2016 In Which

I took up tea drinking with committed passion ... became a walking enthusiast, finding a renewed energy ... more actively invested in politics by challenging our elected officials on a regular basis ... improved my backgammon game via the computer—also playing chess with a co-worker ... published my novella The Drifter Detective: Torn and Frayed ... had eighty of my articles (devoted to books and movies) published at Macmillan's Criminal Element ... re-familiarized myself with Algebra ... delighted in the eighth year of BEAT to a PULP as one of its creative best ... and savored every minute of the year that I could with my charmers, Ava & Denise.

Now I raise a toast to all of you, my friends, wishing you a Happy New Year!

Razored Bliss

Over at Charles Gramlich's Razored Zen blog he picked two BEAT to a PULP's titles among his favorite reads of 2016: Garnett Elliott's Carnosaur Weekend and my own Torn and Frayed. How cool is that, right? Thanks, Charles!

The Duel (2016)

Texas Ranger David Kingston (Liam Hemsworth) is sent to a town along the Rio Grande to see if Abraham Brant, aka The Preacher (Woody Harrelson), is responsible for a series of murders. "By some strange twist of fate" as David tells his wife Marisol (Alice Braga) Brant is the man that killed his father twenty-two years earlier in a knife duel that the young David witnessed. Similar in that regard to 2014's The Dark Valley where a revenge-seeking son takes on a man who has immersed himself as a god of sorts holding an almost mystical trance over the citizens.

Yes, it's all been done to death before and a whole lot better than this tired Western. The opening knife fight was well executed making me cringe with the sounds of blade penetrating flesh but the story just plods on and on. I did appreciate Hemsworth's character as an honorable man willing to bring Brant to justice, which is a refreshing return to the old days. But here's another tale where a so called religious man spouts the word of God for his own selfish interests. C'mon on Hollywood, give that trope a merciful death already.

The Dark Valley (2014)

A tight-lipped stranger by the name of Greider (Sam Riley) rides into a town in the Austrian Alps. He wants to stay for the winter but the townsfolk, at first, tell him to get along until they learn he is a photographer with a daguerreotype camera. He ends up rooming with a widowed woman and her daughter and witnesses how the entire town is under the control of an old man named Brenner and his six ruthless sons. When two die under mysterious circumstances suspicion falls on Greider especially after the one is found with nails in his eyes—nails like Greider was seen purchasing at the town store. He goes into hiding and his family's connection to the remote town is revealed before, yes, you guessed it, the climatic shoot-out. A dour, slow moving German film (subtitled but easy to read) that I enjoyed though there's nothing new here other than its stunning locale.

Purity in Death by J.D. Robb

At Criminal Element they are reviewing the entire J.D. Robb Eve Dallas series. I decided to jump in on a few and first up is Purity in Death.

Twelve Miles

I've managed to walk twelve miles since Friday evening. Usually I do a mile and then come back to my desk, get some writing done, and then walk another lap a few hours later. That's probably going to slow down to just a mile a day over this next busy week. Still, it feels good to exercise, get the blood pumping.

Any other walkers out there?

Christmas Day

It has been a spectacular Christmas for our daughter as she opened present after present and we shall see which gift steals the show. There's always one, right? Oh, and both my charmers surprised me with my very own TARDIS and The Fourth Doctor's scarf. Yeah, they know me pretty well. Hope all you friends out there are having a top day! Now where's that eggnog...