7th Son

Well this is really going to be more than one review.

1. This is going to be a review of the entire 7th Son Trilogy, yes Entire.
2. This is going to be a review of what J.C. has done so far with Obsidian.

1
OK people let's start off with the Trilogy. I rather like this Podcast Novel Trilogy. It was right up my ally. Yes we all know that this is in fact impossible but isn't that what makes science fiction so fun. Making the Impossible Possible in scientific manner.

There were some parts I didn't agree with. Things like the government not really knowing what the Code Phantom is. That kinda irked me I can see the reason why and that is this: The elected officials that we elect into office may not be in office next term, and with some of them, the president for example, they can only have two terms. So this means that any and all elected officials would be a security risk to something like Code Phantom. It still irked me a little thinking about there being something controlling the government not the other way around. This is of course Kilroy 2.0 wet dream for sure.

Now the writing is very high caliber and the voice acting that follows it into the audio format of these novels is also very high caliber. I think that any sci-fi lover who doesn't at least try this trilogy out is missing out on something that they won't find anywhere else. It is a very, very well put together podcast.

Believable Blie Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars.

2
OK lets move on to the 2nd point on our agenda: What J.C. has done so far with Obsidian. This is something that is completely ground breaking in podcasting. J.C. Hutchins has had people write and record stories based in his universe so that he could podcast them. This is an awesome idea. Does it have its problems? Yes, like not all these stories can be considered canonical. Is this a major problem? No, not really it is a problem for the future of the stories but not for the project that I think that J.C. is trying to bring out.

Being a little bit of an author myself I wouldn't want that but J.C. is a very, very open guy and teh stuff that is coming out is top notch stuff, but it is stories like TD-0013 would be a nightmare to me. I enjoyed it and it is a fine parody but still that would be something that I would not want to deal with. This shows the open mindedness of J.C. He is a nice guy and I appreciate all he does for the Podo/Blogosphere.

Now to tell the truth all the stories from 7th Son Obsidian have to be taken as seperate entities. There is really no way to take them as one whole (meaning a continuous entity) except for the fact that they all happen during the Black Out.

And the Voices from the Darkness epsiodes are the filling of the cake! No not the icing of the cake, the filling. These are really what make up the experience for Obsidian. When you come out of your house in tears because your lights just came on and you are sitting down at you computer what would you be thinking of? Well for those who recorded these in the 7th Son Universe that would be "post somewhere as soon as possible." That somewhere would be anywhere from sending them to the Local TV and Radio Stations to posting them in personal podcasts or on blogs. So what would the news be full of for six months after the power came back on? These audio and video bits.

So J.C. I have one bit of advice for you: Don't tell people to listen to these in the dark but in the total light as if the power just came back on because that would be the only way you would be getting these. That would make the experience even worse!

Now a couple of the concerns I have presented above and some others, which do not need to be voiced, gives me the reason for docking one star from this podcast, but over all this is an awesome anthology and really needs to be listened to.

Believable Blie Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Really though goto jchutchins.net and listen to these. Now!

7th Son Trilogy Pics:


Book 1


Book 2


Book 3


7th Son Obsidian Pic:


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B. Blie

Dr. Horribles Sing-Along Blog

OK I know that this isn't technically a podcast but it came out as one (technically).

This is a hilarious mini-series put out by the creator of Buffy: the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and (the Major Motion Picture) Serenity: Joss Whedon. He is a very talented writer and this doesn't change the forum much.

It is basically a "Superhero" show except it is about the villain, Dr. Horrible, instead of the Hero, Captain Hammer. The show goes about depicting Dr. Horrible's attempt to get into the "Evil League of Evil," which is lead by a villain know only as Bad Horse and the Thoroughbred of Sin. How he is stopped again and again by Captain Hammer and how he loses the girl of his dreams to him.

It was available online for free but is now only available through the iTunes Store but it is highly worth it!

Believable Blie Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Banners:
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The Dark Knight

OK, now that I'm awake from seeing The Dark Knight opening night, on a Dark Night (sorry you guys), let me start off by saying two words: Kick Ass! This movie did it! It topped Iron Man. I was really worried that this movie was going to end up like all sequels; sad and unable to stand up to expectations. We've all seen it: The first one made us a boat load of money so let's go out and make a second just for the hell of it! Yeah well this one was very, very well done.

The only con I have for the movie is that the Joker didn't really seam like the Joker. What is the one word (besides the words crime, evil, and bad, notice I specified one word so "Batman" doesn't count either) that pops into your head when you think of the Joker? Did I hear you say laughter? That's right. When we think of the Joker we think of laughter and theatrics. I'm sorry but Heath Ledger did not come over as a very good Joker. It is believable enough but not quite there.

Over all this movie states what it is in the title: Dark. This is a dark movie with all the trimmings. One other feature that this movie has is a character named Harvey Dent (another reason for it to be dark) and that's all I'm going to say on that subject. I'm not going to spoil the fun for you. Some of you will know what Harvey Dent is in the Batman universe but that is up to you.

Over all I love this movie and I have to say again that it topped my expectations and Iron Man. I was completely blind sided by this. Now there is a new rise for Batman both with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight we have a great start to a very good series. I'm not sure if this matters to anyone but a lot of people said when Batman Begins came out that the movie topped Spider Man and therefore DC came out on top of Marvel (ah the comic book rivalries). Then when Iron Man came out everyone said that Marvel was back on top, who could blame them Iron Man was awesome. Now just for all of us geeks who care we need to state that DC (my personal favorite) is back on top!

SO to sum everything up The Dark Knight is an awesome movie go see it!

Believable Blie Rating: 6 out of 5 stars

Posters: (These two are my favorite)
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Believable Blie Experience

OK, you guys there is now an official site for Believable Blie. You can find that here. It is going to be the main hub for a lot of things to come. Your going to keep getting reviews and maybe I'll throw some news and interviews here as well.

I'm also working on a tentative schedule for posting new updates and you can see that in the Calendar.

I'm also working on some original work (poetry, fiction and non-fiction). I'm definitely going post that on the site and maybe some of it here or in another blog (more keyed to original work).

I'm also trying to get in touch with podcasters to help me with getting the word out. Thanks to any readers who are paying attention to what I'm writing.

Thanks a lot to RB for pumping so much on your blog and in your podcast and I hope to see the audio promo for Believable Blie coming soon (thanks again RB).

The Dragon's Nine Sons

The Dragon's Nine Sons is an amazingly, artistic novel has been put together very well. It is set in an alternate time line of our own. In this time line China has conquered the earth and many things that we know never happened (most significant Spain never landing in Mexico and the Aztec still in control of that domain as of 2052).

The book is based in the year 2052 of this alternate time line. When the Middle Kingdom (Chinese Empire) has started to terra-form Mars (known as Fire Star) and the Aztec (Mexica) have started their second war with the Middle Kingdom. This is quite a great setting for any novel but this one goes farther. The main characters of this novel are all fugitives. Who have only one shot to get their records cleared: Live through a suicide mission.

There mission is to go to the a Mexica stronhold with a captured Mexica ship and destroy it with massive bombs.

To find out more than that you'll have to read the book yourself. It is well worth it: It has a very well put together world and society, Every aspect is very thought out and outlined, The people are interesting and engaging, and the story is very well written and holds up a standard of science fiction that has not been seen for a while.

Believable Blie Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars.

COVER:


B. Blie