Karavansara

East of Constantinople, West of Shanghai


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Hyborian Lore: Savage Scrolls

51NbxDlPurL._SY346_Then of course something happens that throws all your plans in disarray.
In this case, was the discovery of Savage Scrolls, the first volume in a wide and deep study of all things R.E. Howard.
The book, written by Fred Blosser, was published early this week, and it’s a steal at about 4 bucks in ebook.

Coupled with my current total lack of interest for writing (I’m going through one of my bouts of dark moods and insomnia), spending the next 36 hours reading the “speculative essays” contained in this volume looks like a nice way to get my brain back in working order.
I’ll let you know what I think of the book ASAP.


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Comedy & Espionage: Q Planes (1939)

In the BBC radio program about The Avengers that I linked the other day, Brian Clemens1 mentioned the 1939 movie Q Planes as a film in which the prototype of John Steed first appeared.
So I went and watched the movie.
Because, John Steed.

That, in this specific case, is called Major Hammond, and is played as a suave upper class twit by Ralph Richardson.
Only he’s no twit at all, of course, being a tough and smart operative in the British intelligence.

The plot in a nutshell: German2 agents are using a sort of “death ray” to capture experimental aircraft and appropriate the top-secret technology. An ace pilot is caught up in the plot, and joins forces with a spy and a plucky journalist.

Here’s the first eight minutes – and a perfect introduction to the Richardson character…

 

Continue reading →


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A little hype: Shanmei’s “The Waiting Game”

I just delivered the translation of my friend Shanmei’s short story The Waiting Game, and I guess the ebook will be available as soon as the cover is ready.

Meanwhile, why not start with a little publicity?
Here is the blurb…

Peking, 1902

In the cosmopolitan China of the early 20th century, following the violence and horror of the Boxer Rebellion, lieutenant Luigi Bianchi, serving in Huang Tsun, is involved in the investigation of the death of a wealthy French merchant, poisoned while dining at the Golden Phoenix restaurant.
A Chinese waiter has been arrested for the murder, but is he really the killer?
And why the Japanese embassy seems to hide some details?

A short colonial mystery, with a dash of spy story, the first in a series set between 1900 and 1905, featuring an Italian soldier with a knack for investigations.

Would you buy it?
(I would, but being the translator, I get my copy for free)


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A Few Evenings in Skartaris

The Hollow Earth.
Dinosaurs and Quaternary Megafaunas.
Atlantean technology and swords.
Beautiful women and evil sorcerers.
Beastmen.
What more could a guy ask to spend some free time after dinner?

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A friend, knowing my appreciation of Mike Grell’s Green Arrow, handed me a big collection of Warlord comics, and now I am happy.
After all, I had heard for ages about this series, and now I’m finally able to read it.
And I must say I am impressed, and I did not expect anything less. Continue reading →


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A birthday gift: writing on-demand

So it went this way.
For my fiftieth birthday, a lot of friends decided to conspire to get me a birthday gift.
They operated in separate groups, pursuing different aims.
One of the gangs of knaves I call friend had this idea: commission me a story (in Italian) and offer it on a crowdfunding platform.
Neat, what?

And so this is what I will do in the next two months.
In the next ten days, I will study the crowdfunding platform handbook and see what I can and can’t do.
I’m thinking of perks for the backers, extra contents, the works.
If we want to do it, we might as well do it as professionally as possible. Continue reading →