As a boy, I was a voracious reader. I don’t know how many Hardy Boys books were published by the time I outgrew them, but I had probably read most. (But in a public library I frequently haunted, I discovered The Three Investigators, which I liked even better.) Tom Swift and His Rocket Ship is a book I have managed to hang onto over the decades, and sits on my shelf today.
As a poster child for Generation X, I would trade childhoods with a dude from pretty much any other generation. However, one advantage my cohort had over the Millennials and Homelanders was that masculinity wasn’t considered “toxic” in the mainstream back then. You could still find literature for boys and men on store shelves. Boys today are mostly outa’ luck.
Mostly, but not completely outa’ luck, because small publishers like Raconteur Press and authors like Andy Flattery are producing books specifically for boys. Flattery set out to create a sort of pastiche of the Hardy Boys, Tom Swift, and young Indiana Jones. I’ve heard that imitation is the most sincere form of…wait for it…Flattery.
Couldn’t resist.
Quest for the Lost Sword is a lightning-quick read for an adult. The author does not take much time at all setting up the mystery. It’s all bang, bang, boom, done. Which may be perfect for the preteen and early teen demographic (which Leo and Henry, the two young protagonists, fit). The more I ponder it, the more I believe a story of this length and pace might be the perfect gateway to literature for boys.
Our two young heroes are growing up in a stable, traditional Catholic family. Their father is a globetrotting antiquarian, while their mother seems to be a stay-at-home mom. Their house is an historic building with a secret hideout underneath. The parents are a bit indulgent–trusting the boys to behave as responsibly as adults most of the time. In other words, the Kelly boys have a nearly ideal childhood.
Their priest comes to visit one day while Mr. Kelly is away on business. A family heirloom–the titular sword–has been stolen, after being in the priest’s family for centuries. The sword (and some other items) are spiritually charged objects–so there is a touch of the supernatural to the story.
Don’t ask me how the boys are able to book and pay for an international flight, but after dredging up a clue from an old Latin book, they are off to Europe to find and recover the sword. Their bravery and resourcefulness will be put to the test there, because there are people who don’t want the boys to succeed.
This story is simple, yet fantastical. As such, it’s a good one for boys. If you know a young boy, particularly one who doesn’t voluntarily read yet, buy him this book. It could just repair some of the damage public education has wreaked on the male of the species.
And speaking of all that, my Paradox series had a similar purpose, though the target audience is more young men than boys, after the first book.
“When the rats come, you run. If you can’t run, you hide. If you can’t hide, you bow. You can always bow.”
A Song of Bones is a high-octane, action-packed rollercoaster ride featuring some not-so-adorable rats and some ‘oppressed’ mice as main characters. As the author Isaac Anderson tells us:
“I was a big fan of the Redwall books as a kid and I wanted to write something that a younger me would have enjoyed discovering on the library shelves.”
This is book one of a series. Anderson wrote the whole thing over the course of several years but quickly realized it was too big to fit into just one book. The ‘ending at the window’ (read the book for more on that scene) was the cleanest break between parts.
The next book will be released in the summer/fall of 2025, according to Anderson.
PLOT:
Naturally, when we think of a story with talking animals who act and behave very human-like, we immediately think of some of the most popular Disney or WB characters and their general features: cute, clumsy, light-hearted, and fun-loving…
Not these fellas!
The rats and mice featured in A Song of Bones are very jaded, stoic, and at times very bitter characters overall.
Basically the story can be summarized as a ‘mice prison outbreak’ by a group of our little furry friends.
Several mice have been kidnapped and put to slave labor in the caves of Dorgue’s Tree, an infernal system of caves and caverns where a group of mean rats lead by rat Dorgue are forcing these mice to dig, dig, and dig some more for reasons that are slowly revealed as we keep reading further.
Our main character, Richard, finds himself at the head of a small group of insurgents and slowly a plan forms to escape and regain their freedom.
JADED:
I think the approach (talking animals that act human, use tools, wear clothes, and build equipment) can work, but in this case I felt like even the backstories of these rats at times felt too grim and death-filled. Even when Richard recalls his childhood there’s very little joy to speak of, overall. Death is the main theme no matter which way we look.
It was a bit awkward to visualize these talking mice but to also see them being so jaded and really not having a good time overall.
I think there could have been a little more of a balancing act, but they are mostly doing hard labor in deep caves and in horrendous conditions so this aspect is not a deal breaker. I just felt like at least their memories of the outside world would have been more filled with joy and cheerfulness.
WHERE THE STORY SHINES:
When we look past the talking rats, the breath-taking action scenes, the claustrophobia of the deep caves:
“Ultimately this is a story about singing over your loved one’s bones. About remembering them.”
as Anderson puts it.
This driving concept is present from the very opening scene all the way to the closing scene, and it is delivered efficiently through the intense action that will keep you on the edge.
Also credit to the author for succeeding at ingraining the images of the characters as rats and mice in the reader’s mind even when they act and behave very human-like. At no point was I picturing humans trapped in dark caves. All I envisioned was RATS!
CONCLUSIONS:
If you want one reason to pick up this book here it is: the story is a rich example of honoring our loved ones who are gone. As Richard recalls the passing of his mother first, then his father, and now some of his newly acquired friends, we can feel the sense of loss along with him.
I’d say Book 1–though not perfect–can be the beginning of fantastic things to come, the door to a fascinating world similar to what former Disney animator Don Bluth did with some of his animated characters. I would certainly recommend the book to both children and adults alike and hope you’ll pick up a copy and discover this new and exciting universe of rats!
Relentless Blades – Volume 1 of The Prophecies of Zarune by Russell Carroll (and a word from the author)
A review by INFAMOUS🦀
If there was one thing author R. Carroll wanted to accomplish with Relentless Blades that would be to present a story that even though might not be everyone’s ‘favorite cup of tea’, that it would at least come across as an undeniably well-written, professional, and competent work of fantasy literature.
Russell wrote Relentless Blades because of his love of ‘everything fantasy’ and Dungeons & Dragons in particular. It’s no exaggeration to say that the book was twenty-years in the making and a ‘love letter to his teenage-self’. In Russell’s own words:
“Remember, you’re never too old to pursue your dream!”
As for an author who inspired Russell? R. A. Salvatore and his Legends of Drizzt series is at the top of his list, and it clearly shows all throughout this first and exciting debut publication.
IN A NUTSHELL/CHARACTERS:
What is this book really about? And why should we be excited to read it?
Russell shares that:
“I determined to tell a fairly linear, character-driven story, that hints at a bigger picture and world, but without focusing on trying to explore the intricacies of multiple kingdoms.
As a debut author I was aware not to bite off too much.”
This is in fact part of the charm of RB. It’s easy to follow and because it is so well written we can quickly start to identify various relatable characters who don’t come across as dull or forgettable in the least. For example Grimlock, a skron halfbreed (skrons are kinda like blue-skinned orcs with orange hair), immediately becomes one of our favorite characters because although he is this apparently selfish hunter-for-hire, mountain of a humanoid, he has a conscience, and deep inside he values life and is resentful when a life is lost on his watch.
We have brothers Mathias and Val Braunstone, who on the surface couldn’t be any more different, the former being an esteemed Valadian Knight-Lieutenant while the latter choosing to put his abilities at the service of local crime lord Henshawe.
These are not your typical one-dimensional characters and the reader will feel easily drawn to the story thanks mostly to them.
PLOT:
When some ancient artifacts are found while mining near the Fractured Crags, a dispute for possessions of such items ensues between the Valedians, who claim such artifacts belong to them as they were found within their territory, and the Vragoths, who claim that the artifacts found are clearly of Vragothian origins.
We will quickly learn that the Mazzinoth’s Eggs are more than meets the eye, and they can become potentially a most devastating weapon in the wrong hands. If the Vragoths acquire the recently discovered scepter, they will unlock the way to awaken the dragons within the eggs.
A seemingly unorthodox group of heroes led by Grim and Vig are the only chance to stop the unleashing of dragons by the Vragoths. Find the enchanted scepter and stop the ritual before it’s too late. This is their mission.
A FRESH OUTLOOK:
Beyond the very well-written action scenes and suspenseful fights, where this book really stands out is in tackling noble virtues like altruism, courage, and kindness but in ways that feel very organic within the story and not forced into the narrative.
When Vig, who has dealt with dyslexia all his life, finds the compassion and the support of Everleign all he can say is:
“My whole life, I’ve felt ashamed of my problem, but you didn’t make me feel bad about it.”
To which Everleigh replies:
“Why would I do that? Acknowledging your limitations and seeking help to overcome them shows bravery. I’d never mock someone for that.”
And THAT is where this story really shines and becomes more than just another forgettable fantasy/action trope. In showing strength but also vulnerability in his characters, Russell manages to hit a home run with this debut publication.
CONCLUSIONS:
I always felt that fantasy literature had gotten more nihilistic in the last decade. The YA books are literally polluting the market and the ‘Game of Thrones’ types of books are a bit too much for my taste with their grey areas of morality.
Relentless Blades reminds me of the Dragonlance books and Salvatore’s D&D books we used to read decades ago. This is a story ‘with soul’: friendship, courage, honesty and perseverance in the face of adversities is what makes this relevant and it leaves an impression on the readers.
Russell communicates with vivid images that life is precious and fighting for others is a just and righteous cause.
The prose is snappy and concise without giving in to the insufferable modern-day euphemisms that pollute our everyday social media. A smart choice that always pays off in the long run.
It is exciting to see how this new fantasy realm will further unfold and I sure look forward to it!
Success can be a curse sometimes. In creative endeavors, a tremendous success can overshadow subsequent artistic accomplishments. Within Christendom, Mel Gibson may be most frequently associated with The Passion of the Christ. In the secular world, however, his zenith of success (as both director and actor) was Braveheart in 1995. It was such a blockbuster that a following tour de force, 2000’s The Patriot, is often wrongly compared to it, and unjustly slept on.
Although the two films share at least one theme, The Patriot is its own movie and was not intended to resemble Braveheart.
I had opportunity to re-watch The Patriot recently and was struck first by what a masterpiece of filmmaking it is. After that, what most surprised me was how much it enthralls today’s younger generations. Homelanders, who are hard to convince that anything which occurred before acquiring their first smart device could possibly be important, assume the American War of Independence took place in 1976 and the Civil War involved Martin Luther King. But this movie resonates with them, and it’s possible they might just learn something about America’s history from watching it.
DIRECTION/ACTING:
Director Roland Emmerich previously enjoyed summer blockbuster success with the alien invasion flick Independence Day. In this production, he did not tweak Robert Rodat’s screenplay, which was the right call.
Emmerich coaxed believable and nuanced performances out of most of the cast. One exception was Lisa Brenner as Anne Howard (Gabriel’s love interest). I don’t know what else she’s done or how well she did it, but for whatever reason her delivery just doesn’t strike me as invested or believable. Gibson and Heath Ledger (playing his oldest son, Gabriel) however, are dynamite in their respective roles. Ledger, especially, excels in the scenes calling for understated performances.
The opening sequence is perhaps oversold. We know Benjamin Martin’s (Gibson) sons are excited to receive mail, but it smells like the director and cast getting high on their own supply–which can be a pitfall for any group inside a creative bubble.
The film score is not catchy or especially memorable, but is competent and adequate, accentuating suspense and action scenes just as much by what it doesn’t do as by what it does. Emotional scenes are where it is most obvious, walking the line between powerful and sappy.
THEMES:
What this film shares with Braveheart, thematically, is the desire for freedom. In both films it remains mostly an abstract concept. In The Patriot, the importance of freedom is accentuated by the lack thereof, depicted in the abuse of power by William Tavington (Jason Isaacs), commander of “the Green Dragoons.”
Tavington murders prisoners of war, terrorizes civilians by burning down their homes, and forcefully conscripts freedmen into His Majesty’s service. Put another way, he represents a system that doesn’t recognize natural rights to life, liberty or property.
Whatever his moral failures, at least Tavington knows the right hand/arm signal for “halt.”
Similarly, the yearning for liberty manifests by implication through the character of Occam (Jay Arlen Jones), a slave who is sent to fight in his owner’s stead. There are no scenes of his life as a slave or his treatment, but all Americans have grown up hearing the stories and there really is no need to rehash the injustice of human beings treated as beasts of burden to be bought, sold, and “owned.”
At one point, Gabriel follows his father into a Rebel encampment and finds an abandoned American flag on the ground. It is faded, tattered, torn and threadbare–much like our republic (for which it stands) currently is. Gabriel picks it up. An exhausted, cynical fellow American tells Gabriel, “It’s a lost cause.”
This is a double (perhaps triple or quadruple) entendre. That sentiment surely was present during our country’s fight for independence, after a string of defeats against the world’s most powerful empire. It is also in sync with the “black pill” sentiment of today, as we are on the brink of losing our American birthright forever. Is freedom worth fighting for, even when the odds look impossible? When it looks like a lost cause?
In one of those understated, nuanced performances I mentioned before, Gabriel stubbornly keeps the flag and tucks it into his satchel, to be repaired, turning his back to his black-pilling countryman.
In subsequent scenes, during downtime in bivouac, Gabriel faithfully works to repair the flag. In one notable such scene, Gabriel has a brief conversation with Occam. “People call this the New World; but it’s really the same as the old one,” opines Gabriel. But they’ve got a chance to build a new world, he continues–a world where a man’s rights are protected regardless of who his parents or ancestors are. His rights are recognized simply because he was endowed them by our Creator. And while he pontificates on his vision for a new world where freedom is the rule (not the exception) the camera moves in close on Gabriel’s hands sewing that tattered flag back together.
Later, Benjamin finds the flag his son had repaired. Benjamin was forced to join the conflict. He fights for revenge and for what’s left of his family. Gabriel, however, fights for the cause (independence and freedom). Benjamin will later proclaim that his son was the better man.
Late in the film, having made peace with the French military advisor who served as something of a minor antagonist for most of the movie, Benjamin signifies their new frendship by exclaiming, “Vive le France!”
Major Jean Villeneuve (Tchéky Karyo) responds by reminding Benjamin what the struggle for independence (and America itself) is all about: “Vivela liberté!”
When Benjamin rides out to join the American force marching to meat the British for the climactic battle, he flies the flag that his son restored. The Rebels cheer. Benjamin has transformed from a farmer fighting for personal (perhaps selfish) and immediate motives, into a patriot. He now fights for the Cause, so his countrymen and progeny will enjoy the blessings of liberty long after he is gone.
It’s doubtful that screenwriter Rodat had studied generational theory, but The Patriot is in harmony with it nonetheless.
The American War of Independence was our republic’s first fourth turning–the historical winter season of the saeculum. The Nomads serve as the tough, brutal field commanders who lead the young, collegial Heroes into battle, and to victory.
Benjamin Martin would have been from the Liberty Generation (Nomad archetype). He cut his teeth in the French & Indian War (as did George Washington), and carries even to the film’s present day a suppressed savagery to rival that of the Native warriors he fought both alongside and against. This is symbolized by the Cherokee tomahawk he has kept hidden away in his old war chest. When he joins the fight against the British, he digs the tomahawk out of storage and proves that he still knows how to use it with deadly expertise, despite not wanting to.
Son Gabriel is Republican Generation (Hero archetype) and demonstrates his cohort’s peer personality perfectly. He is confident, optimistic, a team player, altruistic, self-sacrificial, eager to marry and start his own family.
Gabriel may not appreciate enough what a barbaric business war is, but his younger brothers are even more naive. Thomas’ pastime is painting lead figurines of soldiers, fears that the war may be over before he is old enough to fight in it, and breaks into his father’s war chest to examine the souvenirs. He poses in front of the mirror wearing his father’s old uniform jacket, with the aforementioned tomahawk. Thomas will learn the hard way that war is not a game and there’s nothing romantic about it.
CHARACTERS:
Benjamin Martin is a reluctant hero from the classic mold, but with no small measure of tragedy in his life both before and during the story. A widowed farmer with seven children, he aspires to build furniture and forget the violence of his past. He both witnessed and committed atrocities fighting on the British side in the French & Indian War. He wants to avoid war at any cost not just to protect his family, but because he fears the bloodthirsty savage within himself, which awakens in the heat of battle. It makes sense why, in this “hero’s journey,” he rejects the first “call to adventure.”
Gabriel Martin has a lot of his dead mother’s personality in him, we are told. Like his mother, presumably, he serves as the voice of conscience to counterbalance the wild, barbaric warrior side of his father. He is the Robin to Benjamin’s Batman–a calming influence that motivates Benjamin to be a better example, to remind him of what he should and should not be fighting for (the Cause, or revenge?) and that good men are as quick to show mercy as they are to rage against injustice.
Aunt Charlotte is a little undeveloped. Sister of Benjamin’s dead wife, he and she have feelings for each other, but it’s handled so subtly that when their passions come to the surface, it seems almost that the romance came out of nowhere.
Major Villeneuve is technically an ally; but there is bad blood between him and Benjamin. In the last war they fought on opposite sides. Benjamin is infamous for an atrocity he committed against the French at Fort Wilderness. A personal vendetta against the British is what drives Villeneuve in this war. He and Benjamin have similar motives for fighting this war, but that alone is not enough for them to bury the hatchet (no pun intended).
William Tavington comes from an esteemed British noble family, but his father squandered his inheritance. So Tavington’s career, reputation, and future rest solely upon his victories in battle. This is offered as the excuse for his brutal war crimes. As in many epic tales, this villain is like a dark reflection of the hero. Benjamin Martin may have turned out identical to William Tavington, without the civilizing influence of his wife and children.
General Cornwallis is portrayed as a preening military genius, whose pride is his downfall. He knows better than to do and allow what he does, but his ego clouds his judgment. Otherwise, he could have been a civilizing influence on Tavington and, so far as this narrative goes, dealt Washington and the Continental Army a decisive defeat.
I’m commenting on Dan Scott (Donal Logue) and Occam together because they represent the duality of young America. Occam stands in for one of our founding principles: that all men are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, to include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Dan Scott only agrees to fight for the Cause after being shamed into it by Anne Howard; but clings to his prejudice against Occam. He is offended to be serving with a slave, distrusts him, and views Occam, at best, as a target for ridicule.
“What in the hell you gonna do with freedom?” Scott sneers at Occam at one point, implying he’s too stupid (maybe even subhuman) to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The discrepancy these two characters signify is not a trivial skeleton in the American closet. Just one saeculum after our War of Independence (IOW the next fourth turning) over half million Americans would die fighting each other to resolve the contradiction.
Dan Scott, who begins the story as one of the least admirable men, has the most distinct character arc (next to the protagonist himself).
These two characters star in a subplot that is poignant and touching, even after all the race hustling and identity politics that unraveled what racial harmony America once enjoyed. That unraveling started just eight years after the release of this film, though today it seems to have been going on forever.
HISTORICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Speaking of slavery and race relations…
The War of Independence erupted in Massachusetts. After Lexington and Concord, other northern colonies joined with them. But even with all 13 colonies fighting, it was still an unlikely long shot against the world’s greatest empire. It might have been impossible without the southern colonies.
The leadership of those southern colonies were not willing to give up their slaves. A compromise was reached: the southern colonies would join in the War for Independence, if they were allowed to pass and follow their own laws as states in the Union–including laws regarding the institution of slavery.
South Carolina was one of those southern colonies, and where The Patriot is set. In an early scene, Benjamin Martin takes his family to Charleston, SC, where an assembly has been called. Eight colonies have already joined the rebellion against the British Empire. Patriots and loyalists gather to debate as to whether South Carolina will be the ninth.
Once all arguments are heard, the South Carolina assembly votes for a levy to form a Continental Army–in effect, a declaration of war.
Benjamin Martin eventually becomes a brevet colonel of volunteers. Both the strengths and weaknesses of militia fighting against a force of professional soldiers is highlighted throughout the movie. The Minutemen perform well under fire when using guerrilla tactics. But they and the Continentals get their teeth kicked in when they meet British regulars in the open field fighting in mass formations, European-style.
Benjamin Martin is loosely based on “the Swamp Fox,” Francis Marion, plus other Americans who fought the British. But spergs can pick this film apart for the creative license taken with historical facts.
What historical movie could not be picked apart for its inaccuracies?
IN CONCLUSION:
Realism (or lack thereof) notwithstanding, The Patriot is a brilliant film. It might piss off British apologists/anglophiles/modern day British loyalists, but its overall message and supporting themes speak to the heart of an American. Including young Americans.
It’s been long enough that Braveheart no longer casts such a long shadow. With the MAGA movement uniting people across multiple demographic demarcations, now may be the perfect time to rediscover this film and let it shine.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Today, the Black Friday Based Book Sale begins. My novel Tier Zero will be discounted to 99 cents for the sale at Amazon and all other E-Book stores. I’m probably crazy for doing this, but my entire Paradox Series, assembled in a digital “box set,” will also be on sale for 99 cents. Pick up your copy and relax with some great reads for Thanksgiving weekend!
The Fall of Selvandrea – Volume 1 of the Draemeir Chronicle by T. J. McKay
A review by INFAMOUS🦀
I’ve been acquainted with McKay’s writing for a couple of years now ever since I read his first official edition of Book 1 of the Draemeir Chronicle, Rise of Dresca, and I always thought there was something special and quite unique about his style and the type of fantasy he was exploring. The Fall of Selvandrea represents the culmination of everything previously seen in Books 1 and 2 (Seas of the Zovah) in what I can only describe as a spectacular edition.
GENRE:
Although this is clearly a fantasy novel, it’s very difficult to pinpoint exactly WHAT type of fantasy category it falls into. McKay likes to call it ‘flintlock fantasy’ although there are some elements of science-fiction involved we will discuss later on in this review. The only other fictional works that might fall in this same category are A Sea of Broken Glass and to a lesser degree Gunmetal Gods. Some other smaller titles like in The Sendyne Flintlock Fantasy Chronicles by Seth Hobbsand could also fit the bill.
I personally feel like TFOS occupies its own niche, and it represents some of the most original and exquisite fantasy writing of late.
PLOT:
Discussing the plot here can be difficult for one main reason: the author has chosen a narrating style with very little exposition, throwing readers right into the midst of the action. We see WHAT characters do, we see HOW they do it, but very little is unfolded as to WHY they do it. We’re fed little crumbs here and there but no ‘info dump’ at any rate.
Other reviewers have expressed that this style of delivery can stir up confusion; however I can respect this as being the author’s artistic choice and cannot view it as a negative remark in itself.
We will learn of a technologically advanced world plagued by the draemeir strains (sort of a supernatural plague) which is pure evil and chaos, using humans as hosts. Our protagonist Valdaris Drascar-whom we may call in this review Future Vald-creates a new draemeir strain that he can control unlike the other strains of pure chaos and destruction. In order to save his world from the draemeir, Future Vald sends his consciousness (preserved inside the ruby attached to his sword) into the past via a vortex he is able to generate.
Here is where PastVald takes up the sword with the ruby, and now we have Future Vald’s consciousness and Past Vald’s consciousness merging as one being (thus a dual personality of sorts).
It is also of relevance to mention that as Future Vald opens the vortex to the past, a group of ‘strangers’ led by Alessa Sinclaes also travels to the past through the same vortex, finding themselves in a world on the brink of war between the kingdoms of the Selvar and the Naemredd. This is also where the sci-fi elements come into play, since these time travelers carry very sophisticated gadgets and weapons (Ambrovian technology).
DARK, DREAMLIKE, FANTASY:
The narrative feels very dark and mysterious, but also beautiful and dreamlike. On several instances it was difficult for me to understand where dream and reality separated. As the author puts it:
“It’s not meant to be an easy read (though I try to keep the writing style line-by-line easy/simple).”
What I noticed most is that this style doesn’t really look or feel like anything else that is currently out there, and this is saying a lot considering the oversaturated market of fantasy books. It can be disorienting at times, with its multiple POVs and thin exposition, but in a sense that is part of the lure.
If we ask McKay what or who might have influenced his story, he will tell us this:
“The Judas Strain by James Rollins and the Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton both influenced the sci-fi elements… plus the movie Transcendence with Johnny Depp. On the fantasy side, Wheel of Time and The Pendragon Cycle (Stephen R. Lawhead). To a much lesser extent, The Count of Monte Cristo had some influence too, and Les Miserables. And I’d also give some credit to Revan from Star Wars (Knights of the Old Republic).”
CONCLUSION:
It is important to point out that McKay is not your average indie writer. He has mastered his writing skills and it transpires all throughout TFOS. He is a writers’ writer folks! Am I saying that McKay is as original as he is an objectively talented writer? That’d be a big YES.
Sure this is a challenging read with obscure characters, intricate plots, little exposition, and multiple POVs, leaving me with more questions by the end of the book than I had at the beginning, but not everything must be spoon fed in order to be a fantastic experience.
Since I’ve been an author, this is only my third guest appearance on a podcast. It’s my very first video livestream. My first was with Winston Crutchfield (a stand-up guy) back in 2011 or so. My next was circa 2015. After that, I figured, “There, I’ve done it. Now I can go back into hibernation.”
As my wife and other family will tell you, I don’t really like being in the spotlight. I want people to buy my books and give them nice reviews, allowing me to stay sequestered like a hermit while I work on projects important to me. But those desires are pretty much mutually exclusive in today’s entertainment sphere.
I’m an unknown rookie in comic books, yet I have to start building an audience now so that some readers will come to back my campaign when my graphic novel is ready for the printer. You gotta have a crowd before you can crowdfund, as the saying goes. So I put a profile pic up on my social media accounts showing my face instead of the cool avatars I prefer to use, and I’m reaching out to podcasters/livestreamers for interviews.
Kudos to Ulysses of Comics Odyssey for his laid back approach and his own passion for comics which made the whole experience enjoyable.
Thanks again to Ulysses for giving me a shot and his time to make this happen. This might have been the perfect way for me to get my feet wet.
I hope you all will show him some love with likes and reposts. Also, he’s working on a comic project of his own now you might consider checking out when he finishes.
And hey, did you know the Paradox digital”box set” is published? At an everyday bargain price, too.
Leave a comment if you liked the interview, and/or if you would buy a doorstop-sized paperback or hardcover of Paradox if I make one available.
Lenard chuckled, but his eyes didn’t waver from what he was doing at the mysterious table.
“Welcome to the Sanctum of the Archmage, my dear,” he said simply.~
Dawn of Chaos is the culmination of a long and passionate project by indie author Tony Andarian. This latest edition was the result of several revisions and changes Andarian felt were needed as a result of growing and developing as a writer:
“I took the book down at the end of ’18 with the intent to release the rewrite in ’19, but escalating craziness at work forced me to put it off until after I retired at the end of ’21.”
And it follows:
“I revised the version of Dawn of Chaos that I’d published in 2017 for re-release in 2021 and 2022. But the changes were primarily cosmetic, and had mostly to do with improving my writing style. Story-wise, it was identical except for very minor changes, and the addition of a few scenes.”
This is an approach I admire and strongly suggest to all writers out there, but particularly to those writers with limited experience or just now contemplating publishing for the first time. Producing a novel that is professional, competitive, and worth buying is no easy task, and it takes more than just ‘a good story’ to make it all work. So pace yourself, make adjustments when needed, and DO NOT rush the process.
CONTENT:
Dawn of Chaos is a collection of three books:
Book 1 – Prologue to Chaos
Book 2 – Hell Gate
Book 3 – Aftermath
The original concept was created for a D&D game, which Andarian eventually felt needed to be transferred into novel format. If this book immediately comes across as very thorough and professional now you know why. This is not something that just spurted overnight and it took many years to refine and perfect.
PLOT:
The action takes place in the mythical kingdom of Kalara, with the capital being the great city of Carlissa, center of a prosperous civilization. The royal family consisting of the king (man), queen (elf), two sons, and a daughter reigns with fairness and honor and people enjoy a time of peace and prosperity… Until a hellgate opens up one day over the center of the city through which an army of demon monsters steps through to kill and conquer all.
In fact, as we learn:
“Many thousands of years ago, a great war between the Gods and the Demons came to the world. The Demons had opened a door from the realms of Hell itself, and their armies threatened to overrun the earth.”
Now, thanks to a ‘rogue wizard’ named Zomoran, the demon hordes have found a way through that gate again, and the kingdom is certainly not prepared for this massive and surprising attack after enjoying a long era of peace.
CHARACTERS:
The story is rich in characters which are divided into groups, each one going through their own perils and challenges but all ultimately serving the same cause: delivering a particular magic ring to the Archmage Lenard which will give the kingdom a hope of victory.
PACE:
There’s never a dull moment or wasted page in this book. The action is relentless but also well written; the sense of immediate danger, ever present at every corner. But what I found worth mentioning-and what makes this a legit 5-star book-is that amidst all the action the author never misses an opportunity to keep readers in the loop when it comes to the lore of this world and the reason behind everything that takes place. The attention to details, whether that be the city’s layout, the geography of the region, or the social structure of this civilization, is all impeccable and works perfectly well with the breath-taking action scenes.
MORAL/PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS:
The seemingly straightforward storyline holds compelling moral questions which some readers might miss while being caught up in all the action and epic battles. The author mentions one of his major influences as being Ayn Rand:
“I first read Ayn Rand decades ago, and have been heavily influenced by her ideas for most of my adult life. The way they show up in the Sanctum Saga has a lot to do with how they’ve influenced my thoughts about the nature of civilization, what makes it possible, and what causes it to collapse.
The major influence of Rand’s ideas on Dawn of Chaos shows up in the recurrent theme of independence vs. obedience to authority. Zomoran’s ideology, as revealed in the first chapter, is that he believes in elite rule over freedom and individual choice. Independence and the right to individual choice were among Rand’s cardinal virtues, and that’s represented in the battle against Professor Zomoran and his demons.”
CONCLUSIONS:
The author informs readers this saga is not over yet with this book, and announces that Wrath of the Peregrine King will be in fact the next installment where this epic D&D story will continue.
This is how you create a well laid out epic adventure with relatable characters and interesting villains. I can’t praise this book enough or recommend it enough if you like the genre. The stellar editing makes this exactly what we need in the indie sphere right now. When an author aims for excellence and nails it, we as readers can’t ask for more, and Dawn of Chaos is an excellent book indeed!
It’s tempting for some to assume that all the idiocy and incompetence in Hollywood is recent. Like maybe it only began in the last decade or two.
It’s actually been around for quite a while. Historically, it’s been outweighed by consistent competence and occasional bursts of genius. Only in the last 30 years or so has Hackneyed Hollywood’s creative bankruptcy hit critical mass.
It didn’t come out of the blue.
One phenomenon that’s always been there was corporate bean-counters trying to cash in on the success of any hit by pretty much just duplicating it after tweaking a few details.
I can picture the Board Room meeting at Colombia: one cigar-smoking suit says they need an inexpensive-yet-money-making film noire to pump their profits up. Some nerdy little suckup suggests they repeat the success of Gilda, some eight years ago.
“It’s a cinch, Boss! Same setup, see? Femme fatale is an American nightclub singer working in South America. We give her a couple song-and-dance scenes. A rich gent owns the club; has his fingers in some dirty pies maybe; carries a torch for the singer. Hero is streetwise and handsome, but a regular Joe. There’s a murder. But here’s the kicker: We bring in Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford to team back up again–you remember the chemistry they had on the screen last time. But this time, instead of ex-lovers, they’ll be connected through the murder victim and fall for each other fresh!”
And there you have it.
This time, the Glenn Ford character is the brother of the murder victim. He mailed his brother a letter on the very day he was murdered. Or was it suicide?
What about Hayworth–did she murder him? Is she helping the police to catch her boss? To frame Ford? Is she making suckers out of everybody?
I found the aforementioned song/dance scenes rather underwhelming and unnecessary. There were some noticeable plot holes, too. But the acting was solid and the cinematography was superb.
Personally, I’m a sucker for films about Yankee expatriates in Latin America during the age of fedoras and suits as everyday fashion. I must have seen a great film with those ingredients once, but just forgot what it was. This one was set in the titular country, of course.
Trinidad was apparently still a British territory/colony/protectorate during the postwar years, as the leading investigator is a British officer, rarely seen without some bureaucrat from the US consulate in tow. Trinidad also has a measure of mystique because of the Andrews Sisters’ risque classic “Rum and Coca Cola.”
With all it’s weaknesses, Affair in Trinidad is more worth your time than the garbage Hollywood’s been defecating in recent decades.
DUDLEY’S FUSILIERS – Empire and Honor Book 1 by HAROLD R. THOMPSON
A review by INFAMOUS🦀
~We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he today that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother.
~William Shakespeare: Henry V
War-based novels can be a slippery slope for different reasons. The challenge usually consists of striking that fine balance between 1) historical accuracy and 2) a compelling story that comes off as captivating and rich in relatable characters.
I feel like Dudley’s Fusiliers manages to achieve success in certain aspects while failing (and I use ‘failing’ very loosely here) in others. Canadian author H. R. Thompson has definitely brought us a story of honor, glory, and sacrifice that pays homage to those men on the battlefield who kept marching forward against all odds and-let’s be frank-against all sanity at times!
NO POLITICS, JUST WAR + MAIN CHARACTER:
Thompson doesn’t focus much on the politics of mid-XIX Europe or the ins and outs of why the Crimean War took place. He rather looks at the unfolding events from the point of view of the common soldier.
Our protagonist is young British lad Dudley, who from a young age adopts a romanticized view of the ‘art of war’. The Duke of Wellington being his all-time hero, Dudley even names a tin soldier of his ‘Wellington’. Wellington becomes his best friend well into his adult life and through the war.
STRENGTHS:
Thompson is outstanding at describing the battles of the Crimean War, particularly the Battle of Alma. We see everything from the point of view of main character Dudley in vivid realism and in all the fine details of military strategies, tactics, and pre-WWI trench warfare.
We also witness the ill conceived notions and romanticism of not just the British army, but those of the French and Russian army as well. This is very important because we don’t need those fundamental aspects to be thwarted by some progressive agenda to make 19th century soldiers think like 21st century Orange county residents, if you catch my drift.
WEAKNESSES + SUPPORTING CHARACTERS:
Where I think Dudley’s Fusiliers falls short is in creating a substantial supporting cast for Dudley. His fellow soldiers could be more fleshed out but instead they’re all given just a few lines here and there and very general descriptions:
“He felt closer to them than to anyone he had ever known. Closer than to Isabelle, closer than to Martha. Closer even than to his family.”
That’s great, but we as readers don’t get to fully share that experience because of thin characterization. What that does is that when some of them perish in battle, we are robbed of the full emotional impact because we never get to know them as well as Dudley does. Thin characterization reduces an otherwise brilliant war story to a good but not GREAT war story.
BARKER STEALS THE SHOW:
The only secondary character we encounter that in my opinion ‘steals the show’ is Barker, a giant of a man even feared among his own ranks. A seemingly remorseless bully who we’ll find out has a great story to tell which explains why he behaves the way he does, and why his ‘dehumanization’ has taken place to begin with. In fact, I’d even dare say that most readers will be more eager to follow the whereabouts of Barker than Dudley’s. He’s just that cool cat, somewhat rough around the edges, but who you will want to be by your side when all hell breaks loose in battle.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
If it wasn’t for the outstanding fashion in which the author brought this all home in the closing chapters, I might have been dubious on whether to read Book 2 (Guns of Sevastopol). But if you, like me, have 1) a heartbeat and 2) a passion for keeping the memories alive of not just the war heroes but of war events in general, then reading the next book is certainly in our queue.
Thompson is not just a good writer but the real deal when it comes to the subject of history and wars with the experience to back it up:
“While attending university, he spent his summers working at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, a Victorian- era fort in his native Halifax, Nova Scotia. There, he was a member of the 78th Highlanders, an historical re- enactment of the fort’s British Army garrison.
Dudley’s Fusiliers brings forth the brutality, death and mayhem of the period of the mid-19th century with glory, respect, and accuracy. And I applaud that!
Mervyn Peake was not only a unique writer but a very accomplished artist (painter and illustrator). We can say that his keen sense of vivid visuals and details displayed in his artistic work spilled over into his writing–the Gormenghast series representing the culmination of that endeavor.
The Gormenghast series is a trilogy (the fourth book was left incomplete due to Peake’s death–later on finished by his wife) that is so original as to be impossible to compare to any other stories. We might say that there is a faint connection in style to Charles Dickens, but that’s a stretch in my opinion.
TITUS GROAN:
The first book of the series is called Titus Groan, and that is also the name of the newborn son of the aristocratic Groan family portrayed in the story, the lords of Gormenghast. This abbey includes a massive structure of towers, walls, parapets, including the entire surrounding region where villagers (the Mud Dwellers) live off of the fruit of the fields and artisamery. The entire first book revolves around the birth of heir Titus, and his significance for the Groan dynasty to carry on after the count and countess had given up all hopes to birth a male descendant.
CHARACTERS:
This is not a story-driven book by any accounts, but rather a character-driven book. The magic of Peake’s writing is found in his characters and how they come to life from written page to our minds.
Whether it be Countess Gertrude with her army of adoring white cats; or Aunts Clarice and Cora, with their awkward mannerisms and distorted view of reality; or daughter Fuchsia with her secret hiding place in the attic; or old Nanny Slagg who feels under-appreciated for all she does…every character gets pages and pages of rich descriptions in order to define them in depth both physically and mentally.
Mervyn Peake was indeed very descriptive in his writing. Not just when describing physical traits but when describing the inner state of a person. He could write pages about the emotional state of a character before even mentioning what that character is doing.
DETAILS, DETAILS, DETAILS:
This acute sense of details Peake had for his characters also applied to the environment his characters move about. We learn that Gormenghast is a massive and oppressive place, its halls are damp, moat ridden, and dusty for the most part. It’s cold and dark during winter while hot, muggy and oppressive in the summer. This is basically an independent world within the world, like an independent nation, self-sufficient and cut away from the rest of civilization; its citizens just as peculiar and extraordinary as the inhabitants of far away planets.
Mervyn Peake remains a most extraordinary writer, unmatched to this day in certain aspects.
His complex and rich prose might not be for everyone, and his characters at times are so minutely described both physically and psychologically that today’s ‘instant-gratification/get-to-the-point’ audience might quit after reading a few pages. A lot of reviewers have written that this book is slow, boring, with lots of descriptions but no essence…but I couldn’t disagree more.
I believe it takes a certain level of maturity to enjoy Peake’s writing. It is not an easy read, for sure, and many readers cannot stick with it for long.
Sometimes I wonder if Mervyn’s thinking process was too far ahead for some of us to fully appreciate his content. His tragic passing left a void that has not been filled yet to this day.
Who knows what this mind would have achieved if he lived longer? What treasure of human literature he would have left us?
As I mentioned earlier, his passing at age 57 left us with an unfinished series, as he was working on Book 4.
To this day, there are paragraphs from the Gormenghast Trilogy that I read and reread that leave me in awe for their beauty, richness, and introspection, and make me wonder if we will ever see the likes of such marvelous genius again.
A true LEGEND.
🦀
Red-Blooded American Men Examine Pop-Culture and the World
