Are You Looking For Something To Do This Weekend?

If I might make a suggestion, I think you should go see John Carter.

Why, yes, that does mean that I liked it. Quite a bit, actually.

In fact, I thought it was a pretty darn fun movie. That seems to be a trend from the reviews and comments I've been seeing online as well. I suppose it could be selective reading. I mean, Flick Filosopher could not stand it, but while I can see where she is coming from and respect her point of view (unlike some of the insert-many-very-not-nice-words-here who decided to start a troll-fest in the comments section of her review), I do not agree with her overall takeaway. My experience with the film was quite positive, and it seems to me like the majority of the people who saw it enjoyed themselves.

Here are a few of the positive reviews I've come across:

io9: John Carter Will Dazzle You With the Best (and Worst) of Retro Futurism

Pink Raygun: John Carter Didn't Suck

Tor: Cynicism Aside, John Carter is a Charmer

Don't get me wrong, as a fan of the books, I had a few misgivings with some of the liberties they took, mostly because I thought they were either unnecessary or just weird choices. But if I'm being honest, I completely understand why either Disney or Andrew Stanton felt those changes needed to be made. In either case, the end result was, as I said, a very fun movie.

It's an adventure. It's a man who thinks he's lost everything struggling to accept an unexpected offer of new purpose. It's got aliens of many different shapes and sizes, ships that fly on light, some preposterous (yet fun) assumptions about how gravity affects a person from one planet to the next, and a woman who can hold her own with a sword and still do science better than the dudes. It's a real, honest-to-goodness, popcorn munching, laugh-out-loud, enjoy yourself movie. Completely worth the price of admission (though if you can find a 2D showing, I'd go for that unless you just really dig the whole experience of 3D).

Unless the negative hype you are hearing comes specifically from a person you know and who knows what you do or do not enjoy in a film, I advise you to make up your own mind. I think all of the negative press and poor marketing (and make no mistake, this film was marketed poorly when I look at the trailers and compare them to the actual movie) has set people up to expect it to fail miserably and therefore leads people to assume it is bad.

It's not. It turns out it is really kind of wonderful instead.

So, that's my two cents. If you're looking for a fun activity this weekend, good for pretty much everyone in the family, I vote John Carter.

New TV Scorecard: Outcasts

Okay, okay, I know, technically Outcasts isn't new. It's already completed its first season (and I think entire series) run across the pond. But it just premiered on BBC America this past week, so it's new to me. Avoiding spoilers has been no easy feat, either. At least now I am finally free to read the episode reviews io9 posted back when the show aired in the U.K. You can find the first one (which covers the first two episodes, so maybe wait until next week) here.

So. Outcasts. My initial take is that there seems to be a lot going on here, without many answers provided to the viewers. I am not complaining about this, just making a note. The basic premise of the show is that humanity has for some unspecified reason had to flee Earth. A group of pioneers has settled on a new planet called Carpathia. They've been there ten years and everything is not, of course, copacetic. On the ground we've got two factions gearing up for what is likely to be a very messy conflict. There is also a possible third group outside of the colony, unbeknownst to most of the colonists. I am guessing the folks in this third group are the titular outcasts, since it doesn't seem as if the primary Carpathians are Earth's rejects. In the air, so to speak, we have the incoming transport from Earth. As the story unfolds we quickly learn that it has been five years since the arrival of the last transport, as well as that the current arrival is likely to be the last. A little deft exposition also reveals that many of the transports that have arrived have had problems actually landing due to the ships being ill-equipped to deal with reentry into the planet's atmosphere.

I would be tempted to call this first episode purely set up, except it answers far too few questions to qualify as such. Instead I think it could better be termed an introduction into the world of Outcasts, an intriguing one at that. My only real quibble is the wasted use of Jamie Bamber. Don't get me wrong, he really got to flex his acting muscles here, but come on. Why make him go crazy and die in the very first episode? That's not cool, man. The many questions raised about his character's motivations (and sanity) were rendered moot before we could even begin to explore them. Why, then, raise them in the first place?

Bottom line: Right now I don't really have an attachment to any of the characters. I don't really know where my sympathies do (or should) rest. The episode spent a lot of time spread out between all of the different characters (two of whom died before it was over), and not enough with any one to really let us get to know them. But. That being said, I am very curious to see where it goes from here. So far this is my kind of science fiction. I will definitely keep watching. Bonus, with the knowledge that Jamie Bamber isn't a regular cast member, I can probably just enjoy the very short ride without being too disappointed when it is over.

Here are a few questions I will be hoping are answered before that end does come:

1. Who, exactly, are the outcasts in this scenario? Why are they outcast, exactly?
2. What happened on Earth to make humanity leave in the first place, and why  does the evacuation seem to have gone so poorly?
3. What is Cass' secret?
4. Why does Protection and Security think that they can keep anyone protected and secure without guns when no one appears to be enforcing the weapons ban?
5. Why does it seem like anyone who wants guns can get them, especially in light of said weapons ban?
6. Why the heck didn't the Carpathians let Earth know about the shoddy transport construction before they lost contact with those they left behind?

I may need to figure out how to turn on the close-captioning on my television before the next episode though. I had a hard time following some of the dialects, even with my regular exposure to the Brits. Still, all in all, a solid first entry if you're the sort who is willing to give a story the chance to unfold.

First Impression Rating: 8.75/10 (It loses a quarter of a point for killing Jamie Bamber off so soon. Alpha-Girl over at Pink Raygun knows what I mean.)

~*~*~

Another Friday has come along, folks. Don't forget to check out Gronk today!

The Encroaching Meh

Man, I didn't notice it happening, I really didn't, but at some point during last night's episode of Chuck I found myself overwhelmed by a sense of meh. I have watched and enjoyed this show from the beginning. Despite some questionable plot lines and oft continued rehashing of supposedly resolved stories, I have never found the show anything less than entertaining.

But last night, as Sarah was on the phone with Ellie failing to get excited about her wedding plans, I realized that I had barely been paying attention, and really wasn't that worried that I might have missed something. Sigh.

Possibly the frequently ever-more negative reviews of the show over at Pink Raygun are getting to me, though I like to think that isn't it. Though maybe it is just that they are pointing out things that I am also seeing. While I may not disagree with those aspects of the show with the same vehemence as the reviewer, they are starting to wear on me nonetheless. Heck, I don't think io9 is even covering the show any more, other than in their spoilers section. I can't remember a review of the show at all this season, which seems to indicate none of their writers are watching it anymore (or at least none feel like reviewing it).

I think, for me, it boils down to two things:

Everything that was shiny and new and original about the show has given way to cliches about geeks and spies. It has stopped being a tongue-in-cheek send up the spy genre with loving fun-poking at the nerd culture. Now it is just caricatures and buffoonery, and while that can be amusing from time to time, the writers do not have the kind of handle on it to make those the show's primary features.

Holy crap there is way, way, way, way too much focus on Chuck and Sarah's relationship. Look, I was routing for those kids, I am happy they got together. It is nice that they are gonna get married. But good lord, the way the writers have them acting, struggling over every single step forward they take in their relationship, I am amazed that they are together at all. I frankly find it impossible to believe that they are, in fact, a well-adjusted happy couple. If my husband and I, back when we were dating, had found these many issues coming up every single day, especially once we had started planning our wedding, well, I am pretty sure said wedding would have been called off and we would have gone our separate ways. I know, I know, drama is key to any story, but the relationship drama is the easy out. It is boring and grating. Chuck and Sarah's relationship should be the one solid foundation in their lives, with the drama centered around the actual spy missions. That drama shouldn't be about their relationship getting in the way of missions either (with maybe a once a season, extremely well done exception, twice tops). The drama should be focusing on Chuck's efforts to continue to grow as a spy, reconciling that with his desire not to kill anyone, and how he manages to still get the job done and appease his conscience at the same time. That is the show I want to be watching.

I think it is frustrating to me because now the show is a few seasons in, and instead of looking for new and interesting stories to tell with these characters, the writers have just given up and are coasting on the fumes of the earlier seasons. Sure, they make it seem that the characters are all growing as people--with marriages, and babies, and roommates moving out to strike out on their own for once (don't even get me started at how ridiculous it was that Chuck and Morgan were so reluctant at this stage in their lives to no longer be doing the roommate thing--it was completely unbelievable and I wanted to throw things at my television--it isn't as if anything was changing except that they would be sleeping under different roofs, and as grown men, that's really a good thing). But those changes are superficial. None of the characters have actually grown at all it seems. In fact, they all actually seem to be regressing. What the heezy, people?

So...I'm kind of at a loss with this show right now. I will probably keep watching the season, in hopes that it gets better. But, and I hate to say this, I don't think I'll be all that sad if it doesn't get renewed again. Chuck may have run its course. Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the next episode will totally surprise me with awesomeness. I can only hope. If not, well, likely I've got a new candidate to weed out come next season.

Character Flaws

I have a confession to make.  I haven't been making any progress with my writing so far this year.  I've certainly been thinking about it, and quite a bit.  But actual research?  Actual writing (other than on this blog)?  Not so much.   My current plan on the writing front is to start out February by printing the manuscript of my first draft of Living Legend, the story I wrote in November.  Then, I am going to sit down and just read through the darn thing once.  Probably with a red pen handy just in case of any glaring typos or proofreading finds, though that will not be the main purpose of the read-through.  Once I have done that, I am going to go back through the thing and start taking notes and editing.  I will also be finding the appropriate places to add new scenes or expand those already existing.  For instance, there is one scene, early on, from a specific character's point of view.  It is the only one for him, and I think the book would benefit greatly by seeing more of the story through his eyes.  I also definitely want to flesh out my characters.  Characters are important, you know.  I am anticipating at least three drafts of this thing before I start thinking about trying to publish it myself or looking for an agent (or sticking it in a closet and saving it for later before finally admitting it is crap and should never see the light of day again).  The goal is to get draft two done this year, while starting (or at least laying the groundwork for) another original story as well.

See, lots of thinking going on, if no other actual activity.  I have also been paying attention to articles about writing, bookmarking when appropriate and otherwise absorbing the information like the little sponge I am.  In the past few days I have stumbled across two that have really struck a chord with me, and I wanted to talk about what I took away from them.  Both articles spend a lot of time talking about characters and how important they are to any good piece of fiction.  I fervently believe this.  They also both suggest that characters need to have flaws that we, the readers, can latch on to and, if not actually identify with, want to know more about.  This gives us reason to root for them in their adventures. 

The first article appeared on Tor's website and was written by Jon Sprunk:  Characters:  What Are They Good For?

The second entry was the latest in Sylvia Bond's series about fan fiction over at Pink Raygun:  The Fan Whisperer-Part 4

Both authors argue that no one wants to read about a perfect character.  That character is not only less believable, but also runs the risk of being extremely annoying (or a Mary Sue, of which most of us have grown quite weary).  But.  I would argue that a character that seems perfect, at least to the other characters in a story, and is then revealed to have some really messed up stuff going on would be quite fascinating to read about.  Though that goes back to the "give your character flaws" suggestion, I suppose.

A writer certainly has to take character development and growth into consideration as well.  You can start with a "perfect" character and then present her with a situation that is completely out of her league, and which she has no idea how to solve or survive.  Focus a bit on how she does manage to muddle through (or doesn't, for that matter), certainly.  But the really interesting bit in this kind of story will be the consequences.  As a result of her failure, what has changed about her?  About how the world sees her?  How she sees herself?  Even more importantly, what happens the next time she gets thrown into an impossible situation?  You've given your perfect character a flaw, and then made her learn to live with it.  Now she's grown (whether for better or for worse is totally up to you as the writer), and the readers have a better idea of who she is, and are interested to find out what happens to her next.  It is extremely important to note (as Sprunk does), that a reader doesn't have to actually like a character to care about what happens to her.  But there's got to be something there to grab the reader's interest, whether they like the character or not.

That learning to live with it part is, I think, tricky for a lot of writers.  I'll admit that I probably haven't applied this principle very well to my own characters.  Yet.  But that is definitely something I will be looking to do as I flesh out Living Legend and try to make Cass and Niko as fully realized on the page as they are in my head.  It can be very easy for a writer to get bogged down in the struggle of dealing with flaws, and that is a very fine line to walk.  Let me give you two examples from series I enjoy to see if I can illustrate this point.

In both cases, the character in question begins to develop or discover latent supernatural abilities and, fearing what they are now capable of, tries to run away from them.  That's what I am going with for the flaw in common.

For my first example I will turn to the character of Perrin Aybara from Robert Jordan's (with some assistance by Brandon Sanderson, of course) Wheel of Time series.  In the very first book in the series (now up to book thirteen, with one left to go, not including the already published prequel), Perrin learns he has a very special ability.  He is what Jordan calls a Wolfbrother.  He can sense and communicate with wolves.  Upon leaving his home to set out on his adventures, his Wolfbrother talents, latent until that point, begin to emerge and develop.  In addition to his connection with wolves, his senses also begin to sharpen (particularly his sight and sense of smell) and his eyes turn yellow.  He is also able to walk in Tel'aran'rhiod, the world of dreams, through which wolves and some select others movie freely. 

Upon discovering these new skills and abilities (and they don't all come at once, with some developing more slowly than others, of course), Perrin, naturally, freaks the heck out.  He is afraid that these abilities come from a source of evil, or that they will at least be perceived that way by others.  This is such a rare talent that even the wolves only faintly remember it in their genetic memory.  Very few scholars and historians have heard of it, let alone the common folk Perrin encounters on a daily basis.  Then, he runs into a man named Elyas who, as it turns out, is also a Wolfbrother.  He is able to seek some guidance from Elyas, and his fears are somewhat abated.  He befriends one wolf in particular, Hopper, who practically bends over backward to welcome Perrin into the fold and teach him the ways of the wolves.

Perrin started out as one of the more well-balanced characters in the series, and was an early fan favorite.  His status as a Wolfbrother gave him great potential, and throughout much of the second book in the series his developing skills are crucial to the story.  He is, at this point, still trying to come to terms with what it is that he has become, however.  Some early experiences with the wolves have given him cause to fear that he may misuse his abilities if he relies on them too heavily.  So we've got a fairly likable character with pretty great potential.  He's been given what he considers a huge flaw in his character, and is working out how to deal and live with these changes.  His abilities really aren't a flaw in and of themselves, I think most readers would agree on this.  They are actually pretty freaking cool in my opinion.  But the way Perrin deals with them is what turns out to be his largest character flaw.  Mostly because, well, he doesn't.

After the second book, things go downhill pretty quickly for Perrin.  In the third book Perrin meets two people who alter his story arc in such a way that it quickly became the bits everyone stopped caring about and just skipped over upon follow-up readings.  He meets a woman (more of a girl, really), named Faile, who, for almost every inch of page she appears on, is excruciatingly annoying.  She gloms on to Perrin's party during a quest and refuses to go away.  Even Perrin can't stand her at first, but then, for no demonstrable reason, he ends up falling in love with (and eventually marrying) her.  This is not your typical "they hate each other but there's a spark and eventually they find out all they have in common" relationship.  No, Jordan truly shows the readers nothing to explain how Perrin suddenly and irrevocably falls in love with Faile, he just does.  That's a long enough standing gripe though that I don't want to get into it here.  The point is that the presence of Faile in Perrin's life and story arc gives him yet another flaw, and this is a huge one.  She makes his brain completely fall out of his head.  I don't mean he gets all lovesick and mopey around her (though he does), but he seriously just stops thinking whenever she's around or if a situation has to do with her.  Also, she has some insane cultural notions about how men and women should relate to each other, and he neither asks her flat out to lay out the rules for her or finds someone who has some sort of experience with Saldeans to just freaking ask.  So they fight.  All.  The.  Time.  It is painful.

Shortly after meeting Faile he also meets another young man who is a Wolfbrother (they're getting close to the end of days, so these things are popping up with more frequency than is usual).  Unfortunately, this man has completely given into the wolfish side of his nature and gone utterly feral.  Perrin then spends the next nine books worrying and fearing that the same thing would happen to him and then tries to run away from who he is.  Nine books.  Big, fat ones, with lots of words.  It isn't until the most recent book that he finally comes to grips with both his relationship with his wife (mostly), and his status as a Wolfbrother.  He finally stops running and accepts who he has become, and in the process, actually learns that he was being an idiot all along.  Huzzah!  Thankfully Jordan and Sanderson managed to give Perrin redemption in the most awesome scene of awesomeness ever, but I think almost every WoT fan would agree that it took too dang long to get there.

The point here is that Jordan had a really nice potential set up with this character and then, I can only assume perceiving he was too likable, proceeded to heap flaw upon flaw upon flaw on the character, without taking the time to actually resolve any of them and move on before it was almost too late.  He just let those flaws ride throughout most of the series, turning a really cool character into an utterly uninteresting one, which is a shame, considering that Perrin is actually one of the three primary main characters in the whole dang series.

Hint to television producers and writers:  This is actually the same affliction that causes many serialized shows to go down the crapper for audiences.  You can't just let a character's flaws ride out without having the other characters at least point out that so-and-so is being a douche.  Preferably this would then lead to some sort of confrontation and character growth or regression, breaking up the status quo.  The status quo really isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Though, I must note that in Jordan's case, the sheer volume of characters he has introduced in this series probably means that he just didn't have the time to get around to Perrin's resolution until much later in the series.  Still.  Bad form, that.

So there you have my example of character flaws allowed to go wrong.  Let's look at one that's handled a little better, shall we?

One of the first fantasy series I picked up on my own was Melanie Rawn's Dragon Prince/Dragon Star series (it is technically two trilogies, but they follow one right after the other for a six book arc).  Rawn gave us the character of Alasen, a young woman who has the ability to become a Sunrunner, which is the primary type of magic user in the series.  Usually, people with this ability are sent to Goddess Keep to be trained at a fairly young age (normally in their early teens), but because Alasen is nobility, she was never sent to be trained to access her powers.  Turns out, that's perfectly fine with her because she is absolutely terrified of those powers.  But then she meets a young Sunrunner, Andry, who is poised to take over as the next Lord of Goddess Keep (the head honcho).  The two hit it off quite well and it is clearly young love.  Andry, who loves his powers, wants to share them with Alasen, and attempts to get her to see what she's been missing.  His attempt is rather ham-handed and not only does Alasen basically run screaming into the night, she flat out refuses to pursue a further relationship with Andry because she has lost all trust in him.

This is a kind of trope that usually annoys me, I have to admit.  I can get being cautious of what you can do and respecting your powers, but hiding from what you are?  Refusing to learn more about them, about your self?  I don't get it, and I very definitely consider it a character flaw.  Too often writers will relish in this kind of character self-denial, and unless there's a very compelling reason for it, it is extremely difficult to pull off without just ending up becoming incredibly tedious.

Alasen ends up marrying the man that she perceives as having saved her from Andry, an older gentleman named Ostvel.  It is quite clear that her marriage to Ostvel is a knee-jerk reaction to get her away from any chance of being with Andry in the future, and at first, it is unclear what connection, other than an appreciation for his help, Alasen really has with Ostvel.  But.  Over the course of the next three books (all of this happens toward the end of the third), we not only see Alasen and Ostvel's relationship grow into something very real and solid and true, we also watch Alasen come to term with who and what she is.  Even if she doesn't want to use her Sunrunner abilities, they are still there, and a time comes when she can no longer afford to ignore them, because events play out that require everyone to give everything they've got.

Interestingly enough, Andry is also changed by this encounter.  He never really gets over Alasen, taking multiple lovers along the way but never committing to them.  Alasen's rejection of him, and subsequent acceptance of Ostvel, sets him on a downward spiral that has dire effects on the rest of the world.  When he gains control of the Sunrunners, he makes sweeping changes to policy that sets them apart and, in his mind, somewhat above the rest of the people.  He also, despite strong family ties, becomes very reluctant to cooperate with the leaders of the various Princedoms, even when a larger enemy emerges that requires a unified front if there is to be any chance of survival.  So even though Alasen eventually confronts her fears and grows from her flaws, these very flaws set in motion a series of actions on the part of others that have very far-reaching consequences.  That is a pretty darn good example of how to use a character's flaw within a story, I would say.

So, to sum up, characters are extremely important in a work of fiction.  It is a widely held belief by writers (and readers) that a well-crafted character comes complete with flaws that can be exploited to further the story.  While I agree with that, I think it is extremely important to remember that the flaws alone are not enough.  The character's flaws must serve a function in the development of the character.  It is in this manner that they should influence the plot, the plot should not be centered around the flaws themselves.  Just because I think I know what needs to be done here, I don't pretend I've actually figured out how to do it yet.  It's a tricky thing to get right, and even the best of authors sometimes fall down on the job. 

But that's what practice is for.

Amendment

So yesterday I read a a really interesting article about fan fiction, from the perspective of someone who writes it, and has written it for quite some time.  It was up on Pink Raygun (which is a fabulous site for fans of genre) and looks to be the beginning entry in a series on the topic.  After reading the first article I am definitely looking forward to more.   This is partly due to the fact that it was well written and about a topic that I have some personal experience with.  But my anticipation is largely due to the fact that this article once more got me thinking something I have been thinking for quite some time.

I need to start writing fan fiction again.

Some of you might be nodding your heads in understanding with this, others might be wondering if I have completely lost my marbles.  Fan fiction, in my experience, is something that people either understand or don't.  Most of the people in my life don't get it.  I am at peace with that.  As far as I know, nobody I love enough to really care about their opinion on the matter has judged me for my involvement in the activity.  My husband, in fact, has always been quite supportive of my writing fan fiction.  He has had some minimal exposure to fan fiction in the past, but mostly, he understands the two things that are most important to me about it:  It is an incredible way to practice and improve upon my writing, while sharing it with a group of peers who will give me feedback; and it is a way to delve deeper into a community of people who love something that I also love, as deeply (or more so) as I do.

My drug of choice was Stargate Atlantis.  It was my gateway into fan fiction and I never really strayed far from the fold.  That is, honestly, the only fandom I have ever been so involved with that I wanted to write more stories for it, and read what other people had to say as well.  It was a way of getting more SGA during the breaks between seasons, or, increasingly, the ridiculously long hiatus between season halves.  Sure, I have toyed with writing a few crossover stories involving the characters from Buffy or Bones (I love crossovers), but they would have been set largely in Atlantis.

Once I stumbled across the SGA fan fiction, I was, quite simply, hooked.  Finding the archive site Wraithbait was a revelation of sorts for me.  You see, hardly anyone I know watched SGA.  My husband, if home, would watch the occasional episode with me (and we are currently watching the whole series together), but he isn't that big at sitting down and watching serialized television, so I couldn't have the kind of in-depth speculative conversations with him about the series that I wanted to have (though he is kind and patient enough to have listened to me ramble on about the topic ad nauseam on more than one occasion, to be sure).  Fan fiction gave me that outlet, though, and I will always love it for that.

I'll admit, when I say I was hooked, I mean, I was spending hours a day poring over every new story added to the site, and would get antsy whenever there wasn't anything new to read available.  Then a series of stuff happened that caused me to get so far behind that there was no way to get caught up again, especially when some other stuff happened that cut significantly into my reading time.  So it has been a few years since I have spent much time on Wraithbait, or since I have written my own story.  I have a few started stories or story ideas hanging out in my writing folder though, and I think the time has finally come to get back to them.

I don't know that I will ever get back into fan fiction with the same fervor of that original experience.  That's probably okay.  But I have realized that I do miss that community, and I would like to go back, even if it is only for a brief visit once or twice a year.

One of my goals for this brand new year is to work on my writing, and today I would like to make an amendment to it.  I would like to dust off and finish one or two of those fan fiction stories that are waiting oh so patiently on my hard drive.  I may or may not upload them to Wraithbait.  I definitely think that my November novel may be a fan fiction story this year, if one of my ideas seems like it might lend itself to the length (you'd be amazed at some of the novel-length fan fiction stories I have come across over the years).  It seems like a perfect fit, to me.  I will be able to dive right into the characters and setting without the need to worry about world-building and without getting too bogged down in descriptive text.  This will leave my non-November writing time free to focus on the world-building, character development, research, and story plotting that I would like to devote to my original story.  The more I think about it, the more I like this idea.

I love this feeling, when my brain is all afire with new inspiration and ideas are just racing around like particles in the LHC.  This year I will not fear the blank page.  I will instead look upon it as the on-ramp to the highway that will lead me directly to becoming the writer I want to be.