10 reasons why Transformers: the Movie is PURE AWESOME

Firstly, I'm not talking about the embarrassingly dire recent films; I've already berated them enough. No, I'm talking about the 1986 animated movie. The real deal. The proper shit. Transformers as they are meant to be, as all kids of the eighties will tell you (speaking of the eighties, it may have been the decade that fashion forgot...but by God they had some amazing cartoons back then).

If you've never seen the animated movie, then repent at once for this unacceptable gap in your genre education. You can start by watching the trailer.

This film is one of my all time favourites, and I'm going to give you 10 reasons as to why this is. And don't worry, there's no major spoilers.

So, let's do this.

The film starts with a planet being eaten

Yes, you read that right. In the opening scenes, the planet of Lithone is devoured by Unicron, a robotic monster planet. Now come on, how cool is that? How many other films open with a planet being eaten?

As openings go, it's brutal and utterly enthralling. It's almost a little mocking as well, as if the film is saying "You all thought this movie was about silly little toys, didn't you? Wrong, bitches. Wrong." Yet the best moment is after Unicron has finished his breakfast, and he continues on his way through the depths of space, all aglow. It's just eerie - the empty sense of desolation is so unnerving.

Optimus Prime and Megatron have the duel to end all duels 

Optimus Prime and Megatron spent most of the original TV series attempting to thwart each other's plans, and occasionally they had a bit of a one-on-one scuffle. Yet in the animated movie, they have an epic smack-down that makes their previous encounters look like a bit of polite slapping.

The duel is prefaced by the classic verbal exchange between the two leaders, one of the most quoted parts of the film amongst fans:

Optimus Prime: "One shall stand, one shall fall."
Megatron: "Why throw away your life so recklessly?"
OP: "That's a question you should ask yourself, Megatron."
M: "No! I'll crush you with my bare hands!"

What follows is a gripping duel, during which Prime and Megatron kick seven shades of shit out of each other. It's got everything: drama, treachery, stupidity - the lot. I wish I'd got to watch this film upon its release in the cinema; it would have been a joy to behold a couple of hundred kids squealing as their hero duked it out with his arch nemesis on the big screen. Brilliant. And even better, the duel isn't just there to cause a bit of excitement: the outcome is crucial to the development of the story.

Transformers die during the movie

One of the main ways in which the animated film differs from the original cartoon series is that transformers actually die in the film. In the cartoon series, this just didn't happen. There were plenty of fights, sure, and sometimes transformers would get hurt. But they didn't die. If they took a laser blast, they just fell over with no discernible signs of damage.

Not so in the movie. In the movie, transformers that get hit by a laser blast display the appropriate symptoms: their smashed frames collapse with smoke pumping from their wounds. This is demonstrated early on in the film, in a memorable sequence when the Decepticons attack an Autobot shuttle in space. The resulting battle, when compared to those in the TV series, is positively graphic. Put it this way: no one ever took a bazooka-blast to the face from close range in the cartoon. This is hardcore, dude. Hardcore.

Optimus Prime kicks heroic amounts of ass

Let's face it: many of us boys have pretended to be the heroic Optimus Prime at some stage in our lives. And with good reason: he's the ultimate role model. He's a natural leader, displaying courage and compassion. He oozes charisma. And he transforms into a frickin' HUGE TRUCK.

As if all that wasn't enough, Prime kicks some serious ass in the animated movie. Leading by example, he turns the tide against the marauding decepticons by embarking on a one-robot rampage, in which he takes down at least seven decepticons single-handedly (it's almost certain he downs a few more off-screen). Backed by an inspired choice of soundtrack (more on that later), this is easily one of the best moments in the movie. The entire sequence, including the above-mentioned duel with Megatron, can be viewed here (seriously though, do yourself a favour and watch the entire film instead).

Kicking ass never looked so heroic. Even now, this sequence sends a tingle down my spine.

It has an awesome rock 'n roll soundtrack

The signature tracks of which were supplied by Stan Bush, whose mullet haircut was perhaps even more famous than he was.

Seriously though, it's a great, catchy soundtrack that complements the film perfectly. Perhaps the best example is the musical accompaniment to the aforementioned rampage by Optimus Prime - "You've got the touch...you've got the POWER!" Hell, yeah. Check the amusingly cheesy music video for The Touch. The other notable track, Dare, can be found here with a mishmash of footage from the movie. Great stuff.

The script has some great dialogue

I've already mentioned the classic "one shall stand" exchange between Prime and Megatron, but there's plenty of other memorable lines from the film. Here's some of my favourites:

Unicron: I have summoned you here for a purpose.
Megatron : Nobody summons Megatron!
Unicron: Then it pleases me to be the first.

Hot Rod: They're closing on us!
Kup: Yep, like the Shrikebats of Dromedon.
Hot Rod: How'd you beat them?
Kup: I'm trying to remember. There were an awful lot of casualties that day.

Unicron: For a time, I considered sparing your wretched little planet, Cybertron. But now, you shall witness... its dismemberment.

Kup: Reminds me of the Nitith slave mines on Galganas 7.
Hot Rod: Every place reminds you of some place else.
Kup: Experience, lad. You should learn to appreciate it.
Hot Rod: A lot of good it's done us so far.

Unicron: Your bargaining posture is highly dubious; but very well. I will provide you with a new body, and new troops to command.
Megatron: And?
Unicron: And nothing. You belong to me, now.
Megatron: I belong to nobody!
Unicron: Perhaps I misjudged you. Proceed - on your way to oblivion.

Kup: Yep, I remember the dust was so thick on Beta 4, you had to use windshield wipers on your optic sensors.
Grimlock: Me Grimlock know all about wipers! Want to hear good part of story!
Swoop: Good part, Kup! Tell Swoop good part!
Kup: Ok, ok. Well, the dust was really thick, and this gigantic icthyac came tromping down the mountain, flames spewing out of its nostrils, and I thought for sure...
Hot Rod: Hey, Kup, don't you think we have better things to do now than tell old stories?
Kup: Like what?
Hot Rod: Like maybe figure out how we're gonna rescue our friends and then save Cybertron.
Grimlock: No! Tell story!

Endlessly quotable.

It has a giant squid in it

As if having a moon-munching planet wasn't cool enough, they managed to squeeze a giant squid into the mix as well. Not only that, but the beast tears a certain character apart. Awesome.

The script makes full use of the extensive Transformers universe

One of my biggest gripes with the recent live-action films is that they barely scratch the surface of the Transformers milieu. While I can understand that there are limitations, I still think they could have made far better use of the exhaustive amount of background material.

The animated movie certainly does. In the space of a couple of hours, the action takes place in a variety of locations: Cybertron's moons, Earth, space, Quintessa, Junk, and even inside Unicron. We see a number of exotic characters from the transformers universe, including the Quintessons, Junkions, and the Lithonians. And then there's Unicron, of course. The result is a far more immersive experience; you really feel like you're delving deep into the transformers mythology and history, rather than just watching dumb robots kick each other's asses (as you do in the recent films).

The voice-acting is superb

There's some serious talent on display here. Peter Cullen is wonderfully authoritative as Optimus Prime, while Frank Welker is utterly menacing as Megatron - as is Leonard Nimoy who voices Galvatron.

Best of the bunch though, is Orson Welles's portrayal of Unicron: the sense of doom he managed to get across in his limited amount of dialogue is simply wonderful. Welles was amusingly dismissive of the film when asked about it - "I play a planet in a film in which toys do horrible things to each other" - so it's a shame he never got to see the huge cult following the film eventually attracted. He died before the film was released; apparently his voice was so weak when he recorded his lines that the technicians had to beef the sound up.

It's a classic tale of good versus evil

Which is the best kind of story for young kids. It's inspiring to see the autobots taking a beating and yet still rising to the challenge.

There's plenty of underlying themes extolling the virtues of courage and loyalty, but the most prevalent is the theme of redemption: one character in particular has a very satisfying development arc, and their personal journey has wonderful redemptive qualities. It's not just a dumb load of violence; there's a real message here.

So, there you have it: ten reasons why Transformers the movie is awesome. Ten reasons why you should check it out.

For those of you about to watch it for the first time...I envy you.

A conversation with Alden Bell

The Reapers are the Angels is one of the best books I've read this year (review), and soon you'll be able to see why, as it's released in the UK next month. For those of you in the US, it's already out, so go go go! Wonderful book. I've seen one or two reviewers call it a generic zombie novel, but I have to completely disagree. But whatever, it's excellent. Check it out.

Anyway, author Alden Bell - pen name of Joshua Gaylord - is a newcomer to the genre, and by way of welcome fellow Tor author Mark Charan Newton has conducted a substantial online chat with him:

Mark: You get no sympathies from me living in Orange County, dude. But that’s an interesting disconnection between yourself and the American Dream. Whereas so many of the Great American Novels that I’ve read almost celebrate the iconic, Reapers almost came across as if you were writing the anti-American Novel – a literal and assiduous destruction of its landscape and humanity. Noting the psychology there, was that a conscious decision? Or does it come down to the simple fact that you just dig zombies?

Alden: Okay – I’m gonna to have to go all English teacher on you. There’s a great passage at the end of Gatsby where the narrator imagines the first settlers coming to the New World and finding themselves “face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to [their] capacity for wonder.” What he’s talking about, I think, is the dangerous diminishment of the American Dream. It used to be about building societies up from scratch, recreating your identity out of nothing, inventing whole new worlds. Now that those new worlds are built, the only things left to strive for are vacations to Aruba and memberships to the right country clubs. Fitzgerald knew it: we still have the instinct to dream but not much left to dream for – which creates a dangerous disconnect. So the apocalypse in Reapers does destroy America, but it also resets it to its original promise. It becomes, once again, a landscape where you can build things from scratch. So it’s anti- and pro-American Dream at the same time. And the zombies? To me, they’re like cilantro – if I can figure out a way to add them into the mix, I’ll do it.

It's a really interesting conversation, with a refreshingly natural feel, so do check it out.

And the winner of the awesome-tastic giveaway...

...will be revealed in just a moment.

First, I just wanted to thank you all for the amazing response to the giveaway - I received over 150 entries, which makes it by far the most popular giveaway I've ever run (not that I've done many of 'em, but seeing the wonderful response to this one, I may run them more regularly). It really was a global event, with entries received from all over the world. And thanks for all the kind words about the blog; they were much appreciated. Even if you were only saying them to get free books.

I jest of course ;)

As much as I'd like to give a book to everyone that entered, there can only be one winner.

And that winner - picked by a totally random number generator - is the 21st entry from...

Charlie Trainum

Congratulations sir, you are now the proud owner of a pile of awesome books. Commiserations to the rest of you, but don't worry - you'll probably have another chance soon.

The book beast has been cowed, but it'll be back - and then I'll need your help again...

Excerpts from Locus magazine's interview with N. K. Jemisin

N. K. Jemisin's debut novel The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms has been well-received, and Locus magazine have conducted an interview with the author herself, extracts of which can be found on the Locus website.

“The way we write traditional epic fantasy now is making the whole genre look bad. I’ve heard so many people who read my book say, ‘I stopped reading epic fantasy years ago, but I liked this. It doesn’t feel like those epic fantasies.’ I think what they’re saying is that the genre has become so formulaic that it’s almost stagnant. I’m tired of fantasy medieval Europes in general, but what really bugs me are bad medieval Europes. … There’s no reason for medieval Europe-based fantasies to be as boring as they are. It’s time to shake things up.”

Refreshing to hear such views, especially from a newcomer to the genre (many debut authors seem reluctant to rock the boat too much, which admittedly is understandable). It's important that authors speak up about issues like this, rather than just leaving it to the fans to debate.

Marco praised, Stanek slapped (again)

Just thought I'd draw your attention to a couple of articles by some of my fellow bloggers.

Firstly, just a quick reminder that the EPIC GIVEAWAY will be closing tonight at midnight, GMT. So this is your last chance to enter if you haven't already.

Now, links.

John Marco is an author I greatly admire, and whose name deserves to be mentioned a lot more than it is (as I've said before, his Tyrants and Kings trilogy is excellent). Subsequently I was pleased to stumble across this article, which basically echoes my own thoughts:

"I was first introduced to John Marco a number of years ago by a good friend of mine through the first book in his Tyrants and Kings Trilogy, The Jackal of Nar. After that I was hooked. To this day, years later, I can vividly see the cathedral of Nar being frescoed, hear the din of each battle, but most of all I can still feel every bit of pathos written into his books.


And that’s what draws me back to John Marco; his characters are so real you can practically reach out and touch them. They could be any one of us and their struggles are monumental. Marco takes you to highs and brings you down low with a manageable amount of characters with whom you grow unbelievably attached. Their motivations are understandable and their suffering can be heart-wrenching at times, not to mention their exhilarating triumphs."

Couldn't agree more.

Moving on, I was tweeting recently about how I was feeling an alarming urge to test my book-blogger mettle by reading and reviewing Terry Goodkind's craptacular Wizard's First Rule. Larry, however, has taken on one of the most hardcore reading challenges to be found in the genre: he's read and reviewed Robert Stanek's infamous Keeper Martin's Tale (a self-published book so bad that one unfortunate reader - in one of the best-titled forums threads I've ever seen - said after reading it, and I quote, "Robert Stanek shat directly into my soul."

Unsurprisingly, Larry rips the book a new one:

"By cynically manipulating the social media (knowing perhaps all along that his ham-fisted attempts at self-promotion would backfire), he has created a reading dissonance that allows the most cynical and distrusting readers to get a sort of schadenfreude joy out of beholding almost pure, unadulterated crap. If this is actually the case and that Stanek is not actually serious about believing that this story is worth reading as a straight-up text, then perhaps Stanek did succeed brilliantly in creating a work that perhaps could serve as an early 21st century spiritual successor to Jim Theis' Eye of Argon. However, it is much more likely that he is just self-delusional about his talents as a writer and that this work is just shit on a level that makes elephant turds shrink to a scale of that of squirrel turds."

No doubt Larry will soon receive an email from a hotmail address, pertaining to be from a NYC lawyer and demanding the immediate removal of the review.

I was right about the artwork for 'The Heroes'...

It does look better with blood.

Here's a reminder of the earlier artwork:

At the time, I said, "it does seem a little bare compared to its predecessor (I always liked the coins and blood on the BSC cover; lovely little detail)."

OMG NOW LOOK:

See? How much cooler does it look with a bit of blood splashed across it? By the way, this updated artwork comes courtesy of the Mad Hatter's Bookshelf (who magically always seems to be the first to unearth new artwork).

While we're at it, here's the recent blurb:

They say Black Dow's killed more men than winter, and clawed his way to the throne of the North up a hill of skulls. The King of the Union, ever a jealous neighbour, is not about to stand smiling by while he claws his way any higher. The orders have been given and the armies are toiling through the northern mud. Thousands of men are converging on a forgotten ring of stones, on a worthless hill, in an unimportant valley, and they've brought a lot of sharpened metal with them.

Bremer dan Gorst, disgraced master swordsman, has sworn to reclaim his stolen honour on the battlefield. Obsessed with redemption and addicted to violence, he's far past caring how much blood gets spilled in the attempt. Even if it's his own.

Prince Calder isn't interested in honour, and still less in getting himself killed. All he wants is power, and he'll tell any lie, use any trick, and betray any friend to get it. Just as long as he doesn't have to fight for it himself.

Curnden Craw, the last honest man in the North, has gained nothing from a life of warfare but swollen knees and frayed nerves. He hardly even cares who wins any more, he just wants to do the right thing. But can he even tell what that is with the world burning down around him?

Over three bloody days of battle, the fate of the North will be decided. But with both sides riddled by intrigues, follies, feuds and petty jealousies, it is unlikely to be the noblest hearts, or even the strongest arms that prevail.

Three men. One battle. No Heroes.

Sounds pretty cool - the northern sequences in The First Law trilogy were easily my favourites, so I'm hopeful of liking The Heroes a lot more than I liked Best Served Cold.

In case you've not seen it, there's a generous sneak preview available on the Gollancz blog.

The Heroes is slated for release on 20 January 2011.

'The Warlock of Firetop Mountain' for iPhone

I've blogged before about how Fighting Fantasy had a huge impact on me when I was younger, and have also highlighted a few of my favourite titles. Given that I own every single gamebook in the series, not to mention the three spin-off novels, the Sorcery sub-series, and a few of the source material books, it's fair to say I'm a bit of an FF geek.

I was therefore pretty excited to find an iPhone app in the Apple store for the first book in the series - The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. I was a tad skeptical at first, suspecting it might be a cheap, rushed adaptation of the original book.

I needn't have worried.

Put simply, this app is a hardcore fan's dream. It's essentially the gamebook in digital form, but with various little touches and flourishes that make the purchase worthwhile.

All of the interior illustrations are included, though for the first time they're in colour - a really nice touch that helps to build the atmosphere (I don't mind admitting that I squealed like a pig when I saw this). Dice rolls can be done automatically or with a simple shake of your iPhone, and naturally the app adds up all the scores during battles and keeps track of attribute scores. The adventure sheet is presented well, and picking up/dropping equipment is easy. There's some nice little musical effects as well, such as a triumphant trumpet ditty when you win a battle. Perhaps this all sounds a little gimmicky, and maybe it is...but it works extremely well, and it's a heck of a lot of fun.

Of course, it's not quite the same as playing the original gamebooks - there was something intrinsically enjoyable about rolling dice and pencilling in your attribute scores. Yet this is Fighting Fantasy for the 21st century, and let's face it: being able to adventure through the depths of Firetop Mountain while you're sitting on the bus is pretty damn cool. And I never could find any damned dice when I needed them...

As well as The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, there's also an app for Deathtrap Dungeon. Hopefully there'll be more; many of my favourite gamebooks came much later in the series, and it would be great to see them in digital form.

And for those of you that have never experienced the fun of pen and pencil dungeoneering, then what are you waiting for? Here's your chance (and you don't even need a pencil!).

European adventures - Spain

I got back on Saturday from two very enjoyable weeks in Spain; a jaunt that took in Barcelona, Seville, Madrid and Valencia (the sharp-eyed amongst you may have noticed that's not the Spanish flag to the left, but the Valencian one instead - most suitable photo I had!). The Spaniards are very proud of their regional identities.

My sole visit to Spain prior to this trip had been a very brief visit to Seville over a decade ago, so when it came to planning a summer holiday this year I figured it was high time I spent some time exploring Spain.

I won't bore you with all the details; it will suffice to say that I had a great time in this wonderful country. The weather was amazing, the people were warm and friendly, and the tapas was sublime. The cities themselves were wonderful as well; I saw some terrific sights over the two weeks.

I thought I'd share a few of my photos with you all.

First up, Barcelona - an intoxicating city that is both vibrant and elegant. I loved the twisting old medieval quarter.

Orange trees in a hidden courtyard, deep in Barcelona's medieval quarter

The impressive centre-piece of Barcelona's lovely park

My favourite plaza, can't remember the name but a great place to go for tapas

An archway in the winding, medieval quarter

The lush, cloistered courtyard of the cathedral

View from the cathedral roof

Barcelona's impressive triumphal arch

Next up, Seville. Beautiful place, though the heat was brutal while I was there - most days it was hitting 40 degrees. Some wonderful sights though - the old medieval streets are fantastic, as is the cathedral and the royal palace. Definitely worth a visit. 

A section of the old wall inside Real Alcazar, the royal palace in Seville

Interior courtyard at Real Alcazar - note the gorgeous Moorish arches

Some of the scenic palace gardens

The stunning main tower on Seville cathedral...

...and the equally stunning main entrance

The grand tomb of Christopher Colombus, though only a small part of his remains are stored inside

The view from the top of the cathedral

Part of the ancient city walls

The imposing Torre del Oro (Tower of Gold), built to protect the river entrance. A similar tower once stood on the river's other side, and a huge chain would be raised between them to prevent entry upstream - remind anyone of an event from GRRM's A Clash of Kings? The tower's name is thought to derive from the hoards of gold that were brought back from the Americas and stored here, though the tower has served many purposes over the years...

Next up, Madrid. I liked the city's buzz and verve, though did feel it lacks the historical charm and interest of the likes of Seville and Valencia, and it's not quite as picturesque as Barcelona - hence only two photos here (though of course I took more). But it's still a fun place to visit. 

Madrid's famous Gran Via

The equally famous statue of Cybele, Phrygian goddess of fertility

And finally Valencia, which turned out to be my favourite of the four cities I visited. I almost crossed it off my itinerary as I didn't think I could fit it in, but I'm so glad I made it there - it's a wonderful city, with a gorgeous old centre and tons of history. 

The old centre, with the cathedral on the left. Wonderful place at all times of the day, but especially at night.

Another view of the cathedral

The cathedral's marvellous entrance

A wonderfully-preserved medieval fortification that once guarded an entrance into the city; only two remain (the other has taken a bit of a battering), though I think there were 12 at one time. I climbed right to the top, taking care to avoid the murder holes that were covered with dubious-looking plastic...

Detail from the above fortification's interior

The stunning entrance hall to La Llonja, the medieval silk exchange

The impressive, futuristic 'City of Arts and Sciences', which includes a large aquarium. Naturally I spent plenty of time gawping at the sharks.

No, that's not my bag. This little chap is Paul - he's a cuddly toy version of the psychic octopus that predicted Spain would win the football world cup. Now a national hero, there are cuddly versions of Paul everywhere. I picked my Paul up in Madrid. He's a cheeky little fellow, as you can see. He'll also offer psychic predictions...

...but only if you bribe him first with ice cream.

So anyway, that was the whistle-stop tour of my trip around Spain. I've not even been back 48 hours, yet am already thinking about my next trip...

Assorted cover art

First up, a lovely new cover for the Sub Press version of Mieville's Kraken (thanks to Aidan for this one - CHEERS MOHER).

Pretty cool, but I still like the purple-tastic UK cover the most. 

Up next, the UK cover for Ari Marmell's The Conqueror's Shadow:

And here's the US artwork for Stephen Deas's The King of the Crags:

And lastly, the US cover for Robert Redick's The River of Shadows:

Quite like that last one, it's a little bit different.

Quick update from Spain...

Firstly, the response to the giveaway has been wonderful; over 100 entries so far. Thanks a lot for the interest and keep the emails coming! I forgot to say in the original post when the deadline is, so let's say midnight on 18 August 2010. Given the great response to this giveaway, I may well make them a more regular feature...

As for Spain, I've had a very enjoyable time so far. Currently in the gorgeous city of Valencia, having already visited Barcelona, Madrid and Seville. Needless to say, I'll bore you all with some photos when I get back...

Quick shout-out to Adam Nevill, whose excellent book Apartment 16 has apparently done very well so far - great to hear.

Right, that's enough for now.

Catch you all soon.

So...who wants free books?

Thought you might.

Well as it happens, my to-read pile has grown to monstrous proportions. It's taken over my living room. What started as an innocent pile of books on my coffee table has mutated into something altogether more terrifying. Now the books have spread from my table. They're on my couch as well. Some have even made it as far as my bedroom. THEY WATCH ME WHILE I SLEEP. Soon they will consume me.

But there is hope - I've noticed a weakness in the beast's genetic make-up: some of the books are the same. If I can extract the doubles, the creature will be weakened and I might be able to fight back against the horde of unread books.

But I need your help. I need someone to take the following books off my hands:

Wolfsangel by M. D. Lachlan (ARC)

The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi (ARC)

The Thief-Taker's Apprentice by Stephen Deas (ARC)

Dog Blood by David Moody (MMPB)

The Japanese Devil Fish Girl by Robert Rankin (ARC)

How's that sound - anyone willing to give me a chance at survival? NO?! WTF. Alright, you ungrateful lot...how about I throw in one more?

The Dervish House by Ian McDonald (ARC)

That better? Thought so. Right, all you need to do to be in with a chance of me dumping these books on you winning these books (and let's be honest, what an awesome haul it is) is send an email to the usual address (see sidebar), with the title as "OMG BEST GIVEAWAY EVAR" or something like that. No need to give me your address; I'll contact the winner and request those details later. Needless to say, the winner will be picked at random.

And yes, this giveaway is FRICKIN' GLOBAL so get emailing, wherever you are. DO IT NOW.

Good luck to you...and me. ;)

Winter Warriors - an appreciation

David Gemmell's Drenai novels are notable for their low-fantasy setting; while supernatural elements are present in them, they mostly tend to be fairly minor and rarely have a major influence on the stories. These novels are primarily about human beings, and their flaws and foibles. They are character-driven; this has always been their strength.

Winter Warriors is the black sheep of the Drenai family, because it boasts far more prevalent supernatural elements than the other novels in the series. 

The reason for this, according to rumour (I'm unsure as to whether it was ever confirmed), is that the book was not originally written as a Drenai novel; instead, it was intended as an individual title like Dark Moon, Echoes of the Great Song, Morning Star and Knights of Dark Renown. Like Winter Warriors, all of these novels feature much stronger supernatural elements than the Drenai books. However, Gemmell's publisher allegedly persuaded him to change the novel's setting on the basis that the book would achieve greater sales if it could be marketed as a Drenai novel. 

This is certainly a good explanation as to why Winter Warriors features more fantastical elements than the rest of the novels in the Drenai saga: demons and vampires, enchanted swords and prophecies abound.  

Yet like most of Gemmell's novels, the premise is simple: upon the death of three kings, a race of demons will return to take back the world that they view as theirs by right, and to take their vengeance on mankind. Two of the kings are dead, the third - an unborn child - is hunted by the terrifying Krayakin, Lords of the Undead. 

Driven from the luxurious surroundings she is used to, the pregnant queen finds herself forced to flee for her life through dark forests and over snow-capped mountains, as the demonic forces snap at her heels. 

Yet she is not alone. Protecting her are three warriors, who have been dismissed from the Drenai army because of their age: Nogusta the Swordsman, Bison the fighter, and Kebra the Bowman. Their loyalty is unquestionable, their experience invaluable, their talents almost without match. Yet they are old men; their best years are behind them. 

As their enemies close around them, one question remains - can these three aged warriors prevent the world from sliding into darkness? 

Despite these high-fantasy elements (which curiously are at odds with Gemmell's brand of low-fantasy), Winter Warriors is still very much a book where the characters take centre stage. The plot may be a little more driven by the unfolding events than many of his other books, yet his strong grasp of characterisation remains intact. 

The novel's strongest point are the three principal characters, and the dynamics of their relationships with each other; they are quintessential Gemmell heroes. All of them have flaws and personal demons that they must do battle with. Nogusta is forced to confront the horror of his past at every turn, while Bison fights a different enemy - the knowledge that age has caught up with him, and that his soldiering days are almost over. Kebra, meanwhile, struggles with his fading eyesight and the lack of discipline that characterises his newfound existence. Their personal struggles are just as enthralling as their battles against the sinister, black-armoured Krayakin, and their personalities are judged perfectly: Nogusta's nobility and Kebra's brevity combine seamlessly with Bison's affable crudeness, lending genuine depth to their friendship as well as allowing for several amusing exchanges and moments throughout the novel. 

The other characters are also well drawn, such as the young Drenai officer Diagoras, who battles self-doubt, and the arrogant Ventrian swordsman Antikas Karios, another man who must confront the darkness that lurks in his own soul. The development arc and changing personality of the queen, Axiana, is handled well, as is that of the priestess Ulmenetha. Interestingly, Gemmell also provides POVs from the demonic side of the story, and these are no less interesting than their human counterparts; the Krayakin are suitably threatening antagonists. Gemmell uses these different perspectives to explore several ideas about love and hate, revenge and redemption - themes which, as with all his books, permeate the story. 

Speaking of the story, it's gripping and rips along at a very satisfying pace. The tension is cranked up wonderfully, there are a number of intriguing twists and revelations, and just when you think you're going to get the classic Gemmell device of a battle where defenders face overwhelming odds, you end up with something rather different. As the action hots up, the line between hero and villain becomes ever more blurred.

This is the fourth time I've read Winter Warriors, yet its potency has not lessened. I'm still transfixed by the same duels, I still laugh at the same jokes, I still engage completely with these characters and their hopes and fears. Put simply, it really is utterly riveting stuff. 

I think it's the romantic undertone of the novel that speaks to me the most - the idea of three old men risking everything to save a kingdom that has cast them aside, speaks to me very deeply. 

Gemmell's best novels are hugely inspiring; the heroism in them never fails to lift my spirits. Winter Warriors is no exception. 

If ever there was a cover that made me want to read a book...

...then this is it.

Never mind that it's old, or that its got a crap name, or that it's a Landover novel by Terry Brooks (as opposed to his Shannara novels, the earlier ones of which I rather enjoyed). Just behold the pure awesomeness of a HUGE BLACK DRAGON brawling with a GIANT WORM-THING.

Talk about epic.

Has anyone read Witches' Brew *snicker* and, if so, does it have a truly epic smackdown featuring said participants?

Classic genre video games #4 - Golden Axe 2

Ah, Golden Axe 2 - one of the finest hack n' slash games ever made. Button-mashing at its finest. Not big, not clever, but plenty of fun. Especially when played with a friend that was as enthusiastic for battling hordes of enemies with big choppers (ahem) as you were.

This was how many of my Saturday afternoons as a youngster were spent: embarking on a perilous quest with my friend to defeat the EVIL DARK GUILD and save the land. Which had been saved in the first game, but apparently needed saving again.

There was no fighting over who got to play as which character; our choices were well defined. I always played as the male barbarian Ax Battler (who, despite his name, wielded a sword - go figure) while my friend always plumped for the dwarf Gilius Thunderhead (who, according to the box art, is possibly the buffest dwarf ever). We rarely played as Tyris Flare, though now and again one of us would pick her "because she has the best magic." The other player would nod sagely, knowing full well that the real reason the other had chosen her was because she was a hot amazonian. Come on, she is. Look at the box. In fact, is it just me or is the way she's riding that dragon rather...actually, let's just move on.

The gameplay was basic and had barely changed from the first game: mash buttons to kill enemies, repeat until no enemies left. Progress onwards, repeat process. Goggle at Tyris Flare. Mash buttons...

But for two young teenagers who had yet to discover girls (who needed a girl when you had Tyris Flare?), it was remarkably good fun. Gameplay was punctuated with squeals of geeky delight such as "Omg dude, a purple lizardman" and "Omg, look at how smashed up that portcullis is...OMG HUGE MONSTER. Quick, wind magic!" And so on.

Golden Axe 2 was far from the best game to appear on the Sega Megadrive, and certainly had plenty of flaws, such as the crap sound effects (the enemies' death groan sounded like a kid puking) and the lack of variety in the enemies (changing the colour of the sprite doesn't really count...). Yet there was something very appealing about making a ripped barbarian kick countless enemies' asses with a huge sword.

Good times. :)