Author name: Skiffy Fanty

Blog Posts

Book Review: The Dragons of Heaven by Alyc Helms

/

In the darkened streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown, Missy Masters is struggling to take up the vigilante-hero mantle of her retired, estranged grandfather, Mr. Mystic. Missy shares his stubbornness, his intimate connections with Chinese culture, and his uncanny ability to cross into a realm of shadows and exert limited control over the creatures within. Just as she literally straddles worlds, Missy also dances a line of pretending to be an aged, but expert, male superhero while training to advance beyond her actual novice abilities. She aspires to the strength and moral right that her grandfather embodied while battling against memories of his emotional distance, his personal secrets, and the prejudices common of his generation. Typical of masked superheroes, she has two lives, the separate worlds of Missy Masters and of Mr. Mystic. And she has past experiences, a world away in China, that have led her to be the woman and vigilante of the present.

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

273. Waterworld (1995) — A Torture Cinema “Adventure” w/ Geoffrey Pelton & Kevin Lux

/

http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode273TortureCinemaMeetsWaterworld/SandF%20–%20Episode%20273%20–%20Torture%20Cinema%20Meets%20Waterworld.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSJet skis, trimarans, and Dennis Hopper, oh my!  The crew joins forces to destroy Jen’s childhood movie love, Waterworld.  From gross urine water to Kevin Costner Fish Bait to explosions galore, we had much to say!  Also joining us:  Geoffrey Pelton and audio recordings from the infamous Kevin Lux! We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 273 — Download (MP3) Show Notes:

Blog Posts

My Superpower: Beth Cato (The Clockwork Crown)

/

My Superpower is a regular guest column on the Skiffy and Fanty blog where authors and creators tell us about one weird skill, neat trick, highly specialized cybernetic upgrade, or other superpower they have, and how it helped (or hindered!) their creative process as they built their project. Today we welcome Beth Cato to talk about how the power of wielding cookies like shurikens relates to The Clockwork Crown. My superpower:  I wield cookies like shurikens. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I’m nowhere near as subtle as a ninja. The thing is, I love baking. I love to feed people the stuff I bake. The kitchen is my dojo. I do the full stay-at-home-mom-and-writer gig. I can only sit at the computer for so long. I need to stand up, move around, let my mind find free space to wander over plot problems.

Blog Posts

Book Review: Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold

/

Everyone knows and loves Miles Vorkosigan. The “little admiral”, who thanks to a chemical attack on his mother while she was pregnant suffers from a shortness of build, brittle bones, and an drive to prove himself against all comers. He is the heart and center of Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan universe. But what about Ivan? “Ivan, you Idiot”? The breezing through life cousin of Miles, who seems mostly engaged in trying to avoid the wrath of his mother, and any responsibility whatsoever? Wine, women, and having a good time as much as he can, without a care in the world or a thought in his brain. Is he really as stupid and shallow as Miles makes him out to be? Aral Vorkosigan, father of Miles,  once mused that Ivan couldn’t possibly be faking his stupidity — or is Ivan better at this than even Aral realized?  Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance gives us an entire novel to explore a story about Ivan and of Ivan, and a reconsideration of who and what he is, what he thinks he is, and what he wants to be.

Announcements and Errata

Next Month’s Film (and Where to Watch It): Jurassic Park (1993)

/

In our recent episode on The Swimmer (1968), we announced that to honor the upcoming release of Jurassic World (2015), our next movie would be Jurassic Park (1993)!  Since this film is pretty darn popular,  it will be airing on a number of TV and Cable stations over the next few weeks; it is also available in various digital formats! We also really want to hear from you, the listener.  If you’ve got a comment or question that you’d like us to discuss at the end of the month, send an email to totallypretentious[at]gmail[dot]com or use our handy contact page! Here’s how you can watch it!

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

#35. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) — A Shoot the WISB Discussion

/

http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/ShootTheWISB35MadMaxFuryRoad/ShootTheWisb35–MadMaxFuryRoad.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSExploding trucks, spiky cars, and flaming guitar guys, oh my! As promised, the crew joins forces to discuss Mad Max:  Fury Road (2015; dir. George Miller).  We tackle the film’s narrative and visual strategies, its gender dynamics, the ACTION, and so much more. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Spoiler Alert:  the following podcast contains spoilers for the film being reviewed; if you wish to see the film without having it ruined for you, download this podcast and save it for later.

Scroll to Top