Review: The Country Under Heaven

Until this past December, I was working at an independent bookstore, and one of the greatest perks of working at an independent bookstore is ARCs: Advance Reader’s Copies, books sent to stores and reviewers some months prior to the publishing date–usually sans some design flairs and the last bit of Continue reading Review: The Country Under Heaven

Review: Tress of the Emerald Sea

What’s this? I’m not dead! Forgive me father, it’s been four and a half years since I last posted and I decided to stop wasting money keeping the IP up by actually using this site for something. And since I just so happened to start reading a new book on Continue reading Review: Tress of the Emerald Sea

Townsend’s Guide to Alien Design

I enjoy aliens. I like programs with aliens, I like stories with aliens, generally I just think about aliens a lot. Like, too much. I especially like to get into the Science of Aliens, things like Hypothetical Biochemistries, and exotic evolutionary pathways. And you know what? As much as I Continue reading Townsend’s Guide to Alien Design

The Star Wars Prequels: A Realization

The other night, as I struggled to fall asleep as usual, I realized something. There is a distinct and profound flaw in the Star Wars Prequel series, specifically Episode III, Revenge of the Sith. Right now, you may be saying to yourself, “No shit.” And I have no doubt this conclusion has Continue reading The Star Wars Prequels: A Realization

The Most Tragically Underused Character in Literature

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a staple of modern literature, a prime example of Gothic Horror, the precursor to Science Fiction as a genre, and frequent assigned reading. Many know it by the horribly inaccurate movies. These people would be surprised by many aspects of the novel itself. Continue reading The Most Tragically Underused Character in Literature

Rules I Will Follow If I Ever Write High Fantasy

I am a writer. More or less. Probably less at this point. But for argument’s sake, I am a writer, primarily of Speculative Fiction. I have entertained ideas of Cyberpunk, Space Opera, Urban Fantasy, even the odd genre bender. And I have pondered High Fantasy. It can be a beautiful Continue reading Rules I Will Follow If I Ever Write High Fantasy