Michael G. Munz

The official website of Seattle sci-fi/fantasy author and geek Michael G. Munz

Movie review: Godzilla

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Warning: This review WILL have spoilers. I came into this movie without knowing hardly anything about it (except, ya know, it’s GODZILLA), and I would’ve hated to have certain knowledge ahead of time. For those not wanting spoilers, I’ll just say that I really enjoyed it, it’s far, far better than the last time Americans made a Godzilla movie, and if you think it’s at all up your alley, I recommend you see it. Now go off and read some other non-spoilery stuff on this blog, like things about my upcoming book Zeus Is Dead!

For the rest of you, I’ll see you below the image…

This did not actually happen in the movie. Yet.

“When someone asks you if you’re a Godzilla, you say, ‘YES’!!”
Note: This did not actually happen in the movie.
Yet.

[Read more…]

Review: The Republic of Thieves

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Yesterday I finished reading The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch. Here’s the review I posted on Amazon and Goodreads…

The Republic of Thieves (Gentleman Bastard, #3)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Republic of Thieves, Scott Lynch’s third (and long-awaited) book in his Gentleman Bastard series, is a more than worthwhile read for anyone who enjoyed the first two books. Locke and Jean are back, fresh on the heels of the terminal situation Locke found himself staring into at the close of Red Seas Under Red Skies. More compelling is the promise of finally meeting the oft-mentioned but always previously absent female member of the Gentleman Bastards, Sabetha.

Yeah, minor spoilers, but she’s mentioned right in the book description, so I’m not sweating it.

Normally I hate ranking things in any sort of ordered list, but in this case it’s easy for me to rate this book as the one in the series I enjoyed the least. Note that I still enjoyed it—Lynch writes great characters, and it was great to see everyone plying their con skills in the arena of a political contest rather than a heist.

But that’s a double-edged sword. The Republic of Thieves‘ primary flaw is that the stakes don’t really rise much as the book progresses. Previous books knew just how to ratchet up the tension. Schemes would meet with counter-schemes, plans would fall apart and hopes dashed only to twist around again to rebound in some new form like a contest of battling acrobats. Yet with The Republic of Thieves, the tension plateaus for much of the second half of the book.

As with Lynch’s other books, the story dances in time between the present and the past, forming two complementary storylines. The one in the past is the more dangerous of the two. It truly does raise the stakes as it progresses, but the effect is undercut by the knowledge that everyone makes it out okay by sheer virtue of knowing that the characters obviously have a future. As for the political contest in the present, we’re never really given much to latch onto. If you’ll pardon the analogy, we’re shown little skirmishes without being given a sense of how they fit into the war, and as we’re told that there’s really nothing riding on the outcome, we really don’t have a reason to care. (It’s a bit like the green/purple Drazi thing from Babylon 5—Deep Roots and Black Iris are two indistinguishable parties.)

This is not to say that other things aren’t going on. The story does take place in Karthain, home of the Bondsmagi, the setting’s one and only collection of mages, of whom Locke and Jean have already made deadly enemies. Something is happening between the mages, but it’s primarily treated as a peripheral thing.

Sabetha is another element, and one I really enjoyed. After everyone mentioning her in absentia for so long, it’s great to finally see her—and we do see a lot of her, in both the past and the present. In some ways, The Republic of Thieves is a romance between Locke and Sabetha, and I don’t mean that in a derogatory fashion. The interplay between the two characters is always interesting, if occasionally maddening, as is Sabetha’s interaction with the other Gentleman Bastards (Jean in the present, and the twins and Chains in flashback. It was good to see them again, too—I missed those guys. I only wish Bug were included. Poor Bug.)

I feel I’ve been speaking more of the book’s negatives than positives, which isn’t fair. Please do note the four-star rating up there. I’ll still be picking up book 4 as soon as it’s out. This book hints of larger things on the horizon, lurking.

I want to know what’s up with those Eldren…

A Memory in the Black now available on Nook, iTunes, and Smashwords

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Book Two of
The New Aeneid Cycle

I’ve received a lot of questions about this, and I’m pleased to announce that A Memory in the Black is now available on Nook, iTunes, and Smashwords! (I expect it to appear on Kobo soon as well, but it’s not there quite yet.)

Special Smashwords offer: Today through February 28th, you can download it (in epub, mobi, or PDF) from Smashwords for half the price with coupon code VG23D!

Want to get a FREE copy? Help me out by sharing this link (http://www.michaelgmunz.com/new_aeneid.html) on Twitter or Facebook by Feb 28th, then either comment on this post or email me that you’ve done so at mike@michaelgmunz.com, and I’ll send you a code to get it from Smashwords free!

“This series so far has me hooked! It’s just really exciting!!! I can’t wait for the third book!!!” –★★★★★ Amazon review

And, of course, A Shadow in the Flames, book one of the series, continues to be free across just as many platforms. If you haven’t read it yet, pick it up today!

Robocop remake (mostly non-spoiler review)

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Last night I had the opportunity to see a sneak preview of the Robocop remake (to be released February 12th, 2014) here in Seattle. My reaction?

Okay, so I suppose I should elaborate. I’m a fan of the original. While not the best movie in the entire world ever, one cannot deny that the original most definitely has character, owing primarily to Verhoeven’s direction and many actor performances (including 3 Twin Peaks alumni). It made its mark on sci-fi culture, reflecting and informing the cyberpunk sub-genre and engraving upon geek consciousness phrases like “Dead or alive, you’re coming with me!”, “Can you fly, Bobby?”, and of course, “I’d buy that for a dollar!”

You should see him at the 99 Cent Store.

I’m not normally a fan of remakes. At the moment, I can’t think of any remake that wasn’t less enjoyable than the original; most seem pale imitations with no reason for being beyond cashing in on nostalgia. The new Robocop is the exception. It pays appropriate homage to the original, but it does not attempt to ape it. The new version is its own movie, its own interpretation, with its own reason for being. While the original is a product of the late 1980s in its satirical themes of corporate corruption and the “me-generation,” the remake reflects today’s culture in both the presentation of Omnicorp (Michael Keaton’s character feels to me very much like an evil Steve Jobs) and the theme of unmanned drones. It doesn’t have the satirical bite that the original did, but what would be the point of making the same movie in Verhoeven’s style without Verhoeven? (That’s what Robocop 2 and 3 attempted, and you know how THAT turned out. Good God, Robocop 3. *shudders*)

In many ways it’s actually more thoughtful, more cerebral, than the original. It’s not afraid to take time for emotional beats or to do what sci-fi can really do well: take a look at the human condition from another angle. This isn’t a movie you “turn off your brain” for. I suspect, had I seen it before writing A Memory in the Black, it would have influenced some of the ideas I explored in that book.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s got plenty of action, too. This is Robocop, after all. Action scenes are engaging and exciting without falling victim to the hated (at least by me) “shaky-cam” convention. The filmmakers can do things with (multiple) ED-209s that just couldn’t be done in the original. It’s PG-13, yes, but unless you absolutely need nudity and blood-festooned carnage on screen in all your movies, it doesn’t suffer for it. It’s not without graphic images, but they’re graphic in a different sort of way. And heck, the opening scene had me surprised that it WASN’T rated R. Also, Samuel L. Jackson does manage to get a “motherfucking” in there.

So how different is it, plot-wise? Like I said, it doesn’t try to ape the original. It takes the original’s premise, respects it, and finds its own way to tell the story. After seeing the trailers, I had certain expectations with how some things were going to go, but the trailers are, in some ways, deceiving. I was pleasantly surprised by many things, though I won’t go into detail here, so as to avoid spoilers. There’s a great scene about, oh, a third of the way in that made me gasp. That was the point when I completely put my faith in the film to execute itself in a worthy fashion. (If you’re curious, it’s the scene when the doctor brings the mirror up.)

If you’re at all curious about this movie, go see it. It doesn’t try to replace the original. They’re sci-fi movies of a different flavor: both good, just different. Plus, it’s got Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, and a woman I recognized from the police station siege during I think it was season 3 of Supernatural. (Sadly, no Twin Peaks actors.)

Not worried about semi-minor spoilers? Here’s a quick rundown of some of the homages/differences that I can remember:

Some things still the same:
The lead is still named Alex Murphy, his partner’s name is still Lewis (but Lewis is a  guy), there are ED-209s, and a media figure still helps to frame the story. Robocop still has a good solid weight to him. The sound effects for his movement were not disappointing. There’s a definite homage to the drug factory from the original. Oh! And they used the original Robocop theme! (I was pleased.)

Some things slightly changed:
Robocop’s creator (Gary Oldman) is Dennett Norton rather than Bob Morton. OCP is now Omnicorp, but OCP is Omnicorp’s parent company. The ED-209 is already functional and out in the world (but legally bound from being deployed in the U.S.) at the start. Robocop himself is a little slimmer and SOMETIMES painted black. It’s a car bomb that gets Murphy rather than massive repeated gunshot wounds. Directive 4’s concept is still there, but it takes a slightly different form in a way that worked well for me. Oh, and I think we do briefly see the old Robocop design at one point on a screen, but I’d need to see it again to be sure.

Major changes (I still don’t want to list major spoilers so I’ll only list a few):
The plot itself is different in ways I won’t go into. No direct Dick Jones equivalent, The criminal bad guy isn’t named Boddicker. (Side note: I think he stole Brad Dourif’s eyes.) Robocop’s creator is a different sort of guy from the original. No toxic waste, Cobra Assault Cannons, or gunshot wounds to the crotch. Still plenty of excellent scenes of Robocop, er, robocopping, though.

Oh, and as for certain catch phrases:
“Dead or alive, you’re coming with me!” – It’s in the movie, but with a different context. Mostly works.
“Can you fly, Bobby?” – Nope.
“Stay out of trouble.” – I’m not actually sure on this one, but I don’t remember it.
“I’d buy that for a dollar!” – At one point a character says, “I wouldn’t buy that for a dollar!” And you know what? It works perfectly. Though there’s no Bixby Snyder.

So, yeah, good movie.

Game Review: The Last of Us

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So my blu-ray player failed me a little while ago, and I decided to take the excuse to pick up a PS3 and enter the console world. One of my reasons for going with the PS3 was because it was the only way to play The Last of Us, for which I’d seen some previews before it came out. As a PC gamer, I’d been disappointed to learn that it was PS3 only. So now I could finally give it a try. Save for some minor quibbles, I wasn’t disappointed.

I tend to prefer games with a great story to go with the gameplay (Mass Effect, Deus Ex, Planescape: Torment, Knights of the Old Republic, etc.). The Last of Us is engaging and touching, set in a well-realized world with very human characters voiced in most cases by skilled actors. (Joel can be a little over-grizzled at times, but it’s a minor thing.)

As for the gameplay, I had a great time. I really like games where you can’t just blast your way through everything with unlimited ammo and health packs everywhere. The Last of Us has a limited ammo system that really made me feel like I was scavenging my way through a real post-apocalyptic setting. There were times I had to make real choices between trying to handle an enemy with the few bullets I had left, sneak in and use my last shiv, or just try to slip by completely unnoticed. Finding ammo or supplies was almost always fun in itself, because they had real value and were never something I could take for granted.

The fact that it was my first console game and I was unused to the controller may have also contributed to this. I was a lousy shot for a while, which made things all the more fun in its own way in this context.

The setting was quite well rendered, both graphically speaking and in terms of story. There’s something about climbing through the ruins of modern buildings covered in ivy with escaped zoo animals roaming around that’s just plain fun, and the infected enemies were more than a little disturbing (I hate that damned clicking sound!), though perhaps not quite as much as, say, Half-life 2’s screaming headcrab zombies.

I only had two real problems with the game. The first was that it seemed to end rather abruptly. I hadn’t realized I was IN the endgame; gameplay-wise it felt like more of the same. (I was still having fun, but it didn’t feel like there was any ramp-up.) The story also fell apart just a little bit for me toward the end, at least in the sense that I stopped sympathizing with Joel and was becoming a bit frustrated that I was having to go along with one particular choice he made in order to continue to play the game. Granted, that choice WAS in character for him, so it’s not bad writing. I just felt a bit of a disconnect at that point.

As for the second, I’d really been hoping for more of an exploration for just how this whole spore-zombie thing got started. I wanted to know more about the infection itself, and that just wasn’t explored. Perhaps I missed something? I understand that after 20 years, such information is probably less important to most people in the game than just finding ways to survive, but I wanted more satisfaction there. Maybe in the sequel.

Book Review: On the Matter of the Red Hand

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A few days ago I read a novella by J.M. Guillen called The Herald of Autumn. Below is the review I’ve posted on Amazon and Goodreads…

On the Matter of the Red Hand (Judicar's Oath)On the Matter of the Red Hand by J.M. Guillen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I picked up On the Matter of the Red Hand immediately (and I do mean immediately) after loving another novella by J.M. Guillen called The Herald of Autumn. I was not disappointed.

The novella, written in first person, is narrated by Thom, a detective known as a judicar. Guided by an alchemical serum that gives prophetic visions and waking nightmares, Thom must inject himself into the search for the sister of a dangerous guild master, knowing that he may not emerge alive.

The novella is as much about Thom’s investigation as it is about Thom himself. Time is taken to show the man behind the badge (or the stave, in his case); his thoughts, his means for dealing with the burdens of his position, and his inner conflict with the serum that both aids him and disturbs him. Guillen’s portrayal has a distinctive voice that I found very enjoyable.

The novella paints an intriguing pre-industrial setting filled with alchemy, guilds, and danger. One of the details I enjoyed most about this book was the concept of each judicar having as a partner a trained raven. Guillen hints at a richer background in his setting (such as a rare firearm that seems to be a product of the setting’s past). I wanted to know more.

In fact, wanting more is the main reason I nearly rated this book 4 stars instead of 5; the end left something unresolved that I wanted to know more of. I came to discover that the novella is intended to lead into a larger series, which I’m certainly looking forward to. My only complaint here would be that Thom himself seems to sense that it was time for the novella to end, as he finds a greater sense of closure in certain events than I would have in the same situation. If Goodreads allowed me to rate it 4.5 stars, I would, but as that’s not possible, I’m rounding up.

I look forward to more.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Floats the Dark Shadow

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I just finished reading Yves Fey’s historical mystery, Floats the Dark Shadow. Below is my review, a version of which I posted on both Amazon and Goodreads…

Floats the Dark Shadow by Yves Fey

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars (see below)

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Paris twice in the last few years. Reading Yves Fey’s Floats the Dark Shadow made me feel as if I were visiting it a third time. Fey has a flair for description, painting such Parisian locales as Montmarte, Notre Dame, and the Paris Catacombs in such a way as to transport the reader.

Someone is stealing children from the Parisian streets. Most vanish entirely. Those few that are found are brutally mutilated. Are such horrifying acts the work of a lone killer? A Satanic cult? A demon from centuries past? Amid anarchist bombings and threats on his life, Inspecteur Michel Devaux struggles to learn the identity of the killer before another child is taken. The collection of Parisian artists known as The Revenants seem to be at the center of it all, and at their center is the American Theodora (“Theo”) Faraday. The book follows both Michel and Theo on their separate searches for the truth, often putting them at odds as Michael tries to prove guilty those Theo believes–or hopes–to be innocent.

I should say that Floats the Dark Shadow is not quite the genre I usually read, but I did enjoy it, and my 4-star rating is based on my belief that readers of historical fiction will find it well worth their time.* Fey is skilled with the setting and creates a truly dark (and–on occasion–graphic) mystery that I found reminiscent of Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.” Supernatural undertones keep the reader guessing: are they real, or just in the imaginations of the characters? Initially I found myself more interested in Michel’s character than Theo’s, primarily due to my dislike of some of the other Revenants (don’t get me wrong – they’re well-crafted characters, but were they real people I wouldn’t want to hang out with them), but as the book develops Theo pulled me in as well.

Floats the Dark Shadow does take a little while to get going. I felt that just a little too much time was taken to establish characters before things began to develop. But it’s worth the wait. The ending fit together perfectly.

*For my own tastes I would rate it 3 stars.