James L. Cambias's Blog, page 21
February 28, 2020
Signs of the Times
Things I've seen in the past few days:
��� Disposable plastic gloves now get a listing on the supermarket aisle sign.
��� Big displays of disinfectant wipes at the front of multiple stores.
��� No dust masks at any hardware store.
What have you noticed?
February 27, 2020
On the Air!
If you have enjoyed reading my posts about The Initiate here on my 'blog, you can venture into another medium! Listen to an interview with me about the book on the Baen Free Radio Hour podcast, linked here.
February 21, 2020
Initiate Events This Weekend!
This weekend my promotion tour for my new novel The Initiate comes to its exciting finish with a double-header of bookstore events.
This evening at 6:00 p.m. I'll be reading from the book and signing copies at the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences shop in Providence, Rhode Island. It's in the historic Providence Arcade, at 65 Weybosset Street. Rhode Island writers Catherine Grant and Daphne Host will be reading from their works as well, so it should be a very entertaining evening.
On Sunday, February 23, I'll be appearing at Flights of Fantasy Books and Games in Albany, New York. That event starts at 3:00 p.m., at 381 Sand Creek Road in Albany. All are welcome!
February 17, 2020
Initiate Reading in Providence!
This coming Friday, February 21, the Lovecraft Arts & Sciences shop will host an evening of fantasy and horror. I'll be reading from my new contemporary noir fantasy novel The Initiate, along with special guests Catherine Grant and Daphne Gem Host. The store is in the historic Providence Arcade, at 65 Weybosset Street, and the event starts at 6:00 p.m. You can also take the opportunity to shop at one of the country's best Lovecraft/Horror/Occult bookshops!
February 12, 2020
Meta-Political Post
No, I'm not talking about politics. I'm talking about talking about politics.
I recently read a couple of interesting essays. The first, by economist Robin Hanson, is "Respectable Rants" ��� his standards for good political rhetoric. Note that he's not trying to limit politicians to a Rain Man style recitation of facts, nor is he urging that everyone only say nice things about each other. But he is asking, a bit wistfully, that political discourse treat the listeners ��� which is to say, the voters ��� like adults.
The second, "My Former Life as a Radical," by an academic named Gerfried Ambrosch , describes the thought processes and belief structures of a political radical. In his case, he was a leftist radical, but people on the far right, religious extremists, and all types of "radicals" share many of the same habits of thought.
For a thrilling story about a rebel battling evil wizards, check out my new novel The Initiate, from Baen Books ��� at bookstores everywhere right now!
February 7, 2020
The Future of Star Wars ��� And An Initiate Reading!
Andrew Liptak at Tor.com asked some science fiction writers what they'd like to see from future Star Wars projects. You can read my answer here.
And if you're in or near Worcester, Mass., at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow, swing by Annie's Book Stop of Worcester, at 65 James Street on the west side of Worcester (take exit 10 off the Mass Pike and go north on Oxford St.), to hear a reading from my new book The Initiate and get a signed copy! I'll be giving away a bonus gift to one randomly-chosen attendee, so don't miss out!
February 4, 2020
The Initiate Arrives Today!
The wait is over, the stars are right, and all the necessary rituals are complete. My new modern-day noir fantasy novel The Initiate is officially released today. Pick up a copy in your local bookstore, or buy on line. Get Initiated!
And if you're going to be in the neighborhood of Easthampton, Massachusetts this coming Thursday, stop by the launch party! It's at Book Moon bookstore, 86 Cottage St., from 6:30-8:00 p.m. on February 6. Features readings by myself and Hugo award winner Suzanne Palmer, plus refreshments and more! The Apkallu command you to attend!
February 3, 2020
Polygon Gets Initiated!
Polygon's roundup of new fantasy and science fiction recommendations for February includes my new book The Initiate. Check out the article here. The official publication date is tomorrow, so get ready to hit the stores!
February 2, 2020
Happy Palindrome Day! Yad Emordnilap Yppah!
Today is, of course, 02/02/2020, so happy Palindrome Day!
What makes this one rather special is that it's Palindrome Day no matter where you live and what format you use for writing dates. In the month-day-year zone based on American practice, we had Palindrome Days on January 2, 2010 (01/02/2010) and November 2, 2011 (11/02/2011); and will have another one next year on December 2, 2021 (12/02/2021).
If you follow the benighted European day-month-year style (question: do the British have to switch now?) the last Palindrome Day was February 21 of 2012 (21/02/2012) and the next one will be February 12 of 2021 (12/02/2021).
But for this one day the world can unite in palindromity!
Although it contains no palindromes at all, my novel The Initiate hits the bookstores this Tuesday, February 4!
January 29, 2020
Movie Review: Color Out Of Space
Well, there's no "U" in "Color" so I guess it sucks.
Actually, it doesn't. Color Out of Space is a sincere and competent attempt to film a completely unfilmable story. As a horror movie, it succeeds at its most basic task: scaring the audience. My wife spent about half the run time in the theater vestibule, peeking in when she thought it would be safe and pulling back when it got too scary.
I say "unfilmable" story, because of course the source material, the short story "The Colour Out of Space" (note the U!) is about a meteor which brings an indescribable color to a New England farm in the late 19th century. Over the next year or two the inhabitants of the farm are driven mad and physically debilitated by the mysterious color, which poisons the entire surrounding area.
In the real world, a color film can't be about a color which doesn't exist, so they made it magenta. Ah, well.
To pump up the thrill factor the moviemakers made some choices which made for more immediate scariness but had the overall effect of weakening the story, in my opinion. They added psychological elements, including a mild case of what looks like ghost possession, which felt very out-of-place. They tossed in a generous dose of Cronenbergian body horror. And there were a lot of plot threads and themes which were introduced and then abandoned ��� one character seems to be recovering from cancer, which is mentioned several times, but that more or less gets lost in the more immediate issue of an alien presence draining the life out of everyone. There's a little contrived isolation for plot purposes ��� the cars won't start but nobody thinks of walking out until it's night, and then they're too scared.
But there are chunks of dialog and narration straight out of the story, and everything comes to a proper Lovecraftian conclusion. Lots of fun shout-outs to HPL's greater "mythos" of towns and family names.
The acting is all good and believable. Nicholas Cage hams it up, but he kind of has to. The rest of the cast are good, even when they're assigned more or less stock character roles. ("You're the little girl from Poltergeist, only you're a boy. Got it?")
I give this movie a solid B. It does exactly what it attempts. Lovecraft fans should see it.
For a story about otherworldly presences and invisible horrors, check out my new novel The Initiate, in stores next week!
