Writers of the Dawn (Fantasy authors David V. Stewart and Mattew J. Wellman) break down Peter Jackson’s adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s second volume in The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers. What sacrifices were made during production to make the movie adaptation function? What was done well? We also discuss the pushing of the original ending into the final movie.
Writers of the Dawn is:
Today, we talk about how the first Lord of the Rings book by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, made the transition from printed book to fully fleshed-out high budget movie. We talk pacing, cringe moments, and what was changed to make it work better as a movie.
So, are you looking to get into fantasy, or at least do a little exploration of this massive genre? In the video below, I go over some books that I think are a great place to start. I tried to curate the list to include titles that are diverse in terms of setting and style, so if one doesn’t appeal to you another might, and I did my best to talk about titles that are accessible for a wide audience and don’t require you to already have a large amount of experience in the genre to understand. This list, for…
In case you noticed, there was no Walk at Dusk update for today. That work will be going ahead for a release this year, although later than I originally anticipated due to a host of setbacks in my work schedule that have prevented me from having the time to do the editing and re-writes necessary to finish the project. I will resume posting samples and updates in the near future, but don’t expect a full release here on DVS Press like I have done in the past. I also wanted to take a week or two off from those posts…
At long last, the writing and subsequent digital publishing of my “little” samurai novel is complete. The first words were typed while I was on a break from teaching a special education class in El Segundo, California, and the final words were written in an uncomfortable high chair in a Starbucks that was attached to Marriot in Sacremento, California. That is somewhat symbolic for me, as there were as many words written away from home as at home; my life has been in a state of upheaval for some time, but I still got the work done. Muramasa was definitely the…
From The Huffington Post “It looks like a gigantic napkin,” Tommy said. “Like they put in your glass at nice restaurants.” “You ain’t never been to a nice restaurant,” Julie said. She was always saying things like that jokingly, but Tommy never laughed, and she never quit. They walked toward the strange building, seemingly dropped overnight in the middle of the countryside miles away from any convenient skyways. It stood about eighty feet tall at its highest point, and did look a bit like a crumpled cloth from where they stood, with long ripple-like folds spiraling up to a narrow…
Back to Table of Contents Yoshio waded through the reeds, donning only a cloth that was wrapped around his loins, his kimono having been left on the shore. He dug down in the water, coming up with handfuls of silt, littered with grass, which he put beside a large clay bowl that sat upon one of the many rocks that protruded from the slow stream. Sengo, stripped down in similar fashion, went through the piles of mud and sorted out a grey, malleable clay from rocky soil and watery brown silt. Emi sat under the shade of a willow…
Back to Table of Contents Chapter 17 Yoshio stood beside the table, his right hand firmly holding onto the handle of his katana. He watched Kuro laugh with the younger men around him. A jug full of sake sat upright among several empty ones laying on their sides. Drops of rice wine were here and there. Yoshio looked out to the ocean, away from the men who, had they been sober, would have been ashamed of the scene they were making. It was barely mid-day. He stood there looking at Kuro for what seemed like a very long time, though…
Back to Table of Contents “This will be an excellent set of swords,” Sengo said. The hammer rang loudly as it fell upon the glowing sheet of steel. A smile split Sengo’s face as he worked away at it. “Flip it.” Yoshio complied, flipping over the steel sheet. “How do you know?” “The bright sparks, the hard feel beneath the hammerhead… but mostly the sound it makes when hit,” Sengo said. “It is like a melody to me. When the sword rings like a deadly bell, you have succeeded in giving the steel its one true spirit. Again.” Yoshio…
Back to Table of Contents Chapter 16 “Yoshi.” “Yes?” Yoshio turned over to see the back of Amaya’s head as she stared toward the door, dimply lit with the approaching dawn. He saw her side go up and down as she took a deep breath. “I do not…” She trailed off. Yoshio sat up and touched her shoulder. “What is it?” “I am having doubts,” she said. She turned on her back to look at Yoshio. “I do not want you to fight Ryunosuke.” “I must,” Yoshio said. “It is not just a matter of bushido now. It…
