Jason Waltz > Recent Status Updates

Jones writes characters and their motivations well. I'm enjoying his chapters lacking sorceries and magics more often more than those that do, for there is no distraction from the nuances and depths of the characters who people them.

"Bloodlines" (Chpt 9) was intense. It also firmly and adroitly relayed Julivar's character. Nicely tense throughout and some cool developments in the long game.

Interesting start but really feels like trying too hard. So far reads like a standard B-grade crime thriller. Let's see if it goes A- or C-.

Fascinating, disgusting, sorrowful. Led me to a wonderful paper, "ARE COPS CONSTITUTIONAL?" by Roger Roots.

Clear, direct, and pushing self-motivation - which you must have to peddle your books.

What a book of sad and deplorable info. The moral high ground in the pretend war on drugs never looked so dirty, despairing, and deep as hell.

Dang. Nixon and his handlers really f'd 'Merica up.

Semper Fi, Marine.

Clever lines make me smile.
Unclever heroines make me sigh.

Pretty good book to listen to while exercising and stretching.

Wow, darkness settles on the ground for certain. Only a few dumb footnotes in this final book. Lots and lots of death though. And blood. Some good times too. But lots of violence and vicious people. Some pretty dang powerfully intense moments too.

Wow, shock and sorrow and pain and pause. Very intense these plots now move tighter, circling one another.

Good for listening to while exercising and stretching. Actually a great title.

Whelp.
Jay hasn't stopped the insanity he thinks humorous unfortunately. Lots of wasted words on wasted page bottoms ...though I did notice book 2 is thinner than book 1. Same quite bloody and lots of betrayals and did I mention blood? I do hope our heroine will just stop and practice her shadow magic, it would be rather helpful.

Yee-haw! 2 clever things close together: the best (and one of the shortest) footnote on p.103 and now on p.110 a very great exchange (summed):

"Nothing is where you start. Own nothing. Know nothing. Be nothing."
"Why would I want to do that?"
"Because then you can do anything."

Well. Not what I'd expected, nay, anticipated. The chosen stylistic footnoting is grating: stilted, slow, often stupid, and usually silly. Not endearing me at all. Quite the letdown after the spectacularness of EMPIRE OF THE VAMPIRE.

Elegant, enchanting, growing on edge. The tension builds while the beauty and mystique remain.

This elegant storytelling leads me along nicely, yet I sense pending, looming, dire happenings.

"Kings of the Night" always shivers me timbers! Man, what thunder of battle and strikes of lightning quick savagery!

And now for my absolute favorite Kull story!

Love the opening pages to chapter 14, That Which Concerns A Prince On The Subject Of The Art Of War! Wage, practice, or study war; that is the sole province of a prince.

Machiavelli speaks none too highly of mercenaries or auxiliaries - at times hilariously. He illuminates his points quite well, and succinctly articulates that only the prince who relies upon *and leads* his own warriors will prevail and, most importantly, continue to do so.

Chapter 5: National Objectives is a rather thorough and often fascinating delve into the emotional core of morale common to groups. A look at groups through religion, patriotism, nationalism, fatalism, and then specific cultures which interestingly omitted French, American, and Australian, while covering all the other major players of WWII.

"The Cursed Vault" was quite fun. I didn't actually realize how tense I was until I'd finished, so well done Howard!

Never really knew the real story of Sam Bass. Now I do. Ain't so impressive. Seems only good reason he is included is due to the (unverified) claim he invented shoulder rigged holsters.

Wish I'd still never read 'em. I read both last night, after watching THE LAST WOLF KEW documentary. Thought about 'em all day. They're not Kane stories; they're stories with Kane appearances. They are bitter, stupid stories that could even be considered anti-woman. I'm saddened by now truly knowing these Wagner writings.

Confession. I've finally read 2 long avoided Kane stories. All I'd heard of them, I'd been perfectly content to stick with the Kane I knew & enjoyed. Taking my time savoring the Centipede Press DEATH ANGEL'S SHADOW, I finally reached them. Verdict?

"The Gothic Touch" is just plain fun. It's like Wagner is writing tongue-in-cheek and just letting Kane play with Elric. It's probably my favorite Elric story.

The interview with the creators of the KEW documentary was very cool.

Adrian Cole takes a look at Karl's Bran Mak Morn novel in "Karl Mac Morn." Decent examination of Howard and Wagner styles and storytelling.