Soap, Disease, and Dragons - Visiting Norman OK

Talking art, books, and synesthesia with illustrator and artist of Viel of the Dragon 

1. SOAP: 

2. This month I visited Norman OK, with the primary goal of attending a consortia on surfactants run by chemical engineering professors at Oklahoma University (IASR).  I am not the only scientist attending who has an artistic side; in fact Professor John Scamehorn has ventured into producing film (he is leading a steampunk web series no less, due out in late 2015).

3. DISEASE: 

4. Before the consortia began, I managed to connect with writer/illustrator Tom Barczak who resides in Norman. I had interviewed Tom Barczak early this year (July 2014). 

   Over some Starbuck's coffee we discussed art, writing, and disease. Of course, my own series fictionalizes the alchemical humors, posing them as a source of necromancy; an imbalance of humors was called a Dyscrasia (a word popular in 1880). 
5. 
   
6. Tom, ever fascinated with sensing strange/beautiful things, discussed Synesthezia.  This ailment is a modern one, and refers to a secondary stimulus of senses.  For instance, a subset is called Chromesthesia, in which listening to sounds will trigger recoloring of whatever is being viewed by eye: one could be looking at a white wall and it would change to red or blue as certain music is played.  Great material for magic/fantasy! I can't wait to see how Tom translates his insights.

DRAGONS

Tom has a wonderful illustrated, poetic series that begins with 

Veil of the Dragon (reviewed May 2014). He is just now releasing an audio book voiced by Neil Hellegers. Check out the below video trailer.  If you like dark, poetic fantasy, you'll enjoy this.

Beauty in Ruins reviews Spawn of Dyscrasia

"In a post-apocalyptic sort of fantasy world where the 'good' guys are undead necromancers and hybrid monsters, the remaining humans must make difficult choices to ensure that there's a future for any of them... It's all very well-constructed, with an interesting system of magic to drive the plot forward, but it's hardly what one would call your typical heroic, uplifting fantasy. In fact, it's as much a horror novel as it is a fantasy novel, but it's in that clash of genres that Lindberg distinguishes himself."

Beauty in Ruins provides comprehensive book reviews on speculative fiction, and just dissected Spawn of Dyscrasia. I highly recommend following the Beauty in Ruins website.  Below is copy of most of the review:

"I didn't think it was possible, but this is an even darker fantasy than the novel that opened the saga. It's a story full of death and decay, of pain and pressure. In a post-apocalyptic sort of fantasy world where the 'good' guys are undead necromancers and hybrid monsters, the remaining humans must make difficult choices to ensure that there's a future for any of them.

Just to give you an idea of what you're getting into here, the story opens with a dying young woman, her body and soul slowly being consumed by the necromancer she serves. Her own ghost picks a replacement from out of the crowd, damning one of her oldest friends to the same sort of helpless, hopeless, inevitable doom. That friend, Helen, dutifully accepts the charge laid upon her and prepares to embark upon a future of sacrificing herself to save Lord Echo, the necromancer, in an effort to preserve her people.

Like the first volume, this is a very dark, very bleak, very sort of hopeless future, one in which the monsters have already won. It's all very well-constructed, with an interesting system of magic to drive the plot forward, but it's hardly what one would call your typical heroic, uplifting fantasy. In fact, it's as much a horror novel as it is a fantasy novel, but it's in that clash of genres that Lindberg distinguishes himself. This reads very much like an epic fantasy novel in terms of language and imagery, but one dealing with a dark, gruesome, horrific sort of subject matter. It's a gorgeous, textured, intricately layered story where every word counts, and where no phrase is wasted. Make no mistake, it makes for heavy reading, but you feel the weight of every word.

While I would have liked to see Helen play more of a heroic role, rather than serve as damsel in distress or sidekick, this is not really a world where humans have a significant role to play. It is a world filled with hybrid monsters and ruled by god-like beings, a world in which power is infected by an insidious sort of disease. Having said that, she's an admirable character, for all the flaws of her situation, and she does have her moments, especially as we approach the climax.

Overall, I found the pacing and flow much stronger, compared to Lords of Dyscrasia. It's a clearer, more consistent tale, one with those narrative bridges that I felt were lacking in the first book. As sequels or follow-ups go, Spawn of Dyscrasia is one of those rare novels that tops its predecessor in almost every way, which definitely bodes well for future installments. If you're open to something new, and have the patience to really pay attention to the narrative as much as the plot, then by all means pay Lindberg's world a visit - you'll be impressed at what he's able to accomplish in so few carefully chosen words, and you'll certainly appreciate the visit."
- Bob Milne 2014

Chronicles of Hate - Adrian Smith Graphic Novel Review by S.E.

Chronicles of Hate by Adrian Smith
S.E. Lindbergrating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a daring, impressive work of art: 100pages of monochrome, gritty fantasy. Besides the introduction (a page of beautiful, epic text), those pages average ~one word /page. Adrian Smith relies on his graphic skills to tell the story and does admirably.

In short, Mother Earth is defiled and is bound beneath the ground; humanity falls from any grace it may have had. Men enslave other men, and a brutal Tyrant rules over many. Mother Earth’s spirit engages Worm, the protagonist, who is tasked to free her [or bring back her power somehow]. Her magic has seeped into vegetation since her demise, so sentient fungi and roots play a role. She transforms or communicates to Worm as a white butterfly too.

Adrian Smith's illustrations are generally splendid. If you ever looked into any Warhammer/Games Workshop art (which Adrian has made many) and wished you could immerse yourself in a similar world (this is not part of Warhammer’s TM Olde World), this is your chance.

Enjoying/understanding this took some concentration and rereading of the prologue, which may turn off some but I found enjoyable.  If I understood this correctly, Worm is out to find a key to unlock Mother Earth's chains/cage. Regardless of the low-text approach, I expected to have a better understanding of what to expect in the second volume by the time I reached the end. The number and motivations of the different, conflicting factions is still unclear. Vol. #2 promises to develop this more, which will prompt a reread of this. I plan to purchase the next as soon as it is available.


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Rheology in the Real World - Rheology Panel Oct 2014

Society of Rheology 2014 

The microscopist/material scientist in me has enjoyed SoR since 2005.  It was a pleasure to participle in the Industrial Panel this round. Here is the news blurb:

27 October 2014 American Institute of Physics News

AIP and SOR proudly partnered in their annual look at industrial applications of rheology at SOR’s annual meeting in Philadelphia on October 5. Entitled “Rheology in the Real World,” this panel session featured speakers from the Dow Chemical Company, NIST, the University of Queensland, Medimmune, and Procter & Gamble. The standing-room-only audience was filled with students eager to learn from SOR members working in industry or industrial applications of rheology. The reception that followed the panel discussion was particularly lively. AIP and SOR are grateful to Maryam Sepher (Chevron), Amy Shen (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology), Gerry Fuller (Stanford), and Matthew Reichert (Dow) for organizing this successful event.

"Rheology in the Real World" organizers and panelists. Standing, from the left - Gerry Fuller, Matthew Reichert, Maryam Sepher, Amy Shen. Seated, from the left - Seth Lindberg (Procter & Gamble), Catherine Jackson (Dow Chemical Company), Michael Boehm (University of Queensland), Kalman Migler (NIST), Jai Pathak (Medimmune).

Elak of Atlantis and Black Company - Nov-Dec Groupread Topics

Please join the Sword & Sorcery Group on Goodreads as we read the following topics over the next two months (Nov Dec 2014):

(a) Henry Kuttner's Elak of Atlantis; join us at  Elak Discussion Link

(b) Glen Cook's The Black Company, join us at  Black Company Discussion Link 

Banner Art Credits

-Paizo edition of Elak of Atlantis, by Andrew Hou - 2007 (left)

-Glen Cook's The Return of the Black Company, artist Raymond Swaland

 

Gonji: Red Blade from the East - Book Review by S.E.

Gonji: Red Blade from the East by T.C. Rypel
S.E.Lindberg rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gonji’s Deathwind – The Godzilla of Sword & Sorcery?
Some splendid reviews already exist for Gonji: Red Blade from the East, in particular Fletcher Vredenburgh’s January 21st 2014 Post on Blackgate is extremely thorough. This provides another summary, and some more complementary information.

Gongi Is A Unique, Entertaining Mashup: Gongi is a wandering, displaced warrior--a Ronin (master-less samurai) roaming 16th century Europe. This is not historical fiction, however. This is Sword & Sorcery in vein of R.E. Howard’s Conan…but it is a solidly unique take on the genre. Firstly, Gonji is a cross-breed of a Japanese warlord and Viking sword-maiden; rather than the Hyperborean continent of REH, Gonji explores a realistic version of Europe’s geography (Ottoman–Habsburg times). Plenty of creatures and magic infuse compelling fight scenes. I half expected Godzilla to emerge on multiple occasions!

Gonji is a mysterious, intelligent character. Stretching plausibility, he knows many languages (Japanese, Spanish, Italian, German, English, more?) sufficiently to converse with everyone. He is a bit moody too, which is ostensibly related to his mixed heritage (disciplined father, wild mother). His allegiances are difficult to predict, sometimes joining mercenary bands, sometimes rescuing weak townspeople. Generally, the blend of cultures and Gonji’s mysterious motivations are engaging.

By the end of this first installment, we know only that he is seeking the “Deathwind,” and we know he gets closer to this goal when he reached the city of Vedun, but otherwise the core of his quest is unclear. There is parallel conflict with some apparently evil occupiers of Vedun; but their motives are not clear by the end either, at times brutally dominating folk and at times letting them live in peace. I would have enjoyed a bit more clarification; the demarcation between the first and second book may just be due to the publication history.

Series: The initial Zebra books of the 1980’s essential split one long novel into a trilogy (I suspect the split was arbitrary). T.C. Rypel’s 1980 series has been released in a more complete forms (more books, eBooks, audiobooks). The newer releases from Borgo Press seem to have maintained this split. I’ll need to read the second and third books to confirm that, and I plan to do that. Actually, Rypel has a lot more Gonji in mind, and has books 4 and 5 available now. Books 1-3 are the original trilogy:
1) Gonji: Red Blade from the East: The Deathwind Trilogy, Book One
2) Gonji: The Soul Within the Steel
3) Gonji: Deathwind of Vedun: The Deathwind Triology, Book Three
4) Gonji: Fortress of Lost Worlds
5) Gonji: A Hungering of Wolves


Social Media, Cover Art, and Maps: T.C. Rypel is very accessible via Facebook(Gonji Page) and the Goodreads Sword and Sorcery Group. If you check those websites you can (a) communicate with him and (b) just read/learn fascinating tidbits. For instance, from these I learned the artwork of Serbian illustrator Dusan Kostic graces most of the new releases, which seem more appropriate than the 1980’s covers that seem to mirror the James Clavell books (contemporary for 1980’s works, but of different genre). Also, The Kindle editions of the Deathwind Trilogy books do not include artist Joseph Rutt's Maps that appear in the front of the print editions.

Ohio Rocks: Incidentally, T.C. Rypel has Ohio roots, as do many Sword and Sorcery authors; in fact, 20% of the original Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America (SAGA, 1960-80s) came from my home state OH. The unassuming state of OH has ties to many relevant authors including including: David C. Smith, Andre Norton, Stephen Donaldson, John Jakes, Richard Lee Byers, Roger Zelazny, Dennis L. McKiernan, Steve Goble, and more.

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Lords of Dyscrasia: Darkly bold and literate fantasy

Recent 5-star review of Lords of Dyscrasia on Amazon!  

5.0 out of 5 stars Lords of Dyscrasia: Darkly bold and literate fantasy -1st in a series, October 9, 2014

By 

Amazon Customer "lokhos" (USA) - 

This review is from: Lords of Dyscrasia (Kindle Edition)

S.E. Lindberg leads us on an amazing adventure into character and danger with his first in a series, "Lords of Dyscrasia." Lindberg's work is dark, violent; sometimes beautiful, sometimes lyrical; always thoughtfully written. For an emerging writer, Lindberg takes many chances, and almost always succeeds. He is a more thoughtful writer than many, exploring the psyches of humans and their gods. Lindberg is a chemist, and in this story disease corrupts the the characters and their faith in themselves and one another. I loved it, but I am hesitant to characterize it. Is Lords of Dyscrasia it high fantasy, heroic fantasy? You decide.

A dyscrasia is a term the ancient Greeks used to describe imbalance of the four humors needed for life. In Lords of Dyscrasia, these medicinal or physical humors manifest as muses for artisans, dispensers of magical power, and the manifestations of disease. Lindberg twists this sophisticated ancient construct into an unexpected shape, as is his wont.

Lindberg is a bold and literate guide to a uniquely-imagined world, with a deep love for fantasy conventions and equally for surprises. When the soul of a dying queen becomes infused into the blood of a human artisan, the soul of the queen passes through his blood and into his offspring, preserving the bloodline... I'll say no more about Ante and the adventures swirling around him.

As I said, Lindberg takes chances; he's full of energy that infuses this book with passion. The raw power of story, when mixed with a literate intelligence and a taste for beauty, make this writer one to read early and follow on his quest for perfection. I can't wait to see what Lindberg does next, in Spawn of Dyscrasia... although I think I have an inkling....