dashPunk

Horrorfest III: Tales of Terror

A Second Life Convention presented by Bookstacks

Notice By Kghia Gherardi, Organizer

This month on the thirteenth, Bookstacks will commence Horrorfest III: Tales of Terror. You might not live to see the Ides of March this year! We will have a full schedule of events with numerous authors reading their works, including Mike Stackpole. The survivors will continue on the fourteenth when, amongst other events, Tobias Buckell will make one of his rare appearances in-world to read “Spurn Babylon.”

In other events you will be able to swap poetry with author Emerian Rich in the graveyard. Or learn about real life horrors with Mark Eller. Find out how to incorporate horror sound effects to your own shows. Sample Crap Mariner’s short shorts. Participate in a costume contest and attend a fashion show for the fashionably undead. And that’s not all! Bookstacks will be running all its normal events, usually with a twist…a twist of Terror.

Saturday, March 13
•9:00 am – Horrorfest opens with new and classic tales read by West of Ireland storyteller Gyro Muggins.
•10:00 am - Emerian Rich, author and host of the Horror Addicts podcast, hosts a workshop on creating horror sounds for podcasts…or simply to scare your friends next Halloween.
•11:00 am – Simeon Beresford serves as quiz master for a horrific game of Book Trivia. The winner of the game will take home 500 lindens, and the person in the best costume in the theme will also win 500 lindens.
•1:00 pm – Emerain Rich reads from the sequel to Night’s Knights
•2:00 pm – Science Fiction Saturday
•3:00 pm – NYT bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole will give you nightmares when he reads one of his scary tales
•4:00 pm – Join Emerian Rich for the annual sharing of scary poetry in the graveyard. There is more out there than “The Raven”
•5:00 pm – Crap Mariner offers his own take on terror with his 100 word stories and scary shorts
•6:00 pm – Author and host of the Hell Hole Tavern podcast, Mark Eller, will remind us that not all horror is fictional with his real life tales.
•7:00 pm – Live performance by Scream Machine*

Sunday, March 14 (please note: Daylight Savings Time begins in the US)
•11:00 am – Henry Snider reads from one of his stories about occult, parapsychology and esoteric studies
•1:00 pm – Off the Shelf interviews Mark Eller, author and host of the Hell Hole Tavern podcast
•3:00 pm – Poetry Libre’s Open Mic
•4:00 pm – Award-winning author Tobias Buckell reads “Spurn Babylon”
•5:00 pm – “Twenty Ten Horror and Chills Couture Event” – Fashion Show for the Fashionably Undead from the Infinite Focus Fashion Agency
* Scream Machine is brought to us by Grave Concerns Ezine

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Red Angel is a masterfully drawn manga with an awesome color cover that gives just a hint at the gothic art inside. Author and manga artist, Makoto Tateno, brings to life the story of Mika & Eru who are brother and sister vampires.

For those of you who might have read her other works Happy Boys or Yellow and didn’t like them, I believe that Red Angel deserves a chance.  You see, Mika & Eru are not like other vampire brothers and sisters. They have one unique quality that sets them away from the bunch. They just happen to reside in the same body.

Reminiscent of the novel, The Need by Andrew Neiderman, the brother and sister pair have a problem… whatever one of them does, the other has to live with. In Red Angel, this has to do with them moving constantly to keep their secret. Their crimson wings often leave mortals in a state of awe. Whether they feed or not, they usually cause death somehow and flee the scene.

Artwork in this book is beautiful with a nice dark feel throughout and gothic vignettes portraying a couple enjoying a kiss as massive wings shelter them or a flight of crows bordered by intricate crosses and lace. Tateno has a way of portraying action in the still shot so convincingly that the reader can almost feel the wind whip around them as wings flap, causing feathers to float by.

Each chapter is a different town and the vampire pair is not always the focus. We get to meet a couple of “bat men” who turn into bats but are not vampires, and Anney, who is holy and able to suck energy from vamps. Mika meets another vampire and finds out the hidden truth behind who she is and where she fits into creation.

There is a four-page extra in the back by the author, explaining the characters, ideas, and how the book was first published. Categorized as a Yaoi, I disagree. Perhaps it is just stuck into that category because of the woman and man in the same body. I find that the story is very unlike many Yaoi and the difference between the brother and sister is so definite, the reader really believes they are two different people simply sharing the same mortal-like shell.

You can find out more about Red Angel at Amazon.com.

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It’s pretty bad when you look at the cover of a manga a week after reading it and can’t for the life of you remember what it was about. It’s even worse when you flip through it and still can’t remember. That’s how it was with X/1999 Prelude.

For those of you mesmerized by words like Voom, Woosh, SKRTCH, and Shaaaa… you will find pages upon pages of them with the confusing swirl of vortex art that denotes quick fighting sequences. Unfortunately, Dragon Ball Z-like action scenes overshadow this plot. Zombies are supposed to be attacking the main character, but you can’t really see anything but glimpses.

What is X/1999 about?

I am still not sure. It seems the lead character has been away and returns to Tokyo to get attacked a lot. It is not clear what his goal is or if he even has one.

Highlights?

Well, there are a couple. First, a cool sword forms from a girl’s hand. Second, there is an awesomely drawn princess with white eyes and an elaborate costume.

You might ask why I purchased X/1999 Prelude in the first place. Well, this was definitely a case of cover misleading. I saw the moon and the red splotches (which I assumed blood), along with what looked like bridge girders in the background and an ebony-haired hero. This is a good example of me not following my own advice. As I said in a preview post titled, How To Choose A Manga, I missed step #5, which is:

5. Flip through the book and check out the art. Is the detail inside as good as the cover art? Is it appealing to you? Is the printing bad, or is it crisp and clean? Do you stop every so often to let a “wow” or a “ooooohhhh” slip from your lips? If you realize it’s a steampunk fantasy once you get inside and you don’t like that sort of tale, please don’t buy it just because you like the cover. You will be disappointed.

Luckily, I bought this one early in my manga-buying days and hopefully have learned my lesson. I wouldn’t recommend buying this series unless you are a big DBZ fan or enjoy constant action with little plot.

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When we think of Valentine’s day, we often think of poetry, so for today’s post, I thought I’d bring you a book of poetry themed comics. Those of you who like poetry, but have yet to pick up a manhwa, then Nabi The Prototype by Yeon-Joo Kim is for you. A particularly beautiful passage reads:

Like the shy camellias
That blossomed
On a sheet of white
Summer paper…

Red flowers are blooming
On the surface of the snow.

Or perhaps,
It is a crimson cloud touched
By the sunset afterglow…

This manhwa is a group of love stories about people who have grown up together or traveled together on a great quest, whether it be a quest of distance or time. From tales about falling love with your kidnapper, to falling in love with your best friend from childhood, this book explores what love can mean in many different forms. I found the most touching tale was about an orphan who feels unwanted and unloved, but she finds out that her father, a poet, thought her name was the best poem he ever wrote.

Because of it’s poetic style, this book may be hard for straight fiction readers to understand. I found it was similar to Shakespeare in that if you did not understand it the first time, a second read and another viewpoint would bring the meaning to life.

This is a Korean manhwa, read in the English direction. The art style in this book is decidedly Korean with elaborate costuming and stylized hair. I’d recommend this book for anyone who likes to look beyond the obvious and experience love stories truly unique.

You can check out Nabi the Prototype at Amazon.com.

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KAMUI by Broccoli Books is a manga that I found a bit more interesting than the last one I read, Until The Full Moon.

This manga has an edgy, tech infested, post apocalypse feel.

The world has been destroyed by a technology overload and resulting earthquakes. Humans cower in the face of robots, their only saviors being the NOA, an organization of scientifically enhanced twenty-somethings.

Atsuma is an unknown who allows himself to be recruited by the NOA in order to gain knowledge about an ancient being who may be able to help the humans regain earth control.  Atsuma has an orb that talks inside him. As a reader, it’s not clear who or what it is, but it seems to be helping his mission.

In a sexy, gamer-style, this manga has a lot to offer video game enthusiasts and those interested in post-apocalyptic life.

The storyline, though intriguing, didn’t really get anywhere in this first book. I’m not sure it’s inspired me to buy any other volumes. The art was pretty good and the read wasn’t bad. Unfortunately, Broccoli Books don’t ever seem to wow me, which is probably why they ceased operations in December 2008.

If you’d like to learn more about Kamui, you can check out the volumes on Amazon.com.

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Support Night’s Knights!
Buy your copy on Mobipocket
January 23rd!!

On January 23rd (this Saturday), buy Night’s Knights on Mobipocket!

SPECIAL OFFER!!*
Everyone who buys the Mobipocket edition of Night’s Knights has the opportunity to receive a copy of the Night’s Knights Companion free!

Just follow these simple steps:
1. Buy Night’s Knights on Mobipocket on January 23rd.
2. Take a picture of yourself with your e-device, pc, or phone open to Chapter 13 of Night’s Knights.
3. Email the picture to Emerian at: emzbox@sbcglobal.net with your name and snail mail address by February 5th.
4. Enjoy your ebook of Night’s Knights while you await your extras!

January 23rd is Mobipocket push day. If you’ve been putting off buying, this is the perfect time! You can buy your digital copy for your phone, e-reading device, or to read on your pc! And because it’s an ebook, you get it for half the price! Only $5.99 later, you will be swimming around in Night’s Knights goodness. Yum!

Night’s Knights Companion booklet is a must have. Packed with floor plans, character sketches, and fan fic, you won’t believe how much background information and author notes are packed in this baby!

Buy Night’s Knights on Mobipocket now!

*Special Offer ends February 5th, 2010

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Black Knight by Kai Trurugi is one of the best Yaoi I’ve ever read.  A touching love story between a Prince and his protector.

Black Knight offers much for hardcore Yaoi fans. With a good storyline, several battle scenes, and a bit of graphic love scenes sprinkled in, these guys are well on their way to becoming an epic romance.

Chris is the sheltered, innocent Prince who is just learning to battle. Zeke is the tall, dark, handsome swordsman that can get out of any scrape no matter the odds. Together they have a passionate love affair in the midst of danger.  This book shows the love of a family when their loved one comes home, the love of a master to his long-owned horse and a special, genuine love between a young prince and his protector.

The art is very Knight’s of the Round table, swords and sorcery, with a bit of Asian influence here and there.

Parental guidance is suggested for adult content and explicit art.

Extras: Yaoi called Deadly Sin
A romance between a Priest haunted by ghosts from the past and a tourist who shows him he can break-free from depression and guilt to be happy. This new Yaoi might be a promising read in full book form.

Black Knight is available at Amazon.com.

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The National Psychic Academy: A place for psychically gifted youth to expand their powers, be hit on by frisky co-eds, and meet talking bunnies. Poor Ai doesn’t even believe that he has psychic gifts. How can he be expected to survive at a school where his brother is a hero and his talking bunny keeps pushing him into embarrassing situations?

Psychic Academy rated 13+ reads like a schoolboy locker room chat. With many racy shots, young girl’s bathing, naked little fairies, and several “accidental” boob grabs, this book seems written by a young boy, for young boys.

The bunny, who claims to be Master Boo, speaks like Andrew Dice Clay and seems to want to pick up girls more than help Ai learn his skills.

“Now watch an’ learn as I pluck a copula young, unsuspecting, ripe tomatoes.”

Ai’s brother, Zero or “The Vanquisher of the Dark Overlord”, is over the top with his two page intro where the artist paints him like an old-time comic book hero, metal codpiece, cape blowing in the breeze. It get’s worse later, when Zero fights off a bully, using the clothes vanishing technique and tells the bully.

“That’s terrifying coming from a fool with his wee wee hanging out.”

Ai’s roommate is portrayed as the “stupid foreigner”.  I think he is supposed to be Middle Eastern and the way they treat him I find offensive. He wears robes, sleeps like some sort of Kama Sūtra pretzel, has a symbol on his head and is always doing dumb things.

If you’re not a male pre-teen, you’ll probably hate this one. For me, it was slightly entertaining because of the few magic fights involved, but not worth reading more volumes.

Extras:

None. But you do get to see a preview of the next volume. Featuring another accidental boob grab!

Still interested? Check out Psychic Academy at Amazon.com

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Before I go into this review, I’d like to bring up the subject of Yaoi. Yaoi is a form of manga that features male to male romantic stories usually written by women, for women. Often erotic, these tales at times are little more than porn, or they could be truly beautiful stories of love that transcend race, sex, and even species. The best Yaoi I have ever read is the topic today.

Anima written by Dany & Dany, two women from Italy who write and draw all their own comics. Daniela Orrù and Daniela Serri are known as paranormal manga creators by those in Japan and around the world. They also work as instructors at two major comic schools in Italy. Dany & Dany are also Vampire Chronicle fans and because they have an interest in portraying Louis and Lestat in a Yaoi light, you may sense a vampire feeling in their work. Some of their works have characters that look so much like Louis and Lestat, you may find yourself looking twice to see if it is our beloved vamp boys.

The cover of Anima shows just a glimpse of the coolness you will find inside the book. Anima features crisp, clean art in a steampunk setting. On a ship like the Titanic, a beautiful love story ensues between a gorgeous writer and an angel-like ballet dancer. A beautiful android dancer, Danya, is injected with “Anima” to allow him to feel human emotions, but what his creator doesn’t realize is that the injection also allows him to fall in love. Patrick, a cynical journalist and admirer of Danya, just happens to be there as Danya’s emotions are released. They fall in love, but Patrick doesn’t know Danya is an android. Though Patrick is an android sympathizer, will he be able to over look the fact that his new love is one? And once Danya’s creator finds he loves another, will he be able to let him go?

This is an erotic love story that may not be for everyone. Parental guidance suggested.

Extras: The Terrible Plot Demon is a one page, silly, chibi cartoon where the characters torture the authors.

Get your copy here from Amazon.com

To find out more about Dany & Dany, go to their website at: www.danyandany.com

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At the end of the Taisho era in Japan, a small tea house draws patrons to Hiruko. He is a Baku-he or eater of dreams. It is said Hiruko can enter a nightmare and release the victim from suffering. He can put people to sleep with the wave of his cane and accompany them into the nightmare.

The stories in Nightmare Inspector are very odd and don’t seem to make much sense. In one case, a boy walks into the tea house and asks for help. It turns out he is a weather vane. I’m confused how a weather vane could walk into a tea shop and do weather vane’s have nightmares?

Another tale features a girl who always writes the same thing in her dream. She asks him to change it, but when they get to the part where he can, she ends up writing the same thing. There is a secondary character in the tea house who sometimes asks Hiruko what happened and his explanations don’t make much sense either.

There are also repetitive chapter beginnings which are common in mangas that were serialized in magazines.  I always think it is better for the editor to cut these out when composing the manga book.

I absolutely love the art in this manga. It’s a very interesting sort of steampunk/cosplay mix with long art deco kinds of lines. The styling of the Baku-he is awesome.

In back, there is a short letter from the author. The best thing in the whole book is a full page illustration/explanation of Hiruko’s cane by the friend of the author. It’s hilarious and informative. It makes me wonder what sort of manga would come from the author and best friend collaborating.

Check out this manga for the art. The story is not worth the read.

You can find this manga at Amazon.com.

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