Carl Alves's Blog, page 26
October 28, 2016
The Walking Dead: The Day Will Come When You Won't Be
The season 7 opener of The Walking Dead was certainly the most impactful and memorable season opener in the show’s history. It was brutal, deflating, and depressing as well. I was generally disappointed with season 6, but I think the current season is off to a great start. The episode certainly wasn’t perfect. They didn’t need to take about twenty minutes to finally get to the reveal, and people may be turned off the by the graphic violence in this episode, but it was loaded with tension, and it will be one that the viewers will never forget.
Glenn and Abraham
The death of Abraham wasn’t a complete surprise. I initially predicted Daryl would be the one getting killed by Negan, but later changed my mind to Maggie as the season opener got closer. I was wrong on both counts, but Abraham would have been my next choice. Knowing that a major character was going to get their head bashed in, it wasn’t a big shock. I don’t think Negan randomly picked Abraham. He probably sized this group up and realized Abraham would be his toughest foe other than Rick. Glenn later getting killed was far more surprising. I didn’t see it coming, so when it did, it was pretty stunning. Having said that, I think the impact of Glenn dying here is lessened by the debacle of last season when the show cheated the audience by teasing his death, and making him survive in the most ridiculous and unbelievable of circumstances. Glenn is really the heart and soul of the group. I also liked how Maggie handled his death. At the end of the episode, she was the only one whose response was that they were going to kill Negan.
Negan
What a bastard. There have been some dastardly foes that the group has had to face, but none of them are anywhere near the level of Negan. This guy is evil with a capital E. His brutality and callousness are pretty monstrous, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan did a great job of portraying him.
Rick
Even more devastating than Abraham and Glenn’s death was just how broken Rick was by the end of this episode. This is in such contrast to the final episode of last season where before they took off to get Maggie medical help, one of the Alexandrians asked what they should do if Negan showed up while he was away, and he replied something along the lines of, “Tell Negan I have something for him.” That was so arrogant on his part, and it was a big reason why I didn’t like season 6 that much. The group had gotten too full of themselves and things came too easily for them. To see Rick in the state that he was in after nearly severing Carl’s arm was a quantum leap in his character from where he had been. I never thought Carl was actually going to lose his arm. The scene played out the way I thought it would with Negan stopping Rick just before chopping his son’s arm off.
Poor Daryl. Glenn’s death is kind of on him, and now he’s been taken captive by Negan. I have a feeling that Daryl’s life will be pretty miserable. I don’t think the Negan storyline will be resolved that soon. I think this will go on for more than a single season, as opposed to most of the villains the group has faced, which have only lasted one season. Whenever they killed big characters before, it has been part of an overall story arc where they usually prevail or at least good things happen. This episode had no uplifting aspects at all. After the episode, it was almost like why should these characters bother continuing on if they are going to be under Negan’s thumb like that? This was an incredible start to the season.
Glenn and Abraham
The death of Abraham wasn’t a complete surprise. I initially predicted Daryl would be the one getting killed by Negan, but later changed my mind to Maggie as the season opener got closer. I was wrong on both counts, but Abraham would have been my next choice. Knowing that a major character was going to get their head bashed in, it wasn’t a big shock. I don’t think Negan randomly picked Abraham. He probably sized this group up and realized Abraham would be his toughest foe other than Rick. Glenn later getting killed was far more surprising. I didn’t see it coming, so when it did, it was pretty stunning. Having said that, I think the impact of Glenn dying here is lessened by the debacle of last season when the show cheated the audience by teasing his death, and making him survive in the most ridiculous and unbelievable of circumstances. Glenn is really the heart and soul of the group. I also liked how Maggie handled his death. At the end of the episode, she was the only one whose response was that they were going to kill Negan.
Negan
What a bastard. There have been some dastardly foes that the group has had to face, but none of them are anywhere near the level of Negan. This guy is evil with a capital E. His brutality and callousness are pretty monstrous, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan did a great job of portraying him.
Rick
Even more devastating than Abraham and Glenn’s death was just how broken Rick was by the end of this episode. This is in such contrast to the final episode of last season where before they took off to get Maggie medical help, one of the Alexandrians asked what they should do if Negan showed up while he was away, and he replied something along the lines of, “Tell Negan I have something for him.” That was so arrogant on his part, and it was a big reason why I didn’t like season 6 that much. The group had gotten too full of themselves and things came too easily for them. To see Rick in the state that he was in after nearly severing Carl’s arm was a quantum leap in his character from where he had been. I never thought Carl was actually going to lose his arm. The scene played out the way I thought it would with Negan stopping Rick just before chopping his son’s arm off.
Poor Daryl. Glenn’s death is kind of on him, and now he’s been taken captive by Negan. I have a feeling that Daryl’s life will be pretty miserable. I don’t think the Negan storyline will be resolved that soon. I think this will go on for more than a single season, as opposed to most of the villains the group has faced, which have only lasted one season. Whenever they killed big characters before, it has been part of an overall story arc where they usually prevail or at least good things happen. This episode had no uplifting aspects at all. After the episode, it was almost like why should these characters bother continuing on if they are going to be under Negan’s thumb like that? This was an incredible start to the season.
October 20, 2016
The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher
The Aeronaut’s Windlass is a long-winded, sometimes intriguing, sometimes dull steampunk novel written in a fantasy setting with cats who have intelligence, steam-powered airships, and people with magical powers. It’s not a traditional steampunk novel and probably would have been more interesting if it had been edited a little better. There are too many long passages, especially in the first half of the novel, that don’t add much to the story and are a bit tedious to get through. The novel really picks up its pace in the second half of the novel and is a much better read as it goes along.
Captain Grimm is the captain of one of the fastest airships around, the Predator. He gets in the middle of the beginning of a war between Spire Albion and Spire Aurora. The spires rule the world set well above the surface world. Grimm, who was previously disgraced in his service to Spire Albion, has remained loyal to them. He gets embroiled in a mission serving Albion and takes on civilians to complete this mission. Even though the novel is overly long, I felt much of the aspects of this world were not well explained. The way the spires work in context to the rest of the world was barely dealt with. The relationships between the cats and the people is also glossed over. The strongest aspects of the novel were the characters, who were well-developed, and the action once it heats up. In the end, this novel was a mixed bag for me, and I’m not sure that I will continue reading novels in this series.
Captain Grimm is the captain of one of the fastest airships around, the Predator. He gets in the middle of the beginning of a war between Spire Albion and Spire Aurora. The spires rule the world set well above the surface world. Grimm, who was previously disgraced in his service to Spire Albion, has remained loyal to them. He gets embroiled in a mission serving Albion and takes on civilians to complete this mission. Even though the novel is overly long, I felt much of the aspects of this world were not well explained. The way the spires work in context to the rest of the world was barely dealt with. The relationships between the cats and the people is also glossed over. The strongest aspects of the novel were the characters, who were well-developed, and the action once it heats up. In the end, this novel was a mixed bag for me, and I’m not sure that I will continue reading novels in this series.
October 16, 2016
Movie Review: Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children
I watched this movie with absolutely no pre-conceived knowledge or expectations. I had never read any of the novel source material or had even so much as seen a trailer for the movie. However, with my options of a family movie outing being either this movie or Storks, the decision seemed to be a no-brainer.
I liked the X-Men quality of the concept of a school designed for people with unusual skills. The introduction where the story’s protagonist reaches the school took a bit long for my liking. Also, the choice of the actor to play Jacob, the story’s protagonist, didn’t work for me. Judging by the movie previews I watched, he appears to be the new hot talent for male teen Hollywood lead actors, but his talent seems to be less than overwhelming, and he comes off as a bit of a dud on the big screen.
I liked the overall plot line, as well as the different peculiar characters at the school. They had a well-rounded assortment of peculiar talents, that weren’t necessarily of the typical superhero variety. I didn’t much get the antagonists of the story, and didn’t feel how they came into being was particularly well explained in the story, in particular the hollows. They were impressive from a visual standpoint, but the flashback that explained the existence of these and other villains was clumsy at best. The finale was well done and satisfying, but I always felt as if I was missing part of the story that a book reader would be getting. In the end, it wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen but not bad as far as movie choices to take your family to.
I liked the X-Men quality of the concept of a school designed for people with unusual skills. The introduction where the story’s protagonist reaches the school took a bit long for my liking. Also, the choice of the actor to play Jacob, the story’s protagonist, didn’t work for me. Judging by the movie previews I watched, he appears to be the new hot talent for male teen Hollywood lead actors, but his talent seems to be less than overwhelming, and he comes off as a bit of a dud on the big screen.
I liked the overall plot line, as well as the different peculiar characters at the school. They had a well-rounded assortment of peculiar talents, that weren’t necessarily of the typical superhero variety. I didn’t much get the antagonists of the story, and didn’t feel how they came into being was particularly well explained in the story, in particular the hollows. They were impressive from a visual standpoint, but the flashback that explained the existence of these and other villains was clumsy at best. The finale was well done and satisfying, but I always felt as if I was missing part of the story that a book reader would be getting. In the end, it wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen but not bad as far as movie choices to take your family to.
October 8, 2016
The Husband by Dean Koontz
I decided to read this novel with some reluctance since of late I seem to be disappointed with Dean Koontz’s novels. I read them because occasionally (at least with his older works) he hits a home run and the novel is terrific. The premise of the book is interesting enough. Mitch Rafferty’s wife is kidnapped and the kidnappers demand two millions dollars, something that is difficult since he is only a simple gardener.
The problem is the characterization in the novel. The novel is filled with one weak character after another. The first is Mitch. He is a nice enough guy, but he falls into the category of someone who isn’t capable. What I mean is that in a difficult situation with violence and lives on the line, he is not the type of character that would be able to come through. He is a bit of a wimp. The bad guy characters are even worse. Realism and dreadfully poor villain characters have always been Koontz’s downfall, and that’s the case here as well. An example is Mitch’s brother. It is impossible to believe that he’s this hardcore gangster without Mitch ever having a hint of that being the case. Also, his rationale of betraying his brother is just downright stupid. The even more villainous character is one of the kidnappers, and this character is just God awful. In the end, this novel did not deliver and I would recommend skipping it.
The problem is the characterization in the novel. The novel is filled with one weak character after another. The first is Mitch. He is a nice enough guy, but he falls into the category of someone who isn’t capable. What I mean is that in a difficult situation with violence and lives on the line, he is not the type of character that would be able to come through. He is a bit of a wimp. The bad guy characters are even worse. Realism and dreadfully poor villain characters have always been Koontz’s downfall, and that’s the case here as well. An example is Mitch’s brother. It is impossible to believe that he’s this hardcore gangster without Mitch ever having a hint of that being the case. Also, his rationale of betraying his brother is just downright stupid. The even more villainous character is one of the kidnappers, and this character is just God awful. In the end, this novel did not deliver and I would recommend skipping it.
October 3, 2016
Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire
Set in modern times, Heart of Evil is a paranormal murder mystery that stretches back to the Civil War. Set at Donegal Plantation, Ashley Donegal is trying to make ends meet and keep the plantation alive by converting it to a bed and breakfast and having an annual Civil War reenactment. During the reenactment, the actor playing the role of her ancestor Marshall Donegal is killed in a gruesome manner. A paranormal investigation team that includes her old flame, Jake Mallory, is brought in to investigate. Also helping to investigate are the ghosts of Marshall Donegal and his wife. The murder turns out to be a series of murders all centering around what happened over 150 years earlier.
I liked how this novel incorporated historical events, both with the Civil War reenactment, and how the events of the past tied in to the present day murders. It was cleverly done with a supernatural component mixed into it. As for the mystery aspect, the unveiling of the killer surprised me yet remained logical and well thought out. I was less impressed with the romance element between Ashley and Jake, which seemed generic and didn’t do too much to move me. The Krewe of Hunters team was interesting, and I thought more could be done with this cast of characters. All in all, this was a fun read that I would recommend.
I liked how this novel incorporated historical events, both with the Civil War reenactment, and how the events of the past tied in to the present day murders. It was cleverly done with a supernatural component mixed into it. As for the mystery aspect, the unveiling of the killer surprised me yet remained logical and well thought out. I was less impressed with the romance element between Ashley and Jake, which seemed generic and didn’t do too much to move me. The Krewe of Hunters team was interesting, and I thought more could be done with this cast of characters. All in all, this was a fun read that I would recommend.
September 28, 2016
10 Questions with Kindra Sowder
1. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
I have a lot of influences when it comes to this series. I wanted to do something different, make a Dystopian that had not been done. The market is so flooded with them that breaking out of that mold can be hard. My main influences were Heroes, X-Men, and the like. It has even been called “Dystopian X-Men” by some readers. I also have a huge love for superheroes and decided it was time to write some of my own.
2. How did you come up with the concept of The Harvested and how many novels are you planning for that series?
The idea came to me one day to write a Dystopian series and the story evolved from there. I was also watching a lot of Heroes and superhero movies I could get my hands on. But, the basics of the story, all came from nowhere like most of what I write does. At this moment in time there are 5 planned in this series and, as I’m sure a lot have seen, there is a spinoff series titled The John Baker Chronicles: A permutation Archives Division, being written by Bryan Tann. The first book will be titled “The Invincible Heart project.” We are not sure how many there will be for this but I do have a short story planned based in the same world on a character that has nothing to do with Mila’s story itself. There is a story out in an anthology called “And the World Will Burn” that has an Emerson King origin story in it as well. I have a lot of plans for the entirety of this series because there are so many stories that can be told.
3. What current writing projects are you working on?
Now that is a loaded question. I am working on quite a lot. At current I am working on mostly co-authored projects as well as the 3rd book of the Permutation Archives series. And those projects are as follows: ‘Vindicta: The Liquidator Wars Book 1” (paranormal romance) with P. Mattern, ‘RotSalt’ (zompoc) with TJ Weeks, ‘Zombified: A Zombie Head Hunter Series Book 1’ (zompoc, sci-fi, fantasy, Dystopian) with actor from TWD Santiago Cirilo, ‘Ruination’ which is the first book of an offshoot from the end of the series The Initiative (that first book ‘Chasing Shadows’ comes out in January and is also paranormal romance). Next year I will be starting work on my first ever thriller with K.M. Cox. I also have a lot of other books planned out already that will be written once I get get the Permutation Archives books finished.
4. Do you prefer to write on your own or with another author?
I like both, to be honest. And don’t really prefer one over the other. I have found that having a co-author makes it easier for me to get more of my ideas out there when I don’t have the time to write the entire thing by myself. And, considering who I am working with on projects now, I love co-authoring.
5. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
I love writing a good action sequence. They are my absolute favorite.
6. What made you start writing?
I’m not entirely sure. I know I came up with the story for the Executioner Trilogy at 15, and I had to get the story out. Was never able to stop after that and now I have plenty of stories to keep me busy.
7. What made you choose South Carolina as your residence and how does living in the South influence your writin
I can definitely say the move to South Carolina wasn’t my doing. My parents divorced when I was very young and my grandparents gained custody of myself and my sister. After my grandfather retired (he was born and raised in Laurens), we moved here. Being originally from Los Angeles, the adjustment was hard because it’s so quiet and, with all honesty, I still have SC.
8. What is your best quality as a writer?
I believe I have a few great qualities to be honest. One of them being that I am not scared to push the boundaries and make people question. I’m not scared to break the mold of what things were, and change them into something that will make people go ‘hmmmm’ while scratching their head because it brings up a very interesting point.
9. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
If I could I would choose the King himself. That’s a no-brainer. He is a heavy influence for my work as well as Anne Rice. Mira Grant lately has made an impression as well, but Stephen King for sure. I know I did the James Patterson master class and subbed my idea to him to work with him. I didn’t get chosen but it was still an amazing experience to learn from him.
10. If Hollywood was making a film adaptation of The Harvested, and the director asked you to cast the role of Mila, who would you choose?
Once I saw this question I have been struggling with this answer because I love and adore a lot of strong actresses. If I had to choose and only choose one it would have to be Jennifer Lawrence, for sure. If I could pick multiple and they could audition I’d go for her as well as Imogen Poots, Elizabeth Olsen, Chloe Grace Moretz, Margot Robbie, Julia Vloth, and Kelcie Stranaham. There are more but that would be a massive list.
I have a lot of influences when it comes to this series. I wanted to do something different, make a Dystopian that had not been done. The market is so flooded with them that breaking out of that mold can be hard. My main influences were Heroes, X-Men, and the like. It has even been called “Dystopian X-Men” by some readers. I also have a huge love for superheroes and decided it was time to write some of my own.
2. How did you come up with the concept of The Harvested and how many novels are you planning for that series?
The idea came to me one day to write a Dystopian series and the story evolved from there. I was also watching a lot of Heroes and superhero movies I could get my hands on. But, the basics of the story, all came from nowhere like most of what I write does. At this moment in time there are 5 planned in this series and, as I’m sure a lot have seen, there is a spinoff series titled The John Baker Chronicles: A permutation Archives Division, being written by Bryan Tann. The first book will be titled “The Invincible Heart project.” We are not sure how many there will be for this but I do have a short story planned based in the same world on a character that has nothing to do with Mila’s story itself. There is a story out in an anthology called “And the World Will Burn” that has an Emerson King origin story in it as well. I have a lot of plans for the entirety of this series because there are so many stories that can be told.
3. What current writing projects are you working on?
Now that is a loaded question. I am working on quite a lot. At current I am working on mostly co-authored projects as well as the 3rd book of the Permutation Archives series. And those projects are as follows: ‘Vindicta: The Liquidator Wars Book 1” (paranormal romance) with P. Mattern, ‘RotSalt’ (zompoc) with TJ Weeks, ‘Zombified: A Zombie Head Hunter Series Book 1’ (zompoc, sci-fi, fantasy, Dystopian) with actor from TWD Santiago Cirilo, ‘Ruination’ which is the first book of an offshoot from the end of the series The Initiative (that first book ‘Chasing Shadows’ comes out in January and is also paranormal romance). Next year I will be starting work on my first ever thriller with K.M. Cox. I also have a lot of other books planned out already that will be written once I get get the Permutation Archives books finished.
4. Do you prefer to write on your own or with another author?
I like both, to be honest. And don’t really prefer one over the other. I have found that having a co-author makes it easier for me to get more of my ideas out there when I don’t have the time to write the entire thing by myself. And, considering who I am working with on projects now, I love co-authoring.
5. What type of scenes do you most enjoy writing?
I love writing a good action sequence. They are my absolute favorite.
6. What made you start writing?
I’m not entirely sure. I know I came up with the story for the Executioner Trilogy at 15, and I had to get the story out. Was never able to stop after that and now I have plenty of stories to keep me busy.
7. What made you choose South Carolina as your residence and how does living in the South influence your writin
I can definitely say the move to South Carolina wasn’t my doing. My parents divorced when I was very young and my grandparents gained custody of myself and my sister. After my grandfather retired (he was born and raised in Laurens), we moved here. Being originally from Los Angeles, the adjustment was hard because it’s so quiet and, with all honesty, I still have SC.
8. What is your best quality as a writer?
I believe I have a few great qualities to be honest. One of them being that I am not scared to push the boundaries and make people question. I’m not scared to break the mold of what things were, and change them into something that will make people go ‘hmmmm’ while scratching their head because it brings up a very interesting point.
9. If you could pick one other author to collaborate with on a novel or story, living or dead, who would it be?
If I could I would choose the King himself. That’s a no-brainer. He is a heavy influence for my work as well as Anne Rice. Mira Grant lately has made an impression as well, but Stephen King for sure. I know I did the James Patterson master class and subbed my idea to him to work with him. I didn’t get chosen but it was still an amazing experience to learn from him.
10. If Hollywood was making a film adaptation of The Harvested, and the director asked you to cast the role of Mila, who would you choose?
Once I saw this question I have been struggling with this answer because I love and adore a lot of strong actresses. If I had to choose and only choose one it would have to be Jennifer Lawrence, for sure. If I could pick multiple and they could audition I’d go for her as well as Imogen Poots, Elizabeth Olsen, Chloe Grace Moretz, Margot Robbie, Julia Vloth, and Kelcie Stranaham. There are more but that would be a massive list.
September 21, 2016
Heart of Evil by Heather Graham
Set in modern times, Heart of Evil is a paranormal murder mystery that stretches back to the Civil War. Set at Donegal Plantation, Ashley Donegal is trying to make ends meet and keep the plantation alive by converting it to a bed and breakfast and having an annual Civil War reenactment. During the reenactment, the actor playing the role of her ancestor Marshall Donegal is killed in a gruesome manner. A paranormal investigation team that includes her old flame, Jake Mallory, is brought in to investigate. Also helping to investigate are the ghosts of Marshall Donegal and his wife. The murder turns out to be a series of murders all centering around what happened over 150 years earlier.
I liked how this novel incorporated historical events, both with the Civil War reenactment, and how the events of the past tied in to the present day murders. It was cleverly done with a supernatural component mixed into it. As for the mystery aspect, the unveiling of the killer surprised me yet remained logical and well thought out. I was less impressed with the romance element between Ashley and Jake, which seemed generic and didn’t do too much to move me. The Krewe of Hunters team was interesting, and I thought more could be done with this cast of characters. All in all, this was a fun read that I would recommend.
I liked how this novel incorporated historical events, both with the Civil War reenactment, and how the events of the past tied in to the present day murders. It was cleverly done with a supernatural component mixed into it. As for the mystery aspect, the unveiling of the killer surprised me yet remained logical and well thought out. I was less impressed with the romance element between Ashley and Jake, which seemed generic and didn’t do too much to move me. The Krewe of Hunters team was interesting, and I thought more could be done with this cast of characters. All in all, this was a fun read that I would recommend.
September 17, 2016
A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Book 5 in A Song of Fire and Ice is a bit of a mixed bag. I was largely disappointed with the previous novel because of how overwritten, long-winded, and lacking of true shocking moments that makes this series. Although A Dance with Dragons suffers from some of these issues as well, it’s not quite as severe as it was in the previous book. However, this novel definitely could use some serious editing.
There are parts that drag on endlessly with no seeming rhyme or reason. There are also some story lines that don’t seem terribly relevant. Among them is anything featuring the Greyjoys and the Iron Isles. I just didn’t care about this story line and feel that it doesn’t add anything to the story. The same is true with the emergence of Aegon Targaryen and Jon Connington. It just feels added on and not essential. There are already plenty of people vying for the throne. To add this one cheapens it.
It’s hard not to make a comparison between the novels and the HBO show. Early on in the series, I found the books to be superior, and now I think the show has surpassed it. An example of this is that I like the direction of the Tyrion Lannister character –my favorite—in the show as opposed to what he is doing in this novel. The same is true with the Arya and Sansa storylines. One of the great episodes in the past season of the show was the battle against the White Walkers at Hardhome, something that never occurs here. I also liked how the show portrayed Daenerys escaping from the fighting pit.
That’s not to say that there aren’t very good things about the novel. George R.R. Martin is a master of prose and is a skilled writer. There were some big moments in the novel such as Jon Snow’s fate and Cersei’s walk of shame. It’s just that I feel with some serious editing the novel could have been much better.
There are parts that drag on endlessly with no seeming rhyme or reason. There are also some story lines that don’t seem terribly relevant. Among them is anything featuring the Greyjoys and the Iron Isles. I just didn’t care about this story line and feel that it doesn’t add anything to the story. The same is true with the emergence of Aegon Targaryen and Jon Connington. It just feels added on and not essential. There are already plenty of people vying for the throne. To add this one cheapens it.
It’s hard not to make a comparison between the novels and the HBO show. Early on in the series, I found the books to be superior, and now I think the show has surpassed it. An example of this is that I like the direction of the Tyrion Lannister character –my favorite—in the show as opposed to what he is doing in this novel. The same is true with the Arya and Sansa storylines. One of the great episodes in the past season of the show was the battle against the White Walkers at Hardhome, something that never occurs here. I also liked how the show portrayed Daenerys escaping from the fighting pit.
That’s not to say that there aren’t very good things about the novel. George R.R. Martin is a master of prose and is a skilled writer. There were some big moments in the novel such as Jon Snow’s fate and Cersei’s walk of shame. It’s just that I feel with some serious editing the novel could have been much better.
September 11, 2016
Blind Panic by Graham Masterton
Blind Panic starts with a killer premise. All at once, people around the United States, including the president, are mysteriously struck blind. Chaos ensues as planes across the country begin falling from the sky and massive car crashes result from blind drivers and pilots. This is all the result of Misquamacus, an ancient Alogonquin medicine man who has come back from the dead to wreak vengeance for his people. His aim is to reclaim the land that was once theirs and destroy the way of life of modern day Americans. Standing against Misquamacus are Harry Erskine, a fake psychic, and a handful of others including his friend, Amelia Crusoe, who actually has psychic abilities.
Right from the beginning, I was immediately hooked into the novel. I thought the premise, which was reminiscent of the novel and television show Flash Forward, was a great one. It was hard not to want to learn how things would turn out. I have never read any of the novels preceding this one with these same characters, but I still found it easy to follow because the backstory was well-explained. There was great tension as the story followed the central characters in a world that has quickly descended into madness. One thing I would have liked to see was how the rest of the world reacted to the events in the novel, since it only occurred in the United States. I think that would have been interesting. Also, I found it a little unbelievable that all of the viewpoint characters all converged in the same California town at the same time. That was a bit much to swallow unless there was some sort of mystical force guiding them there, which wasn’t present in the novel. The ending was satisfying, and the novel overall was very enjoyable, one that I recommend to readers of fantasy and horror.
Right from the beginning, I was immediately hooked into the novel. I thought the premise, which was reminiscent of the novel and television show Flash Forward, was a great one. It was hard not to want to learn how things would turn out. I have never read any of the novels preceding this one with these same characters, but I still found it easy to follow because the backstory was well-explained. There was great tension as the story followed the central characters in a world that has quickly descended into madness. One thing I would have liked to see was how the rest of the world reacted to the events in the novel, since it only occurred in the United States. I think that would have been interesting. Also, I found it a little unbelievable that all of the viewpoint characters all converged in the same California town at the same time. That was a bit much to swallow unless there was some sort of mystical force guiding them there, which wasn’t present in the novel. The ending was satisfying, and the novel overall was very enjoyable, one that I recommend to readers of fantasy and horror.
September 7, 2016
My Kingdom: The Story Behind the Story
I originally wrote a story called Razzed, which appeared in Tabloid Purposes IV anthology. The story is about a ruthless entrepreneur, who is having PR problems with his clothing company. After continually getting flack for his use of sweat-shop labor in third world countries to make his apparel, he needs to find a solution to be able to make cheap clothing without using third world labor. His solution—use zombies under the control of a shaman from Tanzania, Vuyani Kaunde.
My story, My Kingdom, was originally the backstory for my story Razzed. The problem was that the backstory of how the CEO was able to procure these zombies to use in his factories went a bit long and bogged down Razzed, so I did what all authors must do from time to time—chop away a part of your story that you really enjoy that doesn’t help your story. But this material was too good to just let die a lonely death on my computer’s hard drive, so I expanded upon the original material, and My Kingdom was born.
Mark Evans, the protagonist in the story, can aptly be described as someone who is capable. He is intelligent, adventurous, and has some serious fighting skills. Early in his life, after a stint in the special forces in the US military, he is seeking adventure around the globe and lands himself a job as a bodyguard for wealthy tourists travelling in Africa. As part of a safari in Tanzania, he and his tour group encounter zombies, who kill a few members of the group. After disbanding the trip, Mark’s curiosity gets the best of him, and he returns to learn more about these zombies, which lead him to Vuyani Kaunde. Unbeknownst to Mark, conspiracies and treachery are afoot in regards to Kaunde’s zombies.
Writing about zombies is tricky because there is so much material out there in literature and film that it’s hard to write about something that hasn’t already been done to death, which is why I set my story in Tanzania. African zombie stories are about as rare as black rhinos, and zombie stories are fun to write.
My Kingdom can be found in the most recent issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly, which can be purchased at Smashwords.
My story, My Kingdom, was originally the backstory for my story Razzed. The problem was that the backstory of how the CEO was able to procure these zombies to use in his factories went a bit long and bogged down Razzed, so I did what all authors must do from time to time—chop away a part of your story that you really enjoy that doesn’t help your story. But this material was too good to just let die a lonely death on my computer’s hard drive, so I expanded upon the original material, and My Kingdom was born.
Mark Evans, the protagonist in the story, can aptly be described as someone who is capable. He is intelligent, adventurous, and has some serious fighting skills. Early in his life, after a stint in the special forces in the US military, he is seeking adventure around the globe and lands himself a job as a bodyguard for wealthy tourists travelling in Africa. As part of a safari in Tanzania, he and his tour group encounter zombies, who kill a few members of the group. After disbanding the trip, Mark’s curiosity gets the best of him, and he returns to learn more about these zombies, which lead him to Vuyani Kaunde. Unbeknownst to Mark, conspiracies and treachery are afoot in regards to Kaunde’s zombies.
Writing about zombies is tricky because there is so much material out there in literature and film that it’s hard to write about something that hasn’t already been done to death, which is why I set my story in Tanzania. African zombie stories are about as rare as black rhinos, and zombie stories are fun to write.
My Kingdom can be found in the most recent issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly, which can be purchased at Smashwords.
