45%

Genetics in SPACE!

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Hello My Imaginary Friends,

Reading my blog you might have the idea that I am a huge fan of Urban Fantasy, and a big fan of Fantasy. You’d also be right it assuming with a few small exceptions, that I’m more of a fantasy writer.

You’d also assume that from the serial story choices for this year, 2 fantasies and 1 science fiction. (The poll is still open by the way. Please go vote! The poll closes next Tuesday). You’d be right. Out of my five written novels, they are all arguably types of fantasy.

As much as I love Fantasy, I love Science Fiction more. Especially space based science fiction. From Asimov to Flash Gordon, I love it all.

One thing I remember trying to figure out in the bath (Back when I fit in one) was how many people were needed to make a viable colony (Yeah, I was a weird kid). I’d always assumed it was around 1000. Turns out I was off by a lot. According to Understanding Genetics, the amount is roughly 160 breeding adults. That depends on how many genetic problems the colonists have. The studies apparently say that the Family unit is the best vehicle for a good colony, so that a colony is more like an isolated village than a group of people thrown together. There’s even a study that says that North America was settled by only 70 people.

I’ve always wanted to write a generation spanning science fiction novel about a colonist ship and looking into this has made me want to write it a lot more. Maybe it’ll be my next novel.

Mission Update

I discovered around Christmas that I’d been collecting Urban-Fantasy/Fantasy series at an alarming rate. At last count, I have over 50 of them and more than 20 that I hadn’t read. No seriously, I have one series where I own the first 8 books and I’ve never read the author before.

In order to pare down my library and make sure I like the books, I’m on a quest to read the first in each series. I’ll be posting short reviews of each of the books unless I really love them or hate them.

Tithe by Holly Black

The prose is beautiful and the faerie myths are deftly woven into the story.

It is however a bland story. The characters are boring and the story was better suited to a middle grade novel.

The alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and sexual elements feel forced and serve no other purpose but to try and make the story “gritty”. It feels like the author’s only experience with adolescents is pulled from after school specials.

Again I do have to say the the author’s writing style and structure are great but they don’t make up for the predictable and bland story.

Rating 45%

Gardens of the Moon by Stephen Erikson

This is a masterful fantasy that despite its 600+ pages felt quick paced. I greatly recommend it.

The author is, however, unforgiving in his world building. Be prepared to be confused and pay close attention for the first 200 pages. Well worth the effort though for such an amazing world and compelling characters.

Rating: 85%

 

Would you sign up to be part of a Colony ship going to a new planet?

Éric

The Swiss Family Robinson (1960) – Movie Review

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220px-Swiss_family_robinson322

Silver Stag Entertainment will be reviewing Pirates of the Caribbean March 16th. In order to prepare to re-watch it my wife and I are going to watch a bunch of old “Pirate” movies.

Arguably this movie isn’t about Pirates, and the original book didn’t have any Pirates in it, but it was a start and I hadn’t watched it in decades.

Characters

The characters were completely unlikeable. We have the super whiny youngest boy, the smart ass moping middle boy, the muscle bound lovable but dumb oldest, the overly stern father with a heart of gold, the useless mother, and the whiny useless flirty love interest.

The only likeable character was the Captain/Uncle who ends up saving the day.

Each character has their likable moments but overall I was almost cheering for the pirates

I won’t start ranting about how useless the women were in this movie. Let’s just say that they had less importance as characters and more importance as set pieces.

I give it 1 out of 5 for Characters

Story

The story was disjointed transitioning too quickly between scenes and taking too much time with parts of little importance.

The movie couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a family drama, survival movie, action adventure, or love story. Instead of integrating each style into the overall movie they wrote the scenes separately and sewed it together like some sort of Frankenstein’s monster.

If they had cut out the survival in the jungle scenes between the two boys and the girl it would have shaved 20 minutes off the movie and helped the flow.

I think the family scenes were heartwarming and make the movie.

I give it 2 out of 5 for Story

Sight and Sound

This was a beautiful movie, despite the low quality version we have, it’s filled with real jungle and real animals. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how much a real tiger will add to a movie compared to a CGI recreation.

The soundtrack wasn’t memorable but it wasn’t bad either.

The screatching of the youngest was a little annoying though.

I give it 3 out of 5 for Sight and Sound

Fun

Most of the movie was cringe worthy but it did have enough scenes that were fun to watch that I didn’t hate every moment of my time.

I give it 3 out of 5 for Fun

Overall

It’s an uneven, chauvinistic, frustrating, but mildly entertaining movie. It’s a movie that is desperately in need for a remake.

If you don’t mind stupid characters and want to see a fun old style live action Disney movie this might be for you.

Final Score is 45%

The Swiss Family Robinson (1960) – Movie Review

by

220px-Swiss_family_robinson322

Silver Stag Entertainment will be reviewing Pirates of the Caribbean March 16th. In order to prepare to re-watch it my wife and I are going to watch a bunch of old “Pirate” movies.

Arguably this movie isn’t about Pirates, and the original book didn’t have any Pirates in it, but it was a start and I hadn’t watched it in decades.

Characters

The characters were completely unlikeable. We have the super whiny youngest boy, the smart ass moping middle boy, the muscle bound lovable but dumb oldest, the overly stern father with a heart of gold, the useless mother, and the whiny useless flirty love interest.

The only likeable character was the Captain/Uncle who ends up saving the day.

Each character has their likable moments but overall I was almost cheering for the pirates

I won’t start ranting about how useless the women were in this movie. Let’s just say that they had less importance as characters and more importance as set pieces.

I give it 1 out of 5 for Characters

Story

The story was disjointed transitioning too quickly between scenes and taking too much time with parts of little importance.

The movie couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a family drama, survival movie, action adventure, or love story. Instead of integrating each style into the overall movie they wrote the scenes separately and sewed it together like some sort of Frankenstein’s monster.

If they had cut out the survival in the jungle scenes between the two boys and the girl it would have shaved 20 minutes off the movie and helped the flow.

I think the family scenes were heartwarming and make the movie.

I give it 2 out of 5 for Story

Sight and Sound

This was a beautiful movie, despite the low quality version we have, it’s filled with real jungle and real animals. Sometimes it’s easy to forget how much a real tiger will add to a movie compared to a CGI recreation.

The soundtrack wasn’t memorable but it wasn’t bad either.

The screatching of the youngest was a little annoying though.

I give it 3 out of 5 for Sight and Sound

Fun

Most of the movie was cringe worthy but it did have enough scenes that were fun to watch that I didn’t hate every moment of my time.

I give it 3 out of 5 for Fun

Overall

It’s an uneven, chauvinistic, frustrating, but mildly entertaining movie. It’s a movie that is desperately in need for a remake.

If you don’t mind stupid characters and want to see a fun old style live action Disney movie this might be for you.

Final Score is 45%