Old News But Good News: John Carter of Mars Movie in Pre-Production

It might be old news to some, but at least its good news: John Carter of Mars is going to the big screen. I should qualify that. It’s potentially good news. If anybody could mess up a straightforward-science-fiction-pulp-classic-adventure yarn, it’s Hollywood.

But let’s not be too pessimistic. I try to be thankful for all the good that comes my way: potential or otherwise.

So, what’s good? Well, after years of false starts, decades really, we have the film in firm pre-production. According to IMDb, the release date is 2012. (Of course, this in and of itself could be a Hollywood ploy to get our hopes up and already spending on pre-release stuff before the Mayan prophecy proves true, destroying the world, and saving producers from having to face the fact they screwed up something as beautiful and simple as Edgar Rice Burroughs’ beloved classic. But again, let’s not be too pessimistic.)

What else is good? Andrew Stanton, the man behind Wall-E. Yeah, Wall-E was cute and adorable and a heart-tugger, but it was one of the smartest science fiction films to come along in a while. It was story driven, unlike say, most everything that has come out in forever, not to mention it wasn’t a remake or a part two of something. Stanton, too, is a confessed lover of Burroughs. That’s always a good thing: to have someone who knows and appreciates the source material. Let’s face it, The Lord of the Rings worked because Peter Jackson knew and loved The Lord of the Rings.

Of course, my first concern here was that we were going to have an animated Carter and Dejah. While that’s not entirely a bad thing, animated films tend to automatically be labeled family films. In many cases they are family films. If you’ve read any of the Barsoom books (for the uninitiated, that’s Burroughs’ name for Mars), Carter can be pretty gritty on occasion, and no, animated or not, Pixar or not, I would not even hope for Dejah Thoris to be gracing the big screen displaying her glorious natural assets for the whole universe to see as she does throughout the book. From what I understand anyway, it’s going to be released as a Disney film. That info comes from johncartermovie.com, which, by the way, is an excellent unofficial site. I’ve been checking it out for some time now.

So that brings us to Disney. Can go either way here. They’ve made some classic family films, which may or may not resemble the source material. 20,000 Leagues is my personal favorite. But they have gone grittier in recent years with the whole Pirate franchise. But herein resides the problem. I read somewhere, forgive me for not recalling the exact place, that Disney was hoping for another franchise success like Pirates. Well, all you have to do is remember what went on in Pirates 2 and 3 and you know why my heart cringes at the thought. What few producers realize is that nothing works, absolutely nothing, when the goal is simply to make money.

Nothing.

On the bright side, Michael Chabon is reworking the script as you read this (if you’re reading it in 2009, that is). Chabon is, for lack of a better word, brilliant. Check out The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Not only did it win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2001, it was awesome. Then there’s The Yiddish Policemen's Union and Gentlemen of the Road. He acknowledges genre fiction, he appreciates genre fiction, he writes genre fiction. To me, this is one of the strongest arguments for doing this film right now. Disney could mess this up, however. Chabon could write something too good. (Good, for some reason, is not appreciated by most money-grubbing producers. They could just as easily order a rewrite. But let’s not be too pessimistic.)

What else is good? Well, they’ve got the primary characters cast. Taylor Kitsch will be playing Carter. Kitsch played in Friday Night Lights and more recently in Wolverine as Gambit. (Is it me, or does he look a little young for a civil war officer?) Lynn Collins will be Dejah Thoris. She, too, was recently seen in Wolverine, playing Silverfox. Well . . . I mean . . . what can you say? Just look at the picture!

Veteran actor Willem Dafoe will be portraying everyone’s favorite four-armed green Martian, Tars Tarkus. Dafoe is a pretty spectacular actor, but I suspect some serious CGI getting ready to happen here. Still, no complaints. Remember how great he was under all the make-up in Shadow of the Vampire? Heck, his voice is a better actor than a lot that I’ve had to watch.

Interestingly enough, as I write this (August 24, 2009), three more cast members have been confirmed. NewsOk.com reports that Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (“In America” and “Sweet and Lowdown”), Dominic West (“The Wire” and “300″) and Polly Walker (HBO’s “Rome”) have joined the cast.

All we can do for now is sit back and bask in the glow of expectations and potentialities. This is a movie with everything going for it. What could go wrong?

(Now, now, let’s not be too pessimistic.)

Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolfe?

I have a confession.

I am forty-two years old. I have been reading science fiction and fantasy for at least thirty. In all that time, I’ve read many of the classics, I’ve loyally followed several authors, and I’ve read much stuff of questionable merit. In all that time, however, I have never read anything by Gene Wolfe.

Oh, I knew about him and read much about him and his work. Now that I think about it, that may have been the problem. I’d always heard how his works were “literary” and defied the genre in which they were published. There’s also lots of discussions concerning allegory and religious symbolism, particularly within the volumes comprising The Book of the New Sun. None of this scared me. I’ve read Moby Dick, for crying out loud. And then there’s the use of archaic and exotic words, again mostly within The Book of the New Sun. That didn’t frighten me, either. I’ve read Stephen Donaldson’s The Chronicle of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever – twice. (Yes, I had to keep a college-level dictionary in hand both times.)

I still don’t know what kept me away, unless maybe, it was the “mythic” reputation that surrounded Wolfe’s works. When I’d mention reading any of his stuff to anyone, I would either get a firm “I love it!” or a sudden, almost overwhelmed wash across the poor soul’s face and a half-whispered “couldn’t do it.” It’s not dissimilar to talking about tomes like Moby Dick or The Fountainhead. At one point, about 10 years ago, I bought a used copy of The Shadow of the Torturer. As a fan of SF & F literature, I felt an obligation to try to make it through the book. I had done the same thing with Moby Dick in college. As a Lit. major, I felt I had to read it. After three attempts in about twice that many years, I finally did it and loved it. I felt the same about The Fountainhead. I finally broke down and read it. I quite enjoyed it as well. I don’t know what became of the Wolfe book. I lost track of it on my shelf, and it ultimately vanished entirely from my collection.

I never read it.

Life went on.

Every year, I try to attend two or three SF & F conventions, and one of my favorites is DragonCon. I get giddy with anticipation as the days draw near when they begin releasing their guest list. This year . . . Well, you don’t even have to guess whose name I saw first on the initial list. Let’s just say that when I saw it, I felt something that could only be compared to shame. Then I asked myself how I could call myself a true fan having never read works that have won the World Fantasy Award, the Nebula, the Locus Award.

So I began.

I ordered a second-hand copy of Wolfe’s The Shadow of the Torturer, the first volume of The Book of the New Sun. I’m now over halfway through it, and I love it. I more than love it. It’s one of those books that I look forward to picking up again. I become so absorbed in the tale of Severian, the torturer, I forget that I’m actually reading. Before I had finished the third chapter, I was at my computer ordering the rest of the books.

The language in the book is fluid – like prose poetry at times. And the archaisms do not interfere with the work at all. (Okay, maybe in the first chapter when you’re not used to them.) While reading Donaldson, the words interrupted the flow of reading at times; they seemed more like added speed bumps than part of the road. Not so with Wolfe. If anything, the words add to the atmosphere of the piece. It’s almost as if you can feel the inexorable doom of the world while the red sun hovers in the sky.

Severian’s world is in our far future, yet you can’t help but feel you’re reading a medieval romance. There’re guilds and halberd-carrying guards and walled cities. Occasionally, however, some sort of ship will fly over. There’s talk of traveling among the stars, but that was long, long ago. The distinction between technology and magic no longer exist.

But what’s most remarkable to me is the narrator/protagonist, Severian. He’s a dishonored torturer, who is forced into exile beyond the only world he’s ever known. He is definitely not a typical hero (or anti-hero as today’s trends seem to favor). Besides being a torturer, he’s down-right unreliable. At the beginning of the book, he tells us that he has a perfect memory. Shortly thereafter, however, he states that he is insane. And then he seems to forget when he has told certain information. In one discussion, he even contemplates the fact that lies become truth over time.

So what’s the truth in this story? I don’t know, yet. I may never know, but that’s okay because that’s a powerful message in itself. The tale itself is beautiful and beautifully told. Sometimes that’s enough.

Anyway, I can confidently say that I will finish Wolfe’s wonder-filled The Book of the New Sun, and I’ve a feeling I’ll be reading more, too, like the Books of the Long and Short Sun, the Soldier series, and the Wizard Knight duology. I’m just sorry I waited so long to begin. Gene Wolfe is deserving of every bit of his praise and then some. So, take my advice: there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Next Exit: Deathlands

 I love truck stops.

Not the get-your-food-and-gas kind of truck stop. They’re convenience stores, no matter how big they are. No, I mean the honest-to-goodness-get-your-food-gas-shower-and-any-kind-of-electronic-device-you-can-think-of-kind-of-place. I’m talking about the kind where you can have a sit-down meal, the kind where you can buy all kinds of Harley Davidson and Native American paraphernalia.

That’s a real truck stop.

Before we go any further, you must know I’m not, nor have I ever been, a trucker. I’m not an extensive traveler. I’m not some kind of truck stop deviant lurker either. I am a science fiction fan.

Honestly, I love truck stops primarily for their books, music, and movies. Truckers love good 60’s and 70’s classic rock. They seem to enjoy classic war and western movies, the kind Clint Eastwood used to star in. And they love good books. We’re talking action/adventure stories, classic westerns, and a decent smidgen of science fiction and fantasy. And they like James Axler’s Deathlands.

Deathlands was born of the post apocalyptic craze back in the 80’s. Axler became the house name for the series after the original writer, Laurence James, died. The story follows Ryan Cawdor and his motley company as they make their way across the ruins of America 100 years after a massive nuclear exchange. There’s lots of action, lots of mutants, and endless possibilities. (Though, I must confess, in the hands of some of the lesser writers, the tales can be a bit redundant and boring.) Being the post apocalyptic junkie I am, the books have always appealed to me. How could you not love those covers – especially the ones by Mark Herring?

However, I must confess I never got around to reading them.  Why? Well, the older ones are hard to find, unless you’re willing to pay a collector’s price for them. (Which, I am sad to say, I am currently doing.) And for another, the series is up into the eighties right now. That’s a lot of reading. How do you catch up?

The answer came to me at a truck stop: Graphic Audio CDs.

The first time I saw them, I thought they were simply another set of audio books. (Truck stops have lots of those, too.) I have tried several times to listen to audio books but just couldn’t do it. It always seemed too passive for my imagination. I put it off and put it off, until I finally read the back of one. Their slogan hooked me: “a movie in your mind.” According to the case, the cds had a full cast, sound effects, and a score. Definitely didn’t sound like an audio book, so I thought I would give it a try.

My initial reaction cannot be put into words really. It was one of those intensely personal reactions, something that clicks deep-down inside you. I can’t even begin to think about putting it into words, so let me just say “Wow.” Had I not been wearing my sandals at the time, it would have knocked my socks off. It was all true: the full cast, the sound effects, the score. And the stories were pretty awesome, too.

The actors are the key, however; Richard Rohan in particular, who narrates and portrays Ryan Cawdor. They provide a depth and insight to the characters that you just wouldn’t get from a standard audio book. The effects are awesome and rev up the action so that it feels like you’re there in the thick of it with bullets whizzing by your head and smacking disgustedly into those near you.

Again, I’m no trucker, but I’ve become quite addicted to them. I don’t have long stretches of listening time, but I will go through a chapter or two running errands to Wal-Mart or the grocery store. I even find myself volunteering to go get a gallon of milk late at night. I’ve even listened on the exercise bike.

Now, Deathlands will not be for everyone. They are rated M for mature audiences, and believe me, they deserve it. Lots of violence and harsh language and, in the earlier ones, sexual content. If they were films, they’d be a strong R at least.

(By the way, I’ve discovered that you don’t have to listen to the stories in order for the most part. However, I would recommend listening to the first ten or so just to get the full back stories on the main cast of characters.)

Graphic Audio produces a host of other titles if Deathlands is not to your liking. There’s Axler’s Outlanders, westerns, and series by R.A. Salvatore, Elizabeth Moon, and Simon Green. There’s even comics. They’ve adapted DC’s epic 52 and some Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman stories. They’re even doing Pendleton’s classic Executioner series.

Unfortunately, not all of us live near truck stops. I don’t. The closest one to me is over a hundred miles away. You can go to Graphic Audio’s website and order them. They have CD and MP3 versions. You can also download them to you computer. There are stores on the internet, some even sale used copies. I get mine off of a store on ebay (user id causinhavokinwv). At truck stops they run about $16.99, which is not bad for a seven hour production. Every story is unabridged. If you order, of course, you’re going to have to pay shipping. Downloading is the cheapest way to go.

Still, there’s nothing like traveling down the road and seeing that gianormous billboard telling you there’s a truck stop ahead. It can be your next exit to adventure.

Fantastic Voyage: Terry Bisson’s Voyage to the Red Planet

Terry Bisson’s Planet of Mystery (PS Publishing 2008) transports readers to Venus, not the lifeless planet we know, but one filled with strangeness and, well, mystery. The novella harkens back to the days of pulp planetary romances, but it’s not the first time Bisson has left mother earth, and hopefully no the last. Anyone who has read Planet of Mystery, or who is just discovering this wonderful and insightful author, may want to check out his novel about the red planet.

In Voyage to the Red Planet (Avon, 1991), Terry Bisson rediscovers the Mars of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ray Bradbury. He describes the red planet as an ancient, dying world filled with beauty, awe, and mystery, a place where man can uncover the truth about himself and his place in the cosmos. There’s only one problem: grand revelations aren’t very profitable.

The novel is set in the near future when America is finally recovering from the Grand Depression thanks to giant corporations that have bought all of the national parks and government agencies.

Just prior to all the financial woes, NASA scrapped the first manned mission to Mars. Twenty years later, the mission is given the green light – by Hollywood. A roguish producer wants to make the first film on Mars, not about Mars, but set on Mars. To that end, he “acquires” a moth-balled ship, the Mary Poppins, and hires the two original pilots who trained under the joint NASA-Soviet venture, a top cinematographer, and some “pure-bred” actors.

While the Hollywood crew tackles the important task of filming, Bass (the pilot) and Jeffries (the doctor who developed a serum for bear-like hibernation that can have some interesting side effects) stumble across ancient ruins and evidence that their arrival has been anticipated. Both men are stunned by their discovery and must decide what’s to be done with it. They know that if they tell anyone in America, the discovery will be exploited for every cent it can possibly generate. On the other hand, to keep it to themselves means years of waiting with little hope, if any, that the discovery will be used to further man’s knowledge.

Bisson’s novel is remarkable on many levels. The characters are real and motivated by real concerns. Man is shown at his best (moved by compassion) and his worst (compelled by greed), and the story is an exciting, adventurous romp that pays tribute to the glorious pulp fantasies of the past. At the same time, it is a biting satire about commercialism in America, and while the novel is filled with many humorous scenes, the laughter is often cut short. In this land where theme parks and sports arenas have become nothing more than gigantic billboards, Voyage to the Red Planet doesn’t seem too fantastic.

Kentucky Fried Science Fiction

     Kentucky – home to horse farms, bluegrass, basketball, and fried chicken. Oh yeah . . . and science fiction. Science fiction? That’s right. Kentucky has a good claim on all of the above, including SF. Sure, you’ve heard of the Derby, Bill Monroe, and KFC. Many folks would even probably recognize some of Kentucky’s great writers like Jesse Stuart and Robert Penn Warren. But SF writers? Sure. In fact, one of today’s best and most acclaimed SF writers, Terry Bisson, has his roots in the bluegrass state.

     Bisson has published several highly praised novels for adults, including Fire on the Mountain, Pirates of the Universe and The Pick-up Artist. He’s also written comic books and several movie and TV adaptations. He’s even written numerous books for young readers, ranging in topics from NASCAR to Star Wars, but it is his science fiction and fantasy stories for which he is most recognized. 

     A sense of purpose fills Bisson’s writing. On the surface, what may appear to be a witty tale of space exploration, as in Voyage to the Red Planet, actually turns out to be a humorous yet startling glimpse of the world we live in today. In “Bears Discover Fire,” probably his most famous short story, bears learn how to use fire and develop a sense of community while humans begin to drift apart. The award winning “macs,” a story about cloning, shows how terrible human beings can be when given the opportunity. Some of his best shorter works are collected in Bears Discover Fire and In the Upper Room and Other Likely Stories.

     In addition to writing, Bisson has taught at the prestigious Clarion science fiction and fantasy writer’s workshop and with the New School for Social Research in New York

     Born in 1942, Bisson grew up in Owensboro, Kentucky. In an email interview with students from Whitesburg High School, he told how he began concentrating on writing as a teen: “a great high school teacher, Louise Brody, encouraged me to read widely and then to try to imitate the writers I liked as a way of finding my own style.” After reading what he describes as “a lot of trash and pulp,” he discovered the Beats – a group of provocative and unconventional writers of the 1950’s – and started writing poetry. It was also during this time that he was drawn to science fiction, but he would not begin writing stories until he was in college.

     While attending the University of Louisville, Bisson entered a contest for a magazine and won fifty dollars for his first short story, “George.” The experience inspired him to write his first novel which never sold. Fortunately, he didn’t stop. “I loved what a good story did to me,” Bison related, “and I wanted to be able to do that to others.” Over the years, he kept writing and kept learning, but it wasn’t easy: “when I first started, I wanted to be famous, like Kerouac or Hemingway, but that didn’t work out.” The secret to success, he learned, wasn’t trying to become rich and famous: it was discovering “the pleasure of working something over again and again, until you get it right.”

     Since then, Bisson’s works have been published in Europe, Japan and China and have garnered him numerous awards, including the Nebula and the Hugo, the two most distinguished awards in science fiction and fantasy literature. In 2000, he was awarded France’s Gran Prix de L’imaginaire. One of his favorite honors, however, was bestowed upon him in 1999. He was inducted into the Owensboro Hall of Fame, joining the ranks with bluegrass legend Bill Monroe, NASCAR’s Darrell Waltrip, and Hollywood idol Johnny Depp.

     Now residing in California, Bisson continues to produce thought-provoking fiction and nonfiction. In 2008, PS Publishing released the novella Planet of Mystery, which combines his exceptional wit and insight with the planetary romances of Burroughs, Brackett, and Bradbury.  Nonetheless, Kentucky remains a part of him. He still listens to Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless, and he visits his home state regularly to camp and hike. Kentucky permeates his stories. You can see it in the rolling hills and mysterious woods he describes or the characters who know the ins and outs of growing tobacco and fixing cars. Despite the fact that most people do not think of science fiction when they think of Kentucky, he doesn’t feel he or his work has been negatively labeled or stereotyped. In fact, he sees it as a boon: “people assume I’m a ‘regular guy’ who knows all about horses and cool country stuff.”

     To find out more about Terry Bisson or his works, visit his website at www.terrybisson.com.