I feel too sick at the moment to actually write, so I figured I should post some kind of update on my writng.
My novel is going smoothly dispite some problems with plotting. I hope to be finished by Christmas. This is a dream novel to be working on; each new problem just makes the work better.
I'm working on a major licenced short story, the research of which is going well. The hardest part is copying the style of the author who lefft this unfinished--but I've read enough of his work that it's not too much of a challenge to attempt his style.
A short story about a certain Lord of the Jungle finding himself shipwrecked on an island known for producing dinosaurs and giant apes. I'm aiming for publication in a future volume of the Lofficiers execelent Tales of the Shadowmen anthologies.
(Three pages of a projected 30 are complete.)
Also: A short story taking place in the present day where a very liberal public defender (To make a joke: Is there any other kind?) has a very personal encounter with some Lovecraftian things while working on his current case.
(Zero pages completed out of a projected eight-or-ten.)
Bonus A: I'm considering, when I finish my current projects, submitting a novel to Pulp Press. They're currently running an open call on 23,000 word action novels, so it sounds right up my alley.
Bonus B: A short novel titled "The Electric Demon." This tale features Doc Savage--in a fight for his life against the insane Doctor James Caliban, Monk and Ham--trapped in the Africian caves of the Unknown Nine, and, Fu Manchu--facing such foes as even his wicked mind could not dream.
The main reason this story is not yet complete is that I am working on this story as part of my school's Creative Writing class. (One page complete out of a projected 60.)
James Bojaciuk
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Prologue of my novel.
Take note that this will be removed in about a week.
Prologue
James Bojaciuk
The environmental leader’s face was violently ugly.
Or so thought Alice Clayton. She looked at Victor Lupin’s head again and shuddered. His nose had been broken in the past, and an ever so faint scar shaped like a sideways “N” was on his cheek. Although, it seemed apparent that the other girls at this “Save the Earth” party did not share her feelings, since many were hanging on the activist’s chest, arms, whatever they could get a hold of. He watched them hungrily with his green eyes. His mouth puffed at his long cigar even more hungrily.
“Thank you for inviting me Mr. Lupin.” Alice said. Even though he repulsed her, Alice’s mother had taught her nothing if not to always be polite.
“No, thank you for coming Miss. Clayton. It is a pleasure to have the youngest member of one of the world’s most famous environmentalist families.”
She already noticed that many of the guests were well under twenty. Sensing her thoughts, Lupin said: “If we do not use the young to win the culture wars, what have we gained? Does the earth live if we convert the old and dying to our cause? No, the children must be used. As an antagonist of mine once said, “A little child shall lead them.”
The walls of the party hall had been freshly painted a bright red which clashed with the old lime green tablecloths. On the far side of the room was a cluster of guests reading with reverence an old leather bound book. Nearer Alice and Lupin was the buffet table, which was now missing a steak knife, and a drink stand. Between the two far points was a row of doors leading deeper into the house.
Lupin saw that one of his fourteen-year-old assistants was gesticulating; two fingers swung above his head.
“I must apologize, but I am needed in the next room.”
Alice took a sip of her drink and nodded, watching Lupin walk away toward where the page was now frantic in his movements. She picked up the ladle and refilled her drink from the bowl, still remembering her grandfather’s warning. “Always watch for the lion when bending for a drink.”
Sure enough, the lion came hunting for a doe. He was wearing a loose robe over his street clothes. His face was pulled into a permanent hyena smirk.
“What’s a cute blonde like you doin’ without a boy?” She turned, her face disgusted. “Hoo, she’s got grey eyes too. Never bedded one of them before!”
“Make another comment like that and you will never be able to “bed” another woman again. Am I quite clear?” She said, still watching Lupin argue with the page. In her hand was a steak knife stolen from the buffet table. She welded her blade backhanded at roughly his crotch level. If he tried anything more, a simple backwards flick from her hand would sever something he would much rather not loose. Sweat poured down his pocked visage; he slowly backed away into the crowd.
The leader was now shouting quietly at his subordinate, quietly for he was attempting to keep the guests from finding out what the problem was. Lupin’s eyes shone yellow under the fluorescent lights near the door.
That’s funny, she thought, in the harsher light his eyes are almost the same color as Great Uncle Clark’s. She groped for the cross that hung from her neck. Dear Lord help me…it cannot be ...?
Lupin turned toward her, his eyes sending a message. I’ve found you out, wretch.
She was unsure now, If she ran no one would know what happened, but if she stayed she could very well die. But she was not afraid of death, if it came, then so be it. But why hurry the grave, she thought, folding the steak knife into a crease in her dress.
Lupin finished his harried conversation then spent the next twenty minutes rounding the room talking personally with each guest.
He then wove his way to the door and rested a gigantic hand upon the handle. His face was warped into a sickening smile and his eyes were, thanks to the shade he found himself in, half green and half yellow.
“Come my friends and supporters. I have for you tonight the preview of that which will save us from ourselves, please follow me.”
After a five minute walk through the halls and stairwells of the old house they arrived in a room near the center of the structure. In the center of the room was a pedestal with an indent in the top; it was visually similar to a birdbath but deeper. Lining the walls were computer servers of the newest models, clearly someone rich was funding this affair. But as to this money-man’s identity it was unclear. Lastly some chalk-marks marred the Victorian woodwork, but Alice could not see the design from where she stood.
“In one week’s time we shall open a universal hole where I stand.” He said, tapping the chalk mark with foot. “This shall allow entry of something we call…a Great Old One. He, or I suppose I should say “It” as its biology contains both male and female part such as some sea dwellers, will come and cleanse the earth of pollutants, saving the earth from murder, bigotry, and pollution. And all morality will be replaced with true morality—our own.”
All but one of the guests genuinely applauded these notions. Alice did so as well, but only not to stick out and show herself.
“We shall use the computers, manned ably by Mort. Who sadly could not come tonight due to tomorrow being the start of school. Our “magical” Miss. Millie will be handling the chalk and other things of her type. And lastly I shall be handing the r’’ok’og’a. It promises to be a night the world shall not forget.
“But before we all go home and sleep peacefully in our beds, we have two orders of housekeeping. The first is for everyone still in high school to remember to show for the young people convention in two days.
“The second is that we have a spy in this room.”
The guests were thrown into confusion, who could the traitor be? Alice kept from panic and followed the crowd, except she, unlike they, had no clue as to what Lupin’s plan was.
“Who’d ever betray us?” She said as a smokescreen.
‘Come now Miss. Clayton. Do you think I’d not know you were the spy? Come now. You insist on convorting around with that Cross. It’s a wonder that none other than I saw though your attempt at infiltrating us.
“Seize and eliminate this feminine nuisance.”
The crowd stopped being fearful, simultaneously they became murderously angry.
Alice Clayton hefted the knife and stabbed at the first attacker. He was a teenager, barely any older than her herself. Glasses dropped off his dead face and crunched to the floor.
Alice backed herself up against the room’s corner, and let them come to her. Her grandfather’s wisdom came back once more. No matter how bad the situation, no matter how deadly your enemy, remember that you must keep your smarts about you, and always repeat to your self, “I still live”, for as long as a single breath remains in your lungs the tide of battle can and knowing you, will, turn.
She grabbed the neck of the next attacker squeezed his jugular. Alice had learned this technique from a eastern marshal arts master, Lung Po. The attacker’s eye budged until his adam’s apple popped. Then letting that body drop to the ground, she did a jabbing lunge that caught another follower in the gut. At a minimum she guaranteed the man would have a long stay in the hospital. But with that thrust she over extended her reach, leaving herself open to attack. Two foes beat her head with their bare hands.
As their final blows connected she cried with the last of her strength, “I Still Live!”
Then she was out of time.
Prologue
James Bojaciuk
The environmental leader’s face was violently ugly.
Or so thought Alice Clayton. She looked at Victor Lupin’s head again and shuddered. His nose had been broken in the past, and an ever so faint scar shaped like a sideways “N” was on his cheek. Although, it seemed apparent that the other girls at this “Save the Earth” party did not share her feelings, since many were hanging on the activist’s chest, arms, whatever they could get a hold of. He watched them hungrily with his green eyes. His mouth puffed at his long cigar even more hungrily.
“Thank you for inviting me Mr. Lupin.” Alice said. Even though he repulsed her, Alice’s mother had taught her nothing if not to always be polite.
“No, thank you for coming Miss. Clayton. It is a pleasure to have the youngest member of one of the world’s most famous environmentalist families.”
She already noticed that many of the guests were well under twenty. Sensing her thoughts, Lupin said: “If we do not use the young to win the culture wars, what have we gained? Does the earth live if we convert the old and dying to our cause? No, the children must be used. As an antagonist of mine once said, “A little child shall lead them.”
The walls of the party hall had been freshly painted a bright red which clashed with the old lime green tablecloths. On the far side of the room was a cluster of guests reading with reverence an old leather bound book. Nearer Alice and Lupin was the buffet table, which was now missing a steak knife, and a drink stand. Between the two far points was a row of doors leading deeper into the house.
Lupin saw that one of his fourteen-year-old assistants was gesticulating; two fingers swung above his head.
“I must apologize, but I am needed in the next room.”
Alice took a sip of her drink and nodded, watching Lupin walk away toward where the page was now frantic in his movements. She picked up the ladle and refilled her drink from the bowl, still remembering her grandfather’s warning. “Always watch for the lion when bending for a drink.”
Sure enough, the lion came hunting for a doe. He was wearing a loose robe over his street clothes. His face was pulled into a permanent hyena smirk.
“What’s a cute blonde like you doin’ without a boy?” She turned, her face disgusted. “Hoo, she’s got grey eyes too. Never bedded one of them before!”
“Make another comment like that and you will never be able to “bed” another woman again. Am I quite clear?” She said, still watching Lupin argue with the page. In her hand was a steak knife stolen from the buffet table. She welded her blade backhanded at roughly his crotch level. If he tried anything more, a simple backwards flick from her hand would sever something he would much rather not loose. Sweat poured down his pocked visage; he slowly backed away into the crowd.
The leader was now shouting quietly at his subordinate, quietly for he was attempting to keep the guests from finding out what the problem was. Lupin’s eyes shone yellow under the fluorescent lights near the door.
That’s funny, she thought, in the harsher light his eyes are almost the same color as Great Uncle Clark’s. She groped for the cross that hung from her neck. Dear Lord help me…it cannot be ...?
Lupin turned toward her, his eyes sending a message. I’ve found you out, wretch.
She was unsure now, If she ran no one would know what happened, but if she stayed she could very well die. But she was not afraid of death, if it came, then so be it. But why hurry the grave, she thought, folding the steak knife into a crease in her dress.
Lupin finished his harried conversation then spent the next twenty minutes rounding the room talking personally with each guest.
He then wove his way to the door and rested a gigantic hand upon the handle. His face was warped into a sickening smile and his eyes were, thanks to the shade he found himself in, half green and half yellow.
“Come my friends and supporters. I have for you tonight the preview of that which will save us from ourselves, please follow me.”
After a five minute walk through the halls and stairwells of the old house they arrived in a room near the center of the structure. In the center of the room was a pedestal with an indent in the top; it was visually similar to a birdbath but deeper. Lining the walls were computer servers of the newest models, clearly someone rich was funding this affair. But as to this money-man’s identity it was unclear. Lastly some chalk-marks marred the Victorian woodwork, but Alice could not see the design from where she stood.
“In one week’s time we shall open a universal hole where I stand.” He said, tapping the chalk mark with foot. “This shall allow entry of something we call…a Great Old One. He, or I suppose I should say “It” as its biology contains both male and female part such as some sea dwellers, will come and cleanse the earth of pollutants, saving the earth from murder, bigotry, and pollution. And all morality will be replaced with true morality—our own.”
All but one of the guests genuinely applauded these notions. Alice did so as well, but only not to stick out and show herself.
“We shall use the computers, manned ably by Mort. Who sadly could not come tonight due to tomorrow being the start of school. Our “magical” Miss. Millie will be handling the chalk and other things of her type. And lastly I shall be handing the r’’ok’og’a. It promises to be a night the world shall not forget.
“But before we all go home and sleep peacefully in our beds, we have two orders of housekeeping. The first is for everyone still in high school to remember to show for the young people convention in two days.
“The second is that we have a spy in this room.”
The guests were thrown into confusion, who could the traitor be? Alice kept from panic and followed the crowd, except she, unlike they, had no clue as to what Lupin’s plan was.
“Who’d ever betray us?” She said as a smokescreen.
‘Come now Miss. Clayton. Do you think I’d not know you were the spy? Come now. You insist on convorting around with that Cross. It’s a wonder that none other than I saw though your attempt at infiltrating us.
“Seize and eliminate this feminine nuisance.”
The crowd stopped being fearful, simultaneously they became murderously angry.
Alice Clayton hefted the knife and stabbed at the first attacker. He was a teenager, barely any older than her herself. Glasses dropped off his dead face and crunched to the floor.
Alice backed herself up against the room’s corner, and let them come to her. Her grandfather’s wisdom came back once more. No matter how bad the situation, no matter how deadly your enemy, remember that you must keep your smarts about you, and always repeat to your self, “I still live”, for as long as a single breath remains in your lungs the tide of battle can and knowing you, will, turn.
She grabbed the neck of the next attacker squeezed his jugular. Alice had learned this technique from a eastern marshal arts master, Lung Po. The attacker’s eye budged until his adam’s apple popped. Then letting that body drop to the ground, she did a jabbing lunge that caught another follower in the gut. At a minimum she guaranteed the man would have a long stay in the hospital. But with that thrust she over extended her reach, leaving herself open to attack. Two foes beat her head with their bare hands.
As their final blows connected she cried with the last of her strength, “I Still Live!”
Then she was out of time.
Review--The Terror of Fu Manchu
MINIMAL SPOILER REVIEW
Fu Manchu's latest plot, written by William P. Maynard, involves saving the human race from...wait? What? Since when did the Devil Doctor care about the human race?
The novel is set during a break in the narrative of The Hand of Fu Manchu. This is during the period where Fu Manchu was, arguably, at his most blood thirsty. The novel has plenty of action, adventure and daring-do. (The excellent scene with Petrie attempting to save children from a crocodile comes to mind.) The plot is mostly concerned with Nayland Smith and his trusty aid Dr. Petrie tracking down members of a cult that may or may not be related to the Si-Fan.
The problems I had were few, Maynard is not only a talented writer, but he clearly knows his Rohmer. The only thing that bothered me on first read through was the Lovecraftian elements, as I felt that the magic/demon stuff clashed with the Fu Manchu series' focus on logic above all else. But, after a discussion of it with Maynard himself I feel that those elements fit perfectly with Rohmer's fictional universe.
Final Tally:
Prose: A++ (A perfect recreation of Rohmer's style, perhaps the most perfect pastiche I've ever read)
Characterization: A-
Plot: A
Wold Newton relevancy rating: 9. (It features Fu Manchu, a proven WN family member, several crossovers with other Rohmer characters, and the use of the theory on the identity of Dr. Petrie's father.)
RECOMMENDED
Fu Manchu's latest plot, written by William P. Maynard, involves saving the human race from...wait? What? Since when did the Devil Doctor care about the human race?
The novel is set during a break in the narrative of The Hand of Fu Manchu. This is during the period where Fu Manchu was, arguably, at his most blood thirsty. The novel has plenty of action, adventure and daring-do. (The excellent scene with Petrie attempting to save children from a crocodile comes to mind.) The plot is mostly concerned with Nayland Smith and his trusty aid Dr. Petrie tracking down members of a cult that may or may not be related to the Si-Fan.
The problems I had were few, Maynard is not only a talented writer, but he clearly knows his Rohmer. The only thing that bothered me on first read through was the Lovecraftian elements, as I felt that the magic/demon stuff clashed with the Fu Manchu series' focus on logic above all else. But, after a discussion of it with Maynard himself I feel that those elements fit perfectly with Rohmer's fictional universe.
Final Tally:
Prose: A++ (A perfect recreation of Rohmer's style, perhaps the most perfect pastiche I've ever read)
Characterization: A-
Plot: A
Wold Newton relevancy rating: 9. (It features Fu Manchu, a proven WN family member, several crossovers with other Rohmer characters, and the use of the theory on the identity of Dr. Petrie's father.)
RECOMMENDED
Monday, September 28, 2009
How to Waste a Life
"There's no such thing as adventure. There's no such thing as romance. There's only trouble and desire."
Someone said this to me today and it bugged me.
If there is no Romance, no love, no adventure, no excitment. What is the goal of life? Just to follow your biological impulses until you finally die? That sure sounds like a boring and wasted life to me.
I'm a Christian and to me not following Jesus is a wasted life. Just the thought of someone living their life as if that statement is ture gives me chills.
I can only see Edgar Rice Burroughs laughing at this quote as he writes.
James Bojaciuk
Someone said this to me today and it bugged me.
If there is no Romance, no love, no adventure, no excitment. What is the goal of life? Just to follow your biological impulses until you finally die? That sure sounds like a boring and wasted life to me.
I'm a Christian and to me not following Jesus is a wasted life. Just the thought of someone living their life as if that statement is ture gives me chills.
I can only see Edgar Rice Burroughs laughing at this quote as he writes.
James Bojaciuk
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Me Vs. a Quiz for Old People
(This quiz is made for people 40 and up. Let's see how much a 17 year old can break it.)
Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids? ‘Have you ever kissed someone?’‘Missed someone?’ ‘Told someone you loved them?’ ‘Drank alcohol?’ Here are 50 questions for the people who are a little more “mature”…
1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Amazon.com (They have taken so, so much of my money.)
2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? Uhh, never. (Though the girl may have thought it was romantic.)
3. Last time you puked from drinking? Never. I don't drink, nor do I ever intend to.
4. When was the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar? Never. See Above.
5. Name of your first grade teacher? Mrs. Beverly Bojaciuk. (I was Homeschooled.)
6. What do you really want to be doing right now? Writing my article about the Philip Jose Farmer monomyth, and writing my novel.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up? I wanted to be Indiana Jones. Really.
8. How many colleges did you attend? None as of yet, (Still in High School) but I want to go to Wheaton College in Illinois.
9. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now? It was a light shirt I won't sweat in.
10. Gas prices? Were bad but are now somewhat improving.
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you? A several day trip to someplace cold. As for the who, most likely Tori.1
2. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? "Time to win an Ebay item."
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night? None.
14. Favorite candy? Peanut Butter M&Ms
15. Favorite style of food? Italian.
16. What errand/chore do you despise? Doing the dishes.
17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer? Most likely.
18. Get up early or sleep in? I always get up early. I love doing it and being the only person awake in the house.
19. What is your favorite cartoon character? Bugs Bunny, no question.
20. Favorite non-sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy? Talk, go for a walk, or watch a movie.
21. Have you found real love yet? No.
22. When did you first start feeling old? When no one at school knows what I'm talking about.
23. Favorite 80s movie? Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Fright Night, Rambo II, The Great Outdoors, and the list goes ever onward.
24. Favorite lunch meat? Corn beef.
25. What do you get every time you go into Sam's Club or Wal-Mart? Some DVD.
26. Beach or lake? Neither, I'll take the woods any day.
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? Thats a NO. It's still, and will always be, a very important thing.
28. How many people do you stalk on Facebook? I don't think I stalk anyone.
29. Favorite guilty pleasure? Taylor Swift songs.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anybody to find out about? None. All my favorite movies are out in the open.
31. What's your drink? Root beer.
32. Cowboys or Indians? Cowboys. My father introduced me to John Wayne when I was very young.
33. Cops or robbers? Cops.
34. Who from high school would you like to run into? I suppose all of them since I'm going to be seeing them all tomorrow.
35. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? 1210 am the Big Talker.
36. Norm or Cliff? I have no idea what this one means, so I'll go with Norm.
37. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons? The Simpsons.
38. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back? Yeah, like I'm going to put this on the internet.
39. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work? N/A.
40. If you could get away with it, who would you kill? No one I can think of.
41. What famous persons would you like to have dinner with? Philip Jose Farmer, Lester Dent, and Sax Rohmer.
42. What famous person would you like to sleep with? Uhh, weird question. N/A.
43. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? No.
44. Last book you read for real? Lord of the Trees by Philip Jose Farmer.
45. Do you have a teddy bear? No.
46. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth? Near a lake, out in the middle of no where.
47. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? Disney Land!
48. Do you go to church? Yes.
49. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship? A new relationship, I guess.
50. Just how old are you? 17, but depending on the day I may feel younger or older.
James Bojaciuk
Tired of all of those surveys made up by high school kids? ‘Have you ever kissed someone?’‘Missed someone?’ ‘Told someone you loved them?’ ‘Drank alcohol?’ Here are 50 questions for the people who are a little more “mature”…
1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Amazon.com (They have taken so, so much of my money.)
2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? Uhh, never. (Though the girl may have thought it was romantic.)
3. Last time you puked from drinking? Never. I don't drink, nor do I ever intend to.
4. When was the last time you got drunk and danced on a bar? Never. See Above.
5. Name of your first grade teacher? Mrs. Beverly Bojaciuk. (I was Homeschooled.)
6. What do you really want to be doing right now? Writing my article about the Philip Jose Farmer monomyth, and writing my novel.
7. What did you want to be when you were growing up? I wanted to be Indiana Jones. Really.
8. How many colleges did you attend? None as of yet, (Still in High School) but I want to go to Wheaton College in Illinois.
9. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now? It was a light shirt I won't sweat in.
10. Gas prices? Were bad but are now somewhat improving.
11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you? A several day trip to someplace cold. As for the who, most likely Tori.1
2. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? "Time to win an Ebay item."
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night? None.
14. Favorite candy? Peanut Butter M&Ms
15. Favorite style of food? Italian.
16. What errand/chore do you despise? Doing the dishes.
17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer? Most likely.
18. Get up early or sleep in? I always get up early. I love doing it and being the only person awake in the house.
19. What is your favorite cartoon character? Bugs Bunny, no question.
20. Favorite non-sexual thing to do at night with a girl/guy? Talk, go for a walk, or watch a movie.
21. Have you found real love yet? No.
22. When did you first start feeling old? When no one at school knows what I'm talking about.
23. Favorite 80s movie? Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Fright Night, Rambo II, The Great Outdoors, and the list goes ever onward.
24. Favorite lunch meat? Corn beef.
25. What do you get every time you go into Sam's Club or Wal-Mart? Some DVD.
26. Beach or lake? Neither, I'll take the woods any day.
27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? Thats a NO. It's still, and will always be, a very important thing.
28. How many people do you stalk on Facebook? I don't think I stalk anyone.
29. Favorite guilty pleasure? Taylor Swift songs.
30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anybody to find out about? None. All my favorite movies are out in the open.
31. What's your drink? Root beer.
32. Cowboys or Indians? Cowboys. My father introduced me to John Wayne when I was very young.
33. Cops or robbers? Cops.
34. Who from high school would you like to run into? I suppose all of them since I'm going to be seeing them all tomorrow.
35. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? 1210 am the Big Talker.
36. Norm or Cliff? I have no idea what this one means, so I'll go with Norm.
37. The Cosby Show or The Simpsons? The Simpsons.
38. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back? Yeah, like I'm going to put this on the internet.
39. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work? N/A.
40. If you could get away with it, who would you kill? No one I can think of.
41. What famous persons would you like to have dinner with? Philip Jose Farmer, Lester Dent, and Sax Rohmer.
42. What famous person would you like to sleep with? Uhh, weird question. N/A.
43. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? No.
44. Last book you read for real? Lord of the Trees by Philip Jose Farmer.
45. Do you have a teddy bear? No.
46. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth? Near a lake, out in the middle of no where.
47. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go? Disney Land!
48. Do you go to church? Yes.
49. At this point in your life would you rather start a new career or a new relationship? A new relationship, I guess.
50. Just how old are you? 17, but depending on the day I may feel younger or older.
James Bojaciuk
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Music I like 09/02/09
Yeah, this song is a rip-off/parody of "Hey There Delilah" but for my time, this is the better version. (Though I do think that the line "He loves a killing spree" should be changed as "24" makes it clear that Jack doesn't like killing, but only does it because no one else will.)
James Bojaciuk
Monday, August 10, 2009
How I View a Crossover's Validity In the WNU
I look at how seriously a crossover should be taken for the Wold Newton Universe as a series of Tiers. So a crossover on tier 1 should be taken completely while one on the last tier should be brought up in conversation only to amuse you friends with the creator of that project's stupidity.
Tier 1: The works of Philip Jose Farmer. As he created this group and style of fiction his crossovers get the most attention attached to them.
Tier 1B: The works of the writers cited as in the Wold Newton Universe by Philip Jose Farmer. So this includes Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming, and so on.
Tier 2: Fiction and essays by Wold Newton researchers. (Essays can be on the Internet, but fiction can only be professionally published.) As they are writing for this universe itself they get highly placed on the tiers.
Tier 3: Pastiches that do not violate Wold Newton continuity. Such as many of the new Sherlock Holmes novels.
Tier 3B: Original fiction.
Tier 4: Movies.
Tier 5: Television shows.
Tier 6: Comic books. But only following Win Eckert's process of adding comic characters. You can see it Here.
Tier 7: Any Japanese crossovers.
Tier 8: Pastiches that violate Wold Newton continuity is some small way.
Tier 9: Parodies. Such as Doorlock Holmes, or many others.
James B.
Tier 1: The works of Philip Jose Farmer. As he created this group and style of fiction his crossovers get the most attention attached to them.
Tier 1B: The works of the writers cited as in the Wold Newton Universe by Philip Jose Farmer. So this includes Edgar Rice Burroughs, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming, and so on.
Tier 2: Fiction and essays by Wold Newton researchers. (Essays can be on the Internet, but fiction can only be professionally published.) As they are writing for this universe itself they get highly placed on the tiers.
Tier 3: Pastiches that do not violate Wold Newton continuity. Such as many of the new Sherlock Holmes novels.
Tier 3B: Original fiction.
Tier 4: Movies.
Tier 5: Television shows.
Tier 6: Comic books. But only following Win Eckert's process of adding comic characters. You can see it Here.
Tier 7: Any Japanese crossovers.
Tier 8: Pastiches that violate Wold Newton continuity is some small way.
Tier 9: Parodies. Such as Doorlock Holmes, or many others.
James B.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
And Now, an Open Letter from Anthony Tollin
I have enjoyed the reprints from Mr. Tollin for some years now. I am honestly shocked by the things that Nostalgia Ventures is doing. Also there is a sick feeling in my gut because I bought some of these "Sale pulps" that Nostalgia Ventures was printing. Admittedly, I had no idea of their duplicity, but it still makes me sick to know, that in some small way, I was a part of their criminal actions.
Before we get to the letter, I want to applaud Conde Nast for honoring their verbal agreement with Walter Gibson in that the Gibson family would be given a share of all future profits derived from The Shadow. It is truly a rare thing to see decency like that in today's business world
Now to Mr. Tollin.
James B.
An open letter to the pulp community:
For those taking advantage of the discounted SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE volumes at Half-Price Books, please be aware
that Nostalgia Ventures began remaindering these books last summer in direct violation of its sub-contract with
me. Also, as of today (July 22, 2009), Nostalgia Ventures has still not paid royalties to either Condé Nast or me for any books it has sold since July 1st, 2008. (A semi-annual royalty payment was due back in February, and
another six months of royalties are coming due in August.) There is a very good reason why Nostalgia Ventures/Nostalgiatown is no longer co-publishing these books, and it involves a continuing series of contract violations.
And for anyone who may not be sympathetic because Condé Nast is a huge corporation, please be aware that Condé
Nast has chosen to continue the oral agreement it had for decades with Walter Gibson, and is splitting its royalties for the SHADOW reprints with Walter's family. This is an extremely rare and decent act that is quite unusual in the publishing world.
I think my SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE double-novel trade paperbacks are a great value at the $12.95 cover price.
Obviously, the books are an even better value at discounted prices. However, please be aware that purchasing these books from either Half-Price Books or Nostalgiatown does nothing to encourage the continuation of these series. And since Nostalgia Ventures still hasn't paid its contract-required royalties for any of the books it has sold during the past 12 1/2 months, the money from Nostalgia Ventures' and Half-Price Books' sales also hasn't been continuing on to Walter Gibson's family.
It's not necessary to purchase THE SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE directly from Sanctum Books to support the ongoing
publishing operation and encourage the continuation of these reprints. Bud Plant Comic Art, Adventure House, Mike Chomko, Vintage Library, Girasol, Edge Books, The Mysterious Bookshop and any comic specialty shop that orders its books from Diamond Comic Distributors all get their books either directly or indirectly through Sanctum Books (which continues to make its regular royalty payments to Condé Nast and would like to continue publishing these reprints for many more years).
Please feel free to forward this message on to other pulp-oriented email groups.
--Anthony Tollin
Sanctum Books
Before we get to the letter, I want to applaud Conde Nast for honoring their verbal agreement with Walter Gibson in that the Gibson family would be given a share of all future profits derived from The Shadow. It is truly a rare thing to see decency like that in today's business world
Now to Mr. Tollin.
James B.
An open letter to the pulp community:
For those taking advantage of the discounted SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE volumes at Half-Price Books, please be aware
that Nostalgia Ventures began remaindering these books last summer in direct violation of its sub-contract with
me. Also, as of today (July 22, 2009), Nostalgia Ventures has still not paid royalties to either Condé Nast or me for any books it has sold since July 1st, 2008. (A semi-annual royalty payment was due back in February, and
another six months of royalties are coming due in August.) There is a very good reason why Nostalgia Ventures/Nostalgiatown is no longer co-publishing these books, and it involves a continuing series of contract violations.
And for anyone who may not be sympathetic because Condé Nast is a huge corporation, please be aware that Condé
Nast has chosen to continue the oral agreement it had for decades with Walter Gibson, and is splitting its royalties for the SHADOW reprints with Walter's family. This is an extremely rare and decent act that is quite unusual in the publishing world.
I think my SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE double-novel trade paperbacks are a great value at the $12.95 cover price.
Obviously, the books are an even better value at discounted prices. However, please be aware that purchasing these books from either Half-Price Books or Nostalgiatown does nothing to encourage the continuation of these series. And since Nostalgia Ventures still hasn't paid its contract-required royalties for any of the books it has sold during the past 12 1/2 months, the money from Nostalgia Ventures' and Half-Price Books' sales also hasn't been continuing on to Walter Gibson's family.
It's not necessary to purchase THE SHADOW and DOC SAVAGE directly from Sanctum Books to support the ongoing
publishing operation and encourage the continuation of these reprints. Bud Plant Comic Art, Adventure House, Mike Chomko, Vintage Library, Girasol, Edge Books, The Mysterious Bookshop and any comic specialty shop that orders its books from Diamond Comic Distributors all get their books either directly or indirectly through Sanctum Books (which continues to make its regular royalty payments to Condé Nast and would like to continue publishing these reprints for many more years).
Please feel free to forward this message on to other pulp-oriented email groups.
--Anthony Tollin
Sanctum Books
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
New Crossover Found in The Other Log of Phileas Fogg
"While eating oysters in a Cheapside inn, the cards, dealt by a red-faced, fat middle-aged lady, told him to get hired as a valet for a Lord Windermere." The Other Log of Phileas Fogg by Philip Jose Farmer. (Page 48)[Bold is mine.]
Lord and Lady Windermere are from the Oscar Wilde play "Lady Windermere's Fan". I will check this out more fully tomorrow, and see if I can find Passepartout in the play.
Here's a link to the online text if you can't wait. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lady_Windermere%27s_Fan
James B.
Lord and Lady Windermere are from the Oscar Wilde play "Lady Windermere's Fan". I will check this out more fully tomorrow, and see if I can find Passepartout in the play.
Here's a link to the online text if you can't wait. http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lady_Windermere%27s_Fan
James B.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
The Ghostbusters vs. Cthulhu
I suspect everyone has seen this already. But its a fun episode, so sue me.
James B.
James B.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Oh, how the Diogenes Club has fallen
Once they were the foremost of Intelligence agencies (and investigators of the unexplained) in the world. They employed hundreds of agents all over the world. The chief of the organization, Mycroft Homles, saved England from unknown horrors too many times to count. What does this one mighty group do now, you may ask?
Now they produce techno-trash tunes for the night club market.
Red Sky (The Diogenes Club Remix)
Actually, it a pretty catchy tune.
Now they produce techno-trash tunes for the night club market.
Red Sky (The Diogenes Club Remix)
Actually, it a pretty catchy tune.
Sledge Hammer in the WNU
This is a cleaned-up and expanded final version of the post I did a long time back.
Enjoy!
THE PILOT (UNDER THE GUN)
At 1:42 you see John Vernon as the mayor of San Francisco. He also played the mayor of San Francisco in DIRTY HARRY. Plus, as far as my memory goes, he acts the same in both the movie and here.
At 5:40 to 5:52 in the backround you can see two men intended to be Crockett and Tubbs. (I never would have cought this one without the commetary)
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=kVWpH-yHMa8
(You can fine the rest of the episodes by the links on the right hand side)
COMRADE HAMMER
At 1:43 a man intended to be Alfred Hitchcock walks by the screen with his theme playing. Since Hitchcock cameos in all of his films, can we say all hitchcock films are in the WNU by this crossover?
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=APAOp41UNro
(You can find the rest of the episode by the links on the right hand side)
PLAY IT AGAIN SLEDGE
Due to the large ammount of crossovers here I'll be doing this one in parts.
Part 1
At 3:10 a man who looks a lot like Humphrey Bogart shows up. Who he is, and why he matters to us, is explaned at the end of part three.
At 6:08 the man mentions Richard Diamond, Sam Spade, and Philip Marlowe as if they were real people.
At 6:49 in the backround are a pair I'm quite sure We've seen before. As to how they can still be alive...I'll leave to someone else.
At 7:30 (with a much clearer shot at 7:52) the Maltese Falcon can be seen. Now, since when we last saw the real one it was in a shark's mouth, how does it get into Sledge's office? While we could call it one of the fake ones from the novel, what would be the fun in that?
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=em0OanhRwP0
Part 2
At 4:00 Sledge Mentions "That limey jerk" and seems very personal about it. As if Sledge and Bond met in the past and that meeting didn't go too well...
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JvmRvrPXtR4& feature=related
Part 3
At 3:54 the man mentions Diamond, Spade and Marlowe again. This time with the added statement that he is not any of the three detectives. (or he is all of them, which clearly cannot work in the WNU.)
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=mdNB_mpxAts& feature=related
I'm sure there are many more crossovers in Sledge Hammer. But I think this is enough to get him into the Universe.
James B.
Enjoy!
THE PILOT (UNDER THE GUN)
At 1:42 you see John Vernon as the mayor of San Francisco. He also played the mayor of San Francisco in DIRTY HARRY. Plus, as far as my memory goes, he acts the same in both the movie and here.
At 5:40 to 5:52 in the backround you can see two men intended to be Crockett and Tubbs. (I never would have cought this one without the commetary)
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=kVWpH-yHMa8
(You can fine the rest of the episodes by the links on the right hand side)
COMRADE HAMMER
At 1:43 a man intended to be Alfred Hitchcock walks by the screen with his theme playing. Since Hitchcock cameos in all of his films, can we say all hitchcock films are in the WNU by this crossover?
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=APAOp41UNro
(You can find the rest of the episode by the links on the right hand side)
PLAY IT AGAIN SLEDGE
Due to the large ammount of crossovers here I'll be doing this one in parts.
Part 1
At 3:10 a man who looks a lot like Humphrey Bogart shows up. Who he is, and why he matters to us, is explaned at the end of part three.
At 6:08 the man mentions Richard Diamond, Sam Spade, and Philip Marlowe as if they were real people.
At 6:49 in the backround are a pair I'm quite sure We've seen before. As to how they can still be alive...I'll leave to someone else.
At 7:30 (with a much clearer shot at 7:52) the Maltese Falcon can be seen. Now, since when we last saw the real one it was in a shark's mouth, how does it get into Sledge's office? While we could call it one of the fake ones from the novel, what would be the fun in that?
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=em0OanhRwP0
Part 2
At 4:00 Sledge Mentions "That limey jerk" and seems very personal about it. As if Sledge and Bond met in the past and that meeting didn't go too well...
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=JvmRvrPXtR4& feature=related
Part 3
At 3:54 the man mentions Diamond, Spade and Marlowe again. This time with the added statement that he is not any of the three detectives. (or he is all of them, which clearly cannot work in the WNU.)
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=mdNB_mpxAts& feature=related
I'm sure there are many more crossovers in Sledge Hammer. But I think this is enough to get him into the Universe.
James B.
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Mark of Fu Manchu
On my last post, William Maynard left a post allaying one of my fears about a modern-set Fu Manchu novel. But check out the last sentence of his comment.
Hi, James. As an ardent Rohmer fan myself, I'm looking forward to reading Richard's book, too. I can tell you that Nayland Smith does not appear so that's one you can cross off your list. Here's hoping my second book, THE MARK OF FU MANCHU (set between Rohmer's two WWII-era titles) is next on the list.
Best,
William Patrick Maynard (Italics & Boldness mine.)
I have two things to point out.
First We'll cover BOLD "next on the list" Because of this I'm beginning to think there are a lot of Fu Manchu novels in the works. It should be interesting to see if I'm right.
now for italics. The Mark of Fu Manchu (Cool title)
this title got me to thinking what it could be about, and I came up with these.
1. The mark is some sort of thing left on the bodies of victims.
2. The mark is the seal of the Si-Fan.
3. The title refers to the German mark, an indicates that Fu Manchu is toying with the German economy.
For my money, number three is my favorite.
(And William, if this gives too much away, of could insult the copyright holders, (especially the part about the multiple novels in the works) I'll be glad to take this down on your say so.)
James B.
Hi, James. As an ardent Rohmer fan myself, I'm looking forward to reading Richard's book, too. I can tell you that Nayland Smith does not appear so that's one you can cross off your list. Here's hoping my second book, THE MARK OF FU MANCHU (set between Rohmer's two WWII-era titles) is next on the list.
Best,
William Patrick Maynard (Italics & Boldness mine.)
I have two things to point out.
First We'll cover BOLD "next on the list" Because of this I'm beginning to think there are a lot of Fu Manchu novels in the works. It should be interesting to see if I'm right.
now for italics. The Mark of Fu Manchu (Cool title)
this title got me to thinking what it could be about, and I came up with these.
1. The mark is some sort of thing left on the bodies of victims.
2. The mark is the seal of the Si-Fan.
3. The title refers to the German mark, an indicates that Fu Manchu is toying with the German economy.
For my money, number three is my favorite.
(And William, if this gives too much away, of could insult the copyright holders, (especially the part about the multiple novels in the works) I'll be glad to take this down on your say so.)
James B.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Revenge of the Immortal Fu Manchu
Apparently there is a new Fu Manchu novel afoot. (Wow, I haven't said that in a long time) And it takes place in the present day?
This from Coming Attractions:
Fu Manchu
Bill Maynard has announced that his recent Fu Manchu novel, THE TERROR OF FU MANCHU, is only the beginning of the Fu Manchu literary revival. There is much more to come from reprints of the original series which Al Longden, the agent for the Literary Estate, will hopefully be announcing shortly to a forthcoming Fu Manchu novel set in the 21st Century. The title of the new adventure is THE IMMORTAL DR. FU MANCHU and the author is Richard Sand.
Well, this could turn out great, or more lame than a one footed tiger. But here's what they need to avoid:
1. Nayland Smith as the Central hero. Please don't make Smith an immortal too. Leave him as a very old man who offers the main hero(s) suport from base. Sort of like his role in Master of Kung Fu.
2. Fu Manchu just wants to be at peace with the world. I don't see this one happening but I'll bring it up anyhow.
3. The hero(s) other than Smith believe that Fu Manchu and the Si-Fan are a myth. After 100+ years of operations, there should be more than enough paper work to show the Si-Fan exist. However, I'm not against the hero(s) all believing Fu Manchu's dead, and that the events of the novel are the work of a copy-cat.
Now for stuff I do want to see:
1. Fu Manchu has a large number of Islamic terror groups in the Si-Fan. Also cool would be if they're attempting to take control away from the Council of Seven so they would have full control of all the cults and other operators of the Si-Fan.
2. Jack Bauer appears briefly as an American government agent, but this one's just me wanting to see Jack interact with Fu Manchu. How about the hero(s)(from either the British or American government) bring in Jack to torture information from a captured Fu Manchu, It would truly be a titanic battle of wills. But sadly, I know this one will not happen, just a pipe-dream on my part.
Still, I'm looking forward to it and I'll order it as soon as it becomes available.
James B.
"Mr. Fredricksen, you are cleared for landing on the 86th floor." or Up in the WNU
I just got back from the theatre where I saw Up. It was very good and one of the few true A+ flicks I've seen this year. But of interest to this blog is where the adventure takes place
Check out the planning artwork above, remind you of anything? Yes, Conan Doyle's The Lost World. (or if you will, Maple White Land) And before we got further I'll add that in the movie proper the plateau looks identical, but sadly for our purposes I could not find any stills from the movie.
Now read this description of Maple White Land from Chapter 4 of The Lost World:
"I was still unable to sympathize. It was a full-page sketch of a landscape roughly tinted in color--the kind of painting which an open-air artist takes as a guide to a future more elaborate effort. There was a pale-green foreground of feathery vegetation, which sloped upwards and ended in a line of cliffs dark red in color, and curiously ribbed like some basaltic formations which I have seen. They extended in an unbroken wall right across the background. At one point was an isolated pyramidal rock, crowned by a great tree, which appeared to be separated by a cleft from the main crag. Behind it all, a blue tropical sky. A thin green line of vegetation fringed the summit of the ruddy cliff."
Who would have thought that a Pixar kiddie movie would be in the Wold Newton Universe?
James B.
Repairman Jack morns King Kong
In the new F. Paul Wilson short story collection, Aftershock and Others, are some pretty interesting Wold Newton related stories. First up "Interlude At Duane's"
This is apparently a Repairman Jack story. From what I've gleaned online, Jack is an investigator of Cthulhuoid horrors, though nothing along those lines has anything to do with this story.
But what this story does have is a very solid connection to King Kong, easily bringing this story (if not the whole of Repairman Jack) into the newtonverse.
Here's the paragraph:
"He felt naked. Had to leave his trusty Glock and backup home today because of his annual trip to the Empire State Building. He'd designated April 19th King Kong Day. Every year he made a pilgrimage to the observation deck to leave a little wreath in memory to the Big Guy. The Major drawback to the outing was the metal detector everyone had to pass through before heading upstairs. That meant no heat."
James B.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Bionic Man, Corner Gas
On the Corner Gas episode "Kids Stuff" Brent makes a reference to the Bionic Man. Although not as strong as prior links(Jack Bauer & The Little Hobo--click on the Corner Gas tag for them) this gives us the first link to the Newtonverse proper. Check it out at 4:39
James B.
James B.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Revenge of Corner Gas
In my last post I showed a rather interesting video with Jack Bauer getting a wrong number.
further research has shown Corner Gas is rife with crossovers, now it is just a matter of time before I find the link that connects to the Wold Newton Universe.
Anyhow, this time the Canadian "Lassie" the Little Hobo, had an entire appearance in Dog River (the town Corner Gas takes place in.)
And just because its an awesome theme tune, the theme to The Little Hobo
further research has shown Corner Gas is rife with crossovers, now it is just a matter of time before I find the link that connects to the Wold Newton Universe.
Anyhow, this time the Canadian "Lassie" the Little Hobo, had an entire appearance in Dog River (the town Corner Gas takes place in.)
And just because its an awesome theme tune, the theme to The Little Hobo
Monday, May 25, 2009
Jack Bauer vs the Canadians
At 2:50 you can see Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer.
But really, watch the whole thing, (and the second and third parts) this is one of the funniest TV series ever made.
But really, watch the whole thing, (and the second and third parts) this is one of the funniest TV series ever made.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Letters from Fictional Characters, Volume 1
Recently I sent a e-mail to the House of Sinanju at housinan@aol.com. I got reply thats illuminating to Wold Newtonian studys
For those not in the know the House of Sinanju is from the long running adventure novel series: The Destroyer.
As almost always a good summary can be found at Wikipedia
An e-text of a Destroyer short story can be found at sinanju.net. Just like the old pulps.
In my email I commented on how much I enjoyed the books and that I hoped a new publisher would be found soon. At the end though I added a quick question asking if Chiun had asulted Sherlock Holmes.
This comes from the from First, the Destroyer novel #83 Skull duggery where Chiun comments that he worked for Fu Manchu.
Secondly the Fu Manchu novel Ten Years Beyond Baker Street. Which, to the best of my knowledge is the only time in the entire Fu Manchu saga where a Korean is among Fu Manchu's agents. (correct me if I'm wrong)
Out of the email I got the first half was James Mullaney thanking me for my support.
the second half on the other hand:
p.s. From Chiun: Your correspondent asks if the Master ever encountered Sherlock Holmes. I have concluded that this letter writer must be American, for only an American would conflate fiction and reality. For all of you products of the American educational system within the sound of my voice: Sherlock Holmes is fictional, I am real, therefore we have not and can never meet. Fictional characters do not and cannot interact with real ones. You may thank the Master now for he has done you a service by explaining that which the sane parts of the world understand. Go back now to your sofas and remote controls, safe in the knowledge that Yogi Bear, Roger Rabbit and Nancy Pelosi will never leap out of your television screen and maul you in your sleep.
With moderate tolerance for you,
Chiun, Master of Sinanju Emeritus
Okay, since Chiun denies ever meeting Sherlock Holmes (or that he was even a real person) we must assume that Chiun was employed in an unrecorded Fu Manchu adventue. Or that he lied, his published exploits don't exactly show a trustworthy person to say the least.
James Bojaciuk
For those not in the know the House of Sinanju is from the long running adventure novel series: The Destroyer.
As almost always a good summary can be found at Wikipedia
An e-text of a Destroyer short story can be found at sinanju.net. Just like the old pulps.
In my email I commented on how much I enjoyed the books and that I hoped a new publisher would be found soon. At the end though I added a quick question asking if Chiun had asulted Sherlock Holmes.
This comes from the from First, the Destroyer novel #83 Skull duggery where Chiun comments that he worked for Fu Manchu.
Secondly the Fu Manchu novel Ten Years Beyond Baker Street. Which, to the best of my knowledge is the only time in the entire Fu Manchu saga where a Korean is among Fu Manchu's agents. (correct me if I'm wrong)
Out of the email I got the first half was James Mullaney thanking me for my support.
the second half on the other hand:
p.s. From Chiun: Your correspondent asks if the Master ever encountered Sherlock Holmes. I have concluded that this letter writer must be American, for only an American would conflate fiction and reality. For all of you products of the American educational system within the sound of my voice: Sherlock Holmes is fictional, I am real, therefore we have not and can never meet. Fictional characters do not and cannot interact with real ones. You may thank the Master now for he has done you a service by explaining that which the sane parts of the world understand. Go back now to your sofas and remote controls, safe in the knowledge that Yogi Bear, Roger Rabbit and Nancy Pelosi will never leap out of your television screen and maul you in your sleep.
With moderate tolerance for you,
Chiun, Master of Sinanju Emeritus
Okay, since Chiun denies ever meeting Sherlock Holmes (or that he was even a real person) we must assume that Chiun was employed in an unrecorded Fu Manchu adventue. Or that he lied, his published exploits don't exactly show a trustworthy person to say the least.
James Bojaciuk
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Evil in Pemberley House, Pre-ordered!
I pre-ordered this from Amazon last night.
This is only the third book I've seen that I had to not only buy, but pre-order as soon as I possibly could.
I can't wait for this.
James.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
whats in the box? 04/16/09 Part 2
I went over my memory limt on the last post. Here's the rest of it.
I started reading Loki as soon as I opened the box. Its great so far.
I started reading Loki as soon as I opened the box. Its great so far.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
From Big Brother with Love
This is what happens when I'm bored and don't feel like writing with my own characters. This is for the most part Bond vs. 1984.
Keep is mind this has had little editing.
Bond woke up with his head pounding from the previous nights engagements. It’s that damn soma. He thought to himself. Never again, I’ll stick with the victory gin.
He rolled over and found a surprise, the pretty young new council member, Miss Peel, was slumbering by his side. After the shock passed Bond ignored her and tended to him drink stand.
He poured three measures victory gin into into an oversized glass. After making sure that Peel was still out his reached under his dresser, pulled back the navy blue carpet and brought out an ancient bottle of pure Russian vodka he had procured back is the sixties. He poured two measures into his cup and replaced the rest of the illegal goods under the carpet.
He tore open the government-given daily pack. First item in today’s pack was a reefer. Bond immediately dropped this in the trash can and moved on. Next in the sack was a crudely drawn porn booklet produced by the whores at the Ministry of Truth. The booklet joined the reefer in the bucket.
Bond examined the piece of paper in the bottom of the packet. It was a “personal note from you true and just leader.” The note was printed on paper bearing the cruel handlebar mustached face of Big Brother. Bond considered burning it, but then thought it would ignite the maharani. The note drifted down and rested atop the growing pile in the waste bin.
He raised the goblet to his mouth and began to fill the liquors warm him up. Poor Vesper.
He felt the acute twang one feels when a gun is pointed at their back. Miss Peel was siting up in bed half covered by the sheets; in her hand was a small caliber pistol of German make.
“My dear Mr. Bond, I do believe you are guilty of thought crime. My heavens, you took part of none of our leaders gifts. Tut-tut. And, then Gaul of all Gauls. You don’t offer BB’s Representative any thing to drink. Come Come.”
This would be later on in the story.
He passed young Winston Smith in the hallway. Bond had known Winston’s father well. That worthy man had been killed in the second battle of Briton. He killed twenty invaders before they got him. Although now whenever Smith was mentioned, and that was not often, he was portrayed as a foolish coward who killed his doctor friend then turned the gun on himself so he would not have to face the “liberators” Poor Nayland Smith.
I'm curious to know what people think. Although not the plot so much as the writing itself.
Keep is mind this has had little editing.
Bond woke up with his head pounding from the previous nights engagements. It’s that damn soma. He thought to himself. Never again, I’ll stick with the victory gin.
He rolled over and found a surprise, the pretty young new council member, Miss Peel, was slumbering by his side. After the shock passed Bond ignored her and tended to him drink stand.
He poured three measures victory gin into into an oversized glass. After making sure that Peel was still out his reached under his dresser, pulled back the navy blue carpet and brought out an ancient bottle of pure Russian vodka he had procured back is the sixties. He poured two measures into his cup and replaced the rest of the illegal goods under the carpet.
He tore open the government-given daily pack. First item in today’s pack was a reefer. Bond immediately dropped this in the trash can and moved on. Next in the sack was a crudely drawn porn booklet produced by the whores at the Ministry of Truth. The booklet joined the reefer in the bucket.
Bond examined the piece of paper in the bottom of the packet. It was a “personal note from you true and just leader.” The note was printed on paper bearing the cruel handlebar mustached face of Big Brother. Bond considered burning it, but then thought it would ignite the maharani. The note drifted down and rested atop the growing pile in the waste bin.
He raised the goblet to his mouth and began to fill the liquors warm him up. Poor Vesper.
He felt the acute twang one feels when a gun is pointed at their back. Miss Peel was siting up in bed half covered by the sheets; in her hand was a small caliber pistol of German make.
“My dear Mr. Bond, I do believe you are guilty of thought crime. My heavens, you took part of none of our leaders gifts. Tut-tut. And, then Gaul of all Gauls. You don’t offer BB’s Representative any thing to drink. Come Come.”
This would be later on in the story.
He passed young Winston Smith in the hallway. Bond had known Winston’s father well. That worthy man had been killed in the second battle of Briton. He killed twenty invaders before they got him. Although now whenever Smith was mentioned, and that was not often, he was portrayed as a foolish coward who killed his doctor friend then turned the gun on himself so he would not have to face the “liberators” Poor Nayland Smith.
I'm curious to know what people think. Although not the plot so much as the writing itself.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The Mad Goblin, or, What Was I thinking?
Three days ago I rated Philip Jose Farmer's The Mad Goblin a B.
I am now rectifying this Mistake. I am giving the Novel an A-.
It may have graded higher if I had not read it in an extremely loud environment. (one of my friends was watching a Vampire flick. So the last thirty or so pages was filled with noises and screaming.
Anyway, I have also learned never, under any cercumstances, or for any reason blog at one in the morning. nothing good will come of it.
Just like Moms old adage "Nothing good happens after midnight, just go to sleep."
I am now rectifying this Mistake. I am giving the Novel an A-.
It may have graded higher if I had not read it in an extremely loud environment. (one of my friends was watching a Vampire flick. So the last thirty or so pages was filled with noises and screaming.
Anyway, I have also learned never, under any cercumstances, or for any reason blog at one in the morning. nothing good will come of it.
Just like Moms old adage "Nothing good happens after midnight, just go to sleep."
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Maxwell Smart Vs THRUSH!...?
I was watching old episodes of Get Smart on youtube a few day ago. I was just sitting there minding my business laughing at Don Adams and wondering why they don't make shows like that anymore. (Or for that matter shoes like that?)
So I'm there and then 99 mentions THRUSH, and that the KAOS agent of the week was traded from THRUSH for some KAOS men. I can see why KAOS men twould want to jump ship.
Check it out around 7:34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-DDB1SUsy0
(Blogger will not allow me to embed the video, so follow the link.)
(EDIT: Nor will they allow me to post a link. SO copy and paste is the way to go)
So I'm there and then 99 mentions THRUSH, and that the KAOS agent of the week was traded from THRUSH for some KAOS men. I can see why KAOS men twould want to jump ship.
Check it out around 7:34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-DDB1SUsy0
(Blogger will not allow me to embed the video, so follow the link.)
(EDIT: Nor will they allow me to post a link. SO copy and paste is the way to go)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Mad Goblin--Review
Title: The Mad Goblin
Author: Philip Jose Farmer
Publisher: Ace Books
Copyright: 1970
This Doc Savage pastiche has a lot going for it. Its very well written. The characters are remarkably well drawn and jump off the page. (Although this is as much as Dent's responsibility as Farmer's) Enough action to make any red blooded teenage boy happy, and lastly a pretty good plot.
But it fumbles in the last thirty pages after Doc Caliban and his men get to England. Too bad it never really recovers.
A lot has been said about how to fit this into Wold Newton continually. While it is tempting to say "Chuck It" it has too much attachment to the rest for that. So, what to do?
I personally like the theory that Grandrith and Caliban are copys of Tarzan and Doc Savage raised by The Nine to A. Assist them in maintaining control of the world. and B. To kill the real Tarzan and Doc Savage (which failed)
How does this book stack up:
Prose:A-
Plot:B
Characterization:A+
Final Grade: B
Thats my one in the morning review of Philip Jose Farmer's The Mad Goblin
Author: Philip Jose Farmer
Publisher: Ace Books
Copyright: 1970
This Doc Savage pastiche has a lot going for it. Its very well written. The characters are remarkably well drawn and jump off the page. (Although this is as much as Dent's responsibility as Farmer's) Enough action to make any red blooded teenage boy happy, and lastly a pretty good plot.
But it fumbles in the last thirty pages after Doc Caliban and his men get to England. Too bad it never really recovers.
A lot has been said about how to fit this into Wold Newton continually. While it is tempting to say "Chuck It" it has too much attachment to the rest for that. So, what to do?
I personally like the theory that Grandrith and Caliban are copys of Tarzan and Doc Savage raised by The Nine to A. Assist them in maintaining control of the world. and B. To kill the real Tarzan and Doc Savage (which failed)
How does this book stack up:
Prose:A-
Plot:B
Characterization:A+
Final Grade: B
Thats my one in the morning review of Philip Jose Farmer's The Mad Goblin
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Whats in the Box? 03/21
A 
box from Ebay arrived 
today. Inside was
box from Ebay arrived 
today. Inside was
I've been sick for about a week do this made my day. I'll tell you what I think off them when I finish reading them. Though that may take awhile because of all the stuff in my life.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
What I'm reading as of 03/14/2009
This morning I took my SATs after several weeks of oppressive prepping. Surprisingly not even a quarter of the prep stuff showed on the test. In fact only the simple stuff showed its malformed face. Go figure.
thanks to SAT, I have a huge back log of reading to do. In no particular order here's what I'm reading now:
The Mask of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer
The House Subcommittee's findings at CTU (24) by Marc Cerasini (I'm a big 24 nut)
The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics by Various (I'm a bit strange. I read one chapter of a Encyclopedia a day)
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
The Federalist Papers by Various
Invisible Death by Lin Carter
Ironcastle by Philip Jose Farmer
To your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer
Doc Savage: The devil Genghis by Lester Dent
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (one of my all time favorites)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
The Aeneid by Virgil (YAY!)
Five Weeks in a Balloon by Jules Verne
The Great Gatsby by F. Scot Fitzgerald
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (another of my all time favorites)
The Man from UNCLE, The Copenhagen Affair by John Oram
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
The Tombs of Anak by Frank Peretti
Give me a week or two tops and I should get through all that. I hope.
To end things here's an interesting link
http://www.tvtropes.org/
I don't really know how to describe it, but think of Wikipedia but only for fiction and its concepts. This site has vastly improved my writings, both fiction and non-fiction by helping me to avoid cliches and be original. What are you waiting for? Click!
thanks to SAT, I have a huge back log of reading to do. In no particular order here's what I'm reading now:
The Mask of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer
The House Subcommittee's findings at CTU (24) by Marc Cerasini (I'm a big 24 nut)
The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics by Various (I'm a bit strange. I read one chapter of a Encyclopedia a day)
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
The Federalist Papers by Various
Invisible Death by Lin Carter
Ironcastle by Philip Jose Farmer
To your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer
Doc Savage: The devil Genghis by Lester Dent
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (one of my all time favorites)
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
The Aeneid by Virgil (YAY!)
Five Weeks in a Balloon by Jules Verne
The Great Gatsby by F. Scot Fitzgerald
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs (another of my all time favorites)
The Man from UNCLE, The Copenhagen Affair by John Oram
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
The Tombs of Anak by Frank Peretti
Give me a week or two tops and I should get through all that. I hope.
To end things here's an interesting link
http://www.tvtropes.org/
I don't really know how to describe it, but think of Wikipedia but only for fiction and its concepts. This site has vastly improved my writings, both fiction and non-fiction by helping me to avoid cliches and be original. What are you waiting for? Click!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Unknown Crossovers Week, Day 1: Sledge Hammer
With this new daily series I'm going to expose some of the crossovers I've found, that to the best of my knowlege have never been exposed or expounded on before. Case in point: Sledge Hammer.
Heres a cut-down and corrected version of the wikipedia entry:
"Inspector Sledge Hammer of the San Francisco Police Department is a violent, sadistic, insensitive, yet oddly likable detective. His best friend is a .44 Magnum with a customized grip featuring a drawing of a sledgehammer. Hammer sleeps and showers with his gun, and even talks to it. Hammer believes in shooting first and asking questions never. In the pilot episode, he deals with a sniper on a roof by blowing up the entire building with a rocket launcher, then turns to the uniformed cops on scene and says "I think I got 'em"
While purportedly a stickler for law and order, Hammer is rather lax when it comes to following police regulations. He enjoys roughing up suspected criminals, whom he frequently refers to as "brain-dead mutants", "yogurt-sucking creeps", and the like. He is often suspended from duty.
Hammer drives a beat-up, bullet-riddled, lime green Dodge St. Regis with an "I ♥ VIOLENCE" bumper sticker. He prefers to wear cheap sports jackets, loud neckties, and dark sunglasses.
Despite his irresponsibility and utter incompetence, Hammer always ends up getting his man (or woman), often through sheer luck or brute force. Hammer's unintentionally ironic motto is "Trust me. I know what I'm doing." (Disaster usually follows afterward.)
Hammer's partner is the beautiful Detective Dori Doreau (played by Anne-Marie Martin), who is competent, kind, sensitive, intelligent, and sophisticated—everything Sledge is not. "
Still with me? good. Now, before we finaly get to what you came here for I have some videos for you guys:
The Opening
Sledge takes out a sniper
One last thing, Sledge Hammer was not a parady. except for several episodes from the mosty subpar second season, the show was about one slightly insane individual and his dealings with a society gone mad.
Now to the main event, The Crossovers
1. In the pilot, The Mayor of San Francisco is played by John Vernon, In Dirty Harry he played the mayor of San Francisco. In both he plays the exact same character(although he is a bit more full of him self in Sledge)
2. Miami Vice. Again in the pilot, when Sledge first goes into the captains office. On the other side of the glass you can see a pair clearly intended to be Crockett & Tubbs
3. Alfred Hitchcock. In the episode "Comrade Hammer" A man supposed to be Alfred Hitchcock walks by the screen, in fact he looks so close to Hitchcock that I though it was him himself, until I looked it up and saw that Hitchcock had died a few years before.I included this one on the condition that we could get all (or all least most) of Hitchcocks films into the Wold Newton Universe if we count his cameos as ligament crossovers. (which I do)
4. The Ghost of Sam Spade. In the episode "Play it Again Sledge" the ghost of Spade assists Sledge on a case. (Spade assists almost exactly like Al helped Sam Becket on Quantum Leap)
5. The Maltese Falcon. Again in the episode "Play it Again Sledge" Hammer is put on extended Suspension and buys an old detective agency. On display is...The Maltese Falcon.
Heres a cut-down and corrected version of the wikipedia entry:
"Inspector Sledge Hammer of the San Francisco Police Department is a violent, sadistic, insensitive, yet oddly likable detective. His best friend is a .44 Magnum with a customized grip featuring a drawing of a sledgehammer. Hammer sleeps and showers with his gun, and even talks to it. Hammer believes in shooting first and asking questions never. In the pilot episode, he deals with a sniper on a roof by blowing up the entire building with a rocket launcher, then turns to the uniformed cops on scene and says "I think I got 'em"
While purportedly a stickler for law and order, Hammer is rather lax when it comes to following police regulations. He enjoys roughing up suspected criminals, whom he frequently refers to as "brain-dead mutants", "yogurt-sucking creeps", and the like. He is often suspended from duty.
Hammer drives a beat-up, bullet-riddled, lime green Dodge St. Regis with an "I ♥ VIOLENCE" bumper sticker. He prefers to wear cheap sports jackets, loud neckties, and dark sunglasses.
Despite his irresponsibility and utter incompetence, Hammer always ends up getting his man (or woman), often through sheer luck or brute force. Hammer's unintentionally ironic motto is "Trust me. I know what I'm doing." (Disaster usually follows afterward.)
Hammer's partner is the beautiful Detective Dori Doreau (played by Anne-Marie Martin), who is competent, kind, sensitive, intelligent, and sophisticated—everything Sledge is not. "
Still with me? good. Now, before we finaly get to what you came here for I have some videos for you guys:
The Opening
Sledge takes out a sniper
One last thing, Sledge Hammer was not a parady. except for several episodes from the mosty subpar second season, the show was about one slightly insane individual and his dealings with a society gone mad.
Now to the main event, The Crossovers
1. In the pilot, The Mayor of San Francisco is played by John Vernon, In Dirty Harry he played the mayor of San Francisco. In both he plays the exact same character(although he is a bit more full of him self in Sledge)
2. Miami Vice. Again in the pilot, when Sledge first goes into the captains office. On the other side of the glass you can see a pair clearly intended to be Crockett & Tubbs
3. Alfred Hitchcock. In the episode "Comrade Hammer" A man supposed to be Alfred Hitchcock walks by the screen, in fact he looks so close to Hitchcock that I though it was him himself, until I looked it up and saw that Hitchcock had died a few years before.I included this one on the condition that we could get all (or all least most) of Hitchcocks films into the Wold Newton Universe if we count his cameos as ligament crossovers. (which I do)
4. The Ghost of Sam Spade. In the episode "Play it Again Sledge" the ghost of Spade assists Sledge on a case. (Spade assists almost exactly like Al helped Sam Becket on Quantum Leap)
5. The Maltese Falcon. Again in the episode "Play it Again Sledge" Hammer is put on extended Suspension and buys an old detective agency. On display is...The Maltese Falcon.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
An Essay on Doc & The Shadow
For my English class we had to do a one page comparative essay. For some reason all my serious
ones were dropped for being far too broad.
I had 24 hours to think of a final report. My eyes fell on the Doc Savage paperback I had been reading, a desperate idea popped into my head and I ran with it. Just agumenting what was in my head with some books and websites.(I'm pretty sure I had the largest Works Cited list out of the entire class)
On this paper I got an A- for some grammeral errors and an incomplete sentence. I have not changed them for this blog.
Doc Savage Vs The Shadow
During the dark days of the Great Depression, two very different heroes began their crusades against crime and injustice. The Shadow, Master of darkness, settled mobsters’ scores with blazing automatics and a haunting, mocking laugh. Doc Savage, Man of Bronze, who was dedicated to wiping out evil through the use of science.
Both Doc Savage and The Shadow had assistants in his war. While The Shadow’s aides followed his instructions to the letter, Savage’s might disobey him. As seen in this excerpt from The Gold Ogre by Kenneth Robeson:
“Doc Savage shouted, “No Unnecessary killings!” It was his policy never to take a life if it could possibly be avoided. If Monk heard, he pretended not to, Monk not being entirely in sympathy with the bronze man’s respect for the lives of gentlemen such as Vick Francks…bullets began moving in quantities.”
Doc Savage preferred not to kill criminals, instead as he caught them, they were sent to his “Crime College” where they would be rehabilitated and “cured” of their criminal tendencies by the extreme method of brain surgery. This operation was the near equivalent of a lobotomy. As contrast, in Serpents of Siva by Maxwell Grant:
“[The Shadow’s] guns ripped from the instant the first thug entered…bullets were pounding those brass-faced walls. Crooks were dropping, with smoking guns in their fists.”
Savage operated with the full support of the government (although they knew nothing of the Crime College.) He and all of his men carried cards that guaranteed the full cooperation of any American law enforcement agency, and several foreign organizations.
While Savage did battle from the gleaming peaks of New York’s skyscrapers, The Shadow ran his crusade against crime from the darkness shaded alleyways and decrepit buildings where malevolence lurked. He had no help from the government, local or national, nor did he seek it. Unlike Savage, The Shadow did not bend the rules for justice, He broke them outright, in order in insure that the criminal learned that “Crime does not pay”
Both Doc Savage and The Shadow used a large array of gadgets. Savage’s were things that would not be invented for decades to come like, automated telephone answering machines, Bullet-proof vests, and a radar-like tracking device. While The Shadow’s were more mundane with things along the lines of mini-flashlights, grappling hooks, and magic tricks such as gunpowder flashes from his hands.
Oddly enough both made peculiar sounds. Doc Savage made a strange trilling sound whenever he was intrigued. The Shadow scorned his foes with a haunting laugh that struck fear into their dark hearts.
One man a World War One spy driven by whatever horrors he witnessed to go from being a “Black Eagle” to a living shadow, the other a muscled polymath trained from birth to be the ultimate human, driven ever onward toward the light. They are polar
opposites yet they are the same, Flip sides of the depression coin. One battling against the utter despair of today, the other looking forward to the joys of tomorrow.
Works Cited
Farmer, Philip J. (1975). Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life. New York: Bantam Books.
Grant, Maxwell (2006). The Shadow: Crime, Insured. Encinitas, CA: Nostalgia Ventures.
Grant, Maxwell (2007). The Shadow: Serpents of Siva. Encinitas, CA: Nostalgia Venture.
Leary, Roman (2008). "The Evils Against Which We Strive" anthologized in Tales of the Shadowmen Vol.4. Ed. J. M. & Randy Lofficier. Encino, CA: Black Coat Press. 90-103
Robeson, Kenneth (1969). Doc Savage: The Gold Ogre. New York: Bantam Books.
Robeson, Kenneth (1982). Doc Savage: The Secret in the Sky. New York: Bantam Books.
Robeson, Kenneth (2008). Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. Encinitas, CA: Nostalgia Ventures.
Kaluta, Michael & Goss, Joel (1993). The Shadow: In the Coils of Leviathan. Canada: Dark Horse Comics.
Web Pages Cited
Lai, Rick. "Chronology of Shadows, part 1." The Wold Newton Universe. 10 Feb. 2009.
Lai, Rick. "Chronology of Shadows, part 2." The Wold Newton Universe. 10 Feb. 2009.
Sippo, Art C. "Bullet-Proof vests." Weblog post. Speculations in Bronze. 7 July 2007. 11 Feb. 2009.
ones were dropped for being far too broad.
I had 24 hours to think of a final report. My eyes fell on the Doc Savage paperback I had been reading, a desperate idea popped into my head and I ran with it. Just agumenting what was in my head with some books and websites.(I'm pretty sure I had the largest Works Cited list out of the entire class)
On this paper I got an A- for some grammeral errors and an incomplete sentence. I have not changed them for this blog.
Doc Savage Vs The Shadow
During the dark days of the Great Depression, two very different heroes began their crusades against crime and injustice. The Shadow, Master of darkness, settled mobsters’ scores with blazing automatics and a haunting, mocking laugh. Doc Savage, Man of Bronze, who was dedicated to wiping out evil through the use of science.
Both Doc Savage and The Shadow had assistants in his war. While The Shadow’s aides followed his instructions to the letter, Savage’s might disobey him. As seen in this excerpt from The Gold Ogre by Kenneth Robeson:
“Doc Savage shouted, “No Unnecessary killings!” It was his policy never to take a life if it could possibly be avoided. If Monk heard, he pretended not to, Monk not being entirely in sympathy with the bronze man’s respect for the lives of gentlemen such as Vick Francks…bullets began moving in quantities.”
Doc Savage preferred not to kill criminals, instead as he caught them, they were sent to his “Crime College” where they would be rehabilitated and “cured” of their criminal tendencies by the extreme method of brain surgery. This operation was the near equivalent of a lobotomy. As contrast, in Serpents of Siva by Maxwell Grant:
“[The Shadow’s] guns ripped from the instant the first thug entered…bullets were pounding those brass-faced walls. Crooks were dropping, with smoking guns in their fists.”
Savage operated with the full support of the government (although they knew nothing of the Crime College.) He and all of his men carried cards that guaranteed the full cooperation of any American law enforcement agency, and several foreign organizations.
While Savage did battle from the gleaming peaks of New York’s skyscrapers, The Shadow ran his crusade against crime from the darkness shaded alleyways and decrepit buildings where malevolence lurked. He had no help from the government, local or national, nor did he seek it. Unlike Savage, The Shadow did not bend the rules for justice, He broke them outright, in order in insure that the criminal learned that “Crime does not pay”
Both Doc Savage and The Shadow used a large array of gadgets. Savage’s were things that would not be invented for decades to come like, automated telephone answering machines, Bullet-proof vests, and a radar-like tracking device. While The Shadow’s were more mundane with things along the lines of mini-flashlights, grappling hooks, and magic tricks such as gunpowder flashes from his hands.
Oddly enough both made peculiar sounds. Doc Savage made a strange trilling sound whenever he was intrigued. The Shadow scorned his foes with a haunting laugh that struck fear into their dark hearts.
One man a World War One spy driven by whatever horrors he witnessed to go from being a “Black Eagle” to a living shadow, the other a muscled polymath trained from birth to be the ultimate human, driven ever onward toward the light. They are polar
opposites yet they are the same, Flip sides of the depression coin. One battling against the utter despair of today, the other looking forward to the joys of tomorrow.
Works Cited
Farmer, Philip J. (1975). Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life. New York: Bantam Books.
Grant, Maxwell (2006). The Shadow: Crime, Insured. Encinitas, CA: Nostalgia Ventures.
Grant, Maxwell (2007). The Shadow: Serpents of Siva. Encinitas, CA: Nostalgia Venture.
Leary, Roman (2008). "The Evils Against Which We Strive" anthologized in Tales of the Shadowmen Vol.4. Ed. J. M. & Randy Lofficier. Encino, CA: Black Coat Press. 90-103
Robeson, Kenneth (1969). Doc Savage: The Gold Ogre. New York: Bantam Books.
Robeson, Kenneth (1982). Doc Savage: The Secret in the Sky. New York: Bantam Books.
Robeson, Kenneth (2008). Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze. Encinitas, CA: Nostalgia Ventures.
Kaluta, Michael & Goss, Joel (1993). The Shadow: In the Coils of Leviathan. Canada: Dark Horse Comics.
Web Pages Cited
Lai, Rick. "Chronology of Shadows, part 1." The Wold Newton Universe. 10 Feb. 2009.
Lai, Rick. "Chronology of Shadows, part 2." The Wold Newton Universe. 10 Feb. 2009.
Sippo, Art C. "Bullet-Proof vests." Weblog post. Speculations in Bronze. 7 July 2007. 11 Feb. 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Return of the Revenge of Fu Manchu. YAY!
If you didn't guess by the title, Fu Manchu is back, in a new novel by William Patrick Maynard. I don't know much about other than in set during The Hand of Fu Manchu. so its most likely going to end up something like Ten Years Beyond Baker Street except with out Sherlock Holmes.
You can see its page and eventually pre-order it at: http://www.blackcoatpress.com/terrorfumanchu.htm
A shout out to Win Scott Eckert and his blog for alerting me to this book. Thanks man!
Also at my other blog Ive posted the original magazine version of the first few chapters of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu. They are a little bit different then the final book version. Nothing earth shattering though. but enough to be interesting.
You can see its page and eventually pre-order it at: http://www.blackcoatpress.com/terrorfumanchu.htm
A shout out to Win Scott Eckert and his blog for alerting me to this book. Thanks man!
Also at my other blog Ive posted the original magazine version of the first few chapters of The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu. They are a little bit different then the final book version. Nothing earth shattering though. but enough to be interesting.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Cyrano de Bergerac: a quick study
Since my English teacher introduced me to this wonderful play, Ive done some farther reading on it. and Ive decided to share it with you.
first the play it self: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext98/cdben10h.htm
although we used a slightly different translation, this is similar enough that i won't feel guilty for recommending it heartily.
(Wold Newton Alert: in the first act D'Artagnan, hero of the three musketeers, appears. in the fourth act the plot of The Three Musketeers is referenced.)
The 1950 movie: http://www.archive.org/details/Cyrano_DeBergerac
excellent! I can't believe how much fun this movie is. as a plus the ending is a bit more noble for Cyrano. The actors did a great job with this, all of them were clearly having a great time in production. Also Jose Ferrar is now who I think of when I think of Cyrano.
The 1650 novel by...Cyrano Himself!?!?: http://www.bewilderingstories.com/special/tow.html
this one is just weird, I don't really know what to do with it. In it Cyrano travels to the moon and finds people from the Bible and some other stuff the makes even less sense.
I'm only halfway through and had to give it a rest because of how weird it was.
So that's that, I ran through most of the Cyrano stuff i know of, avoiding the Shadowmen story because i have not yet read it, so i hope you enjoy it!
first the play it self: http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext98/cdben10h.htm
although we used a slightly different translation, this is similar enough that i won't feel guilty for recommending it heartily.
(Wold Newton Alert: in the first act D'Artagnan, hero of the three musketeers, appears. in the fourth act the plot of The Three Musketeers is referenced.)
The 1950 movie: http://www.archive.org/details/Cyrano_DeBergerac
excellent! I can't believe how much fun this movie is. as a plus the ending is a bit more noble for Cyrano. The actors did a great job with this, all of them were clearly having a great time in production. Also Jose Ferrar is now who I think of when I think of Cyrano.
The 1650 novel by...Cyrano Himself!?!?: http://www.bewilderingstories.com/special/tow.html
this one is just weird, I don't really know what to do with it. In it Cyrano travels to the moon and finds people from the Bible and some other stuff the makes even less sense.
I'm only halfway through and had to give it a rest because of how weird it was.
So that's that, I ran through most of the Cyrano stuff i know of, avoiding the Shadowmen story because i have not yet read it, so i hope you enjoy it!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Books I'm reading, and a somewhat odd bonus.
for some reason my friend thinks its a good idea to post what books I'm reading at the moment. so to appease him I'm doing it.
Books Recently Read:
The Shadow: Serpents of Shiva by Walter Gibson
The New Destroyer Choke Hold by Warren Murphy
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
Secret Files of the Diogenes Club by Kim Newman
Wolverine: Election Day by Peter David...or Wolverine Vs Obama, no really, I'm not kidding.
At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft
The Avenger Chronicles by Various
Doc Savage: The Fortress of Solitude by Lester Dent
Tintin in America by Herge
Books I'm Reading Now:
Gun Work by David J Schow
The Daughter of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Alex Rider: Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz...or Alex Rider vs. Fu Manchu
Tales of the Shadowmen Vol 4 by Various...Favorite Stories so far "the atomos affair" The agents of UNCLE verses a Japanese madwoman &"the evil against which we strive" a young unnamed Nick Fury meets The Shadow and a french pulp guy. Fun All Around!
Surprised by Joy by C. S. Lewis
That was more fun than I thought it was going to be...huh.
And that bonus I was talking about.
What if I told you the the spy group U.N.C.L.E. existed in 1937. You would laugh. Until I showed you this nifty (yeah, i used nifty in a sentence, you got a problem?) little tale from the G-Men August 1937 issue.
the story in called Enemies of UNCLE. but why should i go on when you can read it at: http://pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=381
Have Fun and Think About it!
Books Recently Read:
The Shadow: Serpents of Shiva by Walter Gibson
The New Destroyer Choke Hold by Warren Murphy
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand
Secret Files of the Diogenes Club by Kim Newman
Wolverine: Election Day by Peter David...or Wolverine Vs Obama, no really, I'm not kidding.
At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft
The Avenger Chronicles by Various
Doc Savage: The Fortress of Solitude by Lester Dent
Tintin in America by Herge
Books I'm Reading Now:
Gun Work by David J Schow
The Daughter of Fu Manchu by Sax Rohmer
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Alex Rider: Snakehead by Anthony Horowitz...or Alex Rider vs. Fu Manchu
Tales of the Shadowmen Vol 4 by Various...Favorite Stories so far "the atomos affair" The agents of UNCLE verses a Japanese madwoman &"the evil against which we strive" a young unnamed Nick Fury meets The Shadow and a french pulp guy. Fun All Around!
Surprised by Joy by C. S. Lewis
That was more fun than I thought it was going to be...huh.
And that bonus I was talking about.
What if I told you the the spy group U.N.C.L.E. existed in 1937. You would laugh. Until I showed you this nifty (yeah, i used nifty in a sentence, you got a problem?) little tale from the G-Men August 1937 issue.
the story in called Enemies of UNCLE. but why should i go on when you can read it at: http://pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=381
Have Fun and Think About it!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
James Bond vs. Cthulhu
Did anyone notice the Cthulhu crossover in the second Young James Bond novel?
In the novel Blood Fever by Charlie Higson Bond is battling a cult that is attempting to raise the Roman Empire. but interestingly this groups deities are never named. At one point in the Novel Bond visits his uncle in Italy. The uncle is a collector of modern art and has a slightly crazy artist named Poliponi who lives with him and creates art. on page 95 of the hardcover Bond is first introduced to this artists "art":
"If the room was unusual, what was in it was extraordinary. It was filled with paintings and statues and odd, incongruous objects. The paintings were unsettling and nightmarish. One gigantic canvas took up almost all of one wall -- it showed an octopus floating in the air, crushing various objects in its tentacles: naked women, an animal that looked like a hairless cow, and a car that looked somehow fleshy and alive."
then later on page 235 Bond sees another of the paintings: "
"...the unfinished painting of a boy standing on a desolate beach . he looked half reptilian with webbed feet and goggle eyes. he was holding the number seven in one hand and a sea urchin in the other. there was something dreamlike and disturbing about the picture, as if the boy were dead, a ghost." this description is surprisingly close to the creatures from "Shadows over Immouths"
Although the dialog suggests that this is a drawing of Bond i really don't buy that.
my reconstruction of events suggests that Poliponi (whose name is suspiciously close to Polyp) was one of the many Contacted by Cthulhu in 1928.[1] but that he was one of the few who did not recover entirely, and with his secret knowledge he began to make (and become one of the founders of) modern art.
and the roman cult in desperation at the rise of fascism turns to Cthulhu to bring the Roman Empire from the depths. This Plot is of course stopped by James Bond.
what do you think of my conclusions?
[1] In the classic short story "The Call of Cthulhu"
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The Purpose of this blog is to examine old adventure novels, post fiction links, and have Fun doing it. and who knows maybe along the way Ill throw in some political ramblings.
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