Author Interview: 

M. R. Mathias

The author of

The Wardstone Trilogy

The Dragoneers Saga

The Fantastica Collection

The Legend of Vanx Malic Series

 Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

 I am writing the first book in what I hope is a lengthy series, but that hasn’t developed enough to talk about just yet. That isn’t my only “work-in-progress,” though.  I’m also working with narrator Will Hahn on the Fantastica Series audiobooks. Book three, Demon of Destruction, should be available in a few weeks, and book four (the finale) before Thanksgiving.

Where did you get the idea for the newly completed Dragon Racers Trilogy?

The Dragon Racers Trilogy is based on Asian myths and lore, but the population of the dystopian fairy land known as the Dregs, are very much like modern social media users. They don’t need facts or even to know what is going on to take a side. In fact they follow the mood of the most dominant being around them instinctually. This is just one of the obstacles young Sharrah Che and her sometimes bo, Kin Kuul must deal with. There is also mysterious Dark Anshi, her powerful orang-eyed father, and a tyrant king all trying to bend her will. Needless to say, there is no way to please them all, and the more determined of them will find ways to control her decisions. Then there are the terrifying, and often deadly, dragon races themselves.

Do you write in more than one genre?

 I wrote a horror book called The Butcher’s Boy: The Ballad of Billy Badass, under the pen name Michael Robb. I recommend it for late October, but don’t read it alone, especially if it is stormy. The book is pretty scary. I mean, I lull you in with a slow and methodical “spooky” story line, then yank your stomach into your throat with a little deep hitting evil. I may dabble in scifi in the future, and I may even write a detective/thriller series someday, but I currently write fantasy, both because it comes naturally, and because it pays the bills.

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

 I have my own style and I tell the story I am telling. There are places in my books where I could have gone down this path or that, but I leave it and let the reader’s mind go down those paths themselves.  The best compliment I have ever received was something like: “…even hours after reading a chapter of The Wardstone Trilogy, I would still be caught up in the scene.” Or something like that.

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

 I think my ability to see through the BS of life shows through. When I started writing the old Dragoneer Saga books, one of the first things that crossed my mind was, how would a dragon rider go to the bathroom? How would a girl dragon rider go? Because there are two, and now three (with Jenka and Zah’s daughter, Amelia) female dragon riders in that series.

They don’t touch on “reality” much in Eragon, or How to Train your Dragon. Bilbo Baggins never has to take a piss. No one tells Katniss Everdeen her breath smells like a goblin’s ass. In my books someone who has never ridden a horse doesn’t just take to it. Someone who has never held a sword can’t suddenly defend themselves with one. Someone who has spent days in a dungeon has breath they can barely stand themselves.

So many authors create characters that never feel human.  I at least try and make the fantasy have a bit of reality in it.

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

 I wrote The Wardstone Trilogy in a Texas prison while serving time for drug possession. I was a meth junky when I was younger, and I stole all sorts of stuff to support my habit. I did two calendar years in mostly solitary confinement because I couldn’t get along with others. While I was there I penned seven novels in longhand.

Not bad for twenty plus months in a box.

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

I would recommend people into fantasy read authors like: Raymond E. Feist, Lloyd Alexander, even Homer and the like.  What most modern authors think is new, is not new at all. They would know this if they read more.  Another benefit of my stint in jail was sheer reading time. I was reading three to four hundred pages a day, every day.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

 Well, I like The Legend of Vanx Malic, and The Dragoneer Saga best, and then there is Fantastica, and the Dragon Racers series. And we can’t forget Crimzon and Clover. But you asked which one I recommend, not which one I like most. If I was being honest, the best of my work is The Wardstone Trilogy. It is raw and unique, in that I wasn’t an author until about halfway through book two. There is something magical about The Wardstone Trilogy. If you read it, you will understand. It will transform you, and the characters will live with you forever. So yeah, Wardstone is what I’d recommend.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

 Well, prison helped, because without those two years I would have never found the time or motivation to write, even though I graduated High School with a scholarship in creative writing. When I got out I didn’t know how to type and hadn’t been on the internet much, yet. I was a CADD designer at one point before, and I was a draftsman so I was semi-familiar with the keyboard, and took to it well enough.

The most fortuitous circumstance came after my release from prison, and it is both sad and uplifting. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s and my mother was her caregiver. I stayed with them and became my grandmother’s primary caregiver so my mom could keep doing her job. (She was a head faculty member at a notable university, and loved her job.)

I ended up being her caregiver too, through about five years of grueling chemo, and a peaceful end.

Anyway, it was during the day, while my grandmother would watch I Love Lucy and Andy Griffith reruns that I learned to type while entering The Sword and the Dragon into a word file to be edited. I learned about Kindle, and the KDT platform, and the Sony Reader (now defunct) in that same time period. …which was all long before KDP came along. And as they say, the rest is history.

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

 I don’t really have an answer here.   Can I buy you dinner?   That question would be nice to hear more often….lmao

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

Fortune sides with him who dares. – Virgil   ~*~   I dare. – M.R. Mathias

And my favorite “me” quote:

Just because it isn’t perfect, doesn’t mean it isn’t awesome. – M.R. Mathias

 Do you think you’ll ever write anything specifically based upon your incarceration experience? Or have you written something of that nature already?

I always said I would after my mother died. I was involved in some incredibly stupid antics in my day. The value of the tale has been reduced because of groundbreaking docu-series, and shows that have since revealed the disturbing truth about prison life. Two decades ago, when I got out, it would have been a groundbreaking book to write, but then after my mom read it, she would have beat my ass, and disowned me. So I made the right call.

If you had to live in one of the worlds that you’ve created, which would you choose?

This is a great question. The answer is, I’d live in the real world I have created, the one where I get to make stuff up in my novels, and control the fates of all, like some god. Then people actually pay to read it, and I get to go fishing, where I spend my time day dreaming of the next tale to write.  It is a wonderful world I live in now.

It seems that you really do appreciate the old writers. Do you find something enjoyable in those old books that you don’t see in a lot of the material produced in recent years?

I see the authenticity of authors who were writing for the love of the story as much as anything. Feist wasn’t even an author when he started writing, Magician. What he created was a masterpiece so huge they had to break it in half to publish it. These days everyone is striving to create the next GoT type of series and get a piece of the eBook cash grab.

We touched on it earlier; flawless characters, or characters with such cliché flaws as to be annoyingly inhuman, soulless. The modern “can do anything” characters are so boring and fake.

Who is the woman in the Wonder Woman costume in the photograph?

She is a theme park cosplayer. I do not know her name, but she wore it well!

On which platforms are your books available?

Currently, and for the foreseeable future my ebooks are Kindle exclusive and available to purchase at Amazon. You can read them free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription.  The paperbacks and collectable hardcovers, are available at all the big retailers, but mine are P.O.D. only. We don’t want warehouses full of dead trees out there. They only print a copy after you order it.

Share a link to your author page on Amazon?

https://www.amazon.com/M.-R.-Mathias/e/B0040CD21I

Are you self-published or are you connected with a publisher?

Some of my work is published by Amazon Content Services and I have a Non-Disclosure Agreement with them, and can say no more about it. Other titles are published by Mathias Publishing, which you can call self –published, or not. I don’t care what label they use. My reviews and the words between the book covers are the proof in the pudding. In the end, I don’t think the readers care, either.

Does writing fantasy novels pay the bills, or do you have another job or income stream?

I have made over a million dollars in book royalties from Amazon alone. Mind you, that is over a ten year span, so it isn’t as much as it sounds like, but I live off of my M.R. Mathias book income. It does pay the bills. I have a few hobbies that generate an income, too. But I have lived off of my royalties, and plan to continue to do so, for the rest of my life.

I am an author.

If writing fantasy novels does pay the bills, how long did it take before it did so? Is it a product of producing enough quality books, good connections, or something else?

For me it was a combination of things like timing, a hungry market. Bad press, and good press. In the end the story has to be good. The Sword and the Dragon started it all, and the rest of The Wardstone Trilogy followed through. They have been my steady biggest sellers for ten years.

As to the start…  The first month The Sword and the Dragon was available it sold  11 copies. The next month it sold like 49 copies, but it received a review from some blog called Fantasy Book Critic, and then it sold 1300 copies and then over five thousand. So it was pretty fast for me.

You went on a fishing trip recently, do you have a good fish story to tell?

Yes! It was overshadowed by a similar story that someone caught on camera and they showed on the news. But we were fishing twenty five miles off the coast of Florida, and I hooked this huge four foot long Cobia. It was a beast and I wanted him to fillet and take home. So I fought this guy for half an hour, and finally got him to the boat. My friend Rob and my dad were fishing with me. Rob went to gaf the fish, but suddenly yelled and jumped back.

In Florida the water is crystal clear and you can see fifty feet deep, but when I looked over, I saw a ten foot long tiger shark chomping the back half of my prized Cobia off, and it was right there at the surface.

My dad had been expressing the desire to fight a big shark, so I jigged the dead front half of the Cobia around. It still had my hook in its mouth, and sure enough that shark came back and ate it.

My dad fought the shark for ten minutes but we didn’t have a steel leader and it eventually broke the line. I came home with a bunch of King Mackerel, and some Grouper and Snapper meat, but no Cobia. I’m still sad about losing that fish to the tax man, but seeing a wild Tiger Shark feed in your face is pretty awesome in itself.

(All photographs provided by M.R. Mathias)

***

As for my own writing:
My newest book is currently available for pre-order for only $0.99 - buy it now and it will download September 1.

A fellow traveler pulled his RV into the last rest stop along his life's highway this week. The RV will go into temporary storage beneath the sod while the traveler himself rests a bit and takes on some new assignments before eventually reuniting with his RV in its new and glorious state on the eternal highway of bliss. I can offer no fitting tribute, but I have many pleasant memories of Don.

He was a man of order as far as his own house and shop went. He worked hard. He also had fun. He and his bride spent many years working and socializing with my parents. We were neighbors in the best sort of way. It seemed that for years hardly a day went by when we weren't at their house or they were at ours. As I got older and spent more time away, it would be even money as to whether Don and his wife were at our house or whether my folks were at Don's place when I got home. Although memory has dimmed with time, besides his helpful and friendly nature, I best remember Don's stature, voice, and arms. He was not a tall man. I didn't realize that until I was an adult--I was rather on the small side as a kid. I think he was my dad's size, but for years he seemed bigger to me--I guess the fact that he was bigger on the inside than he was on the outside made him seem much bigger in my eyes. He voice was unique in my experience. He didn't possess a particularly deep voice, but it sounded like it came up from someplace deep--like a gurgling brook echoing up through a cleft of rock. I remember his forearms. He had forearms to rival Popeye. In fact, with his large forearms and close-cropped hair, he reminded me of a sailor looking for a fight. I know those arms came in handy for hauling hay and doing carpentry and finish work. I don't know whether he ever had to use them to fight.

Of course, those physical characteristics pale in comparison to his good nature and willing attitude. I can't think of a single time when I called on him for assistance or to borrow a tool or piece of equipment when he wasn't willing to help. He and my dad spent a lot of time working together and helping each other out. If they weren't working, they were talking about working--except for when they were playing cards or doing fun things outdoors with the families and with the other Don, that man of steel who also passed away this year.

Time rushes on; extended families and other responsibilities eventually stretched the close ties that we had once enjoyed. The bonds of friendship remained, but the time we were able to spend together dwindled away like dandelion seeds in the breeze. The seeds are all gone now and time rushes on relentlessly. Fortunately, old friends don't pass away; they're merely blown into the future on separate winds to that happy reunion where all breezes converge beside cool waters, sun-kissed and still.

A couple things came up during the week--three if you count the terrific storm with thunderbolts and lightning which was very, very frightening, and which prevented me from finishing the great mowing for the week.

The first two things didn't really come up; I stumbled across them. As for the first one, I've already changed my mind about linking and discussing it. The other was a guy talking about music. I've also included a book description for your consideration and comment.

Here's an old guy with some musical expertise talking about, playing along with, and explaining how a song was made and why it sounds the way it does. The video takes some time but I enjoyed to watch someone who obviously loves the subject matter give an explanation for all the things that I heard when I listened to the song (and many I didn't quite hear but about which I had more than a feeling) but did not understand and appreciate. Now I understand why the sound on this song is what I have always described in my rich musical vocabulary and wondrous skill in weaving words as "full."

On a completely different subject:

I submit for your consideration, a book description and a cover for the sequel to Threading the Rude Eye. The book description is missing something in my opinion. I can't decide whether it is too much or too little, or too boring, to spark a reader's interest. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Post a comment or send an email.

Cover and draft of the book description for Power to Hurt:

Alex flees from the dark commander after the vicious battle with the young dragons, but his dragon-hunting friends question whether he can remain in their company. Cat, the wild Irish maid and leader of the hunters, must face some difficult questions concerning her relationship with Alex. The French patriot Lucette fights for a place among the gryphons, risking dangers no less destructive than the cannon's mouth. The mysterious power of Jonathan's hand may not avail her against gravity and gryphon's claws. Lieutenant Roberts goes undercover and enlists the aid of Lucette's countrymen against her. With the commander closing in upon his prey, the diminutive Iago and the strange islander Atu evaluate their loyalties, taking action with important consequences for Alex and for the future of the New World. While Alex continues to grow in his mastery of the essence, the smugglers Rip and Antonio accept a secret mission across the sea. The smugglers will have to find a ship before they can set sail against the might of two empires. The Japanese entrepreneur Akira and Near Eastern merchant Akram must consider whether their temporary union should be prolonged and expanded in order to increase their chances of taking a mature dragon. Bitter surprises await them all. A fiery rendezvous at Black Moon with the lives of his friends at stake will force Alex to confront the power to hurt before he can stand against the fury of the commander.

Cover Reveal

The first draft - which is very nearly a final draft - of Power to Hurt is complete. Additionally, I'm down to a mere 100 pages left of the proof/edit before formatting for kindle and paperback. At least one of my readers has already rattled my chain, demanding to know when this sequel to Threading the Rude Eye will be available. I believe that I might have it available on kindle in about two weeks with the paperback ready another two weeks after that. The story moves along at a good pace without bogging down. While there is a good deal of conversation--as I find that a critical element in character development--the frequent action requires great swaths of writing, chapters even, with little conversation. As one might expect, I like some parts of the story better than others. In looking through the folder where I keep the novel, I noticed something that I had not realized previously: There are many other items in the folder. Most of those items are for research associated with the story. I hadn't realized that I had amassed such a collection of resources. In addition to this cover for the book:

the folder also contains:
A 1695 plan of Albany, New York; a 1770 map of Albany and its environs; an 1876 map/guide to the New York wilderness; an essay on castrametation; a book of the letters of Capt. William Glanville Evelyn; a drill manual for the 10th Regiment; an article from Villanova University on the Hudson River defenses and West Point; a pamphlet on the Hudson River Valley during the Revolutionary War; Pope's translation of Homer's Iliad; the 1764 Manual of Exercise; A book entitled Practical Remarks upon the Treatment of Wounds and Fractures with an appendix on military camps and hospitals principally designed for the use of young military surgeons in North America from 1775; some notes on the procedure for weighing anchor on a sailing ship; some early chapter pdf files that I sent to some readers; the outline for the book as originally envisioned; and an excel file that I use to keep notes on the characters. I think the only sources that actually provided information that can be identified in the book are Pope's translation of the Iliad, and the 1764 Manual of Exercise--and that may not even be the correct name for the manual. Most of the resources were for my own edification.

There are also a couple things in the folder which are unrelated to the book, including a copy of Thucydides History of the Pelopennesian War and The Books of The Apocrypha, as well as a book from another author that I'm reading and commenting upon to the author for whatever value my comments might have for him. These items will eventually be removed to more appropriate places, but for now they're temporarily stored with all things related to Power to Hurt -- and that doesn't even include the numerous web pages of information that I've consulted while writing the book.

The cover above was, of course, designed and created by me using an online cover creator. I've looked at a lot of covers for purchase but haven't found any that are fitting for my flintlock fantasy series. Therefore, the third book in the series, as of yet untitled, will probably feature a similar flaming cover for the sake of consistency.

Ninety minutes of misery

that's how I had determined to classify the concert as the first half wound down to the intermission. My wife tried to persuade my daughter to leave at that point, but daughter wanted to see more David Archuleta. He only did one number during the first half and she knew that he would be doing at least one more song. So we didn't slip away like thieves in the night. That was probably for the best as the second half showed some improvement--in fact, it would have been a nice concert if it had consisted of only the second half. Actually, there was a piano solo that I believe came before the intermission which I thought was great--the piano solo, I mean, not the intermission.

I received some free tickets to a concert (a food donation was required). The concert featured Marie Osmond, David Achuleta, and Alex Boye -- that's all I knew about it. I left the decision about going to wife and daughter. Daughter decided she wanted to go--so we did.

Before I reveal what a horrible person I am by sharing the details about the concert that made it subjectively unpleasant for me, let me say that in addition to the piano solo, there were a few other bright spots, and I think that many of those in attendance enjoyed it in its entirety, or were at least enthusiastic about the show. I'll cover discuss those bright spots at the end.

Seating: My tickets were general admission. Two staff members, young men (late teens or early twenties), responded to my question about where we were allowed to sit with an answer that led me to believe that only the front portion of the floor seating was reserved. I suggested some seats in the back that looked directly forward to the stage. Daughter chose a nice seat on the side that gave her a view of the stage--then we had to move when folks started arriving with reserved seats in that section. I spoke with another staff member. She told me I could sit anywhere in the gray areas. I told her that didn't help me (the reason being that although certain seating sections were marked in gray on her map, the actual seat sections was not marked in gray). She explained that the general admission seating began at section A6. I noted that no one was sitting in that section. I selected seats just beyond A6 that would allow us to watch without turning our heads to the side the entire time. Then my wife saw some seats remaining in the section in which I had first suggested we sit. So we moved again.

The seats were decent. I think some signage or perhaps some staffers who both knew what the seating arrangements were supposed to be and who were equipped to explain that would have been helpful.

Sonic sewage sound system and The Lights of Zetar:

I don't go to many concerts--by which I mean that I don't go to any concerts other than high school choir concerts, and then only when I have to. So maybe I'm not qualified to judge sound systems outside of our local high school (which has really great sound). If I were qualified to judge, I would rate the sound system from this concert as very poor with a frequent distortion and some buzzing--I suspect that most artists wouldn't consider that as an enhancement to their performance. Additionally, many of the lights on the stage would sometimes sweep the audience. I'm pretty sure that was by design. The maneuver did not double my pleasure. At least one of those lights would regularly strike me right in the eyes, momentarily blinding me and leaving me to wonder if aliens were trying to take over my soul.

Crazy clapping choir: The backup choir of a hundred (or fewer) women and girls (maybe there were men too, but I didn't notice any) sounded nice and did not lack for enthusiasm. They liked to raise their arms and clap their hands above their heads. I didn't see the need for that clapping most of the time. They also did a lot of swaying back and forth and raising they hands into the air and looking at them as though they were having their first experience with some mind altering substance. Such activity could be regularly accepted procedure in some religious services but I found it rather disconcerting (disconcerting--yeah, I went there).

The mystifying music: I must say that I had not realized beforehand that the concert was intended to be a religious experience. That proposition did not put me off. I had very high hopes; given the headliners who were doing the show, my expectations groveled not. Therefore, when the arrow of disappointment struck, it struck to the bone (cue the Golden Earring song). Most of the music was performed by Nashville Tribute Band. I had seen these guys on PBS once and had watched for a few minutes before determining that their sound wasn't for me. I'm confident that thousands love them and their music--that's great for them. I'm not a fan. The music was mystifying in the sense that most of it was utterly bewildering or perplexing. I respect people who enjoy that music but for me there was too much demented drumming and vociferous vocals. I saw it as a clash of country and strange rock music in battle for scriptural supremacy. I recognized and enjoyed two vocal selections from the entire concert.

One example I would point to was a song with vocals performed by Daniel Emmet (who I thought was quite good and I would have liked to have heard more from him without the band and sound system interference) and a woman whose name I forget. The song began so sweetly and I was confident that this would be one that I would really enjoy with two nice voices singing in harmony (at one point it made me think of "Endless Love"). Unfortunately, the longer the song went on, the more raucous it became. By the end the music had gone full Ozzy Osbourne off the rails on the crazy train with overpowering drums, words I couldn't make out, and red and black background on the big screen--that's not exactly the direction I'm looking to go for a religious experience.

Wacky woo-hoo lady: At least one person at the concert was having a marvelous time. She sat a row or two behind and to my right. She possessed the enthusiasm that artists love but which the audience about her hates. It must have been a transcendent encounter for her because she was moved all too frequently to articulate praise by screaming, "Woo-hoo!" Occasionally the experience became so overwhelming for her as to rob her of half her eloquence, rendering her capable of screaming only, "Woo!" It's absolutely fabulous that she had a great time. What wasn't fabulous was that her screams fit tightly into that bandwidth of sound which forms an ice pick stabbing against my inner ear. She transformed what was a strange, eerie, even slightly creepy experience into absolute torture for me. Think before you scream--I think that should be a rule; maybe even complete a puzzle and solve some trig and calculus problems, take a walk in the park and grab a bus across town before screaming.

The praiseworthy: On the one hand it was all worthy of praise for the effort expended in an attempt to accomplish something good and uplifting--so that's an "A" for effort. Thousands of pounds of food were also donated for the food bank. Praise for actual accomplishment goes to Marie Osmond. Her solo of "How Great Thou Art" was the best part of the performance in my opinion. The sound system even cooperated. She sounded wonderful. There were no drums, no wild music, no woo-hoos, just the pleasing strains of her voice in a hymn of praise. She was the phial of Galadriel in Shelob's lair. David Archuleta's second half performance of "Glorious" also illuminated the darkness with wondrous flair--flare with flair. Daughter's favorite was Archuleta's lead during the final number of the concert. I put it up there with the piano solo.

***
After the concert, I expected to finish writing Power to Hurt but I saw that Forbidden Planet was on television. I needed to watch it as a follow up to reading Shakespeare's "The Tempest." So the novel will reach the first stage of completion later this week. Then editing can begin. The cover is already done. I'll post it soon.

Have you had an interesting concert experience?

Bond and Thor - because girl power

Every time word of a movie remake with a gender swapped lead appears, the articles praising it sprout like noxious weeds. The latest word concerns the upcoming entries in the Bond and Thor franchises.

This article explains that gender swap remakes have fared poorly in the past.

Some claim the continuing cavalcade of lame gender swap remakes is a sign of progress. Others say it's an indication that women aren't capable of carrying their own original movies and can only climb aboard franchises already made successful with male stars. See this article. Of course they're both wrong. It's only a sign of progress if "progress" is defined as failure to learn and insistence upon a false narrative. It's like claiming that communism just hasn't been implemented correctly yet, and it's going to succeed beyond our wildest dreams if we just get the right people in charge (meaning those who want to be in charge this time). As for the other claim, I believe women are perfectly capable of carrying a movie. This article even claims that movies starring women make more money than movies starring men. There is some fine print to read about what "starring women" means in the context of the study--because it doesn't mean what you think it means. I'm not going to argue with how the study defined "starring women" but it may be like "teen pregnancy" which drops off significantly after age 25 because the studies decided that "teen pregnancy" would be defined as pregnancy up to age 25. So without arguing, I'll agree that a female star can successfully carry a movie or a franchise with original stories. Of course, it all depends on the story, the script, the acting, and the directing.

Notwithstanding the fact that female stars can carry a movie or franchise, I'm of the opinion that most of us tend to get attached to the characters (and actors) in stories and roles that we love. We don't want to see them significantly altered. Although J.J. Abrams may have made many errors with his Star Trek reboots, he didn't try to makeover (bad pun intended) Kirk and Spock as women, or Uhura as a man. Anyone who wants to see through a glass darkly how badly that could've turned out need only watch a few episodes of Voyager--but I digress. Box office bucks don't seem to be the reason for such switcheroos because those movies are not box office successes. Is it possible that the reason is simply an expensive attempt to destroy something whose success is based upon (obviously and always toxic) masculinity? Or is it simply a political maneuver to raise awareness, to elevate the "woke" quotient? While it may well be the latter, it seems that the former may be the actual result. The wreckage leaves a pretty clear trail: Last Jedi, Ghostbusters, Ocean's 8, whatever that thing was/is with Rebel Wilson and Ann Hathaway, Overboard, etc. Replace the male leads with females and destroy the subject. (I'm aware that Last Jedi doesn't really fit this category. Rey was great, in my opinion, but the feminist/SJW freight train that drove through the middle of LJ left no survivors of interest for me in that franchise--so I admit including LJ in this list is sloppy on my part, but I'm entitled to rant outside the lines).

Also of interest is the fact that the gender swap tends to run in but a single direction. Until we see a Wonder Woman remake with a male lead...and I have no interest in seeing that either. Leave Wonder Woman as she is. I see no reason we can't enjoy The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman. (Those of you under 40 may have to google those). She does not have to replace him to be successful and it's moronic to think that she does, or that she can effectively do so, and vice versa.

As for Bond and Thor... I suppose it could have been worse, they could have tried to give Bond a man-bun.

***

As for my work in progress, Power to Hurt (which no one will want to read after taking offense at the little rant above), I should finish the actual writing this week. That means 5K words or less should wrap it up. It's currently at 86K words and 90K is the new target for completion, but it may go as high as 95K.

A few weeks ago I engaged in a new game. What follows is an after actin report of the adventure.

Rescue from the Hangman's Noose - a home brew scenario of Flashing Steel

Athos, Aramis, Porthos and D'Artagnan (at 501 points) must rescue the prisoner before he is hanged. He is guarded by Lt. Rousseau on horseback and 5 more of the Cardinal's Guard on foot (at 500 points).

Each musketeer rolls 1d6 to determine at which of the 6 possible entrances he will arrive.

The house/scenario rules employed include that if a model has one failure on its activation roll, any opposing model may roll for a reaction move, and, if successful, complete it before the original model begins its action(s); if a model rolls two failures on activation, an opposing model may roll for a reaction move and complete it before the original model begins its action; after the original model's action, the initiative passes to the opposing squad. If a musketeer rolls a catastrophic fail (three 1s), the hangman gets a free action. If a guard rolls a catastrophic fail, the spectators knock the guard to the ground.

The guards can take no action other than movement and watching for trouble until they discover the musketeers or the musketeers reveal themselves by any swashbuckling or combat actions. The guards may scan the spectators for signs of trouble - succeeding at spotting a musketeer by passing a very difficult Q check (3 successes) if the nearest musketeer is a long distance or more away, difficult (2 successes) if the nearest musketeer is within medium distance, and tricky (1 success) if within a short distance.

Neither party may fire a weapon until the crowd begins to clear. The crowd will begin to clear after the second change of initiative after the musketeers are revealed/discovered.

No morale checks are required for outright kills.

The Hangman may only attempt one action per turn. His movement distance is short. His Q is 5 and his Cis 0; he may not be attacked nor may he attack, but swashbuckling moves against him are allowed. He must move from deep inside the jail to the scaffold, climb the scaffold, move to the prisoner, put the rope around the prisoner's neck, move to the release lever, and release the trapdoor to hang the prisoner. (In later replays for a more interesting game, the hangman's move was one short move per turn automatic)

Once contacted by a musketeer, the prisoner may move with the musketeer on the musketeer's activation but is limited to one short movement distance per turn. The prisoner does not engage in combat and may not be attacked. Swashbuckling actions may be taken against him.

The game ends if the prisoner is successfully hanged. The Cardinal's Guards win if the prisoner is hanged. The Musketeers win if they prevent the hanging. 

Athos and Aramis come in at entrance 1 on the right of the plaza. Porthos enters via entrance 4 at the bottom left. D'Artagnan arrives at entrance 5 on the left between the jail and the hotel. The jailer (represented by a woodland Indian model) starts at the back of the jail. Three guards monitor the crowd between the pillars near the center of the plaza. Lt. Rousseau on horseback oversees from a distance directly in front of the scaffold. The Sergeant stands in front of the jail waiting for the hangman and the last guard watches between the hotel and the scaffold.

The Musketeers begin.

-Athos begins (rolling three dice with one failure, which gives the hangman a chance to activate, but the hangman fails the activation). Athos advances toward the guards.

-Aramis prepares to advance but is blocked by the spectators. He loses the initiative and the hangman gets a free move for the catastrophic fail.

-After the free move, the hangman tries for another move but fails. Aramis is still blocked by the crowd and unable to react.

-Guard 3 attempts to scan the crowd for trouble. His view is blocked by a ladies large hat, and the initiative goes back to the rescuers.

-Aramis moves through the crowd.

-Athos also moves but is delayed by a pickpocket which allows the hangman a chance to move - and the hangman advances toward the scaffold.

-D'Artagnan decides that he must move to intercept the hangman. He advances and is momentarily lost in the press of the crowd. The initiative goes back to the guards.

-Guard 2 pushes spectators away, giving the musketeers a reaction move - but Athos can't do anything with it. The guard scans the crowd but doesn't notice Athos moving toward him.

-Guard 3 also separates the crowd - and gives the musketeers a chance to react - D'Artagnan takes the opportunity to fling a nearby barrel into the hangman who takes the hit and goes down, shaken. (The barrels weren't in the previous picture because I had forgotten to place them).

(The hangman will have to spend two actions and as he only gets 1 per turn, D'Artagnan has bought at least 2 turns for the prisoner.

-Guard 3 spots Aramis.

-Guard 4 spots D'Artagnan in the crowd.

-Guard 2 is confused by the activity back near the scaffold where the hangman has fallen and turns over the initiative.

-Porthos rushes Lt. Rousseau and attempts to drag him from his horse. Porthos only succeeds in pushing Rousseau back.

-D'Artagnan can see that the time for stealth has expired. Thanks to his Dashing ability, he is able to attack the nearest guard. The Gascon was delayed by someone in the crowd and muffed his attack, being pushed back by Guard 1, and turning the initiative back to the guards.

-Guard 1 attacks back at the musketeer and knocks him to the ground!

-The hangman tries to fight through the haze that enshrouded his head when he hit the paving stones but isn't successful.

-Rousseau turns his steed and attacks Porthos, bowling over the big musketeer.

Two of the musketeers are down!

-Guard 4 rushes to his Lt.'s aid (because the best time to help is when the opponent is down). The musketeers get a chance to react but can't.

-Guard 3 sees Aramis as the crowd in the square flees from the armed combat, but gives the musketeers a chance to react and Porthos scrambles to his feet. The guard fires his pistol at Aramis but misses.

-Guard 2 fires his pistol at the oncoming Athos, but Athos is quicker and gets a shot off that causes the guard to dodge as he fires; both shots miss their targets.

-All the guards and hangman having had a chance to act, the musketeers take over.

-D'Artagnan gets to his feet, and puts his rapier through Guard 1's heart. Things aren't looking quite so dark for the musketeers.

-Athos moves in behind the black powder smoke from the pistols but Guard 2 has guessed his move and forces Athos to the ground to avoid a fatal wound. 

-Aramis benefiting from his Impetus and Dashing abilities moves into combat with Guard 3, making him retreat back across the courtyard.

-Porthos puts Guard 4 to the ground, but still faces the Lt. on horseback.

-The turn passes to the guards. The Sgt. who forgot to move last time (my fault) elects to engage D'Artagnan but is unable to attack and turns over the initiative.

-Athos rises only to be knocked down again.

-Aramis takes aim at the Lt., giving Guard 2 a chance to stab at Athos but the Guard can't react. Aramis' shot goes wide. He rushes to engage the mounted guard.

-D'Artagnan struggles with the Sgt and is knocked down again. He immediately rises and knocks down his opponent.

-The guards take over. Guard 4 wants to get up but slips and falls back to the cobblestones, turning over the initiative.

-Porthos finishes off Guard 4 and turns over the initiative. (Guard 4 had a chance to react and rise but failed). Two guards are out of the fight and the hangman is still down and shaken.

-Guard 2 tries to take out Athos but is so slow about it that he allows Athos to rise to his feet, but knocks him back down again before turning the initiative back to the musketeers.

-D'Artagnan slays the Sgt, runs to the scaffold and climbs the ladder. Three guards are out. D'Artagnan has slain two of them.

-Aramis attacks the mounted guard leader, but gives the guards a reaction. Guard 3 races to the bottom of the ladder. Aramis attacks the Lt. without result. 

-Porthos is driven back after attacking the Lt, and he causes a turnover.

-Guard 2 stabs at Athos but the musketeer bests him even from the ground allowing Athos to rise.

-Lt. Rousseau pushes Aramis away and rides to the fallen hangman.

-Guard three wants to reload but doesn't, instead giving D'Artagnan time to fire at the Lt, but the shot goes wide.

-Athos allows the guards to react. The Lt. fires at D'Artagnan who dodges out of the bullet's path. Athos lunges, skewering Guard 2, putting a fourth guard down and out. The guards test morale. The Lt. thinks that he should go for help and rides his mount out of the plaza. Guard 3 has the courage to stand but sees no point in continuing with what has become an unwinnable contest. He bows and sweeps his hat in salute before giving up the field and the prisoner to the musketeers.