To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing.

Those words are Shakespeare's coming from the mouth of MacBeth. I purloined a few of those words to create something upon the same sad subject but slathered with hope rather than steeped in MacBeth's bitter despair. The occasion in my case was the passing of a close cousin.

Here's my version:

We watched in pain as all his tomorrows slowly faded into yesterdays.
The petty pace of day to day pressed him ever down the wandering path from the womb toward the clay.
His candle now burns elsewhere for his hour has played out upon this stage.
His syllables of sound and fury, reason, lecture, and love come no more to our listening ear.
Yet there is significance in his tale for each of us to discern for the shadows of his candle continue to flicker here.
No man remains an island when family and friends gather round him.
We bid him adieu at that bridge betwixt here and wide eternity, promising to meet there once again.
There the hosts are gathered of family and friends gone on to welcome him home across the bridge.

***

I think it's fitting to move on to the book I've been promising to review. My cousin would approve.

I first remember reading this book in high school. I think I had read it during junior high but didn't really remember it--perhaps I hadn't finished it. I know that I had read Tom Sawyer, but Huckleberry Finn is a much deeper, more substantial work than Tom Sawyer. When I read HF again in college, the professor referred to TS as "a boy's book," a basic adventure story for boys. HF is not only a boy's adventure, its a fascinating look at the life and culture along the Mississippi. It is an indictment of slavery, racism, and prejudice of several kinds. Twain's frequent stabs at religion are also very entertaining.

Huck Finn may be among the most interesting characters ever created in American literature. He has common sense but is burdened--even crippled--by superstition, as well as a conscience so tangled in the culture of slavery and the petty, prickly points of misunderstood religious teachings that he constantly struggles with what he feels is right versus what the culture has told him he must believe is right. The clear winner as the best, kindest, most sympathetic person depicted in the book is Jim.

It has been a few weeks since I finished the book so I don't remember all of my observations. I'm certain there are many learned dissertations upon the symbolism, meaning, and significance of the various characters and events. I'll steer my raft clear of that treacherous current. 

Two interesting, funny, and ultimately repugnant characters are the Duke and the Dauphin. Below is Huck's recounting of Hamlet's soliloquy as given by the Duke:

He told us to give attention. Then he strikes a most noble attitude, with one leg shoved forwards, and his arms stretched away up, and his head tilted back, looking up at the sky; and then he begins to rip and rave and grit his teeth; and after that, all through his speech, he howled, and spread around, and swelled up his chest, and just knocked the spots out of any acting ever I see before. This is the speech — I learned it, easy enough, while he was learning it to the king:

"To be, or not to be; that is the bare bodkin That makes calamity of so long life; For who would fardels bear, till Birnam Wood do come to Dunsinane, But that the fear of something after death Murders the innocent sleep, Great nature’s second course, And makes us rather sling the arrows of outrageous fortune Than fly to others that we know not of. There’s the respect must give us pause: Wake Duncan with thy knocking! I would thou couldst; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The law’s delay, and the quietus which his pangs might take, In the dead waste and middle of the night, when churchyards yawn In customary suits of solemn black, But that the undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns, Breathes forth contagion on the world, And thus the native hue of resolution, like the poor cat i’ the adage, Is sicklied o’er with care, And all the clouds that lowered o’er our housetops, With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. ’Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. But soft you, the fair Ophelia: Ope not thy ponderous and marble jaws, But get thee to a nunnery — go!"

Well, the old man he liked that speech, and he mighty soon got it so he could do it first-rate. It seemed like he was just born for it; and when he had his hand in and was excited, it was perfectly lovely the way he would rip and tear and rair up behind when he was getting it off.

It is certainly some entertaining Shakespearean goulash. HF is one of the few books that has actually made me laugh out loud. There is a change of tone in the novel once Jim has been sold out by the pair mentioned above and Tom Sawyer arrives. Huck's recounting of Tom and Huck's rescue of Jim from slavery may be some of the funniest chapters ever written in the English language. That part almost goes on too long, but is so hilarious that I must forgive Twain for his indulgence. 

It was during the production of the recent play that I was finishing my reading of the book, reading between acts of the play. Much to the consternation of a couple of my fellow actors, I burst out laughing. Tom and Huck are attempting to free Jim who has been confined in a shed and chained to the bed. A metal ring attaches Jim's chain to the bed leg. The bed can easily be lifted and the ring removed from the bed leg, but Tom has to make a grand production of the rescue to match the difficulties depicted in novels. Naturally, Huck doesn't see the sense in complicating the matter. I had to laugh aloud when I read this:

"...I wish there was a moat to this cabin. If we get time, the night of the escape, we’ll dig one.” 
I says: 
“What do we want of a moat when we’re going to snake him out from under the cabin?” 
But he never heard me. He had forgot me and everything else. He had his chin in his hand, thinking. Pretty soon he sighs and shakes his head; then sighs again, and says: 
“No, it wouldn’t do — there ain’t necessity enough for it.” 
“For what?” I says. 
“Why, to saw Jim’s leg off,” he says. 
“Good land!” I says; “why, there ain’t NO necessity for it. And what would you want to saw his leg off for, anyway?”
“Well, some of the best authorities has done it. They couldn’t get the chain off, so they just cut their hand off and shoved. And a leg would be better still. But we got to let that go. There ain’t necessity enough in this case; and, besides, Jim’s a nigger, and wouldn’t understand the reasons for it, and how it’s the custom in Europe; so we’ll let it go. But there’s one thing — he can have a rope ladder; we can tear up our sheets and make him a rope ladder easy enough. And we can send it to him in a pie; it’s mostly done that way. And I’ve et worse pies.”


 The sawing Jim's leg off bit made me laugh aloud; "I've et worse pies" nearly made me pass out.

The part about "lettin' on" to be doing something one way for dramatic effect while actually doing it an easier way was the icing on the comedy cake. 

I rate this book as The Great American Novel. Everyone should read this book several times during their lifetime. Anyone who wants to ban this book utterly misses the meaning of the work.

***
In my own writing, chapter 3 of Book 3 is coming along nicely. I think more dragon (as opposed to cowbell) may be the answer to one of my plotting dilemmas. Book 3 will be dedicated to the cousin mentioned above.

These are the first two books in the series. Get them now by clicking the links at the upper left of the blog.

Interview with Christina Ochs

Author of

The Desolate Empire Series

War of the Four Gods Series

Christina's Books

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

Right now, I’m in final edits on Sword of Destiny, the second book of a trilogy based on the English Civil War.

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

This series emerged as a sequel to The Desolate Empire, a seven-book series based on the Thirty Years War. Since the English Civil War happened concurrently and involved some of the same people, it seemed like a natural direction to take.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Not yet, though at some point I might make the switch to straight up historical fiction.

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

I don’t know how unique it is, but in response to so much fantasy taking the grimdark direction in recent years, I wanted to show how love, family and friendship can prevail in even the most terrible circumstances. I try to write exciting, engaging stories with an optimistic, rather than bleak and misanthropic outlook.

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

I’m generally a positive person who is sometimes optimistic to a stupid degree. I always try to see the best in people and situations, and I think that appears in many of my characters who are decent people trying to make the best of terrible circumstances. Even the villains have good reason, in their own minds at least, for their terrible behavior.

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

My recent books have been slow to appear, and it’s because I’ve gone to work full time in university administration. I found that writing full time was isolating and creatively draining. Now I have less time to write, but more social interaction and spending my days on a beautiful university campus has been inspiring and energizing. I also have access to an enormous academic library, which has been useful for research.

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

I love Rosemary Kirstein’s Steerswoman series. It’s an older, unfinished science fantasy series that’s absolutely unique and captivating. Her worldbuilding is amazing and I’m frankly jealous of her facility in weaving scientific method into her stories.

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

It’s a hard choice, but I really love Valley of the Shadow, book 2 in the Desolate Empire series. I really got into the swing of the story, and it expanded to an enormous scope. I think I have characters in seven imaginary countries at one point or another. There’s also a very tragic part that I feel particularly proud of. It was hard to write, but so many people have told me they were touched by it. And I love the ending. It was great fun to write and felt really satisfying, even though the story is far from over.

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

Just over ten years ago, I met my husband and shortly after that, went on the road with him in a semi truck. For the next 8 years we traveled all of the lower 48 states. Since I was too chicken to drive, he encouraged me to use the time I had to write and strapped down a laptop on the passenger side dashboard. With a wireless keyboard, I could type during long stretches of crossing Nebraska, Texas, and the like. That situation made it possible for me to really get engrossed in the story and take all the time I needed to get it down.

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

Where can I buy your books?

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

“All knowledge is worth having.” – it’s a line from Jacqueline Carey’s Kushiel’s Dart. I like to tell myself that whenever my brain feels weary from absorbing new information. And I also use it to comfort myself when I can’t use ALL the research I did in my books. Even if no one ever sees all the cool things I found, it was still good for me to find them.

What drew you to writing Flintlock Fantasy, rather than straight historical fiction? Where and how do you find readers for Flintlock Fantasy?

I’d originally planned on writing historical fiction, but found the Thirty Years War very difficult to fictionalize. Creating a fantasy version made it much easier to keep the story interesting. It was also fun to play with an alternate culture and religion that gave women far more prominent roles.

Finding readers can be a challenge! I’ve done some targeted advertising on Amazon and Facebook, looking for readers who enjoy Django Wexler, Brian McClellan, Brent Weeks and the like. I’ve also done some cross-promotion with Michael Bolan, a fellow indie author whose Devil’s Bible fantasy series is also set in the Thirty Years War. (You should interview him too! ) 

How many of your books are currently available?

I have eight books out right now, with a ninth coming in the next few months.

What genres do you enjoy reading? How has that changed over the years, if at all?

Historical fiction has always been my first love. As a kid I devoured Tolstoy, Taylor Caldwell and Mary Renault. As an adult, I still read a lot of historical fiction but also tend to devote myself to genres in phases, spending months reading only science fiction, then doing the same with mysteries, then fantasy, and so on. Lately I’ve been on a thriller binge,  reading lots of Gillian Flynn and Liane Moriarty.

Would you consider using your experiences trucking across the lower 48 as the basis for a novel?

If I run out of other things to write, I might consider writing a memoir, but I’ve never been able to think of a way to fictionalize that experience!

Is tragedy an important part of your story telling, and if so, why?

Oh, yes, I love tragedy! It’s such a great catalyst for character change. I hate inflicting pain on my favorite characters, but at the same time, seeing them come out better and stronger after a tragedy is so rewarding.

***

As far as my own writing goes, I did find a few hours here and there during this hectic week to squeeze out a few words of Book 3 of the Tomahawk and Dragon Fire series. The Prologue and Chapter One are done. Chapter Two is about half complete, and I've even started on Chapter Three.  The performance of Harvey at the local theater in which I played Dr. Sanderson came to an end last night so my available writing time has increased. As I stood looking onto the stage through the concealing screen, waiting for my entrance cue during the play, some ideas coalesced regarding Alex and Lucette and the situation in which they found themselves at the end of Power to Hurt, Book Two in the series. Inspiration strikes at unusual times and places; sometimes it must be wrung out in tiny droplets as from a barely damp rag; at other times it intrudes unexpectedly like that earwig which my tent mate inadvertently tossed onto my face. Fortunately, inspiration's arrival is generally more welcome.

I had planned to post a review of a book that I love. I also had some thoughts to share about the passing of a respected figure in my life, as well as the inexorable trickling away of the life of a near and dear relative. Not wanting to diminish either the importance of the interview with Christina Ochs, or the solemn passing, or the creeping death, I'll postpone those thoughts and the book review for another time.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale--a couple perhaps. Let me begin with the movie and finish with the book. Both tales involved scoundrels, rogues, and the good guys who had to deal with them.

Here's the easy one; the lesser of the two tales, but an entertaining one nonetheless:

If you're looking for swashbuckling fun on the high seas, you need look no further than this little gem filled with pirate stereotypes and, arrrrhguably the greatest of them all, Blackbeard himself.

Robert Newton's portrayal of Edward Teach is more fun than a barrel of puppies with eye-patches and peg legs. If you don't think that's fun, you'll be swinging from the yarrrhdarrrhm before morning, matey. Of course Teach is a terrible scoundrel and murderer. He brooks no foolishness from his crew, but being his partner or ally may be more dangerous than being his enemy.

Newton provided one my favorite scenes in the movie when he tried to persuade his pirate first mate, Ben, that he wasn't trying to make away with the treasure for himself, but was getting it for both of them. Ben was played by the excellent actor William Bendix.

He's the guy in the middle, between the other pirate caricatures. Speaking of caricatures, one of the best from the film is this guy:

Gilly, played by Skelton Knaggs, oozes fawning evil and treachery. He reminded me of a leering orc, or grinning goblin.

And I'm guessing he stood tall at about 4'11" (but IMDB puts him at 5'5"). Wikipedia tells how he died at age 43. Can you guess what killed him?

If the cutlass fabricated from fun pirate stereotypes, swashbuckling action, murder and larceny (but especially larceny--watch the show and you'll get that joke) can't bend you to watch this movie, I have two loaded pistols with which to persuade you. The first of those is Linda Darnell. Has the camera ever loved anyone more?

She plays Edwina Mansfield, daughter of the pirate Edward Mansfield. She's planning to marry the equally piratical Henry Morgan who's played by someone I'll get to when I fire the other gun. She falls for Akuta Maynard who's out to reveal Morgan's evil ways and he wants to use Edwina's letters to do it. 

She has absconded with some treasure. Teach plies Edwina's lady-in-waiting (and you can guess the answer to what she's a lady-in-waiting for as given by the William Bendix character in the film) with rum and more rum to get her to spill her guts about the treasure. I forget her name in the film, but you know her.

Yes! It's:

Irene Ryan...but enough of that. I would much rather see Linda Darnell.

As you might suspect, Maynard and Mansfield end up together and Teach ends up like one of his treasure chests only significantly wetter.

Finally, the piece de resistance, the blast from the muzzle of the of second pistol: There's a hidden treasure in this movie--it's a Star Trek connection triple play.

First, there's Keith Andes as Maynard --better know to me from his role as Akuta in "The Apple"

And then there's Torin Hatcher as Henry Morgan--better know to me as Marplon from "The Return of the Archons"

And finally, the movie has Anthony Caruso as a pirate whose name I didn't catch--better known to me as Bela Okmyx from "A Pieceof the Action"

You can find out more about Caruso here--where I found the picture.

https://mikestakeonthemovies.com/2015/11/24/anthony-caruso-more-than-the-henchman/


As for the second tale, I find that I have more to say about it than I can reasonably include here and I don't want to give it short shrift as it is one of the best novels ever written--it's certainly one of my favorites. So I'll post it another time by itself.

***
As for my writing on Book 3 of the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series, I've completed chapter one. I had to go back and adjust for time, considering that what's happening there is happening at the same time as what was happening in the final chapters of Power to Hurt--but this is across the pond--I had to consider the time difference as well as the time it took for the events in the chapter to unfold. Nevertheless, the chapter still ends with a literal blast.

If you've picked up Threading the Rude Eye and Power to Hurt, post those positive reviews on Amazon and goodreads. Only you can prevent the death of a great series. The more reviews, the more sales, the more excited I get to write, the faster I complete it--every body wins.

***
I read a couple short stories this week. I got each for free at different times. I won't mention the titles or authors because both were disappointing and probably don't reflect the true talent of the writers. I'll try to review something more substantial that they've written before I pass my own judgment on their works.

Interview with Rachel Kovaciny

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

I’m writing a retelling of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” set in the Old West.  Seven white orphans abandoned along the trail to Kansas are taken in by a wagon train of former slaves.  One orphan idolizes a beautiful immigrant who is a healer and seeks to learn how to help sick people from her, only to discover she intends to do away with her stepdaughter.  I call it One Bad Apple, and I’m planning to release it in early 2020.

2. Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

I got the idea for this particular book when I was teaching one of my kids American history a couple years ago.  One of the great things about homeschooling is that I often learn new things right alongside my kids.  I got a book about African Americans in the Old West out of the library for them and, while reading it with her, discovered there was this whole westward movement called the Exoduster Migration I had never heard of.

The Exodusters were freed blacks living in the post-Reconstruction South who got fed up with the oppression they faced and set off en masse for Kansas to start new lives. I thought that would make a fantastic setting for a western because I’ve always wanted to write a story about a wagon train, and there’s a lot of conflict inherent to that movement.  I ended up placing this book a little earlier in time than the actual Exoduster Migration, for various reasons, but that still works because many black pioneers did head out west before the Exodusters, just not in such great numbers.

I’d been wanting to retell Snow White, but couldn’t figure out how to work in the seven dwarfs since my retellings are non-magical.  But having them be white children surrounded by black people still gives them that sense of otherness, and that vulnerability that “seven little men, no bigger than your thumb” had in the version of Snow White I grew up reading.

3. Do you write in more than one genre?

Yes.  Besides my Once Upon a Western series, I’ve also written a lot of short stories set during WWII in the European Theater of Operations.  And I write a column about Wild West history for the Prairie Times as well as articles on various subjects for Femnista.

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

There aren’t many authors who retell fairy tales as westerns, much less build a whole series around that concept.  And most fairy tale retellings involve magic of some sort, but mine do not. 

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

I grew up watching classic cowboy movies with my dad, and until I was in double digits, I would tell people that when I grew up, I was going to be a rancher.  I have a deep love for learning about people living in times and places different from my own, and for seeing how their lives were similar to mine, and also how they were different.  I try to communicate that in my books.  Also, I’m a Christian, and my books have a distinctly Christian worldview, though I do my best not to let them become preachy.

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

I don’t know if this is helpful, but I think it’s pretty cool that I was born only a few miles from where Jesse James robbed his first train, and that one of my babysitters was an elderly woman who actually met Jesse James and his gang when she was a young girl herself.

Oh, it might be helpful to know that I have two blogs.  I write about movies and writing at Hamlette’s Soliloquy, and I write about books at The Edge of the Precipice. 

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

This is a hard question because a person’s taste in books is so subjective and personal.  I do think Jack Schaefer deserves more readers these days because he wrote such nuanced, intricate stories, like Shane, and gets overlooked in favor of more renowned authors like Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour.

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

Well, Dancing and Doughnuts is my newest release, and it’s such a fun story that I think most people would get a kick out of it.

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

Winning the Sleeping Beauty retelling contest from Rooglewood Press in 2016 and having my story “The Man on the Buckskin Horse” published in their anthology Five Magic Spindles really jumpstarted my writing career.  All my books and stories since them have built on that foundation.

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

What’s your favorite John Wayne movie?  Almost no one ever asks me that.  It’s The Sons of Katie Elder, by the way.

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

Write what you love.  People like to say you should “write what you know,” but with a little patience and digging, you can know a whole lot about any subject with a library card and the willingness to do some research.  But if you don’t love what you’re writing... what’s the point?

***

In my own writing, Book 3 (I'm still working on the actual title) of the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series is starting to come together. After an intriguing prologue, I'm taking up the thread of Charles and Antonio and their special mission to France. An explosive end to chapter one is in the works. If you haven't read Threading the Rude Eye and Power to Hurt, the first two books in the series, get them now and post a review. These exceptional books need more reviews. Look for links to all my books in the left hand margin of the blog.

Yes. I mean you.
Thank you. Thank you very much.

First there's the college football thing.
Last night I watched a 2-4 team (blue) with its 3rd string QB, coming off its 3rd straight loss, beat an undefeated top-20-ranked team (orange). Blue is now at 3-4 and two of those victories have been over top-25 ranked teams. These two teams have played every year for the last several years. Every year I'm positive that blue is going to beat orange. Blue usually disappoints me. This year I was certain that orange would win--sometimes it feels good to be wrong. It's a great rivalry and I like both teams, but I would be less than sincere (so I suppose that means I would have a little bit of wax--see the etymology for "sincere" if you don't get that) if I didn't note a sliver of schadenfreude regarding some of the fans who consistently degrade blue, considering that orange will probably drop from the top 20 and will lose the shot it had at a prestigious bowl game. I think it proves that it's infinitely more fun to knock someone down than merely to kick them after they've fallen--although that can be fun too.

***

Regarding this:

Last time I mentioned this book by Will Wright, I was 20% through and pleased with the quality of the writing as well as the promise of the story. I didn't get much farther into it before my ardor waned. The quality of the writing held, but my interest in the story did not. Although I seriously considered dropping the book (figuratively speaking of course as I have it as an ebook), I did finish based on the quality and original promise. My reluctance stemmed from the fact that the story is a derivative of the Cthulhu Mythos. Lovecraft did what he did very well, but he's not my favorite. I read Lovecraft because I consider it mandatory material to understand some aspects of the fantasy genre, but there's very little of it that I enjoy. While I enjoyed the characters in this book, and became intrigued with the Reading and filling with Intent aspects, the Elder gods stuff and the island that was a dead god, and the weird monsters turned me away. I won't be reading the second book in the series. I will, however, try some of this author's other works which I obtained when he made them all free for a day or two.

***

I also previously mentioned trying my new skirmish rules with characters from my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire fantasy series set in revolutionary America. I did it sometime last week.

The picture shows the initial set up. It's a scene from one of the books. My woodland Indian figures (on which I've never completed the finishing touches of paint) are standing in for the Indians in the story. Various Lord of the Rings figures are representing the dragon hunters. I didn't think to take any other photos, but the after action report follows. My recollection is that Felgar was played by the warrior of Rohan on the right. On the same side was Aragorn taking the role of Atu. On the left, Hugh was played by the Legolas figure. Akira was played by the elf with the sword over his head. Akram was portrayed by the Haradrim warrior with the spear at the upper left. The warriors have pursued the hunters who have put together an impromptu ambush, using the women (Cat, Coronia, and Velisha) and the unarmed Quintus as bait for the trap. Quintus and the women at the very top of the picture are played by some unpainted figures from the musketeers collection. The weapons available were limited as per the events in the story. The action played out somewhat differently than in the book:

1. The Hunters get initiative.

--Felgar activates and moves into combat with Warrior 2 (W2). He wounds W2 before W1 joins the fight. Akram rushes W4, knocking him down and then putting him hors de combat with a wicked spear thrust. (another warrior with W4's stats will enter next turn). Hugh fails his first activation attempt and W1 takes the opportunity to attack Felgar--but rolled a Tragic Failure, giving the Hunters an Heroic Point to use during the turn--and which Hugh immediately uses to re-roll one of his activation dice on his second activation. He moves against W5, but fails his third attempt resulting in a Turnover. The natives take the initiative.

--W1 attacks Felgar who is double-teamed by W1 and W2 (whom Felgar has wounded). W1 drives a spear into Felgar, seriously wounding the big warrior. Felgar powers his way through the pain to avoid going hors de combat and maintains his morale but is knocked down. W1 attacks again but without result. He fails his third activation attempt, allowing Atu to activate and contact W1 to help out the fallen Felgar. W3 moves toward the women with the intent to take one hostage to force the surrender of the others; he cannot get past the big Irish wolfhound George (played by a warg figure on this occasion). W6 rolls a Turnover.

2. Initiative passes back to the Hunters.

-- Atu uses one of his Heroic Points to bump his activation total to allow him to attack W1. He gains a maneuver and switches places with W1 so that the warrior won't be able to attack Felgar. He fails his second activation; W2 tries but can't react. For his 3rd action, Atu attacks W1 again and succeeds in pushing the warrior away. Akram dashes to W2, bumping his roll with an Heroic Point to attack on his second action. Akram delivers a serious wound to the already wounded warrior. W2 makes the Challenge Roll (miraculously) to avoid going hors de combat, but his courage fails him and Akram slays him as he turns to flee.(Another warrior with his stats will enter next turn). Akram moves into contact with W3 who is also engaged in combat with George. Hugh attacks W5 but neither combatant finds an advantage. Akira throws himself upon W6 but the warrior meets the attack, wounding Akira and knocking him down. Akira passes the morale check. He tries to rise, rolling a Stunning Success - rising and attacking-- to push away the warrior. Felgar regains his feet and moves in against W1, joining Atu.

--The initiative passes to the warriors. The new W4 rolls to activate and re-enter; he does so, racing to Akira who gives him a serious wound, immediately rendering him hors de combat (giving the W4 character true redshirt status). W6 attacks Akira and knocks him down but the hunter reacts to get to his feet. When he fails again, Atu attacks W1 but is pushed back by that warrior who spends his last Heroic Point to reroll one die to keep from being slain--and it pays off with Favorable Impetus and keeps him alive. W5 attacks Hugh with his first action; Hugh pushes the warrior away. Atu reacts back into contact with W1. W1 acts, attacking Felgar who uses his remaining Heroic Point to make it a narrow victory and pushes W1 to the ground. W1 bounces back to his feet. W3 attacks George. The result is a tie, resulting in a withdrawal, but W3 is blocked by Akram, so he elects to attack the hunter at -2 (which does not count as a separate action) rather than to attempt to squeeze past. W3 has to burn his only Heroic Point to have a chance in the combat. The result is a tie; this time Akram and W3 remain in contact. W3 activates and attacks Akram again, pushing him away. W3 uses his remaining action to rejoin combat with George.

3. Initiative passes to the hunters.

--Roll for Alex's entry: Alex and Iago appear. Which immediately gives every warrior a reaction attempt: W1 fails; W3 fails; W6 fails; W5 moves back into contact with Hugh.

Alex continues--and rolls a turnover.

--The new W2 arrives on another path. Atu reacts to attack W1, uses his last Heroic Point, but only succeeds in getting a maneuver, which he declines to use. W1 attacks Felgar, knocking him down. He attacks again. Felgar uses the re-roll ability provided by Alex being on the board. W1 still wins the combat but can only maneuver, and withdraws. Atu reacts and closes with W1. W3 continues the fight with George, taking a wound and being driven back with the dog still on him. The wound panics him and he runs out of reach of the beast. Atu reacts to attack W1 resulting in each breaking away from contact. W5 attacks Hugh; they end by breaking contact. W6 finally succeeds in activating and attacks Akira. Akira benefits from the Alex effect and puts W6 hors de combat.

4. The Initiative passes to the hunters.

--Alex makes a long move and then turns over the initiative.

--W1 moves to attack Akram but cannot make the attack. Alex reacts and attacks W5, giving him a serious wound and putting him out of the combat. (No more warriors will reinforce after Alex enters). W3 contacts Atu and Alex reacts to attack W1, giving him a serious wound and putting him hors de combat. Alex reacts again, attacking W2, also putting him hors de combat. W3 loses his will to fight and flee, to meet a ball from Lee's rifle, putting him out of action. 

Eight warriors were slain or rendered hors de combat. Alex did very little when he had initiative but his reactions resulted in 3 of the warriors being eliminated from combat. It would've been interesting to see what would have happened had Alex not appeared, or had been delayed. None of the hunters were killed or lost the ability to fight because of their wounds, but it was only by tremendous good fortune that Felgar stayed in the fight and his wounds prevented him from being as effective as he should've been.

The trickling began this week.

Words. Those malleable bricks composed of variations of 26 unique elements representing sounds manifested in the English language which itself is spoken with such extraordinary differences around the globe that it's not one language but several. But I digress. And I will do it again, if I please. I do. The digression continues. We place various combinations of letters into words--and then we don't even pronounce some of the letters; or we pronounce them differently even though they are arranged in precisely the same way. What a language! What a rich history! Back to my point, if I had one. I did. I shall begin again taking up after the trickling thought.

Words. Those malleable bricks composed of variations of 26 unique elements representing sounds in the English language began a procession into my newest book this week. Like camels, horses, pilgrims, slaves, and taskmasters with tents and rugs and provisions all bound in colorful rugs and cloths with bright silken ends slithering fluttering upon the breeze, the caravan began its march across the dry, barren expanse of empty pages. I should actually describe this caravan as one consisting of soldiers adorned in bright uniforms; natives with colorful accents upon bronze skin, dark hair, and leather clothing; sailing ships with broad sails stretched above the blue, frost-capped waves; gryphons (or griffins, if you prefer) banking against the azure sky; and feather-winged dragons painting the night sky and landscape with the intense red-orange flame of agony and destruction. Such is the caravan that is trickling its way onto my screen, leaving footprints, tail-drags, hoof-marks, feathery traces, bayonet stabs, tomahawk chops, bloodstains, and ashes in the shapes of those 26 little elements that will unite into tiny word squads, equip themselves with punctuation and rally into regimental sentences, divisional paragraphs, and chapter corps in conquest of the empty space. En avant!

So what I mean to say with this surplusage of verbiage is that book three in the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series has begun. I'm not holding myself to the thousand words per day standard until I've resolved a few things about how this part of the story is going to get to the end that I've planned. The first book started in short spurts, written five minutes at a time before the full mustering of the might of the keyboard. This one may do so as well.

Just now the muse looks at me like this:

...uncertain whether to give me the secret of the pages balanced upon her knee, to first use the sharp blade in her hand to take an eye as the price of her gift, or merely to open one of my veins so that I'll have ink to match her gown. We shall see how it goes. Maybe it will be a choice between Odin and Van Gogh.

The most pressing matter for you, Dear Reader, is to obtain post haste and to read the prior two books in the series (as well as all of my other books) so that you will be prepared to receive the turbulence, wrath, and promise to be delivered in book 3.

Having started with a ramble upon some minor points of the English language, it's only fitting that I should end with something from Shakespeare. These are both from King Henry VI First Part Act I:

"What! Shall we curse the planets of mishap that plotted thus our glory's overthrow?

Or shall we think the subtle-witted French conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him, By magic verses have contriv'd his end?"

"Hark, countrymen! Either renew the fight or tear the lions out of England's coat; renounce your soil, give sheep in lion's stead."

I was looking at these to snip some words to use as the title of book 3. Can you guess which words I consider from each quote?

 It began when the princess fled from her father's wrath by taking her flier and leaving the city before dawn. At dawn, as she slept on the floating craft, a party of Zarhoons shot down the flier. Warriors returning to the city on foot saw the flier and recognized the princess' personal insignia before it went down. The princess was injured in the crash but managed to hide herself within the ruins before she passed out from her injuries. The warriors and the Zarhoons search the city for the princess.

This was the Wreck at the Ruins scenario for play testing my new skirmish rules in a Barsoomian setting. Of course, it went fabulously. The miniatures are from Bronze Age Miniatures:

 At one point while searching the city, one of the Zarhoons was set upon by a massive pale simian.

 While his partner tangled with the pale simian, the other Zarhoon found the unconscious princess but could not get away with her before being set upon by her loyal warriors. This multi-armed Zarhoon, Bak Badja, received a wound or two and fled from his multiple attackers. Meanwhile, his companion, Vak Voka, disengaged from the pale simian and rushed to attempt to take the princess from the warrior who was carrying her to safety. Just when it appeared that the warrior would escape with the girl, he fell, dropping his precious cargo. Another warrior, Han Tadron, moved to intercept and engage Vak Voka. His head rolled freely upon the street and his eyes watched his decapitated body drop in a blood-spurting heap. Nantos Nan who had been carrying the princess rose to his feet but before he could once again take up his burden, Vak Voka and the simian react first. The simian charged the warrior Dav Ravo, taking the warriors focus from the Zarhoon. Vak Voka engaged Nantos Nan who stood defiantly between him and the helpless princess. The Zarhoon failed to wound the warrior but did knock him to the ground beside the princess.

Tense change, because it provides a more "you are there" feeling--or because I'm lazy and didn't want to change it.
Another warrior, Mardos Tors, wants to assist Dav Ravo against the simian but duty calls him to protect his princess. He charges the Zarhoon, wounding and knocking him down with his ferocious onslaught. Vak Voka's morale holds. Mardos Tors attacks again. Although wounded, Knocked Down, and facing multiple opponents, Vak Voka cuts Mardos Tors in two and rises victorious above bloody corpse.

Dav Ravos hears the urgent calls of Nantos Nan but the simian has seized him and he can't escape. The monster lifts Dav Ravos above his head and hurls the warrior. Dav Ravos miraculously lands on his feet, escaping injury.

  VV has the initiative. (Pictured above) - He is wounded. At his feet NN and the princess are on one side and DR is approaching from the other side. On his first activation attempt VV gets doubles, so therefore gets an extra action. With two actions to use, he elects to attack NN. NN is forced to use his Deflection Skill and his last Heroic Point to avoid a wound. VV chooses to ignore the maneuver opportunity and remain in contact; he attacks again with his bonus action. NN barely avoids a serious wound, taking a simple wound instead. NN panics and attempts to flee, giving VV a chance at a Parting Gift, which he takes, his second blade scoring another wound on the frantic man--and requiring him to take another Morale Check. The twice-wounded warrior runs for his life, leaving the helpless princess at the feet of the Zarhoon. VV uses his next action to pick up the princess. He cannot avoid DR so he moves into contact with the warrior and the initiative passes. DR activates and attacks VV. VV elects to keep hold of the princess, so will not benefit from his Two-Weapons Skill, but will not otherwise be hindered by her. He is, however troubled by his wound. DR delivers a serious wound to the captor of his princess and Knocks Down the Zarhoon. VV struggles to rise, dropping the princess and allowing DR a free attack which he blocks. VV is on his feet but no longer has the princess. DR uses his third activation to attack again. DR rolls a Stunning Success, killing the Zarhoon.

Were it not for the pale simian, Dav Ravos could escape with the princess. He is forced to drop the princess when the simian leaps, seizing him once more. After a terrible struggle, the simian flings Dav Ravos once again. The warrior is seriously injured and rendered hors de combat. No one remains to protect the princess from the simian.

After modifying the scenario specifics to boost the warriors' morale while fighting to recover and protect the princess, and playing again, the warriors did save the princess. She randomly turned up in the same location as the first time and the pale simian did not appear for the second go-round.

On the third play with more emphasis on shooting, and in which both the simian and the trap to the pits figured significantly, the Zarhoons stole the victory (and the princess) over the dead bodies of the warriors. Although he found the princess, Han Tadron could not escape from the building in which she had hidden. First the simian (see above)--which soaked up a mountain of damage before finally taking a fatal wound--blocked his way and added to the wounds to Dav Ravos and Mardos Tors.

Then Bak Badja engaged Han Tadron, the last surviving warrior, in a lengthy duel. Using his Wounded Warrior Skill, HT succeeded in wounding and knocking down his bigger opponent, but after taking another wound he couldn't hang on against the four-armed attacker. HT went down fighting for the princess.

This scenario was a great test of my skirmish rules. I did create some special scenario details to account for the four-armed Zarhoons and the simian. In addition to giving the Zarhoons the special Two Weapon Skill, I gave them a bonus action anytime they rolled doubles on an activation attempt. The simian had a similar benefit. The simian also only used the grapple maneuver option so those rules got a work out -- the grappling details are the only thing that I'm considering revising; they worked, but not as smoothly as I had hoped.

This is definitely my favorite rules set.

I may have to run a scenario from my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series to see how the magic provisions play.