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29 July 2010

News from the Front



 Upcoming events on FWS

FWS will be ramping up wartime production in the next couple of weeks. Here is what's upcoming:


  • Review of Armor by John Steakley

  • Review of graphic novel The Forever War Volume I

  • Review of graphic novel The Forever War Volume III

  • The start of our first military flash science fiction serial, Custom. It will be a 10 or 12 part series about Custom soldier Jamie in the Nix War.

  • Nigel and I are busy working on our posts about our take on military sci-fi and why we write in that style. 
More News

-We just recived in from Lone Star Comics, the complete Dynamo Joe comic series for review. Dynamo Joe was printed by First Comics in 1986-1988, and was the one of the first American comics to be done with Japanese Mecha. The series was done by an American writer & artist, Doug Rice.

-Volume Three of the 1990's Forever War grahpic novel is on its way from Mile High Comics! This was a great find for a good price. I have never seen the third volume, let alone seen it for sale.

-I am in the middle of reading Old Man's War by John Scalzi. At this point, I could not be happier with the book. It may be one of the best military sci-fi books I have read since the Forever War.

-Work continues on our novel-sized works. I am at present editing Automatic and writing my next novel, Endangered Species.

 
-Keep Frosty
William

26 July 2010

William's Favorite Authors

Isaac Asimov
When I was nine or ten, I came across a story in one of my school readers about two kids that find a real printed book. It was a short story written by the Master of Sci-Fi, Isaac Asimov. For years, I read nothing but Asimov, the Foundation series (Foundation and the Earth was my favorite), the Robot novels (Caves of Steel!), and some odds and ends. He helped me understand that sci-fi wasn't always Star Wars and Star Trek, that stories could be about the mind, and ideas, and not blasters. The day he died, I was in high school, and I wept for the old master.
Frank Herbert

I had seen the 1984 Dune movie repeatly over the years, but it was not until 1991 that I read the masterwork that is Dune, and spent the next two years reading the entire series. No single work of sci-fi compares to the level imagination embodied in Dune. I quote from his novels frequently, and still marvel at this masterpiece. The world is better place because of him. Now, if they could just make a decent movie out of the Dune novels!


Joe Haldeman
Reading the Forever War is where I discovered my own brand of Military Sci-Fi. This is the premiere literary example of Military Sci-Fi, and perfectly captures the reality of traveling faster-than-light. I am still in awe over the ability of Mr. Haldeman to incorporate hard science, and his Vietnam War experience into a great story that operates on many levels. 
I just hope that Mr.Scott does it justice in the film version.





Masamune Shirow
It is my belief that Cyberpunk is one of the hardest sci-fi genres to write. Few do it better than Mr.Shirow. I first saw the anime version of Ghost in the Shell in 1996. By the end, I was speechless. Mr. Shirow changed the way I look at weapons, technology, computers, and mecha. The Anime was very good, but the Manga was even better. I still read it about three
times a year. 

Eric Nylund
Most video game movies or books based on a video game suck. I loved the HALO games, but couldn't bring myself to read the books. I still could remember the stool sample that was the DOOM novels. However, I wanted to know what happened on Reach, and desperate for good military sci-fi, I bought this at half-priced books. I read it in three days, and loved every minute of it. I have since picked up the other HALO books written by Mr. Nylund, and his skill comes through every page.


 

12 July 2010

Summer Reading






At the moment,the staff of Future War Stories is the middle of reading these old good printed books:

-Old Man's War-finally decided to read this after a Google Book preview, and when I heard that their weapons use nanotech.

-Armor-Nearly finished, some good pool-side reading.

-The Forever War Graphic Novel Volume One-I found this one at a local comic store, and ordered it. I remember this one when in came out in 1990.
Should have bought it then. Hindsight...

Stay Frosty.
W-

11 July 2010

Welcome to the War!

If you are reading this: Welcome to Future War Stories...a Blog devoted to Military Science Fiction in all media forms. From books, movies, games, the world of future armed conflict will be covered.

Along the way, I will blogging on the status and release of my own Hard Military Sci-Fi, along with a few others

My hope is to release a Flash Fiction Serial here in the next few days for free.

Any intel on Military Sci-Fi is most welcome.

Again, welcome to the War! Keep your head down...