#it was an off-planet dystopian sci fi where the heroes were the ones

[not-poignant]

Hi Pia. I've been a fan of your work for a long time now and was wondering if you'd ever write an original sci-fi story or an original contemporary

Altho I know FFS probably classifies as contemporary 🤔 But I just saw that as a human au loosely based off Fae Tales

Fae Tales is an original series with my own original characters, and Falling Falling Stars is an entirely original contemporary story that features only some of those original characters, so technically, it is an original contemporary story. I'm not using someone else's IP, so it's not really fanfic. Something being an AU doesn't make it fanfic, for example, if an artist who draws a superhero character decides to draw them as a merman for Mermay, they're not doing 'fanfiction' of someone else's character - they're doing original art of one of their original characters, y'know? It's just another way of looking at them. Plenty of authors have re-used their characters in other things, this is especially common in comics, but it also happens in fantasy writing a lot too. Also doesn't mean those things become fanfic! Still all original, just has an AU component. :D

But AUs aside...

Otherwise, like, sure I'd consider it! My next works are likely to both be original fantasy worlds, but I like science fiction and I like writing contemporary. I've written original omegaverse in a contemporary setting with the Perth Shifters series, but straight up contemporary is definitely something I've thought up scenarios for.

Science fiction generally doesn't interest me quite as much as fantasy does, but all speculative fiction is interesting/enjoyable to me. That being said, all the next original worlds I've thought up - Daemonos, Glamour Gods, Vexteria, Mallory & Mount etc. are all respectively medieval-style science fiction (but really more like a fantasy, it's just interplanetary), paranormal science-fiction romance, high/epic/secondary world fantasy, high/epic/secondary world fantasy/psychological thriller.

It's more fun for me to sandbox in specfic, because like... I don't get to write characters who have naturally violet eyes, or shapeshifting demons, or fairy-human hybrids who are used by criminals and governments for their glamour as enslaved propaganda machines, or characters who are actually just pretty human but where magic is illegal and serial killers are super common actually.

Contemporary is easy for me to write, but it's not as appealing overall unless it's in situations like Falling Falling Stars, or Smoke in Autumn, or As Green as the Ragged Grass, or Spoils of the Spoiled, or...

Actually you know I've written a fair bit of original contemporary!

I've actually finished a contemporary novel in the past, which a few folks have read bits of through the Patreon over time, called Every Day Awake. The playlists for the characters (Allie, Brad and Jacob) are still on Spotify, as character playlists. I still plan on rewriting that book one day, but it's definitely not high on my priority list.

[wootensmith]

politics and agency

I've been thinking a lot about agency these past few weeks. I mean-- I always think about agency, that's kind of my job. But I've been thinking about it more lately. About how if you put characters in hopeless positions in a story, they're still going to find a way out (in most stories, anyway. Barring a deus ex machina or something). Maybe that's why we really need stories in human society. Because a lot of time those characters seem to have more agency than we do.

We tell ourselves we can be like those characters. We tell each other we can do anything if we only try hard enough. That powerlessness is only a temporary obstacle. That if we work out the right puzzle, say the right words, perform the right feat, we'll be free of every hardship between us and what we desire. And it's an intoxicating thought, especially when you are at your most hopeless. We have SO MANY stories about averting disaster, at least in America anyway, that we've neglected somewhat, stories about what to do once the disaster has already happened. Those stories ARE out there, we just don't hold them up like we should. Not all of history is written by the victors, just the history we tend to pay attention to.

I know it's scary to look around and realize where we really are. Where we're about to be. That no matter how hard we try, how much we try to repeat the old, reliable patterns and systems that SHOULD work, we're not any closer to the top of the hole we've found ourselves in. Whether the hole is poverty or injustice or voicelessness or the world dying. It's hard not to pretend that everything's still going to be ok, that there's some way to avert all this. If you're still able to convince yourself, then frankly, I'm a little jealous. And resentful. For the rest of us, when the mask is finally gone, it's time to start making new stories. Imagining ways to rebuild and build better instead of imagining ways to put brakes on the cart after it's already flung itself off the cliff. Part of that is truly realizing what the situation is.

People who speak up or stand out are already or will be shortly silenced. First, they'll be watched, their activities tracked. They'll lose jobs. They'll be threatened physically and financially. They'll be arrested or disappear. People who don't cheer loudly enough for the powerful will eventually receive the same treatment. Anyone who is considered a burden or who doesn't provide some sort of advantage to the powerful are being shut out as well. They'll be left to fend for themselves or disappear too. Anyone too poor, too sick, too outside of whatever is not the predetermined "norm"-- we're on our own. All we've got is each other, so we better stick together if we can. The systems meant to protect us from that sort of process are already partially dismantled. We cannot rely on them anymore. Use what's left, but expect those to disappear or be curtailed, too. Including here. So start thinking of other ways. Start making new networks. New systems. Outside the existing ones.

As much as I push people to register, to vote, to participate in the systems that exist, we also need to realize that as much as we are betting on there to be a "next time", there are lots of people betting and planning that there won't be a next time. Keep registering people. Keep calling your elected representatives. But also be ready for when it doesn't work anymore (it's already starting). It's the same with climate change. Keep pushing for countries to make and honor resolutions. Keep boycotting the worst polluters and rewarding corporations who do better. But realize that the people in control never expect to pay an actual price for what they are doing or allowing.

Remember that the attitude toward the climate crisis has never been to stop polluting but always to a.) clean up the damage after it's done (which is important but gives the people doing the damage zero reason not to keep going as they are) or b.) to abandon the planet altogether and start the whole thing up somewhere else Facts don't get through. Because facts won't get through, that means empathy doesn't work. Neither does fear. Consequences don't stick or are nonexistant.

That's where we are. So what are we to do? That's why I've been thinking about agency so much lately. I used to be mad at Sartre for claiming he was a "writer who resisted, not a resistor who wrote". Maybe I'm still mad at him about that, but maybe he also wasn't entirely wrong about it. Because it seems to me, as terrible as that list of where we are is, the very worst point is the last. If facts don't get through, then nothing else can change. When facts don't count, all that's left is stories. And that, we can do something about. The powerful already know that. They use stories all the time to hurt people they don't like or want to get rid of. They have all the other levers now, but we still have at least this one. Not to tear down people we don't agree with, but to imagine the way out of all this. To build up the world we want to see. Facts might not get through, but the truth can.

It's not just me who says so. Research has found people have similar psychologic feelings of connection and loss with characters in art they consume. In books, in video games, in movies (and more). Put the truth into a new context and maybe it gets absorbed. Ask someone to have empathy for someone struggling in their community and people may just dismiss them as lazy or bad or dishonest. But make an outsider a hero in a story, and maybe people start to have compassion for them. Maybe they start making small connections to people in similar situations in their outside life. If you ask someone to do something about climate change and maybe they tell you it's all a hoax or feel too small and powerless to do anything worth while. But build up a world in a book or a game, make people fall in love with it, and then destroy it and maybe it makes an impact. Better than that, after the destruction, if the world is rebuilt, maybe people get ideas about their own lives.

It doesn't have to be postapocalyptic. It doesn't have to be dystopian. It doesn't even have to be sci fi. Oliver Twist wasn't. A Patch of Blue wasn't. Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry wasn't. Whatever you write, however you write, happy ending or gritty or sad, the same truths can get through. That's why they can be taken out of their real world context and still work.

Good people care about what happens to other people and work to shield them, to help them. No matter the differences between them. Doing what's right sometimes means a character doesn't "win". A heroic character does what's right anyway. Or, if they choose not to, pay a heavy price. A healthy world is one where the characters are cautious about how they use it and recognize and try to prevent or repair collateral damage. Equity and fairness are important and desirable. Kindness is attractive. People are stronger together.

You don't have to be a "big name" to do it. In fact, the smaller you are, the longer you'll get away with it without paying a price. Stay brave and remember you don't know who exactly is reading (or watching or playing). I'm not going to claim it'll be easy, even then. We're going to fail. Scapegoat did. And then we're going to try and fail again. And again. And maybe someday, we'll be succeeding even though we don't know.

Maybe someday, someone changes their mind because of something we made. Or starts to change it. Maybe more than one somebody. And maybe we never, ever know. That's ok. There are a lot of artists who never knew, can never know, but did it anyway. Because their stories and music and art were their most potent form of agency. And they had to have faith in their work, as ugly or misshapen as they thought it might be, that the truth would leak through somehow.

I can't tear down his camps by myself. Not even if I called and wrote and organized every day. But if I can upset enough people about the idea of good people trapped in a prison for no reason, then maybe I get some folks to help me. I can't clean up the world, no matter how much I recycle or compost or pick up litter. But if I get enough people nervous about what happens when there's not enough resources left by writing about a refugee space ship on a hopeless, endless journey to find a new world, maybe someone will have a better idea about how to fix it.

Maybe this doesn't seem like anything new. Maybe it seems as small as the difference between being a writer who resists or being a resistor who writes. It's frustrating that all we might have left are words that people may never hear or see. But words are what stories are made of. And stories are what civilizations are made of. We're in a war now, about which stories get to be read or heard. About what kind of civilization we're going to be. I'd rather fail at making a better one than succeed in building a terrible one.

Maybe that's not a very hopeful message. Maybe I should tell you never to give up, to keep on keeping on. It's not working. And I'm sorry for that. I'm not going to tell you to stop doing what you've been doing, because I can't give up on it either. I'm just saying, be ready. Start building something new, some new blueprint. So it'll be there when it's time. It'll be up to others (or us all) to actually construct it, but it's up to the storytellers, the musicians, the artists to imagine it in the first place. It's our turn now.

[thebookvortex-blog]

Book Review: Ready Player One

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

Released 2011, Sci-fi

Kindle - £3.99 Paperback - £6.47

“I never felt at home in the real world. I didn’t know how to connect with the people there. I was afraid, for all my life. Right up until I knew it was ending. That was when I realised, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness, because reality is real,”

A blend of the era gone and the era to come.

with spoilers, duh

Dear Reader,

Ready Player One really impressed me; the concept, the dystopian world, the characters and their development. After reading this I’d say it’s one of my new favourites and I’ll explain why in this review. At first the story just seems fun, a bunch of adventures with a truck load of 80’s nostalgia, however the characters become a lot more fleshed out as the situations they find themselves in get a lot more real.

In dystopian future, circa 2045, the world is experiencing an energy crisis and has had to cut back on a lot of things. Humanity has wrecked the climate, famine and poverty are widespread. However, there is the OASIS. An MMORPG, an escape from the horrors of the real world. This is essentially a massive virtual reality utopia, with thousands of themed planets to explore, quests and adventures to take for hours on end. You can live wherever you want and be who you want to be. James Halliday, creator of the OASIS and a multi-billionaire has no heir to his possessions and ownership to the OASIS. When he died he created a quest full of riddles, the one who completes the quest inherits all his money and the OASIS. Wade is just like everyone else on the planet, poor and obsessed with the OASIS. Halliday was obsessed with 80’s pop culture, and the entire quest is based off knowledge from that time. Wade is what’s known as a gunter, one of those who are dedicated to the quest and desperate to win. When he finds the first key he is suddenly up against thousands of competitors. Soon, however, the game takes a deadly turn and he finds himself fighting for the future of the OASIS and his life.

Ready Player One takes place twenty years on from our current society. Inevitably we have run out of oil and although with advanced technology, the world is crippled. To give you an example of how bad things are, main character Wade Watts lives in a trailer… stacked on top of fifteen others… in a trailer park full of hundreds of these stacks. My favourite types of books are dystopia’s, so with this being mentioned at the beginning I was already really interested. You wouldn’t expect a world so corrupt to have something as magical as the OASIS, a place where you can create your own avatar and be whoever you want to be. The OASIS is a place away from the awful reality everyone faces, life sucks in the real world but there are never ending possibilities online. You can be anything and do anything. Although living in a futuristic world, the 80s is what almost everyone is obsessed with. After James Halliday’s death, the more knowledgeable you are about this time period, the better chance you have of winning. One of the things I liked most about this book is the constant switch between these two eras which are sixty years apart. For myself I’m just a bystander, in the middle of these times. If you’re a fan of movies and videogames form thirty years ago, you’ll probably like all the worlds and puzzles included in the story. Maybe you’ll marvel at how they’re constructed. I am glad that I did get some references, Atari games and the Rocky Horror Picture show that I’ve seen mentioned in other books I’ve read. It’s kind of funny how later in the book, Wade spends so much on technology, just to be fuller immersed in what’s essentially an 80s simulation. For most of the book he’s hiding away from the villain of the story, a company called IOI. This company is desperate to inherit to OASIS, to, you know, be evil with it. They bend the rules as much as possible to win. It’s not the type of story where the main character is ahead of the enemy, something bad happens and they fall, then pick themselves up again and win. It’s a constant back and forth between the two, it builds tensions until the end and even though you know what will happen (how often does the main character never win?) I still worried about the outcome. I mean, maybe the author will decide to make the journey of the last three hundred pages for nothing, just to flip off the reader. At first this corporation seems basic, not able to do much but make empty threats while still acting all professional and all. It’s not the best enemy I’ve seen but I wasn’t disappointed with them.

“As the three of us stepped forward, preparing to enter the gate, I heard an ear-splitting boom. It sounded like the entire universe was cracking in half. And then we all died.”

There’s a lot of foreshadowing, maybe I’m just good at picking up on it but personally I found it a bit easy to notice when something seemingly meaningless was said but would prove important later. If you can pick up on it, good for you, it’s satisfying in a way.

The main character, Wade Watts, is well written, at least in my opinion. He starts from humble beginnings, not having enough money to even travel to another planet in the OASIS. When he does earn riches, he becomes obsessed with fame and the new lavish lifestyle he leads, in and out of the OASIS. He becomes a celebrity for being the first person to complete the first gate and can finally have all the fun that he was missing out on, however it distracts him from continuing his quest. He has fun, doing what he’s always wanted.

“I looked like Plastic Man, if he were tripping on LSD. Then everyone else on the dance floor also began to shape-shift, melting into prismatic blobs of light,”

It’s almost depressing when you realise that all he’s experiencing isn’t real, he’s become one of the many who see the OASIS as their true reality. He even proclaims his love for who was a few months ago his enemy, they’ve both been side-tracked by all the fame and forgotten about the quest. When rejected he is hurt, he’s wasted all his time for nothing and takes his anger out on her, angry that she’d turn him down. They’re all just avatars, pretending to be these great people, Wade can no longer see the line between reality and the OASIS. He had become selfish, letting his aunt die and losing his best friend just to continue the fake world he was so unravelled in. I can’t pin losing his friends entirely on Wade, after the first gate and not being able to figure out the next clue they all kind of drifted apart. Instead of being the perfect hero throughout and brought down by other people’s mistakes, he was what held himself back, which doesn’t happen very often. Even in a computer-generated world, Wade is still human and behind his perfect avatar, is still subject to human feelings and thought processes. I was happy when he realised the errors of his ways, after acknowledging his selfishness after what was quite a depressing moment in the book. This realistic downfall, even though it hurt me to read through wishing everything would be normal again, was a good addition and necessary for the story to develop.

“The hour or so after I woke up was my least favourite part of each day, because I spent it in the real world (…) I hated this part of the day because everything about it contradicted my other life. My real life, inside the OASIS. The sight of my one-room apartment, my immersion rig, or my reflection in the mirror – they all served as a harsh reminder that the world I spent my days in was not, in fact, the real one,”

Yes, Ernest Cline did a good job in developing Wade’s character, but there were some things about him that irked me a bit. For one, how is he such a smartass? There’s nothing wrong with intelligence as personality trait, but the part of the book where he sneaks into IOI depending on information that he bought months ago, information that might not even be legitimate, and bases his whole plan and escape off is a bit thinly wound. Also, being able to hack into one of the largest corporations on Earth’s database and accessing highly classified files is a stretch. And the part where figuring out the riddle to the last gate, the one IOI have been stuck on for ages. Even with a team with a wide knowledge of about almost everything that happened in the 80s they couldn’t figure it out, but Wade just thought about it for a few minutes and got it. For such a big part in the journey, it seemed very rushed, I feel like there was potential for a good chapter, racing against IOI to figure it out, but it was just wasted.

Let’s talk about Art3mis (spelled Artemis now because it’s much easier for me), the female lead. She has a pretty cool name, but I’ll admit that I found her a bit annoying. I love a hardcore female character, but it feels like portraying her as badass was very forced and she came off stereotypical. You can awesome and skilled without being rude, constantly having snarky comments isn’t necessary. And of course, she has a hidden soft side, brought out by Wade because he’s so in love with her and wants to know the real her. There’s nothing wrong with this, even though she’s a bit unique I just feel like I’ve seen her before. Don’t get me wrong, I still like her. I do give her credit for being more level headed than Wade, she didn’t get as carried away as he did with all the fame. She didn’t fall in love with something she’s never met and got back onto the quest, her main priority, after leaving him. Artemis didn’t sit around feeling sorry for herself when stuck on what to do after the first gate.

As far as the writing style goes, I really liked it. I feel like this is important to talk about because the way the book flows and how the author tells the story greatly affects what you feel. It’s written in first person past tense, personally my favourite. It doesn’t feel like Wade is talking to me, more like he’s talking to himself, and I’m just witnessing it. It’s not so complex that I have a hard time keeping up and don’t understand some of what’s going on, but also not too basic that I must guess what everything looks like and there’s no emotion.

There are several things I liked about Ready Player One. I’ve already mentioned this, and I don’t really know why, but I loved the constant switch between the 80s and the future. I’ve never seen it before, this earns the book some brownie points. Another thing that was done well was foreshadowing. Even though I found it a bit obvious that some things would be used later, it still made the book seem more dimensional and thought out. One thing I wasn’t expecting was the use of the quarter that Wade got after playing the perfect game of Pacman. I didn’t think too much about it at the time, only until after the bomb went off at the final battle did I remember it when he was still alive. I don’t know why but that pleased me and made me smile. He didn’t spend all that time for nothing.

Another moment I liked is when I started to realise the immensity of Wade’s situation. It starts of as a reality innocent game, I mean yeah, billions of dollars are up for grabs but it’s not life threatening. That is until Wade’s home gets destroyed because he refuses to share information. It’s so absurd that he didn’t think it would happen, he was even mocking the head of IOI.

“I was pulling my gloves back on when I heard the explosion (…) The stack containing my aunt’s trailer had collapsed into a fiery, smoking ruin”

Wade wasn’t close with his aunt but it’s still a bit shocking. What hit me even more later was the death of Daito, the Sixers killing him directly. It’s not a game anymore at this point. The book started off light-hearted but took a dark turn, luring the reader into a false sense of safeness, into a net separating them from things like this. Then slowly cutting the net so you don’t realise you’re falling.

One of the really important things was how Wade was given weakness, a weakness that isn’t a good thing like being too hardworking, but something realistic that everyone can relate to and believe. The other characters also aren’t dependent on him. Sure, you can say that Artemis got the first key because Wade told her to play on the left and he gave away his position to Aech. But they proved they can think for themselves and can be independent later when they got the Jade key. Wade is smart, but so are they and he doesn’t have to carry them. He also isn’t constantly ahead of them on the scoreboard. Other characters are in front of him for large periods of time, even the villain gets ahead of him. It keeps things tense. Wade isn’t better than everyone, he has to fight to remain on top.

Something that did sort of annoy me was the final battle. I found it a bit anti-climactic and rushed. I’ve seen it several times now, where the main characters call on all the other citizens to help them fight and it doesn’t really add much for me. I feel like the author might have spent too long on other details of the book and didn’t leave enough time for what was supposed to be the main event. They charged, beat the boss, went inside. I can understand that it can be hard to write big scenes like these, but there could’ve been a bit more. I did laugh at the bit where it says

“And then we all died,”

That was NOT expected but didn’t ruin the moment. The aftermath of this where Wade survives and finds a way back up was more enjoyable for me than the actual battle. Going through the last gate was a good combination of all the previous challenges but even though Sorrento, leader of IOI, was behind him I didn’t find it that intense.

Every book has its faults, Ready Player One has its own but I still think it’s really entertaining and well written despite them. Of course, there’s a happy ending, I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest one I’ve ever read but it’s satisfying. You don’t have to be completely obsessed with the 80s, the future, or moral questions to enjoy this. It’s a good sci-fi adventure tale with a real and fleshed out protagonist.

This book had me hooked, I just wanted to power through it and get to the parts where everything was happy and dandy for the characters. I don’t want a story where everything is okay all the time. They need down points where there is a struggle, even though I don’t like these times because I’ve become invested in the story and want everything to be okay, they are necessary for a good story and it’s all worth it when everything is over. No matter what type of books you read, you should try this. Whether you want to take a deeper look and analyse what happens or you just want some action, this is a recommended read.

Yours Sincerely, theBookVortex

[aion-rsa]

Upcoming Jason Momoa Movies and TV Shows to Watch Out For

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Jason Momoa is everywhere. The former Game of Thrones actor is riding high after starring in the popular film Sweet Girl on Netflix, with Season 2 of his Apple TV+ series See set to start streaming this weekend and a key role in Denis Villeneuve’s hotly anticipated Dune adaptation on deck. Oh, and as the DCEU continues to shift and change, he’s still the only Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, in sight. Not bad for a guy who got his start on Baywatch: Hawaii.

Things aren’t slowing down any time soon for Momoa. Besides the projects listed above, the actor has a few other big things planned down the road. If you just finished Netflix’s Sweet Girl and you’re looking for more Momoa in your life, here’s where you can expect to see the King of Atlantis next.

See Season 2

Streaming August 26

Apple TV+’s sci-fi dystopian series is set in a far-off future in which humanity collectively lost the sense of sight. Season 1 found Momoa’s Baba Voss reuniting with his sighted stepson Kofun (Archie Madekwe) after defeating Jerlamarel (Joshua Henry), another sighted man who had fathered kids like Kofun all while having a weird messiah complex.

In season 2, Momoa’s Baba will have to go toe-to-toe with another big bad preoccupied with the possibility of returning sight to the world, his brother Edo Voss, played by Dave Bautista. It’s clear from early looks of season 2 that there’s some bad blood between the hulking brothers, and with season 2 bringing in a new showrunner, Warrior‘s Jonathan Tropper, we can expect the action scenes to be even more explosive in year two.

Dune

In theaters and on HBO Max on Oct. 22

After a failed Alejandro Jodorowsky adaptation, and a polarizing one from David Lynch, Frank Herbert’s “unfilmable” science fiction classic, Dune, will once again hit theaters and streaming this October. Once slated for a Christmas time release, Denis Villenuve’s Dune aims to capture the scale of the epic novel, with huge battles and even larger sand worms.

In a packed cast that also includes Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Dave Bautista, and many more A-listers, Jason Momoa is playing Duncan Idaho, the swordmaster of House Atreides. Loyal to protagonist Paul, the ducal heir of House Atreides, Duncan is a mentor to Paul and an ambassador to the Fremen, the inhabitants of the the planet Arrakis.

There’s no telling if Villenuve’s Dune will make the hard science fiction of its source material palatable for a wide audience, but Momoa has had success in parts tied to beloved novels before, and there’s no doubt he’ll make Duncan Idaho into something memorable on screen.

Aquaman and the Last Kingdom

In theaters Dec. 16, 2022

Production has begun on the second Aquaman film, but the plot of the Jason Momoa-starrer mostly remains obscured in murky water. However, returning director James Wan has provided an intriguing update that references a cult classic 1960s Italian horror film as its main source of inspiration.

“Aquaman 2 is very heavily inspired by Planet of the Vampires,” Wan recently told Total Film. “You can take the boy out of horror but you can never take the horror out the boy.” 

But does the cult-classic Mario Bava sci-fi film about spaceships haunted by mysterious alien lifeforms fit into the underwater superhero aesthetic of Aquaman? Wan thinks the fans will roll with it.

“Well, the first movie took a lot of people by surprise, right?” Wan said. “And that’s partially because they were not familiar with the comic book, which deals in this very lurid, strange world. People were taken aback that I didn’t throw all that stuff away and make a dark, heavy film. But I didn’t feel that would have been right for it. So, with the second film, I feel it will be easier for people to accept where we go because I’ve already laid the foundation.”

We’ll see exactly where Wan, Momoa, and company will go when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on Dec. 16, 2022.

The Last Manhunt

Release Date TBD

Filming on this Western has been completed for some time, and the movie was set to premiere Aug. 27 at Pioneertown International Film Festival before the event was delayed by the surging COVID-19 Delta variant.

Jason Momoa exec produced and has a story credit on The Last Manhunt, which is based on true events. According to the synopsis, the film follows a Native American cowboy known as Willie Boy, who was chased into the hills by a sheriff’s posse in 1909 after Willie Boy fell in love with a woman named Carlota. Carlota’s father, a Chemehuevi shaman and local tribal leader, refused to let the young couple be together, and in a fatal confrontation, Carlota’s father was killed by an accidental gun shot and the young lovers fled to the sun enslaved Mohave desert.

The film was shot near where the actual events took place and local tribes were recruited to appear in the movie as extras or stand-ins. Momoa, who was originally onboard to direct but had to back out due to other commitment, was said to have fallen in love with the story and was insistent on getting the input of tribal members. The story was adapted to film once before in Robert Redford’s Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here.

The film stars Martin Sensmeier as Willie Boy, Mainei Kinimaka as Carlota, and Momoa appears In a brief role as Big Jim. Directed by Momoa’s See costar Christian Camargo, The Last Manhunt currently does not have a scheduled release date.

Slumberland

TBD 2022

From Hunger Games franchise director Francis Lawrence, Slumberland is a live-action adaptation of the comic book series Little Nemo in Slumberland by Winsor McCay. Taking a gender-flipped approach to the source material, Slumberland tells the story of a young girl (Marlow Barkley) who discovers a secret map to the dreamworld of Slumberland, and with the help of an eccentric outlaw, she traverses through dreams and flees nightmares, with the hope that she will see her late father again. Guess who will be playing that eccentric outlaw.

No, you’re not dreaming—that’s Jason Momoa with a full set of horns. Here’s a sneak peek behind the scenes at SLUMBERLAND, a new adventure story about an eccentric outlaw (Momoa) who guides a young hero (Marlow Barkley) through a secret dreamworld. Coming to Netflix in 2022. pic.twitter.com/QZIaQbk7HM

— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) April 6, 2021

Momoa looks wonderful sporting big horns and extravagant outfit. His character, Flip, is described as a “nine-foot-tall creature that is half-man, half-beast, has shaggy fur, and long curved tusks.” They’ve certainly have got the man for the job.

Slumberland will also feature Weruche Opia, India de Beaufort, Kyle Chandler, and Chris O’Dowd rounding out the ensemble cast.

Cliffhanger

(TBD)

A female-led reboot of Sylvester Stallone’s Cliffhanger is in the works from director Iranian-American filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour.

Speaking to Deadline, Amirpour said, “I instantly knew the elements of the story I wanted to tell. There’s a special place in my heart for an action-survival movie. I’ve always been attracted to the theme of mountain climbers who, like filmmakers, have a certain madness to them. I love genre and fantasy and in this type of survival film you’re playing with real fear.”

“We are setting out to create a thrill-ride on the mountain which taps into the primal side of an action movie, where you see what a person is capable of doing to survive in the most extreme situations, pushed to the limits,” she continued. “Add to that some high-stakes espionage and a badass female mountain climber as the lead and it becomes a truly epic reinvention of what made the original Cliffhanger movie so fun and so thrilling.”

There’s no word on casting for the female lead, but Momoa is said to be involved in the film, with at least a cameo planned for the actor. Momoa confirmed as much with a post on his Instagram.

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Untitled Momoa-Dave Bautista Buddy Cop Movie

TBD

What started as a text exchange between two frequent co-stars has now become a public promise: we are going to get a Jason Momoa/Dave Bautista buddy cop film at some point.

After Bautista tweeted about the idea, Momoa took things even further by going on The Late Late Show with James Corden and expanding on the idea.

“[Bautista] literally texted me four days ago, going, ‘We need to do a buddy cop film,’” Momoa told Corden. “We love each other. We are on See and Dune together. And I said, ‘Absolutely.’ And he said, ‘Let’s do it in Hawaii.’ And I said, ‘Let’s do it. I have an idea.’ So it’s off to the races now. We’re doing it.”

“It sells itself, bro,” he continued. “Dave loves wearing Speedos. I love wearing board shorts. And both of us with our shirts off. He’ll be grumpy and I’ll be charming. Boom. It sells itself, bro. I have the hair. He doesn’t have hair. We cover all the demographics.”

Obviously this project is in a very early stage, but Momoa is right — this thing sells itself. Sign us up for opening day tickets, please!

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The post Upcoming Jason Momoa Movies and TV Shows to Watch Out For appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3B0qZl0

[rotationalsymmetry]

Good morning all. Alternatively, good time of day whatever time of day that is when and where you’re reading this.

I’m going to talk about white supremacy and the Locked Tomb trilogy.

I don’t think this is spoiling much of anything that you can’t pick up from the books’ back covers.

So, the Locked Tomb trilogy is set in the heart of a galaxies-spanning empire which is constantly expanding through military conquest. (And necromancy. Officially these books are somewhere in the fantasy/sci fi/space opera realm, but there’s significant horror elements as well.)

It is also in many ways a dystopian/Crapsack World setting. Not in the planets being colonized, which to my great disappointment we haven’t seen at all, likely exception at the very very end of Harrow the Ninth. But in the very core of the empire.

The protagonist from the first book hadn’t ever had a hot beverage or a hot bath, in spite of living on a cold world, before age 18. The major characters in the first book, most of whom are incredibly privileged within the system they exist in, have lives that are...thin, sparse, with nice things being few and far between. There are quite a lot of images of decay and disrepair. Virtually no one seems to have a significant amount of control over their own life, and pleasure is a thing snatched here and there where you can find it. Relative status does not seem to bring physical comfort with it. Luxuries are things like pieces of actual paper or wood. Food exists, but does not seem to actually taste good.

It is jarring to think about the level of death and destruction that is happening offscreen, on an apparently mind-breaking scale, and then look at the lives of the people who presumably benefit the most from that death, and...their lives are that awful.

But I said I was going to talk about white supremacy.

First, a thing: thinking that a thing is bad and that the overall movement to oppose the thing is good, does not require approving of or agreeing with every aspect of that movement. You can be for trans rights without accepting the transmedicalist idea that having a very broad definition of transgender is harmful; you can be for feminism and also against the sorts of feminisms that argue that trans women aren’t women or that sex work should be abolished.

Racism is bad and the movement for racial justice is good and necessary.

And...there is a substantial segment of the movement for racial justice, I don’t think I have a label for this segment, that is very attached to the idea that white supremacy benefits white people, and that the core of good white allyship is talking about how much you as a white person benefit from white supremacy, and I think that is fundamentally incorrect.

What there is is a history of exploitation and violence and a diversion of resources from people of color to (some, anyways) white people; a pattern of white people getting jobs more easily than black people, getting loans more easily, getting an education more easily, having more economic advantage and overall having more wealth. White privilege is a thing.

(The suffering of people of color under white supremacy is definitely a thing, and framing that suffering primarily in terms of how white people don’t suffer in the same way is weird. I want to assume there’s some reason for it? That people generally know what they’re doing? But it is weird.)

What I am saying is, even with everything about white privilege (economic advantage within a very exploitative and anti-worker system, fictional heroes and leaders that look like you, real life leaders that look like you, the ability to not think about racism most of the time, a much lower chance of getting killed by the police) white people are not actually better off for white supremacy, and indeed it is counterproductive to say that we are.

I don’t think even the white people at the very top of the system are actually better off for the existence of white supremacy, compared to how their lives might be in a more equitable system, just richer.

So when parts of the racial justice movement are acting like a more just world would mean white people have to give things up...I mean, yes, strictly speaking, we have to give up things like “having people with our skin color be the hero all the time”, and having relative advantage within an inherently exploitative system, but that’s so little compared to what we might gain from a less abusive system. Connection and meaning and labor justice and actual safety and...hey, you know how I listed “less likely to die at the hands of a police officer” as privilege, like, yes that is privilege and also I do consider just not having police that routinely kill people to be a viable option here, and I do not think the existence of police actually is net beneficial for me.

(Side note on “police”: If we end up with people who deescalate public fights and walk people home when they feel unsafe and get you your stolen bike back and keep a database of people who have harmed children and so on and we call them police but they don’t kill people or violate people’s autonomy I would consider that very much a win, whereas if we replace police with another group of people called anything else who still harass entire communities and kill people dead, that is not a victory no matter what the new name is. Ditto for replacing sending people to jail with involuntarily committing them to mental institutions.)

(That might seem obvious, but the logical extension is we need to talk about what exactly makes cops bad rather than just saying they are and leaving it at that. I have seen a little exploration of how medicalizing the sorts of things cops get called in for can be problematic, but not much discussion on what exactly were trying to defund or abolish when we talk about abolishing or defunding the police.)

The idea that racial justice should just be rearranging how things are divided in the current system without altering the fundamentally exploitative nature of the system in any way, is just so sad. So limited. And is ignoring the history of how much racism exists entirely to preserve a fundamentally exploitative system.

[brigdh]

Reading Definitely Not Wednesday

Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey. A space opera set in the relatively near future. Humans have colonized Mars and the asteroid belt, and a few scattered populations make due on the moons of planets further out. There is, however, no faster-than-light travel, no contact with any solar system beyond our own, no sentient AIs, and no aliens. A major theme of the book is the culture clash between those who live on Earth or Mars – the superpowers of this future – and those who live in the Belt, where mining is the preeminent economy and life is the hardscrabble sort where even water and oxygen have to be imported, never mind concepts like justice and equality. Different characters move from one place to the other or switch allegiances, but their origins are as baked in as we would regard ethnicity or nationality. As one character puts it, "A childhood spent in gravity shaped the way he saw things forever." Corey (who is actually two separate dudes writing under a penname) does a wonderful job of fleshing out the background worldbuilding. I loved references to fungal-culture whiskey, Bhangra as the default elevator muzak, hand gestures exaggerated to be seen through a spacesuit, and largely unintelligible localized slang (“Bomie vacuate like losing air,” the girl said with a chuckle. “Bang-head hops, kennis tu?” / “Ken,” Miller said. /“Now, all new bladeboys. Overhead. I’m out.”). It feels like a more detailed world than a lot of sci-fi does. Which is good, because the characters are not all that compelling. The two POVs are Jim Holden and Detective Miller. Holden is the second-in-command on an unimportant spaceship that works as a freight hauler, moving ice back and forth between the Belt and Saturn. Things change dramatically when a mysterious someone attacks their ship and kills everyone except for Holden and a few others, and he finds himself centrally involved in the runup to war. He has the most generic action-movie-hero personality I can imagine, with no discernable characteristics except 'idealistic' (and I really only know that because other people keep telling him he is), kinda nervous about being suddenly thrust into command but doing a good job, a womanizer (but see, it's okay because he just keeps genuinely falling in love with so many women!), and earnest. He's fine. He's not even objectionable, just incredibly boring. He comes with a crew of entirely indistinguishable followers that I couldn't keep straight, but that's all right because most of them get killed off so I no longer had to try to remember who was who. He also develops a romance that is 100% unbelievable, but I suppose that's what action-movie-heroes do, so who's even surprised. Miller is a detective on Ceres, the largest city in the Belt, who's been hired by a rich family to track down their anarchist, slumming daughter. Miller is an incredibly cliche noir protagonist - alcoholic, divorced, not as good as he used to be, cynical, a little bit corrupt but underneath it all he still remembers his good intentions – but at least that means he has more of a personality than Jim, even if it's a personality you've seen a thousand times before. On the other hand, Miller becomes obsessed with this dead/missing girl in a way that is painfully stereotypical Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Two things kept this from ruining Leviathan Wakes for me. One, Miller is at least somewhat self-aware about it: This was why he had searched for her. Julie had become the part of him that was capable of human feeling. The symbol of what he could have been if he hadn’t been this. There was no reason to think his imagined Julie had anything in common with the real woman. Meeting her would have been a disappointment for them both. And two, there's a twist near the end that allows Julie to finally have her own voice in the text, and not exist solely as Miller's imagined dependance on her. It takes almost half the book for Miller and Holden to finally cross paths, at which point the missing-girl mystery and the war plot combine and take a twist for a direction I DID NOT SEE COMING. I am ambivalent on whether to spoil this; on the one hand, I read it unprepared and it was incredibly awesome to experience it that way. On the other hand, I suspect this is information that will be a determining factor for many people on whether they want to read it or not. So: halfway through, Leviathan Wakes takes a wild jump and becomes about a zombie outbreak. I would not have previously thought that 'space opera' and 'zombie apocalypse' are two genres that should be combined, but the tension and excitement skyrocket once the book takes this turn, transforming it from average quality to 'I CANNOT STOP READING, MUST FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT'. So, good choice! The sequence with Miller and Holden trapped on a small space station trying to sneak their way past zombie hordes is one of the most thrilling I've read in ages. Leviathan Wakes is the first book in a series (apparently it was originally supposed to be a trilogy, but there's currently eight books out with at least one more planned, along with a batch of short stories) and has also become a show on the Syfy network that I haven't seen. I feel like I've spent a lot of this review complaining, but honestly I mostly enjoyed the book and am planning to read the sequels. The fact that people seem to like the characters from future books more than these ones certainly doesn't hurt! Pig/Pork: Archaeology, Zoology and Edibility by Pia Spry-Marques. A nonfiction book about everything remotely related to the farming and eating of pigs. I expected from the subtitle and the author's personal background that archaeology would be the main focus, but it turns out that's really only the first two chapters, which cover the Paleolithic hunting of wild boar and the original domestication of pigs. The other chapters turn to topics as diverse as experiments on feeding farmed pigs leftovers from restaurants, the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, a special Spanish ham called ibérico de bellota which can only be fed acorns, genetically modifiying pigs so their manure would contain less phosporus, sunburn in pigs, minature pet pigs, organ donation between humans and pigs, the terrifying tapeworms to be acquired from eating raw pork, why pork is a 'white' meat, how to make sausages, theories on why pork is neither halal nor kosher, the use of an enzyme from pig pancreases in wine production, EU food-safety regulations on traditional pork dishes, Cuba's 'Bay of Pigs', the Pig War between the US and Canada in 1859, and Oliver Cromwell's favorite pig breed. Basically if it has the remotest connection to the title, Spry-Marques has included it. She even includes recipes for each chapter, though some of them are clearly more for amusement than actual consumption – I can't imagine anyone having just finished a chapter on how eating raw pork will give you cysts in your brain is eager to try figatellu, a type of uncooked sausage from France. And it would take a braver foodie than me to taste "Asian-inspired pork uterus with green onion and ginger". In fact, as is probably not surprising for any book which touches on factory farming however briefly, you will probably come away not wanting to eat pork at all for a while. Spry-Marques's writing is breezy and conversational, which kept me turning the pages even when the structure was a bit scattered. I wish it were more focused, but it's a great book for anyone who enjoys popular science, history, or food writing. I read this as an ARC via NetGalley. Song of Blood & Stone by L. Penelope. A YA fantasy novel with some unusual elements. Rather than being set in vaguely medieval England or a dystopian sci-fi future, we're in a country where the technology seems to be around 1900: cars and electric lights exist, but they're restricted to rich cities, and someone coming from rural poverty might well have never seen either. Magic exists, but comes from one's heritage; you're either born with it or not. In Elsira, where our story is set, it's rare to the point of nonexistence. Our heroine Jasminda, however, does have magic, due to her father having been a refugee from the neighboring country of Lagrimar, where magic is common. Elsira and Lagrimar have been constantly at war for hundreds of years, but are separated by a magical Barrier which allows no one to pass through, except on rare occasions when a temporary breach happens and violence erupts. Elsirans are light-skinned and Lagrimari are dark-skinned, so Jasminda has dealt with fairly severe racism throughout her life. The story starts when Jasminda runs across Jack, a Elsiran soldier just back from spying in Lagrimar who has super important information that must get back to the capital as soon as possible; unfortunately Jack has just been shot and is closely pursued by a troop of Lagrimari soldiers. Jasminda and Jack team up, fall in love, and try to prevent the coming outbreak of war. The most revealing thing I can say about Song of Blood & Stone is that it's very, very YA. (As you could probably guess, what with its title that fits exactly into the pattern of the 'YA title' meme currently going around tumblr.) Almost everything that happens is easily predictable from the back cover (Jack's long-withheld backstory is clearly supposed to be a shocking twist, but it's obvious from the moment he appears), the prose is mediocre but fine, good and bad guys are clearly signalled, the real world parallels (racism, treatment of refugees, domestic abuse) are good-hearted but extremely Social Justice 101. On the plus side, the beginning was the worst part and it got better and better as it went along; several developments near the very end were so interesting that I'm tempted to read the sequel, despite my initial boredom. Overall it's not a bad book, but I'd only recommend it to people who are extremely affectionate of the most repetitive tropes of the YA genre. I read this as an ARC from a GoodReads giveaway.

[DW link for easier commenting]

[christysports]

Games Like World of WarCraft

Sports may be getting back to TV, yet it doesn't create the impression that life in the U.S. will be completely back to typical any time soon. With less choices springing up for socialization in everyday life, huge multiplayer online pretending games (MMORPG) are turning into a go-to strategy for investing some protected energy interfacing with individuals. In case you're worn out on having no place to go with your homies, simply boot up World of Warcraft, call a few companions, and begin attacking Azeroth.

With regards to MMORPGs, no title can rival World of Warcraft. Initially delivered in 2004, Blizzard has delivered various extension packs and even delivered an exemplary worker that permitted long haul fans to re-visitation of a form of Azeroth unimpacted by years worth of resulting stories. In the event that picking between the Alliance or the Horde doesn't sound excessively engaging, consider investing some energy with one of these 25 games like World of Warcraft.

1. 'DC Universe Online'

Probably the most ideal approaches to easily fall into a huge pretending game is to discover one set in a universe you are now alright with. Fanatics of orcs and dream can go to World of Warcraft, however enthusiasts of caped crusaders and superheroes have DC Universe Online. Regardless of whether you make a personality that is firmly connected with characters like the Joker or Wonder Woman is up to you and players get the opportunity to spread cheer or tumult close by a portion of DC's best characters. The game's extension is really monstrous, taking gamers over the universe with the Green Lanterns to the lower part of the sea with Aquaman.

2. 'Time of Conan'

No, Age of Conan won't let you control a virtual Arnold Schwarzenegger, yet it permits players to contend and attempt to positively influence Hyboria. With various classes, races, and models to look over, players have a ton of control with regards to fashioning a definitive fighter fit for helping Conan shield his recently held onto seat from antiquated abhorrent powers. The game has a charming hack/slice battle framework that permits players to act continuously more than numerous customary pretending games.

Purchase

3. 'Crossout'

In case you're an aficionado of Mad Max however think the genuine individuals are incidental to what in particular makes it so engaging, Crossout is the computer game for you. The allowed to-play game changes out people and beast characters for adaptable beast trucks prepared for outrageous battle in unforgiving conditions. Set in a dystopian world, players join various groups and attempt to discover special things that will assist them with adjusting their vehicles and dominate in the unforgiving climate.

4. 'Fracture'

Like World of Warcraft, Rift sorts players into two groups the Guardians and the Defiant-as they battle for strength and endurance in the voracious universe of Telara. Instead of simply fight one another, players additionally need to stress over the destructive animals that rise up out of the basically voracious cracks across Telara. Follow your class calling to turn into a definitive hero or mage, among different groupings, and collaborate in gatherings to take on strikes in the hazardous prisons to open probably the best things accessible in the huge world.

5. 'Tera'

Delivered in 2012, The Exiled Realm of Arborea (TERA) set the activity battle's part in MMORPGs. Without precedent for a MMO, player aptitudes were friendly and dodgeable, giving gamer's more power over their fantastical ongoing interaction than any time in recent memory. Like World of Warcraft, players make exceptional characters and run off into the world to create things, complete journeys, and takedown online adversaries. With a special karma style that boosts honorable ongoing interaction, the game will really confine certain gamers for a while on the off chance that they knock off an excessive number of players essentially more vulnerable than them.

6. 'Senior Scrolls Online'

In the event that games like Morrowind and Skyrim just started to expose your enthusiasm for the undertakings of Tamriel, Bethesda's Elder Scrolls Online is the game for you. Rather than making your own character, step up, and fashioning things in a single world, players get the chance to encounter Tamriel as an online climate unexpectedly. A fantastical setting loaded up with heroes and mages continuing on ahead, players join different organizations and set out on missions as they battle to recoup their spirit from the Daedric Prince Molag Bal.

Note:Also read here more about World of warcraft.

7. 'Ruler of the Rings Online'

On the off chance that everything about Elder Scrolls Online sounds fun yet you wish it was set inside creator J.R.R. Tolkien's fantastical arrangement, Lord of the Rings Online is the ideal game for you. Investigate Middle-earth as either a diminutive person, mythical being, hobbit, or human, players are allowed to make their own cooperations of up to six characters to finish bunch journeys with. Exemplary characters like Aragorn and Gandalf seem to help acquaint characters with the bigger undertakings of the unmistakable settings, however players rapidly assume responsibility for the activity and pick their own way as they set out to finish different missions to help keep the domain protected and stable.

Also read here universe of warcraft cinematic quest guide

8. 'Ocean of Thieves'

A Microsoft select, Sea of Thieves is an undertaking game that permits players to extend their ocean legs and hone their bold aptitudes. With a deck underneath your legs and wind at your sails, players investigate an open-world by means of their privateer transport in Sea of Thieves and complete different missions en route to turning into an unbelievable privateer. The huge world is additionally shared, which means there are incalculable privateers and groups dashing over the open seas hustling to locate the greatest and best goods.

9. 'Last Fantasy XIV'

Last Fantasy XIV might be the fourteenth title in the apparently endless establishment, yet it's really the main MMORPG of the pack. Delivered in 2013, gamers make their own character and become either an understudy of war or enchantment in the realm of Hydaelyn. Notwithstanding which street you pick, gamers eventually become a globe-trotter, join a Free Company organization and begin constructing a notoriety for themselves. With a thick story that addresses the establishment's long history, this game is unquestionably simpler to prescribe to long haul fanatics of Final Fantasy than individuals who are totally new to it, yet any devotees of World of Warcraft searching for a likewise fun encounter ought to consider looking at it.

10. 'Skyforge'

Skyforge is an engaging blend of folklore, sci-fi, and dream all folded into one. Players control a godlike being who, through your activities all through the game, is continually working to turn into a divine being. As opposed to being secured in your group for the entirety of forever, players can pick between any of the 17 alternatives anytime, permitting them to pick up renown in different various habits to at last assist them with opening more rigging and devotees along their long excursion. Collaborate with companions to take on missions or remain as a monotheistic being as you take on the world without anyone else.

11. 'City of Heroes'

Rather than occurring in a pre-set up superhuman universe like DC Universe Online, engineer Cryptic Studios' City of Heroes we should players partake in a spic and span caped universe. Make a superhuman or supervillain as you would prefer, with the ideal forces and extreme codename, and begin performing missions as you either spare or threaten arbitrary residents across Paragon City. Actually, the game is not, at this point accessible from distributer NCSOFT, however in 2019, a publicly released worker of the game sprung up online that has been drawing in players is as yet online today.

12. 'Predetermination 2'

Bungie changed the gaming scene when they delivered the first Halo and they keep on kicking off something new with the uber-effective Destiny 2. Make your own Guardian and specialty his shield and weapons as you would prefer as you set-out to protect Earth's Last City from an assortment of dangerous outsiders. Set in an immense world brimming with different players running-and-gunning their way through missions, Destiny 2 is a profoundly intuitive title with a ton of ability movement and thing customization to keep major parts in charge of their own insight.

13. 'Planetside 2'

In the event that facing a daily reality such that two groups are battling it out for control sounds excessively recognizable and depleting, possibly Planetside 2, a game where there are three groups duking it out for control of the planet Auraxis sounds additionally engaging. The genuine attract to this game is the monstrous size of the player matches. While World of Warcraft may pack endless players onto a solitary worker, Planetside 2's open-world framework, joined with its ability to deal with fights with in excess of 1,000 players, makes it one of the biggest and most riotous multiplayer encounters available.

14. "Star Wars: The Old Republic'

A considerably longer time back, in a system far away, the Jedi and Sith struggled it out in Star Wars: The Old Republic. As great and malicious fight over the universe, players browse eight classes and begin having their effect on the world. It's dependent upon players to pick whether they need to align themselves with Sith or Jedi and screen their activities to ensure they aren't tricked to the contrary side of the power. With many players hurdling around and doing their part to help either the radicals or the domain, The Old Republic is a definitive.

[xxcallexx]

Ready Player One

Luis Legamia’s Review on Ready Player One 

Ready Player One is a cyberpunk themed sci-fi novel written by Ernest Cline in 2011 displaying the first person view of Wade Watts, the protagonist in a dystopian future where the world is in a state of global decline descending into chaos and poverty thanks to what the humans did and everyone spends their lives in a virtual world called OASIS, a grand utopia where anyone can do anything or be anything. There was also a film adaptation of this book in 2018, but had a lot of major differences in the story.

The plot starts with James Halliday’s death, the creator of OASIS. Since he has no heir, he decided to put an Easter egg somewhere in the multi-expansive world of OASIS and whoever can find it will inherit his great fortune. To find the egg, a player must find 3 keys that unlock 3 gates. Everyone in OASIS tried everything they could to find the first key, going through all of Halliday’s interests, movies, games, music and more, but it was never found and most people have given up. 5 years later, Wade Watts, in the form of his avatar, Parzival was the first ever person to find the first key in the Tomb of Horrors. He also meets Art3mis, a girl he’s never met but had a massive crush on her. He unlocks the First Gate by re-enacting an entire movie called WarGames. He is then given a clue on where to find the Jade key. However, a global telecommunications conglomerate called IOI(Innovative Online Industries) threatens Wade to give away the location of the first key by setting up an explosion in his trailer. His aunt and her boyfriend are killed in the explosion (who cares, they suck) but luckily Wade was not in the trailer when it happened, he was in his hideout. He then decided to look for another place to hide, an apartment in Columbus. He loses his focus in trying to get the Jade key because he was distracted by Art3mis and gets left behind. Eventually, while trying to find the Jade Key, he goes to the planet Archaide and plays a perfect game of Pac-Man and wins a seemingly useless quarter coin. His best friend Aech gives him a hint on where the Jade Key is. He goes to the planet Frobozz and plays a game called Zork. Daito, a friend of his, gets killed in real life in the process of trying to get the Jade Key by IOI. He unlocks the Second Gate by playing a 3D version of the game called Black Tiger, easily finds the Crystal Key by locating a guitar stuck in a rock (King Arthur style) through the clues hidden in the Rush music album called 2112. The Sixers, IOI’s servants also have the Crystal Key and barricaded the area of the Third Gate by using an indestructible force field from a powerful artifact, but they didn’t know how to unlock the gate. Wade and his friends find out how through the song Schoolhouse Rock!. They needed the power of three. Wade destroys the barrier, and the battle between the Sixers against everyone else begins. When Parzival, Aech and Art3mis unlock the Third Gate, the Sixers set off a powerful bomb called the Cataclyst, killing everyone in the world instantly. However, the seemingly useless quarter Parzival won in the game of Pac-man gives him an extra life and he enters the final gate and plays Tempest, then re-enacts Monty Python and the Holy Grail and reaches Halliday’s office and solves the final puzzle. He is then awarded the abilities of a god in OASIS and all of Halliday’s possessions and fortune.

The major theme of the book is that people run away from reality and embrace the concept of virtuality, much like today’s world. Honestly, I think this is a foresight of what may happen to the world we live in right now if we humans are not careful. Actually, it is happening right now. We are slowly depleting the world’s resources and we already rely on our gadgets and our virtual selves a lot. We are already hiding what we truly are, who we truly are and how we truly feel and create a virtual façade that deceives many. Instead of focusing on ourselves as a person, we try to improve our virtual selves instead. Once the world ends up like the dystopia featured in the book, we may end up spending our entire lives in a virtual world, just like the people of OASIS.

To conclude, I think the book is really good. OASIS is probably one of the best worlds I have heard of in my entire life. The world is really beautiful, and the writer describes it all too well and I can see why the people in the book ended up spending their entire lives there. It has a total of 27 sectors, each sector containing a multitude of worlds. Literally anything but our imaginations can limit what is contained in OASIS and it was fun exploring the world in the perceptive of Wade Watts. It also succeeds in portraying the real world and the real life of Wade where there was a lot of poverty and chaos all around. The main character is relatable to many because he isn’t the perfect hero. He was poor, fat and antisocial. However, throughout the story, he continues to grow and learn from his mistakes and even loses weight. However, the flaws of this book is that there were so many references that I could not understand and it was hard for me to picture out what was going on, but on the bright side, you get immersed in many cultures, especially the 80’s culture and discover a lot of things when you search them up.

I would give it a 9/10. People should read it, go watch the movie too, it was pretty good. Just don’t judge the movie based on its differences from the book.

[intotheblackhq]

Application: Jaxer Corester (Pilot)

( dan stevens, 34, male ) Word around the quadrant is that (JAXER CORESTER) is originally from (CHRYA), but has been on the terminus for (TWO YEARS). If you’re in a pinch, he is a talented (PILOT). Is that why they’re the (PILOT)? Anyway, everyone says he is (+CONFIDENT) and (+SOCIABLE), but don’t get on their bad side because they’re (-DECEITFUL) and (-CONCEITED).  Oh shoot, don’t look now! He has his (NAVY PISTOL) out! (Dash, 26, GMT, He/Him, None)

WORLD BUILDING:

If your role is from a planet or station of your own creation or there is a location that is vital to your role that is not currently listed on the main, please fill out this section. 

—-> Name: City of Amarante on Chrya

—-> Located On: Chrya

—-> Brief Description: One of three habitable moons orbiting the gas giant Aulabelis, Chrya is a verdant, garden world home to some of the richest and most powerful families in the galaxy, most of whom made their money through shipbuilding and weapons manufacturing – its capital city of Amarante plays host to the headquarters of several Megacorporations that deal in these trades. For the wealthy residents, Chrya is a paradise, boasting virtually every convenience and entertainment imaginable; for the poor underclass, however, it is a dystopian surveillance state where the slightest infraction can lead to years of hard labor on a mining ship.

—-> Name: Tyrrhenus Orbital Station

—-> Located On: Tarchon

—-> Brief Description: A desolate, uninhabitable dustball of a planet, Tarchon was notable only for its tactical importance as a central military staging ground in the Artemes Sector, allowing rapid deployment of the Artemesian Navy to any corner of the territory. The Tyrrhenus Orbital Station boasted drydocks with enough space for up to a third of the Artemesian Navy, as well as heavy gun emplacements designed to protect the station and its inhabitants. During the early years of the rebellion against Company rule, it was attacked by a rebel armada, resulting in the destruction of the station and almost a quarter of the Artemesian fleet, incurring a death toll in the hundreds of thousands. The losses crippled the Artemesian Navy and was ultimately one of the main factors in the decision to disband the Navy and subsume it into the Company’s own forces.

ROLE DEVELOPMENT:

—-> Important History:

Born into the prestigious Copeland-Dunn shipwright dynasty, Jaxer was raised in a life of privilege, luxury, and responsibility: a combination of the best genetic engineering, tutoring and cybernetic enhancement money could buy each playing their part to mould him into a perfect future Corporate Officer – another cog in the well-oiled machine that was the family business.

At the age of seventeen, in an effort to escape the long future of board meetings and corporate events he could see stretching out before him, Jaxer enrolled in the Artemesian Navy Officer School, eventually graduating as a combat pilot certified for fighter craft and small-to-medium ships. His first post at the age of twenty-one was as a fighter pilot aboard the ASAS. Phobetor, assigned to patrol the boarder regions of the Artemesian Sector Alliance (ASA).

Shortly after the Company declared its hegemony over the galaxy, the ASA (pressured by the powerful Megacorps that made up much of its economy) folded entirely and became subsumed into the Company, securing favorable terms for its Megacorporations in the process. The former Artemesian Navy became part of the military arm of the Corporation, and were quickly dispatched to subdue rebellion across the galaxy.

Jaxer fought in a few battles against the rebels over the next few years, and earned himself multiple commendations for valor and even a promotion to First Lieutenant and command of a fighter group. His military career was brought to an abrupt end when his fighter was disabled during the Battle of Tarchon, resulting in him crashing on the planet below, pinned in his cockpit by his right arm and leg for two days before being rescued.

Although his family ensured he received the very best medical care available, his arm and leg, as well as his right lung, kidney and three ribs were beyond repair, and had to be replaced with cybernetics. During his recovery, his family made it known to him that they had arranged for him to be honorably discharged from the Navy, as well as being awarded the Blue Star (the Artemesian Sector Alliance’s highest honor for bravery in combat). He was also informed that they had secured a place for him on the board of Copeland-Dunn Aerospace Engineering, and had already been publicizing the appointment of a “decorated war hero” to the corporate board. Unwilling to allow his family to get their claws into him again, as soon as he was able, Jaxer jumped planet and never looked back, drawing as much of his personal funds as he could before cutting ties with his family entirely.

He eventually found himself on Erebus, where he arranged with the Company (for a hefty upfront fee that nearly wiped out his accounts) to assume a new identity: trading Jaxer Copeland-Dunn, pilot, war hero and scion of a prominent family, for Jaxer Corester, sketchy pilot from the seedy underbelly of Chrya. As a part of his arrangement with the Company, Jaxer agreed to join their Bounty hunter program as a pilot, which was no hard shakes at all: he’d have given his remaining organic arm and leg for the chance to fly again.

—-> Headcanons:

Jaxer is a decent mechanic and engineer – he knows enough to do basic repairs on his own, and assist with more complex ones – as well as being an excellent pilot and a good shot with shipboard weapons. When it comes to ground combat, he’s far less skilled, only having basic training with his pistol and absolutely no ability in hand-to-hand combat.

Jaxer is absolutely terrified of the crew discovering his real identity, and will go to great lengths to avoid such an occurrence. When the topic of his past comes up, he becomes evasive, giving short answers that are more often than not lies and seeking to change the subject however he can. He sometimes feels guilty about deceiving his new friends about his past, but he can’t risk his family finding him and pushing him into a life of corporate drudgery.

—-> Key Relationships:

Keep The Secret: Jaxer has confided in this person about his past and true identity. Whilst they’ve kept this information to themselves for the moment, Jaxer worries that they might expose him to the rest of the crew (or worse, his family) and so tries to stay on their good side as much as possible. Whether or not they intend to keep his confidences or leverage the information to their own benefit, only time will tell…

I Can’t Hear You Over The Sound Of Me Winning: Jaxer and this person have a friendly rivalry when it comes to games: in their downtime they can often be found competing with one another in just about any sport or game ever created. Whilst these contests can occasionally become very heated, there’s absolutely no bad blood between them, and aside from some gentle ribbing, the two are on extremely good terms.

—-> Wanted Connections: N/A

ADMINISTRATIVE: 

—-> How Did You Find Us: sci fi rp tag on tumblr

—-> Anything Else: Nope

About time you showed up, JAXER CORESTER, we were just about to take off without you. Stow your gear and make sure you send in your account and finish off the checklist within the next 24 hours, or else we might have to dump you out the nearest airlock. MAX EHRICH has now been claimed. Oh yeah, did I forget to say welcome aboard?

[storyunrelated]

Things Are Grim

I have an enormous soft-spot for that moment in sci-fi dystopian films – for it always films – where the Grand Leader or The Council or whoever appears on some holographic viewscreen and explain to the docile, downtrodden masses a bunch of stuff they already know.

It happened when I watched that, uh, Insurgent film not long ago where like the first thing is a lady summarising A) the events of the previous film and B) How the society the people live in works. Which they should know, right?

My personal ur-example though is Father's speech from Equilibrium where he extols the virtues of this emotion-free world to the populace. He gives an inspiring speech which explains how they've done away with emotion TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DRUGGED UP SO THEY CANNOT FEEL EMOTIONS LIKE INSPIRATION.

Of course you could argue “Oh it just tamps down the highs and low of emotion!” but it still makes the whole thing pointless and hilarious. It serves only as exposition and it's so transparent it's amazing. I love it. Clumsy, clumsy device and always seems to be popping up in this very specific genre. Or maybe it's just me.

Anyway I did a thing with it.

[You know all this already, of course]

The System For Continued And Orderly Survival Of The Human Race Abiding By Certain Strict Codes of Conduct For The Betterment Of The Species As A Whole (commonly referred to as 'the System' for those short on time and averse to formality) was single-handedly responsible for a significant chunk of humanity on what remained of the earth's hospitable surface.

Life wasn't exactly easy in these modern times, what with the enormous bodycounts from the various wars that led to the planets' current state and all. The fallout was pretty rough, too. And the mutant hoards and the sentient, flesh-eating storms. Living wasn't impossible, it was just a mite tougher than it used to be.

The biggest concern for most of those still around was preventing a repeat. Clearly any price was worth paying if it meant the continued survival of the human race, preferably with no further recourse to terrifying weapons of mass-destruction of the kind that caused fallout, mutants or thinking weather. So, on balance, submitting to the System and it's demands really wasn't so bad. Just took some getting used to and some practise. All it was was a limit on the number of times a citizen could use the word 'the' on a day-to-day basis. Tricky but not impossible. And vital! As was well-known.

Nowadays most people didn't even think about it. Second nature. Fact of life. Everything ticked over nicely and everyone was obeying the rules so surely those were linked? This was a question no-one dwelt on for very long, as the easy answer was obviously yes. The Quota System was as much part of the fabric of daily life for people as nutrient sludge, gas-masks for when The Smog came and fearing what the night held when the cries grew loud.

Those in charge could not fully understand this. They were adamant that people needed the Quota System explained to them above and beyond the standard level of education and indoctrination they received as children. They needed to be reminded of its usefulness and importance every possible moment, it was said. It needed to glare down at them every possible moment of the day, on the off-change someone somewhere couldn't quite remember what it was or what it was for.

This certainly kept the ruling party busy, at least. The full might of the System's propaganda division was always hard at work, and this day was no exception. Phalanxes of camerapersons and technical staff fiddling with knobs (and some of them even helping with the production) swarmed everywhere while runners ran backwards and forwards carrying things that didn't really need to be anywhere in the first place.

The Leader stood amidst the chaos with a look of mild concern. Technically speaking all of this was for him today, as he was to be the one appearing in the little video they were recording. When they'd floated the idea to him he'd signed off on it without really thinking (if only to make those pestering him go away) but now that the day had come he wondered whether he should have perhaps looked into it a little more deeply. Too late now though.

“We're ready for you, Leader,” said a runner, panting quietly. The Leader jumped, smiled, and followed them through the throngs to somewhere that had been set up in preparation. Given the small area he would apparently be working with the Leader wondered what all the other stuff was for. He wondered if he'd ever find out even if he asked.

Settling into a stern and leaderly chair in front of an austere and leaderly backdrop the Leader cleared their throat and tried to find something to do with their hands, eventually settling on having them rest on the desk in front of them. A script was proffered.

“Are we filming now?” The Leader asked.

“Five minutes, Leader; some final checks are being conducted,” someone said from behind a bright light, obscuring their identity. The Leader shrugged and took the opportunity to flick through the script, reading aloud quietly to himself as he went.

“A Quota System, whereby all good citizens are limited to a strictly-enforced daily allowance of 'the', has been the solid foundation upon which our new, glorious, stable and safe society has been built. This is simply a fact. Indisputable,” he said. This seemed unnecessarily disingenuous to him.

It had been disputed. Hotly, in fact. As easily and readily as people accepted it nowadays it had not always been the case. But that had been back when people had been gleefully murdering one another to be the ones to decide how society should be rebuilt. Those who had disputed had been shot, and the disputation had died away somewhat since then. Anything for a quiet life.

“As you all know a strict limit was opposed on use of the word 'the', the better to protect the hard work of the individuals who risked everything to ensure that society survived through the tough times. The Quote System stands now in memorial to the hard working men and the hard working women and to the unsung heroes whose tireless efforts have led to the present prosperity we now enjoy.”

This was clunky, in the Leader's opinion, and seemed to have been written exclusively to waste as many 'the's' as possible for no obvious reason. He said them all anyway though. Out-loud and everything. He didn't really think about it as he did it.

The upper-echelons of the party leadership were as bound by the Quota System as the common folk and meant to abide by its regulations and yield to its punishments. As is to be expected, they did not. What sort of upper-echelons would they have been if they did not think they were exempt from the rules?  

“Do we really have to do this?” The Leader asked after reading a few more lines and finding the whole thing a little pointless. He brandished the script and leaned back in the chair, frowning. All activity around the set stopped.

“What do you mean?” Asked the voice from behind the light. The Leader squinted but it did not help him get any closer to identifying the voice's owner. It hardly mattered.

“It just seems a little pointless, you know? I mean, it's part history, part bromide and platitude and mostly just stuff everyone should know already. How does this benefit anyone?” The Leader asked. Several of those nearby shifted uncomfortably. Deep down they knew what he was saying was true but they were conflicted by their deep committing to doing pointless, dystopian things for no good reason. The voice behind the light had no such doubts and spoke as strongly as ever:

“It'll be very useful if someone – a newcomer observing our society for the first time, say; from the outside, as a sort of intangible viewpoint – needed to learn the particulars of our way of life in a quick and direct way.”

The Leader chewed this over. They could see how this might be true, but couldn't see how this was in any way a good or compelling argument.

“That is a very specific set of circumstances. I'm not sure how that might apply in the real world,” the Leader said.

“Well, if you don't like that, instead imagine it as a reassuring reminder to the people of how our strict, draconian rules and regulations keep our society from falling to pieces. Never hurts to remind people of something they have stamped so deep into their brain they never have a chance of forgetting it even if they wanted to,” said the voice. Several members of the crew wrinkled their noses as the self-defeating nature of this sentence. The Leader did likewise, finding it obtuse and bizarre.

“But they learn about that in school. And their toil in the toil factories. And with every mouthful of their bitter, ulcer-inducing nutrient paste. And in every aspect of their daily lives. There is literally no escaping it. This whole thing would just be beating a dead horse.”

“I must again stress the importance of having a concise and convenient summation of our society's most distinguishing and unusual feature in easy-to-understand video format on the off-chance someone might need quick exposition,” the voice said. The Leader pinched the bridge of their nose.

“Daryl, is that you?” They asked. There was silence.

“...it might be me,” said the voice, presumably Daryl. The Leader melted across the desk with dismay as the assembled crew groaned in sympathy. The light obscuring Daryl suddenly seemed to take on a sheepish tinge.

“You've been watching those bloody films again, haven't you?” The Leader said, voice muffled by the desk they were speaking into but still carrying across the room clearly. This was one of the many reasons they were the Leader. That and murdering all opposition in a ruthless and cold-blooded fashion. But that went without saying.

“No! I mean maybe. Maybe just one,” Daryl said.

“Those films are not a how-to on how to actually run a downtrodden and nightmarish dystopian society! The societies depicted always breakdown! And no amount of flashy 'Libria, I congratulate you'-type speeches ever stop it! In fact, they make it worse! We have a serious job here, Daryl, and I'll thank you to remember that.”

Awkward silence reigned.

“So does that mean you won't read the script or it just need a re-write or...?” Daryl asked. The Leader – still prone across the desk – raised an arm and snapped his fingers.

“Someone shoot Daryl for me.”

END