But sometimes, something gets a sequel that isn’t quite on your radar, or anybodies radar, really.  In other cases, something is so good [...]]]> We’re not strangers to sequels; they happen all the time.  Ghostbusters, Star Trek, Back to the Future, Men in Black, Star Wars – heck, even Starship Troopers earned a few low budget sequels.

But sometimes, something gets a sequel that isn’t quite on your radar, or anybodies radar, really.  In other cases, something is so good you can’t imagine anyone ever doing a sequel to it because, let’s face it, sometimes down is the only way left to go (can you say ‘Matrix Revolutions’?).

One of the craziest sequels I only recently learned about was for the Lord of the Rings.

Ironically, the Lord of the Rings was, in itself, a sequel to The Hobbit.  I don’t have to tell you (but I will anyway because I have a whole post to fill here) that the story took place after the events of The Hobbit and followed the journey of Bilbo Baggin’s nephew, Frodo, as he attempted to sneak into the Dark One’s own lands to destroy the ring of power.

Tolkien himself planned a sequel to the Lord of the Rings that would be set in the Fourth Age (notes were found which confirm this).  When he died in 1973, there were only notes and maps and as yet, nothing has come from them (His son may or may not do something – you never know).

In 1977, another author tried his hand at writing a sequel.  His name was Big Balls McBallsy Balls, aka Dennis L. McKiernan.

McKiernan had been in a car accident and, while convalescing, starting writing.  his story was good enough that his publisher did attempt to get permission to publish, but the Tolkien estate said, “Uh… No.”

SO, what’s a writer to do?

Probably write another book.  But if you’ve got a publisher going, “But – we like this book!” something else is probably going to happen.  And did.  They asked him to rework the whole thing so it became an original piece that they could publish.

Thus was born The Iron Tower Trilogy.

The trilogy feels very much like a Tolkien book except Hobbits are now Warrows.  If you read through it, you can draw parallels between Middle Earth and Mithgar.

Kraggen-Cor is Moria, for example.

I knew none of this when I first read the books and I enjoyed them immensely.  I still do, having reread them a few times.

Had McKiernan stopped there, I think people would have perhaps written the books off as an oddity, but he didn’t stop there.  Once he got going, he didn’t stop.  He wrote more books, expanding the world and the mythology of Mithgar.  He gave it its own voice, separate and apart from Tolkien’s.

Comparisons are still drawn and rightly so considering the origin of it all, but each book has taken it further and further away.

Another odd sequel

When you wander through bookstores the way I do, you come across all sorts of strange things.  Take, for example, the film ‘Willow’.

Willow didn’t make a ton of money, but I loved it.  Still love it.

Willow follows the story of Willow Ufgood, an aspiring sorcerer who is trying to return a baby girl to her people, then finds himself having to protect that baby from the evil queen Bavmorda.

He ends up getting some help from a soldier / rogue named Madmartigan, Cherlindrea, queen of the fairies and brownies, the sorceress Fin Raziel and a pair of (hilarious) Brownies named Rool and Franjean.

Together, they have to save the baby, overthrow the evil queen and set the kingdom right again.

All in all, a great flick.  Really love it.

Which is why it blew me away when I learned there was a sequel.

Well, a trilogy of sequels.

The Chronicles of the Shadow War, written by Chris Claremont based on some sort of outline by George Lucas, contains three novels: Shadow Moon, Shadow Dawn & Shadow Star.

I read the first two books, Shadow Moon & Dawn and I have to say, what the fuck?

I like to think I’m an intelligent guy, but I just didn’t get it.

Willow becomes this hard ass with a new name (Thorn Drumheller), Madmartigan & Sasha get killed in the opening moments, all this weird stuff keeps happening – I just didn’t get it.  Heck, I still don’t get it.

Even wikipedia doesn’t get it because no one has ever bothered to add plot summaries to the book pages.

The official schpeal makes it all sound so simple:

“In Shadow Moon, war and chaos have gripped the land of Tir Asleen. An ancient prophecy reveals one hope: a savior princess who will ascend to the throne when the time is right. But first, a Nelwyn wanderer must face forces of unimaginable malevolence and dangerous, forbidden rites of necromancy that could bring back a powerful warrior from soulless sleep.”

I swear to you – the book (in my mind) bears little resemblance to that little paragraph.

Shadow Dawn didn’t get any clearer:

“The momentous Ascension of Princess Elora Danan should have brought peace to the Thirteen Realms. Instead, an intense Shadow War rages, spearheaded by the evil Mohdri. He has dispatched his dread Black Rose commando assassins to capture Elora and her sworn protector, Thorn Drumheller. But Mohdri himself is just a facade for a more dangerous entity: the Deceiver. But who–or what–is the Deceiver? And how can Elora, Thorn, and their ragtag band defeat this unspeakable force? The answer lies in a perilous journey to a land undisturbed since the dawn of time. A journey that will end at the unbreachable citadel of the dragon, where a chilling betrayal will change the fate of Elora, Thorn, and the Thirteen Realms forever.”

And finally, Shadow Star (which I never bothered to read because, honestly, I was so confused…):

“To prevent the great dragons from falling into the hands of the Deceiver, Elora Danan, warrior, mage, and savior of the Twelve Kingdoms committed a desperate act, slaying the great creatures over the objections of her trusted companions. Spellbound to her friends in order to preserve the two remaining dragon eggs and guarantee their future survival, Elora discovers that she has opened herself to an unexpected evil and placed herself in danger of becoming that which she most fears.”

Having read as much of the sequels as I did, I was sort of glad that Lucas never tried to take it to film; I think it would have been a disaster of Jar Jar proportions…

Anyway, there are a couple of sequels I thought you may not have known about before.

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So, the official stuff:

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with ancient and [...]]]> I bought this one because I’d read something about the author, Steven Erikson, that was intriguing.  Here was a guy who plotted out 10 novels set in a world he co-created.  That’s simply amazing.

So, the official stuff:

The Malazan Empire simmers with discontent, bled dry by interminable warfare, bitter infighting and bloody confrontations with ancient and implacable sorcerers. Even the imperial legions, long inured to the bloodshed, yearn for some respite. Yet Empress Laseen’s rule remains absolute, enforced by her dread Claw assassins.

For Sergeant Whiskeyjack and his squad of Bridgeburners, and for Tattersail, their lone surviving mage, the aftermath of the siege of Pale should have been a time to mourn the many dead. But Darujhistan, last of the Free Cities, yet holds out. It is to this ancient citadel that Laseen turns her predatory gaze.

However, the Empire is not alone in this great game. Sinister, shadowbound forces are gathering as the gods themselves prepare to play their hand…

I read a review comparing the series to George R.R. Martin’s ‘Song of Fire and Ice’, which is actually why I haven’t yet picked it up and cracked the cover – I don’t know that I have the time to devote to something that epic at the moment…

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I have impulse control problems – especially when it comes to buying books.  SO, this results in my always having a pile of paperbacks sitting around waiting to be read.

Books like: Medalon, by Jennifer Fallon.

I admit it [...]]]> Think of these posts as the opposite of a review – cuz I haven’t actually read the book yet…

I have impulse control problems – especially when it comes to buying books.  SO, this results in my always having a pile of paperbacks sitting around waiting to be read.

Books like: Medalon, by Jennifer Fallon.

I admit it – I bought this one solely on the basis of the cover art.  I mean – LOOK at it! It’s so shiny!  I mean, who doesn’t love a giant red dragon?

Official type stuff:

According to legend, the last king of the Harishini sired a half-human child, known as the Demon Child, born to destroy a god…

The small country of Medalon lies between the vast nation of Karien in the north and the nations of Fardohnya and Hythria in the south. For centuries the Medalonians co-existed peacefully with the Harshini, a magical race that abhors killing. They are gone now and the Sisters of the Blade rule Medalon from the Citadel. An elite army of Defenders enforces the Sisterhood’s oppressive rule. The Harshini and their demons are believed to be extinct and Medalon has an uneasy peace with its northern and southern neighbours.

R’shiel Tenragan, daughter of the First Sister, and her half-brother Tarja find themselves caught up in the political infighting amongst the Sisters of the Blade. When their mother’s scheming becomes too much to bear, they flee the Citadel and their lives take a turn neither could ever have imagined.

Meanwhile, far south in Hythria, Brak, a Harshini outcast, is called on to find the demon child, the half-human child of the dead Harshini King, Lorandranek.

See, now, not only do I want to read the book – you do too, right?  Come on – you can admit it.

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Last week, I started talking about some of these books, but then life distracted me and I never finished so I’m picking it up again this week.

Believe me, I have plenty of books that fall into this [...]]]> No one is better than I am at buying tons of books that sit around waiting to be read.

Last week, I started talking about some of these books, but then life distracted me and I never finished so I’m picking it up again this week.

Believe me, I have plenty of books that fall into this category…

One such book is called The Demon Awakens by R.A. Salvatore.

I bought this book simply because Salvatore has so many titles on the shelves that if I liked it and really got into it, there’d be plenty more for me to read later on.

Unfortunately, I haven’t even cracked it open yet!

Let’s take a look at the book itself.  Here’s the official schpeal: The demon dactyl awakens in a mountainside cave on Corona populated by elves, goblins, humans, centaurs, and giants. When goblins destroy the village of Dundallis, orphaned Pony and her friend Elbryan survive. Aided by magically powerful gemstones, they fight to defeat the evil dactyl.

Sounds good, right? Heck, that’s what I thought!

It’s also the first in a trilogy called The DemonWars Saga.

Salvatore interests me; he is quite prolific.  He has dipped his toes into a lot of different books and genres, including Star Wars and D&D’s Forgotten Realms.

…I really need to start reading this.

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Let’s talk about: Merlin

Ok, so – if you’ve been hanging out here for a while, reading my stuff, maybe following me on twitter or listening to the podcast… Hey, ARE YOU STALKING ME?!

Wait, where was I?  [...]]]> This week I’m talking about books that I’ve shelled out the cash for, but haven’t yet cracked open to read.

Let’s talk about: Merlin

Ok, so – if you’ve been hanging out here for a while, reading my stuff, maybe following me on twitter or listening to the podcast… Hey, ARE YOU STALKING ME?!

Wait, where was I?  Oh, yeah – I was gonna say – you’ve probably figured out that I love the classics.

A special place in my heart is reserved for tales about: Robin Hood, Ulysses, King Arthur. even Zorro and Prince Valiant, really.  So when I saw this guy Lawhead had done some retellings of Arthur, Merlin and even Robin Hood, I decided to check it out.

The 1st book of his I read was Taliesin, which sets up the Pendragon Cycle and does so in a such a different way that I really enjoyed it.  I mean, Atlantis? Really?

I bought Merlin and Hood, for that matter, fully intending to inhale them as quickly as possible, but for some reason – I keep putting them off.  I can’t say why, really.

There are times when I want to immerse myself in a rich world and times when I don’t.  Right now, I’m in ‘don’t’ mode.  I think this is mostly due to my trying to write so much these days (Sam Kane, Evermist, Undisclosed other projects).

Definitely need to get back to this one though, and soon…

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To that end, I buy a lot of books. I can’t walk into a bookstore and walk out empty handed. I think it’s genetic.

This means that I have a lot of unread books lying around.  This week, I’m going to talk about some of those books and try to justify, [...]]]> I never want to get bored.

To that end, I buy a lot of books. I can’t walk into a bookstore and walk out empty handed. I think it’s genetic.

This means that I have a lot of unread books lying around.  This week, I’m going to talk about some of those books and try to justify, if only to myself, why they’re still sitting around unread.

First up: The King’s Peace.

When I read, I like to read things with a twist, things from author’s who have other books on the shelves, and I especially like a strong female lead.

So, when I see a cover like the one to the left here, I get intrigued.

“A story of courage, honor and love of country.”

Hey – nothing wrong with that, right?

And yet, I still haven’t cracked it open.  And it’s been a while, several months – maybe half a year.

Sad, I know.

The book itself, reminds me a bit of Red Sonja.  ‘Sulien ap Gwien, a woman warrior and daughter of the King of a small part of the island of Tir Tanagiri, is brutally raped by six invading Jarnsmen and her brother is murdered. While travelling to the capital to request help from Urdo, the High King, she happens upon a battle between some more Jarnsmen and some the King’s soldiers. Sulien proves her skill in battle and, drawn in part by the young King’s leadership and charisma, she enlists in the cavalry.’

Come to think of it – parts remind me of The Green Rider by Kristen Britain.

Huh, I should totally start reading this…

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THE RETURN OF THE PODCAST IS HERE!

Episode 9 of the All Things From My Brain Podcast is here.

In this weeks massive, DOUBLE SIZED, MAXI-PODCAST, I am joined by a special guest on his very first podcast [...]]]> I said I’d do it, I warned you – you didn’t listen, did you? Well, now it’s TOO LATE!

THE RETURN OF THE PODCAST IS HERE!

Episode 9 of the All Things From My Brain Podcast is here.

In this weeks massive, DOUBLE SIZED, MAXI-PODCAST, I am joined by a special guest on his very first podcast appearance as we discuss the iPad, about Apple, Google, Blizzard, Doctor Who, Dollhouse, Torchwood – and the fact that his youngest son may be stalking me via iPhone.

With Episode 9 I am dumping Podbean and everything is going to be hosted here on atfmb.com. If you’ve subscribed to the podcast via iTunes, that link is in the process of being changed and you’ll have to resubscribe – I’ll let you know as soon as that’s ready and available.

In the meantime, click below and stream to your hearts content or you can download via this link by right clicking and choosing ’save as’.

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[podcast]http://www.atfmb.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/AllThingsFromMyBrain009.mp3[/podcast]

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This happens from time to time.

With that in mind, I made a trip to ye olde book seller and picked up a few things to whet the literary appetite.  I haven’t [...]]]> I’ve been feeling a little stale lately when it comes to reading. I’ve bought several books, started them and then moved on without finishing em.

This happens from time to time.

With that in mind, I made a trip to ye olde book seller and picked up a few things to whet the literary appetite.  I haven’t decided yet in which order I’ll be reading these, so here we go:

City of Jade by Dennis L. McKiernan (worst website ever).

One of my favorite authors, I was happily surprised to find this book sitting on the shelf.  I can’t remember if I knew it was out but had never bought it or if it had simply slipped under my radar – either way – it was fantastic to find it and I’m excited to return to Mithgar for another tale of Aravan, captain of the Elven ship Eroean.

Here’s the lowdown on the book:

A prophecy and a dream about a lost city made of jade draw Aravan, the captain of the Elvenship Eroean, and his life mate, the Magekind Seer Aylis, along with a crew of trusted friends, into a perilous journey in search of the mystical place.

Behind the scenes, the Necromancer Nunde, follower of a slain god and a sworn enemy of Aravan, plots the death of the elven captain and all those he holds dear.

Set in time between the end of Silver Wolf, Black Falcon, and the beginning of Red Slippers: More Tales of Mithgar, the latest addition to the series brings back familiar characters and further develops an old enmity. McKiernan’s talent for charming characters and exciting adventures of derring-do make this a good addition to most fantasy collections and an essential purchase for libraries possessing the other series titles.

Hidden Empire by Kevin J. Anderson.

I’ve been feeling that my SciFi literary muscles have been allowed to go a bit soft of late, so in an effort to exercise em, I picked up a couple of very SciFi books – this being the first of those.

I remember TheKJA from other series and I liked em, so I decided to give this a try.

Here’s the lowdown:

The Terran Hanseatic League, in a heady rush of manifest destiny, turns Oncier, a huge gas planet, into a sun so its four moons can be used for colonization. In the process, the Terrans disturb the ancient but dwindling Ildirans, their uneasy allies, whose leader, the Mage-Imperator, suspects that Terrans are far too eager to take over the spiral arm. Still worse, by inadvertently destroying Oncier’s hitherto unknown colonists, the powerful hydrogues, the conversion of Oncier sets off a catastrophic conflict that threatens the existence of all Terrans and Ildirans. The Earth Defense Forces of the Terran Hanseatic League, the Worldtrees and Green Priests of Theroc, the gypsy Roamers who mine ekti all must unite with the Ildirans to fight the alien menace.

Heck – sounds good to me.

The Magician’s Guild by Trudi Canavan.

I can’t just give up on Fantasy and I’m always on the lookout for something new in the genre, some new take on it all.  This one caught my eye so I decided to give it a try.  Hey, that rhymes.

Here’s the lowdown:

Each year, the magicians of Imardin gather together to purge the city streets of vagrants and miscreants. Masters of the disciplines of magic, they know that no ordinary lowlife can oppose them. But their protective shield is not as imprenetrable as they think.

Sonea, angry, frustrated and outraged by the treatment of her family and friends, throws a stone at the shield, putting all her rage behind it. She is amazed when it sails unrestricted through the barrier and knocks a magician unconscious.

The Guild’s worst fear has been realised . there is an untrained magician loose in Imardin who must be found before her uncontrolled powers can destroy herself and the city.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi.

Another SciFi series to give a try.

With his wife dead and buried, and life nearly over at 75, John Perry takes the only logical course of action left him: he joins the army. Now better known as the Colonial Defense Force (CDF), Perry’s service-of-choice has extended its reach into interstellar space to pave the way for human colonization of other planets while fending off marauding aliens.

The CDF has a trick up its sleeve that makes enlistment especially enticing for seniors: the promise of restoring youth. After bonding with a group of fellow recruits who dub their clique the Old Farts, Perry finds himself in a new body crafted from his original DNA and upgraded for battle, including fast-clotting “smartblood” and a brain-implanted personal computer.

All too quickly the Old Farts are separated, and Perry fights for his life on various alien-infested battlegrounds.

Well, that’s my list.  For a little while, anyway.

I’ll let you know how it goes and what I think.

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I think it’s sort of a staple of the genre now.  If you’re going to have a futuristic/scifi [...]]]> If, like me, you’re an avid watcher of tv and movies, and a reader of books, you may have noticed a trend towards the disastrous future.  Apocalypse is in and in big.  I mean, it’s everywhere we look.

I think it’s sort of a staple of the genre now.  If you’re going to have a futuristic/scifi story, it damned well better show us how badly we, as a species, have screwed everything up.  Right now at theaters around the country, we have ‘The Book of Eli’, a post-apocalyptic tale of the future.  On TV we have ‘Dollhouse’ that depicts (in Epitaph One and supposedly, Epitaph Two airing this week), a future where science and technology have caused an apocalypse and the overall destruction of all civilization as we know it.

It’s the end all be all of trends.

So I ask you – where has the positive future gone?

In Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek (rebooted last summer and done so quite successfully), we have a future where yes, bad stuff happened and we humans were the cause, but we’ve moved passed that and are now soaring through the stars exploring strange new worlds and all that jazz.  Kinda positive, right?  But it’s the exception to the rule anymore.  I mean, look at what we’ve seen from Hollywood in the past few years:

Jericho

Post apocalypse America where the folks of a small town struggle to survive after nuclear bomb s have destroyed civilization as we know it.

The City of Ember

Based on the Young Adult novels of Jeanne DuPrau, The City of Ember shows a world that was torn by war, so they built a city underground for protection.

The Road

Another post-apocalyptic tale – this one about a father and his young son across a landscape blasted by an unnamed cataclysm that destroyed all civilization and, apparently, almost all life on earth.

Jeremiah

This series takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where most of the adult population has been wiped out by a deadly virus.

I mean, the list goes on and on.

So I ask you again – where has the positive gone?

Are we done with the feel good adventure tale?  With the bright, shining future of the human race, all full of potential and excitement?

What do you think?

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Technology

Judge orders Microsoft to stop selling Word (patent infringement)

Facebook launching Twitter-version of site?

Apple Stuff

Books/publishing