Posts Tagged Sci-Fi
Movie Mayhem – Kin
Posted by Bryan Caron in Entertainment, Film, Movies, Reviews on September 2, 2018
Kin — 2018; Directed by Jonathan and Josh Baker; Starring Myles Truitt, Jack Reynor, Dennis Quaid, Zoë Kravitz and James Franco
When someone sets out to tell a story, the intent is to capture the audience’s imagination and provide a satisfying climax that keeps people wanting more. Everything is developed in a way that allows us to fall in love with the characters so much, we want to continue to spend time with them, even though they have received closure at the end of their story.
Sometimes, though, this need for more stems from the wrong reasons. The characters may meander through circumstances that don’t necessarily add up, eventually throwing us a curveball at the end that makes you wish that story was the one they had told instead of the one you actually had to sit through. This scenario is Kin in a nutshell — a film that provides nothing of substance until the very last minute, but by then, it’s far too late. Read Full Review
IndieBook Review – Watership
Posted by Bryan Caron in Books, Entertainment, Novel, Reviews on October 28, 2016
Watership — A Novel by Jenna Whittaker
“Show don’t tell.”
It’s one of the first things fiction authors learn. It essentially means to set every scene with emotion, details and physical action rather than bluntly telling the reader what happened. For example, if a major battle happens, it’s always more satisfying to revel in all of the gory details than to simply say, “Both sides fought an epic war and side A became the victor.” Readers hunger to be part of the action, as if they are standing right alongside each of the characters. They can’t live every moment if they feel like an outside bystander being told the events of a story secondhand. A reader’s investment relies heavily on details, and when their attention wanes, that’s when a book tends to be replaced with another before “The End” is reached.
Author Jenna Whittaker falls into this trap quite often in her novel, Watership. Though I did sluggishly make it to the final page, it was extremely hard to invest any interest in what was happening. Read Full Review
Meet Kara Reisen & Thomas Demeut – The Spirit Of…
Posted by Bryan Caron in Books, Entertainment, Novel, Promotions, Releases, Writing on April 22, 2016
The final two members on Matthew Stevens’s team are similar in many ways: they both joined about the same time, they both have a history in hunting ancient artifacts that may have some connection to the Bible, and their pasts are haunted with pain and regret. They also became real fast friends. In fact, when I first met them, I could swear they were a couple. Hey, they’re both pushing forty and have no significant others to speak of. It was an honest mistake. But they’re good sports. They could laugh at it.
Let’s break it down for you. Learn more about Kara Reisen and Thomas Demeut
Meet Henry Green – The Spirit Of…
Posted by Bryan Caron in Books, Entertainment, Novel, Promotions, Releases, Writing on April 21, 2016
Talking to Henry Green, one of Matthew Stevens’s archaeology students, is… how do I say this? Interesting? He seems like a decent guy when you first meet him, but once you get to know him a little, things aren’t so cut and dry. It doesn’t help that his life before joining Matthew’s team is unknown. Whenever I brought up his past — that is any time before his first meeting with Matthew during a freshman arrival banquet at Yale — he’d remain allusive, changing the subject or feigning ignorance. I’m not saying he’s trying to hide anything, but I know the same question hides in the back of Matthew’s mind. Learn more about Henry Green
Meet Lauren Mead – The Spirit Of…
Posted by Bryan Caron in Books, Entertainment, Novel, Promotions, Releases, Writing on March 25, 2016
Next up in my series of character introductions for my new novel, The Spirit Of…, is Lauren Mead, best friend and fellow archaeologist of Matthew Stevens. The two met nine years ago as part of the same expedition to Egypt and have been basically inseparable (professionally, that is) ever since. My theory for this is her deference for Matthew. Lauren’s history with men hasn’t been remarkable — in fact, it’s been downright brutal — and there was a kindness in Matthew I believe Lauren became attached to, and hasn’t been able to give up since.
Meet Matthew Stevens – The Spirit Of…
Posted by Bryan Caron in Books, Entertainment, Novel, Promotions, Releases, Writing on March 10, 2016
As you may know, my new novel, The Spirit Of…, is being released on June 3, so in an attempt to build some anticipation for the book, I’ll be introducing you all to the major characters over the next three months.
First up is Matthew Stevens, archaeologist and Professor of Archaeology at Yale University. At least he was a professor before he squandered all of his grant money on a fool’s attempt to locate the city of Atlantis. And this wasn’t the first time he’d ruffled feathers in the scientific and archaeological communities. His theories and ideas have never been widely excepted. Some even went so far as to dub them blasphemous. Just reading a snippet of his graduate thesis gives you some insight into why: Learn more about Matthew Stevens
Sci-Fi Toybox – Time Travel
Posted by Bryan Caron in Books, Entertainment, How To, Writing on January 7, 2016
The arsenal for science fiction is incredibly expansive. From spaceships and futuristic weapons to scientific breakthroughs and genetic engineering, sci-fi writers have plenty to play with when it comes to tapping away at a story that will blow readers minds.
One of my favorite sci-fi tropes is time travel. It’s a fun way to look at the what-ifs of life (and tapping into the universal ideas of second chances and changing for the better), and I love how it challenges you to think, not only about the consequences of how altering even the smallest thing can have far-reaching effects, but in the complexity of what’s needed to make traveling through time make sense. I’ve used time travel in both novel and screenplay formats, and have been in the development stages of a young adult series that will utilize time travel as its core narrative device.
Why has it taken so long? Because time travel isn’t one of those devices you can just use and at any time you like. Misuse of time travel can lead to disastrous results, including plot holes, paradoxes, confusion, headaches and disbelief. Find Out More About Time Travel
Have Yourself A Merry Sci-Fi Christmas
Posted by Bryan Caron in Miscellaneous Stuff on November 13, 2015
That’s right, Christmas is once again peering its red and green eyes around the corner, and everyone’s gearing up to blow the doors off of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the three weeks between Thanksgiving and the giving holiday (well, those who celebrate it, at least). The question now is, what do you get that sci-fi lover in your life? I mean, it’s so hard to find anything in the realm of science fict… oh, who am I kidding. Let’s be real. It’s not hard to find a gift for the nerdy geek — what’s hard is choosing from the plethora of plethora of science fiction items out there.
Well, rest assured, I am here to help. As a science fiction fan (and sometimes nerd, sometimes geek and all out Star Wars fanatic), I scrounged the Internet to compile a list of five terrific gifts any true sci-fi nerd would love. I should know. I want all of these. Check Out My Gift Ideas
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Star Wars: The Anticipation Awakens
Posted by Bryan Caron in Commentary, Entertainment, Film, Movies, Observances on November 27, 2015
At one point in my 2012 film, Secrets of the Desert Nymph, one of the characters encourages his best friend to go after the girl of his dreams before it’s too late. When his friend finally agrees, he’s boggled by the idea that he do it right that minute.
The exchange:
“You mean now?”
“No. When episode seven hits theaters.”
Of course, this was when it was a well-known fact that George Lucas wasn’t ever going to release another Star Wars film. The joke was meant to mean if he didn’t do it right that minute, he never would.
Cut to one year later and the announcement that Disney bought Lucasfilm and its entire film library for $4 billion dollars. Disney’s second announcement — Episode 7 was coming, and it was coming fast. And even though it makes the joke in a three-year-old movie seem as dated as the fight over Beta and VHS, I couldn’t be more excited. Find Out More
Commentary, Entertainment, Jaxxa Rakala, Movies, Opinion, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Star Wars
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