Nick Davis's Blog, page 135

New stuff a coming for The Tether Saga, The Wonder Tales & the Alt-world Blog

This a News post about some of the stuff I have in the pipeline for the Alt-world blog, home of the Tether Saga.

First off, The Tether Saga my paranormal action adventure series is starting to pick up pace and every day new readers are discovering the story.

You will be interested to know I have some cool plans for this series, one being a Graphic version of the Tether Saga called Fabula, that will also explore some of the side characters. Plus I am looking into plotting a series of Colonel Diaries as prelude to the main story. Watch out for an announcement on that.

Two, on Tolkiens Birthday I wrote a Fable called The Archer, the Horse and the Princess. This really seems to have stuck a cord with a lot of readers out there, and I've put together a small six part series of Fables called The Wonder Tales, featuring more adventures of the Archer, and other tales of the fantastic. More details as they come.

Three, last but now least… That Alt-world blog is going to be featuring a lot more reviews, odd life moments and a weekly story called The Last Flight of the Phoenix, which is part of my Steampunk world that I am also exploring.

As you can see a lot of things are coming, I hope you all come along for the ride, its just started to get really exciting.

Arigato,

Nick Davis

Charlie Sheen to endorse The Tether Saga? A perfect match because its all about winning against all the odds

Could it be possible? The Tether Saga Novels are all about winning against the odds, as is Charlie Sheen , using his Warlock powers he could summon the Tigerblood and the next chapter of The Tether would be written by his mental prowess alone. Who knows what he could do with his Goddesses by his side? We have the Shat, we have the Hoff and now we have the Sheen… Simply all about the Winner and I support Teamsheen in his fight with addiction.

Draw a Scuttler Contest and win a signed copy of The Tether & Accept One

They are ugly, they are smelly, they are the Crabs from Hell, and the first other worldly creatures Sarah encounters as the Keeper of the Tether.

They also seem to have a lasting effect on readers of The Tether Saga. I get emails all the time from readers who say the Scuttlers pop up in their dreams!

To help you rid yourself of your nightmares (or perhaps to give you more) I am pleased to announce our first Draw a Scuttler Competition.

The Competition rules are simply, submit your interpretation of a Scuttler via email to savant@custodiet.com by March 31st 2011 and you can win a signed copy of The Tether, and Book 2 of the Tether Saga Accept One.

The Scuttler (or Scuttlers) must be drawn in black and white and be no bigger than 8×11. All entries will be displayed in our special Scuttler gallery that will appear March 15th 2011 for your viewing pleasure.

To help you in this task, after the jump I've included the description of the Scuttlers first ever appearance in The Tether.

"Sarah caught a sudden small movement out of the corner of her eyes, and she glimpsed something scuttling quickly across the floor. Instinctively she followed the movement back around the corner of the nurses' station, and saw something small and blue on the floor. Kneeling down she got a closer look at what looked like an unusually small crab. The strange looking creature stopped as if it was taking a good look at her. It was crab shaped with a dark blue coloring to it. The crab had one tiny pincer and one particularly large misshapen claw. Instead of a smooth shell that you would expect to see on most crabs, it shell was covered in small knots and what looked like barnacles. Sarah reached out to it; the crab-like creature scuttled back warding her off with its large claw.

"What are you?" Sarah asked.

The crab-like creature continued to scuttle away from her and disappeared around the corner into the opposite corridor. Fascinated Sarah began to follow it when a familiar musty, obnoxious egg smell hit her nostrils and stopping her in her tracks filling her with dread.

Where have I smelt that before?" said Sarah.

She sniffed again the smell was even stronger, and she could hear a faint scuttling noise. Following the noise and the tracks of the retreating crab creature she turned around the corner and stopped short, her mouth and eyes went wide at the sight waiting for her.

The entire corridor was filled with hundreds of the scuttling crab like creature she saw in the nurses' station. They flowed around the frozen hospital staff like water and all seemed to be moving around aimlessly. Then as one the crab like creatures stopped and Sarah could feel a thousand beady little eyes staring at her. Feeling uneasy she took a step back bouncing off one of the inanimate staff members and lost her footing on the frozen floor and fell heavily on her bottom. The fall sent a sharp pain through her belly, making her groan. The scuttling crab creatures watched her intently and the nearest one started to move towards Sarah. She kicked it away instinctively with her foot, and scuttled herself back on her hands. The creature skidded into its fellow before turning to look at her. For a moment there was total silence and then it was broken by the menacing sound of hundreds of pincers clicking. A hissing sound started to rise from the mass of crab creatures. Not wanting to see what would happen next Sarah's slipped feet slid on the floor as she tried to back away from the creatures. Finally finding her feet, Sarah turned and started to run back down the corridor, she heard, rather than saw the malevolent tide of crab creatures start to scuttle after her."

Captain America movie watch Red Skull picture finally released!

The Red Skull, Cap's most fearsome foe and now we have a full picture of Hugo Weaving in full Red Skull get up. I have to say, it looks pretty damn good and the hopes for this movie are even higher now…

Review of Powers #7 by @BRIANMBENDIS & @Oeming was it worth the wait?

Well praise be… One week after the announcement of the Powers Pilot being picked up by FX, we finally get Issue 7 of Powers. Has it really been over three months since we last peeked into the life of Christian Walker? So was this issue worth the long wait?

Simple answer is yes, the complicated one is yes and no. Lets start with the simple yes, the dialog and Walkers questioning of a whole pantheon of Gods is Brian Michael Bendis at his best, and Michael Avon Oeming cinematic layout hums along with story.

Walker and his new partner Enki Sunrise are still feeling each other out, and there is tension between them as she suspects he is hiding powers, which of course he is. Which is a contrast to the easy banter he had with Deena Pilgrim, who returned as Special FBI Agent Pilgrim at the end of issue 6. Nice to see her back, and her new status over Walker should make for some interesting developments. Everything just clicked, and we had an unexpected shock ending leaving us wanting more.

The no, well… It might be another three months before we see another issue, and Powers just leaves you wanting more. Because of the detail in these stories you find yourself forgetting, well details, which can distract as you pour through the back issues to remember everything that is going on. This book really needs to hit more regular than it does. And now with Powers being picked up by FX this will turn into a series that everyone will be checking out. So we have a little time left to say we read it before the masses found out about it. Giving us that Hipster feeling of being just ahead of curve…

4 thumbs up out of 5

Now get it!

Powers #7 Review by @BRIANMBENDIS & @Oeming was it worth the wait?

Well praise be… One week after the announcement of the Powers Pilot being picked up by FX, we finally get Issue 7 of Powers. Has it really been over three months since we last peeked into the life of Christian Walker? So was this issue worth the long wait?

Simple answer is yes, the complicated one is yes and no. Lets start with the simple yes, the dialog and Walkers questioning of a whole pantheon of Gods is Brian Michael Bendis at his best, and Michael Avon Oeming cinematic layout hums along with story.

Walker and his new partner Enki Sunrise are still feeling each other out, and there is tension between them as she suspects he is hiding powers, which of course he is. Which is a contrast to the easy banter he had with Deena Pilgrim, who returned as Special FBI Agent Pilgrim at the end of issue 6. Nice to see her back, and her new status over Walker should make for some interesting developments. Everything just clicked, and we had an unexpected shock ending leaving us wanting more.

The no, well… It might be another three months before we see another issue, and Powers just leaves you wanting more. Because of the detail in these stories you find yourself forgetting, well details, which can distract as you pour through the back issues to remember everything that is going on. This book really needs to hit more regular than it does. And now with Powers being picked up by FX this will turn into a series that everyone will be checking out. So we have a little time left to say we read it before the masses found out about it. Giving us that Hipster feeling of being just ahead of curve…

4 thumbs up out of 5

Now get it!

A Steampunk Tale of Wonder – Last Flight of the Phoenix, Part One

"I am sorry, you have ARGOA!" said the figure in white.

"I have what?" replied Annie rubbing her eyes.

"I said you have AROGA!"

AROGA! AROGA! Screamed the horn mounted above Annie's berth on-board the Arc Royal as it blasted out a called to battle stations, a wave of nausea passed through Annie as she sat up in her bed. Moments later the voice of Captain Mansergh verbally called the ship to arms, and for all flights to launch. She shook her head knocking the last of the cobwebs out as she realized it was a combat alert.

"What the hell could it be? We are not due to make contact for another three days yet. If this is a drill I'll have someones head."

Annie jerked to her feet, and them groped for the cabin bulkhead as her head swam, she swallowed hard and fought to clear her head. The vertigo finally faded and she pulled open the door to her locker, stepping into the battered leather flight suit that hung against the door. She busied herself fastening the front of the garment up trying to ignore her reflection in the stained mirror in the back of the locker. Her ice blue eyes stared back at her, and she pushed back her blonde hair before snapping her flight boots around her calf's. Taking a deep breath she grabbed her gloves and stepped out into the corridor, pulling the metal shuttered door behind her.

The corridor was packed with the other pilots from her flight as they raced towards the launch bays of the carrier. Annie seeing the bottleneck of pilots and technicians heading towards the service ladder and main elevator, pulled on her gloves and cut into a service tunnel taking the narrow John ladder down to the next level. Just as her feet lighted on the deck she tumbled, the Arc Royal rumbled and shook around her as the Newtons dropped to bring the old carrier up to combat speed. Annie held onto the deck as the tremor passed over the hull and the ship let out an angry growl. When the moment passed she sprang up and ran down the catwalk that strung across the hanger deck, almost halfway across she grabbed the support rail, and swung off sliding down the metal support landing firmly on the carrier deck. The ship lurched one more time as it finally hit its top speed making Annie stumble as she ran towards her waiting Victoria airwing, a sleek mono-winged fighter.

The ground crew already busy making it ready; Robert, her Scottish Flight Engineer helped her into the cockpit and strapped her in. She flicked on the Victoria's tin speaker linked to the carriers internal wireless, the sound was scratchy, but she recognized the voice of Flight Captain Philips as he gave the mission brief.

"Three dozen, repeat three dozen Große Class Cruisers on high intercept. At least one dozen Dominata Frigates, and one confirmed sighting of a Leviathan Battleship. This must be the flag ship and is the target for this flight."

"Oh crap, great, just great," thought Annie. "Don't fight them when we are in top shape in Belgium when we had the Ironclads to support us, we do it now when we are half frazzled."

Annie shook her head, "No, act now, survive and complain later."

Robert tapped her on the shoulder, grinned and handed her leather flight helmet to her, "Good luck Miss Annie."

Annie, smiled and gave him the thumbs up, pulling the helmet over her cropped blonde hair as he dropped down to crank start the smaller Newton engine. The engines pitch increased as it reached full power and the Victoria started to shudder. With final checks to her flaps and tail rudder, another thumbs up from her Engineer; Annie pressed the throat speaker tube to her neck fastening it into place on the collar of her suit.

"Phoenix one, ready to launch… Request go."

"Roger Phoenix one, tube two is clear," said the distant voice of the flight bridge.

Annie dropped her hand out of the cockpit, made the two gesture with her fingers and felt the Victoria being wheeled to the launch tube. The airwing shuddered as it was clamped into the catapult, a final tap on the hull signaled her flight crew was clear and Annie spoke into the tube again.

"Phoenix one ready for go"

"Go granted, God speed and good hunting Phoenix one."

She glanced to the right to see the Catapult Chief in his control box, she gave him the thumbs up, pulled her helmet tighter and flight goggles over her eyes. She felt the catapult crank up under her and then was thrown backwards as the Victoria was launched down the tube. The walls around her blurred become a solid metallic gray as the square blue hole at the end of the tunnel grew into a mouth intending to swallow her whole. She cranked the throttle to full as her knots indicator climbed to 120, the pitch of the Newton screamed behind her, and she shot free of the Arc Royal.

To be continued…

Book Review Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett

I'm always late to the party with Sir Terry Pratchett's books, averaging a year behind his releases at best. For me though, this one was well worth wait.

Unseen Academicals is a little bit of a slow starter as you are introduced to new characters and the workings of the Maze under the Unseen University. The new characters are Glenda the night cook, her pretty and ditzy friend Juilet, Trev Likely a jack the lad and Mr Nutt, the… Well I wont spoil what he is, what is becomes, and his constant quest for worth.

The Wizards are back in all their glory and we see a very different side of Archchancellor Ridcully, he becomes virtually Vetinari in his manipulation of Faculty, and speaking of the Patrician we even see a more human side of Vetinari.

I found this Discworld novel a better read than Making Money, although I feel he has written better stories from the Discworld, my favorites being a toss up between the Witches and the Guards. The pace for this story was up and down, and a couple of places I felt it stumbled especially around the discovery of the Tackle, which is unusual for this author.

What Sir Terry does well is make his world a mirror of ours, and in this case they tackle foot-the-ball, and that is done well. The game at the beginning resembles the older medieval village football, and the match at the end is told at a frenetic pace you can't help but cheer at the descriptions that put you into the heart of the game. Some old faces pop up in what is more a nod to the readers of the Discworld series, than to really help the story along.

The most touching part of this story was Mr Nutt's speech about what is worth and it made me think about the true value of worth, and how it is perceived to others. A knack that Sir Terry has with a lot of his books, one minute your laughing, the next you are crying.

In all a great installment to the series, I want to learn more about these new characters and given Sir Terry's aliments I hope we are not reading an end.

Four Thumbs up out of Five

IDW Transformers #1 For All Mankind Review

After the surprisingly solid and well put together IDW Transformers Ironhide Mini-series  (see review here) I decided to go back and give the IDW Transformers a look at. I really enjoyed what they did with Ironhide, and the more mature theme running through that series, and was looking forward to seeing what they did with the rest of our G1 Favorites.

It wasn't easy as IDW Transformers Issues have no dating on the covers to help, and there has been several previous runs to sort through. After a little bit of initial confusion I located Transformers Issue One, of the For All Mankind arc and it seemed a good jumping on point. After all it was the start of new Transformer comic series, (okay I know printed in Nov 2009 but), and rule of thumb when picking up a new series is find a start of an arc, and go from there.

This is a review of the first issue of this IDW Transformers series and I did find myself feeling a little flat, where Ironhide honed in on the characteristics of that Bot, this felt unfocused. Maybe because I came in not knowing all the back story that has lead up to the events in this comic, and the summary just needed a little more for new readers like me.

More after the jump…

The events in For All Mankind take place two years after the events in All Hail Megatron that seemed to have wreaked havoc on the Earth. The Autobots have gone into hiding, and are waiting to see if the Decepticons are going to come back to Eart,  so they can protect the humans. In the meantime the humans have formed Skywatch, a Special Ops unit tasked to bring in rogue Transformers albeit Decepticon or Autobot, and they are pretty efficient at it too. Skywatch is lead by Major Spike Witwicky, has armored battlesuits and tech that can immobilize the Transformers.

Events come to a head when Prowl is captured in a trap set up by Skywatch, and Optimus allows a team led by Hotrod, with Ironhide as an observer, to rescue Prowl from Skywatch HQ. This turns out to be another trap, and although the Bots get Prowl out, one of there number fall to the human guns.

Now things get a little odd here, because Optimus is a military leader and I am sure he has lost other Bot's in the long war with the Decepticons. But, for some reason he blames himself for this death and resigns as leader of the Autobots, leaving the Autobots leaderless as he refuses to designate a new leader, and he then goes and surrenders to the humans.

Okay, problems here are we have Optimus being anything but a leader throughout this issue. The humans now have the tech and the know how to cripple a Transformer in less than 20 seconds. Leaving Optimus' reason to stay on Earth to protect the humans fairly empty (never seen an Autobot take down a Decepticon as fast the humans do in this issue). Nothing is really adding up in this issue, and to have Optimus walk away and showing an extreme lack in the leadership skills, which we all know he has just doesn't track right.

Saving grace is the artwork by Don Figueroa is very nice to look at, and we get a nice feeling of scale and power of the Transformers. The action is clear and unmuddled and the panel flow is nice. Explosions are big, and Bot action you can feel the power of the impacts. Compared to Ironhide, this opening story was a disappointing kick off for this Transformers Arc and it didn't grab me which first issues are supposed to.

Two Thumbs up out of Five

I will have to find the Trade to read the For All Mankind arc to judge the story in full, but at the moment I'm not really grabbed by this series. Which is sad because I was really impressed by what they did with Ironhide.

 

 

The Tether Fabula sneak peak at page four as something evil this way comes…

Another sneak peak straight from the digital pen of Steven 'Sash' Scott of Sovereign Pictures. This is page four of The Tether Fabula Graphic Project, and if you look carefully you can see something evil this way comes.