Ken Lizzi's Blog, page 56

Intro to Swords and Sorcery: Five Names You Should Know

Perhaps you are new to this planet, or have been living in a bomb shelter all your life with limited reading material. Maybe you recently stumbled upon a trove of Molly Hatchet album covers at a garage sale, with those paintings by Frank Frazetta and you start wondering what is all this about. Well, given those farfetched hypotheticals, or something similar, I’m here to offer the five writers you should familiarize yourself with to become conversant with the Swords and Sorcery genre.

Offered in no particular order, except for number one:

Robert E. Howard. REH is the lodestone of S&S. Not the fountainhead, not the genesis; Swords and Sorcery derives from vast bodies of pre-existing literature, history, and myth. But REH always points the way. Unless you’ve truly been living in a bomb shelter since birth, you’ve heard of Conan. REH created the ur-S&S protagonist. All others must ultimately be measured against Conan. But REH also created such unforgettable characters as Solomon Kane, Kull, Bran Mak Morn, and others, in addition to creating a deep, extensively detailed pre-history in which to set his stories.

Michael Moorcock. As a teen I enjoyed reading MM’s work. His evocative Corum books resonated with me, and of course I dug Elric and others of his seminal Eternal Champion books. The gimmick, you see, is that all of his protagonists are versions of the same character, as manifested in different planes or times of the multiverse. Now, this isn’t the place for criticism, so I’m not going to launch into an exegesis of what my middle-aged self thinks of MM. Whatever I may think, his contribution to the genre is profound and undoubtable. He wrote short, fast-paced tales set in grandiose, wildly imagined locales. He took the questionable ethics of pre-existing S&S characters the next step, to outright anti-heroes, influencing a generation of later writers.

Karl Edward Wagner. With his character Kane, KEW eschewed the anti-hero and, arguably wrote the protagonist as villain. But while his memorable, nigh-immortal protagonist may be a villain, he is so in a world of shades of gray, in which nearly everyone he meets is likely to be in some degree a villain; corrupt, treacherous, murderous. KEW salts his world with pre-human civilizations (as did REH), debased creatures from far stars, demons, and forgotten gods. He often showcases the element of horror which is often a fundamental part of S&S.

Fritz Leiber. FL coined the term Swords and Sorcery. If only for that, he’d have a place in the pantheon, albeit a small one. But what he is rightly known for is his duo of the barbarian Fafhrd and the thief and petty sorcerer Gray Mouser. These two fight, loot, wench, and drink their way through the world of Nehwon, and, specifically, the city of Lankhmar. They are driven by self-interest, ambition, ego, and pleasure, though also occasionally motivated by vengeance. The stories are terrific and exceptionally well written by a master stylist.

L. Sprague de Camp and Lin Carter. Yes, I’m cheating, throwing in two men as the fifth writer. But in the S&S field they are inextricably linked as the two editors and pastiche writers who were invaluable in revitalizing interest in Conan and REH. Yes, there is controversy. But that’s an advanced field of study. DC was a notable fiction writer in his own right, as well as a scholar and non-fiction writer. (Again, controversially.) He wrote S&S and adventure fiction of his own creation, as well as revising non-Conan REH stories as Conan vehicles. There is a sense, when reading DC, of a certain arch, scholarly tongue-in-cheek quality. Some find this off-putting, that a sort of detached, non-seriousness diminishes the story. (I like it, but you’re not required to.)  LC was a noted editor. He, along with DC and Andrew Offut were essential in keeping the S&S field flourishing during the 1970s by editing collections of reprinted and new S&S short fiction. He was also an editor who wanted to be a writer. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, LC flattered REH and Edgar Rice Burroughs obsequiously with his Thongor and Callisto series.

These five may merely scratch the surface, but it is a deep and essential scratch.

What is Swords and Sorcery?

Swords & Sorcery is one of those terms that defies precise definition. So, it is, I suppose, another one of those other concepts that can be encapsulated in the phrase  “I know it when I see it.” And there is, I think, a certain prurience involved, without which S&S would fail to distinguish itself as a distinctive branch of Fantasy.

Consider the term itself. Swords and Sorcery. Those three words intimate a certain precision: a story in which both swords and sorcery prominently feature. But that’s utterly misleading. There are many stories in which swords appear either peripherally or not at all and yet are unquestionably S&S. The same goes with sorcery, an overly specific class of the supernatural that was clearly chosen for alliterative purposes. More undoubted S&S stories fail to include sorcery than fail to include swords.

So, if an S&S story doesn’t require either of the objects clearly printed on the can, what does it require?

Good question. An earlier descriptor for this type of story was Heroic Fantasy. I think that failed as an adequate term for the simple fact that, as a rule, the protagonist of the story was seldom heroic. Generally speaking he was a rogue, a ruffian, perhaps even a picaresque scoundrel. The stakes involved tended to the small scale, the personal, seldom rising to heights that would demand what we’d consider heroism.

The obstacles between the protagonist and whatever was at stake usually involved some sort of supernatural element, either directly, indirectly, or baked into the story setting. And the resolution often demanded violence, commonly manifested as swordplay.

So, putting this together, we’ve got a story featuring a less-than-heroic lead, small stakes, a supernatural element, and violence. As a hard and fast definition this strikes me more as a suggestion than a rule. But I think that’s appropriate: S&S is suggestive. Swords and Sorcery is an evocative rather than a descriptive term. And that’s all to the good, allowing for the creativity that keeps the artform from growing stale.

Long live S&S.

Veterans Day 2019

Monday is Veterans Day. My own time in uniform is far behind me. When compared to the real sacrifice and achievement of so many, I tend to think it of small consequence. So I likely undervalue the day itself, seeing it more in terms of a free appetizer or meal discount, of hearing “Thank you for your service” more times than I’m comfortable with (that number starts at about one.)

But it is, I think, an important day. The hardship, difficulty, and peril military personnel endure is too easily ignored or forgotten. A day devoted to acknowledgement and remembrance is one way to counteract that. A discount at the hardware store might seem banal, but as an objective form of recognition it carries value beyond the couple of bucks saved.

So, yes, I’ll probably take my family out. I’ll end up spending money I otherwise wouldn’t merely to enjoy my free or discounted whatever at some chain restaurant. Not because I need it or deserve it, but because I think my participation helps strengthen this tradition and helps keep it alive for those who really can use a discounted meal and those who truly are deserving of recognition.

Thus, let me wish any vets reading this a Happy Veterans Day.

The Black Company, In Progress Reflections.

I am about two-thirds of the way through re-reading Glen Cook’s Black Company novels. This time through (the second for the later novels, the third for the earlier) I think I’m better able to appreciate more of the subtleties. Some of that may be due to reading them straight through, without the long gaps that accompany awaiting publication.

The books provide stellar examples of the unreliable narrator. It is possible that some of the inconsistencies are due to Glen Cook simply forgetting some details from previous books. He might even have leaned harder on the concept of the unreliable narrator in order to account for inconsistencies he noticed or had pointed out to him. But having multiple ‘annalists’ reporting events from different viewpoints, many directly contradicting previous accounts, does showcase how individual bias can affect reportage.

I’m not sure I’d understood before how truly unheroic the characters are. As a reader, I am in the POV character’s head, and thus am sympathetic. And yet, some of the actions undertaken by the main characters are, arguably, objectively evil. Not simply gray, crimes of necessity, but evil. But I still root for them. This is easier in a universe in which there appear to be no white hats, no purely good characters. The Black Company presents us with a starkly cynical view of the world and the motivations of, well, everyone.

Reading the books consecutively helps limit the designed confusion Cook presents with his changes of narrators, and deliberately disorienting narrative choices (e.g., time-hopping.) I’m hoping the benefits of this closely spaced re-reading will carry through to Water Sleeps, when the character Sleepy takes over the narration. I recall that book was a struggle to get through. But I’m carrying enough goodwill for the books so far, that I am optimistic. And, perhaps by the time I’m done, I’ll have acquired a copy of Port of Shadows and can enjoy some new-to-me Black Company.

Karl Thorson Lives!

Just when you think you have Karl Thorson cornered, he’ll come at you from an unexpected angle. I mean, I didn’t think Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger would see publication until November 15. And yet, here it is late October and the book is already out. That’s our Carlos for you; if you don’t keep your head on a swivel, he’ll ambush you.

The point is, the eBook is out and I would like you to buy a copy. I think you’ll enjoy the story. The print version will follow, in due time, when Karl is good and ready. Probably when you least expect it.

Please note that reviews grease the tracks for the book train. The more reviews, the faster the book will sell. I’d take it kindly if you’d spare the moment or two required to leave a review — Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes & Noble, or wherever.

If you’re on the fence, the first three chapters are available for free. Try before you buy.

Thanks, and happy reading.

Revelations

The countdown to a book release is for me what the countdown to Christmas is for a kid. I want the day to hurry up and get here. My present is offering something I created to you. I’m so damn noble, ain’t I?

Here is something for you while we’re waiting. It’s the cover. Or rather, the initial cover. My usual Twilight Times cover artist is backlogged. Must be nice to be so popular. But that means he won’t have the cover done in time for the release date. So, instead, we have this excellent temp cover. Pretty snazzy, right?

One benefit for me of having two covers is the opportunity to have a second cover reveal. Multiple revelations, that’s what you get from me.

The Dreaded Synopsis

I suspect it is an industry standard: the 250, 150, and 50 word synopsis. It may be that some authors, occupying celestial strata I can only dream of, have a publisher’s marketing department write these. I don’t know, I have to do it myself.

The dread synopsis. I can’t be alone in cursing it. A work is technically considered a novel if it exceeds 40,000 words. Most books you pick up are probably in the 65,000 words and up range. The point is, how does one go about summarizing in fifty words a dense narrative of tens or hundreds of thousands of words? What should one highlight? What should one gloss over or ignore? Is there a central theme that resonates? What is the quintessence of the book? What hook will capture a reader’s interest?

And, given that one needs to write three synopses of varying length, what is the best practice? Should one start with the 50-word kernel and build from there? Or is it better to begin with the roomiest synopsis and trim away the excess until only the kernel is left?

Well, as it turns out, I need to engage in this exercise again. Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger is due for release next month. That means I have the privilege of writing up these marketing synopses. What joy! 

So, how to go about it? I think I’m going to start with the 250-word version. That allows me relatively more elbow room, more freedom to include whatever I feel important. And I can procrastinate, push off the agony of paring away ‘excess’, as if there can be excess in 250 words. Shall we begin?

“From a car chase through the streets of the Cancun, to gun battles and sorcery deep beneath the Yucatan jungle, Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger keeps the mayhem and magic boiling from the first chapter to the last. Archaeologists uncovering a lost Mayan city unearth a magic artifact, an exquisite jade dagger. An earthquake disturbs the operations of neighboring narcotraffickers, alerting the two groups to each others’ presence. An ancient sorcerer, his mercenary henchmen, and his butler, arrive to claim the artifact. When these three factions converge, Karl Thorson, ex-Special Forces soldier, now in charge of site security at the Mayan ruins, is thrust into action. Dexicos Megistos, a nigh immortal sorcerer, wants to retrieve the mystical Jade Dagger and use it to cause worldwide chaos. Alejandra Matamoros-Lopez wants to smuggle narcotics through the tunnels beneath the ruins, avoiding the notice of rival cartels. Professor May Chen wants to see if any sparks remain from her relationship with the head of the archaeological dig, Professor Jim Allison. Karl Thorson just wants to do his job, and maybe have a cold beer. Can he safeguard the archaeologists, especially the lovely Professor May Chen? Can he defeat a murderous band of narcotraffickers? And can he deprive the sorcerer Dexicos Megistos of the Jade Dagger? He’ll have to survive heavily armed mercenaries, trigger-happy narcos, and magically summoned monsters in the dark, uncharted, subterranean depths of a lost Mayan city. But if anyone can hope to do it, it is Karl Thorson.”

There we go. 250 words. Well, 249, but who’s counting other than me? So, now we trim a hundred words.

“Archaeologists uncovering a lost Mayan city unearth a magic artifact. An earthquake disturbs the operations of neighboring narcotraffickers. An ancient sorcerer and his mercenary henchmen arrive to claim the artifact. When these three factions converge, Karl Thorson, ex-Special Forces soldier, now in charge of site security at the Mayan ruins, is thrust into action. Dexicos Megistos, a nigh immortal sorcerer, wants to retrieve a mystical Jade Dagger. Alejandra Matamoros-Lopez wants to smuggle narcotics through the tunnels beneath the ruins, avoiding the notice of rival cartels. Professor May Chen wants to see if any sparks remain from her relationship with the head of the archaeological dig. Karl Thorson just wants to do his job, and maybe have a cold beer. Can he safeguard the archaeologists, especially the lovely Professor May Chen? Can he defeat a murderous band of narcotraffickers? And can he deprive the sorcerer Dexicos Megistos of the Jade Dagger?” 

There, 150. The opening line was a nice hook, but could be dispensed with to jump right into the meat of the matter. And the last bit was extra detail, information expanding on hints already provided. Prune a bit from the middle, and we’re down to 150. So, now to chop out another 100 words, leaving, I hope, only the essence.

“Archaeologists uncovering a Mayan city unearth a magic artifact. An earthquake disturbs the operations of neighboring narcotraffickers. An ancient sorcerer and his mercenaries arrive to claim the artifact. When these three factions converge, Karl Thorson, ex-Special Forces soldier, in charge of security at the Mayan ruins, is thrust into action.” 

Okay, I think that does it. We cover the three main factions, establish that this is a contemporary action-fantasy, hint at the overall plot, and introduce the main character.

What do you think?

The Distant Cousin of the Son of the Return of Too Late Movie Reviews

MBW is away on business. Thus, as you may have guessed by now, this web log post will consist of movie reviews.

The HA stayed at home with me. Thus I was unable to indulge in lengthy film binges, having to wait until I’d put the HA to bed before starting the evening’s flick. So, only three entries for you, reader, this time.

First up, John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum. The first two movies constructed a unique, stylized fictional universe. The third film was thus able to dispense with any exposition or world building and dives right into what is essentially two hours worth of fight scenes. And I was okay with that. The character arcs, plot, and world building were innocuous, too stylish and fresh to be pedestrian, but still consisting of recognizable genre trope. The second film indulged itself in expanding the mythology of this world. I cared less for the second film, but it did perform all the heavy lifting needed for the third film.

Look, the entire thing was silly. No one had any real motivation, no character was provided a believable backstory. The plot made no sense, the screenwriters didn’t even bother creating segues between scenes. And none of that mattered. Watching Keanue Reeves kill several dozen foes in creative fashion over the course of the running time was sheer pleasure.

We seem to be set for the fourth installment, wherein John Wick takes down the Continental. My guess: the Concierge will switch sides at the end, becoming the Manager himself and offering the job of Concierge to John Wick.

Second, Alita: Battle Angel. I am unfamiliar with the source material for this live action anime. If I had been familiar with it, I might not have been so unpleasantly surprised that I did not get a complete story. Instead this appears to be part one of an epic that will probably never get part two. Other than that, I suppose I have few complaints about this Rollerball (the remake) meets Real Steel meets the CliffsNotes version of Ghost in the Shell. It was, in keeping with recent James Cameron tradition, pretty but stupid, aided by Robert Rodriguez’s kinetic direction. I had no expectations for this film. For the best, since there is little substance. The world doesn’t make much sense, but it doesn’t really need to in order to provide a backdrop for wild Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots action. So, meh. But on the enjoyable side of meh.

Third, X-Men: Dark Phoenix. It has been decades since I read this story arc in the comics. As I recall it was a vast, galaxy spanning epic in which entire planetary civilizations were destroyed. (Correct me if I misremember.) This adaptation shows either a lack of budget, or an utter lack of imagination from the film makers. This is a wet squib of a film. It conveys no sense of peril. The cast of dozens fails to convince the audience of any iminent consequences. It doesn’t help that so many events are supposed to be internal, as indicated by the actors emoting with contorted features. James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender perform heroically, which is impressive given the paucity of material they had to work with. Sophie Turner, however, doesn’t seem up to the task of carrying the lead role. Other than getting Jennifer Lawrence out of having to reprise her role in any future X-Men outings, there seems little point to this entire film.

Sail Hull-up

There is a comfortable pleasure in revisiting books. This is especially true in the case of the Aubrey and Maturin novels by Patrick O’Brian. Each book is an immersive wallow in a warm bath. And when you consider the length of the series, you realize what an indulgence awaits.

Perhaps I ought to step back a minute. It is possible that not everyone is familiar with the inimitable Mr. O’Brian’s masterpiece. The Aubrey and Maturin novels are set during the era of the Napoleonic wars, and feature the British naval officer Jack Aubrey and his friend, the surgeon and intelligence agent Stephen Maturin. There are twenty novels in the series. I’m currently in the midst of The Commodore, the seventeenth book. (That somewhat saddens me, the consideration that I only have three more to go. Four, if you count the unfinished fragment known as 21.) The novels are un-rushed examinations of nineteenth century British life, the navy, ships, naval warfare, then-current scientific knowledge, and human nature. The recurrent, fully-developed characters, repeated events and expressions become familiar and welcoming. I recommend the series, in case I haven’t yet made my approval plain.

It might be that some are only familiar with the works from the film adaptation, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. This is an excellent film. I’ve watched it many times. It is not, as the name might suggest, an adaptation of the novels Master and Commander and The Far Side of the World. Instead, it is a new story, combining elements from many — perhaps all — of the books, creating composite characters, and freely shifting around events. It is a masterful example of adapting the essence of a work rather than adhering faithfully to the original.

I’ve wondered at the title of the film. I suppose it couldn’t be called merely Master and Commander since that might lead an audience to believe it adapted that novel, which it clearly does not. Nor, could it be called Far Side of the World — even though that is a more apt description of the events — for the same reason. There isn’t, to my knowledge, an official title for the series. The producers couldn’t very well title the film The Aubrey and Maturin Novels. So, I suppose the name chosen conveys the idea that the film is a loose adaptation of multiple novels as well as could be hoped. Still, I wonder. There might be a better title.

But, to return to the film, I also recommend it. As an admirer of the novels, I quibble at the casting, but only because I cannot help but think of the characters as described. I have no complaints regarding the skills of the actors chosen. They all performed admirably. But if you consider Billy Boyd portraying someone described as large and muscular, you’ll see what I mean. And then there is Paul Bettany cast as Stephen Maturin. Maturin, in the novels, is short, slight, and far from handsome. Mr. Bettany appears to be relatively tall. And I’m probably no judge of such matters, but wouldn’t the expression conventionally good-looking apply?

I’d say the character of Stephen Maturin gets short shrift in the film. The storyline doesn’t provide an opportunity to explore his role as a naval intelligence agent. We do get to see his interest in natural philosophy and his surgical skills. But there is little reference to his Catholicisim, or his Irish-Catalonian background. And Jack Aubrey is also robbed of a chance to round out his character: he is shown only in his capacity as a naval officer and thus we don’t get to see his shortcomings dealing with civilian life ashore.

If I sound critical, I apologize. I don’t mean to. The film is terrific. There is only so much from a twenty-novel series that you can cram into a single movie. The screen-writers performed admirably. If you haven’t yet watched this, go pick up a copy.

Homestretch

A moment’s digression before I begin: Happy Birthday Bilbo and Frodo! I wonder, on this wet and drizzly first day of autumn if Tolkien deliberately chose the fall equinox for the Baggins’ joint birthday. Perhaps it was a question of age, both hobbits having entered their autumnal years, if you will, before embarking on their adventures. I don’t know. Any suggestions, readers?

Karl Thorson and the Jade Dagger is in the homestretch. I’m reading the digital galley proofs. I’ve found far fewer corrections to make in this book than any of my previous novels. Perhaps because this one has been so extensively reviewed. Three different editors. Man, have I added, removed, and replaced commas. Every editor, it seems, practices a distinct brand of comma-fu. The point is, the book is nearly ready. I should be finished with my final pass by next week. The novel appears on target for the mid-November release date.

Except…Well, there might be a bit of a hitch. Word is that the cover artist has a backlog of work. Conceivably I might hear from the publisher that the release date will be pushed back. I hope not. But it is out of my hands. In fact, it is in the cover artist’s hands, I suppose.

I’m not going to worry about it. I have plenty of other projects to occupy my attention. More on those when I have something noteworthy to mention.

Enjoy the fall.