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!
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