So the summer movie season has officially begun, and I have to say it's off to a thunderous (pun intended) good start. Kenneth Branagh's THOR is a true scifi/fantasy epic, blending seamlessly into the Marvel Cinematic Universe while standing on its own at the same time. Now, no film is perfect and THOR is no exception. But it's certainly a movie worth checking out.
THOR plays into the "ancient astronaut" theory very well and believably, portraying the mythic Asgardians as extremely advanced extraterrestrials (but not "alien" in the traditional sense). The titular protagonist, portrayed surprisingly well by relative (but not for long) unknown Chris Hemsworth, is a valiant, courageous yet arrogant warrior, albeit with good intentions. I have to admit, the casting of Hemsworth was my biggest concern about the film, and I am very pleased that those fears were allayed. Hemsworth proved himself capable of handling the God of Thunder's arc on the same level as Robert Downey Jr. did with IRON MAN, and that's saying something. Hemsworth hits all the right notes in this film, from where his arrogance consumes him in the beginning to that pivotal moment when he steps in front of the Destroyer, realizing that true strength stems from humility and self sacrifice. And every moment in between. While this isn't your Shakespearean "thee" and "thou" Thor (try saying that three times fast), the oddity in his speech and his actions compared to his earthly companions is exactly what should be expected, and uproariously funny to watch at times. Not to mention what is probably Branagh's most genius move as director on the project, to have the God of Thunder taken down by a Taser. Irony doesn't get more epic than that!
Of course, a leading man is only as good as the cast around him, and this is one hell of a cast. Not enough can be said for Tom Hiddelston as Loki, who's first minutes of screentime are all played through his eyes. While Loki is indeed the god of mischief, Hiddelston adds gravitas and sympathy to the role, and I can't remember ever really feeling for a villain before. Having been kept from the truth about his origins, one can see why he would go to the lengths that he does, all for the approval of his adoptive father.
Speaking of Anthony Hopkins, he gives Odin Allfather the theatrical credit this film needed for audiences to get their heads into it. While Odin is king of Asgard, his stoic persona can be, and is, shattered by his sons' actions. When it falls to Odin to pass judgment on Thor for his defiance, unlike the trailer which showed him stripping Thor of his powers with authority, in the actual cut Hopkins is shown in apparent physical as well as emotional pain. This gives the character of Odin more substance than I think most people thought he was going to have.
The trio of Natalie Portman--excuse me, Academy Award-winning Natalie Portman, Kat Jennings and Stellan Sarsgaard make up Thor's earthly companions Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, and Erik Selvig. Researching Einstein-Rosen Bridges (aka wormholes), they encounter Thor in the desert and are soon entangled in the events unfolding as Thor seeks to reclaim his hammer Mjolnir and with it his powers. Dennings is, appropriately enough, mostly comic relief, and Sarsgaard's Selvig is the access character for everyone else in the film to the Norse myths and legends about the Asgardians.
Branagh shows tremendous poise in the Asgardian half of the film, it's only in the earth portions of the film that one can see a few chinks in his directorial armor. Branagh has a natural knack for classically epic filmmaking, as he proved in MARY SHELLY'S FRANKENSTEIN (one of my favorite films). However, he makes up for those flaws with some surprisingly well-placed comedic timing that will definitely appeal to the general audience.
It was great to see Clark Gregg back as Agent Coulson, as a way to tie THOR with the rest of the MCU. And not to mention (SPOILER!!) a cameo from Jeremy Renner as "Barton" (hint hint).
I think the thing that made this movie a real treat was the design. Branagh's sense of scale in this film is beyond anything I've seen in a comic book movie to date, and was really breathtaking to see. I don't know how he did it, but I loved the melding of the seemingly ancient and highly advanced (with a few Futhark runes thrown in for good measure here and there). Asgard, Jotunheim, and earth, how they're all interconnected through the Bifrost (rainbow bridge) but a wholly fascinating way that makes me want to explore it more.
All in all, THOR has successfully kicked off the summer movie season, and is definitely worthy of repeat viewings if anything for all the details that you would've missed on the first go-round. On a scale of "meh" to "epic", THOR is most definitely epic.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Fanboys' Delight: The Summer Movie Season Part 1- Here Come the Heroes
Every year, Hollywood studios save their biggest guns and most lucrative franchises for the months of May, June, and July (sometimes August). This is the time when fantastical stories (GREEN LANTERN, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2), mythic figures (THOR, CONAN THE BARBARIAN) and iconic characters (TRANSFORMERS 3, CAPTAIN AMERICA, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4) take center stage. But not every movie is guaranteed to be a surefire win of epic proportions. And thus, the double-bladed irony of what is known as "fanboyism".
For the sake of my fingers, I'm going to split this into two posts. In this one, I'll be covering the 3 major superhero tentpoles of summer 2011. Read on (possible spoilers ahead!) and enjoy...
As a fantasy author, I'm constantly researching the histories, languages, cultures, architectural styles, and most importantly the mythologies of ancient civilizations for inspiration in THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY's own mythology (case in point, I have a sketch of the werewolf fortress of Ak'horokaš, and it drew heavy inspiration from Mayan and Aztec architectural design--more on that later). At the same time, I'm also an ardent comic book geek. I've always sided more with DC than Marvel (that's for another day!!) but when it comes to Norse mythology I just can't say no. There's something inherently appealing in there that makes it easy to understand why Marvel turned one of the Norse's greatest heroes into one of it's most beloved comics. And with Kenneth Branagh bringing the God of Thunder to life for his silver screen debut, I have very high hopes for this movie. Branagh, coming from a theatrical background, knows exactly the right amount of prose to use, and how much of that "high style" tone to incorporate as well, something he's very skilled at. Also, this is Branagh's biggest movie since he directed "Mary Shelly's Franeknstein" with Robert De Niro, a film I thoroughly enjoyed.
THOR is a big risk for Marvel, which is currently really pushing it's "Marvel Cinematic Universe" (and the AVENGERS film that will be a direct result of it next summer), mainly because the general audience hasn't seen their version of the character before, aside from vague memories of the original "Amazing Spider-Man" cartoon. But the premise of a god who has to learn how to be a hero by being human, and overcoming his own arrogance, is compelling enough so that when the action kicks in we'll already be enjoying the ride. Tom Hiddleston has been getting rave reviews for his performance as Thor's scheming brother Loki (appropriately, the Norse god of mischief), so I'm very excited to see how he plays his role.
And with Anthony Hopkins as Odin...well, need I say more?
Keeping the Marvel theme going, let's talk CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, shall we? I'm not going to lie, I was never into the guy in the comics. No, I'm not saying I didn't like him, I just didn't get him. But after seeing the latest trailer, I'm actually pretty intrigued to see this. Chris Evans, while not the first choice I would've made in casting the Cap, seems eager to get away from Johnny Storm, and he's got a great supporting cast around him to help him do just that. 
Hugo Weaving always plays a damn good villain, and with Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci there's a pretty good chance that this movie can be just as enjoyable as THOR. Joe Johnston, the director responsible for THE MUMMY and more recently G.I. JOE and THE WOLFMAN, is sort of a hit-or-miss director and doesn't have me as excited for Captain America as I am for Thor. But there's no doubt that this movie will be a huge hit after the killing of Osama bin Laden, not only here but around the world as well. Amazing how things work out sometimes, isn't it?
As I've said, I'm more of a DC fanboy than a Marvel fanboy, which is why I'm most excited for Warner Bros' GREEN LANTERN. Call it my Most Anticipated Superhero Movie of 2011. The Green Lantern comics have a rich history and complex mythology to stand on, and despite the fact that he's a so-called "second tier" hero compared to DC's big three, that puts absolutely no pressure whatsoever on Hal Jordan to stand next to them, because his story as it has developed over the last forty someodd years is one of the most unique in comics. Whereas Superman and (until recently) Batman are the sole heralds of their insignias, Hal Jordan is a Green Lantern, one of only 3,600 sentient beings given the responsibility of wielding a tool of near-limitless power, a ring that, according to Tomar-Re (voiced by Geoffrey Rush), "turns thought into reality" through the user's willpower. But there's a catch: in order to access the ring's capabilities, the wearer must possess the ability to overcome fear, in the comics and film personified by a demonic being of pure yellow energy known as Parallax.
Now, while my preferred choice for Jordan was Bradley Cooper, I think Warners and director Martin Campbell (of James Bond fame) made a very shrewd casting call by giving the part to Ryan Reynolds. While mostly known for his comedic timing, Reynolds has proven his dramatic mettle in such films as the AMITYVILLE HORROR remake and the more recent BURIED. Reynolds has that right blend to make Jordan fearless, and cocky because of it, which of course gets him in as much trouble as it does help his willpower as a Lantern. Surrounding him, like Chris Evans with CAPTAIN AMERICA, is a finely well rounded cast (Mark Strong as Sinestro!!!).
Peter Sarsgaard, always a favorite actor of mine, gets his turn as a villain as Hector Hammond, and he looks grotesquely amazing from what I've seen thus far. Add the voice talents of the above-mentioned Geoffrey Rush as Tomar-Re and Michael Clarke Duncan (who better?) as Kilowog, Jordan's fellow Corpsmen, and you can bet that GREEN LANTERN is going to be the surprise hit of summer '11.
Stay tuned for the next edition of FANBOYS' DELIGHT, where I'll give my thoughts on X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, PIRATES OF THR CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, CONAN THE BARBARIAN and of course, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
For the sake of my fingers, I'm going to split this into two posts. In this one, I'll be covering the 3 major superhero tentpoles of summer 2011. Read on (possible spoilers ahead!) and enjoy...
THOR is a big risk for Marvel, which is currently really pushing it's "Marvel Cinematic Universe" (and the AVENGERS film that will be a direct result of it next summer), mainly because the general audience hasn't seen their version of the character before, aside from vague memories of the original "Amazing Spider-Man" cartoon. But the premise of a god who has to learn how to be a hero by being human, and overcoming his own arrogance, is compelling enough so that when the action kicks in we'll already be enjoying the ride. Tom Hiddleston has been getting rave reviews for his performance as Thor's scheming brother Loki (appropriately, the Norse god of mischief), so I'm very excited to see how he plays his role.
Now, while my preferred choice for Jordan was Bradley Cooper, I think Warners and director Martin Campbell (of James Bond fame) made a very shrewd casting call by giving the part to Ryan Reynolds. While mostly known for his comedic timing, Reynolds has proven his dramatic mettle in such films as the AMITYVILLE HORROR remake and the more recent BURIED. Reynolds has that right blend to make Jordan fearless, and cocky because of it, which of course gets him in as much trouble as it does help his willpower as a Lantern. Surrounding him, like Chris Evans with CAPTAIN AMERICA, is a finely well rounded cast (Mark Strong as Sinestro!!!).
Stay tuned for the next edition of FANBOYS' DELIGHT, where I'll give my thoughts on X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, PIRATES OF THR CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, CONAN THE BARBARIAN and of course, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2
Saturday, April 30, 2011
The Fantasy Genre, Post-Harry Potter
With the release of "HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2" on July 15, a long, prosperous and truly epic era of fantasy literature finally comes to and end. This sort of seminal event is of the once-a-generation variety of rare, and most of us have grown up with the series since elementary school. It's been a wild ride no doubt but there is a question to ask: What will succeed Harry Potter?
Right now we have Twilight, the Inheritance Cycle, and others dominating the fantasy genre, but none of them have had the impact comparable to Harry Potter or even Lord of the Rings, which I would say are the two most influential works of fantasy literature of the past 60+ years. I have never, and WILL never, hid my disdain for Twilight, but rest assured there are for very specific reasons for that disdain. I will not delve into them here.
Since MATHION: BOOK ONE OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY has seen its release, it has (for the most part) been welcomed with considerable praise. I could not be more grateful to those who took the time to not only read the book but review it. Both the positive and negative reviews are welcomed, as the positive reviews give me great confidence as I continue writing, and the negative reviews keep me from getting too far ahead of myself. I hope, to all of you who are looking forward to "THE LAST ASCENSION: BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY", that I can live up to your expectations, and that you enjoy reading these books as much as I enjoy writing them.
I will never make any attempt at comparing THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY to any previous work of the fantasy genre in terms of being "the best", for lack of better expression. That determination can only be made by YOU, the readers and critics and fans. So the answer to my question, "What will succeed Harry Potter?" I will leave for the readers to answer.
But I hope to God no one says "Twilight"...freaking fangirls man.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Excerpt from UNSEEN- Chapter I of THE LAST ASCENSION BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY
Chapter I – Unseen
Five hundred and eighty-three years after the Battle of Ak’horokaš…
§Hâr-Tharion, Ser-Mathion, and Ser-Mathios were riding along the Red Mountains, returning home after holding council with Belevâk, the Mountain-lord of Hádakaš. Belevâk was now very old. Having been nine hundred and six years old during the time of the Great Alliance, he was now eleven years shy of his fifteenth century, and there was far more grey to be seen in his hair than when Mathion first met him. Mathion had changed as well. No longer counted among the “young people” of Ánovén, Mathion had only the year prior reached the age of one thousand, during the course of which he had garnered many victories against the Kânín.
§His son Mathios was now four hundred and twenty-eight years old, and a perfect replica of Mathion himself at that age, save for Mathios’s red hair. For much of the last ten years, Mathios had spent his time in Kôvudén, joining the Watchers guarding King Lehadi X. As a result, he had adopted many Kôvudénean customs, and now rode with his sword sheathed behind his back.
§Tharion, by the grace of Ka’én, was now one thousand, five hundred and twenty-four years old, the oldest King of recent memory. Not only was his sheer age a rarity, but Tharion did not succumb to senility nor dementia, two maladies which often plagued many of the Elders in their waning years, as had been the case with Mahavir of the clan of Úrevos. Tharion was neither crippled nor bent with age, but tall and proud as ever, save that his hair had now become as white as Elekan’s fur. Some said that it was not simply by the grace of Ka’én that Tharion had lived for so long, but that Mathion’s Wolfstone had blessed his entire family.
Five hundred and eighty-three years after the Battle of Ak’horokaš…
§Hâr-Tharion, Ser-Mathion, and Ser-Mathios were riding along the Red Mountains, returning home after holding council with Belevâk, the Mountain-lord of Hádakaš. Belevâk was now very old. Having been nine hundred and six years old during the time of the Great Alliance, he was now eleven years shy of his fifteenth century, and there was far more grey to be seen in his hair than when Mathion first met him. Mathion had changed as well. No longer counted among the “young people” of Ánovén, Mathion had only the year prior reached the age of one thousand, during the course of which he had garnered many victories against the Kânín.
§His son Mathios was now four hundred and twenty-eight years old, and a perfect replica of Mathion himself at that age, save for Mathios’s red hair. For much of the last ten years, Mathios had spent his time in Kôvudén, joining the Watchers guarding King Lehadi X. As a result, he had adopted many Kôvudénean customs, and now rode with his sword sheathed behind his back.
§Tharion, by the grace of Ka’én, was now one thousand, five hundred and twenty-four years old, the oldest King of recent memory. Not only was his sheer age a rarity, but Tharion did not succumb to senility nor dementia, two maladies which often plagued many of the Elders in their waning years, as had been the case with Mahavir of the clan of Úrevos. Tharion was neither crippled nor bent with age, but tall and proud as ever, save that his hair had now become as white as Elekan’s fur. Some said that it was not simply by the grace of Ka’én that Tharion had lived for so long, but that Mathion’s Wolfstone had blessed his entire family.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
The MATHION Twitterview
Well on Sunday the world got it's first real look at MATHION: BOOK ONE OF THR MAVONDURI TRILOGY. How else can you really put it? Novel Publicity, and William Linde in particular, were gracious hosts and I was introduced to a wide audience of fantasy authors and readers alike, who's love and respect for the genre really touched me. It was a challenge keeping all of my responses down to one tweet though! If you missed the big day, fear not, I've got you covered. I've posted the first 4 questions from the twitterview here, the rest you can find here: on Novel Publicity's website.
Get your copy of MATHION today via Nook or Kindle and witness the beginning of the saga!
Monday, March 21, 2011
Well, the first negative review is in...
But thankfully it's not scathing! Nevertheless, by dint of being a negative review, I admit it is humbling to say the least. Read it for yourself via this link.
This review has, however, given me an opportunity to explain MATHION's apparent "flaws". As my first novel, it was virtually guaranteed that there would be flaws. The benefit of a trilogy however is the opportunity to learn and grow from the experiences of the books as I write them. Yes, MATHION is a "traditional" epic fantasy tale. The two main elements of a primary world fantasy story is 1) strange lands and 2) an epic quest/journey. This is what I love about fantasy, and though it is a tried and true plot device, if it weren't for the epic quest, the reader wouldn't be able to explore the strange lands in the story.
MATHION, by way of traditionality, eases the reader into a trilogy that, as it unfolds, will turn out unlike most other series' before it. In keeping with the theme of lost legends being uncovered, you will soon see that THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY is, despite its scope, ultimately fragmentary and incomplete. MATHION, being the tale of Mathion's youth, was the most complete story in my mind. It always has been. But when looking at classical myths and legends, the deeper you go the less you uncover in terms of actual narrative. Book 2 (which I officially revealed to be titled "THE LAST ASCENSION") and Book 3 will be VASTLY different from Book 1. MATHION as a book is meant to be accessible to the casual AND hardcore fantasy fans alike.
Now, if this is an issue of characterization, that's up to the reader. I love the characters in MATHION, and have no intention of changing them, but as an author it is still JUST an opinion. There is a bond that grows between them, and as they interact with other characters you see the bond of fellowship and brotherhood that only soldiers share.
I do have ONE issue with the review, and that is the reviewe's description of Elekan the White Wolf as a "Saturday morning cartoon character." WHAT?! He rips werewolves' throats out left and right, and wise as he is, he (like any animal) can be brutally vicious. I don't know what the reviewer saw, and I'm not knocking his opinion, but Elekan is NOT a Pokémon. That is not the character I see, but that's why opinions are opinions I guess.
Regardless, I thank the reviewer for being honest in his/her opinion, and look forward to the reviews to come. It was, in a twisted sort of way, actually a relief to have someone NOT gush over the book, and for a very specific reason: It gives me the motivation to write better, and challenges me to really bring something fresh to the epic fantasy table. Which, I may point out, is exactly what I intend to do with THE LAST ASCENSION.
Now if I could just get my computer a new charger...
This review has, however, given me an opportunity to explain MATHION's apparent "flaws". As my first novel, it was virtually guaranteed that there would be flaws. The benefit of a trilogy however is the opportunity to learn and grow from the experiences of the books as I write them. Yes, MATHION is a "traditional" epic fantasy tale. The two main elements of a primary world fantasy story is 1) strange lands and 2) an epic quest/journey. This is what I love about fantasy, and though it is a tried and true plot device, if it weren't for the epic quest, the reader wouldn't be able to explore the strange lands in the story.
MATHION, by way of traditionality, eases the reader into a trilogy that, as it unfolds, will turn out unlike most other series' before it. In keeping with the theme of lost legends being uncovered, you will soon see that THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY is, despite its scope, ultimately fragmentary and incomplete. MATHION, being the tale of Mathion's youth, was the most complete story in my mind. It always has been. But when looking at classical myths and legends, the deeper you go the less you uncover in terms of actual narrative. Book 2 (which I officially revealed to be titled "THE LAST ASCENSION") and Book 3 will be VASTLY different from Book 1. MATHION as a book is meant to be accessible to the casual AND hardcore fantasy fans alike.
Now, if this is an issue of characterization, that's up to the reader. I love the characters in MATHION, and have no intention of changing them, but as an author it is still JUST an opinion. There is a bond that grows between them, and as they interact with other characters you see the bond of fellowship and brotherhood that only soldiers share.
I do have ONE issue with the review, and that is the reviewe's description of Elekan the White Wolf as a "Saturday morning cartoon character." WHAT?! He rips werewolves' throats out left and right, and wise as he is, he (like any animal) can be brutally vicious. I don't know what the reviewer saw, and I'm not knocking his opinion, but Elekan is NOT a Pokémon. That is not the character I see, but that's why opinions are opinions I guess.
Regardless, I thank the reviewer for being honest in his/her opinion, and look forward to the reviews to come. It was, in a twisted sort of way, actually a relief to have someone NOT gush over the book, and for a very specific reason: It gives me the motivation to write better, and challenges me to really bring something fresh to the epic fantasy table. Which, I may point out, is exactly what I intend to do with THE LAST ASCENSION.
Now if I could just get my computer a new charger...
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Wishing for a Negative Review... / The MATHION Twitterview!! (Full transcript coming soon)
In addition to making personal appearances at local middle schools and book clubs, I'm getting the word out about MATHION: BOOK ONE OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY online via the Twitterverse. Today, Sunday March 20 at 4pm Eastern Standard Time I will be having my very first interview on both MATHION and the writing process in general. The hard part is leaking as few spoilers as possible, so that you (the readers) will be able to enjoy the story and find out as much as possible along Mathion, Elekan, Dovosir, Kéle'il, and the rest of the characters as you encounter them in the story. You can either check it out LIVE, as it happens on Twitter, via #emlyn if you already have a Twitter account (and if you do, follow me @Mavonduri for the latest updates and news on the book). If not, I will be posting the full transcript on the MAVONDURI TRILOGY OFFICIAL BLOG.
In other goings-on, the reviews are coming in and they're great and I'm greatly humbled and thankful, it's a pretty awesome thing! But, they're all positive reviews. I certainly wish this on no fellow author, but as I read the reviews that I have, I find myself wishing for a BAD review. I don't know why, but I do. But the amazing (and most important thing) is that people are enjoying the story, and not only enjoying it but finding themes and meanings in it that I didn't even know were there. Regardless, a good negative review would sort of bring me back to the real world a little bit, since it's fairly impossible for EVERYONE to like something
...right?
In other goings-on, the reviews are coming in and they're great and I'm greatly humbled and thankful, it's a pretty awesome thing! But, they're all positive reviews. I certainly wish this on no fellow author, but as I read the reviews that I have, I find myself wishing for a BAD review. I don't know why, but I do. But the amazing (and most important thing) is that people are enjoying the story, and not only enjoying it but finding themes and meanings in it that I didn't even know were there. Regardless, a good negative review would sort of bring me back to the real world a little bit, since it's fairly impossible for EVERYONE to like something
...right?
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