Joshua Reynolds's Blog, page 63
March 24, 2015
The Sharkpunk Interview
In the lead up to the release of��Sharkpunk, editor Jonathan Green has been interviewing the contributors and yesterday, it was my turn in the hot seat. Why not go check that out, and be sure to read the previous interviews as well. And why not check out��the Sharkpunk site��while you’re at it? Then maybe visit the Sharkpunk Facebook page and take a moment to follow the Sharkpunk Twitter feed.
March 13, 2015
Rejoice, For Thy Doom Is Here
The final hour has come around at last. The end of all time, the end of all strife. Celebrate and rejoice, for thy doom is here.��The Lord of the End Times��has arrived, and soon all will be silence. But, before that moment, a song to sing as the world comes to its predestined end…
And remember, if you have any questions about the book, you can always ask.
March 12, 2015
Atomic Power
Brian Sammons, one of the editors for Chaosium’s long-awaited anthology,��Atomic Age Cthulhu, has released a look at the new cover art. For a sneak-peek, pull back the curtain…
No word on when exactly the book will be out. But, soon, probably, maybe. It’s a pretty cover, anyway.
I’ve spoken about the table of contents before (almost three years ago! The time does fly…), but, in light of some recent short stories, I thought I’d speak a bit about my contribution, “The Romero Transference”.
“The Romero Transference” is the latest story to feature the enigmatic Indrid Cold, a waxen-faced Federal agent whose off-the-rack suit hides nightmarish secrets.��Cold has worked with the American government since the day he turned up announced in Thomas Jefferson’s private study at Monticello in 1776. But Cold serves other interests besides those of America, including those of the watchers out of time, and his own secretive brotherhood. In “The Romero Transference”, Cold endeavors to help the US military prepare for the inevitable, as the Cold War threatens to turn hot…
Cold has featured in four stories to date, counting this one:�����The Yoth Protocols���, ���Time���s Black Gulf��� and “The Pnakotic Puzzle” complete the set, so far.
March 11, 2015
Stories With Bite
Sharkpunk editor Jonathan Green has kindly posted the complete table of contents for��Sharkpunk, which includes my sharkpunk story, “Deep Red Bells”. Why not check that out at the Sharkpunk site, then maybe visit the Sharkpunk Facebook page and be sure to follow the Sharkpunk Twitter feed.
…
Sharkpunk.
March 10, 2015
Opinionated
So. Here’s the thing. I don’t share my opinions very often. At all, really. I have my reasons, but occasionally, people–readers, fans, friends, vaguely interested parties–ask me to write about something other than myself. I have done so in the past, and I may do so again, in the future, but by and large I’m not interested in it. That said, the question came up again, recently, due to this thing which is making the rounds. Other people have shared their thoughts on it, but someone wrote to me asking why I don’t write about more topical subjects on this blog. So here it is.��
I don’t share my opinions about politics, religion, social issues, or the latest genre kerfuffles on this site for one simple reason…I’m not one for debate. I don’t like to argue. Now, that ain’t to say I won’t, when I deem it necessary–but in general, I’m not a fan of verbal conflict. Nonspecific mockery is more my thing.��Or punching. But not arguing.
My opinions are mine, yours are yours, and never the twain shall meet, at least in this particular forum. And this is because I believe that when one shares an opinion in public, one is inviting debate, or at the very least, conversation.
This blog is, for the moment, not for that. It is for self-promotion. It is, literally, the minimum a writer can get away with these days–a low-maintenance hub, where people interested in my work can come and find something new to read, or find information on something they already want to read. In the future, it might become more, but for now, it is what it is.
That said, if you do find yourself dying to know my opinions on the state of the genre, or what I think about the whole Sad Puppies thing, or my feelings on Lindsey Graham not using email, you should feel free to ask me. I’m happy to have those conversations. That’s what the ‘Ask Me a Question’ page is for. Go for it.
March 6, 2015
The Lord of the End Times
The gods are dead. Nations have fallen by the wayside. There are no heroes left. All of human history has come down to this point. There can be no going back. There is no escape.
There is only the end.
From the blurb:
The End Times have come. Archaon Everchosen marches on the city of Middenheim, and if he captures it, the key to the Chaos gods��� ultimate victory will be his. The last heroes of men, elves and dwarfs gather to stop him, but to stand against the hordes of the Ruinous Powers, they must turn to darker allies. Against all reason, the last hope for the world may be the Undying King, Nagash himself ��� if he and the mortal races can find common cause and work together. If they cannot, Archaon���s plan will come to fruition and the world will be consumed by Chaos.
The Lord of the End Times��is up for pre-order from today. It will be available in hardback, or in electronic format. A soft cover will be available later this year.
This is…the end.
That’s all I have to say about it.
March 2, 2015
Terminus Point
So, given that the Old World is fast approaching its terminus point, it behooves me to point out that it is entirely likely that the range of Warhammer Fantasy-related tie-in fiction of all shapes, sizes and lengths, will join it in the apocalyptic fires of the End Times. As in, they’ll go out of print. Which means that if you ain’t got ‘em by now, you won’t be getting them.
Now, it’s possible that this is simple hyperbole on my part, but who knows? Certainly not me, which is why I’m writing this. So why not grab a copy of one of the following books before it’s too late?
Knight of the Blazing Sun (2011)
The Knights of the Blazing Sun are a noble and venerable order of templars dedicated to the warrior-goddess Myrmidia. The young knight Hector Goetz is sent to the distant island of Svunum to investigate the disappearance of a group of knights. Reunited with his comrades, he battles vicious pirates and bloodthirsty raiders, but from his increasingly disturbing nightmares Goetz realises that there is more to the place than meets the eye. As northern savages lay siege to the island, a deadly secret is revealed that threatens to damn his order for all eternity…
Neferata is a queen without a kingdom. Lahmia has fallen, her vampire children have scattered and she is reduced to draining blood from the beasts of the mountains. After a chance encounter with a party of dwarfs, she sets her sights on a capital for her new empire ��� the stronghold of Silver Pinnacle. She calls her allies to battle ��� but can she truly trust Ushoran, Lord of Masks, and his bestial Strigoi vampires?
Gotrek and Felix race to the dwarf hold at Karak Kadrin, finding it besieged by one of the grand armies of Chaos under the command of Warlord Garmr. When King Ungrim Ironfist speaks of the legendary ���Road of Skulls��� and of the hated foe���s attempts to open a portal into the Realm of Chaos, Gotrek senses that a great doom awaits him ��� though it may not be the one he would choose for himself. As the king���s own son leads his army of Slayers to fulfil an ancient prophecy, it seems that Garmr���s hour of victory may be at hand…
W’soran, one of the first vampires and former pupil of the Great Necromancer Nagash, seeks to unravel the secrets of life and death. But his hunt for power is interrupted by a civil war in Mourkain, the mountain nation ruled by his former ally, Ushoran. Now W’soran must battle old friends and new enemies as he weaves a complex web of treachery and deceit in order to anoint himself the Master of Death…
Travelling to the mysterious south in search of a mighty death, the Slayer Gotrek Gurnisson and his human companion, Felix Jaeger, find themselves caught up in a battle between warring kingdoms. Captured by the sinister Queen Khalida and forced to do her bidding, the adventurers must brave the horrors of the sun-soaked Land of the Dead… And the dead do not rest easy…
And what about the following short stories, which may also vanish into the howling void of Chaos?
For twenty-two days, the city of Hergig has stood strong against the beastman horde that has laid waste to Hochland. But now the gates have broken, and the beasts have entered the city. Elector Count Mikael Ludendorf leads the defence, his runefang in hand and his stalwart personal guard at his side. As the beasts rampage through the city, the count seeks out his foe, intent on killing the leader of the horde, the Beastlord Gorthor. The result of their combat will decide the fate of Hergig.
Nagash is dead, but his legacy lives on as the vampire Ushoran embarks upon a quest to retrieve the Great Necromancer���s crown from Kadon, the deadly Master of Mourkain.
Gotrek and Felix journey through the haunted marshes of Hel Fenn in search of an honourable death for the Slayer, but awaken an ancient evil long thought dead.
When Gotrek and Felix agree to help an impoverished nobleman reclaim his birthright, they are thrown into a battle for survival against a creature from their darkest nightmares.
Vorag Bloodytooth, Strigoi vampire prince, moves upon Cripple Peak, intent upon uniting the ghoul tribes who labour under the shadow of Nagashizzar and carving out an empire for himself to stand against his warring fellow vampires. Accompanied by his closest allies, Vorag descends into the caverns of the ghouls and challenges their leader to combat. The victor will claim the title of Ghoul King and rule a realm of monsters. The loser will find only death.
Now undisputed ruler of the ghoul tribes of the Plain of Bones, Vorag Bloodytooth has enslaved greenskin tribes to build a fortress worthy of his stature. As his slaves revolt against his cruelty and envoys from his fellow vampires arrive seeking his aid in their petty squabbles, Vorag���s plan to resurrect his long-lost love comes to fruition ��� if he can escape from the deadly trap he is driven into by the rebellious goblin slaves. The fate of his empire hangs in the balance���
As the heroic duo travel through the Border Princes, a drunken night coupled with Gotrek���s dwarfish lust for gold leads to him agreeing to a marriage ��� for Felix. With a halfling. Gotrek is determined that this will be a ���marriage of moment���, allowing an unamused Felix to abandon his diminutive wife afterwards, but will she see it that way? And just what is the mysterious Jabas that the villagers are so scared of? Will hilarity ensue from this wedding��� or horror?
When the Imperial engineer Mikal Bernheimer flees to the free city of Marienburg, it falls to Erkhart Dubnitz and the Knights of Manann to protect the exile while the great and good wage diplomatic war over the matter. Not too onerous a task, so it seems, but with enemies on all sides and intrigue around every corner, Dubnitz and his men are guaranteed a good fight as well���
Now, you’ve probably noticed that none of these are in print. To which I say ‘duh’. They haven’t been in print for awhile, which is what I like to call ‘an item of supporting evidence’. Sure, if you absolutely MUST have a print copy, you can probably find one on Amazon. I point to the e-books because I get royalties for those, which I maybe won’t for a third party copy you get from AbeBooks or Amazon. Now, I’m not going to complain if you buy one there, but…I like royalties, so that’s where I’m pointing you.
In conclusion, please buy a book.
Or a short story.
Or both.
March 1, 2015
The Daemon of Speed
Who remembers “Master of the Hunt”, my Space Marine Battles audio from last year? Anybody? Bueller? It had a certain brightly-hued cacodaemoniacal biker in it, and the white-armored riders��of Chogoris? No? That’s okay. It came and went without so much as a howdy, really.*��Anyway, Michael Dodd over at Track of Words reviewed it.From the review:
It really makes my day when a reader (or reviewer) gets it, you know? This was one of those times where I wasn’t trying to be clever, or subtle. I was just trying to write the most Metal script ever, with lots of guitar solos and explosions and improbable motorcycle antics. Granted, Michael isn’t the only one to get what I was going for. Heck, there’s even a really neat video where two guys discuss it:
��
If any of the above has you revving your engines to listen to “Master of the Hunt”, well, good news! It’s still available from Black Library all by it’s lonesome as a downloadable mp3 or as part of the��Space Marine Battles: Audio Drama Collection,��where it comes with a whole host of other great guns-blazing audio adventures. So why not download a copy today?
* This is a lie. No less than six Warhammer 40K fan forums called for my head on a stick after this audio came out. To this day, I’m known as ‘that hack who killed Doomrider’ on certain forums. You have no idea how happy this makes me.
February 20, 2015
Vril Review
Recently, reviewer Dave Brzeski was kind enough to take a look at��The Vril Agenda,��the novel I co-wrote with my good friend/partner-in-crime Derrick Ferguson, for the British Fantasy Society.��The Vril Agenda��features a team-up between old pulp hero Jim Anthony, Super-Detective and Derrick’s New Pulp action-hero, Dillon, as they join forces to defeat the malign menace of the man known as Sun-Koh…
From the review:
Ain’t that sweet? So yeah, why not go check that review out in its entirety, and then maybe mosey on over to Amazon.com, your favorite international subsidiary thereof, or the independent bookseller of your choice and pick up a copy today. Derrick and I would appreciate it muchly.
And, if you’ve already read it, why not check out more of Dillon’s adventures, or even my own recent contribution to the Super-Detective’s case-files? And while you’re at it, why not check out the definitive take on Sun-Koh, by Dr. Art Sippo?
February 16, 2015
Story in Jade
So, the second Royal Occultist novel,��The Jade Suit of Death, has been out for a few months now, so I thought I’d talk a little about the inspiration behind it, and how it developed as it did. If you’re interested in that sort of thing, by all means read on.��
If I’m being honest, the kernel of the idea that would become��The Jade Suit of Death��originated with this Atlas Obscura article. I had never even heard of jade burial suits until I ran across the article in question, and, upon further investigation, a whole slew of ideas began to percolate in my devious little brain. The one with the most staying power involved something nasty (a sorcerer, a vampire, etc.) being imprisoned in such a suit, and the consequences should someone be so foolish as to open it up.
In retrospect, it’s not exactly a new idea–‘things better left buried’ is a standard trope of horror fiction, and has been for a long time. The question I had was what sort of��thing it ought to be. The suit’s prisoner went through a number of permutations as I tried to figure out what would best serve the story I wanted to tell, as well as provide for potential future stories, should I wish to go back to that particular well.
Which, being a thrifty sort, I do.
Once I had that figured out, I needed to come up with a reason for it to be dug up in the first place. Initially, I went with another trope–‘greedy treasure hunters unleash evil’, i.e. every mummy movie ever–but after some thought, I decided to put a more complex spin on things. After all, what if the greedy treasure hunter in question knew��what was sealed in that jade suit, and wanted it for that very reason? And then, what if someone stole the thing in question, and��for the same reason?
After that, it was just a matter of coming up with a group of lunatics who’d think that stealing a [SPOILER] in order to use it as a biological weapon was a good idea. Luckily, such a group already existed in the Royal Occultist-verse.
Too, if you’ve read the book, you might have noticed that it’s a bit heavier on the subplots than��The Whitechapel Demon. That’s because it’s part of the myth-arc, rather than a monster-of-the-week episode. What that means, if you’re not in the mood to click those links and go down the TVtropes rabbit hole, is that there’s an ongoing narrative in the Royal Occultist novels, and this book is where it takes the spotlight for the first time.
If you haven’t read the book, don’t worry–you won’t need to have read the first book to understand this one. I’m endeavoring to make each book stand on its own, even the ones that are a part of the myth-arc. Whether that’ll still be the case three or four books down the road is anybody’s guess, but I’m giving it the old college try.
The Jade Suit of Death��is now available from��Emby Press. It is available both in trade paperback and electronic format from��Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and other online retailers.��For an overview of the Royal Occultist series, visit HERE. If you’ve read the book, and are interested in discussing it, or the world of the Royal Occultist, there���s a dedicated Facebook fanpage. Feel free to stop by.
