Category Archives: Novel

Outlander – Castle Leoch

Claire and Jamie in Outlander S01E02 Castle Leoch

Claire and Jamie in Outlander S01E02 Castle Leoch

STARZ Outlander‘s second episode, Castle Leoch, incorporates large portions of the chapters 4 through 9 (about 4 pages into chapter 9, or approximately pages 81-162) of the Diana Gabaldon novel Outlander, but begins to feel less like an attempt to precisely translate the novel to the screen, and more like an effort to capture the most powerful and dynamic pages of the book, and present them in the best possible way in moving images.

In episode two it feels like scenes are shifted in position, aspects and conversations changed.  Where in episode one minor characters from the novel did not appear, here it felt like a minor character or two was added to facilitate tension, drama, and keep both characters and the plot on track and focused.  And yet, even as I was aware of all of these subtle and nuanced changes, none of them felt as though they were in violation of the book, or characters, but rather like I was simply being exposed to a different and equally compelling edit of the same story — making me glad I’ve already read these chapters, and am now enjoying the STARZ presentation.

Outlander is an epic story, set at this point predominantly in the 18th century, but the show uses a nice technique of flashing back to Claire’s twentieth century memories as she tries to adjust to her life, and use what knowledge she has, in every respect, to survive in this new life.

Watch Outlander on STARZ to catch up, and tune in each Saturday night at 9 PM ET/PT

Love at Stake – Vampire Romance from Kerrelyn Sparks

If you are into sub-genre of Vampire Romance then you have probably heard some talk of the Love At Stake series by Kerrelyn Sparks.  These books have a wonderful sense of humor about them, all take place in one world, with a narrative that benefits from reading them in order, but does not demand it.

Think of it as someone writing a book for each year of the history of a country, and in each book they focus on two different people living in the country during that year, and taking part in the major events.  Do you have to know about the events of the previous year for the current events to make sense?  Not really.  But it does add depth and understanding.  And because these are the “major figures” in those events, the leaders and their lieutenants and their families, people you have met in the books will often show up in subsequent books, those who were the leads in a book will be guest stars in a future book, or vice-versa.

The series starts with How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire where the readers meet Roman Draganesti, a charismatic leader of the vampire world who happens to be a brilliant scientist who has, thankfully, invented synthetic blood.  This invention is known throughout the mortal world as a scientific breakthrough that made blood-transfusions much easier, but of course for the Vampire community it was life-changing in an entirely different way.

But that is the past, the present and future are what the story is all about, and as it unfolds he meets a woman the reader can not help but hope he can save, and love.

Having established Roman, and his entourage of entertaining, and interesting characters, the series launches with a sequence of adventures and on-going plots that have kept me eagerly awaiting the release of each upcoming book.  The only aspect that has begun to wear on me is the titles playing off of movie titles.   Where many of them have been fun, and brought a smile to my face, a few have not tied into the plot as strongly as I might have liked and felt a bit unnecessary.   These are such great books, I can not help but wonder what titles the author would be giving the books if she were not trying for those plays on words/titles.

According to the authors website, the books are, in order:

Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks

Be Still My Vampire Heart by Kerrelyn Sparks

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire
Vamps and the City
“A Very Vampy Christmas” from Sugarplums and Scandal
Be Still My Vampire Heart
The Undead Next Door
All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire
Secret Life of a Vampire
Forbidden Nights with a Vampire
The Vampire and the Virgin
Eat Prey Love
Vampire Mine
Sexiest Vampire Alive

How To Seduce A Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

How To Seduce A Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Wanted: Undead or Alive
Wild About You
Vampires Gone Wild
The Vampire with the Dragon Tattoo
How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)
Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire

This series of novels is full of interesting characters who take turns in supporting and featured positions, filling out a world of intrigue, love, and plots that keep readers coming back wanting to know what adventure waits within the pages of the next book.  (In this case, Crouching Tiger, Forbidden Vampire on sale Dec 30, 2014.)

Outlander — Fans are praising the first episode

Outlander Bandannas and Novels

Outlander Bandannas and Novels

Outlander fans across the internet are cheering the first episode of the show, which aired on STARZ last night.   An abridged form of the story readers have loved for over two decades, the television is breathing life into beloved characters, giving longtime fans a reason to re-read a book they love, and new fans a reason to find a book they may not have read before.

Yes, as you can see in the photo above, a special re-release of the book came out as a tie-in to the show, with the images of the STARZ cast members on the cover.

Outlander STARZ Promotional Photo - Claire

Outlander STARZ Promotional Photo – Claire

With roughly 900,000 viewers, yes, that is 900 thousand folks, having tuned in to see the first episode BEFORE IT AIRED, we are eagerly looking forward to hearing how the show rated when it hit screens live last night.

What can already be said is that Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan beautifully stepped into the roles of Claire and Jaime and led a talented cast in this period piece.

Time and again it felt like the pages of the book had simply come to life.

For those who have not read the book(s), and do not see having time to do so before this season wraps up, is that a problem?  After all, we keep pointing you over to the books, don’t we?  No, of course not!  Having read the books simply gives the added interest of wondering how closely they will be followed, of seeing what makes its way from one medium to the other — and if what you imaged, curled up with the novel in your hands, is what this grand collaborative team brought to the screen.

Reading the books might also help set expectations.  I started to devour the book before the show aired… and about half way through, loving the characters, loving the grand journey they were on, I realized this is a long (yes, with a page-count of 850 I did see my own remark coming) tale.  It unfolds in a natural manner.  There are no grand space battles in the 1700s.  This is not a steam punk tale with future-technology from generations even ahead of our own imagination having been brought back in time.

This is a very real feeling drama about a woman from 1945, with an understanding of nursing from that time period having been flung back in time 202 years and trying to survive, and find her way home.

Now take a moment to imagine how many survival skills you have that would help you survive (or heal others) 202 years ago.  I made that remark to one friend and he immediately wanted to ask his teenage son if the he knew whether potatoes grew on a tree or in the ground!

Having now watched the episode twice, I enjoyed the voice-over technique employed for Claire equally both times – it balances the sense that this came from a book beautifully with the new medium, and keeps the story on track and moving forward.  Had those portions been altered — been forced into conversations, or the actors been told to try and convey everything through expressions and manner without the aid of those voice-overs, I believe the show episode would have suffered.

If you have not already watched the first episode of Outlander, this is a show that looks like it will play well as individual episodes, giving a satisfying story in each hour — and yet, at the end of the season, I can already see I’m going to want to set aside a weekend to watch the series in full as the grand epic tale it is.

Watch Outlander on STARZ to catch up, and tune in each Saturday night at 9 PM ET/PT

Beautiful Bastard

Beautiful Bastard is not a book I ran out and bought… rather I was wandering the hall at San Diego’s Comic-Con International and someone asked if I’d like to get a free autographed book.

I devour books.  I love discovering authors I’ve never read before.  There are so many out there, so many I know I should have already read, according to my friends who also devour books, that I just love setting aside a night or two — a portion of my weekend, and getting lost in the pages of a book.

I honestly did not know what to expect from this novel.  The genre is listed as erotic romance, and I quickly figured out why.  That aspect alone is never enough to keep me reading for countless hours, to keep me from setting the book aside and returning to my own life after a few chapters.  There needs to be more content, more story, and something interesting going on.

What I found interesting in this book was two main characters who worked together as a productive team in the workplace, and yet pushed one another’s ‘I Hate You’ buttons constantly.  There was an antagonism between the characters that appeared to have been there from the moment they met, and set off a chain reaction of encounters that left them unable to say a civil word to one another.

Had they not been so good at their jobs their workplace relationship would also have been a disaster.

The character who gave the book it’s title, Bennett Ryan, is great looking, the kind of guy who fuels the dreams of the girls in the proverbial secretarial pool, and yet he can be so demanding, a perfectionist with a temper, that no one understands how Chloe Mills puts up with him.  It helps she demands just as much of herself.

From the outside looking in they seem like two people who ought to be able to respect one another, and find a way to get along — and yet he particularly is always antagonizing her and purposely trying to force her, emotionally, ten feet away, as if he is afraid she will burn him if she gets too close.  And that was where my interest came from.

I had worked with people that for the life of me I could never understand why they were always bickering.  Why they were always picking fights with one another.  They had no relationship beyond what we could see, and it was as if they were purposely trying to guarantee the other person would never get close enough to truly see and know them.

Hidden beneath the snipping and anger, are fears and complexities of emotion.  In a book that is a fast enjoyable read, two characters explore what it is to risk their heart, after avoiding it in every way imaginable, and a few most consider unimaginable.

This may not be the great American novel, but it is several good hours of light entertainment.  Two million people read it BEFORE it went into print for a reason… because there have been times when we have seen irrational behavior among perfectly rational adults and had no idea what was going on under the surface, and behind the scenes.   This novel offers one possibility.

No, I regret nothing 
Neither the good I have done, nor the bad