Dark Rebirth

What is it that drives a person to evil
That forbidden fruit we are warned to avoid
but still grasp all to readily

What is it that drives a person to inflict pain
That ultimate sensual experience
that presses negative energy onto another

What is it that drives a soul to turn dark
That perversion of light
that blackens the very essence of hope

A desire springs from a seed
trying  desperately to grow
reaching towards the sun.

but finds its way blocked.
trapped in the shadow of a tree
light refuses to nurture life

feeding on itself
the shadows grow
gnawing, begging for more

The plant lusts for energy
Surly its need can be sated
if only it could have a little more

The plant becomes a glutton
feeding on its surroundings
growing ever bloated

The plant grows envious of the tree
the dead ground nearby exhausted
it siphons food from its rival.

The plant is greedy
Feeding on the soil of the tree too long
Its rival begins to wither.

The plant becomes slothful
Gorged on food it needs rest
leaving its neighbor to die

The plant gains wrath
The rotting tree drops a dying branch from above
the demise follows soon after

The plant is filled with pride
It has won out over its neighbor
And sunlight belongs to it.

Many years grow by
the desire plant is now a tree
surrounded by grey dead soil

Twisting deep beneath the ground
searching for more food
and finds it through destruction

Desire is always hungry for more
it is never sated
dreams are a poor excuse for fuel

The fruit drives a person to evil
We choose to accept it
because if we do not, another will

A sensual experience drives a person to inflict pain
We choose to accept it
because if we do not, another will

We pervert our own souls
Hope is only a minor setback
because if we do not, another will

When one is born into this world
They choose between eating or being eaten
Inflicting harm, or being harmed

Do we desire to live so much
That others must die
so that we may thrive

Are we born into evil
or do we choose to accept it
as a result of advanced instinct

Writing a Story and Breaking Writer's Block

There are many things to consider when one decides to write a story.  All of these things can seem overwhelming too.  Where should I start? What direction do I take? What do I create?  Why will the reader care about this story? Should they care about this story?

By no means are any of the above the most important questions to ask.  I'll admit, they were just the first to come to mind. However, every one of the problems listed above have a few things in common with one another.

First, every one of those questions has a string of complex answers.  None of the above will have a solution that is a one size fits all situation. In this same vein, sometimes, as will be discussed a little further down, these types of questions, and the form of contemplation are not worth exploring at least initially.

Second, and most importantly, letting oneself get bogged down in these questions creates a very oppressive form of writers block. For those unfamiliar with the term, writers block is essentially being unable to write for a whole host of reasons.  It can also apply to a person being unable to know how to proceed with their writing. And since there are so many different ways that writers block can manifest, it is wise to avoid as many of the factors that cause it as possible.

As a published author in my own right, I have decided to share some of the information that has helped me write and escape the confines of my own blocks.  I hope this to be helpful for writers of all levels.

First and foremost, and this cannot be stressed enough, the most important part of writing a story is to write.  I know, it is a crazy concept correct? But the most noticeable side effect of writers block is the inability to write so I cannot stress this important strategy enough. For those who have trouble writing down their ideas because they fear of lack of coherency, my advice is to use the powerful tools given by computers and spell checkers.  Put whatever words come to mind in the word document, google doc or whatever equivalent you are making use of. SAVE OFTEN! Few things are as destructive to writing compared to a couple hours of work completely lost.

Next, should you feel lost, and need more inspiration, the wonderful, and all mighty power of the internet is near limitless fuel for imagination. Literacy and technology intersect at every corner within this realm.  There are novels of every genre to consume for examples of what works and what does not in a story, and past that, we have incredibly detailed wiki website for just about every story on the face of the planet.

The next thing I will discuss deserves a paragraph in its own right.  There are Wiki pages for stories, and then there is Tvtropes.  This website has so many tools at the fingertips of writers, that words cannot even properly express how helpful this page has been in my own writing process.  Need help constructing characters?  Pages for that on here.  Need to ensure that an idea you have has not been done hundreds of times already? Plenty of pages for that too!  Seriously, no matter how many times I repeat it, I cannot stress enough how important this very specific website has been in my own writing process, especially in the vein of writers block.

One final aspect that is equally important to writing, and goes into the same vein as above, make sure to read as well as write.  Literacy is required for writing.  It is called literature for that very reason.  I was once told that "for every hour you write, you should read two" and it is true.  Remember that reading on the internet, or listening to music is as much consuming literacy as reading a book.  With that in mind, the number of ideas hat exist to help with the writing process is limitless.

But for those who need one final push, there is one final strategy that can make use of all the concepts outlined above. A handy stopwatch can help a writer to commit to putting their ideas down on the page. Whether through a phone, or a literal alarm timer, doing work in short spurts can help ease the load and overwhelming feelings that are associated with writing.  This final step can help those struggling to crush their writers block run over the mountain to find the downhill slope on the other side.

Final Fantasy 15 Review (Post Chapter 9)

This is my second half of the Final Fantasy Review and starts with chapter 9 and beyond.  This is the phase known by the fanbase as the section where the game completely falls apart.  A sentiment I now agree with.

I had some serious problems with the plot of this game, but with the open world nature of the first half of the game, I was willing to ignore this major flaw.  But with the second half of the game really focusing on plot, now I was forced to come to terms with Final Fantasy 15's biggest weakness. 

Minus the big four main characters, a couple supporting leads, and the main antagonist, I did not care about any of the characters.  Chapter 9 is where this begins to really hold the game back.  As major deaths of characters starts to happen, I felt... nothing from their painful ends.  Perhaps I am spoiled by powerful plots with characters that really speak to me on an emotional level, but I really could care less about most of the characters in the plot.  As a result, their deaths don't matter to me much.

Worse is what happens when the open world aspect suddenly ends, and the game is literally railroaded.  There are a few good parts in this segment, though the twists require a little bit of suspension of disbelief.  There was one notable part of the game that I really did enjoy and it comes at odds with most of the fan base.

Chapter 13, hailed by almost everyone as the worst part of the game was actually one of my favorite segments.  Sure the plot was still weak, and a villain that most of the time I liked, decided to act even more hammy than usual as I stealthed through his base.  Without mentioning specifics, just know that lots of people hate this part of the game due to the drastic changes in gameplay.  Suddenly Noct is the main character of a survival horror game with jump scares a plenty, and none of his weapons save the Ring of Luci which is an item that I only recently figured out how to use properly.

The part of the game that really pissed me off and really showed me why the games ending segments are getting so much hate is what occurs right after Chapter 13 ends.  Once again avoiding spoilers, Square had a chance to effectively double the main game in both scope and size, and decided not to. 

With an ending that was very obviously rushed, I was very disappointed in the second half of the game. There was a chance to follow in the footsteps of Final Fantasy 6, my favorite video game of all time, and this did not deliver.  So while I am getting a chance to enjoy the bonus dungeons, this is not one of the best games in the series which is a shame because this game was stuck in development hell for so long. 

With Square hopefully realizing what they did wrong with this game, perhaps the next game in the series will remedy the decreasing faith I have in the Final Fantasy Series of late.

Romasanta Father of Werewolves: Review

Whoa boy, this was an incredible read.

After Reviewing the first book in the Cedric Series, I jumped right into this one, and continued to dive until the end, cause it really enjoyed it that much.

This novel showcases a world where fantasy, myth, and a bit of magic collide.  But unlike the first book in the series which focuses on the lives of two increasingly important characters, Romasanta focuses on the titular Werewolf who has a much larger impact on the world than Cedric.

From humble beginnings as a farmer that leads to an incredible bad string of luck, Romasanta finds himself sharing his body with Fenrir the great wolf, and finds himself on a quest for revenge against Merlin, the man who made him this way.  Alas, Romasanta's bad luck does not stop, or even start there.  On a quest to reunite with the woman he loves, this poor man becomes the most powerful of all Werewolves.  Also due to the fact that Vampires are a mutation of the Werewolf curse, he is the master of their race as well.

With an action packed adventure, cunning Demons (Like Lilith who never fails to disappoint in this book) and an extremely manipulative sibling, I could not put this book down from start to end.  It certainly helps that I am a sucker for seeing prior events with more puzzle pieces revealed.  For those who have read Cedric the Demonic Knight, this book offers more insight into those same events and one can really see the scope and intrigue that Cedric failed to notice while he was strung along in the previous book.

All in all, this book addresses some key ideas such as what love means as well as how one is and is not human. The emotional impact is a nonstop experience and I highly recommend this novel to just about anyone.  The romance that I tried to avoid a bit more in the first book did not distract at all in this sequel.  The high fantasy elements are, of course, my preferred draw in this novel, but there is something to find for everyone within its pages.

I cannot wait for "Oracle" which will be the next book.

Hellsing Ultimate: Spoiler Free Review

Now that I finally have some time to blog again, I will be doing a series of reviews for medium I have consumed in the last few months.  For today, lets talk about Hellsing Ultimate: Starring one of Anime's most iconic antiheroes: Alucard.

This is a fairly graphic Anime which should be obvious since its a Vampire gore story.  But I was ready for this jump in scenery gorn after watching Madoka Magica. Also, I am proud of my extensive studies on the different forms of Christianity and Vampire myths, which allowed me to really appreciate the Anime for what it truly is.

In a world where the only defense against Vampires are rotten militant churches, it makes sense that Alucard who would be a villain in just about any other setting is the protagonist of this incredibly crapsack world.  And with Antivillains such as Anderson from the Catholic Church, who needs friends anyway?

With an interesting cast of characters including the utterly ruthless Integra, the mostly sympathetic Seras (Draculina), the bad ass battle butler Walter, the already mentioned Anderson, some Wacky Nazis, and an entire host of psycho Vampires with an even crazier combination of powers.

From beginning to end, the action is pretty awesome especially when the blood and gore really take off. There are certain scenes that I cannot mention without spoilers that really held my interest, and I recommend for those of you who have not watched it, to see them for yourself.

The abridged version of this Anime is quite entertaining, but it still does not beat out, the original show.

Final Fantasy 15 Review Part 1 (Pre Chapter 9)

Here is my general review of the first half of Final Fantasy 15.  I'll avoid spoilers to the best of my ability.  This is focused on the more open world section of the game which encompass what fans have hailed as the better half of the game.

I have completed almost of the possible content that I am able to complete before post game. Clearing Costlemark Tower was quite a challenge but one I enjoyed greatly, but unfortunately since the dungeon is harder than everything in the main story, I will be crushing most of the main bosses.  This is nothing new to me as I suffered a similar problem in Final Fantasy 6 and 5 where over leveled character create lots of dead bosses.

So far, there are two major problems I have with Final Fantasy 15.

The first is that, for all its flashy elements and customization, magic in 15 just seems so, lacking. As mentioned in an earlier blog post, Final Fantasy 6 is my gold standard when it comes to this series. And the magic in that game is exactly what this one lacks.  Notably, I want my Ultima Spell.  For those who do not know, Ultima is a spell that ignores defense and elemental attributes and almost always hits max damage if it does not just break the damage limit instead.  Especially with annoying enemies like Black Flans and Red Giants in 15, Ultima would be a welcome addition to killing them much faster.  Its not that these enemies are dangerous per say, but because they resist everything, they take a disproportionate amount of time to kill.

The second problem is also a comparison to Final Fantasy 6.  Besides the main four characters, a couple villains (Arden) and a few of the supporting characters like Cid, Iris, and Arenea, I don't care about any of the characters of the plot. I find Luna so far to be a boring and one dimensional messiah archetype character. The romance between her and Noct does not feel real.  I understand this whole subplot is an arranged marriage but the whole game constantly tells the player that the two do care about each other.

All in all, the game seems to favor exploration more than story, which is fine, but Final Fantasy is a series that is supposed to have a compelling story.  I have felt the spirit of the series wane starting with Final Fantasy 12, and got worse with 13. 15 feels like it has a better plot than 12 so far, but since the story part of the game begins after the point I am currently at, it shall be seen if this game lives up to 6 which is consider the best game in the series if not the best game of all time.

Cedric the Demonic Knight: Review

As a writer, it is my great pleasure to review the novel of a fellow local author.  Cedric the Demonic Knight is a story that weaves an assortment of fantastic myths and mythology into a pretty spectacular Fantasy Kitchen Sink. For those unfamiliar with such a term, it basically means that think of a creature or idea that one would expect to find in fantasy and you can be sure it will appear in some form within the pages of this novel.

The novel begins with a very cynical knight in sour armor named Cedric who is on a quest of vengeance.  Created by the Sorceress Morrighan to be a powerful minion, The Demonic Knight decided to choose his own path.  In his quest of revenge, he meets a young woman named Angeline that is descended from a powerful linage.  As Cedric is strangled by red string, his duel bloodlines come into conflict.  As a Half Vampire, Half Incubus, Cedric deals with both psychological and physical danger as he pursues his mission.  

His growing love for this woman begins to interfere with Cedric's goals and the story continues along as monsters attack, romance blossoms, and unexpected conflicts appear.  Although I am not a big fan of romance stories normally, this story gets it right.  With equal parts character building and action scenes, the intensity does not waver, nor do the love elements distract from the narrative.  In fact, watching Cedric grow is my favorite aspect of the novel.

As a writer who includes the myths of Demons frequently, I was very intrigued by this story's rendition of Lilith.  A fun spin on the Queen Succubus, especially in the more... ahem... blood filled moments. Though this version of Lilith is historically accurate, and was done perfectly, she did not manage to be my favorite character, despite the obvious author appeal should one read my own work. Instead, there was another who managed to be the character I wanted to watch the most.

I refer to Romasanta the Father of Werewolves.  From the moment I met this character, I paid close attention.  Being the first character to really humble the protagonists has its advantage.  The fact that this Father of Werewolves was so connected in the world intrigued me very much.  Making a deal with Cedric to accomplish his goals while clearly having an agenda sealed the deal.

As Cedric the Demonic Knight reaches its conclusion, plenty of surprises occur, but if I was to tell you them, I fear you might not read the book and experience them for yourself.  All an all, Cedric the Demonic Knight was a fantastic read and a great first addition to what appears to be a longer series.  

As Romasanta Father of Werewolves is the second book, I gleefully bought the story after finishing this one.  I'll be reviewing that novel once I complete it. After all, Willis has a large world to showcase, and this review does not do her incredible imagination justice.  I highly recommend this novel to both fans of romance and fantasy alike.