Finn & Poe, Gay Couple in Star Wars?

The latest rumor going around the internet is that Finn and Poe will become a gay couple.  I thought I would throw out a few thoughts on this issue.

First, Star Wars is pretty sacred.  I don't want anything to tarnish it, and am still not fully over Jar Jar Binks.

Gay actors in general---No big deal.  Jody Foster was almost Princess Leia, and I imagine she would have played the role great.  I could care less about the gender identity of the actor/actress who plays a role.

How does it affect the storyline---This is in my mind the most important question.  When Lando was cast as Billy Dee Williams, it had no impact on the film.  It could have been a white actor, and assuming the actor played the role just as well, nothing in the story changes.  The focus of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi at no point was ever about Lando being black.  Same with Mace Windu.

If the story is mainly about the good vs. evil that is traditional of Star Wars, and as a side detail one or both of these characters happen to been gay, no big deal.  On the other hand, if the story is contrived to emphasize the gender identity of either of these characters, and it detracts from the main story, in my mind that's a significant problem.  Star Wars is sacred.

Case in point, The Walking Dead has made a point of including a few gay characters.  At no point has it detracted from the story, and I am still a big fan.

Evidence for Gayness---Poe and Finn embrace at one point, which Han and Luke did in the original Star Wars.  Poe lets Finn keep his coat.  Neither of these is conclusive.

Evidence against Gayness---Because they didn't really give much screen-time to Poe, and he was basically just a glorified Wedge Antilles, there isn't much evidence at all that Poe is Straight.  Finn, on the other hand, seems to be clearly attracted to Rey, and insists on trying to rescue her.  In contrast, when the tie-fighter crashes, he puts almost no effort into looking for Poe, despite seeing that he wasn't in the crashed fighter.  On top of that, Finn specifically asks Rey about a boyfriend (as a possible reason why she is so insistent on returning to Jaaku)

Conclusion---Finn most likely appears to be Straight.  Poe is simply not developed enough as a character to draw any conclusions.

R2-KT in the Force Awakens---Where to Find Her.

Spoilers in this article, don't read if you don't want them.



For those of you who are unfamiliar with R2-KT, feel free to read this story about the droid's creation: R2-KT Creation.

With the news that the droid would be in the latest Star Wars installment, Episode VII, the Force Awakens, I made a point to watch for her.  After seeing the movie 8 times so far (Yes, I have really watched the movie 8 times), I have found her in 3 separate scenes, all of which are at the resistance base.

• When Finn first sees Poe climbing out of an X-Wing, realizing that the pilot is alive.  Right as BB-8 starts rolling towards Poe, in the next shot of Poe you'll see the pink and white droid roll by in the background, underneath the X-Wing.
• When they return from the final battle, while Finn is being loaded onto a transporter.  This one goes by quick.  In the first first instant that you see the rebel base, in the lower right-hand corner, R2-KT will be sitting there.
• When Rey and Chewie take off in the Falcon, to find Luke Skywalker, you'll see almost everyone from the resistance watching the Falcon leave.  R2-KT is in the lower right-hand corner of the screen for about 2 seconds.

I will keep watching for more instances, though I don't think I will find any more instances.

Spoiler-free Star Wars Review

This is my (spoiler free) Star Wars Review

First, debunking the silliness---Luke Skywalker is NOT Kylo Ren (I don't consider this a spoiler, since it is in the credits).  Jar Jar Binks is not Kyloe Ren, nor is he in this movie.

What I loved---The final lightsaber battle, everything that happens on Jaaku, everything that happens on the Millennium Falcon, Finn (The best new character), Rey, Han Solo.  Ren is a good villain with a significant amount of depth to his character background.  The first imagine of Luke, Where you can still see the younger Luke inside of him mixed with the hardened veteran, is also great.  The ending is interesting/compelling, and leaves us wondering about a couple different issues/storylines.

Fears that didn't come to pass---The biggest was BB-8, I heard a lot of chatter that he might be the next Jar Jar Binks.  Fortunately, that wasn't the case.  Another fear was that the plot would be too much like A New Hope, and while there are some similar plot elements, there are strong differences and some good surprises.

What I didn't like---Captain Phasma was very under-utilized for a high profile villain. A lot of people seem to be noticing this.  Poe was under-developed and basically a stock character, the proverbial "ace pilot" who has no character depth or back-story.  He basically is a glorified Wedge Antilles, no backstory, which is disappointing.  I am not knocking Oscar Isaac, who played the role of Poe great, but can only perform what is written into the script.

Overall---The Story was good, and the pacing of the story was excellent.  Time spent away from action scenes is relatively sparse and limited to what is essential to the story (the Opposite of Episode II).  The soundtrack is good/solid, though not outstanding.  There are some humorous moments, and they all work well.

There is a part of me that feels like there is something missing.  I can't put my finger on what it is, but it seems to fall a little short of the hype I have hear about it, at least in my opinion.  It's like all of the ingredients are there, but they weren't mixed quite right, so instead of tasting fabulous, it's just really good.

Compared to the other movies, A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back are still the 2 best in my mind.  The Force Awakens is better than the Phantom Menace and WAY better than Attack of the Clones, and is on par with (or maybe a little better than) Revenge of the Sith and Return of the Jedi.  Definitely a worthy movie for the Franchise.  Any fan will feel very satisfied and enjoy this newest installment.

Overall Comparison:
The Empire Strikes Back---5 stars
A New Hope---4 1/2 stars
The Force Awakens---4 stars
Revenge of the Sith---3 3/4 stars
Return of the Jedi---3 1/2 stars
The Phantom Menace---2 3/4 stars
Attack of the Clones---1 1/2 stars
 

Firefly Online

I found this on moviepilot.com.  QMX and Sparkplug games, the makers of Firefly Online, have released a sneak peek of the game.  Built as an MMORPG, Firefly online is anticipated to arrive in store in early 2015.

Vew the preview here: http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/10/17/first-firefly-online-video-shows-off-creepy-derelict-ship-2354076?lt_source=external,manual

New Novel from the Walking Dead Series

As some of you might be aware, Robert Kirkman authorized a series of novels that follow the Governor, Phillip Blake, from the onset of the apocalypse until his fall at the hands of Rick and his crew.  Each is set in the comic book version of the series, and as such they don't match up well with the version we see on the TV screen.

Written in partnership by Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga, the first few novels were great, and introduced us to new characters and corners of the area around Atlanta.  The first book introduces us to Tara, April, and David Chalmers, the inspiration for the TV series characters of Tara, Lilly, and David Chambler.

The books, in order, were:

• The Rise of the Governor
• The Road to Woodbury
• The Fall of the Governor, Book 1
• The Fall of the Governor, Book 2

The series is being given its 5th novel, Descent, which will follow Lilly Caul as she rebuilds Woodbury after the Governor's fall.

Having already read the 1st 3 books, I was impressed, and look forward to reading the forth novel, along with this newest one.

Fans of the Walking Dead might also enjoy the zombie apocalypse novel Finding a Safe-Haven, available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Walking Dead Companion Series (TWD 2.0) --- Characters Revealed

TV Line is reporting that the Walking Dead companion series has begun casting for 6 main characters.  read the original article here (Link here).

Here is what they reported for characters:

• SEAN CABRERA | A Latino male in his early 40s, Sean is a good man trying to do right by everyone in his life.
• CODY CABRERA | Sean’s whip-smart and rebellious teenage son. Known as the angriest kid in town.
• NANCY TOMPKINS | A thirtysomething single mom to two kids, Nancy looks like the girl next door, but there’s an edge to her.
• NICK TOMPKINS | Nancy’s screwed up teenage son. He’s too old to stay home, too scared to flee.
• ASHLEY TOMPKINS | Nancy’s mostly level-headed teenage daughter. Her ambition is in direct proportion to her older brother’s failures. She loves her mom but it’s time to get out of Dodge.
• ANDREA CHAPMAN | A somewhat wilted flower child, fortysomething Andrea — yep, another Andrea! — has retreated to the outskirts of the city to recover after a horrible marriage.

Fans of the walking dead may also like the zombie apocalypse novel Finding a Safe-Haven, available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

AMC has declined to comment or confirm any of this information.  The little bit we do know for sure about TWD 2.0 (The Walking Dead Companion Series) is that Robert Kirkman has promised to explore a different area of TWD universe, and that it might include the early days of the zombie apocalypse, and efforts to contain the outbreak.

There is also a rumor circulating that Kansas may be the central location for TWD 2.0.  This is a long ways from Atlanta, the main focus of TWD 1.0.

New Walking Dead Season 5 Photos and Poster

AMC has released the season 5 Walking Dead Poster along with some photos.

Fans of the walking dead may also like the zombie apocalypse novel Finding a Safe-Haven, available at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Here is the season 5 poster:

View the pictures here (click here for link).

Firefly RPG Review

If you are a fan of Firefly, you may also like my ebook series, now available in a 3 book value pack at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Margaret Weiss Productions released the core rulebook for the new Firefly RPG pen and paper game last week.  After taking a look through the book, I thought I would post a quick review.

What type of RPG gamer are you?  I saw an article that defined RPGers as generally fitting into 1 of 3 categories.  Knowing what type of RPGer you are will be important in deciding if you will enjoy the Firefly RPG.

• Casual Gamer.  Casual gamers like an RPG with fun gameplay and easy rules.  Casual gamers like RPGs with a good story and lots of action, but despise RPGs that are overloaded with complex rules.
• Hardcore Gamer.  Hardcore gamers like gameplay with lots of action, and very little talking.  They are the ones who tune out during box text and are deeply engaged during combat.  They also typically know every rule and have characters that are min/maxed to the extreme, and especially enjoy challenging combat.
• Intellectual Gamers.  Intellectual gamers enjoy roleplaying, and games with a good plotline.  Mystery, intrigue, and surprises all interest the intellectual gamer.  Intellectual gamers tend to portray their characters very vividly, while shying away from an excessive focus on the rules.

The Firefly RPG is geared more towards casual gamers and intellectual gamers.  Firefly fans will find the game particularly interesting.  The rules are relatively simple to learn, and the focus is more on the storyline.  

Some of my observations about the game:

The good

The core rulebook contains rich detail about the firefly world, the characters of the TV show as they are at the beginning of the TV series, and a chapter that blends the game rules with the TV episodes.  The artwork is also really good.
  
A beginning adventure (episode) is included in the core rulebook.  The rulebook is written in a fashion that is similar to the way Malcolm talks in the TV show, which gives it a familiar feel for Firefly fans.

The rules are relatively simple to learn (except for the combat rules, see below) and creating a character is quick and easy.  You are even allowed to play one of the 9 crewmembers of Serenity.  

Gameplay is focused on roleplaying and storylines.  As such, skill checks move very quickly.  You do role multiple dice when doing an action, whether it is for combat or for a skill check.  On any dice roll, you will role a die for an attribute, a die for a skill, and up to five other dice.

Players can earn action points (called plot points) and use these to perform heroic actions or reroll dice results.

Overall, it is easy to feel like you are a character in the Firefly world.

 

The bad

The combat rules seemed rather muddled.  I took a break from trying to understand them, and am going back to the book later this week to see if I can get a better understanding of them.  The writing style of the rulebook became a distraction in trying to understand the combat rules.  Adding a sample combat to the rulebook to illustrate how combat flows would be immensely helpful.

Essentially, it looks like you win the combat if your opponent accumulates enough critical misses (1s, called jinxes in Firefly RPG) that they can no longer effectively fight, effectively knocking them out.  In order to facilitate combat flow, it might be handy to develop some sort of tracker to track the critical misses.

Because the TV show involved a lot of gunplay and fistfights, and even the occasional swordfight, having muddled combat rules is a serious weakness.  If it turns out that I am misreading the combat rules, and that they are actually much simpler than I originally thought, I’ll post a revision.

The other thing I didn’t like about the rule system is that there wasn’t as much room for customizing character stats as RPGs normally have.  For me, this was an area of disappointment, as I enjoy customizing a character’s stats.

I did get some clarification from one of the writers, Dean Gilbert (see below in the comments section) on how to find a few example combats in the book.

The awkward

Traditional RPGers are used to game sessions being referred to as adventures or modules, and a series of modules being called a campaign.  Firefly RPG calls adventures “Episodes” and calls campaigns “Seasons.”  I classify this as awkward, because it doesn’t mean anything to game play, but just seems weird to me. 

Likewise, 4^th edition Dungeons and Dragons (a rules systems I utterly despise) introduced us to “action points.”  Firefly RPG calls these plotpoints, and again this language variation seems awkward to me.  You can accumulate plot points and use them in different ways, which is nice.

When I start my Firefly RPG homegame, I may just go back to using modules, campaigns, and action points.

Overall & recommendations

Overall, the book is worth the $50 price tag that is common to RPG core rulebooks.

A few items that might be helpful while playing the game include:

·         A list of all the possible dice you can add into a skill check (while you will always roll at least 2, there are as many as 8 dice you might be able to roll)

·         A tracking sheet for critical misses.

New 3 Book Bundle

In order to bring new fans to my work, and offer them a greater value, I am offering a 3 book bundle at 40% off the cover price.  Now available on Amazon, and hopefully soon on Barnes and Noble (their upload tool can be a bit glitchy sometimes), this bundle features the first three books of my Whisper in Space series, including:

• A Whisper in Space (Book 1)
• Big Damn Love Story (Book 2)
• The Chancy Cargo (Book 3)

This bundle is available for $5.99 on Kindle at Amazon and at Barnes and Noble.

Happy Reading!

New Book by Ciara Knight

Ciara Knight has now released two sequels to her first book, Weighted; Escapement and Pendulum.  These great books are available from Amazon.com in paperback or ebook.

Haunting memories. Terrifying dreams. Crippling lies. Trapped in a world of deception, my sanity rests with the love of Ryder Arteres and our renegade friends. Six months of scouring the ocean floor in a rebel ship fleeing our homeland, delivers us to a possible alliance with the opportunistic European Council. Our only hope is to utilize our forbidden gifts to free our people from slavery, proving our worth. But when a trusted ally turns traitor and a new breed of the queen’s weaponry is revealed, I’m forced to face the terror of my past to save our crumbling future.

David Talks About Plans for Books 4 & 5

David's first 3 books, A Whisper in Space, Big Damn Love Story, and The Chancy Cargo, have done well.  Bow David looks ahead to books 4 & 5 in this exclusive release:

Book 4
Book 4 is in the works, and while I originally intended for an August release, I might miss that target.  In book 4, Miles is going to repay a favor to Ah Lam, by working to help her find her family.  It will turn out to be an arduous endeavor fraught with peril.  Other ongoing plot lines will be continued, with some new ones being introduced as well.  The working title right now is "Ah Lam's Quest."

Book 5
This book is goign to be a little bit different.  I've found that some of my readers really like it when I write in the first person.  The first person introductions to each book have been well enjoyed.  Meara's story from Book 2 and Miles' retelling of his time with Kaivo in book 3 were very well liked.  So in book 5, I've decided to make it a collection of short stories about the different characters in the series, Colorado, Taro, Mina, Ah Lam, Miles, Zhiyuan, Zell, and maybe even smaller characters like Royce, Sabina, Boyd, Kaivo, and Meara may see their own stories.  Each of them will be first person naratives, and it will add a lot of flavor to each of the characters as you read about them in future books.

The idea came from a series of books for the Star Wars Expanded Universe.  The series included Tales of the Bounty Hunters, short stories about each of the bounty hunters we see on the deck of the Imperial Star Destroying in the Empire Strikes Back.  there was a Tales of the Cantina and a Tales of

Kindle Users:
Chancy Cargo
2 Pack---Whisper in Space and Big Damn Love Story

Nook Users:
Chancy Cargo
2 Pack---Whisper in Space and Big Damn Love Story

Firefly RPG Releases in February---Special Promo

For those who love Firefly, a new RPG by Margaret Weis comes out in February.  If you preorder it through her website, margaretweis.com, you will get a signed bookplate.

This is exciting, and I cannot wait to start my own Firefly RPG gaming group.  While I don't know how compatible this new system will be with the old Serenity RPG system, both systems were published by Margaret Weis and it does sound like there is some attention being paid to that.

One improvement is that the Firefly Characters are licensed under this new product, meaning the game could include characters like Badger, Safron (or Yolanda or Bridget), Niska, Patience, and other favorites.

For those who love Firefly, my books are similarly themed Space Westerns.  Book 1, A Whisper in Space and Book 2, Big Damn Love Story, are bundled into a convenient 2 pack for $2.00.  Book 2, The Chancy Cargo, is also available at Barnes and Noble (for Nook) and Amazon (For Kindle)

Kindle Users:
Chancy Cargo
2 Pack---Whisper in Space and Big Damn Love Story

Nook Users;
Chancy Cargo
2 Pack---Whisper in Space and Big Damn Love Story

 

It's Official, December 18, 2015 Star Wars Release

It is now official, Star Wars, episode VII will be released on December 18, 2015.  the announcement was made this week by Disney/Lucasfilm.  Read more on Theforce.net.

If you like Star Wars, you might also like The Chancy Cargo, available here.

Cover Text for The Chancy Cargo

Here is the cover text for my latest ebook, The Chancy Cargo:

For Miles Knighton, life was supposed to be a whole lot simpler now that he has cast aside his romantic complications.  When his foolhardy minstrel takes on a dangerous cargo without telling Miles, he soon has the Nation of Earth forces engaged in a relentless pursuit that has galactic implications.

The Spitfire is also pursued by Calvin Bohannon and Kip Zanon, bounty hunters who are bent on capturing Miles.  Worse yet, Sabina remains a constant threat bent on revenge after her failed attempt to claim the Spitfire as her own ship.   

The Chancy Cargo is the third novel in David Drizzit's breakout series, Adventures of the Spitfire Crew.

Read the book here:
The Chancy Cargo - Amazon.com

Introduction---The Chancy Cargo (Book 3)

Here is the introduction to book 3, The Chancy Cargo which can be bought on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Unlike the introduction to the first 2 books, which were told through the voice of the Captain, Miles, this introduction is told through the voice of his daughter, the navigator.


Introduction

I’m Colorado Knighton, Navigator on the Spitfire, though I prefer Chloe, and here's my lot in life.

My dad calls me smiles, because of my sunny disposition.  The only thing that seems to break my smile is that he won't let me call him daddy.  I'm always supposed to call him Captain.  Of course you can't blame a girl for slipping up every now and again.  Besides, daddy sounds so much better, don't ya think?

My dad Miles is a Bounty Hunter, and also the Captain of the Spitfire.  He calls it his pride’n joy transport ship.  He is still getting to know me, and getting used to being a father.  I can't blame him, as mom never told him about me.  Had he not stumbled upon me back on Drexlo, he might still be in the dark, and he'd be a whole lot worse off without me.  I seem to have an uncanny knack for bailing him out of trouble.

He has holes in his crew again.  He lost his pilot Sutherlan in a gun-battle.  Suttie had flown with my dad for nearly twenty years.  He was a trustworthy ally, and so tough that at times it seemed like he spit nails. 

He also left the ship's doctor on Earth due to romantic complications.  The doctor's name was Zell, and I know he loved her, but he just wouldn't risk seeing her harmed on his account.  He tells me that he's always traveled light.  I think he was being an idiot, and maybe I can find a way to bring her back.  She'd be a great step-mom.

So Dad's got the help wanted sign out again.

As for the rest of the crew, we have an amazing security officer, who goes by the name Ah Lam.  My dad always says "That little Chinese girl is all manner of deadly, and I would’ve been foolish not to sign her on."  She's also very stealthy, so he chose to call her Sneaks.  She brought aboard a useless minstrel, who does nothing but strum his guitar all day.  I don't expect him to stick around long.

The mechanic is a young man named Taro.  He also used to share a bed with Ah Lam, a mess my dad is still cleaning up.  He’s pretty useless in a fight, and pretty flighty to boot.  He even tried hitting on me once, which was just kind'a creepy.  But he seems to be finally getting better at fixing the ship.

I almost forgot about the kid, Zhiyuan.  He lost his parents in a Mujee raid on Drexlo, and is now an orphan.  My dad rescued him, and since he keeps out of trouble, my dad lets him stick around.  I look after him, almost like a mother would.

Speaking of being a mother, I haven't told daddy yet, but in a little bit I'll be making him a grandpa.  I met a really nice guy while on the job, and the poor guy died in a gunfight, the same one that claimed Suttie's life.  At least he left a part of himself with me before a bullet took him from me.

We just finished a big job, and we’re on the prowl for work again.  We mainly take on contract work as bounty hunters, and Daddy just got a contract to catch a thief named Palmer Whett.   We’ll take on other jobs too;  As my daddy always says, “All work is good work.”

 

 

On sale now at Amazon.com

Book 3---The Chancy Cargo

I delayed the release of my third book due to other commitments that have kept me from finishing it.  I am now in the editing phase, and plan for a mid-October release.  It is at 52k words, and overall looks great.  More info to come.

Of course, you can find the value pack for books 1 & 2 at:

Barnes and Noble
Amazon.com

 

The Chancy Cargo---Cover Image

Here is the cover for Book 3 of my series, Adventures of the Spitfire Crew, which is titled "The Chancy Cargo."

To read the first two books in the series, buy them here:
2-pack (Whisper in Space & Big Damn Love Story) - Amazon.com
2-pack (Whisper in Space & Big Damn Love Story) - Barnes & Noble.com
 

Whisper in Space/Big Damn Love Story Value Pack added to Barnes & Noble

I have added the 2 book value pack, A Whisper in Space and Big Damn Love Story, to Barnes and Nolbe at http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115241962?ean=2940016726885 for $3.99.

These are the first 2 books in my series, Adventures of the Spitfire Crew.  Book 3, the Chancy cargo, comes out in June.

 

 

Interesting Book

I just found this interesting book online.

Dark World Chronicles: Beginning of the End - Jeremy Montanez. 

This is online available in paperback.  The cover looks awesome, and a brief read of the first chapter peaked my interest.

Bringing Back Firefly---My Thoughts

I would really love to see Joss Whedon produce more episodes of the series "Firefly."  I suspect a lot of other fans would as well.

Right now, money no longer stands in the way, as I suspect that Joss could easily get the funding or use his own money to fund a Firefly restart.  So what are the obstacles standing in the way?

Minor Obstacle #1---Age.  Everyone is 11 years older.  Serenity was made only 2 years after Firefly and the age difference was very visible among some characters.  In my opinion the most notable aging effects were seen with Jayne and Simon.

Minor Obstacle #2---Consistency between the original series, the movie, and the new series.  The subtle changes in the ship between the original TV series and the movie were noticeable, but overlookable.  If Wash or Shepherd Book is suddenly not dead, as much as I like those characters, that would be extremely jarring.

Main Obstacle---Nathan Fillon and Morena Baccarin are both currently lead cast members of hit T.V. shows.  Morena's character can arguably be less important to a Firefly restart, but Nathan's is the central character.  Can a star of one hit TV show devote time to filming another?  If the answer to that is yes, then here's how a Firefly restart could look:

5 or 10 years after the events of the movie Serenity, Mal is still flying his ship through the verse, struggling to keep flying.  Just as Inara grew fonder of Mal (and vice versa) while they were separated, being back on Serenity drove them away from each other, to the point where Inara left again, this time for good.

River is now the pilot, Zoe still flies with Mal and remains his loyal sidekick, though lonliness has her thinking about leaving. 

Jayne is still aboard as well, since the pay is OK and he hasn't found any better opportunity.  Jayne has developed a little loyalty to Mal, but not a whole lot. 

Simon is gone.  He either died is a gunfight that he wasn't equiped to handle, or saw that River no longer needed him and stayed on a border-planet where his talents would be put to good use in healing others.  The later approach might allow for an episode where he hails Serenity seeking help with some local problem, and he and Kaylee breifly rekindle their flame.

Kaylee is still the ship's mechanic, and without Simon she is again struggling to find companionship among the passengers they take on. 

Throw in a few new characters and you have the makings for a good restart.

Joss, if you ever read this, I give you free reign to use anything in this post, as my main love would be to see the series restart.

Watch Defiance Premiere

You can watch the premiere episode of Defiance on Hulu here: http://www.hulu.com/#!watch/479084. Happy watching.

 

Trailer for Elysium

I just saw this online, a new science fiction movie with Jodi Foster and Matt Damon, called Elysium.  See the trailer here: (Elysium Trailer)

This looks really interesting.  Earth is a war-torn shell of a planet, while the elite live on a space station orbiting Earth, a virtual paradise.  This would definitely fit into that space western mold, like Firefly, Serenity, and A Whisper in Space (my own ebook).

I'll post more on this movie as it gets closer to release,but based on the trailer it looks impressive.  You can also like the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Elysium?sk=timeline) for more information.

 You can check out my space western ebook 2 pack here (A Whisper in Space & Big Damn Love Story 2-pack).

Serentiy in Top 8 Science Fiction Films in the Last 20 Years

The British website "Female First" has pickedit's top 8 science fiction films for the past 20 years, and the movie Serenity is on their list, along with other favorites such as Pitch Black, Independence Day, The Matrix, District 9, and Avatar.

You can see the complete list here: (Top 8 Science Fiction).

From their write-up:

Serenity was a big screen continuation of short lived TV series Firefly and saw Joss Whedon back in the director's chair.

Serenity follows the crew of the ship Serenity tries to evade an assassin sent to recapture one of their number who is telepathic.

This is a movie that should have enjoyed more success then it achieved as it really was a terrific watch.

Whedon not only delivered an intelligent movie but Serenity that was also a film that balanced action, comedy, drama and emotion.

The film was met well by the critics but did not perform well at the box office - however it has gained a cult following over the years.

Interesting Books & Ebooks

The Mask of Noesis (A Morgan Koda Adventure, Book 1), Jules Duncan, Hardcover $12.00
http://www.amazon.com/Mask-Noesis-Book-Morgan-Adventure/dp/1479317780/ref=la_B008FLZ7RW_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364911179&sr=1-2

Maven Fairy Godmother: Through the Veil, Charlotte Henley Babb, Kindle Ebook $5.95
http://www.amazon.com/Maven-Fairy-Godmother-Through-ebook/dp/B007QD2XW2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364911498&sr=1-1&keywords=maven+fairy+godmother

Night Journey, Goldie Browning, Kindle Ebook $4.00. paperback $11.69
http://www.amazon.com/Night-Journey-Goldie-Browning/dp/098472544X/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1364838442&sr=1-1-catcorr

Audrey's Love, Gerri Bowen, Kindle Ebook $3.99
http://www.amazon.com/Audreys-Love-ebook/dp/B00BB1165A/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1364837258&sr=1-2&keywords=Gerri+Bowen

Zombieland---TV Series

I found this out on Giantfreakinrobot.com, that Amazon is producing a T.V. series based on the Zombieland movie, with different actors/actresses playing the parts of Tallahassee, Columbus, Witchita, and Little Rock.  It will only be available on Amazon's streaming service, Amazon Prime.

More info is available here:  http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/amazon-reveals-zombieland-tv-series-teaser-poster.html

The Walking Dead, Monopoly and Risk in September

This is way cool.  The Walking Dead, Monopoly and Risk.  Click here for details, courtesy of Giantfreakinrobot.com: http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/scifi/walking-dead-feast-monopoly-risk-summer.html.

The Risk idea sounds particularly interesting based on the description.

New on Amazon

Interesting Book --- An Unlikely Hero

A friend just sent me an e-mail about a book that looks pretty interesting.  The book is called "An Unlikely Hero,and is written by Tierney James.

You can find the book on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1480276030/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_img_sol_1

Here's the book description:

For intelligent, stay-at-home mom Tessa Scott, now is the time to be a hero, or end up dead. The choice will change her life forever.  

An Unlikely Hero, the gripping action thriller by Tierney James, delivers a modern-day heroine as terrorists, operatives, and brilliant scientists converge in a race to save the country from a new kind of danger. In the tradition of Nora Roberts or Elizabeth Lowell, this heart-racing tale of high stakes and misguided missiles is packed with intrigue and plot twists that threaten our way of life.  

Tessa Scott is living the American dream - big house, successful husband, and three beautiful children. No one would suspect a Libyan terrorist is at work nearby. When Tessa sends her family on vacation after another fight with her husband, she is expecting a relaxing week of solitude.  

Instead she is confronted with a bomb in her backyard, and the terrorist group who are looking for it. Tessa survives only due to the entrance of Captain Chase Hunter, a man who seems just as dangerous as the terrorists. Unsure who she can trust, Tessa is drawn into his secret world of terrorists and national security. Powerless to resist Tessa is forced to survive the unthinkable, from confronting perilous brushes with death to becoming a sitting duck for men who are out to savage the world as we know it.  

Meanwhile, the self-possessed Captain Hunter finds that Tessa Scott is affecting him in a way he thought no woman could. The two are forced into a complicated partnership as they work together to unravel a terrorist plot that will affect thousands of people. The stakes are raised when Tessa discovers that her family is in danger from the same terrorists.  

Will Captain Hunter save them, or is he looking to Tessa to save him? An Unlikely Hero is a remarkable, enthralling tale of a seeming ordinary woman who is compelled to emerge as altogether extraordinary in the face of sinister schemes, brutal aggressors, and worldwide implications. With an intricate storyline, complex characters, and blood-pumping action, An Unlikely Hero is likely to have you riveted to each high-velocity turn of events.

 

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7 Myths About Joss Whedon

This post on io9 lists 7 myths about Joss Whedon, and debunks them.

http://www.gunsandammo.com/shooting/blogs/zombie-nation/

It's  apretty interesting read, and I would encourage everyone to check it out.

Book 3 to Have Fewer Gunfights

As I wrote book 1, A Whisper in Space, if wanted to portray the danger Miles Knighton faces every day, so I worked in a very healthy dose of gunplay.  Two major gunfights and a few minor skirmished is quite substantial for a 30k word story.

When I wrote book 2, Big Damn Love Story, I found that I wanted to focus a lot more on the characters, and so while the story is more than twice as long (70k words) it still only had 4 gunfights.

As I have written book 3, I wanted to move the story even more towards the characters.  Subsequently, I am now 35k words into the story, which will ultimately be between 45k and 50k words.  So far I have only 1 gunfight, and no plans to work in any more.  I think that overall the story will work out better, and I look forward to completing it.

-David