The Apocalypse Grows Up
I have a thing for apocalyptic themes in fiction and film. Yes Virginia; I have a dark side and the midi-chlorians are not to blame. 
In most cases, I find these stories to be mindless fun. For example, Mad Max does not really provoke much critical thought, and that is OK. It is what it is. However, through luck or providence, I have stumbled across some real mind-benders of late.
The first of these is Plague Year by Jeff Carlson. If you’ve read Prey by Michael Crichton, Plague Year is it’s natural follow-up, yet darker and smarter. A relatively short, dense read; Plague Year picks up a few years after the accidental release of the “machine plague”, a manufactured nano-virus that disassembles the human body and uses it’s components to replicate itself. Smart and engaging, it will make you think twice about mixing biology and nanotechnology.
Next on the list is Germ by Robert Liparulo. While the author’s voice leans towards the formulaic, the story is anything but. The BBEG has manufactured Ebola that targets an individual’s DNA. The virus piggybacks on the common cold as it’s distribution mechanism.
The primary characters are well-conceived and well-executed. Our heroes are hunted by a very unique agent of the BBEG, which makes the chase interesting and intriguing to follow. Aside from the formulaic structure, the major drawback with the story is an unnecessary dip into a bit of trite conspiracy theory. Still, the core premise makes it worth the read.
Last, and anything but least, is The Swarm by Frank Schatzing. I haven’t finished reading it yet but, barring an implosion in the last 300 pages, I am fairly certain this is the best novel I’ve read in five years. Here is the setup:
Whales begin sinking ships. Toxic, eyeless crabs poison Long Island’s water supply. The North Sea shelf collapses, killing thousands in Europe. Around the world, countries are beginning to feel the effects of the ocean’s revenge as the seas and their inhabitants begin a violent revolution against mankind. At stake is the survival of the Earth’s fragile ecology — and ultimately, the survival of the human race itself.
I won’t say any more about the plot because I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Instead, I’ll tell you that The Swarm is to our oceans what Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson) was to cyberspace. Yes. I just said that. Let it soak in.
The Swarm is a treatise on ocean ecology disguised as a thriller novel. Schatzing includes a three-page forward which cites all of the scientists who educated him and helped create the scientific firmament on which this outstanding novel is built. After reading this book, you will come away with a much better understanding of how dependent humanity is on our oceans. And, along the way you will be greatly entertained by an intense, well-crafted and well-paced story.
Peace,
Doug
Must See TV and one excellent read.
Well, LOST does not disappoint in the season opener. Creepy, interesting and well worth 40 minutes a week (with TIVO). If the pilot is any indication, My Name is Earl has a great promise. After all, it stars Jason Lee and Ethan Suplee, two View Askew alums. The jury is still out on Surface and Invasion, both of which seem to be trying to grab the creepy throne from LOST. Of the two, Surface looks like the best bet so far.
If you want to catch the best sci-fi show on TV, be sure to see Battlestar Galactica. It is currently wrapping up an excellent second season. Excellent writing and acting. Taut, intense and thought-provoking storylines. Feature film special effects. This is not your father’s Battlestar Galactica.
Last but not least, the heir-apparent to NYPD Blue is not a police procedural. Rather, it is Rescue Me, which is also wrapping up it’s second season. Dennis Leary is excellent as FDNY firefighter struggling with alcoholism, Catholic guilt and dysfunctional family members in post 9/11 New York. Equally hilarious, heroic and heart-wrenching, Rescue Me is the best straight up drama on TV, bar none.
Finally, you owe it to yourself to to check out Dies The Fire by S. M. Stirling. The first of a planned trilogy, Dies The Fire asks the interesting question … What would happen if electricity, gunpowder and combustion engines suddenly stopped working? I was first introduced to Stirling in the Niven/Pournelle Man-Kzin Wars series of books. His writing is very strong and I really enjoy seeing him working in a world of his own devising.
Since picking it up, I’ve had a terrible time putting it down. Others like Donald McQuinn (Warrior), Gordon R. Dickson (Wolf and Iron), Nevil Shute (On the Beach) and Walter M. Miller Jr. (A Canticle for Leibowitz) have written along very similar lines. I’ve read all of these books and think Dies The Fire may be the best of the lot.
Enjoy!
Hellboy :: Lost Army
While waiting for Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson to arrive from Amazon.com, I dug into Hellboy: Lost Army. As with Hellboy: Odd Jobs, Hellboy: Odder Jobs and Hellboy: The Bones of Giants, Christopher Golden weaves a story well worthy of the trust given him by Mike Mignola, Hellboy’s creator.
In addition to breathing new life into old legends (the lost army of Persian warlord Cambyses), Golden gives Hellboy a romantic life only hinted at Mignola’s work and Guillermo del Toro’s film. Finally, I know who the hell Anastasia Branfield is!
I’ve come to enjoy Golden’s writing style, so I plan to check out his non-Hellboy work. Now, to start with Of Saints and Shadows (vampires) or Wildwood Road (ghosts)?
Hellboy :: Bones of Giants
I just finished this book. Christopher Golden really handles Mike Mignola’s “Hellboy” universe with amazing skill. As with Hellboy: Odd Jobs and Hellboy: Odder Jobs, short story collections edited by Golden, The Bones of Giants expands the Hellboy story in a natural, organic way. Hellboy and Abe Sapien speak as if Mignola had written them himself. The story moves forward with clean, quick pacing and the holds one’s interest from the first page through the last.
If you are a fan of the Hellboy graphic novels or the Guillermo del Toro film, you owe it to yourself to check out The Bones of Giants. Next up on my “reading for fun” list is Hellboy: The Lost Army. But first, I have to finish Master of the Senate: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro. My future father-in-law introduced me to the book and I’ve found it a fascinating read.
Hellboy: Odder Jobs
As part of the ongoing Dark Horse celebration of Hellboy in 2004, Christopher Golden (author of the Hellboy novels The Lost Army and The Bones of Giants) has brought together a stellar array of talents to further the Hellboy canon. Included in this illustrious group are filmmakers Frank Darabont (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Majestic), Mick Garris, Guillermo del Toro (Blade 2, The Devil’s Backbone, Hellboy), and novelists Charles de Lint, Graham Joyce, Kim Newman, and Sharyn McCrumb, as well as many others. Lavishly illustrated by creator Mike Mignola!
I am now reading this. It is brilliant. Funny how good characters and strong plots translate cleanly to all media.
The Otherness Series: The Proper Reading Order
I am a big fan of F.Paul Wilson‘s Repairman Jack and Adversary Cycle novels. Starting with The Keep, I think the series is some of the best Dark Fantasy written in the last 25 years. Poking around Amazon.com, I found a Listmania list which puts the two overlapping series in chronological order.
Do yourself a favor, read the combined series (aka The Otherness Series) and check out this list before you do: The Otherness Series: The Proper Reading Order
Quiver by Kevin Smith
The story involves Heaven, Hell, The Supernatural, Superman, The Spectre, The Demon, The Phantom Stranger, Deadman, and a long-forgotten team from DC’s past. None of these things should gel with a street-level hero like Green Arrow. NONE OF THEM. Yet Kevin Smith, with the art team of Phil Hester & Ande Park, made me buy into every bit of it. Smith deals with bits of DC continuity that I thought no one could possibly remember, but does it in such a way that, while bringing a smile to the face of longtime comic readers like me, doesn’t alienate new readers or make them feel like they’re missing something.
This guy nails it. This book should NOT work. But. it does. As always, Smith’s rich, charcter-driven dialogue makes the reading deep and engaging without being preachy or pedantic.
$30 Film School by Michael W. Dean
I wrote a few weeks back that I had picked up $30 Film School by Michael W. Dean. I am 3/4 of the way through the book and loving it. It is hands down the best, most accessible book I’ve read on the subject of film-making. Not only does Dean provide everything needed to get started as an independent film-maker, he also provides a great deal of inspiration and kicks in the seat of the pants. I’ll give a deeper review when I finish it later this week, but so far, this is an exceptional book. 
Having already written and directed one short documentary, I was amazed at how similar my own experiences were to Dean’s. It has been a while since that first film for me. And, after reading this book I know what has been missing these last few years. So, I have a few smaller projects to wrap up first but then I finish the screenplay that has been lingering for the last two years. After that, I get it on film (DV).
D.I.Y. or die baby. D.I.Y. or die.
