A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Across the Narrow Sea

Magister Illyrio Mopatis presents Danaerys Targaryen in Pentos. The Game of Thrones is now showing on HBO. The production and promotion of this series has been fantastic, but not everyone tuning in may be familiar with the series of books upon which it is based. A Song of Ice and Fire, currently spanning four expansive… Continue reading A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Across the Narrow Sea

Dresden Zen

In the process of writing Cold Iron, which is still in progress, I’ve reached for inspiration and motivation from contemporaries in the field of supernatural detective mysteries. First and foremost and long overdue is my reading of Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, a series of novels about a Chicago-based wizard who operates a private investigation… Continue reading Dresden Zen

The Art of Thor: Don't Panic!

Choose your moves carefully. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. It’s difficult not to panic when you’re being shot at. It may seem an obvious statement, and I don’t wish to downplay the severity of real-world situations in… Continue reading The Art of Thor: Don't Panic!

Movie Review: Thor

Marvel’s been rolling the dice quite a bit lately. First in introducing characters to one of their more obscure heroes (Iron Man), then in beginning to weave disparate movie franchises together into a single coherent and shared narrative, and now in putting their extremely loose interpretation of Norse myth on the big screen. The law… Continue reading Movie Review: Thor

A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Robert's Rebellion

Much blood was shed to win Robert that crown. The Game of Thrones is now showing on HBO. The production and promotion of this series has been fantastic, but not everyone tuning in may be familiar with the series of books upon which it is based. A Song of Ice and Fire, currently spanning four… Continue reading A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Robert's Rebellion

IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Repo! The Genetic Opera

This week’s IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! brought to you by a generous donation from Kimberly Franco. Thank you for your support! [audio:http://www.blueinkalchemy.com/uploads/repo!.mp3] Here we have something of an odd specimen. In most musical productions, the idea is to either use the songs for comedic effect or to underscore the powerful emotions in play during a… Continue reading IT CAME FROM NETFLIX! Repo! The Genetic Opera

Send Up A Flare

Going out into the wilderness is a somewhat dangerous prospect. Wildlife, weather and our own wherewithal are all factors that must be taken into account when facing a journey into the unknown. And when someone like Bear Grylls or Les Stroud enters the wilderness alone (or at least with no overt help from the camera… Continue reading Send Up A Flare

The Art of Thor: Spend, Spend, Spend

Somebody’s gotta feed these boys before they go out fightin’, and that somebody is you. Thus, though we have heard of stupid haste in war, cleverness has never been associated with long delays. You don’t get bonus points for unspent resources at the end of a match. It’s a concept that can be difficult for… Continue reading The Art of Thor: Spend, Spend, Spend

A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Noble Houses, Part 1

The Game of Thrones is now showing on HBO. The production and promotion of this series has been fantastic, but not everyone tuning in may be familiar with the series of books upon which it is based. A Song of Ice and Fire, currently spanning four expansive novels, introduced us to the world of Westeros… Continue reading A Beginner's Guide to Westeros: Noble Houses, Part 1