Jason Waltz > Recent Status Updates

Overall a delightful and encouraging read. As for advice, nothing terribly new, but all of it effectively relayed.

The argument for "precision in the smallest of details translated to precision in bigger ones" is exactly the same as that pursued in the 'Broken Windows' approach to quality community service in law enforcement. It matters. Period.

Extremely easy reading book, terrific writing style that flows nicely and is simple to appreciate. Sound advice given during engaging telling of his experiences.

Mele, "Shadows of a Forgotten Queen": Greg always puts the reader into his world with spectacular and atmospheric description of weapons, clothing, actions, and words. And there was definitely sorcery here, and it's cool in its evocation and employment - it requires work and preplanning. The enemy held real power too, thwarting the sword side of things over and over again...until not.

Began a little rough with a Chapter 1 that did not share an iota of gratitude while definitely displaying a bit too much of arrogance. Chapter 2 was personal and biographical and much more of what I anticipated. Though the author is definitely the beneficiary of breeding, class, and income.

An easy reading style that makes clear points easy to digest.

What a beautiful closing piece from Stephen Jones reminiscing on he and KEW's friendship.

A moment to say, half these reviews of Wagner's books at the close seem to not be written by people who like or read Sword and Sorcery and/or people who don't know Kane and/or people who don't know or understand Wagner. Were these assigned reviews? A few of these have been rather disheartening.

Justin Marriott's essay is informative yet not very endearing. I get the vibe he probably shouldn't have wrote it.

Long, "Guilty Creatures": best F&GM story I've read in a long while. Humorous without being labored or overdone as so many of Leiber's stories are. Great subterfuge, cunning action and misdirection, and excellent emotional appeal - I especially feel sorry for the deceased sorcerer who should have received his justice. Fun storytelling.

HAJ, "The Feathered Shroud": somewhat sorrowful reading again a Jones and Hanuvar tale. This tale is filled with curiosity and deftly displays many aspects of Jones' greatest hero. Once more, man is more monstrous than the fantastic creature, who is beautiful in its ethereal power. This is a fortuitous tale in the Hanuvar saga.

Hocking, "Calicask's Woman": perhaps my favorite Benhus story, as he's not a prick in this one. Great premise, fun plot, nicely employed magics. Poor Benhus used up a great toy though, and has to find someone new to help him identify the others.

This is like reading a Charles Dickens tale, so real is the miserable lives of these Londoners. I'm not sure I even like our MC; perhaps his younger self, not so much this version.

Lots of odd and oddly motivated characters, and lots of building up. To?
Also, some decent food for thoughts scattered about.

The MC is weird, lame, whiny, impossibly boring and yet understandable. Don't mean I enjoy him. Finally getting to the heart of meaning in this tale with a conversation of why all we get to feed on as members of society is bad news cuz that's the only news we're told we can trust. Strong arguments made the last few pages on how we're not even remotely living in the worst ever end times.

Intriguing tale of truly bad guy vampires. Very heavily 1970s, so in a time I was but a lad in, and in a place I only know remotely of. I enjoy vampire stories and their various takes on exploring living and time, but I also enjoy having a character to connect with and so far that is lacking. Deadly and bloody it is though, and there's a mystery brewing.

Wrapped *THE MALTESE FALCON* for a second time. Sam Spade = what a character. And what the smorgasbord of shysters, eh!? Everyone seems to get what they earn in the end, even Sam with Iva, lol.

Cairns, "The Apiarist": decently written story with a nicely crafted MC who wends his and our way through the tale. The climax is seen far in advance but the denouement is different than I anticipated. I like the story despite there being no swords and only passably sorcery.

Spade is such a vicious man, blond satan indeed. "The Maltese Falcon" begins just as fun as it has before and as the b&w movie does.

Hathaway, "A Weaver of Words and Worlds": ok setup establishing the nature of both souk and anthology. Colorful in word and scene-setting, to the point it grew too much. A very long story I grew impatient reading.

Chpt 4 is intense.
Hearing the person who experienced this tell/read his own story = wow. He has some very strong life experience prior to The Incident that definitely helped him preserve. His triumph over his fears is impressive.
Chpt 5 is unique.
Only he can describe what he experienced in death. There is zero reason to second-guess him, though his thoughts are filled with universalties and personal beliefs.

Wertenberger, "Tomb of the Old Master": wow, quite the powerful, HPL and historic grand adventure combo! Some terrific scenery and vicious action. Lots of editing errors too.

Quite intense to hear him describe the intense amount of damage to his body. And then to think he powered through it to return to acting and his life.

Ruocchio: what an interesting story. A grand heist conducted by far too few people, marvelous contraptions, mechanical/sorcerous critters (a walking temple!), and quite the unique protagonist who is on far more important a quest than a little theft. Powerful magics, beliefs, and characters.

Enge, "The House of Fame": Enge's writings grow odder and odder as time progresses. This is the first non-Morlock tale of his I've read in forever, and that's a cool thing. A fun premise with an entertaining narrator, a badass sidekick, and lots of cumbersome sentences. Unique most definitely.

Erdelac, "Black Bones of the White Hypaethral": lots of words, fell asleep twice reading this one in bed. Enjoyed it much more when the POV character changed. After that lots of creative action and fun survival.

Zub, "Just a Bit of Smoke": alright story, though a tad silly. Perhaps because it follows a rock star of a story, this one reads/feels like it is simply a quick romp on the beach read. Cool magical defenses and a brawler written fun are the highlights.

Not sure what I was expecting but not quite this. Decent enough start, no real complaints, let's see where it takes me.

Lee, "Perilous Visions": cool concluding story is counter to the first story, bookends from different POVs, the good then the evil. I like that idea. And it's a good story well-told also...even had me rooting for the bad guy MC.

Akers, "To Steal a God": Da Bomb! Great story, super exciting world of powered-up sorcerous and divine characters. The MC isn't a typical hero by far but was quite spectacular in his role. Fun read - I want more of this world.

Savile, "Lies of the Flesh": great story, strong mystery, gross evil, tough dwarves, good action. Just what I want from a WH Fantasy tale.