Monthly Archives: May 2025

Superhero

Superhero Origins–Are They Necessary?

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Between comics and movies, I’ve probably seen over a dozen versions of the Batman’s origin story. There were retellings of “who he is and how he came to be” prior to The Dark Knight Returns in the mid-’80s, but since then it seems like that’s the only story the writers know how to tell.

Every couple years, somebody’s gotta put a new spin on Superman’s origin, too. And Spiderman. And the Avengers. And the Justice League. And the Hulk, etc., etc., etc. All Hollywood and the Big Two wanna do is constantly reboot their I.P.s. Probably because it’s so easy for a lazy, talentless woketard to “put their stamp” on a popular character by simply tweaking an old story so familiar that fans could recite the plot points in their sleep.

Wait…I’m not being fair. It’s doubtful that the lazy, talentless woketards edit the old threadbare origin stories. They probably have A.I. do it.

Anyway, all the Reboot Mania has caused me to ponder the utility of origin stories.

I became a fan of Batman, Spiderman, the Flash, Iron Man, Hawkman and Captain America long before I read any of the origin stories. Eventually, I would have become curious about how they got started, but not knowing wouldn’t have  diminished my enjoyment.

Why, as writers, are we compelled to provide detailed backgrounds of characters that our readers don’t need and never asked for?

All that to say: Threat Quotient is an ensemble superhero epic introducing two squads worth of brand new characters…but there are only two origins depicted. A third origin is revealed in one of the sequels, but beyond that, I plan to resist the urge to write more.

My rule of thumb is: I’ll worry about origin stories about the time I begin considering  T-shirts and action figures.

I understand that a fan base of 200-300 readers is big enough to find success as an independent creator. However, I don’t consider it big enough to make selling merchandise worth the time and effort.

Whether or not you would like T-shirts and action figures, go read Threat Quotient for free, and subscribe to Tales of the Earthbound. But don’t stop there–like, share, and tell folks about it. I just published Episode 3, and post episodes weekly.

You get more of whatever you support. What are you supporting?

Thanks for reading!

Reviews, Sci-Fi

THE SAKURA ELEMENT By S.C. Vincent

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THE SAKURA ELEMENT

By S.C. Vincent

A Review by INFAMOUS🦀

 

Before we dive into this book, I must confess that I am not the biggest fan of the ‘YA Romance’ genre. So, when this title first popped into my queue I was not too thrilled about it. But, as a reviewer, I always make it a priority to read, analyze, and review ALL books suggested to me, impartially and objectively. Particularly when a book has zero reviews and its author very kindly requests an official review of me, I just can’t refuse the challenge.

I like to work for the underdog, to put it bluntly. At this point, I feel more motivated to cover those indie books nobody knows they even exist, and give those authors with a passion for good storytelling a platform to let their works be seen.

The Sakura Element turned out to be much more than just your next YA novel—in fact, I’d dare say it is more of a sci-fi/utopian novel disguised as YA romance. As I kept flipping pages, I soon realized I was reading first caliber fiction, with all the ingredients and extra spices of a five-star novel. This all in spite of what I consider an horrendous cover. Not only do I personally feel the cover is ugly, but I also feel that it miserably fails at catching the essence and vibes of the story.

FIRST LOOK:

It seems that the story takes us into the aftermath of a post Third World War society, and we are quickly introduced to the concept of the ‘mods’. Mods are genetically modified human beings who had a big role in this utopian WWIII:

“In the end, it wasn’t the war between the nations that lead to nuclear fallout, but rather, the war between the average man and the Genetically Modified.”

As a result of the war, the mods have now become the pariah of the new established society. They are mocked and ridiculed by their ‘natural’ neighbors and have become outcasts—easily identifiable by their unique hair colors which are selected for them at birth. THIS is, in fact, the Sakura Element, described as:

“The genetic sequence added to those modified, as per law, to make their hair some silly color.”

This is done in order for a mod to be easily identified as such. Colors like pink, green, blue, are included in this category.

PLOT:

When 16-year-old, pink-haired mod Oka, daughter to a wealthy business man, decides to continue her education at the prestigious Alia Academia, in Sil Quarter, students quickly find out she is a mod and thus the bullying begins, as it is the norm in this society where mods are looked down upon. Oka’s resilience and complex personality, however, allow her to not only overcome all challenges that come her way (including a troubled  past related to her mother, who died when she was still an infant), but also to help in making all the students equal, and get bullying banned.

A romance will eventually develop between her and 18-year-old Allan, the son of the school’s owner. Basically Allan rules the academy by privilege and at first he joins the mob in mocking and belittling Oka. However, through an attempt at blackmail on his persona, he finds out he is a mod himself, and his entire world as he knows it comes crashing down on him. 

Secrets will reshape these young individuals, egos will be broken, and new hopes will rise.

DIALOGUE. SUPERB.

S.C. Vincent is truly a master at writing dialogue for these characters. So compelling, riveting, introspective, and clever. Whether it’s the back-and-forths between Oka and Allan, or the spirited conversations between Allan and his father and mother, this is where this book really shines. The psychological aspects of the characters transpire through the dialogue in a magnificent display of cleverness. 

Teenagers today wouldn’t have the depth of thought and eloquence that these teenagers showcase, but hey, it’s supposed to be in the future so we can fully accept it without much argument.

THE SCI-FI ELEMENT:

When Allan finds out he is a mod just like all those mods he has been bullying, the writer introduces us to the origins of these human modifications and how they impacted society as a whole:

“Humanity reaches for heaven, perfection, but in every attempt they do so without God.”

Allan finds out that the Sakura Element has not been applied to all mods and that many roam among the non-mods unnoticed and unaware, just like him. He now has two choices: use what he has learned to redeem himself or wallow in his own sorrow and play along by the cruel role he was assigned in society by his father.

As Oka will say at the end to Allan’s former best friend, Jason, after he is defeated in a fencing match:

“The loneliness you feel now is how people like me feel every day of our lives. I would simply ask that you be kinder in the future, as kindness begets kindness, and it’s something you’ll need a lot of.”

FENCING/SWORD FIGHTING:

Worthy of mention is the choreography of several fencing sessions they hold at Alia Academia. From foot placement, to how to hold the sword, to all the fine details of fencing technique, each fight is brought to life in a remarkable realism and I must wonder whether the author might not well be a fencing expert himself. Truly impressive fight sequences!

THE WORLD/THE PROSE:

I found this world quite intriguing for the fact that, though it is futuristic by all means, it has elements of the Victorian era in the way characters dress and behave, their methods of transportation, and the architecture. Which brings me to the prose, and the only minor grudge I have with the book.

The prose is really inconsistent because it keeps going from a stylistically more classical style to modern XXI century English style. I’m not sure whether this was done intentionally to emphasize a futuristic society that has adopted a Victorian era aestheticism, or if it’s something the author did not think much of.

For example, we go from something like:

“Hold your breath, lest you speak so ill of yourself? Are you not of this very same ilk which you despise?”

To something like:

“No way…!”

“Yes way, my friend, Timothy.”

To me, that creates a very weird feel overall. But I must give the author the benefit of a doubt. Maybe he only tried to create a more futuristic urban slang?

CONCLUSIONS:

This title is currently sitting on Amazon with zero reviews, which is a shame, for this is the type of book that should rise from the ashes of the indie circles in a mighty way. I cannot praise it enough, minus some very minute issues I had with inconsistent prose and the ugly cover. The concept, clever dialogue, the mix of the romantic element and the sci-fi elements, everything here is top notch and I couldn’t be any happier with it. 

The story offers an emotionally satisfying ending, its plot lines are virtually bullet-proof, and even when I felt Vincent left a door open for a glaring plot hole here and there, he immediately shut those doors a few chapters later by providing reasonable explanations for everything.

Labeling this novel ‘YA’ is an insult, in my opinion. You want to read something different, something smart, something clever  and mentally stimulating? Do yourself a favor and go get a copy of The Sakura Element today!

🦀

Fantasy, Reviews

Legacy of Blood by Jessica Barberi

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Legacy of Blood

By Jessica Barberi

A Review by INFAMOUS🦀

Legacy of Blood is the first book of a fantasy series called Son of the Flames written by Jessica Barberi which follows in the footsteps of her previous series called Fires of an Empire Saga. I never read any of the previous books but the pleasant surprise was that I was able to quickly find my footing into this world of dragons.

The main character is the oldest son of King Ciran, 17-year-old Ronan, whom this entire book was written around. His father was the main character of the previous book series – if I’m not mistaken – and now as a king, he finds himself in a difficult situation with a son who acts impulsively and does not listen to good advice when given to him. Ciran, too, in his own days, had to overcome challenges of his own, but now that he is older and has garnered priceless life experience, he looks out for his son and constantly warns him, as to not wanting him to make mistakes he might regret for the rest of his life. 

That right there really sets up the tone for the rest of the book, which is basically a look at the learning voyage Ronan embarks on, over a series of trials and life/death situations.

DRAGONS:

If it wasn’t obvious yet, this is fantasy big on dragons. The dragons we get to read about are the more animal-like ones, not the talking dragons a-la Tolkien. Ronan, in a foolish attempt to prove ‘something’ to his father Ciran, grabs a dragon egg from the lair of Ciran’s own dragon, Lorcan, and crosses the mountains to get away from his family. But the dragon egg makes him a target for dragon hunters, and once the egg hatches, it just doesn’t make for a smooth travel companion, let’s just say. 

FINN:

The character of Finn, a boy/fisherman Ronan meets in his adventure across the mountains, quickly becomes a force to be reckoned with in the narrative, and will certainly become a fan favorite. Initially, he is everything Ronan is not, due to his upbringing. He was not born with a silver spoon in his hand, and unlike Ronan, who at this stage is simply driven by impulses and by his baser instincts, is able to judge situations and people more wisely. The friendship that develops between the two boys is not exactly the smoothest due to their intrinsic differences, but what is compelling is that in the long run, Finn becomes the one single factor that will make Ronan face and admit to his faults and wrongdoings. This was really the highlight of this whole thing. The one remarkable factor, embodied by Finn and his relationship/partnership with Ronan. That alone was worth reading the book. Stellar job in capturing not just the humanity of Finn, but also the synergy between him and Ronan, as their personalities clash one against the other. That tension, that pulling back and forth, is where the author nails it.

PLOT/PACE:

Where I think the book struggles a bit is with the overall plot and pace. There is a lot of walking and a lot of talking, but much of it feels “uneventful” for lack of better terms. Yes, Ronan develops some sort of bond with the newborn dragon eventually, but there is really not much more to it. Everything feels transitional as the main character runs away from home with the dragon egg, makes friends with fisherboy Finn, and chases after pretty girls before being scared straight. 

Overall, it all just felt very slow. A whole lot of nothing happening with just a few exciting highlights here and there. Don’t get me wrong, I am not inferring that the plot should be action on top of action, but the way it’s written, though grammatically correct and well edited, feels very passive. For example, expressions like “he began to swim” instead of “he swum” or “he started to run” instead of “he ran”—though not directly quoted from the book, might help you better understand the type of not-so-engaging approach the author is using here.

In itself, it is not a bad thing, but I personally prefer a more active and engaging style that grabs me from beginning to end.

THE NON-EXISTENT ENDING:

I said this before and I say it again: it doesn’t matter whether your book series consists of 3, 10, or 20 books, you gotta offer your readers some sort of satisfying ending to each and every one of them. Your readers should walk away feeling like something got accomplished within the narrative, and that things moved forward in a meaningful and memorable way.

In LoB, there is no satisfying ending, in fact, it feels like we’re getting half of an entire book. It’s okay to leave doors open for a sequel, but also, we have to make sure to offer readers a complete story to some degree. When I reached the last page, I almost had to second guess that my digital copy wasn’t missing chapters. Our books shouldn’t feel like a long prologue to introduce us to the next book.

CONCLUSIONS:

If you enjoy dragon-based fantasy this book is for you. I tend to prefer THIS imagining of dragons that feel like actual beasts rather than the intellectually sophisticated, talking creatures other authors have written. 

The book is well-written and the editing is solid. The character of Finn and his exchanges with Ronan were ‘fire’. 

I had some issues with the not-so very active style and uneventful plot (interestingly, I read some other reviews on the previous series which also point this out). There was no ending to the story, as the last chapter only hints that basically we will have to read the next book to get something that resembles an ending. I think this approach can work when we put our stories up on Substack and RoyalRoad, but when we publish a finished book customers PAY to read, we must go above and beyond expectations, let alone provide a somewhat fulfilling ending.

Hope you will grab a copy when this comes out on June 1st, 2025, and let us know how your personal experience will be in this exciting world of dragons and dragon riders!

🦀

Adventure, Speculative, Superhero

This is not Your Father’s Cape Comic!

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I’m pleased to inform you that the first episode of my graphic novel, Threat Quotient, is  now available for you to read online!

 

These are busy but exciting times for me. This coming autumn is when I’m planning to crowdfund. Head over to the shiny new Substack where I’ve already got Episode One live, so you can start reading for free. Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

It’s been a long, arduous path to get here and I’ve documented parts of the journey.  But you can catch up later. Right now you should head over to the Tales of the Earthbound site and start reading the actual comic.

Support what you like, if you want more of it.