I noticed a glut of trailers for genre fic related films up on the Apple site, so I thought I'd point a few of them out:
No Country For Old Men from the fabulous Cormac McCarthy novel, directed by the Cohen Brothers. So rarely do two of your favorite things come together, and these two combined have me very excited for this one.
3:10 To Yuma by Elmore Leonard is one of the best short stories ever written. They made it into a movie once, and now they are remaking it. Christian Bale looks good, but Russell Crowe I'm not so sure about.
From the horror graphic novel of the same title: 3o Days of Night
Hitman from the video game of the same title. Most video games they convert to movies are total flops. This one doesn't look to change that trend. Oh Timothy Olyphant, when are those Deadwood movies coming out?
Sleuth with Jude Law and Michael Caine. Looks like a thriller.
And finally, The Golden Compass, the first book in the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Neil Gaiman: People are taking note.
After many years of having books optioned and nothing ever coming of it, Neil Gaiman now has three movies coming out. He is beginning to break into the mainstream, and is even being interviewed by pubs like Time.
Congrats again to Neil. Couldn't have happened to a better writer.
Congrats again to Neil. Couldn't have happened to a better writer.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Why The Unesscessary Twist?
Here is my five word review of the new Danny Boyle flick Sunshine: Amazing until the plot twist.
Why did this awesome movie have to be ruined by this totally unnecessary plot element? Unfortunately I can't talk about what the twist actually is and why I think it ruined the movie without potentially spoiling the movie for people who haven't seen it. But I can say I was on the edge of my seat loving the action and tension until the point where, in my opinion, this totally stupid and unnecessary element was thrown into the mix.
This isn't the first time I've seen a great movie or short story ruined by the same sort of twist. The fabulous French horror movie "High Tension" is another glaring example of this. As one Amazon reviewer writes: "High Tension is actually two films, and one of them sucks." High Tension is a squirm out of your skin, amazing freak-out fest for about 90% of the film until this super stupid twist at the end that ruins the whole thing. In this case, the twist is actually not even possible given what you've seen. No "Sixth Sense" "see what you missed" trickery here, the twist flys in the face of the perspective from which you've seen things unfold.
Both Sunshine and High Tension would have been amazing films if they had just left out the plot twists. So why did they do it? The drive to surprise viewers? In the name of blazing new ground and achieving something new?
I'm not sure. As my writing professor once said of the avant-garde poetry scene in the SF/Bay Area, when everyone is writing in the same non-traditional style isn't it more avant-garde to return to writing sonnets?
So please, if you are writing a kick ass story or screenplay consider leaving the twist out. You just might surprise your audience.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Featured Writer: Daniel Woodrell
It's a rare thing to encounter a writer whose every book is completely different, yet there is not a single one you don't love. It's also rare to discover a writer who just keeps getting better and better with each book, yet remains relatively unknown. Daniel Woodrell is just such a writer.
I have George Pelecanos to thank for introducing me to Daniel Woodrell. When I first discovered Pelecanos and read everything by him, I stumbled across a few interviews where he was talking about writers who influenced him and writers that he liked. I sought out every writer that he named (and even asked him for more at a reading of his) and Daniel Woodrell was by far my favorite of the bunch.
The latest book by Woodrell, "Winter's Bone", is by far his best effort to date. At it's heart it's detective fiction. However, like most of my favorite detective stories, the protagonist, a teenage girl named Ree Dolly, is forced into playing the role of detective by a natural cause: Her father has disappeared and failed to appear at court. If she can't either 1. find him or 2. prove he is dead, her family is going to lose their house.
The novel is set in Apalachia and is beautifully old. Comparisons were made to the novel "True Grit" by Charles Portis, but this novel is uniquely it's own. Ree plays a much stronger role in the events that occur than the young girl in True Grit, who enlists the help of others in her aid. Ree has no one to depend on but herself, and makes her way through a much different, and harsher world than that of True Grit.
If you start with "Winter's Bone," don't stop there. "Tomato Red" has what is one of the best first chapters of any novel that I've ever read. "The Death of Sweet Mister" is a unique look at a young man coming of age in the South. "Muscle for the Wing" and the rest of the Rene Shade series are all wonderfully told, economic novels.
Woodrell is the type of writer who I would pick up anything by without a moments hesitation. He is a gifted writer and storyteller who has earned my faith, and I bet if you give him the chance, he'll earn yours as well.
I have George Pelecanos to thank for introducing me to Daniel Woodrell. When I first discovered Pelecanos and read everything by him, I stumbled across a few interviews where he was talking about writers who influenced him and writers that he liked. I sought out every writer that he named (and even asked him for more at a reading of his) and Daniel Woodrell was by far my favorite of the bunch.
The latest book by Woodrell, "Winter's Bone", is by far his best effort to date. At it's heart it's detective fiction. However, like most of my favorite detective stories, the protagonist, a teenage girl named Ree Dolly, is forced into playing the role of detective by a natural cause: Her father has disappeared and failed to appear at court. If she can't either 1. find him or 2. prove he is dead, her family is going to lose their house.
The novel is set in Apalachia and is beautifully old. Comparisons were made to the novel "True Grit" by Charles Portis, but this novel is uniquely it's own. Ree plays a much stronger role in the events that occur than the young girl in True Grit, who enlists the help of others in her aid. Ree has no one to depend on but herself, and makes her way through a much different, and harsher world than that of True Grit.
If you start with "Winter's Bone," don't stop there. "Tomato Red" has what is one of the best first chapters of any novel that I've ever read. "The Death of Sweet Mister" is a unique look at a young man coming of age in the South. "Muscle for the Wing" and the rest of the Rene Shade series are all wonderfully told, economic novels.
Woodrell is the type of writer who I would pick up anything by without a moments hesitation. He is a gifted writer and storyteller who has earned my faith, and I bet if you give him the chance, he'll earn yours as well.
Indian Super Bandit Finally Killed
After thirty years on the run, an Indian criminal (and folk hero) was finally killed after a two day gun battle. Maybe...
Listen to the story on NPR
Listen to the story on NPR
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Robots
Continuing the Summer Movie Series on NPR's Talk of the Nation, the discussion turns to robots.
Battlestar Galactica is conspicuously absent from the discussion, especially considering the popularity of the new series, with its Philip K. Dickesque re-imagining of the frakin' toasters as human impostors.
Battlestar Galactica is conspicuously absent from the discussion, especially considering the popularity of the new series, with its Philip K. Dickesque re-imagining of the frakin' toasters as human impostors.
Monday, July 23, 2007
"The Wire" on Our Doorstep
So last night there was a gang war in front of our house. Literally.
We didn't know it, but evidently the ex-girlfriend and son of one of the main gang leaders in Minneapolis live across the street and up a house from us.
Someone decided that it was time Mr. Gang Leader got got, and staked out his ex's house until he showed.
A car chase ensued down the street with both parties firing guns out of the cars at each other. Mr. Gang Leader crashed into a parked car about half a block down, bailed, and ran back to his ex-girlfriend's. The assassins squealed out in reverse after him, but failed to get the job done.
In the aftermath, Mr. Gang Leader smartly ditched his gun, so the police weren't able to charge him with anything. I guess almost getting got isn't a crime, so they need his weapon (which they found casings from and have plenty of witnesses saying he fired) to take any action.
Earlier in the evening our doorbell rang, and when I answered it a gentleman who clearly didn't want to actually speak to us was walking away. He greeted me with a "Sorry, wrong house." Not sure whether they were searching for the right house, or just seeing what potential witnesses are home, but it was strange to potentially talk to one of the participants face-to-face.
A word of advice to Mr. Gang Leader: Now that they know where your ex lives, don't go there again. Do it for yourself. And if not for you, do it for me and my wife who is five months pregnant. Neither of us are interested in getting caught in the crossfire.
We didn't know it, but evidently the ex-girlfriend and son of one of the main gang leaders in Minneapolis live across the street and up a house from us.
Someone decided that it was time Mr. Gang Leader got got, and staked out his ex's house until he showed.
A car chase ensued down the street with both parties firing guns out of the cars at each other. Mr. Gang Leader crashed into a parked car about half a block down, bailed, and ran back to his ex-girlfriend's. The assassins squealed out in reverse after him, but failed to get the job done.
In the aftermath, Mr. Gang Leader smartly ditched his gun, so the police weren't able to charge him with anything. I guess almost getting got isn't a crime, so they need his weapon (which they found casings from and have plenty of witnesses saying he fired) to take any action.
Earlier in the evening our doorbell rang, and when I answered it a gentleman who clearly didn't want to actually speak to us was walking away. He greeted me with a "Sorry, wrong house." Not sure whether they were searching for the right house, or just seeing what potential witnesses are home, but it was strange to potentially talk to one of the participants face-to-face.
A word of advice to Mr. Gang Leader: Now that they know where your ex lives, don't go there again. Do it for yourself. And if not for you, do it for me and my wife who is five months pregnant. Neither of us are interested in getting caught in the crossfire.
Friday, July 20, 2007
New Edition of Hard-Boiled by John Woo
Saw an ad on TV for the Hard-Boiled 2 Disc Ultimate Edition
DVD last night.
This is one of John Woo's best, and a stellar film overall. I wish it was in either HD-DVD of Blu-Ray, but what can you do. Supposedly, the new edition is loaded with extras. If anyone out there has seen this version please comment and let me know if it's worth picking up.
DVD last night.This is one of John Woo's best, and a stellar film overall. I wish it was in either HD-DVD of Blu-Ray, but what can you do. Supposedly, the new edition is loaded with extras. If anyone out there has seen this version please comment and let me know if it's worth picking up.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
New Sci-Fi flick from Danny Boyle
This looks interesting. A new sci-fi thriller from Danny Boyle, director of Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, and 28 Days Later. It's nice to see Danny reusing the actor Cillian Murphy who was very good in 28 Days Later.
Not quite a Clockpunk novel about someone saving their planet by rewinding a giant spring, but looks very interesting nonetheless.
Also: Read an interview with Danny Boyle on SciFi.com about the movie
Not quite a Clockpunk novel about someone saving their planet by rewinding a giant spring, but looks very interesting nonetheless.
Also: Read an interview with Danny Boyle on SciFi.com about the movie
William Gibson and Second Life
Wired recently wrote a story about William Gibson promoting his latest book Spook Country in the virtual MMG Second Life.
Personally, I don't care for Second Life. As an avid gamer I find the 3-D graphics lacking. In the short stint I spent in the world, I found it hard to get around and find any content or experiences that were worth while.
As someone who works in marketing, I also find it frustrating when brands create a presence in Second Life so they can try to catch a ride on the long gone hype train. A note to marketers: Just opening a storefront in a virtual world is not enough. Spend the time to actually understand the culture of the world you are entering so you can add something meaningful to the experience.
Back to William Gibson. In the comments below the article one poster points out that it's a perfect idea for Gibson to promote his book in Second Life, because he invented the notion of "Cyberspace." Another poster responds with a note that the experience of Second Life if actually more like the alternate reality world people jack into in Neal Stephenson's mind-blowing Snowcrash. People misunderstand the comment and talk about how Gibson's Neuromancer predates Snowcrash by a decade and therfore Stephenson's notions are built on the shoulders of Gibson's world blah blah blah
However, I think the Snowcrash comment is an insightful one. The cyberspace Gibson describes in Neuromancer is a world where people jack in to quickly access huge stores of information that are protected by massive security. Basically, he is describing the internet. What Stephenson describes is a world driven by avatars, that is entirely social, where users buy up virtual real estate and show off their programming skills by how good their avatars and virtual vehicles are. Exactly the world of Second Life.
Although some people have tried to use Second Life to show content or provide information, the experience is a largely social one. Without a doubt, the internet experience is a much quicker way to access and consume content. So the real question is, is it more fitting for Gibson to have a "create an avatar" contest in Second Life and answer questions, or to do something like Warren Ellis and publish the first chapter of his book online so that his readers can easily access it, pass it on, and begin to evangelize his new title for him?
William Gibson is very intelligent, so he'll probably do both. Just don't try to say that he and Second Life are like the creator and his vision colliding, when it's really more a straight PR tactic.
Personally, I don't care for Second Life. As an avid gamer I find the 3-D graphics lacking. In the short stint I spent in the world, I found it hard to get around and find any content or experiences that were worth while.
As someone who works in marketing, I also find it frustrating when brands create a presence in Second Life so they can try to catch a ride on the long gone hype train. A note to marketers: Just opening a storefront in a virtual world is not enough. Spend the time to actually understand the culture of the world you are entering so you can add something meaningful to the experience.
Back to William Gibson. In the comments below the article one poster points out that it's a perfect idea for Gibson to promote his book in Second Life, because he invented the notion of "Cyberspace." Another poster responds with a note that the experience of Second Life if actually more like the alternate reality world people jack into in Neal Stephenson's mind-blowing Snowcrash. People misunderstand the comment and talk about how Gibson's Neuromancer predates Snowcrash by a decade and therfore Stephenson's notions are built on the shoulders of Gibson's world blah blah blah
However, I think the Snowcrash comment is an insightful one. The cyberspace Gibson describes in Neuromancer is a world where people jack in to quickly access huge stores of information that are protected by massive security. Basically, he is describing the internet. What Stephenson describes is a world driven by avatars, that is entirely social, where users buy up virtual real estate and show off their programming skills by how good their avatars and virtual vehicles are. Exactly the world of Second Life.
Although some people have tried to use Second Life to show content or provide information, the experience is a largely social one. Without a doubt, the internet experience is a much quicker way to access and consume content. So the real question is, is it more fitting for Gibson to have a "create an avatar" contest in Second Life and answer questions, or to do something like Warren Ellis and publish the first chapter of his book online so that his readers can easily access it, pass it on, and begin to evangelize his new title for him?
William Gibson is very intelligent, so he'll probably do both. Just don't try to say that he and Second Life are like the creator and his vision colliding, when it's really more a straight PR tactic.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Getting Crime Fiction from Overseas
It can be frustrating to read reviews in online magazines (like the excellent January Magazine) because sometimes it can take up to a year for those titles to make their way to the US. When it's a book that you REALLY want, such as the last installment in a series like Charlie Williams' dark and hilarious King of The Road, sometimes you just can't wait.
So what do you do?
You can try to order these titles from your local independent mystery bookstore. If that fails, here is what has worked for me in the past:
1. AbeBooks is a good place to start. Often used bookstores somehow end up with a few copies of titles. Not sure how, maybe they are receiving bulk shipments from warehouses overseas. Either way, it does work.
2. Search for the book on Amazon.com and see if "New & Used" results turn up for Amazon network retailers who have the book.
3. Order the book directly from the overseas publisher. Shipping might cost you a little more, but it can be nice to cut out the middleman and go straight to the source.
4. Order it from Amazon.co.uk. Once again, it may cost you a bit more in shipping, but you won't have to wait.
5. Check eBay. I usually do this as a last resort, but it has worked for me. Personally I disklike the whole ARC thing. I like to get the actual book with the actual cover, minus all the typos and mistakes that ARCs can have.
Happy hunting!
So what do you do?
You can try to order these titles from your local independent mystery bookstore. If that fails, here is what has worked for me in the past:
1. AbeBooks is a good place to start. Often used bookstores somehow end up with a few copies of titles. Not sure how, maybe they are receiving bulk shipments from warehouses overseas. Either way, it does work.
2. Search for the book on Amazon.com and see if "New & Used" results turn up for Amazon network retailers who have the book.
3. Order the book directly from the overseas publisher. Shipping might cost you a little more, but it can be nice to cut out the middleman and go straight to the source.
4. Order it from Amazon.co.uk. Once again, it may cost you a bit more in shipping, but you won't have to wait.
5. Check eBay. I usually do this as a last resort, but it has worked for me. Personally I disklike the whole ARC thing. I like to get the actual book with the actual cover, minus all the typos and mistakes that ARCs can have.
Happy hunting!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Ashley Wood Blog Strip
The amazing illustrator and painter Ashley Wood has started a comic strip on his blog. So far it's only one frame, but it appears to deal with a character named Bambalad and is going to feature "many robots, ladies and dead fish."
Looking forward to seeing how it develops.
Greatest Caper Films
NPR Show "Talk of the Nation" discusses the Greatest Caper Films of All Time on their show/blog.
Check it out.
I was very glad to see them mention my all time fav, Rififi.
As with these types of discussions, everyone always thinks there are oversights.
I would have loved to have seen Le Cercle Rouge and Bob Le Flambeur on the list. It didn't spring to mind at first but Heat is an amazing caper film. Possibly the best gun fight in any film ever, and the sit-down scene between Pacino and DeNiro is superb. As far as comedy capers Welcome to Collinwood is excellent, as well as Palookaville.
I'm very intrigued by the Jules Dassin move they mentioned in the story, and will be checking that one out soon.
Check it out.
I was very glad to see them mention my all time fav, Rififi.
As with these types of discussions, everyone always thinks there are oversights.
I would have loved to have seen Le Cercle Rouge and Bob Le Flambeur on the list. It didn't spring to mind at first but Heat is an amazing caper film. Possibly the best gun fight in any film ever, and the sit-down scene between Pacino and DeNiro is superb. As far as comedy capers Welcome to Collinwood is excellent, as well as Palookaville.
I'm very intrigued by the Jules Dassin move they mentioned in the story, and will be checking that one out soon.
Great Deal on a Great New Book
The return of Bernie Günther! Didn't think I'd ever see it happen, but I'm overjoyed that it has. Philip Kerr's superlative Berlin Noir is a trilogy with one novel set during the rise of the Nazi party, one during WW2, and one in the aftermath of the war. Bernie is a private eye who is hired for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to search for lost loved ones among the thousands of people that disappear during wartime.
The novels are brilliantly written, and really make you feel like you are walking the streets of Berlin with Bernie. There is a mystery involving his love interest in the book that brilliantly unites the second and third novels.
I just picked up the latest, the fourth installment and follow-up to the trilogy, "The One from The Other", but haven't had a chance to dive into it yet. I did notice however that Amazon is now selling it for $8, which is about $11 cheaper than I paid them for it about a week ago. Sucks for me, good for you.
Snap it up quick
The novels are brilliantly written, and really make you feel like you are walking the streets of Berlin with Bernie. There is a mystery involving his love interest in the book that brilliantly unites the second and third novels.
I just picked up the latest, the fourth installment and follow-up to the trilogy, "The One from The Other", but haven't had a chance to dive into it yet. I did notice however that Amazon is now selling it for $8, which is about $11 cheaper than I paid them for it about a week ago. Sucks for me, good for you.
Snap it up quick
Free Short Stories From Great Writers
Cory Doctorow pointed out on his fabulous blog BoingBoing that Subterranean Press has posted some free short stories by some of my favorite writers including Joe R Lansdale and Gene Wolfe.
For more short stories and audio just check out the nav area to the right of the stories.
For more short stories and audio just check out the nav area to the right of the stories.
Congrats to Pete Hautman
Congratulations to local Minnesota writer Pete Hautman on his Shamus nomination for Best Paperback Original.
I'm ashamed to admit that I've never read any of Pete's work. When I was moving to Minneapolis from Chicago, Peter Davis, the editor of Your Flesh Magazine who I was writing reviews for at the time, recommended that I check out Pete's work. I've had a few of his book in hand at various bookstores but never pulled the trigger. Now seems like the time to correct this oversight post haste.
Here are the rest of the nominations:
Best Hardcover
The Dramatist by Ken Bruen (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Jack Taylor
The Darkest Place by Daniel Judson (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Reggie Clay
The Do-Re-Mi by Ken Kuhlken (Poisoned Pen Press), featuring Clifford and Tom Hickey
Vanishing Point by Marcia Muller (Mysterious Press), featuring Sharon McCone
Days of Rage by Kris Nelscott (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Smokey Dalton
Best Paperback Original
Hallowed Ground by Lori G. Armstrong (Medallion Press), featuring Julie Collins
The Prop by Pete Hautman (Simon and Schuster), featuring Peeky Kane
An Unquiet Grave by P.J. Parrish (Pinnacle), featuring Louis Kincaid
The Uncomfortable Dead by Paco Ignacio Taibo II and Subcomandante Marcos, Translated by Carlos Lopez (Akashic Books), featuring Hector Belascoaran Shayne
Crooked by Brian M. Wiprud (Dell), featuring Nicholas Palihnic
Best First Novel
Lost Angel by Mike Doogan (Putnam), featuring Nik Kane
A Perfect Place for Dying by Jack Fredrickson. (St. Martin's Minotaur), featuring Dek Elstrom,
Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith. (St. Martin's Minotaur), featuring Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer
The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes. (Wm. Morrow), featuring Ed Loy
18 Seconds by George D. Shuman. (Simon & Schuster), featuring Sherry Moore.
Best Short Story
“Sudden Stop” by Mitch Alderman. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, November 2006, featuring Bubba Simms
"The Heart Has Reasons" by O'Neil De Noux. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, September 2006, featuring Lucien Kaye
“Square One” by Loren D. Estleman. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, November 2006, featuring Amos Walker
“Devil’s Brew” by Bill Pronzini. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. December 2006, featuring John Quincannon.
"Smoke Got In My Eyes" by Bruce Rubenstein. TWIN CITIES NOIR (Akashic), featuring Martin McDonough
Check out Pete's website and his nominated book The Prop
I'm ashamed to admit that I've never read any of Pete's work. When I was moving to Minneapolis from Chicago, Peter Davis, the editor of Your Flesh Magazine who I was writing reviews for at the time, recommended that I check out Pete's work. I've had a few of his book in hand at various bookstores but never pulled the trigger. Now seems like the time to correct this oversight post haste.
Here are the rest of the nominations:
Best Hardcover
The Dramatist by Ken Bruen (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Jack Taylor
The Darkest Place by Daniel Judson (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Reggie Clay
The Do-Re-Mi by Ken Kuhlken (Poisoned Pen Press), featuring Clifford and Tom Hickey
Vanishing Point by Marcia Muller (Mysterious Press), featuring Sharon McCone
Days of Rage by Kris Nelscott (St. Martins Minotaur), featuring Smokey Dalton
Best Paperback Original
Hallowed Ground by Lori G. Armstrong (Medallion Press), featuring Julie Collins
The Prop by Pete Hautman (Simon and Schuster), featuring Peeky Kane
An Unquiet Grave by P.J. Parrish (Pinnacle), featuring Louis Kincaid
The Uncomfortable Dead by Paco Ignacio Taibo II and Subcomandante Marcos, Translated by Carlos Lopez (Akashic Books), featuring Hector Belascoaran Shayne
Crooked by Brian M. Wiprud (Dell), featuring Nicholas Palihnic
Best First Novel
Lost Angel by Mike Doogan (Putnam), featuring Nik Kane
A Perfect Place for Dying by Jack Fredrickson. (St. Martin's Minotaur), featuring Dek Elstrom,
Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith. (St. Martin's Minotaur), featuring Gustav “Old Red” Amlingmeyer
The Wrong Kind of Blood by Declan Hughes. (Wm. Morrow), featuring Ed Loy
18 Seconds by George D. Shuman. (Simon & Schuster), featuring Sherry Moore.
Best Short Story
“Sudden Stop” by Mitch Alderman. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, November 2006, featuring Bubba Simms
"The Heart Has Reasons" by O'Neil De Noux. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, September 2006, featuring Lucien Kaye
“Square One” by Loren D. Estleman. Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, November 2006, featuring Amos Walker
“Devil’s Brew” by Bill Pronzini. Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. December 2006, featuring John Quincannon.
"Smoke Got In My Eyes" by Bruce Rubenstein. TWIN CITIES NOIR (Akashic), featuring Martin McDonough
Check out Pete's website and his nominated book The Prop
Thursday, July 12, 2007
The Hard Man Controversy
I recently finished "Hard Man" by Alan Guthrie, a book that is causing quite a stir in the blogosphere. Detractors from the book are calling it "torture porn," mostly because of a part of the book involving an extended crucifixion. Noir traditionalists are saying the characters were predestined to reach awful ends with no choice between redemption and their ugly fates.
There seems to be a struggle here between a part of the Crime Fiction community that thinks that crime writing should be "real" and those that enjoy writing and reading more hyper-real stories. By hyper-real I don't mean anything that necessarily even approaches a reality we even suspend belief and roll with, but something we just decide to take an outside-of-reality ride with because it is either enjoyable or takes us someplace different in the story. John Woo's classic film "Hard-Boiled" would be an excellent example of this. Do I actually believe two guys can take down an entire hospital full of bad guys while holding onto a baby? Hell no. But it's fun as hell to watch.
Some reviewers likened Guthrie's book to Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, and Guy Ritchie. I think Guy Ritchie is the best reference for the book, because his movies "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" both are cut from the same hyper-reality cloth as Hard Man. These stories don't so much contain a series of unbelievable heroic feats such as knocking a helicopter out of the sky with a car (I'm looking at you Live Free or Die Hard,) but more an ever-quickening series of events that all wrap up into a (I think) entertaining stew of craziness.
In the end I think whether or not you will enjoy Hard Man comes down to if you enjoy the sort of hyper-reality rides I mentioned, and if you think Guthrie's writing is good. Although when I write I am firmly entrenched in the reality camp of Crime Fiction, I enjoy reading stories that push the boundaries. I think Hard Man is well-written. If you decide to check it out for yourself, please let me know what you think.
There seems to be a struggle here between a part of the Crime Fiction community that thinks that crime writing should be "real" and those that enjoy writing and reading more hyper-real stories. By hyper-real I don't mean anything that necessarily even approaches a reality we even suspend belief and roll with, but something we just decide to take an outside-of-reality ride with because it is either enjoyable or takes us someplace different in the story. John Woo's classic film "Hard-Boiled" would be an excellent example of this. Do I actually believe two guys can take down an entire hospital full of bad guys while holding onto a baby? Hell no. But it's fun as hell to watch.
Some reviewers likened Guthrie's book to Quentin Tarantino, Eli Roth, and Guy Ritchie. I think Guy Ritchie is the best reference for the book, because his movies "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels" both are cut from the same hyper-reality cloth as Hard Man. These stories don't so much contain a series of unbelievable heroic feats such as knocking a helicopter out of the sky with a car (I'm looking at you Live Free or Die Hard,) but more an ever-quickening series of events that all wrap up into a (I think) entertaining stew of craziness.
In the end I think whether or not you will enjoy Hard Man comes down to if you enjoy the sort of hyper-reality rides I mentioned, and if you think Guthrie's writing is good. Although when I write I am firmly entrenched in the reality camp of Crime Fiction, I enjoy reading stories that push the boundaries. I think Hard Man is well-written. If you decide to check it out for yourself, please let me know what you think.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Do Work, Son.
Check out this dialog excerpt from the MTV "Reality" show Rob & Big:
Big: Baio got dough?
Rob: I'm guessing he's caked up from like Charles in Charge and shit.
Big: Charles in Charge? C'mon man!
Rob: That dude was crack rockin' a couple of m's a movie in his heyday
Big: BAIO??
Rob: Yeah.
Big: A couple m's?
Rob: Yeah!
Big: OK I'm underestimatin' the dude. Half America loved that Joni Loves Chachi shit. You know they had t-shirts and shit.
Rob: Oh yeah.
Big: Oh man! Yeah Baio caked up.
Rob: Yeah.
Big: Sorry Scott Baio.
As someone who constantly struggles to write realistic dialog, I thought this exchange was interesting. It has a flow and a rhythm to it, and "crack rockin'" as a verb just has to be appreciated.
In an interview I read several years ago, George Pelecanos talked about how he learned to write his dialog by listening to people. People in bars, people at diners, people out in his neighborhood.
You want to improve the dialog in your writing? Start paying close attention to the way people talk. Not the way other writers write how people talk, but how people actually talk around you.
As Rob & Big say: Do work, son.
Big: Baio got dough?
Rob: I'm guessing he's caked up from like Charles in Charge and shit.
Big: Charles in Charge? C'mon man!
Rob: That dude was crack rockin' a couple of m's a movie in his heyday
Big: BAIO??
Rob: Yeah.
Big: A couple m's?
Rob: Yeah!
Big: OK I'm underestimatin' the dude. Half America loved that Joni Loves Chachi shit. You know they had t-shirts and shit.
Rob: Oh yeah.
Big: Oh man! Yeah Baio caked up.
Rob: Yeah.
Big: Sorry Scott Baio.
As someone who constantly struggles to write realistic dialog, I thought this exchange was interesting. It has a flow and a rhythm to it, and "crack rockin'" as a verb just has to be appreciated.
In an interview I read several years ago, George Pelecanos talked about how he learned to write his dialog by listening to people. People in bars, people at diners, people out in his neighborhood.
You want to improve the dialog in your writing? Start paying close attention to the way people talk. Not the way other writers write how people talk, but how people actually talk around you.
As Rob & Big say: Do work, son.
Zombies Expose the Monsters In Us
I've been reading two excellent zombie titles recently, "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War" and the comic book series "The Walking Dead."
Both have two themes in common:
1. Zombies
2. Exploring the darker side of humanity in times of crisis
It's great to read two zombie titles simultaneously that offer a fresh take on the genre. Far from straight hack and slash, both speculate on what it would actually be like to live in a world where the dead walk around trying to eat your brains.
I must admit I was a bit turned off by the opening of The Walking Dead. A deputy sheriff who is shot falls into a coma, only to awaken later in the hospital to find the world over run with zombies. Hmm...feel like I've seen that opening somewhere before...I can only hope that was written before Robert Kirkman saw 28 Days Later. Either way, the series moves quickly on from there to be quite excellent. Kirkman does a good job of keeping the story suspenseful and fresh, and he's not afraid to take the reader to some very dark places.
World War Z, which admittedly I have only started, is told through a stories of interviews with survivors of the Zombie World War. I almost didn't buy this based on a few negative reviews on Amazon, but I'm glad that I trusted my judgment. The negative reviews said things like "Where's the action?" or "Where is the suspense?" I love action and suspense in my fiction as much as the next person, but how are we ever going to break any new ground if every writer sticks to plot-driven hack fests? Kudos to Max Brooks for finding a new angle on the zombie genre and doing an excellent job writing it. It's an idea so good it pisses me off that I didn't think of it first.
Both have two themes in common:
1. Zombies
2. Exploring the darker side of humanity in times of crisis
It's great to read two zombie titles simultaneously that offer a fresh take on the genre. Far from straight hack and slash, both speculate on what it would actually be like to live in a world where the dead walk around trying to eat your brains.
I must admit I was a bit turned off by the opening of The Walking Dead. A deputy sheriff who is shot falls into a coma, only to awaken later in the hospital to find the world over run with zombies. Hmm...feel like I've seen that opening somewhere before...I can only hope that was written before Robert Kirkman saw 28 Days Later. Either way, the series moves quickly on from there to be quite excellent. Kirkman does a good job of keeping the story suspenseful and fresh, and he's not afraid to take the reader to some very dark places.
World War Z, which admittedly I have only started, is told through a stories of interviews with survivors of the Zombie World War. I almost didn't buy this based on a few negative reviews on Amazon, but I'm glad that I trusted my judgment. The negative reviews said things like "Where's the action?" or "Where is the suspense?" I love action and suspense in my fiction as much as the next person, but how are we ever going to break any new ground if every writer sticks to plot-driven hack fests? Kudos to Max Brooks for finding a new angle on the zombie genre and doing an excellent job writing it. It's an idea so good it pisses me off that I didn't think of it first.
What The End of Harry Potter Means for Reading and Kids
This article in the NYTimes gives a depressing look at the state of reading for enjoyment among kids.
Basically, the Harry Potter series has driven a huge spike in reading for enjoyment among kids, but as the series concludes and kids get older, those rates are rapidly declining again.
If you know any kids out there who enjoyed Harry Potter and are looking for new material, I can't recommend the "His Dark Materials" series by Phillip Pullman enough. It's an amazing series that existed prior to Harry Potter and has a girl protagonist.
I'd also highly recommend the Earthsea books by Ursula K. LeGuin, or any of the wonderful books by Neil Gaiman, such as Neverwhere or Stardust. Hopefully the Stardust moving that is coming out will give Neil even more exposure and popularity, he is a fantastic writer who deserves all the success in the world. For more mature readers the Night Watch Trilogy (soon to be tetraology) series by Sergey Lukyanenko.
The best thing we can do to keep kids reading is to expose them to books that are so enjoyable they can't stop.
Basically, the Harry Potter series has driven a huge spike in reading for enjoyment among kids, but as the series concludes and kids get older, those rates are rapidly declining again.
If you know any kids out there who enjoyed Harry Potter and are looking for new material, I can't recommend the "His Dark Materials" series by Phillip Pullman enough. It's an amazing series that existed prior to Harry Potter and has a girl protagonist.
I'd also highly recommend the Earthsea books by Ursula K. LeGuin, or any of the wonderful books by Neil Gaiman, such as Neverwhere or Stardust. Hopefully the Stardust moving that is coming out will give Neil even more exposure and popularity, he is a fantastic writer who deserves all the success in the world. For more mature readers the Night Watch Trilogy (soon to be tetraology) series by Sergey Lukyanenko.
The best thing we can do to keep kids reading is to expose them to books that are so enjoyable they can't stop.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
On Why We Love Steampunk:
An Old Aesthetic for New Technology by Analee Newitz
Interesting read. For me Steampunk has always been an interesting mash-up of the nostalgia I have for the tech of the distant past with a fetish for the tech that's yet to come. Dirigible battles are fascinating...but a steam-powered laser rifle–that's hot.
Interesting read. For me Steampunk has always been an interesting mash-up of the nostalgia I have for the tech of the distant past with a fetish for the tech that's yet to come. Dirigible battles are fascinating...but a steam-powered laser rifle–that's hot.
The Future of Sci-Fi is Now
There is a trend right now in Sci-Fi where more and more writers are focusing on the near future. William Gibson has a new book out that is set one year in the past. Greg Bear appeared on The Daily Show promoting his new book about domestic terrorism and talked about why he's not writing about alien worlds or the distant future anymore. He also spoke about his participation in a panel of SF writers whose job it is to imagine possible near future terrorist attacks for the Department of Homeland Security.
So what is driving this return to the present?
Perhaps in a world where genetic engineering and global terrorism are daily realities it's more compelling to speculate about where humanity is headed in the near term than where it will leap to.
If we look at popular sci-fi movies and tv shows of recent history it's easy to note that the ones who have achieved mainstream popularity are ones that take place in worlds that largely resemble our own. LOST, Heroes, The 4400, and Children of Men are all excellent examples of this.
One of the things I love about Sci-Fi (or speculative fiction if you prefer) is the constant emergence of new "lenses" writers place on both the future and the past. Retrofuturism, Cyberpunk, Postcyberpunk, Steampunk, Clockpunk, parallel universes, alien planets–I love to read all those stories.
However, I recognize that in a world where we have no idea what tectonic plate is going to shift beneath our feet from one day to the next, that most people would love to see a vision–speculative or not–of where we are heading.
So what is driving this return to the present?
Perhaps in a world where genetic engineering and global terrorism are daily realities it's more compelling to speculate about where humanity is headed in the near term than where it will leap to.
If we look at popular sci-fi movies and tv shows of recent history it's easy to note that the ones who have achieved mainstream popularity are ones that take place in worlds that largely resemble our own. LOST, Heroes, The 4400, and Children of Men are all excellent examples of this.
One of the things I love about Sci-Fi (or speculative fiction if you prefer) is the constant emergence of new "lenses" writers place on both the future and the past. Retrofuturism, Cyberpunk, Postcyberpunk, Steampunk, Clockpunk, parallel universes, alien planets–I love to read all those stories.
However, I recognize that in a world where we have no idea what tectonic plate is going to shift beneath our feet from one day to the next, that most people would love to see a vision–speculative or not–of where we are heading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)