have stuck to Secrets of World War 2 for fun-cuz Iron Mountain isn't fun-but it is intriguing. I first heard about it from a strange inventor I knew, he told me to go to the SLC Library and read it-they of course had never heard of it.

But I remembered...

Years later I actually found a copy in a used book shop. In essence it is the confession (anonymously) of a think tank from the Kennedy administration, courtesy of McNamara, on what to do now that the wars have all been won. Now all kinds of things could be said that this is a crock, BUT it was published in 1967 and everything it says that the Gov'ment should do to keep us "Under the Thumb" and distracted has been happening, so it's a little eerie. I had read it before but was on a kick to read something conspiratorial again since Dietrich's The Reality of the Red Undead isn't out yet-oh yeah, I'll be all over that one.

Solomon Kane: Deaths Black Riders, by Robert E. Howard, Scott Allie, Mario Guevara

This graphic novel splices in a short REH tale Rattle of the Bones (which is a great short by the by) and tells us what happened directly before and after that short. Problem is by doing it that way it weakens the REH tale or perhaps a better way to say it-they just don't belong sandwiching it. Sometimes I don't mind Dark Horse doing this with the Conan tales (other times I do mind) and nobodies perfect and while the stories are in of themselves alright and the art is fine, splicing it with more than a fragment to go on like *the first Solomon Kane graphic, Castle of the Devil, is bad form. I'll still check out whatever the next Solomon Kane book is-but if its like this I won't get a third. I would rather they wrote a brand new Solomon Kane tale than sandwich in a classic between two slices of dry bread.

Conan the Barbarian, by Robert E. Howard

This was the mass market paperback used as a tie in for the movie-the logo emblazoned on the cover reads 'Storeies that Inspired the Movie" IF ONLY

Anyone who has read a REH Conan knows any of these tales would have been a far, far, far better movie. It has actually been awhile since I read the originals in paperback (well awhile for me) and the magic that 'People of the Black Circle' weaves still brought me back, the intrigue and danger of 'Phoniex on the Sword' drew me in like the first time I read it. 'Tower of the Elephant' still looms over filthy Zamora on a steamy spider-haunted night and 'Red Nails' crunches bone beneath dragon feet. I still want those movies made, alas...

One Second After, by William R. Forstchen

Think The Road, as a community. What begins as your perfect small town-which we know is gonna become paradise destroyed, actually has quite a few surprises for even this old paranoiac. We have all heard about doomsday coming one way or another and Forstchen hits us with something that has slipped under the radar a bit too much. Not zombies, or radioactivity or viruses but our own lack of preparedness and ingenuity that modern day life has retarded us on. The very real probability of what do you do when the power is gone?

America is hit with multiple EMP blasts - Electro Magnetic Pulses that fry everything electronic-nothing works. So what happens? No communication, no refrigeration, no transportation, and you can see the breakdown coming. What really hit me was the reality that if the lights don't come on in a couple weeks everyone who is dependent on pharmaceuticals is in serious trouble, then the elderly and what about gangs and those who think they should take what they want? Cormac McCarthy (still the superior writer) was grim (and it was supposed to be an asteroid in The Road by the way, not nukes) but this paints a more horrific picture in the sense that you can see how this would actually affect you and everyone you love-you're not dropped into the story after its almost over-you're there One Second After.

Christmas is Coming

2011-12-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my pal Graham Bradley for this one.

J. Edgar

2011-12-12T02:27:00.000-07:00

J. Edgar directed by Clint Eastwood

I've seen three movies in the last two weeks (for work ironically) and this is the only one I feel like admitting to. I don't normally care for Leonardo DiCaprio but I do like historicals and Clint Eastwoods films. A bit slow and ponderous, the film still carried itself with interesting insight into an enigmatic almost mythic character of American 20th-century history. Though a historical film I found it to be rather timely, it's hard not to look at the Occupy Wall Street protesters and the other bad news bears and not see the similarities between the early days of Hoover's dealing with communist insurgents and our own uncertainty today. It's like I always say people don't change that much.

Still this wasn't something I think I need to ever sit down and watch again and there wasn't as much sheer entertainment as there is in some other bio pics such as JFK, Hoffa, or even Nixon, but it is worth viewing at least once. It did grant some humanity to an otherwise atypically vilified (perhaps not unjustly) character and I couldn't help but chuckle at some of the hinted secret files. I also had to wonder if Eastwood made a few of his own digs in the movie.

I usually avoid traffic cops like the plague but I have to respect how much Hoover actually brought to the FBI, the innovations in forensic science, national fingerprinting, the man was a visionary in his field. Also Stephen Root was especially enjoyable as one of the first forensic scientists that Hoover utilized. The rumored aspects of Hoover's secret life were also dealt with in a believable and reasonable manner. The costumes were great but the makeup was atrocious, I thought DiCaprio as an old man looked more like Gordon B. Hinckley than J. Edgar Hoover.

You tell me.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-12-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Life caught me unawares so here is another Strange Sights while I am getting things settled.

Book Review: Wings Over Talera

2011-12-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

Wings Over Talera, by Charles Gramlich

I was introduced to Barsoom and the worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs through Carl Sagan and NOVA. Holst's epic Mars, The God of War blared behind Frank Frazetta's gripping images of John Cater and Dejah Thoris battling alien monsters-it was fantastic, the only thing wrong with any of it was Sagan and his monotonous condescending tone of how there was no such thing ERB's vision of Mars, his science was ridiculous and Percival Lowell could not have seen any canals on the face of the red planet.

This from the guy who is asking me to accompany him on his spaceship of the imagination, no thanks, I'm gonna stick with the Sword & Planet stories, that's what I want to hear more about-which brings me to Charles and his Talera series.

Ruenn Maclang, a 19th century Earthman is mysteriously transported to a strange new world, he escapes slavery at that hands of a reptilian race and finds new love-that's book one that I reviewed last year. This is book two in the series and deals with Ruenn searching for his lost brother and a strange new threat to the peace that he and his own Taleran princess are about to enjoy. Treachery and twists send Ruenn reeling from fire to frying pan.

Molded akin to the best of my favorite pulp novels like ERB and Robert E. Howard, Gramlich's Talera books are not to be missed. His writing descriptions and action are par excellence, the kind of 'I wish I wrote that'. The creatures that inhabit the strange artificial world of Talera evoke both a mythic and Darwin gone wrong ethos, granting a familiar and exotic locale for our narrating hero. I highly recomend that if anyone has an inkling that they will enjoy the upcoming John Carter movie, they check out Charles work as well.

And without spoiling anything, the last line in Wings Over Talera is a killer for the setup of book 3: Witch of Talera.

Grab Charles books here

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-11-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving, I love this pic from the dearly departed The Cimmerian blog. I've been battling a few issues with the move, a computer virus , etc etc but here's to being grateful that things have all worked out and that writing shall commence in earnest very soon. All the best to you and yours.

"Fistful of Tengu" Online

2011-11-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

My weird oriental fantasy story "Fistful of Tengu" from the MONK PUNK anthology is posted over at D. Harlan Wilsons The Dream People online journal, current issue #36.

I've been rather pleased that overall, my tale which opens the antho, seems to have been received rather well from most of the reviews I've read. (one didn't mention it-the rest sang the stories praises)

That and my original blog post about the story, something about tengu, the mythological Japanese crow-like creature, is still one of my most visited posts. Seems google must direct a lot of people here who ask what a tengu is.

Good. Kind if like how Marion Jensen still gets lots of the hits on his blog about 'exploding coconuts'.

So lesson for the day-want a recurring blog post that gets a lot of hits? Post about something rather obscure so that your blog is high on the search list.

Cross posted with the http://mancaveauthors.blogspot.com/

This Goes up to Eleven

2011-11-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that the virtual launch for Monsters & Mormons is this evening11/11/11

The party will take place:

10 pm – midnight, eastern

9-11 pm, central

8-10, mountain

7-9, pacific

If you would like to participate and haven't already done so, please "like" the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/monstersandmormons

And if you are on Twitter, but don't follow @motleyvision or @thmazing, but are open to it, do so. That'll make it easier for us to find you. I also am going to try to do something with Google+

more in depth details here

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-11-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

St. Rockwell and the Dragon

2011-11-07T10:54:00.002-07:00

This is the illustration of Porter Rockwell by Davin Abegg for my weird western novella "Fangs of the Dragon" in Monsters & Mormons.

Here is a snippet~

A mountain of a man stepped forward, creating a hush among the tribe. Thick and strong, he looked down on Porter scrutinizing him. “You are Mormonee?” he asked, bringing his bare chest to Port’s nose.

Amanda said, “This is Big Bear.”

“Yeah, I’m Mormonee,” answered Port. “He is probably the second biggest Indian I’ve ever seen.”

“Do you wear the sacred robes?” asked the grinning giant.

“Yes.”

“Show me.”

Port opened his shirt revealing the garments. “Satisfied?”

“The woman is Mormonee too?”

“Yes.”

“She will show me?” He smirked.

Port shoved Big Bear, “That’s enough. Can we talk or not, Many-Buffalo? Or do I have to teach some manners to your boy?”

Amanda shook her head.

Big Bear knocked Port’s hat off.

“Tell him! I’m here to take care of things and if they don’t help me, I can’t help them!” shouted Port. “But I’m not here to play games.”

Many-Buffalo stood impassive, then nodded to Big Bear.

The giant lunged, grasping Port in a bear hug, trapping his arms and lifting him off the ground. The gathering laughed as Many-Buffalo shouted in triumph.

Struggling to breath, let alone move, Port asked, “What’d he say?”

“He said, if you are the best the Brigham can offer, he doesn’t need help,” cried Amanda over the din.

Big Bear’s laughter boomed into Port’s face.

“Wheat! They ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Big Bear’s hug cracked Port’s back and grew tighter, forcing air from his lungs and still the big man laughed.

Looking Big Bear square in the eye, Port winked and then slammed his thick forehead into Big Bear’s nose repeatedly. The huge man, blinded and bloodied, dropped Port, who landed on his feet. Porter slammed Big Bear an uppercut to the chin, dropping the man-mountain. Rounding on Many-Buffalo, Port snarled, “Was he the best you got?”

Amanda translated.

Many-Buffalo frowned, but motioned for Port and Amanda to follow.

Amanda picked up Port’s hat, then handed it to him saying, “You know, might doesn’t always make right.”

“Didn’t I just prove that?”

Guest Post by Ty Johnston: 10 reasons to read Ghosts of the Asylum

2011-11-03T00:43:00.003-06:00

Fantasy author Ty Johnston is doing a massive blog tour all through November and is going to give us...
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10 reasons to read Ghosts of the Asylum

1.) Ghosts of the Asylum is a sequel novel to my epic fantasy Kobalos Trilogy, which includes the novels City of Rogues, Road to Wrath, and Dark King of the North. Everybody has read my Kobalos Trilogy, right? Good. Thought so.

2.) The price is right. At only $2.99, Ghosts of the Asylum costs less than a Big Mac. And I’m talking just the Big Mac, not including the fries and drink that make up a whole meal. And Ghosts of the Asylum will last longer than a Big Mac, too.

3.) I’m guessing if you’re reading this blog, you likely have an interest in fantasy, possibly epic fantasy. My new novel is epic fantasy. How epic? Well, not only is this novel a sequel to a trilogy, but it’s part of a much larger story that should take up between 40 and 50 novels when finally completed. Is that epic enough for you?

4.) Kron Darkbow. Kron is my main character. Think of him as sort of a Batman in a fantasy world. He fights, he climbs, he picks locks, throws grenados and ... wait, did I say “throws grenados?” Yes, I did. Grenados are Kron’s favorite weapon.

5.) If you purchase and read Ghosts of the Asylum, maybe, just maybe, my wife will get off my back about getting a real job. So, you’d be doing me a big favor.

6.) I believe my stories have something to say. It might not be easy to discern, but there is always a gist of thought in the background of my plots and my characters’ actions.

7.) At the same time, I want to entertain. My novels have their fair share of action and adventure, as well as some intrigue. First I want to entertain myself, of course, but hopefully my interests will intersect enough with readers to also entertain them. At least that’s my goal.

8.) Though Ghosts of the Asylum is part of a much longer saga, it can be read as a stand-alone novel. Aren’t you tired of having to read 10 or more books to get an entire story? Maybe it’s just me.

9.) Speaking of sagas, Ghosts of the Asylum comes in at more than 110,000 words, which means it’s a tad longer than most modern novels, yet it’s a far cry from the huge, one-thousand-pages-plus tomes that seem to dominate epic fantasy today. In other words, you don’t have to set aside a whole month or more to read Ghosts of the Asylum, but it should still keep you reading for more than a few days.

10.) Okay, I’ve run out of ideas. Let me think. Let me think. I mentioned grenados, right? Yeah, I did. What about Kron Darkbow? Oh, you know about him. Hmm. Ah! I’ve got it! Okay, the empirical truth of the matter is this: Ghosts of the Asylum is the best novel you will ever read in your lifetime. Er, was that too much? Too over the top? Well, since this is sort of an advertisement for my novel, I could tell you what all the other advertisements tell you: Buy and read Ghosts of the Asylum, and you will become rich and happy and have lots of sex with beautiful people. Sorry, I don’t have a talking dog or a clown with red hair to sell my novel. Maybe next time.

Fantasy author Ty Johnston’s blog tour 2011 is running from November 1 through November 30. His novels include City of Rogues, Bayne’s Climb and More than Kin, all of which are available for the Kindle, Nook and online at Smashwords . His latest novel, Ghosts of the Asylum, will be available for e-books on November 21. To find out more, follow him at his blog.

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I have a copy of City of Rogues and will review it-but the move (and life in general) have gotten in the way for the moment and I am way, way behind in my reading. Ty thanks for having patience with me and all the best on the rest of your tour.

Monsters and Mormons

2011-11-01T10:13:00.000-06:00

Monsters & Mormons the biggest anthology I have been a part of yet was released last night - 29 tales of science fiction, fantasy, horror, alternate history, action and steampunk. I've only had a chance to read a couple others entries but I'm looking forward to this wide swath of strange tales by a host of great writers and artists-a number of which I feel comfortable calling my friends and enemies.

Fangs of the Dragon: a 16K weird western novella is my biggest release of the year and one of the works I've had the most fun writing ever.

Grab your six-gun, a blessed bowie knife and get an ebook HERE now or pre-order a massive paperback.

Frightening Sights of the Week

2011-10-31T10:08:00.000-06:00

I Am Pulp Fiction

2011-10-28T07:34:00.009-06:00

pulp fiction noun

fiction dealing with lurid or sensational subjects, often printed on rough, low-quality paper manufactured from wood pulp.

Now I am truly a Pulp Fiction writer.

The 0.5 issue of Utah Geek has finally been released and is being parceled out over the metropolitan Utah area-so its in the gaming shops and libraries all over SLC. The publisher, Dennis Lundstrom posted that he will have copies in Utah county next week-so all of my former locals, just hang on a little longer.

Though it may be a little hard to read, I am on the cover, no not the zombie, but the center tab reads,
Chapter 1: MIDNIGHT SONS, original fiction by David J. West

IF you can get a copy, read it and let Utah Geek (and me) know how much you liked it-if you don't like it, make a big stink about it and bring all the attention possible to this new little mag.

I still don't have a copy myself and borrowed this pic from the cover artist Carter Reid.

About MIDNIGHT SONS~ it will be an ongoing dark fantasy serial, centered on a trio of heroic yet superstitious characters who will be charged with hunting down the fantasy equivalent of Nazi war criminals- think steam punk Lovecraftian sorcerers. I believe the very premise will allow an infinite number of twists and turns for rather roguish heroes.

Everyone who possibly can-check it out.

I'll arrange something one fine day for all my friends out of Utah state (as I am now myself = Montana hence the great lack of blogging) to have a chance to read it as well.

Coming Soon...

2011-10-12T01:26:00.000-06:00

My two big releases for this year are coming soon in the next couple weeks, a weird western novella "Fangs of the Dragon" in Monsters & Mormons and the first installment of my dark fantasy serial Midnight Sons in UGEEK Magazine.

Available everywhere on Halloween, Monsters & Mormons is an anthology of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Alternate History, Action, and Steampunk, all by Mormon writers putting their own twist on our peculiar culture. I share the TOC with Dan Wells, Graham Bradley, Wilum Pugmire, Eric James Stone, Moriah Jovan, Emily Milner, Nathan Shumate, Jaleta Clegg, as well as a bunch of others I'm not yet familiar with. And then there will be artwork by Matt Page (above), Graham Bradley, Galen Dara, Jake Parker, Blair Sterrett and Brandon Dayton.

Coming next week, UGEEK Magazine 0.5 launch issue will be available all over the metropolitan Utah area, libraries, game shops, etc etc (Geek Land) Along with my first installment of Midnight Sons there will be
Going Insane: Lovecraftian Style by Mike Hill, Raising Geek Kids or Not by Ami Chopine, Zombie Nations Comic Strip by Carter Reid, Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse by Tom Carr and Club Connection with Rex Rouviere, 7th Fleet. Game review of Mistborn RPG and the card game Eaten by Zombies.

Couple other things too, but those are the main articles for this month. I'm hoping for a very successful launch of both ventures. I hope you can check out the first online and that Utah locals will flock, praise and demand more of my fantasy nazi hunters.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-09-28T11:02:00.000-06:00

Quick Reads Lately

2011-09-26T03:40:00.003-06:00

I am still in the midst of moving but must find the time to read and unwind-the quickest things to hit the spot are graphic novels and here are the five latest.

The Outlaw Prince, by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Rob Hughes, Thomas Yeates & Michael Wm. Kaluta

Based on Burroughs The Outlaw of Torn I found this to be a great action-adventure historical. Taking place in 1243 during the reign of King Henry the third, we are shown how things haven't changed that much since King John was around-he still isn't fully respecting the Magna Carta and noble Simon De Montfort, Earl of Leicester is calling Henry out on it. Simon departs and Henry takes out his aggressions on court swordsman DeVac (whom is supposedly the finest swordsman in all of Christendom).

Henry insults DeVac who vows revenge.

So how does an angry Frenchman get revenge?

He kidnaps Henry's son, Richard, slaying the Lady Maud and an officer in the process-all so he can raise the prince as his own son and turn him into the greatest swordsman in the whole world and in general give bloody hell to Henry.
Some of this was a little slow, but you could tell it was all building-it is after all the adaption of a novel.

The graphic ends as Richard, now Norman of Torn is about to start dealing blood against the King, whom he no longer realizes is his father. This has definitely intrigued me to read what Burroughs himself said was, "the best thing he ever wrote..."

Batman R.I.P. by Grant Morrison and Tony S. Daniel

I've enjoyed some of Morrison's other writings and the art is absolutely superb (the best of all 5 graphics I mention here today) but I was continually wondering throughout What is Going On? Opening with a scene similar enough to the classic Killing Joke storyline, the Joker is giving clues to the Batman about some new villain? huh?

Said new villain-is he Dr. Hurt, is he The Black Glove? is he Thomas Wayne? huh?

He has a cabal of villains with him, none of which are particularly noteworthy (and I generally think Batman has the best villains in the DC universe) one of the new ones looked like he was supposed to be some kind of bucket head Ned Kelly wannabe-but I don't think they ever even gave us his name.

Anyhow, Batman is given a hypnotic trigger from graffiti tagged non-sense and goes into shock-they shoot him full of crystal meth and leave him on the street to die-no wait they expect him to show up so they can do something else to him, oh and his girlfriend betrayed him but he knew she was going to do that, huh?

I can allow plenty of suspension of disbelief when reading a comic book, I have no problem letting a lot of things slide...but I suspect that with Batman R.I.P., Morrison was going for an over the top,deep classic storyline and I'm sorry I think he failed at that.

R.I.P. is interesting, it makes you wonder about what the Batman is capable of to overcome and compensate for every scenario but somethings are just way too out there-I don't even want to get into the final epilogue chapter=serious Huh?

Did I mention the art was great?

B.P.R.D. The Black Flame, by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Guy Davis

We are still dealing with the war on Frog Demon monsters from earlier story lines and the BPRD is all over the place just trying to deal. Roger the Homunculus is adapting well as a team commander (emulating Captain Daimio) but dark days are ahead for the weird guy that doesn't wear pants. (see cover)

The title character, the Black Flame is a Dr. Doom type guy for the Hellboy universe and is my favorite thing about the whole graphic; a CEO for the Zinco corp, he emulates some of the bizarre Thule society Nazi's from earlier Hellboy stories (Nazis are the best villains just ask Indiana Jones) and as the Black Flame he attempts to bring in something big and bad to the world.

Storyline wise I was kind of underwhelmed-big bad monster comes-Liz fries it, and I've seen that too many times-that's what the big arc is-its the little stuff that's good and surprising, I just wish they could have come up with a more novel way of dealing with the Lovecraftian Katha-Hem.

Time of the Twins, by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Andrew Dabb, David Cole

I wasn't sure what to expect with this one, I did not care for its beginnings.
Only two years have passed since the War of the Lance (Dragonlance trilogy) and the nods to the previous characters seemed a little gratuitous and unnecessary to me. But Fizban did say he wasn't good with beginnings so...

Once things get moving I did enjoy this "new" staple of fantasy cannon.

The art was reasonably good and most everything seemed to flow once we got past reminders of Dragonlance. I still don't get some of the D&D tropes being force fed into the storyline but I could deal with those.

Having a character like Carmon hit rock bottom and bring himself back (with external pressure) was great-but his twin brother Raistlin, who I know is a fan favorite-yeah he's a super powerful sorcerer, but is that the only reason I'm supposed to like him? I could'a used something more there-I mean WHY does the priestess of Paladine, Crysiania, even fall in love with him? That was never clear to me-no reason, it just happened, I could have used anything, even a look, but no.

I would still gladly read the next in the series but I'm not sure that DDP press is even doing anymore of the D&D titles and that's a shame.

instead...

Dungeons & Dragons: Shadowplague, by John Rogers and Andrea Di Vitto

I was almost ready to put this down with the first couple chapters, every hackneyed plot twist, every wisecrack you have ever heard, ever stereotype you have ever seen is splashed here-NO, bombarded upon you mercilessly. Di Vitto's art is pretty good and sheer wonder made me persevere further.

It does get better.

But a terrible beginning is a terrible beginning.

Everything you ever read about not writing a story like its your D&D game is right here.

Maybe if you've never seen an action movie or only read Paolini this stuff might seem fresh and hip to you-but it was only annoying to me.

By chapter 4 things have moved on a bit and the story became a bit more original-not real original, but enough that I didn't want to throw the book. What gets me is how I was so much more interested in the side characters we see for mere moments than I ever was in the main characters but...

By the end of the 6th chapter if there was a 7th I would have kept reading, but...

This is a big beautiful hardcover book, its supposed to match the newer D&D v.4 gaming books (which I don't own I'm old school-heh) the back cover says this was 24.99 gimme a break, glad I didn't pay that and I wouldn't pay that for volume 2-way too much for a so-so storyline. I don't know who Wizards of the Coast and IDW think they are fooling but seriously gimme a break. I would read Shadowplague 2 but I won't pay that for it.

The Viking Payoff

2011-09-23T01:30:00.000-06:00

Wandering Weeds: Garden of Legion

2011-09-20T14:01:00.001-06:00

The in-no-particular order table of contents was just released for Wandering Weeds, an anthology I'm excited to be a part of. Glad to see a couple friends of mine in there too, that I didn't even know had submitted-Berin.

My tale Garden of Legion is a weird western with a bit of horror and action. I'll have a passel of these starring Porter Rockwell out soon.

Wandering Weeds TOC:

The Souls of the Wicked by Francis Pauli

They Call the Wind Mariah by Jaleta Clegg

The Tumbas by M. Pax

Weeds by James Hartley

Tumbleweed by Robert Borski

Cowchip Charlie by Charlene C. Harmon

The Colors of Blood by Kevin J. Childs

Tumblers by M. Baker

Desert Oracles by Katie M John

Feral Tumbleweeds by Monique Guilland

Fair Weather, with a Chance of Tumbleweeds by Andrea Tantillo

Legends of the Tumbleweeds by Duane Ackerson

Garden of Legion by David J. West

Sleeping Beauty by Louise James

Duncan Derring and the Lady Luck by Bryan Thomas

Beyond the Fence by Rebecca L. Brown

Thistle by Terry Alexander

Fun with Weed Eradication by Berin Stephens

I survived the sargasso sea by Eric J. Guignard

Crispy Fried Pickles at the Mad Scientist Café by Katherine Sanger

The Great Tragedy of the Illustrious Empire by Audrey Young

Oh, Dark Tumbleweed by Brian D. Mazur

I'll let everyone know more when I know more.

I'm Moving

2011-09-19T12:15:00.000-06:00

Not the blog or any of that, just me and the family physically, so things will be on a little bit of hiatus for the next while.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-09-16T01:42:00.000-06:00

Tisarian’s Treasure: Book Review

2011-09-13T11:12:00.000-06:00

Tisarian’s Treasure, by J. M. Martin

A fantasy, pirate-laden treasure hunt with with enough wild savages, eerie creatures and even hints at romance to satisfy anyones hunger for a great quick read.

Opening upon a pebble strewn shore, their doomed ship burning, (with pirates bearing down on them) a handful of survivors struggle on an uncharted island to escape and yet still find the treasure they came searching for.

Narrated by Alexandre Mallory, a doctor, is intrigued by one of the other survivors, a woman named Katlin who seems to have the gift of clairvoyance. Together they evade a number of threats beyond the pursuing pirates themselves. With hints and warnings she lets Mallory know fragments of the fate that awaits them as they flee.

Set in Martin's fantasy world of Khaladune, I was carried along and every time I thought I knew what would happen Martin turned the tables. I thought I saw influences everywhere from the pulps and even The Golden Bough but always with a new poignant twist. Evoking the same spirit of classical fantasies, I greatly enjoyed this novella and look forward to reading more of Martin's work.

You can purchase this amazing novella here, here or here.

Reflect

2011-09-11T02:57:00.000-06:00

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-09-08T01:32:00.000-06:00

Book Review: The Key of Kilenya

2011-09-07T02:05:00.000-06:00

I've been friends with Andrea Pearson for a couple years now and just recently received a copy of her first novel a YA fantasy entitled, The Key of Kilenya.

I don't read a lot of YA or middle grade books anymore, usually I'm into a little bit darker rougher fantasy and even though I would still call this a clean YA read, Andrea has some fantastic imagery that made me take notice.

From the back cover blurb:

When two vicious wolves chase fourteen-year-old Jacob Clark down a path from our world into another, his life is forever changed. He has no idea they have been sent by the Lorkon—evil, immortal beings who are jealous of powers he doesn’t know he possesses—powers they desire to control.

The inhabitants of the new world desperately need Jacob's help in recovering a magical key that was stolen by the Lorkon and is somehow linked to him. If he helps them, his life will be at risk. But if he chooses not to help them, both our world and theirs will be in danger. The Lorkon will stop at nothing to unleash the power of the key—and Jacob's special abilities.

None of this is particularly fresh ground in the YA arena-I'm not arguing how hard it is to come up with a fresh take on things-its hard. But Andrea has populated her tale with all sorts of interesting fantasy characters and creatures revealed through her own lens and this is how we see old things new again-like Rogs, vicious bear creatures with human hands or how about some beautiful yet evil Lorkon woman in the woods who spews a cloud of flies at you?

I also liked some of the elemental barriers mentioned in Prince Dmitri's quest to retrieve his princess bride from the Lorkon. An invisible wall of water hundreds of feet thick-you'd drown unless you found the correct entrance or a fog of forgetfulness making you a prisoner in your own mind. I noticed that some other reviewers on Andrea's blog tour didn't like the snippets from Dmitri's journal but I did-I was almost more interested in his story than Jacobs.

Overall an imaginative and entertaining novel that I suspect my kids will enjoy when they are just a little bit older. You can order a copy here.

Kill the Irishman

2011-09-06T02:05:00.000-06:00

"Since I'm Irish Catholic, I've got the best guardian angel there is. Besides, it's the man upstairs who pulls the strings." - Danny Greene

Loosely based on the true story of 1970's Cleveland mobster Danny Greene, Kill the Irishman like IRONCLAD is a misplaced gem. I had not even heard of the film even though I would consider myself a fan of most of the cast-a lot of gangster and character actors here, Christopher Walken, Paul Sorvino, Vincent D'Onofrio, Robert Davi, Vinnie Jones and Val Kilmer. But the big one, why I bought it, is Ray Stevenson (Titus Pullo~ROME) as Danny Greene.

Stevenson portrays Greene with a brutal cunning working his way up, only to get knocked down and pull himself up again. The guy was a thug and a criminal but truly one with heart and spirit that you would have wanted to be friends with.

The lynch pin of things truly going downhill is when Danny sets out to borrow 70K from the mob and the courier gets nailed by the cops-they say Danny still owes them, but he maintains he can't owe what he never received. A contract gets put out on the Irishman and he fights back...hard.

Now I love me a great gangster movie-with the caveat that it isn't the atypical "Crime doesn't pay" formula, which may be why I have generally liked British gangster movies more than American gangster movies. But this presentation, taking Danny's life and putting it into 2 hours still feels reasonably full without trying to tell us what to think.
Greene wanted to emulate his Celtic warrior ancestors and thus had his own code of honor. Caught between a rock and a hard place, he stuck to his guns and ended up crippling the mob with some incredible long time repercussions.

The film pulls no punches-just like Danny.

Highly recommended. I strongly suspect that my Robert E. Howard friends will get a kick out of Danny Greene - he seems like a real life Sword & Sorcery hero to me.

The Broken Sword

2011-09-04T11:53:00.000-06:00

I feel a bloody kinship now to tragic Skafloc and doomed Isildur. What great dark forces of cruel malignancy set forth to soundly destroy my honor and bestow such woe? Did the fickle Norns or taunting Fey seek to lay low that great joy of man? Would that I had lived in other times, when the talented smiths of yore tapped into that wellspring of arcane knowledge and knew how to heat treat the tang of ages.

Alas, the sword doth broke upon a trifling cut, here at the guard, and LO...I have lost faith with the mighty Cold Steel of Ventura California, no more shall I patronize their weak efforts. I sit now and lament upon my sun-bleached throne and remember...

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-09-02T01:41:00.002-06:00

Meanwhile at the space bar...

Bloodborne: Book Review

2011-08-31T02:48:00.000-06:00

Bloodborne, by Gregg Luke

When this arrived in the mail my wife promptly stole it. So she read it first and loved it. When I got to it (my TBR pile is vast...vast) she actually asked me why it took me so long.

I read it over two nights.

I made myself take two nights.

Billed as a medical thriller, Bloodborne moves at an incredible pace, it is a thriller after all and Luke has written quite the page turner.
Medical thriller makes me think of hospitals, but this is also an adventure story. Our protagonist Dr. Erin Cross is minding her own business when someone tries to kill her during a lunch break at the corner deli. Timely intervention from former Spec Ops agent Sean Flannery saves the day, but when assassins keep coming after Erin she needs Flannery's help yet again.

Now what makes this a medical thriller is that Erin isn't just a local Dr. but virologist who has been at the forefront of things like H1N1 and we come to find out that an old associate of hers is trying to bring his own brand of Armageddon to the world. He also wants her dead to cover his tracks in the process.

What I liked:
Luke has some great characterizations and dialogue. The tension is gripping and above all Luke knows his stuff about setting and especially the diseases themselves. He is a pharmacist and studied the H1N1 pandemic in the Yucatan in 2009.
He injects a bit of real life humor into the tale, even having a character giving the alias of Dan Brown, "not the writer, he says". This is funny because Dan Brown's thrillers are about the closest thing I could say Bloodborne reads like. The whole conspiracy goes beyond just a lone nut and is involved with Skull & Bone like Illuminati groups, even to the point of different sects who are opposed to one another. Thats all good.

What I didn't like:
I'm not particularly a fan of Dan Brown and while I loves me a good conspiracy some of the characters behaviors seemed a little unbelievable. Perhaps there was a reasonable answer for this-along with some surprises with the main characters toward the end-but earlier in the book with some of the henchmen I was like, 'Why would they do that?' really?
Things wrapped up neatly while at the same time, I think it would be fair to say it is wide open for a possible sequel.

Regardless, there is no denying Luke's powers of making you turn pages.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-08-26T00:49:00.000-06:00

Thanks to by Adam K.K. Figueira (and Joe Jusko) for the Swords & Software: Tronan

Viva the Malnutrition

I keep feeling like this needs one more-maybe He-Man?

I wish I could get this for me kids.

I had to look at this one twice to get it.

My wife said this artist misery guide fit me to an absolute T.

Best recruitment poster ever.

The HEROES: Book Review

2011-08-24T03:00:00.002-06:00

The Heroes, by Joe Abercrombie

This is my favorite book of the year so far. Abercrombie packs in the action, intrigue, black humor and surprise twists like nobodies business.

There was a bit of bru-haha earlier this year when Leo Grin did an essay on nihilistic fantasy, I read it and while I suspect I probably agree with Grin on most things, I differed here.

Abercrombie's books are harsh-the violence, the language etc, but I never felt like they were in there for shock value-they were simply there because in harsh circumstances - a War! politeness goes out the window and to me this didn't take anything away from the classic fantasy and myths I treasure.

Some other fantasy titles come to mind as examples of this new bitter view - George R.R. Martin for one and while I have enjoyed Martin's world it has also plodded along and I don't know anyone who was particularly happy with his fourth effort A Feast for Crows. Other books of this type (Morgan & Mievelle) that have been reviewed by friends of mine let me know just enough on IF I want to read them or not-atypically No, because there are just too many other books in the world. Different strokes for different folks.

Meanwhile back to my review, The Heroes is Abercrombies fifth book, all of which are in the same world, this and the fourth are standalone novels, and though I believe you might appreciate them more if you read the First Law Trilogy first - you don't have too, you won't be lost. So no worries to my friends that stay away from series.

On to what its about...

A war is on between the Northmen (similar enough to Vikings) and the Union (similar enough to perhaps an early pre-gunpowder renaissance England). A battle is coming in a tactically worthless valley whose distinguishing charteristic is a set of standing stones, not unlike Stonehenge.
The stones are called The Heroes, a joke because Abercrombies universe is supposed to be nearly devoid of Heroes-or so says the jacket. This may be Grin's point and it is the marketing aspect, but the book is clearly filled with men (and women) trying to do the right thing-figuring out that that is what helps them sleep at night etc etc.
For a heading that reads Three Men, One Battle, No Heroes The Heroes seems awful concerned with showing us both the sinister and heroic-and that is a big reason on why I liked it so much. You can't truly have one without the other.

Like a favorite movie of mine The Big Red One it is also about surviving-but a whole lot of people survive (or die) through heroics-or trying to be a straight edge, as the Northmen call it.
Of course there are some bad, bad, bad, people too but what would a great fantasy be without villains? I wish it had more of the barbaric giant Stranger-Come-Knocking, oh well.

The book is 541 pages. A few parts lagged a little (these were brief short two page chapters) and in my arrogant opinion there might ought have been a little more editing done to clear that out-but by the time I got going 100 pages in or so I couldn't put it down. Abercrombie has some masterful predicaments he throws characters into and leaves you hanging to find out what happens-even with characters I didn't particularly like-and I consider that being a masterful storyteller-when I need to know what happens to characters I don't like as much. And the beauty is, there aren't any predictable nick of time rescues-it all comes across as realistic and true for the setting.

Highly recomended. Almost (but not quite) as good as Abercrombie's third book Last Argument of Kings

I still have a big stack of fantasy titles I want to get through this year, but this is going to be an awful tough one to top.

Man Cave Author Blog and Guilty Pleasures

2011-08-23T00:36:00.001-06:00

I have a new post up at the Man Cave Author Blog. I talk about Guilty Pleasures and why I hope bookstores will eventually come back.

Its all very selfish I assure you.

CONAN: Movie Review with me and the kid.

2011-08-22T03:04:00.002-06:00

I took my oldest son with me to see Conan over the weekend.

Shut up. It was in 3D and after the first 20 minutes he wouldn't wear his glasses so he missed stuff (like slave girls). He did get a little scared when Ron Perlman (Conan's father) died.

Anyway, I wasn't going to take him but he was dying to see it. After it was over I asked him what his favorite part was.

The squid monster. - I knew he would say that, he is a sucker for Lovecraftian monsters.

What was you second favorite part?

The squid mask that the bad guy wore. - I should have known considering his propensity for squids and its squiggling when he put it on... (the battle standard looks almost the same as the mask)

OK, besides those things what was your favorite part?

When Conan was a kid and beat up the Picts. - That I can get behind-I'm just proud he knows who the Picts are.

I'm going to try and stray away from comparisons to the old one-they're different enough and the should'a beens for REH's works-all of us that know, know it should have just been an adaption of REH but it wasn't so...

What I liked - Costumes were great and looked real/used/functional etc etc. The action was relatively good and the fight scenes were well choreographed. Momoa was an able Conan-not great, but able. Stephen Lang was good, as a bad guy, and a lot of the extras were reasonably good too.
The settings were epic (reminding me of LOTR in some scenes) and that is all relative in that I am glad we saw real sunshine and not the fake matte 300esque look that I have come to despise. It was alright for 300 but that was trying to mimic Frank Miller's graphic-but other movies should not keep following that look.

As a Sword & Sorcery film (and not a purists vision of Robert E. Howard's Conan) it was all right.

What I didn't like - I am not comparing this to the old Milius/Schwarzengger Conan but...that one had the most excellent movie score by Basil Poledouris-one of the best ever. Conan 2011 had a score that was simply there-it wasn't terrible, but is anyone ever going to recognize it? NO, it will get used (or was used) for some other movie and no one will ever know.

The heroine (If she can be called that) Rachel Nichols is about as forgettable as they come-I'm glad Conan rode away leaving her behind at the end of the film. She wasn't even convincing as a damsel in distress. Rose McGowan at least you know she is a bad girl-I can buy that, but Nichols? Meh.

The storyline was like one of the lamer Savage Sword story lines except that it had to be a full orgin story and thus dictate the main characters entire lifetime thus far. Meh. Why, oh why, must Hollywood think we have to always have an orgin story? Give us a break.

And what really got my goat-what was with those pronunciations? How did Acheron become ASHeron?
Conan = CoNIN? Cimmeria - SIMMER-ia?
Reminded me of the old Bakshi animated Lord of the Rings when all the characters started called Saruman = Aruman? Like we are gonna get him mixed up with Sauron.

And what was with Morgan Freeman as the narrator at the beginning? Was he bringing some kind of grandfatherly dignity to the prologue? That could have gone to anyone with a good voice and then that doubtless dumptruck load of money could have paid for a better composer for the score.

And finally though I didn't want to bring up comparisons to the old one-the 1982 film had several iconic moments, and lines...the 2011 doesn't. Nobody is going to quote anything from the new one, the lines just aren't there. There is no "What is best in life..." quotes.

I do have to admit that director Marcus Nispel has improved over earlier efforts (that should have been good but weren't = Pathfinder). I am going to chalk it all up and say, I would watch it again someday (but I rewatch lots of movies), I would welcome a sequel - that in theory should be superior. This is ultimately a guilty pleasure movie, but not a great movie, even for an avid fan of the genre.

Now go watch IRONCLAD.

The Most Interesting Mormon in the World

2011-08-20T16:10:00.001-06:00

I had been considering doing this-someone beat me to it-but its pretty good-though I'm not sure yet if only Mormon's will get the jokes.

Bedtime Stories

2011-08-19T02:36:00.002-06:00

I was going to post a Conan review, (But I haven't seen it yet) but for your entertainment, my son told me a bedtime story and I am going to share it with you.
Here is the transcript-exactly as he told me.

Blobman

A kid was awake at night. Something crawled out from under his bed. A blob monster! It opened its mouth, its tongue was long as a snakes tail. But, it was scared of the light. And it blinded his eyes. Then there was a spider, eyes bright as the sun, but it was a super spider, but it was camouflaged. The spider had magical powers. It chased the Blobman away.
The Blobman went to the desert and that is where he lives to this day-on a desert planet named Zorbang; it is like tiny Pluto, but it moves faster than other planets. That is what that planet was called.

I thought he would draw me a picture of this Blobman, instead he drew a scene from his favorite Conan story-The Tower of the Elephant.

Book Review: Chance Damnation, A Tale of the Weird West

2011-08-17T00:04:00.002-06:00

Chance Damnation, A Tale of the Weird West by DeAnna Knippling

From the synopsis ~ One little girl. Buffalo-demons stampede out of the earth to steal one little half-blood girl, and everything changes. Aloysius’s little brother Jerome goes missing with her–two inseparable kids whose friendship is damned from the beginning–as demons replace the newly dead.

A priest with a tainted Bible. A brother with a taste for blood and demon flesh. A fool with a passion for the machinery of Hell. Only Aloysius and his brothers can see the transformation–and there’s not a damned thing they can do about it. Then Jerome returns: he has found a way down into the demons’ Hell, where they twist the little girl’s tortured dreams into a paradise of their own, a place to escape the demons who, in turn, haunt them.

***

What worked for me. Knippling's prose is quick, visceral and surprising. The setting, in the 1960's of a reservation border town is fresh in regards to the weird western genre and I truly have to admit that I had no idea where the story was going. For me as a nitpicky writer this was something else because I am always predicting what is going to happen in near everything I read or see. Chance Damnation is original.

What I didn't like. I just could not bring myself to root for the characters-there are a lot of colorful characters with their own back stories that Knippling deftly weaves into the story (no infodumps) But I didn't like them, and thus didn't care about them. That and the demons seem to die too easily, it made me feel like where is the mounting danger? Sure, the demons becoming doppelgangers for the towns recently deceased is pretty creepy, but overall it seemed that killing a buffalo demon was a bit too easy.

This may just be a case of taste with the reader, (I fully admit to personally preferring a different stereotypical type of character) and it isn't like Knippling hasn't fleshed them out-she does-they just aren't my kind. Most seemed a bit ignorant, foolish and racist. I hardly felt that the preacher really knew much of anything about the gospel. I would have liked to have seen a stronger Native American presence considering the setting (the main young girl, Celeste Marie is called a half-breed in the tale) but oh well.

You can check out the first chapter here and order a copy here.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-08-15T19:15:00.000-06:00

School starts soon enough.

I was going to go to Renovation but couldn't make it, oh well-still had to share this guide.

I want to know what makes it 'tactical'. Because it isn't the can.

The answer is Batman.

This Frazetta inspired piece is even better than the one I posted a little while ago.

THE EAGLE

2011-08-12T16:51:00.002-06:00

Set after the loss of the Ninth Legion to the barbarians of northern England, * (See Centurion) we are introduced to a young man, Marcus Aquila, who wants to clear his shamed family name-his father was the general leading the Ninth. While I know that things were often kept to the ruling noble families, I disliked that we are supposed to believe that this "kid" knows things and is more wary than the veterans-yeah right-does anyone really buy that?

The Eagle is based on a book I have not read. And we all know the book is almost always better.
And I hate Channing Tatum. ~~He can't act his way out of a paper bag.~~

BUT...

This wasn't too bad. The action is reasonably good, I enjoyed the first battle even if it never gets quite that good again. Marcus gets hurt in battle and is discharged, he gets depressed, but upon hearing rumors that the lost standard of the Ninth, a golden Eagle *(see ROME episode1 why don'tcha?) he decides to embark on the adventure, incredible as it may be, to go behind Hadrians wall and retrieve the Eagle.

He couldn't do it alone and he takes the slave Esca with him. Esca is a native and speaks the various languages of the heather. Esca who despises Rome and all it stands for. But they become fast friends and Marcus learns friends don't keep slaves.

There were some twists and turns but nothing too unexpected or shocking. I like Mark Strong as a survivor of the Ninth's demise who went native.
Overall while this movie wasn't too bad it wasn't too great either.

Of course I wanted to see it - anything with swords & barbarians & romans - but its no Gladiator.

I'm a Manly Man?

2011-08-09T19:02:00.000-06:00

I've been interviewed at Matt Shields Finding the Forgotten World blog. He calls me the manliest man west of the Mississippi.

Heh, thanks Matt, I'm humbled while also dubious of the distinction.

But I do appreciate the interview, where I get to talk about inspiration, weapons, story structure and why I can't stand moralizing in fiction.

To repeat, I HAVE NO interest in writing a moralizing tale-I DO have interest in writing about heroics, sacrifice and doing the right thing despite insurmountable odds.

Sean Bean's BLACK DEATH

2011-08-06T13:04:00.000-06:00

Sean Bean is awesome, he brings such a visceral presence to everything he does. The latest film I've seen of his, Black Death is no exception.

Set in the midst of the black plague sweeping over Europe, rumors of a village that is free of the affliction set in motion an investigation. Osmund, a monk with his own motivations, offers to lead Ulric (Bean) to the village through the marsh.

He finds out along the way that Ulric isn't on a mercy mission or investigation so much as a witch hunt. Word is that a necromancer leads the village in question. We have a few bizarre intrigues along the way as well as a ambush battle.

There are a number of twists and surprise betrayals but nothing that I as a writer and critic didn't see coming.

In a way I felt the movie couldn't quite make up its mind what it wanted to be. There isn't quite enough action to call it an action movie. I wouldn't call it a horror despite a few thrilling moments and the dichotomy of the Christians as liars, fanatical and harsh was held against the pagans who were equally so-the biggest surprise for me was that at first I was expecting the message to be how much better the pagan way of life was-but it wasn't-they were cruel, fanatical liars too.

Maybe the filmakers wanted us to come up with our own answers on WHY- not unlike my recent review of The Bridge if San Luis Rey except this would be more akin to why do bad things happen to bad people than the latter? The ending especially makes you wonder.

Where the movie wins is its realistic portrayal of the grim plague afflicted land. The chaos and brutality of an age on the cusp of enlightenment...but not yet.

IF BLACK DEATH and SEASON OF THE WITCH could have been merged, say eliminate Nick Cage altogether and replace him with Bean = teamed with Perlman, and find that balance between two vaguely similar story lines we could have had a classic. Instead this is just all right - worth a watch once IF you already thought maybe this was a movie for you.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-08-04T02:32:00.000-06:00

A Pulptastic Review

2011-08-03T00:24:00.000-06:00

I recieved a great review at Paul McNamee's Blog. I'm especially pleased.

WHY?

Because I get a kick out of someone unfamiliar with the LDS background being able to enjoy my novel - no strings attached.

Thanks Paul I appreciate the kind words.

My IRONCLAD Guarantee

2011-07-27T12:55:00.017-06:00

I know the movies I have been talking about lately are my preaching to the choir & but you faithful readers will dig this one too.

IRONCLAD rocks.

Set in 1215 not too long after King John, Paul Giamatti (is wonderfully wicked) has signed the Magna Carta, he has second thoughts and tries to renege. But the nobles aren't going to stand for it and prepare a tiny force to hold Rochester castle, a strategic strong point.

Enter our Templar knight, Thomas Marshal played by James Purefoy, still channeling Solomon Kane, as a key defender against John.

There are some other fine actors - Brian Cox, Jason Flemying, and Charles Dance but the actor I was especially excited to see in action again is Vladimir Kulich.

Now I would not have recognized his name, but I would have recognized Buliwyf from The 13th Warrior (a classic in my book). He is the captain of the Danish mercenaries employed by King John to win back England-and I was hankering through the whole movie for the point where he would fight Purefoy's Templar. (The image I found makes him look as how I picture my character Tyr, a Swedish mercenary in the forthcoming Roar of the Crowd anthology (& other antho's I'm working on))

The battles are bloody and visceral and IF you know who you are-you have my guarantee you are gonna like this movie.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-07-26T00:27:00.000-06:00

FEANOR'S TWO HANDED MEDIEVAL SWORD

2011-07-22T00:18:00.000-06:00

“And Fëanor made a secret forge, of which not even Melkor was aware; and there he tempered fell swords for himself and his sons…” The Silmarillion, Chapter Seven: “Of the Silmarils and the Unrest of the Noldor,” p. 71

My brother John and his wife Erin designed this sword and won the 2010 Sword Buyer’s Guide Designer Contest at Darksword Armory. I like it even more now that I'm seeing it finished ( I did vote for it)

Now...to write more stories and be able to afford that Damascus version.

What Comes First?

2011-07-20T01:05:00.000-06:00

My post is up at the Man Cave Author Blog wherein I ask, in regards to your writing career, - "What Comes First?"

Books Read Lately

2011-07-18T01:54:00.001-06:00

Conan: Iron Shadows in the Moon Robert E. Howard, Timothy Truman, Tomas Giorello, & others

Despite Iron Shadows not being classified as "great" Howard I still find it to be an excellent tale and so much more enjoyable than say Dark Horses's previous collection Free Companions. Giorello's art is fantastic and Truman gives a faithful rendition to the original tale.

The downside to this collection is the the two parter short "Weight of the Crown" I suppose part one wasn't too bad, but part two was terrible. We are supposed to believe Conan finally becomes King of some backwater valley and lets it go to ruin because he has no more common sense than to just kill whatever comes his way. A year later and the princeling returns (aged multiple years somehow) and demands what is his right...and Conan just gives it to him and says 'sorry'!

Sorry Dark Horse, but the back cover said 'fan-favorite' "Weight of the Crown" and I just don't believe that could possibly be true-no fan I know of thats for sure.

B.P.R.D. vol. 4 The Dead, by Mike Mignola, John Arcudi and Guy Davis

I'm not a big fan of Davis's art, it may be reminiscent of Mignola but it just seems sloppy to me. On the story front, I'm still totally hooked. we get another addition to the team a Benjamin Daimio or Captain Zombie as Liz calls him because he came back to life-why and how we still don't know but he is a no-nonsense military captain and a good foil for the rather loose team of oddballs.

The B.P.R.D. team also moves into their new headquarters which appear to be haunted, great mystery keeps the story moving.

Save the Cat! Strikes Back, by Blake Synder

This is the third installment of screenwriter Blake Synders Save the Cat series, I still need to read the second.

Like the first Save the Cat, this bombards you with so many great storytelling techniques-even if you are not working on a screenplay-I'm not. But the list of hooks, beats and other catalysts make this a must for anyone interested in thinking about story structure. I love this series and I am not even a guy who ever writes so much as an outline.

The Bridge of San Luis Rey, by Thorton Wilder

I do try and read outside my preferred genre just to keep the balance up and catch up on classics that I burned from my memory of High School English. I've meant to read this for years and just never got around to it, but its fairly short and I found it to be a quick read for one evening.

I would have liked it to have some action, there really isn't any, but I was drawn into following the characters world. Wilder creates a compelling tale on why do bad things happen to good people? Father Juniper investigates the deaths of five souls who died when the bridge collapsed. Ultimately, Wilder leaves it up to the reader to decide the theological answer for themselves.

Bloodstone, by Karl Edward Wagner

I would say Bloodstone is probably the weakest of Wagner's works I have read and yet it is still magnificent.

Kane, yes that Cain, finds a great bloodstone ring--and this tale may be the S&S take on the Tolkien dilemma better than any other. The difference being our protagonist, an anti-hero if ever there was one, is seeking the way to engage the dark power of the ring and have dominion over all rather than destroy it.

Of course things don't go as planned and the force of evil is too wicked and deceitful even for the first murderer.

I love Wagner's prose, his gift of action and character, but a few spots seemed needlessly added to extend the novel-hence my thoughts that this is the weakest of Wagner's books, but also bear in mind this was still good enough that it is a reread. I return to Wagner quite often.

13 Assassins

2011-07-15T01:38:00.002-06:00

"It is truly a burden being a Samurai..." says Shinzaemon Shimada in his death throes.

This is hands down, the best movie of the year. While it has a 50 minute final battle sequence, and never a dull moment within that, it is at its heart a drama, not an action picture, so everything is building to the confrontation = Which is EPIC.

Rarely has a film made you loathe the bad guy, Lord Naritsugu Matsudaira, this much.

Commodus in GLADIATOR is a rank amateur in comparison. Every time you think he couldn't get any worse-he does, and yet its all still believable. Naritsugu as a privileged junior Shogun believes people only exist to serve him. I did not find his villainy cartoonish but rather all too frightening as entirely possible in the wrong/right circumstances.

Desperate to halt his forthcoming rise to power, and yet not dishonor the royal family, the Shogun's most senior advisor asks a trusted Samurai, to "Take care of Naritsugu".

This isn't a one man job, hence 13 Assassins.

As I said earlier this is a drama, because everything hinges upon a code of Honor and Duty to an extreme beyond the usual western mindset. My favorite other character beyond Shimada was Hirayama, Shimada's Ronin student, if anyone evokes that Toshiro Mifune characteristic in the film its him.

The other thing I liked was just the slight hint of the fantastic-like was that guy a ghost or not? You're not sure and the director intends for you to make up your own mind on what happened in a few spots.

Visceral and bloody, 13 Assassins is thus far, the best movie of 2011 in my book.

Azieran: Against the Drimlith : Book Review

2011-07-12T20:58:00.000-06:00

Azieran: Against the Drimlith, by Christopher Heath

This dark fantasy novel moves at a breakneck pace.

From the synopsis

~ Sir Vaiden Erro is a knight of the Malkan Order, sorcerers sworn to uphold the ever-expanding mandates of the Calantian bureaucracy.

Originally assigned to guard an ambassador in a foreign land, it is through a twist of fate that Vaiden finds himself charged to help a colleague, Alix, track down and destroy the headquarters of the Drimlith Cabal—those responsible for the recent assassination of a prominent politician.

One thing I really liked about this was Heath's familiar yet unique fantasy world of Azerian. Against the Drimlith has a balance of introducing us to this fantasy world, giving us a backstory and yet never bogging the reader down. I was pulled along with the sorcerer knights, Vaiden and Alix, to discover the sinister mystery.

I had only read on short Azerian story before this - The Secret in the Mist, but Heath's writing fills you in on what you need to know and keeps the action moving. There is no ponderous convoluted worldbuilding here you are taken into the story. You smell the offal and fear the wyverns and yes, even chuckle at the orc's stupidity-because it works.

Another aspect I enjoyed was mixing of what we might view as era's. The Calantian nation Home of the Malkan Knights seems to resemble the late renaissance (albeit with French? manners and magics) while not far away Bludland is back in the grim dark ages.

We follow the Knights through a number of sinister obstacles as they hunt for the Drimilith, taunted by mysterious clues and messages from an exiled member of their order, culminating in a final showdown in the wicked Drimlith's lair. This was my favorite part of the story and Heath has a way with words that tickles my pulp sensibilities.

I loved the finale with the Mecha Mage, Pantucci, and his help in dealing with the Lovecraftian Alien God-but I have to admit that the styling of the epilogue confused me a little since it didn't directly relate to Vaiden and Alix-it did tie into the story of Bludland and its god of the undead, Bakal, but it seemed an odd placement against the rest of the tale.

I am definitely going to read more of Heath's tales of Azerian. You can order a copy - here , here , or
here

Interviewed at Mormon Mommy Writers

2011-07-11T23:11:00.000-06:00

This is how huge I am. I forgot that I was interviewed at Mormon Mommy Writers and that they posted it on Saturday - HERE

Honestly, it doesn't make me feel big, I feel stupid for forgetting-I appreciate the exposure and am grateful to Lisa Turner for thinking of me.

Singing Saruman

2011-07-11T18:35:00.000-06:00

I had to add this here because you'all know what a fan of Christopher Lee I am.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-07-10T05:46:00.000-06:00

Christopher Lee reads The Raven

2011-07-09T13:18:00.003-06:00

Naught thrills me near so much as how much my children enjoy this.

Season of the Witch

2011-07-06T00:51:00.003-06:00

My biggest motivation to see this was Ron Perlman.

Overall I came away saying this was "good" certainly not great but good-actually pretty good if just looked at as a Sword & Sorcery film, considering how dismal so many of them are. It could have used better characterization-but then again the main character was Behmen, Nic Cage, and he played it about the same as he does anything-perhaps the same with Perlman, but I like Perlman and the gruff tough guy thing - I actually buy that from Perlman as opposed to Cage.

Would have been nice if the soundtrack was anything to write home about but it was pretty forgettable-I didn't catch myself trying to see who did the score like I did with Centurion (Ilan Eshkri). But different than Centurion which was a suspenseful historical with a little extra blood splatter and tension; Season of the Witch is a dark fantasy with just a smattering of historicity.

Afterwards my wife asked - "What do you bet Sean Bean's Black Death will be a lot better?"

Dunno - good odds though.

Happy Fourth of July

2011-07-04T03:12:00.002-06:00

Centurion

2011-06-29T01:50:00.002-06:00

This came out a good year ago but I only just saw it and its pretty good-I suspect my regular commenter's will like it (if they haven't already seen it) just saying...

Now I still need to see Solomon Kane, Black Death, Season of the Witch, The Eagle, and in August the next incarnation of Conan. Regarding all five of these - IF they are actually better than Centurion that will be a great movie.

Templars are Vampires~The Coming of the King: Book Review

2011-06-27T00:28:00.006-06:00

I was enchanted with the prologue showing Cromwell (whom I've been fascinated with since watching Richard Harris play him in the titular film) had Charles Stuart executed...because he is a vampire, or Other, as they are called in the novel.
The Coming of the King, by William Meikle is the first in a trilogy of absolutely gripping historical horrors.
This is great scary stuff. Take the concept that the Templar's are actually vampires having conspired with the head of John the Baptist/Baphomet and ultimately becoming the Stuart royal line of England.

Most of the background material for TCOK is familiar stuff for me, I read Holy Blood, Holy Grail when I was in High School, and then that 'snicker' literary classic DaVinci Code brought the controversial bloodline concept even more so into the public consciousness.

While TCOK turns the sacred bloodline concept upside down (perhaps sacrilegiously), I found it an incredibly entertaining read.
Besides the historical references (which I treasure) it is packed with fantastic prose, well-timed surprises, bloody-good sword fighting action, a cantankerous old Scot and the best Pict since Bran Mak Morn-I hope to see more of Lennan in the next installments.

I'd been meaning to read Meikle for awhile now and I was not disappointed-I'll have to keep going on this trilogy for certain.

From the synopsis ~
WATCHERS
BOOK 1: THE COMING OF THE KING

It is 1745, and the long awaited night has come. The Blood King calls his army to battle and will bring them South to claim his birthright; the throne of Britain.

Only the Watchers on the old wall stand in his way.

Living the Dream

2011-06-22T00:50:00.003-06:00

It's my birthday, I'm 38 today, and have to say I am living the dream. I can't quite explain it, but 38 was a magic number to me. Every since I was a kid, 38 seemed that great adult highpoint when I would truly be grown up-18, 21 even 30 never had that same feeling.
Honestly I don't feel any different than I did yesterday at 37, but taking stock of life such as it is I am happy. Great wife, reasonable kids :}
& lots of my stories are published and a lot more are lined up for release very soon.
My second novel Blood of Our Fathers is slated for early 2012 and I have a lot of projects I'm excited about in the works ~ Midnight Sons, Gods & Robbers, Bless the Child, Challenge Discovery, In Situ, Roar of the Crowd, Monsters & Mormons, Wandering Weeds, and the Song of Saphir among others.

Before I turn 39 I plan on having my catalog three times larger, because to feel accomplished you have to push yourself and do the things that seem too hard and even impossible. Extraordinary results require extraordinary efforts and YOU have to set the wheel in motion.

Warning! Shameless Plug----give yourself the gift of my e-book (or hardcover, that's fine too) here and I'll get the gift of royalties.

Books Read Just Lately

2011-06-20T00:32:00.009-06:00

I've fallen behind posting what I've been reading (more coming up soon, but not today-just so they aren't all plastered here this week) in part because I've been rereading favorites in addition to new stuff.

The Centurion Principles, by Colonel Jeff O'Leary
the sub header is Battlefield Lessons for Front line Leaders

I had never heard of this book before, though it does seem to be my bag, and was pleased that I found it in the discount pile. It is a guide of sorts for leadership and tactics-maybe to a similar degree to other business type readings of the Book of Five Rings or even Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun (both of which I greatly enjoyed) even if one was meant as a business guide and the other was not.
The difference with this book is that it is not a dirty tricks Sun Tzu type work, O'Leary makes it plain that moral accountability is foundation for your leadership legacy, that leadership empowers when motivated by a pure heart, commitment and sacrifice to your cause etc etc.
There is a strong current of a correct moral compass in all your dealings here-to me this was vital as I'm gearing up for some rewrites and editing to help me capture a certain commanding character-that would have these attributes-not to mention just life in general.
Following the examples of ten great leaders from Hannibal to Abraham Lincoln (few if any actual Centurions unfortunately-Scipio Africanus=almost) O'Leary shows their indomitable will, moral fortitude and tactical flexibilty in order to conquer/overcome obstacles. Overall a pretty good book.

"Study the defeated as well as the Victorious."

"It is not a weakness to admit your limitations, it is a weakness not to improve them."

B.P.R.D. vol.3 Plague of Frogs, by Mike Mignola & Guy Davis

I think I liked the first two collections of the further adventures of the BPRD better than this one-BUT this was still very strong. Davis's art captures that shadowy starkness we are used to with Mignola's work and the reveal of the monsters that killed Prof. Bruttenholm (Hellboy: Seed of Destruction) is a nice touch to circle the series back around again despite the absence of Hellboy. I am still eagerly following Mignola's universe...more to come.

Conan: Free Companions, by Tim Truman, Joe Kubert, Tomas Giorello, & Jose Villarrubia

I'll put the negatives forefront first. I like Villarrubia's art a lot more than Tim Truman's-and while I respect Joe Kuberts career I'm not a huge fan either-I dig his sons Andy and Adam's work much more than him. Now besides preferring someone else to Truman's art-this particular volume has the absolute weakest stories thus far in the Dark Horse relaunch of the Conan title (If we aren't counting Michael Fleischer's Marvel tales)
BUT
In part that's because every other graphic in the collection had some fragment of Howard himself driving them (even Cimmeria vol. 7 at least had the poem Cimmeria)
I am not a fan of Truman's added in monsters, the Skrae, they do nothing for me and don't feel like they belong in the Hyborian Age.
Now, I'm not an immoveable REH purist (you know who you are) and I don't expect every single issue of a fairly linear series to have to be REH based-there have been some decent brand new interludes-most everything with the first five collections. And while Cimmeria did go off on its own new tangents, it seemed to stay close enough to cannon for me. Free Companions however had too many flashbacks, too many cutaways and I suppose I wanted a straight forward action story not a lament.
Granted, I am still looking forward to the just released Iron Shadows in the Moonlight collection vol. 10 so I have not written off Truman by a long shot.

Hellboy: The Crooked Man and Others vol. 10, by Mike Mignola & Richard Corben

I was delighted and disappointed with this collection-BECAUSE all the things the Hellboy titles have been leading up to-this magnificent epic confrontation is still delayed and not told here.
That said...this is a magnificent book. The Manly Wade Wellman inspired piece The Crooked Man is the first great American Hellboy tale, utilizing Americana mythos=wonderfully creepy. The next tale They that God Down to the Sea in Ships is equally awesome-whats not to love about a Blackbeard ghost story? The other two tales are alright, but this book is made by the first two. Now I hunger all the more for Hellboy 11- whenever that comes out?

Leadership Secrets of the Rogue Warrior, by Richard Marcinko

I love this book, I've read it numerous times and inspired by The Centurion Principles I reread this again real quick for Fathers Day. Marcinko is the most entertaining 'living' ex-military man writing (that I've come across) right now. I've enjoyed quite a few of his books.

This one in particular is along the lines of business strategy-something I personally have little use/interest for...though I am coming around in regards to self-promotion of my own writing career etc.
But Marcinko always has great anecdotes and food for thought to use for my favorite type of characters (see above) a sampling of The Rogue Warriors Ten Commandments of Spec War

1. "I am the War Lord and the wrathful God of Combat and I will always lead you from the front, not the rear."

& a sample of The Leadership Code

"I will be totally committed to what I believe, and I will risk all that I have for these beliefs."

"Popularity is not leadership."

Legends of Steel: Barbarians of Lemuria

2011-06-16T00:34:00.004-06:00

Apologies to Jeff Mejia, I meant to post this review a long, long time ago.

Legends of Steel: Barbarians of Lemuria is an expansion for the Barbarians of Lemuria role playing game. Similar to D&D this is more in line with the Pulp traditions of Sword & Sorcery scenarios than the Epic fantasy tropes usually saddled with standard D&D.

And Mejia, the Evil DM knows his Pulp.
Set in the world of Erisa, we are given a beautiful map (excellent art throughout by the way) and have a general rundown of the world, cities, cultures and bestiary-but true to S&S the players and DM are encouraged to go their own way and discover through different careers rather than skills just what it is they want to do while adventuring.

I am greatly enjoying the adventure 'THE BETROTHED', some great twists are ahead for the players. I'm also appreciate the world building and sampling of characters included. On the other side I've grown so used to a D20 system this took a little getting used too (haven't played the older AD&D in ages) and Legends of Steel uses a 2D6 system-not a big deal-I just kept reaching for my D20. This will become a treasured part of my gaming equipment for me and my boys.

From the description~"Now you will be able to adventure in the Sword & Sorcery world of Erisa with heroes created using the highly acclaimed and innovative engine from The Barbarians of Lemuria RPG. The Legends of Steel campaign setting together with the Barbarians of Lemuria rules engine, promises to be the quintessential "rules light" Sword & Sorcery RPG package Legends of Steel: Barbarians of Lemuria Edition will include the complete Barbarians of Lemuria rules and the complete Legends of Steel campaign world. With additional material such as: *New Boons *New Flaws *New Careers *A Bestiary of Erisa *Two ready to play adventures"

Overall a very comprehensive and good looking book (I did mention the great art inside right?) Get 'em while they are hot, and on a super sale right here.

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-06-15T02:52:00.011-06:00

I'd vote for Jack Donaghy over that Baldwin fellow.

And Thompson for the win!

Cheatin' Death

2011-06-13T02:07:00.004-06:00

I'd like to think that I have had enough brush's with the raggedy ole Grim Reaper that I can keep a cool head or maybe even like the Samurai of old, to be at peace enough with the reality, to accept it head on.

The truth is, these brush's are usually so sudden that you just react in whichever way comes natural to you-whether that's losing control of bodily function or laughing (what I usually do) is up to your own programmed mind.

This last week I was driving down the freeway doing perhaps in excess of the speed limit, perhaps not (I admit to no such thing-wink wink) and with a clank and cuthunk and a crunch there were suddenly no brakes. (Something blew apart inside) My foot hit the floorboards without the slightest resistance.

Moments earlier I had been hemmed in by terrible afternoon traffic (also going at terrific speeds) but now, the way was clear and I was able to maneuver into the median and come safely to a stop.

It could'a been bad, real bad.

But it wasn't and I didn't really think about how bad it could'a been for a few hours. Made me start thinking about all the things I've done in my time that were stupid and dangerous-lots of things I don't even wanna mention in a public forum, but you can use your imagination.

I don't particularly take chances anymore, I'm not a thrill seeker nor do believe in tempting fate (fate being a rather loose term in my book-I don't believe in a fixed fate).

But I do respect that I have cheated death a number of times and will yet draw some superior cards.

And I expect to have a smile on my face when he does finally win his hand.

Thoughts?

Robert E. Howard: 75 Years Later

2011-06-11T01:28:00.004-06:00

I would have liked to have made it to Cross Plains, Texas this weekend for Robert E. Howard Days but alas it couldn't be done.

This weekend marks 75 years he has been gone-yet I find his writing as magical and enticing as ever. I've always wanted to write, but Howard's work brought a dynamic, raw energy to my literary worldview-something that kicked me into actually sitting down and writing, rather than scribbling illegible notes and just talking about it, as I had for years.

Not only has Howard's prose inspired me but the very nature of his career has as well. He sold a wide variety of stories to lots of different markets during the depression and I ponder the similarities of today's economies and opportunities for writers. We are in a similar yet different age, instead of pulp we have pixels.

I'd count myself well served to have a fraction of the writing legacy and career of the man from Cross Plains.

The one piece truly worthy of Howard's creations in the original Conan movie was the soundtrack, great stuff. If the forthcoming Conan movie has a soundtrack even half as good I'll be impressed.

D-Day Remembered

2011-06-06T07:22:00.002-06:00

Sixty-seven years ago today, my grandfather, for whom I am named, helped take Normandy beach, more specifically Omaha beach, as it was code-named. He was a part of the seventh-wave of landing crafts to hit the beach. When I found that out, I was stunned. My research has shown that there was a 99% death rate for the first-wave of landings and that decreased by only 1% with every successive wave. So in the seventh-wave 93% to 92% of the men around my grandfather died. Its amazing and blessed that he made it. He often spoke of how the snipers liked to use the red cross on his helmet as a target, so he wore it riding high.

I am one of the only people in the family he told his war-stories to, certainly the one who had heard the most. Could be I am the one who asked him the most, but it also took him until the mid 80's to be able to talk about it.

He's been gone twelve years now and I keep meaning to put together a novel to tell his story, so that my family members who are not familiar with it or have at best only heard small pieces can get a little more insight to his sacrifices and experiences. I currently have a few snatches of "My Arm of Mercy" written but it needs to be completed.

David E. West was a medic and the only weapon he carried was his knife, using it to both save and take lives. I honor him and all the rest of our Vet's as both warriors and healers.

Love you Grandpa

Strange Sights of the Week

2011-06-01T20:45:00.010-06:00

Fraterfamilias: Book Review

2011-05-31T00:47:00.003-06:00

From the back copy of the speculative thriller Fraterfamilias by Judith Doloughan and Paula Stiles.

French artist Paul Farrell kills four people in Paris and walks into a hail of police fire at JFK Airport. A Russian history professor and shaman with a dark secret steals the body. Police on both sides of the Atlantic are on the case, but they each have secrets of their own. And a powerful enemy watches from the shadows, one who could destroy them all.

The first chapter opens very strong and is quite the page turner, you can't help but be pulled into the mystery. And while I was very intrigued with the character of Kedward, his language and mannerism (using the second person POV) did kinda throw me off.

That said, his being a mystic shaman did interest me and make me want to follow him throughout the story still, seeing ghosts as he works toward re-animating Paul, casting salt about the room to ward them off and such. I'm always a sucker for that mystic Templar stuff.

On the other end of the spectrum, both Interpol and the NYPD are working toward why did Paul kill some Russian mafia in Paris and then do suicide by cop in America? Why was his body stolen from the morgue? Are Paul and Kedward brothers? They look alike-and they also closely resemble people who should be long since dead-who disappeared mysteriously in years past.

The characters are well drawn and the story gives us divergent viewpoints on the consequences of immortality. I liked the twist that Jonah discovers about his genealogy.

I also would have liked a little more with the Dominican and yes, we are also left with that this was likely the first of a series. Several plot threads are still unresolved or unanswered. The unfortunate passing of co-author Judith Doloughan, has also affected the continuing story-we'll have to see what Paula continues with.

You can order a copy here.

Happy Birthday Christopher Lee: Epic Badass

2011-05-27T03:02:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday Christopher Lee (one of my favorite actors) Lee has performed roles in 266 films since 1948 making him the Guinness book world record holder for most film acting roles ever. He was knighted in 2009 and received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2011. He is now 89.

Interview at Dagan Books

2011-05-23T16:48:00.006-06:00

Yours truly gets interviewed at the brilliantly Lovecraftian Dagan Books website in relation to my eerie short story "The Dig" coming soon in the IN SITU anthology.

It was inspired in part by female archaeologists struggling for recognition earlier last century, a couple of mummies that were supposedly found in nearby San Pete county, the pseudo-Egyptian architecture of the Nubian kingdoms along the upper Nile, and while I'm at it-why not throw in some fascist's during World War II as well?

It made for an eclectic story and I'm grateful Dagan Books liked it too. I believe the IN SITU anthology will be available July 15th.

Rest in Peace: Jeff Jones

2011-05-21T13:57:00.013-06:00

Jeffrey Catherine Jones January 10, 1944 – May 19, 2011
While I have admired Jones work for years (all the fantasy book covers) I knew nothing about him/her. Very intriguing person with a great amount of talent. Thought I better post a bit of her art here-just like I did last year for Frazetta and Friberg.

Visit the Jefferey Jones site for more Here.

Counterpoint on King's Advice

2011-05-20T00:38:00.006-06:00

I read recently that Stephen King said (and I'm seriously paraphrasin') Don't write down idea's because IF they are good idea's you will remember them anyway-and if you don't remember them-they weren't good idea's.

BULL CRAP

And here's why.

YOU as the writer won't/don't/can't know what is going to resonate with the reader and move them.

Sure, sometimes you'll think, hey this will work or that will work--but other times a little aside that has little conscious meaning to you as the writer will strike a nerve and move someone-it will resonate and rock their perception and the readers perception of your story is the readers reality.

I know because I have done it. Small tweaks in stories have changed characters into some readers favorites-and that would not have happened if I wasn't taking notes and later perusing them and putting that stuff into the book. I call it Tetrising things in.

It's all well and good for King to throw out that particular advice but the reality is we all forget things and will continue to forget things and at King's age - How many things has he already forgotten? How many sparkling gems has he potentially trod over? I suggest it isn't even a potential-its absolutely already happened countless times.

So I advise, in contrast to a million dollar writer (because he is wrong), take notes because YOU will forget.

The Muse can be fickle, don't ignore her, don't think she'll call back later with the same message, and don't forget to map the journey she is asking you to travel on.

Crossposted at the Man Cave Authors Blog.

What's It About?

2011-05-16T02:57:00.004-06:00

I recently read the wonderful Save the Cat by Blake Snyder. It is billed as the last book on screenwriting that you'll ever need.
That better be true.
Good thing I'm not working on screenplays anyway though.
The point is, it is a fantastic book when it comes to story structure and keeping to the beats in your story.
There are a number of things Snyder advises that I was very happy to find I did naturally = such as his "Save the Cat" theme - denoting having the main character do something at the beginning of your story to make the viewer/reader LIKE and ROOT for them.

The other big point I've been pondering is the root of everyone asking What is the story about. Snyder says he doesn't start writing anything without a logline - a simple sentence that says what the story is about in an enticing and (he recommends ironic) tone.
That hit me like a ton of bricks.
Because
I could not (at least off the top of my head) come up with a single sentence about Heroes of the Fallen & Blood of Our Fathers...yet.
At the Storymakers conference I ended up having Sarah Eden read that, "Heroes of the Fallen is a Book of Mormon historical with Pulp Fiction sensibilities," as I drew the winning name for a giveaway.
(I think a gal that also writes B of M fiction won my book, so that was a kick in the teeth-haha don't think she asked to get her picture taken with me.)
Anyhow, I can't say that that is a particularly good logline but it is better than telling someone a whole paragraph and losing them along the way.

For my other works in progress I have come up with these at least for now.

GODS & ROBBERS: A colorful ensemble of rogues risk unleashing the apocalypse when they steal a "god" from a sorcerous Godfather.

MIDNIGHT SONS: A pair of superstitious soldiers and a haunted psychic are charged with hunting down sorcerous war criminals.

Granted I may change these a bit in the future, but they give a clear vista of what the story is about and where its going.

Snyder recommends having a good adjective for the hero and one for the villain-and yes I used the same one for each work on the villain but hey - they're fantasy stories.

Save the Cat has a lot more than these couple of things I mentioned going for it-these are just what struck me to blog about at 3 am.

Strange Sights: Friday the 13th Edition

2011-05-13T17:52:00.011-06:00

Angie's Out of This World Adventure Giveaway

2011-05-10T23:59:00.007-06:00

I'm helping my friend Angie Lofthouse with her blog contest by hosting her story "Highway Songs".

"Highway Songs" appeared in Residential Aliens in December 2009.

When trucker Andy Shumway's truck is hacked on the Shipping Highway, he expects to be robbed or worse. He doesn't expect to get swept up into a quest to save the life of a little girl, or to witness the fulfillment of ancient Mayan prophecy.

To enter The Out of This World Adventure giveaway, click on the story title to read the story, then come back here and answer the following question in the comments:

What are the most impressive ancient ruins you've visited?

Your comment will give you one entry in the grand prize drawing "grand prize drawing" (includes an Amazon gift card, free book and other fun stuff!), plus one commenter on this post will win a Milky War bar. Mmmm. Include your email address, if it isn't on your profile, so we can contact the winners.

Be sure to visit the other stops on the Adventure and good luck!

Laying the Foundation: Music & Branding

2011-05-09T01:38:00.003-06:00

I went to the LDStorymakers Writers conference over the weekend. Had a pretty good time hanging with a number of author friends (too many to list so I won't even try)

When it came to presentations, I stuck to the more advanced ones generally and I did get some great tips/advice/what-have-you. Branding = Perception, I ponder that in relation to being a pro-author and that dreadful place where art must meet marketing. That and it sure didn't hurt talking with a few agents and getting their feedback. Good thing I volunteered to be a time-keeper with pitch sessions. I ended up getting more 1-on-1 time with them than if I had actually had a pitch session.

So I've begun work on the next project after Blood of Our Fathers & Midnight Son's (more on that thus far unmentioned one later)

I like to make soundtracks for my writing projects~here is a quick sampling of the "score" for the next one. (With which I had a modicum of success pitching over the weekend~boo yea!)

Of course I expect this will only make sense to me, anachronistic as it may seem for a medieval/renaissance-level fantasy setting but it is what it is~sets a mood~there ya go.

Lovecraft eZine: Curse the Child

2011-05-06T14:03:00.010-06:00

My short horror story Curse the Child is online at the Lovecraft eZine here Its a free eZine so check it out.

My tale is about the dark union between the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

Lovecraft eZine is chock full of great Lovecraftian inspired tales by a wide variety of authors-Wilum Pugmire, Willie Miekle and Bruce Durham are among some of the greats I get to share the TOC with.

artwork by the eerie Mimulux

oh, yeah I'm posting this news while at the LDStorymakers Writers Conference while in Dan Wells writing class about horror.

Strange Sights: Cinco De Mayo Edition

2011-05-05T01:18:00.013-06:00

Different Strokes for Different Folks

2011-05-02T00:35:00.006-06:00

When you write and get published! (my dig at unpublished haters! Ha) You are going to have people who don't like what you do and will need to fill that terribly empty void within themselves.

These people will give you bad reviews.

A funny thing I have noticed is, they will especially review your book, giving you bad marks, when they can't get up the motivation to write reviews about what they actually like.

I take occasion to look upon what these people don't like even more than I do at what my fans like, because it always brings a good dose of comfort.

You won't feel so bad that someone gave you a bad review, claiming that your characters have poor dialogue, no growth and no personality-when they also gave 2 stars to Harper Lee and George R.R. Martin. I take consolation knowing that particular reviewer has no depth or taste and just leave it at that.

I'll bet a lot of you read about an author that recently had a melt down and actually argued on a blog with a reviewer and their commenter's about her book. She actually swore at people on the blog and threatened them, etc, etc.

I know everyone won't like what I do ( & why should they? Led Zeppelin didn't write songs everyone liked-they left that to the Bee Gee's)--but to argue? = insanity

So next time you're on the tree of woe over a review, just laugh.