A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 160

Review – Victor Frankenstein movie

So the most recent adaptation of Mary Shelley’s classic, and one of the first and greatest science fiction books was, I have to say, a let down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Frankenstein_(film)

Spoiler alert***

The casting is pretty hot – Daniel Radcliffe and James McAvoy but the plot was weak. Yes, it’s Frankenstein in that genius and obsessed doctor creates monster which promptly goes on the rampage. No it’s not Frankenstein in that there is not really any of the tragedy, the vision, the emotion, the sheer awesomeness of the original story. It’s a story of life, death and everything in between; of hope and despair; and of obsession and the descent into madness.

One feels a lot of sympathy with both Frankenstein and Adam (the creature), in the original tale, and many of the screen adaptations (Boris Karloff, Kenneth Brannagh/RobertDe Niro).  Both are misunderstood, rejected and feared but both, in essence are good men turned bad through circumstance, and seeking the answer of what is life, and the soul.

This particular movie seems to be a ‘who is the biggest crazy head?’ competition. We have crazy doctors, crazy policemen, crazy friends, crazy circus people….

To start with we see Daniel Radcliffe as the hunchback clown with no name. He’s also the circus doctor (obviously…) So this is someone whose basically been raised in the circus, is bottom of the pecking order and has quite a severe disability. Remember this is the 18th Century when many people were illiterate. Apparently he steals the books but it’s not clear where from. So this nameless clown/freak teaches himself to read and write, is a talented anatomist (in a time when such things were, if not illegal, then certainly pretty taboo.

The love interest (a trapeze artist) goes splat (bad health and safety from the circus) and guess who comes to her aid? Yep you guessed it. Oh and Victor Frankenstein (medical student) who happens to be in the circus trying to buy bits of dead animals from his ‘research’.

OK, so pretty girl is rescued from death and a life in the circus and hunchback becomes Igor.  That’s another thing. So we see Radcliffe at the start with a serious deformity, difficulty walking, and running, breathlessness etc., which he’s had for 18 years. Now I’m not a doctor but I know a bit and you can’t just fix a condition like that overnight. Muscles and tendons would be misaligned, the spinal column is bent, there may be nerve damage. The bow legs the character has and the strange way of walking would likely take months of physio to fix…

He is ‘rescued’ by Dr F, they leg it from the angry circus folk and trash the circus. Apparently someone is killed in the escape but that only comes to light after.

Anyway as it happens Igor is not a ‘real hunchback’. The hunch is a cyst, not a true curvature and so with a syringe, a bucket of goo and a home-made backbrace our sidekick is cured…

Igor is not his real name – that’s actually the alcoholic opium fiend who sometimes shares the bloody massive apartment Frankenstein lives in – we never met the real Igor except as a frozen eye-less corpse. But all of his clothes just happen to fit our cured hunchback/clown/would-be doctor. Convenient. So Mr Was-Hunchback is now Igor if someone comes asking awkward questions.

Religious obsessed widower policeman Roderick Turpin (Andrew Scott) who wavers between the carnies are all mean and picked on said hunchback and locked him in a cage (how does he know? It’s pure guesswork) to everyone is working for Satan.  The copper puts two and two together and works out the weirdo whose buying/stealing animal body parts is the same person who ‘attacked’ the circus. He then embarks on a crusade against the atheist Frankenstein.

The monster when we first see him is a chimp/lion/homunculous which stinks of death and on resurrections goes nuts and savages everyone. Good start….

We then meet Finnegan – a ‘friend’ of Victor’s who is rather one dimensional. He’s the unpleasant aristocrat who wants all the glory and none of the gory. He’s obnoxious, but I assume is meant to be.

Mr Policeman gets too close, raiding Frankenstein’s lodging and asking awkward questions – mostly about God. F and Igor leg it, Policeman gets caught in one of the machines and his hand gets crushed. Dismissed from the force for entering the premises of the rich and threatening the powerful (including Finnegan), suffering the loss of a hand and eye, mental illness and religious obsession. Of course this doesn’t stop him pestering the doctor and Igor.

Finnegan smuggles the duo out to somewhere really obvious and now insane copper, plus assorted minions take on Victor, Igor, Finnegan and assorted minions. Big monster wakes up, might pissed off. Bad guys (whichever they are) beat up good guys and some people get squished, throttled, or roasted.  Hero escapes, monster we have seen for maybe 2 minutes, gets whacked, evil/insane policemen is roasted, evil friend is gone. Igor goes off with the acro – who somehow managed to find a rich patron, and Dr F is free and working on his next project.

Problems:

Too many plot holes/conveniences

Terrible adaptation

Misses the point – the monster is supposed to be a character who evokes sympathy not a mindless killer. Frankenstein is supposed to be genius/troubled but overall tragic. He’s not.

Weak characterisations. I found it hard to care about the characters – perhaps Igor a bit as he’s just a pawn in a much bigger game, but not anyone else. The characters are rather flat. There’s little emotion (except obsession and self pity).

There’s very little suspense and it’s not a horror by any definition. It’s not sci-fi, it’s not fantasy, it’s not historical, it’s not a costume drama.

Good Things:

Erm… special effects are OK

McAvoy and Radcliffe are easy on the eye.

Sorry they are all I can think of…

Rating One Star. Would I watch it again – nope.

There are much better adaptations, and much cleverer ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dreamweaver’s Journey by @FeyronTales is a #Fantasy Jewel #Giveaway #BookPromo

A great YA Fantasy series!

POTL: All Things Books, Reading and Publishing

Title: The Dreamweaver’s Journey

Author: Diana L. Wicker

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

Book Blurb:

The Realm of Feyron has always been.  It is the origin of all things magical, the axis point where all the worlds meet. Once, in days gone by, there were many gateways within the Temple of Pyli connecting the Worlds Beyond seeded with magic to their home. Now many gateways have flickered out, and Feyron weakens as the magic fades and the Guardians are lost.

For the first time in over three hundred years a Dreamweaver has come of age and is tasked with contacting the Guardians. When she awakens in the night after a vision of her best friend lost and alone, injured in the snows at the top of the Crystal Mountains, she seeks out the Sacred Fire in the Temple in an attempt to call forth more information. A voice calls out from…

View original post 702 more words

Back Catalogue 2 – Dii and Archos

Originally posted on https://kyrahalland.wordpress.com/201... for Valentine’s Day 2014.

How did you meet?

Archos: Dii’s magic called to me across the Realms of Magic. She had touched and helped a magic Mirror, one of the old elven artefacts even though Mirror magic is rare. That old Mirror called to mine, I had to see who had activated it. As for actually meeting… I only wish it had been in better circumstances, Dii was imprisoned in an Order fort and was very badly hurt. She almost died.

Dii: He saved my life. I cannot remember first meeting as I was unconscious but I recall our first meeting after I awoke. Archos is a powerful man, and I was very daunted. I had been a slave and I assumed I would be his Kept – his bound concubine. He was very kind, he did not treat me like the others had.

What was the first thing you noticed about the other person?

Archos: By the gods she was beautiful and her magic was like nothing I had seen before. So wild yet so much Power.

Dii: Archos was very kind to me. He is very handsome too.

3. Did you know when you met that you would end up together?

Archos: I wanted her from the moment her magic called to mine. I risked my life and my freedom to find her. We are bound in blood and magic, there is no stranger bond.

Dii: As I explained I had lived as a slave before. If Archos had taken me as a Kept I would have stayed until he tired of me. Elves have no rights, and sorceresses are forbidden. I am so lucky Archos loves me for myself. He does not treat me like a slave. At least here in Tremellic we are equals. It took me a while to realise it.

4. What do you like best about the other person?

Archos: Despite everything which has been done to her Dii retains her kindness. She is also an unbelievable lover.

Dii: He treats me like an equal.

What is something you enjoy doing together? (Besides the obvious!)

Archos: We do a lot of research together. Magic is very fickle and there is always so much to learn and tame it. Dii is very clever but she looks at it in a different way. I can be over confident and she will ask questions.

Dii: Research, sex and sometimes we will go up to the hills and simply enjoy the open air. Sometimes we will do all three at once.

Archos: Laughs.

How has the other person changed you?

Archos: I have never loved anyone as deeply as I love Dii’Athella. She has brought me so much, and assuaged my loneliness.

Dii: I think I am more confident.

7. What are the biggest differences between you? How important are these differences?

Archos: Dii rarely loses her temper. She can calm me down like no one else can. I am known for my stormy temperament.  She is very much younger than I, so she has much to learn. Her life before I found her was very sheltered, but not to keep her safe. Elves are slaves and cannot move freely so her decision to leave the house of her Keeper must have been difficult, although knowing what he put her through I am not surprised she did, no one should endure it. Consequently she is like an enquiring child in many ways, with an appetite to learn you rarely find.

 

Dii: Archos is much clever than I am. He knows so much. Of course he is a human, well he looks human so he can move about far more freely. It means he can go to the city, or to our little….trading port without me. I cannot leave Tremellic alone. Although now things are more difficult, even a human can be arrested if there are suspicions he is a mage. Vague suspicious are enough and there are more than vague suspicions these days.

What do the two of you have in common?

Archos: Magic of course, research, lore. Getting freedom for the elves and mages is very important to us.

Dii: I would agree, although I am not sure we are ready to fight for elven freedom just yet.  The Witch-Hunters will have other ideas. There are many plans to make.

9. What does your family think of your partner, and what do you think of your partner’s family?

Archos: my family are here. Everyone adores Dii.

Dii: I have no family but those around me.

10. What role does magic play in your relationship?

Archos: Magic is who we are. Our very being is magical, especially mine. Magic tends to demand much, but it also brings a lot of passion. There is nothing to match sex spiced with magic.

Dii: giggles knowingly.

11. What are your plans for the future?

Archos: That remains to be seen. There is much to do, much to learn and many risks to run.

Dii: I would like to live to see the elves free but who knows. As Archos says there are many risks.

Perhaps we will travel again.

“The whole is greater than the sum of the parts” How is this true for the two of you?

Archos: Magic combined is stronger than magic separated. Dii is skilled in light magic and she is a wonderful healer. My skills are more combat magic, elemental magic.  Working with another who understands what can and cannot be done, and what must be done first is important. Having the woman I love beside me means there is nothing I will not face.

Dii: Archos has many skills I do not, but he sees things in a different way. He is charming but he does not see matters from a woman’s way. Sometimes a woman needs to deal with other women. Many of the women, especially the elven women, have endured terrible treatment at the hands of slavers and they would not confide in a man, especially a human man. My friend Ozena talks to them a lot, but there are some matters which can only be discussed with someone who has themselves experienced it.

Dii and Archos appear in The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles and The Shining Citadel.

http://www.amazon.com/Light-Beyond-Storm-Chronicles–ebook/dp/B0088DQO9C

http://www.amazon.com/The-Shining-Citadel-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00D4CF6W8

Character Interview Number Thirty Seven – Sir Edric

Tell Us About Yourself

 

Name(s) Sir Edric Greenlock, the Hero of Hornska

 

Age Forty-one

 

Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. Bearded magnificence.

 

Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? Morality’s just a self-righteous way of rationalising one’s whims. I aspire to reach the end of each day wealthier, happier and, most importantly, alive.

 

Would you kill for those you love? That is quite a short list, to be honest. But, yes, of course. If I had to save someone whose life I cherished (mine, for example) then I’d definitely kill someone who was threatening that important individual.

 

Would you die for those you love? One suspects not. There’s a vast yawning chasm between love and stupidity.

 

What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses? My strengths? Well… I did save the entire world from Ursk at the Battle of Hornska. So, heroism, leadership, modesty, cunning, martial prowess and being saviour of the world. My prime weakness would be that I was forced into marriage with a wicked witch. It’s damned inconvenient having to run away whenever the wife’s within a hundred mile radius.

 

Do you have any relationships you prize above others? Why? Yes, with Temper, and my other horses. They’re magnificent animals, far more reliable than men, and more trustworthy than women. A horse will never tell your secrets to someone else. I suppose Dog’s an acceptable manservant, and I quite like Corkwell (though I’d like her more if she weren’t so fond of manacles).

 

Do you like animals? Do you have any pets/animal companions? Absolutely. Pigs, sheep, deer, cows, they’re all delicious. In terms of companions, there’s Temper, Twenty-Six, Hamilton’s Trousers, Winterfilth, Moloch, Churl, Humpy and many other horses. A man cannot have too many trusty steeds.

 

Do you have any phobias? Not many. Uxoriphobia (fear of the wife) would be one. Also, manual labour. And poverty (though, fortunately, I am immensely rich).

 

Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. I’m currently having an affair with the Queen of Awyndel.

 

Tell Us About Your World

Do you travel in the course of your adventures? If so where? Yes, to many places. I’ve visited the Tower of Uz-Talrak in Ursk territory, Greymond’s rather scruffy lands, the Forest of Bones and the abandoned ruins of Nyctipos. They’re crammed with marvellous treasures and assorted monsters (magical pygmies, undead, poor people etc).

 

Name and describe a food from your world. Andelic brandy. Splendid fiery stuff with a real kick. Damned expensive, but that’s what smugglers are for.

 

Does your world have magic? If so how is it viewed in your world? Sadly, yes. The pretentious pointy-ears and a few circles of jerks practice the arcane arts. Well, so they say. Most of their time is spent reading, mincing about in robes and fondling their wands.

 

Does your world have different races of people? If so do they get on with one another?Yes, we have the Ursk. Some of them are quite nice. Orff No-Balsac is a friend of mine (he does kill and eat people, but most of them are only peasants). Unfortunately, the world is infested with a plague of elves (they breed like rats and live forever). There are gnomes too, though they live quite far away.

 

What is the technology level for your world/place of residence? What item would you not be able to live without? We’re very advanced. Most towns now have a reasonably accurate clock, and water mills are increasingly popular.

I’d be dead without my crossbow. The fixation some knights have on their swords baffles me. You can kill someone far away with a crossbow, or shoot birds for dinner. That’s far superior to a sharpened piece of metal. Do you have any idea how close you have to get to poke someone with your sword?

 

Within your civilisation what do you think is the most important discovery/invention?Wine, I should think. Without it, we’d be chained to Soberon, God of Tedium, and imagine how boring life would be. Wine dulls the pain and invigorates the joy.

 

 

Author notes:

Book(s) in which this character appears plus links

The Adventures of Sir Edric

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adventures-Edric-Hero-Hornska-Book-ebook/dp/B01DOSP9ZK/

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Edric-Hero-Hornska-Book-ebook/dp/B01DOSP9ZK/

Author name

Thaddeus White

Website/Blog/Author pages etc.

Website: http://thaddeuswhite.weebly.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MorrisF1

Sir Edric’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeroOfHornska

Blog: http://thaddeusthesixth.blogspot.co.uk

 

 

 

 

Sunday Surprise

Here’s a great interview with Dii and Ulric – from the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles

creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator)

Hi guys,

I’m Samantha and I come from another world – the original, old Silvery Earth, where people are immortal and never grow up. When I’m not switching bodies at will, I travel to other universes, especially books or movies. That’s how I met Rajveer the vampire, for example!

So, I’m taking over the interviews on this blog! And here I am, meeting people from other books/universes/whatever!

Soo! Tell me a little about yourself.

My name is Dii – Dii’Athella is the longer version. It’s elven. I’m told it means Flower of the Dawn. I’m about twenty-five summers – although I don’t know my exact age. I was taken from my true mother as an infant and given to a human family. They did not take me to raise me as their own, I was a Kept – a slave. I’m an elf – elves have no rights, no liberty…

View original post 2,078 more words

Returning Author Thaddeus White

I’d like to welcome back author Thaddeus White

Please recap briefly about your books:

Most recently, my fantasy-comedy The Adventures of Sir Edric has been published. It’s a rollicking, fast-paced story, crammed with silly and cynical humour. I’ve also self-published two ‘serious’ fantasy books (Bane of Souls and Journey to Altmortis), and another in the same world (Kingdom Asunder) is close to completion.

What has changed since you last visited? Tell us your news!

The Adventures of Sir Edric came out, which is my first traditionally published book. As I write this, there’s a couple of days to go, so I have no idea how well/badly it’s doing, but I do know your readers should give it a look. After all, laughter’s good for you.

Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…)

Great characters, solid plot, great world-building, technically perfect.

Personally, I’m relaxed about typos and grammar errors when I read (I do go mad when I find any in my own work, though). Characters are what sell me something. I’d rather read about a fascinating fellow or clever lass doing something tedious than read about a boring man doing something that should be exciting.

Plot is very important too. Little twists can help invest a reader in a book, and if the plot seems shallow or non-sensical then it can be hard to take seriously or even to care about. Having a great world is good, but the world is the backdrop to the story. The foreground is the characters and plot, and if those are wrong, having a great world can’t rescue a book.

Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? 

Er… yes and no. I try to as much as possible (although The Adventures of Sir Edric has also been professionally edited). Especially with my self-published stuff, I do as much as I can myself. Leaving aside the Yorkshire instinct to save money, I also think it’s just better that way. It’s my name on the cover, so I should do as much as I can and get the credit/blame. Worth noting my editor has picked up a few (small) points for potential change.

Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be? 

Yes. If you go into business for yourself as a carpenter (or even musician) people applaud your self-reliance. Do it as a writer and people assume you failed to get an agent/publisher. Now, sometimes that’s true, but often it isn’t. The issue is market saturation of authors, and that some who self-publish rush to do it and have poorer quality because of that.

If you get something traditionally published then others, whose jobs depend on books succeeding, think it’s worth the green light. So, traditional publishing still has more kudos than self-publishing (although with the latter you have more control and get a higher percentage per sale, so it’s not all one-way traffic).

What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews?

Reviews are vital. An author saying “Buy my book, it’s good” may be truthful (or not) but they have a clear vested interest. A third party reviewing and confirming a book is indeed good (or not) is helpful for both readers and writers. Generally, authors shouldn’t comment on reviews. If there’s a factual inaccuracy, that may be an exception.

When buying a book do you read the reviews?

Reviews are often the second thing (after the blurb) I’ll check. I’ll read a few of the top positive and a few of the top negative before buying, or choosing not to.

What are your reviews on authors reviewing other authors?

If they’re being neutral, I think it’s fair enough. It can be a bit awkward when reviews are swapped (that’s one of the reasons I don’t do reviews for fantasy any more). But the idea Mark Lawrence or Joe Abercrombie should be forbidden from recommending other good fantasy books is mad as a mongoose wearing a fez.

What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers?

Thickness of skin is crucial. Too thin, and you’ll be upset at criticism (and criticism is your friend, it teaches you the ways you can improve). Too thick, and you’ll not take any notice of what other people say.

I’d also say, be stubborn. The middle third of a book is tricky. Initial excitement has worn off and the end is months away. Just keep buggering on. Lastly, engage with the community of your book’s genre. Whether that’s just one forum or a few (don’t stretch yourself too thin), you’ll get good advice on dos and don’ts.

How have you progressed as a writer since you started?

I’ve been doing it for long enough to have found the way that works best for me (a fairly light outline, solid word counts every day, redrafting in a certain way etc). There’s no magic X factor, it’s just a case of learning through experience. Listening to advice is useful but people do write in different ways and you shouldn’t force yourself to stick to someone else’s approach if it doesn’t work for you.

What aspect of writing do you least enjoy? Why might this be?

Proofreading. It makes my eyes go fuzzy, I get annoyed when I find mistakes and annoyed when I don’t. The only upside to proofreading is when it ends.

What are your views on authors offering free books?

I think it can make sense at the start of a series, but only for one or two books. More than that, and people will think that the zero price tag reflects the value of your work.

What are your plans for the future? When will we see your next book?  Tell us about it.

I can’t give a precise date for the next book. It’s likely to be Kingdom Asunder, the first part of a trilogy I’m writing (currently on the second book, Traitor’s Prize). Unsurprisingly, it’s about a kingdom that’s being split in two by civil war. As well as the battle between King and Usurper, there are rivalries within both camps, and lashings of betrayal, murder and blood.

 

 

Links etc.

 

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MorrisF1

Parody twitter – https://twitter.com/HeroOfHornska

Blog – http://thaddeusthesixth.blogspot.co.uk

Website – http://thaddeuswhite.weebly.com

Amazon UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thaddeus-White/e/B008C6RU98/

Amazon US – http://www.amazon.com/Thaddeus-White/e/B008C6RU98/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Guardian’s Witch by @RuthACasie Cast a Spell Over Me #bookreview #romance #MFRWAuthor

Title: The Guardian’s Witch Author: Ruth A. Casie Genre: Historical Romance, Paranormal Romance   Book Blurb: Dare she rely on her knight to find a way to save them both or does s…

Source: The Guardian’s Witch by @RuthACasie Cast a Spell Over Me #bookreview #romance #MFRWAuthor

Lift 4 Autism – Promotion 2

Hopefully you recall I mentioned this recently. Lift 4 Autism are running an event to raise money to help autistic kids and their families.  Autism is a complex condition, and many people are impacted by it – not just the sufferers themselves but their relatives and friends, teachers, support workers and even the community as a whole. Autistic kids can be very loving but in their own way, often struggling to deal or express their emotions and many suffer from lifelong learning and social disabilities. Every case is different – needs are different and their is still a lack of understanding about this condition.

Lift 4 Autism are running an auction – bidding runs between Monday April 25th and Friday April 29th.

lift4autism.com
teespring.com/2016Lift (all funds raised go to a national medical/therapy scholarship fund).

There are a lot of authors and bloggers involved and great prizes. So do come along and support this event.

April is Autism Awareness month, shining a global light on the condition an estimated 3 million people in the United States and 70 million people in the world live with every day. 1 in every 68 American children. 1 in every 42 boys. Though Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability, affecting this many, for those outside looking in, it often remains a mystery. This month we hope to shine light and spread compassion for families living with Autism.

In addition to raising awareness, we also want to take action. This is the second LIFT 4 Autism campaign, rallying the romance reading community around this cause. More than 200 authors and bloggers are partnering with this effort, many donating books and other items to an auction the last week of April. Proceeds from this auction will go directly to our charitable partner, Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), a national non-profit organization dedicated to educating, empowering and supporting families affected by autism. Specifically, our efforts will benefit families served through TACA’s scholarship program to offset medical and therapy costs.

To stay abreast of LIFT news and developments this month, join our Facebook Group.

How can you be involved?
1. Authors – Donate books or other items for auction
2. Bid in the auction, and your money goes straight to TACA’s scholarship fund. (You’ll be asked to register before the auction date to bid.)
3. Purchase a LIFT 2016 t-shirt
4. Make a tax-deductible donation to TACA

 

LIFT Giveaway! $5 Amazon Gift Card, LIFT T-Shirt and E-Book from any LIFT Author

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The IX – Exordium of Tears by @WestonAndrew is a #ScienceFiction Gem #bookreview #mustread #SFF

Title: The IX – Exordium of Tears Author: Andrew P. Weston Genre: Science Fiction   Book Blurb: Fight or die.   That simple yet brutal reality is the tenet by which the refugees fr…

Source: The IX – Exordium of Tears by @WestonAndrew is a #ScienceFiction Gem #bookreview #mustread #SFF

The IX – Exordium of Tears by @WestonAndrew is a #ScienceFiction Gem #bookreview #mustread #SFF

I haven’t read the sequel to IX yet but it’s next on my list. Check out this review – sounds great.

POTL: All Things Books, Reading and Publishing

Title: The IX – Exordium of Tears

Author: Andrew P. Weston

Genre: Science Fiction

Book Blurb:

Fight or die.

That simple yet brutal reality is the tenet by which the refugees from Earth – including the fabled lost 9th Legion of Rome; the 5th Company, 2nd Mounted Cavalry Unit; and the Special Forces Anti-Terrorist Team – were forced to live by while the Horde menace existed. Believing that the threat is over, the survivors now yearn to settle down, start families, and reclaim the lives stolen from them.

But such aspirations might remain beyond their reach, for a shadow looms on the rose-tinted horizon of new beginnings.

The release of the re-genesis matrix has done much to foster a restoration of exuberance across Arden. Along with a resurgence in floral and faunal diversity comes the results of splicing the Ardenese and human genomes: transmutation. A metamorphosis of stunning magnitude that…

View original post 826 more words