Kasper's Ramblings from Kasper Beaumont - Hunters of Reloria

Hunters of Reloria

Two for the price of one. Meet the Dragon Authors @DragonAuthors #FSFNet #interview

7/14/2017

Always introduced as Erin and Steven, so I'm turning the tables and introducing Steven Brown and Erin Michelle Sky to you. Together this talented writing duo is known as the Dragon Authors and they have popped in to say Hi.
Erin confesses to being a keen fan of llamas and Anne McCaffrey.  Steven began writing at a young age when his supply of books to read ran out. A love of writing and illustration was born.

The other day I interviewed this dynamic duo for the Fantasy Sci Fi Network.
Here are a few of my fave snippets:
*   They have a new book called The Intuitives available for order
*   They work on something until they have agreement. Kudos to their patience.
*   Their next work sounds like a very exciting and creative piece of fan fiction
*   They do book reviews with a twist: video stick figure reviews
*   I love Steven's idea of writing music
*   Ice cream comes in neon colours - wow!

For all these cool insights and a whole lot more, check out the full interview on the FSFN website.

New release: The Intuitives
Genre: YA contemporary fantasy
Publisher: Trash Dogs Media LLC
Release Date: July 25, 2017

IMAGINATION JUST BECAME OUR GREATEST WEAPON.In Egypt, an archaeological team discovers the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. Seven years later, every public school student in America takes a strange new test, but only six are chosen to attend a summer program at the mysterious Institute for the Cultivation of Intuitive Cognition, where nothing is as it appears to be, including the students themselves.

Review: Wonder Woman. The best super hero movie for a long time #WonderWoman #movie #review

6/18/2017

So much has been said about a female super hero lead and a female director, girl power yada yada. Seriously folks, who cares? I sure don't. A good movie is a good movie and I reckon this one is mighty fine. Sure it has some world-building plot and character development which may seem a little slow in places to the adrenaline junkies, but I found it well done.
There is plenty of eye candy for all with gorgeous Gal Gadot and hunky Chris Pine wearing nothing but a few drops of water. The scenery and cinematography are visually splendid.
I went with my 15 year-old comic reading son and he said it was regrettable how much they differed from the comics, especially with the Gods and Chris Pine's character. He thought her powers weren't quite true to the comics, such as her forcefield or telekinetic powers. He also said that the action scenes were awesome, so I'm pleased he came along with me and enjoyed it. I also saw it with hubby who said much the same thing.

For me, it was a great all-rounder with lots of heart, relatable characters and really cool action. I found the backstory of Diana (Gadot) growing up with the Amazons on the hidden isle of Themyscira (I hope I spelled that correctly) all quite wonderful and it brought a cool fantasy edge to the movie for me. I guess she's a bit like a female version of Thor. I'll just step back and let the DC and Marvels fans argue that one out LOL.
I've been a Gadot fan for years from the Fast & Furious movies. I was pleasantly surprised at her emotional depth in the role and such a lovely chemistry with Chris Pine.
Also the battle scenes and horsing riding action were fantastic. The lasso work was well done. 5 stars from me.

Gee..I hope you all get this meme. It's a good one

Until next time, happy days, from Kasper :)

Review of Cherry Pickers sci-fi by Bonnie Milani @homeworldnovel #amreading #scifi

5/12/2017

My review of Cherry Pickers: On the women's penal colony of Sisyphus, 17 year old Nikki has a one-track mind and that is to get her gun licence to impress her mother. The only way to do this is to lure a man from a passing space ship, to pick her cherry. Not quite a romantic coming of age, but a promising synopsis for a speculative fiction novel. Being a penal colony, it's a kill-or-be-killed world, in which having just a machete is really not conducive to survival.

An interesting concept from author Bonnie Milani, is the house bugs, AKA giant hairy spiders, which can be quite the docile type, but can also be aggressive and murderous. There is the whole Black Widow, death-after-mating thing going on here, so it's no wonder there aren't many guys hanging around. Another Sissy planet nasty is the man-eating Nosher plant with its deadly tendrils.
The most enjoyable character for me was Sam, the spider who lives with Nikki, kinda like an eight-legged creepy-looking brother type. Sam is actually really sweet, loyal and noble. He is the only person who is nice to Nikki in the whole story. Unfortunately his future is pretty bleak, with him likely to be mated and eaten in the near future.
The story begins with Nikki searching the house for the book of Grimms, the only book on the entire planet. I didn't really get hooked in by this beginning and ended up having to re-read the first chapter to take in all the alien world-building. There is plenty of information at the start as Milani draws you into her world. Once I got into the story, I found it well-paced and enjoyable. Other interesting concepts included the click speech of the house bugs and the chron implant, which was mentioned briefly. There is action aplenty and a few surprises to keep you guessing. I did find it a little tricky to figure out who was a human and who was a spider, as the personalities seem rather similar. On the whole, I enjoyed Cherry Pickers and would recommend it to new adult readers.
I bought this book on Amazon and this is my honest opinion of the novel.

Book review: Morphids by K. Alexander-Hall #FSFNet A new fantasy classic

12/14/2016

A new favourite fantasy story
Is Morphids really the author's first novel? I was so impressed with the intricate plot weaving and world-building. This book has everything: action, adventures, surprises, twist and turns, multiple storylines and relatable characters. Hey, I can't reveal any of Morphids secrets here, but safe to say that I was laughing, crying and reading late into the night as I eagerly devoured this exciting tome. It's a sizable tale of George R.R. Martin proportions, which might explain why there's only one so far. I have contacted the author and am reassured there are more works in progress. Yay!

My favourite characters are Atesh the female warrior, and also Ciaran, the dragonelle who is her companion. I really enjoyed their relationship and can't wait to hear what will happen in the next instalment.
Well done to Kerry Alexander-Hall for this fantastic new addition to the fantasy genre.

Morphids was published in December, 2016
Book blurb: The Prophet Lailoken sighed. This would be his last vision to share. The last words he would speak. The vice like grip tightened around his heart. Wait a little longer, they must know; remember and prepare. On the world of Cerahya, nature’s harmonious balances and checks have been disturbed; interfered with. She rails against such abhorrent intrusions and struggles to regain order. Unfortunately re-establishing control unleashes deadly, calamitous events on the island continent of Sofala, catching the inhabitants of the western kingdom unaware. The High King, Gareth Beaumont calls for assistance from the Ashmourne Academy of Magic. They respond by sending their infamous 'Pace Alastriona Knights', led by Commander Atesh and Captain Ballard. Their first battalion of magic-enhanced, ale-swilling, knuckle-busting, gag-pulling, sword-dancing, fierce warrior misfits join forces with the King's personal regiment. Together with mystical allies, they race to reduce the fallout to life, love and liberty upon their homeland. As they search for the source behind the malevolent machinations at work, they uncover truths so repugnant, it will send them reeling. Will interpreting the strange riddles and finding the ancient prophecy hold the key to the game of life; playing out before their eyes?

Author interview with FayeAnna Jones from the #FSFNet #fantasy

10/22/2016

This lovely young lady is FayeAnna Jones, who has already published two books: The Princess and A (Assassin Trilogy) volume 1.
FayeAnna lives in the United States of America and is studying to be a Veterinary Technician. She also works at Burger King and spends her free time writing, drawing, reading and watching anime.

FayeAnna boarded the FSFNet interview shuttle for an author interview with me.
Here are some of the highlights:
* She wrote her first short story in the 9th grade. I'm impressed.
* She's an action girl and loves to write fight scenes. I'm imagining James Bond meets fantasy here.
* FayeAnna says ideas can start out cheesy but often turn out well in the end.
* With 30+ book ideas, her writer's block doesn't last for long
* I love her idea on who to be stuck on a desert island with
* Her fave holiday spot sounds fun

Check out the full interview on the FSFNet website

Here is FayeAnna's latest release:

A (Assassin Trilogy) volume 1.

Gai Nightseed. The average run-of-the-mill teenager. Doesn't cause problems. Doesn't get into trouble, and is one of the rich kids. Seems okay. To the outside world. Only ONE person knows his secret. That he is the deadliest person alive. He is the feared assassin, ABC. He's killed many, but never children, not even his own age. What will happen when he's supposed to take care of his friends? What will he do?

Talented author, artist and composer D.M. Stoddard joins me for an interview @kingdomtorrence #FSFNet

7/12/2016

D.M. Stoddard's love of the fantasy genre was developed at an early age. He was writing fantasy stories as a teenager and all rose in the gaming ranks to Game Master in role-playing (ah yes, we love a bit of that alright).
This early experience of world building and designing campaigns adds depth and believability to his Kingdom of Torrence book series.

Other life experience which enrich D.M.'s novels include martial arts, horse riding, archery, hiking, fishing and camping.
In particular, I am a fan of D.M.'s collaborations with his son in writing and composing for his books.
D.M. Stoddard galloped in to the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network to do an interview with me. Here are some highlights:
*   D.M. has a backlog of non-fiction writing in his repertoire as well as his fantasy writing
*   He likes the same books as me. What can I say? good taste!
*   D.M. talks about Amanda's Quest and also briefly about his next book in the series
*   After writing a song for The Legend of Jerrod, D.M. and his son composed a musical score which you can listen to on his website
*   I'm impressed with his extensive list of hobbies
*   I think D.M. is quite the romantic, judging from his last two answers....so sweet :)
You can read the full interview here.

The 2nd novel in the Kingdom of Torrence series is Amanda's Quest

Synopsis:
Leaving her friends behind to ascend Mount Thoradan, Amanda journeys alone towards the northern realm to “recover” the legendary Horn of Valhalla and bring it to the Guild of the Crimson Pommel. With less than a year remaining she races through the barbaric lands of the followers of Odin to complete her blood-debt, promised as payment for healing the half-Elven druid princess. Only the completion of her debt will save her and her friends, but Amanda’s quest holds challenges beyond her comprehension. As events escalate, wizards, druids, knights, and warriors become entangled in deadly conflicts and two dragons become bitter enemies.

Getting to know magical author Meredith Mansfield @mansfieldmj #fantasy #author

5/1/2016

Looking a little shy with her closed eyes and blissful smile, Meredith Mansfield is an author I was keen to learn more about...and I'm pleased to say that her interview didn't disappoint.
With a diverse career including paralegal, programing and financial analysis, writing has been a constant of Meredith. This lovely lady has also spent time as a carer for her mother and no doubt her fantasy ideas have been bubbling away for many years.

With an impressive 15 titles available on Amazon, Meredith is a great author for those looking for a good fantasy series.

As luck would have it, I scooped an interview with her this week for the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network.
Here are some highlights:
* Meredith has some great titles, but finds it hard to name her creations.
* She discusses the plot of her latest series: Dual Magics
* Meredith herself has created the great artwork on her covers
* Check out the photo of her cute furry companions
* She enjoys reading one of the lesser-used writing styles
* I think her super-power is quite splendid

You can check out the full interview here at the Fantasy Sci-Fi Network.

Here is Meredith's latest release: The Shaman's Curse

Vatar risked his life to try to save his friend--and failed. Now he has an implacable enemy in the vengeful shaman, who blames Vatar for the death of his only son. Vatar finds some comfort in daydreams. He knows the strange girl he sometimes imagines is just that--a dream. She’d better be.
Because, if she’s real things could get even worse for Vatar. The accepted magic of Vatar’s plains tribe wouldn’t enable him to see or communicate with a girl he doesn’t even know--or know where to find. That would be more like the magic passed down in certain, closely-guarded bloodlines among the ruling class of the coastal cities. And that’s bad. Very bad.

Review: Deadpool - Marvel super hero plays it for laughs and wild abandon #Deadpool #Marvel

2/15/2016

The term 'super hero' is kind of inappropriate here, with this chemically enhanced jokester with a devil-may-care attitude not being focussed on saving people, but on revenge. But don't be deterred, there is a hell of a lot to like in the adults only movie. My partner and I laughed most of the way through, apart from the times I cringed from the violence. Warning: it's not one for the faint-hearted.

What's to like?

Pretty much everything really. The cast are really good. Ryan Reynolds (and his butt) as Deadpool; the beautiful Morena Baccarin as Vanessa; and the deliciously loathsome Ed Skrein as Ajax.
The plot is actually pretty cool (shock horror) for a comic book movie. It opens with a visually spectacular action sequence which is intercut with the obligatory backstory of how Deadpool gained his super-healing powers. Basically he was diagnosed with terminal cancer and this mutant experiment was his only hope of survival. Of course, things didn't go quite to plan and there is a dastardly villain in need of terminating.
The black humour is wickedly dark and the timing is so totally inappropriate as to be hilarious.
Extra-special effects in the action scenes are totally incredible.
There were a couple of X-men. I love the joke that the producers could only afford two.
The opening credits are seriously funny and original.
There is a beautiful love story at the heart of the movie.

What I didn't like:

The violence was a bit graphic for my tastes, but I'm sure there are many hot-blooded young men who will find it right up their alley

The verdict:

I loved it . Five stars and a round of applause from me.

Movie review: Star Wars: the Force Awakens. A must see for fans young and old. #StarWars

12/20/2015

Our 3 children were too young to see any of the previous movies in their original cinema releases, so it was with child-like wonder that we attended Star Wars: the Force Awakens. There is something magical about watching it with youngsters and enjoying their gasps of surprise, giggles and cheers of elation. It is not a movie I would recommend for the pre-schooler age, but our children of 14, 12 and almost 8 were delighted with it. There are a couple of scary bits in there, the usual kind of Star Wars violence and lots of awesome loud music and special effects.

As you will read in I daresay many other reviews, it is best not to talk about the plot due to spoilers. I can say that I appreciated the emotional connection to the new characters, although it did take me just a little while to get used to Luke, Han and Leia not being the lead stars. Yes, they are all there to some degree, but the story has moved on, which I think was necessary, but a little hard for the original fans to process right away.
Finn and Rey are two great new lead characters and there is a mysterious Darth Vader-like baddie (of course it wouldn't be Star Wars without the bad imperial storm troopers.) I think I'll leave it there plot-wise. Just go and see it and judge for yourself. The galaxy is kinda familiar, but so many things are new and different that we can feel that this is a new movie and the start of a new adventure. Will there be 3 or 6 movies from Disney? I don't know, but if they are of this quality, then the more the merrier for me.
Excuse me while I go and play with my lightsabre. Buzz buzz

By the way, check out the cool clip below. Such fun!

Here we go ... exciting action artwork by 14 year old Susannah #fantasy #art

11/28/2015

'A Tsunami about to crash upon a tall ship.' SPOILER ALERT! Yes, this is a scene from the upcoming Fandri's Adventures novel and it is so exciting to see my vision depicted here by Susannah.
This young lady has sent in 4 entries and I look forward to sharing them all with you over this coming weekend.
My love of tall ships was kindled by my father's Alexander Kent collection and the Tall Ships event I saw in Bristol UK.
I particularly like the way the wave crest looks like a fist about to crash into the defenceless passengers and crew on the ship. Will they survive the coming onslaught?

The art competition is to uncover new chapter art for Kasper's next novel, which is a prequel to the Hunters of Reloria trilogy. There is $500 up for grabs in prizes and the competition is closes this coming Monday, so hurry to enter.
Click here for more details:
http://huntersofreloria.weebly.com/art-competition.html