I was thinking today about George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones and the fact that I’ve more or less given up on the series after reading the first book. A lot of my friends are rabid-at-the-mouth crazy about it, both the books and the TV miniseries, but I’m just not all that into it.… Continue reading Why I don’t like George R.R. Martin
Tag: good and evil
Trope Tuesday: Knight Templar
For this one, I’m going to pull the description straight from tvtropes itself, since the whole page is pretty good: Sometimes, the Forces of Light and Goodness get too hardcore. In a deadly combination of Well-Intentioned Extremist, The Fundamentalist and, generally speaking, not so different, they get blinded by themselves and their ideals, and this… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Knight Templar
Trope Tuesday: Gone Horribly Wrong
For this week’s Trope Tuesday post, I’ve invited a guest blogger to come on and discuss one of the tropes in his most recent book. Andrew Saxsma is the author of Lonely Moon, a space opera / horror novel. I haven’t read it yet so I can’t say much about it, but it looks interesting,… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Gone Horribly Wrong
Trope Tuesday: Sinister Surveillance
Someone is watching you. Their eyes are everywhere. Everything you do, everything you say … it’s all being recorded in a giant database. But don’t worry–you can trust the ones watching you. They have your best interests at heart. They’re only after the bad guys. You won’t even know that they’re there. Sinister Surveillance is… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Sinister Surveillance
The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell
I’m not even going to try to write a synopsis of this story. It’s just like all the other books in the Drenai series, which is why I love it so much. Basically, this one gives the story behind the rise of Ulric, khan of the Nadir, and the origin of the Nadir people. Interestingly… Continue reading The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell
E is for Empire
Almost every far future science fiction story has a galactic empire of some kind. From Dune to Foundation, from Star Wars to Firefly, there’s always someone trying to rule the galaxy, often in a way that makes life difficult for the protagonists. Why? Rule of drama, of course, but also because it gives the story… Continue reading E is for Empire
Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
When Doctor Elwin Ransom went on a spontaneous walking tour of rural England, he wasn’t expecting to be kidnapped by a mad scientist and taken to Mars. He soon escapes, only to find himself lost without any way to return home. Fortunately, the native Martians soon take him in, teaching the otherworldly stranger of their… Continue reading Out of the Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis
Trope Tuesday: Hoist By His Own Petard
One of the most satisfying ways to defeat the villain is to have his own nefarious scheme bring about his downfall. In Hamlet, Shakespeare described this as “hoist by his own petard,” or blown up by his own bomb. Basically, it’s a self-deposing villain whose evil plans have gone horribly right. Not only is this a… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Hoist By His Own Petard
Trope Tuesday: True Neutral
The True Neutral is something of an enigma. They generally take no side, either because they have moved beyond good and evil, or because they simply don’t see good and evil the way we do. Or because this isn’t their war and they just want to be left alone. Or…well, let’s get to it. From the… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: True Neutral
Trope Tuesday: Lawful Neutral
Unlike the Lawful Good, the Lawful Neutral has no qualms about committing heinous acts to maintain order. Whether for country, for position or for the preservation of the English language, these characters believe in law above all else, giving stern chase or sacrificing their own personal feelings to achieve it. From the easydamus character alignment page:… Continue reading Trope Tuesday: Lawful Neutral