from the archives: two Grits

In 2010, the Coen brothers did a new adaptation of the novel True Grit, which had previously been adapted in 1969 with John Wayne starring as Rooster Cogburn (which resulted in the Duke’s only Academy Award). The Coens cast Jeff Bridges as Cogburn. On 3 February 2011, I talked about both films, having seen the ’69 film on video before seeing the ’10 film in the theatre. (There’s also a link to another post where I talked more about the ’69 film.)

So Wrenn and I went to see the Coen Brothers’ new adaptation of the 1968 Charles Portis novel True Grit, having recently seen the version starring John Wayne released the year after the novel came out. I was already predisposed to like the film for three reasons: 1) It’s the Coen Brothers, and even their flawed films are worth watching. 2) It’s Jeff Bridges, and he’s always great. 3) It’s the Coen Brothers and Jeff Bridges, which is a combo that has already resulted in one of my favorite movies (The Big Lebowski).

And I loved it even not considering that. Hailee Stanfield is magnificent as the main character, Mattie Ross (why the hell her Academy Award nomination is for Best Supporting Actress is a textbook example of why the defining characteristics for supporting roles makes absolutely no sense, since Stanfield is “supporting” in the same way that Bruce Willis is “supporting” in the Die Hard films). Kim Darby was, IMO, the best part of the 1969 film, and Stanfield lives up to Darby’s example.

The original novel was narrated by Mattie, and the Coen Brothers use that as their guide, as the entire movie is filtered through Mattie’s POV. This means that Mattie’s in every scene, making the whole “supporting actress” thing even more absurd.

The new version is superior to the 41-year-old version is virtually every respect. For starters, Jeff Bridges is greatly superior to John Wayne. Though many would consider it sacreligious to say so, a potted plant would’ve been greatly superior to John Wayne. It boggles my mind that he won an Academy Award for his performance, which was stronger than his usual, but that’s damning with faint praise.

And Bridges actually inhabits the role of Rooster Cogburn, making him into a much more complex and fascinating character than the Duke was able to manage. Meanwhile, Matt Damon out-acts Glenn Campbell — another easy one to accomplish — and the rivalry between Damon’s LeBoeuf and Bridges’s Rooster is far more effective (and funny) than the one between Campbell and Wayne.

The Coens’ focus on Mattie also puts the superior actor in the role of Tom Chaney, Mattie’s father’s murderer. Played by minor character actor Jeff Corey in the 1969 version, they gave the bigger villain role to Ned Pepper, played by Robert Duvall. But the Coens had Josh Brolin as Chaney and minor character actor Barry Pepper playing Ned. The Coens rightly identified Chaney as the true villain, and Brolin plays him brilliantly, perfectly modulating from seemingly ineffectual and lamebrained to vicious and nasty. (But then, this is the same man who played George W. Bush, so we know he can do that…..)

I also infinitely prefer the bittersweet ending in the Coens’ film, which is closer to that of the original book, as opposed to the semi-happy ending of the earlier film (though oddly, the older adaptation kills off LeBoeuf, who survives in the novel and the newer version).

The one way that the 1969 film is superior is that it does a better job of establishing Mattie’s character early on. Where the Coens start with Mattie arriving to claim her father’s body, the earlier adaptation started sooner, showing Mattie working on her family’s farm, and impressing us with her efficiency and acumen, and also showing her relationship with her father.

In any event, where the first adaptation of Portis’s novel was good, the more recent one is excellent, and I strongly recommend it.

the compleat bibliography of Keith R.A. DeCandido

Alien
novels
Alien: Isolation, Titan, 2019

short stories
“Deep Background,” Aliens: Bug Hunt, Titan, 2017

BattleTech
short stories
“Three Sides to Every Story,” BattleTech: 25 Years of Art and Fiction, Catalyst Games Lab, 2009
“Meiyo,” Battlecorps.com, 2008

Blizzard Games
novels
StarCraft: Ghost: Nova, Pocket, 2006
World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred, Pocket, 2006

comic books
StarCraft: Ghost Academy #1, TokyoPop, 2010

Bram Gold
novels
A Furnace Sealed, WordFire Press, 2019

short stories
“Under the King’s Bridge,” Liar, Liar, Mendacity Press, 2011 (reprinted in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018)

vignettes
“The True Meaning of Hanukkah,” Patreon, 2018
“The Principle of the Thing,” Patreon, 2018
“Sunday Night at the Kingfisher’s Tail,” Patreon, 2018

Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel
novels
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Deathless, Simon Spotlight, 2007
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Blackout, Simon Spotlight, 2006

novelizations
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Xander Years Volume 1, Pocket, 1999

nonfiction
“‘Darla’: One Bad Day,” Outside In Gains a Soul: 110 New Perspectives on 110 Angel Episodes by 110 Writers, ATB Publishing, 2019
“‘Fool for Love’: Railroaded,” Outside In Takes a Stab: 138 New Perspectives on 138 Buffy Episodes by 138 Writers, ATB Publishing, 2018
(w/Christopher Golden & Nancy Holder) Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Watchers Guide Volume 1, Pocket, 1998

Cassie Zukav
short stories
“Rán for Your Life,” Unearthed, Alitrix Books, 2019
“Behind the Wheel,” TV Gods: Summer Programming, Fortress Publishing, 2017
“William Did It,” Story of the Month Club, 2015 (reprinted in A Baker’s Dozen of Magic, Story of the Month Club, 2016)
“Seven-Mile Race,” Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018
“Down to the Waterline,” Buzzy Mag , 2015
“Fish Out of Water,” Out of Tune, JournalStone, 2014
“God of Blunder,” Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013
“Love Over and Over,” Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013
“Undine the Boardwalk,” Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013 (reprinted in Bad-Ass Faeries: It’s Elemental, Dark Quest Books, 2014)
Cayo Hueso, a Tale of Cassie Zukav Part 3: Twisting Fate, Plus One Press, 2013 (reprinted in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013; Cayo Hueso: A Tale of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Story Bundle, 2015)
Cayo Hueso, a Tale of Cassie Zukav Part 2: The Buck Stops Here, Plus One Press, 2013 (reprinted in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013; Cayo Hueso: A Tale of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Story Bundle, 2015)
Cayo Hueso, a Tale of Cassie Zukav Part 1: A Farewell to Cats, Plus One Press, 2013 (reprinted in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013; Cayo Hueso: A Tale of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Story Bundle, 2015)
“I Believe I’m Sinkin’ Down,” Tales from the House Band Volume 2, Plus One Press, 2012 (reprinted in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013)
“Ragnarok and Roll,” Tales from the House Band Volume 1, Plus One Press, 2011 (reprinted in Apocalypse 13, Padwolf Press, 2012; Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013)
“How You Can Prevent Forest Fires…,” Urban Nightmares, Baen, 1997 (reprinted in Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013)

vignettes
“No Vacancies,” Patreon, 2019
“Papa’s Pool,” Patreon, 2018
“A Windy Night in December at Mayor Fred’s Saloon,” Patreon, 2017

short story collections
Cayo Hueso: A Tale of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Story Bundle, 2015
Ragnarok and Roll: Tales of Cassie Zukav, Weirdness Magnet, Plus One Press, 2013

DC
nonfiction series
“Holy Rewatch, Batman!,” Tor.com, 2015-2017

nonfiction
“Tropes Abandoned, Tropes As Yet Unseen: ‘Fine Feathered Finks’/’The Penguin’s a Jinx’,” ZLONK! ZOK! ZOWIE!: The Subterranean Blue Grotto Guide to Batman ’66—Season One, Jim Beard, 2019
“Sometimes You Have to Stop and Eat the Flowers—A Spoiler-Filled Review of Aquaman,” Tor.com, 2018
“TV Review: Black Lightning, season one,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Black Lightning,” Patreon, 2018
“Adam West’s Five Best Bat-Moments,” Tor.com, 2017
“Of Bloodless Beheadings and Lifeless Voice Work: The Animated Wonder Woman,” Tor.com, 2017
“Secret Identity as Role Model: A Look Back at Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman,” Tor.com, 2017
“Actor and Superactor,” The Man from Krypton, BenBella Books, 2006

reference
The Wisdom of Batman, Insight Editions, 2019
The Wisdom of Wonder Woman, Insight Editions, 2019
Poison Ivy Hardcover Ruled Journal, Insight Editions, 2018

Doctor Who
short stories
“Life from Lifelessness,” Doctor Who: Short Trips: Destination Prague, Big Finish, 2007
“Raymond’s Room,” Doctor Who: Missing Pieces, Outpost Gallifrey, 2001
“UNITed We Fall,” Doctor Who: Decalog 3: Consequences, Virgin, 1996

nonfiction
“TV Review: The Premiere of Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Doctor Who‘s ‘City of Death’,” Patreon, 2018
“Brave Heart: Why Tegan Jovanka was a 21st-Century-Style Companion Before the 21st Century,” Children of Time: The Companions of Doctor Who, kOZMIC Press, 2018
“TV Review: Doctor Who‘s ‘The End of the World’,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: the Doctor Who 2017 Christmas Special,” Patreon, 2018
“A Moment of Heroism: Thinky Thoughts on Doctor Who‘s ‘The Day of the Doctor’,” Tor.com, 2013

anthology editing
Doctor Who: Short Trips: The Quality of Leadership, Big Finish, 2008

Dragon Precinct
novels
Manticore Precinct, eSpec, 2021
Phoenix Precinct, eSpec, 2020
Mermaid Precinct, eSpec, 2019
Gryphon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013 (reprinted by eSpec, 2018)
Goblin Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2012 (reprinted by eSpec, 2018)
Unicorn Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2011 (reprinted by eSpec, 2018)
Dragon Precinct, Pocket, 2004 (reprinted by Dark Quest Books, 2011; eSpec, 2018)

short stories
“The Midwinter of Our Discontent,” Release the Virgins!, Fantastic Books, 2019 (reprinted in More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022)
“The Fall of Iaron,” Kickstarter-supported, 2019 (reprinted in More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022)
“Chaos Theory,” Gryphon Precinct, eSpec, 2018 (reprinted in More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022)
“Baker’s Dozen,” Kickstarter-supported, 2017 (reprinted in Goblin Precinct, eSpec, 2018; More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022)
“Partners in Crime,” Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018 (reprinted in More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022)
“Gan Brightblade vs. Mitos the Mighty,” Kickstarter-supported, 2014 (reprinted in Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2018; More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022)
“Heroes Welcome,” Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018
“Blood on the Water,” Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018
“Brotherly Love,” Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018
“Catch and Release,” Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018
“When the Magick Goes Away,” Kickstarter-supported, 2012 (reprinted in Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018; and in Unicorn Precinct, eSpec, 2018)
“Fire in the Hole,” Dragon’s Lure, Dark Quest Books, 2010 (reprinted in Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018)
“A Clean Getaway,” Pandora’s Closet, DAW, 2007 (reprinted in Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018)
“House Arrest,” Bad-Ass Faeries, Marietta Publishing, 2007 (book reprinted by Mundania Press, 2009; story reprinted in Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018; and in The Best of Bad-Ass Faeries, eSpec, 2017)
“Crime of Passion,” Hear Them Roar, Wilder Publications, 2006 (book reprinted by Marietta Publishing, 2008; story reprinted in Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018)
“Getting the Chair,” Murder by Magic, Warner Aspect, 2004 (reprinted in Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013; eSpec, 2018; and in Baconthology, SoHo Gallery for Digital Art, 2013)

vignettes
“The Streak,” Patreon, 2018 (reprinted in Mermaid Precinct, eSpec, 2019)
“Gan Brightblade and the Swamp of Kormak,” Patreon, 2018 (reprinted in Mermaid Precinct, eSpec, 2019)
“Don’t Ask the Question if You Don’t Want the Answer,” Patreon, 2018 (reprinted in Mermaid Precinct, eSpec, 2019)
“An Unexpected Trip to Sandy Brook Way,” Patreon, 2018 (reprinted in Mermaid Precinct, eSpec, 2019)

short story collections
More Tales from Dragon Precinct, eSpec, 2022
Tales from Dragon Precinct, Dark Quest Books, 2013 (reprinted by eSpec, 2018)

The Executioner
novels
(uncredited) Don Pendleton’s the Executioner #379: Deep Recon, Gold Eagle, 2010
(uncredited) Don Pendleton’s the Executioner #373: Code of Honor, Gold Eagle, 2009

Farscape
novels
Farscape: House of Cards, Tor, 2001

comic books
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape (ongoing) #1-24, BOOM! Studios, 2009-2011 (reprinted in Farscape Volume 4: Tangled Roots, Volume 5: Red Sky at Morning, Volume 6: Compulsions, Volume 7: The War for the Uncharted Territories, BOOM! Studios, 2011-2012, 2014; Farscape Omnibus Volumes 1-2, Archaia, 2018)
Farscape: D’Argo’s Quest #1-4, BOOM! Studios, 2009-2010 (reprinted in Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 3: D’Argo’s Quest, BOOM! Studios, 2011; Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018)
Farscape: D’Argo’s Trial #1-4, BOOM! Studios, 2009 (reprinted in Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 2: D’Argo’s Trial, BOOM! Studios, 2010; Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018)
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape: Gone and Back #1-4, BOOM! Studios, 2009 (reprinted in Farscape Volume 3: Gone and Back, BOOM! Studios, 2011; Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018)
Farscape: D’Argo’s Lament #1-4, BOOM! Studios, 2009 (reprinted in Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 1: D’Argo’s Lament, BOOM! Studios, 2009; Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018)
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape: Strange Detractors #1-4, BOOM! Studios, 2009 (reprinted in Farscape Volume 2: Strange Detractors, BOOM! Studios, 2009; Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018)
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape #1-4, BOOM! Studios, 2008-2009 (reprinted in Farscape Volume 1: The Beginning of the End of the Beginning, BOOM! Studios, 2009; Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018)

collections
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon and David Mack) Farscape Omnibus Volume 2, Archaia, 2019
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Omnibus Volume 1, Archaia, 2018
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 7: The War for the Uncharted Territories, BOOM! Studios, 2012, 2014
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 6: Compulsions, BOOM! Studios, 2011
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 5: Red Sky at Morning, BOOM! Studios, 2011
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 4: Tangled Roots, BOOM! Studios, 2011
Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 3: D’Argo’s Quest, BOOM! Studios, 2011
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 3: Gone and Back, BOOM! Studios, 2011
Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 2: D’Argo’s Trial, BOOM! Studios, 2010
Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 1: D’Argo’s Lament, BOOM! Studios, 2009, 2010
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 2: Strange Detractors, BOOM! Studios, 2009, 2010
(w/Rockne S. O’Bannon) Farscape Volume 1: The Beginning of the End of the Beginning, BOOM! Studios, 2009, 2010

short stories
“Ten Little Aliens,” Farscape role-playing game, Alderac Entertainment Group, 2002
“Brotherly Love,” Farscape: The Official Magazine Vol. 1 #2, 2001
“Many a Mile to Freedom,” Farscape: The Official Magazine Vol. 1 #1, 2001 (reprinted in Farscape: Uncharted Tales Volume 1: D’Argo’s Lament, BOOM! Studios, 2009)

Firefly/Serenity
novelizations
Serenity, Pocket, 2005

nonfiction
“‘The Train Job’ Didn’t Do the Job,” Finding Serenity: Anti-Heroes, Lost Shepherds, and Space Hookers in Joss Whedon’s Firefly, BenBella Books, 2005

role-playing games
“Merciless,” Firefly: Echoes of War Supplement #2: Things Don’t Go Smooth, Margaret Weis Productions, 2014

Marvel Comics
novels
Marvel’s Warriors Three: Godhood’s End (Tales of Asgard Book 3), Joe Books, 2017 (reprinted in Marvel’s Thor: Tales of Asgard, Joe Books, 2017)
Marvel’s Sif: Even Dragons Have Their Endings (Tales of Asgard Book 2), Joe Books, 2016 (reprinted in Marvel’s Thor: Tales of Asgard, Joe Books, 2017)
Marvel’s Thor: Dueling with Giants (Tales of Asgard Book 1), Joe Books, 2015 (reprinted in Marvel’s Thor: Tales of Asgard, Joe Books, 2017)
Spider-Man: Down These Mean Streets, Pocket, 2005
(w/José R. Nieto) Spider-Man: Venom’s Wrath, Boulevard, 1998

short stories
“Diary of a False Man,” X-Men Legends, Boulevard, 2000
“Playing it SAFE,” The Ultimate Hulk, Boulevard, 1998
“Arms and the Man,” Untold Tales of Spider-Man, Boulevard, 1997
“Improper Procedure,” The Ultimate Silver Surfer, Boulevard, 1995
(w/John Gregory Betancourt) “An Evening in the Bronx with Venom,” The Ultimate Spider-Man, Boulevard, 1994

collections
Marvel’s Thor: Tales of Asgard, Joe Books, 2017

nonfiction
“A Huge Mess—Marvel’s The Punisher Season Two,” Tor.com, 2019
“TV Review: Daredevil,” Patreon, 2018
“Venom Without Spider-Man is Just a Big Ol’ Mess,” Tor.com, 2018
“Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting—Season Two of Marvel’s Iron Fist Portrays Martial Arts Better, But Still Isn’t There Yet,” Tor.com, 2018
“Sons of Lei Kung, Daughters of the Dragon—Marvel’s Iron Fist Season Two,” Tor.com, 2018
“Punching Upward—First Impressions of Marvel’s Iron Fist Season Two,” Tor.com, 2018
“Movie Review: Ant-Man & The Wasp,” Patreon, 2018
“Long Live the Chief—Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2, Episodes 9-13,” Tor.com, 2018
“Family First!—Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2, Episodes 5-8,” Tor.com, 2018
“Rage in the Cage—Marvel’s Luke Cage Season 2, Episodes 1-4,” Tor.com, 2018
“How the Cloak & Dagger TV Series Compares to the Comics,” Tor.com, 2018
“Movie Review: Deadpool 2,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: Avengers: Infinity War, Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Second Season of Jessica Jones,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: Black Panther,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Patreon, 2017
“Running Away from Its Roots—Marvel’s The Punisher Season 1,” Tor.com, 2017
“Marvel’s The Punisher First Impressions of Episodes 1-3,” Tor.com, 2017
“Big Heroes, Big Characters, Big Villains, Small Plot: Marvel’s The Defenders Season 1,” Tor.com, 2017
“‘Who Are You People?’—Marvel’s The Defenders First Impressions of Episodes 1-3,” Tor.com, 2017
“An Action Hero without Action or Heroism: Iron Fist Season One,” Tor.com, 2017
“A Confusing Lack of Action: First Impressions of Iron Fist,” Tor.com, 2017
“A Brief History of Iron Fist in the Comics,” Tor.com, 2017
“How the MCU Changed Luke Cage from the Comics,” Tor.com, 2016
“A Brief History of Luke Cage in the Comics,” Tor.com, 2016
“Avengers Assemble—in the Bookstore!” Assembled! 2: The Unauthorized Guide to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and Villains, White Rocket Books, 2009
“Introduction,” Assembled!: Five Decades of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, White Rocket Books, 2007
“Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man,” Webslinger: Unauthorized Essays on Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, BenBella Books, 2007
“Pryde and Joy,” The Unauthorized X-Men, BenBella Books, 2006

Resident Evil
novelizations
Resident Evil: Extinction, Pocket, 2007
Resident Evil: Apocalypse, Pocket, 2004
Resident Evil: Genesis, Pocket, 2004

Shirley Holmes and Jack Watson
short stories
“Six Red Dragons,” Baker Street Irregulars: The Game is Afoot, Diversion, 2018
“Identity,” Baker Street Irregulars, Diversion, 2017

vignettes
“An Inherited Phone Case,” Patreon, 2018
“Repaying a Favor,” Patreon, 2018

Star Trek
novels
Star Trek: A Singular Destiny, Pocket, 2009
A Gutted World, in Star Trek: Myriad Universes: Echoes and Refractions, Pocket, 2008
Star Trek: Klingon Empire: A Burning House, Pocket, 2008
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Q & A, Pocket, 2007
The Mirror-Scaled Serpent, in Star Trek: Mirror Universe: Obsidian Alliances, Pocket, 2007
Star Trek: Articles of the Federation, Pocket, 2005
Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon Book 3: Enemy Territory, Pocket, 2005
Ferenginar: Satisfaction is Not Guaranteed, in Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Volume 3, Pocket, 2005
Star Trek: A Time for War, a Time for Peace, Pocket, 2004
Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon Book 2: Honor Bound, Pocket, 2003
Star Trek: I.K.S. Gorkon Book 1: A Good Day to Die, Pocket, 2003
Star Trek: The Lost Era: The Art of the Impossible, Pocket, 2003
Star Trek: The Brave and the Bold Book 2, Pocket, 2002
Star Trek: The Brave and the Bold Book 1, Pocket, 2002
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Gateways Book 4: Demons of Air and Darkness, Pocket, 2001 (reprinted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Twist of Faith, Pocket, 2007)
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Diplomatic Implausibility, Pocket, 2001

novellas
The Unhappy Ones, Star Trek: Seven Deadly Sins, Gallery, 2010
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Slings and Arrows Book 6: Enterprises of Great Pitch and Moment, Pocket, 2008
Star Trek: S.C.E. #66: Many Splendors, Pocket, 2006 (reprinted in Star Trek: Corps of Engineers: What’s Past, Gallery, 2010)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #54: Security, Pocket, 2005 (reprinted in Star Trek: Corps of Engineers: Wounds, Pocket, 2008)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #28: Breakdowns, Pocket, 2003 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 7: Breakdowns, Pocket, 2005)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #22: War Stories Book 2, Pocket, 2002 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 6: Wildfire, Pocket, 2004)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #21: War Stories Book 1, Pocket, 2002 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 6: Wildfire, Pocket, 2004)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #10: Gateways Epilogue: Here There Be Monsters, Pocket, 2001 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 3: Some Assembly Required, Pocket, 2003)
Horn and Ivory, Star Trek: Gateways Book 7: What Lay Beyond, Pocket, 2001 (reprinted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Twist of Faith, Pocket, 2007)
(w/David Mack) Star Trek: S.C.E. #8: Invincible Book 2, Pocket, 2001 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 2: Miracle Workers, Pocket, 2002)
(w/David Mack) Star Trek: S.C.E. #7: Invincible Book 1, Pocket, 2001 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 2: Miracle Workers, Pocket, 2002)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #6: Cold Fusion, Pocket, 2001 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 2: Miracle Workers, Pocket, 2002)
Star Trek: S.C.E. #2: Fatal Error, Pocket, 2000 (reprinted in Star Trek: S.C.E. Book 1: Have Tech, Will Travel, Pocket, 2002)

comic books
Star Trek: Captain’s Log: Jellico, IDW, 2010 (reprinted in Star Trek: Captain’s Log, IDW, 2011)
Star Trek: Alien Spotlight: Klingons, IDW, 2009 (reprinted in Star Trek: Alien Spotlight Volume 2, IDW, 2010; Star Trek 100 Page Special 2012, IDW, 2012)
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Perchance to Dream #1-4, WildStorm, 1999-2000 (reprinted in Star Trek: The Next Generation: Enemy Unseen, WildStorm, 2001; IDW, 2012; and in Star Trek: Graphic Novel Collection, Volume 33, Eaglemoss, 2018)

short stories
“Family Matters,” Star Trek: Mirror Universe: Shards and Shadows, Pocket, 2009
“Four Lights,” Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Sky’s the Limit, Pocket, 2007
“Letting Go,” Star Trek: Voyager: Distant Shores, Pocket, 2005
“loDnI’pu’ vavpu’ je,” Star Trek: Tales from the Captain’s Table, Pocket, 2005
“The Ceremony of Innocence is Drowned,” Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War, Pocket, 2004
“Revelations,” Star Trek: New Frontier: No Limits, Pocket, 2003
“Broken Oaths,” Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Prophecy and Change, Pocket, 2003

nonfiction series
Star Trek: Discovery reviews, Tor.com, 2017-present
Short Treks reviews, Tor.com, 2018-2019
“Star Trek The Original Series Rewatch,” Tor.com, 2015-2017
“Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Rewatch,” Tor.com, 2013-2015
“Star Trek: The Next Generation Rewatch,” Tor.com, 2011-2013

nonfiction
“‘The Big Goodbye’: A Hard Rain,” Outside In Makes It So: 174 New Perspectives on 174 Star Trek: TNG Episodes by 174 Writers,” ATB Publishing, 2017
“‘I Think You’re Underestimating Humanity’—Star Trek Beyond Spoiler Review,” Tor.com, 2016
“‘We Will Find Hope in the Impossible’—Star Trek Beyond Non-Spoiler Review,” Tor.com, 2016
“Must-Watch Episodes 2001-2005: Enterprise,” Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek, 2016
“Must-Watch Episodes 1995-2001: Voyager,” Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek, 2016
“Must-Watch Episodes 1993-1999: Deep Space Nine,” Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek, 2016
“Must-Watch Episodes 1987-1994: The Next Generation,” Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek, 2016
“Must-Watch Episodes 1973-1974: The Animated Series,” Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek, 2016
“Must-Watch Episodes 1966-1969: The Original Series,” Entertainment Weekly: The Ultimate Guide to Star Trek, 2016
“Embracing the Entire Universe: The WildStorm Era,” New Worlds and New Civilizations: Exploring Star Trek Comics, Sequart, 2014
“Shall We Begin?: Star Trek Into Darkness Spoiler Review,” Tor.com, 2013
“‘The Line Must Be Drawn Here‘: Star Trek: First Contact,” Tor.com, 2013
“Star Trek Nemesis,” Star Trek Magazine #166, 2012
“‘I Feel Fine’: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home,” Tor.com, 2011
“The Ultimate Guide to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Movies,” Star Trek Magazine #164, 2011
“The 45s: ‘Accession’,” Star Trek Magazine #162, 2011
“Picard & Crusher,” Star Trek Magazine #160, 2011
“Dr. Selar,” Star Trek Magazine #156, 2010
“The Proud Forehead: Klingons in Books and Comics,” Star Trek Magazine #151, 2010
“Kang,” Star Trek Magazine #149, 2009
“Mirror Universe Timeline,” Star Trek Magazine #142, 2009
“Just Following Orders,” Star Trek Magazine #141, 2008
“Third Time Has Occasional Charm,” Star Trek Magazine #140, 2008
“When 42 Isn’t the Answer,” Star Trek Magazine #138, 2008
“Embracing the Star Trek Universe,” Star Trek Magazine #137, 2008
“Anti-Star Trek?” Star Trek Magazine #134, 2007
“Klingon Empire,” Star Trek Magazine, #133, 2007
“Corps of Engineers,” Star Trek Magazine #133, 2007
“Voyager,” Star Trek Magazine #133, 2007
“The Ideas Factory,” Star Trek Magazine #80, 2005

anthology editing
Star Trek: Tales from the Captain’s Table, Pocket, 2005
Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War, Pocket, 2004
(w/Peter David) Star Trek: New Frontier: No Limits, Pocket, 2003

reference
Star Trek: The Klingon Art of War, Simon & Schuster, 2014

Star Wars
nonfiction
“Movie Review: Solo: A Star Wars Story,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: Star Wars: Attack of the Clones,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Patreon, 2017
“Top Ten Positives About the Prequel Trilogy,” A Long Time Ago: Exploring the Star Wars Cinematic Universe, Sequart, 2015
“The Madness of King George,” Star Wars on Trial, BenBella Books, 2006

Stargate
novels
Stargate SG-1: Kali’s Wrath, Fandemonium, 2016

short stories
“Sun-Breaker,” Stargate SG-1/Atlantis: Homeworlds, Fandemonium, 2017
“Time Keeps on Slippin’,” Stargate SG-1/Atlantis: Far Horizons, Fandemonium, 2014

nonfiction series
“The Stargate Rewatch,” Tor.com, 2015

Super City Cops
novels
The Case of the Claw, Crossroad Press, 2011

novellas
Secret Identities, Bastei, 2017
Undercover Blues, Bastei, 2017
Avenging Amethyst, Bastei, 2016

short stories
“Send in the Clones,” The Side of Good/The Side of Evil, eSpec, 2015
“Stone Cold Whodunit,” With Great Power, Dark Quest Books, 2014

vignettes
“Fuck, Marry, Kill,” Patreon, 2018
“Plea Bargain,” Patreon, 2018

Supernatural
novels
Supernatural: Heart of the Dragon, Titan, 2010
Supernatural: Bone Key, HarperEntertainment, 2008
Supernatural: Nevermore, HarperEntertainment, 2007

nonfiction
“Not Just a Pretty Face (or Two),” In the Hunt: Unauthorized Essays on Supernatural, BenBella Books, 2009

reference
John Winchester Hardcover Ruled Journal, Insight Editions, 2017

V-Wars
short stories
“Streets of Fire,” V-Wars: Night Terrors, IDW, 2016
“The Ballad of Big Charlie,” V-Wars, IDW, 2012 (reprinted in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018)

Xena/Hercules
novels
Young Hercules: The Ares Alliance, Pocket, 1999
Young Hercules: Cheiron’s Warriors, Pocket, 1999

short stories
“Recurring Character,” The Further Adventures of Xena Warrior Princess, Ace, 2001

Other
novels
Sleepy Hollow: Children of the Revolution, Broadway Books, 2014
Leverage: The Zoo Job, Boulevard, 2013
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Sun: Under the Crimson Sun, Wizards of the Coast, 2011
Guilt in Innocence: A Tale of the Scattered Earth, Crossroad Press, 2011
CSI: NY: Four Walls, Pocket, 2008
Command and Conquer: Tiberium Wars, Del Rey, 2007
Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda: Destruction of Illusions, Tor, 2003

novelizations
Darkness Falls, Pocket, 2002
(as “K. Robert Andreassi”) Gargantua, Tor, 1998

short story collections
Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015 (reprinted by eSpec, 2018)

reference
Orphan Black: Classified Clone Report—The Secret Files of Dr. Delphine Cormier, HarperCollins, 2017

novellas
Heroes Reborn: Save the Cheerleader, Destroy the World, Bastei, 2015 (reprinted in Heroes Reborn Event Series Collection Two, Titan, 2016)
(w/Steven Savile) Viral: -30-, FoxRain AB, 2012 (reprinted in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018)

short stories
“Alien Invasion of Earth!” Thrilling Adventure Yarns, Crazy 8 Press, 2019
“The Silent Dust,” Brave New Girls: Adventures of Gals & Gizmos, Brave New Girls, 2019
“House Hunting,” They Keep Killing Glenn, Crazy 8 Press, 2018
“Live and On the Scene,” Nights of the Living Dead, Griffin, 2017
“Ganbatte,” Joe Ledger: Unstoppable, Griffin, 2017
“Right on, Sister,” Limbus, Inc. Book III, JournalStone, 2016
“We Seceded Where Others Failed,” Altered States of the Union, Crazy 8 Press, 2016
“Back in El Paso My Life Will be Worthless,” The X-Files Volume 1: Trust No One, IDW, 2015
“Behold a White Tricycle,” Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018
“Wild Bill Got Shot,” Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018
“The Stone of the First High Pontiff,” Defending the Future 5: Best-Laid Plans, Dark Quest Books, 2012 (reprinted in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec 2018; and in The Best of Defending the Future, eSpec, 2016)
“Letter from Guadalajara,” More Tales of Zorro, Moonstone Books, 2011
“Sunday in the Park with Spot,” Furry Fantastic, DAW, 2006 (reprinted in Dance Like a Monkey, Silence in the Library, 2014; and in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018)
“A Vampire and a Vampire Hunter Walk Into a Bar,” Amazing Stories #608, February 2005 (reprinted in The Town Drunk, 2006; and in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018; and in Creatures, Crimes, & Creativity: 2018 Anthology, Intrigue Publishing, 2018)
(w/Marina Frants) “A Bone to Pick,” Did You Say Chicks!?, Baen, 1998 (reprinted in Chicks Ahoy!, Baen, 2010)
“Editorial Interference,” The Fedoras Literary Review Volume 1, #2, 1996 (reprinted in Circles in the Hair, BookLocker, 2006; and in Without a License: The Fantastic Worlds of Keith R.A. DeCandido, Dark Quest Books, 2015; eSpec, 2018)
“God Sins,” Magic: The Gathering: Distant Planes, HarperPrism, 1995

comic books
(w/Gregory A. Wilson) Icarus Book 2, ComicMix, 2019
“In Defense of Self,” Mine!: A Celebration of Freedom and Liberty For All Benefitting Planned Parenthood, ComicMix, 2017
(w/Gregory A. Wilson) Icarus Book 1, Silence in the Library, 2016 (reprinted by ComicMix, 2017)
“Contest of Chompions,” Kung Fu Panda: Tales of the Dragon Warrior #1, Ape Entertainment, 2013
Cars: Adventures of Tow Mater #1-4, BOOM Kids!, 2010 (reprinted in Cars: Rust Bucket Derby, BOOM Kids!, 2011)

nonfiction series
“4-Color to 35-Millimeter: The Great Superhero Movie Rewatch,” Tor.com, 2017-present
“The Pinstriped Bible” (weekly blog entry), SB Nation, 2013

nonfiction
“TV Review: The Good Cop,” Patreon, 2019
“TV Review: Prime Suspect, series 1-4,” Patreon, 2019
“TV Review: FBI,” Patreon, 2019
“TV Review: The Final Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: The Grand Budapest Hotel,” Patreon, 2018
“TV/Movie Review: Animal Kingdom,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: The Spy Who Dumped Me,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Snowfall,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Tenth Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Good Place,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: First Man,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Better Call Saul,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Premiere of Jodie Whittaker in Doctor Who,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Claws,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Ninth Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Magnum P.I.,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Eighth Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: BlacKkKlansman,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Seventh Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Seasons 7-9 of New Tricks,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Latest Season of NCIS: New Orleans,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Latest Season of NCIS,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Sixth Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Seasons 4-6 of New Tricks,” Patreon, 2018
“‘I Was Brought Into This World to be Abandoned’—Mary Shelley Gives Us the Heroine She Was,” Tor.com, 2018
“TV Review: Seasons 1-3 of New Tricks,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Deception,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Third Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“And Related Subjects: Come for the Health, Stay for the Self-Improvement—One Writer’s Martial Arts Journey,” Tor.com, 2018
“TV Review: The Fifth Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Mindhunter, Season One,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Lethal Weapon,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Lucifer,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Fourth Season of M*A*S*H,” Patreon, 2018
“Movie Review: Proud Mary,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Alienist,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Breakout Kings,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Feed the Beast,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: Major Crimes,” Patreon, 2018
“TV Review: The Librarians,” Patreon, 2017
“TV Review: MacGyver,” Patreon, 2017
“Gaming the Novel,” Kobold Guide to Combat, Kobold Press, 2014
“12 and 12 in ’12,” In the Dugout: Yankees 2013, Lindy’s Sports, 2013
“Redshirts: Of All the Metafiction in the World, This is the Metafictioniest,” Tor.com, 2012
“Play It at 11,” Yankees Yearly 2012, Changeup Publications, 2012
“Warehouse 13 reviews,” Sci-Fi Bulletin, 2011
“Do Blades Dream of Electric Runners?,” Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? #19, BOOM! Studios, 2010 (reprinted in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Volume 5, BOOM! Studios, 2011; Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, BOOM! Studios, 2016)
“The Team(s) of the Decade,” Yankees Annual, Maple Street Press, 2010
“‘Twas Stupidity Killed the Beast,” King Kong is Back!, BenBella Books, 2005
“The Red Sox Fan’s Guide to Surviving Yankee Stadium,” The Red Sox Fan Handbook, 2005
“You Set Loose What?: Australia, 1859,” You Did What?: Mad Plans and Great Historical Disasters, Perennial Currents, 2004
“Adam-Troy Castro: The Best Writer in the Entire World,” A Desperate Decaying Darkness, Wildside Press, 2000
“How to Write a Media Tie-In Novel in Six Easy Steps,” iUniverse.com, 2000
(w/Marina Frants) “Down by the Bayou: The 20th Annual World Fantasy Convention, New Orleans, Louisiana,” Wilson Library Bulletin, 1994
“Word Balloons: Trade Comics,” Wilson Library Bulletin, 1993
(uncredited) “Elayne Boosler,” Current Biography Yearbook, 1993
“Get the Picture?: A Serious Look at Comics in Libraries,” Library Journal, 1991
(w/GraceAnne A. DeCandido) “Orson Scott Card,” Publishers Weekly, 1990
“Picture This: Graphic Novels in Libraries,” Library Journal, 1990
ALSO: reviews for The Chronic Rift, SFRevu, Peter Parker’s Pad, the official Spider-Man listserv page, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Horror, and The Comics Journal; questions for The Sci-Fi Channel Trivia Game book and CD-ROM; a short-lived comic book column for Creem; and entries for the Women of Marvel Comics and Villains of Marvel Comics web sites

anthology/collection editing
Liar Liar, Mendacity Press, 2011
Imaginings: An Anthology of Long Short Fiction, Pocket, 2003
(w/Robert Silverberg & Byron Preiss) Virtual Unrealities: The Short Fiction of Alfred Bester, Vintage, 1997
(w/Josepha Sherman) Urban Nightmares, Baen, 1997
(w/Laura Anne Gilman) OtherWere: Stories of Transformation, Ace, 1996
(w/Byron Preiss & John Betancourt) The Ultimate Alien, Dell, 1995
(w/Byron Preiss & John Betancourt) The Ultimate Dragon, Dell, 1995

music discography
Boogie Knights, Seven Voyages of Sing Bad, 2018 (songwriting)
Boogie Knights, Wasted Days and Wasted Knights, 2013 (percussion, vocals, recorder, kazoo)
Boogie Knights, Many a Sleepless Knight, 2006 (percussion)
Steven Rosenhaus, A Man Like Me, 2002 (percussion)
David Honigsberg, Ten the Hard Way, 2001 (percussion, vocals)
The Don’t Quit Your Day Job Players, Blues Spoken Here, 1999 (percussion, vocals, songwriting)
The Don’t Quit Your Day Job Players, TKB, 1996 (percussion, vocals)

voice work
A Vampire and a Vampire Hunter Walk Into a Bar, Gypsy Cove Productions, 2012
Gypsy Cove, Gypsy Cove Productions, 2011-2012
HG World, 3015 North Productions, 2009-2015
The Dome: Avatar, Lucky Shot Productions, 2006, 2011-2012

my review of Marvel’s The Punisher season 2

The sophomore outing for The Punisher is a disorganized disaster, a flustercuck, as one character would put it. There are some promising notions, and some superb set pieces, but it’s a disaster in execution. Click here for my review on Tor.com.

An excerpt:

And once again, the show refuses to even acknowledge that it’s part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the sole exceptions being the presence of Deborah Ann Woll’s Karen Page in one episode, Rob Morgan’s Turk Barrett in another episode, and Royce Wilson’s Detective Brett Mahoney as a recurring character. But even there, it’s problematic, as the events of Daredevil season 3 should have informed the characterizations of Page and especially Mahoney. At this point in the MCU timeline, Hell’s Kitchen, Harlem, and Chinatown each has its own neighborhood hero (and you can throw Forest Hills in there too, thanks to a certain spidery character played by Tom Holland), and that’s the sort of thing that should maybe come up in conversation when this particular vigilante comes back to town. For that matter, Mahoney’s very recent experiences both with Bullseye pretending to be Daredevil and especially with Wilson Fisk’s gaggle of corrupt federal agents should affect his dealings with, respectively, Castle and Madani. (And this has to take place after DD season 3, as Page is back to working for Nelson & Murdock, which is how she gets in to see Castle in the hospital, as she works for his lawyer of record, as established back in DD season 2.)

Mermaid Precinct available for preorder on Barnes & Noble too!

For those of you who don’t wish to order things from Amazon, you can now preorder Mermaid Precinct in either trade paperback or Nook form from the fine folks at Barnes & Noble dot com.

(And hey, check out this excerpt from the book……..)

4-Color to 35-Millimeter: Avengers: Age of Ultron

While it’s nowhere near as bad as it could have been, it’s also not as bad as everyone says it is. The Avengers have their second go-round facing off against one of the classic foes of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes from the comics, the psychotic robot Ultron, voiced magnificently by James Spader. The great superhero movie rewatch looks at the good and the bad of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

An excerpt:

The ones who suffer the most are the Maximoff twins. Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch (though they’re never called that) really are underdeveloped, and are little more than plot devices. Wanda messes with Stark’s head—and that’s it. She doesn’t follow up, just lets the Avengers go, and it’s at least in part due to Wanda’s mind games that he creates Ultron in the first place. Each time she whammies an Avenger, it’s a horrible violation of their privacy and person, and yet later on, she’s accepted into the team with barely a comment. (To be fair, the one who is most accepting of their reforming is Barton, the one person whose mind she didn’t mess with, which was a nice touch, following Hawkeye spending most of Avengers as Loki’s butt-monkey.) More to the point, though, supposedly she wants to defend the innocents in her homeland against warmongering types, yet her manipulation of Banner is leads to Johannesburg being trashed. Yes, this tracks with both characters’ arc in the comics of going from villains to heroes (and back again, as both Pietro and Wanda have reverted to evil at various points in their history), but it doesn’t have time to really be acknowledged or dealt with because there’s too much else. Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen do quite well in the roles—Taylor-Johnson’s laid-back sarcasm is well played, and Olsen’s face is remarkably expressive—but they don’t have nearly enough to work with. I also still can’t tell you what Wanda’s actual powers are. To be fair, I’m still not entirely sure what the comics character’s powers are, either. In both cases, her powers seem to be “whatever the plot calls for.”

Star Trek: Discovery‘s “New Eden”

Pike leads a landing party, Saru supervises the crew doing science, Stamets is ambivalent about reactivating the spore drive, Spock’s in a mental institution, and why are there humans from the 21st century in the Beta Quadrant? My review of Star Trek: Discovery‘s second episode of its sophomore season, “New Eden.”

An excerpt:

Pike, Burnham, and Owosekun go down to investigate, and let me say how much I loved seeing Owosekun get more to do. Oyin Oladejo makes the most of the opportunity, as Owosekun gets to be very useful, turning on the equipment they do eventually find, and also breaking out of a locked room with a mechanical lockpick. I would have liked to have seen her take a bit more of a lead, given that she went on the landing party due to being raised in a Luddite community—just in general, I hope we find out more about that.

Owosekun’s bridgemate also gets another moment in the sun, as Emily Coutts’s Kayla Detmer gets to show off her piloting skills when Discovery has to perform a rescue. New Eden is surrounded by rings that turn out to be lethally radioactive. Tilly comes up with a crazy-ass plan to use the asteroid matter they beamed aboard last week to draw the radiation out, which requires some fancy piloting by Detmer.

talkin’ Thrilling Adventure Yarns on CBR

Brian Cronin at Comic Book Resources had a little chat with Robert Greenberger to talk about his new pulp anthology Thrilling Adventure Yarns in general and in particular how he got his grubby mitts on a previously unpublished story by Doc Savage’s creator Lester Dent for the book.

Check it out! (And you can support the anthology on Kickstarter here…)

 

excerpt from Mermaid Precinct

Here’s an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Mermaid Precinct, which is now available for preorder on Amazon (Kindle or trade paperback), and will be available from other online dealers soon enough, as well as directly from eSpec Books.

Torin ban Wyvald looked on his partner with concern as they worked their way down Meerka Way toward the docks. By the time they crossed Axe Way into Goblin Precinct—and the street got far more crowded—Torin moved alongside her and asked, “Are you all right?”

“I’m honestly not. I can’t believe she’s dead.”

Torin blinked. Danthres always felt strongly about people being killed, but it was generally in the abstract. The tone in her voice now, though, was different, as if she’d lost a friend. “You know—or knew, rather—the Pirate Queen?”

Danthres nodded. “She used to come to Sorlin fairly regularly. Her flagship, the Rising Jewel, was one of the few boats that could get close to Sorlin’s coastline without being damaged. And she used to bring halfbreeds to us for sanctuary.” Danthres had spent her formative years in Sorlin, a haven for people who violated elven purity laws by interbreeding with other races. They later kicked her out for being a disruptive influence following the accidental death of her best friend. A year ago the community itself disbanded, since elven purity laws had been a thing of the past since the Elf Queen’s death at the end of the war a dozen years previous. The community had gone below subsistence levels. Danthres’s feelings on that particular subject had run the gamut over the past year, ranging from disinterest to anger to sadness.

“I’m surprised,” Torin said. “I didn’t realize that pirates engaged in altruism.”

“Of course they do—well, she did, anyhow. I have to admit, her crew are the only pirates I’m personally familiar with. And I’ve heard nothing from them since moving here to Cliff’s End.”

“Nor I,” Torin said, “beyond the stories one hears from bards and such. Hardly surprising. Pirates work best in solitude, and when they do dock somewhere, it out of necessity would be a place that receives considerably less boat traffic than we receive in Cliff’s End.” He smiled. “It would also be a place that doesn’t have a huge law-enforcement agency like the Castle Guard.”

“True.” Danthres sighed. “She went through the blockade several times to rescue children—not just halfbreeds, but also full-blooded children who were left orphaned by the war.”

That surprised Torin. “I didn’t realize you took in full-bloods.”

“We took in anybody. That was the point. Yes, most of our population were halfbreed elves, because they were hunted down everywhere else, but we took in plenty of others.”

By this time, they’d reached the River Walk, bringing them to Mermaid Precinct. It was midday, and several of the fishing ships had come in or were coming in with the day’s catch, which would be many people’s dinners tonight.

Snaking their way through the crowds—the increase in Cliff’s End’s population made the docks a nightmare to navigate, especially around midday—all conversation ceased, as the crowds and noise made it impossible to speak audibly. By the time they made it to the far end of the precinct, where the new dock extension was being built, Torin felt physically exhausted from pushing his way through the crowds. Whatever inkling the populace might have had to step aside for members of the Castle Guard was no match for their desire to purchase fish at midday, it seemed.

Jayson and Gonzal from Mermaid Precinct were standing near a black dinghy. Torin noticed that it had a flagpole but no flag.

Gonzal stepped forward to greet the detectives. “Lieutenants. That’s the Pirate Queen’s sailing master. S’all he’d say, though, ‘cept that the Pirate Queen’s dead, and he wants you two—well, you, Lieutenant Tresyllione—t’be the ones t’investigate.”

Danthres barely acknowledged Gonzal before continuing forward.

Indicating the dinghy with his head, Torin asked, “Is the boat not flying a flag?”

“Oh, it was, but we asked the gentleman t’take it down. Figured it’d attract attention, y’know?”

“Good idea,” Torin said.

He then jogged to catch up with Danthres, who was approaching the dinghy. “Lisson? Is that you?”

The gentleman on the boat broke into a huge grin. “It is you! The Cap’n said you were workin’ for the Castle Guard doin’ detective work—heard you solved Gan Brightblade’s murder.”

“We both did,” Torin said. “I’m her partner, Lieutenant Torin ban Wyvald.”

Lisson frowned. “Ban Wyvald? You’re the Chief Artisan of Myverin’s son?”

“No longer—now I’m the High Magistrate’s son, as my father was promoted.”

“You’ll be amused to know that there was a bounty for you during the war. Cap’n thought about trying to track you down—least that’s what I heard. I was just a deckhand back then.”

“Which is when I knew him,” Danthres said. “So the Captain is dead?”

Nodding, Lisson said, “Yes, and we believe she was murdered. I’d like you to come with us to Rising Jewel and investigate.”

“Why won’t you bring your ship here?” Torin asked.

“I doubt we could fit all three of her boats here,” Danthres said with a glance at her partner.

“Actually,” Lisson said with a sigh, “it’s just the one ship. The Cap’n got rid of Heart of Silver and Dwyte’s Revenge.”

“How come?” Danthres sounded surprised.

“It became too difficult to wrangle three ships. And our numbers have been down consistently over the past few years—too many crew retiring, not enough replacements. In any case, if you step onto the dinghy with me, I can take you to—”

Torin folded his arms over the gryphon medallion etched into the chest of his leather armor. “Absolutely not.”

Lisson frowned. “Whyever not?”

“You expect us to simply hand ourselves over as your prisoners?”

“You won’t be our prisoners. We wish you to investigate the Cap’n’s death, as I said.”

“And why should we believe that you’d do this?”

Lisson smirked. “Well, your Castle Guard does have a reputation for solving such murders. Even of famous figures in Flingaria—not just Gan Brightblade and Olthar lothSirhans, but also I believe you uncovered Lord Blayk’s conspiracy to murder his father Lord Albin.”

Torin waved an arm back and forth. “It’s nothing to do with that. You’re pirates. It’s difficult to trust you under the best of circumstances. You mentioned my father—a year ago, he attempted to bring me home. Obviously, he did not succeed. Just enough time has passed for him to have returned to Myverin in failure and for the council to then put out a bounty on my head to make another attempt. For that matter, Danthres and I have made many enemies outside Cliff’s End—two years ago, we exposed a wealthy gentleman in Treemark who was hoarding Hamnau gems. The Brotherhood of Wizards confiscated them. For that matter, I can’t imagine that the conspiracy Lord Blayk masterminded only involved him. And those are just the people I can think of off the top of my head who might wish to pay for us to be captured and brought to them. I’m afraid that sailing with you to your boat is out of the question.”

For a moment, Torin feared that Danthres would go against his feeling, letting her familiarity with the Pirate Queen cloud her judgment.

Luckily, his partner was smarter than that, which was one of the reasons why he liked being her partner.

“Torin’s right,” she said. “We’ll need more if we’re to go with you.”

“You knew the Cap’n, Danthres, don’t you wish to give her justice?”

“Yes, I knew her—two decades ago. All I know of her since is her reputation, which, as my partner has cogently pointed out, is as a pirate. By definition, her life—and yours—is one of criminality, and our function is to stop criminals, not help them. And we have nothing to prove what you say.”

Lisson stared at her for a second, looking disappointed. Torin would gladly live with that disappointment, and was prepared to turn around and wade through the crowds at the docks to go back to the castle.

However, Lisson then put his hand over his heart and said, “I swear by the soul of Dwyte that I speak the truth when I say that the Cap’n is dead, and we wish you to investigate her death as you would any murder in Cliff’s End. I also swear by the soul of Dwyte that you will come to no harm on Rising Jewel and will be returned to the dock when your work is done.”

Before Torin could scoff at that, Danthres said, “Very well. Let’s go.”

“Excuse me?” Torin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “One oath and you trust this—this criminal?”

“Yes,” Danthres said, “because the oath is sworn on the soul of the greatest pirate who ever lived. Dwyte was the pirate who harried Baron Alomgord’s forces for years. Any pirate who goes back on that oath is put to death.”

Lisson regarded Torin intently. “I have never before sworn that oath, Lieutenant ban Wyvald—because nobody has ever doubted my word in the past. Yes, I am a pirate, but that simply means I live beyond the laws of mortal governments—as do we all. We do, however, live by our own code, and the most sacrosanct part of that code is to swear on Dwyte’s soul.”

Danthres put a hand on his shoulder. “Torin, trust me. Please.”

Torin sighed. “Very well. You, I trust, Danthres, always. If you believe this oath will protect us, then I will agree to sail to the pirate ship.”

“Thank you.” Lisson’s words were passionate, and heartfelt, and Torin almost believed in their sincerity.

“We should also send for Boneen,” Torin added.

“Who is that?” Lisson asked.

“Our magickal examiner,” Danthres said. “A mage on loan from the Brotherhood of Wizards. He casts a spell that enables him to see what happened in a particular place in the past.”

Lisson shook his head. “That would be a waste of time, I’m afraid. Rising Jewel is quite heavily warded against all spells.”

Torin’s eyes widened. “All spells?”

“It was a very expensive undertaking—and quite all encompassing. I think that’s also truly part of why she pared down to a single ship. Renewing the wards is even more costly.”

“Very well, though that will make the process more complicated,” Torin said with a sigh.

Danthres shrugged as she stepped onto the dinghy. “It’s not as if it’s the first time we’ve been unable to work with a peel-back.”

“True.” Torin turned to Gonzal and Jayson. “Send a message to Captain Dru, please, and let him know where we’re going and what we’re doing.” He hesitated, then added, “If we’re not back by the end of shift, assume that we’ve been kidnapped by the Pirate Queen.”

“Torin!” Danthres said.

“Forgive me, Danthres, but I prefer to have a contingency in case your old friend here whom you haven’t seen in two decades is an unscrupulous pirate who goes back on his word.”

Lisson gazed at Danthres. “Your friend is quite obdurate.”

“My partner is correct in his misgivings. He doesn’t know you and has no reason to trust you. For that matter, as he points out, I haven’t seen you in some time. Do you blame us for taking steps to ensure our safety?”

“I suppose not.” He lowered his head and sighed. “Forgive me, Danthres, but the Cap’n’s death—”

She put a hand on his shoulder. “I understand.” Then she looked up at Torin. “Shall we?”

Nodding, Torin also hopped onto the dinghy. “Let us go to our aquatic crime scene.”

Thrilling Adventure Yarns table of contents

Should the Crazy 8 Press anthology of new pulp stories, Thrilling Adventure Yarns, be Kickstarted — and it’s 80% funded with 25 days to go, so I like our odds — here’s what the table of contents will be:

Thrilling Two-Fisted Adventures

• “Opium Dreams” by Paige Daniels
• “The Juggernauts of El Dorado” by Robert T. Jeschonek
• “The Legend of Hammer Jack Curry” by Russ Colchamiro
• “Masks” by Michael Jan Friedman
• “Belle of the Ball” by Aaron Rosenberg

Thrilling Mystery Adventures

• “Girl Running from House” by Jim & Becky Beard
• “Trouble Came” by Kathleen O. David

Thrilling War Adventure

• “Hate Hop” by Lester Dent

Thrilling Western Adventure

• “The Last Gunslinger” by Mary Fan

Thrilling Romance Adventures

• “Not Just an Intern” by Amy Lewanski
• “The Green Lady and the Rogue” by Karissa Laurel

Thrilling Graphic Adventure

• “The Invasion from Planet X” by Glenn Hauman

Thrilling Alien Adventure

• “The Third Law” by Derek Tyler Attico

Thrilling Occult Adventure

• “The Outsiders” by Jenifer Purcell Rosenberg

Thrilling Sword and Sorcery Adventures

• “Dreams of Kingdom” by Paul Kupperberg
• “Aftermath” by Robert Greenberger

 

Stories that will get added if we hit the $5000 stretch goal

• “The Crazy Complicated Cat Caper” by Will Murray
• “Professor Ironheart and the Fuhrerbunker” by Peter David
• “Alien Invasion of Earth!” by Keith R.A. DeCandido

Mermaid Precinct available for preorder on Amazon!

Amazon now has Mermaid Precinct up for preorder. For reasons known only to the voices in their heads, the Kindle and trade editions are on separate pages. I’m hoping eSpec Books will be able to fix that eventually, but for now, you can preorder either the Kindle or the trade paperback!