Closing the Book

So today I took Mathion off all major self-publishing ebook sites. In addition, I have cancelled the planned release of the Revised & Expanded Edition. This was for a very specific reason.

I want to be traditionally published. MATHION was written with the intent of being represented by a literary agency and then distributed by a major publishing house. Many of those who have read and reviewed the initial edition of MATHION have expressed similar sentiments, and for that I thank you. The simple fact of the matter is I don't have the time or resources to properly market MATHION as an independent book, and for an agency, in this business, it's all about sales. And I understand that. But in a market that has already been capitalized on by many others who HAVE those resources, I can only do so much. Sadly, that is reflected in my sales. I have every confidence in myself and my work, and I will continue to write.

I will NOT give up. And I already know there are a few out there who refuse to let me. And I thank each and every one of you.

All those who've read my work, thank you so much for your support. It really means a lot to me when I read reviews from people I don't know expressing their enthusiasm for my work, and I promise that MATHION will live up to your (and my) expectations when I am finally published.

Not Your Grandma's Fairytale: The SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN Review

Every summer we're treated to a smorgasbord of slam-bang action epics, especially of the comic book and science fiction variety. This year alone we've already had THE HUNGER GAMES and MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS, with plenty more on the way in the form of PROMETHEUS, THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (which of course I'm most looking forward to) and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. With the exception of Hunger Games and Prometheus the vast majority of these are established franchises or reboots.

SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN is neither. Helmed by Rupert Sanders, himself an unestablished commercial director, this film is quite an extraordinary accomplishment. It is a visual marvel on the level of LORD OF THE RINGS and brings a fresh approach to the "fairy tale" we're all so familiar with (mostly thanks to Disney). But there is nothing whimsical about this story. On the one hand it is a fable of vanity as power, and how one woman's insatiable lust for her own personal glory became her downfall. Flip the coin over, however, and it is a much younger woman's tale of innocence as strength and the courage to hope, and how there are different forms of love in the world that give us the drive to come back from the brink of despair.

I'll be the first to admit, I was cautious at best upon hearing that Kristen Stewart had been cast as the titular apple-biter. But she won me over and reminded me of how good she was before Twilight skewed her acting career (yeah I said it, deal.). Not only is her British accent very good but she conveys a hell of a lot over the course of two hours. It's really a joy to watch her redeem herself, as an actress she seems much freer. For a part of the film she is very subdued, a shut-up girl seeing the world for the first time, but right at the beginning of the third act she lets loose and takes control of the movie with a freaking vengeance.

Equally as jarring is the fantastically evil performance delivered by Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna, Snow White's stepmother (and her father's murderer). When we first meet her she seems very scared and timid, but that is quickly thrown out the window after the wedding (sound familiar fellas?) Ravenna is aided by her creepy brother Finn, and that's putting it nicely. Filling the role of the "Queen's dog," he is far from a simpleton, and their connection runs deeper than we know. But whereas Stewart's Snow White carries herself with a quiet grace and innocent serenity, Theron's Ravenna lashes out with violent, borderline madness and abject volatility. She really does loose herself in this role, and she has a ton of fun doing it.

Rounding out the top three stars is THOR's Chris Hemsworth as Eric, the also-titular Huntsman of the film. This is a precarious role. Hemsworth has a natural knack for a Scottish accent and an ax, but before you go and say that this is a carbon-copy Thor rehash, let me say that Hemsworth gives his most powerful performance to date in his young and rapidly burgeoning career. There's actually not much more I can say about Eric without giving away any spoilers, so I'll hold off on that. But rest assured he rounds out an impressive starring lineup for Sanders' directorial debut.

The design of this film is fantastic. Part medieval, part fantasy, part gothic noir stonemasonry and ethereal supra-Disney creepiness and bliss, this film is without a doubt beautiful. Whereas the castles are, well, castles, the lands outside their walls are characters in and of themselves, and more. The Dark Forest, home to the impressive Troll, is something of a really bad, nightmarish acid trip--indeed, there is a patch of flora that expels smoky spores which, when inhaled, turn the gnarled, brooding branches into true horrors, unleashing the horror of the woods which even had me on edge as I watched. On the other hand the Sanctuary (where Snow, Eric and the Dwarves--more on them in a second!!--find rest after a run-in with the Queen's men) would be more akin to a euphoric shrooming: vibrant greens and bright sunlight, lots of primary colors, and even a mossy snake that I now want! Also, sadly, the now-famous Mirror Man needs a movie of his own, because that guy was just too awesome to have such little screentime. Christopher Obi's deep baritone really hits you.

There are a few things I take issue with, but they are few and very far between. The relationship between Snow and Eric plays a much more central role than the relationship between Snow and Sam Claflin's Prince William, but this is in many ways a strength. I may be a stickler for tradition in storytelling adaptation, but I think Sanders made the right call on this one. Snow White hasn't had a friend all her life, locked away in a tower, and she and Eric bond without things getting complicated. It's played beautifully well from both actors, and adds a new dynamic to the story that wasn't there before. The climactic confrontation at the end is somewhat short-lived, but resonates with a philosophical and moral confrontation between Ravenna and Snow White that takes precedence over the bloodshed. There is a recurring motif of three drops of blood throughout the film, and really that's all that's needed in this battle.

And now, to finish off this review let me say a little something about eight short, hairy, persnickety little bastards that people are going to come out in droves to see this film for: the Eight (you heard me right) Dwarves. I'm a long-time Bob Hoskins fan, and I have to tell you it was a delight to watch him share the screen with the likes of Ian McShane (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), Eddie Marsan (Sherlock Holmes), Toby Jones (Captain America), Ray Winstone (The Departed) and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz). There is a great sense of camaraderie among the veteran actors, and you can tell they just loved the heck out of getting to be mischievous while still kicking serious amounts of ass. Six dwarves against a whole army? I quite like those odds.

All in all, SNOW WHITE & THE HUNTSMAN is the dark-horse best movie this summer. I won't start any flame wars by saying it's better than THE AVENGERS, they're two totally different movies (besides, we all know THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is going to be better anyway!), but I will say that Rupert Sanders has one hell of a career in front of him if he decides to keep doing features. I for one hope he does, because he knocked this one out of the park.

Journal Entry from Prof. CRK - 4 September, 1955

4th September, 1955 According to the ancient texts which I have been able to translate, Mathion was a descendant of the Clan of Eredôn, one of the seven Royal Clans of the Wolven (Várna Iktirvandon). These seven clans are descended from the first High King of the Wolven, Hâr-Etheôn, who had seven sons. They became the forefathers of the most powerful Wolven clans.  The Wolven were governed by a cyclical hereditary monarchy of agnatic primogeniture, but in many cases the wives of the Kings were just as powerful and influential as their husbands. Each clan sat on the Ánovénean High Throne for up to seven generations, after which the Crown was passed to the next clan from eldest to youngest. This "Cycle of Kings" was set to begin after Etheôn's natural death with the ascension of his eldest son Eredôn, but owing to circumstances in the Battle of Degos Enath, Eredôn elected to put his line at the end of the Cycle, for both personal reasons and reasons of what the Wolven referred to as "naeróndu", which roughly translates as "sight of the mind." As a result his younger brother Erios became the first of the brothers to ascend the High Throne. The other six aided Erios in the early years of his reign, creating the tradition of the "Council of Elders," a body that was not made official until the reign of Hâr-Valaxor II.   What follows are descriptions of the colors and mottos of each of the Wolven Royal Clans.  WOLVEN ROYAL CLANS- colors and mottos •EREDÔN- blue and gold banner, sigil of a white wolf's head lined with gold above the Lost Sword of Eredôn on a blue field; "Power Through Honor." •ERIOS- first of Etheôn’s sons to ascend the High Throne after his death; purple and yellow banner, sigil of a black wolf's claw within a yellow diamond; "Answer the call." •ARUVAI- called "the Grim" (sometimes "the Grim Smith" in reference to his chosen trade), spent a century in wordless mourning after Hâr-Etheôn's death; banner of black and gray with a wolf-headed hammer sigil; "United by silver." •DÚREVON- first Regent, banner of red and white and black, sigil of a black quill within a white wolf's pawprint on a red field; "Words inspire action." •LAROS- "the Watcher"; green banner lined with silver, sigil of a green wolf's head lined with silver and a silver eye; "Unsleeping vigilance." •ÚREVOS- orange, black and grey banner, sigil of a black wolf's head encircled in orange flames on a grey field; "The fire burns bright." •ATHION- black, blue and white banner, sigil of a closed blue fist within a white wolf's claw on a black field; "Uninhibited."

SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED: The Avengers Review

It's 3:33am as I write this review, I've just gotten home from the summer blockbuster movie season kickoff, and I find myself...whelmed. Not overwhelmed, not underwhelmed, simply whelmed. It's been an arduous, epic four- year journey for Marvel Studios, and now here we get to see how all the planning and hype has turned out. I won't deny that "The Avengers" is a phenomenal achievement. I won't refute the fact that what the filmmakers and actors have done is extraordinary. And I am NOT a biased DC fanboy, so if you're expecting me to rip on this film, you may as well stop reading now because I found it very entertaining. Flawed, but entertaining. No film is without its flaws, no film is perfect. But with "The Avengers", the flaw is inherent: it is simply TOO BIG. I don't say this in a negative way. Simply as a fact, this is a massive movie, even for a comic book movie. Much like the Avengers themselves, this film simply should not have worked. But it did, and in this case I think the film's greatest flaw might actually have simultaneously been its greatest strength as well. I won't go into much spoilerish territory in this review, mostly because if the rumors are true just about everyone's seen this thing so there's really not a whole lot to spoil anyway. Although I am very proud to say that I started the thunderous applause for the final DARK KNIGHT RISES trailer. Let's start with the director, Joss Whedon. A legend among fanboys everywhere, I could honestly think of no one better to handle this much chaos. Even when nothing is blowing up, Whedon keeps everything moving, down to the camera. Which means you hang on every moment that passes. As far as the Chitauri Battle in Manhattan goes, well, let's just say he divvied up the theaters of war quite well. Whedon is a fanboy as well, let's not forget, so he made damn sure to give every one of these larger than life characters their moment. My hat goes off to him, and he did a damn fine job. Now, it's Loki's turn. I love, absolutely LOVE Tom Hiddelston in this film. I was a bit unsure about using Loki as the villain for this film, but in the end it was a perfect choice. Hiddelston really gets to have fun with his character in this one. And what made it great was his relationship with Thor (Chris Hemsworth), playing on their "false" brotherhood and in turn having a go at each of the other Avengers in one form or another. And he serves a great setup for a potentially apocalyptic villain for the sequel! But the highlight of this movie, and the person I'm sure everyone will be talking about soon enough, was Mark Freaking Ruffalo. Yes, his middle name is Freaking, because he did the most with his character out of any of the other actors in this film (no disrespect meant). Following Ed Norton's turn as Dr. Bruce Banner, I was dubious at best about the studio's decision to go with Ruffalo. But he brought such a weight to Banner (NOT the Hulk) and his inner conflict with "the other guy" made every moment he was on screen so watchable. If there is an emotional heart to this film, it's in Mark Freaking Ruffalo's big green hairy chest. Not to mention he gets two of the greatest moments of the film. Having established their characters in their solo films (with the exception of Robert Downey Jr., who got a bit more of a head start on account of IRON MAN 2), it was very interesting seeing all these people interact on screen. There was great chemistry all around, and I think fans will really enjoy how their camaraderie develops throughout the film. Now, this would be WAAAAAYYYYY too long a review if I went over every little detail of the film, so I think I'll just say this: Marvel has a behemoth on their hands, and I just hope they don't let it get too big. THE AVENGERS is a great way to kick start the summer, and  think that fanboys all over will be nerdgasming repeatedly while it's in theaters. However, this film was exactly what I expected it to be: big, loud and fun. And that's not a bad thing at all.

Journal Entry by Prof. C. R. K.

It has been two weeks since I returned to Oxford. The contents of the chest I have taken with me, much to my wife's chagrin. Regardless, the demands of my time have been dominated by my students. In my studies of the strange fragments, when I've had the time, I have been able to translate precious little. The writing is strange and fluid, but when the letters themselves are translated the speech seems very rough and hard. Some records are bound in leather books, others in scrolls several documents thick. John has taken a look, and suffice it to say he is simply baffled by them. The accounts given here, in these papers, is nothing short of extraordinary. Nevertheless, I feel that still more is yet to be found...

THE LAST ASCENSION Synopsis Revealed!

So you've been waiting to see what's going to happen in the second volume of the MAVONDURI TRILOGY. I've dropped a few hints here and there, but now here is the full" jacket-flap" synopsis for BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY, THE LAST ASCENSION! Get ready to meet some new characters and face greater threats as Mathion's destiny hurtles closer towards its fulfillment, to the salvation or destruction of all...

THE LAST ASCENSION: BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY, takes place 583 years after the events of MATHION. When King Tharion is gravely injured in a surprise assassination attempt by a werewolf, Mathion is forced into a corner by the Council of Elders. Knowing that he is not yet ready to ascend, Mathion decides to undertake another journey, traveling to the far northern reaches of Kânavad, accompanied by his friends Kéle'il and Oharion Halfbreed once again, to find the only cure for one suffering the near-fatal bite of a werewolf: Wolfsbane. At the same time Mathion’s son Mathios, along with his old friend Dovosir, is now embroiled in a conflict with the rebel Uprisers, led by a renegade Elder and threatening civil war with Ánovén. And overshadowing all of them is Azgharáth who, seeing the ripe opportunity before him, seeks to avenge his humiliation at Mathion's hands and ensure that Mathion will never ascend the High Throne of the Wolven.

AuthorTalk with Mark Tierno, author of MALDENE

Hey all!

So I know I haven't posted in a while but I have a special treat for you today: my first RECORDED audio interview! I had a total blast talking with MALDENE author Mark Tierno about MATHION, writing and a whole host of other random topics! Visit The Official MALDENE Site or just click on the link at the bottom of this post to listen to the interview. There are a few tidbits about where the MAVONDURI TRILOGY is headed and where some aspects of the mythology originated. So listen on and tell me what you think!

AUDIO INTERVIEW