May | 2009 | Threat Quality Press

Archive for May, 2009

Workblog: “No Atheists in Foxholes”

Posted in Threat Quality with tags Jeff Holland, workblog on May 29, 2009 by braak

When I work up a long-form story, I tend to start with a bare-bones plot, and zygotes of characters that flesh out however they pop into my head. Unfortunately, I come up against a lot of my own limitations when all these components come to rest in a science fiction field. For starters, world-building.

So it’s good to have a writing partner who can fill in your weak points – for instance, Chris Braak. As his book The Translated Man (hey, you should go buy a copy!) illustrates, Braak has an exceptional talent for fully realizing imaginary worlds.

Which is all a prelude to today’s workblog, where I outline the basic plot structure of a story-to-be, and seek Chris’s advice when the details get to be a bit of a pain in the ass.

17 Comments »

Terminator’s John Conner: Self-Made Man

Posted in Jeff Holland, Threat Quality with tags Jeff Holland, terminator on May 28, 2009 by braak

Here we go with the time travel again.

In preparation for this summer’s Terminator franchise renewal (not a reboot!), I decided to watch the first two, realizing I’d never actually seen either of them in full. Regarding the first one, what struck me as most fascinating – other than the fact that, Linda Hamilton’s mullet aside, it still holds up pretty well – is how cleverly – even diabolically – it utilizes its time-travel aspects.

4 Comments »

Recommended: R. Scott Bakker

Posted in Braak on May 27, 2009 by braak

As a reader, I cut my teeth on epic fantasy. When I was 13 and at the bookstore, I made a beeline directly for the SciFi/Fantasy section, and I don’t think I bothered picking up a book that didn’t have a guy with a sword on the cover. Preferably slaying some kind of monster.

Of course, looking back on it, I realize that most of those cover were heinously stupid. Just ugly, boring, pointless book covers.

14 Comments »

Sorry for the interruption…

Posted in Braak, Threat Quality with tags Braak on May 26, 2009 by braak

…my fault. Memorial Day Weekend threw me off, and then car problems and insomnia. Real, honest-to-god posting will resume shortly.

The Importance of Endings (Or: “They Did WHAT?!”)

Posted in Jeff Holland, Threat Quality with tags Battlestar Galactica, Jeff Holland on May 26, 2009 by braak

Something I’ve been wondering lately: exactly how much does an ending affect the overall quality of a story? Does the conclusion ultimately decide whether the rest of it was worth going through? Or does the journey count for enough?

Put in more concrete terms: does the fact that “Battlestar: Galactica’s” ultimate ending is among the stupidest I’ve ever heard in my life – and by stupidest, I mean both “wildly illogical” and “antithetical to the themes the show had previously set up” – mean I shouldn’t bother watching the series?

8 Comments »

More Reviews–The Imago Sequence

Posted in Threat Quality on May 22, 2009 by braak

Troubled by the fact that I, Braak!, only ever complain about things? Perhaps you’d be interested in reading a review by someone who actually enjoys other people’s work! Also, maybe you enjoy Lovecraft and scary monsters.

If any of these things are true, have a look at Laird Barron’s The Imago Sequence reviewed over at io9 by Friend of Threat Quality Chris Hsiang.

Seriously, it actually looks pretty good. I’m thinking of buying it so that I have something to read while I’m getting my car fixed on Tuesday.

While I’m at it, I’d also like to fire off a quick recommendation of Blood of Ambrose, by my good friend James Enge. (Haha, we’re not really friends, but I did talk to him on the internet once, and he seems pretty funny.) It is good, solid, fantasy fun–no pretensions towards being fantasy’s A La Recherche de Temps Perdu or anything, but not mired in genre cliches, either. He is a good man with a fun book, but his official website isn’t as cool as mine.

1 Comment »

At the Theater: Hysteria!

Posted in Braak, poetics, reviews, Threat Quality with tags Braak, poetics on May 22, 2009 by braak

The Wilma again. I keep going back here. By coincidence, this is another play directed by Jiri Zizka, and it’s another play about two historical figures that you don’t think of as being contemporaries, but really were contemporaries, meeting each other and talking about things (see my chart; in this case: Sigmund Freud and Salvador Dali). I don’t know if Zizka has a thing about this, or something, I don’t know.

Anyway, to be clear: this was a good time out. I don’t have any kind of quarrel with direction or acting or anything, because I rarely do, especially at the Wilma. They have the resources to make everything look really good, and the means to hire talented actors. But…

8 Comments »

Your Buddy, Your Pally, Your Season Finale (the epic conclusion)

Posted in Threat Quality with tags 24, 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, I Speak TV, Jeff Holland, The Office on May 21, 2009 by braak

(Checking out the season finales of the only shows on TV worth watching, part two: The Office, 30 Rock, 24, and How I Met Your Mother):

“The Office”
After the extended dramatic arc of Michael, Pam and Ryan manning their own (ill-fated) company, followed by the dance/breather episode, I wondered what tone the finale would bring.

5 Comments »

Street-Fightin’ Holmes

Posted in Jeff Holland, Threat Quality on May 20, 2009 by braak

Subbing for Chris today, and it’s a bit late to start on any topics, but how about we take a quick look at the trailer for the upcoming reimagining of Sherlock Holmes from Guy Ritchie and Robert Downey, Jr.?

Now then, there’s been a lot of hub-bub about how true it is to the “real” Holmes (as to the actual reality of the Holmes character, we’ve actually talked about that before).

I think it looks like a blast, keeping in mind:
A) I’m a RDJ sucker
B) I’m not a Holmes purist, and
C) With one notable exception (Swept Away – and Ritchie didn’t get his groove back until they divorced!), Guy Ritchie puts together the type of movie I generally enjoy. Are they deep? No (except for Revolver, which was probably the deepest movie Jason Statham will ever star in). Are they overly pleased with themselves? Sometimes. Do I mind? No, I like stylistic fight scenes and witty banter.

Your turn, what do you say?

7 Comments »

Summer Movie A-Go-Go: “Wolverine”

Posted in Jeff Holland, Threat Quality with tags Jeff Holland, Wolverine on May 19, 2009 by braak

Well, that slow Sunday afternoon I was expecting came along, and so away to the movies I went. And I bring good news! Despite what you may have heard, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is not that bad. Of course, when we talk about a “bad” Marvel movie, we’re thinking of Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider…y’know. BAAAAD movies.

Wolverine’s just Not Very Good. Which may in fact make it even worse. I’ll explain in a second.

11 Comments »

Threat Quality Press