"Real" Alternate History

You knew it had to happen.  Alternate America finally got a negative review, though it was actually quite entertaining.  Some people say you shouldn’t respond to bad press or negative criticism, and that is true in many cases.  However, it can be fun to play with it, so long as you don’t take yourself too seriously and don’t go after reviewers with a steak knife.  I’ve often made fun of criticism, as can be evidenced by my own “mock” review of The Guns of Mars excerpt displayed during the 2009 ABNA contest.

So, the review in question today is a 2-star review on Amazon which gives the reviewer’s opinion that Altered America is “Not Really Alternate History,” which is pretty funny in itself.  Of course, there are various types of Alternate History, though as this review explains “real” Alt. History has to focus on a specific historical event and change it to create a different future (and there can’t be any magic, time travel, or other such nonsense involved).  So, that’s his personal preference and he’s welcome to it.

When I put this collection together, I decided to include a varied assortment of stories, to span the full spectrum of the Alternate History genre (which, contrary to one person’s opinion, can be quite diverse).  There are a few stories in Altered America that include Fantasy elements, a one that includes Sci-Fi elements, but a majority of them are still straight up Alternate material.

For the sake of argument, let’s take a quick assessment of each story, and see what comprises it.  Anyone who wants to see some brief tag-line descriptions for these stories can go to its Martinus Publishing listing.

Rio Grande by Jackson Kuhl:  Straight Alternate History in the 19th Century, where parts of Texas formed a separate nation.

We the People –by Dan Gainor:  Alt History +Sci-Fi (cloning the founding fathers).

A Single Decision –by Bruno Lombardi:  Straight Alternate History about 9/11.

What if... The Louisiana Purchase Never Happened –by Edmund Wells:  Straight Alt. History.  During the early 1960’s, alternate political divides exist in America during JFK’s Administration.

The Orthogonian –by Sam Kepfield: Straight Alt History, early 1970’s, Nixon as an FBI agent.

Revolution 1865 –by Brad Hafford: Straight Alt. History, British still rule America.

Ship of Souls –by Erik Bundy:  Alt. History +Fantasy.  Vikings settle North America, and there are some ghosts and supernatural elements mixed in.

End of the Rainbow –by Dusty Wallace:  Alt. History +Fantasy.  Elves and Leprechauns in modern times, plus historical back story.

The Loyalist Washington –by Owen Morgan:  Straight Alt. History.  Washington stayed loyal to England.

Guns of the Green Mountains –by Ryan McCall:  Straight Alt. History.  American independence fails, Vermonters fight against England in 1802.

The Shining Path –by Jason Sharp:  Straight Alt. History.  America invades Quebec in the 1970’s, clearly defined historical explanation included.

The Union Forever –by Sean Menken:  Straight Alt. History.  Years after the Confederacy wins the Civil War, Maryland votes to join them.

Goodbye, Norma Jean –by William R. D. Wood:  Straight Alt. History.  Nuclear war during the early 1960’s, featuring Marilyn Monroe.

Wild Blue –by Jeff Provine:  Alt. History +Steampunk.  Balloon travel abounds in the Wild West (a plausible historical change is explained to justify it).

Avoid Seeing A Mouse –by James S. Dorr:  Alt. History +Fantasy.  Egyptian mythology and curses play a role during Y2K.

Thomas Edison Visits Selwood –by Martin T. Ingham:  Alt. History +Fantasy.  Magic competes with technology for supremacy in the 1880’s.

Divided States of America –by Lauren A. Forry:   Straight Alt. History.  America is balkanized by a dispute over the Constitution, and the various nations are at war during modern times.

A Girl’s Best Friend –by Cyrus P. Underwood:  Straight Alt. History. Marilyn Monroe didn’t die in 1962, and changed history because of it.

The Lights on Broadway –by Charles Wilcox:  Alt. History +Steampunk.  An alternate form of power is discovered at the dawn of the 20^th Century.

The Black Blizzard –by Philip Overby:  Alt. History +Fantasy.  Elves, Minotaurs, and Magic exist during the Great Depression.

The Road Was Lit with Moon and Star –by Bruno Lombardi:  Straight Alt. History.  Apollo 11 crashes, and Apollo 12 (with an alternate commander) must land on the moon first.

So, let’s do the math.  That’s 13 “real” Alternate History, 1 +sci-fi, 2 +Steampunk, and 5 +Fantasy.  For a book that isn’t “really Alternate History,” it certainly has a lot of Alternate History in it—just in case anyone was wondering.

The reviewer’s other big complaint was that 3 stories involved either Marilyn Monroe or JFK.  They were all completely different and unique, but there’s no accounting for taste.  It is clear that the reviewer has no problem with the writing, as he has no complaint other than that the stories aren't his cup of tea.  Two of his three other Amazon reviews make a point of deriding poor writing, so, in this case, omission is a compliment!  Good writing and good editing must have earned us that second star!

So, in summary, if you hate Fantasy, Sci-Fi, or JFK/Marilyn Monroe stories, then you might not like half the stories in Altered America.  Though, if you enjoy a little speculative fiction, as well as solid, “real” Alternate History, then this collection is just the thing for you.  Pick it up and see for yourself.

Star Trek: Into Darkness (Review)

Okay, this is old news, and everyone else has already had their two cents worth about this movie release, but now I'd like to put it to bed with my own three cents worth overview.

First off, I'm an unashamed Trekkie, who grew up watching reruns of The Original Series, and saw the new episodes of TNG, DS9, and Voyager as they aired.  In 1998, however, the crappy Canadian broadcast station that aired DS9 and Voyager dropped them, so it wasn't until almost a decade later that I finally had the chance to see the last season of Deep Space Nine and the last three seasons of Voyager (when they came out on DVD), as well as the four existent seasons of Enterprise.  As a teenager, I also read a lot of Trek books, including those by William Shatner, himself.  Okay, Trekkie credentials established.

When they did the first "reboot" with the unimaginatively entitled "Star Trek," I had my doubts.  After watching the movie in 2009, I found it entertaining, but it definitely wasn't the Trek I had grown up with.  To be fair, it was more like Battlestartrek Galactica—a dark and gritty action adventure, which Gene Roddenberry would probably have found distasteful.  Mind you, DS9 was pretty dark at times, but it was flowers and roses compared to this thing that J.J. Abrams directed.

Now, jumping ahead to "Into Darkness," here we have a continuation of that dark and dreary "alternate" universe of Trek, with some familiar villains and a lot more bloodshed.  It was a wild, vicious ride, with a limited storyline that doesn't require a lot of thought from the viewer.  In other words, it's just your typical Hollywood shoot-em-up sci-fi flick. To be blunt, if it weren't branded "Star Trek," this film would be suited to little more than being a cheap made for tv movie they would air on SyFy on Saturday night.  I'm sorry if that comes off as harsh, but it's how I feel after watching this thing in its DVD release.  Of all the Star Trek movies, it had the weakest storyline, bar none.

Spoiler Paragraph:  Amidst that weak story are some pretty lame "revisions" to the franchise.  Since when is Khan's blood a magic healing elixir?  Didn't see that in TOS or Star Trek II.  A Klingon with piercings all along his ridges? A really ugly pop-culture homage mistake there!  Peter Weller as a psychotic, heartless Admiral?  I mean, he's a great actor, but this was a really poor role—his schemes came off as shallow and almost cartoonish.  He should have had a mustache to twirl as he bragged about planning to kill Kirk's entire crew all along.  And this new version of Spock is way too emotional.

Star Trek: Into Darkness is mildly amusing, but it really isn't Star Trek.  I dream of a day they actually bring back a real Star Trek television series; something that has substance, intelligent writing, and a future vision that isn't trying to look like some dark, gritty Star Wars/ BSG clone.  I want the old universe back so bad!  Hopefully, we'll get something going with Star Trek: Renegades!

Roses –by The Cranberries (Album Review)

It's been too long since I put new material on the blog, so I'll take a few minutes to review the latest album by The Cranberries, a band I enjoyed in my youth.  I started listening to them with their second album, No Need to Argue (which remains their best album, in my opinion), and I kept listening straight until their "last" album in the early 2000's.

A few weeks ago, I was perusing music on Amazon.com, just to see what was out there after many years of not buying much new, and lo and behold the Cranberries put out a new album in 2012, their first in over a decade.  Well, I couldn't let that pass without a listen, so I bought the digital MP3 version and had at it.

"Roses" is a good warm-up comeback album, something reminiscent of their earliest material, and a potential stepping-stone toward future hits.

This album has a lot of songs I'd classify as okay, but only a couple that stand out to me.  "Conduct," the first song on the album, is my personal favorite of the collection, while "Waiting in Walthamstow" is a haunting melody which seems eerily familiar (though I can't tell what it reminds me of).  "Tomorrow" is reminiscent of one of their earliest hits, "Dreams," and the others should satisfy those familiar with the Cranberries song stylings.

So, how does this album compare to their earlier works?  I'd say it is their best overall album since No Need to Argue, but it lacks a major hit.  As I said, there are a few songs that I really like, but nothing really jumps out at me as a single.  "Show Me" had real potential, and listening to the first forty-five seconds for the first time I was expecting it to be that stand-out song, but the chorus just fell short.  It seemed to be building up to something that could have been a real head-banger, but it didn't.

I'd put this as a solid 3-star album; definitely worth buying for Cranberries fans.

Amazon Comedy Pilots

Last week, I got one of those Amazon emails that draw your attention to some special feature or offer they have.  In this instance, they were asking for people to view and review their new comedy tv show pilots, and since it was free I thought, why not?  So, over a few days, I took the time to look at the eight pilots, and gave my opinion on seven of them.  I'll now take a moment to go over my impression of each proposed series.

Before giving my assessments, I will say that I am very surprised that every single pilot has received more 5-star reviews than non-5-star reviews.  Even the best of these shows only rated 4 stars in my book, and I honestly can't tell what people are basing their votes on.  Are they really that easily entertained, that they think this stuff is the best of the best?  Or are they just so eager to pump up a few select shows that they're inflating their vote?  I think the latter is probably true.

Also, note that most of these shows have a lot of cursing in them.  It seems the writers went wild with f-bombs and the like, since these aren't on the air yet.  If any of these shows went on network tv, they'd just edit that out, I guess.  You have been warned.

Now, on with my three cents worth on each of the series.

Alpha House:  This one was weak satire, which did little more than make fun of Republicans.  The humor wasn't my cup of tea, and I think a more balanced approach would have made this a more promising pilot.  I could see this running half a season (at most), but by then even the Bill Maher fans will get bored with the clichéd jokes and stereotyped characters.  John Goodman's renown would be the only thing that could make this thing stay afloat for more than a few episodes.  A 2-star effort.

Betas:  A comedy for computer geeks.  The humor in this one was more subtle and serious.  To be fair, this show seems more suited to being a 1-hour drama program, rather than a comedy.  The first ten minutes or so were very dull for me, but after that it really picked up, and I started to get a fondness for the characters (except that mid 30's washed-up stoner guy).  This also has a brief shot of a naked lady in it, but the stoner guy was just chatting to some online hooker, so I guess that's okay (not).  I think if this was expanded to the hour (aka 40-45 minute) format, we'd have more time for character development, and thus the show would be able to flourish.  3-stars, with room to grow.

Browsers:  Comedy + musical?  This is the one show I couldn't get through.  The musical numbers just threw me off, and prevented me from enjoying the show.  It's a novel idea, but I wouldn't watch it.  No star-rating given, since I couldn't even get through the show to review the whole episode.

Dark Minions:  An animated comedy which was only half made.  They use that stop-motion animation technique, and I guess the creators didn't want to waste time making an entire episode until they had a contract for a full series.  However, what's there is intriguing.  It's a sci-fi comedy that could devolve into the next Futurama, or flourish as an animated cross between Family Guy and Red Dwarf, with some Douglas Adams thrown in.  In its present form, it seems a bit juvenile, and the drug usage is a little stupid. (I never got the idea of dope in space, how is that funny?)  The characters were a bit two-dimensional.  3-stars.

Onion News Empire:  A parody of the mainstream media, this one was fair and balanced.  There are some really funny moments, and bit of character development, and a few really outrageous elements tossed in.  Of all the Amazon pilots, this one felt the most professional, in my opinion.  It also had a lot of really good talent, most notable in my book being William Sadler (is he really that fat these days, or is that just a costume?).  I gave this one 4-stars.

Supanatural:  This one is a parody of the supernatural/horror/Ancient Aliens genre.  The main characters really grated on my nerves; a couple of divas with bad attitudes who work in a mall and on the side save the world from the paranormal.  The storyline was amusing, and the evil doomsday skull really stole the show.  If they spent some time making the ladies more likeable, this could fit in with the growing number of adult animated series, but in its present form it only rates 3-stars.

Those Who Can't:  A cynical comedy about High School teachers, which has a bit more truth than fiction to it.  Yes, there are obvious exaggerations, and the comedy is sometimes over the top, but it is almost believable at times.  The hippy-like principal is a nice touch, as well.  I give this one a 4-star rating, it being my 2nd favorite of the bunch.

Zombieland:  The series picks up where the movie left off, only with a new cast and less humor.  This felt like a really weak attempt to recreate something that has already been done, and it gets old really fast.  When it comes down to it, this just wasn't all that funny, and it has nowhere to go but down.  Zombies just aren't funny enough to sustain an entire series.  That, and the new actors can't compete with the big-name movie stars who defined their roles (really, who could ever replace Woody Harrelson?).  A weak 2-stars.  I almost want my half hour back for watching this one.  Unless you're a die-hard zombie fan, don't waste your time here.

Okay, so that pretty much sums it up.  Amazon also has five kid show pilots, but I didn't watch those, since I'm not really into that stuff (even though I have 4 young children).  Now it's your turn.  Go over to Amazon and watch a few of the shows there.  See what you think.

Check out all of the Amazon comedy pilots here.

Review of the Week

I am pleased to share the following review for The Curse of Selwood, which a reader sent me not so long ago.  This should be up on Amazon.com soon:

A mournful train whistle cuts through the dusty plains of southern Nevada en route to a wedding – a cry signaling murder.  When Warlock-Sheriff James Doliber arrives on the scene, the horror and devastation aboard the doomed passenger train make two things painfully clear: some supernatural force is loose in Selwood, and it has no respect for the sanctity of marriage – or the law.

A “horned eight” scratched in blood at the scene of the massacre dredges up fears of an ancient curse laid upon the settlers of Selwood.  The bride-to-be of the mayor’s son is discovered missing among the train’s slaughtered occupants – the first act of vengeance to be inflicted upon the small town, and their only clue.

With his faithful deputies at his side – the beautiful elf maiden, Joella Grimes-Talus, and her unlikely husband, the stout-hearted dwarf, Boron Grimes – Sheriff Doliber aims to set things aright using his wits, his sidearm, and his skills as a Journeyman Warlock – knowing his powers may prove insufficient against this potent source of evil.  To complicate matters, US Marshal, Ned Rogers, who holds no love for the Warlock-Sheriff, tries to investigate matters in his own way, outside the law if necessary.

And so opens Martin Ingham’s latest chapter in the West of the Warlock series, The Curse of Selwood – a supernatural murder mystery in an “old western” setting unique for its drunken elves, pistol-packing dwarves, and shady leprechauns.  With a surprise appearance from the shade of the notorious Jesse James, The Curse of Selwood is a rootin’-tootin’ tale of mystery, action, and adventure, successfully merging the spirit of the old west with time-honored elements of fantasy and horror.  The characters Ingham creates are well-developed and engaging – particularly the troubled Joella Grimes-Talus, and the story is compelling.  I recommend you put your spurs up a spell and give The Curse of Selwood a read.  You’ll be pleased you did, partner.

Check out free samples, and links to buy the whole book here.

The First Review of The Curse of Selwood

Yes, the word is beginning to circulate about The Curse of Selwood, and the first review has been posted on Amazon.com.  This one comes from a loyal fan, Kevin Finnegan, who has been reading my stuff since Virtual Wiles.  This is a man who has a lot of integrity, and he gives honest reviews.  Have a look at what he has to say about The Curse of Selwood:

Just finished reading this and I must say the author has written a terrific story. I've read all his other works, and while "Rogue Investigations" has always been my personal favorite this latest work may cause me to revise my list. The major characters of Selwood are fleshed out in this 2nd installment and their personal struggles and character traits add depth to the story.

When I compare the "Selwood" stories to "Rogue Investigations" and "The Guns of Mars", it's quite clear how Ingham is growing and developing as an author. Those earlier stories were good but the characters were not as fully developed as in these latest efforts. Ingham takes the time to include some personal history of each character in order to show what drives them. Because we see this we are made aware of their individual strengths and personal flaws and so come to care about them. That's what makes me want to keep turning the pages - I care about the people in the story and I want to find out what happens to them.

I don't know of any other stories that involve sword and sorcery imagery and are set in the Wild West. It's quite unique. Ingham makes reference to some well-known historical figures and events, which helps the reader fill in the details of the Selwood universe from his own imagination. That too, makes it a "fuller" world.

Ingham includes some detailed information when describing various firearms used in the story and it's obvious that he has a great deal of personal knowledge on the subject. He takes many opportunities to describe some aspects of these weapons in the story; describing some element of their construction, their use in the field, their relative strengths and weaknesses and how their owners actually feel about them. To me, a pistol is a pistol and a rifle is a rifle. I don't own a firearm and I've never given much thought to using one on regularly. But many of the characters in the story have very strong preferences about firearms. It has piqued my interest in them to some degree.

There's a lot left to explore in the Selwood universe. I'd like to see more stories involving these characters, and even some of the minor characters, like the bartender, are quite intriguing and their involvement in future stories can only enhance the series. Thankfully, Ingham sees no need to include immoral content or offensive language, so his stories can be enjoyed by younger (teenaged) readers as well.

Now, go out and get your own copy of The Curse of Selwood, and see if you agree with this 4-star review.  If you're really generous, think of sharing your own opinions about this work, as well.  Spread the word, and keep the story alive!

Kindle Version

Print Edition

What a Croc!

This Christmas, I had the opportunity to sample a few new things.  Among the varied holiday goodies, there was a different kind of cheese tossed into the mix.  Old Croc, an Australian import.  There are quite a few tasty things that come from Down Under, and as it turns out this cheese is one of them.  I was thrilled by the extra sharp taste of their cheddar, and I would highly recommend this stuff to any cheese connoisseur.  It's among the best cheddar I've ever sampled.

They should have Paul Hogan do an advertisement for them.  That's some Croc!

Yeager's Second Book

Last year, I did a brief review of Yeager, the autobiography of General Chuck Yeager, the first man to break the Sound Barrier.  He has led an incredible life, from his humble West Virginia upbringing to his days as a fighter pilot in World War II, onward through years as a test pilot for the latest and greatest aircraft, and he even ran an Astronaut training program.  He is quite a fascinating and inspiring character, something of an "everyman" who downplays his own greatness at every turn.

A few years after the success of his autobiography, Yeager put together a second volume, with new details and stories about his life.  Press On: Further Adventures in the Good Life is more of a supplement to the first book, filling in gaps in his life story and they're not always told in-sequence.  While the first book was pretty straight chronologically (starting with his childhood onwards), this second volume is more a collection of stories that are interspersed throughout his life.  They are fun and entertaining to read, just as the first book, and they're told in a very non-literary manner.  It's like listening to an old flyboy telling you about himself in a laid back, cozy manner.

For those who want to learn more about this incredible American, I highly recommend this book and its predecessor.  Read them as a pair, and get a full dose of Yeager!  You will not be disappointed.

Europa Universalis III (PC Game) –Review

Here's a game that I've had sitting on my shelf for over a year, but I didn't get around to trying it out until a few weeks ago.  I'd played the previous versions, having picked up a copy of EU-I many years ago for only a few dollars at Mardens.

For those of you unfamiliar with the game series, EU is something of a historical conquest game akin to Risk.  There are different timeframes and scenarios to play, including The Grand Campaign (starting 1399), Age of Exploration (1492), Age of Revolutions (focusing on the American & French Revolutions), and several other times and events in-between.  While the starting points and nations are all historically accurate, your decisions during game-play can change fate considerably, making it fun and unpredictable.

Getting to Europa Universalis III; this game has several improvements over the previous versions, including a Court of Advisors, which gives you different bonuses to your research values, military prowess, and financial stability.  The military units are now more diverse and varied.  We also see the introduction of "National Ideas" which help to shape and direct the course of your nation.

Colonization and exploration are now more accessible.  Once you reach a certain Naval Technology level, you can pick a National Idea that lets you recruit explorers and conquistadors, where in previous version of the game you had to wait to get such a unit either at random or due to a real world historical event (which means in many cases you simply didn't get one).  Without a naval Explorer, you can't venture beyond known sea-lanes, and without a Conquistador, you can't explore unknown land spaces.  So, this is a major improvement in my opinion.  There is a new "colonial range limit" that can be frustrating at times, but it does keep things realistic and challenging.

Another great improvement in this version of the game is the ability to play any nation.  In previous versions, you could only select from a certain group of "primary" countries in any given scenario/timeframe.  In EU III, you can pick any nation in existence, even some North American Indian tribes, only you do remain hindered by historical reality.  In other words, if you're playing a primitive tribe, they remain primitive, and their technological advancement is slow to non-existent.  Still, it is nice to have the option of variety, and it is fun to pick from the hundreds of different countries found across the globe.

One thing that I dislike about this new game are the "sprites" used to represent the different armies and navies.  In previous versions, you had a little ship or a soldier to represent a unit.  In this game, you have a flag.  Yes, just a boring old flag!  This sadly gives it more of a board-game look, and this is the one feature I find truly inferior to the previous games.

The only other thing that I'm not real keen about are the North American territory boundaries.  While the basic geography is recognizable in most cases, the territories are chopped up into unrecognizable blobs that don't resemble the provinces, states, or even the old colonial territories in many regards.  That, and the names are mostly unpronounceable and hard to remember (generally based on some old native settlement or a single county in the area).  They still need to work on their representation of North America a bit.

If you enjoy complex strategy games, Europa Universalis III should pique your interest, and allow you to wile away hours of valuable time.  Overall, I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5 stars.

Modern Art –By Matthew Sweet (Music Album) Review

I've been a fan of Matthew Sweet's music ever since I first heard his 100% Fun album in 1995.  Since that time, he's been one of my favorite musicians, and I've come to appreciate his ever evolving sound.  He has never quite gained the superstar status I feel his talent ought to warrant, but I'm not here to begrudge modern music tastes today.  Rather, I'd like to share my thoughts on Matthew's latest release, Modern Art.

It has been a few years since Matthew Sweet released a new album (not counting the Under the Covers albums he did with Susanna Hoffs), but it was well worth the wait.  I pre-ordered the special Vinyl release of Modern Art from Amazon, and as soon as I played it through the first time, I knew we had another hit album on our hands!

This album is very retro in its sounding, and I don't mean retro-Sweet.  While different than his previous recordings, you hear a lot more of his musical influences (The Beatles, Neil Young, the Byrds, etc...) coming through in the work.  If you went back in time and put this record on the market in 1970, it would have fit right in with the top albums of that time period.  That's a plus in my book, since much of my preferred music comes from that era.

Favorite Songs:

Baltimore:  I'm not sure why, but this song really has me hooked.  It may be the best one on the whole album.

She Walks The Night:  A great retro-sounding track.  If you like 60's music, you'll dig this gem.

Another Chance (Bonus Track):  This is a great little song.  Why was it relegated to bonus download status?  It should have made it onto the album!

Album's Weak Point:

Ivory Tower:  For some reason, this song just grates on my nerves.  It is the one track I dislike from this collection.

I wasn't really keen on his Sunshine Lies release a few years back, but Modern Art makes up for that tenfold.  This is easily his best album since In Reverse, and it deserves more positive attention.  Download a couple of the tracks, and see what you think.

To Vinyl or not to Vinyl:

I have a whole stack of old LP's on a shelf right behind my desk, so it was a personal choice to go for Modern Art on vinyl.  It's rare that you can buy a "new" record in this manner today, so there was a certain thrill in purchasing it in this format.  It was a few dollars more, but it was worth it for me, and it came with a promotional card that allowed me to download the whole album (plus bonus tracks) onto my computer!

However, there are a couple of things that disappointed me about the vinyl release.  It came as a 2-record set, but the 13 songs they include on the records could have easily fit on a single, double-sided LP.  It sucks to have to get up and turn the record over after 10 or 12 minutes of play.  They only included 1 of the 4 bonus tracks on the LP, and it confounds me why they didn't just put all 4 bonus tracks on the record!  They would have easily fit, and it would have justified the 2-record set.

That said, I don't regret the vinyl purchase at all, especially with the free download.  I can listen to the songs in digital quality all I want, and put the records on the turntable when I'm in the mood.  The best of both worlds!

5-Star album all around!

Exploding Chocolate for Rosh Hashanah

Tonight it's Jewish New Year 5772, and it just so happens that I recently ran into something very fitting for the occasion.  Let me tell you about it.

I was shopping at Mardens the other day, and this unusual little chocolate bar leapt out at me.  It was "Milk Chocolate with Popping Candy."  I was intrigued, and looking at the package I discovered it was made in Israel.  Kosher chocolate with pop rocks?  Who could resist?!?  I snatched up several of these tasty beauties and I was not to be disappointed.

You'd be amazed at how delicious chocolate can be when it has little bits of popping candy mixed into it.  Really, you can't compare it to anything.  I encourage you to buy some of this stuff.  It's worth it!  The candy literally explodes in your mouth with fun and flavor.

You know this stuff has to be good.  It's manufactured under the supervision of the Nazareth-Illit Rabbinate.  That name just screams quality, doesn't it?  Buy a 12-pack today!

This chocolate gets 5 out of 5 stars!

Castle: Season 1 (Review)

Here's a DVD set that kept popping up on my Amazon.com recommendations, and a while back I decided to give it a shot.  It was recommended because it stars Nathan Fillion, star of the wonderful but sadly cancelled Firefly series.  Though, this series is a far cry from the fantastic sci-fi heights of Fillion's past.  This is a cop show with a twist, as Fillion plays Richard Castle, a famous murder-mystery writer who gets himself attached to a NYC detective (who happens to be a very attractive woman—there are no ugly female cops on television, go figure).

I had mixed emotions going into this, as shows with a "writer" as a main character can generally go one of two ways.  Either the character is this fantastic, gregarious super-writer (everything the real writer wishes he/she was in real life), or the character is made goofy and comical, to counter the writer's inherent desire to cast themselves in the lead role.  With Fillion's character, the writers do a bit of both.  Castle is this dashing, rich writer with a suave personality, philandering tastes, and a cynical attitude sometimes more akin to a sitcom character than a crime drama star.  Nathan Fillion is a fine actor, and he does a great job with the material he's given, though I guess I was expecting his character to be a little more serious.

With that said, this isn't a horrible show.  It actually is entertaining, for the most part, though like a lot of mainstream shows it has its flaws.  The one character I can't stand in this show is Castle's burned-out Broadway-wannabe mother.  She's very annoying and pretty clichéd.  I think we've seen this stock character template used a few million times on other tv shows over the decades.

After watching the first season, will I be picking up the second and third season DVD sets at some point?  Probably, but am I eagerly running out to spend my bottom dollars for a chance to see more?  No.  When I manage to slip some fresh funds into my entertainment budget, I'll consider buying the next seasons, though there are other shows that rate higher on the list right now.  I will say this show has a lot of untapped potential, and I wonder if they're realizing it yet.

3.5 out of 5 stars; a good show for casual viewing, but I've seen better.

House M.D. (Season 1 DVD) –Review

I'll admit I'm not big on "medical dramas."  I couldn't stand ER, and generally yawn at the glut of doctor shows flooding the airwaves.  So, what I'm about to say about House M.D. might come as a surprise.  I really quite enjoy it.  Why?  Perhaps because it is quirky, and not another General Hospital wannabe.  The main character (played by the very talented Hugh Laurie) is so misanthropic at times he adds genuine flavor to a show that might otherwise be pretty drab and clinical.  That, and the medical cases the show handles are so bizarre it can spark the imagination.

Until recently, I hadn't really given the show that much attention.  I watched a stray episode here or there over the years, yet in a recent impulse buy I decided to pick up the first season on DVD (hey, it was only $25 at Walmart, so it wasn't a big investment).  After sitting down to watch this first season, I enjoyed myself and broadened my horizons.  Bully for me!  Now I have to save up to get the other sets.  So much entertainment, so little disposable income...

In my opinion, the first season of House M.D. is the cream of the crop when it comes to medical shows.  Even if you aren't a big fan of this mainstream sub-genre, this show is worthy of your time.  4 out of 5 stars.

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.

The Expendables (DVD) -Review

I saw "The Expendables" a few days ago, and I found it to be a decent shoot-'em-up movie.  We see an aging Sylvester Stallone still able to pull off the strong guy persona of his youth with relative ease.  The movie also has a lot of other action actors including Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. Plus we see guest appearances from both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, who drop in for about 5 minutes.

This isn't for children.  There is a lot of foul language, and plenty of blood and gore, as you would expect from an R-rated film about a band of violent mercenaries fighting pirates and drug lords.  If you want raw action, and aren't easily offended, then this will satisfy you.

The DVD has some interesting extras, including one deleted scene, a gag reel, and feature commentary from Stallone, himself!

I give the movie and its DVD release 3 out of 5 stars.  It's entertaining, but nothing exceptional.

The Walking Dead (Season 1) -Review

I've been a bit under the weather since Saturday with a particularly nasty cold virus, so I'm throwing this together at the last minute.  I have a few pre-written posts in reserve, but none that fit the Wednesday Reviews feature, so this one is fresh and raw—kinda like my throat!

I had the chance to see the first season of "The Walking Dead" a while back.  I'm not usually big on zombies, or horror in general, though this series has a lot more to offer than your average gore-fest.  It's not so much a horror story, as a post-apocalyptic tale of survival, and there is serious character development present throughout.  Yes, there is still plenty of bloody violence, and zombies get shot in every episode, so those who like the more traditional form of zombentertainment will no doubt enjoy this, as well.

Another thing to appreciate is the attempt to explain the zombie apocalypse through scientific means.  Though the first season doesn't get too in-depth, and there are still a lot of unanswered questions, it is clear there is a sci-fi explanation behind the walking dead.  They didn't just crawl out of the grave to eat people, and there isn't magic afoot.  I expect the plausible cause will continue to evolve as the series goes forward.

The series started out as a comic book, though I haven't read it...  What?  Right, sorry, they're "graphic novels."  Hey, the industry started calling them that when I was a kid, trying to make them sound grown up or classy, but they're all still comic books!  There's nothing wrong with that.  Anyway, I haven't read the original story, and therefore get to watch the suspenseful surprises of this intriguing series without any foreknowledge of what's to come.

My only major complaint regards the length of the season.  It's so short, you can hardly call it a "season."  I really hope that AMC can find the money to make the next season a little longer.  Hey, they could give us at least ten episodes a year, right?

I'll rate the first season 4 out of 5 stars.  It's very well done, the acting is spot-on, and the stories are very engaging.  Let's see more shows like this!

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.

Warehouse 13 (Season 1 DVD) -Review

A while back, a friend of mine suggested that I check out this series.  Since I don't currently have cable/satellite, I haven't had the chance to see much of the new programming on SyFy (though after they axed SGU, I can't say I'm eager to run out and get a station subscription).  Anyway, the price of the Warehouse 13 Season 1 DVD Set finally came down, and with an Amazon Goldbox deal I was able to get a copy for under $19.

This isn't a bad little series, though you can't take it too seriously.  The stories are more fantasy than Sci-Fi, which isn't bad, though there are times it gets kind of goofy.  Eddie McClintock's character acts more like a college frat boy than a Secret Service agent at times, though Saul Rubinek is stellar in every episode.  Joanne Kelly is a decent actress, as well.

Most of the show is family friendly, so it's something pretty much everyone can enjoy.

The first season is only 13 episodes long (counting the first double-length episode as 2), so the set can be watched quickly.  There are a few DVD extras (deleted scenes, outtakes, behind-the-scenes, an offbeat interview with Mr. Rubinek, etc.), which are nice to see, as well.

The initial retail price was nearly $50, which I consider to be very high for such a small set.  Yes, some iconic franchises like Doctor Who can get away with such a costly price tag, but this series is not that good.  Yet, for around $20, I'd say it's a good deal, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes whimsical Fantasy-esque Sci-Fi.

Four out of five stars.

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.

Robin Hood (2010) -Review

I recently had the chance to see the latest Robin Hood movie, starring Russell Crowe, so I'd like to share my thoughts on it.

Overall, I found this movie to be enjoyable, and somewhat original in the field of Robin Hood films. Rather than a rehash of the classical story, we see a reinvention of the legend. I know they tried a similar sort of rewrite with the 1991 version starring Kevin Costner, but Crowe's portrayal of the folk hero is far better (especially since he speaks with the right accent). Other than that, the housing, landscape, and people looked a lot more grungy and realistic. You could believe it was 800 years ago, and the story itself was grittier, without the customary dose of fluffy feel good nonsense.

There are a few historical inconsistencies which don't really detract from the story's enjoyability. The biggest one is King Richard's death, which is overly dramatized for theatrical effect. While it is true he was shot by an archer, it was in the arm, so it took him almost 2 weeks to die from gangrene.

Historical accounts tell us that King Richard returned to his bankrupted kingdom in disgrace, and wanted to raise money for another Crusade. He was in the middle of suppressing a revolt in Limousin (in Central France), and it's possible he was also seeking to procure a cache of Roman coins discovered by a local farmer (much like his little brother John would do in later years, Richard sought to extract whatever funding he could from the people). During a morning's survey of the battlefield, Richard caught an arrow in the arm from a crossbow-wielding boy.

Thus ended the reign of Coeur de Lion, a Norman King who couldn't speak a word of English and had no love for the people he ruled. History has rewritten the king into a great leader, but he was really a piggish monarch who died a failure. On top of that, researchers have speculated that he may have dabbled in homosexuality, and it's possible he even had an affair with his own sister. How scandalous! Richard the Lionheart, indeed!

I expect you can see why they couldn't show the "real" King Richard in the movie. However, they did show him to be more pig-headed and arrogant than in previous versions of Robin Hood, so that's a plus.

The only other inaccuracy I noticed lies in the use of written English words on the sword's hilt and on different landmarks. Back in 1199, everything would have been in Latin, but I suppose that wouldn't have had as big an impact on the viewers, since few people can read that script these days.

Neither of these trifles diminished the movie's effectiveness, and in retrospect they probably improved it. This is historical fantasy, after all, so trying to get too accurate would be foolhardy.

I give this latest incarnation of Robin Hood 4 out of 5 stars. I really hope they have a sequel in the works, because they did a good job of setting up a whole new series with this one.