The Red Skull

Marvel has released their first picture of Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull for the upcoming movie Captain America.

I have to say, I like it a lot. I like the tiny details like the Hydra belt buckle. If the movie is half as good as the costumes, it should be a decent movie.

Captain America hits theaters on 22 July 2011.

Heroes and Heartbreakers from Tor

Tor is launching a new site called Heroes and Heartbreakers. Looks like a mix between romance and urban fantasy.

The community site that brings together the best in all things romance, including historical and paranormal romance, and urban fantasy. As a Tor.com member, you can use your existing username and password to access exclusive content on Heroes and Heartbreakers, and receive the weekly H&H newsletter. Below are this week's highlights.

To kick off the website there is a short story from Darynda Jones as well as a sneak peek of Laura Leigh's latest Live Wire. The first chapter is available on the site. Aside from the sneak peeks and short stories there are several blog entries and commentaries.

Registration and log in is required.

New Posters to Sucker Punch

Not sure whether I will like the movie Sucker Punch, but I have a feeling I will. Regardless of the story, it should entertain me for the 90+ minutes with plenty of eye candy and explosions. But, the latest promotional posters are absolutely awesome and a throwback to Rosie the Riveter.

Sucker Punch hits theaters 25 March 2011 in the States.

Bram Stoker Award Finalists

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A NOVEL

Horns by Joe Hill
Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry
Dead Love by Linda Watanabe McFerrin
Apocalypse of the Dead by Joe McKinney
Dweller by Jeff Strand
A Dark Matter by Peter Straub

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A FIRST NOVEL

Black and Orange by Benjamin Kane Ethridge
A Book of Tongues by Gemma Files
Castle of Los Angeles by Lisa Morton
Spellbent by Lucy Snyder

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN LONG FICTION
"The Painted Darkness" by Brian James Freeman
"Dissolution" by Lisa Mannetti
"Monsters Among Us" by Kirstyn McDermott
"The Samhanach" by Lisa Morton
"Invisible Fences" by Norman Prentiss

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SHORT FICTION
"Return to Mariabronn" by Gary Braunbeck
"The Folding Man" by Joe R. Lansdale
"1925: A Fall River Halloween" by Lisa Mannetti
"In the Middle of Poplar Street" by Nate Southard
"Final Draft" by Mark W. Worthen

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN AN ANTHOLOGY
Dark Faith edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon
Horror Library IV edited by R.J. Cavender and, Boyd E. Harris
Macabre: A Journey Through Australia's Darkest Fears edited by Angela Challis and Marty Young
Haunted Legends edited by Ellen Datlow and Nick Mamatas
The New Dead edited by Christopher Golden

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A COLLECTION
Occultation by Laird Barron
Blood and Gristle by Michael Louis Calvillo
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King
The Ones That Got Away by Stephen Graham Jones
A Host of Shadows by Harry Shannon

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN NONFICTION
To Each Their Darkness by Gary A. Braunbeck
The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Thomas Ligotti
Wanted Undead or Alive by Jonathan Maberry and Janice Gable Bashman
Listen to the Echoes: The Ray Bradbury Interviews by Sam Weller

SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A POETRY COLLECTION
Dark Matters by Bruce Boston
Wild Hunt of the Stars by Ann K. Schwader
Diary of a Gentleman Diabolist by Robin Spriggs
Vicious Romantic by Wrath James White

The awards will be presented at the Stoker Awards Banquet held at World Horror Con in Austin, Texas the weekend of April 28.
Congratulations to all the nominees!

A Dance With Dragons Now Has A Publication Date

I can hear some of you saying "Finally!" with a sigh of relief and at the same time I can hear some others saying "Yeah, right!" crossing their hands over their chests and frowning in a skeptical manner.

Well... Believe it or not, George R.R. Martin's publishers have a publication date for the long awaited book and the fifth of what most would consider one of the best series in modern fantasy, A Dance With Dragons.

You may not believe and think that it is just another publication date following many other disappointments however as the author himself puts it "This date is different. This date is real.": July 12, 2011.

This morning we heard the news from an Entertainment Weekly article and it has become the hottest fantasy topic on twitter and blogosphere. Some have even already pre-ordered their copy on Amazon.

What do you think? Come July, are we finally going to get a book in our hands? Have you ordered your copy already?

REVIEW: Tales from the Edge of Forever by Alexander Hammond

Tales from the Edge of Forever by Alexander Hammond
Publishing information: Paperback; 174 pages
Publisher: Nazca Plains; 16 December 2010
ISBN 10: 1610981715
ISBN 13: 978-1610981712
Anthology/Short Story Collection
Copy: Provided by Author
Reviewer: Tyson

Synopsis: "An anthology of mind bending imagination, Tales from the Edge of Forever offers a delicious collection of wildly original vignettes mixing fantasy, speculation, spirituality and science invention. Hammond has created stories with a depth and thoughtfulness that transcend their brevity. Whether on the streets of Manhattan or at the very edge of time and space itself the authors’ scenarios tease and intrigue in this stunningly unique collection. A total of twenty three creatively brilliant stories to captivate even the most jaded fantasy enthusiast, this book both challenges and enchants."

Tales From the Edge of Forever is a short story collection from Alexander Hammond and he does a fairly good job of delivering a wide gambit of genres. He tackles suicide in the story The Hotel at the Edge of Forever. Nuclear war and politics in the story The Button and UFO conspiracies in Top Secret. Every story contained in the collection reads as if it was written from a different author as Hammond finds a new voice for each story. There is at least one story for everyone regardless of your tastes.

The three stories that I enjoyed the most were The End of the World, My Special Guest Tonight, and Deity. The End of the World had a surprise ending. So did My Special Guest Tonight which takes a interesting look at violence in the media. The main character has a striking quality similar to Quentin Tarantino. Finally, in Deity we find a young man who must come to terms with his god-like powers.

There are a lot of stories contained in this collection and they read really quickly. I found myself continuing to read long after I should have taken a break. Tales from the Edge of Forever is quite an eclectic collection and I found that it was a lot of fun to read.

Plot 8
Characters 8
Style 8

Overall 8/10

OLD MAN'S WAR To Hit the Big Screen

If you haven't heard the news, John's Scalzi's Old Man's War is coming to the big screen. The rumor is that this may be a flagship movie for the studio.

More information can be found at Scalzi's Website. All I can say is congratulations to John and I look forward to seeing it come alive in theaters. Speculative Book Review's review of Old Man's War can be found here.