Joshua A. Johnston's Blog, page 6
March 27, 2017
The USS Enterprise is a character. The reboots don’t get that.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: this piece is loaded with spoilers on all things Star Trek, including (but not limited to) the original series and the first three reboot films. Beware.
The Star Trek franchise, after decades of TV episodes and movies, is full of tragic moments. A true Trek fan will not easily forget the death of Commodore Decker in the 1967 Original Series episode “The Doomsday Machine,” or the loss of Lieutenant Tasha Yar in the 1988 Next Generation episode “Skin of Evil.” Any self-respectin...
March 13, 2017
State of the Writing: March 2017
I’ll start out with the bad news. Into the Void, which was originally scheduled for release in mid-May, will likely be delayed. At this point I don’t know a hard and fast release date. I’ve been told possibly later in the summer or perhaps fall. Once I know more I’ll be happy to pass it along.
The reasons are above my pay grade. I came into publishing knowing that there are many pieces to the puzzle when it comes to this business, so I’ve always known this could happen. The good news is that...
February 13, 2017
From the Nintendojo Review Vault: Infinite Space
Infinite Space is a Japanese-developed space RPG for Nintendo DS that originally hit stores back in 2010. I originally wrote this review for Nintendojo. It is probably the closest thing I’ve ever played on a handheld system that approaches a science fiction novel. (On a console, that award probably goes to the Mass Effect trilogy.)
Infinite Space (DS)
(8.5 out of 10)
Games set in space are a niche; titles like Independence War or Dark Star One aren’t bound to arouse much notice beyond a smal...
January 26, 2017
State of the Writing: January 2017
Before I dig into writing things, I wanted to extend an invitation to connecton Goodreads, if you’re one who uses it. I’m always looking for things to read, so if you have any suggestions (especially science fiction, but also fantasy, mystery, or the like) I always enjoy hearing them. Even if I don’t, it’s always cool to see what other people are reading.
Things on the writing front have been quiet, if busy. Edge of Oblivion is doing well, its sequel Into the Void is edited and just waiting o...
January 22, 2017
Mumbling Mommy: Being the Only One of Your Gender in the Family
I’ve written a post on the upside of being the only one of one’s gender in a family of another gender. You can find the piece here.
The post Mumbling Mommy: Being the Only One of Your Gender in the Family appeared first on JOSHUA A. JOHNSTON.
January 14, 2017
Nintendojo: With Nintendo Switch, Are RPGs Back on a Nintendo Console?
Nintendo has pulled back the curtain on the forthcoming Nintendo Switch, including some games. I’ve profiled the RPG scene over at Nintendojo.
The post Nintendojo: With Nintendo Switch, Are RPGs Back on a Nintendo Console? appeared first on JOSHUA A. JOHNSTON.
January 9, 2017
I Think Rogue One is an Average Star Wars Movie. I’m Okay With That.
WARNING: Lots of spoilers about Rogue One, including the ending. You’ve been warned!
As I did with The Force Awakens, I waited a bit to see Rogue One: A Star Wars Story so I could see it with family. As with Episode VII, this meant that I saw a fair amount of feedback on the film, from the lavish praise heaped upon the film by the media (and many friends) and a few dissenters among my circle who hated it. Either way, I was able to step into the theater without having any of the film spoiled...
December 21, 2016
Nintendojo: My Love-Hate Relationship With Nintendo Switch
Nintendo’s next console is just around the corner … and I have pretty mixed feelings about it. You can read more right here.
The post Nintendojo: My Love-Hate Relationship With Nintendo Switch appeared first on JOSHUA A. JOHNSTON.
December 19, 2016
From the Amazon Review Vault: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (novelization)
I put this review up on Amazon after reading the novelization of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. I took no prisoners.
Painfully bad(1 star out of 5)
I thought The Force Awakens was a solid movie, but there were a lot of unresolved plot points, so I searched out the novelization hoping it would supply (as many novelizations do) a few hints or maybe even a deleted scene or two.
Not only did that not happen, the novelization managed to turn a blockbuster movie into a lifeless, limp mess.
I shoul...
November 28, 2016
How My Day Job Makes Me a Better Writer
Several months ago, I was standing in the busy hallway of the high school where I teach when one my colleagues — who has a degree in journalism — sidled up nearby. She asked, “If you could get paid the same amount to write that you are teaching right now, would you do it?”
At this point, some of you might be asking, “Wait, does teaching actually pay more than writing?” For the majority of writers, the answer is, resoundingly: yes, absolutely.* But that aside, her question was a really intere...
