Posts Tagged ‘books’

Bleah, bleah, bleah. One of my favorite books has been Hollywoodized to hell and back.

The worst part, in my view, was this: I expected changes. I even gritted my teeth and tried watching it as a movie with the same name and no other connection, tried to view it on its merits, and it still failed because there wasn't a single person in it I was rooting for.

Davy? Shallow, womanizing, doesn't pay attention to details or consequences and can't come out and tell the love of life anything at all but is willing to risk her life.
Griffin? Closer. But still, he shows no humanity or concern, and apparently has no problem killing normal people in the fight against paladins.
Roland? One dimensional. He's a human terminator, with no more thought processes than a robot. Jumpers = Evil, so kill 'em and anyone around them, end of story.
Millie? I came the closest to rooting for her, but she didn't really do anything besides go along with him and be bait. Yeah, he saved her life, but only after getting it threatened in the first place and wrecking her apartment in the process.

The characters in the book were rich, multi-layered, complex. These are cardboard cutouts, stuck in to act out a cops and robbers game with bamfing added to make it cool. No one grows or changes in the movie, no one. At the beginning, when Davy is watching TV and they make mention of the drowning victims with no one to help them, and he walked away unconcerned, I thought that was a foreshadowing of the growth he would make later on. Nope.

There was no one to like in this movie. So there was no reason to like the movie. Go read the book, and teh sequel, and forget this ever happened.

Back when Serenity came out, there was a deal with Pocket Books to release two original Serenity novels. Quite a few authors jumped at the chance and submitted proposals such as Keith R.A. DeCandido (author of the Serenity novelization) and Jamie Chambers and Margaret Weis (creators of the Serenity RPG). Those submissions went into a holding pattern due to Serenity's lackluster box office and finally sat waiting for Joss's approval. It was never forthcoming, and the whole idea died.

Steven Brust's submission, however, was in the form of an entire, completed novel, and it would be a shame not to do something with it…

Brust, author of the popular Dragaeran Series, “Cowboy Feng’s Space Bar and Grille,” and many others, wrote the 55,000-word book because, as he said, ”I couldn’t help myself” and this was the only way he'd get to read one. Since finishing it he has been reading the first chapter at conventions to riotous reactions and now, as promised, after exhausting every possible way of publishing it, he's posted it online as fanfic.

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Don't forget, tomorrow is the drawing for a copy of "Serenity Found" signed by editor and all-around-cool-writer-of-cool-things Jane Espenson. All you have to do is sign up for the BenBella Books newsletter by e-mailing to newsletter@benbellabooks.com.

The drawing is tomorrow, and so is Jane's stop at SerenityStuff on the next leg of her blog tour. Come back by and give her a virtual howdy!

More details on the contest here.

October is zipping along, and that means only one thing: Christmas decorations in Wal-Mart! Also Biketoberfest, Halloween, Breast Cancer Awareness… OK, October means a lot of things. But mostly it means that very soon it’ll be November, time to crank out another novel for National Novel Writing Month, and that means preparation.

Not preparation for the novel itself, of course. That would startle my creativity, which is a timid creature that must be coaxed and wheedled out into the open like a tiny fawn. Sudden movements startle my creativity, causing it to bound back into my mental bushes and hide, cowering, behind my Christina Ricci fantasies. No, I need to prepare my Writing Environment.

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"Serenity Found," the second book of essays on all things 'versy, is on sale now. If you missed my review with extensive excerpts, go check it out.

You could also try to win a copy, signed by the Jane herself, in a new contest from SerenityStuff and BenBella Books. All you have to do to enter is to get yourself on the BenBella Books newsletter (an infrequent newsletter, no more often than once a month). And even if you don't win, you'll still get exclusive downloads and previews, special offers, and news about upcoming releases from their SmartPop titles such as "Psychology of Joss Whedon: Unauthorized Exploration of Buffy, Angel and Firefly," coming in December. So hey, win-win.

Just send an e-mail to newsletter@benbellabooks.com to enter. One winner will be drawn on Oct. 24, same day as… oh, I can't tell you yet. But check back.

And in the meantime, swing by Amazon, BenBella Books, or your local bookstore and buy yourself a reading copy. "Serenity Found" was written by thoughtful, funny, insightful people who love "Firefly" and "Serenity" as much as you do, and that's good company to be in.

Oh, you gotta get this.

I really liked "Finding Serenity," BenBella Books' first collection of Firefly/Serenity essays edited by Jane Espenson. Lots of fun, lots of new insights, even some new facts a diehard Browncoat like me hadn't heard yet. So, yeah, we've seen the movie since then, but how much new stuff could they write about?

You're thinking I'm going to say "quite a bit, actually," aren't you? Damn. You guys are good. Here's what you'll find in "Serenity Found":

Jane's intro. Jane Espenson's memories of the 'verse and what it's like working with Joss.

"Not every writer does this. They assume that there is a chance that the viewer is distracted, or very young, or unsophisticated. They try to accomodate. Joss doesn't give you an inch."

Catching Up with the Future. Science fiction master Orson Scott Card runs through the history of science fiction in films to explain with unrelenting honesty how movies dumbed sci-fi down, how that worked against print sci-fi, and how "Firefly" brought the bar back up where it should be.

The story of "Serenity" was smart, hard science fiction. Not only were the regular cast still good strong characters, the new characters – Mr. Universe and the assassin – were fascinating, surprising, quirky. The plot actually hinged on a moral decision made by the bad guy. Who does that?

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From the people who brought you "Finding Serenity," now there are even more insights, observations, and musings on our favorite folks. "Serenity Found: More Unauthorized Essays on Joss Whedon's Firefly Universe," edited by Jane Espenson with a preface by Joss himself. Like the last book, this is a collection of works examining aspects of the 'verse, both silly and scholarly (and, occasionally, both). It's due out Oct. 1, but it's already showing up at Barnes & Noble and Amazon has it in stock.

This follow-up to Finding Serenity takes the examination of Joss Whedon's canceled cult favorite even further, addressing the events of the film Serenity as well as offering even more thought-provoking, fascinating, and far-thinking essays on the Firefly universe. Contributors include actor Nathan Fillion, who played Captain Mal Reynolds, as well as noted science fiction writer Orson Scott Card. Behind-the-scenes details are explored, including why Firefly makes such a good platform for the upcoming Multiverse online game (with an essay written by Multiverse executive producer Corey Bridges), while other essays examine recurring issues from both the series and the movie, such as the Alliance's hatred of science, the role of smart-mouthed women, and the real reason the Firefly universe has no aliens.

There are also essays from FX guru Loni Peristere, chick-lit author Shanna Swendson, and more!

 $17.95, paperback, 256 pages, from BenBella Books' SmartPop line. Order it now from Amazon or directly from BenBella Books.

And check back, cuz I'll be posting a review very soon and there may be some surprises coming.

“Everything all right? You weren't checking your e-mail, I came to see if you were OK. Why is it dark in here?”

“Can’t go online.”

“Excuse me?”

“I fear the Internet.”

“So? You’ve always feared the Internet.”

“That was a vague, almost subconscious fear. This is an active dreading.”

“And the Web is going to get you… how?”

“There are spoilers there!”

“Oh, the Harry Potter thing.”

“Yes, the Harry Potter thing! ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,’ the seventh book in the series. I’ve been waiting for this for ten years, I don’t want anything to spoil the ending for me. Or the beginning of the ending. Or any of the middle stuff. I don’t want anyone telling me what happens to Harry or Ron or Hermione or what Snape’s deal is or whether or not someone kills Voldemort. I want to read it all fresh and exciting and unsullied by hints and revelations from some loose-fingered blogger.”

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The summer before "Serenity" came out, I starting to work on a book about fandom. I wanted to try and explain to all those people who mock conventions and online forums and geeks and freaks exactly what being a part of a fan community is all about. I did some interviews with various Browncoat movers and shakers but ultimately I let it go because, being pleasantly antisocial both on- and offline, I was the wrong person to write it.
 
Which is good because Allyson Beatrice's book would have blown mine away. She's the perfect person to write it because she doesn't try to analyze the socioeconomic impact of talent-consumer interaction or the changing trends in the networks' use of end-user-friendly viral marketing. She just wrote a book about herself and her friends.

It's called "Will the Vampire People Please Leave the Lobby?" and if you've ever made a friend online you will not be able to read this book without smiling. Allyson is not just a fan, she's a fan who can mobilize other fans. She started the Posting Board Parties for Angel, led the postcard campaign and wrote the famous Variety ad for "Firefly," and offered support for countless numbers of people she never actually met. And in 17 essays she captures the feel, the love, the responsibilities and affections and fun and manic behavior and cheerful obsession of fandom. She talks about organizing cons, mail-in campaigns, parties, and last-minute weddings. You'll find out how to handle trolls, deal with sock puppets, and argue with uppity showrunners. You'll see the transcript of the night a group of people on a forum abruptly decided to raise money to bring a much-loved, never-met friend over from Israel and the speed with which the thought became the deed will look awfully familiar. You'll laugh and get sniffly and most of all, you'll recognize the people she's talking about because you are the people she's talking about. Sometimes literally, especially if you've ever hung around The Bronze or Whedonesque…
 
Q: You wrote a freaking book! How cool is that?
 
I’m having a hard time letting it sink in. I’ve always had this romantic view of writers, all smart and mysterious behind their typewriters. And then an idiot like me gets published. Standards have gone down the toilet, obviously.
 
I’m so pathetic that I went to Barnes & Noble the day after they shelved it so I could stare at the endcap display and try to burn it into my brain, just in case I never sell another book. I was on the same display with Woody Allen, Gabe Kaplan, and The Big Book of Jewish Humor. I’m on the Jewcap. My people are a funny people, apparently.

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Browncoats from all over have answered the Southeastern Browncoats call and contributed to the DragonCon Browncoat's Yearbook, and it's available for preorder. Being a fine representation of Versy people, events, panels, and general merriment, you'll want to check this out just to see if you're in it!

Interviews, photos, the tale of the rescue of a Big Damn Prop, photos, a special poster by 11th Hour, photos, memories, photos, panels, photos, and even a photo or two! The first printing is limited to 200 copies, the 2nd printing will be 300.

Proceeds from the yearbook will go to benefit the New Orleans Public Library rebuilding fund to help return books and materials to libraries ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. So far donations from the yearbook have already been made ($1500 each) to Ron Glass' favorite charity, the Al Wooten Fund, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. That's what I love about Browncoat doings, they're a lot of fun and generally someone gets helped.

Head to http://www.southeasternbrowncoats.com and get your $20 deposit down to save $10 off the price the sad non-pre-ordering folk will have to pay.