Book Review: The Savage Sword of Conan, Volume 1

 

Wow!  It's been over two weeks since my last post.  Sorry folks.  I've been--and still am--in the process of moving, so my posting rate has slowed as a result.

 

Despite my relocation activities, I did manage to finish at least one book in order to provide some blog fodder for this month, which happens to be:  The Savage Sword of Conan, Volume 1. 

 

This tome, weighing-in at 544 pages, is actually a compilation tales from numerous issues of the Savage Sword of Conan comics, that were popular in the '70s and published by a  Marvel Comics imprint. 

 

Stories include such classics as The Frost-Giant's Daughter and A Witch Shall be Born, both derived from Robert E. Howard's original works.

 

(Image:  A Frank Frazetta classic!)

 

As a compendium, it has been well received; earning 35 x 5-star and 13 x 4-star reviews, out of 54 on Amazon.com.  Six low-scoring reviews are evenly divided between 3, 2 and 1-stars. Their main complaints are:  Stories being mere black & white retreads of the '70s-vintage comics, instead of being given the full-color treatment; while the pages are compressed from magazine-size, down to book-size.

 

While I can see their point, I didn't have a problem with these issues and will give this book a 4-star rating.  It seems that most (all?) the other reviewers were fans of the original Savage Sword comics, back in it's heyday.  I certainly remember them, but only picked up an occasional issue, so I don't feel cheated by reading a re-hashed story.

 

Plus--I admit it--I've been a Conan fan since I first gazed upon a Frazetta book cover.

 

Fandom aside, if you're thinking of obtaining this tome, I think Amazon Reviewer, A. Larson has the best advice:

 

Basically, Savage Sword of Conan is a great read, as long as you only read one or two stories, put the book down, go do something else for two weeks, come back, and read a couple more...the problem is all the stories are out of order chronologically, and they basically repeat the same patterns: Conan meets hot chick (usually a different one every time) who doesn't like Conan at first, fights some monsters or warriors or wizard bent on destruction, hot chick is captured, Conan defeats evil and saves hot chick, hot chick falls head over heels for our beefy warlord, and like James Bond, the story closes with them about to do the nasty. Oh, and there's an occassional magical relic.

Therefore, the stories can get very formulatic and its difficult to get excited from one story to the next if you read a lot of them at once. There is barely any character development with Conan, and with no continuing storylines, there are no other characters to care about.

In closing, this book is very good in small spurts.

 

So remember, if you need a shot of escapist fantasy, The Savage Sword of Conan is best administered in low dosages.

"Trimming the Sails"

I haven't been too creative this past week, primarily due to a high operations tempo at work and moving preparations. 

However, what I did accomplish was a lot of on-line "sail trimming."  I discovered several links were no longer functioning, or active.  So I trimmed down the number of side-bar tabs and deleted non-functioning links.  I also deleted blogs and websites that haven't had any activity for the past year.

One of the tabs I deleted completely was the Radio Stations tab.  Just because they were my favorite stations, doesn't mean they're my readers faves.  So "over the side" they went.

I changed the Humor tab to Comic Strips and moved the non-comic strip sites to Entertainment.  I also changed the Webcomic tab to Webcomics and Publishers.

What's the difference between Comic Strips and Webcomics?

Not much really.

I didn't use any strict literary definition, just my personal observation and personal preference in organizing.  The comic strip sites usually display a 1-row, 3-panel of sequential art, as seen in the daily funnies.  Often these strips are episodic, that is, each strip encapsulates a complete story.  On the other hand, there are strips that have a story arc that spans several days, or weeks.

Wheras, most webcomics have a full-page appearance, much like a printed comic or graphic novel.

Like I said, not very scientific and I know there's one, or more exceptions to my organizational criteria.

Since blogs aren't suppose to be static, but continually evolving, I may do some tweeking to my reorganization.  And I promise I'll keep a better "weather-eye" out for defunct links.

Noteworthy Blog: Lord Ashram's House of War

(Image:  Lord Ashram's Game Room)

 

Comics and wargaming seem to go hand-in-hand.  I read comics when I was a "tweenager" and re-discovered graphic novels about 15 years ago.  Upon reaching my teen years, my brother introduced me to wargaming and my interest in comics fell by the wayside for nearly 3 decades.

 

I've done no scientific polling, however, I've observed a lot of gamers also like comics and graphic novels. 

 

These two interests reached a convergence point when my friend Adrian introduced me to Comic Life a few years ago.  Since then, I've fallen in love with presenting After Action Reviews (AARs, also known as battle reports, or game reports) in a comic format. 

I'm not the only gamer who uses, or at least dabbles in, using a comic format for his AARs.  One such personage experimenting with the comic-gaming format is "Lord Ashram." 

I can't remember when I started following Lord Ashram's House of War, but I remember being attracted to the pictures of his elegant game room.

Yesterday, he posted what he said was his second comic style report of a session of X-Wing. 

But be forewarned:  This encounter "deviates from the Star Wars script!"

(Image from a Rogue Squadron Comic)

Product Review: Assassin

 

Hot on the heals of my review of Trigger Men, I thought I'd continue with the "hit man theme." 

 

Last spring, I got together with two of my friends, Tom and Terry, for an impromptu gaming session.  With little time to prepare, nor to re-familiarize myself with some complex rules, I decided to give Assassin a try, especially since Terry's a James Bond aficionado. 

 

I won this used game for $5 at an auction during Consimworld's Expo four years ago.  I was the only bidder and that should have been the first clear indicator that something was amiss. 

 

The second indicator was the lame, Parcheesi-style playing pieces.  Fortunately, I have a plethora of role playing game (RPG) counters from Fiery Dragon, that I cut and mounted on mat boards.  So instead of looking like this... 

 

 

...our game looked like this: 

 

 

But upgraded counters don't necessarily make for a great game.  Oh, we had a pleasant time alright and I think Tom won (and wound up being the assassin to boot).  But we ended up struggling with the game mechanics more than we did with each other.

 

Assassin is Mille Bornes--with guns.

 

 

 

Each player is dealt several cards, which he use to travel to various Euro capitals to collect points.  Nothing exotic like top secret files, just "points."  At least there are a couple of twists.  First, there is an assassin card, which one player may use to "make a hit" against another player.  The targeted player may utilize a card to thwart, or avoid the assassin. 

 

Second, there are four "machine gun cards."  Once the fourth machine gun is played, the game ends.  So no one knows how much time they have in order to win, a "ticking clock" in a sense.

 

 

The most frustrating aspect of the game is the inability to go anywhere, for extended stretches of time, before you get the right cards. 

 

 

 

If you end up at end-points with limited Travel Card options, you could be languishing in places like London, Madrid, Athens and Kiev for a  long, long time. 

 

 

I'm being somewhat generous in my review, because I don't regret acquiring this game.  I usually buy boardgames with other uses in mind.  I can incorporate Assassin's map, along with the Fiery Dragon counters, into one of the modern-ish role playing games I own.  Plus, I've spent $5 on worse things and this game doesn't take up too much space on my shelf.

 

While regular wargamers hold this game in contempt, Assassin can be played as a "compromise" game for a mixed group of wargamers and non-wargamers.  At least until whatever novelty there is, wears off...

 

(Image of the Carrom Family)

 

If you want to read a real scathing review, check out Richard Berg's post on Boardgamegeek (BGG).

 

Copies of Assassin can still be found on sites like BGG's Marketplace and Noble Knight Games.

Book Review: Trigger Men, Volumes 1-4

 

I hate organized crime.  To say criminals--organized or otherwise--are a blight upon civilized societies would be stating my opinion mildly. 

 

Because of my animosity towards the criminal underworld, I'm not interested in books, movies or TV programs centered around mafia bosses, drug kingpins and their ilk.  I've never watched the The Sopranos...

 

 

 

 

...nor am I tuned into Boardwalk Empire. 

 

 

Heck, would you believe I haven't even seen The Godfather. 

 

 

However, a year ago I wouldn't have considered watching an on-line adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, either.  (See my April 1st blogpost for all the details).

 

So I guess I am capable of exploring new genres--occasionally.

 

One such occasion was this year's Emerald City Comicon, where I stumbled across the folks at Triptych Books.  The company launched a Kickstarter Campaign two years ago and snagged over 60 backers to fund their first project:  Trigger Men. 

 

I chatted with Kyle Winters, the company's manager, who described Trigger Men as a "a dark comedy buddy story about hit men, instead of cops."  I was intrigued, but held off purchasing the graphic novel until the last day.

 

Big mistake. 

 

The graphic novel was sold out, so I had to settle for buying the four individual volumes instead.

 

Trigger Men is a tale of two life-long friends, Matt Whit and Jason McCarthy and their misadventures as hit men.  Don't let their metrosexual appearance fool you.  By "misadventures," I mean the circumstances they find themselves in, along with their friendly and not-so friendly banter. 

 

Jason's devil-may-care attitude is often (always?) the cause for the predicaments the duo find themselves in.  However, this doesn't mean he's shallow either.  At one point his friendship with Matt is tested in a small, buy highly significant way.

 

Matt on the other hand, is the more serious and contemplative of the two.  He feels protective of those he cares about and therefore, appears to have the most to lose.

 

Which makes him the most dangerous of the two.

 

This doesn't mean Matt is without flaws.  He's incapable of expressing his feelings to those he cares about (except for Jason)--even to the very people he feels need his protection.

 

While Trigger Men is indeed a black comedy, it's not what I like most about it. As I read the story, I kept asking myself:  Why did these two become hit-men?

 

There are several hints--and only hints--about Matt and Jason's past.  And this is what I admire most about Trigger Men:  The author's deft handling of backstory.

 

Too often, writers become enthralled with the characters they create, so they want to explain EVERYTHING to the reader.  This usually manifests itself as flashbacks or exposition ("data dump"), just to name the two most infamous types.

 

Such literary devices bring the forward momentum of the story to a screeching halt. 

 

Just about every writer is, or has been, guilty of this sin at one time or another.  (I'm typing this one-handed because I have the other one raised).

 

Mike Andersen does an excellent job of tossing out tantalizing nuggets of background information, without bludgeoning the reader with details.  This is the best way to keep the reader reading, because it fuels the desire to learn more about the characters.

 

I have a hunch--but only a hunch--on what some of these catalysts were that drove Matt and Jason down the dark path they're treading.

 

 

 

Heather Brinesh's stark, black and white artwork enhances the noir feel of the story. 

 

The violence in this graphic novel can be--well--graphic, but it's not gratuitous either. 

 

Despite my misgivings about crime-lit, Trigger Men is a 5-star read. 

 

Speaking of reading, you can check out Chapters 1 & 2, offered in PDF from the Triptych website. 

 

And if you're interested in how Kyle and Mike got started, here's an interview conducted by Jason Vaughn of Meltdown Comics.

100 K Views!

 

I've been off-line for the past several days.  During this time, two momentous events occurred.

 

First and foremost, my fiance and I got married!  We had a small wedding, which was officiated by a friend and attended by 27 other close friends and family members. 

 

While my bride and I were preparing for our wedding day and playing host and hostess for visiting family members, Stern Rake Studio received over 100,000 views!

 

 I'd like to extend my thanks and appreciation to the Studio's subscribers and occasional readers for your support.

 

Your encouragement inspires me to provide quality content for you to enjoy.

 

Program Review: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Now, I'm not the kind of guy...

...who reads Jane Austen novels...

...but ever since I discovered The Guild (belatedly), I've enjoyed several other webseries; all of them the sci-fi and fantasy genres. 

That all changed several months ago, while watching an episode of The Flog.  During these preliminary programs, Felicia Day would open her show by recommending various sites she found on the internet that week.  In Episode 5 (30 Apr 2012), she gave rave reviews for a webseries called The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  

The program puts a modern spin on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, in the form of a "vlog" (video web log--an internet diary) and sprouted its own website, along with a Facebook Page.  So there are several ways to get caught up.

And speaking of getting caught up, I must admit, I was hooked right-of-the-bat watching the first episode.

The story starts off with Lizzie complaining about her mom's attempt to see her and her three sisters...

...married off to eligible (i.e. rich) bachelors... 

...mayhem ensues. 

From what I've read on Wikipedia Based on my extensive research, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries follows the source material rather closely.  So if you've read Pride and Prejudice, you know how it all ends.

The moral of both stories:  First impressions can be deceiving.

Unlike the other webseries I've watched, which often take place in far-off, fictitious lands, I was drawn into Lizzie Bennet Diaries by the impression that this was, indeed, a young lady's video diary. 

In other words--the show seems--real.

But this "vlog" stretches to 100 episodes, along with three spin-offs (to explore the sub-plots) and won Best Comedy Writing category at the 3rd Annual Streamy Awards. 

Not to mention boasting a legion of fans, some who are talented artists...

My favorite moments are when Lizzie imitates her mother...

...and gets her sisters, friends and relatives involved in "costume theater." 

But this dramedy has its poignant moments too.  The finale between Lizzie and Darcy (Episode 98), is one of the most tender and romantic scenes I've seen in any medium. 

Now, despite all this "mushy stuff," guys--you don't have to worry about getting your Man Card revoked for watching this show.

If confronted, all you have to say is that you're watching a program featuring several attractive women...and before you can explain the plot-line, your inquisitor will be satisfied with your answer.

(Yes, I'm speaking from personal experience here).

What's more, is that you're wife/girlfriend/domestic partner won't mind you watching either, because:

a)  It's an on-line version of a classical piece of Chick lit she's probably read, and

b) There's no overly sensual, not to mention explicit sexual imagery during any of the episodes.

Talk about a double win!

True, some of the conversations veer into adult themes, especially towards the end, but the show is safe enough for teens to watch--who've probably been exposed to far worse within our school system, I'm sad to say.

I give the Lizzie Bennet Diaries a 5-star rating and consider it one of my favorite webseries.

Book Review: SkullKickers Treasure Trove Volume 1

 

Shortly after attending the Writers Unite! panel discussion, I made my way through the comicon crowd and spent a few minutes chatting with Jim Zub.  I liked how he described SkullKickers as the type of adventures he and his buddies use to have while playing Dungeons and Dragons. 

 

That means, a good portion of any adventure is never taken seriously.

 

 

With this in mind, I decided to buy SkullKickers Treasure Trove Volume 1 and get up-to-date on the merry mayhem. 

 

The book is indeed, a treasure trove, containing not only the first full-length features, 1000 Opas and a Dead Body and Five Funerals and a Bucket of Blood; but also the first two original short stories that appeared in Image Comics'  Popgun Anthology.  Another set of short stories appears in the back as "Four Tavern Tales."  There's even an activity section containing puzzles, a sketch gallery, a book review, a recipie for "Skullkicker Stew," some role-playing game stats, puzzles and even a couple paper doll cut out.  (I guess in case you're short of miniatures). 

 

Just inside the hardcover is a map detailing the not-so-serioulsy-named locales the skullkicking team have frequented.

 

Which by the way, the stories themselves revolve around a pair mercenaries and their misadventures.  The human and dwarf, who never gave out their names, became known by fans as "Baldy" and "Shorty."  Their names are revealed in a clever way, but not until the end of Chapter 1 of Five Funerals and a Bucket of Blood.  How these become known as "the Skullkickers" is also unique and funny.

 

And this brings me to what I like most about Skullkickers.  Yes, it is funny with over-the-top violence.  But what impressed me the most were the tightly woven plots of the full-length stories.  Pay attention while reading, because everything comes into play by the end. 

 

I only came across 1 x 2-star review for any of the Skullkicker stories.  This reader liked the story, 1000 Opas and a Dead Body, but thought the coloring was indifferent.  His biggest beef though, was with the book's binding, which was coming unglued.

 

Otherwise, Skullkickers delivers a solid 5-star punch.  I certainly enjoyed the stories and will add another 5-star rating to the series. 

 

The only pet peeve I have is with Baldy packin' a six-gun.  I've never played in a fantasy role-playing game, where firearms were available, so I'm having trouble accepting Industrial Era's hardware into a pre-Industrial saga.  In the stories so far, the pistol is a rarity and viewed with much awe and fear among the hapless masses (often with comedic results).  I'm sure there's a very interesting, and as of yet, unpublished, backstory on how Baldy obtained his piece.  While there are scenes depicting Baldy reloading the handgun, I often ask myself where does he get the rounds to replace the all the ones he fired off? 

 

I guess I'm too much of a purist and shouldn't take the pistol's presence seriously.  Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line, Baldy and Shorty may find themselves confronted by someone wielding a "phased plasma rifle"?

 

You can check out Baldy's and Shorty's antics on-line through Keenspot.

Happy Easter!

 

On Good Friday, the Seattle Times announced the winners of the 2013 Peeps Contest.  Be sure to check out the photo gallery of the winners and other contest entries, under the Related section.  I concur with the judges on this year's winner.

Peeps are celebrating their 60th anniversary. 

I remember eating them after Easter when I was a kid--long after the chocolate candy was gone.  I mean, they're good, because what's not to like about marshmallow and sugar?  So I'm always amazed by these Peeps extravaganzas. 

Whatever your favorite Easter candy is, I hope you're enjoying it this Easter Sunday.

Book Review: Seven Warriors, Volumes 1-3

 

 I picked up Seven Warriors #1, #2 and #3 at last year's Emerald City Comicon, but I didn't get around to reading them until now.  I was intrigued by the artwork and the guy at the Boom Studios Booth told me these three comics contained a complete story--not a never-ending series--which is often the hallmark of the superhero genre.

 

The story takes place in the Kingdom of N'Nas Amon, which according to the reviews I've read, lays somewhere in Libya, circa the 6th Century (some say BC, others AD; the exact time is not clear). 

 

The nation's army has been defeated and the capital is under siege by the combined forces of Persia and Byzantium.  What's worse, is Queen Tsin'inan doesn't trust most of the mercenaries hired to defend the captial's ramparts. 

 

Under these dire circumstances, she concocts a desperate plan:  She hires six Sarmation Amazons to spirit her son out of the capital and escort him to the hidden city of Jabbaren.  Once there, he is to meet his arranged bride-to-be and sire an heir to the N'Nas Amon throne--the royal bloodline must survive at all costs.

 

I bought this as 3 seperate comics, but apparently an 80-page graphic novel has been available via Amazon.com, since July 2012.  At the time of this post, there are 13 books left in stock, but so far no reviews. 

 

(Image from Major Spoilers)

 

The artwork by Francis Manapul was outstanding and in some parts very sensual, but not pornographic.  Think:  "R" rating if this were a movie.

 

However, the story itself, written by Michael Le Galli is often clunky and overwrought with exposition.  Of the comic reviews I've read, nearly all of them chaulk this up to differences in translating the story from French.  But there were also some "plot-holes" that didn't make sense (see some of the review links below).

 

As to the plot itself, picture this:  A young prince--in the company of six beautiful women--are on a dangerous journey through hostile territory.

 

And remember:  It is imperative that the royal bloodline survive.

 

Need I say more?

 

I give this story an overall 3.5 out of 5 stars.  I had a hunch on what Queen Tsin'inan was up to, but not exactly sure how the tale would pan out.  There were some minor surprises and the ending isn't what I'd call a "happily ever after" one. 

 

 

For those who want to check out some plot-spoiler laden reviews, here's the following: 

The only site that contains reviews of all issues is Comic Book Roundup.

The remainder only review Issue #1.

There's The Outhouse, which loved the artwork but hated the dialogue.

Stephen Schleicher of Major Spoilers, said pretty much the same thing.

But Pendragon's Post liked the individual artwork, in and of itself, but thought there were too many frames per page, thus giving it a croweded look.  

Book Review: Day by Day Armageddon and Origin to Exile

 

Normally, I don't read horror novels.  But ever since reading World War Z, I've been intrigued by the "Zombie Apocalypse."  This may stem from the fact that I'm ex-military and I currently work in emergency management, like the folks from the Zombie Squad.

 

What I like about "zombie lit" is the unambiguous nature of the conflict, at least on the "street level." 

 

It's a no-holds barred, fight for survival and often viewed as an allegory for a modern pandemic. 

 

A lot of my friends enjoy this horror sub-genre for pretty much the same reason as I do.  With this in mind, my friend Tim sent me a copy of the double-novel Day by Day Armageddon: Origin Exile by J.L. Bourne. 

 

It's the story, written as journal entries, by a naval aviator witnessing and surviving the outbreak of a zombie pandemic. 

 

The first book Day by Day Armageddon initially started as on-line fan fiction, which resulted in a blog-turned-published-book success story.  (The second book is called Day by Day Armageddon:  Beyond Exile). 

 

While Day by Day Armageddon earned an average rating of 4.3 out of 5.0 stars, only 63% of those reviewing the book gave it 5 stars.  Enough to give Bourne's initial work a favorable opinion to be sure, but that still meant there's a sizable minority with valid criticisms. 

 

The most common complaint was on the writing itself.  Specifically the spelling, punctuation and overall lack of editing.  I noticed this myself and this illustrates the lack of quality-control that can occur with self-published books, or ones printed by small/niche publishing houses.  J.L. Bourne's work is currently produced by Permuted Press, which specializes in a variety of apocalyptic literature.

 

Some folks didn't like the journal-style narrative and felt this didn't draw the reader into the story.

 

What I noticed most was the switch between present and past tense.  I thought the first-person narration was well suited for the story and I'm willing to forgive the spelling, syntax and even tense errors, because this is suppose to be a journal written-on-the-fly. 

 

But professionally speaking, the book is in need of better editing. 

 

Another complaint I noticed was that the growing band of survivors seemed to be no more than plot devices, rather than real people.  Everyone appeared one dimensional, lacking in most emotions, along with a complete lack of description. 

 

My opinion is split on this issue.  I didn't mind the lack of visual description, because sometimes "less-is-more."  That is, not describing every detail lets the reader's imagination fill in the gaps and maybe even imagine themselves in the story.  It also helps when a movie comes out, like World War Z--which opens tomorrow!  (25 March 2013). 

 

If a character's description is too detailed, then it's very hard to find an actor to fit the role and readers' preconceived notions can be shattered.  (One of the major complaints about the movie Jack Reacher, was that Tom Cruise did not fit the description of the main character in Lee Child's popular series).

 

There also seems to be some inconsistency with the protagonist (who never mentions his name).  Sometimes he describes the zombies as "evil," while in other moments he feels sorry the creatures that were once human. 

 

The most jarring issue I had was also the most fleeting:  As the zombie outbreak unfolds, the narrator relates breaking news from the President of the United States and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff--George W. Bush and Richard Myers.

 

Revealing these names "bumped me out of the story," as we writers say when we're editing work.  If this is suppose to be a story set sometime in the future, then mentioning the names of a past president and his leading general automatically places the narrative to the years 2001-2009.

 

 

So the "fear factor" was diminished for me, because I knew this wasn't an "oh-my-God-this-could-happen-any-day-now" kind of story.  While the book was written during Bush's tenure, the author should have thought about maintaining the currency of his tale. 

 

On the other hand, I didn't mind military hardware being described in detail.  Some weapons systems have been around since the mid-20th Century and are still being utilized, albeit after a lot of upgrades and modifications. And such systems will most likely remain in use, with lots of upgrades and modifications for some time in the indeterminate future. 

 

Writing speculative fiction is a difficult tightrope to walk and for the most part the author succeeded.  So I give this book a solid 3-stars.  I wasn't expecting great literature, but I was intrigued and entertained.  (Thanks Tim!).

 

One word of caution: 

 

If you've read Day by Day Armageddon (Book #1) and Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile (Book #2) separately--DO NOT BUY Day by Day Armageddon: Origin to Exile. 

 

As I mentioned above, this is the double-novel containing Books 1 and 2. 

 

The only difference between the two separate books and the double-novel is that a short story has been added to the latter.  Many reviewers were unhappy with the double novel and slammed it with a 1-star rating, because they thought they were buying an entirely new story.