Eris Miller Was Having a Bad Day

Posted on December 26, 2015 by Darrick Dean

I have followed Michelle Proulx for awhile (her site that is), but never checked out her sci-fi book Imminent Danger.

I’ve long been a sci-fi fan, but I think the “YA/Romance” label threw me off. Not really into either of those genres, well, not at all. And was this one of those “cute girl gets abducted by aliens” stories?

Then I found myself considering the book while reading one of Ms. Proulx’s posts the other day. Maybe it was the cover — the woman on the cover resembled the person on my book cover. Parallel universe, perhaps? Or maybe it was the intriguing blurb. Plus, I need to get my money’s worth out of the Kindle and the book is only $2.99, so I might as well give it a try.

I’m happy I did.

The story of Eris Miller being abducted and her subsequent perils across the galaxy is a fast-paced adventure that will keep you turning the pages. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Galaxy vibe makes Eris’ bad-day-that-just-got-a-lot-worse an entertaining departure from all the super-serious books out there. It was like I was back in my Space Quest days (gamer fans, you know what I’m talking about).

Even though the author has labeled this YA, I think it will appeal to all sci-fi fans. As for the “romance,” I don’t think there is any more in here than in many sci-fi or other adventures (I’m not counting that creepy Luke-hitting-on-Leia-before-he-knew-she-was-his-sister stuff). That’s a common enough thread in many books not strictly in the romance genre. So don’t worry (if that worries you).

So hold your breath and prepare for hyperspace. Eris is about to make the galaxy wish E.T. never snatched her.

Categories: Books, Fiction | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

How the Father of Fantasy Told His Story

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Darrick Dean

The influence of 19th Century novelist George MacDonald can still be seen in the fantasy genre today. C.S. Lewis referred to MacDonald as his “master.” Tolkien called his fairy tales “stories of power and beauty.” MacDonald encouraged his friend C. L. Dodgson to publish his children stories — later known to the world as Alice in Wonderland under the pen name Lewis Carroll. MacDonald unintentionally became the father of modern fantasy.

Biographer Michael R. Phillips writes he was “deeply challenged with the magnitude and complexity” of telling MacDonald’s life:

…[MacDonald had a] tremendous variety of…literary genres — he was [also] a theologian, a spiritual mystic, a poet, a novelist, a preacher, a scientist, an essayist, a highly successful lecturer, a teacher, an actor, an editor and a fantasy writer — his ideas defy categorization and pigeon-hole analysis.

That MacDonald was a writer can be seen in his comments on potential biographies on himself. He maintained “that no biography should be written, stating that his books contained all he had to say to the world…” Phillips continues:

But it is my hope to convey George MacDonald’s thoughts and emotions…[which are] most strongly reflected through his literary works…his fictional characters were a means of communicating his own ideas and view of the world…The words he wrote…illuminate what he thought about, how he approached his quandaries, what kinds of questions he asked, and what answers he found…His books are the fullest means we have to get under the surface of his thought-skin to discover what really made him tick.

Therein lies a truth for all writers. Their fiction is art, entertainment and conveyor of ideas and messages. Ultimately, though, no matter how they try not to (if they try not to), parts of their story is also in the tales they tell.

I have written often here that everyone has a story to tell. That doesn’t just mean in the sense of sci-fi, fantasy, thriller or romance. It means the stories that reveal who you are, regardless of what background you tell it against.

Categories: Writing | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Return to Mars

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Darrick Dean

Ever wish there were new adventures of your favorite books? One more trek across Middle Earth? Just a few more stories from Bradbury? Another voyage to Barsoom? Once an author has passed away, all such chances fade away, with rare exception. Tolkien’s son did complete his fathers The Children of Hurin. When Robert Jordan knew his health was failing, he made sure someone was going to finish his Wheel of Time series. There also has been a number of attempts to bring back Edgar Rice Burroughs quintessential space hero, John Carter, back to life through the world of comics.

First, I’ve never been into comics. I think I owned one at some point long ago. Now even the word “comics” is archaic and they have been replaced with graphic novels (graphic in the sense of lavishly illustrated). I may have to make an exception here, if it means more epic adventures across the Red Planet.

Back in the late 1970s, Marvel created the John Carter: Warlord of Mars series of new tales that took place within the first book, The Princess of Mars. A few years ago, all of the issues were collected into one volume (it’s surprising how vivid the artwork is when printed on high-quality paper as opposed to the old comic newsprint).

In recent years, Dynamite has brought Carter back in its graphic novels. One of the spin-offs of the series features the princess of Mars, Dejah Thoris, in her own adventures before she ever met earthling John Carter. Because of the highly visual nature of this iteration, these stories are usually labeled for “mature” readers.

Burroughs’ books weren’t explicit in nature, but what happens when the violence is visualized – and those barely clothed Martians are depicted? Whereas the books leave much to the imagination, these graphic novels — not so much. Ironically, Burroughs’ blink-and-you-miss-it description of Dejah Thoris in the first book would inspire decades of sci-fi and fantasy art.

So if you long to return to high adventure on the distant Red Planet, John Carter and Dejah Thoris are still out there generations after we first read of their meeting.

The ultimate action couple.

Categories: Fiction | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Writing and That Other Job

Posted on December 23, 2015 by Darrick Dean

Author Mike Duran gives some tips on how to manage your writing while holding your “day job.”

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Tainted

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Darrick Dean

I’ve posted a number of times on Morgan L. Busse‘s incredible Follower of the Word fantasy series. Now she has given us a first look at the part one, Tainted, of her new steampunk series coming next spring:

Hopefully, some more sneak peaks into the series are coming soon.

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13 Hours

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Darrick Dean

Michael Bay gets criticized for his flashy Transformers movies, but say what you will, he does have a tremendous visual style. Now he returns to ground tread in his film Pearl Harbor in 13 Hours:

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As much as I like alien robots, stories about American heroes trump them any day.

Categories: Modern History | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Lord of the Apes

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Darrick Dean

I have posted numerous times on the books of Edgar Rice Burroughs. His knack for fantastic adventures set the stage for books and film for decades right up to this day. Funny, though, I have never read his best known series.

Tarzan.

Twenty-six books in the series were penned by Burroughs. Some 200 films have the name Tarzan in the title, but most stray considerably from the source material. First written in 1912, Tarzan finally gets the big budget Hollywood treatment it deserves:

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Disney failed to launch Burroughs’ epic Barsoom tales into a franchise (though take a look at how much Burroughs’ Mars books inspired Star Wars), but maybe Warner Brothers can bring Tarzan into the 21st Century.

And quite frankly, we need a hero who isn’t a mutant or alien.

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The League Through Stenibelle’s Eyes

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Darrick Dean

It wouldn’t be Christmas without…The League of Elder.

Say again?

Well, it seems that for the past couple years, I usually have a new volume of Ren Garcia’s sci-fi series in my hands around this time. This year is no exception with book 9 of his unique universe, Stenibelle, but one must back up a bit for those not familiar with the books.

The series has a couple self-contained stories (the first two books, then a trilogy, then another dualogy, etc.), and I always recommend starting at the beginning, but here we will go back to book 6, Sands of the Solar Empire.

This is where we are introduced to Paymaster Stenstrom who has had one dream: Becoming a captain in the Fleet. He gets his chance, but his life is never the same (if it was, it wouldn’t be very interesting). Set in Garcia’s unique sci-fi/fantasy/steampunk universe of the far future, Stenstrom faces evils, bizarre beings and death around every corner — only to learn there are many more versions of himself in alternate dimensions.

That’s where Stenibelle falls into place. In this dimension Stenstrom has lost his ship, ended up in jail and lost pretty much everything. And he isn’t a he — Stenstrom is Stenibelle, a woman. No, this isn’t what is sounds like, but it isn’t the typical parallel universe story either. In what is the author’s shortest book, it is almost like an alternate version of the previous volumes. Not word for word, but a tiny glimpse of what the Stenstrom books would have been like had the character been a woman. Steinbelle, though, is different enough (beyond the obvious) from her parallel self that fans may want to see her own adventures in the League. By the end of this book, she has become a strong, fierce hero of sorts — and still very much a woman.

The League is a big place and readers looking to disappear in a universe that doesn’t look like a hundred others, need to look no further.

Categories: Books, Fiction | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment

Choose Your Adventure

Posted on December 11, 2015 by Darrick Dean

The busyness of the Christmas season has become nearly a tradition itself. Many are bogged down in the Retail Apocalypse right to the last hours of Christmas Eve. Stores will do anything to get in you in the door and our leaders will smile at the minor economic bump and run and hide when it’s erased with post-holiday debt. Nevertheless, perhaps you’re like me and try to carve some time out of these weeks to tone it down a bit. Perhaps you’d like to go on an adventure? Disappear into the jungles searching for lost cities like Indiana Jones?

No, seriously, you can for only a few dollars.

In The Lost City of Z, you can follow the trail of legendary explorer Percy Fawcett. In 1925, he disappeared into the Amazon looking for the fabled city. When you’re done, head to Honduras in Jungleland and search for Ciudad Blanca — perhaps the fabled El Dorado. Then head back down south and follow the footsteps of Hiram Bingham and explore Machu Picchu in Cradle of Gold.

So take a breath, turn the lights down, and vanish into another world.

Categories: Ancient America, Ancient Sites, artifacts, Books, Forgotten Places, History, Mysteries, Native Americans | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Writer Myths and Staking Your Name

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Darrick Dean

Here are Eight Myths new writers should consider. While you’re at it, why don’t you have your own website yet? One with your name, that is.

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