I made the Hajj, the Pilgrimage, to Cross Plains, Texas this weekend to visit the Robert E. Howard museum. Not coincidentally, it was also the weekend of the 2023 edition of Howard Days. I am, to be blunt, tired. It is only a five hour drive from Casa Lizzi, which is why I had no… Continue reading Howard Days 2023. Plus Savage Journal Entry 41.
Category: Authors
The Play is the Thing. Plus Savage Journal Entry 39.
The theater has been on my mind lately for a number of reasons. Most immediately is that the HA appeared in her school’s production of Willy Wonka. I attended the show yesterday, the final show of the three day run. Quite a lot of ferrying too and from from school and late nights. I think… Continue reading The Play is the Thing. Plus Savage Journal Entry 39.
Nostromo: Joseph Conrad and Ridley Scott. Plus Savage Journal Entry 37.
I recently finished reading Joseph Conrad’s novel Nostromo. Why? Well, first of all I’ve like what I’ve read of Joseph Conrad. Second, there’s this little film you may have heard of, by the name of Alien, directed by one Ridley Scott. The name of the spaceship upon which the action takes place is Nostromo. Naturally… Continue reading Nostromo: Joseph Conrad and Ridley Scott. Plus Savage Journal Entry 37.
The Guns of Leigh Brackett. Plus Savage Journal Entry 36.
I was watching (yet again) the John Wayne western El Dorado. It looks amazing on the 75-inch 4K screen. In fact so amazing that I noticed something that had escaped me before. Leigh Brackett wrote the screenplay. I’ve written about the gifted, prolific Leigh Brackett before. People know she worked on Star Wars:The Empire Strikes Back.… Continue reading The Guns of Leigh Brackett. Plus Savage Journal Entry 36.
Vettius and His Friends. Plus Savage Journal Entry 33.
I’ve encountered a few of David Drake’s Vettius and Dama stories in anthologies. But I’d not read them all. Happily, I picked up a copy of Vettius and His Friends and filled those gaps. I’m a fan of the tales. I like the dutiful, competent soldier Vettius and the learned, loyal, clever merchant Dama. They… Continue reading Vettius and His Friends. Plus Savage Journal Entry 33.
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.
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.
AKendix N. Plus Savage Journal Entry 20.
What books made you who you are today? What is your personal Appendix N? [NB: Appendix N is a recommended reading list for players of Dungeons and Dragons, writers that influenced Gary Gygax in his approach to the game.] That is, what sources molded the mental clay into the person you became? I’ve been pondering… Continue reading AKendix N. Plus Savage Journal Entry 20.
Anthologies: The Spell of Seven. Resurrected Post.
September 6, 2020 Anthologies: The Spell of Seven Another volume curated by L. Sprague de Camp, The Spell of Seven offers a stellar lineup of talent. Each of the seven tales features a Virgil Finlay illustration. How about that for lagniappe? Now, I’m guessing the cover looked better as a pencil and ink drawing. Colored,… Continue reading Anthologies: The Spell of Seven. Resurrected Post.