Saturday 22 January 2022

Alexandre Cabanel: Selected Paintings

Selected Paintings of Alexandre Cabanel

Cleopatra Testing Poisons on Condemned Prisoners (1887) - Oil on Canvas

Monday 10 January 2022

Dune: Blood of the Sardaukar (2021)

Dune: Blood of the Sardaukar (2021)
Authors: Brian Herbert + Kevin J. Anderson | Illustrator: Adam Gorham | Page Count: 42

[No Quote]

A one-shot story set in the DUNE universe, revolving around a Sardaukar colonel by the name of Jopati Kolona, who, according to the promotional blurb, must 'choose between duty and forgiveness', but it's not in any meaningful way, thanks to the weak characterisation and dull backstory that the 'elite' military leader is given.

Under orders from the Padishah Emperor, Shaddam IV, Col. Jopati participates in a situation that he deems dishonourable, and which gives rise to a moral dilemma.

Interestingly, the story's primary setting is the same as it was in the other one-shot by the same authors that I read recently, A Whisper of Caladan Seas (2021), which featured soldiers from the opposing army. The situations are different but occur around the same time. [1]

Friday 7 January 2022

Dune: A Whisper of Caladan Seas (2021)

Dune: A Whisper of Caladan Seas (2021)
Authors: Brian Herbert + Kevin J. Anderson | Illustrator: Jakub Rebelka | Page Count: 41

"There is a power in memories... in stories."

An overpriced comic book adapted from the first ever DUNE universe tie-in short story from the combined incompetence of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

It purports to be issue No. 1, but it's really just a one-shot. It's just more publisher lies. BOOM!' Studios did the same with the Blood of the Sardaukar one-shot, too.

It's set in the year 10, 191 at the Battle of Arrakeen, which occurred in Frank Herbert's first DUNE novel.

A contingent of Atreides guards get trapped in an Arrakis cave during the conflict, and slowly begin running out of food, air, hope, or anything interesting to say.

The leader of the group is Sergeant Hoh Vitt, a storyteller from a long line of storytellers, who, it's alleged, has the ability to spin a yarn that's so all-consuming and influential to men's minds that it's considered a powerful and dangerous skill.