Blog - Page 24 of 48

Mars Needs Women: #SciFi #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / October 14, 2022

Cue dramatic music… “There’s only one thing we can do… wait.”

After watching a loudspeaker for longer than anyone would care to, this was the solution to Mars’s threat to Earth.

And then, the Martians come. After a lengthy speech as to why Earth is dangerous to Martians (mostly the greater gravity, which is accurate) and what they will need, the Martians’ first stop is to a… filling station. Watch out! The Martians have a very effective, Kirk-like karate chop maneuver. And no lock is a match for their air knives.

I really dug the red things over their ears and the painted bodysuits where the paint was gloppy and peeling off.

After the Martians steal some money, a car, and clothes and pick up some slang, they go cruising. There’s dancing! When they end up in a gentleman’s club, there’s a sexy lady dancing in a gown.

The Martians can beam around, so I’m not sure why they needed a car. They can also hypnotize you and make you do what they want. And, I guess the Martians are really scary when looking at you because the women started screaming. The Martian dude was just standing there. What’s scary about that? I must have missed something… maybe I was hypnotized by the loudspeaker.

Women start disappearing, and the Martians are pretty discerning. And what is going on with the Earth defense dudes? They’ve been in a conference all day without even a coffee break! Oh no!

***SPOILER ALERT****

One of the Martians falls in love but leaves his lady behind. The other women are sedated and taken to Mars. It ends with the quote The Earth is the cradle of mankind, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever. Okay. I guess that means it’s okay that women were stolen by Martians.

This wasn’t a horrible watch, but it could have been better. It did make me laugh a few times, and there was dancing. I’m not sure sexy dancing counts as it wasn’t a full-fledged dance number kind of thing that I enjoy most. I would give this a 2 beer rating. You might enjoy it with less, but… all you can do is… wait! Yeah, I watch these movies so you don’t have to.

You can watch it on YouTube, and it’s also streaming on Paramount.

Here’s the trailer:

New at the Not of this Earth Bookshop! Craze Bookmarks! #booklovers

Not of this Earth Bookshop / By M Pax / October 11, 2022

The star of the best-selling science fiction series, Craze of The Backworlds, is now a bookmark! Made exclusively for the Not of this Earth Bookshop, Craze will keep you company as you read and offer you a drink. It’s up to you as to what he’s serving.

Only $5.99 will get this gem shipped to you. Oh! And shipping is included in the price. I will ship it anywhere.

CRAZE BOOKMARK

October is for Monsters! All Rifters #ebooks and #audiobooks on Sale! #steampunk #fantasy

Fantasy, Not of this Earth Bookshop, Sale, Science Fiction Books, Speculative Fiction / By M Pax / October 3, 2022

To celebrate the month monsters love best, all Rifters audiobooks and ebooks are on sale!

The audiobooks for the popular steampunk fantasy, The Rifters, are now complete. To celebrate, there’s a sale! The bundle is at a reduced price, and then you get another $1 off at checkout! If you prefer one or less than the bundle, a $1 will be taken off of any Rifters audiobook purchase at checkout. The ebooks are also on sale! 25% taken off at checkout! Enjoy the month of spooks with some spooks!

RIFTERS

Weird and Wild Oregon: Picture Rock Pass #Photography

Oregon, Photography, Weird and Wonderful / By M Pax / September 27, 2022

Picture Rock is between Summer and Silver Lakes in the Oregon Outback.

The petroglyphs were left on this boulder were most likely created during either the Clovis Period (10,000 and 12,000 years ago) or the Stemmed Point Period (7,500 to 10,000 years ago).

The rock wasn’t easy to find. In fact, without Google Maps, I doubt we would have. That’s a good thing, though. The harder it is to find, the more likely it is to be preserved. But it was worth the hunt.

I found this diagram on Wikipedia, which shows the carvings in clearer detail.

Four arms? And, two of the figures have horns. It’s obviously either an alien or yeti attack, and the one dude is escaping on horseback. What do you think it means?

#SciFi Worth Reading: The Silver Ship and the Sea #BookReview

Book Review, Science Fiction Books, Space Opera / By M Pax / September 20, 2022

The Silver Ship and the Sea

by Brenda Cooper

This story soon had me so engrossed, that I had to keep reading until the last page. The world and characters were rich and complex and so imaginative. This alien planet became something I experienced through action, drama, and description. There was fear, tension, and excitement.

In the story, most humans have been augmented through bio-engineering to be improved. A ship full of regular, nonaugmented, humans settle on the planet of Fremont where they want to live without any of the trappings of modern humans. Things go according to plan… for a while.

Until a ship of modified humans arrives. Soon there is a culture clash that leads to war. These events happen before the story starts. The story begins shortly after. The modified people left behind six children, who essentially become prisoners of war of the colony. The children have extraordinary abilities. Some are treated with love; some not so much.

Inevitably, as the children grow and realize their predicament, things come to a boiling point again. Well-developed, solid storytelling, don’t miss out on this great novel.

I really need to read the next book in this series. Brenda Cooper has oodles of talent and tells a fabulous story woven with wonder, humanity, and questions we must all answer for ourselves.

Prisoners of a war they barely remember, Fremont’s Children must find a way to survive in a world that abhors their very nature. Or they must discover a way to leave it…

Brenda Cooper’s Fremont’s Children series launches with her award-winning novel The Silver Ship and the Sea. Cooper explores what it means to be so different that others feel they must oppress you.

Six genetically enhanced children are stranded on the colony planet Fremont in a war between genetic purists and those that would tinker with the code. Orphaned, the children have few remnants of their heritage other than an old woman who was left for abandoned at the end of the war, and a mysterious silver ship that appears to have no doors.

To keep themselves alive, the children must leave the safety of the insular community and brave the beautiful but dangerous wilds of Fremont. Is it an echo of their own natures, or a proving ground of their genetic worth?

In this battle of wills and principles, what does the future hold for Fremont’s Children?

Killers From Space: #SciFi #MovieReview

Movie Review, Science Fiction Movie / By M Pax / September 13, 2022

Scarier than killer aliens were the opening scenes of actual atomic bomb tests. Real stuff. People sitting outside with nothing but protective goggles. Yikes!

Not long after the detonation, there’s a spooky flash. Oh no, the plane is crashing. However, they merely turned the image sideways, as the clouds are vertical.

Doctor Martin is dead. Noo! Never fear! He’s not quite dead yet. He shows up on the street, staggering, barely standing. Yet he has enough strength to check the mail before ambling over to the military base. Mail was uber important back then and especially after surviving a horrific crash.

You look healthy except for that scar on your chest, Dr. Martin.

As it turns out, and we shouldn’t be surprised, Dr. Martin was abducted by aliens.

The aliens travel via an electron bridge. I thought that idea pretty cool. Their planet, Astron Delta, is dying. Their sun went out and they need a new home. Guess what? Earth is it!

Dr. Martin frantically tries to leave the cavern. But it’s guarded by giant spiders. I guess killer aliens weren’t scary enough. There are also giant bugs and lizards. Darn those atomic bombs! A lot of time was spent gawking at ‘giant’ creatures. This made the aliens laugh. Hmm, we share that sense of humor.

The giant creatures will be the army for the aliens. Double darn those atomic bombs! And, no one believes Dr. Martin. They think he’s batsh*t crazy. It doesn’t help that he’s running around in his pajamas. Can Doug stop the alien invasion and save the day? Well, you’ll have to watch.

Here’s the trailer:

It was more on the entertaining side than boring, but there was no dancing. Bummer. I did really like the electron bridge and the goofy-looking aliens. So, I give this a 2 beer rating. Yeah, you’ll need more than one.