The Star Wars vs. Star Trek debate is one that has been going on for decades. Recently, however, with the impending release of The Force Awakens and a new Star Trek movie coming out next July in time for the franchise’s 50th anniversary, the debate has been renewed quite a bit. Fuel has been added to the fire by statements from prominent science advocates like Neil … [Read more…]
So, a few days ago I received in the mail my first physical Benjamin De Casseres book. I’ve been collecting tons of his writings from online sources, but this is the first dead-tree version that I’ve collected. The book is Spinoza: Liberator of God and Man, and as a bonus, it’s a signed edition – … [Read more…]
I participated in NaNoWriMo this year, and actually completed it. “Won” as the lingo goes. Here are some things I learned. Probably most people knew this stuff already, but eh, you go write 50,000 words in 30 days. 10. I can write 50,000 words in 30 days. More, actually, as my grand total was … [Read more…]
So, November is halfway over, which means NaNoWriMo is also halfway over. Figured I’d give an update on my progress so far. The Word Count Essentially, I’m where I need to be. I’d like to say I got there the way you’re supposed to, with a steady, easy pace of 1,667 words per day. Alas, … [Read more…]
I have written before about my obsession with Benjamin De Casseres. I lay the blame for this obsession squarely at Mythgard‘s feet, as I first discovered him through a 1936 pamphlet he wrote titled “The Individual against Moloch” while researching the paper I went on to present on Moloch at Mythmoot II. And I blame the … [Read more…]
The Guardian book blog posted a piece earlier today arguing that fantasy cannot build its imaginary worlds in short fiction. The crux of the argument is that fantasy authors need not just novels, but mega-novels (single stories split into multiple volumes, like The Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire) to build out their ideas. Rather than simply acknowledging that … [Read more…]
So, today my essay “‘I’ve Never Met Anyone I Didn’t Disappoint’: In Your Eyes‘ Flaws and Fortes” came out as part of the revised and updated edition of Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion, making this my second essay published on Whedon’s works. And of course, in a Whedonesque twist, it’s already outdated. Don’t worry, there’s nothing too … [Read more…]
On Monday, an Arizona man filed a lawsuit against Joss Whedon, Drew Goddard, Lionsgate Entertainment, and Mutant Enemy (Whedon’s production company) claiming that the movie The Cabin in the Woods infringes on his copyright. Notably, the suit was filed on April 13, 2015, three years to the day after the movie’s theatrical release, which puts it … [Read more…]
This is a roughly chronological delivery of the things that crossed my mind when I read that Bryan Singer was going to direct an adaptation of Robert Heinlein’s The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. 1. Yes! I love that book! Finally they’re gonna make it into a movie! 2. Bryan Singer – is he the guy … [Read more…]
This post is part of a series on the Virginia Edition of Robert A. Heinlein’s works. In general, people seem to choose one of two ways to handle Robert Heinlein’s I Will Fear No Evil: detest it in all its casually (and sometimes not so casually) misogynistic odiousness, or love it like an uncouth grandfather who “grew up … [Read more…]