Yearly Archives: 2012

News

God’s War and Infidel by Kameron Hurley, now free (for a limited time)

By Aidan Moher November 2nd, 2012

God's War by Kameron HurleyYou like free things, right? And you like good, critically-lauded novels? Of course you do.

Thanks to Night Shade Books, you can pick up eBook versions of the first two novels by Kameron Hurley (remember her? She wrote this awesome blog post), God’s War and Infidel. How do you get ’em? It’s easy, just send an email to the following address:

[email protected]

It’s that easy. And, you know, you’re just not going to find a better deal than that this week. So, hop on it. Conveniently, this promotion comes just in time for the release of Rapture, the third and final volume in the Bel Dame Apocrypha

If you’re curious about why you should be excited by Hurley’s series, check out Justin Landon’s recent review of God’s War, and keep an eye on A Dribble of Ink for upcoming reviews of both Infidel and Rapture.

Art

Cover Art for The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

By Aidan Moher November 2nd, 2012
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane is one of my most anticipated novels coming in 2013, and I expect I’m not the only one who feels this way. I love the cover. Whimsical, and evocative, it says just enough about what I might expect to find between the pages. Good stuff. I posted a synopsis for the book a few weeks ago, if you’re curious.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane is scheduled for release on June 18th 2013.

News

Disney buys Lucasfilm, announces Star Wars: Episode 7

By Aidan Moher October 30th, 2012
Star Wars, art by RadoJavor

Art by RadoJavor

So, Disney bought Lucasfilm today, for $4bn. Crazy, right? And then there’s the announcement, midway through the press release: a seventh Star Wars film, with a working title of Episode 7, presumably taking place after the close of Return of the Jedi.

Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.

Uh, wow.

The full press release can be read on The Walt Disney Company’s press site.

Videogames

Dragon Quest VII coming to Nintendo 3DS

By Aidan Moher October 30th, 2012
Dragon Quest VII coming to Nintendo 3DS

Art by Akira Toriyama

Dragon Quest VII coming to Nintendo 3DS

Click for Bigger

The best news last week was that a 65 year-old Arnold Schwarzenegger is reprising his role as Conan the Barbarian in an upcoming film. The best news this week? Dragon Quest VII, a much debated and eternally long volume in the much-loved RPG series, will be coming to Nintendo 3DS early next year. In Japan.

Even the synopsis, taken from the original Playstation release, is charming:

You play the role of a 16 year old boy who lives in the village of Fishbell and aspires to be a great fisherman, like your father Borkano. Once The Hero and his friends Keifer and Maribell start exploring Estard Island, they discover that there used to be more to the world than just their small piece of land. The trio will have to collect ancient tablet shards and use them to revive the lost continents, uncover why they were lost, and who erased them to begin with.

This immediately leaps to the top of my list of most anticipated games. Based on the above scan, the release appears to be a full-on remake, much needed for one of the ugliest (if charming) games of all time. Though this has only been announced for a Japanese release, the previous Nintendo DS remakes of Dragon Quest‘s 4-5 were well received in North America and sold respectably, suggesting that an announcement of an overseas release is likely an inevitability. At least, that’s what I like to tell myself.

News

He’s Back. Arnold Schwarzenegger returning to theatres as Conan the Barbarian

By Aidan Moher October 25th, 2012
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Conan The Barbarian

Best news of the day? It comes from Deadline:

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has made a deal for The Legend Of Conan, an action film that will star Arnold Schwarzenegger in one of his signature roles, as Robert E. Howard’s mythic barbarian. The deal brings Conan and Schwarzenegger back with Universal, which released the first film that launched Schwarzenegger’s movie career back in 1982. Universal has world rights on the film.

The film will be produced by Fredrik Malmberg and Chris Morgan. Malmberg is CEO of Paradox Entertainment, which holds the rights to Conan. Morgan is the Universal-based writer and producer whose credits include the last four Fast and the Furious films, along with Wanted and 47 Ronin. Morgan has hatched the story and might write the script. The caveat is that the studio wants The Legend of Conan for summer 2014, and Morgan might not be finished writing the seventh Fast and Furious installment by then. If that happens he will be a very active producer, because this is Morgan’s dream project.

Arnie may be a senior citizen now (seriously, he’s 65 years old), but this is just music to my ears. Can’t wait to see how this turns out. Also, please excuse my pun-tastic title. I couldn’t resist.