For you viewing pleasure let us begin with this funny video from Chris Hardwick and Chloe Dykstra about BioShock Infinite:
Ah the power of floor sandwiches. Next up is the ridiculously bad SF film, that is sadly an alternate history, After Earth. Don't worry, I think you will enjoy this honest dissection of the movie:
Take a knee alternate historian. It is time to witness the return of Epic Rap Battles of History Season 3. Hitler and Vader battle for a third time in this season opener:
If you see a video you think alternate historians will like, let us know us at ahwupdate at gmail dot com. We are looking for videos on alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding. Doesn't matter if it came up last week or last year, if its good we want to know.
* * *
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
For your viewing pleasure, here are some new videos for alternate historians. First up, some more trivia on BioShock Infinite from the guys at Achievement Hunter:
Hmm...a little too much hand-to-hand fighting for a Frankenstein's monster movie, but what are you going to do. Perhaps the first episode of the web series Progress is more to your liking. You will have to click on the link to be taken to it (Blogger is being funky) but you can watch the teaser below:
If you see a video you think alternate historians will like, let us know us at ahwupdate at gmail dot com. We are looking for videos on alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding. Doesn't matter if it came up last week or last year, if its good we want to know.
* * *
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
Got a few videos I think fans of alternate history will enjoy. First up, the book trailer for friend of The Update Alison Morton's new book Perfiditas (sequel to Inceptio):
The launch party for the book is happening November 6 and you can find out more information on her site. Next up, fans of steampunk and video games might enjoy learning some trivia about Bioshock Infinite from the guys over at Achievement Hunter:
Finally, Jonathan Lethem and Kim Stanley Robinson discuss the influence of Philip K. Dick, whose novel The Man in the High Castle is important to our favorite genre as well:
Enjoy!
* * *
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new short story "Road Trip" can be found in Forbidden Future: A Time Travel Anthology. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
Editor's Note A few days ago someone on Twitter complained about being swarmed by pop-ups when they clicked on a link to The Update. This, of course, concerned me because the last thing I wanted was for this site to have the reputation for annoying ads. However, after checking my settings and attempting several times to duplicate the problem, I have been unable to witness any pop-ups. A call to our Facebook or Twitter followers to report any issues they had with pop-ups also brought no response.
I am hoping this was an isolated incident and that the person in question had an issue with their computer involving malware that did not involve The Update. Still I want to be cautious so if you do see anything weird with the ads, let me know at ahwupdate at gmail dot com.
When sad events like this occur, I try to remember the passing of these greats of science fiction by looking at their impact on our favorite genre, alternate history. According to Uchronia, Pohl wrote several stories in the genre including the novel-length The Coming of the Quantum Cats, where a militaristic American regime uses crosstime technology to steal technology from other timelines. His short fiction includes "The Reunion at the Mile-High" (where the US creates a "typhus bomb" in World War II), "Target One" (where survivors of a nuclear war travel back in time to kill Einstein), "Let the Ants Try" (another time travel tale about ants from the present being brought into the far distant past), "The Deadly Mission of Phineas Snodgrass" (a satire of de Camp's Lest Darkness Fall) and "The Golden Years of Astounding".
Then there was my favorite Pohl alternate history, "Waiting for the Olympians", which I read in The Mammoth Book of Alternate Histories. Although set in the universe where Rome never fell, what really made me like this story was that it introduced me to the idea that intelligent extraterrestrials might have a damn good reason to avoid this dirty, blue ball we call home. Plus there are some humorous bits involving one character trying to explain to another character what an alternate history is. Highly recommend you check this story out.
Pohl career and wide body of work is an inspiration to us all. He will be missed.
Update: Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl by David Barnett A few months ago I reviewed Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl by David Barnett on Amazing Stories. I really enjoyed the book and recommend you check it out, especially now that it will be released in hardcover, paperback and ebook formats over the next couple weeks. You can check out the book trailer below:
Update: BioShock Infinite Want to know how the story of BioShock Infinite ends, but don't have the time to play it? Well this video is just right for you...but beware. Here be SPOILERS;
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update and a blogger on Amazing Stories. His new story "The Enchanted Bean" can be found in Once Upon a Clockwork Tale from Echelon Press. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
Editor's Note Reading is important. I shouldn't have to tell you guys that, but I got the feeling last week that not everyone reads as carefully as they should.
First, I want to say thank you for all the great comments I received on Facebook, Twitter and on the blog for my recent article about the impact of steampunk's growing popularity on the alternate history genre. Some of the comments, however, were a little odd. I got the feeling that people were just answering the question I posed (Is steampunk's growing popularity destroying the alternate history genre?) when promoting the article instead of reading the article. This was confirmed after one commenter admitted he should have the read the article before commenting. If you have commented on one of my posts without reading the article, please go back and read it in case there has been any miscommunication between us.
Good news everyone. This May I will be announcing how you can get paid for submitting articles and stories to The Update. I am still working out the particulars, but I believe everything should be sorted out by next month. I look forward to this new evolution of The Update. In the meantime, I am still accepting submissions for articles and original fiction. This is a great way to introduce people to your writing and although you will not get paid now, you will still get free promotion for any of your sites or projects. Email me at ahwupdate at gmail dot comfor submissions or questions.
And now the news...
More on Bioshock Infinite The Internet is still talking about the steampunk/alternate history game BioShock Infiniteand the praise keeps coming in. Joe Frye of Penn Live gave it a 9 out of 10 and said "Infinite aims to do something different from the competition, and it succeeds in a big way." Even Robert Brockway of Cracked pointed out how the "intentional" flaws of the game still make for a great experience. If words are not enough for you, however, just know that numbers don't lie and it should mean something when a game tops the UK charts.
Those looking to learn more about the game can check out Ken Levine, creative director and co-founder of Irrational Games, talk about Infinite and the future of gaming during an episode of On Point with Tom Ashbrook. Also if you ever wondered how plausible a floating city could be, check out Kyle Hill's article on the subject at io9 (spoiler alert: its not plausible).
Paradox News
Paradox Interactive would like to remind us of some upcoming games. Although you can see the full release schedule on their website, below are some upcoming releases I think you would like.
First we have Victoria II: Heart of Darkness. Here is how Paradox describes the game:
The guile and greed of Victorian politics and economic conquest have found their way to uncharted Africa in a new expansion for Victoria II! Expand to a new continent and claim the wealth waiting for you – assuming the other world superpowers don’t beat you to it. Guide your empire through the treachery and double-dealing of the late 19th century in Heart of Darkness, with a new colonization system, naval battles, and international political turmoil between powers great and small.
More on that game later this week. Next up we have Crusader Kings II: The Old Gods:
In the year 867, the Old Gods were still mighty, as the Raven Banner flew over the Great Heathen Army, the state of Russia took form, and Pagans rode across Central Europe. The Old Gods adds these brutal new armies and a wealth of features to the celebrated gameplay of Crusader Kings II, granting players several of their most-desired new abilities. Forced conversions, organized rebels, pillaging and brutal expansions all wait to challenge would-be kings in this new expansion pack – which also makes Crusader Kings II Paradox’s game that spans the longest period of history!
Editor's Note: I removed the rest of this entry because it looks like it was an April Fools Joke. Damn, and I thought I managed to avoid all of them. -Matt
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly andThe Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
The alternate history, first-person shooter BioShock Infinite launched last week and from the sound of it, games could not be happier. Here is just some of the praise I have found for the game:
"BioShock Infinite is damn near perfect." -Jim Sterling who gave the game a 10 out of 10 rating on Destructoid.
"When a video game can take you from explosive combat featuring magic powers and exploding weaponry and still move you on a deep emotional level, something special has happened." -Kevin Kelly who gave the game a 9.5 out of 10 on Digital Trends.
"[T]he experience will make players think, inspire them to explore, and leave them emotionally spent by the time it’s all over. With BioShock Infinite, Ken Levine cements his status as one of gaming’s elite creative minds." -Andrew Fitch who gave the game a 10 on EGM.
"Undoubtedly the finest game crafted by Irrational Games, BioShock Infinite is one of the best told stories of this generation. It simply cannot be missed." -Xav de Matos who gave the game 5 stars on Joystiq.
"In total, BioShock Infinite is a brilliant shooter that nudges the entire genre forward with innovations in both storytelling and gameplay." Ryan McCaffrey from IGN.
"This is a game with a whole story, one that isn't going to peak with a party trick and then subside again, so it takes its time." Tom Bramwell who gave the game a 10 out of 10 rating on Euro Gamer.
And for those who like videos, here is an intro to the game from the guys at Achievement Hunter:
Hopefully The Update will have our own review of the game in the coming weeks. So stay tuned.
* * *
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly andThe Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
Hardcover Island 731 by Jeremy Robinson Description from Amazon.
The high adventure of James Rollins meets the gripping suspense of Matthew Reilly in Jeremy Robinson's explosive new thriller
Mark Hawkins, former park ranger and expert tracker, is out of his element, working on board the Magellan, a research vessel studying the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. But his work is interrupted when, surrounded by thirty miles of refuse, the ship and its high tech systems are plagued by a series of strange malfunctions and the crew is battered by a raging storm.
When the storm fades and the sun rises, the beaten crew awakens to find themselves anchored in the protective cove of a tropical island...and no one knows how they got there. Even worse, the ship has been sabotaged, two crewman are dead and a third is missing. Hawkins spots signs of the missing man on shore and leads a small team to bring him back. But they quickly discover evidence of a brutal history left behind by the Island’s former occupants: Unit 731, Japan’s ruthless World War II human experimentation program. Mass graves and military fortifications dot the island, along with a decades old laboratory housing the remains of hideous experiments.
As crew members start to disappear, Hawkins realizes that they are not alone. In fact, they were brought to this strange and horrible island. The crew is taken one-by-one and while Hawkins fights to save his friends, he learns the horrible truth: Island 731 was never decommissioned and the person taking his crewmates may not be a person at all—not anymore.
Paperback 1636: The Kremlin Games by Eric Flint Description from Amazon.
A New York Times bestseller in hardcover. A new addition to the multiple New York Times best-selling Ring of Fire series,. After carving a place for itself in war-torn 17th century Europe, the modern town of Grantville, West Virginia continues its quest for survival. A Grantville resident helps Russia modernize, but he in turn must deal with 1600s Russian culture, politics, and women–or wind up dead.
#14 in the multiply bestselling Ring of Fire Series.
1636. Grantville has bounced back and established its new mission and identity, but it seems some have been left behind—people like Bernie Zeppi, courageous in the battle, but unable to figure out what to do with himself in a world that’s utterly changed. Then Russian emissary Vladimir Gorchacov arrives in Grantville and hires Bernie to journey to Moscow and bring the future to a Russia mired in slavish serfdom and byzantine imperial plots. Bernie jumps at the chance. He figures it to be an easy gig, complete with high pay and hot-and-cold running women.
But one thing Bernie hasn’t counted on is the chance to find his purpose in Mother Russia, from fighting the needless death of children from typhoid to building the first dirigible in Russian history. And then there’s love. Just as Bernie realizes his feeling for a certain Russian noblewoman may have gone way beyond respect, he finds them both enmeshed in the deadly politics of Kremlin power struggles.
War with Poland is afoot and Russia itself is about to get a revolution from within–three centuries early. Bernie Zeppi, former Grantville auto mechanic, is going to have the chance to prove he’s not the loser he believed himself to be. For now Bernie’s task is to save the woman he loves and the country he has come to call his own from collapse into a new Dark Age.
The Age Atomic by Adam Christopher Description from Amazon.
The Empire State is dying. The Fissure connecting the pocket universe to New York has vanished, plunging the city into a deep freeze and the populace are demanding a return to Prohibition and rationing as energy supplies dwindle.
Meanwhile, in 1954 New York, the political dynamic has changed and Nimrod finds his department subsumed by a new group, Atoms For Peace, led by the mysterious Evelyn McHale.
As Rad uncovers a new threat to his city, Atoms For Peace prepare their army for a transdimensional invasion. Their goal: total conquest – or destruction – of the Empire State.
The Good the Bad and the Infernal by Guy Adams Description from Amazon.
Every one hundred years a town appears. From a small village in the peaks of Tibet to a gathering of mud huts in the jungles of South American, it can take many forms. It exists for twenty-four hours then vanishes once more, but for that single day it contains the greatest miracle a man could imagine: a doorway to Heaven.
It is due to appear on the 21st September 1889 as a ghost town in the American Midwest. When it does there are many who hope to be there: traveling preacher Obeisance Hicks and his simple messiah, a brain-damaged Civil War veteran; Henry and Harmonium Jones and their freak show pack of outlaws; the Brothers of Ruth and their sponsor Lord Forset (inventor of the Forset Thunderpack and other incendiary modes of personal transport); finally, an aging gunslinger who lost his wings at the very beginning of creation and wants nothing more than to settle old scores.
A weird western, a gun-toting, cigarrillo-chewing fantasy built from hangman’s rope and spent bullets. The West has never been wilder.
The Scourge by Roberto Calas Description from Amazon.
God has forsaken this land.
A mysterious plague descends upon 14th century England, ravaging the country and trapping the souls of the afflicted in eternal madness. The feudal hierarchy--and even the church itself-- slowly crumbles as the dead rise to feed and the living seek whatever shelter they can. The bishops of England call for calm and obedience, but one man isn’t listening.
Sir Edward of Bodiam has been separated from the woman he loves and nothing on heaven or earth can stop him from seeking her out.
Edward and two of his knights travel through the swiftly changing landscape of England, a countryside now overrun by the minions of hell. The knights encounter madness, violence, and sorrow, but Edward fights his way ever deeper into the thickening darkness of unholy terror.
Roberto Calas brings you along on a dark, historical tale full of love, death, and black humor. Follow Edward as he journeys to save his wife, his kingdom, and his very soul.
Indebted to the wrong people, with his life on the line, veteran of the U.S. Cavalry and now hired gun, Booker DeWitt has only one opportunity to wipe his slate clean. He must rescue Elizabeth, a mysterious girl imprisoned since childhood and locked up in the flying city of Columbia.
To fans, authors and publishers...
Do you want to see your work given a shout out on our New Releases segment? Contact Mitro at ahwupdate at gmail dot com. We are looking for works of alternate history, counterfactual history, steampunk, historical fantasy, time travel or anything that warps history beyond our understanding.
* * *
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly andThe Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
Editor's Note Around the time my interest in alternate history was turning into an obsession, my Dad was kind enough to give me his hardcover edition of Fatherland. He did so, however, on one condition: I wouldn't read it in public with the book jacket on. When I ask he why he pointed out the swastika on the cover might offend some people.
Regardless of the symbol's origin, their is no denying that in Western society it is seen as a symbol of hate and violence. With Axis victory scenarios being one of the most written about topics for English-speaking alternate historians, the image appears often in the media supplementing our works. Authors and creators have used different methods when presenting the symbol to their audience. Some expressly present it to the world, while others find creative means to obscure it. Still others just censor it entirely.
Who is right and who is wrong? Should people just suck it up and accept that due to the context of how the symbol appears it is not meant to offend or is there just too much history tied up with it that content producers should use other means to promote their works? Yes I understand the concept of free speech (and as an attorney I probably understand it better than most people) but for the sake of discussion, what are your thoughts on the matter? How many swastikas is too many? I would be interested in reading your thoughts.
And now the news...
Update: Gideon's Angel by Clifford Beal
This book got some good press last week. For those who don't know, here is the description from Amazon:
He came back to kill a tyrant. He found the Devil instead. An amazing historical novel with a supernatural twist set after the English Civil War. This is the stunning debut from Clifford Beal.
He came back to kill a tyrant. He found the Devil instead.
1653: The long and bloody English Civil War is at an end. King Charles is dead and Oliver Cromwell rules the land as king in all but name. Richard Treadwell, an exiled royalist officer and soldier-for-hire to the King of France and his all-powerful advisor, the wily Cardinal Mazarin, burns with revenge for those who deprived him of his family and fortune. He decides upon a self-appointed mission to return to England in secret and assassinate the new Lord Protector. Once back on English soil however, he learns that his is not the only plot in motion.
A secret army run by a deluded Puritan is bent on the same quest, guided by the Devil’s hand. When demonic entities are summoned, Treadwell finds himself in a desperate turnaround: he must save Cromwell to save England from a literal descent into Hell. But first he has to contend with a wife he left in Devon who believes she’s a widow, and a furious Paris mistress who has trailed him to England, jeopardising everything. Treadwell needs allies fast. Can he convince the man sent to forcibly drag him back to Cardinal Mazarin? A young king’s musketeer named d’Artagnan.
Black dogs and demons; religion and magic; Freemasons and Ranters. It’s a dangerous new Republic for an old cavalier coming home again.
Falcata Times said the novel "brings the wonders of historical fiction blending it with some cracking Urban Fantasy as the characters within have to deal with not only the superstitions of their own time but also with the wonderful twists that the modern writer can bring to the fore." Meanwhile, David Langford at The Telegraph listed Gideon's Angel as one of the best recent science fiction and described it as "[s]washbuckling excitement in grimy 1653."
Nice.
Update: Inceptio by Alison Morton If you guys liked Alison's "INCEPTIO – An Alternate View", I have a couple of other articles you should check out. First there is Look out, world, here comes INCEPTIO! by Alison. Here she shares photos from the Inceptio launch day event:
Congrats Alison, remind me to pick your brain about marketing when I publish my first novel. Alison also received a very nice shout out from the Pembury Village News, a periodical she once edited for nine years. I hope to learn more about that, her novel and other things when I interview Alison. Stay tuned.
Bioshock Infinite news Got some new trailers and images from the upcoming alternate history shooter: Bioshock Infinite. Enjoy:
Deepworld now available on iPhones and iPad
[Editor's Note: Information taken from press release.]
Bytebin, an independent MMO game studio, has announced the launch of Deepworld on iPhone and iPod Touch. Originally released for Mac OSX and iPad, Deepworld has now expanded to all iOS platforms. The iPhone version connects mobile players to a shared online universe already bustling with iPad and Mac users, bringing the same great MMO experience to a new level of portability and accessibility . Deepworld is available for free on the iTunes App Store.
Deepworld is a massively multiplayer 2D crafting game set in a post-apocalyptic steampunk wasteland. Players can venture through mountains and ruined cities, delve into mazelike caves and underground bunkers, and scour for resources while fending off harrowing creatures of the deep. With a robust crafting and inventory system, Deepworld allows players to create hundreds of tools, building materials, decorations, and mechanical contraptions. Players can collaborate and trade with each other in thriving user-created cities and settlements—or they can settle in their own private worlds, available as in-app purchases. Deepworld’s persistent online universe allows players to jump into the game at any time, from any compatible device with an Internet connection, and continue playing from where they left off.
“ Deepworld is an adventure, but it’s also a growing community of friends, teammates and rivals,” said Bytebin developer Quinn Stephens. “Now that players can connect on virtually any iOS device or Mac desktop, it makes the game more accessible for veterans and newcomers alike. We’re excited to welcome a new and wider audience into the game, and to continue to introduce fresh content to the fans who’ve already found a home here.”
In Deepworld, players can:
Explore: Delve into the depths of a constantly changing and expanding world and dig for precious resources, using touch controls specially refined for the iPhone.
Create: Return the world to its former glory using hundreds of items and materials, all via a simple one-touch crafting system.
Fight: Use crafted weapons to fend off mutant creatures, or construct defenses to protect valuable creations. Battle other players for supremacy in deadly PvP arenas.
Collaborate: Meet and join fellow adventurers while exploring the wasteland. Form guilds, trade resources and rare items, and band together to take down the most dangerous foes.
Customize: Alter in-game appearance at will. Gather clothing, hats, masks, and other special customizations from the environment. Earn skill points through achievements, and use them to level up abilities—including mining, crafting, agility, and more.
Calender
"Things to do" is just too clunky and sometimes I don't get enough submissions to warrant a specific segment on a Weekly Update. So I have combined the two in a Calender. For now I will list upcoming events, submission deadlines and kickstarters here. I hope you all enjoy the new format.
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly andThe Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
The streak is over...for now. The Update, I am sad to admit, did not break its monthly page view record in January. Our final count was 14,947, roughly 600 page views less than last month's record of 15,515. I am actually disappointed, since we have managed to break our monthly record 8 times in a row. Still I am not surprised. Last month with my new job and my writing responsibilities over at Amazing Stories, I have not exactly been prolific over here at The Update. In fact last month had the third least amount of content in the blog's existence. I think, however, that will all change this month. I have established a new routine and I have found more time for writing. Hopefully you will all enjoy the result.
Speaking of Amazing Stories, I have some great news to report from that front, if you can all be patient for some shameless self-promotion. My essay on DBWIs entitled Dissecting Our Present: How SF Can Highlight Our Historical Bias has been a huge success. Not only did it get linked to on the Hugo-award winning SF Signal, it also was the second most viewed article on Amazing Stories last week. The one downside to this great news is that it hasn't equaled increased page views for The Update as I hoped, but for anyone who discovered this blogthrough Amazing Stories I bid you welcome.
Don't forget everyone, this month we are requesting original fiction, essays and reviews dealing with the Balkanize Me trope of alternate history. There is still time to send in your submissions for this contest and the recently announced steampunk writing contest in March. I look forward to reading your submissions.
And now the news...
Update: Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger Tomorrow Gail Carriger's new novel Etiquette & Espionagecomes out, the first book of her new Finishing School. According to SF Signal, it is tied to her Parasol Protectorate series, which began with her award-winning novel Soulless. If you can't wait until tomorrow to read the book, you can read an excerpt from the novel over at Tor.com or watch the book trailer below:
Bioshock Infinite Trailers Two new Bioshock Infinite trailers were released last week. The first is made to look like a fake documentary:
Critical Failure likens the trailer to the "crappy old eight millimeter movies you had to watch in school", but questions how this alternate history could somehow miss a floating sky city that intervenes in foreign events. Still people seem excited about the game as Geek O System said, as long as "gameplay can keep pace with what looks to be a pretty cool premise replete with all the headscrewing detail and grey area morality" it should be a good game.
And finally the last trailer. Sorry no commentary, just watch:
War of the Roses Separates the Royals from the Rabble in New “Kingmaker” Edition Paradox Interactive, a publisher of games and a seeker of the throne, and Fatshark, valiant knights trapped in the modern era, today announced War of the Roses: Kingmaker, a gold edition of the game which allows aspiring knights a clear path to the throne by including all the top-notch weapons, armor, and perks that have been released since the title’s inception in October 2012. The new edition will be available in late Q1 2013.
In War of the Roses: Kingmaker, loyalists to the house of York or Lancaster will now have access to the content available since release, including the previously exclusive armor sets for both the red and white rose. Kingmaker will also introduce two new game modes—Assault and Assault Castle—where knights will face new attack and defense scenarios that aim to truly test their skill as a team.
A free trial version of War of the Roses is also planned for release February 6, which will allow anyone to download and play the game without cost. The trial version will include access to all online battles, enabling aspiring warriors to fight alongside all existing players – paid or trial. The trial version will limit players by disallowing any unlocks, giving access only to the game’s base classes and weapons, giving trial players a chance to live true knighthood.
In addition, Paradox will soon release a new premium DLC for War of the Roses, starring famously boisterous British actor Brian Blessed as a new narrator for the game. Blessed’s booming voice will inspire knights by announcing in-game events and warnings, giving new meaning to the iconic command to “Kill the enemy!”
On top of all of these new editions, all versions of War of the Roses are scheduled to receive new content in the form of the new “Outside the Law” update, which will add an all new deep forest map to the game’s selection, along with armor pieces Robin of Loxley would be proud of.
Things to do
Big list of upcoming events to check out. First off, go to Tor if you want to see the list of steampunk-themed events you can attend (there are too many, I'm not going to list them all out here). For some events, however, that might not be on Tor's, there is the steampunk/dark comedy LoveSickplaying at the LOFT Ensemble in Los Angeles, CA on Feb 24th and WarmStreets of Lynchburg, VA is putting on Steampunk/SF art show in April (and they are still looking for submissions) for charity.
In other news, the Historical Novel Society has released their schedule for their 2013 conference in St. Petersburg, Florida (June 21-23).
Have fun!
Submitting a Novel to Tor UK
Probably the biggest news story for aspiring authors is the announcement that Tor UKwill be accepting unsolicited e-submissions. So if you have a SF, fantasy or horror manuscript 95,000 to 150,000 words in length you can send it to TorUKSubmissions at macmillan dot com. More information about sending submissions can be found at the Tor UK blog.
Good luck...and if your alternate history story gets published by them, why not send it our way for a review?
Matt Mitrovich is the founder and editor of Alternate History Weekly Update, a blogger on Amazing Stories and a volunteer editor for Alt Hist magazine. His fiction can be found at Echelon Press, Jake's Monthly andThe Were-Traveler. When not writing he works as an attorney, enjoys life with his beautiful wife Alana and prepares for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. You can follow him on Facebook or Twitter.
