Warcraft (the movie) sucks – The Failure of Story and Aesthetics in a Video Game Adaptation

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Matthew J. Wellman and I sat down to finally watch the Warcraft movie, almost a year from its release. Those of us who know us might be very surprised we waited so long to watch this epic fantasy movie, but we were doubtful as to whether this movie would be effective from the beginning. A big red flag for us was the huge amount of cgi, and while that worry was confirmed, it was confirmed in the opposite way we thought it would be. The cgi orcs, it turned out, were far more effective than the human actors, and it…

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New Fantasy Book Cover Reveal – The Water of Awakening

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So, the silence on the site when it comes to new fiction content shall at last be broken. The secret book is finished, and in the video below I show off the cover, talk about the artist (Kerem Beyit) and give you some insight into this new book, which is solidly in the heroic fantasy/adventure fantasy genre. I’m really excited to bring this experience to you, and will be putting up a pre-order on Amazon very shortly.

In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to my email list (you can do so on the right side of the page or follow this link) to get early access to the book and also get some books for free to keep you busy until The Water of Awakening launches!

The Hobbit Movie Adaptation SUCKS!

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Matthew J. Wellman joins me once again to discuss the many, many problems with Peter Jackson’s movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s classic epic fantasy tale The Hobbit. How could he be so successful with Lord of the Rings and yet fail so spectacularly with The Hobbit?

Writers of the dawn is:

David V. Stewart – Fantasy and Historical Fiction Author, musician

Matthew J. Wellman – Urban Fantasy author, musician

Return of the King Movie Adaptation – Analysis

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Fellow fantasy author Mattew J. Wellman joins me to talk about Peter Jackson’s movie adaptation of JRR Tolkien’s Return of the King, the third part of Tolkien’s epic fantasy classic, The Lord of the Rings.

Writers of the dawn is:

David V. Stewart – Fantasy and Historical Fiction Author, musician

Matthew J. Wellman – Urban Fantasy author, musician

The Two Towers – Movie Adaptation Analysis and Review

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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:

Matthew J. Wellman – Fantasy and Urban Fantasy

David V. Stewart – Fantasy and Historical Fiction

Fellowship of the Ring movie adaptation – analysis and review

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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.

Malazan Book of the Fallen overview, review, and analysis

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Today we decided to give an overview and rough review analysis of Steven Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen, an epic fantasy series set in a universe devised with Ian C. Esslemeont. In it, atypical fantasy races engage in a divine struggle to determine the fate of an old and complex world, and happens to be a favorite series for both of us.

Writers of the dawn is:

David V. Stewart – Fantasy and Historical Fiction Author, musician

Matthew J. Wellman – Urban Fantasy author, musician

Stormlight Archive/Way of Kings review and analysis (with Matt Wellman)

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Matt and I talk shop about one of our favorite books, The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson, and we also talk about the follow-up Words of Radiance, and some of the technical problems it has compared to the first book in Stormlight Archive. We both agree that The Way of Kings is an excellently well-constructed fantasy novel where Sanderson uses his flashback narrative techniques to create plot points that wouldn’t be possible in a more straightforward style.

Writers of the dawn is:

David V. Stewart – Fantasy and Historical Fiction Author, musician

Matthew J. Wellman – Urban Fantasy author, musician

Dresden Files by Jim Butcher – Review and Analysis (overview)

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On this video Matt and Myself talk about the Urban Fantasy behemoth known as the “Dresden Files” by Jim Butcher. We talk about what makes the series so appealing to readers, what works, and what its weaknesses are and were.

Writers of the Dawn is:

David V. Stewart – Fantasy and Historical Fiction Author, musician

Matthew J. Wellman – Fantasy and Urban Fantasy Author, musician.

Why Should I Read Historical Fiction?

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Why do readers read historical fantasy? Should you read it? What exactly would you get out of it? Like fantasy, it has to do with the interest of the setting itself, how that setting affects the characters, and the enjoyment of learning about a new culture through a meaningful story. The difference between Historical Fiction and Fantasy is that, unlike fantasy, that culture actually existed, so you are possibly learning and connecting with a real aspect of human history.

David Stewart is the author of Japanese Historical Fiction book Muramasa: Blood Drinker, which takes place in the late Muromachi period of Feudal Japan, otherwise known as the Sengoku, or warring states period.