Not Only The Dark

Not Only the Dark: 160 Poems on the Theme of Survival by Jo Field

I'm going to go out on a limb just a bit here and recommend this collection of poetry without having read it. Two factors are contributing to my decision:
(1) WordAid says, "Not Only The Dark is our latest anthology of poetry, 160 poems on the theme of survival in aid of Shelterbox...This new and vibrant anthology explores the theme of survival, with poems about war, weather, growing ill and growing old as well as about cities and landscapes, art and music, trees and turtles and the many things that add richness to our lives."
(2) Not Only The Dark includes a poem written by Herscher Project co-owner, Jamie A. Hughes.

I'm looking forward to finding a spot for Not Only The Dark on my shelf of most treasured books.

Rabbletown: Life in these United Christian States of Holy America

Fellow Herscher Project member Matthew Williams shares his thoughts about Randy Attwood's near-future dystopian novel Rabbletown: Life in these United Christian States of Holy America. Read what Matthew has to say HERE.

"The year is 2084. The place is Topeka, Kansas. The Church of the Evangels run the country through the Pastor President, pastor governors and pastor legislators. They rule with a Bible in each fist. This future history presents a view of what life would be like under the control of right wing evangelical Christians. Work on the new state cathedral in Topeka provides the economic stimulus for that region. When religion rules, society enters a new dark ages, but still operating are the computer-based social networking systems the Church of the Evangels use to spy on its members. Abortion is just outlawed, pregnancy is mandated. And if you don't fit into the society of the Church of the Evangels, you try to make a life in Rabbletown. And then the son of a mason reminds everyone what redemption is all about." -- goodreads.com
Rabbletown: Life in these United Christian States of Holy America by Randy Attwood

To Be True

 Be sure to give a listen to Jess Hyslop's To Be True (Part 1) over at Cast of Wonders:

http://www.castofwonders.org/2011/10/01/ep11-to-be-true-by-jess-hyslop/

(And, if you're able, donate to Cast of Wonders, a site made possible entirely through kind contributions.)

Scimitar Sun

Scimitar Sun by Chris A. Jackson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scimitar Sun, Chris A. Jackson, 2010, Dragon Moon Press, paperback, 332 p. ISBN 1-897492-17-0 ; more info at www.dragonmoonpress.com and www.jaxbooks.com.

Following in the wake of his award-winning Scimitar Moon, (2009 ForeWord Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book of the Year), author Chris A. Jackson offers up a new Scimitar Seas tale in the rousing Scimitar Sun. This latest novel continues the adventures of Cynthia Flaxal, the Seamage of the Shattered Isles, and makes one wonder if Scimitar Sun is a sequel, or if Scimitar Moon is more accurately a prequel to the real adventures Mr. Jackson has in store for his readers. In Scimitar Sun, Mr. Jackson takes that timeworn catchphrase "just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water," breathes new life into it, and proves quite handily that it's not only big sharks one has to watch out for.

Life in the Shattered Isles is good for Cynthia Flaxal. She has found love and purpose, and holds great hope for that same peaceful life for her unborn child. The shipyard and docks are flourishing, and the seas are at last safe from the predations of Captain Bloodwind, legendary pirate and scourge of the Scimitar Seas. But the unfounded fears of the empire, the vengeful ire of merfolk, and the boundless greed of pirates set into motion events that threaten to plunge the Shattered Isles into chaos and shatter the tranquility in Cynthia's life. As much as she might wish otherwise, Cynthia finds herself drawn into the unrest as surely as a riptide can pull even the strongest swimmer to a watery grave. Even more factors complicate Cynthia's situation--that matter of a volcano and an untried pyromage, for instance. But, dear readers, perhaps I should keep some secrets and allow you to set sail on your own voyage of discovery.

The unique world Mr. Jackson presents for our reading pleasure may bear some slight resemblance to a mature and carefully blended mixture of "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Harry Potter", with a dash of old Errol Flynn movies tossed in for good measure. But make no mistake; the story, setting, and characters are as fresh and dynamic as any fantasy creations on the market today, and the author's judicious balance of drama and humor lends variety. If there is one bit of caution I might forward, it might be "Landlubbers beware!" for Mr. Jackson is no stranger to sailing, and this clearly shows in the vocabulary of his work. If one is uncomfortable with nautical terminology, be sure to keep a dictionary handy. That being said, one shouldn't consider this a flaw in the writing, but rather part of its charm. The language throughout doesn't detract from the novel's appeal; instead, it adds layers of accuracy, credibility, and realism.

If Scimitar Sun is your first exposure to Mr. Jackson's writing, he will not disappoint. Likewise, returning fans will also find good reason to applaud. Over several years, I have come to trust this author's sense of pace and to expect vivid descriptions and delightful characters, while often wondering when these talents would fail him. After all the pirates, magic, merfolk, swashbuckling, sprites, warships, and intrigue of Scimitar Sun, Mr. Jackson leaves me to happily consider the possibility he will never fail to deliver. Though this voyage has ended, I find myself looking forward to joining him yet again on whatever further adventures he decides to share with us.

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Weapon of Flesh

Weapon of Flesh by Chris A. Jackson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In the city of Twailin a power struggle has been heating up for years. The fate of the city hangs in the balance as the Duke, others of the noble families, and factions of the Guilds ruthlessly vie for supremacy. The chessboard is cluttered with numerous pawns, but one very special pawn might sway the battle. But who will control this pawn?

Per the exacting instructions of the mysterious Grandfather, a weapon is fashioned. Through the painstaking labor of the wizard, Corillian, a perfect killing machine is created. Over the span of years, an innocent babe is transformed into a flawless, nameless assassin. He is simply “the weapon.” As a result of the wizard’s magic, the weapon has no emotion, feels no pain, moves silently, leaves no traces of his passing, and enjoys enhanced senses, agility, and strength. Grievous wounds knit and heal in moments. The weapon is trained by masters of the various martial arts in all forms of combat, armed and unarmed. His training does not include the clutter of social skills or human emotions. He has but one purpose: to kill.

This weapon is readied for delivery to a new master who will wield it to his advantage. But Corillian fails to deliver the weapon to this new owner, and a nameless young man, who knows nothing of the world and thousands of ways to end a human life, finds he must find his destiny on his own.

Based on his first brief encounters with society, the weapon makes the assumption that his name must be Lad. He thrills in his newfound autonomy, but Lad is unaware that the Grandfather’s hunters track him, intent on locating and capturing him alive—at any cost—by any means. After nearly two decades of waiting, the Grandfather is impatient to try out his new weapon. The Grandfather’s agenda remains a secret, even to his closest underlings, but there is no doubt that Lad, the weapon of flesh, is integral to the plan’s success.

Lad, through the controlled process of his creation, is like no other young man this, or any other, world has known. This fact was not lost on the author, who offers his readers the stark realities of a world rife with magic, intrigue, assassins, and death. This is not a tale for children, nor is it for those of meek demeanor. It is an often-dark exploration of man’s emotions, desires, hopes and downfalls. It is a clash of a wizard’s arcane spells and the magic of love, a battle of innocence against soul-consuming evil. The author’s treatment of the book’s characters is both consistent and insightful, allowing one to easily empathize with the heroes and loathe the villains. Some of Jackson’s characters fit neatly into one of those categories. Others, however, occupy that grey area between, adding spice to this tale as we struggle to sort them out. Weapon of Flesh is a fabulous tale of medieval fantasy that will leave readers begging for more from author Chris A Jackson.

To discover more about this talented author, visit http://www.jaxbooks.com/

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Lyn Perry Reintroduces a Truly EPIC Warrior Hero

Some food for thought.

Premonitions

We haven't settled on a title for the anthology we are developing here at the Herscher Project, but Premonitions will certainly do for a working title. The anthology will feature stories and poems of mankind's future: dark dystopia... environmental bankruptcy... impending apocalypse... doom, gloom, and disaster... with a few scattered candles of flickering hope.

We've selected some "classics" from the Herscher Project's vault, sprinkled in some new material, and have opened the doors and given a shout out to our members for more new material. To reach our target for the anthology's length, though, we will be inviting some carefully-chosen non-tHP-members to join us!

A few selections that have been decided on are:

"Remnant" by Chris Heisserer,
"A Morning with Toireasa Cass" by Miriam Plachta,
"The Sacred World" by Louise Hughes,
"LifeCycle" by Jess Hyslop,
"Cloud of Witnesses" by Peter Blair,
"I Walk..." by Matthew Summers,
"Prometheus Rebound" by Steve Doyle,
"Fields of Blood" by Deb Smith,
"Domicile 4.5" by Matthew Williams,
"Up From Below" by Jamie A Hughes,
"In The Light" by Neil Foster,
"Aftermath" by Jim Bowers,
"Wave Goodbye" by Chris A Jackson, and
"One Day We Shall Be Gone" by Saana Tykkä

For authors interested in joining in on this adventure, a January 1, 2012 deadline for submissions has been set. Questions may be addressed to herscherproject[at]gmail[dot]com.

News from Chris A Jackson

On Thu, Mar 31, 2011 at 10:56 AM, Chris A Jackson wrote:

Hey all,

Well, the computer is recovered from the crash, and I'm up and running!

Jundag, Book 3 of The Cornerstones Trilogy, is up on Amazon, so you can finally fulfill your fix and get the final book in the series. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/Jundag-Cornerstones-Trilogy-Chris-Jackson/dp/1439229597

Also, Scimitar's Heir, book 3 in the series of Scimitar Seas novels is in the final edit stages, way ahead of schedule. We will be back in the states for Gen Con in August, for the release of the "Hero Comes Home" anthology, edited by Gabriel Harbowy, my DMP editor, and Ed Greenwood, creator of The Forgotten Realms! We will, of course, also be doing Dragon Con again, where Scimitar's Heir will be released.

Also, Scimitar Sun is a finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year award this year. WOOT! Wish me luck!

Big year! Here it comes!

Thank you all!

Chris

When the Hero Comes Home

Chris A Jackson has a short story scheduled for publication in a 2011 anthology release from DragonMoon Press!

Title: WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME
ISBN-13: 978-1-897492-25-3
Release Date: August, 2011
Publisher: Dragon Moon Press
Format: Trade Paperback, E-book
Distributor: Ingram

The anthology features new fiction by Jay Lake, Todd McCaffrey, Julie Kagawa, and an all-new Jig the Goblin story by Jim C. Hines.

Release at GenCon!

Info at http://www.dragonmoonpress.com/joomla/index.php

The road up ahead...

Since Project#1 (that "one-time only" lark ten years ago that eventually grew into the Herscher Project), and in spite of a membership that waxes and wanes, I have been amazed at the enthusiasm, ingenuity, and creative drive of the group's members. I am fascinated by the quality and range of talent in tHP, and by the refreshing perspectives that our members have shown in their artistic and written works.

However, the questions, now, may be: "Where do we go from here?" or "Is it time for the group to evolve into something more?" or even "Is the Herscher Project an endangered species?"

I sometimes ponder these things, and I find myself wondering if the group, as it currently exists, is still catering to the needs of a younger, less-skilled demographic or if our members are clinging to tHP for the sake of nostalgia alone.

Should we expand our vision, or should we narrow our focus?

Do we need to pull together and commit to creating a marketable anthology, or do we splinter and go our separate ways with our writing and artwork?

Certainly, the talent exists to travel either of those roads... but it isn't only talent that will determine the destiny of the Herscher Project or its members. There exists within our group an intangible, yet easily discerned bond that has grown over these years, and I believe that essence will help guide us in the future. As always, I remain not as a leader, but as the one out in front being pushed in whatever directions that the Herscher Project members desire and demand -- and I'm enjoying the ride!

James K Bowers
Founder of the Herscher Project