is time once again to shovel coal into the boiler and get the Publicity Express chugging out of the depot. Karl Thorson’s next adventure arrives March 7. With a sprinkling of Pirates of the Carribean and a dash of Die Hard on an oil rig there is plenty of action to keep you turning the… Continue reading Announcing Semi-Autos and Sorcery 4: Silver and Bone. Plus Savage Journal Entry 32.
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Setting and Sword-and-Sorcery. Plus Savage Journal Entry 31.
Location, location, location. Setting is a vital component of Sword-and-Sorcery fiction. The action needs to occur in some pre-industrial locale, a secondary world, a fictionalized fantasy Earth, another planet, or some similar backdrop. Somewhere, that is, where the sword is a viable weapon, rather than an antiquated prop. The sword is that evocative. A steel,… Continue reading Setting and Sword-and-Sorcery. Plus Savage Journal Entry 31.
The Web Log Takes a Sick Day. Plus Savage Journal Entry 29 and Bonus Savage Journal Entry 30.
Sadly I can’t even claim a hangover for this enforced downtime. I didn’t earn the brain-fogging misery through any sort of fun. So, a brief word from our sponsor (me), then enjoy two Savage Journal entries. Pick up a copy of Thick As Thieves, my sword-and-sorcery/crime mashup. Also available from Amazon, or, I imagine, anywhere… Continue reading The Web Log Takes a Sick Day. Plus Savage Journal Entry 29 and Bonus Savage Journal Entry 30.
Bulfinch and Howard? Plus Savage Journal Entry 28.
I’ve been reading Thomas Bulfinch’s The Age of Chivalry. How many times and in how many versions have I encountered the deeds of King Arthur and his knights I couldn’r say. But the reason I bring up this book is that I encountered a couple of passages that brought Robert E. Howard to mind. Allow… Continue reading Bulfinch and Howard? Plus Savage Journal Entry 28.
First World Problems. Plus Savage Journal 27.
It seems the more you try to provide for yourself and your family the more difficulties arise. I suppose that’s logical enough: problems proliferate in proportion to possessions. The more you have, the more can go wrong. Not that I have all that much. But what I do have now is a swimming pool. Getting… Continue reading First World Problems. Plus Savage Journal 27.
David Drake’s Thieves’ World Novel “Dagger.” Plus Savage Journal Entry 26.
Thieves’ World was a remarkable achievement. The first few books, anyways, delivered some terrific stories, and the shared-world concept produced an outpouring of creativity. That included tie-in novels. Most people, I believe, gravitated toward Andrew Offutt’s Hanse Shadowspawn novel. I’m sure Janet Morris’ Tempus books had fans. The stories and novels offered us some fun… Continue reading David Drake’s Thieves’ World Novel “Dagger.” Plus Savage Journal Entry 26.
Top Five Hollywood Film Sword Fights. Plus Savage Journal 25
I’m going to point out the cheat right away instead of hiding it at the end. Limiting this to Hollywood films eliminates any number of terrific sword fights from foreign films. No Japanese samurai epics. No Polish saber duels. Etc. And — here comes perhaps an even bigger cheat — I’m limiting this to films… Continue reading Top Five Hollywood Film Sword Fights. Plus Savage Journal 25
Some Thoughts on The Witcher. Plus Savage Journal Entry 24.
I finished Andrzej Sapkowski’s Witcher series a little while back. I’ve had a bit of time then to ponder the Work. (Eight books: that earns a capital w “Work.”) I haven’t played the games. I did, rather absent-mindedly, watch the two years of the Netflix series. And I’ve flipped through a few of the comic… Continue reading Some Thoughts on The Witcher. Plus Savage Journal Entry 24.
Down in New Orleans. Plus Savage Journal Entry 23.
A couple days after Christmas I drove MBW and the HA to New Orleans. It is about a 5 1/2 hour trip from Fortress Lizzi. Not bad, really, especially if you enjoy views of massive oil refineries and bayous.