Chronicles of Shannara Review, RiffTrax’s Latest News, Fantasy Movie Trivia, Movie and Television News, and Ninja News!

The Chronicles of Shannara Review

Keep in mind, this is from someone who read these books as a teen and treasured them. Your perception of the show will vary according to how well you know the source material.

The series begins with the Ellcrys tree, which has held back the demon world for centuries, dying, and a band of people trying to find the magic to stop its death. The series begins with the second book in the original Shannara trilogy and no secret that Shannara is Earth far in the future. (Not sure why they didn’t begin with the first book. And it’s not until subsequent books that we learn this is actually Earth.)

I was terrified when I heard MTV was doing a series based on my favorite series. MTV? Really? But so far, after watching the first episode, I’m happy to say I’m enjoying it.

The main plot points of the show are accurate. They are following The Elf Stones of Shannara. However, the details have been altered to fit the younger, MTV demographic. The show contains a thousand times more angst that the entire series put together, but that’s to be expected.

The first episode moved at a breakneck speed. It sprinted forward over many scenes, probably just to bring the main characters altogether at the end. Now, maybe that’s the only way the MTV crowd can handle it, but I do hope they slow down and focus more on character development and at a leisurely pace. (Because at the current pace, they’ll burn through all the books in the first season.)

The casting choices overall are strong, especially Allanon. He plays the part well, and the actor even looks like the character on the original book. Will, the half-elf, is also well represented. He’s sweet, goofy, and very naïve. I also liked the inclusion of John Rhys-Davies in the cast. Can’t have an epic fantasy without him, can we?

For a television show, the special effects and makeup are both top notch. MTV certainly poured some money into the series.

The show is promising and not the train wreck I was dreading. If they can slow the pace a bit, it will be great. (The next couple episodes are available already online, but I’d rather wait and watch them on my HDTV. The next day of course, because 10:00 pm is my bedtime.)

And hopefully it will encourage people to read the books, because they are awesome!

Latest RiffTracks News

Some cool things happening with RiffTrax!

There is now a RiffTrax app! Available for both iOS and Andriod, this app will automatically sync RiffTrax ‘Just the Joke’ commentaries.
Just hit play on your phone or tablet and the app listens for the movie and automatically syncs everything, and keeps it synced. It will work with your TV, computer, DVDs, Blu-rays, Netflix, Amazon Video and other streams. The beta app is completely FREE, AND has all six Star Wars movies pre-loaded into it for FREE for you to try out! (That will be the ONLY way I can watch those prequels ever again!)

The Best of RiffTrax Live will be rebroadcasting two of its movies. Starship Troopers is on January 14 and The Room is on January 28. If you’ve never seen RiffTrax on the big screen, now is the time to catch it.

There is also a RiffWiki! Everything RiffTrax, including MST3K. With information, features, essential Riffs, and more.

And don’t forget, every Monday, there is a new MST3K title available.

Geek News

There are nine speculative fiction series debuting this month, including:
Legends of Tomorrow is the next DC series, taking a few characters from The Flash and Arrow, adding some new ones, and mixing them together for a superhero team. Premiers January 21.
The much anticipated X-Files miniseries premiers January 24, and creator Chris Carter promises we’ll get everything we loved about the original series.


Season six of Game of Thrones starts on April 24 – mark your calendars now.

JoBlo featured a list of Top Ten Greatest Movie Teasers of All Time. (And yes, I have seen all of the movies, more than once!)

TNT nixed the live-action Teen Titans series. (Damn you TNT!)

And Netflix announced season two of DareDevil will begin on March 18, and they released a trailer for the critically acclaimed show:

Ninja News

The winner of the IWSG Anthology Contest, L.G. Keltner, is a guest today at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group with some awesome information and tips about anthologies.


Our very own Anti-A to Z Spokesperson, Gary at Klahanie, actually promote the IWSG last week! Of course, that might be because he thinks it stands for I Was Seeking Gary…

Cloaked by T.F. Walsh is out now.
The second book comes out in March and the third in May.



Book Goodies now allows authors fill out an interview form that is posted on their site, and afterwards, books can be added. My interview is HERE.

The Lost and Found: Valentine’s Edition blogfest takes place February 1. For details and to sign up, go HERE.



Version Sacrifice results, featuring the song Dead Souls:
Nine Inch Nails – 10
Joy Division – 10
My vote for NIN gave us a tie!

Movie Trivia – Fantasy!

All of these ‘fantasy’ movies (two with horror elements) take place mostly in a forest. Name the movie from the cryptic description.

1 – The first in a series that should’ve been seven films, the adventure begins in the snowy winter woods. 2005
2 – A trip to this forest turned out to be a game to feed an ancient beast. 2011
3 – This fable involved a tower and naïve young woman who wants to explore the world. 2010
4 – This epic tale has man joining a dozen others to battle a mysterious enemy that descends from a mountain lair. 1999
5 – The first of three films has an unlikely hero setting off with a group of dwarves. 2012

Answers Monday!


Anyone else watching the Chronicles of Shannara? Ready for some RiffTrax fun? Any January series catch your attention? Think the new X-Files will be a good as promised? Want to submit to some anthologies? And do you know any of the trivia…?
And found out this morning David Bowie died. How sad!

RiffTrax Interview with Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett! Plus What Are the Kargrandes, ColorIQ Challenge, Movie Trivia Answers, and Ninja News

Last week saw the release of RiffTrax Live: Sharknado. I was honored when Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett agreed to answer a few questions. These guys have been my idols since Mystery Science Theater 3000 and have been a source of laughter for over twenty years.

Without further ado, I present RiffTrax’s Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy!

1. I believe that BBC (Blood, Boobs, and Carnage) is the benchmark for cinematic greatness. What drew you to the greatness that is Sharknado?

BILL: Like you, the British Broadcasting Corporation.

KEVIN: The Three I’s: Inconceivability, Incoherence, and Ian.

2. RiffTrax is so freaking awesome and you riff such a variety of films, both good and bad. Are there any movies you feel are untouchable?

BILL: Of course. We would seem like monsters if we tried to make funny out of SCHINDLER’S LIST, HOTEL RWANDA, etc.

KEVIN: I’d say Schindler’s List is one we’ll never do.

3. Do you derive any perverse pleasure from watching your cast mates screw up their lines at a live show?

KEVIN: I derive even more pleasure in the artful ways that they recover and make the show even funnier for it.

BILL: I am too busy watching myself screw up lines.

4. What’s the strangest cosplay outfit you’ve seen at one of your live shows?

BILL: Someone actually pulled off a strange-but-wonderful version of the sharknado itself at our Sharknado live show. Big funnel cloud with sharks in it. A+!

KEVIN: I don’t think there’s a Torgo costume that doesn’t qualify as strange.

5. Besides Sharknado, are there any other ‘Nados’ you’d like to see the SyFy Channel ruin? Squidnado? Cownado? Scissorsnado?

KEVIN: Ralph Nado. UNSAFE AT ANY SPEED.

BILL: NicCageNado.

Thanks, Bill and Kevin! Special thanks to Jeff at RiffTrax who made it happen.

What Are the Kargrandes?

New clue today at What Are the Kargrandes? This is clue number seven – new clues every Monday until the release of Dragon of the Stars on April 7.

Sample Tweets for this week:

What are the Kargrandes? Seventh clue up this week- http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes #scifi @alexjcavanaugh

Solve the mystery by April 7–what are the Kargrandes? Animals? Weapons? http://whatarethekargrandes.com/ #whatarethekargrandes @alexjcavanaugh

And big thanks to Bob at Beauty in Ruins for his review of Dragon this week - It's still as fun and exciting as his first forays into space opera, but the darker themes and deeper level of introspection absolutely elevate the novel to a new level.

Ninja News

I’m at the A to Z Blog today, talking about the advantages of a theme during the Challenge.

Ella is a very talented artist and writer. She just had two of her hearts published in The Stampers' Sampler.


Julie Dao landed an agent - Tamar Rydzinski of the Laura Dail Literary Agency!

New Releases –

Apocalypse Weird - Immunity by EE Giorgi
When greed, mayhem, and a deadly virus collide on the high deserts of New Mexico, it's Outbreak meets World War Z in the deserts of the Apocalypse Weird. One of five books launching today from Wonderment Media.

Cassie and The Wild Cat: Host A Ghost by Pat Hatt
Find it on Amazon

Love, Lattes, and Mutants by Sandra Cox
Finding love is hard, even when you aren’t a mutant.
Find it on Amazon. Barnes and Noble, and Kobo

A Woman Ignored by TB Markinson
Find it on Amazon

Stephen Hayes has TWO stories in On SEX: 69 Hilarious Stories About Everything SEX.
You can read one of them HERE

Online ColorIQ Challenge

JE O’Neil posted about the Online ColorIQ Challenge. This was my score:

What did you get?

Movie Trivia Answers

Sorry, forgot to post them last week!
1 – Who played Erik in Erik the Viking? (1989) Tim Robbins
2 – What comedian voiced Reepicheep the mouse in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian? (2008) Eddie Izzard
3 – Who voiced Hiccup’s father, Stoick, in How to Train Your Dragon? (2010) Gerard Butler
4 – Who played Gimli In LOTR: Return of the King? (2003) John Rhys-Davies
5 – Who voiced Draco the dragon in Dragonheart? (1996) Sean Connery

Whoa!!!! Are you a fan of RiffTrax or MST3K? Did you pick up their version of Sharknado? (It’s 8.5 stars on the IMDB – the original version is only 3.3.) Planned your Challenge Theme yet? How’d you do with the Color Challenge? How about the trivia? And have you figured out the Kargrandes yet…?

Be sure to visit the A to Z Blog.

Fantasy and Ghosts, Fantasy Movie Trivia, More or Less Science in Sci-Fi, Movie Reviews – Automata and Stonehearst Asylum, and Ninja News

Today I welcome authors David Powers King and Michael Jensen!

Fantasy and Ghosts: Combining Our Favorite Genres

Hello everyone, and thank you Alex for letting us “possess” your blog for a moment.

The top question we get asked is “Where did you come up with the idea for Woven?” It started as a dream Michael had years ago, getting crushed by a tree and becoming a ghost. When he shared this idea with me, I caught his vision right awake and asked if we could write a story together.

But we needed more than one idea. Thankfully we’re both super nerdy and had a wealth of inspiration behind us with such favorite movies/books like Stardust, Ghostbusters, The Princess Bride, Lord of the Rings, and then some, like one of my favorite ghost novels When Marnie Was There (btw, Studio Ghibli made a movie of it—geeking out—release it in the US already!).

We had to go even deeper than what we knew, so Michael and I researched everything we could find about fantasy stories that feature ghosts. We truly wanted to create something special that we had never experienced before, which manifested as an unlikely pair who set out on a journey to thwart death itself—besides playing a game of chess with him, of course (he cheats anyway).

If you’re writing, don’t just read/watch the latest, most popular story today and start writing in that genre. Read up on all you can find in that genre. Many gems and much inspiration awaits.

Mind your eggs, watch your threads, and get yourself Woven. It’s now available at any major bookseller. Thank you again for having us, Alex! You’re the best Ninja Captain ever.

Find David – Blog - Twitter - Goodreads
Find Michael – Facebook - Goodreads
Find Woven at Website - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - iTunes

Movie reviews

Automata
Antonio Banderas is an insurance agent investigating robots altering themselves and discovers a whole lot more.
You’ll see bits of Blade Runner and I Robot in this film. It’s a dystopian future and the outlook isn’t good.
Banderas is good in his role, but Melanie Griffin an odd choice in her part.
It all meshed together to make an interesting yet not great science fiction story.
Not quite recommended.

Stonehearst Asylum
A medical school graduate starts working at a mental institution and finds a horrifying situation.
Director Brad Anderson leads a stellar cast through an obscure Poe story.
This should’ve been spectacular, but it ended up just being interesting. (Seems I’ve seen a lot of ‘interesting’ movies lately.)
Watch for the great cast, and of course, for Kate Beckinsale.
But for a really great Anderson film, watch Session 9 instead.
Not recommened

Ninja News

Today at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group site we have none other than literary agent, Alexander Slater talking about foreign rights!

And thanks to everyone who visited my post on pros and cons of small publishers at the IWSG on Monday – and special thanks to all the authors who contributed.

Found this site courtesy of Medeia Sharif - Awful Library Books. It’s old, odd, and just plain bad books discovered at libraries.

New Releases:

Of Mist and Magic, the product of another collaborative music and words project put together by Samantha Redstreake Geary.
It features a lot of authors you know, so check it out on Amazon!

It's Not Just a Job by Al Penswasser
Find it on Amazon



And thanks for all of the Minion volunteers last week! Due to the fact I have a book coming out in the middle of the Challenge in addition to all the other insanity of the month, the co-hosts graciously excused me from tending a section of the list. In return, I promised to help them find Minions, so hopefully if you wanted to be a Minion, one of the co-hosts has already contacted you.

Heavy or Light Science in Your Science Fiction?

Susan Gourley had a guest post on Christine Rains’ site where she talked about balancing the elements in her romantic science fiction series.

Susan said:
Romance readers don’t want a long explanation of the physics needed for my hero and heroine to travel between solar systems and galaxies at warp speed.

You know what? I don’t think all science fiction fans want that either.

Now, there is high tech and hard science fiction that goes into the scientific details. And then there’s the other end of the spectrum, like space opera and adventure, that is very light on the science.

Since I write space opera, you can pretty much guess how much science I want in my science fiction. I don’t care how something works, I only want to know that it does. That doesn’t mean it’s not plausible or the author didn’t do his research. I just don’t want to read it.

How about you?

Movie Trivia

In honor of David and Michael’s Woven, we’re going for fantasy movie trivia. Name the actor or actress.

1 – Who played Erik in Erik the Viking? (1989)
2 – What comedian voiced Reepicheep the mouse in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian? (2008)
3 – Who voiced Hiccup’s father, Stoick, in How to Train Your Dragon? (2010)
4 – Who played Gimli In LOTR: Return of the King? (2003)
5 – Who voiced Draco the dragon in Dragonheart? (1996)

Answers Monday!

How many fantasy books have your read that feature ghosts? Seen Automata or Stonehearst Asylum? Want to learn about foreign rights? Know any of the trivia? And how much science you enjoy in your science fiction?