Assaph Mehr's Blog, page 28

Arubah Arruroe (of Galaxy Pirates, by Tamuna Tsertsvadze)

Dear readers, tonight with me is the emperor of the galaxy pirates. He is here to tell us about a future where reptiloid aliens have enslaved Earth, and about the bureaucracy of running an empire.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

I grew up on a ship, obviously. Back in those times, there was just one spaceship at our disposal – the very original Shark Tooth, crafted by my grandparents. My uncle was the captain, managing a crew of pirates from across the...

Book Review: The New Magic, by Joseph Malik

The New Magic is a direct continuation of Dragon’s Trail. Considering how much I liked Malik’s first novel, I was looking forward to this one!

What to expect

An epic fantasy (technically portal fantasy, as the protagonist started on Earth in the first novel), with all the trappings – warring houses, enemies within and without, fantastical creatures, magic, and – of course – swords galore.

The novel takes place six months after Dragon’s Trail end. The...

Lawrence Aldingford (of A Bloody Arrogant Power, by Malcolm J. Wardlaw)

Dear readers, tonight we interview a man from a dystopian future, where an economic catastrophe has left just a small eilte living in the London Enclave. He’s the brother of the protagonist, and here to tell us about his military career standing against the radical elements.

Excuse me, are you Cost-Centre Lieutenant Lawrence Aldingford?

Yes, how can I help?

My name is Darcy Cruikshank-Chaudhary.

Pleased to meet you!

I work for The Glorious Gazette. Do you have a few minutes to spare?...

Crypto Saturnalia, or: How to Celebrate Saturnalia, When No-one Else Does

It’s the time of the year when every Romanophile secretly wonders how they could celebrate Saturnalia, without looking like a weirdo to everyone who celebrates the more acceptable holidays of midwinter in these modern times.

Well, fear no more! Here is a tongue-in-cheek list to help you crypto-Romanophiles celebrate the grandest of holidays, without looking any worse than any other audaciously clad celebrant in the streets!

Let’s examine the constituent elements of a good...

Natasha Bernard (of The Masada Faktor, by Naomi Litvin)

Dear readers, tonight with me is the child of a holocaust survivor. She is here to tell us about life in both the USA and Israel, and about how horrible things that should have been buried in the past refuse to stay dead.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am the daughter of a Holocaust survivor who grew up in America. My identity became meshed into hers as I was deeply affected by her experiences, some of which are manifested in The Masada Faktor. Eventually I became Mother’s caregiver...

TV Series Review: Roman Empire: “Reign of Blood”, and “Master of Rome”

Unlike the previous series I reviewed, this is a docudrama. Or rather, dramatised scenes in between documentary commentary by notable historians and classicists.

The series is produced by Netflix, and it’s nice to see them tackle real history: this is Starz’ Spartacus, which was very entertaining with all the blood and boobs, but was so historically off the mark it was funny.

What to expect

The two series are independent of each other. Series 1 – “Reign of...

Svetlana Smetana (of Wizard Ring, by Clare Blanchard)

Dear readers, tonight with me is the mother of the protagonist. She is here to tell us about life behind the Iron Curtain, about spies – and about a magical ring inherited from the famed John Dee, which she passed to her daughter.

Tell us a little about where you grew up. What was it like there?

Well, I was born in Prague, Czechia, between the two World Wars. It was exquisitely beautiful and yet terrifying at the same time. We lived in a grand old flat in Novy Svet, an old quarter of...

The State of Writing

Some interesting articles about writing in these modern times. (And no, it has nothing to do with NaNoWriMo — though my best wishes to anyone surfacing for air from that

The Audit Team (of The Good Audit, by CP Aiden)

Dear reader, tonight we have something unique for you. The Good Audit happens to be one of the most hilarious, poignant books about corporate life we have ever read, laughing and crying at the same time. We had therefore invited the heroes of the audit, the brave team of The Accounting Firm, to audit our own blog.

You will be getting an unparalleled view into our audit, with a privileged view into what they say out loud vs what they put on messenger. Also, you’ll get used to the...

Book Review: The Rules of Supervillainy, by CT Phipps

I’ve heard a lot about this series, and have sampled CT Phipps works before. Besides, who doesn’t like superheroes?

This was a quick, fun read with lots of situational humour and fast paced action. Recommended to fans of the genre – if you’ve enjoyed Deadpool, The Boys, and the like, you should add this to your reading list.

What to expect

A superhero story like the comics, with mind-bending twists and hilarious humour. As Phipps says in the introduction, this is born out of love for the genre, wi...