Tag Archives: phil giunta

Kickstarter Update: We Made It!

Steven H. Wilson and I are excited to announce that we exceeded our Kickstarter funding goal for Firebringer Take Two thanks to the following generous donors:

Lewis G. Aide
Michael Critzer
Tony Fucci
The Creative Fund
James Gallahan
Allyn Gibson
Jack Hillman
Madelyn Jackson
Heather Mikkelsen
Omar Padilla
Leeon Pezok
Susanna Reilly
Renfield
Ann Stolinsky
Sharon Miller VanBlarcom
Judith Waidlich
Howie Weinstein
Cindy Woods
Evon Zundel

We appreciate your generous support and will continue to keep everyone updated as the book nears completion and rewards are ready to ship (paperbacks) or claim online (ebooks).

Freedom's Blood Cover Art by Caio Cacau
Freedom’s Blood Cover Art by Caio Cacau.

 

Like Mother, Like Daughters cover
Like Mother, Like Daughters cover art by Laura Inglis. Title design by Chris Winner.

 

Firebringer Take Two Covers
Untouched cover art for double horror novel by Phil Giunta and Steven H. Wilson.

Book Review: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

The Forever War by Joe HaldemanDuring the interstellar war with the Taurans, William Mandella climbs the ranks from private to major. While the war itself only lasts a few years from the perspective of the troops—since much of their time is spent traversing wormholes well beyond the speed of light—nearly 1,200 years passes on Earth.

While on a mission early in his career, Mandella falls in love with fellow soldier Marygay Potter and the feeling is mutual. After Potter is nearly killed during their final tour, the army grants the pair a discharge on Earth. However, Mandella and Potter soon discover that retirement is not an option. Only one job opportunity is made available to them—return to the war.

In their next campaign, both Mandella and Potter each lose a limb and are sent to a world known as Heaven to regenerate. Mandella is then promoted to Major and Potter to Captain—but each are assigned to separate companies.

After saying their final goodbyes, Mandella takes command of a Strike Force headed to Sade-138, while Potter was assigned to fight the Taurans elsewhere. Mandella fears that they will never see each other again.

In order to qualify for command, Mandella must undergo a deep-sleep learning process during which his mind is filled with facts and theories from Earth’s military history. What’s more, Mandella finds himself in command of a platoon comprised completely of homosexuals. Heterosexuals, while tolerated in human society today, are now considered queer.

ForeverWar is a satisfying hard-SF novel that presents a unique and often candid view of futuristic military life and the possible drastic changes that might occur in Earth’s culture given 1,200 years. While the Taurans are treated lightly and never developed as anything more than an alien menace, Haldeman does an admirable job detailing the battle scenes and showing how the enemy improves their tactics and weaponry with each successive confrontation.

Most of all, it was Mandella’s experiences with his fellow soldiers, his struggles with changing times (especially on Earth), and his ability to adapt and survive that kept me intrigued.

Fan Fiction – Week XVI – “Star Wars: Pursuit of Force” Part II

In our second act, Luke Skywalker encounters the enigmatic Jianna Droxx on the planet Steruub—just before the Empire arrives. Meanwhile, Han Solo departs for Ord Mantell with two Alliance Intelligence agents to broker a black market deal for the Rebellion…

Click here to read “Star Wars: Pursuit of Force” Part Two

Kickstarter Updates – FREEDOM’S BLOOD and LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS

Steven H. Wilson and I are just over a week into our Kickstarter campaign to fund the publication of our double horror novella, which includes Steve’s vampire tale, FREEDOM’S BLOOD and my paranormal mystery, LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS featuring Miranda Lorensen (from my novels By Your Side and Testing the Prisoner).

The book will be formatted in the style of the classic ACE Doubles where you read one story, then flip the book over to read the other.

Each week during the campaign, we’ve posted excerpts from both novellas over on the Firebringer Press website. For the past two weeks, we presented the opening scenes from LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTERS. This week, we posted the same for FREEDOM’S BLOOD. More updates are forthcoming, including excerpts from some of the books we’re offering as rewards for your donations.

We hope you enjoy these story samples and will consider donating to our campaign so we can bring you this exciting new book!

Like Mother, Like Daughters Book Cover

Fan Fiction – Week XV – “Star Wars: Pursuit of Force”

My first and only Star Wars fan fic was written in 1997, six years after Timothy Zahn’s trilogy of novels (beginning with Heir to the Empire) reinvigorated the Expanded Universe and two years before the dreadful prequels began.

However, the only background material I used for “Pursuit of Force” was what we learned in the original trilogy of films. I wondered what might have occurred in the time between A New Hope (ANH) and The Empire Strikes Back (TESB) without referencing any novels or short stories that might have addressed this at the time.

In TESB, while at the Rebel base on Hoth, Han Solo makes an offhanded comment to Leia about encountering a bounty hunter on the planet Ord Mantell. What was that about? Why did Han go there between Yavin and Hoth?  What of Luke? Would he be interested in learning more about Obi-Wan Kenobi and if so, where would his curiosity lead him? Finally, how was Darth Vader rescued and brought back to the Imperial Fleet after his TIE fighter was knocked out of the Death Star trench by the Millennium Falcon?  These questions were much too tantalizing for this young storyteller and avid Star Wars fan to leave unanswered…

Click here to read “Star Wars: Pursuit of Force”