Category: Science Fiction

Alien, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller, Video Games, X-Box

TSJ Reviews ALIEN: ISOLATION

December 30, 2017 • 0 Comments

ALIEN ISOLATION is an incredible game. It’s dark and moody and genuinely terrifying.

These days I don’t have much time for video games, but when I do play, I choose ones that fall into the genres that I love: Science Fiction, Horror, Mystery and Thriller. I play on the X-Box, mostly because when the Nintendo-64 was retired, the original X-Box was the console with the most familiar controller and the game most similar to GOLDENEYE and PERFECT DARK — that game was HALO. (I just never got into the Sony Playstation — though I loved playing TWISTED METAL 2, 3 and 4, as well as METAL GEAR SOLID.) Some of the titles I’ve played in the past few years include BIOSHOCK, FALLOUT 3, and the DEADSPACE series.

SF Author Timothy S. Johnston Looks Back at STAR TREK (2009)

December 28, 2017 • 0 Comments

STAR TREK (2009): A PERFECT REBOOT AND A SOARING THRILL-RIDE

(Originally published by TrekWeb on 14 February 2012)

J.J. Abrams and writers Bob Orci and Alex Kurtzman did in 2009 what I thought impossible: they rebooted a franchise with over forty years of history, including seventy-nine episodes, six motion pictures, four spinoffs, an animated series, countless books, comics, video games, and references in popular culture. It seemed a task that only a fool would tackle. To face the criticism of rabid fans — a group in which I include myself — and the most critical eyes focused on every bit of the film, including story, f/x, sound, acting and music, a failure could have potentially resulted in complete disaster for the franchise and also the death of careers. But J.J. & Co. faced it head on, with fresh eyes, a new perspective, and with intense creativity.

Where Has the Character-Driven Action Film Gone?

December 12, 2017 • 0 Comments

#Thriller #Action #Movies

First, I have to define the concept. A “Character-Driven Action Film” would be a sub-category of the action genre, set in any time or place that focuses on the character and history of the leads as much as it does on the action elements of the story. Simple enough, right? Right.

So where have these movies gone?

TSJ on THE TERMINATOR

December 6, 2017 • 1 Comment

I watched THE TERMINATOR on the weekend.

I had to.

It was calling me.

I use the phrases “watershed film” or “watershed book” quite a lot. That’s the point of this entire blog. What are the movies/books/tv shows that influenced me in the years leading to my first attempts at writing fiction? Hell, even the name of this blog — “Life After Gateway” — is a nod to my favorite Science Fiction novel. This blog is dedicated to the books and movies that inspired me in my creative/formative years. A few TV series, some fantastic authors, and a small selection of short stories helped along the way. Certain teachers were invaluable too.

TSJ on Writing First Lines

December 1, 2017 • 4 Comments

#Writing #AmWriting #ScienceFiction #Thriller #Horror

The first line of any story is the most important sentence you’ll write.

The first page of the story is the most important page you’ll write.

The first chapter of the story is the most important chapter you’ll write.

TSJ on the Imposter Theme in Science Fiction

November 25, 2017 • 2 Comments

John Carpenter’s THE THING, 1982

In 2013, coinciding with the release of my first novel, THE FURNACE, I wrote an essay for John Scalzi’s website on the Imposter Theme in Science Fiction. It’s a common plot element in the genre, and I encountered it repeatedly in my formative years. The novels INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS and THE PUPPET MASTERS feature the theme. John Carpenter’s THE THING had a massive impact on me when it was released, and THE FURNACE is actually an homage to it and the novella it was based on, WHO GOES THERE?

On Horror and Science Fiction Influences

November 23, 2017 • 1 Comment

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of participating in a radio program with host Gail Barker. I spoke about Horror/Science Fiction movies and how they inspired me to write. Movies like ALIEN and THE THING. In the 1980’s, during my most formative years developing my creativity, a wave of slasher films hit theaters. Parents hated them, but believe it or not, they taught me about the importance of emotion in all stories, regardless of genre.