V.F.W: A New Martinus Publishing Anthology

An idea came to me the other day, and I feel there is no time to waste.  Therefore, I am pleased to announce another Martinus Publishing anthology which will be open to submissions starting tomorrow (February 9, 2013).

V.F.W.

-Veterans of the Future Wars-

War is Hell; always has been, always will be.  No one knows this better than the brave souls who have worn the uniform and fought for their fellow countrymen—the soldiers of America, Great Britain, France, Canada, Australia, and many other bastions of freedom.  The veterans of the past have defined our present, and without their sacrifices we would all be slaves to evil regimes and petty despots who care nothing for liberty or human life.  Our veterans are true heroes.

Veterans of the Future Wars is an anthology dedicated to honoring those who fight (and have fought) for our country and our freedoms; telling tales of their future counterparts combating everything from alien invasions, to home-grown dictators, and all manner of enemies.  The future has untold struggles ahead, and we are ever in the need of those who are willing to serve and sacrifice.  They shall not be forgotten.

Within these pages shall be Science Fiction stories of valor, honor, and distinction, recounting the hard-fought struggles of future veterans, be they on the battlefield or on the homefront afterwards.  Tug at our heartstrings, make us cheer or cry, or share an exciting adventure to thrill the senses.

Speaking to the creation of this anthology, I've long held a great deal of reverence for our military veterans.  I have known many of them over the years, and I would like to create something they can enjoy.  Putting together a collection of futuristic sci-fi stories about people like them is my minor contribution to the world at large.

If you want to write for this anthology, follow the guidelines at the Martinus.us submissions page.

*Please note that this anthology is in no way connected to the satirical organization "Veterans of Future Wars," that existed for a brief period during the mid 1930's.

Hollywood's out of Ideas?

It was bound to happen.  We all knew it was inevitable.  Yes, I'm talking about yet another movie remake, this time of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger classic, Total Recall.  Apparently, the original movie isn't good enough anymore, so they're going to redo it.  Of course, after the remake of Footloose last year, I guess anything is up for grabs.

Get The Original

When it comes to Hollywood remakes, I have mixed emotions, and to be honest I can't think of many "new" versions that I prefer to the originals.  With a few rare exceptions, an updated version of a movie is rarely an improvement.  The story is already known, and when they try to mix things up by rewriting various scenes, I'm often left thinking, "I liked it better the other way." It can also be jarring to see today's actors trying to recapture roles that were previously defined by another cast.  Come on; Colin Farrell as Schwarzenegger, are you kidding?    Maybe that's just me.

There are economic motivations behind the slew of remakes as of late.  If a Studio does a new version of an old movie, they know there's a pre-existing fan-base that'll come out of the woodwork to see the new flick, even if it sucks.  (That used to be what sequels were for, but apparently that's too much work now.)  It is often more of a sure thing to remake a pre-existing movie than to create something entirely new that might or might not pique the interest of movie goers.  This is creative punting, plain and simple.

I can think of so many stories that would make great movies, but sadly they are passed over in favor of recycled ideas.  I don't fault Hollywood for trying to make a buck, but I feel they'd make a lot more money if they spent more time looking for fresh concepts and new, entertaining material.  Yes, they still do that to an extent, and maybe I'm being overly critical because of my own obscurity in the field, but I think the remakes are a waste of good screen time.  It's just an opinion, and if you enjoy the "new, improved" Total Recall, bully for you.  As for me, I'll stick with the classic version.  "See you at the party, Richter!"

Dismal Star: The Original Flash

Long ago, at the dawn of my writing career, I wrote a short story called Dismal Star.  It was my first foray into the field of flash fiction, before I was even familiar with the term "flash."  It was something off the top of my head, based on a much larger premise that I'd like to share.

Putting this down on paper, I envisioned the life of a young man who has grown up alone, trapped within the wreckage of a crippled space station or outpost.  Some kind of great battle or cosmic catastrophe killed off his parents and everyone else, but he has survived, thanks to the lingering amenities and machines.  Perhaps it's not the most original concept in the world, but certainly one that hasn't been played out entirely.

I still think about the possibility of writing more about this lone man, and seeing what happens when he is finally discovered again by his fellow human beings.  What sort of universe will he discover beyond his isolation, and what sort of life will he make for himself in it?  That could be a very powerful tale if done properly, so I will wait for inspiration to call me to write the story.

Now, on with our bit of flash:

I stumble out of my sleeping alcove at a quarter to seven in the morning.  Another dismal day in this place I've learned to call home.  I'll never get used to it, the cold concrete and tarnished metal walls of the research station.  Whoever could?

It's only a short walk from my alcove to the food repository, and I grab a nutritional supplement pouch from the shelf as I pass on my morning jaunt.  I bite into the grainy package that reeks of artificial flavors.  When was the last time I had a regular meal?  I can't quite recall, despite my extensive memory.  Decades, perhaps?

A brief jog around the station, all fifty feet of it that's still inhabitable.  An easily-traveled circle in my small, isolated corner of this place.  The gloomy ceiling lights are always on, except in my sleeping alcove.  The light diodes will continue to shed light into this technological tomb for a thousand years, wired into the limitless power generated thirty thousand feet below me.  The limitless power harnessed from the core of a half dead planet.  How?  I could not tell you.  I know it's a fairly simple concept, and an easily accomplished feat, so long as you're a sci-tech.  I'm not.  My parents were, but I haven't seen them since the accident.  That was twenty years ago, according to the ever reliable computer.

The cold metallic companion whose voice has long been erased still speaks to me.  Through words on the screen it can answer my questions and respond to my constant queries to the best of its programmed abilities.  Some days I'll prattle on for hours through the keyboard, recording my dreams, or asking it about the other worlds it knows.  Much of the information is spotty.  There are many data holes, extensive damage to the entire station's network.  Despite its shortcomings, I'm fortunate to have such a friend, or I would surely have given out of mind and body many years ago.

It was much harder at first.  Being a ten year old boy, the isolation was unbearable, and here I am completely alone, separate from the rest of existence; the only living soul on this accursed orb of dust and vacuum.  All that protects me is a thin layer of metal and a great deal of debris which stacked itself in such a way that it prevents harm to the tightly sealed section of this dead fortress that was once rocked by some deadly bombardment all those years ago.  I once thought someone else might someday find me here, but after two decades, I have come to terms with the truth; the inevitable, inescapable truth.  I am never to be found, an isolated victim of time and space.

Alone is no way to spend your entire life.

Star Trek Blogfest 2011

It's time for some frivolous fun.  As a recovering Trekoholic, this particular blogfest seemed right up my alley.  The objective is to list 5 episodes and 5 characters from the various Star Trek series, and explain why they're great.  Is it a coincidence that there were 5 regular television series?  I think not!  To keep things even, I'll feature 1 episode and 1 character from each of the different versions of Trek.  So, let's start off with 5 fine characters:

Scotty –He didn't have as big a role in the original series as he could have, but the chief engineer had his moments.  He kept the ship running, even when it meant violating the laws of physics.  Aye, he did have the power!

Data –The most unique and entertaining of characters from The Next Generation.  Data had the most character development of any Star Trek entity.  He was good for a laugh, and kept the show from being too dry at times.  He also could perform super-human feats of strength and intelligence.  He was the greatest!  I deny the existence of "Nemesis."  What a horrible and stupid movie!

Quark –It's funny how the most alien-looking characters can sometimes be the most human at heart.  Quark is certainly that, whether you look at his greed or the kind and considerate side he hides behind it.  He's like a small-time mobster trying for the big score.  The womanizing was a bit much, though that's Ferengi for you.  Of course, he wouldn't have been half as good without Odo to keep him in check...

The Doctor –I've said it before without shame:  Voyager is my favorite of the various Star Trek series.  Therefore, this was a tough call, but for today at least I'll go with the nameless holographic doctor.  Robert Picardo really is a great actor, and without his particular style of acting The Doctor wouldn't have been able to stand out as he did.  As the series evolved, he could easily switch from comical awkwardness to moral righteousness, and was really the soul of the show.

Trip –Book-ending the character selections with engineers, Charles Tucker the Third was certainly the best from Enterprise.  For a series that had its ups and downs (and died a premature death) he stayed fairly consistent, and was always interesting and engaging.  Screw the series finale: bring him back to life!

Okay, we've gone through the 5 characters.  Now, let's pick out 5 episodes, one from each series.  These aren't necessarily the "best," and my choice of "favorite" changes on a regular basis, but these are among the 5 that generally land near the top at all times.

The Deadly Years –Season 2 of the Original Series had some real winners, and this is one that always stuck with me.  The concept of rapid aging is a nice plot device when used properly, and this is by far one of the best uses, right up there with Stargate SG-1's "Brief Candle."  This episode also has one of the funniest Chekov moments ever:  "If I survive, they're going to run out of samples."

The Inner Light –One of the most emotionally wrenching episodes of any Star Trek series, The Next Generation's mini-epic gives Picard an entire life in 25 minutes, and gives us a tragic yet lovable storyline.  It'll make you sad in a good way.

What You Leave Behind –With Deep Space Nine, it's very hard to pick a single episode, since so much of the series consisted of multi-part epics.  Really, the last 10 episodes were one story, but the finale had to be the absolute best the show had to offer.  So long as you can sit down and watch the previous half-season first, this finale will move you!

The Year of Hell –Everybody loves this 2-parter (well, almost everyone), so it might be a bit of a cop-out to pick it.  It's such a populist choice, and when it comes to Voyager I could pick so many different episodes.  Each season has half a dozen I call "favorites," so for once I'll play it safe.  This really is one of the best Star Trek stories.  Temporal meddling + pending doom = excellence!  (I just wish they would've cashed in on the future potential of this episode, and had us meet some "alternate" versions of the characters later on.  Somebody left their temporal shields online, hint-hint.  Hey, you'll get my meaning after you watch it).

Similitude –Some people have a problem with the whole Xindi saga from Enterprise.  Season 3 was a bit like DS9's last few seasons, in that it was one single storyline, with a few stray side stories peppered throughout.  But among the main story-arc of the season, there were some real nuggets, and this is one of my favorites.  There is some serious emotion in this one, much like we find in The Inner Light.  It's a story of life, plain and simple.

Well, there you have it, 5 & 5.  Now go Trek yourself.  Do it today!

Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One (DVD) -Review

I bought this newly released DVD set last week, so I'll give my usual, brief commentary about it.

Coming off the success of Series Five, Doctor Who's new season kicked off with a story I felt was a bit over the top.  The two-part premiere left me wondering if things were going to be on a downward slope this season (sorry, the Doctor meets Richard Nixon?  That really didn't do it for me).  Fortunately, the premiere two-parter was followed up by a fresh batch of stellar episodes that returned us to the greatness we saw last year.  By the seventh episode (which concludes this first half-season), I was totally riveted again, and now I can't wait to see what the second half has in store.

One big plus this half-season concerns the new revelation about River Song.  The ambiguity of her character was starting to wear a little thin, and it was high time for some answers.  Boy, did we get them in the big finale!  I'm sure not everyone will appreciate the shocking plot twist, but I for one welcomed it, and think it's amazing.

The biggest letdown for me was the Silence/Silents.  They're an interesting concept, but they just didn't do it for me (kind of like Nixon, they didn't pique my interest that much).  I find myself hoping the human race has killed them all off by now, and we never see them again (I know, wishful thinking on my part).  I'm sure a huge slew of fandom loves them, and Steven Moffat probably has them planned for bigger and better things later on.  I'll cross my fingers and hope for a better feeling the second time around.

Extras were pretty slim on this DVD set, so don't buy it for that.  Get it because you want to watch these incredible episodes commercial free whenever you want!

Overall, this first half of Series Six gets a 4.5 rating from me.  It's not quite as good as Series Five, but close.

A Starscaper's Tale (Minstrel Mondays)

About the time I wrote the poem "Patented DNA," I threw together this other little freestyle piece, about the more distant future.  Again, it tells a tale of science fictional proportions, but it's not quite as eloquent as some of my other stuff.  Have a look, and see what you think...  Can you see the story in your mind's eye?

A Starscaper flew on

Ten millennia from now,

The last starship built back home.

The Earth had long since fallen

To many cosmic conquests.

Yet ten centuries past tomorrow,

American souls soldiered on.

Reaching a fertile orb

Sixty-seven light years away,

The children of men who refused to be slaves

Went out to found a new nation.

They'd journeyed so long.

Ten centuries ago,

They'd barely known the touch

Of their home planet's moon.

Now they'd gone beyond

A thousand worlds like their own.

So many alien lands

Of frightful creations, deadly aliens,

And bacteria that ate through ships' hulls.

Captain Richard E. Sloan,

Aboard Starscapers born and raised,

Led a charge to chart a new home.

Old when he first touched the surface

Of the only planet he'd ever know.

He sought to found a colony

His folks could call their own,

But they were not alone.

Another race, so strange, yet alike,

Muscular as horses, yet smooth like silk,

Skins glittered in prismatic colors,

Still their eyes were akin to ours.

Alien hearts grew warm when men came around

Who shared superior technology.

Ambitious dreams and schemes

Even the aliens could conceive

To build a space fleet,

To fight enemies unseen.

The Prismatons were eager to help

When it promised to benefit their children so.

Good tidings held strong for twenty long years

Until enemies came from the sky.

The Bizahn cruisers covered the horizon,

Seeking the blood of mankind's survivors.

The lizard-like things,

Bones protruding through their skins,

Leapt out of their landing craft

With a hiss designed to frighten

Seasoned soldiers who'd survived

Many a deadly fight.

The poison of fangs killed fast,

Yet the humans with their alien hosts

Stood side by side to die.

The worst blow came

Captain Sloan was maimed,

With a single Bizahn bite he was slain.

And a million stars cried

When the old Captain died,

For his fate foretold a future so bare.

No man could survive here

Where Bizahn hunted planet-side

The order was given to flee

Back to the stars.

Somewhere else man would try

To once more thrive.

Before the last boarding call,

The aliens bid them farewell

And thanked them for their technology.

In a thousand years, they might

Join mankind in the firefight

To raise civilized beings back

To their proper place.

On the galactic scene

It was only an instant away.

With a sparkle of light,

The Starscaper flew into eternal night,

Leaving another world poisoned with knowledge.

I could be properly said

They'd been scientifically dead,

Until man's touch brought their minds to life.

Creative insight:

Humanity's gift to star-children

Forever fighting against the night.

Stargate Universe (Season 2 DVD) -Review

I received the Stargate Universe Season 2 DVD set last week (Amazon Pre-Order), and have had the chance to watch all twenty episodes, and most of the bonus material.  After watching season 1, I wasn't sure how this next installment would fare, but I'm pleased to see it surpassed my greatest expectations.

The first season was a little drab compared to the other Stargate series.  Though it had some high points with episodes like "Space," and "Time," there were duds like "Life."  It wasn't as exciting as SG-1 and Atlantis were from the start, and the characters took longer to develop.  Other than that, there were times where I couldn't empathize with the lead characters.  Colonel Young wasn't a very good leader in the beginning, and Lieutenant Scott was too much of a horn dog to respect.  Chloe didn't have much of a purpose to begin with, and Rush was easy to hate until the revelations of "Human" gave him an understandable back story.  Yet, by the end of Season 1, the characters were fleshed out enough, and they were enjoyable to watch for the most part.

Where the first season may have come up short, the second season sought to make up for it, and I think they did a great job.  Though there were still a few slow episodes, most of them were stimulating, both from a cerebral viewpoint and a raw action/adventure stance.  The last 10 episodes were exceptional, bringing the show up to the same entertainment standards of SG-1 & Atlantis (or perhaps even higher).

I hate that Universe has been cancelled, and I really wish it would come back someday.  The way the second season ended, there is great potential for that to happen if anyone ever dares to try, though in these financially uncertain times I don't know if that will ever come to pass.  Who knows, in 3 years, maybe someone will revive the series and pick up where they left off.  I would do it if there was any possible way.  Hey, MGM, I can make you money, try me!  If given the chance, any number of creative people could save Stargate Universe, but will they ever be given that chance?

Overall, season 2 of SGU gets 4 out of 5 stars.  The back ten get a full five stars, but there were still a few weak points in the first half; nothing horrible, though there were other seasons of Stargate that I liked a little more.

The Hidden Ones (Minstrel Mondays)

Here's a little something I threw together ten years ago.  It has a bit of a sci-fi feel to it, though it is nowhere near as comprehensive as Patented DNA.  Even so, it's a nice little piece of poetry that doesn't contain one of the two traditional poetic themes (woe is me, or love love love).

Lingering twilight

sparkling a million points of light

upon the silver of their skin,

the darkness of their eyes.

The star beings who travel,

with the control of electromagnetism,

to countless foreign worlds.

Sentients, a dime a dozen,

sitting impatient on bustling globes

of mostly water.

So arrogant until touched

by an alien's thoughts.

Touched are the minds

of a million souls,

yet one mind of man has grown

far beyond what they would suppose.

The single being strong enough

to respond to travelers in kind.

They're scared for a change,

never having met a savage

able to challenge them

at their own twisted game.

Their minds bend easy

to the whims of the man

whose psychology is exceedingly rare.

Flee, invaders,

before humanity grows up.

Return to your kingdom in the sky.

Forget where you've been,

yet remember still

that you're not the only souls

vying for control

on the galactic scene.

Someday, you'll see,

and pay for your sins.

Poll Results: Stargate & Your Life

We had 12 votes in our latest poll, so that's a good improvement.  It's double the number who voted in our Robin Hood poll, so I guess Stargate was a little more interesting for my readers.

The results came out thusly:

What is your favorite version of Stargate?

Stargate SG-1: 6 votes

Atlantis:  1 vote

Universe: 3 votes

The Original Movie: 2 votes

So with precisely 50% of the vote, it is clear that the 10-seasons of SG-1 captured more people's favor than the other choices.  Not surprising.

This week's poll takes on a more serious subject matter, namely, if you could pick one desirable attribute to add to your life, what would it be?  For the purposes of this question, imagine you're actually given a choice (unlike the real world).

Let's keep the poll running.  Invite your friends to vote!

Assignment in Eternity -By Robert A. Heinlein (Review)

Like many sci-fi fans over the years, I must say that my favorite writer is Robert A. Heinlein.  I first read Citizen of the Galaxy as a teenager, and I was instantly hooked on his fantastic tales.  I've read almost everything he wrote, and while there were a few low points (as with any prolific writer), the vast majority of his books and short stories are pure gold.

Assignment in Eternity is one of his few selections which had eluded me until recently.  It's a collection of four novellas he wrote in the 1940's.  They were published in different pulp magazines of the day.

Like many of Heinlein's stories, these are a little dated, with technology and sociological events which haven't quite come true.  He also uses his mind-over-matter plot device a lot in these stories.  We see the mind used to perform unimaginable tasks, such as crossing time, traveling to alternate realities, and even stopping the aging process, all by force of will and mental suggestion.  These metaphysical elements prove to be a set of prototypes, as they resurface in some of his future books and stories.  We also see some social conjecture about slavery, and the value of life, which may have been new back in the day, but is very old and familiar today.

As a Heinlein fan, it was nice to read something else by the Grand Master, though I can't say these stories were anything special.  In fact, I wouldn't recommend them for your average reader who isn't already familiar with Heinlein's work.  While they are halfway decent, they're nowhere near his best, and as such should be sampled only after someone is already hooked by other, more exciting and relevant tales.

I rate this one 3.5 out of 5 stars.  It's by no means as bad as For Us, The Living, but it's no Glory Road or Methuselah's Children, either.

The Convoluted Time Travel Novel (update)

It's about time I shared some more writing news.

Work has resumed on "The Time Traveler's Illegal Harem," the novel I wrote for National Novel Writing Month last November.  While I won the contest by reaching 50,000 words with this work, it is far from complete in many respects, and after six months of letting it rest, I'm back at it, going over the manuscript to ready it for marketing.  It may take some time, as I'm tied up with other work at the moment, so it's a spare time project.

Due to the constraints of the NaNoWriMo contest, and the fact that I was working full days at the time, I couldn't write it as comprehensively as I had my previous novels.  I had to crank out almost 1,700 words a day to keep pace, and when you're coming in off various manual labor jobs, it can be difficult to produce quality literature so rapidly.  But I managed to cross the finish line a day early, and I now have the bulk of the work completed on this novel.

The key to success in NaNoWriMo is to not let yourself get bogged down.  That was the major hurdle I had to overcome, for there were places in this book where uncertainty got in the way.   I wasn't quite sure how to depict some scenes, so in order to keep up with the contest I skimmed over some things, and outright skipped others.  I knew what had to be written, but I needed more time to work out the particulars, so I moved on to other scenes which flowed at a steadier pace.  This left some holes in the manuscript, so now I have some bridging to do.

So, what's the story about?  It basically follows the lives of Temporal Agents who are fighting to restore the timeline.  Jack Baker woke up one day to find he had been erased from history, and ever since he has been trying to restore his future while dodging agents from an alternate version of the Temporal Agency, who believe he is meddling with time.  Meanwhile, there is a more sinister force behind radical alterations in history, an unknown agent who is creating a myriad array of strange pasts and futures.  During Jack's exploits through these divergent realities, he ends up collecting a lot of damsels in distress, many of whom become allies in his fight to fix time.  Though, his proclivity toward rescuing women gives the impression that he's recruiting a harem, hence the title.

It'll all come together eventually, and I'll keep you all up to date on things as they develop.  Stay tuned for more information about this exciting story.

Patented DNA (Minstrel Mondays)

A long time ago, I wrote a little half-poem/half-song called Patented DNA, which was obviously sci-fi related. It was something I almost had published on several occasions. When submitting it to different publishers, I received many positive replies, though none quite positive enough. They all said it was great, and they wanted to publish it, but for various reasons it didn't fit the book or magazine they were putting together. This has often been the case for my work, it doesn't quite fit.

Years ago, I posted this poem for free at Authors Den, a website for aspiring writers that never really worked for me. There are a lot of under-qualified people posting stuff there, so you generally don't get many readers. I stopped using the "paid" version of the site last winter, because it wasn't worth the cost. I can post free stuff on this blog, or at my website, and get more people to read it.

Okay, back to the poem. This little thing has been kicking around for years, but I'm going to repost it here for those who haven't seen it at Authors Den (which is almost everyone).


In this strange day and age that mankind has made,
I find it hard to stay sane.
These things the children do in this future world,
they would simply boggle your mind,
for a century from now, I'll tell you how it is.


When I was twenty one, I had a son,
raising him was supposed to be fun,
but the modern age of technology couldn't leave him be.
They filled his head with fantasies,
of things that shouldn't be.
Indoctrinated him to be a slave of the bureaucracy.


But one day when he was seventeen, he came and said to me,
"Why won't you let me see darling Marie?"
I said, "Come here son, and I'll tell you why
you can't go around with that girl.
Don't you know she was made with Patented D.N.A.?"


My son said, "Sure, dad, I know how she was made.
That's why she's such human perfection.
So why is it wrong to take her out to a show,
or someday give her my ring?"


I said, "It's not that simple, son, she's not right.
She's not free like us at all.
She's a product of bending genes, a biological machine
of the highest order, but she is owned, heart and soul,
by a Wall Street company.
At birth she was sold to her high bidding parents,
but it was only a lease,
the investors hold all the patents,
and the well intentioned scientists
are paid too well to fight."


"To marry her, you'll have to pay her price
to a high rise business firm,
and even then you'll just be renting her.
Then if you want children, you'll have to buy the rights
to her patented D.N.A."


"And then you'll never be free.
The firm will make you pay your children's fee,
and they'll own them indefinitely, same with your genes.
And when your children are grow up, the businessmen will sup
from the sale of their hands into marriage,
just as they did with your wife."


"So now you see, son, I just want you to be free.
I don't want you selling your soul.
In this world of illogicality,
some things, you have to let them be."


Well it took some time before he could speak,
and when he did he sounded very meek.
He said he understood why he couldn't fool around
with the patented D.N.A.
In a world where so few of us are free,
we can't allow the slavers to win over one single soul entirely.


Now you see what I have to put up with,
in this future that mankind has made.
I curse the forefathers of slavery,
of scientific pursuits co-opted by greed.
Some day they'll have to reckon with me.

There, I hope you enjoyed that little bit. It really tells a story, or at least an outline.

*Some of you who are very familiar with my writing history might note that this poem shares the name of a Pill Hill Press anthology containing one of my short stories.  Last year, when Jessy Marie Roberts first considered doing a clone-based anthology, she asked a few of us for title suggestions. I proposed Patented DNA, feeling the name would fit perfectly, and I am pleased to see it has done just that. You might consider picking up a copy of this book sometime, as it has a lot of really good stuff in it, including my own short, "Democracy in Action."

Early Critics and The Guns of Mars

Back in 2009, when the Guns of Mars was a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest, it received quite a bit of praise, but there were some detractors. Most of the negative comments came from fellow contestants, who thought they could improve their chances by writing up negative comments about their competitors. Of course, those reviews were only based on the first 5,000 words (the free excerpt Amazon displayed), so the negative reviewers often had to stretch their imaginations and make wild assumptions about the book's content.

In response, I threw together my own review, combining all of the negative comments and weaving them into a lampoon of those critics. I repost it here for those of you who haven't seen it before.

You suck! (1-star)

That sums up what I think of this writer in a nutshell. His writing is just so abhorrent I don't know where to begin. Let's start with chapter one. What the heck is going on? We're dumped right in the middle of the story, where Morgan (a guy with a girl's name?) is stranded on Mars. There's some kind of conspiracy going on, but we don't know how or why (lack of information is annoying here). He rambles on about missing his wife (hello, Elton John?), and then goes to sleep. We're told briefly about some interesting technology, like a space heater and a fancy pressure tent, but there's no technical schematics detailing how this technology works. Perhaps he is too stupid to describe the physics behind a "carbon scrubber?"

Next, we move into chapter two, which throws us back to the start of the story. Morgan sits in a classroom, learning about going to Mars (boring). A childish "colonel" comes in and acts like a prima-donna teenie-bopper, not a real military officer, and we discover she's somehow uncovered the secret to aging and reversed it? What does that have to do with Martian colonization? We also find out that Morgan is from the past, and there's virtual reality technology around? What? Too many plot threads are cropping up to confuse the feeble minded.

To wrap this excerpt up, Morgan goes home and has dinner with his wife (more boring), and we're left wondering what the heck he'll do next. Like I care!

This excerpt was boring, lacked technical detail, didn't have any gunplay (hello, Guns of Mars?), and the writer spent way too much time on character development. Who cares what these people think and feel? Let's get some action, and blow things up!

This book also looks way too complicated to be good. I mean, every complex story with such varied plotlines ends up sucking, just like that Dune series by that Herbert guy, and don't get me started on Heinlein. This writer does too much, and not enough at the same time. Not only that, but I bet he smells like turnips. Just my impression.

Such a scathing critique! It was very entertaining to throw this together back then, and I think it still stands up today. I had quite a few people complain that I spent too much time on character development, so it struck me by surprise when a recent review claimed I didn't do enough in that respect.

Well, I hope you've enjoyed this little blast from the past. Tune in next week for another adventurous review.

Drifter -By William C. Dietz (Review)

If you're looking for a fast-paced science fiction story without a lot of subtext, Drifter by William C. Dietz is for you.

The story primarily follows Pik Lando, a dashing smuggler who is hired by a group of religious pacifists known as "The Chosen" to haul a very special cargo. The Chosen take the idea of religious pacifism to the extreme, kind of like the Amish of Space, and it turns out they've settled on a planet that is half-owned by an "evil" mining consortium, which wants to drive them off. The passive Chosen can't bring themselves to fight back in a straightforward manner, so they've devised a plan to peacefully defeat the mining company, but they need Lando's help to complete it.

There is a bit of melodrama in this, and a romantic fling between Lando and the young lady who recruits him to help The Chosen. This meshes with the overall theme of the story, and it doesn't get too sappy.

This was the first book I ever read by William C. Dietz, and it was enjoyable. The story was pretty straightforward and sometimes predictable. It's a fun little space opera, with all the action & adventure a Sci-Fi fan could ask for. One thing that could have been improved is the setting, which is left quite vague. We know the characters live in a universe where there is a human "empire" colonizing space, and there are various aliens and cyborgs mixed in here and there for flavoring, but the background of society is mostly left to the reader's imagination.

Overall, I'd set this book at 3.5 out of 5 stars. It's good, but nothing really special, and I found the two sequels to be much better.


I picked up my copy of Drifter for $1 at a used bookstore, and I see there are some affordable used copies on Amazon. I was shocked to see the Kindle version of this book set at $9.99, and I would not recommend that anyone pay that kind of money for this. You'll find the Kindle listing for the book to the left, as there are some interesting reviews posted with it, as well as links to the used paperback copies which can be had for a more reasonable price. As a writer, myself, I understand that my fellow wordsmiths and their publishers need to make money, but charging $9.99 for a Kindle book is outrageous. That's just my opinion, and if you feel differently, by all means, buy the expensive version.

The Guns of Mars: Part 2

I'm happy to see that The Guns of Mars received a couple of fresh 5-star reviews on Amazon.com last week (check it out here). I always appreciate when people take the time and effort to throw down a few words to express their views about my books, and I especially like it when they have something good to say about my writing. My sincerest thanks to everyone who has posted such reviews of my work over the years.

Now, getting into today's blog post, I'd like to introduce you to one of my future works. For some time now, I have had an idea for a direct sequel to The Guns of Mars, and at present I have a decent outline and the first few thousand words written. It's a book I'll get around to completing later this year (hopefully), after I have finished a few other projects that are more pressing.

With the working title of "Bloody Mars," this direct sequel takes us back to the Red Planet, only a couple of years after the events from Guns. We have several past favorites returning, including Melinda Faris, Colonel Seth Avery, and Administrator Budreau, as well as a host of new characters. We will see how the struggling breakaway colonies are doing on Mars, and follow some people on Earth with disparate views of the situation.

Like Guns, Bloody Mars will have political undertones. There are scenes planned which will follow outgoing President Steyn weighing his options concerning the rebel Martian colony, and we'll have some interesting conjecture from his successor, whose personal approach to the issue could spell doom for the colonists. Of course, there is also the European Consensorate, whose leaders will also be plotting revenge against the rebels, so there will be plenty of viewpoints to go around as the plotlines unfold.

Also, we will be learning much more about the alien complex that Morgan discovered. I know some of you have questions concerning that structure, and the experiences Morgan had there (particularly his interactions with Rheena Liszt). Rest assured, all of those questions will be answered! We'll learn the true origin of that structure, and it potential for the future. It'll serve a crucial role in the eventual climax of the story.

I call this a "direct" sequel, because I have already written an indirect sequel which follows Morgan Asher as he ventures back into a virtual fantasy simulation. That book, entitled Virtual Domination, has been completed for quite some time, and I'll be shopping it around to various publishers later this year. It's as much a sequel to "Prisoner of Time" as it is The Guns of Mars.

I'll keep you updated as things progress for this novel. Rest assured, the story of the Scientific States of Mars will continue. It's just a matter of time.

Doctor Who: The Complete 5th Series (Review)

Yes, at long last, I'm ready to tell you what I think of Doctor Who: Series 5.

First of all, I have been a Doctor Who fan for all of my life. I remember watching the original series on PBS every Saturday afternoon/evening when I was growing up. I suppose it is one of the reasons I became a writer of Science Fiction in particular. The fantastic idea of time travel and outer space adventures was ingrained into me from birth.

I purchased the 5th Series on DVD when it came out last November. I was understandably curious to see in what direction the series would be going, with a new head writer and a new Doctor. I had some concerns, as change can sometimes be disastrous for a popular television series, and Doctor Who was already dropped in the late 80's after popularity dwindled (John Nathan Turner did pretty much kill the show toward the end there). The wrong stories and the wrong actors could send Doctor Who back into hiatus, and I wondered if this would be the case.

What a relief it was to watch the first few episodes. My fears were quickly quelled, as the stories turned out to be better than ever before. I have to say, this is quite literally Doctor Who at its best, and Matt Smith's portrayal of the Doctor may just be my new favorite! I've been a long-time William Hartnell (1st Doctor) fan, and he'll always be held in high esteem, but Smith is just too good, and he has the advantage of modern production dollars to make his portrayal come off even better.

As I mentioned, the stories this year were exceptional, some of the best Doctor Who has ever had. They had more of a Sci-Fi feel to them, where previous years seemed to put greater emphasis on Horror. Of course, there are always both elements in any Doctor Who story, but things certainly seemed more "fantastic" in Series 5, which is a big plus in my book.

The only thing I wasn't completely sold on was the new Tardis console. I think they went a little too far with it, made it a bit too wacky. Other than that, it was a pretty perfect season. I even liked the Dalek episode that a lot of people have criticized.

Another thing I loved about Series 5 is that it turned Doctor Who into a truly family friendly show again. Call me old-fashioned, but I found the previous years of the new show to be a little too sexualized at times for young children (I'd rather not have my 4 year old watch Captain Jack hitting on every man, woman, and alien he sees, thank you). The 5th Series has virtually no sexuality in it, which brings it back to the kind of show it was originally designed to be.

With great production values, intelligent stories, and great acting, I am giving this one a full 5-star rating. This is Doctor Who at its best!  (Yes, I said that previously, but you can't say it enough!)

If you've never seen the show before, this is a great DVD set to pick up. You can watch these episodes and fully enjoy them without a working knowledge of the greater universe. There are a few old themes and foes that pop up, but you don't need an extensive background in the series to understand what's going on.

Review: Odyssey 5

I know I mentioned doing a review for the 5^th Series of Doctor Who, and that's in the pipeline, but I recently had the chance to view the DVD set for Odyssey 5, so I'd like to do this one first.

Odyssey 5 is a show that aired on Showtime in 2002.  The premise is interesting, involving 5 people who survive the end of the world and have their consciousnesses sent back in time 5 years, in order to change history (notice a whole lot of 5's running around this review.  It must be an alien plot).  You can read all the great promo material for this series at amazon.com, so I won't waste time rewriting a synopsis, but get right to my views.

This series had a lot of potential, and if it had run for more than one season, it may have been truly great, but it was sadly cut short, leaving us with an unresolved cliffhanger and a whole lot of ideas.  With that said, there are a couple of stylistic flaws which aided the decline of this series before its time.  1:  The language was excessive.  Every other word was a curse word at times, and it got to the point where it distracted from the show.  2:  The brief scenes of full female nudity weren't really necessary, and they were often stuffed into episodes just because they could put them there.

I personally believe that this series would have lasted at least 2 seasons (or possibly even longer) if not for the adult content which lowered the viewing potential.  From an economical standpoint, this series would have had a lot more profitability if it had been done as a PG-13 format, for the syndication value would have increased.  There are a lot of networks that still don't show R-rated content.

In my estimation, if you liked the X-Files and don't mind a lot of swearing and a few minor scenes containing naked women, you'll enjoy Odyssey 5.  The DVD set is petty cheap, too, so I'd recommend it for the aforementioned folks.  However, I would most certainly not recommend it for anyone with strict morals, or for children.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5.