You are currently browsing the archives for the “Uncategorized” category.


Prometheus (the movie)

April 9th, 2013

neutronstar

I saw this film in the theater back when it came out and was rather disappointed. Yes, the settings were breathtakingly beautiful, the actors well-suited to their roles, but the story seemed to hang on too many poor decisions by otherwise-capable characters.

I watched it again this morning, and I’m having a different reaction. I usually say that you need to watch a film (or read a book) two or three times before you can actually understand it. (Except if the movie is Transformers, in which case just watching the previews will suffice.)

Anyway, I liked it better this time. A LOT better. In fact, I believe it may be a work of some brilliance. Scenes which didn’t make much sense or have a strong point of reference (like the opening scene, with the buff alien guy killing himself) came across much better in the re-watching because I already knew where the story was going to lead, so I was better prepared to pick up on the (many) clues along the way. Yeah, some of the “expert” crewmen still behaved like idiots, but they didn’t annoy me as much. And Michael Fassbender (as the android David), whom I liked the first time around, shone even brighter in the second viewing. Damn, it’s a spectacular performance, understated and sly at the same time.

I still reserve my biggest complaints for the action sequences at the end of the movie, which even in the second viewing looked amateurish and implausible. (How does a baby alien grow into a giant squid monster while locked in a sterile room with nothing to eat?)

However, I’m ready to exculpate these sins and look forward to, hopefully, a sequel.

 

 

 

The Next Big Thing: Shadow’s Master

December 12th, 2012
Shadow's Master Cover

The extremely talented and lovely Kat Richardson tapped me for The Next Big Thing. Kat and I met at World Fantasy Convention a few years back, and we’ve kept in touch. She’s the author of the Greywalker paranormal detective series and a good friend. Elaine Cunningham also approached me for this, so I want to thank her as well. Elaine is the author of several series, including books for Forgotten Realms and the Pathfinder RPG worlds.

Where did the idea come from for the book?
I had the basic idea for this novel back when I first started working on the concept for the series. I knew that Caim would one day return to the land of his birth and confront the forces that had torn apart his family. This book is Caim’s search for answers, and vengeance.

What genre does your book fall under?
Some call it “sword and sorcery” and Amazon lists it under “Historical Fantasy” (which it isn’t.) Let’s just say bloody, emotion-fueled fantasy.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, this is a hard one. I think Hugh Jackman would be a great Caim, or perhaps Channing Tatum. A young Kate Beckinsale would be my ideal Josey. Kit is the hardest one to pin down. She’s ethereal (literally) and irrepressible. Maybe Emilia Clarke, because she looks so good in Game of Thrones. For the Northmen, just recruit a band of drunken Nordic hooligans.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
I’m represented by the JABberwocky Literary Agency and published by Pyr Books.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
About four to five months.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
My series has been compared to the Night Angel series by Brent Weeks (who is an awesome guy, btw). If a book has magic and assassins, I’m down with it.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?
I had to find out what happens to Caim. And I had a desire to write about a land of cold and darkness ruled by an immortal king.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Well, it’s got plenty of action, Northmen (think brutal, landlocked Vikings), dark sorcery, a fae girl who wants to be human, and shadow-swordsmen, and battles galore.

These are the folks Kat tagged with me:
Adrianne Wood.

Progress Report

December 12th, 2012

Last night I finished the last major revisions on BLOOD & IRON and sent it out to my agent. Now onto the final polishing phase while I wait for his comments.

I’ve got my fingers crossed that I can break ground on the next book in the series in January.




  • Recent Comments

  • Archives

  • Categories