Elle Lewis geeks out with Fantasy author, Peter Buckmaster!

Why do you like SF/F?

Sci-fi & fantasy are places where imagination can roam freely, with few boundaries and endless possibilities. All these fantastic places don’t exist in the real world, but we can go there anyway. That’s why I totally love fantasy & sci-fi!

What book got you hooked in the genre?

Hmm, I can’t remember to be honest.  A couple of fantastical books I remember from when I was really small, are “Nikos & The Sea God” and “Sir Gawain and The Loathly Damsel.” I also remember my Mum reading Rupert the Bear stories to me, which were pretty wild at times (through a 5-yr old’s eyes – I’m thinking of Billy Blizzard here). I think I really got into reading fantasy with Forgotten Realms (only read about eight of them) and Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks (had most of the first 25). Then came The Hobbit and LOTR.

What is your favorite book to film adaptation and why?

It would probably have to be Peter Jackson’s LOTR trilogy. I remember the sheer wonder of seeing the trailers for Fellowship and then being blown away by the actual film. I went to see Return of the King with my wife, then afterwards I couldn’t stop going on about it while we ate yaki-tori and chugged beer. The Ride of the Rohirrim scene, Faramir’s ill-fated charge on Osgiliath, lighting the beacons... The whole trilogy was so good!

If you could live in a fictional world, which would you chose and why?

My younger self would say Allansia or Faerun, but they seem kinda dangerous (Monty Python “Run away!”-level dangerous). If I were some bad-ass warrior or a powerful mage, then travelling the realm, staying at inns, going on quests and dealing with nasty monsters would be a blast! But seeing as I am over 40 years old now and one night on the beers has me tired for a couple of days after, I’ll go for Star Trek and the hopeful future of TNG.

If you could wield and be proficient with a fictional weapon, which would you chose and why? Or would you rather practice magic? And if so, what is your favorite set of magic laws from a Fantasy book?

The Glaive would be pretty cool to have. Lightweight but lethal. If I also had the fire-throwing capability from my wife, that would be sweet! If I could meet Francesca Annis too, that would be nice!

What is your greatest pet peeve while reading a book?

I’ve got a bit of a thing about characters in medieval-fantasy worlds saying, “Hang on a minute!” or lines like “In a matter of seconds, he was through the gate.” I believe the measurement of minutes and seconds dates back to earlier than we’d expect but I just don’t think non-scholars/astronomers would have any sense of a minute, and definitely not seconds. It jars me.

Who is your favorite antagonist in a book or move? Why?

A very difficult question. I’ll give a shout-out to one that is possibly a favorite of yours – Dr Frankenstein. I grew up thinking the monster’s name was Frankenstein and he was the bad guy (cartoons & films). Then I watched Kenneth Brannagh’s version and read the book, and I saw I had been misled! The doc is as tragic as his monster but harder to have any sympathy for. He fell foul of one of literature’s greatest villains: hubris. <Note: I just stole that from a list of great literary antagonists> He thought he could create AND control life. Just like Hammond in Jurassic Park.

If I could go for the greatest TV show antagonist, I would have no hesitation in saying Gul Dukat from Star Trek: Deep Space 9. He is the perfect foil for the hero and such a complex character. Marc Alaimo should be worshipped by Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike for his performance. I’m sure there are more than a few YouTube videos detailing why Dukat is so compelling.

What do you geek out over?

I geek out over books or playing cards that have all the extra trivia you don’t need but is so cool. I never played Blood Bowl but used to spend ages looking through my Bloodbowl Star Players hardback. I just love maps, diagrams, lists etc. of fantasy worlds I have read or am familiar with.

Do you like maps in Fantasy books? Why?

Yes! I think maps are awesome x 1000! I would love for somebody to publish a huge coffee-table tome of a load of fantasy maps, divided into sections of Realms, Cities, Castles, Villages and Spirit Planes etc.

How did you hear about Dark Touch?

Elle Lewis threw a copy at my head! Ha ha, just kidding. I saw the front cover in a post on a Grimdark Reader/Writer page on Facebook and was intrigued. It had a Rorschach test vibe to it. I looked further, saw the author (that’s you!) was starting out, same as myself, and thought I’d give it a go. And I am very glad I did, as not only is it a great start to a fascinating series but I have made a very good friend! A fellow geek with a great nerdy sense of humor!

Are you a fan of Horror? If yes, what type and what are some of your favorite books/authors/movies?

When I was a kid, I was a total scaredy-cat. I used to have a night-light in my room. Ask my brother what BBC show scared Pete as a child and he’ll say “Maelstrom” (so, so scary!). But something changed in my teenage years (no idea what) and I suddenly went the other way. I wanted to be scared and started watching all sorts of horror late night in my bedroom (secretly!). I love the old-school Hammer Horror films. So British, so gothic, so iconic. I’m not much for the slasher flicks and gore-hound movies, and really don’t get why people like torture porn. Eerie, atmospheric ghost stories are the thing for me. “The Others”, the first “Paranormal Activity”, “Babadook” all had me tense as hell in my chair. “The Exorcist” and “The Wicker Man” are probably the two giants of horror in my humble opinion. And perhaps the scariest scene ever... THAT one in “Ringu” (original Japanese).

What do you like about Urban Fantasy?

The hook with urban fantasy for me, is that it could actually happen. Well, it couldn’t, but it feels that way. The stories take place in the world you see around you every day so have that element of realism.

Do you have a question for Elle Lewis?

I’ll throw this one at you because nobody answered it when I put it on my page recently (Ha ha!): If you could remake a film or TV show from the 80s, what would it be? Would the vibe be different? Who would you cast? How faithful would it be? Would it have to be “grittier and darker” as all remakes seem to be these days?

Lewis: So, I've thought about this before. And I would love to see the original Jaws remade. It's a little earlier than the year you mentioned, first released in 1975. But wow, that film is incredible and still holds up today. Except for one thing- Bruce. While horrifying at the time, that shark could use some improvements. I would love to see the film remade with modern day practical effects, not CGI!! I would only want to see it redone if Bruce was recreated with practical effects. As a monster fan, I think practical effects are far superior over a creature created by computer graphics.

The only other one I might want to see is a modern-day Buffy The Vampire Slayer (TV show or Movie). Ugh, but it would have to be done right! It's difficult when classics are remade, because you love the original and don't want it to see it ruined. Lost Boys would be cool too. Side note: I'd love to see horror woven back into the Vampire. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Morbius film, hoping they will represent and do justice to such an iconic classic monster. Its time to make vampires bad ass again!