M. Weald

It’s been a busy time over here, with the many fantasy and sci-fi stories I’ve read or watched or played stacking up like cordwood near an unlit campfire. So, grab a chair and take a seat, because this fire is about to be lit, and these stories burn bright and quick. As we watch the flames dance from each and every log, I’ll be keeping my thoughts brief, just a couple sentences each. No sizable spoilers will be found here either, though there might be the occasional allusion or tidbit or statement already released in promotional flyers. Anything major has been banished away from the fire, into the cold and lonely dark.

• LOTR: The Rings of Power Season 2 (Amazon Prime Live Action Series)
  • Thankfully, I found the second season even better than the first. The overall writing was much improved to my mind, with Sauron’s manipulations as Annatar, Lord of Gifts, particularly enthralling. If you have always wanted to see the creation of the rings of power given visual form, I’d give it a recommendation.
• The Legend of Vox Machina Season 3 (Amazon Prime Animated Series)
  • I can’t get enough of The Legend of Vox Machina. I loved the first two seasons, and I loved the third. While I’ve never watched the original Critical Role campaign which the animated series depicts, this medium is the distillation I prefer. I find myself unable to fit in the sheer length of content Critical Role’s live action roleplaying requires, yet still thoroughly impressed by the storytelling. I’m just glad this animated series exists so I can experience it. Also, the romantic in me quite enjoyed this season’s willingness to tackle romantic relationships. If you enjoy irreverent and raunchy fantastical adventure with no small amount of heart and depth, join the group of heroes known as Vox Machina and give this show a watch.
• Tress of the Emerald Sea (Novel by Brandon Sanderson)
  • There was something particularly refreshing about this novel. While it did have a fair number of Cosmere tie ins that tickled the brain, it still felt fairly standalone. Although, that could just be because I’ve read every Cosmere book to date and any such references intrigued rather than annoyed. In any case, this book might have been my favorite of the Year of Sanderson kickstarter stories. It is a lighthearted fairy tale romance that makes any such tropes its own. Not to mention, there are oceans of spores reliant on the interesting real world phenomena of particulates like sand acting almost as a liquid when aerated from below. For lovers of the modern fairy tale, give it a read.
• Hades (Roguelike Action RPG by Supergiant Games)
  • Roguelike’s are a hard video game genre for me. For those unfamiliar, roguelike’s rely on a looping mechanism, as in, your character generally has to restart from the beginning upon every death, at least geographically. A Sisyphean task you might say. Your character often unlocks new abilities or story notes with each new attempt. Hades is actually about the son of Hades, Zagreus, as he tries to escape the labyrinthine Underworld. With each attempt, you get farther and learn more about Zagreus’ motivations, Hades’ past, and the intrigue amongst the Greek gods of Olympus. The gameplay is stellar, the music is stellar, and the story is, you guessed it, stellar. Above all else, the game stays entertaining even as you make your hundredth escape attempt. For those who haven’t quite found a roguelike that fits their tastes, give this one a shot. Oh, and I’m not bi, but the memes about this game being a bi-sexual awakening make sense. Most every character depicted in this game is objectively attractive.
• A Wizard of Earthsea & The Tombs of Atuan (Novels by Ursula K Le Guin; Earthsea 1 & 2)
  • I’m grouping these together as its been a minute and their stories have blurred in my mind a bit. Nonetheless, I’m glad I’ve finally visited the islands of Earthsea, this legendary fantastical realm written by one of the best fantasy and sci-fi authors to put pen to paper. I will say, these tales definitely reflect the fads of fantasy present at the times of their writing. A Wizard of Earthsea was published in 1968, The Tombs of Atuan in 1970. A Wizard of Earthsea in particular feels it, reads more akin to an epic seafaring edda than a modern retelling. Everything is told in grand scope, but as a result we never quite close in on the main character’s, Ged’s, perspective in the same way the modern 3rd person limited perspective so often does. Truth be told, this older style of writing, grand though it may be, isn’t always my favorite, yet I nonetheless enjoyed the ride and greatly appreciate its value. I think I liked The Tombs of Atuan a bit more as it shifted away from the zoomed out style, got more close to the relevant perspective. Nonetheless, if you want to see what has inspired countless fantasy tales over the past 50 odd years, definitely give this a shot.
• DanDaDan (Anime Adapted by Science Saru, Manga by Yukinobu Tatsu)
  • Anime so often is a hit or miss for me. It usually depends on the relative frequency of what I like to call “Oh, Japan” moments, little clips of, typically pervy, cultural dissonance that just aren’t quite my cup of tea. And yet, sometimes a show can take that to the extreme in satirical fashion and it somehow works? I don’t really understand it. But this show is a topically raunchy, irreverent tale depicting two teenagers as they handle the struggles of puberty and battle errant ghosts and aliens who have a rather unhealthy obsession with human anatomy. Weird right? And yet it works.
• Castlevania: Nocturne (Netflix Animated Series)
  • The original Castlevania animated series on netlfix has to be in my top5 shows of all time. Its blend of fun dialogue and absolutely exhilarating fight sequences kept me entranced, while the narrative and character work gave it far more depth than I’d expected going in. Perhaps because I have my own complicated history with organized religion – I went to a private Catholic school for grades k-8 – I often find the depiction of the potential evils of the church an interesting narrative hook. As far as Castlevania: Nocturne, a sequel to the aforementioned Castlevania that follows Sypha and Trevor Belmont’s descendants in the age of the French Revolution, I found it to be a worthy successor to the original, with much the same strengths. If you liked the original Castlevania adaptation, give this one a watch.
• Arcane Season 2 (Netflix Animated Series)
  • Talk about impressive animation. This series, animated by Fortiche Studios, is clearly a labor of love. The animation is absolutely stunning. As far as the story, it’s good, a solid addition to season 1’s narrative, even if it felt a bit rushed. That would be my only real critique on this one. I know there are spin-off series in the works, and I’m excited for those, but season two felt like it could have been multiple seasons on its own, and it had several narratives that felt a tad unresolved. Nonetheless, if you want to watch some impeccable animation and a story that, while a bit rushed, the creators clearly pored their hearts and souls into, give this a watch.
• Firefly and Serenity (Live Action TV Series and Movie)
  • Ah Firefly. Oh how I am saddened by your untimely cancellation. To be clear, I’ve watched the TV series Firefly, and its subsequent movie Serenity, multiple times at this point. This was just a rewatch to introduce the IP to my girlfriend. For those who haven’t heard of it, the show Firefly aired on Fox years ago, circa 2002. It’s a favorite of mine, one mishandled by Fox and gifted an early cancellation as a result. It’s a fun blend of the western and sci-fi genres that follows the found-family, ragtag crew of a spaceship as they just try to stay afloat. With a compelling over-arching narrative and fun adventures of the week, there’s been none quite like it since, though several have tried.
• Severance Season 1 (Apple TV+ Live Action Series)
  • Ok, so first thing, if any Apple TV+ executives are listening, change the name of your streaming service. It’s confusing and silly given you already have a piece of hardware called Apple TV. Granted it’s not as bad as whatever HBO Max is calling itself these days, but still. When it comes to your greenlighting of shows though, don’t change a damn thing. As someone who uses an Android phone and generally refuses to buy Apple products due to the company’s high-prices and overall holier-than-thou snootiness, I can say that the shows available on Apple TV+ are fantastic. It’s the new HBO for scripted programming, in particular in the realm of Sci-Fi. And boy oh boy, does the show Severance deliver. It’s frequently directed by none other than Ben Stiller, of all people, and geez does it show the man’s range. I knew he had a taste for impeccable cinematography given his movie The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, but Severance takes it to another level. Without spoiling anything, the basic premise is that a mysterious company has invented technology that can split an individual into both a work and non-work persona. If a thrilling tale where each new turn in the nondescript hallway reveals another mystery sounds intriguing, give this a watch.
• Devil May Cry (Netflix Animated Series)
  • This animated series by Adi Shankar is based on the video game series of the same name. It’s pretty good, a tale of hell’s encroachment on the mortal world. It didn’t blow me away like many of the others on this list though. The animation is fine, at times a bit over-reliant on 3d models to my taste. The narrative is workable, your usual rude anti-hero throwing out one-liners while looking badass. The soundtrack is stellar though. If you like the games, I would say this is a faithful adaption and worth the watch. Otherwise, I’d probably give this one a pass.
• Sinners (Original Movie Directed by Ryan Coogler)
  • This movie is incredible. It’s a vampire tale in which Mississippi delta blues and Irish folk music blend with special import. If you like horror movies at all and appreciate good music, do yourself a favor and watch this movie. I’ll say no more for fear of spoiling.
• Owl House (Disney+ Animated Series)
  • There is a whole genre of animated series that are purportedly for kids but nonetheless are incredibly enjoyable for adults. Shows like Gravity Falls or Infinity Train tackle complex themes but wrap them in a kid-friendly veneer. Owl House, while leaning more towards Gravity Falls than Infinity Train, is undoubtedly still in that vein. Telling the tale of a girl who wants to be a witch who finds herself in a realm where witches are everywhere, it is a fun, lighthearted story that will nonetheless pull at your emotions. If a house with an unsettling and vaguely owl-like creature named Hooty built into its walls peaks your interest, give this a watch.
• How To Train Your Dragon (Live Action Movie Remake)
  • Ok, I have confession. While I have ranted in the past about Hollywood’s tendency for sequels or reboots or remakes instead of original IP,https://mweald.com/2023/10/02/on-hollywood-adaptations/, I still greatly enjoyed this movie. It is essentially the animated film shot for shot, with a little bit added in here or there to fill out some of the lore. Directed by the same guy who directed the animated film, Dean DeBlois, you can tell it was shot with a love for the original material in mind. As much as it pains me to say, I enjoyed every minute. If a remake is made with this much care, I’m ok with it.

All the best,

M. Weald

P.S. The Reedsy writing class I started in January finished up a couple months back. The fantasy novel I began in the class continues to accrete words day by day, even if it’s at more of a geological pace than I was hoping for. I’ve found my writing, at least given all of the other constraints on my time, is more along the lines of a glacier pushing up earth than a tornado whipping dirt into a pile. Still, I’m hoping that analogy holds because the shaping of the earth by glaciers has certainly had a more lasting impact. The novel currently sits at ~37k words, and the goal is to finish out the rough draft before the year is out.