Black Gate – Page 587 – Adventures in Fantasy Literature

Fantasia 2016, Day 19: Critiques of Cartesian Dualism, Plus an Elk (Embers, L’Élan, We Are the Flesh)

Saturday, December 17, 2016 Matthew David Surridge Comments 0 Comment

Embers By Monday, August 1, the end of the 2016 Fantasia Film Festival was in sight. Two more days, and it’d be over for another year. Bearing that in mind I was determined to pass by the Festival’s screening room and catch up with some films I’d missed earlier in the festival. First, though, I was headed to the De Séve Theatre for a showing of the American-Polish science-fiction movie Embers, about a world struck by a plague of forgetting. After that I’d go to the screening room, where I’d watch the French absurdist comedy L’Élan and the Mexican horror-fantasy We Are the Flesh (Tenemos la carne).

A short film called “Event Horizon” played before Embers. Directed and written by Josépha Celestin, it’s a sweet but slow film about a young girl (Kate McLaughlin) in 1997 with a desire to explore, and a black hole that appears not far from her home in a Scottish village. Other youths aren’t as idealistic as she is, providing some tension to the piece. It’s an understated story, for good or ill, with striking cinematography. It’s remarkable for doing something character-based with a distinctly science-fictional premise.

Embers is the first feature film from director Claire Carré, with a script by Carré and Charles Spano. It gives us a future in which the world’s afflicted by a mysterious global plague robbing its victims of their short-term memories. The plague struck ten years before the film begins, and seems to have infected virtually everyone. Embers follows several different plot strands — some of which overlap and some of which do not — in the decayed world that has resulted. Time having passed since I saw Embers at Fantasia, I will note that it’s now on Netflix in Canada and the US; and I will say at once that anyone looking for a cerebral yet character-centred science-fiction film should see this movie. Well-crafted and elliptical, it avoids presenting easy answers or obvious genre structural strategies while being science-fiction in the most profound sense, using a nominally technologically-based shift in the world to raise questions about identity and human nature.

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With Doctor Strange Behind Us … My Ranking of the Marvel Studios Films

Saturday, December 17, 2016 Ryan Harvey Comments 9 comments

With the release of Doctor Strange, Marvel Studios has now advanced two films into Phase 3 with a remarkable tally of fourteen feature films produced over eight years — the most prolific blockbuster franchise ever. More remarkable is the level of quality the series has maintained. There’s only one entry so far I’d classify as a legit bad movie, and Marvel got that one out of the way early. Marvel Studios keeps its comic book movie engine chugging steadily along because it’s woven together a mesh of characters audiences love, and because it varies tone, style, and genre with each movie. Tech adventures, space opera, fantasy, war, espionage… Marvel offers something for everyone.

And since the Internet loves numbered lists, and I like writing my opinions, here’s my personal ranking of the fourteen MCU films so far. It’s a wobbly list, but I’m fine with wobbly if the reason is that most of the entries are just so good that they crowd close together. With one exception, I’d gladly sit down to watch any of these films on a whim.

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Romeo and Juliet with Undead, an Underworld, and a Juliet Who Kicks Butt: Bright Smoke, Cold Fire by Rosamund Hodge

Saturday, December 17, 2016 John ONeill Comments 0 Comment

When I published her story “Apotheosis” in the final issue of Black Gate, Rosamund Hodge was a brand new writer, with only three published stories under her belt. Now she’s an acclaimed fantasy novelist, with two YA novels, Cruel Beauty and Crimson Bound to her credit, and a highly anticipated new book. Can I pick ’em, or what?

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire was released in hardcover from Balzer + Bray in September; it is the opening novel in a duology based on Romeo and Juliet (with necromancers). School Library Journal writes: “Hodge creates a world ravaged by the Ruining, a fog that killed the living and allowed the dead to walk… [with] magic, an underworld, and a Juliet who kicks butt.”

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city’s most powerful — and warring — families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou, share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on the Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan — and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die.

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding the Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong — killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy… and perhaps turn against his own clan.

Mahyanai Runajo only wants to protect her city — but she’s the only one who believes it’s in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death—and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara.

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting…

Bright Smoke, Cold Fire was published by Balzer + Bray on September 27, 2016. It is 448 pages, priced at $17.99 in hardcover and $9.99 for the digital version. See all our coverage of the latest released from Black Gate writers here.

Goth Chick News: Take Me Back to Cloverfield

Friday, December 16, 2016 Sue Granquist Comments 0 Comment

In January of this year we reported how J.J. Abrams was up to his old guerrilla marketing tactics again when 10 Cloverfield Lane was not only announced, but also came with a trailer and a release date only a few months later in March. The pseudo-sequel to the 2008 found footage sci-fi/horror film Cloverfield was a box office success, even garnering some serious if fleeting Oscar buzz for John Goodman.

Because 10 Cloverfield Lane reignited fan interest in the franchise (and made such bank), it was pretty much a done deal that there would be another entry in the Cloverfield universe. However, given that it was eight years between the first and second installments, no one was exactly holding their breath.

Then in October it seemed that we should have been, when The Wrap revealed that the next film in the series was already in production — and had a title and a release date: God Particle; ETA February, 2017

However, literally before I could bring you the news, the top secret film directed by Julius Onah, was pulled from the schedule.

Seriously J.J… WTF…?

Now this week comes word from Paramount Pictures’ PR branch that they plan to release a new Cloverfield movie in theaters (and IMAX) on October 27, 2017.

And with that we now have a mystery on our hands.

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December 2016 Clarkesworld Now Available

Friday, December 16, 2016 John ONeill Comments 0 Comment

In his article “The Joy of Helping” in the latest Clarkesworld, writer and translator Ken Liu (The Wall of Storms, Invisible Planets) says some splendidly on-point things about helping others.

The truth is: It feels good to help people. Even today, much of my motivation in editing and translating stories from China is still tied up with this satisfaction of helping writers reach readers. Surely I would have written more original works and made more money without these translations — but I think I wouldn’t have been as happy.

And we don’t acknowledge and celebrate the joy of helping enough.

It’s also important to acknowledge that we like to be helped. I have been helped countless times in my career by friends, editors, readers, fellow authors—even Invisible Planets wouldn’t have been possible without the help of all the authors and many others along the way. All of us have probably had experiences where a friend’s insightful comments improved our stories… or we got onto a panel because someone more famous and accomplished thought it helpful to boost our voices. The sun feels brighter on those days, and even the writing seems to come out of the word-mines more easily.

It’s nice to be able to make someone feel that, isn’t it?

As freelancers in the uncertain publishing industry, writers are bombarded with advice on how to develop our careers and to think strategically. Sometimes it almost seems as if we’re supposed to feel foolish if our motivation for doing something is simply to help someone with no expectation of any advantage whatsoever. And if we do receive help, we are conditioned to think of it as part of some implied exchange, a favor owed that might be called in someday. Neither reaction, I submit, is necessary. Helping someone truly is its own reward.

Preach, brother Liu! It’s there’s one thing I’ve learned in 17 years publishing Black Gate, it’s that the biggest rewards always come from promoting others. Read Ken’s complete piece here.

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In 500 Words or Less: The King in Darkness by Evan May

Friday, December 16, 2016 Brandon Crilly Comments 2 comments

The King in Darkness
By Evan May
Renaissance Press (267 pages, $14.99 trade paperback/$2.99 digital, July 21 2015)

I haven’t had much luck with writing by Canadian authors set in Canadian cities, regardless of genre — which isn’t to say that those sorts of novels aren’t generally good. I’ve just had bad luck, I think, which started with the Canadian literature I was forced to read in university, and led me until recently to avoid speculative fiction set in, say, Toronto or Vancouver.

Clearly I’ve been missing out, though; a while back I read the first of Linda Poitevin’s Grigori Legacy novels and loved it, and now I’ve hit gold with a second spec fic novel set in a Canadian city: The King in Darkness, the debut novel from Evan May, which takes place in our mutual home of Ottawa.

I’ve considered and abandoned the idea of writing a story set in Canada’s capital several times, always worried about the political essence of Ottawa creeping into the work. May manages to write a novel that uses the physical setting of Ottawa in interesting ways — including the grounds around Parliament and the University of Ottawa — while avoiding any of the baggage that our fair city might bring to the narrative. For an Ottawa resident, recognizing locations is like a video game’s Easter eggs; if you know nothing about Ottawa, you don’t lose anything, either, thanks to May’s clear descriptions.

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New Treasures: Kojiki by Keith Yatsuhashi

Friday, December 16, 2016 John ONeill Comments 0 Comment

I attended Keith Yatsuhashi’s reading at the World Science Fiction convention in August. He read the opening section of his debut novel Kojiki, and I found myself very intrigued. Afterwards Keith very kindly gave me his reading copy, and I brought it home to Chicago, where it quickly became a favorite here in the Black Gate offices. Angry Robot has announced that the sequel, Kokoro, will arrive early next year.

Every civilization has its myths. Only one is true.

When eighteen year old Keiko Yamada’s father dies unexpectedly, he leaves behind a one way ticket to Japan, an unintelligible death poem about powerful Japanese spirits and their gigantic, beast-like Guardians, and the cryptic words: “Go to Japan in my place. Find the Gate. My camera will show you the way.”

Alone and afraid, Keiko travels to Tokyo, determined to fulfil her father’s dying wish. There, beneath glittering neon signs, her father’s death poem comes to life. Ancient spirits spring from the shadows. Chaos envelops the city, and as Keiko flees its burning streets, her guide, the beautiful Yui Akiko, makes a stunning confession – that she, Yui, is one of a handful of spirits left behind to defend the world against the most powerful among them: a once noble spirit now insane. Keiko must decide if she will honour her father’s heritage and take her rightful place among the gods.

Kojiki was published in paperback by Angry Robot on August 2, 2016. It is 447 pages and priced at $7.99, or $4.99 for the digital version. The cover is by Thomas Walker. The sequel, Kokoro, will be published by Angry Robot on April 4, 2017

Red Sonja 0

Thursday, December 15, 2016 MichaelPenkas Comments 11 comments

Red Sonja first appeared in the pages of Conan the Barbarian back in the 1970s. Her distinct red hair, iconic chain mail bikini, and total indifference to absurdity quickly made her a fan-favorite. She next appeared in a string of solo adventures for Marvel Feature before getting promoted to her own series. Unfortunately, stories about a woman in a bikini fighting psychedelic monsters just became too silly and sexist as the She-Devil with a Sword made her way into the 1980s. A few years back, some hack wrote a bunch of articles for Black Gate about the glory days of Red Sonja, lamenting that she would never again be as crazy or as fun as she was in her 70s heyday.

Never say never.

Amy Chu and Carlos Gomez are heading up a new Red Sonja series in 2017 and, as a sort of pre-holiday treat, they’re offering a sixteen-page intro story at the super-low price of 25 damned cents. That’s cheaper than a lot of the original Red Sonja issues ran and I’m pretty sure they’re losing money due to printing costs alone. But they’re hoping that potential new readers will risk a quarter on a story that motivates them to stick around for the regular series. Will this gambit pay off? Time will tell.

The issue starts off with a splash page of Red Sonja running up a crumbling stairway, sword drawn in either hand, threatening a Godzilla-sized demon. It’s a badass introduction to our heroine. Or it would be, except for the fact that our first view of the She-Devil with a Sword is an upskirt shot. And Sonja’s not wearing panties. And that’s why I won’t be including panel shots with this review.

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Last Chance to Win The Watcher at the Door: The Early Kuttner, Volume Two!

Thursday, December 15, 2016 John ONeill Comments 0 Comment

Ack! Time is running out for you to win one of the two copies of The Watcher at the Door: The Early Kuttner, Volume Two we’re giving away. And trust us, you really want this book. The latest archival quality hardcover from Haffner Press is a massive collection of 30 early weird fantasy tales by Henry Kuttner, and we’ve been awaiting this gorgeous book for a long, long time. We first gave you a sneak peek back in April 2015.

The Watcher at the Door is the second volume in a three-volume “Early Kuttner” set collecting many of Kuttner’s earliest stories, most of which have never been reprinted. The first volume, Terror in the House, was released way back in 2010.

How do you enter? Simplicity itself. Just submit the title of an imaginary weird fantasy story. The most compelling titles — as selected by a crack team of Black Gate judges — will be entered into a drawing. We’ll draw two names from that list, and the two winners will receive a free copy of The Watcher at the Door, complements of Haffner Press and Black Gate magazine.

How hard is that? One submission per person, please. Winners will be contacted by e-mail, so use a real e-mail address maybe. All submissions must be sent to john@blackgate.com, with the subject line The Watcher at the Door, or something obvious like that so I don’t randomly delete it.

All entries become the property of New Epoch Press. No purchase necessary. Must be 12 or older. Decisions of the judges (capricious as they may be) are final. Sorry, US only. Not valid where prohibited by law.

The Watcher at the Door: The Early Kuttner, Volume Two is 700 pages in high-quality hardcover format, with an introduction by Dr. Garyn G. Roberts and a foreword by Robert A. Madle. It is edited by Stephen Haffner, and was published October 28, 2016. The cover price is $45. Cover art is by Jon Arfstrom. See the complete TOC here. The book is available directly from Haffner Press.