Devin Townsend: Empath Review, Movie Reviews, IWSG News, and Ninja News

Devin Townsend: Empath Review

Where to begin when reviewing a new album by the mad genius Devin Townsend?

My initial reaction to the album upon first listen was mixed to say the least. All I could think was that this is the soundtrack to schizophrenia. But there was something there that made me give it another listen. And I’m so glad I did.

This is progressive music at its most challenging. It’s simply impossible to digest the scope and breadth of what Devin is trying to accomplish in a few casual listens. This album rewards the patient listener with an album that gets better and better with each listen. I’ve had it on permanent play for about a month and it still amazes me.

First off, the music is mixed to perfection. Every instrument is clearly distinguished, which is a feat considering that Devin has included every sound on the planet including the kitchen sink. (Seriously, I would not be surprised if someone was playing the kitchen sink in the background.) You get gigantic, intricate choruses that are blended perfectly with screaming and growling metal to create a wall of sound and what seems like (at times) a thousand instruments all meshed into one strange but compelling and beautiful mix. The album is pop, rock, metal, soundtrack, show tune, children’s story, and so much more.

All the musicians are top notch (Steve Vai plays guitar), but I have to give huge props to the three drummers. Each one brings his own unique flair and style to the music.

Bottom line, this is not an easy album to dive into, but if you are patient you will be rewarded with one of the most unique musical experiences ever. This is a ten out of ten. Perfection!

Below are three videos from the album of some of the more accessible songs. The middle one, Genesis, displays some of that schizophrenia.

Evermore

Genesis

Spirits Will Collide

Movie Reviews

Skyscraper
Released last year, this thriller has Dwayne Johnson as a security expert trying to get into the top of a burning skyscraper in China to save his family from criminals. Also starring Neve Campbell and Chin Han.
This movie breaks no new ground and will remind you of the first Die Hard. (And sadly, it will remind you of the Twin Towers on 9/11.) And as you watch the flames crawl up the floors, you’ll have to completely suspend disbelief.
What saves it is Johnson. He’s charismatic enough to carry just about any movie, generic or not. Plus the cast does a good job and the effects and action are good.
Worth a watch on NetFlix

Tomb Raider
Also released last year, this reboot sees Lara Croft venturing to an island off Japan in search of her missing father.
The action and acting were fine, but there was just something off about this film. I never could quite nail what though. Maybe it’s because this Lara didn’t come off as tough and a tomb-adventuring kind. Maybe it was because I never felt invested in the plot or the characters. Maybe it was the constant girlish screams and squeaks from Lara. Maybe because it was boring.
Whatever the reason, this one was just so vanilla. Not that the first one was really epic or that only Angelia Jolie can be Lara Croft. It was just easily forgettable and probably won’t even be a fun cheesy watch in ten years.
Watch only if drying paint excites you.

The Predator
Yet another film from 2018! A boy triggers the Predator’s return to earth and a group of ex-soldiers and a scientist must stop it.
The director is Shane Black, who directed Iron Man III and scripted Lethal Weapon.
It’s an odd film. I can understand why it didn’t do well since the tone is all over the place. (But far more interesting than the boring Tomb Raider.)
Despite its many flaws, I was entertained, mostly due to the comedy in the film. Even the Predator gets in on the joke now and then.
The effects were good and there was lots of action.
And wild to think the first Predator movie was thirty-two years ago.
Worth a watch on NetFlix if you’re into this kind of film.

IWSG News

Thanks to all who volunteered to co-host – we are booked all summer long!

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group Annual Anthology Contest is now open!
Genre is middle grade historical – adventure/ fantasy and the theme is voyagers.
See the site for full details.
And start writing now!

Masquerade: Oddly Suited – an IWSG Anthology is available now!
Find it here - Barnes and Noble, Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, and Goodreads

And the authors of Masquerade: Oddly Suited are hosting a live Q & A session on Discord! Join them on Sat 11th May from 1:00 pm EST / 6:00 pm GMT to find out more about the anthology and the contributing authors and ask any burning questions you may have.
The Q & A will be held on Discord. Please follow the invite link: HERE

Ninja News

Juneta Key hosts the quarterly Story Time Blog Hop.
July the genre is speculative fiction.
Visit her site for details.

Grumpy Old Gods Vol. 1 from Storm Dance Publications now available.
What happens when gods wane, retire, or just decide they need a change of employment?
13 writers took up the challenge and let their imaginations run wild in this anthology that is nearly-always amusing, somewhat insightful, and completely irreverent as we imagine the gods of yore in retirement.
Find it on Amazon
Volume 2 is in production and they are looking for submissions for volume 3. Details HERE.

Available now-
War Maiden by Juliana Haygert
The Fire Heart Chronicles Book 6
“I never imagined the choices I made would lead to this— to the very end of all things.” 

Into prog rock like Devin Townsend? Have you seen Skyscraper, Tomb Raider, or The Predator? Pick up Masquerade? Entering the IWSG contest?

And have you seen Avengers: Endgame yet?

Hero Lost Anthology, Tsunami Movies, Midnight Special Review, Movie Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group anthology has a cover and a release date!

Hero Lost
Mysteries of  Death and Life

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

Can a lost hero find redemption? 

What if Death himself wanted to die? Can deliverance be found on a bloody battlefield? Could the gift of silvering become a prison for those who possessed it? Will an ancient warrior be forever the caretaker of a house of mystery?
Delving into the depths of the tortured hero, twelve authors explore the realms of fantasy in this enthralling and thought-provoking collection. Featuring the talents of Jen Chandler, L. Nahay, Renee Cheung, Roland Yeomans, Elizabeth Seckman, Olga Godim, Yvonne Ventresca, Ellen Jacobson, Sean McLachlan, Erika Beebe, Tyrean Martinson, and Sarah Foster.
Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these twelve tales will take you into the heart of heroes who have fallen from grace. Join the journey and discover a hero’s redemption!

Release date: May 2, 2017
Fantasy (FIC009000) Freedom Fox Press
Print ISBN 9781939844361 eBook ISBN 9781939844378

Chrys Fey and Tsunamis

Alex’s Question for Chrys: Do the movies accurately capture tsunamis?

I’m not as big of a movie buff as Ninja Captain Alex, but I love disaster movies! Movies like Deep Impact and The Day After Tomorrow mostly used tsunamis for visual effects. They wanted the audience to be amazed by the grand size, but they don’t really get on ground level, in the perspective of people, specifically people caught in the water.

In The Hereafter, there is a tsunami that sweeps away a woman. We get to see what happens to her, and it is shocking, but I personally felt that the water was way too fast. Yes, a tsunami is fast and fierce, but the speed of the one in this movie didn’t seem right to me. And the water is clear, whereas it would’ve turned dirty from everything it picked up on the ground.

The movie that is super realistic is The Impossible, which is based after the Thailand Tsunami of 2004. You have to see this if you haven’t. I took notes when I watched it the first time. Actual notes. It helped me to figure out what it’s like to be caught in a Tsunami, and what would most likely happen following one. We see Naomi Watts beaten by the water. We see a second wave. And we see the destruction. It is done so well. You will watch the tsunami scenes in absolute terror. I did.

Chrys Fey is the author of the Disaster Crimes Series. She is a blogger, reader, auntie, vegetarian, and cat Lover. Find her at Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Website, Amazon, and Goodreads

Find Tsunami Crimes at: Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon CA Nook, Kobo, and Wild Rose Press

Hurricane Crimes and Seismic Crimes are on sale for 99 cents.
Get Lightning Crimes (Disaster Crimes 2.5) for FREE!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Movie Review - Midnight Special

A man rescues his son, who has unique abilities, from a cult. Believing the boy is a savior, the cult will do anything to get him back. Believing the boy is a weapon and a threat, the FBI is also in pursuit.
The film is slow paced but not dull. It was super intriguing from start to finish.
It’s not an original story, but it’s wonderfully told. The director pulls everything together really well and on a really low budget. It’s engaging, thought-provoking, and truly a well-told science fiction tale.
And the science fiction is a very small part of the story. It’s part drama, part chase, and part science fiction.
Starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, and Adam Driver, who all turn in great performances. (And where else are you going to see Superman’s General Zod and Star Wars’ Kylo Ren in the same film?)
On NetFlix – highly recommended.

Ninja News

Here is an update on Michael Offutt. He took a break over the holidays because he purchased his first house! However, he had no Internet, and there is a bit of a battle to get Internet to his new neighborhood. Until then, his only source of Internet is his phone. He’ll return to the blogging world when he has Internet in his new house.

Mason Canyon started a book blog tour service, MC Book Tours. She’s hosted several of my fellow authors and one of them will be making an appearance here next month.

Juneta Key posted about Mystery Thriller Week.
Get the details HERE.

New release:
Fall to Pieces : Book Seven in the Southern Quilting Mysteries
By Elizabeth S. Craig

When a quilting event falls to pieces, Beatrice works to patch things up…

Movie Trivia Answers

Here are the disaster movie taglines and the answers:

1 – Heads up - Armegeddon
2 – It’s five miles wide…it’s coming at 30,000 mph…and there’s no place on Earth to hide - Meteor
3 – We were warned - 2012
4 – Where will you be? – The Day After Tomorrow
5 – The pressure is building. Whatever you do, don’t look back – Dante’s Peak
6 – Oceans rise. Cities fall. Hope survives. – Deep Impact
7 – The only way out is in – The Core
8 – The coast is toast - Volcano

Excited about the IWSG anthology, Hero Lost? Have you watched any tsunami movies? Seen Midnight Special? Need to set up a book tour or interested in Mystery Thriller Week? And how many taglines did you get right?

RiffTrax: Live – Mothra! Plus Animated Firefly Trailer, Writing Inspiration with Mark Noce, and Ninja News

I’m a guest at Parallels site on Wednesday. My topic - At the Heart of What If? (Post is live now!)

RiffTrax Live – Mothra

RiffTrax: Live put on another great show!

Japanese monster movies are just ripe for the picking, so there were lots of great lines.


And of course, the pre-movie show was just as good:

Between Two Fires and Inspiration

Thanks Alex for having me here! My debut novel Between Two Fires comes out tomorrow (August 23rd) with St. Martin’s Press, and I’m super excited to share it with all of you! It’s a medieval Welsh story of a young woman named Branwen who must marry a man she’s never met in order to save her people. I know what you’re thinking. Uh, why Mark are you writing a story about a sixteen-year-old girl set in medieval Wales? Bear with me.

I’ve always been inspired by strong heroines, both in fiction and in my own life. What really drew me to writing this story was also the fun of blending fantasy elements within a historical fiction framework, much like The Mists of Avalon, The Witch’s Daughter, and Wolfskin. I think I hit the mark square on the head with that one, because two of those bestselling authors have given me really positive quotes after reading my book (and well the first one’s no longer with us, so you can’t blame me for not getting her approval). Needless to say, the entire work was definitely a labor of love.

I’ve already got the sequel in the publisher’s hands, and have a book tour I’m kicking off for the next few months where I’ll be signing and talking about my novel in person. Thanks again Alex for having me on your site today, and to all you Ninjas out there keep reading and keep writing!

Saxon barbarians threaten to destroy medieval Wales. Lady Branwen becomes Wales’ last hope to unite their divided kingdoms when her father betroths her to a powerful Welsh warlord, the Hammer King…

Release Date: August 23, 2016
Find Between Two Fires at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Indie Bound, and Thomas Duanne Books
Find Mark at website, blog, Facebook, Goodreads, LinkedIn and Google+

Ninja News

The next post date for the IWSG is September 7. The question of the month - How do you find the time to write in your busy day?

Don’t forget that’s also the day we announce all the details and the judges for this year’s IWSG Anthology Contest!

The Storytime Blog Hop is scheduled for October 27.
See Juneta Key’s site for all the details.

New releases:

Dragons of the Barbary Coast by Roland Yeomans

Find it on Amazon

Wordsplash Hodgepodge by Joanne Faries

Find it on Amazon

Breaking Through (Breaking #3) by Juliana Haygert
Find it on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iTunes
Breaking Free (#1) is FREE this week!

Animated Firefly Trailer

My buddy Liz at Laws of Gravity featured this animated Firefly trailer last week, and it’s too cool not to share.

Here’s what Blastr had to say about it:
Artist Stephen Byrne has put together a teaser trailer for a Firefly animated series we really, really wish existed. The art looks great, and he does an awesome job of getting the look of the world and the characters just right. All your favorites are here, and there’s even a heartbreaking little cameo from Wash (R.I.P.). Byrne has been teasing looks at his little art project the past few years, but this is by far the most complete look he’s offered up yet.

Yeah, don’t you wish that was real…?

Have you been to a RiffTrax: Live show? What movie would you like to see them riff? What inspires your stories? Anyone chomping at the bit to know the theme for this year’s IWSG Anthology Contest? And would you watch an animated Firefly show?

Don’t forget to visit the Parallels site!

I will be on vacation Thursday through Sunday, so I’ll be responding to emails and replying to comments only those days.