I, Frankenstein, reviewed by Douglas J. Ogurek

Juvenile, shallow, and highly recommended: Legendary monster romps with angel-gargoyles and suit-wearing demons in Underworldesque adventure

No. I will not join the critics who’ve ganged up to lambast I, Frankenstein, the film inspired by Kevin Grevioux’s graphic novel of the same title. I will not take sides with those who say that they did not enjoy this film because of its one-dimensional characters, poor dialogue, and rambling storyline.

BFS Journal #10, out soon

During January I helped out on organising and typesetting #10 of the BFS Journal. It’s one hundred and sixty-eight pages of fantasy fun, weirdness and even a dash of controversy, edited by Max Edwards, Sarah Newton, Stuart Douglas and Ian Hunter.

Contributors include Al Kratz, Allen Ashley, Anne Lyle, Anne Shah, Anton Sim, Cav Scott, Clare Le May, David Buchan, David Gullen, Erik T. Johnson, Gary Budgen, Jaine Fenn, James Barclay, Juliet Boyd, Juliet McKenna, Mark Barrowcliffe, Mike Chinn, Paul Magrs, Pye Parr, Richard Farren Barber, Stuart Douglas, Tammy O’Malley, Zoe Gilbert and frequent TQF contributor Douglas Thompson.

The cover art, originally from Blood and Feathers: Rebellion by Lou Morgan, is by Pye Parr, who is interviewed by Cavan Scott about his work on that and other books.

BFS periodicals aren’t generally available to non-members. However, we ordered 25 spares and they will be sent out to new members and renewals as long as stocks last, along with two BFS exclusive hardback anthologies, The Burning Circus and Unexpected Journeys, edited by Johnny Mains and Juliet McKenna respectively. Contributors to those books include Kate Elliott, Stephen Volk, Muriel Gray and Adam Nevill. Join here.

Theakerly plans for 2014

We’ve been a bit quiet on here since the beginning of the year, with just the one blog post so far, a review from Douglas, but don’t fear! We’re still here! I’ve been writing quite a bit, but most of it has gone into interminable BFS discussions of one kind or another.

So, what are our plans for this year of Theaker’s? Well, we aim to publish four quarterly issues of the magazine as usual, in March, June, September and December, or thereabouts. We will also publish, at long last, John’s novel The Hatchling in paperback and ebook.

I’m aiming once again to have a new review here on the blog each Monday (I managed that about 35 times in 2013). The Wednesday lists may or may not make a comeback. In truth, I rather resent them for attracting more hits than the reviews which require so much more work to produce!

The Theakerly thoughts will definitely return. They provide a useful and moderately healthy way to empty the rubbish from my head. Their absence over the last month has principally been down to the frequency with which my thoughts have been unpublishable.

On the reviews front, I’ve been asking publishers to take us off their mailing lists for print review copies. I hardly ever read print books these days and when I try they take me three or four times as long as they should, however good the books.

It’s a shame, because there are few feelings as pleasant as receiving a mystery book package in the post. But nice as that is, and grateful as I was to receive them, I think they were a drag on my reviewing and reading.

Let’s see how it goes. Whatever your plans for the year, I hope they come to fruition!