John H. Carroll's Blog, page 3

Movie Review: Logan

Three Grumpy Old Men and a Violent Child


My Review

I recently forced my son to watch Logan with me.  Pretty sure that makes me a horrible father.

This is a horrible movie.  The good guys are miserable and really not worth rooting for.  The basic premise of the movie is that this world sucks and it's going down from here, so let's just slash everyone.  We should set a fabulously bad example for the only children left like us while we're at it.

The actors in this movie are far too good to give such a horrible script to.  If I was Wolverine, I would have slashed the script and stabbed the producers through the chin like he does to the bad guys no one really cares about.  If I was professor Xavier, I would have mentally convinced everyone not to waste their money.

My expression while suffering through the movie
I have no idea what the critics and fans who said this was good were thinking.  Maybe the little girl in the movie threatened to shove them in a locker after school and stab them through the door if they said anything bad.  Hard to tell.

I've been a comic book fan since before I could read.  I enjoy most of the movies related to comics and I'm not even too worried about whether or not they stick to canon as long as they're entertaining.  This was not entertaining.  I realized I've become immune to seeing fake blades and blood all over the place and it's become more of a yawn than it is impressive.  There's no shock value left to the gore.  They just do it to hide the fact that there's no real plot or decent dialogue.

I suppose I could go on, but I've already wasted my money.  I have no desire to waste further words.


All my best,

John H. Carroll

Cloudswept, Book 3 of the Wyvern Series

"Cloudswept" is now available!
Book 3 of the Wyvern Series and the 9th book set in the world of Ryallon.  This is a continuation of Pelya's story from the Dralin Series.


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Book 3 of the Wyvern Series
After banishment from Dralin and expulsion from the Blue Wyverns, Pelya Jornin is now an agent of the Cloudswept Bank charged with recovering valuables. The job allows her to travel the world while keeping her skills sharp. Past failures have led to a vow to travel alone so as not to endanger lives of those she cares about.
When the bank offers her an assignment to rescue one of the mysterious Rojuun, she jumps at the chance to learn more about them. Rumors of Rojuun attempts to enslave the human race have worried her since her first meeting with them in Dralin and more so since her failed mission in the mountains south of Swelth.
The mission takes her deep into the war-torn country of Paruth where women aren’t allowed to wear swords and magic is forbidden. Signs of the Black Scale Guild appear, bringing further intrigue along with grave danger.
Calren has avoided mandatory conscription into his lord’s army for as long as possible, but time is up. Rather than join the endless and futile war, he packs his things and abandons the farm for a life of adventure. But Paruth isn’t the sort of kingdom where deserters are tolerated.
Verna, a Druid wilder than the forest she grew up in, needs to escape heartbreak. She skips down the road to learn more about humans and discover why they try so hard to kill each other.
Pelya seeks answers to events in her past that sent her life spinning. She fears what those answers may bring. More than anything, she worries about the fate of those who would attempt to be her friends. Will her actions get people killed yet again?
The Wyvern Series is a swords-and-sorcery series following the journeys of Pelya Jornin. After leaving Dralin, she travels the world searching out injustices and her purpose in life. Along the way, she makes many friends and even more enemies.

Dralin, Chapter 1, new

New Chapter 1As my writing has improved over the years, I've gone back over some of my earlier works to improve them.  In "Dralin", I removed the story of how Pelya's parents met because reviews showed me that readers gained a false impression of what the story would be.  Many didn't get past that to the true story.
However, when I removed that part and adjusted everything to account for its absence, the new beginning point felt weak.  While writing a battle scene in one of my later books, I came up with this idea for a new chapter 1 for Dralin that would be a better introduction to my writing for new readers.
It also introduces Kally Nevala, a character that appears later in the book.  It shows off some of Bobbell's skills and how his training benefited Pelya later in life.  The other characters brought in are Grinkin, Florsy, and Clutz.  Those three make an appearance in the second book, "Ebudae".  I thought it would be nice to show more of them to the reader.
The book will be updated in the next couple of weeks, but for now, enjoy!

Chapter 1
Frath avoided a puddle of corrupted magic as he peered around the corner.  Violet illumination from Ryallon’s two moons peeked through rainclouds to aid the feeble light of streetlamps.  Tilted wizard towers flanking the shadowy street faded into mist tarnished by mystical undertakings of the occupants.  Moisture trickling down the wall Frath had his gloved hand against also carried the taint of supernatural pollution.The only person on the street was a hooded man carrying a bound boy over his shoulder.  He scanned the street in both directions.Frath pulled back to avoid detection.  He held up a hand in warning.Lieutenant Kally Nevala gulped audibly.  She clenched the hilt of her sheathed sword with a white-knuckled grip.  The daughter of a nobleman, she was too inexperienced to be on a mission in the Tower District.Frath put a finger to his lips.Kally nodded, her short, curly blonde hair bobbing around her pretty face.  Anticipation beat out fear in her hazel eyes.Behind her in the alley were four of Frath’s best friends and the only ones who would take the risk of endangering their careers to rescue Kally’s brother.  In fact, they relished breaking the rules.  The entire group wore the brown tunic of the Dralin City Guard over polished chainmail and black pants.Bobbell was short and thin-faced with blonde hair and a trimmed goatee.  He and Frath had grown up in the cruel orphanages of Dralin.  He was also a better thief and pickpocket than most people they arrested.Grinkin, Florsy and Clutz had become quick friends with Frath when he joined the Guard.  They always fought dirty and used words that made hardened sergeants blush.  Florsy was the tallest of the group and skinny, although his ropey muscles held surprising strength.  He winked.Clutz, the quiet one of the group, trimmed his fingernails with a throwing knife.  People immediately underestimated him because of his name.  He was a master of traveling over the tightly packed rooftops of Dralin.Grinkin was stout and bald with a white mustache.  His unusually high-pitched voice didn’t match anything else about him.  A grin of excitement lit his face and he spun his sword in readiness.The sound of knocking echoed through the street.Frath looked around the corner again.The hooded man stood at the doorway where Kally’s brother was supposed to be imprisoned.  The door opened.  With a last glance at the street, the man entered.Frath drummed fingers on the hilt of his sheathed sword while turning back to look at Lieutenant Nevala.  “You’re sure your brother’s in there?”“Yes.”  Kally stood straight.  “I’ll tell you my informant works for the Guard’s secret service, but that’s it.  She risked her life to find out this much.”Grinkin grumbled.  “Just because you joined the secret service doesn’t mean you can trust everyone else in it.”“I trust them less.”  Florsy nudged Grinkin with his elbow.  “Could be a trick.”Frath blew hair out of his eyes.  “A guy just went in there with another boy over his shoulder.  I think we’re in the right place.”Kally put a hand to her mouth to hide the involuntary gasp that came out.“If the wizard got another boy, then Kally’s brother is probably mpphh . . .”Clutz put his hand over Florsy’s mouth to prevent him from finishing the sentence.Tears welled in Kally’s eyes.Frath put a hand on her shoulder.  “Listen, it’s true that your brother’s likely dead, but we’re going to go in to at least save his body.”Tears rolled down Kally’s cheeks.Grinkin smacked Frath’s arm.“Sorry.  That came out wrong.”  Frath ran fingers through his unruly black hair.  “Everything will be fine.  We can do this.”Grinkin grunted.  “That’s better.  What’s the plan here?  You said you would have one by the time we reached the tower.  We’re here.”“Yeah.  I’ve got it.”They leaned in to listen.“Bobbell will pick the lock.  We’ll work our way upstairs to the wizard’s workroom.  Those are always at the top.”Clutz frowned.  “Some wizards have their workrooms in the basement.”“They do?”“Yeah.”  His eyes narrowed.“Well . . . we’ll try the top first.  If it’s not there, then we’ll go to the basement.”Florsy snorted.  “Brilliant strategy.”Bobbell winked.  “Better than he usually comes up with.”Frath tried to smack his shoulder, but the rogue was too fast.“Can we even succeed?”  Concern was thick in Kally’s voice.“Of course.”  Frath nodded.  “There will be wards and other traps.  If we get past those, there’ll be bodyguards.  If we get past those, every wizard has supernatural guardians, so we’ll have to face those.  We may have to face apprentices if he has any.  The wizard will be the worst.  Our uniforms protect us from some magic, but the spells he casts will shred those . . .”  He scratched his chin.  “Where was I going? . . .”Florsy pointed at Frath and asked Bobbell, “Is he always like this?”Bobbell chuckled.  “Yeah, his pep talks make you think stabbing yourself might be the easier way to go.”“Sheela would agree with you,” Frath admitted.“When are you and Sheela getting married?” Clutz asked.  “I know you have a child coming soon.”“I’ll marry her as soon as I can afford a place outside the barracks.”  A rare smile came to Frath’s lips at the thought of his betrothed.A rat with eyes tainted green from magical pollution tried to join the group.  Clutz kicked it away.  “You two have a baby due soon.  You shouldn’t be risking yourself on something as foolish as this, Frath.”“Please.”  Desperation filled Kally’s voice.  “My brother . . .”“We’re going to rescue him.”  Frath stepped out into the street before anyone else could speak.  He hoped the others would follow.Kally was immediately next to him.  They reached the steps to the tower in moments.Bobbell slipped ahead to check the door.  He moved his hands and whispered in a mystical language.  A breeze affecting only him rustled his hair.  He made a sharp gesture.Colorful runes hovering over the face of the door came into view.Bobbell swirled his arms and continued his incantation.  The runes fizzled and then popped out of existence.“Are we allowed to do that kind of magic?” Kally whispered.Florsy nudged her arm with an elbow.  “Sure.  Just like we’re supposed to be breaking into a wizard’s tower in the middle of the night.”Frath took a deep breath.  “You’ll need to forget about rules tonight, Kally.”Kally set her jaw and readied herself.  “Yes.  You’re right.”Bobbell took a pouch out of a secret pocket and knelt near the lock.  “I’m glad you’re all making so much noise.  It helps test my focus.”Florsy nudged him.  “You’re welcome.”Bobbell glared at him while taking picks out of the pouch.  He inserted three of them in the door.Grinkin looked over Bobbell’s shoulder.  “How long will it take you?”The lock clicked.  Bobbell grinned at him and put the picks away.Clutz gave a low whistle.  “Impressive.”Bobbell tried the door.  It opened a crack before chains stopped it.  He did a quick inspection.  “Three?  That’s a bit much.”  He pulled out a roll of twine.  “This is going to take time.”“Put that away.”  Frath pulled him back.  He spotted where each chain was.  “Get ready for a fight.”  He gripped the railing for leverage.  Taking aim, he kicked the door where the lowest chain was.  The snap of the chain and the splintering of wood shattered the silence of the quiet street.Bobbell winked at Kally.  “This is how most of his plans evolve.  Between his height and his strength, he usually ends up bashing anything that gets in his way.”Clouds floated back in front of the moons.  Drizzle pattered the street and freshened the air.The next kick shattered the middle chain and weakened the top.  Frath rammed the door with his shoulder, finishing the last chain off.Standing in the middle of a room filled with dusty books and dustier furniture was a young woman in a robe.  A supernatural casting wind whipped her hair and robes.“Spell!”  Frath jumped to the side and hit the ground in a roll.Colorful language came from his friends outside.  One of the men yanked the door shut, trapping Frath in the room.The woman thrust her arms forward.  The casting wind slammed into her back, skidding her feet forward on the carpet.  Shards of ice shot from her fingertips.The first shards hit the door.She followed Frath’s motion, sending the shards in a fan.Frath jumped up out of his roll and ran to escape them.Pain shot through his thigh as two pierced his leg, knocking him off balance and sending him to the floor.  The enchantments in his guard-issued pants prevented the shards from going far, but it was still agonizing.The door crashed open.  His friends came through.Clutz threw a knife.Her spell finished and danger near, the woman drew a wand.Clutz’s knife hit her in the chest.Enchantments in her robe flared, protecting her from harm.They didn’t protect her from Grinkin coming in high and Florsy coming in low.  Enchantments flared, but the magical swords provided by the guard cut through them, ending the woman’s life.Kally ran to Frath and helped him up.  “How bad is it?”Frath tested his leg.  Looking down, he saw blood seeping through the holes in the pants.  “It’s not serious.  I’ll be in more pain after explaining how it happened to Sergeant Gorman.”  He grabbed a cloth off a side table and tore it in half.Bobbell snatched a small magical orb off a bookshelf.  “I can get you a new pair of pants from a pretty little requisition clerk, no paperwork required.”Kally’s brow furrowed.  “How will you do that?”“By dropping mine.”  Bobbell winked and slid the orb into a pocket.Kally gasped.  “That’s . . .”  Her mouth closed.  “Did you just steal that orb?”“Nope.  That would be unethical.”  He pointed at the stairs.  “I believe your brother’s that way?”“Yes but . . .”Grinkin guided her toward the stairs.  “You can file a report in the morning.  I’m certain your commanding officer will be more interested in a filched orb than what we were doing here in the first place.”“It’s just . . .”“Do you even know how to use that sword?”“Of course.”“Good.  Charge up the stairs and stab anything that gets in the way.”  Grinkin gave her a shove up the first few steps.She looked back at him in shock.“You’re the ranking officer here.  We’re on a mission to rescue your brother.  Lead the way.”She looked at Frath for confirmation.Frath finished his makeshift bandaging and drew his sword.  “Right behind you.”Kally hefted her sword and took a deep breath.  She ran up the stairs two at a time.Grinkin, Florsy and Clutz ran after her.Frath popped his neck each way and tried to contain the anger rising in his chest.  It was rare that anyone hurt him and he didn’t like it.“You still with me, Frath?”  Bobbell stared up at him with worry in his eyes.“Yeah.”“It looks like you’re starting to . . .”“I’ve got it under control for now.”  Red tinted the edges of his vision.“Does anyone in the guard know about? . . .”“No.”Sounds of fighting came from upstairs.“Let’s go.”  Frath jogged to the staircase.  He took them three at a time.When they reached the next level, Kally was in the process of trying to pull her sword out of a bodyguard.  “Let go!”  She had her foot against the man’s chest and was tugging with all her strength.The hapless stared in uncomprehending shock at the blade stuck in his body.  His own sword was on the ground and his arms were at his sides, too weak to fight. Two other bodyguards and a wizard lay on the ground near Grinkin’s crew.  Florsy looked up at the newcomers.  He nudged Clutz.  “Didn’t he say he was right behind us?”Kally’s sword finally came free from the ribs.  She fell on her behind, her bloody blade clattering beside her.The bodyguard lurched forward and fell on top of her.  The air that burst from his mouth was his last.“Get off!”  Kally shoved him aside and backpedaled to escape.“Do you think the wizard knows we’re coming?” Grinkin asked nobody in particular. “Nah.  We’ve been quite as sleeping mice.”  Bobbell jogged to the next flight of stairs and looked up them.  “Something doesn’t look quite right about these.”  He squatted at the bottom and ran his fingers lightly over the step.  “Keep an eye out for danger while I inspect these.”Clutz drew a knife in each hand and positioned himself behind Bobbell.Frath clenched and unclenched his fist around the hilt of his sword while resisting the urge to jump over the Bobbell and rush up the stairs.Grinkin helped Kally to her feet.  “Slide the blade in parallel to the ribs rather than vertical.  It’s less likely to get stuck that way if your aim is good enough.”“Yeah.”  Kally wiped spatters of the dead man’s blood off her face before retrieving her sword.  “That’s a lot harder in reality than on the training field.”Grinkin squeezed her arm.  “First kill?”“No, but . . .”  Kally shook her head.  “I’m ready to go.”Bobbell made a sharp motion with his knife in between the steps.  “That should disable it.”  He jammed the knife in again, got to his feet and slammed his heel into the pommel of the knife, driving it all the way in.  “And that should prevent the mechanism from slipping on accident.”  He stood aside and gestured for them to pass.Kally took a step forward, but Frath stopped her.  “I’ll go first now.”“But it’s . . .”Frath couldn’t contain his growl.  “It’s best I go first now.”She backed away, her eyes wide.“Frath . . .”  Bobbell held up a hand.“I’m fine.”  Frath loped to the stairs before racing up them and charging into a circular room filled with odd items of magical construction on tables and shelves.  Odors of metal, wood and magical energy tickled Frath’s heightened senses.A pair of wicked venom hounds stood guard at the bottom of the next set of stairs.  Fangs jutting from grotesquely shaped mouths held channels to venom that weakened anyone they bit.  Even their breath was toxic.A bestial roar shattered the silence of the room, only it was from Frath’s throat, rather than those of the hounds.  His momentum  propelled him to them in an instant.The hound on the right maneuvered to flank Frath.  The one in front hunched down, ready to leap.Frath swung his sword in a diagonal downward arc as the hound in front jumped.  His blade cut through the head and shoulders, slicing through bone.  The impact carried the hound’s body up around as Frath spun.The hound on the side snarled and leapt for Frath’s exposed flank.Frath’s spin was as a tornado.  He brought his sword around with the first hound stuck to it.  In his enraged state, the hundred-pound body was like a feather to him.  He slammed the two hounds together and drove them into the floor.His blade finished its journey through the first body and cut through the second in a mortal wound.Kally’s voice came from behind him.  “By the gods . . .”Frath yanked his blade out of the dead hounds, sending chunks of flesh and coarse hair flying.  He turned to the stairs, ready for the next level.Bobbell rushed past.  “Let me check the stairs.”Frath waited, chest heaving, not from exertion, but from battle rage flooding his marrow.  It amplified his strength and speed, but reduced his ability to think clearly.  Bobbell knew Frath had the rare condition and kept it hidden.  Most people with the condition died in battle at an early age or were put to death after they committed a killing rampage.Kally touched his arm with tentative fingers.A growl rumbled in his throat.  He neededto battle.She withdrew the fingers.Bobbell jumped up.  “It’s clear.  I think we’re near the top.  Expect to be hit with spells.”Frath grabbed an orb of unknown effect and sprang up the stairs.  Bobbell’s warning was not lost on him.  Halfway up, threw the orb into the room above.Arcs of lightning sprayed the air and thunder shook the beams above.  The lightning hit the orb causing greenish-blue cracks to appear over its surface.  It sailed into the room beyond Frath’s sight.The briefest moment of silence made Frath halt despite his battle rage.A shockwave of blinding light and thunderous sound shook the tower and made everyone’s heart stop a beat.  Debris fell from the ceiling, pelting their heads.Frath shook off the debris and ringing in his ears.  In a few long steps, he reached the top of the stairs and scanned for his first target.A wizard sat on the ground with blood trickling from his mouth and nose.  A dazed expression clouded his eyes and debris cluttered his beard.  A wizard’s staff with a blue crystal lay on the ground nearby.The man and boy Frath had seen previously lay unconscious on the floor against the far end of the room.  With his heightened senses, he noticed they were both breathing.In cages nearby were two other unconscious boys.But the thing that caught his attention the most was an eight-foot golem made of wood with patches of what appeared to be rune-carved human flesh covering it.  Its eyes and mouth glowed with dark, unnatural light.  It banged its head with a clumsy fist to shake off effects of the explosion.  Burn marks charred its chest.Frath decided it was the thing most likely to give him a fight worthy of his fury.  He bellowed at the creature.The creature stopped hitting itself.  It saw Frath and bellowed back.The ringing in his ears prevented Frath from hearing either bellow.  He attacked.The golem counterattacked, swinging its fist.Frath met the fist with a two-handed blow of his sword.  The impact shattered the golem’s fist.The golem continued the swing, hitting Frath’s nose with splintered wood.Frath’s nose had already been broken more than once and the fact that it was broken yet again sent him the rest of the way into his battle rage.  Liquid red tinted all his vision.  Rather than making it dim, it sharpened details.The golem swung its other fist.Frath met it with a ferocious backswing.  He had the sense to duck at the same time to prevent more damage to his crooked nose.  The blow shattered the golem’s arm and wrenched Frath’s shoulders.  He hopped to the side to keep his balance.The wizard picked up his staff and struggled to his feet.Kally arrived at that point to hit him with her sword.Enchantments in his robe turned the blade aside.  Runes in the robe and in Kally’s sword flared.  He staggered backward and swung his staff at her.Upon impact, it released energy that shot Kally through the air to slam into the golem’s side.The golem stumbled while Kally crumpled to the ground.Two of Clutz’s knives hit the wizard, causing his robe to flash in protection.The wizard held his staff at the defensive.Grinkin charged in to strike the staff with an upswing.  A burst of energy knocked the sword back, but the guardsman was ready for it.  He spun and came back around behind the wizard with a second blow.Florsy hit the wizard from the front at the same time.  Runes in the swords flared.  The combinations of attacks took their toll on the wizard’s robes, weakening it enough that both blades made shallow cuts through to the skin.Desperation filled the wizard’s eyes.  He backed away, swinging his staff.Frath renewed his effort against the golem.  He slashed at its torso, cutting into flesh and wood.The golem swung its damaged arms as if they were twigs swaying in a gale.Frath dodged every swing.  He was faster than anyone his size had a right to be and with his heightened senses, it was difficult to harm him.The golem charged forward in an attempt to slam its opponent to the ground.Frath sidestepped and ducked behind the charge.  He brought his sword around against the golem’s back, knocking it to the floor.  He jumped on the golem’s back and hacked at it as though he were chopping kindling for a fire.Grinkin, Florsy hacked at the wizard while Clutz and Bobbell darted in with quick stabs.Kally regained consciousness and abruptly lurched to her feet before falling sideways and landing awkwardly.  She maneuvered to her hands and knees while trying to make sense of the battle.The wizard had a dozen cuts through his spent robe.  His last desperate swing of the staff missed everyone.Four swords pierced him with mortal wounds.  The men withdrew them at the same time, leaving him to collapse with a gurgling sigh.The golem kicked and struggled to get up, but was ineffective without arms.Frath continued hacking even after it stopped moving.Grinkin took a step toward him.  “Hey Frath, it’s dead.”Bobbell stopped him.  “It’s best to let him stop on his own.”Kally crawled toward the cages.  “Tiyler.  Tiyler, is that you?”  She reached one of the cages and jerked on the door.  “It’s locked.”  She shook the bars.  “It’s locked.”Bobbell ran over, pulling his picks out at the same time.  “I’ll get it.”Clutz headed to a desk with an open book and papers scattered over it.  “I’ll try to find a key.”Florsy removed a bejeweled necklace from the wizard’s neck.  “I’ll start grabbing valuables.  That’ll make it look like thieves did this.”Despite her desperation, Kally gasped in shock.  “We’re members of the guard.  We can’t steal things!”Grinkin grabbed wands from their rack on a table near the stairs.  “We’ll give most of it to charity, lass.  That way it’s not really stealing.”“Most of it? . . .”Frath continued chopping the golem, though it was hard to tell it had once had a shape by that point.Bobbell conquered the lock and opened the cage.Kally forgot her indignation as she scrambled in to recover her brother.  “Tiyler!  Tiyler, wake up.  Please wake up.”The boy moaned and lifted his head.“Thank the gods.”  Kally clutched him to her chest and rocked.“Do you think Frath is going to continue until he has sawdust,” Florsy asked no one in particular.Bobbell had the second cage unlocked in an instant.  “If that’s what he needs, let him.”  He went in to check on the other boy.Clutz abandoned his search for the key and went over to the unconscious man and boy.  He leaned over the man and did a quick inspection before checking the boy and lifting him into his arms.Frath stopped chopping.  The red left his vision.  He twisted his neck each way to pop it.  “Are we finished?”  He wiped off his blade and scanned the room.Bobbell came out of the cage with the boy over his shoulder.  “Yeah.  Let’s get out of here.  Kally has her brother and we can take these other two to the Temple of Turqua.”“Who is Turqua again?”  Florsy shoved some valuables into a backpack he found.  “I can’t keep up with all the temples in this city.”Kally held carried her brother out of his cage.  “The Goddess Turqua can’t bear children, so she nurtures those without homes.  Can someone sheath my sword for me?”Grinkin picked it up off the floor and cleaned it off as she had asked.  “I wish more women would ask me that.”  He winked playfully.Kally smirked.  “I’m sure you do.”  She looked around once more.  “Oh, what should we do about the man who brought that boy in?”“Took care of it.”  Clutz headed to the stairs.  “Let’s go.”“You killed him?”  Despair cracked Kally’s voice as she noticed the pool of blood spreading under the body.Frath put his arm around her shoulders and guided her out of the room.  “There are countless men in Dralin who steal children.  The city won’t miss that one.”Kally choked back tears as she let the men lead her down the stairs and out of the tower into the night.  Rain fell on their heads as they made their way to the temple, hiding any that might have escaped.
***
Frath sat on the bench outside the temple with his arms resting on his legs and his head hung.  The others were inside seeing to the safety of the boys.  If they had parents, the temple would reunite them.  If not, they would try to find them homes outside of Dralin.His nose throbbed and the cuts in his leg itched.  He had a couple of bruises in random places he didn’t remember getting.  Sergeant Gorman, who was in charge of Frath’s squad, would grill him when Frath got back.  He could hide the bruises and the cuts in his leg, but not the broken nose.  Kally was the first to come out with her brother clinging to her side.  In a flash, she was at his side.  “Frath, drink this.  Quickly now.”  She clasped his jaw and held a vial to his lips while tipping his head back.Frath grabbed her wrist, surprised by the abrupt action, but didn’t fight her.  Cool syrup flowed down his throat, tickling it with mystical energy.  As soon as it hit his stomach, the throbbing in his nose stopped and all bodily pains left.“There.  Now you don’t need to worry about getting into trouble.”  Kally tapped the last of the syrup into his mouth and took the vial away.  She took a closer look at his face.  “Your nose is still crooked.”“You . . .”  Frath stared at her with eyes wide.  “Healing potions cost . . .”She stoppered the vial and tucked it into a belt pouch.  “My father will pay the cost.  It’s a small dose made by an acolyte rather than a full bottle by a priest.  There’s a chance you may grow an extra ear.”  She winked.“They wouldn’t have sold it if it was bad.  Even that much is a fortune.  If you wanted me healed, a priest, or even an acolyte could have laid their hands on me for a fraction of the cost.  Why . . .”Kally chewed on her lip, took a breath to answer, and then paused before saying, “To reduce the chance of discovery of course.  Healing drains energy and would have put you out of commission for days.  With a potion, it’s as though nothing happened.”“Yeah.  I don’t hurt anymore.”  He stretched and tested his muscles.  “I’m a little tired and hungry though.”“Like I said, it was made by an acolyte, so you’ll still feel some of the adverse effects.”The others came out at that point.  “The boys are safe.”  Bobbell gestured for Frath to get up.  “We’re going to be late for roll call, Frath.  Let’s go.”“We need to escort Kally’s brother back to his father’s estate.  Kally’s capable, but Dralin isn’t safe for a lone woman and boy.”“You two get back to the barracks.”  Grinkin put a protective hand on Kally’s shoulder.  “We’ll ensure they get home safely.”Florsy nudged Clutz in the ribs with an elbow.  “Yeah.  The only thing that would make oursergeant suspicious is if we showed up on time.”Clutz rubbed his rib and chuckled.  “True enough.  Go on Frath.”“Thanks guys.  I appreciate it.”
They exchanged farewells.  Frath and Bobbell used a few coins confiscated from the wizard’s tower to hire a taxi cart back to the barracks.

2016 election and Star Wars

Comparing this year's election to Star Wars goes like this:

Hillary Clinton is the representative of the corrupt Senate government. Things will gradually continue to get worse under her and average person will be used for the benefit of the wealthy until we all become peasants again.
Hillary without makeupTrump is Darth Sidious. He wants to wrest control from the Senate and do things his way, destroying everyone who opposes him. Trump and ChildrenThen he wants to build a Death Star. He calls it a wall, but what he really wants is a Death StarBernie Sanders is the Jedi Council. Too little, too late, ineffective and overall making things worse for everyone in the long run no matter how good their intentions. Bernie in Dagobah after the primariesThe press is Jar Jar Binks.
What it all boils down to is that we're now living in Episodes 1 through 3. How we all feel about thisMay the Force be with you.
John H. Carroll

Book Review: Soul Bonds, Book 1 of The Circle of Light Series.

The Circles of Light Series

The Circle of Light Series is an epic fantasy series filled with dragons, magic, adventure and everything wonderful about fantasy.  It is excellent reading for all ages, well written and edited.

Book 1, Soul Bonds

 
Smashwords
Amazon 
Description:

A young slave girl flees from the Lord who owns her, choosing to die in the mountains rather than become one of his 'pretties'. When that death seems all too likely, she is found by one of the Dragon Kindred and Tika's life takes a twist she could never have imagined in her wildest dreams - or her worst nightmares. 
You can get it at Amazon
Smashwords
B&N
Kobo
Review

This is the first book in the Circles of Light Series.  It is epic fantasy safe for young adults, though there is mild fantasy violence.  If you're looking for books to keep your interest for lots of reading that may keep you up well past your bedtime, you've found it here.

Tika is a young slave girl with a mysterious past.  After escaping from her slavery to almost certain death, she discovers the fascinating world of dragons.  Those dragons are the best part of the story.  I could tell the author spent a lot of time daydreaming about them and what their existence would be like.

The story begins immediately with Tika's discovery of those dragons.  She forms a bond (thus the title name) with one and her life intertwines with the species from that point on.  You learn about the dragons and about Tika for a chapter or two, giving you the foundation for the rest of the story.

While Tika is the main character, the story that follows is largely about the dragons.  They have personalities as big as they are.  The characters of the dragons are distinct.  It's easy to fall in love with some and dislike others with a passion.  Not surprisingly, they aren't all happy about having a human among them, a fact that becomes pivotal in the events that follow.

Once much of the dragon's story is presented, the plot switches back to Tika, who may be more than just a runaway slave girl.  Tika is a strong and courageous woman without being a Mary Sue.  She's capable and talented, but inexperienced.  There are other strong women in the story whose conversations move the plot forward, rather than focusing on relationships and the such.  Basically, the author avoids the pitfalls that plague so many other strong female leads.

Upon reaching a new destination midway through the book, the rest of the world begins opening up.  The reader gets to meet some of the other races in the world.  It's a fascinating world too with exotic geographies and civilizations that are touched upon without bogging down into mind-numbing world-building.

The villain and some of the evil races are quite easy to dislike.  The villain's personality is well developed and multifaceted rather than being one-dimensional.  There's also a good deal of mystery as to his past.

The ending closes the book well with excitement and suspense.  It leads one to want the next story.  The one negative I found was that it was difficult to keep track of the names on occasion as a few of them sound similar.  But that was resolved as the personalities developed.  Each character is very much their own and their voices are distinct from each other.

One of the things I liked is the mystery involved with every character, who they are and why they are that way.  The author teases the reader with hints, but never fully reveals what the past may hold.  There are stories to develop through the rest of the series.

E.M. Sinclair's writing is daydreamy (yes, that's a word).  You can see the fascination she has in exploring her world with her characters. The book is professional quality and well edited.  I highly recommend for all ages.

About the Author

"From as far back as I can remember, I have always had a feeling that Dragons are real. When you look at a wide sky there is a glimpse from the corner of your eye which must surely be a Dragon whisking past. I always regarded the stories of monstrous fierce Dragons as being completely wrong and I detested stories of St George and his dragon killing tendencies.

 When I was still a small child my grandfather gave me a copy of Kenneth Grahame's The Reluctant Dragon. It made complete sense to me - a Dragon living in a secluded cave, wanting only peace and quiet to write poetry."

Disclaimer

I have decided to review books that I enjoy. I am an avid reader of fantasy, so most of them will be in that genre. I'm not taking any requests, just reading what catches my eyes. You'll find that most of these are from Indie Authors. The way I figure it, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Alan Dean Foster and Piers Anthony (my favorite authors) already have enough reviews, but Indies could always use a few more.

It is important to note here that while I am a writer, I am doing these reviews as a  reader . I also know a number of the authors I will be reviewing. This is not an exchange of reviews, nor have I been solicited by those authors to write the review.  If I don't like a book, I won't review it.

All my best,

John H. Carroll

Short Sell Hell

Selling a house

Yay!  This will be an enjoyable process, yes?
Sure, it will totally be enjoyable.  You betcha.  Bless your little heart.

Making the decision to sell a house

So, my wife and I decided to move our family one day.  Our biggest obstacle was selling the house we had owned for 10 years.  We loved the house, just not the town around it anymore.  We had a mortgage and a second line of credit on it.  Considering how much the market had dropped in the previous few years, we knew we probably wouldn't make it.  So we hired a realtor who had experience in short sales just in case it came to that.

Before I continue, I just want to say that Allison Fuhrman was epically awesome.  Best realtor ever.

And US Bank Home Mortgage was epically horrible.  Worst mortage company ever.

House for sale

We posted the house!  Allison sent us this wonderful email on October 3rd, 2012:

Carroll Family,
Here is the MLS listing with all photos and virtual tours.
Please verify the information.  If you see anything you would like to change or modify please do not hesitate to contact me the changes.  I have listed the home as a 3 bedroom, because of the sq. ft. and bathroom count I felt this is a better marketing plan.  The photos came out great and I am very happy with the v-tour as well. 

I am very excited about selling your home and I thank you for the opportunity to do so.
Warm Regards,
Allison

The house

Here is a picture of the house.  It was such a cute little brick Victorian.  We absolutely loved the house and the property lit up like a gingerbread house around Christmas.



Fast forward

Woohoo!  The house is sold! . . . May 20th, 2016.

3 YEARS 7 MONTHS later!

Honestly, I didn't say woohoo.  I pretty much walked out in disbelief after finally signing the paperwork.

What happened

The house didn't sell.  We initiated an aggressive strategy of lowering the price every month in the hope of generating interest and keeping the listing refreshed.

And then everything in our lives fell apart.  Like on an epic level.  I mean it really went to crap.  I'm not even going to talk about it.

The house was the least of my concerns.  I told Allison that we should let it get repossessed.  I didn't care about it in the least.  She encouraged me to keep going though.  A short sale would be far worse for my credit than a repossession.  Bolstered by her words, I told her that I would plug away.  Just let me know what she needed and I'd take care of it.

First buyer

Woohoo!  We got a buyer.  Lots of papers to sign and send off to the bank.  Every detail of my woeful finances was bare to them.  Now we just needed to hurry up and wait . . .

. . . and wait

. . . and wait

After months of waiting, the buyer left.

Another buyer!

More papers, more financial details and more months of waiting.

Buyer gives up.

The next one barely lasted 2 months I believe.

And another,

And another,

Years have passed.  By this time, they have years worth of financial data on how bad things went.

Another,

Another, this one super crazy.  They left too.

Another,

Another before the other has left.  This one even crazier.

Honestly, I'm not exactly sure how many we went through.  At least 7.  I believe it may have been as many as 10.

Along the way, I filed a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.  But it wasn't until I contacted my senator's office with the complaint that we finally saw progress.  After 3 years, it seemed like a reasonable step.

Progress

It took constant work to get the bank to respond to even the simplest requests.  But we finally received short sale approval.  And then they gave us a deadline of 3 weeks to close.  We managed to do it though

Details

Are lacking in this post.  I really just wanted to write it in order to close a difficult chapter of my life.  This is a woohoo sort of letter/thingy/whatever.

My house is sold!  Yay!

If you ever want to buy a house in the Colorado Springs area, I recommend contacting Allison.  She will do her best for you.  Just please don't put her through the hell I did.



[image error]
Allison Fuhrman
Cherry Creek Properties, LLC
(office) 720-980-9997
(cell) 719-684-3398
(fax) 719-634-6064
fuhrmanrealty@gmail.com

All my best,

John H. Carroll

Book Review: In the Wake of War, The Ballard Chronicles Book 1

The Ballard Chronicles

The Ballard Chronicles is the sequel of The Aielund Saga books written by author and artist Stephen Nowland. 

Rather than painting his cover on canvas, the author worked with advanced graphics to paint his cover.  Love the eyes in the dagger.

Book 1, In the Wake of War

   AmazonSmashwordsBarnes & Noble 
Description:
The town of Bracksford was caught in the middle of many conflicts during a recent war, yet the tightly-knit community always found a way to pull together and survive against great adversity. Now that peace has finally settled over the land, they struggle to rebuild while haunted by the memories of violence seen and family lost.Aislin Ballard, the innkeeper's daughter goes about her daily life helping the rebuilding effort any way she can, while struggling with deeper issues of loss and a foreboding sense that the king behind the conflict is still out there, seeking vengeance against the realm for losing both the conflict and his throne. When the spectre of war threatens to engulf the region once again, Aislin and a small group of companions find themselves the only ones able to avert disaster, if they can gather their courage and risk all not to fight a war, but to stop one before it begins.
Review

This book follows the events of the Aielund Saga.  However, it is not necessary to reed those in order to properly enjoy this one.  It calls to the actions and deeds of the Saga as backstory and fills in only what you need to know to understand events in this one.  This is safe for young adults, with mild fantasy violence

In the Wake of War is a fast read that draws you in immediately. The scenes blend into each other and it's easy to forget to stop to sleep. (My wife made me.) It has action, adventure and an excellent plot, but the key with this book is the characters.  They each have distinct personalities that make you like or hate them.  Or in Madelyn's case, flip both ways depending on her behavior. My favorite character is Jaz.  I've always had a soft spot for the tinkerer/artificer characters.

The story begins with Aislin. As with all of the author's characters, you instantly become invested in her fate. She's a 12yr, almost 13yr old girl who's seen far too much war and is pushed into a traumatizing situation again. This time, she's determined to fight for her freedom and the freedom of those she cares about. It's unusual to see a girl as the main character in fantasy and it's a refreshing change. In addition, the party that travels with her is made up of men and women. The author allows the women to be strong, but not lose their femininity, which is an issue with many writers.  The women occasionally need saving, but no more than the men.  If anything, the men need more saving than the women.

The group of characters play well off each other, with conflicts interspersed by witty banter.  Events send them off to try to save the day, or many days as the case may be.  The story draws you into the scenes with spooky caves and awesome vistas.  The danger keeps the reader on the edge of the seat and always worried about the fate of the party.

Stephen Nowland's technique has improved over the course of each story and this one is highly refined.  With most Indie Authors, you have to watch for spelling and grammar issues.  Not so with these books.  They are a professional quality and well edited.  There are no wasted words or scenes.  Everything advances the story in a way that you stop hearing the author's voice.

All in all, this was an excellent adventure to read and I can't wait for the next one to come out.

About the Author

I was one of those kids who daydreamed his way through school. All the little adventures I'd concoct in my mind were far more interesting than math or tests or sport. Somehow, I passed the important bits (art and english) and moved on, but always with a creative perspective to my life.

It was around 1992 when the magic of reading really sunk into me, for it was then I discovered fantasy novels. Feist, Salvatore & Eddings showed me worlds that fired my imagination, and from that point on I knew I wanted to write the stories that flitted around the recesses of my imagination.

Unfortunately, I spent most of the next fifteen years dealing with poor health, including resultant chronic fatigue syndrome which interfered with my life immeasurably, but gave me ample time for thought. An abortive attempt to create a story happened around 1996, but I look back on such things as stepping stones on the road to where I wanted to be.

My first complete novel was actually done back in '03, but it was a derivative work based on elements from other stories, something I didn't realise until after I'd written it. The mind can do funny things if you don't keep it on a tight leash! Still, there were some unique points to the story I kept, so I scrapped the rest and began a completely new for Neverwinter Nights, that RPG video game thing you may or may not have heard of.

The story was so successful (filled with rich, creamy character development) that I lamented that only people playing the game would ever see it. In 2009, with my health improving, I resolved to novelize the stories I'd written, in addition to developing the world in which they exist as the basis for a new fantasy series.

I consider those stories to be merely the first iteration of the saga, for my novels have evolved far beyond the original scope, in terms of detail, plot and character building. Looking back on it now, I can see my style has evolved a very long way from those humble beginnings indeed.

Oh, I also paint. You can expect to see more cover art with each title, becoming more technically sophisticated each time.

Reviews coming soon.

I've read Soul Bonds, Book 1 of The Circle of Light series by E.M. Sinclair.  I just need to write the review for it.

Soul Bonds
The next books I want to read are by Michael Mathias, starting with the Wardstone Trilogy

Disclaimer

I have decided to review books that I enjoy. I am an avid reader of fantasy, so most of them will be in that genre. I'm not taking any requests, just reading what catches my eyes. You'll find that most of these are from Indie Authors. The way I figure it, David Eddings, Anne McCaffrey, Alan Dean Foster and Piers Anthony (my favorite authors) already have enough reviews, but Indies could always use a few more.

It is important to note here that while I am a writer, I am doing these reviews as a  reader . I also know a number of the authors I will be reviewing. (I am friends with Mr. Nowland, and he even mentioned me in his acknowledgements) This is not an exchange of reviews, nor have I been solicited by those authors to write the review.  If I don't like a book, I won't review it.

All my best,

John H. Carroll

5 years published

Becoming a writer

I self-published my first book, Rojuun, November 24th 2010 at the beginning of the Self-Publishing revolution.  I had high hopes and low expectations as to what to expect.  I discussed it with my wife and told her that self-publishing would likely ruin my chances to get a traditional contract.  However, the thought of going through years worth of rejections when I could put my book out there immediately just seemed foolish.  So I went for it.

I began writing Rojuun in January of 2010.  I had already written some terrible poetry and a couple of short stories.  I thought I had a pretty good idea of what I was doing, but the experience taught me a great deal.

2010 was a vastly different environment than now with self-publishing.  Everyone was trying new things.  Amazon hadn't figured out their algorithms yet, so when I put Rojuun free after finishing the next couple in the series, It took off with thousands of downloads.  Rojuun and a few of my other books are still free and those books draw new readers to my work every week.


Book 4 of the Ryallon Series:  Rojuun  FREE! Print: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1475268254Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/31154?ref=johnhcarrollAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004TXS0DIApple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/rojuun/id409277486?mt=11B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rojuun-john-h-carroll/1029147189Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/rojuun-1
Five year plan

When I first published, I decided on a five year plan.  I would write as much as possible and do everything I could to succeed to a point where writing could sustain me.  I also decided at the time that if I turned out to be a complete failure, I would set it aside and focus on something else.

The reality is that neither of those happened.  I could have done some things differently along the way to create better success.  I should have reinvested some of my money into my books, but I used it to support my family instead.  My family comes before everything.  I would even give up writing to take care of them.  Also, the last few years have gone badly in many ways.  We've had to work through some very rough times, and continue to have to do so.  My last book took 2 years to write because of it.  That's a serious liability when publishing one's own work.  Optimally, I should be publishing 3 or 4 works every year.

That said, I've still achieved a fair amount of success, more than many have experienced.  I haven't counted my sales in nearly a year, so I can't give you exact numbers, but I've sold about 15,000 copies of my books.  I've made a reasonable amount of money, which has helped with the bills along the way.

And I've enjoyed myself. That's a big key right there.  I absolutely love writing. I don't write for others. If I did, then there wouldn't be so many emo bunnies in my books.  I write for myself. When I'm done, I share it with the world because it's cruel for an artist not to. The stories are still for me though.

What I've learned

There is a saying that you don't become a professional until you spend 10,000 hours doing an activity.  After doing some math where I included a lot of time in the past doing some game building for about 4 years where I wrote a great deal of dialog and story creation, I've far surpassed that.  I've also surpassed a million words of published work. I've completed 9 novels, 10 children's stories, 2 novellas, and 4 short stories. Does this mean I'm a professional?  Hard to tell, but it does mean I've put in the time. 

While writing all these books, I've learned to write.  It's a redundant statement, but it's real.  I've gone over and over every word I've written.  I've changed styles.  I've experimented with different techniques.  All the while, I've tried to write excellent stories about fascinating characters that stimulate the imagination.  I'm still learning with every book I write and striving to get better.

My current books won't ever reach the level of success of a JK Rowling or others like that.  I think I made too many mistakes along the way.  I developed a story line that was a little too large with too many characters to follow.  I should have focused down into some of the stories and developed them into adventure series.  It's something I will keep in mind for the future.

Where I'm at now

I just finished a re-edit of Dralin, which is the 1st book overall in the Ryallon Series.  I did one of those things where I wrote books 4,5,6 before 1,2,3.  However, the Dralin Trilogy is a much better prequel than some others that we'll avoid mentioning *coughstarwars123cough*

In doing so, I realized that I had lost some of my enjoyment and verve when it came to writing.  This book returns to the fun, banter and even silliness that my earlier writing had.  It's a blast and I love the characters in it.



 
Book 1:  Dralin FREE! Print: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1479286982Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96981?ref=johnhcarrollAmazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005WFA4M2Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dralin/id478046022?mt=11B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dralin-john-h-carroll/1106721519Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/dralin-1
Currently, I'm writing my 10th novel: Cloudswept, Book 3 of the Wyvern Trilogy.  It's going very well.  I expect to have the first draft of this book finished in late February if too many more things don't go wrong.

What the future holds

After I'm finished with this book, I'm going to write books 2 and 3 of the Crazed Trilogy.  I'm afraid I left the characters in that trilogy hanging, along with some very frustrated readers!

I also need to write some more Stories for Demented Children.  It's not near as popular as the Ryallon series, but I have some devoted readers of those.  I have a few ideas down for stories there.  I intend to do another Zachary Zombie story and possibly even an Emo Bunny that Should sequel!

I'm not the best writer, but I'm a solid writer that spins enjoyable yarns.  The characters have become real to me and many of my readers.  I believe that I will at some point support my family with my writing.  In any case, I'll keep plugging away.  I truly love writing.

All my best,

John H. Carroll

Cloudswept, Wyvern Trilogy Book 3, Chapter 1

Hello,

"Cloudswept" is book three of the Wyvern Trilogy.  This is the first draft of the first chapter.  Please keep in mind that it will be edited numerous times before being published.  That said, I'm actually very happy with it.  It's somewhat exciting, introduces the main character like it needs to, and it has the playfulness that I lacked in my previous book.

I hope this preview keeps you excited for the coming of the book.

I'm including an updated map of Nulanea, a northern continent in the world of Ryallon.





 
Year 1393, Fifth Age
Being seven months after the events of Liquid.
 
The complex lock was taking longer to pick than Pelya liked.  Sweat-soaked strands of hair cascading around her face blocked her vision.  She refused to cut it or put it in a braid as she had done in the past.  It was irrelevant, as was the flickering light of enchanted torchlight from the hallway behind.  She needed the sense of touch, not sight in this instance.  Pelya steadied her breathing to calm anxiety that threatened to scatter her focus.
Four enchanted picks pressed against tumblers through the keyhole.  She needed a fifth, but there was no room for it.  Their magic kept them steady when Pelya’s gloved hand twitched from concentrated effort.  The uppermost pick had three prongs on it.  It should work if she could just manage to press . . .  The lock finally gave a satisfying click of success.
Pelya took the oft-used picks out to put them back in their worn leather pouch.  After rolling it up, she put it back into the secret pocket inside her form-fitting black tunic.   Mystic silver thread covered both the tunic and her dark-blue pants, providing powerful protections against physical and magical threats.  They would probably be needed considering she was breaking into a treasure room below a wizard’s tower.
A quick scan showed the hallway behind her to be empty other than the pit trap in the center of the floor.  Pelya stretched her legs, shook her feet, and adjusted the chain-reinforced leather sword belt around her waist.  Pouches hung from it with items to help her in her mission.  She was a master with the pair of enchanted swords that rested in sheaths at her hips.  Hopefully, those wouldn’t be necessary since her contract required she not kill the wizard whose tower she was breaking into.
Even though she was the one picking locks and evading traps, Pelya wasn’t a thief.  The wizard had stolen a shipment of powerful wizards’ staffs headed from Dralin to Juragdat in the Kingdom of Inizor.  The Cloudswept Bank provided insurance to the merchant shipping them.  If the staffs weren’t recovered, the bank would have to pay out a large sum in compensation.  They already owed a portion of money for the delivery being late.
That was where Pelya and agents like her came in.  For a fee, they recovered stolen goods, saving the bank a great deal of money.  An agent like Pelya cost a great deal though.  She was one of the best and her fee would negate any profit the bank might have made off the insurance.  Paying her was better than covering the entire cost of the shipment though.  It was in everyone’s best interest if the shipment arrived as it was supposed to.
What worried Pelya was that the lone survivor of the theft had mentioned the wizard controlled a golem made of stone.  Of course, the golem wasn’t the only thing that worried Pelya.  She peered into the bottom of the spiked pit where the remains of the previous agent of the bank rested uncomfortably.  Judging by the wounds, it had taken him a while to die.  She wondered if the wizard had stripped his gear before or after the man had succumbed to the end.
A small pile of dust at her feet was all that was left of the runeball that had enabled her to see it and the two traps on the door she had disarmed before picking it.  That had been her last trap-finding runeball.  Ebudae, her best friend growing up in Dralin, had made it along with a number of others Pelya had at her disposal.  Pelya had a request with the bank to either replace them or find her a new device that would do the same job.  Her expenses were part of the fee she charged.
The blood flowed normally through her legs again.  She couldn’t waste any more time.  After drawing her secondary sword, she hunched low, cracked the door open, and looked into the room.
No lights shone from inside.  The crack allowed light from the hall to enter, which wasn’t enough to see anything, but would allow anything inside to see her.
This was when her job was most dangerous.  Every option available to her had risks that could get her killed.  At least she was alone and wouldn’t be the cause of anyone else’s death.
Pelya flung open the door and darted inside to the left.  Her first thought was gratitude that the floor didn’t open into another pit trap.
Torches in brackets on the walls of the circular treasure room sprang to life, sputtering with enchanted flame.  Long crates made to hold staffs were stacked on the right side of the room.  There should be eighteen of them.  Other crates lined the walls along with a full bookshelf, numerous bags and assorted items on shelves.
Pelya’s next thought was consternation at the golem standing in the middle of the treasure room.  To her dismay, it noticed her.
A voice like rolling boulders emitted from it.  “Password.”  Crystalline black gems glowed with enchantment from a head made up of rock pieces molded together.
Pelya hated passwords.  She guessed.  “Carnivorous fairy.”
“Not password.  Intruder die.” It came after her.
Pelya drew her primary sword as she dashed to the side.  “Intruder die is a terrible password.”
Its body consisted of two large stones for the torso and two for each limb.  Rocks for the hands and feet mimicked a human’s shape.  Joints glowed with red light when it moved.  Each thudding step the golem took shook dust from the mortar.  It moved faster than Pelya anticipated.  It also showed intelligence in the course it took to intercept.
She reversed direction just before it reached her.  “Shall we dance?”
The golem skidded to a halt and swung its fist where she had been.  Had it connected, it likely would have crushed Pelya’s skull.
Pelya slashed at its arm with her primary sword.  It took a chunk out of the rock with a clang, but did no real damage.  That was a worrisome outcome considering the level of enchantment in the blade.  Runes flashed on the golem’s arm, proving mystical protection in addition to the fact that it was made out of stone.
It attempted to backhand her with the arm.
Pelya rolled backward, jumped to her feet, and dashed to the other side of the circular room.  “You don’t laugh at my jokes, you don’t want to dance.  You’re a very rude host.”  She shoved home her primary sword and grabbed a statuette from a shelf.  With a twirl, she tossed it in an attempt to distract the golem before dashing the other way.
The golem altered his chase to snatch the statuette out of the air.  It put it back on the shelf with gentleness belying its size and make.
It was a better distraction than Pelya had hoped for.  She pulled a runeball out of one of her pouches.  There was only one more of its type after this, another one she needed to replace.
The golem stomped toward her.
Pelya tossed the runeball at it and said the activation word.  Then she said, “Catch!”
The golem snatched the runeball out of the air.  It skidded to a halt and opened its hand to look at it.
The runeball had already begun its magic.  Pelya watched with the fascination she always felt while observing one work.
It disintegrated into liquid that melted the golem’s hand.  From there, it traveled up the arm.  The runes carved into the stone popped and sizzled as it streamed through the shoulder to the upper stone of its torso.  The effects slowed significantly.  Drops of melted stone splatted to the floor.
The golem stared at its melting body.  The effects were beyond its instructions on how to react.
Pelya slid her secondary sword into its sheath.  “You’re falling to pieces, golem boy.”
It looked at her.  Slurred words emitted from it.  “Passwerrll . . . intrugg.”  The enchantments holding it together gave out.  The remaining stones fell with a racket.  The runeball continued to liquidate them at a slower and slower pace.
“Tsk.  I’d hate to be the one who has to mop up that mess.”  Pelya raked her hair back and dashed to the door.  She was alone.  The pit was an issue though.  She had to carry out eighteen crates.  “Maybe being alone wasn’t such a good idea.”  There was still the issue of the wizard.  Most constructs like the golem had a focus that would alert its maker.  If that was the case, then she wouldn’t be alone for long.
Carefully avoiding the puddled golem, Pelya went to the crates and counted.  There were eighteen, just as reported.  Pelya took a scroll out of a protective pouch.  On it was a list of the stamps on each end of the crates.  Different wizards had made each staff to sell.  A broker had arranged the sale to a merchant in Juragdat.  Pelya took the time to make certain each mark matched.  A wizard’s staff was a valuable device only the wealthy could afford and only an archmage could afford one.  Her fee for the recovery wouldn’t cover the cost of one.
“What did you do to the master’s servant?!”
“I gave it a bath.”  Pelya mentally cursed herself for the lapse in awareness.  In an instant, she was on her feet with both swords drawn.  The scroll fell to the ground.  “Who knew stone melted when you washed it?”
There was only one man, a bodyguard by the looks of him.  “You’re a thief!”
“I am not.  What an appalling accusation.”
A wizard in his night robe burst into the room, shoving the bodyguard aside.  “A thief?!  In my vault?”
“I just explained that I’m not a thief.”  Pelya held her chin up high.  “Weren’t you listening?
The wizard’s face was ruddy with outrage.  “Just who are you and how did you get in here?  He gestured at the grey puddle on the ground.  The spell had run its course.  Pieces of stone stuck up from it, including the top of the head with the crystal black eyes staring up at its maker as though confused by what had just happened.  “And whatdid you do to my pet?”
“My name is Jerald, I came in through a hole in the wall and I gave your pet a bath.”  Pelya indicated the puddle with her sword.  “I think it’s allergic to water.  You might want to look into that.
The wizard’s finger shook in rage as he pointed it at Pelya.  “Kill him!”
The bodyguard frowned.  “I thought she . . . he was a girl, boss.”
The wizard leaned forward and held his arms out in disbelief.  “I don’t care.  Girl, boy, just kill whoever it is.”
“Right.”  The bodyguard drew his sword.
Pelya met it with her secondary before he could bring it into position.  With the flat of her primary, she slapped him in the face.  At the same time, she tripped him.
The bodyguard hit the ground hard, bounced once and fell unconscious.  His sword clattered to the ground.
Pelya looked down at him.  “Wow.  I would think a wizard’s bodyguard would have more skill.”
The wizard shrieked in outraged, “You killed him!”
“No I didn’t.”  Pelya rested her primary sword over her shoulder and put the other fist on her hip with the sword still in it, but pointed back.  “You’re making a lot of unfounded accusations.  I don’t appreciate it.  It’s very rude.”
“Rude?”  The wizard sputtered, his face redder than before.
“Yes, rude.”  She shook her head.  “I’m just not feeling very welcome here.”
“You . . . I . . . Of course you’re not welcome here!”
Pelya slammed her swords into their sheaths.  “Oh, well just come right out and say it.  Now I know how you really feel!”
He pointed accusingly at her.  “There is something wrong with you . . . you . . . whatever your name is.”
Pelya crossed her arms.  “Name’s Gilbert.  Didn’t your mother ever tell you not to point?”
“I thought you said your name was Jerald.”  The wizard frowned suspiciously.
“Well if you know my name, why did you ask?”  Pelya threw a hand up in exasperation.  She reached into a pouch with the other.
The wizard noticed her hand going to the pouch.  He stepped back to begin casting a spell.
Pelya acted fast.  If he gathered much energy, she could kill them all with backlash by interrupting the spell.  She yanked the runeball out of the pouch and threw it at him, saying the activation word at the same time.
It hit him in the face and exploded into powder.  Fear widened his eyes as he inhaled while beginning his incantation.  The powder put him to sleep instantly.
Pelya dropped to the floor and curled in a ball.
The energy of the unfinished spell crackled and hissed, but it hadn’t been formed enough to create an explosion.  The wizard fell limply, his head bouncing once.  The sleep spell in the runeball would keep him asleep for five or six hours.  The concussion might add a few to that along with a headache.
Pelya sprang to her feet.  She checked the bodyguard.  He had a concussion and possibly a broken cheek.  At least he was alive.  She reached into another pouch and pulled out a tiny sachet of sleeping powder.  Carefully, she dabbed some on her finger and placed it on his mustache.  The small amounts he breathed would keep him asleep for about as long as the wizard.  She then dragged him away from the door and made him as comfortable as possible.  She wiped the rest of the dust off her gloved finger onto his pant leg.
Her contract imposed a severe penalty for killing anyone.  The bank wished to acquire a respectable reputation in its dealings.  It made it easier to gain contracts and to deal with kingdoms that frowned on murder and vigilantism.
The pit in the hallway needed to be covered so she could move the staffs out.  There didn’t appear to be anything in the treasure room that could help her.  She went to the door only to discover that a plank was already placed across it.  That solved that problem, though it irritated her that she hadn’t heard them do so.
Pelya went back to the crates to recover her inventory scroll.  On the back of it were enchantments to open two of the crates.  The makers of the others hadn’t given access to the bank.
It took her a few minutes to get those crates out of the stack.  Carefully performing the enchantments, she opened each to verify that the staffs were there.  To her relief, they were.  One was made of entwined wood with gems and crystals bracketed to store and channel magic.  Even without the enchantments in the staff, it was valuable.  The other was a metal shaft with three orbs of power at the top in semi-circle brackets.  It looked powerful.  She closed and resealed them.  It was sufficient evidence that all the staffs were likely still within the crates barring any obvious visible physical damage.
Pelya checked over the wizard and bodyguard again.  They were both sound asleep.  The wizard snored peacefully.
There was no time to waste.  They would wake up eventually.  She wanted to put as much ground between her and the tower as possible before they did.
She grabbed the first crate and carried it down the hall and up a set of stairs.  Once at the top, she traveled along another hallway to a door she had come through.  Beyond it was a room with a hole of melted stone in the outside wall, the result of another of the runeballs that had destroyed the golem.
Pelya took the crate out into the night air to the road leading to the tower.  Both moons were out, shining brightly between wispy brushes of clouds.  Siahray was half-full in its waning cycle while Piohray was half-full in its waxing.  Together, they cast a lavender glow over the landscape.  Pelya put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly.  Then she went back to get another crate.
By the time she got back with the second, she heard and saw two horses and a cart coming up the road in the moonlight.  She put the crate on top of the first and looked around.  The tower was situated on the side of a hill in the rolling plains of Obda.  The wizard had no neighbors.  The road was little traveled and rough, but wouldn’t be hard to travel in the night.
Honey, her beautiful chestnut warhorse with blonde mane, glared at her.  Tied to a rope behind her was a sturdy mare pulling a skinny cart on two wheels.
“Yes, I know you don’t pull carts and that you don’t even like pulling horses that do.”  Pelya put the crate in the back of the cart.
Honey snorted.  She flicked her tail and hit Pelya as she walked by.
“Hey!  Don’t be like that.  You know I love you.”  Pelya tried to hug her neck, but Honey turned her head away and stepped aside.
“Wow.  I’m feeling very unappreciated today.”  Pelya pulled an apple out of a pouch and held it up.
Honey kept her head turned to the side, though she did eye the apple as if considering.
Pelya set it on the ground.  “Well, if you change your mind, it’ll be right here.”  She got the mare a bag of feed to keep her docile, though Honey seemed to have matters in hand . . . or hoof.  “I have to get the rest of those crates.”  She patted Honey’s rump.
Honey snorted.
It took two hours to get the wagon loaded and the crates tied down.  In that time, Honey ate the apple and stopped glaring at Pelya.
Pelya wiped sweat from her forehead with the sleeve of her arm and then took her gloves off and put them in her swordbelt.  She unhooked the mare’s lead from Honey’s pommel.  “There, all done.”
Honey was unimpressed.
Pelya climbed into the wagon’s seat and attached Honey’s lead to the side of it.
Honey was less impressed.
“I know.  You’re a warhorse and I should be riding you.  We just need to get this wagon to the Cloudswept Bank in Anukarda.  They can take it where it goes after that.  She released the brake and flipped the reins.
The steady mare pulled the cart down the road with no complaint.
Honey refused to discuss the matter further.

My top ten favorite movies of all time.

A blog post about movies?

Yes, I needed to do a blog post and I decided to do one about movies.  Plus, I'm exhausted and can't focus enough to edit.  Plus I just wanted to do something different.

But you're a writer.

Yes, but one day I would like my movies to become books.

Well all right then.  Proceed.

Thank you.

These are my favorite movies.  Of all time.  I have not seen every movie available, so there may be one or two that you think I'm crazy for missing, but that's alright.  You may also not agree with these choices.  I don't necessarily say the are the best, just my favorite.

I invite you to tell me how terrible you think they are in the comments.  I'd even be curious to know what your top ten are.

1.  Fifth Element

 Best. Movie. Ever.
2.  Ever After

I love Drew Barrymore in this.  The story is wonderful and the feel of the movie is perfect.
3.  Lord of the Rings Trilogy

The books were like reading through mud.  The movies took the best parts and made the most epic fantasy series of all time a magnificent movie.
Liv Tyler can whisper to me in Elvish any day.
4.  The Avengers


I love super hero movies.  This one was that good.
5.  Valentines Day

I saw this with my wife and we both loved it.  It is one of my favorite memories of all time. :)
6. The Sound of Music.

Yes, I really love this movie.
7. The Fugitive. 

This is an excellent movie.  It's truly awesome.  If you haven't watched it, you need to remedy that.
8. The Philadelphia Story


Cary Grant, James Stewart and Katherine Hepburn are brilliant together.  They play off of each other perfectly.
9. Scrooge with Albert Finney.
Brilliant performance and one I've watched at Christmas with my family countless times, so it holds wonderful memories for me.
10. Star Wars.

  All of it.  I know that's cheating, but Star Wars is awesome.  The reason it's not higher is because of Episodes 1,2 and 3 . . . which I still enjoyed and not just because of Natalie Portman.  I don't care what my wife says.

That's your list?
Yes, that's my list.  Depending on my mood at any given moment, the order may change.
Why aren't there any movies about Emo Bunnies?
Because I haven't found any.
We're disappointed in you.
Understandable.
Anyway, 
All my best,
John H. Carroll