-
Babylon Blues Part 2
The Dregs of Men and Gods The women sneaked out the side exit. Normally reserved for staff, a quick flash of their badges earned them the right to use that door. A block away, Fox had parked her gravcar under the eyes of the club’s security cameras and in a circle of amber streetlight. Those…
-
Babylon Blues Part 1
Cherchez La Femme Cherchez La Femme was the grand dame of the Babylon nightlife scene. The hottest women, the biggest sounds, the friendliest staff, they could all be found here. Celebrities and drug lords, salarymen and self-made men, there was a place for everyone who walked past its double doors. Including a washed-up former law…
-
The Romance of the Sword
In the age of the gun, the romance of the sword lingers in pop culture. From wuxia novels to martial arts flicks, heroic fantasy tales and stories of sword and sorcery, people enjoy stories of blademasters cleaving their way through hordes of enemies. On first glance, this seems strange. These stories hardly have any bearing on modern…
-
Life Recalibration
At the age of 12, I knew I wanted to be a full-time author. The dream lasted me through my schooling years and into my twenties. Not a day passed when I would not think of that goal. But now, eighteen years on, it’s time for a reality check. And a recalibration. I have written…
-
Movie Review: Weathering with You
Morishima Hodaka is a 16-year-old high school student fleeing his remote island home. Amano Hina is an orphaned girl with the power to change the weather. Destiny brings them together in a Tokyo deluged in rain. But will destiny tear them apart? Weathering with You has all the elements of a classic Shinkai Makoto anime: gorgeous…
-
Worldbuilding with Real World Martial Arts
The average author treats martial arts simply as a collection of techniques to be displayed in fight scenes. But martial arts is more than just techniques: it is a way of life, one that resonates throughout the individual and society. The superior writer recognizes that, and sees opportunities for worldbuilding and characterisation. Sigmund Ringeck’s Knightly Arts…