So, a while back I apologized for not writing much and then proceeded to not write much. Sorry about that.
In that post, I mentioned that I was working on a comic book with a friend of mine. Well, things are going really well with it right now and if you haven't already, I'd sure like and appreciate it if you'd go and check it out on Facebook.
The comic is called Deadguard and is a horror/Western set just after the First World War when the gates to Hell erupt open and demons spew forth across the land.
It's written by yours truly and my friend Omar from Scratch That and is illustrated by Chris J Fredericks of Abyssopus Studios.
Hope you like it and enjoy! No release date yet unfortunately, but I'll keep you all posted!
Mahalo.
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Thrilling Conclusion - Dreadfully Ever After
"Dreadfully Ever After" is the final book in the trilogy of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies". The original book - heretoafter referred to as PPZ - was credited to co-authors Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, who can be said to have pioneered the genre within Quirk Classics, which followed up with "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" and "Android Karenena".
This novel - DEA - was written by the same man who wrote the PPZ prequel, "Dawn of the Dreadfuls" (DD), and I daresay it is the best of the lot. The author, Steve Hockensmith, captured the language and the feel of a Victorian-era novel, as well as that of a pulpy adventure/zombie novel. The language is amusing an the characters well drawn.
I find this is the best of the three because, while PPZ was amusing, it was simply a retelling of the original PP, but with zombies - and that was great. DD was a prequel, so naturally had to set up certain things to take place in PPZ with love interests you sort of knew wouldn't go anywhere. DEA, however, was a wholly new creation and was by far the most fun, with exciting new characters - and heartbreaking characters deaths - and genuinely felt like a Victorian adventure novel that just happened to have the Bennets in it - which I appreciated the most.
The book was thrilling, hilarious and smart and I highly recommend it to anyone.
This novel - DEA - was written by the same man who wrote the PPZ prequel, "Dawn of the Dreadfuls" (DD), and I daresay it is the best of the lot. The author, Steve Hockensmith, captured the language and the feel of a Victorian-era novel, as well as that of a pulpy adventure/zombie novel. The language is amusing an the characters well drawn.
I find this is the best of the three because, while PPZ was amusing, it was simply a retelling of the original PP, but with zombies - and that was great. DD was a prequel, so naturally had to set up certain things to take place in PPZ with love interests you sort of knew wouldn't go anywhere. DEA, however, was a wholly new creation and was by far the most fun, with exciting new characters - and heartbreaking characters deaths - and genuinely felt like a Victorian adventure novel that just happened to have the Bennets in it - which I appreciated the most.
The book was thrilling, hilarious and smart and I highly recommend it to anyone.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
New Article!
Hey everyone! I know all I seem to be posting these days is news of posts from other places, and I'm sorry, I'll get on some new stuff ASAP, BUT for now, here is my new article for IF Magazine! AND big news, my first article, the one on the film NEEDLE is being published in the actual MAGAZINE! YAY for me!
This new one is on the film Carmilla Hyde by comic book writer/artist Dave de Vries who wrote, directed and edited the film - have a look-see!
This new one is on the film Carmilla Hyde by comic book writer/artist Dave de Vries who wrote, directed and edited the film - have a look-see!
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Akos Pakos
Hello literate masses! Good to see you again. Recently, I've been reading a very interesting book that I hope will interest you all. Have you ever wondered where the term "Hocus Pocus" and "Abra Kadabra" came from? Have you ever been curious as to why salt, water and blood are so important in culture, and in magic? Have the spirits and amulets ever interested you? What about the origin of the names of angels and the gods? Then this is the book for you!
Joshua Trachtenberg's "Jewish Magic and Superstition" (1935) is a great overall introduction to all the facets of Jewish magic in the medieval era until now. It covers amulets to incantations, spirits to divination, names to exorcisms. Albeit, the chapter on names is a little dry, and some of the chapters can be too wordy, but generally this is a very accessible, academic book on the topic of early Jewish, Western European and some Christian magics and superstitions and the real reasons behind them, and the reasons why they are or aren't in practice now.
It's sixteen chapters are an everything you want to know guide to these topics. That being said, it is true that, as a result of it being written so early in the 20th Century it is, perhaps, of the academic language persuasion, but it is still a very accessible book. Though, fair warning, there are some paragraphs and quotes entirely in other languages (German, Italian, Latin, etc.) which remain untranslated by the author, as the expectation was that the readership knew these languages, though I believe that contemporary publishings of this book do give translations of these passages in the notes.
Hope you enjoy it. Mahalo.
Joshua Trachtenberg's "Jewish Magic and Superstition" (1935) is a great overall introduction to all the facets of Jewish magic in the medieval era until now. It covers amulets to incantations, spirits to divination, names to exorcisms. Albeit, the chapter on names is a little dry, and some of the chapters can be too wordy, but generally this is a very accessible, academic book on the topic of early Jewish, Western European and some Christian magics and superstitions and the real reasons behind them, and the reasons why they are or aren't in practice now.
It's sixteen chapters are an everything you want to know guide to these topics. That being said, it is true that, as a result of it being written so early in the 20th Century it is, perhaps, of the academic language persuasion, but it is still a very accessible book. Though, fair warning, there are some paragraphs and quotes entirely in other languages (German, Italian, Latin, etc.) which remain untranslated by the author, as the expectation was that the readership knew these languages, though I believe that contemporary publishings of this book do give translations of these passages in the notes.
Hope you enjoy it. Mahalo.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wuthering Huh?
I learned about this a few weeks ago and have been following it, but I feel something needs to be said. Now, when I say what I'm about to say, some of you will surely say, "But Jordan, you're over-exaggerating, it can't possibly be the Biblical End of Times, the Apocalypse, the End of all Humanity and Civilization!" And you would be wrong. It is. The end is very nigh. What I am about to tell you is completely true, so please, I advise you brace yourselves.
Sigh. Okay. Here goes.
I have recently learned that the classic piece of literature by Emily Bronte, "Wuthering Heights", is to be repackaged with a new cover. This is not a problem, this happens every few years, right? Wrong. Not like this. There was a recent press release/statement made by the author of the "Twilight" novels that stated that Edward (Cullen) and Bella (Whatsherface)'s favourite book, was "Wuthering Heights" - for what I can only assume was literary comparison between the main character from it's moodiness and Edward's. Here inlies the problem - the geniuses at the publishing companies - who clearly hate literature - are REPACKAGING "Wuthering Heights", and English Literature CLASSIC, with a new cover designed by the same man who did the "Twilight" covers, in the same style, with a flower on a staircase surrounded by black and "Emily Bronte" written in that faux-semi-Gothic font. The kicker? There is a little yellow star bubble on the cover below the image which says, "Edward and Bella's favourite book!" . The second kicker? They're flying off the shelves.
On the article which contained this information (here, here, here, here and here - yeah, I'm thorough) there were comments - one which was, "Is this book in old timey English or normal, readable English? Because I can't help but feel this is a repackaging of the original." -- THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN THE MID 1800s! It's as readable as it gets! The other comment read, "Advisory: this isn't even a good romance novel! There's like, 5 pages of romance! The rest is all anger and bitterness!" - No kidding. Do these people even KNOW the story behind "Wuthering Heights"?!
I can't help but feel now, that this will lead to a new market where all classic books are repackaged with a new cover, claiming that "BLANK FICTIONAL CHARACTER's favourite book!" and then plastered with a poorly thought out cover to sell copy. This are classics which already sell well, they don't need to be revamped. I can't help but feel "The Illiad" will soon be republished with, "MAIN CHARACTER from 'Never Back Down's favourite book!" .
This is it, the world is over. Mahalo.
Sigh. Okay. Here goes.
I have recently learned that the classic piece of literature by Emily Bronte, "Wuthering Heights", is to be repackaged with a new cover. This is not a problem, this happens every few years, right? Wrong. Not like this. There was a recent press release/statement made by the author of the "Twilight" novels that stated that Edward (Cullen) and Bella (Whatsherface)'s favourite book, was "Wuthering Heights" - for what I can only assume was literary comparison between the main character from it's moodiness and Edward's. Here inlies the problem - the geniuses at the publishing companies - who clearly hate literature - are REPACKAGING "Wuthering Heights", and English Literature CLASSIC, with a new cover designed by the same man who did the "Twilight" covers, in the same style, with a flower on a staircase surrounded by black and "Emily Bronte" written in that faux-semi-Gothic font. The kicker? There is a little yellow star bubble on the cover below the image which says, "Edward and Bella's favourite book!" . The second kicker? They're flying off the shelves.
On the article which contained this information (here, here, here, here and here - yeah, I'm thorough) there were comments - one which was, "Is this book in old timey English or normal, readable English? Because I can't help but feel this is a repackaging of the original." -- THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN IN THE MID 1800s! It's as readable as it gets! The other comment read, "Advisory: this isn't even a good romance novel! There's like, 5 pages of romance! The rest is all anger and bitterness!" - No kidding. Do these people even KNOW the story behind "Wuthering Heights"?!
I can't help but feel now, that this will lead to a new market where all classic books are repackaged with a new cover, claiming that "BLANK FICTIONAL CHARACTER's favourite book!" and then plastered with a poorly thought out cover to sell copy. This are classics which already sell well, they don't need to be revamped. I can't help but feel "The Illiad" will soon be republished with, "MAIN CHARACTER from 'Never Back Down's favourite book!" .
This is it, the world is over. Mahalo.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)