After the images I look at some possible directions the season may take. Beware MASSIVE SPOILERS AFTER THE CUT.
Monday, 11 April 2016
New trailer for GAME OF THRONES Season 6
HBO have released a second trailer for the upcoming sixth season of Game of Thrones. This trailer has a lot of new images and footage that hints at the future direction of the season.
After the images I look at some possible directions the season may take. Beware MASSIVE SPOILERS AFTER THE CUT.
After the images I look at some possible directions the season may take. Beware MASSIVE SPOILERS AFTER THE CUT.
GAME OF THRONES Season 6 Primer
Season 6 of Game of Thrones starts in two weeks, so here's a handy
quick look at the state of play as of the first episode.
SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING OF GAME OF THRONES SEASON 5 FOLLOW.
State of Play
The War of the Five Kings has effectively ended in total victory for the combined, allied forces of House Lannister, House Tyrell, House Bolton and House Frey. The last major challenge to their rule was the army commanded by the self-styled King Stannis Baratheon, but this army has been defeated in a battle outside Winterfell. Stannis is dead, along with his wife and his only daughter and heir. The surviving forces loyal to House Baratheon have scattered, some returning to the Wall and others fleeing elsewhere.
There are a couple of remaining matters to be cleared up, however. Riverrun remains defiant, House Tully continuing to defy the will of the Iron Throne despite the capture of Lord Edmure Tully at the Red Wedding. Some of the northern houses have also not yet sworn fealty to House Bolton as the new overlords of the North, with the Mormonts of Bear Island, Karstarks of Karhold and Umbers of Last Hearth proving particularly troublesome. With Stannis defeated, however, the Boltons should be able to turn their attention to resolving these issues and bringing the truculent houses to heel. However, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister and the council are also now aware that Lord Roose Bolton has married his son Ramsay to the fugitive Sansa Stark in secret, and count this as an act of defiance bordering on treason. The outcome of this remains unknown.
In King's Landing, things are not as victorious as they should be. Queen Regent Cersei Lannister has, against some advice, reinstated and rearmed the Faith Militant, the crusading wing of the Faith of the Seven. The new High Septon has had both Cersei and Queen Margaery Tyrell arrested for crimes against the faith and against morality, along with the queen's brother Loras. The entreaties of King Tommen and his uncle, Ser Kevan Lannister, have resulted in Cersei being allowed to return to the Red Keep having undertaken a "Walk of Shame" through the streets of the capital. Cersei and Margaery both now have to stand trial, with Cersei planning a trial of combat using her new champion and the latest member of the Kingsguard: a mysterious and large knight known as Ser Robert Strong. The Lannister-Tyrell alliance holds, but is fragile due to the role played by Cersei in Margaery and Loras's arrest.
In the south, House Martell of Dorne had agreed to an alliance with the Iron Throne in return for the marriage of Princess Myrcella Baratheon to Prince Trystane Martell. However, Myrcella has died on the voyage back from Sunspear, with some evidence that she was poisoned. The impact of this on the political climate remains to be seen, but will likely not be peaceful.
Meanwhile, Lord Petyr Baelish has take over the rule of the Vale of Arryn. He has taken Lord Robin Arryn well in hand and won the loyalty of several of the Vale's major houses (not to mention their large armies, which did not see battle during the war and remain fresh). Petyr remains, apparently, a loyal subject of the crown.
In the west, the ironborn continue to raid the coastlands and Balon Greyjoy continues to style himself King of the Iron Islands. With the rest of Westeros coming to heel under the Lannisters, the time may be coming when the ironborn will also face the might of the Iron Throne. But rumour speaks of the return of Balon Greyjoy's black-hearted brother Euron, one of the most feared ship captains and reavers on all the oceans of the world.
On the Wall, the Night's Watch is in turmoil. The decision to ally with the wildlings only days after they launched a devastating assault on the Wall was highly controversial and now thousands of wildlings have been allowed into the lands south of the Wall. However, many brothers of the Watch also saw the dead rise in unspeakable numbers at the Battle of Hardhome and massacre thousands of wildlings, only for those to be raised up as well. They also report seeing the White Walkers in the fullness of their power. The apparent need for unity between the Watch and the wildlings has been shattered following the brutal murder of Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, at the hands of his own men, led by Ser Alliser Thorne. The result will likely be bloody: Jon has his followers and allies among the Watch, and the surviving forces loyal to Stannis and the red woman, Melisandre, also favoured the alliance. The disposition of the wildlings themselves, who counted Jon as a friend and ally, is also unlikely to be favourable. The Watch may yet rue the betrayal and murder of Lord Snow.
Far beyond the Wall, deep in the Haunted Forest, lies a cave still inhabited by the near-mythical children of the forest. In that cave the Three-Eyed Raven has been teaching Bran Stark the secrets of the greenseers and seeing through the weirwood trees. This ability may yet give hope in the struggle against the endless winter that is to come.
In the distant east, the cities of Slaver's Bay remain in turmoil. Daenerys Targaryen has disappeared, spirited out of the Great Pit in Meereen by her dragon, Drogon and carried north into the endless grassplains of the Dothraki Sea. Whilst her allies search for her, Tyrion Lannister and the eunuch Lord Varys rule in Meereen. They have to crush the rebellion of the Sons of the Harpy, defy the foreign powers clamouring for Meereen to re-open the slave trade and ensure a lasting peace is built so that Daenerys, when and if she returns, can turn her eye to the true prize: the Iron Throne of Westeros.
Season 6 of Game of Thrones starts airing on HBO in the United States on Sunday 24 April. Sky Atlantic will follow up in the UK a day later.
SPOILERS FOR THE ENDING OF GAME OF THRONES SEASON 5 FOLLOW.
Areas likely to be of interest in Season 6 (click for larger version).
State of Play
The War of the Five Kings has effectively ended in total victory for the combined, allied forces of House Lannister, House Tyrell, House Bolton and House Frey. The last major challenge to their rule was the army commanded by the self-styled King Stannis Baratheon, but this army has been defeated in a battle outside Winterfell. Stannis is dead, along with his wife and his only daughter and heir. The surviving forces loyal to House Baratheon have scattered, some returning to the Wall and others fleeing elsewhere.
There are a couple of remaining matters to be cleared up, however. Riverrun remains defiant, House Tully continuing to defy the will of the Iron Throne despite the capture of Lord Edmure Tully at the Red Wedding. Some of the northern houses have also not yet sworn fealty to House Bolton as the new overlords of the North, with the Mormonts of Bear Island, Karstarks of Karhold and Umbers of Last Hearth proving particularly troublesome. With Stannis defeated, however, the Boltons should be able to turn their attention to resolving these issues and bringing the truculent houses to heel. However, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister and the council are also now aware that Lord Roose Bolton has married his son Ramsay to the fugitive Sansa Stark in secret, and count this as an act of defiance bordering on treason. The outcome of this remains unknown.
In King's Landing, things are not as victorious as they should be. Queen Regent Cersei Lannister has, against some advice, reinstated and rearmed the Faith Militant, the crusading wing of the Faith of the Seven. The new High Septon has had both Cersei and Queen Margaery Tyrell arrested for crimes against the faith and against morality, along with the queen's brother Loras. The entreaties of King Tommen and his uncle, Ser Kevan Lannister, have resulted in Cersei being allowed to return to the Red Keep having undertaken a "Walk of Shame" through the streets of the capital. Cersei and Margaery both now have to stand trial, with Cersei planning a trial of combat using her new champion and the latest member of the Kingsguard: a mysterious and large knight known as Ser Robert Strong. The Lannister-Tyrell alliance holds, but is fragile due to the role played by Cersei in Margaery and Loras's arrest.
In the south, House Martell of Dorne had agreed to an alliance with the Iron Throne in return for the marriage of Princess Myrcella Baratheon to Prince Trystane Martell. However, Myrcella has died on the voyage back from Sunspear, with some evidence that she was poisoned. The impact of this on the political climate remains to be seen, but will likely not be peaceful.
Meanwhile, Lord Petyr Baelish has take over the rule of the Vale of Arryn. He has taken Lord Robin Arryn well in hand and won the loyalty of several of the Vale's major houses (not to mention their large armies, which did not see battle during the war and remain fresh). Petyr remains, apparently, a loyal subject of the crown.
The political state of play at the start of Season 6. With Stannis Baratheon dead, it is likely that his forces will either scatter or come under the control of another side.
In the west, the ironborn continue to raid the coastlands and Balon Greyjoy continues to style himself King of the Iron Islands. With the rest of Westeros coming to heel under the Lannisters, the time may be coming when the ironborn will also face the might of the Iron Throne. But rumour speaks of the return of Balon Greyjoy's black-hearted brother Euron, one of the most feared ship captains and reavers on all the oceans of the world.
On the Wall, the Night's Watch is in turmoil. The decision to ally with the wildlings only days after they launched a devastating assault on the Wall was highly controversial and now thousands of wildlings have been allowed into the lands south of the Wall. However, many brothers of the Watch also saw the dead rise in unspeakable numbers at the Battle of Hardhome and massacre thousands of wildlings, only for those to be raised up as well. They also report seeing the White Walkers in the fullness of their power. The apparent need for unity between the Watch and the wildlings has been shattered following the brutal murder of Jon Snow, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, at the hands of his own men, led by Ser Alliser Thorne. The result will likely be bloody: Jon has his followers and allies among the Watch, and the surviving forces loyal to Stannis and the red woman, Melisandre, also favoured the alliance. The disposition of the wildlings themselves, who counted Jon as a friend and ally, is also unlikely to be favourable. The Watch may yet rue the betrayal and murder of Lord Snow.
Far beyond the Wall, deep in the Haunted Forest, lies a cave still inhabited by the near-mythical children of the forest. In that cave the Three-Eyed Raven has been teaching Bran Stark the secrets of the greenseers and seeing through the weirwood trees. This ability may yet give hope in the struggle against the endless winter that is to come.
In the distant east, the cities of Slaver's Bay remain in turmoil. Daenerys Targaryen has disappeared, spirited out of the Great Pit in Meereen by her dragon, Drogon and carried north into the endless grassplains of the Dothraki Sea. Whilst her allies search for her, Tyrion Lannister and the eunuch Lord Varys rule in Meereen. They have to crush the rebellion of the Sons of the Harpy, defy the foreign powers clamouring for Meereen to re-open the slave trade and ensure a lasting peace is built so that Daenerys, when and if she returns, can turn her eye to the true prize: the Iron Throne of Westeros.
Season 6 of Game of Thrones starts airing on HBO in the United States on Sunday 24 April. Sky Atlantic will follow up in the UK a day later.
Sunday, 10 April 2016
Stellar Cartography: Battlestar Galactica
Over on my other blog, Atlas of Ice and Fire, I've taken a brief break from ASoIaF material to do some Battlestar Galactica-related map posts.
In the first post I look at the cartography of the Twelve Colonies and how you get twelve habitable planets into the same star system.
In the second post I look at the actual voyage of the Galactica and its refugee fleet from the Colonies to Earth, via Kobol, New Caprica, the Ionian Nebula and a host of other landmarks.
In the first post I look at the cartography of the Twelve Colonies and how you get twelve habitable planets into the same star system.
In the second post I look at the actual voyage of the Galactica and its refugee fleet from the Colonies to Earth, via Kobol, New Caprica, the Ionian Nebula and a host of other landmarks.
Thursday, 7 April 2016
Trailer released for STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE
Disney and Lucasfilm have released the first full-length trailer for Star Wars: Rogue One, the first stand-alone movie in the Star Wars saga (i.e. it's not part of the core "Episodes").
Rogue One is set a few months to a year before the events of the 1977 movie Episode IV: A New Hope (i.e. "the first one"). It features the first Death Star in the final stages of construction. The nascent Rebel Alliance has got wind that the Empire is testing a new weapon but has no idea beyond that what is going on. They enlist the reluctant aid of a band of mercenaries and rogues to send them on what appears to be a suicide mission to gain intelligence about the Imperial weapon...the same intelligence that later falls into the hands of Princess Leia and R2-D2, sparking the events of the entire saga.
Rogue One stars the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, an apparent mercenary and renegade against the Empire. She is "persuaded" to join the Rebel Alliance and take command of the mission to investigate the Empire's new weapon.
Erso is sent on her mission by Mon Mothma, the commander of the Rebel Alliance. Mothma previously appeared in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, played by Caroline Blakiston, and in a deleted scene from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, played by Genevieve O'Reilly. Not confirmed at the moment, it looks like O'Reilly is playing the role in Rogue One as well.
Diego Luna is playing an unspecified role, but he looks like a Rebel officer assigned to work with Erso.
This appears to be Alistair Petrie, who is playing a Rebel general.
Hollywood veteran Forrest Whitaker is playing another one of Erso's soldiers. It looks like he's the grizzled old veteran of the group.
Jiang Wen is playing another one of Erso's troops.
Donnie Yen, a Chinese martial artist and experienced actor, is playing another one of Erso's troops, apparently one who favours melee and unarmed combat over blasters. Yen's casting was counted a major coup by the production.
Ben Mendelsohn is playing an Imperial officer. From his rank insignia and uniform, it looks like he might be playing a Grand Admiral of the Imperial Starfleet, although sadly not fan-favourite novel character Thrawn. Some have speculated that Mendelsohn was playing Grand Moff Tarkin (played by the late Peter Cushing in the original Episode IV), but the different costume seems to rule that out.
The will be partly set in the Rebel base on Yavin IV, which appeared at the end of A New Hope. An old-school X-wing fighter can be seen in the background here.
The Death Star is in the final stages of construction at this time. Its superlaser focusing disc is being put into place here.
An Imperial-class Star Destroyer near the Death Star. In a nice nod to continuity, this appears to be an ImpStar One (Imperial I-class), highlighted by the diagonally-supported tractor beam array between the sensor globes. A significant number of ImpStar Ones were replaced or refitted as Imperial II-class Star Destroyers (or ImpStar Deuces) before the events of The Empire Strikes Back.
Imperial AT-ATs in a tropical setting.
Ben Mendelsohn's character surveys the aftermath of a battle. What appears to be the wreckage of a Rebel Y-wing can be seen in the background.
A hooded figure flanked by Imperial Guardsmen. This character is unknown, but does not appear to be Darth Vader (who is rumoured, but not confirmed, to have a cameo).
The title card for the movie.
The film is directed by Gareth Edwards, who helmed the well-received Monsters as well as the recent Godzilla reboot. According to Edwards, Rogue One will not feature any Jedi, lightsabres or the Force and will instead by a war story with "less clear-cut" heroes and villains than the other films. The Dirty Dozen has been cited as an inspiration. Producer Kathleen Kennedy has indicated that Rogue One, as not part of the core, Skywalker-focused saga, will allow different aesthetics, directorial and editing styles to be used compared to the main films.
Star Wars: Rogue One hits cinemas on 18 December.
Rogue One is set a few months to a year before the events of the 1977 movie Episode IV: A New Hope (i.e. "the first one"). It features the first Death Star in the final stages of construction. The nascent Rebel Alliance has got wind that the Empire is testing a new weapon but has no idea beyond that what is going on. They enlist the reluctant aid of a band of mercenaries and rogues to send them on what appears to be a suicide mission to gain intelligence about the Imperial weapon...the same intelligence that later falls into the hands of Princess Leia and R2-D2, sparking the events of the entire saga.
Rogue One stars the Oscar and BAFTA-nominated Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso, an apparent mercenary and renegade against the Empire. She is "persuaded" to join the Rebel Alliance and take command of the mission to investigate the Empire's new weapon.
Erso is sent on her mission by Mon Mothma, the commander of the Rebel Alliance. Mothma previously appeared in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, played by Caroline Blakiston, and in a deleted scene from Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, played by Genevieve O'Reilly. Not confirmed at the moment, it looks like O'Reilly is playing the role in Rogue One as well.
Diego Luna is playing an unspecified role, but he looks like a Rebel officer assigned to work with Erso.
This appears to be Alistair Petrie, who is playing a Rebel general.
Hollywood veteran Forrest Whitaker is playing another one of Erso's soldiers. It looks like he's the grizzled old veteran of the group.
Jiang Wen is playing another one of Erso's troops.
Donnie Yen, a Chinese martial artist and experienced actor, is playing another one of Erso's troops, apparently one who favours melee and unarmed combat over blasters. Yen's casting was counted a major coup by the production.
Ben Mendelsohn is playing an Imperial officer. From his rank insignia and uniform, it looks like he might be playing a Grand Admiral of the Imperial Starfleet, although sadly not fan-favourite novel character Thrawn. Some have speculated that Mendelsohn was playing Grand Moff Tarkin (played by the late Peter Cushing in the original Episode IV), but the different costume seems to rule that out.
The will be partly set in the Rebel base on Yavin IV, which appeared at the end of A New Hope. An old-school X-wing fighter can be seen in the background here.
The Death Star is in the final stages of construction at this time. Its superlaser focusing disc is being put into place here.
An Imperial-class Star Destroyer near the Death Star. In a nice nod to continuity, this appears to be an ImpStar One (Imperial I-class), highlighted by the diagonally-supported tractor beam array between the sensor globes. A significant number of ImpStar Ones were replaced or refitted as Imperial II-class Star Destroyers (or ImpStar Deuces) before the events of The Empire Strikes Back.
Imperial AT-ATs in a tropical setting.
Ben Mendelsohn's character surveys the aftermath of a battle. What appears to be the wreckage of a Rebel Y-wing can be seen in the background.
A hooded figure flanked by Imperial Guardsmen. This character is unknown, but does not appear to be Darth Vader (who is rumoured, but not confirmed, to have a cameo).
The title card for the movie.
The film is directed by Gareth Edwards, who helmed the well-received Monsters as well as the recent Godzilla reboot. According to Edwards, Rogue One will not feature any Jedi, lightsabres or the Force and will instead by a war story with "less clear-cut" heroes and villains than the other films. The Dirty Dozen has been cited as an inspiration. Producer Kathleen Kennedy has indicated that Rogue One, as not part of the core, Skywalker-focused saga, will allow different aesthetics, directorial and editing styles to be used compared to the main films.
Star Wars: Rogue One hits cinemas on 18 December.
Wednesday, 6 April 2016
The Call by Peadar O'Guilin
The island of Ireland has been sealed off from the rest of the world by a mystical barrier. Technology cannot penetrate it. The people of Ireland, the division between north and south no longer mattering, are under constant attack. Every teenager is "Called", summoned to another realm where they do battle with the Aes Sidhe, the ancient rulers of Ireland before they were banished in a great war. The Sidhe have a day in their realm (three minutes in ours) to hunt down and kill the child, otherwise the victime escapes. Sometimes the Sidhe spare the victim, to return them home mutilated or "changed" in some horrific fashion. Most of the time, the Sidhe kill the victim.
Nessa is a teenager at school, but in this age schools do not teach algebra or humanities. Instead they teach each student on how to survive in the Sidhe realm, how to kill the fairies and how to escape back home. Nessa's prospects are dim due to a childhood brush with polio and the resulting weakening of her legs. But Nessa has made a vow to survive, no matter the cost.
It's been nine years since Peadar O'Guilin released his debut novel, The Inferior, an SF story of high-tech and savage, cannibalistic societies coexisting next to each other. Since then, he's made a habit of writing stories that combine mythology, SF and horror, told with verve and intelligence. The Call is an evolution of that storytelling style, and should be a major step forward for his career.
The Call is a rich story mixing horror, survivalism and deep-rooted Irish mythology. "Hey, this sounds a bit like The Hunger Games," some may say, and I suspect the comparison will become a cornerstone of future reviews. However, I would argue that the story is less like The Hunger Games and, at least in spirit and tone, more like that's novel's considerably darker and more adult inspiration, Koushun Takami's Battle Royale. Like that novel The Call channels many of the real issues, challenges and emotional turmoils of being a teenager, given greater resonance by being studied through the lens of an extraordinary situation that transforms the foibles of adolescence into a grim and deadly game of survival.
The result is a mash-up of Battle Royale, Terry Pratchett's Lord and Ladies and an Irish version of Skins, but parsed by O'Guilin's signature dark wit and expert pacing. The book moves like a rollercoaster from the off, but has time to delve into Irish mythology, reflect on teenage angst and sexuality (this is a pretty frank book in that regard) and develop its key characters, not just redoubtable protagonist Nessa but also her friends, the teachers at the school and her sworn enemies. O'Guilin has developed that most enviable knack of dropping us into a character's head for a few moments and establishing them as a full-realised person in just a page or two. He does this so well that it's hard not feel sympathy even for the "bad guys" when they get offed.
It's a short novel at 320 pages, but it moves fast, is extremely bloody-minded and has a body count that might make even George R.R. Martin wince. It's also very smart, with its premise and "rules" interrogated by the characters as much as by the reader, and tremendously adult. It may be marketed as a "YA" book but it does not pander to presupposed juvenile tastes. It treats its audience with respect and credits them with intelligence.
There's not much to say that is negative. It's another one of these books that's the first of a series but the marketing doesn't really mention it (a sequel, The Invasion, will follow in due course). It also feels like the danger of "sleeper agents", people sent back by the Sidhe having apparently survived their Calling but in reality transformed into their slaves, should have been more properly considered by the Irish authorities and protected against. But these are less than minor issues.
The Call (****½) will be published by David Fickling Books in the UK and Ireland on 30 August this year, and in the USA by Scholastic around the same time (no listing yet). I very strongly recommend it.
Edit: I've now had a couple of people ask about this. The term "Aes Sidhe" is the original Irish term ("Aos Si" is a more recent form) for a mythological species of fairies or elves who originally ruled Ireland before being defeated by men. The Book of Conquests (also The Book of Invasions or The Book of the Taking of Ireland) is an account of this conflict, dating back to the 11th Century but based on considerably older oral traditions.
Needless to say, the term massively predates the term "Aes Sedai", which Robert Jordan borrowed from the Irish for his Wheel of Time sequence beginning in 1990. O'Guilin is simply using the original term from Irish mythology.
Nessa is a teenager at school, but in this age schools do not teach algebra or humanities. Instead they teach each student on how to survive in the Sidhe realm, how to kill the fairies and how to escape back home. Nessa's prospects are dim due to a childhood brush with polio and the resulting weakening of her legs. But Nessa has made a vow to survive, no matter the cost.
It's been nine years since Peadar O'Guilin released his debut novel, The Inferior, an SF story of high-tech and savage, cannibalistic societies coexisting next to each other. Since then, he's made a habit of writing stories that combine mythology, SF and horror, told with verve and intelligence. The Call is an evolution of that storytelling style, and should be a major step forward for his career.
The Call is a rich story mixing horror, survivalism and deep-rooted Irish mythology. "Hey, this sounds a bit like The Hunger Games," some may say, and I suspect the comparison will become a cornerstone of future reviews. However, I would argue that the story is less like The Hunger Games and, at least in spirit and tone, more like that's novel's considerably darker and more adult inspiration, Koushun Takami's Battle Royale. Like that novel The Call channels many of the real issues, challenges and emotional turmoils of being a teenager, given greater resonance by being studied through the lens of an extraordinary situation that transforms the foibles of adolescence into a grim and deadly game of survival.
The result is a mash-up of Battle Royale, Terry Pratchett's Lord and Ladies and an Irish version of Skins, but parsed by O'Guilin's signature dark wit and expert pacing. The book moves like a rollercoaster from the off, but has time to delve into Irish mythology, reflect on teenage angst and sexuality (this is a pretty frank book in that regard) and develop its key characters, not just redoubtable protagonist Nessa but also her friends, the teachers at the school and her sworn enemies. O'Guilin has developed that most enviable knack of dropping us into a character's head for a few moments and establishing them as a full-realised person in just a page or two. He does this so well that it's hard not feel sympathy even for the "bad guys" when they get offed.
It's a short novel at 320 pages, but it moves fast, is extremely bloody-minded and has a body count that might make even George R.R. Martin wince. It's also very smart, with its premise and "rules" interrogated by the characters as much as by the reader, and tremendously adult. It may be marketed as a "YA" book but it does not pander to presupposed juvenile tastes. It treats its audience with respect and credits them with intelligence.
There's not much to say that is negative. It's another one of these books that's the first of a series but the marketing doesn't really mention it (a sequel, The Invasion, will follow in due course). It also feels like the danger of "sleeper agents", people sent back by the Sidhe having apparently survived their Calling but in reality transformed into their slaves, should have been more properly considered by the Irish authorities and protected against. But these are less than minor issues.
The Call (****½) will be published by David Fickling Books in the UK and Ireland on 30 August this year, and in the USA by Scholastic around the same time (no listing yet). I very strongly recommend it.
Edit: I've now had a couple of people ask about this. The term "Aes Sidhe" is the original Irish term ("Aos Si" is a more recent form) for a mythological species of fairies or elves who originally ruled Ireland before being defeated by men. The Book of Conquests (also The Book of Invasions or The Book of the Taking of Ireland) is an account of this conflict, dating back to the 11th Century but based on considerably older oral traditions.
Needless to say, the term massively predates the term "Aes Sedai", which Robert Jordan borrowed from the Irish for his Wheel of Time sequence beginning in 1990. O'Guilin is simply using the original term from Irish mythology.
New cover art: Peter F. Hamilton's NIGHT WITHOUT STARS
Tor UK have revealed the UK cover art for Night Without Stars, the forthcoming second part of Peter F. Hamilton's Chronicle of the Fallers duology.
Cover blurb:
Night Without Stars will be published on 22 September this year.
Cover blurb:
"The planet of Bienvenido is on its own, isolated from the rest of the universe. And it’s waging war against the ruthless Fallers, aliens which have evolved to conquer whole worlds. Kysandra is leading an underground resistance, aided by biological enhancements that give her a crucial edge. But she fears she’s fighting a losing battle. This is especially as the government hampers her efforts at every turn, blinded by crippling technophobia and prejudices against enhanced 'Eliter' humans. However, if the resistance and government can’t work together, humanity on this planet will face extinction – for the Fallers are organizing a final, decisive invasion. Bienvenido badly needs outside help. But the Commonwealth, with all its technological expertise, has been lost to them for generations. Desperate times will call for desperate measures, or humanity on Bienvenido will not survive."
Night Without Stars will be published on 22 September this year.
Tuesday, 5 April 2016
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA viewing guide
I'm currently rewatching the revamped Battlestar Galactica for the first time in many years. I'm thinking about doing a detailed recap/rewatch for the series later on, if time allows. It's a show whose virtues have certainly become greater over the years but whose flaws have also more notable. Certainly it's a show that's still worth watching, if only to join in on the never-ending debate about the controversial ending.
One of the odder things about the show is that it consists not just of regular episodes and seasons, but also TV movies, online webisodes and spin-offs. The mass of material, and the lack of one easily-available "complete franchise" box set and variable streaming availability has made following the series and watching it more complicated than it really should be. This guide should - hopefully - make the situation clearer:
Production Order
The show's production order is probably the best viewing order as well, since this is the order the series originally aired in and is what most people viewed the series in. This also best protects later spoilers and crucial plot revelations.
Battlestar Galactica
The Mini-Series (2003)
When BSG was rebooted in 2003, it first returned as a pilot mini-series consisting of two 90-minute episodes. This was initially released by itself on DVD. Later on, it was incorporated into the US Season 1 DVD box set but not in the UK Season 1 DVD box set. For UK DVD watchers, the mini-series still has to be purchased separately. The mini-series is included in the Complete Series Blu-Ray set.
Season 1 (2004-05)
Webisodes: The Resistance (2006)
Between Seasons 2 and 3, NBC requested that the BSG team produce ten short "webisodes" to advertise the return of the show. The producers agreed and filmed ten short segments which, when combined, form a 24-minute "prelude" to the third season. However, a legal dispute over pay for the webisodes (which also affected studio-mate series The Office) caused delays in production. As a result, The Resistance was issued only in standard definition (even on the Blu-Ray release) and with a minimum of post-production. However, they do set up the state of play at the start of the third season. They can be found on the American Season 3 DVD release, but not on the UK DVD release. They are included in the Complete Series Blu-Ray set in all territories, however (under the special features for Disc 2 of Season 3).
Season 3 (2006-07)
TV Movie: Razor (2007)
Produced as a straight-to-DVD special between the third and fourth seasons, Razor was a 90-minute TV movie set towards the end of the second season and expanded on the backstory of the battlestar Pegasus. A series of webisodes set during the First Cylon War preceded Razor, but these have been integrated into the episode itself on the home media releases.
Season 4, Part 1 (2008)
The fourth season of Battlestar Galactica was announced as being the last. However, SyFy delayed transmission of the season by several months due to problems caused by the 2007-08 Writer's Guild of America Strike. They then split the final season in half, airing the two halves a year apart. Although this gave more time for post-production, it caused great irritation in the fanbase.
Webisodes: The Face of the Enemy (2008-09)
These webisodes were produced between the two halves of Season 4. However, due to some slight confusion, they are set between Sometimes a Great Notion and A Disquiet Follows My Soul rather that directly between the two halves of the season. This is because Season 4, Part 2 was originally supposed to end with Sometimes rather than Revelations, but it was decided that Revelations made for a more shocking cliffhanger. Fortunately, the webisodes do not contain any major spoilers for Sometimes. They are not included on either the US or UK DVD sets, but can be found on the Complete Series Blu-Ray set.
Season 4, Part 2 (2009)
TV Movie: The Plan (2010)
The Plan was produced as an attempt to address fan concerns that the Cylons had never actually had "a plan" (as described in the opening to every episode of the first three seasons), and effectively presented everything that happened in the first two seasons from the Cylon POV. However, fan response to the TV movie was muted, especially coming after the conclusion of the series as a whole. The Plan is not part of the Complete Series Blu-Ray set and has to be purchased separately.
Caprica
Season 1 (2010)
Caprica is readily available on DVD, but has not been released properly on Blu-Ray in the UK or USA. Oddly, complete series box sets on Blu-Ray are available from France, Germany and Sweden.
Blood and Chrome (2012)
Blood and Chrome was a proposed second prequel series, taking place sixteen years after the events of Caprica and forty-two before the events of the mini-series. The planned series would have covered the final two years of the First Cylon War. However, the series was never made leaving the pilot as a stand-alone TV movie.
Chronological Order
Watching BSG in chronological order will likely be fairly confusing. BSG is reliant on backstory revelations delivered at key points in the narrative and watching later series and TV movies can result in significant spoilers. Therefore, this is only really recommended as a rewatch experiment.
This is the (rough) show timeline, sans spoilers.
c. 4000 BF (Before the Fall): The Thirteenth Tribe leaves Kobol to colonise Earth. The semi-canon comic book BSG: The Final Five begins.
c. 3600 BF: The Book of Pythia is written.
2000 BF (1,942 years before the events of Caprica): The remaining Twelve Tribes depart Kobol to colonise the Twelve Colonies.
58 BF: Caprica takes place. The epilogue to Season 1 takes place several years later.
52 BF: The First Cylon War begins.
51 BF: The semi-canon video game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock takes place.
42 BF: Blood & Chrome takes place.
40 BF: The First Cylon War ends. The flashbacks in BSG: Razor take place.
30-20 BF: The flashbacks in BSG: Occupation (episode 201) take place. The semi-canon comic book BSG: The Final Five ends.
c. 6 BF: The flashbacks in BSG: Hero (episode 308) take place. Dialogue in this episode suggest it is more like 1-2 BF, but this was a continuity error.
0: The Fall of the Twelve Colonies. BSG: The Plan begins. BSG: The Mini-Series takes place.
0-1 AF (After the Fall): BSG: Seasons 1-2 and the remainder of The Plan and Razor take place.
2-4 AF: BSG: Seasons 3-4 take place.
The chronological viewing order of the franchise is therefore as follows. I do not recommend you watch the show in this order for a first watch:
In 2017 the video game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock was released. This was an approved product worked on by some of the team at SyFy who worked on the show, although Ronald D. Moore was not involved. The video game tells the story of the first year or so of the First Cylon War.
One of the odder things about the show is that it consists not just of regular episodes and seasons, but also TV movies, online webisodes and spin-offs. The mass of material, and the lack of one easily-available "complete franchise" box set and variable streaming availability has made following the series and watching it more complicated than it really should be. This guide should - hopefully - make the situation clearer:
Production Order
The show's production order is probably the best viewing order as well, since this is the order the series originally aired in and is what most people viewed the series in. This also best protects later spoilers and crucial plot revelations.
Battlestar Galactica
The Mini-Series (2003)
When BSG was rebooted in 2003, it first returned as a pilot mini-series consisting of two 90-minute episodes. This was initially released by itself on DVD. Later on, it was incorporated into the US Season 1 DVD box set but not in the UK Season 1 DVD box set. For UK DVD watchers, the mini-series still has to be purchased separately. The mini-series is included in the Complete Series Blu-Ray set.
Season 1 (2004-05)
- 101: 33
- 102: Water
- 103: Bastille Day
- 104: Act of Contrition
- 105: You Can't Go Home Again
- 106: Litmus
- 107: Six Degrees of Separation
- 108: Flesh and Bone
- 109: Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down
- 110: The Hand of God
- 111: Colonial Day
- 112: Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part I
- 113: Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part II
- 201: Scattered
- 202: Valley of Darkness
- 203: Fragged
- 204: Resistance
- 205: The Farm
- 206: Home, Part I
- 207: Home, Part II
- 208: Final Cut
- 209: Flight of the Phoenix
- 210: Pegasus
- 211: Resurrection Ship, Part I
- 212: Resurrection Ship, Part II
- 213: Epiphanies
- 214: Black Market
- 215: Scar
- 216: Sacrifice
- 217: The Captain's Hand
- 218: Downloaded
- 219: Lay Down Your Burdens, Part I
- 220: Lay Down Your Burdens, Part II
Webisodes: The Resistance (2006)
Between Seasons 2 and 3, NBC requested that the BSG team produce ten short "webisodes" to advertise the return of the show. The producers agreed and filmed ten short segments which, when combined, form a 24-minute "prelude" to the third season. However, a legal dispute over pay for the webisodes (which also affected studio-mate series The Office) caused delays in production. As a result, The Resistance was issued only in standard definition (even on the Blu-Ray release) and with a minimum of post-production. However, they do set up the state of play at the start of the third season. They can be found on the American Season 3 DVD release, but not on the UK DVD release. They are included in the Complete Series Blu-Ray set in all territories, however (under the special features for Disc 2 of Season 3).
Season 3 (2006-07)
- 301: Occupation
- 302: Precipice
- 303: Exodus, Part I
- 304: Exodus, Part II
- 305: Collaborators
- 306: Torn
- 307: A Measure of Salvation
- 308: Hero
- 309: Unfinished Business
- 310: The Passage
- 311: The Eye of Jupiter
- 312: Rapture
- 313: Taking a Break From Your Worries
- 314: The Woman King
- 315: A Day in the Life
- 316: Dirty Hands
- 317: Maelstrom
- 318: The Son Also Rises
- 319: Crossroads, Part I
- 320: Crossroads, Part II
TV Movie: Razor (2007)
Produced as a straight-to-DVD special between the third and fourth seasons, Razor was a 90-minute TV movie set towards the end of the second season and expanded on the backstory of the battlestar Pegasus. A series of webisodes set during the First Cylon War preceded Razor, but these have been integrated into the episode itself on the home media releases.
Season 4, Part 1 (2008)
- 401: He That Believeth in Me
- 402: Six of One
- 403: The Ties That Bind
- 404: Escape Velocity
- 405: The Road Less Travelled
- 406: Faith
- 407: Guess What's Coming to Dinner?
- 408: Sine Qua Non
- 409: The Hub
- 410: Revelations
The fourth season of Battlestar Galactica was announced as being the last. However, SyFy delayed transmission of the season by several months due to problems caused by the 2007-08 Writer's Guild of America Strike. They then split the final season in half, airing the two halves a year apart. Although this gave more time for post-production, it caused great irritation in the fanbase.
Webisodes: The Face of the Enemy (2008-09)
These webisodes were produced between the two halves of Season 4. However, due to some slight confusion, they are set between Sometimes a Great Notion and A Disquiet Follows My Soul rather that directly between the two halves of the season. This is because Season 4, Part 2 was originally supposed to end with Sometimes rather than Revelations, but it was decided that Revelations made for a more shocking cliffhanger. Fortunately, the webisodes do not contain any major spoilers for Sometimes. They are not included on either the US or UK DVD sets, but can be found on the Complete Series Blu-Ray set.
Season 4, Part 2 (2009)
- 411: Sometimes a Great Notion
- 412: A Disquiet Follows My Soul
- 413: The Oath
- 414: Blood on the Scales
- 415: No Exit
- 416: Deadlock
- 417: Someone to Watch Over Me
- 418: Islanded in a Stream of Stars
- 419: Daybreak, Part I
- 420: Daybreak, Part II
- 421: Daybreak, Part III
TV Movie: The Plan (2010)
The Plan was produced as an attempt to address fan concerns that the Cylons had never actually had "a plan" (as described in the opening to every episode of the first three seasons), and effectively presented everything that happened in the first two seasons from the Cylon POV. However, fan response to the TV movie was muted, especially coming after the conclusion of the series as a whole. The Plan is not part of the Complete Series Blu-Ray set and has to be purchased separately.
Season 1 (2010)
- 101: Pilot, Part I
- 102: Pilot, Part II
- 103: Rebirth
- 104: Reins of a Waterfall
- 105: Gravedancing
- 106: There is Another Sky
- 107: Know They Enemy
- 108: The Imperfections of Memory
- 109: Ghosts in the Machine
- 110: End of Line
- 111: Unvanquished
- 112: Retribution
- 113: Things We Lock Away
- 114: False Labour
- 115: Blowback
- 116: The Dirteaters
- 117: The Heavens Will Rise
- 118: Here Be Dragons
- 119: Apotheosis
Caprica is readily available on DVD, but has not been released properly on Blu-Ray in the UK or USA. Oddly, complete series box sets on Blu-Ray are available from France, Germany and Sweden.
Blood and Chrome (2012)
Blood and Chrome was a proposed second prequel series, taking place sixteen years after the events of Caprica and forty-two before the events of the mini-series. The planned series would have covered the final two years of the First Cylon War. However, the series was never made leaving the pilot as a stand-alone TV movie.
Chronological Order
Watching BSG in chronological order will likely be fairly confusing. BSG is reliant on backstory revelations delivered at key points in the narrative and watching later series and TV movies can result in significant spoilers. Therefore, this is only really recommended as a rewatch experiment.
This is the (rough) show timeline, sans spoilers.
c. 4000 BF (Before the Fall): The Thirteenth Tribe leaves Kobol to colonise Earth. The semi-canon comic book BSG: The Final Five begins.
c. 3600 BF: The Book of Pythia is written.
2000 BF (1,942 years before the events of Caprica): The remaining Twelve Tribes depart Kobol to colonise the Twelve Colonies.
58 BF: Caprica takes place. The epilogue to Season 1 takes place several years later.
52 BF: The First Cylon War begins.
51 BF: The semi-canon video game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock takes place.
42 BF: Blood & Chrome takes place.
40 BF: The First Cylon War ends. The flashbacks in BSG: Razor take place.
30-20 BF: The flashbacks in BSG: Occupation (episode 201) take place. The semi-canon comic book BSG: The Final Five ends.
c. 6 BF: The flashbacks in BSG: Hero (episode 308) take place. Dialogue in this episode suggest it is more like 1-2 BF, but this was a continuity error.
0: The Fall of the Twelve Colonies. BSG: The Plan begins. BSG: The Mini-Series takes place.
0-1 AF (After the Fall): BSG: Seasons 1-2 and the remainder of The Plan and Razor take place.
2-4 AF: BSG: Seasons 3-4 take place.
The chronological viewing order of the franchise is therefore as follows. I do not recommend you watch the show in this order for a first watch:
- Caprica
- Blood & Chrome
- BSG: The Mini-Series
- BSG: Seasons 1-2
- BSG: Razor takes place between Season 2, Episodes 17 and 18.
- BSG: The Plan takes place betwen the mini-series and Season 2, Episode 20.
- BSG: The Resistance webisodes
- BSG: Seasons 3-4 (Part 1)
- BSG: The Face of the Enemy webisodes
- BSG: Season 4 (Part 2)
In 2017 the video game Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock was released. This was an approved product worked on by some of the team at SyFy who worked on the show, although Ronald D. Moore was not involved. The video game tells the story of the first year or so of the First Cylon War.
Monday, 4 April 2016
The BBC's HIS DARK MATERIALS TV series inherits SANDMAN writer
A couple of weeks back the Sandman movie project suffered a double blown when producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt and writer Jack Thorne left, citing "creative differences" with New Line. Thorne has his new gig already lined up, as he has joined the BBC's adaptation of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials as head writer.
The BBC and Bad Wolf Productions announced a few months ago that they were going to be working on His Dark Materials, adapting the three novels (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) as five television seasons of eight episodes each. Bad Wolf is a new production company formed by ex-BBC producers and executives Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, whose biggest previous success was the resurrection of Doctor Who in 2005. As well as His Dark Materials, they are currently working on a TV version of Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles trilogy, although that appears to be at a much earlier stage of development.
Thorne has been on a bit of a roll recently. He wrote and created the hugely-acclaimed The Fades for Channel 4, and was a leading writer on the popular drama series Skins. He was nominated last week for three BAFTA Awards, for The Last Panthers, This is England '90 and Don't Take My Baby. He's also the co-writer - with J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany - of the upcoming stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
The Dark Materials TV series will be completely unrelated to the 2007 movie The Golden Compass, starring Daniel Craig, which was based on the first novel in the series but was not a major box-office success.
The BBC and Bad Wolf Productions announced a few months ago that they were going to be working on His Dark Materials, adapting the three novels (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass) as five television seasons of eight episodes each. Bad Wolf is a new production company formed by ex-BBC producers and executives Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner, whose biggest previous success was the resurrection of Doctor Who in 2005. As well as His Dark Materials, they are currently working on a TV version of Bernard Cornwell's Warlord Chronicles trilogy, although that appears to be at a much earlier stage of development.
Thorne has been on a bit of a roll recently. He wrote and created the hugely-acclaimed The Fades for Channel 4, and was a leading writer on the popular drama series Skins. He was nominated last week for three BAFTA Awards, for The Last Panthers, This is England '90 and Don't Take My Baby. He's also the co-writer - with J.K. Rowling and John Tiffany - of the upcoming stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
The Dark Materials TV series will be completely unrelated to the 2007 movie The Golden Compass, starring Daniel Craig, which was based on the first novel in the series but was not a major box-office success.
Saturday, 2 April 2016
New Steven Erikson MALAZAN novella released
Steven Erikson will release a new Malazan novella featuring the characters of Bauchelain and Kobral Broach this month. Entitled The Fiends of Nightmaria, it will be released by Subterranean Press and features illustrations by David Gentry.
Pre-orders are currently sold out, but Sub Press hope to have more copies available soon. This is the sixth Malazan novella featuring the characters, following on from Blood Follows (2002), The Healthy Dead (2004), The Lees of Laughter's End (2007), Crack'd Pot Trail (2009) and The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012). Significantly, this likely means that a second omnibus collection of novellas could be released soon, as the first three were collected in The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume I (UK, USA). A Volume II is likely to follow.
Erikson has said that he plans to release nine novellas featuring the characters in total, so three more are likely to follow. Erikson's next full-length Malazan novel, Fall of Light, is due for publication this month, on 21 April in the UK and 26 April in the USA.
Pre-orders are currently sold out, but Sub Press hope to have more copies available soon. This is the sixth Malazan novella featuring the characters, following on from Blood Follows (2002), The Healthy Dead (2004), The Lees of Laughter's End (2007), Crack'd Pot Trail (2009) and The Wurms of Blearmouth (2012). Significantly, this likely means that a second omnibus collection of novellas could be released soon, as the first three were collected in The Tales of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach, Volume I (UK, USA). A Volume II is likely to follow.
Erikson has said that he plans to release nine novellas featuring the characters in total, so three more are likely to follow. Erikson's next full-length Malazan novel, Fall of Light, is due for publication this month, on 21 April in the UK and 26 April in the USA.
Friday, 1 April 2016
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS movie gets a director
The new Dungeons and Dragons movie set in the Forgotten Realms world is reportedly close to getting a director.
Rob Letterman is close to signing up to direct the movie. Letterman is responsible for CGI movies Monsters vs. Aliens and A Shark's Tale, but recently moved into live action with poorly-received Gulliver's Travels and the much more well-regarded Goosebumps. He has also worked as an animator and effects person on films such as Lake Placid and the original Shrek. His previous work appears to be reasonable (the misfire of Gulliver's Travels aside) and his familiarity with effects and blending CGI and live action can only help with the project.
More concerning is the script by David Leslie Johnson. Johnson's previous work - Orphan, Red Riding Hood and Wrath of the Titans - has been mostly risible. The plot synopsis for the film does also not sound hopeful:
The D&D movie looks likely to shoot later this year for release in 2018.
Rob Letterman is close to signing up to direct the movie. Letterman is responsible for CGI movies Monsters vs. Aliens and A Shark's Tale, but recently moved into live action with poorly-received Gulliver's Travels and the much more well-regarded Goosebumps. He has also worked as an animator and effects person on films such as Lake Placid and the original Shrek. His previous work appears to be reasonable (the misfire of Gulliver's Travels aside) and his familiarity with effects and blending CGI and live action can only help with the project.
More concerning is the script by David Leslie Johnson. Johnson's previous work - Orphan, Red Riding Hood and Wrath of the Titans - has been mostly risible. The plot synopsis for the film does also not sound hopeful:
"Based on the popular fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson and first published in 1974, the action-adventure tale centers on a warrior and his band of mystical creatures – including a half-dragon and a cunning gnome – as they embark on a dangerous journey to find a mythical treasure."Hasbro and Warner Brothers are hoping to create a massive, multi-world, multi-character franchise with the film, with later films spanning the numerous different Dungeons and Dragons worlds. This means a lot is riding on the first film. Unfortunately, the talent assembled so far has not been spectacular. Hopefully we'll still get a fun movie out of it, but once again the obvious, money-printing option of simply adapting one of the multi-million-selling D&D spinoff novels has been ignored for no apparent reason.
The D&D movie looks likely to shoot later this year for release in 2018.
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