The Madness of the Puppy Kickers

I was going to do an entire post dedicated to my upcoming nonfiction history, For All Their Wars are Merry, but no, this had to happen.

So, Beth Elderkin of Io9 is apparently a deranged, psychotic nutjob, and she apparently gets paid for it.

Harsh, you say? Well, that depends, how do you read this comment on one of her articles?



If you're answer is "I can't really read that comment, the lettering is too small," here, let me show you.

WARNING: RATED-R LANGUAGE ALERT.

"Can’t these stupid puppy assholes be euthanized or something like unclaimed strays at the pound? The fact that sci-fi and fantasy conventions have to create a new set of awards because the genre’s most prestigious and well respected award organization have been ruined by xenophobic idiots and people who don’t understand the progressive nature of science fiction’s foundation shit their pants every time they don’t get their way is dispiriting to fans of the genre at large. If these assholes had their way, Uhura would have been played by Donna Reed and Star Trek would have never been the game changer it was in the 60s."

Wow. Nicely done. Hmm... Does Elderkin NOT reply to her comments? Because this looks like something the mods should be hitting the panic button over.

Nope. Not a single blink.

Can we break down that statement for a moment?

"Can’t these stupid puppy assholes be euthanized or something like unclaimed strays at the pound?"

Can't these stupid puppy kicking psychos be tranquilized? Or at least investigated for inciting assassination of puppies?

"The fact that sci-fi and fantasy conventions have to create a new set of awards because the genre’s most prestigious and well respected award organization have been ruined by xenophobic idiots and people who don’t understand the progressive nature of science fiction’s foundation shit their pants every time they don’t get their way is dispiriting to fans of the genre at large."

Seriously, learn punctuation. Run on sentences are bad.

Also, "the genre's most prestigious and well well respected award organization" has been overrun with, well, deranged, murderous nutjobs like yourselves. I'd say that we "don't feel safe" around people openly advocating our assassination, but it's more accurate to say that we're bored and annoyed with being spat on in this fashion. Also, I would have sworn that many of this quack's fellow travelers insisted that non CHORFs go play with their own awards.

Well, we found one we're happy with. Can't you be happy?

Apparently not, because this is a CHORF. They don't believe in being happy. That's why they're Childish, Histrionic, Obsessive Reactionary Fanatics. If they could be happy, they'd get a life.

And "the progressive nature of science fiction’s foundation" ... you do realize that includes Robert Heinlein? HP Lovecraft? Other people with decidedly un-PC opinions?

"If these assholes had their way, Uhura would have been played by Donna Reed and Star Trek would have never been the game changer it was in the 60s"

You realized that a large part of the reason that Star Trek was a game changer was, you know, having a science fiction world where World War III happened, and the future didn't SUCK after that? And perhaps having good stories? Or perhaps having ideas without cramming them down people's throat?

Also, Donna Reed was a big enough star that I think their ratings would have gone up. Heck, they probably would have made her the Captain.

I don't think I've seen quite this many stupid concepts jammed into one space before. Of course, the run on sentence as well.

What started public homicidal rages. What did Elderkin post? Well, I'll give you a hint, Brian Niemeier had to change the title of their article for them.

Yeah. io9 had to make DragonCon about the Hugos. Can they get more self centered?

I mean, look at how it starts!

A lot of people in the scifi/fantasy fiction community are still hurting after two seasons of Hugo Awards drama, but another competition is trying to bridge the divide.

"A lot"? Before Puppies got involved, barely 2000 people voted in the Hugos every year. WorldCon membership shot up for Sad Puppies 3. DragonCon has 60,000 people. Trust me, "a lot" is relative.

And "bridge the divide" ... seriously? Are you huffing glue?

The Verge called the nomination list a “bit of a compromise between various factions within fandom,” with nominees ranging from the popular to the obscure, with even some self-published works. Part of this is attributed to the fact that you don’t need a membership in any organization to vote for the Dragon Awards—they’re free and open to the public.

It also could be because it doesn’t look like either Sad Puppies or Rabid Puppies released Dragon Awards-specific slates.

Pardon me while I slam my head against a wall for a moment. Because the title says that those dirty puppies are mostly exorcised. Then it's "a compromise," then they note that NO PUPPIES DID ANYTHING FOR THE DRAGON AWARDS. AT ALL. Unless you count individuals like me, who wanted a shot at being nominated.

So, where do the Puppies enter into this? At all?

I guess having an entire headline called "DRAGON CON RELEASED NON-POLITICAL AWARD FOR FANS, BY FANS" wouldn't have caught as many people's attention, would it?

But wait, it gets dumber.

The 2016 Rabid Puppies slate has dominated this year’s list of [Hugo] nominees...

In comparison, a couple of Castalia House books were nominated for Dragon Awards this year, but the presence is nowhere near the onslaught that’s overtaken the Hugo Awards two years in a row. 

Hey, Beth, you realize that last year was the year of the SAD Puppies, and this was the year of the RABID puppies, and that the two this year looked really sort of different? Didn't catch that?

And, really, "Castalia House" is somehow the end all and be all of the Rabid Puppy list? Please, continue to not pay attention.  Because, oh, look, the Rabid Puppy list had ... The Cinder Spires, and Naomi Novik, The Sandman: Overture, by Gaiman. The Martian film,

NONE of those being published by Castalia, and, also, NOMINATED FOR A DRAGON.

Twit.

So, how about we both stop pretending like you've actually done any actual research for this story you pulled from the air?

How about we go through the actual lists, shall we? If you have the attention span, Beth.

1. Best Science Fiction Novel

Somewhither: A Tale of the Unwithering Realm by John C. Wright (Sad, Rabid)
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie (Sad Puppy. Yes, really.)

2. Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)

The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher (Sad Puppy, Rabid Puppy)
Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia (Sad Puppies)
Changeling’s Island by Dave Freer (A Sad Puppy Author).

3. Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel

Changeling’s Island by Dave Freer  (A Sad Puppy Author).
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson  (A Sad Puppy Author).

4. Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel

The End of All Things by John Scalzi (A SAD PUPPY NOMINEE. Heh)

5. Best Alternate History Novel

1635: A Parcel of Rogues by Eric Flint & Andrew Dennis  (Flint, A Sad Puppy Author).
League of Dragons by Naomi Novik  (A Sad Puppy nominated Author).
1636: The Cardinal Virtues by Eric Flint & Walter H. Hunt (Flint,  (A Sad Puppy Author).)

6. Best Apocalyptic Novel

Ctrl Alt Revolt! by Nick Cole  (A Sad Puppy supporter ... Castalia House).
A Time to Die by Mark Wandrey (A Sad Puppy supporter)
Chasing Freedom by Marina Fontaine (A Sad Puppy supporter)

7. Best Horror Novel

Souldancer by Brian Niemeier (A Sad AND Rabid Puppy Author).
Honor at Stake by Declan Finn (A Sad Puppy Author).

9. Best Graphic Novel

The Sandman: Overture by Neil Gaiman (Rabid Puppy)

So, right there, that's 17 nominees that either showed up on a Puppy list, or support the Puppies. Shockingly, most of them aren't Castalia either.

This took me a whole fifteen minutes to pull together while reading two lists, and chatting with three people on Facebook. Where the hell were you, Elderkin?

Now, this is mostly a casual reading of where the Hugo awards and the Dragons over. Brian Niemeier pulled together 27 works and authors on the Sad Puppies 4 reading list. And it's more like 31. Out of 76 entries.

So, "mostly" Puppy Free, huh?

Well, it explains the homicidal comments below. The cognitive dissonance must have driven her readers around the bend.

No, honestly, how does a company allow a person like this to be on their roles? Truly, this is not only bad journalism, it's incompetent. In fact, even as propaganda, it's crap. It's inept, and forced. Trying to stuff Sad Puppies into the Dragon Awards, even though no puppies ran lists or slates for the Dragons is desperate. Why couldn't it be "Hey, Sad Puppies 4 was entirely fan voted. So were the Dragon Awards. For that reason, there was some overlap. I'm shocked."

Why? Because .... they're both fan nominated, and you vote for free. Therefore, there was overlap. I'm shocked.

Seriously, Sad Puppies was all about HAVING FUN BOOKS GET AWARDS. The Dragon seems to be about HAVING FUN BOOKS GET AWARDS. Why would anyone be surprised about an overlap? It would have been better had Elderkin just dismissed the overlap, like I did.

Now, seriously, I have to ask ... is it really worth getting pissed off over a cheap looking plastic rocket? The homicidal nature of her comments are deranged, violent, even by my standards, and .... no, really, how do Elderkin's readers sleep at night? This one twit comes off as so pissed that s/he should be awake at night with their ulcer.

Anyway. if you want, Brian Niemeier has his post.

Larry Correia also dismantles the stupidity.

Anyway, it's only io9. Hulk Hogan will fire her later, I'm sure.

Anyway, I hope you've all had a laugh. And remember, you can vote for the Dragon Awards until almost the last minute. So have fun.

Anyway, if you haven't already, you might want to pick up Honor at Stake. 

Preferably before you vote for it in the Dragon Awards.

COMING SOON: For All their Wars are Merry

I know I had suggested it would be this Sunday that would feature it, but it's more likely that next Sunday (I hope) will have "For All Their Wars Are Merry: An Examination of Irish Rebel Songs" coming to Amazon.com in Kindle and Paperback.

I'm actually rather proud of this one. Most of the legwork was done over the course of years, before I even started doing the actual paper. Why? Because, well, as I've mentioned before, I have had occasion to go to the Great Irish Fair on Coney Island. And I've had occasion to pick up a CD or two.

And maybe, just maybe, you could conclude from my name that I'm a wee bit Irish somewhere in there, can't ye?

Ahem.

Anyway, as I pointed out last week, there are some entertaining songs along the way, and I think you'll at least like the appendix if nothing else. And, yes, I do have an appendix filled to the brim with songs. Why? Because context helps, I think.

Again, this sudden shift to nonfiction has been brought on by my impatience. You might remember me saying that Castalia House will be getting back to me in about, perhaps, a month, now that Vox Day gave my submissions priority. What that actually translates to in terms of speed is anyone's guess. I submitted four books. I don't know if they're going to be rejected as a package deal, or individually. Then again, as Honor at Stake is already published, and the most likely project to be rejected, you would have think I would have heard about that one first. Perhaps they're looking over all of the Love at First Bite novels just to see if they want the whole set or not. Which would make sense.

But, yeah, I am seriously unable to just sit still and do nothing while I wait for Castalia House.

And yes, I say "Nothing," even though I'm going to be doing the King Arthur anthology, I did Pius History this week, I'm doing For All Their Wars Are Merry this week, I'm working with someone on making a proposal on Snarky Theology 101, on the 21st (maybe the 28th), I'm going to rerelease The Complete Pius Trilogy as .... The Complete Pius Trilogy on Kindle for $9.99.  Yes, that's probably something I should have done two years ago, but ... yeah. That'll happen.

So, yeah, I'm working like a maniac because I am anxious as hell, waiting for everything to happen.

But this is my month of history and nonfiction.

And if you have no idea what I'm going to be doing for For All Their Wars are Merry, there's a bit of a hint here.

If you don't understand what's going on in the song ... that's the point of For All Their Wars are Merry. I fell into this for so long, I couldn't help but footnote Kirkpatrick, Black, and Gilmore.

And if you can't understand the lyrics as sung here ... that's what the appendix is for.

But yeah, I wound up going through the history in the songs, the types of songs, historical allusions in the songs, and everything but the exact history of the songs by time period ... and that last, I probably would have done in a PhD dissertation expansion on that, but I felt that would have been nitpicking at that point. And require more music than actual history.

But, yeah, I first pounded out For All Their Wars are Merry in January of 2004, over the course of three weeks. It was then refined and retooled over the course of several months, before culminating in an actual thesis.

We don't even go into the alternate songs I used for compare and contrast -- the songs of the mafia. Yes, you didn't think that the IRA were the only people who sold these songs, do you?

And, yes, for those people who are about to say that Islamofascist terrorists have songs too ... I can find Mafia and IRA songs on Amazon. I couldn't find Songs of the PLO or Hamas ... and if someone wants to correct me, please just post ONE link. And please, if you're going to correct me, make sure that someone else hasn't already.

Anyway, if you haven't already, you might want to pick up Honor at Stake. 

Preferably before the sequel comes out.

The Catholic Geek: Science Fiction and Philosophy 08/14

The Catholic Geek: Science Fiction and Philosophy 08/14 by We Built That Network | Culture Podcasts:




Jason Rennie of Sci Phi Journal comes on the Catholic Geek to discuss Scifi, philosophy, and perhaps, some awards.

Jason Rennie is a software engineer by day and by night edits Sci Phi Journal and helps run the website Superversive SF. He is also in the process of launching Superversive Press. He lives in Australia with his wife and a menagerie of pets.

 I will now suggest to you that you go out and purchase the DRAGON AWARD NOMINATED NOVEL FOR BEST HORROR, HONOR AT STAKE!

Music Blog: Within Temptation~ Where Is The Edge?

In case you're wondering why I'm doing this endlessly, is that few people come to my site on Friday or Saturday.

Few people watch the music videos.

So music videos provide content.

Simple, no?

Anyway, if you haven't already, you might want to pick up Honor at Stake. 
Preferably before the sequel comes out.

A Flight of Dragon Award Reactions

To start with, the comments section of File 770 is, of course, not having a good day.

For example?

August 11, 2016 at 2:44
Now I want to register for the Dragon Award just to vote for Scalzi, since his book is one of the few worthwhile things nominated."
Yeah, I looked at the SF and MilSF Finalists, and thought, “Really? This is the best you could come up with?”

Yeah, nice idea Puppy Kickers .... except....Scalzi on his Dragon Award nomination:

"John Scalzi Verified account
@scalzi
@mrsftv It's lovely to be nominated. And yes, I'll ask to be withdrawn."

Yeah, so, that's not going to end well.

Speaking of "Doesn't end well..."

I’ve just read Declan Finn’s post.
Sad, desperate, and embarrassing seems to sum up much of Finn’s public persona."

Heh. Sure. Right. I'm embarrassing, yet their guy wouldn't be caught dead in a stand-up fight.

And embarrassing? I think my entire reaction was "Oh well, Brian Niemeier is gonna win, but, Hell, I'm nominated! YAY!!!!" What exactly is so embarrassing here?

I think I just rolled my eyes so hard, I hurt my eyes. Business as usual. Whatever news that fits the tint.


In other news, Vox Day had intricate, thoughtful breakdowns on why he voted for what he voted for.

Then he got to horror, and said he was voting for Brian Niemeier. All he wrote was: "Sorry Declan, you are screwed."

I'm sorry, it's the fourth time I've read that line, and the bluntness still strikes me funny.

Meanwhile, in another part of the internet, my acquaintance Russell Newquist can't decide between me or Brian.  He's come up with a solution....

An author gladiator contest!

Click link for details.

There will be character on monster violence. Let the fun begin!

And now, the DRAGON AWARD NOMINATED NOVEL FOR BEST HORROR, HONOR AT STAKE!

DRAGON AWARDS ARE HERE! VOTE EARLY! VOTE OFTEN!

The title is an old joke coming out of Chicago: Vote early, vote often. Right up there with the zombie vote of Chicago.

The Dragon Awards are up and ready to be voted on.  I THINK you can go vote for them here.  But I think it's actually a personalized link sent in my email, so that may only be good for me and what I voted for.

Otherwise, if you haven't gotten an email with a ballot yet, you might have to register here again.

But let's see what's up for voting, shall we?

1. Best Science Fiction Novel

Raising Caine by Charles E. Gannon
Somewhither: A Tale of the Unwitheriing Realm by John C. WrightAgent of the Imperium by Marc Miller
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson
The Life Engineered by J-F Dubeau
Ancillary Mercy by Ann Leckie

Oh well....Five out of six isn't bad.  Obviously, the ridiculously highlighted is what I voted for.

2. Best Fantasy Novel (Including Paranormal)

The Cinder Spires: The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher
Asteroid Made of Dragons by G. Derek Adams
Grave Measures by R.R. Virdi
Son of the Black Sword by Larry Correia
Changeling’s Island by Dave Freer

Five novels? Only five novels? Did we miss one? What happened in fantasy? Maybe they required a minimum limit of votes before they give you a nomination.s Otherwise I would be there too.

Yes, notice, I'm not there... Oh well, we had to know this would happen....

And, Larry, next year. I really want this one to go to Butcher.

3. Best Young Adult / Middle Grade Novel

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Changeling’s Island by Dave Freer
Updraft by Fran Wilde
Calamity by Brandon Sanderson
Trix and the Faerie Queen by Alethea Kontis
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett
Steeplejack by A.J. Hartley

Eight nominees? Eight? Yikes. Makes you wonder

I have no horse in this race ... especially since I'm not here either ... Sigh.

I'd usually knee-jerk and say Pratchett, but I want Dave Freer to get something. He's awesome.

And no, I don't really know the others.

4. Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel

Blood in the Water by Taylor Anderson
Allies and Enemies: Fallen by Amy J. Murphy
The Price of Valor by Django Wexler
The End of All Things by John Scalzi
Chains of Command by Marko Kloos
Hell's Foundations Quiver by David Weber
Wrath of an Angry God: A Military Space Opera by Gibson Michaels

I told you Weber would take this one. That's my bet. Why? Because Scalzi has never been at DragonCon. Also, Scalzi sucks. And because Weber has been doing military SF longer than the current graduating class of 2016 have been ALIVE.

5. Best Alternate History Novel

1635: A Parcel of Rogues by Eric Flint & Andrew Dennis
Germanica by Robert Conroy
League of Dragons by Naomi Novik
Deadlands: Ghostwalkers by Jonathan Maberry
Bombs Away: The Hot War by Harry Turtledove
1636: The Cardinal Virtues by Eric Flint & Walter H. Hunt

Oh look, Turtledove. However could I have guessed he'd be on this list?

Also, I think the 1635 and 1636 books will cancel each other out, or they'll have to coordinate before they decide.

6. Best Apocalyptic Novel

Ctrl Alt Revolt! by Nick Cole
A Time to Die by Mark Wandrey
Dark Age by Felix O. Hartmann
Chasing Freedom by Marina Fontaine
The Desert and the Blade by S.M. Stirling
The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Marina's book was awesome and perfect. So there.  Nick Cole, however, has a surprisingly wide fan base.

Also ... how is Ringo not here? Anywhere?

7. Best Horror Novel

An Unattractive Vampire by Jim McDoniel
Disappearance at Devil's Rock by Paul Tremblay
Souldancer by Brian Niemeier
Chapelwood by Cherie Priest
Alice by Christina Henry
Honor at Stake by Declan Finn

Don't know that one, or that one, and hey! Brian's on this list. Don't know that one. don't know that one, and .....

BWAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH. I'M ON THE LIST! I'M ON THE LIST! I'VE BEEN NOMINATED! AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Crap, now I have to get to DragonCon and see if they can fit me in as a guest now. And be in Atlanta.

And I'm up against Brian.... I'm probably screwed....

I don't care, I'M ON THE LIST! I'M ON THE LIST! I'VE BEEN NOMINATED! AHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

Ahem.... Anyway....

8. Best Comic Book

Saga
Ms. Marvel
Daredevil
Civil War II
Astro City
Providence
DC Universe: Rebirth

Because it's creative as all heck.

9. Best Graphic Novel

The Sandman: Overture by Neil Gaiman
Killing and Dying by Adrian Tomine
Sacred Heart by Liz Suburbia
March: Book Two by John Lewis & Andrew Aydin
Chicago by Glenn Head
Virgil by Steve Orlando

No vote.

10. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series

The Expanse - Syfy
Daredevil - Netflix
The Flash - CW
Outlander - Starz
Game of Thrones - HBO
Doctor Who - BBC
Jessica Jones - Netflix

If only for Wilson Fisk.

11. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie

The Martian
Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens
Crimson Peak
Ant-Man
Deadpool
Captain America: Civil War

It's doomed, but I'm going to try.

12. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC / Console Game

Metal Gear Solid V by Konami Digital Entertainment
Darkest Dungeon by Red Hook Studios
Overwatch by Blizzard Entertainment
Fallout 4 by Bethesda Softworks
Undertale by Toby Fox
XCOM 2 by 2k Games

I've heard good things.

13. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Mobile Game

Quaser One by Emre Taskin
PewDiePie: Legend of the Brofist by Outerminds Inc.
Fallout Shelter by Bethesda Softworks
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes by Electronic Arts
Hyper Burner by Patrick Cook

Highly addictive.

14. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game

Pandemic: Legacy by ZMan Games
Star Wars: Rebellion by Fantasy Flight Games
Talon by GMT Games
Codenames by Vlaada Chvatil
Monopoly: CTHULHU by USAopoly
Blood Rage by Cool Mini or Not

I like medical type things

15. Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures / Collectible Card / Role-Playing Game

Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls by Flying Buffalo
Magic the Gathering: Shadows over Innistrad by Wizards of the Coast
Star Wars: Armada by Fantasy Flight Games
Mousguard 2nd Edition by David Petersen & Luke Crane
Magic the Gathering: Battle of Zendikar by Wizards of the Coast
Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying Game (7th Edition) by Chaosium Inc.

I clicked something at random.

Now, again, this link came with my email, and I've had some people get to the survey with it and some have not.

So let's risk it and try it anyway.

And, again, if you can't use the link, go and register with the Dragon Awards here.

So, I will now suggest to you that you go out and purchase the DRAGON AWARD NOMINATED NOVEL FOR BEST HORROR, HONOR AT STAKE!

Well, this has been an interesting day.

Now, if you will all pardon me, I think I may have to make arrangements to go to Atlanta. With about five minutes worth of notice. 

King Arthur and Luke Cage

Item the first: Pius Tales is still for free on Amazon Kindle for the rest of today, so get to it.

Item the Second: Superversive SF put out a call for submission for Tales of King Arthur. In fact, it was first announced on my radio show, The Catholic Geek, during the God, Robot panel -- it's being done by the same editors. Yay! This should be awesome!

The last three days before the due date, I pounded out a short story called "Arresting Merlin." It starts off with a 12 year old who tried to murder the mayor of New York City with a wrought iron flamingo, because, well, how else do you kill an evil fae?

I had fun. And it was insane. And I threw it in just as something different. Though, as someone pointed out to me ... it's YA. Perhaps some of the blood spatter wouldn't go over well...

Except that I just heard that "Arresting Merlin" will be appearing in Anthony Marchetta's Tales of the Once and Future King.

So ... yay!

Anyway, item the third: The new Luke Cage Trailer came out on Tuesday, and it looks like this.

Pardon me, but I have to say....

Ahem....

I AM POWER MAN [Cue Black Sabbath's "Iron Man"]

To start with, I note that Claire Temple (played by Rosario Dawson), the Night Nurse of Daredevil and even Jessica Jones, features prominently in this trailer. Perhaps as a source of continuity, perhaps because the character moved from Hell's Kitchen into Harlem, or perhaps because Luke Cage dated a Doctor Temple in the comics.  Or perhaps they concluded they needed more Rosario Dawson. Considering how she stole the last episode of Jessica Jones, yes. Yes they do...

Though IMDB insists that she will only be in one episode of Luke Cage. If that's the case, I will be annoyed.

If you look closely at the Wolverine tank that Luke Cage emerges from (come on, tell me you didn't think the same thing), you'll notice metal around his forehead and wrists.

If you're wondering "that looks goofy, what the heck is this?"

"This" is the original Power Man outfit from the 70s.

Makes slightly more sense now, doesn't it?

You can also understand why I do not mind why he's running around the streets wearing a hoodie as a costume.

I like the feel of this one. It has a more classic feel to it. I'm not going to say "Blacksplotation," but more along the feel of Shaft, which I always thought was more than the standard B-movie fare. I suspect that feel comes from the soundtrack of the ad -- no, really, listen to it.

I also find the villain interesting. One, I like Mahershala Ali as an actor -- heck, I liked him on Crossing Jordan, back when his name was Mahershalalhashbaz Ali. Yes, really. He's playing Cornell Stokes, aka Cottonmouth. In the comics, Cottonmouth was just as strong as Luke Cage, with additional biting power, so this explains why Cage doesn't just snap his neck like a twig and be done with it. Why, yes, I am looking at you, Jessica Jones.  Second, he's another Kingpin-esque character, and we know that these NetFlix shows do that correctly. And third, since he's in the drug business in Manhattan, this opens up the possibility to see folks like Madam Gao or Wilson Fisk. Though, again, IMDB tells me this is an erroneous guess. But I'd like to see IMDB proven wrong.

Given the reporters hovering around Luke Cage at the end of the trailer, I expect we're going to have someone at least float the concept of the Hero For Hire. For those of you who don't know, Luke Cage, along with Danny Rand, Iron Fist, teamed up and sold their services  And Iron Fist is the next one in the Defenders phase 1.

At the end of the day ... I just like this guy. Mike Colter, as Cage, has gravitas. You can believe that he is the immovable object. And he's polite. He's soft spoken. He reads for recreation -- this is the first Marvel hero I've seen who reads since Steve Rogers (I'm sure someone will point out where I'm wrong in the comments). If you don't know Colter, he's been on Blue Bloods, Ringer, Zero Dark Thirty, Halo: Nightfall, Agent X, and those are just the things I've seen him in. This should be a star turn for him, and I'm going to enjoy it.

Anyway, if you like my analysis and breakdown of the trailer, please, feel free to reward me by buying my book Honor at Stake.

New Review of Honor At Stake

First note: for the record, please remember, PIUS TALES IS FREE TODAY, AND TOMORROW. Thank you.

So, I have a new review, over at a new blog, called the Library of the Gryphon King.  For the record, I have no idea who this fellow is, but I know he has spectacular taste in novels. :)

You can check out his entire review right here, but for right now, I'll give you the excerpt version.

Yes, you will wink and smirk at the reference to sparkling vampires, and you will begin this book assuming you know the story, but you won't know the half of it.  What you will find is one of the best additions to the vampire mythos in recent times....

Along with a story that will give you action, romance, and suspense, as much as any summer popcorn blockbuster is able to, you will find characters you care about.  They are not one dimensional, because they are not what you expect.  They are complicated, they are not perfect, and in short, they are human.  Without possibly intending to ask the big question of what it is to be human, we get a roadmap to possibly what will make us realize our fullest potential as a human.

I can't recommend this as a teen read, though I will be reading it to my teens and censoring the few comments or scenes where characters passions are made known to the reader.  Nothing immoral mind you, just thoughts and situations that you might want to read before letting your children take part.  Having said that, I will recommend this for those who like Dean Koontz, or Biersach, or if you like secular horror thrillers (vampire and zombie hunting stories and the like).  You will want more, and I think Finn sets us up for more.  It's imaginative, and plays to an audience that is ripe for a work like this.  I can picture teens who love the glut of vampire or "fallen" romances out there liking this, and finding some seeds planted that may take later for them.  At least they'll find themselves asking bigger questions as they read it.

But as a summer read, or even better, fall read you will find it very satisfying.  I always say about the popcorn blockbuster that there has to be payoff.  If it is a modern trope that goes no where it leaves you feeling empty as if you wasted the time spent with it.  If the good guys win, heroes are made or born, and the morality of the universe is kept right side up, then it's worthy of your time, and Honor at Stake is surely worthy of your time.

Well .... dang. I think he liked it.

So, um ... I guess you should buy Honor at Stake.

Daredevil Season 2 Review

So, at long last, we have Daredevil, season 2, reviewed on the blog. That only took ... five months.

This was a strange season, overall, and not because of the content so much as how it was handled. While season 1 had a great, brilliant buildup of the antagonist and the protagonist, ramping up to an inevitable collision of two men who really were mirror images of each other, season 2 was a little all over the place.

Hi, my name is Frank.
I'll be the sniper for this evening.

To start with, we have the introduction of Frank Castle, the Punisher. He's running around Hell's Kitchen, massacring the three gangs involved in a massive shootout that butchered his wife, his daughter, and his son, and left him for dead in a hospital. Daredevil, on the other hand, believes in law, order, and the possibility for redemption, and generally objects to this approach. In fact, you could say that the primary motivation for Daredevil going after the Punisher is purely philosophical, because it's bad enough that the NON-lethal vigilante is running around, doing the cop's job for them, but having a professional killer wiping them out en mass starts to sound like a recipe for mob rule, complete with torches and pitchforks. When the Punisher is caught, Frank Castle is represented by .... Murdock and Nelson.

On the other hand, there's the plotline with Elektra -- Matt Murdock's crazy ex-girlfriend, who's first going up against a corrupt corporation and ... spoilers ... sort of ... is going up against The Hand, magical Yakuza ninjas. (Yes, comic books, where "Magical Yakuza Ninjas" are a thing).

And by "crazy ex girlfriend," at the time, I even thought the line: "Oh Matt, don't stick it in the Crazy ... oh no. Too late." Yes, she's hot, but there are moments that she is crazier than a bag of cats. She doesn't mind killing, and dang, does she seem to enjoy her job.

This three-way plot sort of devolves after a while. The Elektra thread seems to have little to no connection to the Punisher thread, only insofar as the two plots interfere with each other and cause problems for our hero, pulling him in two different directions at once. Dealing with the Hand and Elektra drags Murdock away from the Punisher case, and dealing with the personal and professional fallout of defending the Punisher puts stress on Daredevil as he fights the hand. By the end of the season, the finale feels a little rushed. In fact, it's starting to feel like they knew they were going to have to have multiple stories spin out from this season.  But I'm rushing ahead.

Subtle

First of all, let me address some of the acting. Elodie Yung is marvelous as Elektra. She's insane, she's enjoying every minute of it, and I think her performance works, overall.

Scott Glenn returns as Stick, Murdock's schmuck of a mentor, who actually does care, he just has really lousy ways of expressing it, and his duties are such that he looks schizophrenic ... until he explains himself, and all of the secrets he's keeping. Seriously, Stick, if you actually explained yourself earlier, there might be fewer problems.

Foggy Nelson, this year, is a much firmer character. He has more confidence, he knows what he's doing, and in some cases, he mans up because he has no other choice. Hell, he manages to use his superpower to get out of some nasty situations. He avoids being killed by bikers, he defuses a gang war in an ER, he stands up to a vicious District Attorney who is more of an antagonist  than some of mad dog killers. He really stood out this season, and the actor gets some serious props from me for pulling it off.

Karen Page surprised me at how much she was a driving force this season. After Frank Castle is arrested, and we go into "The Punisher Case," Page comes to the fore of this story. Having had to shoot someone herself, she clearly sees parallels between her and Castle. And she dives into this case headlong, and she barely stops long enough to be shot at. Fatigue and exhaustion are her primary adversaries, and she doesn't seem to be really shaken too much by bullets anymore. She does most of the legwork and investigation this season. Ben Urich has rubbed off on her. This is what I call character growth.

Hell, half of Daredevil this season seems to be more like The Punisher season 1, costarring Karen Page as a sort-of sidekick. In fact, after the initial arrest, Daredevil and Punisher come face to mask only once, and Castle and Murdock come face to face perhaps twice.

And then, of course, there's Jon Bernthal, playing Frank Castle, the Punisher. I gotta tell you, I don't think the Punisher was ever handled this well. Ever. In fact, I would say that Frank Castle is more sympathetic here than in the comics. They finally got him -- he's a man whose family was butchered right in front of him, he was left for dead, and the only thing he has left is revenge, and killing people who have it coming. He's a killing machine, that's all that he is ... and he's not terribly happy about it. But he has to do it. He must. And I don't think I've ever seen a trigger pull break your heart quite like this before ... One Batch, Two batch.....

Not to mention that Castle has some of the better moments in this season. There is a particularly heartrending moment in a diner, sitting across from Karen Page, as she complains about how Murdock is driving her insane, and hurting her every time he does something else stupid.

Castle's response is perfect.

People that can hurt you, the ones that can really hurt you, are the ones that are close enough to do it. People that get inside you and tear you apart, and make you feel like you're never gonna recover. Shit. I'd chop my arm off right here, in this restaurant, just to feel that one more time for my wife. My old lady, she didn't just break my heart. She'd rip it out, she'd tear it apart, she'd step on that shit, feed it to a dog. She was ruthless. She brought the pain. But she'll never hurt me again. You see, I'll never feel that. You sit here and you're all confused about this thing, but you have it. You have everything. So hold on to it. Use two hands and never let go. You got it? 

Which, of course, leads to something else. This season, they decide to follow up on Karen Page and Matt Murdock being an item, as they were in the comics. Which is BS. I'm sorry, but please go back through season 1, and watch Karen and Foggy as they're bar hopping in season 1. They had all sorts of strange chemistry, but dang it, it WORKED. This? Eh. Not so much.

And now, looking at Matt Murdock himself. Charlie Cox, is, as always, perfect for the role. Though the problem of these season is actually the problem with the character--and Daredevil has always had personal problems. In this case, Murdock is trying way, way too hard to be Superman.

Yes, Daredevil has always had the reputation of being one of the most stubborn men in the Marvel universe, but season 2 is where he really starts pushing his own limit. And the bigger problem also feeds into it. He doesn't talk to people, and he tries doing everything, failing spectacularly. Remember the priest that Matt spent every other episode with in season 1? He makes one appearance in the entire season. And while Matt spends his entire time talking to Elektra or Stick (or early on, with Castle), you watch him fall apart. Let's face it, these are not the people you want to spend all of your time with if you're going to stay sane ... or sane-ish.

This is particularly highlighted by an episode where Matt has to bring in multiple wounded victims to a hospital, at the same time Foggy is also wounded in a shooting. This leads to bringing back Claire Temple, the Night Nurse, played by Rosario Dawson, who insists on smacking Matt upside the head with common sense, while he's busy trying to play martyr ... which is a common comic book trope. If you don't believe me, just look at the history of Spider Man. It's part of the character's problem, and it really should boil down to "Dude, take a break for five minutes. Try getting Tony Stark on speed dial."  Murdock is in a mindset where he's thinking "I'm going to be Daredevil from now on!" Yeah, I know. But Tony Stark also had ideas like this at one time. Stark was drunk out of his mind at the time, but Murdock has never been the most stable Marvel hero.

And of course, in the latter third of the series, everything picks up again. Not because of the hand, but because of the one man that everyone has been waiting for the entire series.

Yup, the return of Wilson Fisk, played by the always entertaining Vincent D'Onofrio. He's back, and he's here to interfere with the plot. And, seriously, this man has more impact on the series just by showing up than almost anyone else who ran around, dumping exposition.

What's Fisk doing here? In part, he's here to show us exactly what he's been up to since he went to jail. What is he actually doing in the plot?

Well, let's just say that he ends up meeting Frank Castle. The result is that Castle ends up looking like this.

And when Murdock finally -- and I mean finally -- does some work in the Frank Castle plot, and puts together that Fisk has been up to shenanigans.

This of course, leads to an interesting confrontation that we never really got in season 1.

You can imagine how well this goes, especially since season 1 gave the credit for bringing down Fisk to the Murdock and Nelson law firm. So Fisk knows that the guy across from him has put him in there. And Fisk, as usual, has anger control issues.

Then Murdock threatens Fisk.

Hilarity ensues.

One highlight that I have to point out is episode 3.  Like in season 1 and their episode 2 ("Cut Man") in season 2, episode 3, "New York's Finest," they felt the need to have Daredevil talking throughout most of this, ending with an awesome fight sequence. you might remember "Cut Scene" ending with a simple tracking shot of a fight going back and forth down the hallway. In this case, they did the same thing with Daredevil walking down a flight of stairs.

In terms of pointing out individual episodes, by the time we get to the finale, it's getting a little strange. How strange? Well, there's Elektra and Daredevil versus what looks like a hundred ninjas. When our "heroes" come up to face the ninjas ... there are maybe only two or three dozen. Yes, that's still a lot, but where did the rest of them go?

If you're wondering, "Shouldn't the Punisher be in this, somewhere?" You'd be right. I was expecting more of a Castle ex machina, but perhaps he was busy slaughtering the other five dozen ninjas somewhere offscreen.

Honestly? I think they should have had another episode, or add at least ten minutes to this one.

At the end of the season, there was an interesting monologue by Karen Page about heroes

"What is it, to be a hero? Look in the mirror and you'll know. Look into your own eyes and tell me you are not heroic, that you have not endured, or suffered... or lost the things you care about most. And yet, here you are... a survivor of Hell's Kitchen... the hottest place anyone's ever known. A place where cowards don't last long. So... you must be a hero. We all are. Some more than others, but none of us alone. Some bloody their fists trying to keep the Kitchen safe. Others bloody the streets in the hope they can stop the tide, the crime, the cruelty... the disregard for human life all around them. But this is Hell's Kitchen. Angel or devil, rich or poor, young or old, you live here. You didn't choose this town. It chose you. Because a hero isn't someone who lives above us, keeping us safe. A hero is not a god or an idea. A hero lives here... on the street, among us, with us. Always here but rarely recognized. Look in the mirror and see yourself for what you truly are. You're a New Yorker. You're a hero. This is your Hell's Kitchen. Welcome home."

All I can think is "Tell me that wasn't written by a New Yorker who lived through 9-11."

At the end of the day, this is a 4-star season, perhaps a 5-star season. Heck, I'd actually say the Hand plot was 4-star, and the Punisher was 5-star.  Hell, I think I would have liked a shorter season just to focus mostly on Punisher. Daredevil season two is a lot more of a mystery than season one. Imagine Steve Martini meets Larry Correia. You watch as they put together the mystery of who Castle is, then who slaughtered his family, and what's the big deal around this one man.

And then there's the hand. And yes, the Hand plot is needed to set them up as the Big Bad for The Defenders series, and Daredevil was a good place to do it. I just wish that it didn't make the season feel slightly disjointed.

By the end yes, I liked it.

As for what all this means for The Defenders?  Well, by the end of this season, Foggy might well end up at the law firm where Jessica Jones hangs out, so imagine the fun bits of that happening. And now that Punisher is getting a series, I expect him to be in Defenders.

Though, honestly, I'm trying to see any of the Defenders working with Jessica Jones. At all. eriously, imagine locking her and Punisher in the same room. Or with Matt Murdock. Hell, imagine her in the same room with Karen Page. I think I'd rather see her interact with Jones' friend the radio show host (Hellcat). Who am I kidding, I want a Hellcat series, not Jessica Jones season 2 -- one of them has charisma, and she's not the brunette.

As for season three, I suspect there will be at least one or two people figuring out who Daredevil is, so that'll go well.

Anyway, at the end of the day, I enjoyed season two. Have fun.

Speaking of fun ... insert a shameless plug for Honor at Stake. :D

NEW RELEASE of Pius History: The Facts Behind the Pius Trilogy

Yup. It's here. At long last, I've actually done something.

Welcome to Pius History.

Ever wonder about what was fact or fiction in your favorite thriller? How much was made up or how much was just to push the story along?

Well, wonder no longer as Declan Finn pulls back the curtain on his epic trilogy to show you his meticulous, painstaking research. Did his fictional pope grow up in a world as rough as described? Are the bad guys really that motivated to end the church? Are some of the weapons real? Did Pius XII really take a side for or against the Nazis? This book has the answers you're looking for.

A few elements about the creation of Pius History and it's creation.

First, this one is short. It's about 100 pages. Why? Because, again, this is not a massive, in-depth book. These articles are are snapshots. Call them vignettes of history, if you will.

These are what inspired me in the creation of the Pius Trilogy.

So, obviously, a 100 page nonfiction is not going to be priced the same as, say, a full novel.

Why? Because it's so freaking short. Duh.

Usually, when I self publish a novel, I get about $4.00 a paperback. Why? Because the production costs are are at least $6.00 a unit now. Yes, I know, it's getting stupid. If future novels become shorter, this might be part of the reason. But, honestly, my books keep getting longer. Odd.

Also, on the other hand, Amazon wants their cut. Order it from Createspace, I get more money. Order from Amazon, I sell more, but get less.

And if, Heaven forbid, an actual brick and mortar store deigns to have me on the shelves, I make a whole $3.00.

In this case, I'm making Pius History $9.99 in paperback.  Amazon gives me $3.84.  CreateSpace gives me $5.84. And brick and mortar locations? $1.84.

Kindle Direct Publishing, on the other hand .... suggests that Pius History be $4.99.  Yeah. I don't know why either. Because nonfiction is priced more? I don' t know. I'm going to go with it for right now, on the assuming that Kindle knows more about what the bleep they're doing, since I don't.

And, I make ... $3.46 a unit. Again. The same as with paperback.

Okay, if that's something that Amazon had planned, that is a cute trick.

To break this down a little more, Pius History has...

With Burning Anxiety, about Pius XII.

Sudanistas, which is the back story for Pius XIII.

The Guide to the Weapons of A Pius Man ... okay, that part is obvious.

This Troublesome Priest, which is something about the bad guys for The Pius Trilogy.

Each of these are over two dozen pages, and the footnotes are something you might want to take a look at.

No, I will never say that these are the last word on any of these subjects. I even make recommendations in the book. And if I don't, you can figure out which one is which by how often I cite individual items.

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the sale.

If things go well, next Sunday will be For All Their Wars are Merry. If they don't, it'll be released the Sunday after.

We'll see.

For the record, please remember, PIUS TALES IS FREE TODAY, TOMORROW, AND THE DAY AFTER.

Thank you.